The kids are writing parodies to some of their favorite Christmas Carols this week. I've had "Let it Blow" from Maddie and "The 12 Days of Christmas, Redneck Version", from Tyler.  Wes is still working on his.

Maddie left for her 13th birthday trip to NYC with her Aunt Leslie this morning and they arrived safely about 11:15.  Thank goodness for texting, I have no idea what worried mammas did before cell phones!

So today the boys and I took a virtual tour of a Christmas tree farm in Ontario, Canada that we found through our everythinghomeschooling.com website.  It was fascinating.  We learned all about how seedling trees are grown, how long it takes Christmas trees to grow (8-12  years, after 2 or more years as seedling trees), how they prune them for shape, weed, keep bugs away, etc.  It really is a year round job, much harder than you'd think.  We also explored the origins of evergreens being used in Christmas celebrations and the history behind Yule Logs.  Very fun!

Tyler went to piano today and Wes made his annual pilgrimage to McDonald's to have an Egg Nog Milkshake.  With his dairy allergy he will certainly have a nosebleed, lol, but thinks that once a year it's worth it.  And, because they had to fix the milkshake machine and we had to wait, he got it free, which made it that much tastier.

I've embarked on 31 days of praise during the month of December.  I thought that would be an awesome way to end the year.  I'm putting a praise moment thought each day on my Facebook status and it's been neat to hear how it's encouraged people.

This week's workouts:
Monday~Kelly Coffey-Meyer Muscle Definition, workout 2.  I used pretty heavy weights, for me, and challenged myself.

Tuesday~KCM Stepboxing, cardio and abs.

Today~30 MTF LIFT~Powerscultping Workout and Body Refiner Abs.  I had to decrease my weights, still a bit sore from the heavier workout on Monday.

I got time alone today and it was wonderful.  I told the children what their assignments were and left them in the capable hands of their dad, who is off work on Friday.  I spent time reading my Bible, window shopping, and running a few errands all alone.  I talked to God in between errands, listened to Christmas music and, sometimes, just the sound of silence.  It was very renewing for me.

After that, I came home and the kids and I had lunch.  I rested for about 20 minutes and hit my workout while Tom was drilling the children on mopping the floor!  Don't I have the most wonderful husband ever?

Today I've been meditating on the knowledge that God will work in me the things that please Him.  Think about that.  All we have to do is surrender.  The rest is his job.  And he will do it. Doesn't that make you want to break out in praise?

Today I told the Father that my resolution for the coming year is to enjoy Him.  So often I think about serving him, pleasing him, crying out to him and a million other things but never just enjoying him. As a child in a Daddy's lap does.  This year, I'm praying for that experience to become as much a part of my life as breathing is.

What are you looking forward to during the coming year with YOUR Father?  Ask him and I know he will be willing to hear.  He is, after all, the perfect Father who gives us every good and perfect gift.

Today's workout:  Tonya Larson's Step Pump, step workout only; KCM 30 MTF Body Training, Hip Mix (ouchie floor work for the glutes, hips and abs)

What I'm reading:  31 Days of Praise by Ruth Meyer

What a fun, crazy day we had!  I got up to walk Rocky and it was 25 degrees, brrrr.  I can't complain after my friend Kel told me she had 19 inches of snow at her home in Buffalo!  Eek!! 


After the kids got their written work going, we did some fun math probability exercises.  We took some Hershey's Special Dark M and M type candies and divided them into colors.  We put 35 in a cup~20 of one color, 10 of another, 5 of the final.  We came up with the percentage of times that we should draw certain colors out.  Two times we did this 10 times and came pretty close.  We also discussed how the more times you do this the closer it would come to fitting into the probability tables.  Of course when we were done the candies disappeared into the childrens' mouths!


Wes, Tyler and I also watched a science program from History International while we ate lunch.  It was on prehistoric animals and was fascinating.  Did you know that there are scientists who study the respiratory systems of beetles and can tell you how they breath and how it determines how large they can become? 


After school and my workout, we ran an errand to pay for some fruit Maddie sold for her American Heritage Girl troop and then went to Petland to purchase a Crittertrail for Twinkie, the hamster we inherited.  It is so much fun to watch him running, crawling and climbing~a far cry from the little jar he'd lived in while a tiny thing.


I find myself being grateful for my children. They say the funniest things and simply bring me such joy and laughter. Today I'm particularly grateful that I've gotten to share this much of their lives with them.  God is truly good to me.


Today's workout:  30 Minutes to Fitness LIFT.  I did the Powersculpting workout and bonus core work from the Body Refiner section of the DVD.

Tis the season~to spend all your money at the dentist office.   I had to have a cavity/crown done early this afternoon and needed to concentrate on school with the kids this morning.  1 hour, $900 spent and one temporary crown in my mouth later I decided that one of my kids should be a dentist.  That's my brilliant retirement plan.;)

Well, I did manage to concentrate on school, though.  We did science work today.  The kids are graphing the highs and lows of the weather for the next week, and seeing any patterns they can find as to when it is warmest, coldest, etc.  We also examined different weather maps to see the colors used to see types of precipitation, highs and lows, temperatures, etc.  And, just to remember how much fun it was to be in 8th grade, I got to do some Algebra with Wes.

No workout today, just too busy with school, dentist, and then church and Hanging of the Greens.  I've been toying with giving my body and extra rest day each week anyway. 

Just haven't had it in me to write lately.  It's not been the busy nature of life, that's always there.  I've just been emotionally and intellectually tired, if that makes sense.  I needed a break from my normal routine so I took it.

We studied the usual Thanksgiving things in unusual ways last week and had a good time doing so.  This week we're looking at winter as a theme with our other homeschool work and have done some fun things. 

One of the things we've enjoyed the most is studying Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."  We studied Frost himself, discussed what the poem was saying and the power of poetical speech.  Wes, Maddie and Tyler all took a hand at writing their own winter poem and the results were astounding~they were all three really good!  I'll have to ask the children if I can post them here.

Today we studied this history of Advent and the science behind the Winter Solstice.  And, the kids are all three working on a short story about a type of toy they would invent and how it would work.

I'm blessed beyond measure.  I sometimes find myself being introspective and a bit down this time of year, thinking I should do more or be more like so and so.  But God is there, reminding me that the only person I need to hear "well done" from is my Father. And he's crazy about me.

So I pray we all take time this season to soak in his grace.  To look back with gratitude for the first advent, God in a body, and reach forward in anticipation to the second advent, God triumphant.  That's one thing I certainly want to celebrate.

Workouts:  I started a Kelly Coffey-Meyer rotation last week.  Here were my workouts:

Monday, November 22~New You Coming, body sculpting
Tuesday, November 23~30 Minutes to Fitness (MTF), Kickboxing workout number 2
Wednesday, November 24~30 MTF LIFT~Powersculpting and Body Refiner Abs
Thursday, November 25~Thanksgiving, off
Friday, November 26~Cardio/Sculpt Fitness, Sculpt Premix
Saturday, November 27~Get Ready, Step Go
Sunday, November 28~Rest Day
Monday, November 29~30 MTF LIFT, Olympic Lifting
Tuesday, November 30~30 MTF Cardio Blast, Athletic Step; V-Core Floor Core and Stretch

What I've been reading:  John Grisham, Surviving Christmas (cute book)
Livia Washburn, The Christmas Cookie Killer
Murder For Christmas Short Stories, ed. Thomas Godfrey

I enjoyed the serendipity of a different kind of day.  Last night Tom, my husband, told me that he was going to Atlanta for some errands, etc. and would take Maddie and Tyler with him to visit his mom for a few hours.  So early this morning off they went with their school books to have a day away.  Wes and I went to breakfast together after we walked the dog and then he came home to get his schoolwork done as well.

I got some extra cleaning done~dog blankets, throws, slipcovers, etc~then did my workout.  After that I went to the mall, which I never do, and spent Maddie's money on some clothing she wanted at Justice.  It was fun to buy her clothing with her own hard-earned money!!

Now I have cookies baking in the oven to take to the Hayride/Bonfire and then I will to take Wes to his overnight scouting event. Do you remember Oatmeal Scotchies?  I've not had one of those in YEARS and they're as good as I remember, yummmmmm......

I'm looking so forward to being at home tomorrow and mopping some floors, washing sheets and bedcovers, and watching football with no where else to be all day.  When I was younger I would have died having to stay home all day on a Saturday and "be bored"  but now that I'm older, I appreciate the beauty of days unfolding before me with no plans.  Thanks God, for the gift of downtime.

Today's Workout:  Slim Series Firm it Up (hour long lower body workout~I bet I'm a bit sore in the lower half tomorrow.)

Today we had a great learning experience.  Aside from the usual coursework, Mary Madison wanted to go shopping for some things for a sleepover she has tomorrow night.  Since she's been babysitting, she has been saving her own money and learning about tax, interest, etc.  She bought some things and discussed the benefit versus cost of various items.  She's turning into a savvy shopper and I'm really proud of her.

Tonight I have Bible Study and Tom is in charge of dinner for the kids.  I love those nights!

Tomorrow evening we have a hayride with the homeschool group and Wes is spending the night and cooking BBQ for a sale with his scouts.  I'm so excited about having a Friday morning off and a Saturday with no soccer.  The Lord is truly good, isn't he?

Today's workout:  Kelly Coffey Meyer Get Ready Step Go (cardio step workout and standing abs)