Whew, what a great weekend.  My parents made it here Friday afternoon and we ate dinner at Outback Steak House that night.  Saturday we went shopping at some Thrift Stores and ran around.  We also watched football and baseball and the two youngest kids went Trick or Treating. Wes held down the fort with our trick or treaters and had fun giving out candy.  After church today, my parents took off for Kentucky.  We had a lunch at church and then I came home and napped. 

Right now Wes is walking the dog, Tom is picking up Maddie from a Halloween party, and Tyler is on his way home from a friend's house.  The house is quiet~Penny is lying by my side and we're enjoying the silence.  I love having my family in and HATE that they live so far away.  But I must admit that these moments of quiet are serendipities that I just soak up.

I also had a long talk with my brother today which is always nice.  I never thought he'd be a phone person but he's becoming more so the older we get and that's so much fun for me.  Which just goes to show that our prayers matter.  God may not answer in our time or way, but the years of praying over my relationship with my brother are starting to show fruition.  We're VASTLY different people~in looks, personality, and many other ways.  But at the end of the day I love him because he's my brother and I need no other reason.  I think he's at that place right now too and I just have to say that all praise goes to the Father. 

You see all those years I prayed for God to change my brother made little change.  But the relatively few years of praying "Change Me" have done the trick.  I'm learning that it's okay to pray for other people and their "issues" but never before I get the log out of my eye. 

So Father, thank you for all those blessings I take for granted.  Time with family, the taste of chocolate on my tongue, the purr of my cats, the big eyes and wagging tails of my dogs, the cool Fall weather.  Thank you for the warmth of my home, blue October skies, friends and answered prayers.  Mostly, thank you for the gift of learning that it's never too late for your grace to change me.  So this "old dog" bows in obedience, waiting for you to show her all kinds of "new tricks."

Friday's workout:  Firm Lower Body Sculpt II
Saturday's workout:  Do walking the dog and walking all over the place shopping count?(I had 13,000 steps on my pedometer)
Today's workout:  A true rest day (except for the fact that Rocky "made" me walk him a bit this morning).

What I'm reading:  Agatha Christie's Caribbean Mystery

We accomplished so much today that I'm looking forward to relaxing this weekend with my parents.  I got my hair cut, bought a fabulous cashmere sweater for $8 (you will soon find out I love to consignment shop) and we mopped the floors, washed sheets and slipcovers, and spruced up a bit more.  Maddie also gave Penny a bath (our beagle) so she smells good for Grammy and Gramps!

In between all of that, we got some math and other seat work done but nothing too creative this week. (Okay, we did watch a documentary on the History of Halloween and the technology used to mummify people during lunch a couple of days this week.  Do NOT watch how to mummify while eating, lol)  That's okay, we did were busy with life and that is what counts.

As far as workouts, I exercise pretty hard for about 3.5 weeks per month and the last 1/2 week I do more recovery type workouts and throw in extra rest days.  It really helps me with soreness, motivation, and plain ole' fun.  So, I hit that spot today too.  It feels good to gear down just a bit. 

As I cycle through my workout routine with lighter and more intense, I realize that we all need those spots on our lives. The older I get the more I realize my need for them. And God, fabulous creator and perfect Father, has built that concept of Sabbath into our weeks.  I often find myself not using Sabbath that well.  Instead of seeing it as a burden, what if we approached it as I do my recovery time?  With a sense of lightness, anticipation and playfulness?  Lord, this week, I ask you to build in me a sense of joy in rest.  Let me never think the world can't go on without me, but that I can't go on without YOU. 

Today's workout:  My FAVORITE recovery workout:  Dance off the Inches Country Line Dance.  I don't usually like country; I don't line dance.  But I love the fun quality of this little gem.  It is so refreshing and fun.  I just found out the same instructor has a new DOI Country Line Dance Party coming out in December and I may have to ask my husband to get that for me for my Christmas gift!!

What I'm reading:  Agatha Christie The Secret of Chimneys.  I just recently saw a production of this on PBS and HATED it.  They put Miss Marple in there and made one of my favorite characters the murder.  So, I want to re-read this to remind myself of what a good story it really is.

God seems to be hitting me with a theme lesson this week, so I thought I'd share.  In Sunday School, we studied how different denominations need to work together in spite of differences that aren't vital to walking with God.  The problem is, however, what seems insignificant to me (i.e. the method of baptism) may not be to someone else.

Yesterday we went on a field trip to Chattanooga to see the replicas of the Nina and Pinta from Christopher Columbus' voyages.  In learning how a ship works and the history of Columbus' life, it was fascinating to see how he lived.  But one thing caught my attention and that was how the Pope put a bounty on Columbus for saying he'd proved the world wasn't flat~since that went against church "doctrine."  And yet Columbus himself said he believed in God. 

Today I was cleaning the house for a visit from my parents this weekend for my daughter's upcoming 13th birthday.  (How did THAT happen????)  And, by the way, the kids have helped a lot.  What is the difference between good enough and perfection?  When is it good enough so that I don't drive my family crazy and forget to enjoy these days we have together?  (By the way, I think cleaning and cooking are a consequence of the curse given as sin entered the world so I'll never have a perfect house anyway~I'm just not good at it).

So, what do you require of us, God?  To major on the things of the Spirit that are eternal and of value.  To do those things that change lives, not cause bickering and division.  Back again to Sunday School, and Micah 6:8:  "  And what does God require of you, o man, ...but to do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." 

Lord, my kids may never remember if my house was perfect when Grammy and Gramps came.  They will remember if I treated them well while making it a warm place for their grandparents.  My kids may never remember all the details of the trip to see the Nina and Pinta.  But I bet they remember their dad being generous with a tip for the people who work on the ship as volunteers, except for tips people give.  They may never figure out a way to convince everyone that their doctrine is correct.  But they can seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you.  And, in the end, we need to be sure what we're thinking is doctrine truly is...anyone had any "flat world/round world" beliefs you've gotten hung up on?  I sure have!

At the end of the day, isn't that what matters?  Because the heart of the matter is this:  "For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son..."  Through my actions and words, may I go offer him to others too.

Saturday's Workout:  Firm Get Chisel'd Kick it Into Gear Quick Cardio Blast; Slim Series Express Cardio Sculpt

Sunday's Workout:  Cathe Low Impact Circuit Step Cardio premix

Monday's Workout:  Tracie Long Focus Kick Back; Tracie Long Focus Reach Further, Balance section only

Tuesday's Workout:  Rest Day

Wednesday's Workout:  Firm Burn and Shape

Today was homeschool co-op day.  I planned to get up early, go to McDonald's to read my Bible alone, walk the dog, and then get to the co-op by 9am. Well, Tom got up to go with me and got busy with some things.  I got home about 8:20 and had time for a doggie walk with Rocky or makeup application.  I opted to walk the pooch and went out without anything on my face but sunscreen.  Tyler told me I look the same as WITH makeup.  I'm not sure if that's a compliment or it means I need a serious makeover!!

I took a nap after co-op as the darn cold is hanging on and then exercised.  Wes and his dad did some work together and then went out for a long bike ride. Maddie worked on cleaning her room well for Grammy and Gramps to come visit next week~she was scrubbing the front of her door and said she had no idea how much elbow grease I'd put into doing all this FOR her over the years.  A great lesson, huh?  Tyler spent time cleaning up his room a bit too and then after they both practiced piano they took off to spend time with their friends on the next street over.

So now, the chili is cooking.  Tom and Wes are doing a project in the dining room (Tom ordered glass shelves for my china cabinet and they're installing it~for the life of us we can't think how two glass pieces of a cabinet could get lost in a move).  And I'm sitting here, enjoying the sound of silence~except for Penny's snoring, lol. (She's the 12 yo Beagle).

As I sit in stillness, I'm reminded that God designed us to have flow in our lives.  Times of work, times of play; times of intense study, times of reflection; times of exercise, times of rest.  Balance is so elusive in a culture that demands constant action.  Father, help me to see the need for balance~and to teach that to my children. For without balance, it's hard to hear that still, small voice you often choose to speak in.

Today's workout:  Slim Series Express Cardio Core

Yesterday I ended up going out to lunch with Tom and then came home and napped instead of exercising.  I told the kids that yesterday was an "unschool" day~go learn something. They LOVE it when I do that.  Wes studied quasars and galaxy types (sombrero, elliptical, etc); Maddie practiced piano and learned about the piano mechanics, plus did some art and reading; Tyler spent time learning about Greek Myths (he got interested while reading the Percy Jackson stuff).  It was nice to see them learn on their own and gave me a break to rest!!

Today we got our regular stuff done and then worked on doing some chores we'd neglected.  The house really needed to be swept, dusted, etc.  Tyler and Wes tackled Tyler's closet and that was a chore!  Maddie cleaned up the screened-in porch, which needed attention too.  Then we spent time reading and went to Barnes and Nobles to see if there were any new books we wanted to check out at the library or purchase.

Today I was praying for Tom and the kids from the book of I Thessalonians.  I was praying that we'd be kept pure and blameless until the time Christ returns.  And, I was thinking about what purity means and even looks like today. It's so unpopular and uncommon that being pure in body, soul and spirit, as the scripture says, will help us stand out like "stars in the universe" so that others are drawn to Jesus.

Lord, as Wes and I are fascinated by the stars in the universe, may everyone one of us in this house blaze forth, lighting the way to you, as a star over a stable did many years ago. 

Yesterday's workout:  Cathe Total Body Stretching, Stretch on the Stability Ball, segment 1 (rest day)

Today's Workout:  Cathe Shock Cardio Circuit Blast (with definite modifications, I think Cathe's legs are made of springs)!!

What I'm reading:  Agatha Christie Halloween Party.  I read this one about this time every year.  I enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but it was a bit more violent and rough than I generally like so I'm not going to read the other two in the series.

I've really enjoyed using these fall colors for a bit!  The gold, orange, etc. make it feel like fall to me. It feels like fall in the mornings but has been in the mid-80s in the afternoon.  But tomorrow the high is supposed to be 75, that's more autumnal.

Today I slept in because of my cold.  I definitely felt better so I got Rocky out and we went walking. We saw three does crossing the road and I'm convinced they're the same ones we saw last week, they must be living in our subdivision!

I took the kids out for breakfast and we had a lovely time. We'd not gone out like that in forever so it was a good way to spend some of my "mad" money this week.

When we got home, the kids did their math and other seat work.  Mary Madison and Wes began working on their Abraham Lincoln biographies and did really good jobs. Maddie said that from studying Lincoln she learned to follow her dreams.  Wes said he learned to state his opinion~and he really has a hard time with that, so the lesson was worthwhile.

During lunch we watched something I'd recorded from the Travel Channel.  Extreme Rides.  It discussed the most extreme roller coasters and rides throughout the United States, and one in Canada.  I thought it would just be fun but the kids got into seeing all about centrifugal force, Gs, weightlessness, etc.  The program did include some very informative lessons on how they made the coasters.

Tyler spent part of the afternoon playing chess with Wes.  He has a neat chess set with papers that tell you how to set up the board and give suggestions for how to counter moves, etc. He spent a good part of his free time working through that.  I can see that this winter I need to take advantage of the chess lessons offered through the homeschool group for the two of them.

Today I've been reflecting on what it means to "let the Words of Christ dwell richly in you" from Colossians. So often, my mind just wanders when my hands are busy or I'm resting.  How incredible would it be to discipline my mind so that I can meditate on his law day and night, as it states in Psalm 119?  I'm going to try to sneak more of that into my life. How about you?

Today's workout:  Kelly Coffey-Meyer 30 Minutes to Fitness Cardio Blast, Athletic Step section

Started fighting a cold on Friday night so I've been feeling puny.  The good news is that by this morning my sore throat was gone and I did rest get a good nap in this afternoon.

The kids were a huge help today by doing all their work.  We discussed various types of moons as we watched a show on the Universe during lunch.  We ended up looking into regular versus irregular orbits of moons and theories of how moons are captured or formed. 

The kids are also writing this week on something they learned to do and how they learned it.  Maddie and Wes are writing biography reports on a person from the Civil War era.  We also really want to get to the library and check into some new books!!

Saturday's workout:  Firm Wave Rock Solid Cardio
Sunday:  Rest day
Today's workout:  Firm Jiggle Free Arms

Busy, busy last couple of days.  Yesterday we did a lot of regular work in our workbooks, catching up from Wes taking the day off for the braces.  We also wanted to get ahead so we didn't have to worry about the work today when we got home from co-op.  After that, we made a trip to the library and then Maddie had soccer practice and I had Ladies' Bible Study.

Oh~Wes, Tyler and I also watched a History Channel show we taped on Barbarian warfare techniques and weapons.  Tyler cracked us up by announcing that Boudica(a Celtic warrior queen who lead her people against Rome) would be his kind of woman~he liked her spirit and style, lol.

Today we had co-op so we got up early to get going.  When I was walking Rocky, there were three beautiful does in a a neighbor's yard, not 10 feet from us.  Rocky and I just stared, as did they, and then the quietly walked off after 10 seconds or so.  What a beautiful serendipity!! 

After we got home from co-op, I had to run to the grocery.  My remote for the car door has a crack in the top and won't stay on my key chain.  So, I have to unlock the doors manually.  After getting all my groceries, I put the key in, unlocked the doors, threw my purse in the front seat (along with my cell phone), closed the door and went to open the back door to load in the groceries.  Guess what?  I'd locked the door, aarrrrgh.  So, I accosted a stranger, borrowed her cell phone, and got Tom to bring me the spare door key.  Thank goodness we just live about 1/4 a mile away. 

I then came home, exercised quickly, and fixed baked spaghetti casserole (okay, it's mostly spaghetti, sauce ,pepperoni and cheese, no big deal, lol) and got in a quick workout.  Now Maddie has a friend spending the night and Tyler is at the friend's house~a swap. Wes and Tom are at a football game and I'm getting ready to settle in with a good book.  Thank you Father for beautiful moments such as seeing a deer, good books, and the sound of silence.

Yesterday's Workout:  The Firm Calorie Explosion
Today's Workout:  The Firm Wave, Rock it Off

What I'm reading:  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson (highly recommended, I hope I like it).

Wes got his braces on early this morning.  He said he didn't feel a thing and was told they may be sore this afternoon for a bit.  He came home and promptly fell asleep!  Overall he's fine with wearing them BUT bummed because he's not supposed to eat nachos or bacon, and those are two of his favorite foods.

Maddie, Ty and I got the chores done after he left and then spent the morning cleaning rooms, doing math, and reading Story of the World.  Tyler found it fascinating to look at the invention of the Gutenberg printing press as a turning point in allowing us to become a modern civilization. 

Since Ty has a slight cold, he is also resting now. Tom is on his way to take Maddie to piano and then I'll spend some time getting ready for my first Women's Bible study class tomorrow night.

Today's workout:  Powerfit Plus Cardio Kick
                               Powerfit Harmony Upper Body Blast

What I'm reading: (I've been neglecting this) Valerie Bendt's Unit Studies Made Easy

Wow, haven't gotten to write in a bit.  We had a great weekend with our friends, but it was hectic.  We got involved in some major traffic on the way home and barely had time to change before dinner.  On Sunday I was tired so I decided to take an extra day off from exercise and it was the best thing for me.

Yesterday the kids and I did a lot of spelling exploration.  I gave them words in a kind of game from the book we read on the Lost Colony of Roanoke (yes, we finally finished it).  All three also did some online games, quizzes, etc. with different levels of spelling just to mix things up.

Today we spent time reading about Sun exploration.  Nuclear fusion, Coronal Mass Ejections, Magnetism, Sun Spots and Maunder Minimums made for some lively discussion.  Tom gave us an article in a National Geographic and the pictures were breathtaking.  We also spent some time looking at pictures of Saturn's rings and how they think they have ice tsunamis in them. 

The funny thing about the Sun is that I remembered a song I learned about the sun in elementary school and the kids had a ball laughing at me singing "The sun is a mass of gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace.  Where hydrogen is built into helium..."But hey, they will know all the basics of they learn the song!

Tomorrow Wes is getting his braces on so he talked me into getting him a Southern Style Chicken sandwich for lunch and pizza for dinner~out of fear that he would be too sore to eat junk food, lol.  Plus he has to give up popcorn, chewy candy, etc.  In fact, I think I hear him making a bag of microwave popcorn all for himself right now.

God thank you that in every thing we study, we see you.  As your Word says in Romans, you've left your fingerprints throughout nature so we can find you.  Lord, may I be found by you, and in you.

Today's workout:  WHFN Steamin' Cardio
Yesterday's workout:  WHFN Pump

I've not done yoga since last week and really need to get back to it tomorrow.

Busy, crazy weekend here. We're going to visit a friend overnight and then come racing home for soccer.  Maddie is staying with a friend tonight so we'll pick her up in time for soccer since my sister-in-law and brother-in-law are coming for the games.  Then Tom and I have a dinner party at a church member's home.  I'm just glad the kids are finally old enough to stay by themselves without a sitter.

Tom took the kids to co-op so I could get some laundry, etc. done before leaving.  I also squeezed in my workout and had my time alone with the Lord.  I'm not one of those people who loves having a bunch to do~a slower, less busy pace suits my personality much better~so having that time was absolutely crucial to me.  I just love my husband~who is now at the bank still trying to get all their mess worked out, grrr....  Oh well, no matter what happens this is my truth:  God is good.

Today's workout:  Tracie Long Training Better Burn, Better Buns(med ball cardio, core and lower body)~included some nice yoga stretches. 

Tomorrow is a rest day, yay!

Today was crazy.  The bank messed up something in our checking account big time and we had several bills bounce.  Now they have to figure out why the problem occurred, and we need to stay on top of them to make sure they pay the fees.  But it's a headache, we gotta call everyone who had a payment bounce.  Such is life. Tom has decided we should move to more of a cash system so I had money for groceries and some other things this week.  While this was great, it also meant this had gone on for a few days before we caught it.

Well, we finished cleaning in the Den.  I'm so glad to have this out of the way.  We're going to visit our good friends in Blue Ridge tomorrow to see their son play in the band for Homecoming.  Then Saturday Tom and I are going to a dinner at the home of people in the church. 

Today I was reading about the importance of God's word in our lives.  How lost we are without it, how we should be asking Him each day as we read it to sink it deep within, helping us apply it.  So, I'm going to leave you with a wonderful verse of scripture.  Apply it, meditate on it, and let its riches sink deep into your spirit, bringing you joy:

Psalm 118:7  I was in trouble, so I called to the LORD.  The LORD answered me and set me free.

May you truly find freedom in him. Oh, and P.S.  If you don't have a copy of the New Century Version of the Bible, it's fabulous.  Very readable, the kids love it.

Today's Workout:  WHFN Upper Body Burn
PM Yoga:  I don't think I'll do any.  UBB had ten minutes of lovely yoga at the end (all the WHFNs mix weights, cardio, yoga and pilates, to varying degrees) and I want to watch baseball and college football.

P.S.  Looks like I didn't miss much by not seeing the Reds play last night!  For my VF Homeschooling moms that read this I will say:  :eek:  Too bad I don't have those emoticons in my blog!!

Brrr, 39 degrees while walking the dog this morning is entirely too cold for the first week of October.  But things are looking up and it's supposed to be about 83 tomorrow. 

Today we cleaned in the kitchen.  Actually, Wes did the most but he's going to be gone all day with his Dad to an event~he doesn't even know about it yet~so he'll get out of cleaning the den with us, which will probably be the toughest task with all the books we have in the built in bookshelves!

One of the highlights of my day was going to lunch with Tom.  We only get to do this about once a month and I really look forward to it.  Adult conversation, and no kids trying to eat off of my plate, lol.  And, I actually get to sit down and be waited on.  So nice.  Wes was jealous because we went to Lone Star, one of his favorite places.

Tonight we have church and although I'm glad not to cook, I really want to be home watching the Reds~I never get to see them play.  Oh well, I'll see a few minutes before I leave.

Thank you God for morning dog walks, blue October skies, dates with my husband, and that my self-esteem is found in you and not in my 10 year old son (who told me today that my sweatshirt was "bulky and makes you look big." ) Too funny!!

Today's workout:  WHFN Fast Cheetah (mostly cardio, some pilates and yoga)
PM Yoga:  Probably Shoulder Stand, Plough, Happy Baby, and Legs on wall on my own.

Today we were cleaning in the living room/dining room.  I got up this morning just dreading cleaning all of those wooden blinds.  So, I just went ahead and began.  Mary Madison jumped in and we had all of them, the windowsills, and all the furniture cleaned really well before we knew it!  Then she walked the dog with me and I took her out for a bagel at McDonald's for being so helpful. Then Wes took over and cleaned the baseboards and floors.  Tyler was sleeping in late so he's had to help Tom cook dinner~he got off lucky, actually.

Yes, Tom is grilling burgers tonight. He volunteered to be in charge of dinner and I went window shopping at Ross and TJ Maxx for a bit~just so I didn't get drawn into cooking, lol.

Maddie and I watched an Agatha Christie movie we taped on DVR from PBS~The Secret of Chimneys.  It was AWFUL~they added Miss Marple, changed the entire story, and had one of my favorite characters in the story become the killer. I just don't like the new Mrs. Marple~they change the story lines a LOT with her, I guess to differentiate them from the other Miss Marple movies.

I sold a large, expensive piece of exercise equipment on Craigslist~my Fluidity bar, like a ballet bar.  I enjoyed using it for many things but honestly, we just don't have the room for it here.  I will really like socking away the money as I'm in need of a couple of new sweaters for the Fall to wear to church, with jeans, etc.

As I was studying my lesson today on taking my thoughts captive, I realize how I'm often defeated because I think I can't control my mind.  Well, I can choose to cry out to the Holy Spirit for help in what thoughts to focus on, what to put into my mind through various forms of media, etc.  So, I'm going to keep a log one day this week of how I spend my time, and how my thought life relates to it.  Should be EYE-OPENING!

Today's workout:  Tracie Long Training (TLT) Strength in Movement (functional type weight workout with medicine ball cardio between weight segments).
PM Yoga:  10 MS Yoga for Relaxation

I've been having trouble getting into the blogging world, for some reason~but now the technical difficulties seem to be gone! 


Over the weekend we had soccer games, church-wide yard sale, and the boys went with their dad to an amusement park in Chattanooga.  I was so tired Saturday that I took a long nap yesterday before Maddie and I went shopping for a costume for Halloween.


Today we got a good start at our fall cleaning.  We swept the whole house really well, all three kids did some deep cleaning in their rooms, and we did some deep cleaning in the hall bathroom.  The kids are supposed to do the cleaning in there but without intervention, you are soon unable to see out of the sliding shower doors due to soap scum~ya know how kids can clean!!


Mary Madison had American Heritage Girls and Tom had United Methodist Men so the evening was busy as well.  But, Wes is excited because he's now 5'4", as tall as his Grammy.  He's definitely growing!  And, Maddie is about a 1/2" shy of reaching me.


I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the screened in porch doing my prayer study today.  The serendipity of a quiet moment with cool breezes, taking in the power of God's power and how to harness it to use against the Evil one is simply hard to beat.


Blow through our home, Holy Spirit~cleaning out our hearts of sin, yes~but also of those "good" things that keep us from receiving your best.


Saturday's workout:  The Firm Upper Body, no yoga, too tired
Sunday's Workout:  Rest Day.  PM Yoga:  Shoulder stand, plough, Happy Baby on my own
Monday's workout:  TLT BBBB~warmup with med ball and active stretch: Tracie Long Power Up, all
PM Yoga:  Crunch Candelight Yoga (one of my first relaxing, restorative yoga workouts, will always be a favorite).


What I'm reading:  Joyce Meyer Powerful Thoughts

Friday!  And an entire week of Fall break ahead.  We are going to do some deeper cleaning next week, a room a day, for a couple of hours and the kids are so excited.  Okay, they're not.  And Dad, if you're reading this, since you're retired we expect you to come stay for the week and help~I know Mom has you trained REALLY well with all of this!!

Okay, so today was co-op and the children are settling in and really enjoying it.  Even Wes, who was less than enthused about taking Drama and Drawing, is learning and having fun.  Plus, he's met another homeschooled guy a year older than he is.

Okay, funny co-op story.  One of my jobs is to gather all trash at the end of the day, put it all into a larger bag, and then get Wes to take it to the dumpster.  Well, when I hit one trash can, all that was in it was a red solo cup.  I picked it up to throw away and it had a DEAD MOUSE in it~I about died, lol.  The older kids said it was dead in one of their class rooms so they decided to throw it away.  I'm just glad it was the older kids who found it, not the Kindergarten class~chaos would have erupted!

Tom got the van back and the bill was only $70~I absolutely love our godly, hilarious mechanic.  It's nice to have someone you can trust for something about which you know nothing.

I took Maddie and Tyler to Pier 1 and Michael's this afternoon to look around.  Ty had to come because Tom and Wes were both gone.  It's so funny, he had a ball looking at both places.  And, I can trust him to look at things on his own and not touch touch breakables, be wild, etc.  For those who know Ty, you KNOW this is such a sign of maturity in him~he really has grown up a LOT in the last 6 months and we're really proud of him.  And proud of what a good big sister Maddie is to him.

Tonight we went out for appetizers at Chili's, such a treat for the kids.  They were worried about not getting enough to eat but had such fun sampling things that we all had enough.

I have not had enough time for the Lord the past two days, though, and am feeling the burden of it. Tomorrow I really need to spend time alone with him, letting him love on me to renew my strength.  During this weekend, I pray you will find such time for you.  It will be even more refreshing than the cool weather moving in.

Today's workout:  Tracie Long Step Forward
PM Yoga:  YfSR, Easing Neck and Shoulder Tension (my shoulders and neck feel INCREDIBLE after doing this three days in a row).