Happy New Year AND LOOKING FORWARD...

RIP 2010...LOL

New Year's Eve is a time of reflection for many of us, and I guess I've just not given it much thought until today when I began reading all the thoughtful and hopeful posts on several blogs I follow...seems like a great idea to do some reflecting myself...

Sooo I had to think a minute about last year~wow.
WE MADE IT...one more year...one more time...one more of everything...and
this past year was better...Better in that our home is coming together, our marriage is improving, and our kiddos are still great...and well, God has preserved our health...Well, just overall it's been pretty good, not perfect, but definitely good.

I am soo thankful for:
My family~I have a good husband who can drive me crazy and IS also my sanity...my kids who are so good and kind~what a gift from God...my mother who is very important in my life...my animals~just love those critters!
Our home~it's not perfect, but it's ours...and well on its way to better...making some changes and working a plan!
My friends~I have some incredible friends.  Without my girlfriends, I'd be lost. I have several who I've known for over 25 years who are my sisters...I have others who I haven't known as long who I treasure too~I deeply love my friends who God has given me...
My health~WHAT would I have IF I didn't have this? Little, indeed...very precious little without health.
My God~Without Him, I'd be nothing; I'd surely fail...fall...freakout! He's everything!

Soooo looking forward:

CHANGE:  Life is going to be different.

I am going to continue working at getting in bed earlier. This nightowlish stuff has GOT TO GO...lol...and so it will!

I am going to continue healthy eating patterns and working on becoming spiritually fit in all my life.  I am working a 12 step recovery program for compulsive over eating, and this will continue.  No sugar or white flour~working to weigh and measure all my food. I will remain caffeine free and pork free. I will eat mostly fruit and veggies with lean meats and low salt...

I will add into my life exercise. I have the opportunity tonight to walk and I'm going to do it~I will ask God for the strength to do this daily...

I am hoping for some changes in our homeschooling~that my children gain the needed things and that we grow closer as a family...

I am looking to gain some knowledge in some craft areas~I want to learn to quilt...yes, I do! And so I shall, Lord willing!

Maybe by next year this time I will be healthy enough to have tubed down a hill or made a snow angel~MY FIRST EVER...I'd like to...

I am sooo looking forward to what good things God has in store for us~
Thank you, God...

Happy New Year to you and your family!

Fit Mommy Friday: WK10: TouchDown...

It's HERE~The last post of the Fit Mommy Friday 10 Week Fitness Challenge~whoohoo! I've MADE IT~yes, it's been a ride! AND I will have successfully been sugar/white flour-starches-rice FREE 12 weeks on Saturday...also been increasing my activity and drinking my water...FEELING soo much better..and now adding exercise to the mix...planning some stuff, but not totally sure what ALL yet~have a YMCA membership so want to swim (indoor pool) and walk the track..yeah, I NEED to do this..little overwhelmed by the thought, but gonna take it slow and steady...three sizes down...Lord KNOWS I have so far to go, but in His power~all things are possible! AMEN!

Here's some pics taken of me the first was in August and the last just a few days ago...my face is a little slimmer~THANK the LORD..but like I've said, the journey has JUST begun! (Probably can't tell it much in these pics, but the shirt is smaller...so is the belly...lol!)

Need a laugh? Here's one~FOR our progress! HUGS!
Thanks Chai Mommy for hosting this challenge and you can read mo HERE!

FREE: Charles Dickins resource page

Charles Dickins Page

Holiday Bliss: Days 27 and 28~SNOW

We STILL have snow here~in fact, it's been on the ground three weeks~but yesterday we had a lovely time tubing on Mad River Mt.  SisterT didn't tube, but her kiddos and the youth group did~woot! Loads of fun for them...I got the play MOM and hold stuff while they went at it~here's some pics:  BTW~THANKS for praying me up a NEW camera~woot!  Read Mo BLISS
HERE

Youth Group...

Girl Thing One cold~brrr....!

Girl Thing One Tubing...

Sunday on our way to church.

Winter countryside...

Roads were pretty bad...

Holiday Bliss Day 26: AFTERMATH...lol!

Yo, it's SisterT here~Christmas Survivor reporting that the family represented by this faithful, artful, FULL..LOL..blogger has just returned from the slipperyslide of auto travel via US I-   returning home from morning worship~Yeah, you GOT THAT RIGHT~ but we are home safe and sound...

Christmas was relaxing~I crocheted and hand sewed most of the day...kiddos interneted...the rest of 'em just did the day..ha!

Here's a funny~Atlanta ROCKS!  Enjoy!  Mo Bliss                 !

Holiday Bliss Day 25: Christmas Day

Merry Christmas to you and your precious family!

Right now, my little ppl are snug in their beds thinking Santa just doesn't come around much anymore b/c they are soo grown up~HA! Not sooooooooooo...we opened gifts last night, but this morning they have some surprises to find! I can't wait!! They will really be excited! Shhh,,,don't tell 'em, okay?

It's going to be a lazy, easy day today.  No big meals~No muss or fuss...biggest thing will be homemade waffles for breakfast for the kiddos~their request!  SisterT is going to relax~hitting the last bit of shopping yesterday causes ME to get a day OFF today~ha! LOL...wonder if one of Santa's elves will keep the kitchen clean?

Sooo what are you doing today?

Merry Christmas! God rest ye merry gentlemen (women-folk too ;-))

Mo BLISS                   !

Holiday Bliss Day 24: Christmas Lights and Caroling

SisterT loves music~loves to sing, despite her voice being all messed up these days~but last night we rode looking at pretty Christmas lights singing in the car as we went~EVERYONE...was such fun!

Tonight we are going to our Christmas Eve service at our church...I just love our church family...my son will be doing a trumpet solo~Away In a Manger..LOVE this song!

Merry Christmas dear Friends! You all mean so much to me...sending you all a GREAT BIG HUG!!

Oops~heading out to shop some mo~

Read MO BLISS HERE!

Fit Mommy Friday: Week 9~ALMOST There...Well, Sorta~

This is week nine of the Fit Mommy Friday 10 Week Fitness Challenge.  I've faithfully participated and worked to get these ummmm~EVERYTHING pounds off...I have lots of weight to loose...In fact, it's probably more than the whole gang put together...does this make me a winner? No. In fact, I've lost so much because of being morbidly obese in my life...I've been overweight since childhood, and was over 200 lbs by 7th grade~probably 6th, but good ole public school gym class confirmed it when we were publicly weighed (HUMILIATED) by having our heights and weights done for the class~Anywho~who hasn't suffered a little?  But so am I looking at winning this challenge? No.  I am not able to truly do the kinds of exercising that others can accomplish...With several hundred pounds to loose~I've almost said it, now haven't I? I am certainly ashamed...you see, dear friends~you can't really SEE me~but only KNOW what I share...and a tad more honest~I really have pretty much lived a sedentary life up until the challenge of moving each day~and my life~just getting from point A to point B makes me more active...try carrying around a few hundred pounds!  Okay, so my progress:

I continue to eat only what is on my plan of eating.  Today makes 11 weeks eating healthy~addressing my obesity. Of course, a ten week challenge of any kind will not take care of my problems nor yours. We will ALL no matter your size or goals, have to address healthy consumptions moment by moment~day by day~so that in this lifetime, our habits and lives will change.  I'm on this path.  I thank God for it.  Just last night I took the kiddos of our youth group out to snowball fight. They had such a good time and my activity was slightly increased by the extra walking and moving I did~and NO~I didn't snowball fight...was afraid I'd fall down..which in all honesty would have hurt me very badly...nope, so no snowball fights for me this year~but prayerfully next year.

This continued path I am on~is for the first time EVER a solid reliable way to live.  You see, diets never worked. I've been on them ALL my life. But of course, I'd find myself tempted or excusing or just being blah enough to overeat and the pattern would continue...fat on top of fat...until you sorta KNOW the story...one obese middle aged woman attempting to change her life~without surgery or other worse health affecting methods.

You see, I have to share just quickly WHY obesity surgery is not an option for me. With this amount to lose, you might think that it would be the solution for me.  But almost nine years ago I lost my only sibling, my little brother to obesity surgery via a itty bitty medical~surgical mistake that unfortunately was not caught, but cost him his life at age 35.  It took eight hours for him to die, and the medical recovery nurses nor ICU nurse nor two doctors didn't catch it..tragic for sure~and what's worse, is that there is NO way that even if he had survived the procedure and lived~while thin~he would've been healthy.  Remember all that water we try to gulp down each day? Well, the ppl who've had this procedure like he had find it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to maintain their electrolytes naturally b/c they no longer have the physical space nor absorbtion to handle even NORMAL amounts of volume.  Imagine a morbidly obese body that is now stressed by lack of adequate hydration and nutrition (fuel.)  Okay, so now ya know...

But my victory will be all the SWEETER! God has been so good to me.  I am moving..and another fact you didn't know~I've already lost 90 lbs...yeah, you have that number correct.  NINETY...but when I said I have hundreds more to go~getting the picture, yet?  I know that God is going to use my testimony if He allows me to live.  SisterT isn't usually this morbid, but I want to be more transparent by sharing. I want to encourage you to continue your journey of HEALTH (moderation in all things!) so you don't find yourself like I have done.  I am definitely blessed to have found a new way of life...new tools for my journey of life...and HOPEFULLY a new life in a smaller body.

Please pray for me...humiliation comes in so many forms, and fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of just ole fear often tries to consume me.  But as I ONE day at a time~walk this new path...no, I'm not able to just go walking around my block YET..but it's coming!  Just being able to LIVE LIFE is amazing if you have ever EVER lost that.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.  I have at least this next year or two to KEEP going...so while our challenge will end for some of us~I'm still going to be plugging away~bit by bit~pound by pound~movement by movement. Did I ever share my secret dreams of wanting to be a ballerina as a child? It's such a beautiful art form, and I really wanted to when very young...well, no money and not the correct body...ha! Okay, so you can see there's a dancer here~INSIDE...dancing...in my heart, and ONE DAY in my body!

Hopping off here to head out shopping AGAIN today~what a blessing to have such energy...God is sooo good! Walking the stores is a boost!

Thanks again~sooo how are you doing? Don't give up~EVEN THO it's Christmas! What better gift to yourself and the ppl who love YOU other than taking CARE of the body God gave you? Join me?

Hugs!

Read mo of the Fit Mommy Fri ladies  HERE!

Holiday Bliss: Day 22 &23~Youth Group

Well, the shopping's done and  all wrapped up~friends came over~wow this was fun! Tonight the youth group met for Bible study and then a snowball fight~woot! How about some hot chocochip cookies and cocoa??  Feeling pretty blessed and BLISSfilled...

Cookies~fresh and hot!

Cookies didn't last long!!

Hey, it's all counting down...just a few mo days til Christmas!

Suiting up for snow!

WHAT are you doing??

Read MO Bliss                 !

Holiday Bliss: Day 21~Company Coming

No need to panic when inviting friends over~they'll be here pretty soon! Sharing a meal and spending time..IMPORTANT!

Sooo who's coming to YOUR house this week?  ENJOY!

Merry Christmas!
Read mo BLISS             !

Holiday Bliss: Day 20~Shop Till I Drop

SisterT HATES to admit it~but she loves to shop...only problem~money! LOL...Got any spare bucks hanging around? NO? Didn't think so...most of us are short on cash this time of year~sooo I get creative in my shopping. I like to begin early and will most likely start right after Christmas for next year~purchasing cards for the church card exchange and gifts that will hold all year long...I let my fingers do the walking too~I internet research most things~Coupons and money backs are great~I make stuff too..but this is another post...But my shopping definitely consumes me~like today hub and I are heading to the stores~for some last minute deal finding~AND I am hitting the web too~our kids don't mind if it comes a day or two behind the frey...

Sooo did you finish your Christmas shopping blitz yet?

Read mo BLISS HERE!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HS LAWS in Her STATE

Nobody wants to get into trouble. SisterT likes to avoid troubles...and so she has researched her local homeschooling laws~in each state she has lived~they were each different too! Sooo first, I'd recommend checking with HSLDA for the ditty on hsing laws in your neck of the woods, then I'd double check with your local BOE.  I've honestly never found the BOE to be intrusive, but I don't tweak their cheeks either...I just live and let live within the law~

As for where I live and my states' laws~I'm following them...I keep records from year to year. Hard pressed, and it might be EXTREME, but I have ALL of their school work from year to year~oh yeah, having moved around lends itself to keeping this stuff~We do yearly evaluations and do a 'progress' report on the state approved form.  I don't do anything any different than the rest of the homeschoolers around here~contact your local hs organization for help on this too~fly under the radar and do the right things~it never pays to have to pay the law when its broken...no matter how silly or how much we disagree~

I'm keeping a list and transcript for highschool records for a college bound transcript...woot!

You can read the CREW                 to see what everyone is up to concerning this important part of HSing..!

Holiday Bliss: Day 19~Easiest Baked Cookies EVER!

SisterT is ALL about ease...she just does not like to W O R K, shhhh...it's a dirty word...LOL!  Well, then..how does she make cookies for her kiddos? Well, the easy way, and it's not in a tube either...

All you need is a cake mix.  She likes the chocolate cake mixes or white ones...any will do...

Chocolate becomes Reindeer Poop...just roll the dough into a ball...bake as directed...
To make reindeer, make a ball~flaten.  Use the small rounded pretzels for antlers and M&M for nose..too cute!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package cake mix, any flavor
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• For a fancier cookie add 1 cu of whatever: nuts, raisins, choco chips...anything~YUM!

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove 3 tablespoons from the cake mix and set aside.
Add eggs and oil to cake mix and combine until smooth. If mix is too wet, add more dry mix. Drop in one inch balls on ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan.
Bake for approximately 7 minutes or until slightly browned, being careful not to overcook.

More BLISS             !

Holiday Bliss 2010: Day 18~Visiting and Guests

I can THANK my daughter for this!lol

You wanna get SisterT in a panic? Just call and say you're coming by or worse YET..show up! LOL...we are a messy bunch, and well, I just get all nervous when ppl come over~BUT...on the other side of that, I LOVE company~go figure! LOL....All this emotion EITHER way has got to be tied up in feeling like the home is a true reflection of ME...my skills and care for my family...and how in this world can I DO it all? It's nearly impossible, but when we get that call, IF I HAVE THE TIME, I will spruce it all up~even vacuum if I can~we have animals who are more human than some appreciate, and often this is a help...

Yesterday a precious couple came by and I had the time~kiddos helped...such a blessing! When they arrived, I was fully able to enjoy their visit.  I know it's shallow~perhaps this all stems from growing up in a home I was ashamed of? A home that was somewhat run down by my friends' homes?  I really disliked 'company' growing up for a good deal of it~but there did come a time when this superficial aspect improved..just so you know it wasn't always dismal...Anyway, there are so many societal expectations in visiting other ppl's homes...I truly hate visiting~no joke~and avoid it mostly for fear of embaressing ppl~or MYSELF...LOL...

But THIS YEAR~I'm prepared. I know that certain loving folks are coming~yes, and I'd be sad if they didn't...sooooooooooooo I'm preparing to have 'something to offer' like coffee or hot tea and something yummy...IT'S a southerner thing..."ya'll want a glass of tea?"  LOL...OR..."Have a piece of cake!"  LOL...it's really true,,,the south is all about sharing this way, and I KNOW...I'm not living there right now, but...I'm a true southerner~whoot!!

I deeply enjoyed our friend's lovely visit.  It was very relaxing and special.


Sooooooo who's coming to your house?  OR where are you going???

BTW~I'm hunting some sugar free candy canes~seen any?? ;-))

This is Day 18 on the Holiday Bliss journey~you can join up and read mo  HERE!

Fit Mommy Friday: WK 8: Counting Down...

the pounds, that is~
What an amazing challenge this has become!

It is encouraging to gain such momentum from reading your progress as well as working on my own!  I don't weigh every day or even every week, b/c I learned years ago that this kind of practice just sets me up for failure, but if it works for you, of course, by all means go for it! So since I can't give you a number of pounds for the week, I can say that my clothes are bagging on me~that once worn bigger sizes are now being put away so I can recycle them to someone else~Praise God!  I AM NOT keeping them~I wore them wayyy too long!

So my progress is this:

10 weeks without sugar/white flour will be celebrated tomorrow~whoot! All the while we have had two birthdays, Thanksgiving, church social dinners and ladies' functions and even other social events where food was the main event within my immediate family~My children haven't been deprived ONE bite of birthday cake~in fact, I've encouraged them to have their cake AND EAT IT TOO~lol! By NOT eating any~there was mo for them, so to speak!  But as part of this EXTREME NEW lifestyle, I have also learned NEW ways of shopping for and preparing foods.  First off, I READ labels.  I am looking for sugars and all it's insidious names and starches and its insidious names AND then I am looking for flours and all the descriptions and names it can have...I have researched and read a bunch on this so I have that crucial info...I do my best to make SURE that none of the "offender" ingredients in positioned no closer than 3, but at least 5 on the ingredient list.  Also I don't eat much pre-prepared foods. I do eat mayo (fat free/low cal~10 cal per tbs), margarine (yeah, I know butter is better..the cal or virtually the same~BUT I like margarine! LOL...and so far, colesterol isn't my enemy~calories are...LOL..this could CHANGE tho...LOL), flour~whole wheat variety, yogurt (I know I can make this~it's convenience and taste...I haven't acquired that homemade taste in this arena..but I plan to...I gotta get the right stuff to make it...), eggs (I buy these~don't have my own chickens...(maybe never, but the idea has crossed my mind!), cheese!(not making it either, but I've thought about it too)...You get the idea...I'm eating as many fresh/whole foods as possible! The foray into pasta~the whole wheat variety is interesting! Today we are making homemade lasangna noodles...and we use whole wheat flour to thicken gravy...oh yeah, it's good!  I have taken to collecting healthy recipes that are altered from their originals to make them health conscious and even binding them in a notebook~when they're keepers, I'm taking care to keep them LOL...

But then the most amazing part is cooking. Did I ever share I hate the kitchen..or I did hate it...it's always been a place synonymous with DRUDGERY for me.  Maybe all the guilt of late night binges after meals were eaten while I LITERALLY cleaned up~the left overs, that is...had gotten to me~but I never fully embraced cooking. I resisted it when  teenager, and never tried to really learn much then..and when I needed to learn, I learned by default.  You know, accidental learning...short cut here, easy way~there...but this amazing thing that includes recipes also includes new skills...that utilizes the shopping~label reading.  I can really cook!  IF I WANT TO~ha! Yes, SisterT has been in the kitchen a little more...my mother who is much like a chef of sorts does a fine job and has always loved it~but I'm learning! I no longer resent the kitchen, but rather enjoy 'rattling' the pots a little...ALL for love~love of health...good health begins with the intake of nutrition.  This is such an amazing change for me.  I am certain that my eating along with God's blessings has afforded me the health I do have thus far as I long ago gave up the premade processed stuff~for fresh and raw~but I had truly NEVER gotten a handle on portions...over eating is over eating no matter on what!  THIS IS A BIG GIANT change!

Along the way, my food plan has changed just a little bit.  I am eating a few less carbs than I began eating.  I have reduced the morning eating to one serving most days instead of two, and alternating the yogurt or milk serving between morning, lunch or supper meals to equal two instead of the three I was consuming. The overall bulk of my food is decreasing!  This is HUGE, too!

With my obstacles, I have to ask myself, 'HOW do you eat an elephant?' meaning that conquering a terrible situation of ill health due to morbid obesity and inactivity is akin to eating a GREAT BIG animal???  The resounding answer is 'ONE second/minute/hour/DAY AT a TIME!  or...one bite at a time~each meal or food encounter being put in its proper place~in the right way: God honoring.  God honoring amounts, combinations and times'...THIS is a new concept for me, too. I had NEVER considered GIVING God my food each day!

Activity is interesting.  I am almost feeling hyper!  My energy is returning, and I have no desire to do all the sitting THINGS I have done for years! I wanna dance and move~guess my house is gonna look better too! LOL...and you know, my whole life is improving! I am sleeping better as well.  The whole body is recovering! Exercise this week included more shopping and getting up and moving~anybody like to dance like I do? Good thing I'm a child of the 70s...LOL...there's some AWESOME dance music from the 70s-90s! Wooot!

Almost forgot the water~still struggle, but this headache means that the tall glass I just poured and downed half of needs to be emptied! STILL working on this one~since the stomach has shrunk, getting it all in a tough! BUT HEY, stuffing water beats stuffing food~LOL!!!

Okay, Fit Mommys~here you have it...one fat woman's attempts to give God her life...and you can join up the efforts and read mo HERE!

Holiday Bliss 2010: Day 17~Christmas Snow

I think the lights this year are the prettiest I've EVER seen...could beeeeeeeee SisterT is getting a little senile...LOL, but the Christmas lights are just gorgeous this year! Maybe it's the lovely snow we got earlier this week~gotta be somethin' positive about all that cold white stuff! LOL..Here's a few pics..ya'll still prayn' for that camera? THANKS!

Our house looks neat all in a blanket of snow!

My fave house in our neighborhood.

There's loads mo B L I S S                 !

Holiday Bliss 2010 Day 16~Shopping and Planning

SisterT is heading to the stores today despite ice and snow~3 mo inches last night, and to go get a hair cut...gotta look my best for the Christmas program on Sunday..LOL...Snow pics coming soon!

Yesterday was Boy Thing One's birthday~He baked cookies and had a gathering at church with the youth~woot! Happy Birthday Son!

And nope, I didn't eat any...LOL...
BTW~ Are you still prayn' for that camera? Let Santa KNOW just how bad I NEED (want) one...when you go see him at the mall, okay?? LOL...
Read more BLISS               !

Review: Wits and Wagers Family Edition!

Wits and Wagers Family Edition

Ages:  Age 8 & up
Price: $17.24-$19.99
ToysRUs
Amazon.com 
I say: Really really fun!

I received Wits and Wagers Family Edition as part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew review program in exchange for my honest opinions without any monetary compensation.  My opinions are my own.

Whoooooooooooooot~THIS IS ONE FUN GAME! Let me tell you~I have 'reluctant' family gamers...my teens are NOT easily impressed with board games...in an age of internet and online games, pulling out the board games can have them moaning, 'been there, done that!' in their attitudes~BUT Wits and Wagers is different.  First, I introduced it as a TEST game...LOL..but you won't have to pull this little ploy if you have WILLING participants..LOL...but so you know how I went about gaining cooperation...AND then, I also said, lets play this with the Youth Group at church...okay, so far~so good.  They like their friends at church..and playing games is something we do a part of our activities...okay...soooooooo,,,yeah. It went so well that I was amazed...THEY LOVE IT!

Wits and Wagers worked so well on several levels.As a family we could easily play it with just a few players~me and one other...and then we hauled it to church...it was a hit there as well with the 'more sophisticated' publicly schooled bunch...LOL...(like kids are ALL that different...LOL) and it was so fun..we had to TEAM UP in twos to play...You know, it was really fun...really really fun! AND another thing..we also pulled it out when our friends, the Johnsons came over with their family~big group playing...all homeschoolers...and the educational value can't be underestimated either...little known facts had the lap tops coming out...for MO research..oh, man oh man! You cannot beat a GAME that inadvertantly..okay...sneakily TEACHES! THAT IS FUN!

How it works:

Wits and Wagers has a scorecard and some 'meeples' who are used as tokens to place the 'wager' on which answer the player or team of players believes to be correct~whether it's their answer or not...oh this is the most fun~~~I found myself going with other's answers more often...just b/c I doubted my own insights and/or I realized some of the players might KNOW the answer while I was guessing...THIS IS FUN!  First team to score 14 WINS~and the heat was on...it was loaded with healthy fun competition...and amazing fun!

I found this~

AND...

You will want to read what the CREW is sayn'          too, but TRUST ME, it's a keeper...gonna haul it out tonight for mo fun with the youth...they will be THRILLED!

Holiday Bliss 2010: Day 15 ~ Humbug Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The holidays are the most difficult time of the year for some of us.  Grief, illness, limitations like finances and evern famiy discord can really create a terrible situation with all of the holiday expectations that are out there.  I mean, WHO can be happy about all the goodies and fattening foods when on a diet?  LOL...Especiall IF you wanna STAY on that diet and not fall prey to the guilt and shame of over eating and eating foods that are damaging to the body.  Ha~CAN you imagine I just called all that good looking and tasting stuff damaging to the body? Well, it's true...and the key, of course is moderation. But for me, it's not possible.  I flat out just don't KNOW how to moderate goodies...no, SisterT doesn't.  AND my health depends upon me staying out of them...oh yes it does! AND also I can tell myself it's just a pipe dream that a "little won't hurt" which is a lie...some of us in this world are facing such odds...

Then there's family stuff.  Anybody had discord in the family?  Sometimes ppl and I mean, our kids, spouse, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, cousins...ANYBODY just BE in a funk?  This time of year can breed that stuff~lack of sunshine and then the isolation of cold winter's chill..snow, ice, uh...YOU get the pic...

Alrighty~TIME TO STOP from my negative rant~LOL...and head into that Holiday Bliss~
Yeah, even when ole Scrooge is about~there's so much to feel and be blessed with~

First~I am here.  Oh yeah.  I am here. Sometimes, I'd rather be elsewhere, but for today and right now, I am here~born in this season of time...living as God has intended and walking one minute step at a time...I'm thankful that as interesting as it would be, that I am was born in THIS time ...the modern age of technology and modern convenience.  As a lover of history, my curiosity often gets me where the past is concerned, but to have LIFE in this way and time is just AMAZING~I love all the modern things~having those glinty LED lights on my tree this year..I know what no lights is like (all had burned out and choices kept us from purchasing new when money was tighter...) but yeah, NEW LIGHTS is so cool! 

Second~God has blessed me with a wonderful family.  Yes, He has...INDIVIDUALS is just what He designed. Not a one of us is alike no matter how close our relation.  AND not only individual, but uniquely gifted.  Oh the talent God has instilled in His creations...Talents like art and music and well...there's so many!  But I am soo blessed by this in my family and what I can SEE in me...yeah, I think SisterT has a little herself..LOL...(okay, ya'll~no wise cracks!! LOL)

Third~Health.  Can you imagine the distress of illness this time of year? Well, God is good in that while I am not overtly healthy, I do have health...and happiness too...and a restricted food plan doesn't mean I can't eat AT ALL...did you know some ppl out there can't EAT A BITE?  Sooo I am thankful for what He has given...the ability to take insanely unhealthy recipes and reconfigure to something better for me and the family.  Sugar is insidious and can kill...ask any diabetic who fully understand the gravity of their situation...no, PTL SisterT isn't diabetic, but sugar is a problem...but He allowed ppl to come up with Splenda and all the other lovely substitutes..and this works well for all sorts of goodies...you get the idea~I'm not eating sugar for health reasons.  I can bemoan this, or I can accept it.  I choose to accept it.

Money, money, money! Anybody suffering from the lack of it?  I definitely don't have ...okay, I am having trouble typing E N O U G H...b/c it's a lie...I DO have enough...but I am like everybody else: I WANT more! Yeah, I do.  No matter how blessed we are...and we are...I struggle with DIS-SATISFACTION...but, in my soul, God has told me..and I am working to accept it~I HAVE enough~that it all comes from HIM...and who is SisterT to question that? Well, I raise my head up defiantly and often will have the nerve to question...such sillyness~ooooh boy...that's dumb, isn't it?  Yeah, dumb...I have enough...yes, yes, yes!  Food, shelter and PLENTY of all that I need AND WANT...thankyou, God! (My mother REMINDS me that I have MORE than I WANT to clean...LOL...and she is soooooooooo right...yeah, she is! LOL)

Okay,,,I'm done being SCROOGE...baaaaaaaaaaaaaa Humbug!  LOL...back to B L I SS~
Check out the positive posts                   ! There's some really great crafts and eats and inspiration as well as decor posts...YOU WILL be blessed! (Even a Scrooge would be! LOL)

Holiday Bliss 2010: Day 14 ~Choir Music

I always look forward to hearing our church's Christmas offering each year, and my friend, Jennifer posted up her church's gift~WOW! THANKS JEN! BIG HUGS!
BTW~we are snowed in snug and tight. Got some mailed packages off today..whoot!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's KIDS Are Talking About Homeschooling....

Oh, SisterT is such a brave soul...it's been rough sometimes homeschooling her precious two..and the reviews have NOT always been positive from them...But she believes that overall in the future they will see the value of parental wisdom~it's her prayer and HOPE.  So without further adu~

For their considerations:

Why does your family Homeschool? 

What is your favorite part of homeschooling?  

What do you want to be when you grow up?

They answer on each~

Girl Thing One

Age 16

Boy Thing One

Age 15

So WHY does our family homeschool?

GTO~There are a lot of different reasons.  One would be religious reasons and you don't want the secular world to affect us.  My family wants me to have a more 'eloquent' education.  For bonding issues~you want to have a relationship with us.  And I think I've been too isolated by homeschooling, and I worry I am not going to be prepared.  The benefits are that homeschooling is flexible and convenient to parents. Parents choose the study materials and can choose what they want studied.  There are No limits to the linguistic selective subjects such as Spanish or French and you can have alternative choices such as Japanese, German or Russian. It's also not limited to selective teaching style. If a child is a visual learner, a child can be given visual learning or whatever is needed.

Is it more positive than negative?

Depends upon the child. Each child has different personalities.  Some personalities are more suited for homeschooling than others.  It will depend upon the child depending upon whether homeschooling is beneficial or harmful.

In what instances is homeschooling harmful?  If your child has problems developing socially or difficulties or has a warped view of reality or how the world works..isolation isn't as helpful b/c nowhere is the exposure the same and no flexibility available.  If I child doesn't know how to operate in a classroom or isn't disciplined in getting their work done on time schedules is a negative when looking at college. You have a whole standard of bar setting to measure up to kids you know nothing about.  It's a disadvantage socially.  I know the stat that hs kids are able to socialize with different age groups, but it's not like they can socialize on a deep level with those age groups due to the lack of exposure that 6 hrs a day in a select age group would offer such as in a public school classroom.

Please NOTE: I am having a discussion with my child on this, and our path may change some directions...

You may wonder why I am putting such honesty on my blog, but you must realize that we are people with feelings. It's good to share these WHATEVER they are for not only is it good to get them out between parent and child but also so others who are considering hsing aren't jaded if there's little negative or less glowing information out there.  The WHOLE truth and nothing but the truth~amen!!is essential for an honest eval of the situation. Thanks for understanding. Your prayers are appreciated...


BTO~ Our family homeschools to keep us out of the filth of the public school and to give us a better education. Also so you can spend more time with us.  So you can torture us in the ground and teach us more valuable skills! (He's grinning!)

What is your favorite part of homeschooling?

GTO~The fact I can do my school when I want to~no real schedule.  I don't have to wait on anyone like a single teacher; I can do it in the car or wherever.  If I'm struggling in an area, I can focus on it.  I liked volunteering for the library and going to drama.  I didn't really like the co-ops except for the art class.  Extra curricular activities were nice, but I wouldda been just as happy staying home.  


BTO~My favorite part of homeschooling is not putting up with the mean kids of public schools who try to beat up on you or brag a lot.  I like the flexible time schedule where I can make time to travel and do interesting stuff like play my game in between my studies.  I like holding my cat during school~but in public school this isn't possible...

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

GTO~Rephrase that question to "what do you want to do with your life?" I'm already grown up... I have a lot of different options and choosing which one is difficult.  I wanna be happy, and I wanna be a writer. 

 BTO~I want to be a retired old fellow when I am past 60.  I'm not going to live underneath your table.  I want to get a business degree and look for a job and wait for something in that field. 

Well, they weren't overly happy giving up this info...we have some discussions to have and hold...but here you have it~homeschooled teens with THEIR own thoughts...

For some more insights, click                     ! 

Holiday Bliss 2010: Day 13 ~ Homemade Sausage

Silly as it sounds~but is GREAT for someone like me who doesn't eat pork~
BUT if you gotta have pork, you can substitute ground pork for the ground turkey~whoot!
I LIKE it with sourkraut with cinnamon, onions, applesauce and Splenda~oh yeah! I KNOW it sounds weird...TRUST ME~LOL!

Sooo good on a cold night~or eat with eggs for breakfast! Ya think Santa would like it??

Homemade Sausage
3lbs ground turkey
2 tsp blk pepper
1tsp red pepper (cayanne pepper powder)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground sage
MIX really, really well.  Let set 24 hr before use for best blend...yum!

We had some of this on our homemade pizzas.  Here's what we did:

Boboli crust~whole wheat.
cooked peppers and onions.
turkey sausage cooked
mushrooms out of can
mozzerella cheese shredded
homemade sauce (premade or bought)
Place all items on Boboli in order of sauce, items and top with cheese
Bake on wire wracks for crispy crust..yum!

More  HERE !