Tell'n It!

I'm DIFFERENT NOW....SO...

2012-01-27T10:29:00.000-05:00

It's really tough to KNOW what to do when life becomes different and it makes changes in us...I have just undergone such changes~and I AM DIFFERENT NOW...oh I'm still encapsulated in this same ole body and my thoughts and values haven't changed, but in my focus, I have moved, changed, rearranged somewhat...and my little effort here has suddenly left me without participation. I no longer can participate. Not because I don't want to, but because I am no longer homeschooling my kids MYSELF, but we have moved into the total techno age and utilizing the K12 program in a 'virtual academy.' My kids are enrolled in the largest highschool in our state and with good reason. It pools students far and wide. My two are just that..but it's left me in a DIFFERENT focus and mindset. I am no longer as intimately involved~it's THEIR game now, much more so THAN EVER...and so what do I share with you? I've found this hard. Very hard. I have loved writing for you dear reader over these past several years promoting the ideals of a Christian home education and so honestly believed and still do that it's possible to go the whole nine yards~totally the 12 or 13 yrs if you want to count kindergarten and instill all that is necessary and valuable in our children..YES~I STILL believe...but since my kids are now in an online public school, homeschooling antics while there are still many, may not be as inspiring or interesting to some..or may seem like we've somehow divorced the ranks of the homeschooled OR we might just be seen as more odd than others. But for whatever the issues, for me I am not inspired often to share about our current processes~even though I am no less proud. I'm just not sure that you care...kwim?? So with that, I have realized I have some choices concerning this newfound life I have~I can either leave this blog and all of you or I can refocus on another aspect of life~my life...and I DO have a life...LOL..that mothering and homeschooling didn't take it all or consume me entirely...so I believe I will begin today to put homeschooling in a good and solid place here in my blog much as I have done in my own life~in the past with all the grand experiences and memories...and move into my present and share..share..share...WHAT life is like...now and in the future of life...as a wife, mother...daughter...woman...Christian...There's a CHANGE going on here...in the next little bit~you will see...ME...differenly...but I am ...and don't blink..LOL, b/c it's likely to change again in a flash! B/C (I can!) LOL...No, seriously, I am excited about a refocus of SisterTipster and will be incorporating many facets into one ideal..right here, with you!
Have a beautiful day in the Lord!
SisterT <3

GiveAway & Review: A Mile In His Shoes (DVD) ENDS 1/22/12

2012-01-18T23:34:00.000-05:00

Do you like FEEL GOOD extra cool movies? We do at my house, and A Mile In His Shoes is a really great film for a boy or teenage boy OR the whole family...My son loved it! He gives it the THUMBS UP! He says it's a good movie!

Here's the scoop:

"Sometimes MIRACLES HAPPEN when you least expect them and late in the game."

Special needs...Mickey has Asperghers and has a special baseball gift..and more! You will love this movie, and it's FANTASTIC for the entire family! (Rated PG so be sure to preview before your littles...but overall very good!)

AND I get to GiveAway a copy for a wonderful reader! TY ALL so much!
Leave me a comment and tell me WHAT special gift or talent do you SEE in your child ;-)) God gives each of our children a wonderful unique something special JUST for them!

And that's it~for one entry for the giveaway OR if you want 3 more entries, follow me on and leave a comment three times telling me that you did or do ;-)) We'll end this one on Sunday 1/22 11:59PM ET!
Check out the facebook page for
A Mile In His Shoes

Blessings,
SisterT

PaperWork:

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or

services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance

with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the

Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Family Movie Night~Game of Your LIfe

2011-11-23T22:04:00.001-05:00

Walmart and P&G (Proctor and Gamble) have once again teamed up for a great movie that is family friendly~Set in the mid west, Zach Taylor is a promising game designer who has won a chance to make it big...but his values are tested~HOW WILL Zach pull it all together? Will he be able to be true to his family AND his team??...This film will appeal to boys who are into computer games as well as girls. It's totally family friendly with a great plot and outcome. It's set to air Friday, Dec 2nd 8/7c on NBC~You will want to have the whole family gather for this one~

I really enjoyed Game of Your Life, but I couldn't get my almost 16 yr old boy interested. After viewing it, I believe he will really want to watch it b/c he's such a gamer. Maybe he'll tune in on the second~I think it's GREAT and most kids will like it.

I received a sneak peak in exchange for this review from Propeller for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

Thanks so much~ENJOY the trailor and catch it on NBC, Friday Dec 2nd 8/7c~;-))
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HURRY~LAST DAY to ENTER for Christmas Film: Christmas Lodge

2011-11-15T19:59:00.000-05:00

This is ending 11-16-11 12MN and hey, looks like low entries..shhhh....I WANNA WIN!! WOOT!
Gotta LOVE the Cow Queen!

Home School Enrichment Magazine FREE Digital Fall Edition

2011-11-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

Fall 2011 Edition
is completely FREE!
AND HOW COOL is that??? WOOT!

GRATITUDE CHALLENGE 2011~DAY 3....THIS TOO SOON Shall Pass!

2011-11-03T08:38:00.000-04:00

YEP, life is a continuum and it's always changing. And just when I'm thinking oh this is GREAT or this is ROTTEN, life throws something else and there I am...DIFFERENT from that former thought...oh yes! Sooo TODAY, DAY 3 I am thankful for CHANGE..yeah, I said that ugly~uncomfortable~almost nasty little word that represents mayhem and peace, wonder, excitement, pain and purpose...ALL of every little bit of life is propelled around in CHANGES...and One Day At a Time, which truly equals milliseconds for me~CHANGE IS HERE..permanently! Soo I will be grateful to God for bringing these to me~even in the sadness or gladness...ONE THING ISSSSSSSSS for sure..there is ALWAYS CHANGE!

I'm embracing this little word~Are you?? Got any good/bad changes happening you wanna share??
Link up and go ck out the Grat Challenge (CLICK the button below)~we're real THANK FULL!

Hugs,
SisterT

GRATITUDE CHALLENGE 2011~DAY 2....FAT, FAT and LESS Fat!

2011-11-02T05:48:00.001-04:00

I'm on day 2 of the 2011 Gratitude Challenge, and I'm SOOOO THANKFUL to be 94#s DOWN from my original weight back in April 2010...THIS IS GREAT NEWS~however, I still have MO TO GO...but! FOCUSING on my blessings~here's the ditty on what this has done for me:

1. RENEWED sense of self. I feel so much better about me. I'm still a great big fat woman (no way to deny this any longer or cover it up~BUT I am looking but more importantly FEELING MO LIKE ME! WOOT!)

2. NEW vigor and energy. I'd like to say I'm ready to run the marathon I hope to at least power walk one day if not RUN~BUT no! It will be a while...however, it's amazing HOW BAD I felt and honestly I feel so good I really didn't KNOW HOW BAD I was feeling...no kidding...(hey, and HOW MUCH better WILLL I feel??? Oh yeah! ;-)) THIS IS exciting!

3. I can BUY CLOTHES. For you gals out there who haven't been in the shape I've been in ~you won't 'get' this...but, I couldn't go in a store and pick out a thing even in the great big fat shops...NOPE. I couldn't. I don't wear tight clothing or other ill fitting duds, so I was relegated to catalog shopping or sewing my items...you think THAT was fun? Oh, it did the job, and I was clothed and I looked as 'nice' as was possible...nothing WORSE imho than ill-fitting clothing on a person...but anyway, I am blessed! YOU SHOULD SEEEEE the 90 gal tub of clothes I can NO LONGER WEAR that are leaving my life~TY Lord! And then, there's the JOY~SHEER JOY of going into the local walmart and while it's not ideal~BEING ABLE to buy an article IF I WANT TO...PTL! I'm like a kid in a candy store and honestly don't know WHAT I WANT...options are a good thing! OH YES!

4. LESS MIND CLUTTER. I am looking with HOPE to my future. HOPE...ever been sick and tired and had no HOPE? Well, even in a faith based life~LIFE can seem difficult to reach...BEEN THERE-DONE THAT and thanks to the Lord, I'm on the up-swing! I'm cleaning out and clearing out...might even get rid of things I'd NEVER dreamed of with a renewed sense of 'less is definitely MO!'...

5. BUSY and MO busy. I'm not bored nor overwhelmed. LIFE IS feeling pretty right. I'm on a spiritual/mental and emotional journey that I won't graduate from~oh no! I'm here...FOR LIFE...so...don't ask me about my DIEt...this is NOT it at all..and never worked for me...I'm on the 12 step recovery~spiritual healing to fix what ails this mind and body kind of LIFER program One Day At a Time...and you know what? I'm working it daily and everyday~MULTIPLE times a day...So yep, I'm busy...but it's all good!

Thanks for stopping in to SEE MY PROGRESS~I'll post up a post of some of my changes IN me...I think all but a more recent pic~let's see....Yup, HERE it is...

AND ME~

blessings,
SisterT

Hey, join on up and count your blessings day by day this November and really DO some THANKS GIVING! CLICK that button up top! woot!

FREEBIE: The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Digital Fall 2011

2011-11-01T12:40:00.001-04:00

You will really enjoy this FREEBIE!
HERE!
Blessings,
SisterT

GRATITUDE CHALLENGE 2011~DAY 1....Ha! Dirty DISHES! and TOO MUCH CLUTTER!

2011-11-01T11:10:00.000-04:00

Yeah, you read THAT RIGHT. I'm THANK FULLLLLLLLLLLLL for dirty dishes in my sink, on my counter, on the stove and STILLLLL on the table! Yup~b/c this means my ppl~my precious family have had plenty to eat/we had money to buy the food/and that I have a job (okay, just kidding bout that part! LOL) But seriously, I love that poem about the dirty dishes having a tale to tell~that our family eats so well...oh yeah! Well, it's not a bad bad thing when I see impoverished children from the world sipping out wooden hulled bowls with something that looks like gruel..NOT too appetizing I'm afraid, but I'm sure it's healthful~I HOPE...

So I'm thankful for DIRTY DISHES...

and then...ALL THE JUNK AND CLUTTER...OH MY! SisterT is just WAY TOO BLESSED...weeding out..and STILL toooooooooooo blessed...God has provided an abundance of everything I've needed and MOST of all I've wanted..yeah, sisters-BEWARE of WHAT YOU ASK FOR...for you may surely get it! HA! I'm praising God I got junk and dirty dishes...b/c NOW...

I gotta JUMP OFF HERE~and FLING myself to go spruce it all up for the next round of hungry participants who really enjoy this wonderful bounty God is providing!

Thanks for coming by and to Brenda for this THANKS GIVING opportunity!
Hugs,
SisterT ;-))

REVIEW: Alethia Writing Magazine for Christian Teens

2011-09-30T12:01:00.003-04:00

Alethia Writing Magazine
Price: $26 year
Ages: 13-19
Website: HERE!
I say: Nice for writing teens!

Alethia Writing Magazine Fall 2011 edition was received for review without monetary compensation in exchange for my opinions as part of the TOS CREW. My opinions are my own.

We got a full color beautiful magazine of quality production from the USPS. I gave this magazine to my writing daughter who said, "This is nice!" And so we began pouring through it. Inside you will find well written short stories and poetry from teenagers who are writing with a Christian worldview point. This is so refreshing! There is encouragement for writing teens as well in a Writer's Challenge with a biblical proverb and a picture of which the teen can chose to write either a poem or a story that shows the proverb as true. This edition's proverb is Proverbs 11:8. Submission deadline is Oct 15, 2011 to submit to writealeithia@gmail.com~be sure to put "Writer's Challenge Fall 2011" in the subject line. Also include which challenge!

Also this mag has little advertising which is refreshing to see so that teens are not over stimulated but rather articles concerning authors and illustrators. I loved seeing the art work of other teens and reading their works!

Wanna see a previous issue? Here ya GO!

You can subscribe to Aleghia Writing Magazine Creativity for Christian Teens by clicking HERE. Subscription is quarterly. We liked this for our writing daughter~she liked it too!

Go HERE to read what the Crew is says!
Blessings,
SisterT

GiveAway & Review: Carmex NEW Flavors~whoot!

2011-09-10T15:31:00.000-04:00

I received a great package from Carmex in exchange for my honest opinions~and WE LOVE CARMEX! In fact, my mother and daughter grabbed up the tubes before I got to even hardly get it opened. My mom~retired senior of our home said, "it's really smooth and makes your lips feel great!" Mom liked the Lime and my daughter loved the vanilla~we also received a picnic blanket which is a cool blanket with POCKETS that folds up in a cool way~just right for summer time fun, which is just what we did with it! It's pretty with bright pretty stripes with the Carmex logo. Pretty NEAT!

Now the cool thing is that I get to give one of you this cool kit consisting of

1 Carmex Lime Twist click stick
1 Carmex Vanilla click stick
1 Certified Awesome Picnic blanket* (it's really cute)
1 Carmex Moisture Plus® clear satin gloss finish

What is NOT to love? Soo show me some love and leave me a comment and you're IN for an op to win! Be SURE I can FIND YOU so leave an addy too k??? :-))
It's THAT EASY! TY so much! THIS IS A QUICKIE and WILL END Wed, Sept 14 11:59PM EST!
Hugs, SisterT

HOUSE REDO! Slide show!

2011-09-03T21:06:00.000-04:00

Personalize a free slideshow

Name Your OWN PRICE SALE~

2011-08-15T10:09:00.007-04:00

TY so much for coming by! Here WE ARE~finally! MORE to post up, so keep looking!

EMAIL me (SisterTipster@gmail.com) your offer (with contact info).

At the end of the SALE PERIOD I will notify my best offer to arrange payment and shipping.

I know you won't blame me for trying to get the most possible for my wares, but also realize I am going to purge these bookcases and basement!

Thanks so much~
BE SURE to leave me a way to contact you!
HUGS!
SisterT

I will describe the item and condition as best I can/I've included ISBN where I've thought to look~you can google many of these~

Teaching Text Books Alg I Student Work Text and Test/Answer Key BRAND NEW in shrink wrap NEVER opened~

Mystery of History I Used with shelf wear and writing. This is the first edition and no audio.

Mystery of History II Used with shelf wear and writing. This is the first edition and no audio.

I WOULD LIKE TO SELL AS A SET IF POSSIBLE~(LIKE MOH, IF YOU CAN ONLY USE INDIVIDUALS, LET ME KNOW)

TruthQuest History Study Guides Ancient Egypt & Ancient Greece by Michelle Miller: c 2003 USED and older white cover with spiral binding. Ink scribble on cover and some highlighting in text. Overall clean but shelf wear.

TruthQuest History Study Guides Middle Ages (500-1400) c.2004 USED but in very good condition. Minimal shelf wear and very clean with just a few pages of ink writing (my notes.) Newer blue teal green cover as per current web view.

TruthQuest History Study Guides Age of Revolution II (1800-1865) Never used, but minimal shelf wear/no writing.

TruthQuest History Study Guides Age of Revolution III (1865-2000) Never used, but minimal shelf wear/no writing,

TruthQuest History Study Guides American History For Young Students I (Exploration-1800) USED some writing and creased pages/little shelf wear.

TruthQuest History Study Guides American History For Young Students II (1800-1865) USED some writing/highlighting (light yellow~minimal) with back cover missing. ALL pages present and minimal shelf wear

TruthQuest History Study Guides American History For Young Students III (1865-2000) USED some pencil writing (tiny bit) with minimal shelf wear

Streams of Civilization Volume I hardcover Christian Liberty Press Very good condition. Minimal shelf wear

Geneive Foster World books~Augustus Caesar's World used.

What Life Was Like When... Time Life hardcover books: I'd like to sell these as a set also~if not let me know ;-))

What Life Was Like:

At the Dawn of Democracy

In the Age of Chivalry

When Longships Sailed

When Rome Ruled the World

Hard covers with jackets like new.

Foundlings (Review copy) Like new soft cover

Language Arts Today (McGraw Hill) hard cover 5-6th grade all inclusive language arts student text.

Veritas Press: Middle Ages, Reneiassance and Reformation Teacher's Manual (goes with teaching cards) Softcover USED Minimal shelf wear and could have some writing (my notes)

Sojorner Truth by W. Terry Whalin softcover (Young Christian Library Readers) (222pages good condition)

Paul by Dan Larsen (Young Christian Library Readers) (218 pages good condition)

The Human Body by Gallimard Jeunesse And Sylvaine Perols Schoolastic First Discovery Book hard cover/spirial bound (very good condition wipe pages w/ transluents you can do overlays of body systems)

Go With Christian by Alan and Linda Parry Pilgrim Progress for Young Children (pop up and pull out) (ISBN 084991305-5) Like New condition

The Best Book of Ancient Rome by Deborah Murrell (ISBN 0753457563) Like New condition 29 pages hard cover

Whole Language Theme Unit: My Body Grades 3-4 softcover (ISBN 1568220138) USED

Abeka
Grammar and Compostion IV (ISBN 76252002)softcover USED

PreAlgebra Basic Arithmetics II 2nd Ed Teacher Key (ISBN # 25771006) USED some writing and notes 462 pgs0

Algebra I Solution KEY (ISBN#6681809) USED Binding tight with some shelf wear 434pgs

Algebra I Solution KEY (ISBN#26248009) USED Binding tight with some shelf wear 439pgs

Alg I Video Test/Quiz Solution Key (ISBN#61646001)USED 38pgs

Alg I Test Booklet Teacher Key Test Booklet (ISBN#37583010) USED46 pgs

Alg I Student Quiz Booklet Teacher Key, Quiz Booklet (ISBN#42331009) USED 113 pgs

Skills & Review Consumer Mathematics 2nd ED (ISBN#2662 006) USED 184pgs

Skills & Review Consumer Mathematics 2nd ED (ISBN#2662 006) USED 184pgs

Consumer Mathematics 2nd Ed TEACHER KEY & SOLUTIONS (ISBN#2663007) USED 299 pgs

Consumer Mathematics 2ne Ed Tests & Quizes (ISBN#26654007) USED 136 pgs

Business Mathematics 2nd Ed Work Test (ISBN#67946006) USED 510pgs some writing in pencil

Business Mathetics Tests/Quizes (ISBN#67970003) USED 149pgs

Business Mathematics Work Text Teacher Ed (ISBN#67954003) 559pgs

CIVICS Activity Book National, State and Local Studies (ISBN# 35459008) USED with some pencil writing but easily usable. Minimal shelf wear.

Our American Heritage 3rd Ed. Abeka Book 58246009 Soft Cover USED shelf wear bent pages some writing (3rd Grade History American History from Columbus forward...)

Coloring Books (I used these when my kids were younger as activities to illustrate the readings as we studied.)
Treasure Island Coloring Book (clean and old~nothing used in it/some bent pages) USED during oral reading for coloring activity.

An Education Read & Color Book of:
(these are 3 by Spizziri Press Inc~well drawn and loads of other resources from this pub~love his work! It says Museum Quality/Currator Approved (and in fact, I got them at some Indian mounds in TN) USED with minimal shelf wear and no marks

1. Southwest Indians ISBN 0-86545-075-7 31 pages
2. Northeast Indians ISBN 0-86545-040-4 31 pages
3. Southeast Indians ISBN 0-86545-065-x 31 pages

DOVER Coloring Books:
A.G. Smith Abraham Lincoln Coloring Book ISBN 0-486-25361-9 48 pages USED with minimal shelf wear and no marks
Old-Fashioned Farm Life Coloring book Nineteenth-Cdentury Activites of the Firestone Farm at Greenfield Village by A.G. Smith ISBN 0-486-26148-4 Minimal shelf wear and no marks

Setting Up Stones A Parent's Guide to Making Your House a Place of Worship by Martha and Greg Singleton ISBN 1-59669-219-7 156 pages Like New

If You Lived In Colonial Times by Ann McGovern (Schoolastic) ISBN 0-590-45160-x USED bent edges/shelf wear (2 pages with one word each marker writing)

Pecos Bill A Tall Tale Retold and Illustrated by Steven Kellogg ISBN 0-688-09924-6 USED minimal shelf wear

...if you grew up with Abraham Lincoln by Ann McGovern (Schoolastic) No ISBN (classic softcover book with minimal shelf wear. Orig price is .45 cents so you know it's older) pages are yellowed fair but very usable condition USED 79 pgs b/w sketch drawn illustrations

Great Tales Johnny Appleseed ISBN 77031-08191-9 USED no marks but has paint or something on the cover at the bottom near the author's name. Large colorful pictures shelf wear

Davy Crocket Young Pioneer by Laurence Santry (Troll Pub) ISBN 0-89375-848-5 USED shelf wear yellowed pages but very usable with no marks Good b/w sketched pictures

Early American History A Literature Approach by Rea C. Berg (for grades K-3rd) c 1992 Beautiful Feet Books (self published by author) 33 pgs USED with writing and heavy shelf wear.

Stider by Beverly Cleary (Sequel to Dear Mr. Henshaw) (Schoolastic) ISBN 0-439-14804-9 152 pages New with shelf wear~never read binding not broken in at all.

The Dead Tree by Alvin Tresselt USED hardcover children's book with beautiful illustrations. From the 1970s shelf wear but in good condition considering age. Clean with no marks

The Little Rascals Storybook (Schoolastic) 1994 ISBN 0-590-48851-1 Soft cover USED 32 pgs no writing shelf wear pics are from the movie

Hellen Keller by Margaret Davidson (Schoolastic) 95 pages older 60 cents soft cover/cover edges are cracket and bent in two places. Book is slightly yellowing due to age but clean with no marks. Shelf wear is present. B/W/red illustrations

Finding the Titanic (Schoolastic Hello Reader Gr 2/3 Level 4) by Robert D. Ballard ISBN 0-590-47230-5
softcover shelf ware with no writing   illustrations are photos from movie/historic

Prairie School by Lois Lenski hardcover ISBN 0-397-30194-4 c. 1951 Minimal shelf wear/very slight yellowing not much at all~hand drawn b/w illustrations 196 pgs

Poetry for Young People William Shakespear (Schoolastic) 0-439-35771-3 slightly USED with min shelf wear~gorgeous full color illustrations   48pgs

Abe Lincoln The Young Years (Troll Assciates) 0-89375-751-9 USED shelf wear slightly yellowed no writing/clean b/w drawn illustrations 48 pgs

Heaven Your Real Home by Joni Eareckson Tada ISBN 0-310-50140-7 Hardcover USED minimal shelf wear/dust jacket 215 pgs

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Newbery Award) 0-590-13200-8 softcover like new minimal shelf wear b/w illustrations chapter book 128 pgs

Shoebag by Mary James (Schoolastic) 0-590-43030-0 softcover like new with shelf wear~GOTTA TELL YOU: this is a book about a COCKROACH who turns into a little boy...LOL.... 135 pgs

A Shooting Star A Novel About Annie Oakley by Sheila Soloman Klass 0-440-41493-8 softcover like new with some minor shelf wear 173 pages

We Hold These Truths A Documentary History of the United States   c.1960 softcover USED with shelf wear and yellowed pages 376 pgs first page has tear.These are 68 documents with commentary that shaped the US.

Susanna Wesley Servant of God by Sandy Dengler 0-8024-8414-x USED cover has imperfections and shelf wear/pages yellowed. 207 pgs

History Channel Presents: Modern Marvels: Inventions That Rocked the World (Schoolastic) 0-439-55707-0 Softcover USED 74pgs Shelf wear

Voices from the Fields Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories by S. Beth Atkin (Schoolastic) 0-439-27054-5 Softcover minimal shelf wear but like new illustrations are photos and this is a biography of these children. 96 pgs

A Memoir Barbara Bush ISBN 0-02-519635-9 Hardcover with jacket USED clean and min shelf wear 575 pgs Biography

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Schoolastic) 0-439-36213-x USED paperback some shelf wear

All About the States Search A Word Puzzles 0-486-29400-5 Softcover USED shelf wear present/few pages with min writing(found only one and it's in highlighter (one word circled))

Shiloh Season 2nd Book in the Shiloh Trilogy by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor 0-689-80646-9 BC USED Cover worn with shelf wear and inside cover with name/clean/back inside cover damaged

American Diaries: Nell Dunne~Ellis Island 1904 by Kathleen Duey 0-689-83555-8 Softcover USED shelf wear OLD library book with stickers and stamps of library.

American Diaries: Janey G. Blue~Pearl Harbor 1941 by Kathleen Duey 0-689-84404-2 Softcover USED shelf wear OLD library book with stickers and stamps of library.

My Prayer Book ~The Lord's Prayer /The Lord is My Shepherd (padded board book) gold leaf edges clean with minimal shelf wear/some light light indents on cover~multi cultural children ;-))

Souvenir book: Indians of America Full color Illustrations of the Indians of America ~older paperback book about 30-50 pages gorgeous photos on Native Amer in full ceremonial dress/has map and sign language~USED with some shelf wear no marks.

Indians c.1973 softcover about 30-50 pgs with full color gorgeous illustrations of Native Amer in full ceremonial dress~similar book to the Souvenir book, but smaller size. USED shelf wear no marks

Enrichment Reading Level 6 Take Tenn Publication is literature readings with comprehension questions. Self published (Amer history supplemental reading~has vocab as well) USED shelf wear no marks 75 pgs

...If you Lived At the Time of the Civil War by Kay Moore (Schoolastic) 0-590-45422-6 softcover USED some shelf wear

...If You Traveled on The Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine (Schoolastic) 0-590-45156-1 softcover USED some shelf wear

Moses God's Helper by William E. Young Hardcover Broadman Press c.1976 shelf wear and clean

High School Biology in Your Home by Bridget Ardion - Student Manual -(loose leaf pages for binder)

United States US State Map - tablet - Apprx 25 - left - used - unused somewhat bent

Science Weekly - composting - level Pr A, A, B, C, D, E & teaching notes
[one copy each]

Treasury of Illustrated Classics - The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Treasury of Illustrated Classics - Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

A Dalmatian Press Children's Classic - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

VocabAhead - One Thousand Sat Vocabulary Videos and Mp3s - The Entertaining and Effortless Vocabulary Building Solution CD

Web Design for Kids (...And Curious Grown-Ups!) - Fundamental DVD instruction on learning Basic HTMlL to create web pages and websites - New

Math 7 - A teaching Texbook by Gren Sabouri and Shawn Sabouri with automated grading
(3 out of 4 solution CD-roms included)

A Child's Story of America - Second edition

Our America - Geography and History - 1986 edition

Handbook of Grammar & Composition - fourth edition by James A. Chapman

The Write Foundation - Essay Writing Instructions - Step by Step Lesson Plans Examples, Checklists, Grading System and More by Rebecca Celsor (softcover spiral bound)

The Write Foundation - Sentence to Paragraph Writing Instructions - Step by Step Lesson Plans Examples, Checklists, Grading System and More by Rebecca Celsor (softcover spiral bound)

Solutions and Tests for Exploring Creation with General Science - 2nd edition - Wile softcover

Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra - Answer Key & Test Bank, Solutions CDs, Test Solutions CD, Lecture and Practice

Business Mathematics - In Christian Perspective - Work-Text

Business Mathmatics Tests/Quizzes

Business Mathematics - In Christian Perspective - Work-text

Mind Benders - Deductive Thinking Skills - A1 by Anita Harnadek softcover

In the Hands of a Child - project pack - CD rom - Hocpp1249 the Holocaust

Music for Today's Children by Butler-Kirkland-Leach-Adams hardcover older book with cloth cover used and worn

High School Biology in Your Home - Text - by Bridget Adroin softcover spiral bound

Exploring Creation With General Science 2nd edition - Wile hardcover

The World Past and Present - The World Around Us - Blackline Masters - Plays - Demeter & Persephoni - The Sword in the Stone softcover

Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 - Answer Key and Test Bank

Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 - Solutions CD

Abeka Paul's Missionary Journeys - Flannel Map Study Series - Teacher Key

Abeka Algebra 1 - Test Booklet - Teacher key, Test Booklet

Abeka Algebra 1 Video Test/Quiz Solution Key

Abeka Algebra 1 - Solution Key

Abeka Algebra 1 - Solution Key

Abeka Consumer Mathematics in Christian Perspective - Skills and Review Exercises - Second Edition

Abeka Consumer Mathematics in Christian Perspective - Skills and Review Exercises - Second Edition

Abeka Algebra 1 - Student Quiz Booklet - Teacher Key, Quiz Booklet

Abeka Consumer Mathematics in Christian Perspective - Skills and Review Exercises - Second Edition

Abeka Pre-Algebra Basic Mathematics II - Second Edition - Teacher Key - Traditional Math Work-Text

Abeka Consumer Mathematics in Christian Perspective - Test/Quiz Key

Abeka Consumer Mathematics in Christian Perspective Teacher Ed 2nd Ed

Abeka Pre Alg Basic Math 2 Test and Quizes Test/ Quiz Key

Abeka Alg I Test/Quiz Key

Abeka Solution Key to Alg II Tests/ Quizes

Abeka Alg 2 TEXT c.1987

Abeka PreAlg Solution Key Traditional Math Work Text

Abeka Business Math Solution Key

Abeka Consumer Math in Christian Perspective Solution/Answer key

Abeka Alg 2 Test Key

Abeka Alg 1 2nd Ed. (TEXT)

Abeka Alg 1 TEXT

Abeka Alg 2 Text Solution Key

Abeka Consumer Math in Christian Perspective 2nd Ed

Abeka Basic Math 1 Traditional Work Text for Christian School Teacher Test/Quiz Key

Abeka Our Solar System Facts, Stories Activities by Ian Grahan softcover ISBN 059047622X Schoolastics
Abeka Matter and Motion in God's Universe (TEXT) ISBN 25836008 (softcover)

The Handy Science Answer Book (softcover) 2nd ed ISBN 157859099X (Carnagie Library of Pittsburg)

Abeka Let's Be Healthy (TEXT) ISBN 1561X010 softcover

Rocks and Fossils by Chris Pellant ISBN 0753456192 hardcover

Totally Amazing Spiders (softcover) ISBN 0307201600

Totally Amazing Plants (softcover) ISBN 03072011678

Totally Amazing Rainforests (softcover) ISBN 0307201635

Totally Amazing Natural Disasters (softcover) ISBN 0307201651

Eyewitness Books Universe (softcover) ISBN 0756603846

Dinosaurs Eye to Eye ~The Predator's Prey ISBN 1577556757 (softcover)

Abeka Grammar and Composition 2 by James A Chapman Teacher Key spiral softcover

Memoria Press Christian Studies Book 1 (softcover) ISBN 1930953909 (Teacher Manual)

Memoria Press Christian Studies Book 1 softcover (student book) ISBN 1930953895

Memoria Press Famous Men of Rome by John Haren ISBN 1930953 softcover

Memoria Press Famous Men of Rome Student Guide ISBN 1930953801 softcover

Memoria Press Famous Men of Rome Teacher Guide ISBN 193085381X softcover

Dinosaurs to DoDos ~Encyclopedia of Extent Animals by Don Lessem hard cover ISBN 0590316842

Explore America Tours of Discovery Through Our Magnificent Country by AAA (hardcover) ISBN 1550011405

Abeka Health in Christian Perspective Test/Quiz Key softcover

Abeka Choosing Good Health Answer Key softcover

Abeka Choosing Good Health Teacher Key, Student Test and Study Booklet softcover

Abeka Observing God's World ISBN 15172011 (text)

Abeka Observing God's World Answer Key

Abeka Observing God's World Quiz Booklet Key

Abeka Observing God's World Test Booklet Key

Mammoth Cave softcover by John Wagoner ISBN 093647808X

Birds in Your Backyard by Barbara Herkert ISBN 1584690259 softcover

A Dorling Kindersley Book~How Children Lived~A First Book of History ISBN 1564588769 hardcover

Young Christian Library Readers: paperback readers good condition (most are like new/some shelf wear)
Ruth ISBN 1557481733
Mirrium ISBN 1557483507
David Livingston ISBN 1557482594
David ISBN 1577486021
Noah, Builder of the Ark ISBN 1577486544
Samuel ISBN 1577485165

My Book of Devotions~the Guide for Parents and Kids About Self Control ISBN 1416915788 paperback

The Frontiersman~The Real Life and Many Legends of Davy Crockett by Mark Derr hardcover with jacket
ISBN 0688096565

Totally Bizzare~Exploring the World of Unsolved Mysteries paperback ISBN 1588650928

Understand Revelation in One Day by Roger Miller, MD ISBN 159684096X softcover

The Song of the Three Holy Children hardcover by Pauline Baynes ISBN 0805001344

Viking Adventure by Clyde Robert Bulla hardcover cloth covered older book library of congress 639208

Abeka Rosa by Elaine Cunningham softcover ISBN 59668001 (5th gr reader)

Abeka Of America 2 softcover ISBN 18473010 (5th gr)

Abeka United Kingdom Kings of Israel A Student Study Outline A ISBN 22055008

Abeka Themes in Literature Book 3 softcover ISBN 17000011

Children of Bible Days hardcover by Florence Hearn (hardcover from church library older book~decent condition) Broadman Press

Abeka Choosing Good Health ISBN 18635010 softcover

Blood and Guts A Working Guide to Your Insides by Linda Allison ISBN 0316034436 softcover

The St Martin's Handbook 2nd Ed by Andrea Lunsford and Robert Conners ISBN 0312053673 hardcover

Youth On Mission Accept the Challenge Vol 9 ISBN 1563096544 softcover

Magazines:

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Summer 2009
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Spring 2010
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Summer 2010
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Winter 2009
Answers Magazine from Answers in Genesis Vol 5 No 1 Jan-Mar 2010
Answers Magazine Vol 5 No2 April-June 2010
Homeschool Enrichment Mag Issue 47 Sept-Oct 2010
Homeschool Enrichment Mag Issue 44 Mar-Apr 2010
Homeschool Digest Quarterly Journal For Family Discipline Vol 19 No 2 (Wisdom's Gate) 2009
NATHHAN/CHASK National Challenged Homeschoolers/Christian Homes and Special Kids Fall/Winter 09-10

The X-Ray Picture Book of Incredible Creatures by Schoolastics ISBN 0531186385 softcover

The Human Body Systems place mat with muscles and skeleton, five sense and circulatory, respiratory, digestive systems shown by Painless Learning Placemats

Young Musicians ISBN 005174615 (Lifeway)

Music Makers 5.2 Lifeway ISBN 005174611

Cassette Album: Heritage of Our Country Character Building Famous Characters Vol 4: Traveling Tunes, Bicycle & Kites, The Ugly Ducking of Baseball, The Disappearing Light, Yankee Woman, Persecuted and Betrayed Album is cracked but tapes are good.

Genesis Finding Our Roots by Ruth Beechick hardcover like new ISBN 094031911X

Who is God and Can I Really Know Him by Hay & Webb ISBN 9781935495079 Apologia Press LIKE NEW

Songs For Music Time Vol 2 Lifeway softcover ISBN 0767393465 spiral bound music for preschoolers

Teaching Textbooks Math 7 Answer Booklet ISBN 9780974903675

Abeka Grammar & Compostion 3 Teacher Key spiral book used

Abeka Primary Bible Reader Selected KJV Passages for Young Readers ISBN 53694006 softcover

Abeka Genesis First Things 11-12 ISBN 59358008

Abeka Genesis First Things 11-12 Test Key

Abeka Themes in Literature Test/Quiz Key ISBN 25631011

Abeka Divided Kingdom Kings of Israel B Teacher Key ISBN 32298007

Abeka Grammar and Composition 3 Test/Quiz Key ISBN 71803002

Young People of the Bible hardcover older book (stories of children in Bible)

The Nature of Life Earth, plants, Animals, Man and Their Effect on Each Other by Lorus & Marjorie Millne Library of Congress # 72130316 hardcover older book w/jacket

This is the United Nations by M. Lasek hardcover older (children's book) ISBN 6812093

Exploring KY Copy Masters and Teaching Guide Heath Social Studies softcover book on the state of KY used

The American Pageant by Thomas A. Bailey ISBN 0618103538 USED college Amer history book

Let's Travel in France by Darlene Geis hardcover ISBN 6420807 USED

Young People's Story of the Americas Canada, Mexico, and South America hardcover USED

Human Body Revealed (DK book) ISBN 0789488825 hardback very good condition

The Bridge to the Latin Road partially USED binder with materials

Abeka State and Local Government ISBN 63665006

Abkea Science Order and Reality ISBN 25909010

Teaching Students With Special Needs in Inclusive Settings IDEA 2004 softcover ISBN 0205470327

Foundations First Sentences and Paragraphs With Readings by Kirszner-Mandell Instructor's Annotated Edition ISBN 0312394233

Story of the Middle Ages by McHugh (Christian Liberty Press) softcover ISBN 1930367775 USED good condition

Egypt by McDonald hardcover ISBN 0382061128 Used older book with loads of pics

Prince of Egypt by Dreamworks hardcover USED book illustrations based on film

The Western Heritage Vol 2 Since 1648 USED softcover college text book

In A Class of Her Own ISBN 1419032127 like new softcover

The Three Musketeers by A. Dumas hardcover children's classic illustrated w/larger print

World Civilizations 6th Ed Study Guide Vol 1 ISBN 0393951030 USED work text

Voices of Ancient Egypt by Kay Winters hardcover w/ jacket very good condition

HEALTH~Worry DOES NOT HELP!

2011-08-13T10:09:00.000-04:00

Well, since I last posted, I've been worried about my eating plan. Worried that I've eaten too much overall. I have the kinds of foods down pat~I don't eat a lot of things, but more important I eat really good things overall, but my concern was portions. I'm a FOOD ADDICT! Wish I could candy coat it, but I can't. I laugh these days and say that "I got fat eating celery; I'm such a food addict!" Well, in fact, we all know celery won't make a person fat, but large portions will...and so it's my story. I've eaten way way too much for way way too long...and in my process/progress, I've been cutting down as well as changing up the kinds of foods I consume. Today I am really eating less than I was a year ago, but I'm not where I believe I will need to be to become the healthy woman I hope is in my future. HOPE...oh yes, that wonderful word of life...HOPE thou in God...yes, I can hope in Him! I'm thankful...

And having just this morning done a weigh in, I'm at my lowest body weight in nearly 20 years!! Praise God! AND the crazy thing is how I worried that I was not releasing my weight but somehow overeating~I guess my capacity for volume has decreased b/c I feel sooo stuffed sometimes. I will be addressing this~AM addressing this! And this must be a new leg of my journey~less IS definitely more!

Sooo my totals are now down 83#s since April 2010...totaling 147 since this mo 8 yrs ago! Praise the Lord! I am so blessed and feel very thankful. I'm FIVE pants sizes down...

But...THIS IS NOT my life's focus~if you can understand that...I'm still a wife and MOM...I do other things besides obsess over my body or the fat I carry. THIS IS just my shell, for goodness sakes, right?? Okay, soo with this said, I don't weigh frequently, but generally just when I have doctor appointments. I leave the numbers to them and with them~MOSTLY...except when I worry! But let me say, that climbing on that scale this morning was something done out of resolve to know TRUTH...that scale, while it's definitely NOT the measure of my success~it's an indicator of my total program...For me: wt releasing at about 1-2#s a week is where I want to go...ANY FASTER~I GET CRAZY!! And a big fat crazy woman is not sane! I FEEL all kinds of deprevation and hunger when I don't eat enough that I lose faster than this and soooo b/c of all that emotion I EAT AND EAT AND EAT...OR QUIT! NO GOOD! I can't go that way...First, it's unhealthy for my mind, but also I end up eating and gaining wt in the end...NO GOOD! Soo here I am plugging along with a long term solution~slow and steady...turtle speed, anybody?? Oh yes, I'd like to be a gorgeous DIVA T O M O R R OW! Who wouldn't wanna be THAT? But the life lessons are so valuable in untying these knots...gotta be...NO INSTANT FIX for me....My brother died after WLS...I see that it would never fix my mind/soul issues. I need to know that it's not just my body that's corrected, b/c if it is just my body, it seems that the compulsion to EAT would not be dealt with adequately. I need more. Anybody out there like me?? I fear I'm not alone. In this I seek support~but I know ultimately what I eat and HOW MUCH is my affair and nobody else. But how much sweeter this journey having you go along with me...soo come on! Let's get going toward greater health benefits!

I've been food preserving these past two weeks. WHAT A BOON! I love canning! Sat a week ago we were blessed to have come across what I call, THE DEAL OF THE DAY! And what a deal~a huge pressure canner complete for $5! I can preserve meats now..and even green beans! WHAT A BLESSING!

But so far my canning has been dill pickles, sweet (splenda) pickle relish, pepper jelly (splenda) AND zucchini jam! WHOOHOO! I'm waiting on my tomatoes to come in~praying that they will..it's been a horrible summer for lack of rain and the incredible heat! This morning after the harvesting, I have some work to do again~looks like more jam and maybe dill pickles~ooowwwweee! YUM!

It's my prayer that we all continue on the road to health and happiness in this coming week~how are you progressing? I'm still waiting on the doc's approval for exercise~I know it's coming..coming...coming...Let me know you were here! ;-))
Hugs,
SisterT

Family Movie Night~WHO IS Simon Miller?

2011-08-06T02:52:00.000-04:00

DO NOT MISS this suspenseful family friendly film~the teens will like this one! It's a little intense for the young child, but right up a kid's ally who is a tween or older FOR SURE! There's some fighting and violence, but no gory stuff for sure!

TONIGHT NBC 8/7central!

I got a sneak peak of this neat film from Propeller Marketing in exchange for my honest opinions w/o monetary compensation. My views are my own.

BE SURE to catch this one!

Heath: Secrets REVEALED...Canning W/Sugar Free ...

2011-08-02T23:38:00.000-04:00

I have a few secrets that aren't so secretive if you know me on how I'm working on my health these days. Since I've been SUGAR FREE now for just a little bit over 10 mos, I have worked to develop or FIND truly sugar free alternatives to the sugaring sweet tasty foods I've given up~such as jams and jellies~peanut butter~tomato catsup and more...also bread and butter pickles...we make them! Well, not the peanut butter, although I do know WHERE I can get freshly ground roasted peanut butter made..oh yes I do, but so far, I've just found a good sugar free wholesome brand at the local health store~yeah, it's pricey~but I'm worth it, right? NO PRICE on health, really...

But I am making up bread and butter pickle relish with grated cucumbers/onions/peppers and canning it~for winter use. It tastes so much better I think..but remember, I've not have sugar in 10 mos, so this Splenda version will taste VERY good to me...I say when someone tells me, 'it's not sweet' OR "I can taste the Splenda" I remind them that they ARE still eating sugar...since I don't~THIS STUFF is delish!

Okay, I've also been making up some zucchini jam ~divine STUFF!! oh yes!!

I was looking to see if I can waterbath can the stuff, but while this site Many Zucchini Jam Recipies here! has several that say I can waterbath can it, I am NOT sure...most say FREEZE...which is what I'm gonna do. But I am thankful that there are variations on this recipe which means ALL the neato ideas I've had about adding some of this or that to the mix COULD VERY WELL work out fab! I was thinking of using some apple juice in it and a few grated apples...you know, for the fridge~dunno how freezing would do...Do you make this? Do you have an alternative recipe? What's your fave??

Okay, jumping off here~so NOW YA know my secrets for eating healthy without losing the taste and variety...
HUGS
SisterT

Slim Down Sunday~Week 3 Had to BACK IT DOWN...

2011-07-31T13:37:00.000-04:00

I'm joining up over at Heartfelt Homeschooling for Slim Down Sunday as an accountability for my weight/health program.

Here's my week: I have been under some stress and stuff going on, and it's been difficult NOT to want to EAT DOWN the house~but I've not done it; however, I did find my plate becoming fuller with higher calorie foods than I KNOW will do what I need it to do which is create a slow weight release and keep my nutrition in balance~Sooooo I have back down those amounts again to something near reasonable and increased my veggie consumption again. Having good FRESH garden grown cucumbers picked right from the patch is such a help too! Also my fave grocery had celery 99 cents a bunch! WHOOHOO! What's NOT to LIKE about that?? (Unless, of course...you *hate* LOL..celery!) ...LOL...

Okay, so I'm still on the exercise restriction, BUT I did go to the lake with my family on Thursday and swam two hours in the BAKING HOT HOT HOT sun..to get cooked with a nasty sunburn~OUCH! But sooo far, I'm not blistering or looking like I might~I'm a big believer in aloe vera so that $3 gel was a good deal at Dollar General, huh??? LOL....I've been slathering that stuff on liberally! Also I have continued my level of activity~but nothing strenuous...just...STRESSuous...LOL...but I'm working on giving this to the Lord. Only HE can fix it...only HE...

I won't be at the doc for a few mo weeks, so we shall have to wait to see how my weigh in is coming along...THIS IS A GOOD plan for me b/c I am not NOT not scale 'obsessed' but in fact, I do deal more with a phobia...HOWEVER, the SCALE IS NOT the measure of my success~it's every bite that goes into my mouth. Today, I did not eat at our church social where there would be foods triggering me into overeating. I did eat a Subway sub though that was fixed like I needed it to be for my health. Also yesterday I celebrated 10 mos of NO WHITE sugars or flours in my diet...Praise the Lord!

Thanks for stopping by~Are you addressing your health? Don't wait too long like I have until it's a HUGE mountain to climb~whatcha gonna do?? Won't you join me??

HUGS,
SisterT

REVIEW & GiveAway: I'm ALLL IN! Contemp Christian Music CD

2011-07-26T13:43:00.002-04:00

Go hear Robert's 'Light the Way' contemporary praise song FREE and...enter up for a copy of his NEW CD~I'm All In! What's not to like? This is a young man who is a teen on a mission~I am a f/b fan too so I know he's busy (MAYBE maybe coming to your town!) out spreading the GOOD NEWS! What's NOT to like?? Head to F/B and *like* Robert's MINISTRY!!!~he's out of Orlando, FL!!

CK HIM OUT~Anybody besides this (ole rocker) Christian Mama think he looks a wee bit like Elvis??? HUH??? You will so love his sound and his uplifting message~GOT TEENS? Pass this one..NO! WAIT...KEEP IT for yourself Moms...LET the KIDS enjoy it W/YOU!!

AND THE BESTEST NEWSSSSSSSSSS???

ENTER UP for your OWN COPY~FREE! Leave me a message~1 entry...grab my button 2 entries...OR if you aren't MY friend..and BECOME ONE~3 entries...(BE SURE to leave your comments with each entry!)

Hugs
SisterT

Contest will END 7/31/11 11:59PM EST...woot!! Thanks so much!!

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services

mentioned above for free from Propeller Marketing in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:

“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

LIFE: When In Doubt...

2011-07-25T07:41:00.000-04:00

I am maxed out right now with all kinds of stressors. My dryer is putting 'black marks' on our clothes and a whole slew of other struggles, but mostly I'm eaten up with indecision about some important things in my life...

One friend has essentially left her blogging life behind, and I so get that~I am struggling with WHAT to say to you all...even on a very infrequent basis right now. Have I said ALLL I need to say or have a voice to say? I do know that my life is rapidly changing, and my interests are following in quick pursuit! Soo the bigger question is~
WHAT DO I have to contribute to you all on this blog? AM I WORTH reading and being kept up with?

Let's get REAL~not much~ I'm guessing...and prob not. So what purpose will my blog serve YOU and me?

Can I preserve this medium for the occasional review now that we're not traditionally homeschooling and should I have something pertinent to say? Or should I just consider this adventure done and over, moving on to different but less 'virtual' activities in my life? I can't even find myself purging the old texts/homeschooling books of these past several years right now...

I'm in OVERLOAD...my life is changing so fast that my head is spinning...Oh I know it's an age and a stage of life, but it's NO fun~mostly, no fun...and I don't think I can even stand to tare out the WALL to fix the dryer by plumbing for the new one~just can't hardly *think* of the mess this will create in my life and the amount of work involved...knowing hub is not able to finish it in one fowl swoop (have I EVER said HOW MUCH I hate UNFINISHED projects???)...oh brother! I definitely need a dryer, but in Summer, the clothesline is preferred by me anyway~FOR COST...uh...when in doubt...

DON'T.

Hub's in no mood to hear me on this either, but I am so way worn out...

What about attacking this MESS in a few weeks when he can dedicate the time to FINISH~also, DO IT RIGHT??

Thanks for listening to me vent this morning~What are you up to these days? Getting ready for back to school? What does THAT look like in your household? Let me know you came by! ;-))
SisterT

Slim Down Sunday~Week 2 ALL ABOUT CHOICES...

2011-07-24T13:59:00.000-04:00

I'm still on my health path since last year with 75 PLUS pounds GONE! PTL! I haven't weighed in a few weeks so I don't know my progress as of late, but I'm still 'shrinking' so I feel confident the scale will reflect a conservative weight release. I'm so thankful!

One thing going on is that all kinds of ppl who know me are noticing that I'm shrinking. It makes me feel good, but I also don't want to become complacent so that I CELEBRATE sooo big that I eat over it...FOOD IS NOT my celebration any longer! But I am enjoying that my body is becoming more healthy...it's all good!

My choices this week are something I consider very important when it comes to my food. It's not just the amount of calories, but the kinds and combinations that I am working with to find the path to health. For me, I'm eating over 2K calories a day which is just low enough to cause about a 1-2lb weight loss per week, and also I eat no white flour or sugars...AT ALL and have done this now for almost 10 months...PTL! Also I am eating more fresh (from the garden!! woot!!) healthy foods leaving off most breads and pastas..(all white pasta is a NO NO!) I have picked up more protein in my diet as it builds muscle and does not turn to sugar to increase the blood sugar/insulin response in the body...it's generally VERY lean protein as I eat NO pork or pork products...generally no hot dogs or link sausages UNLESS they are the (expensive) healthy ones~and only occasionally. Much of what I am eating is very very balanced. I eat fruit (generally fresh), just 1 sometimes 2 servings per meal and if I get that second one it~it's not eaten at the following meal...

For instance:

Breakfast:

2 eggs poached in cooking spray (salt & pepper)
1 banana (I find the smallest non gourmet banana bunch they sell that week and eat the smallest one I can find!)
1 6OZ container of Kroger Carb Master Vanilla Yogurt (60 cal/4GM carbs/9GM protein)

This is the usual meal plan for my am meal... and I drink water...

Oh not as much as I should, but I do drink water!

I KNOW it should be more...we even distill our water ourselves and have a water cooler with the jugs of our distilled water...I just don't...LOL...

But then I'm also researching food and my choices~
Here's the Spark People diabetic info on food:
Eating Well With Type 2 Diabets
I am now a brand new diabetic who is controlling my blood sugars with diet and also one medication per day...it's my prayer that I can come off of it at some point and find myself living a healthier lifestyle...

EXERCISE:
The doctor as told me to hold off and do nothing stressful as of late. I am hoping for a clearance to hit the gym with a trainer soon!! (I am in process for having medical testing so hopefully I will know pretty quick!)

As for eating out:

I am a big time believer in eating a HOME, which is a HUGE behavior mod thing for me. In the past, it was an EVENT, PARTY, CELEBRATION and all kinds of LIFE to hit the restaurants~but no mo! Today, I prefer
my OWN FOOD to that of the restaurant chef, but there are times I find it essential to eat out b/c of time constraints and travel...soo where do I eat??

I like Subway. You can find one in almost any community AND they're consistently GOOD~my fave is the veggie 6" whole wheat sub. I eat ALL the veggies except the dill pickles, jalapeneos, spinnich, and green peppers~I usually get EXTRA CHEESE! I like pepper jack! I also like the roast turkey. On occasion, I will order the apple slices with water.

IF NO SUBWAY, I like Arby's. Arby's has Market Fresh bread which is the nut grain bread and soo good. They also NOW have a whole grain wrap which is DIVINE!! REMEMBER: I haven't had sugar in MONTHS, so these things are soo good to me!! But what I like to get is the Market Fresh UNTOASTED roast turkey sandwhich (hold the honey mustard) w/mayo only and the fixings just like it comes...OR OR OR...the chicken salad wrap~oh my goodness! THIS IS DIVINE!! The chicken salad has apple, walnuts, mayo, celery, mayo and chicken. YUM!! and the wrap with dark green curly leaf lettuce on that wrap! Oh my! AND there's loads of protein along with veggies and FRUIT~they make it daily...I LIKE that~and feel it's pretty healthy!! I tried a beef sandwhich in the wrap and didn't like it as much...

CHINESE~We have ONE oriental restaurant we like to go to that has a Mongolian Grill~it's the REASON we go there...the BAR stuff MOSTLY has sugar or pork~also white flour products...I don't do any of these, but I can pick out some DIVINE fresh food and have it lightly cooked, and it's so good! I also make up my own sauce with soysauce, garlic and red pepper paste which is very good~and has no sugars like the premade 'brown sauce.'

You might ask me HOW I know it all has sugar?? Well, after NOT eating it~and being GLAD b/c I feel so much better NOT eating it~I can taste it...I know what mushrooms in brown sauce taste like when I KNOW every ingredient..and they aren't supposed to have a sweetness, but the ones on the buffet DO...sooo...TASTE can tell me OR if IN DOUBT, I don't...

Okay, I'm in for the LONG HAUL~ THIS IS A LIFESTYLE change. I am so thankful to God for showing me how to live and nourish my body. I pray to continue as He gives me the ability.

Thanks for coming by~I'm looking at this next week and praying I can get moving a little bit more...Are you working on your health?? Where are you with it?? Any progress??
hugs
SisterT

HEALTH~Stayn' IN the Groove!

2011-07-12T05:49:00.000-04:00

HOW in the world CAN I do such a long term thing in my life as losing so much weight and LITERALLY revamping my life? It's NOT easy, but in breaking it down to itty bitty baby steps and staying motivated, I am making more progress than I've ever dreamed. You see, morbid obesity is like a huge mill stone tied ever so tightly around my neck and for many with this like me, escape is nearly impossible~but REMEMBER I've said, nearly...NOT totally. It IS possible. It is...I have to believe this!

I have loads of obstacles, too. Just like anybody I have STUFF that comes up and washes over my resolve, and removes me from my ACTION in a moments time...but does it effect my progress? NO. Why? Because I NEVER allow that stuff to change my firmly established good routines that so far have continued to 'work for me' this past year. Believe me, I had to establish routines to support my NEW healthy eating amounts, kinds and times of food. Routines that without them, I'd be facing continued failures along the path of this DREAM for a revamped LIFE....

My routines have definitely changed. For one, I eat breakfast EVERYDAY unless there is medical reasoning such as a procedure or test that I am undergoing...and then I just arrange IF I CAN to have three meals a little delayed~as the body, MINE INCLUDED, is jump started with a routine of nutrition and available sources of energy~yeah, this is WHAT FOOD IS anyway~ENERGY! Nothing more, and nothing less. To chase this for a second, I've changed my thinking to remind myself a good deal that FOOD IS NOT my friend, comfort, play pal, fun or event...it's simply FUEL...and who parties down at the GAS STATION? Uh....way too many who I've now left behind...and hence my life is changing! Breakfast is very important to me, and I get really hungry and KNOW I need it by the way I feel physically before the appointed usual time.

I eat three balanced meals so that each meal is solidly adding up to include almost something from EVERY food group: protein, milk (usually 60 cal yogurt), fruit and on two of the meals, I have a bread serving or two that NEVER exceed three servings a day. Yesterday, I had one for breakfast and two in the form of a sandwich for lunch and NONE for supper. Today, I am not sure, but for breakfast I will have one as I always do and then it might be one on lunch and supper, or it could be one lunch and none supper. I look at that particular category as pretty flexible and also that it makes my available choices a little broader. I NEVER eat starchy veggies along with actual bread or pasta (always whole grain varieties!) b/c then my carb servings would exceed my limit of three per day. I generally don't eat preprepared box cereal as the carb count is VERY high for the 1/2-1 cup serving...it's not that I don't love the stuff, either! It's totally looking at a limit of generally consuming NO foods that contain more than about 21 carbs per serving...and I am a much bigger eater than just a once cup serving of cereal and 1/2 to 1 cu of milk for THAT amount of carbs..make sense? My breakfast which I have consumed in some variety for now a total of over nine and half months generally consists of eggs or cheese, bread, yogurt and fruit. It's also been comprised of sugar free peanut butter and a slice of bread...I've even allowed myself the pleasure of occasional whole wheat raisin bread as long as sugar is fifth ingredient down...I REALLY READ all those labels now..and KEEP UP with those 'food totals' EVERYDAY as I GO along...no surprises for me...

And I don't let myself get too totally hungry. I eat about 3-6 or 7 hours apart BUT...I am ALWAYS sure to eat generally way before the upper end of that time! Yesterday, it was getting too long and I was beginning to feel bad. I don't like that. It's not good for me either, so I try really hard to avoid this kind of situation. I don't snack~meaning I literally eat three squares a day with NOTHING in between UNLESS I am HONESTLY between a rock and a hard place...and it's about 1-2 times a month where I will have a protein/fruit snack of some kind...usually a piece of FRESH fruit and a serving of protein...I spend three nights a week out late in going to my church OR also another activity, so my supper is often very late on those nights. I leave well before supper time so if I eat on the early side of it, I am famished way before breakfast and in risk of binging or 'snacking' in my vulnerability in the night...nights are risky, so I avoid eating as much as possible after certain times and definitely in certain places...

I eat at my places, either at our counter in the kitchen OR at my place at the dining table. I used to eat in the livingroom and den~NOT anymore. My food is fixed on my plate and carried to either place for my MEAL. I eat and then either leave it for the cleanup by my son or daughter who I'm thankful handle this chore almost daily OR I carry the dishes back and leave them after ALL food has been put away~I'm a "POT PICKER" and to avoid this behavior relieves me of dealing in loads of EXTRA calories that I am NOT working diligently to get rid of~FOREVER!

When I leave the kitchen or food storage areas which are in our home, our kitchen and then we have a pantry area in our basement, I LEAVE THEM...til breakfast. SOMETIMES I feel a pull to go back mentally and emotionally, but I busy myself in my den or if it's time to go to bed, I go there...I will use that feeling too to drink water or other healthful beverage~NEVER sugary stuff...b/c I have placed that item in the den or bedside. I NEVER drink juice b/c it's totally a FAST SHOT of sugar that has little fiber and drives UP blood sugars...I don't need FAST, but rather the fiber of fresh whole fruit metabolize on the slow...and make for more consistent energy...I NEED that...in so many ways....

So change has been something that as I've gone along, has helped me to stay motivated in my efforts...sometimes my 'results' are elusive...I don't weigh daily or even once a week. I don't need anything to pull my attention OFF the process and plan. I must stay focused on the every BITE concerns and counts, rather than the eventual goals of normal weight numbers and improved health~these are just BY PRODUCTS of my solid healthy eating that will be consistent over the long haul...and this is the secret~or just a key, b/c the REAL secret is my spiritual journey.

The Lord has sustained me in all sorts of situations where I consciously refrain from turning into the food for my life~all those things food can be that brink on the negativity to destroy me. FOOD MUST stay in it's rightful place in my life...and I don't tolerate it rearing up it's ugly head to try to move into more prominence. NO WAY! I refuse to allow people or events to change what's working...no tossing about like a ship tossed in a storm...I believe with God's help, I must stay firmly affixed to the task of making sure that I am nourished properly each and every time...no changes here, for me.

I don't allow myself BREAKS from my food plan. I stay with it, no matter the reason OR the season. Birthdays, holidays, events, celebrations,...or whatever...NO MATTER. FOOD IS FUEL and nothing more! I really don't even desire 'special' foods on these days, but truly desire the solid stable routines I've established. Unfortunately I have ppl in my life that without FOOD celebrations would and do feel LACKING...they don't feel the GREAT way I do b/c they consistently change from no or little sugars to gobs of sugars and so their metabolism is constantly under attack...not so for me...after deciding over 9 mos ago to give up the toxins of over processed sugars or fast metabolizing sugars and starches, I FEEL GREAT! Albeit that right now it's way way to early in the morning for breakfast and b/c I'm awake, my 'guts are growly!' LOL...oh boy, better wrap this up and drift back off to a more acceptable time near my routine. Falling asleep in my recliner has its challenges too.

I also attept every night to GO to bed and also go at a reasonable time. . . THIS IS ANOTHER change for me...I could go on and on...but I will go on now, and get myself settled back down for a few more zzz's ...it's way too early...LOL...

HOW do you stay on the course long term? Are you? GOT changes you need to make? I'm still praying over mine...and I am 'evolving' all the time! Give me a shout out!
SisterT ;-))

View From MY Dashboard~Old Cannon

2011-07-06T11:36:00.000-04:00

Recently on a trip into town and hitting a few yard sales there we saw a cool sight!

Which war ya think??? Pretty cool!

HEALTH~ME In Pics From the YR!

2011-07-04T09:54:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited to be 75#s down and so I wanna show off my progress in pics~here's ME throughout the year!

This was taken last night at church, July 3, 2011. Not all fixed up, but the REAL ME LOL!

Taken at the park on a blustery day May 2011 ;-))

This was taken Feb 2011~you can't see my whole DOUBLE CHIN in this one!

You can in this one~whole family ;-))

Another one from Feb 2011 with my Mama ;-))

Christmas pic with the kiddos in early Dec 2010

Nov 29, 2010 w/hub!

Nov 2010!

Aug 2010 with a friend ;-))

Taken in July 2010

Where it all began in April 2010~75lbs ago!

Vintage~Yeah, I LOVE OLE STUFF

2011-07-04T09:00:00.004-04:00

I don't know WHY I've been fighting this...in fact, I can't really say I've been doing that much b/c my life is so full of the oldie but goodie kinds of things! The younger ppl now call me, "OLD SCHOOL" LOL...and that's fine with me. I am OLD SCHOOL...even to the point of homeschooling the ole schooling way~and it worked for generations as well as it has worked for mine~PTL! But, my taste is ole too...I love the old, used, vintage, rough, rugged, and repurposed. Lord knows, I'd never know HOW to shop a mall~have never been in ours and my trips to the local 'wally world' average about 3-4 a year..I know, I know...but what do I do you might be asking? I shop the 'secondary market' for most of what I want, and I have some other thrifty places where I buy the bulk of our food~plus we grow a good bit of it too...soo ya see, I have no need or little need to go 'there.' LOL...

Okay, so I will post up a few pics today~one in particular is for a bloggy bud who is into vintage and has a frame she's trying to repurpose~Ck out her post and pic here ! I thought she'd like to see what I've done with an ole frame and some needle art as well as show you all too~I'm pretty proud of my garage sale FIND and how with some board mount charges from Hobby Lobby~yeah, I could have done this myself, but I have tried mounting (stretching and affixing to a 'board') myself to have it come out pretty rumpled looking and not so nice...hence that little charge~$20. I also paid FIFTY cents for this piece..and the frame? Add in another dollar from a previous garage sale~I took the pic and mat out as it wasn't all that pretty imho! Total~$21.50 for a pretty piece...and I'm just amazed at all the work some dear soul invested in it~prob 1970s by the colors..but I love it!

What do you think?

Yeah, it's a little 70s, but I love the workmanship and colors! I have loads of the green in my home so this works on a few levels ;-))

Okay, here's a pic frame with a mirror we use in the bathroom~yeah, the bathroom is awful~remember that we are TOTALLY remodeling this ole house...goes with the OLE HOUSE style I have LOL..ya know, REMODELING?? LOL..I guess I'll need a new HOBBY once all the house is done...LOL...but you know, it's such a while off that I'm just gonna ENJOY while I can LOL!

Soo don't mind where I began peeling the nasty wall paper~DID THAT til hub says, don't do it b/c the WHOLE WALL is coming down LOL! so hey, why waste my energy?? LOL!

Also a new pic from last night of where we're busting out old narrrrrly stairs in front and planning new siding!

Stairs and the TWO front doors you see are GOING AWAY~there's the TRUE front door on the side of the enclosed mud room that you can't see from this view~it's staying! LOL...Don't NEED three front doors! LOL...Okay, so you see, WE ARE a work in progress!

Thanks for stopping by~
Blessings,
SisterT

HEALTH~9lbs Down To Total 75lbs Since April 2010

2011-07-01T21:09:00.000-04:00

I'm striving and surviving! Today I went to the docs to ck up past the ER stop of last week~(chest pain on interstate is NO fun!) and well, first off~my vitals are great! I've undergone some medication adjustments this week...my wt loss (I hope this IS why) has necessitated a reduction in medications for my heart. Also I weighed today~remember SisterT doesn't weigh weekly or daily but when I have doc appts~so I am down 9lbs for a total of 75#s in a little over a year. My progress is steady and sure~I'm on NO gimmicky stuff. It's a sound low carb food plan. Enter the new dx of diabetes and you find that giving up white flour and sugars is so so wise! It's been over 9 mo since I've done that~in fact, tomorrow adds another week to those already WONDERFUL weeks! I'm not missing it either! Foods that ppl who each sugar are found NOT to be sweet are truly good and sweet to me! THIS IS a huge miracle in my life. For once, I can believe~I am coming to believe that GOD CAN restore me...ODAT!

I had made an appointment for a trainer to work with me to expedite my wt loss but my cardiologist says to hold off for now. I'm still undergoing tests~the last will be a sleep study...but let me say that my numbers are all very good EXCEPT a slight 6pt increase over the 'bad' cholesterol number...Giving up a few EGG BREAKFASTS each week ought to handle this for me! Also my A1c was PERFECT: 5.5! I'm so blessed.

Okay so as of now, it's forward steam ahead with my food plan and lifestyle changes. God is good! ALL THE TIME~God IS good!
SisterT <3

HEALTH~I Must Be on a Kick!

2011-06-18T11:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, I keep writing about food~WHAT I'm eating or trying to eat, so I must be either on a kick or obsessed! But either way, I have to figure out HOW to eat in a sound, HEALTHY, God honoring way. . . I ck'd out several more sources..not so sure about

http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/ Which lays out a food plan of three meals and a potential snack~for those needing one...all planned and purposed. The first two called Complementary Meals are essentially 3-4 oz protein and two cups of low carb veggies. Then there is a Reward Meal consisting of balanced non diet food that is whole, lean, non sugared, but in the quantities and character of the chooser. I dunno! SEEMS rationale, but in fact, is scarey...and the website seems old and out of date to me..WHAT do you think?

Then I found http://www.livestrong.com/article/395701-foods-that-help-heal-insulin-resistance/
which seems to be a little less extreme, but advocates eating carbs and doesn't talk about limiting them EXCEPT in the instances of over processed and refined (faster metabolizing ones that give fast high spikes to blood sugar.) Oh brother! WHERE IS good sound info when you need it? WHAT is your thoughts?

I have NOT had a dietician consult for this condition. The most I got was leave the sugar alone with this diagnosis. Everything I can find mostly to read couples insulin resistance with Diabetes and treats it pretty much the same way...Okay, so I can live with that. But, the concern I have is being SURE I'm lowering my carbs to an acceptable level that will heal my body. I have inflammation going on~literally have pain in my tendons and muscles AND I have neuropathy~all sugar related. BURNING FEET is no fun! And yes, they're improved, but it does seem that at times I still have it in a milder less intense form..I'd like to get rid of it altogether! WHOOT!

Okay, I'm heading on to do more reading.

I'm LOOKING FOR my miracle today and doing my part. The Lord will do His I am sure!

BTW~today is week 35 NO WHITE and NO SUGAR (processed or goodies!) YAY ME!

Hugs
SisterT

HEALTH~NOT Reinventing the Wheel!

2011-06-17T13:28:00.001-04:00

I'm sorta stuck. Not totally, but sorta, b/c I have insulin resistance and so I need low carb in my life...but it goes against all the whole grain LOW FAT info of the past 25 years that I know. I did learn about three years ago that all carbohydrates turn into or PROCESS as sugar in the body~hence why whole grains are better than more milled varieties b/c they process slower~MORE FIBER equals slower...okay, I get this...but, what and how can I eat? I am morbidly obese. YUP~afraid so. And SisterT is redoing her life, so how and wha? I NEED INFO...

So since I don't have to go to a chemist nutritionist to figure this out (HOPEFULLY!!) I've done some web surfing and I want to lay it all out here for YOU AND ME...interested?? Okay, if you are, here we go~

I have learned first that insulin resistance in when my cells don't accept the insulin my pancreas produces nor the sugar that it will or is supposed to carry to those cells...as a result, sugar circulates at higher than normal levels in the blood causing high blood sugars...OKAY~something like a first form of diabetes. Yeh, THAT word...NOT THRILLED, but TRUTH...and truth is knowledge. So I'm living with this. Now, b/c the sugar isn't effectively sent into those cells that IF IT HAD, would give me BOUNDING WONDERFUL energy, IT INSTEAD goes to FAT. FAT. YES, I said, FAT...uh...NO WONDER! And so I'm fat. FATTER than EVER IN MY LIFE...well, okay...119lbs down from my highest EVER wt...but FATter than EVER! Soo what to do now?

I have to eat, right? TRUE.

I have to live, right? TRUE.

In researching this, I'm coming to the conclusion that a LOW-CARB diet is going to be best for me. LOW meaning none of that really high intense carb stuff that has given me the CARB COMA for quite a few years now, and IF I had known then..oh how diff my life might have been!

So here's The Low-Carb Food Pyramid I found. Actually they have quite a few resources that TO ME seem better than the American Diabetes Assoc. GO FIGURE! HOW reliable is it? Well, it's adding up with other sources, and I plan to ck it all out~or as much as I can find.

I like the Low-Carb Food Pyramid. I have always believed that fruit and veggies FRUIT CARB (approx) COUNT ARE ESSENTIAL and PTL I've always eaten quite a bit of it~okay, too much! B/C I can overeat on celery..but I will tell you that God has blessed me with relatively good health for a person LIKE ME of 'size.' I attribute this to #1 the LORD, and #2 the way I eat..loads of FRESH unprocessed whole foods/virtually NO MIXES or pre-prepared (BOX FOOD) stuff for me. I can explain more of this later, but for now, just know that I do eat mayo and mustard, bought spices, some bought pickles, but overall~my food is made by us out of whole foods, and some of it we grow ourselves...and can or freeze. MORE on that another time.

Okay~soo at this MIDDLE AGE time for me~WHAT ARE YOU doing for your health? HOW's your carb situation: TOO MUCH or ...???

HEALTH~My Progress AS OF LATE...

2011-06-16T10:03:00.000-04:00

It's been a little bit since I last blogged in about my health pursuit progress. LOADS has gone on~but none of it bad, just busy. I've continued to exercise even added walking our block and continuing to do more and more in our home as well as running the streets shopping and having a GREAT TIME! My food continues to be white FREE~no sugar (try very very very hard to abstain from it in ingredients as well) and flours (same as sugar!) I still eat a bit too much, but it's coming down slowly. My stomach organ must be shrinking b/c hunger is improving as well. The biggest news is that recently I saw a new cardiologist to ck my arythmia and had a battery of test. PTL I am FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the doc said, KEEP DOING WHAT you are doing! Talk about encouragement! AMAZING!! Overall, as of about 3 weeks ago my wt is down 61lbs since April 2010! For this too, I praise the Lord! But folks, I have so far to go yet~will you continue to pray for me?

Gotta LOVE Maxine!

I am continuing my 12Step program for overeaters and food addictions. I fully realize that some would be uncomfortable with such a relationship, but I believe that God is using the program to draw me EVER closer to Him and helping me to give Him, my food~DAILY! While OA does allow for the nonbeliever, it is a spiritual program and points so strongly to the Lord giving the nonbeliever a place to begin putting into place the workings of faith that a relationship is built on the Lord~in fact, most christians I know with weight issues, me being one~generally never considered GIVING GOD CONTROL over our food...until now, it's precisely WHAT I'm doing! He's in control of it all. AND then, that Serenity Prayer~do you know it? Have you read it IN ITS ENTIRETY? Oh do yourself a favor and read it...my fave part, 'accepting as He did this sinful world' and 'accepting hardships as the PATHWAY to PEACE.' Those are so powerful and really make that first stanza much fuller than just it alone!

GOD IS to be praised! For once, in my life, I can believe that a 'normal' weight is possible FOR ME...I have HOPE! HOPE that the Lord can restore me to sanity as His Word promises. ALL the OA involvement in my life is Christian based and many of the ppl I am in association with are believers. This is a comfort as well. Does OA endorse christianity? NO. It will embrace whatever, but when reading the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Blue Book (AABB) there are such beautiful christian principles. AMAZING!

THANKS for your prayers!

Just this week I purchased a RED beautiful Huffy bike for me~chrome fenders too!

Thanks for stopping by~
GOD IS GOOD!
SisterT

Father's Day Activities (printable coupons and 'letter to Dad' Pretty COOL!

2011-06-15T14:17:00.000-04:00

Head to KBTeachers for some cool FREE Father's Day printables~
In fact, they have loads of cools free stuff and you can upgrade for more if you'd like~
KB Teachers.com
Soo cool!
SisterT

Family Films~Field of Vision

2011-06-11T21:11:00.000-04:00

I've been given the opportunity to preview Field of Vision, the Proctor & Gamble and Wal-Mart Family Movie night production which is airing tonight~and I want to say that while I am late doing this review, this is BY FAR my favorite film they've offered...they get better and better! This film has had me in tears! There's a touching twist for adoptive moms/foster moms, and offers a neat sense of right and wrong. LOVE IT! WHEN you see the Family Films offered PLEASE tune in as they are very good~in fact, your teenagers will love them as well as your older elementary children. Totally clean and with sound moral values!
What's NOT to love?
Got some popcorn? Pop? Snuggle on up and tune it...
It's still on, and on NBC~it's not totally too late!
hugs,
SisterT ;-))

Film's website ;-))

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

FREE: Science and Nature Site fom BBC

2011-06-07T14:34:00.000-04:00

I won't totally endorse this site b/c of the evolution on it, but I think a good bit more is good stuff to out weigh the bad...
BBC Science and Nature
Has space, human body, animals..all kinds of stuff from games to programs. I was thinking this could be good next year to help study for a biology exam...?? LOL...or an older child who likes or could be interested in Science~
Woot!
SisterT

FREE: US Census Map

2011-06-06T07:48:00.000-04:00

Here's a cool site~a US Census map to show population trends and demographics per counties of the United States...wow!

Just move the cursor and SEE how each area you live in is made up of ppl~

US Census Map

Loven' FREE,
SisterT

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Just Happy~Disney Music!

2011-06-05T20:25:00.002-04:00

I wouldn't characterize myself as a Disney theme park thrill seeker, but I've certainly appreciated Walt Disney and all his many talents ~well, I've been to Disney in FL a few times~last time as a single when I was about twenty or so...HAD A BLAST! Sooo I know it's changed a bunch, but what great memories...I imagine some of my fave things are probably not there any longer~or are different...but hey, that's okay~should I ever get to go again, it will all be NEW!

But I have a friend, Heidi who loves Disney and goes a good bit~Well, she shard this Disney music link...oh how fun~and it's free...You KNOW SisterT loves FREE and then add up some sweet memories and a good listen...PRICELESS!

Thanks Heidi~

Here's the LINK! Go ck it out...and ENJOY!
Here's a FREE Disney ClipArt site~whoot!

Hugs
SisterT

Homeschooling: END OF THE YEAR~WRAP UP~

2011-06-03T14:55:00.001-04:00

Our daughter's sense of humor
and a pic from a biology lab!

Many of you know we began online virtual academy this semester as part of our drive to secure diplomas for my high schoolers and begin our college experiences. Wow~looking back what a ride it's been! AND WOWSY WOW WOW! How exciting it has been to see my children exhibit such incredible strengths. Oh, the challenges have been many, but in all the process I've seen some TREMENDOUS GROWTH and SKILLS exhibited with them BOTH!

Without going into too much detail, I was really nervous about their abilities having homeschooled them BOTH since K and 1st grade...and well, the proof showed itself in a neat way this semester. Our daughter looks like she is going to be all As if not for a VERY HIGH B if this last test doesn't measure up to her expectations! Our son pulled his OWN 'fat out of the fire' by AT THE LAST HOUR, I'm afraid~earning 1A, 4Bs and 1C...imagine that!? I have two very different learners, and so their 'styles' have really been so evident~daughter is a hard worker who is skilled but not confident~tenacious worker...doesn't GIVE UP or IN...keeps on going despite odds...Son, quite different: Only willing to do just so much...Wants goals and steps and to do JUST THAT... Anyway, these kids are opposites in so many ways but also great kids...Once it looked like some Cs~more than he'd like, my son kicked it into high gear~or higher gear-I should say. Now the results is good, but the process was so stressful...I began calling them both the "cardiac kids" b/c just the wait could give one a heart attack LOL!! But today @5PM is the END of this semester...totally...I'll be boxing up their curriculum tomorrow~although I'd like to ask to keep one of the math books so my son can review and make SURE he knows this stuff as he has the PART 2 NEXT YEAR to do...make sense?? LOL...Okay~that's our wrap up...

I really wasn't sure I was going to be pleased with a virtual academy setting for my kids~something about being in control of WHAT AND WHEN we do school as the first would be a concern over the content. Let me assure you that teenagers IF they attend colleges and universities will face worse 'doctrines' belief systems than what I've observed with our virtual academy curriculum...and at what point are they going to face THE WORLD anyway? I believe that after a child is grounded in the faith that it's a good thing to allow them to reason and learn what the other things are out there while I am still here to help...they're gonna face it anyway~which is better: on their own totally or still with parents and supports? We chose to go for it now. I know it's a concern. I'm not trying to convince anyone other than to say that I wish I had known HOW GOOD virtual academy would be as we would have done this YEARS ago...

Thanks for checking on us~TIMES ARE A CHANGING! The Lord is good and I am so thrilled as He has blessed us~Let me know what's up with you and your thoughts ;-))
Hugs
SisterT

TOP TEN TOS CREW Rewiew Team Products of 2010-11

2011-05-28T00:05:00.000-04:00

What a year it's been and it's hard to think how fast it's come and gone! So many changes in my life such as K12 in our lives and also all the house remodeling~the joys and stresses of it all...and doing the homeschooling product reviews in the mix. Blogging a bunch...and working on my health...WHAT a combination! LOL

I've been asked to compile a top ten and rank in order the products I believe are the BEST of the BEST for our family~We saw some really great stuff roll across our lives this year...
Drum Roll, please~

Positive Action For Christ~Life of Christ (Gospel of John)
Yesterday's Classics
Wits and Wagers
Who Is God?

Bucket's O Fun~YUCK!
Lanschool technologies
Professor in a Box's Intro to Accounting course
WonderMaps
Reading From the Heart
Considering God's Creation
Math Tutor DVDs
IEW's Teaching Writing With Style and Structure HANDS DOWN was the best for us!

DARE SAY I have a dozen...LOL! Well, it was a great year with all the cool and VARIED STUFF we reviewed! Wasn't bored a bit...There are a few digital products here...but overall, I prefer the in hand stuff...unless it was a program, such as Lanschool...loved Lanschool and found it very useful! WonderMaps comes into play with digital also..but it has so many applications~amazing! One more digital we loved is Yesterday's Classics...a whole book shelf in a download! Whoot! One more, please...no! Make that two...

Virtual Nerd was awesome!
and who didn't love Speekee....and Jim! LOL...just loved that purple guy and the Spanish instruction! Still want to sing those songs!! ;-))

Okay that's a WRAP on the Top 10~ha! Top HOW MANY???

Head over to the CREW to see what they say ! What was your faves...do you have these~want these??? I'm on my way to a big book sale where I'm cleaning out all things..okay most things homeschooling...

REIVEW: Read For the Heart

2011-05-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

Read For the Heart

by Sarah Clarkson
Website: HERE!
Ages: Teens-Adult
Price: $17.00 Softcover
I say: Great resource!

I received Read For the Heart by Sarah Clarkson as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review program in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

If you want the INSIDE SCOOP in great reads for your child and a better shot at aiming them at greats literary works for their heart and mind, Read For the Heart is a wonderful resource. It's really a good road map to navigate parents into the expertise of guiding children though good books...and what skill is more crucial to success in life than reading? A love of books and reading can transform the soul~the understanding and ability to absorb~to really gain from a good read is invaluable..and this is what's at the core of this book...a guide/roadmap/lead into books for children.

You can check out a sample chapter HERE where you can see how this volume is laid out...It's not an overwhelming read, but one that will inspire you to pick up these wonderful books and snuggle up with your child for walking in the world of imagination...Little can so inspire us...and you just may find yourself hunting down some of the books as you go along~adding them to lesson plans~finding ways to make reading a bigger part of your life! Great books can so inspire us to want to read them...ever pick up a book and not be able to put it down?? Oh yes, SisterT has done this many many times...

You can even check out the sample chapter, The Golden Age Classics ad see for yourself the beauty of this book~It's definitely one great resource for any homeschool family~Wish I had had it when mine were much younger...what help it would have been...oh yes!

Go ck out what the CREW is saying !

REVIEW: Considering God's Creation

2011-05-25T15:11:00.000-04:00

Considering God's Creation

WEBSITE: HERE!

AGES: K-HS

PRICE: $29.95
I say: We LOVED this study!

I received Considering God's Creation from Eagel's Wings Educational Materials as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review team in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

I love this science curriculum! In fact, it's the best thing I know of that can be used for young child just as it is and added to for the older grades for a wonderful study on the things God made on the six days of His creation. It's multi modality format with hands on activities and questions for extended study~Really it's an overall good science overview..think about it~

What happened on those days?

Based on each individual day, you will launch into studies that will in many ways become a general science overview~with the creation of the sun, moon, stars, outer space, planets, sun and moon will all be studied...With the plants there is study for various characteristics of botony...with the animals you have all kinds of things and with man~the human body takes center stage! I don't want to spoil this for you, but trust me, I know that this is a good unit study resource with a teacher's book and student workbook where you can use the materials to teach as is or go much deeper. There's a CD of songs to reinforce the information in a fun way~

There's enough here~for a whole year OR you can teach each for longer periods and go longer! This is a great resource and I used it when my children were second and first graders. I was excited to get to see it again and we were able to delve in much deeper this time as high schoolers. I do say that you need to add things though to make it more high school credit worthy, though it is a good spine and could easily be used for a family with multiple ages and stages. We also own Remembering God's Awesome Acts! Whohoo!!

Head on over to ck out the Crew! Thanks for coming by! We love Considering God's Creation!

WHERE I'm AT...I know! I know...LOL...Behind the AT~LOL

2011-05-24T16:41:00.000-04:00

But seriously, I'm not sure where I am...but I do know some stuff...
First I am on the last leg of my TOS Crew involvement~excited and sad both at the same time...
But the BIGGER NEWS for us is that we've scheduled our Jr classes for K12 which we are hoping will include as we're navigating university admission and ACT testing to get in under the wire~RIGHT NOW...LOL
THIS IS HUGE!

My little girl has worked all her academic life for these moments...these...

I'm proud.

Guess I was working for this too.

Now to get to the FINISH LINE...

By the way...whoot! SHE PASSED the graduation exam~ OH YES!! HOMESCHOOLING ROCKS!

Thanks for cking on me..what's up in your neck of the woods? Leave me a shout out...
Also I am almost 32 weeks no white junk...YAY! and I"m still shrinking...
BIG HUGS
SisterT ;-))

REVIEW: Mad Dog Math

2011-05-18T15:27:00.002-04:00

Mad Dog Math

WEBSITE: HERE
Ages: Preschool & up
Price: $19.99-$39.99
I say: I like this!

I received a trial version of Mad Dog Math as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review team in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

BASIC MATH SKILLS are a must for anyone who wishes any kind of success in the world. Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division in lightening speed using strong mental math skills will make all higher level math go so much faster! Mad Dog Math makes learning these basic skills FUN and you can rest from using the flash cards and all the grueling processes of the past. Want your kids to LOVE math at a young age? Try Mad Dog Math~and you can sign up for the FREE trail period too HERE!

There are three levels in the program: Level 1, 2 3 and Challenge. The levels progress in complexity and number of math problems. Challenge is where combinations can be set within the various families of problems. There's a timer that can be set as well~30 seconds to unlimited time!

It's a colorful interactive basic skill builder that is software you download on your computer. There are two versions for varying memory amounts so you can read how to ck that on your own system. It was easy for me to navigate~IF I CAN, you will be able to...I am so techno challenged in this way!

While doing the levels, I began thinking that there might be some slight limits to this system, that a child's time might be increased based on their level of typing skill in the area of speed and accuracy. But on further thinking and practice, guess what? If practiced a good deal, typing speed and accuracy will undoubtly increase as well as their mental math skills... More practice in the numbers area of the keyboard as well as working within the number families will increase that speed! Soo what's NOT to like? Just be aware that your child's actual time might be slower at first...but with practice, WATCH their time decrease! Soo cool! Really, this is hitting two birds with one stone and a built in bonus!

Wish I had had Mad Dog Math way way back when mine were littles...WISH I could have had it myself. I can't tell you HOW terrible it was to struggle through those multiplication tables way back in third grade...It was awful.

Want to spare your child and yourself some distress? Mad Dog Math will do the trick and teach these essential skills painlessly and with FUN!

The Crew reviewed it and you can read about itHERE!

LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH~the STUFF LIFE is MADE OF...

2011-05-17T10:40:00.000-04:00

Freebie: HSE Mag~FREE Digital Edition

2011-05-17T02:06:00.000-04:00

REVIEW: Bright Ideas Press WonderMaps!

2011-05-16T19:37:00.001-04:00

WonderMaps

WEBSITE: HERE

AGES: Elm-HS

PRICE: $49.95

I say: LOVE it!

I received WONDERMAPS from Bright Ideas Press as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review team in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

We've used Bright Ideas Press' Mystery of History I and 2 and loved every minute of it, and getting WONDERMAPS is a fantastic complement to those history studies. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to use these interactive maps that I can tailor make to suit just what we need!

From Tyler Hogan of Bright Ideas Press:

WonderMaps is a customizable collection of over 350 different maps. With nearly endless possibilities, WonderMaps makes it easy to regularly integrate map study into a variety of lessons and make the most of every learning opportunity.

WonderMaps is designed with easy-to-use layers that allow you to enjoy great customizable features with just a click. Select:

historical or modern-day maps

outline, reference, political, or topographical maps

black-and-white or color maps

features including: names, borders, rivers, cities, physical features, and graticules

WonderMaps includes:

60+ maps of the world

60+ maps of the USA

125+ historical maps, including 25 biblical maps

The complete map sets from The Mystery of History vols. I–III and All American History vols. I & II

Here's Tyler with a tutorial~

We LOVE it and believe you will too! Even if you don't use MOH, you can use WonderMaps as a complete maps studies to complement any curriculum or study~

Head to see what the CREW is saying!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About CREW and HSing 2010-11

2011-05-16T16:22:00.000-04:00

The Question: Please share your favorite homeschool experience in relation to your participation in the Crew this year! (a resource you received, how it helped your child, God's divine choices for your family, etc...anything.

I'm participating in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review group's Blog Cruise as a member where we answer a question or write on a different topic each week. This is the last post this Crew 2010-11 year.

I think I'm putting off doing this b/c I really don't WANT to leave CREW, but by my own choice and due to the changes in my family~THIS IS my last Blog Cruise...I have high schoolers who will be 10th and 11th grades next year. We're heading into a different port on a different ship...Times, they are a changing!

With this I say,

THANKS for the MEMORIES...

And they are soo sweet~

We loved so many different things about CREW... and my fave would have to be the personal connection I have felt with SO MANY of YOU...YOU, dear friends...You have BEEN THERE on lonely, and lost days when I wasn't sure I wanted to go on...even when I couldn't raise my head...YOU helped MY heart. Crew helped give purpose and push to what a times was a struggle to keep on keeping on...

So with this I wish you all FAREWELL and Godspeed!

Love and Hugs,
(SEE Ya around!)
SisterT

WEEKLY FREE PDF downloads Homeschool Freebie of the Day~

2011-05-15T18:10:00.000-04:00

You can sign up for the weekly 'sneak peak' from the Erskine family of KY who has Homeschool Freebie of the Day which is a daily FREE pdf download: HERE!
BTW~they also do the Homeschool Radio Shows which is a free audio radio show of the past you can purchase, but they also have one they offer for FREE! whoot!

This week has some homekeepers good stuff and then on Fri is a Memorial Day pdf~
Go ck it out!
HUGS!

REVIEW: The Insitute For Exellence in Writing~Teaching Writing Structure and Style AND Student Writing Intensive C AND Portable Walls

2011-05-14T00:11:00.003-04:00

IEW: Teaching Writing: Structure and Style

IEW: Student Writing Intensive Group C

IEW: Portable Walls

Website: HERE!

Ages: 9th GR and up (High School)

Price: $239.00

I say: STANDING OVATION!

I received IEW: Teaching Writing: Structure and Style and IEW: Student Writing Intensive Group C as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Crew review group in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

Writing is one of those subjects that it takes some pretty strong know-how to pull off UNLESS you have a solid curriculum behind you. Having worked over the years on my own writing and then just shuddering when trying to convey the needed information and skills to my own children, I have honestly tried and RETRIED so many things to end them in unneeded frustrations.

When I received the Institute for Excellence in Writing's complete curriculum for teaching Student Writing Intensive Group Level C (SWI~LC)writing I was so excited! In truth, it has been a dream come true. I was sent the text and dvd lessons for this level~there's A, B and C available. Included was the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style (TWSS) as well as the Portable Walls. Of course, when I opened the box from IEW, I was so excited, and in looking it all over I noted how beautiful it is too: each part of the product is colorful and appears well made. The Portable Walls is sturdy wipe- coated professional full color tri folding 11.5X14 paper. All these are used in coordination to teach the high school level of writing.

What's really cool is all the resouces IEW has available for homeschool parents to teach our children. There are teacher dvd in a seminar just for us to help us teach and guide our student into developing their writing to a much higher potential! Hearing Andrew Pudewa tell how IEW came to offer such wonderful resources really makes sense to me~that a college professor saw a GREAT need in his students as they struggled to write for him...it just grew from there as other professionals joined in and then IEW's teaching writing seminars were developed and designed. EVER WISH you could be taught to teach writing? This is the FANTASTIC THING about this curriculum...and as in my instance, your kiddos can learn this too~LET THEM watch it if they are older for sure! WHY STRUGGLE? I mean, I've certainly struggled, and SisterT won't 'go there' to include all the names of the writing products I've used over the years! NO I won't, but you have to know that this IS the best of the best! I believe this!

I don't believe you will find a better writing curriculum for your up and coming writer! After working through and listening to this systematic program I found that writing really wasn't as hard to teach as it has seemed. With the teacher training and student focused program, The Institute for Excellence in Writing materials literally taught themselves! HOW cool is that?

Not only does IEW have three levels: the Elementary Level A; Middle School Level B and High School Level C, there are continued studies available as well as additional resources! I LOVE that there are FREEbies on the
Site
such as a weekly webinar and even free download eBooks or mp3 downloads! You can't go wrong..even a Yahoo group! There is LOADS of support to help us teach our children the valuable skill of writing.

There's more~Mr. Pudewa is funny and engaging! NO BORING stuff here! Everything is done very well and laid out in an easy to follow format. Each part comes in a 3-ring binder that really makes the materials user friendly! I like this too~

I highly recommend this curriculum to teach your child. IT'S GREAT!

The CREW has reviewed various levels from the Elementary, Middle and Upper grades. You can read those reviews HERE!

Review: GoTrybe~Fitness For Kids Via the Net

2011-05-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

GoTrybe~Kids Fitness, Wellness, Motivation
CK it out here!
AGES: 6th gr & up
COST: 99 cent Introductory Trial Special
I say: Not convinced...read on...

I was given a trial of GoTrybe as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review team in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

I've been working hard on my family and my own health for a good number of years and when given the opportunity to review GoTrybe, I was excited. Looking at ways to bolster our efforts for a healthy lifestyle and learning more has always been my goal so that we'd be able to live more productive and satisfactory lives. It's a noble goal, and while there's tons of info out there in the marketplace of ideas, it' doesn't all add up to what I believe is sound conventional wisdom that best suits and fulfills our needs. So what's GoTrybe and how did it add up?

About GoTrybe~

GoTrybe is a subscription for net users that you can purchase yearly for $19.95 but there is a FREE Trial Period (unspecified) and at the end of you will be asked to join.

From the website:

GoTrybe.com is an online fitness and nutrition community that delivers daily fitness, nutrition, wellness, and motivation content to students and teachers across the US.

You get your own homepage on the site and an avatar where you earn points by daily picking a series of activities regarding a workout in the warm up, cardio. flex and strength training areas. There are quite a few choices of activities in each domain with varying intensities such as moderate or intense with a score card of sorts with each one so good choices can be made. You can't do more than one sequence of Daily Activities per day and this could be good for children who need more structure, but I'd think the ages this is really targeting that allowing the nutrition and wellness videos to be seen in multiple segments really couldn't hurt anything~but then I dunno..the idea I think was to get consistency over TIME...getting short snipits of info that could be absorbed in the long run is the goal~

Here's a screen shot of my choices so you can see that each domain as a score card explaining each activity. Each video is different in duration too~as well as different GoTrybe Instructors and activities...

When you click and drag each video in each domain into the workout recipe above the choices you form your work out for that day. After you're done creating your workout, you can hit the start workout button and get going.

My experience has been that what I've chosen is between 19-24 minutes in length. The videos are well made, and the trainers are personal, attactive and engaging along with children and other young people. There are no children younger than about 12 that I can see here, and even the classroom settings are showing what looks at least to be middle and high school kids.

I do note that the work outs are mostly moderate in intensity. I found no beginner or easy levels available which I would think might preclude some children from participating and certainly those (of us) who might benefit most.

The sets are clean, attractive and colorful. We especially liked the Salsa video warm ups and wish there had been more dance steps with better music on these videos. I love dancing, and I believe marketing to children/teens might be better served if the videos used more child/teen friendly fare such as HIP music and concepts. What happened to OLD FASHIONED PLAY as warm ups, cardio, flex and strength? Don't tell me that playing hop scotch and climbing monkey bars didn't condition us...LOL...

Soo onto How It Added UP for us~

I confess that I did not jump head long into GoTrybe like I might have done had I liked first off what I saw. In checking out the site, I was unimpressed by the 'staff' of young super healthy folks who obviously have been in the exercise/health field for a good long time and might not fully understand or appreciate the needs of the outta shape/poorly nutritioned population GoTrybe has hoped to reach. When looking at the staff, I am skeptical because it seems they have been in this field for some time and have never experienced being out of shape or dealing in obesity. I wonder just what they have to offer me without these kinds of experiences. When I viewed them, I saw young instructors with their beautiful, and I don't mean this disrespectful, either.. beautiful bodies and perky encouragements and had trouble seeing that any of this was going to motivate me(albeit an obese middle aged mama, but desiring change) much less a sedentary overweight child who is already dealing in all of the ilks of their misery. (In my own defense, if there had been a level of workout I could have accomplished, I would have. I bike and swim. Lame effort probably, but it's what I can do...Gotta start SOMEWHERE!)

Two things stood out in my mind: Could that child be reached, and if so HOW~Can GoTrybe be used to accomplish this? Not sure. And the reason is that I'm not sure is that 20-30 minute pretty high intensity workouts using OR not using added equipment...along with >1 min video bites seemed, try as they might, would make some connection for me. It seems impersonal to me and doesn't seem motivating.

I think that IF this problem were solved by diet and exercise alone, Lord knows the zillions of OTHER iniatives over the years would have worked. But what I've discovered in my own life and in the life of others as well as the 'fat' kids I know is that obesity isn't as much about the body as it IS about the mind. Does GoTrybe address this area? NO. Other than some perky uplifting mentors who try their best to be positive and encouraging, little reached us. I wasn't motivated a bit to leave my chair and get moving~which I believe would be the goal of this program. Now, the question is CAN IT to the job? Maybe. If you have a child who already has made the mind-body connection and is already on the MOVE, yeah, it's possible they'd enjoy the benefits of GoTrybe which is FIRST of all~the increased health and energy/fitness. But as for the avatar, I'm not so into that. Don't know how many homeschoolers live in 'virtual' worlds either, but if they do...buying outfits and dressing up that virtual fit/gorgeous/perky ME just might motivate me, but I'm thinking that as a fat child, and I was one..not just a fat adult, that it wouldn't have had much power to push me onward. Sorry, SisterT doesn't usually feel so strongly, but I've battled this area ALLL my life...let's just say heading into Weight Watchers in the 4th gr taught me something about this...maybe experience that 'normals' don't get...ya think?

Soo I really hate that I haven't found here what I had hoped, and better able to recommend GoTrybe to you as a magic bullet to get you and ME off our ...and MOVING! NO, some good dance music and a phone call with some prayer~yeah...that might~no! It DOES help me! Focusing on God and His power in my life has been just what the doctor ordered to move me..MOVE MEeee...

Don't just take my word for this, please...do your own research here and head over to ck out the and see what they are saying on this one! I'm betting some of them see things from a different vantage point and that if you don't identify with my perspective you could very well theirs and GoTrybe IS just what will get you and your kiddos up, moving and living a healthier lifestyle. That IS the goal, isn't it? Healthier for ALL of us??

Thanks for stopping in and leave me a shout out~I'd love to hear your thoughts on my thoughts~
HUGS!

REVIEW: Christian Pop Artist Robert Pierre WOOT!

2011-05-06T16:43:00.002-04:00

No secret, SisterT rocks! Rock of Ages and pop, rock and soul...

I received this download as a Propeller Review opportunity with no money and my opinions are my own.

Robert Pierre has is a young NEW Christian artist and has written most of his album, sung and even done his own back up vocals~woot! NOT just talented, he's a looker too! Believe it or not he's graduating HS this month too~WOW! I'm impressed dude! THANKS for sharing your heart from God!

I got to download and listen to four of his songs as a preview for the coming CD~and I loved two the very best..but there was a third I liked too for its message mostly~yeah, I'm ole school! LOL
YOU can DOWNLOAD too!Here's the lineup AS I like 'em:
Jesus
Breaking My Heart
Idenity
You Hold Me Now
It's coming out soon~BE ON THE LOOKOUT~WHOOT~I'll be reviewing his CD AND having a GIVEaWAY too boot! ;-))! Head on over and *LIKE* his facebook page too~ Robert Pierre Music

REVIEW: Yesterday's Classics~Ebooks for EPUB or KIndle

2011-05-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's Classics

Website!
PRICE: Sale going on $99 until 5/31
AGES: preschool-HS
I say: I adore these books!! ALL 225 of them!

I received a download of the books offered by Yesterday's Classics and given instructions on how to download a reader for PC as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review team in exchange for my honest opinion without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

I LOVE the older books~the books written well and for the classical child's mind and heart! I've long been an advocate of the free online classic books through Baldwin Children's Literature Project mainlesson.com and also Project Guttenberg as well~love them and we've used quite a few titles over the years for our homeschooling to add to our history studies. Okay, here's a plug for Librivox which has free public domain audio books available. I especially loved This Country of Ours, and we read this one in our US history studies~my kids loved the read aloud and they were upper elementary school at the time. Let me say that the free version was hard to keep track of as far as not being able to mark our place. Also I had my daughter read a good deal of it and it was difficult reading it online. But if we could have had a printed version it would have made it easier to follow~Yesterday's Classics offers printed books as well as beautifully format EPUB and Kindle Ereader versions! We're hooked!

Let me tell you what these books will do for your homeschool. If you are a history lover or want your children to love history so much more than we all did growing up, then finding the books written for children with historical background and context is the way to go. I definitely used these books to teach my children in ways that were interesting and productive! There's ancient history, Roman history, Middle Ages and more~it's awesome, and if you are like me with bulging book cases, you will see that an easy on the go eBook version will work very well~it's amazing how much space this will save ...AND THE CLEANING! woot! You all KNOW SisterT isn't about 'cleaning'! LOL...

Inside credit of one of the books~

Yesterday’s Classics is the publishing arm of the Baldwin Online
Children’s Literature Project which presents the complete text of hundreds of classic books for children at www.mainlesson.com.

These are out of print, hard to find children's books from 1880 to 1920 with many titles available! New titles are published regularly.

You can find books listed by subject, author or title~

World History
Greece
Rome
England
Faith
Hero tales
History
Literature
Legends
Nature
Poetry

IF you have to have printed books this is about the print books from the website:

All our titles are offered in high-quality paperback editions, with text cast in modern easy-to-read type for today's readers. The illustrations from the original volumes have been included except in those few cases where the quality of the original images was too low to make their reproduction feasible. Except where noted, color illustrations in the original volumes are rendered in black and white in these editions.

But for those who want freedom from shelf maintenance, the eBook is the way to go~An easy download is all you do plus set up for a free EPUB reader as well which I easily got from the web and installed. ;-)) Here's the link for the one I used:
Adobe Digital Editions

Customer service is excellent as well! You won't go wrong in exposing your children to such great titles. You can check out what they offer by subject!

Read what the crew is saying !

SHOUT OUT: WaterWISE Rocks~

2011-05-03T12:17:00.000-04:00

You have to know that SisterT is all about thrift, bargain hunting and KNOWING A GREAT DEAL~

I have to share~UNSOLICITED/UNASKED/ TOTALLY ON MY OWN endorsement of WaterWise who makes water distillers~and we have one...have had it about five years now AND TOTALLY LOVE IT! It is a countertop distiller model that makes a gallon at a time for about a quarter which is about 75% savings over buying it~AND we don't waste plastic jugs this way but reuse our storage containers for our water...GOOD for the landfill issue!! BUT THE BEST thing is the distiller~how well it 'makes' good PURE clean water..the taste is divine...AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE ROCKS!!! TOTALLY ROCKS! Let me share what I know..Our purifier malfunctioned last fall~yup..it did. And so we contacted and sent it back and paid/promptlly receiving it back and then about two mos later~it died again. Now you gotta know that by now, we're wondering if our distiller is really TOAST and if we'll have to shell out huge bucks (for us that sum is huge!) to replace it...well, NOOOOOOO...I contacted the customer service dept and they said to ship it back...by now, SisterT is drumming her nails on the counter...but guess what? Yesterday it arrived BACK ALL NEW and ...well,...NEW! I am so excited! What a blessing! And I can't say enough! If we get five more years out of it~WOW!!

Okay, do you wanna SEE what you're drinking ~THE STUFF that's in your water?? DISTILL...you will NEVER think of water the same way again~(In our water, it's literally sludge and BROWN...no kidding!)

Here's the link to the site
HERE!
THANKS WaterWise!

SisterT ;-))

More Playn'

2011-05-03T10:16:00.002-04:00

Me with a twist! LOL..

Just Playing...

2011-05-03T10:03:00.000-04:00

Who ELSE I am In Jesus...

2011-05-02T15:17:00.000-04:00

WHO I AM...in Jesus!

2011-05-02T11:54:00.002-04:00

WINNER: Charlie and Trike's Grand Canyon Adventure by Ken Ham

2011-05-02T10:19:00.000-04:00

Congrats Jade~
YOU WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've sent you an email for your addy ;-))
Woot~
Everybody~BE SURE to ck out my sale~~
HUGS
SisterT

GiveAway LINKY whoot!

2011-05-01T15:39:00.000-04:00

Saving Money Plan~woot!
LOADS of giveAways listed weekly!

YouTube History: Coronation of Elizabeth II 1953

2011-05-01T14:58:00.000-04:00

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HS Stuff~CONTAINED OR/ Runover?

2011-05-01T08:50:00.001-04:00

The Question: Do you separate your school area from your home area? How do you keep from having your school materials from spreading out all over your home?

I'm participating once again in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew's Blog Crew, and I'm proud to say I've done them all but the one on babies~couldn't contribute a bit to that one~so here we go~

HSing materials over running your home or do you have them contained in your life? In ten years I've been both. Of course in these years there's been all kinds of seasons from moves to illness, and so has the storage methods and even the styles/methods our homeschooling has taken on. Our materials have been well organized at times and at others they've taken over our home! But in whatever our state of living, we have persevered onward! It has been good and bad...

But how did I reign it in~or keep it reigned in~and what were the circumstances that I had to work through to get it BACK under management? Whenever we've moved has presented some challenges such as trying to function either packing or unpacking or setting up or organizing. Not always fun, but it's necessitated some processes such as having huge book shelves and open storage that we've kept around the last seven years or so...First our bookcases were the press board fake wood grain type that began to sag in the middle with the weight of our materials and we progressed to a rough hewn lumber painted one to then one what my father in law built out of some scrap that looks so nice it has made it's way to stay in the family and is now in my daughter's bedroom. Then about two years ago my hub built a fine set of bookcases which I brag on anytime I can b/c they are unique in that they are two large single depth cases the width of the wall in which they set PLUS as tall as about 7 foot and have three narrower as tall cases that slide back and two horizontally to reveal the back cases and provide double the storage of one bookcase in the same space. I love them! They are massive and look huge in the room in which they live, but they hold tons of books. The shelves are adjustable too. I hve another book case, not nearly as nice~that is single depth which has baskets on it to hold small stuff and a single set of books as well. I like to use baskets that match to hold all the junky small stuff...I've used pencil boxes to hold crayons/markers/scissors/erasers,...that kind of stuff...even held manipulatives when my kiddos were young~no more! But you get the idea. We had no toy boxes, but shelves so stuff was seen and orderly~neatly (HOPEFULLY) placed and in view for easy access...I started out with a toy box for them when they were tiny, but soon discovered all the confusion that a toy box created along with the mess it made. I've worked at organization since almost day ONE...and it's a continual job!

We've had hsing all over the house too. In fact, I've loved it in our kitchen and in the early days stored their schooling materials in our pantry/laundry room and kitchen hutch~progressed to a school room which quickly was moved to our den and stayed there until this semester which is all pretty much located now between our den and a small nook type space really in a back hallway with two individual workstations designed for high schoolers who are doing internet computer based lessons each day. They have a computer work station with shelving over my son's area and daughter has a bookcase (part of the father in law piece) behind her for their storage. Loads of our books from YEARS of hsing and even a little bit of future planned hsing is in those big double layer book cases...BUT~

I'm gearing up for a sale to divest of all the materials of the past~we no longer need them and hope to pass them on as so many were so wonderful. (Be on the lookout~join my site to get the announcement of my NAME YOUR OWN PRICE SALE) coming soon! I'm still digging OUT...LOL

Yes, my materials have taken over at times and at others they have been quite nicely contained. With planning this sale, you can guess where I am right now, right?? LOL...It's EVERYWHERE~and I'm hoping to send it all out of here to your homes for your children to enjoy~;-))

But be sure to ck out the CREW to hear their ideas on this topic~and keep at it~homeschooling IMHO is a home/life event and if it mixes into the house, so be it~schooling IS LIFE!
Thanks for stopping and please don't forget my sale~

My contest for a Ken Ham kiddo book (hardcover) ENDS tonight! HERE!
hugs
SisterT

She's a Doll~Toni!

2011-04-29T12:14:00.001-04:00

I'm a doll collector, but you won't see very many dolls displayed in my house. Not right now~it's too cluttered with all things homeschool and life~but I have about 100 or more. Since our last move, they've resided in blue bins and boxes~but in cleaning out our basement I gotten reacquainted with my 'friends." LOL...and I so love some of them~But dolly-LUV isn't what I'm talking about~no it's my newest one~and she's a doll too~her name is Toni! Here's some pics~she's a refurbished 1950 hard plastic 14 inch with blond hair and hazel eyes. She was in pieces and my mother restores dolls so she cleaned her body and restrung her. Originally she was in pieces...LOL...

WHAT do you collect?

Here are those pics:

Ready for a party!

Such a pretty face!

Bloomers FIRST LOL


naked with a sister...but whole...put back together!

Healthy Home~WK2: It's In the Can!

2011-04-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

This week continues my new life of health and wholeness! Changes are abounding! I celebrated my birthday, and because my hub is learning that I'm SERIOUSLY changed, he said, "you won't let us feed you (no cake, icecream or big meal) for your birthday~so, what do you want?" Ha Ha!! Oh yes! I have wants, but food is not in that plan! I so desire a new life of activity and health! I so desire a life where food isn't central but playing a supportive role~the supportive role of body refueling and maintenance~ NOT overeating and misery! Misery in obesity and inactivity! So what did my birthday consist of? Well, we did have a meal, but not a hugely special one and planned to go to the movies! Oh yes, and no snacking while there...it's just NOT worth it to me~the cost of a little bit across my lips! Praise God!

And it's so far, in the CAN~but speaking of canning, I am planning to preserve much of our garden produce this year! AND YES, it will BE ~IN THE can..CANNING JARS! I'm collecting them up RIGHT NOW each week as I shop and putting them back for the summer fun!

My prayer is that I will give the example to my children of a new and healthy attitude toward food. It's perhaps one of the most important things I can do for them regarding their health. Eating is essential! What we eat is CHOICE~

Other posts that might interest you:
My GiveAway~Ken Ham kiddo book/Curriculum Swap 2011
K-12th Grades Contest with cool prizes: Consituting America
Circle of Moms: Blog Rank~TOP 25 HSing Blogs

Thanks for coming by and if you want to read more Healthy Home, hit that button!
Are you planning on canning? How do you celebrate life's events such as birthdays and holidays? Is food a blessing or curse on these days? Let me know~thanks so much! HUGS ;-))

FREE: Try Before You Buy Directory From TOS

2011-04-29T09:23:00.000-04:00

Freebie Directory 2011

Loads of curriculum samples available~;-))

Circle of Moms~TOP 25 HSing Blogs~VOTE FOR ME~LOL...

2011-04-28T14:15:00.000-04:00

The scuffle is on for the top 25 to bubble to the top~Wanna help Sister?? VOTE for ME *grin* LOL..
If you do feel so, I do thank you~
BIG HUGS
SisterT

FREE: Ken Ham Download: Defending the Faith Biblically and Scientifically

2011-04-27T12:25:00.000-04:00

This is an awesome BRAND NEW free resource~
HERE!

GiveAway~The CurriculumClean OUT 2011 HUGE! LOOK WHAT I'm Giving AWAY~whoohoo!

2011-04-26T12:18:00.006-04:00

Okay bloggie buds~
I have LOADS of stuff~you know that~
and you also know I'm getting sooo ready to purge it all in a"name your own price sale!" soooo Here's what I'm gonna do~
Leave me a message and you're entered for the GIVEAWAY~
BRAND NEW Ken Ham/Answers in Genesis' children's book:
Charlie and Trike in the Grand Canyon Adventure
which teaches geology to littles~WOOT! You can never go wrong with Christian apologetics in our homeschools!!

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING~ I totally HATE to say US only, so I will go $3 toward your international shipping if you want to enter~HOW'S that? HOPE this gives ALL a chance!! I'll take paypal for the rest if you want it to win! (we'll figure it out together ;-))

Of course, become a follower or networked blog to get in on my sale. It's taking me weeks to pull this together~I have many many many fave titles of good reads and curriculum to offer.Thanks so much!
Happy Clean Out!

Some posts that might interest you:
FREE: Ken Ham Download
Constituting America K-12th GR CONTEST ;-)) deadline June 2011
Hugs,
SisterT

Blog Crusie: SisterT's Talking About HOW To Instill A Moral Work Ethic in Our Children

2011-04-25T00:12:00.000-04:00

The Question this week is: How to instill a moral work ethic in your children, discouraging shortcuts, and or cheating?

The moral work ethic is a BIGGIE character issue in life and fully determines success or failure in our future generations. WHAT A MOUTH FULL! But I can't overemphasize the importance of teaching a moral work ethic to our children. Without honest hard work, where in this world would THE WORLD be and our children are the future~not just of our families, but of this world...we MUST pay extra dilligance to instill hard work, honesty, and CHARACTER in our children. It will never be good enough to accept such a lame and sorry excuse as 'whatever the meaning of IS, is...'~OH MY LORD! And a direct quotation from a former US president. What a low rate thing to have said based on low rate morals~yeah, I said it. And furthermore, it's not just that I have had the nerve to say it, but more that GOD SAYS IT~and HE calls such shiftless dodging of truth~SIN. SIN...yeah...big word...I know.

But if we don't instill honest, hard work~CHARACTER into our children then we might as well pack up our bags and head for the hills! There's going to be NO PLACE safe~no morals~no compass~NO ETHICS or decency~and we won't a one of us be able to COUNT ON anything or anybody...Oh, if we fail one or two of our littles, perhaps the whole world won't end, but don't you think that each time a wayward child acts out that if a mother and father at least did their best that not only they but the angels cry out in shame? The failures of our children do rest upon us~in more ways that I care to think about...and it really is a big ole LIE~the kids are gonna be kids! WHA?????? OH MAN! Do we honestly EXPECT NOTHING better from our children??? THAN TO SET THEM UP with such a LOW RATE standard? I shudder...shudder...WHERE ARE OUR standards?

First mother and dad, it's YOU who must set the example. AND boy oh boy, this is a tall order and oh so not fun. I don't like thinking of others all the time or giving up my wants and needs or considering my fellow man...NO! It's NOT fun...and sometimes it plain ole hurts. It's costly at the time and sometimes long after that time~but the consequences of denial to self can often be long over ridden by the long term betterment of a higher purpose. HIGHER PURPOSE? WHA??? Oh yes, sometimes as adults we are asked to sacrifice in ways that bring a good to a bigger picture. AND we need to be willing a prepared to do so. There are all kinds of examples of this in life. First that come to mind are the patriots of our nation who were willing...wait. There are patriots today~our military who are yet willing to stand in harm's way to protect and serve.SERVE...and then, I think of mothers of young children. I don't know of too many women who enjoy all..ALL the rigors and sacrifices to raise up a helpless little human...all the stages and messes..well~it's just an example and thank God for mothers! But also thinking of missionaries and people who have died for faith. LOADS of people who are called outside their box to DO...The higher purpose isn't always evident either, but in looking toward a better way, often even the most unintentional act of goodness can help bring goodness to this sad sick world...and boy we need as much good as we can get!

When mothers and dads are the examples, then there is a firm foundation for the child to grow in host character and truth. If mama's not so reputatible, what is there for a child? I mean, what does a child learn at our knee but the most basic fundamental of WHO we are...and believe me, they see beyond any facahd we might display. Our children KNOW who we are ..and you know that DO AS I SAY, not as I do...just is crazy...it doesn't work and most of us can't even say such with a straight face b/c we know in saying it it's just a big ole JOKE! AND jokes won't get the job done...no they won't.

When our parental foundation is solid, then we can teach our children and expose them to other forms of good solid honest work ethics. IF dad's a cheat~guess what??? Yeah, we all know...and unfortunately most children take the parental example over the top. NOT ALL, but quite a few...too many actually in the negative sense! Too many!

So how to expose them? Talk about honesty. Display it in all things: cashier give you too much change~your child's watching! Somebody ask you a question you don't want to answer and you think about lying, your child is watching! There's a big job ahead and you wanna short cut it~your child is watching! Speed limit? Your child is watching...EXAMPLE speaks so much louder than words~
And believe me, I know. Mine are old enough to totally HAUNT ME with all the stuff I stuck into them when they were much younger and IF I FORGET..oh my~oh my!! LOL...

Live it, work it, teach it and even preach it! It's the only way to teach our children such an important trait!

HOW are you doing it? The crew's talking on this one~GO ck it out!

CONTEST: Constituting America~ Entries DUE: June 14th

2011-04-23T21:34:00.000-04:00

Here's an opportunity to let your student be heard on the US Constitution~Enter a contest!
My friend, Amanda is working with some neat people, and here's what she's said:

I've been blessed with an opportunity to work with some super sweet
Christian people, Founder and Co-Chairs Janine Turner and Cathy
Gillespie, that want to educate others about the Constitution and our
nation's founding principles, and I'm getting in touch with teachers
and students about what we're doing. The contest I was mentioning is
for K-12 and this year, college students can enter too and win a scholarship. We would love to have as many entries from students
across the country. Entries are due June 14.

Constituting America is a nonprofit organization and this is the
second year of the contest. We're working to reach educators and
students so that schools may be equipped to teach about the
Constitution on September 17 for Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,
as well as throughout the year. We are promoting Patriot Clubs this
year and so far, and students have talked about how they are building
leadership skills in their Patriot Clubs when they hold their meetings
because each participant has responsibilities. Also begun this year is
the 90 Day Analyzing The Constitution Project that started on
Presidents' Day, February 21, with guest constitutional scholars
writing essays on each segment of our Constitution over 90 days.

Here is a five minute clip of our winners last year:
http://vimeo.com/21239314. A longer version plays at the top of the
website as soon as the site opens. The video is from the 2010 road
trip across America and the winners are featured talking about their
contest entries and why the Constitution is important to them. I have
a DVD that I can send to you if you would like. The long version of
the video on the website can be played by streaming in classrooms to
show students the types of entries that they can enter and how much
fun students had with the contest learning about our nation's history
and founding documents and principles last year.

The main email for Constituting America is constitutingamerica1787@yahoo.com.
There's a main phone number too that is 1-888-937-0917,

Here's the LINK again! Whoot! Join up, won't you??

FREE: Graphic Organizers for Writing

2011-04-22T17:37:00.000-04:00

I just came acrossEduplace that has loads of cool graphic organizers for organized writing~woot! I'd say elementary and up~HTH!

Healthy Home~WK 1: Good Friday Sacrifice~I DIE DAILY, Paul said...Jesus Died Once, FOR ALL~I am to take up my cross and follow...

2011-04-22T09:21:00.000-04:00

I'm posting as part of The Healthy Home meme and if you want to read more or join up click the button~

Happy Easter Everybody!

Today is a VERY important day for me. It's the 21st Anniversary of the time of year my hub and I met~not the actual day b/c Easter was on a different day that year~but it was 'Good Fri' 1990~Also this is my one year on my plan of action for a new healthy life~PTL on both accounts~also it's the 9th anniv of the day we buried my brother as well as the day before my birthday~oh what a day this is~It's God's day...and I will rejoice for all in my life on this day of the past and be expectant of His grace and mercy for today!

Thinking about a Healthy Home is not too far a stretch for me. Over the past 10 years we have made some huge changes in our eating and lifestyles. I am amazed at how people eat though. All that processed, prepackaged food with the preservatives, chemicals and SUGARS can't be so good for our bodies~and trust me when I tell you that as I've gotten older, the care of my carcass-this body has become more and more important to my health and OVERALL general happiness. It's NO FUN being ill or feeling bad~so why would we want to? Why when we realize stuff isn't good would we continue? I've had to address this insanity in my own life~just WHY have I allowed myself some of the choices I've made knowing full well the potential consequences of my actions.

It's almost the same as a little child who runs full tilt away from mommy towards ongoing traffic~and mama running even faster to avoid the disaster little tyke is about to unfold~innocently blindly running~of course, the child never audibly screams, 'I am powerful and can run to make MY OWN way...' or 'I'm free and you can't catch me!' But in the action, so innocent a little person is heading straight into DANGER~and mom catches little fella and brings him back. Brings the baby safely home...often unharmed..but sometimes that baby has fallen down in the escape. Sometimes there are consequences that mom didn't deliver~God did that part...a bounce on the bottom as he hits the ground, just before his little feet get into the street. PTL those little feet failed to reach the street~but the bounce is enough to cause a cry...pain...but he IS stopped from his own bent toward destruction in the form of FREEDOM that is bought by a will~a desire for something that should not be...rebellion. Such episodes in our littles is truly a form of rebellion, and I truly believe little people don't realize it and therefore anymore should they be 'disciplined' other that a rescue and few words of comfort and instruction. Remember baby has fallen down and is crying...the punishment is natural~and often painful already~but...you have to know that this very much mirrors our own histories of our attitudes toward our lives...our health and OUR homes...We THINK we CAN DO...anything without regard and with abandon ~that consequences won't surface~THAT WE ARE MORE powerful than the natural logical laws that our dear God has put into place...you know, IF I eat that...or do that...or fail to...THERE ARE consequences both good...and bad. But like baby~I RUN toward them~full tilt~denying that I will be affected...and in this pursuit, I am often harmed...but I'm too ignorant to see, to know and IF it goes on LONG ENOUGH I will have found myself in trouble...just like that baby who GETS TO THE STREET, with cars speeding and passing by, coming to a stop IF ...if the baby is seen...or... ... It's not pretty WHAT CAN happen...nor in my life~it's not pretty what complete disregard of consequences looks like..and so with me: a morbidly obese woman who has struggled all my life~and learning it was REBELLION all along~the sin...YES, SIN...of self. Not much different from the temptation of Eve and how she fell~a total distortion of reality and the TRUTH...God's truth. 'Don't EAT it lest YOU DIE!' But Eve didn't REMEMBER truth, but a distorted one and she fell~fell right into the Serpant's lie...and so do we when we IGNORE wisdom and truth for WHAT WE WANT...chocolate, ice cream, candy...oh my! AND sisters, we *think* we can have a 'little' but it's really just a taste that leads us and KEEPS US in bondage~some leads to MORE...and some more in the future~...our bodies THEN begin to crave it...it's a misplaced alliance. We were NEVER supposed to crave anything, but God, and yet..a little bit with the lie in our hearts of HOW we can handle it...oh just a taste...but you see, we can't. I am saying I can't. I am not wired to eat poorly and then NEVER eat poorly again. This past week I over-ate on one meal and my body by morning~THE NEXT redemptive morning was yelling out for MORE~to eat much earlier and more food than I EVER eat...EVER...so I realize that ONE~ONE episode off my plan of eating will throw me into a pattern of trying to satisfy that grinding, rumbling in my stomach~and my mouth waters, and my mind begins to think and desire............but not God. FOOD. It's HOW I GOT where I am ~and it began with rebellion and over time, it grew in the sweet arms of denial. Denial that I could be so big without EVER KNOWING IT...I honestly did NOT know that dreadful number on the scale~when it was....yes, very very very big...and I KNOW that by the Lord, without HIM~I'd be EVEN BIGGER as this body/mind/soul has NO LIMITS without Him...Okay, so my healthy home begins really after my love for God and my man~with me. If mama ain't...you know~ALLL KINDS OF STUFF...but is it all rooted in rebellion or submission to God and HIS WILL for my life? I must submit and die DIE daily...as my reasonable sacrifice to HIM...

So in giving up I am MORE FREE than I ever dreamed. 27 weeks without sugar~HIDDEN OR OTHERWISE does a body good to create clarity of mind...SANITY. I can praise God for this~and so HOW am I incorporating this into our home? I am LEADING THE WAY~in ways before impossible and unimagined~showing the POWER OF GOD to subdue the enemy that seeks to destroy...me, and MY family...eating addictions are as powerful and a kin to that drunk who we all look down on~or that crack sista who can't get a fix so she... WHAT WAS I willing to give UP in my life to HAVE WHAT I WANTED verses considering all the consequences of a big fat mom~who couldn't..... ...soo many things in my physical, mental and emotional and yes, spiritual condition~to HAVE WHAT I WANTED... I have learned I cannot, so totally cannot have what I 'want' and be in a fit spiritual condition. PERIOD. I must deny myself, TAKE UP MY CROSS daily (you have to know this equals second by second) AND FOLLOW HIM...It was the invitation Jesus gave to His disciples...taking up a cross~a symbol of such shame, humiliation, DEATH...think about what those disciples KNEW about crosses long long before their friend and leader, the Lord, Jesus hung on one~IT'S a strong and provoking thought...I don't think we understand much about WHAT THIS really means~WHAT A SYMBOL the cross IS to the ones who lived day in and day out with crucifixion in THEIR FACES~death and disgusting humanity~the cruelty and filth of humanity that orchestrated such but those poor victims dying...suffering...the anguish...WE JUST DON'T GET IT~I know I never will...but I am to die daily~to my flesh/desire(s) and this includes the kinds of and AMOUNTS of FOOD...anything~totally, ANYTHING that would rob me of an ability to clearly FOLLOW HIM...

And so...I press on toward the MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus~for I can do ALL THINGS~Through Christ who strengthens me...knowing that HE WILL COMPLETE just what HE HAS BEGUN IN ME~THAT good work...

27 weeks of no white garbage in my diet is just a beginning of a life long pursuit~but in the healing of my mind, soul and body~A MIRACLE is happening...one mili-second at a time...

God is calling US ALL to HIM~TO HIM...to deny ourselves...all that STUFF...and we're over stuffed...with food AND STUFF~God's working on me in this area too...but the call today dear friend is to lead the way in your own home~seeking God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and ALL the things (peace, joy, meekness, mercy, love, gentleness, long suffering, faith....all the fruit of the spirit) ARE ADDED UNTO US...in HIS time...as God does make all things beautiful IN HIS TIME...God's will. EVER THOUGHT about food being something to offer to God? That coffee or chocolate addiction~portions~ice cream~??? WHAT IS your weakness regarding your health? Lord knows I'd be diving into the jelly beans this year, yet AGAIN were it not for HIM..and HIM alone...

WT LOSS is NOT my goal, but my goal IS giving my life to God~AS HE sees fit...so that I am healthy and HIS POWER IS made known. CAN YOU imagine my testimony as God is healing me??? Our testimony as we are healed before our families (folks who know us BEST) and the show of HIS awesome power??? Oh I get all excited when I know that what He is doing for me is the BEST, very best form of education I can teach my children and the world...by example. I can show them that Jesus Christ~the crucified, the risen Lord, God ~son of God IS IS IS IS IS enough...and MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO powerful than anything...including the lure...OF SOMETHING that seeks to destroy~food, substances...and rooted in pride and rebellion...riding on denial...

Thank you, Jesus! For He has unspeakable power!

Thanks for coming by this GOOD Friday~May we all know His power and submit to Him more each day~and truly celebrate His resurrection this year in a way we've never known~in our/with our very lives...taking up our crosses and following...FOLLOWING...Him. Him, alone.

my most recent pic 2/11

8/11 with a good friend....

Let me know your celebration plans~Thanks and love you.

REVIEW: Out Live Your LIfe by Max Lucado (Jacketed Hardcover Ed)

2011-04-20T14:29:00.000-04:00

jacketed hardcover ed.
I received a copy of this book as a member of Book Sneeze in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

If you love Max Lucado OR inspirational reading Out Live Your Life ~You Were Made to Make a Difference is just for you! Filled with faith to action inspirational stories, the master storyteller, Max Lucado weaves a thought provoking call to make a lasting impact on the world~Your world and mine in this latest hard cover book. I found the stories he recounts of his life and the spiritual lessons of giving in such a way as to affect the world moving and urging me to do more~for God and people who I come across. This isn't a hard read and it has Scripture woven throughout.

I recommend Out Live Your Life ~You Were Made to Make a Difference as a great read to open our eyes to God's mission in our lives~to leave a lasting eternal legacy of WHAT MATTERS~

Ck out Amazon OR Thomas Nelson to purchase your copy today!

Gabby Moms: Eternal Encouragment Magazine Formerly TEACH Magazine

2011-04-19T17:13:00.000-04:00

MY basement clean out...

All you've got to do is walk outside your home or turn on the radio or TV to know that people need HELP. Things have become desperate for so many that ...You can fill in the blank and it's can be very bad. HOMES are IN PERIL~Even the strongest home needs help. I remember being a mother with young children. I remember those child rearing challenges~the challenge of balancing being a wife and a mother...a homemaker, nurse, taxi driver, financial officer, chef...It's still my life~a little bit further down the road...but I KNOW the struggle.

And I'm not alone. Eternal Encouragement Magazine is here each quarter to offer a refreshing respite to my hustle and bustle life. There's more than just a new name, too! Mrs. Lorie Flem has a resizing of the whole publication to an easy carry as you go smaller version~all the same gorgeous magazine of the past, but in a smaller size~fits easy in my big ole tote! LOVE that~


Dolls OUT of the basement~need clothes...

Inside you will find:

All ~ ALL kinds of encouragement~
parentin
mothering
household hints
homeschooling
AND MORE~

Would you believe ALL that for just $25.97 to subscribe?

This is definitely a woman's Biblical magazine and conservative to the hilt~You will love it!

Check out what the other Gabby Moms are saying HERE AND the website for Eternal Encouragement Magazine HERE!!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About Her LIFE NOT HSing

2011-04-18T10:30:00.000-04:00

The Question:

If you didn't homeschool, what would you DREAM of doing?

The clock is ticking for us. In just a few short years, we will be DONE and all that this little 10 word question will take on a new meaning~I'd be LOST, first of all~totally. This is MY GUT response, but as I reflect other things come to mind...

Like the past... I am remembering that first year and how sweet my little children and eager they were. How I taught them sitting on each end of our piano bench with me in between in the recliner leaned forward and each in a little itty bitty plastic chair~waiting and working so hard...What sweetness! Eager learning characterized that first year! I'd take them to the kitchen table to play with water in all sorts of measuring items~cups, spoons, jars, bowls...we measured and poured BIG TIME to see how and what about measuring! So much fun!! Then when I taught phonics, I made flash cards for my son to hop on and say the sound as he went~WOOT! I had to have ACTION in our learning! I read to them and they listened and we worked in our curriculum~each working while I worked with and taught the next one...taking turns! It was really sweet...

The present...Today HSing has taken on new dimensions. I no longer teach every subject, but am here as a resource and essentially a monitor and encouragement! They are so independent now that they work to do without me~plan their own days and EVEN drive to events without me in the car...oh where DID that past of ours go?? But it's still sweet ~ SOMETIMES! Of course, it's not so mushy and huggy~some bigger kiddos just don't like that, but I still love huggn' on 'em so they know I care!

From the Center Stage Production of Charlotte's Web 4-15-11

My daughter~Charlotte's Baby Spider

The future...I have begun thinking about this b/c as a fifty year old when we are DONE, I will need to have lain some foundation for my future...will I be ready to return to the labor force? Will I WANT to return? YOU BETCHA! POOR isn't fun~but it's been well worth it! And so I believe if I have my health, I will return to nursing~but first in securing that BS in Nursing. OH YES! Soo a few years BACK I really promised my children that WHEN they went to college I would GO with them at that time...and the clock IS ticking...we don't have long!

First UP~

college student
RN
THEN school again for Legal Nurse Consulting~(oh yes!)
AND WORKING....

But in my life, I pray I am still married~still crafty~still in my church....but God does KNOW, right??

Thanks for stopping by~WHAT'S YOUR dream?
Click on that big ole button to read the rest of the crew~

Fit Mommy Fri~ WK 15: STEADY and STILL At It!

2011-04-15T13:01:00.000-04:00

I HONESTLY have such a long way to go, and b/c many of my Fit Mommy buds are just maintaining~I get a little discouraged with my progress! In fact it's hard to write every week without disclosing all my stats but I do feel that some would not be able to relate to my situation, but I do feel that FOR ME it's helpful to continue to plug along with this meme. In fact, I get few comments here~but no matter...comments or no, I write this one FOR ME. You have to do that too~find things in life that hold you accountable and in the game...and opting OUT of the game is what I did in allowing myself to become so morbidly obese. But, no more! I am in and still at it. . . it's PROGRESS I count~not perfection! I won't EVER get there if I focus on my flaws rather than my victories...and so I encourage all the Fit Mommys at whatever your desired goals to focus on WHAT YOU ARE doing and celebrate that MORE~don't beat yourselves us, but learn and change~grow...that little flower that began as a seed to a sprout fought the dry crust of the earth's surface to rise up to the sunshine and flower! WE CAN TOO!

My progress this week is evident in my feet. I have been a size 13 WWW shoe and yesterday in my thrift store travels I found a regular width size 10 to my comfort~WOOT~

Soo for me, it's ALL IN THE FOOT today! LOL

I am still white flour and sugar free~no preaching here! In fact, you may not need to do this in your life, but if you are struggling, let me say that NOW that I am thus, I don't EVER want OR EVEN DESIRE to return. Why? B/C I AM FEELING BETTER than I have in YEARS! and ...my body is shrinking faster than I ever dreamed. I believe that higher than normal sugars per my research shows that it will increase inflammation in the body~and that causes puffiness and swelling...yup...SO I WAS BIGGER eating sugar even though I was not gorging (in the end of still consuming) it! Soo you can keep right on~but know that I do count this as a pure unadulterated MIRACLE in my life~I am amazed that I am celebrating 26 weeks tomorrow. I also celebrated 21 years with hub on Wed~that's a victory! Also..I am one year in my program of changing my health by giving my life to God. PTL!

I continue to drink water~evercise..got on that bike this week~climbed more stairs and worked like a dog! woot!

I'm cking out a new Christian Bible study that addresses food addictions HERE! .

If you want to read more or join up with the other Fit Mommys~HIT that button! HOW was your week? Are you gardening this year? Are you adding more veggies-raw and healthy?? What's up with you??

The Homeschool Mother's Journal Wk 12~It's ALL ABOUT Drama!

2011-04-15T12:18:00.002-04:00

I'm participating in The Homeschool Mother's Journal this week and we're ALL about DRAMA right now! Drama Club that is! Both my kids have been heading out at dawn each morning and driving to drama group for the last week of this semester's production of Charlotte's Web! I am too thrilled! In fact, I get to GO SEE IT tonight~WOOT!! My daughter is such a trooper~she has two minor roles~a baby gosling and a baby spider! My son is a supporting crew member~he's cleaned and readied the theater each performance and tonight will work as an usher and in concessions! AMAZING!

In My Life and In Our Homeschool This Week:
It's been a crazy week. First out my pastor of many years~my childhood and teen-early twenties passed away on Saturday. You know how you think you can lay all your demons to rest and moved on in life for it to suddenly bite you? Well, that's what this has been like. I will one day write about all my feelings related to this but for now, please just know that it did effect me and I have been very sorry that he is gone. In fact, now that he is~something is MISSING that was good in this world...As for how I've done, I have struggled keeping my food plan in place. I am still sugar and white flour free but my portions will sometimes take a hit and I will eat more than I normally do. I've been pretty good with this so far~but it is a challenge. I do celebrate 26 weeks tomorrow and now one year in my eating program. My clothes are significantly looser and I am now a few shoes sizes smaller! woot! I've been on my bike and I've been pretty active. We're cleaning out one 1/2 of the basement and I am getting ready for a HUGE CURRICULUM CLEANOUT~be on the look out! Also I am reordering my stuff~Can you say~C R A Z Y?? LOL...

Our homeschooling has been excused as our daughter is on leave from her school work and our son is off for three days until the play is complete. I will have some pics for you next week that I am taking tonight! I am too thrilled! AND SOO ready for that break!

Places We're Going and Ppl We're Seeing:
Drama Club TONIGHT AND TOMORROW April 15-16th@the Holland Theater in Bellefontaine, OH! Check out this HS group!
Daughter is a gosling and baby spider~awwww...LOL!

My Favorite Thing This Week was...
Seeing all the progress in my kids and how well they are holding up under such responsibility. My son was stretched by interacting with a special needs young man and I am praying for him to do God's will. I love that we are cleaning our basement and that I am FINDING MY LIFE again! woot! I also like that I am in that smaller shoe size!!! whoot whoot!

What's Working/Not Working For Us...
I like that the weather is BEGINNING to cooperate~NO SNOW this week! YAY!! AND the flowers in my yard are getting going~

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...
Will JUNE ever get here?! And CAN I purge all my book cases easily???

Here's a pic~Okay~A FEW...lol! (BUT HOW COULD I RESIST?? LOL)

Boxes from our basement~

Drawn portrait by a cousin of me @ 3.5 yrs~

mine when they were babies~

Dolls in storage w/o their clothes~

Our house~street view turning in...GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME!

First flower of the season~

Thanks for stopping by~CK OUT the other moms by clicking on that big button up top. You can join up too if you want~ WHAT'S YOUR week been like? ;-))

Family Films~Truth Be Told: TOMORROW NIGHT

2011-04-15T11:36:00.001-04:00

I'm excited to share that Proctor & Gamble and Wal-Mart have teamed up again (READ about FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT) to bring a family friendly FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT to network televion~WHEW! WHAT a breath of fresh air from all the JUNK out there!

This is for all you romantics~Here's a movie for you! In fact, this is a FEEL GOOD movie. If I have a problem it's that these "nice people" meaning the main characters got themselves into such a circumstance...DO PPL REALLY think they can LIE and it turn out okay??? Hmmmm...soooo for all the moralists out there like me~you might have a problem with the premise to begin with...I mean~LIES NEVER PAY, right??? Of course not...and this movie isn't all giddy-glory but...NO SPOILER HERE...

TUNE IN tomorrow night on FOX (Saturday; 4/16/2011 - 7pm CST)
Facebook FAN PAGE HERE!
Web :PageHere's the trailer~

I was given a sneak peak at Truth Be Told as part of the Propeller Blog program in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own. THANKS!

SisterT's Braggn' AGAIN!

2011-04-13T22:11:00.000-04:00

You can watch her draw it HERE!

Teacher Tipster: HISTORY Class

2011-04-12T23:38:00.000-04:00

I'm a believer in making stuff REAL. We love field trips and getting out and doing~but finding the money and resources can be a challenge sometimes. When teaching subjects, if we can go and do we seem to really enjoy the experiences of that event or topic we are diving into~There are many ways to make history come alive for your student. Teaching using all the modalities such as visual~do you have pictures or film? Audio can be a dramatization of a historical event. I have the pilgrim's of Plymouth on tape and my kids enjoyed listening to it several years ago. We like books on tape too. Recently I taped my daughter's text reading so she could listen to mp3 while in Drama Club so she wouldn't fall behind. Tactile could be field trips and hands on activities such as building a model. We built a mini to scale Noah's Ark about 6 years ago~woot! You can use living books and several history curriculi have book lists of suggested readings.

Here's a youtube video on the Civil War Veterans. Short but nice to see the actual men who served.

How do you teach history? Thanks for coming by~let me know you were here with a comment please ;-))

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN Wha????

2011-04-11T16:43:00.000-04:00

We have a winner~
Thanks to all who entered...

Barb G of Diabetic Snacker!!
Whoot!

WIN $100 VISA Gift Card~

2011-04-11T14:29:00.001-04:00

And like, I'm gonna tell you where?? Yeah, I'll tell you...LOL~because I love ya! HOPE I win, though! LOL
ENDS TOMORROW, 4/12/11~HEAD ON OVER!!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HSing in the SMALL Places!

2011-04-11T12:20:00.000-04:00

THE QUESTION:

How do you or do you homeschool in a small area (small space, small house, etc.)?

While I'm not small physically, but financially I AM a small person~I don't have a HUGE grand home~I don't have...blah, blah, blah...but what I do have, has done the job~and we've been doing the job into our 10th year~We've ALMOST completed it, too~woot!!

But HSing in a small place has never been a barrier for me. In fact, I prefer NOT to have a dedicated or large space, because twice now, in our HSing I've had them. I LIKE having HSing integrated into our home and lives~but...this too can have draw backs. Do you have a dedicated space, however small it might be or do you drool over the fashionably design deva coordinated school room~shelves all matching~tools all coordinated~things all orderly and BEAUTIFUL? Well, yes. I guess on some level we might all desire that...but I'm here to say that it might NOT be best and it's certainly NOT necessary. All the 'put together' of the latest-greatest things in decor won't get your children NOR mine taught the 3Rs much less the 'important' things in life. So SisterT, JUST WHAT are you saying you might be asking.

HSing imho happens BEST in the natural environment of our homes. RADICAL~I know. In fact, I've tried it a few times THE OTHER WAY~and while it's very necessary to have essentials like storage/places to sit and the items needed to officiate the learning, all the glitz and glam~WHILE NICE, isn't necessary...and having a small space just might be BEST!

Okay~here's my story. You see, in our HSing we've done it living in...five different homes. Each had its pluses and minues~but I do know that the BIGGEST waste of energy was early on when I set up a dedicated school room which we QUICKLY abandoned! Why? Because we were too isolated. ENTIRELY too isolated. My children nor myself enjoyed being shut away from the hub of the home~our family room (which is essentially a living room.) And so it wasn't long that the little schoolroom become repurposed into a bedroom and our book shelves found their way into our living spaces.

I think working at the kitchen table gives wonderful importance to the task of doing 'school work.' And I know that while sometimes our routines might be interrupted b/c we are doing 'school' we do have to dedicate time to it for sure~AND this will mean that when my kids are curled up on the sofa reading or in the recliner or even at the table~there were days and still are they will spread out on the floor~ANYTHING goes as far as WHERE~but the importance of being able to drop all other HOME ACTIVITIES to focus on the educational aspect means that we really value VALUE value the learning that is going on! Hub stops! Grandma stops! I stop! And even the dogs and cats stop! Everything can be put on hold for that treasured time each day when learning takes precedence.

It's not always convenient either. We have a tutor coming twice a week and they work at our kitchen/dining table. Our home is open concept so we all leave these rooms in order for peace to reign~I don't fix food or anything~well...I do try to be prepped so when he gets here all is set~but it takes order and organization to pull this off~and believe me, it's not always easy, but we do it b/c it's important!

Finding places and order in the everyday~When we first began and even today, I stored stuff in unusual places for HSing so that it was readily accessible and in the normal environment. For instance, I used and still do use our buffet in our dining room to store OUT OF SIGHT schooling items. When they were littles each child had a door and drawer~today it's a chest type and the printer paper/ink and stuff like that is there~printer is beside it~networked over 7 computers in our home! Okay, you get the idea? We put stuff where we can~and of course I have some lovely shelving that hub built just a few years ago(see that pic of the bookcase!)~oh boy! yes! AND these are in our family room which is a very very very small room crammed with three recliners~well, we school between this room and a small space we created to put two computer desk top stations(another pic here with daughter and cat!/son and desktop). But unless it's the computer stuff they're doing~and sometimes even still b/c they both have lap tops that will access the materials~they will take it all to the dining room table or couch or even into their rooms. It just makes sense, and my daughter says she can spread out better on the floor with her books. My son prefers his bed or the couch to read! I don't expect them to school sitting at those work stations all day~in fact, I hope they won't! I've gotten padded office chairs, but overall~the kitchen/dining table does it best!

I found, too that I don't *LIKE* cleaning more rooms than are necessary! Incorporating HSing into our lives has worked so well~that I don't ever plan to change this aspect of our lives! Learning IS a natural occurrence of our lives~WHY worry and manufacture the environment?

A few benefits of schooling in the normal environment whatever the size space is that I believe our children not only GET the importance of education, but they learn HOW to learn in the regular everyday. Nothing hard about that...and also that they can develop a good attitude and probably won't even realize that school happens ALL the time! Do you realize you are teaching AS YOU GO? Deut definitely admonishes the parents in the Old Testament to teach their children the precepts of the Lord as they went about the EVERYDAY. This is such a key to learning how to do LIFE. I'm not an advocate of a 'curriculum' for 'life skills' either. To me, they are best taught naturally!

Tips for HSing in a tight space:
1. Use the storage you have well~organize and catagorize.
2. Weed out! Boy, do I need to do this~in fact..I will be SOON! AND let me say that the public library often has what we need as does digital storage or FREE online~why accumulate and store when online works well?
3. Use book bags for each child~I did this for years~it made our work portable and kept it all together~
4. Bookshelves/cases~of course, this will depend upon your actual SPACE in your home, but a single book width bookcase can fit nicely behind most soft cushy chairs in the livingroom or along side kitchen walls~also I've used these in the children's room to organize toys verses the hodgepodge of a toy box making their play items much more accessible.
5. Boxes or baskets~I use these to organize on the shelves to make them seem less cluttered (Ya think? MY STUFF IS WAY TOO CLUTTERED) But in the living spaces baskets and boxes (attractive ones you can make or buy) will HIDE all that school stuff~whoot!
6. Finding creative places to store stuff: under the couch, in buffets, on book cases, in cabinets, in book bags, baskets on the floor, behind the piano (this is where some of our BIG charts are stored!) and the like...on a door that is always opened~to the back is our daily schedule...we don't have all our school stuff hanging out for all visitors to SEE, but it's there~believe me ;-))

Okay~so that whole crew if offering up their thoughts! Head on over to ck it out !

BELOW you can see what a 'best' teenage 'friend' LOL did to her pic...LOL! LOVE IT! LOL

Do you have a big place dedicated or do you incorporate it into the natural normal environment of your home? Thanks so much for coming by~;-))

The Homeschool Mother's Journal Wk11~CRUNCH WEEK Big Time!

2011-04-09T10:06:00.001-04:00

I'm participating in Sue's journal and if you wanna know more~like JOIN UP or read mo~click the big button!!

In My Life and In Our Homeschool This Week:
Would YOU believe we had snow flurries AGAIN this week? Just flurries, but flurries none the less! And it's cooold out there right now~although not so that we don't have a few windows up~so maybe it isn't too bad! LOL...It could be that ole saying of the glass either 1/2 full...OR 1/2 empty...LOL...

Soo we are in a very very very busy week! Girl Thing One~Miss DRAMA QUEEN...LOL is in Charlotte's Web with a six performance run with CenterStage Productions which is a homeschool drama club that consists of all homeschoolers! Her brother doesn't ACT~but is a crew member by doing supportive work like building sets and working on other crews such as working to get the kids hair done for their characters. NEXT weekend is PERFORMANCE and it's EVERYDAY getting things pulled together! The drama club calls this POLISHING WEEK meaning they are perfecting their performance all week this week and next week will be dress rehersals and then~D day! LOL I am exhausted. I don't know HOW they do it. Of course, we are on spring break which is good b/c the time commitment is HUGE~but next week is going to be nearly impossible for them by being at the theater all day everyday and evening~pray for us! Thanks!

I'm doing fine on my eating plan and I have lost a 1/2 inch these last couple of weeks in my hips. MAKES ME KNOW that the jeans I just ordered that are a little loose right now will be bagging really bad so that second pair that hasn't arrived I need to cancel. NO need to have huge clothes~I can reorder the smaller size~WOOT!! Eating and activity is good.

I am struggling with a new season coming in my life, though. I am going to be selling much of our homeschooling curriculum. With virtual academy, all these resources are unneeded. I am purging and will post that list up when I get it pulled together. Literally there is at least five years or so of STUFF~

Places We're Going and Ppl We're Seeing:
Check out this HS group!
Daughter is a gosling and baby spider~awwww...LOL!

My Favorite Thing This Week was...
God blessing me with the restoration of a relationship~AMEN and AMEN!

What's Working/Not Working For Us...
The virtual academy and drama group TIME conflicts~

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...
IS purging the hsing stuff wise? I believe it is~It's a new season! But also WHAT THE HECK am I gonna do NXT?? LOL...

Here's a pic~Okay~A FEW...lol! (BUT HOW COULD I RESIST?? LOL)

I want to begin a NEW theme here on Telln' It! How about: On A Tank~meaning what I see in on a car trip~Soo here's some pics from this week in Bellefontaine, OH when GirlThingOne was a Drama Club for practice~


Logan County Courthouse~neat ole blding..could be on a hill...LOL

Performer's entrance~Holland Theater...yes, that's milk..don't ask! LOL

EVER HIT a brick wall?? LOL

Adult parole office~might NEED this one...LOL

Across from Courthouse and on the first paved st in US! SEE the street?? LOL

Cornerstone of Veterans Blding below~

Currently the Veteran's Bldg~Go troops!

Lower detail of Logan County Courthouse~

Detail of Logan County Courthouse~where are the gargoils? LOL


This CRACKS me up! Imagine...the treatments...LOL!

Can you tell I LOVE old buildings and 'other' oddities?? LOL...okay, so THANKS for cking in on us this week~HOW are you? READ MO !

Fit Mommy Friday~WK 14: FAT HEAD

2011-04-09T08:56:00.000-04:00

I have figured out with God's help just WHAT my problem is~I have a FAT HEAD! Not kidding! So much of my eating problem is related to my mind~what I think and how I think and then ultimately it has affected WHAT I DO~

As big as my body is~my head is FATTER! But I'm seeing RESULTS~just in the few short weeks since measuring I've lost in my hips~yes, it's slow...but it's SURE! I bought new jeans that are WAY WAY too baggy now so that second pair on their way will be sent back for a SMALLER size! I'm still bustn' a move as much as I can~oh it's no exercise guru mover stuff~but in time...My body is bagging and sagging~well, it's gotta loosen up to lighten up, right??

Sooo ~TODAY (and sorry this is up too late!) I'm celebrating 25 weeks of no white flour or sugars. In fact, I've favored a low carb diet in general and boosted the protein~which I had never done before and my appetite is more satisfied and my energy more sustained. I am eating 3 solid meals a day~yes, breakfast and I have begun the believe that BREAKFAST IS KEY! But most importantly I have avoided compulsive overeating by working a 12 step program and also avoiding the temptations as much as possible. I have learned I can DO the nxt right thing in all of this and that God is concerned with the fuel I ingest~He wants glory in my sacrifices~and this is a sacrifice, believe me~So to eat in a God honoring way is huge for me~maybe simple for you...huge, for me!

Thanks for coming by to ck on my progress~it won't be perfection! I am not perfect, but God is! Thanks again!
Ck out the other Fit Mommys !

REVIEW: SCIENCE the FUN Way~

2011-04-09T00:19:00.001-04:00

Science Weekly

Website
1-800-4-W E E K L Y
PRICE: Subscription Prices: <20 $4.95 yr per child/>20 $19.95 each per child
AGES: PreK, K, 1,2,3,4,5-6th
I say: Very well done and informative~AWESOME!

I received a sample topic of all the age levels of Science Weekly as part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's TOS CREW in exchange of my honest opinions without monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

Wanna MAKE DIRT?? Okay, silly question, I know! But I received the Science Weekly on Composting and it's pretty neat how it broke down the topic into the age groups ~made it interesting and easy to understand but thorough! Reminds me of a kid newspaper on science each child can have! Fun! There are activities and as well as information~I especially liked the teaching material which is the adult version of the material~

Looking for a neat way to reinforce or teach various aspects of Science? Consider Science Weekl!

Want to see a sample? You can ck out every level and the teaching notes!
The sample is on the Coral Reef~pretty cool! You'll wanna ck them all out!

We enjoyed Science Weekly and I used it when planning our garden and compost this year~Head over to read what the CREW is saying !

SALE Coming Soon~HUGE Curriculum CLEAN OUT~

2011-04-06T23:44:00.000-04:00