Yesterday Tom and Wes took off for Atlanta in the evening.  Tom had a seminar all day and Wes wanted to work for Grandmom and Big Daddy and make some money!  They put him to work all day today and tomorrow, so the men will be home in time for dinner.  The only thing Wes asked is that I postpone pizza night until Saturday.

I gave Maddie and Tyler an "unschooling" day today since Wes was working. They worked on some writing, played outdoors, and Maddie watched a couple of documentaries~one on Germany and one on the Civil War.  I took the two of them out to dinner with some coupons we had~big treat around here. Now they're settling down to enjoy a show on TV.

I got Tyler up to walk the dog with me. He and Maddie did much better than Wes, who is SO not a morning person!

Workouts:  Thursday, August 30: 1.5 mile walk with Maddie and Tucker; 10 MS Yoga, Stretch workout; TA Meta AB L7D2; Kendall Hogan's Exercise TV Enviga Calorie Burn Carido; 

Today:  1.5 mile walk with Tyler and Tucker; Tracie Long Defining Shape (heaviest weight work of the week).  Tonight I'll sneak in 10 minutes of yoga that I didn't get to do this a.m.

Algebra, writing, and a little bit of consumer economics here today. Okay, it sounds grand but the kids went to Walmart with me. Tom has been insisting that I take them shopping with me at least once weekly so they "get" how expensive things are and can figure out how to get the best bang for their buck.  One of my kids has the most expensive tastes in America and it's been good for her, er, that child, to do that! :D  Oh well, her momma can always pick out the nicest things to purchase too. ;)

It rained in the morning so we didn't walk Tucker. It's sunny now but there is a huge black rain cloud in the sky and it's extremely humid so I think we'll just skip it today. The kids will go throw sticks with him in the back yard instead.

Looking forward to church dinner tonight. It's great to be with the body of Christ, study his word, and not have to cook dinner!!

Today's workout:  Rodney Yee's AM Yoga for Your Week, Backbends; Tracie Long Back Up (cardio and weight training intervals).

I've had the best time lately posting pictures of the LSU Tiger Stadium on Wes' Facebook page for the countdown to the beginning of College Football Season.  I swear, I can almost hear Wes whistling, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."  

Okay, all kidding aside, we're very excited about the beginning of football season.  And Fall.  And, the having an extra long weekend!!

Today Maddie and I went over some of her Algebra together and the kids did a writing assignment on a typical August afternoon. They could not use the words, hot, humid, sun, or heat.  I can't wait to read what they came up with. Unlike most of the nation, here the words "muggy, rainy, and soggy" would be appropriate!

Tried a new crock pot recipe for meatloaf and it was a huge success so that was fun. We've also tried to be more intentional about spending time at the table talking, reading fun devotionals, discussing a subject picked out before hand, etc.  I think the kids even like that!

I've also stared getting the kids up early one day a week to walk the dog with me. Wes got up today and walked Tucker with me and I had to bribe him with one of the homemade cookies Maddie made last night AND take him out to breakfast. Wonder what the others will say when it's their turn?

Since it rained most of the day starting around noon, we curled up on the sofa after school to watch the new episode of Grimm. I've decided we have odd tastes in shows, because Grimm and Once Upon A Time are our favorites.

Today's workout:  1.5 mile dog walk with Tucker and a reluctant Wes; 10 MS Yoga for Beginners, 10 Minute stretching segment; Tracy Anderson Meta Ab Level 7 Day 1; Firm Express Cardio Cycle 4 for interval cardio work for the week.

We had a great school day today.  The kids had some questions about grammar (we have one who has there/their/they're as a Waterloo and another that struggles with your/you're).  Maddie wanted me to use a white board and do like a "real teacher" so we went to Tom's office and got one and started out.  The big difference is that sometimes all the kids and mom talk at once~wouldn't happen at school.  From this simple refresher we got into pronouns, prepositional phrases (are the adjectival or adverbial?), direct and indirect objects, and how to format paragraphs.  It's cool to see them growing as writers and actually "getting" grammar more and more. Grammar is so boring and hard to deal with that often I've found the kids not "getting it" truly until late middle/early high school.  Or, maybe that's just my kids. ;)  Anyway, they are showing growth in that area and the area of writing as a whole.

I had to run to Walmart, Ingles, etc. The boys have Scouts tonight and Maddie and I are planning to hang out and read or just be girls together.

Today's workout:  1.5 mile doggie walk; AM Yoga for Your Week, Hip Openers; Tracie Long Defined Lines.  My new workout pattern:  M~light weight workout; W~Medium weight workout (probably circuit training); F~heavier weight workout; T/R/Sa~cardio and Tracy Anderson Meta.

What I'm reading:  Max Lucado Traveling Light (based on the 23rd Psalm).

The computer issues seem fixed.  Tom had a great birthday yesterday. And, I was just blessed at worship and Sunday School today. Truly, God is good.

We are having MAJOR computer issues.  We can get on in the morning to early afternoon but then nothing will load after that. It's so frustrating to move to a smaller town serviced where they only give you a certain amount of mbs and we need a lot more to support all the stuff we have.  Sigh. We're going to see how things go this afternoon and may end up calling to see what we can do.  All of this is to say that's why I've not been blogging as much lately.  With Tyler doing most of his curriculum online, Maddie and Wes using it some for German and Math, I just don't have time to pop on until the afternoon, when things crash.

Another couple of meetings today~one for the church, one for finances.  This Saturday is Tom's birthday and we have a fun day planned at Lake Lanier.  It's a District Pastor's picnic and fun day and it couldn't have come at a more needed time.

Workouts:  I've been walking the dog and then doing 20 minutes of yoga all week. I've been using the practices from Rodney Yee's AM Yoga for your Week and so far have done Hip Openers, Twists, and Backbends.

This is profound, if you think about it long enough.  I'm praying that God will slow me down so I can sip on His joy.

We got through the week last week. The boys went hiking with Tom on Friday and Tyler had a Scout event in Homer, GA on Saturday.  He did most of the work to earn a merit badge and had a great time.

I finished up TA Meta AbL6 last week and now am taking a recovery week.  I'm walking Tucker daily and doing yoga. Then I'll do the last 3 levels of Meta Abcentric, which will be another 6 weeks. After that, who knows?

Tyler has been getting up early to go to do devotions with me. He does his school work and talks to me a bit too.  It's been some really nice time spent with him.

Today's workout:  1.5 mile dog walk with Tucker and Tom; Rodney Yee's AM Yoga for Your Week, Hip Openers.  Aaahhhh, felt so good.

What I'm reading:  Rebecca by Daphne  DuMaurier, an all-time favorite of mine.

Thinking about my Dad, Charlie Barber, who turns 76 today. He's an encourager and my biggest fan~and he reads my blog!!  Thanks for the great memories, Dad~looking forward to many, many, more.

I've not blogged lately~just got busy and forgot!  I've had pleasure watching Tyler on Time 4 Learning this year. He has never done curriculum online before and so far he's really enjoying it!  The kids and I really haven't done much that's creative and fun, yet~just trying to get a rhythm in the year so far.

Tomorrow, however, Maddie and Wes are spending the morning volunteering to help clean and organize the Thrift Store the United Methodist Women at the church run for charity.  They need some people who can do some heavy cleaning so off they go.  I am going to a lunch with a small group of people from the church at someone's home about the time they get home so it will be a busy day for us then.  

Okay, off to church dinner and Bible Study in an hour so I need to go read!

Workouts:  Saturday:  Jessica Smith Cardio Abs:  Total Body Transformer and Tummy Torching Tabata (4 minutes of 20 seconds of all out intensity, 10 of rest, repeated 4 times~it's definitely a tough 4 minutes); Dog Walk

Sunday~Jessica Smith Breathe, Stretch,  Relax

Monday~TA Meta Ab L6D5; Exercise TV Cardio with Kendall Hogan; Dog Walk

Tuesday~TA Meta Ab L6D6; Firm Express Cycle 3 Cardio Intervals (no pup walk, rain in the a.m.)

Today~Dog Walk; Karen Voight Slim Toning on a Ball (weight training using a stability ball~engages the core really well while working your other muscles)

What I'm reading:  Phillip Yancey's Reaching for the Invisible God (great book on faith, doubts, difficult questions about life); Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country(by the same man who brought you A Walk in the Woods  about the Appalachian Trail). This is a "travel guide" of sorts about Australia, in Bryson's hilarious style. Definitely a lighter book than Yancey's but you learn a lot~and have a great time doing it!

Tom took the kids hiking this afternoon as a great ending to our first week of school.  So far, we've actually been having a ball AND enjoyed getting back into more of a routine.


Thursday's workout:  TA Meta Ab L6D3; Kendall Hogan Exercise TV Slimdown Cardio Burn; 2 mile walk

Today~no walk~Tucker went on the hike!  TA Meta AbL6D4; Tracy Anderson Dance Cardio, 20 minutes; Firm Time Crunch Cardio, Cardio Express, 10 minutes.

Someone posted this on Facebook today and I had to share it with everyone.  May it cause you to get on your face before the Lord in repentance and re-dedication if necessary. I know that's what I will be doing.

School day went great. The kids got up and got going and we all had fun talking about our learning goals before Bible Study time together. 

Wes got started on his Chemistry and did a easy and fun experiment.  A sign of the times:  he took notes on the chapter on his iTouch instead of in a notebook.

Maddie was interested in Biology the most today.  She is the kid of kid who likes to do a bit of each subject daily, though, so she hit most of her books at some point. (I insist that math be done daily but allow the kids to determine how to study other subjects, for the most part).

Tyler and I had fun studying the events leading up to the American Revolution in Story of the World.  Of course, we had to go to You Tube and re-live a moment from my childhood:  "No More King" from School House Rock.

Tonight we have church dinner and then the kids have Youth while I have Bible Study.

Today's workout:  1.5 mile walk with Tucker and Tom; Jessica Smith's Core Stretch.  You do a tough little core/ab exercise and then a wonderful yoga stretch.  The best part?  No crunches!!

First day of school tomorrow~wish us luck!  I'll write more then.

Workouts:  Monday:  TA Meta Abcentric L5D1.  I like this level better. More variety, hits the entire body better, etc.  Firm Cardio Dance Club, Caribbean Moves; 1.5 mile walk with Tom and Tucker.

Workouts:  Tom and Tucker were in the mood to WALK so we went well over 2 miles today. I do my TA Meta L5D2 and Firm Express Cardio for Interval Cardio work.  I also wrote all the targeted floor work down and did that part of TA without the DVD and played my own music. I liked being able to go at my own pace and felt the exercises much more. The abs and arms are so varied you really need to follow the DVD for those so that's what I did.  I plan to continue this way from now on.

These past few days I've been deer watching.  The first day at 10 am Tyler and I saw a doe. She was right by our trash can, a few feet from our carport, eating from a large bush.  Pickles, our small cat, was lying in the drive watching her~his own personal nature t.v.  The next day at the same time the doe was there with her two fawns. What beauties they are!  White spots, graceful little legs and they can still run so joyfully!  Again, Pickles was there, watching away.


I can forgive him watching the deer. But the next day I saw a bunny rabbit and he was watching that too. Seriously, the cat has no hunter in him at all!  Actually, I'm glad~I've seen my share of dead critters dropped at my door over the years.


I was praying or the same kind of anticipation to see Jesus at work in my life.  Do I watch intently for him each day?  Do I feel a thrill when I see him quietly go by?  And, am I even quiet enough to see and hear him?


Workouts:  Thursday:  TA Meta Ab L5D7; Firm Cardio Dance Club, 20 minutes; 1 .5 mile walk with Tom and Tucker


Today:  TA Meta Ab L5D8; 30 minutes of cardio using two 10 Minute Solution DVDs:  Kickboxing, Low Impact, and Cardio Core; 1.5 miles with Tucker. Tom ditched us to go running instead! :D

Okay, I'm admitting it. I've been staying up late watching the Olympics and thus not blogging.  Feels good to get that confession out there!


We've done some fun things the last few days though.  I found some GREAT resources to get the kids having fun while still learning and Ty has especially loved some of what I've brought home through inter-library loan.  One is called The mean and vulgar bits : fractions and averages and is from the Murderous Math series.  (http://www.amazon.com/Mean-Vulgar-Bits-Murderous-Maths/dp/0439012708/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343847499&sr=1-1&keywords=Murderous+maths+fractions)  Tyler now GETS fractions instead of just being able to do them. And, it includes great information on statistics that helps kids get WHY they need to learn this stuff anyway. The book is funny too.


Another great resource is Science Smart Junior (http://www.amazon.com/Science-Smart-Junior-Discovering-Secrets/dp/0375762620/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343847149&sr=8-1&keywords=Science+smart+junior).  A funny story and it covers many, many aspects of science and includes great, non-threatening experiments.  This is put out by Princeton review and does discuss evolution under diversity and adaptation. We discuss various worldviews of different believers, scientists, and non-believers, but some will want to avoid that section, etc.


Maddie has been studying the Appalachian Trail a bit and reading A Walk in the Woods  by Bill Bryson.  WARNING:  He uses some foul language in it so use caution with your kids.  Again, great story, great information, lots of fun.


Wes has been hitting his Algebra hard to finish it up and begin geometry. He's also been working on a time line to have his Eagle done at a target date.


Tonight we have church wide dinner and programs beginning again, and I'm going to choir practice after that.


Workouts:  Monday and Tuesday:  TA Meta Ab L5D5, 6; Monday's cardio was Firm Time Crunch Cardio (20 minutes of lower impact); yesterday was Firm Flat Abs Solution (Bootcamp and Cardio to the Core, 30 minutes total).  Monday Tom and I walked Tucker for 2 plus miles but yesterday it rained so no doggie walking.


Today:  2 miles of walking and Namaste Yoga, Exalted Warrior practice.