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

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!

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 SEEMS rationale, but in fact, is scarey...and the website seems old and out of date to me..WHAT do you think?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!

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...

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!

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

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

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

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!

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~

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

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

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

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

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

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...

Freebie: HSE Mag~FREE Digital Edition

Sign Up~
HERE!

REVIEW: Bright Ideas Press WonderMaps!

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

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~

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!