We are done with school until January 6. Officially, that is. We are still reading, looking into things of interest, cooking, writing, studying the Bible, etc. Things that we love to do daily that all constitute learning. 

Wes finished a year long Anatomy course in semester and will be moving on to Physics. The others are pretty much keeping on their same path of studies.  God has definitely been good to us.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours (in case I continue on my current path of not writing much). ;)

We had such a nice Thanksgiving. On the actual day, Wes had a meal with Alexis' family; Tom and Tyler made the trip to Columbia, SC, to see some relatives; Maddie and I hung out all day cooking for Friday and reading books. It was cold, cold so it was lovely to be home.  Yesterday I made a nice meal for us and can say I survived cooking my first entire Thanksgiving meal and it was a success. I especially loved cooking the turkey breast in the clay baker~very moist~AND knowing we'll have turkey for leftovers for a few days.

Today the guys are working at the church and Maddie and I are running a few errands. Then we're going to watch some football. I pray all of you had a wonderful, blessed holiday. Next week we're back at it with our regular school routines.

My little elves could stand it no longer and are putting up the tree. It's overcast and 39 degrees so it feels like December~actually that's more like January weather here.  I got to go out and have lunch today with my honey too. And, we're going to stay home and enjoy Thanksgiving as a family this year. I feel completely and utterly blessed.

I want to do whatever tasks the Lord gives me with an all-out passion from him. I want to do them well (not perfectly, but well). I hope my kids get this desire from me and our homeschooling years as well.

This little guy tells that story oh so well. So thanks, Mom~for the lessons and the great picture.

The peaking of our leaves has come and gone.  The days are shorter and cooler.  When I walk Tucker, the leaves crunch under my feet and the air is crisp. Yes, it's November.

We celebrated Maddie's 16th birthday on November 3. She was sick. I was sick. But, we made the best of it for sure. Wes and Alexis rented a silly animated movie and we curled up on the sofa and laughed. We played Apples to Apples.  We just enjoyed being a family. Isn't that what celebrations are really all about?

This week we're doing a fun unit study on Thanksgiving/Pilgrim's/Mayflower Compact, etc. Each child is doing work at their level and reading, writing, etc.  They are also doing math. That's shaping up to be a fun week since it's always nice to have a change of pace. Next week we're off all week and will go to the library and get lots of books to read. Maddie is reading a series now, Tyler two series, and Wes a series. I'm reading what they finish and say is really good. I love Young Adult literature!

Here are some pictures of my Maddie. She's certainly changed, hmm?  Sorry the first is fuzzy. It's a picture of a picture, taken with my cell phone!

I have much to be grateful for today. We had a good week of school; Wes' foot is feeling GREAT; Tyler, Wes, and Tom had a good overnight visit to Atlanta to see scarecrows at the Botanical Gardens; Maddie and I had a wonderful girls night alone.  I have heat in my house (and with the temps dropping to 30 tonight (weird weather) I need it!), food on my table, blue skies, laughter, and pets to make me laugh. It's all the little blessings that add up to making me smile with gratitude~when I focus my gaze upward.

I am feeling quite blessed today. Tyler got a package in the mail from Amazon.com.  It was a 7th grade Test Prep book and he was actually excited to get it out and begin working in it! ;)

Tomorrow Wes has his last game for football. It's an away game but he's still going with the team to watch and be supportive. Then Saturday he's going to Six Flags with his friend, Alexis. I've stated my opinion about walking around all day on his foot but he assures me he'll either wear his boot or have it heavily wrapped. Sometimes I wish I could strap him down to a chair. Although, he has been doing his school work with it propped up.  

Maddie had piano, Tom had a Business After Hours event, and Tyler has been selling popcorn for Scouts. So far it looks like he's the top seller. That's largely in part to his dad who has taken him all over the place. :) :)

I've started a new Bible study with some women at church called Stronger, by Angela Thomas. There is a simple but profound quote I wanted to share with you all today:  "God is always with me. His strength is ever-present, in every place, for every circumstance I face."  May you soak this in, enjoy his presence, and be blessed.

P.S. This is just to put a smile on your face!

Oh, goodness.  I've not blogged in a month. I've been thinking what to say and then, at the end of the day, just don't feel like being on the computer.  

In the last month we have:
Seen my mom have another birthday
Celebrated my folks' 50th Anniversary with a trip to Tennessee
Seen Wes continue to play football and score his first touchdown
Seen Wes have a season ending injury(hairline fracture in his foot)
Watched the leaves begin to change
Experienced cooler nights and days 
Worked together on school projects
Laughed together
Cried together (Maddie and I, of course~we're girls)
Enjoyed watching college football
Seen the kids attend the local high school Homecoming dance
Sent Tyler on 2 Scout Camp outs
Watched Tyler complete his Tenderfoot requirements and advance in Scout ranks

Among other things!  

So, today, I leave you with this thought from Max Lucado, and pray God has blessed your life in ways you never even imagined!

P.S.  A little Homecoming picture of Wes and Alexis. :)

I always have good intentions about getting on here each day and then....

Tyler went on a cool camp out last weekend. They did lots of team building things like climbing walls, walking on ropes, etc. After the official event was over they even played paintball. They also got to sleep in tree houses that had hammocks in them. A good time was had by all.

Wes had another game and they lost...again. This team was also from SC and had won LAST year's 8 man national championship. They only allowed one other team to score on them all year and Wes' team got a touchdown.  Wes had a great punt return and some good tackles as well.

Maddie left on Friday after the game to go work at a camp in Florida with my SIL/BIL. The camp is for children who have cancer and their families. If you want to serve Jesus, I'd say the beach is a good place. ;)  She's texted me several times and seems to be having fun. She's flying back to Atlanta on Friday (all alone so pray for her and for mom!) so she'll be home to attend the White County Homecoming Dance on Saturday. With some youth group girls who invited her to go with them. (Wes is also going with his friend, Alexis).

Today I had to run errands, have my yearly physical (she said I'll live) and then took Wes to practice. Tonight Tyler has a scout Court of Honor. I'm looking forward to tomorrow being a bit more low key!!

And finally, another cool picture from my favorite French Bulldog, Peanut. I just love that girl. She's as pretty as she is smart.

Wes had a great game in Warner Robbins on Saturday. They did lose, BUT the team scored their first touchdown. Wes had a great block that let the QB score. Wes was a happy boy. And, all the rest of the games are a bit closer and are all on Saturday night so that's a relief.

Today we started out with a notice that I can pick out Maddie's geometry teachers' guides from the post office tomorrow. Yay, I can finally stop doing all the work with her. It's great for me to do that, to some extent, but it will free up more time for work with Ty and Wes. Ty has finished his second book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe so we'll be starting work using The Magician's Nephew this week.

I went to the store today, dropped Wes off at practice, and have dinner in the oven. I need to go over a bit of work with Maddie from her Anne of Green Gables unit study and then will relax. I used to feel like I should be doing something all the time but now see the necessity of and joy in relaxing to read, etc. And then today, I saw this from my great philosopher friend, Peanut (French Bulldog belonging to my favorite online workout instructor, Jessica Smith).  You tell them, Peanut!  

I sometimes have people who wonder what in the world we do in homeschool. And if I tell them, it doesn't always seem like "real school."  Well, it's not. That doesn't mean, however, that learning isn't occurring.

I thought I'd share a few things that Ty was studying this week as they pop into my mind. It's by no means exhaustive~just some things I remember off the top of my head.

Aerodynamics of bees
How to make time-elapsed shots with a camera and how to calculate the time necessary for a certain number of minutes of footage.
The properties of the light
Refraction, Reflection, and Absorption of said light
How the eye works in the light process and how sight works in general
Scripture study of resurrection
How to compare and contrast two different story lines
Metric measurements
How to calculate sales tax, take inventory, re-order stock, and calculate profit and loss(he's operating a pretend book store this year as part of his math program)
Architecture 
Writing descriptive sentences
Typing practice
The history of knights in Medieval England
The code of ethics of knights compared to a biblical worldview
Writing a modern day code of ethics using the above info gathered
Art work using pencils, Lego's, and other medium
Studying Fractals in nature and a bit of the history of fractals
Reading literature for fun
Emailing a pen pal
Studying the different types of verb tenses (something he chose to do on his own by finding a grammar book)
Vocabulary building with about 25 different words defined and used in sentences

Again, not exhaustive, just off the top of my head. Oh, and having critical thinking and discussion lessons with mom at the end of each Narnia chapter of study.

I'm discovering that learning is something that goes on all the time. It's fun, an adventure, a challenge, and impossible to stop. God made us to be creative and enjoy the journey of discovering more and more about him and this world so we can know him and make him known to others. My children help me to do that every single day. And for all of that, and most of all for who God is, I will praise him forever.

Okay, funny story of the day. One I get to tell on myself. We don't have the first teacher's guide for Maddie's geometry book so I've been doing all the problems to provide answers for her. Late last week I decided the heck with that and found the answer guides/teacher's guides as a set for $20 on eBay. Then I noticed that the answers to all the odd numbered exercises are in the back of her student book.  LOL, I have only needed to do the even exercises. That said, they often don't give the answers to the C group of exercises, which are the hardest ones. So, the teacher's book will be nice to have with all the great tips for learning/teaching AND ALL the answers. :)

This weekend was a lot of fun. The kids spent time with friends, we watched football, and just hung around. Their friends spent some time here and they spent time at friends' homes. All in all, we all enjoyed the long weekend.

Wes is back to football practice today but has picked up a head cold. I'd appreciate prayers for it to leave quickly before his game on Saturday.

The kids are all at Youth Group.  I just finished grading Tyler's papers, printing out his math work for tomorrow, and going over Maddie's geometry lesson and work for tomorrow. I get to walk the dog and then relax for the evening. The house is quiet and once again I am grateful to God for another day where we learned, grew, and did life together.

Oh, some fun pictures from my SIL Leslie's 50th Birthday Bash at the end of July.

Wow, what a weekend. Wes' team played football Friday night against a team from SC that won an 8 man national championship tourney two years in a row.  You can probably guess the results of THAT one. Saturday my Sister in law and Brother in law came up and went hiking with my husband and kids for Tom's birthday. I didn't go because I had a Ladies' Dinner for the women of the church. That was a blast. Yesterday we celebrated Tom's birthday with church, yummy Key Lime Pie bars, and dinner out for just the two of us. I now need another day off to recover from our weekend!

The good news is that we have a bye week in football.  Wes even got the day off of practice so he and Maddie went to see Alexis, their friend, play softball.  Ty has scouts and I will take a nice, long walk with Tucker while they are all gone. We've not had rain since Friday night.  To put things in "twitter speak" I am feeling #blessed #grateful.

You know how much I love my girl Jessica Smith, who does all the incredible free workouts on YouTube. She posted this picture of her dog Peanut today. Peanut turned 3 last week but is wise beyond her years. So, I leave you with this thought for the day:

Praying you will find time to reflect on God's blessings this day.

Maddie's Anne of Green Gables Unit Study package finally came yesterday. Yikes, it will be a lot of work.They really demand a lot of high school students. And Maddie?  She is totally....excited. She is looking forward to really pushing herself academically and has been having a ball. She has already done two or three days worth of work, plus her Algebra, Geometry, and German. She is in her element.

Yesterday she and Wes went to a church member's home and worked clearing weeds, moving dirt, etc. They enjoy doing it and the lady always pays them, which is a plus.

On the weather front, it POURED all a.m. and then the sun came out. Glory be, will wonders never cease???

I really need to make blogging more of a priority. So many things happen during our days that this is a good place to record them and see God at work in our lives.

Last weekend Wes had his first football game. The other team had been playing for 8 years and was much bigger than the guys on Wes' team but they had a good time. Wes did have one great catch and a run for about 35 yards, which was their longest gain. Most of the rest of the time he spent getting slammed by big boys. ;)

Saturday we spent time at a swanky resort here in town~kind of a time share community. The weather wasn't nice at all. It was cold and rainy but we still went swimming in the indoor pool, played miniature golf, etc. It was for local pastoral families and hosted by a man in our area. So kind and such a nice treat!

Sunday the kids had youth most of the day and Tom had meetings all day. That meant mom got time to hang out at home alone with full control of the remote. A rare treat.  I watched an Agatha Christie movie and relaxed a bit with the cats. :D

Today I went to the dentist and my new crown actually fit. I'm so glad I don't have to go back in two weeks...again.

The kids are enjoying their school work and making progress. Wes is studying Anatomy and Physiology as his science this year and likes that as his friend Alexis is taking that course too.  He also has literature and composition, Algebra II, German, US History, and is doing some geography and astronomy as well. Maddie is studying Geometry, World History, Biology, and German, and is doing her literature, composition, some art and science with her Unit Study. Ty is having a blast running a "bookstore" to practice math skills, along with his regular load of work and unit study.

Funny story. Ty had to make homemade modeling clay and sculpt one of the creatures the White Witch turned into a statue in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  And the funny thing is that has been his hardest assignment!  He has had the devil of the time getting that giant to stay together but it's finally taking shape.

God is good, isn't he?  And I continue to praise him, even though the weather has been extremely gray and overcast since last Thursday. When the sun finally comes out again and you hear screaming all over the US from a crazy woman in Georgia, you'll know it's me. :)

Crazy busy weekend here!  Wes and Tom worked at a church work day all morning on Saturday. Tom and I got up early to hit Walmart before the work day to get a new printer during Georgia's tax free days sale. Wes' friend, Alexis, spent part of Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon with us too.

Yesterday Wes had football, Maddie went to the movie with a friend, and Alexis came over for dinner. Tonight Wes, Maddie, and another youth are at Alexis' softball game while Tom and Ty are working in the carport and back yard. It brings back memories of when I was in high school, running around with my friends and having fun. It also reminds me of the days when I had three children under the age of 5 and never had a moment to myself. Those days have flown by so fast and sometimes I miss them so much it feels like a physical ache.

But, God is good. I'm getting to see my children grow, spread wings, and become young men and women of God. That is certainly something worth celebrating.

This week I'm trying to take the time to think about and celebrate the fact that God is everything I will ever need. HE IS.  If you remember nothing else that I ramble about here, I pray you remember that.

Today I walked a mile and a half with Leslie Sansone and did a weight workout with Jessica Smith. Then I got the kids up to do chores while I showered. After that, Tyler and I went over the work he had to finish today and Mary Madison and I did a Geometry lesson together. I then took time to study my Bible and pray for a bit. 

When that was done, we were hungry for lunch and all wandered in there, making what seemed yummy at the time. Tyler teased me about my green smoothie while Wes declared it tasted like a dark chocolate shake, but with a bit less sugar. (It had mocha flavored almond milk, chocolate protein powder, chia seeds, a cup of frozen blueberries, and a cup and a half of spinach leaves).  

I went to my room to read and feel asleep. :o  It was only for about 15 minutes but I will confess it happens to me a lot. It's the price I pay for getting up early to exercise!  Then I went over lessons that the kids turned in I walked with Wes to get a hair cut.

Now all of this may seem a bit boring but I'm sometimes asked what a typical homeschool day looks like in our house so I thought I'd talk about today. You'll notice I didn't do much checking of Wes' work. He works online and we discuss things at the beginning, middle, and end of the week and he is pretty darn independent.  He did come and ask for my help with a couple of his Algebra 2 problems yesterday, and often breaks off to share some tidbit he's learning from a lesson that he finds interesting.  He's also my first kid up each morning and I never have to remind him to do his chores. The other two wait until I wake them, with Ty being the hardest to get going!  They both generally need 30 minutes of fun reading upon rising before they're ready to eat, do chores, talk, and start school. That's fine as it gives me time to check in with buddies on social media such as Facebook and Video Fitness, eat breakfast, and shower.

So, you've gotten a fascinating look at a day in the McElroy household. It's in the daily things that we do together, however, that memories are made. I wouldn't change a thing. :)

Just sharing today's workout.  It's perfect for beginners and/or those wanting to move just a bit and get a great stretch to work out the kinks.

Okay, back to the McElroy house. Maddie and I had fun working on her Geometry. She also went to work at the Thrift Store for a bit. Wes did a lot of work before going to football (in the gym, as it's raining). Ty is about half way through his The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe Unit Study work. Maddie and Tyler also made some chocolate chip cookies and watched a bit of a a documentary on architecture.  All in all, it was a nice day.

Weight Loss, Community, Fitness: How To Join Our 2013 Fall Fitness Chall...

As a lot of you know, I'm passionate about taking care of your body. So, I wanted to share a fabulous fitness opportunity with you.  It's all free and can all be done at home. What can be better than that????

I first "met" Jessica Smith in 2010 through her professionally produced workout DVDs. I've pretty much always exercised at home, except for brief stints here and there in a gym, or taking a live yoga or pilates class.

After I got two of Jessica's workouts in 2011 from her 10 Pounds Down series, I found her website and subscribed to it.  She had an incredible philosophy of exercising to be healthy, fit, have more energy, and be your best self. Not a mention of exercising to look hot, etc., which is so prevalent out there these days.

Then I "met" Jessica through her Facebook page. She has always been there for women, answering private, personal messages that come to her. We've talked about our fitness philosophies, families, and pets (she has the cutest dog named Peanut).  I have told people about her work for years now and Jessica has even gifted me with some of her DVDs for FREE as a thank you.

Now, she's putting out free workouts on YouTube!  She has a weekly class schedule to follow, new workouts each week, and fun challenges (like the upcoming Fall challenge she describes in the video above).  It doesn't cost you a dime(unless you care to donate to her so she can keep up with her equipment, etc. to make these great workouts).

I'll be doing her Fall challenge that begins on September 2. I hope lots of you join me as we seek to take care of the temples of the Holy Spirit that we have been blessed to live in as we journey thorough this life.

On a school note, day 2 went well. The kids didn't have cavities, but Ty needs braces for the same reason Wes did:  tight lower gum area so some adult teeth won't be able to come in. Ugh.

Day 1 of the McElroy Family Homeschool 2013-2014 is in the books. As always, it was an easy transition for us. The kids get up readily, do chores, prepare breakfast, and get to it. We've been doing it so long AND they're old enough to take responsibility for a lot of their work. It honestly feels like the golden years of homeschooling for us. I'm truly blessed.

Tomorrow Wes gets a break from football but only because he has a dental appointment~as do the other two.  I can honestly say I'm getting tired of Dr. Wall's office!

Just to end our summer, a totally random picture of Wes, Tyler, and some of their friends from our Youth Group being silly during their lake house retreat at the end of June.

I had to go to the dentist the morning at 8am to get my new crown set. After poking, prodding, flossing, pushing, shoving, and generally making my gum completely angry, my dentist realized it didn't completely fit. So, the dentist took another impression and off it went and my temporary went back on for at least two weeks. I don't want to have problems from an ill-fitting crown, but it was frustrating and made my gum sore.

But, such is life.  I've gotten my errands run, finished looking at some last minute details from school, gotten my workout in, and even had a short, 15 minute nap. Truly, God is good.

As I look back over our summer, I keep thinking of the word wet. We had more rain in July than any other July on record. Not the way I wanted our summer to end, but it gave us the chance to rest, read, talk, hang out, and dream.  Made me think of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs these days.  I pray they will bless you too.

Blessings

Laura Story

Chorus Only

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights 

Are what it takes to know you're near?

And what if the trials of this life

Are your mercies in disguise?

Quick post today.  I have to brag on my God. I was thinking I was going to have to pay $30 per month for Wes to do high school online and then found something very similar that he likes and it's free!  Maddie is going to do Geometry and Biology and a unit study that uses Anne of Green Gables that covers literature, grammar, research, history, etc.  Ty will be using a math program that is based on running a business; doing some pre-Algebra; and continuing his Chronicles of Narnia for his science, social studies, literature, etc.

We went to Camp Meeting last night and had a great time. Think we're heading out tonight too. Wes has his last football practice from 3-5 and Tom went with him.

Oh, fun thing we did was have lunch at the local soda shop. So much fun and so yummy!

Fun picture of the boys and I at Steak and Shake in Knoxville, TN, on our way home from Kentucky last week. Maddie likes to be behind the camera taking pictures. ;)

We went to visit my family in Kentucky last week and my dad was teasing me about my blog falling off the face of blogdom. So, this is for you dad. :)

We've had a great summer.  We've had camps, retreats, Mission weeks, easy weeks, work around the house weeks. It's rained a lot so we've read a lot, played a lot of games, and just hung out with friends.  I can't believe next Tuesday is the first day of school for us.  

But, that means I'll be blogging more.  So, I guess that will be a good thing for those of you who follow.

Some of my favorite things this summer:
Walking Tucker (because it rained so much, it made the times when we could walk that much sweeter)
Talking with my kids
Playing board games with my kids
Sleeping in a wee bit
Eating lots of salads and fruit
Summer smoothies!
Staying up later (I'm a night owl)
Reading a bit more
Having fun exercising
Experimenting with different styles of cooking and foods
Getting to know some of the kids' friends better
Vacationing in Kentucky, visiting my parents
Taking part of a wonderful 30 Day Yoga Challenge online
Starting a Bible Study with my sweet husband
Living, Loving, Laughing, and Breathing Deeply
Ending each day knowing Jesus a bit more and savoring his love for me.

Ty had a great time at scout camp...but lost his glasses.  How do you lose your glasses?  So, $280 later, we've got another pair just like them ordered.  Thanking God for our flexible spending account!

Biggest news here:  Wes has his first girlfriend. Shhh....he'll kill me if he finds out I blogged about it. Her name is Alexis and she's one of our youth. She's also one of Maddie's best friends....before the whole Wes thing. They went to a movie together over the weekend and are now at a softball game together.  Her mom plays softball~how cool is that???!!!  She's adorable~4'11" and just so sweet.  I guess at age 17 it's okay that he finally have a date.;)

On a non-related note, I found out that one of my first childhood memories was based on a lie and I'm just so sad today.

Okay, enough silliness, right?  I'm praying everyone has a wonderful beginning of summer.

Things have been crazy around here. Ty had a physical for scout camp last week and then had an infected toe. So we did two trips to the doctor in two days~plus meds, soaking the toe, etc.  Good thing he's not had an antibiotic in 9 years~it should be cleared up quickly with medication. 

Sunday he left for Camp Daniel Boone in North Carolina. I keep getting updates that they're all having fun so that's a good thing.

Maddie and Wes are doing a Mission Week with the youth. They are doing a VBS, cleaning projects, etc. They also had a skate night on Monday and a swim party tonight so I think they've had a wonderful time. In the last week and a half they've also seen two movies with other youth~and we never, ever see movies. They've obviously been having  a great summer.

I've been promising to share some things I'm loving lately. So, in no particular order, here are a few. Today it's all about FOOD.

Quinoa.  Yes this little grain like seed is making me happy, happy, happy (Duck Dynasty reference for those who don't know that show).  I eat it a million different ways, even for breakfast. If you've never tried it you simply must.

Coconut Water. I have started drinking this stuff sometimes during a tougher workout and it's hydrating, has great electrolytes, and is natural and free of artificial stuff (like Gatorade is).  Plus it tastes great.

Cauliflower. This little gem has been great lately too. I steam it, mash it, eat it raw, or use it as the base for a fantastic cauliflower pizza crust~yep, you read that right. It's an amazingly versatile veggie.

Vegan Fruit and Oat Cookies. Sounds gross but I have two of these after dinner for dessert and they satisfy my sweet tooth and they're SO GOOD.  I'll share the recipe here.

2 ripe bananas, mashed smooth (I use a hand mixer to mix them)
2/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 scoop of protein powder (totally optional)
1 1/2 cup oats 
1/3 cup raisins or chocolate chips or a mix of both

Mix all the above together. Let sit for 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 350.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls on cookie sheet and press down with the spoon a bit.  Bake 20-30 minutes(I usually make them bigger and do 30). Cool and store in the fridge. I eat them cold or warm them a few seconds in the microwave~delish.

Coffee!  My morning cup of Dunkin' Decaf has become my dearest friend lately.

Hummus.  Man, I eat that stuff on everything. I use it with some olive oil on my salad, dip carrots, Beanitos  in it(a wonderful chip made of only beans and some rice flour and salt), smear in on sandwiches in place of mayo.....I like the spicy types the best.  The problem is so does Wes and he will often eat it up!!

PB2.   Where has this stuff been all my life?  It's dehydrated peanut butter with the oils squeezed out so it's much lower in fat and calories. That's not why I love it, though.  It's so versatile and easy to throw into oatmeal, smoothies, my oat cookies, pancake batter....I love using it in cooking. The price is pretty reasonable (you get it at Walmart or Amazon) so I save on using the organic, all natural stuff I eat that is more expensive and messy to use in recipes. Highly recommend this stuff.  It comes in regular and chocolate but they taste almost the same to me. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GJ9JWS

Green Smoothies. I have one of these with a small handful of nuts for lunch most days.  I love how much nutrition I can get into my body this way and they're uber filling and tasty. I use a kale, spinach, romaine leaf lettuce, etc, a teaspoon of chia seeds, and a cup of almond milk and/or yogurt as the base. From there I add in frozen fruit, PB2(sometimes), whey protein powder (sometimes), cocoa powder(sometimes)...you get the picture. They are seriously so good.  The one I had today had a serving of veggies and three of fruit~all in one glassful!

Okay, that's it for today. I'll chat about some of my other favorite things later~books, websites, devotional resources, and who knows what else!!

How it the WORLD did I get old enough to have three teenagers?  It's true, Tyler turned 13 yesterday. He got money from everyone and bought a new gaming system at Walmart. We went out to eat and he had a birthday cookie cake. At the end of the day he declared, "I had a pretty good day."  Understated as usual. That's my Ty.

He loves to laugh, tells great jokes, is passionate about reading the Word of God, and is very smart. There's a lot to love about Tyler for sure.

Tom took Maddie to Camp Glisson yesterday afternoon, after Ty got back from his backpacking trip on part of the Appalachian Trail with his Scout troop.  I got to be all alone for 24 hours and it was divine. 

Tom came home just in time to let me in the house.  I'd walked to the store to get a few things and locked myself out of the house. :o  Oh well, at least I had my cell. I could have had a nice visit with Tucker out on the back patio if necessary too.

Oh, and Wes had a great birthday on Friday~Zaxby's, a cool T he picked out, and cold hard cash!

I decided to share some things over the summer that I'm loving now or doing now, learning in Bible Study, etc.  So be looking for all of that to be coming soon.

Check it out~pictures are back. Doesn't Wes look GREAT?  He looks better now because of the other thing he wanted to do on his birthday~get a haircut. He's such a funny guy. He got it cut shorter for the summer. I'm sure that will feel great this week as he's doing yard work, etc. for his Grandmom and Big Daddy in Atlanta. He and Ty will be home Wednesday as they have a Youth Council Meeting and Pool party on Thursday.

Crazy busy day yesterday. We had two services where the Youth led the whole thing. In between were pictures for Confirmation students and we did that with Tyler. My mother in law and father in law showed up in the middle of that and we came to the house to deliver a mirror they got for Maddie. Back to the last service, confirmation, set up for church dinner at 6, out to eat quickly, and then back for a funeral at 2. At 6 we had a Graduation Dinner and that was over at 7 and then we cleaned up for an hour or so there. Whew, we were worn out when we got home.  

Tyler got a new Bible for confirmation and loves it. He's had a ball reading it, which I love.

Here's a picture of Wes from yesterday's Youth Sunday. I couldn't get one of Ty but hopefully some of the family pictures they took turned out well. We'll get them in an email and can then post them.

Oh joy~back to no way to post pictures again. Double ugh. I'm about to say we need to take the computer in for a tune up but it's only a year old???

I had to pick up onions for Tyler tonight. Yes, you heard me right, onions. The scout troop sold 10 pound bags of onions. Not what I'd pick for a fundraiser but they seemed to sell well.

We had to do some work in the kitchen, had  youth and Bible study, a meeting at church dinner, etc. It was our last church dinner of the year before fall. I'll miss it. I like visiting with the people and not cooking on Wednesday night. :)

Wanted to share some encouragement from our online Bible Study.  I'm finding more and more that as I rest in God he truly does add all things I need.  I just sometimes can't see it.  My prayer today is that our eyesight improves.

Two posts in a row from me in one day~will wonders never cease.;)

As Sunday was Mother's Day, I wanted to post this for my mom. The older I get the more important she becomes to me and the deeper my respect and love for her grow.

As a funny aside, this is the Mother's Day note Tucker would give me if HE could have written!

And here are a couple of pictures of him right after his spa day~isn't he cute?  He looks pretty skinny now too!!!

Blogging is not nearly as fun without lots of pictures, in my opinion. That's what's been stopping me lately. We can't get any pictures to link in and can't figure out why. :(  

This is our last week of school. The kids will continue to work on school-related projects throughout the summer but at a more relaxed pace~and we're all ready for that. It's also Wes' last week of Football camp and Tyler is being confirmed as a full member of the church this Sunday. Truly, we have much to be grateful for these days. :)

Can you believe it?  A Picture!! Truly, God is good and yes, he does give us rest. I've been praying with this verse the last week as it's been a part of the fabulous on-line Bible Study I'm participating in. It's based on the book Stressed-Less Living.  If you're interested, the study link is www.melissataylor.org  

Since the picture links seem to be working, here's the one of Maddie and Tom I've been trying to post!!

Okay, awesome God shout out!  We've been looking for cleats for Wes forever. We finally found some on Ebay for $18, new in the box, free shipping. They were here in 2 days and these $85 cleats fit like they were made for him. Thanks, God!

Other than that, we've had youth, volunteer work, school work, piano, etc.  I was finally able to resume walking Tucker on Tuesday and I don't know who was more thrilled. Getting outdoors is so therapeutic for me.  Today was so nice I sat outdoors and worked on my Mother's Day sermon. Yes, it's that time of year, so all prayers are appreciated.

We've had rain all weekend.  What that means is that Tucker has been in the house a lot because of his "spa day" on Friday. He smells good and looks very cute, I must say. 

We're supposed to have rain through tomorrow and then clear up a bit, thank goodness.  I'm looking forward to resuming my walks in the afternoon again.

The kids and I took a break from books and watched a PBS special on the Mayan culture today. Then Wes had football and the boys have scouts. Maddie and I have eye appointments tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the end of school and some sleeping in!

My picture of Tom and Maddie was there yesterday and now today it's gone?  I seriously don't understand this at all. Sigh.

Wes and Maddie worked at the Thrift shop while Ty and I did some extra Narnia work today. I ran to the store and helped Wes get his mouth guard ready for practice. There is a chance of rain so he may be in a gym, we're not sure. Wish him luck!

I still can't get the blog to upload pictures. Wes thinks the issue is with Blogspot, not our computer.  Anyway, Wes starts formal spring football practice tomorrow. It's kind of a pain as it's every weeknight from  3:45-5:45.  Have any idea how many weeks that will be?  Please pray that the helmet, pads, and mouth guard keep him safe!

ETA:  Weird, I had to go through Pisca Web. Anyway, here's the Chick Fil A picture. Cute,huh?

As the school year winds down, I'm getting more and more sporadic posting. We're trying to tie up loose ends in these last three weeks and have some fun in the process.  I'll try to be more diligent about posting some pictures, etc.

Weird thing is I posted a picture of Maddie and Tom I took at Chick Fil A a week or so ago and it's not here?  Oh well, hopefully I'll get it worked out at some point. If not, I can call in my tech support~Wes McElroy!!

Nothing major to share with you. We had the normal kind of week~some running around, some laughter, some work, lots of joy in the simple things in life. So, I leave you with a couple of pictures to make you smile. In light of events in Boston and West, Texas, I find that especially important now.

This last one is for my sweet husband, the eternal morning person. He loves to get up at 6 am and discuss finances and other matters of importance.  My silence usually reminds him we are not all  like that. :p

My mom sent this to me this morning and it's too good not to share. Lots of God's truth in this one, don't you think?  Maybe this is why the beach compels us.  It's vastness, serenity, and dependable nature reminds us of the Father, drawing us upward.

We're finishing our last chapter of The Magician's Nephew in our Unit Study this week. I can't believe how quickly it's passed and how many things we've studied and learned. Maddie and Ty definitely want to keep going with this.

Another busy week of scouts, youth, football conditioning, volunteer work, Bible studies, etc. But there are only 6 weeks of school left. It's amazing to me how quickly this year has flown by. God has been faithful this year (and every year), meeting us at every turn and teaching us to honor him and love him~and one another~more along the way.

P.S. Click on the image and it takes you to a larger picture of it so you can actually read the words.  Good stuff.

Today is National Pet Day. Yep, there is such an animal!  In honor of the day I posted this picture of Peanut, doing what he does best. He stays out all night, catting around. Then he comes in, has breakfast, and crashes on the sofa until about noon. The only thing he does better than sleep is eat~and be mouthy.

We worked on some discussion and writing/drawing about the British Crown Jewels, in conjunction with our Narnia studies. Tyler is studying Moses' life, Maddie Paul's. They will then write a paper next week discussing how God used their person's experiences and character traits to His glory. Wes doesn't know it, but he's doing the assignment too~with Peter.

Other than that, it was a normal day.  I had a meeting around lunchtime and then we did some chores, etc.  I love how my kids are becoming more and more independent in their learning.

One of the benefits of homeschooling was evident in my home today. Tom and Tyler took off about 7am and went up to Hog Pen Gap and hiked the 1.5 miles of the Appalachian Trail they didn't get to do in March. Tom then took Ty by Ingles and bought him some doughnuts. I should have taken a picture of him eating them~he was a happy camper.

In between school lessons, Maddie gave Tucker his spa day treatment. I took him on a walk in the sun to dry off and he's happily sleeping beside my computer while his coiffure finishes drying now. ;)

Tonight we have Church Dinner, Youth and Bible Study.  Looking forward to another day hanging out with members of the Body of Christ.

The only negative I see in my day is the allergies coming from the pollen count. So, I decided to post a picture and have a little fun with it. Humor makes many things so much better, right? 

So long Spring Break, 2013.  As we headed back to the routine of learning together today, we had fond memories of you!  :D

A few pictures of how we ended our Spring Break. I'll post a few more tomorrow.

 The first picture represents my thoughts about what happened this week. I was bummed out about not going to see my parents for Spring Break but I don't have to understand everything that happens.  God is with me, whether "my" plans succeed or not.

This picture is one of the serendipities of this week. Life being slow enough to make homemade cookies.  Yum. They were gluten-free M&M cookies and were very good.

Today I spent time teaching Maddie and Wes to drive. Mostly around the church parking lot but we practiced backing, driving, turning, parking, etc. Tom took us all out to eat (huge treat for Spring Break) at the world -famous BK Lounge (aka Burger King)~we had coupons!  :D  Wes drove home from there and did a great job. Maddie then had a second lesson with her dad.

Speaking of Burger King, I decided to try something entirely new:   a Turkey Burger. Now I love turkey as much as the next person but couldn't imagine one as a burger. Know what?  It was pretty good. Tom, Wes, and Maddie liked it but Ty said it wasn't his thing. I had to try this when not with my Mother. She hates turkey and it would have gagged her! :)

All in all, it's been a nice, relaxing week. Just what I needed to get ready to go at it toward the finish line of school with the kids. 28 days and counting!!