Laughs for the Day!

     My kids.....Oh, How I love them!  They drive me crazy...but they also delight me, entertain me, teach me.  I am a blessed woman!

A few funnies from our house lately....

     Lydia, who loves Polar Bears and has a huge collection, has a favorite bear named POLEY (pronounced Pole and then E).  She has also taken up reading EVERYTHING and ANYTHING including tags.  A few weeks ago she wondered aloud why so many things were made of "POLEY ESTHER".  We had a nice chuckle and when we asked her exactly what she thought "POLEY ESTHER" was she said, "polar bear fur".  Why didn't I think of that?

     Now my kids aren't the only funny ones......we spent a weekend at the beach with my brother and his kids and they were all a riot!  My dad, better known around here as Pa, arrived a day after the rest of the crew.  So when he arrived we all sat down to catch up with him.  He said something to me followed by "Sweetie".  Audrey turned and looked at him and said,
"Why did you call her sweetie?  You are just a friend." 
We laughed so hard and then assured her that it was okay for Pa to call me sweetie because I was his little girl.  She was stunned.  How she has missed this over the years I have no idea....but now she knows!  All the cousins were interested in learning who was related to whom and how.  After she finally had it down she announced she hoped that this year she could become an uncle!  Now Joshua, her cousin, refers to her lovingly as "Uncle Audrey!"

     Jackson went to Andrew's football game with Randy last weekend.  A mom of one of the boys on the team, who also goes to our church, was in a covered tented area cooking hot dogs for the game.  Randy and Jackson waved hello and went on to the game.  A few hours later Randy was chatting with our youth minister, when someone asked has anyone seen, Mrs. _________________?  To which Jackson quickly replied.  "Yes, she is in the tent cooking with some man who is NOT her husband!"  We did clarify afterwards that while we do want to be very careful not to give any impression of impropriety (and she was not) that it is in fact okay to cook at sporting events with other peoples husbands!
Love my boy!

Finally, today on the way home from Weight Watchers Lydia was complaining of a stomach ache.  She didn't feel good and thought she may throw up.  Audrey without cracking a smile said, "Do you think you might be pregnant?"

Ha!
Kim

School

School is goodish except when it isn't.  It is full.  It is all day.  It is non-stop.  It keeps me hopping!

Andrew- is a high school sophomore!!!!
At co-op he is taking:
Environmental Science
Spanish
Worldview (BEST class EVER)
World History
British Literature

Extra Curricular
Guitar Lessons
Football (and basketball in the winter and swimming in the summer)
Youth Group and Home Fellowship Involvement
Helping Care for Great Grandma

Other Classes
Critical Thinking (meets once a week in Chapel Hill)
Principals of Micro Economics (online class that was TOTALLY self-initiated)

Home
Personal Devotions
Algebra II
Grammar
Reading the following books:
         Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
         The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty
         Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
         Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
         Here I Stand by Roland Bainton
         Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan
         A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
         Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
         Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
         Eric Liddell: Pure Gold by David McCasland
         The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
         Animal Farm by George Orwell
         The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis


Sophie is in fifth grade
At co-op she is taking
World view
Science
World History: Middle Ages
Art
Spanish
Writing

Extra-Curricular
Girl Talk Group
The Gospel Project and Home Fellowship Involvement
Helping Care for Great Grandma and Lincoln
Starting training for 1 mile run
(Hoping to start gymnastics very soon, plans to play basketball in the winter)

Home
Family Devotions
Math
Reading Tutoring (includes spelling instruction)
Grammar
Phonics
Penmanship-Cursive
Writing
Language
Story Time (Just completed The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and started Harriot the Spy)

Jackson, Lydia, Audrey-the twins are in second grade and Audrey is in first grade.
At Co-op
Music and Devotions
Science
World History: Ancient Times
Art
PE
Language Arts
Playtime

Extra Curricular
Lydia-Dance and Piano
Jackson-(plans to play basketball in the fall and would like to do karate.....)
Audrey-Dance
All-involved in choir, The Gospel Project, Home Fellowship, Helping with Lincoln, and training for a 1 mile run.

At Home
Math (J/L one level, a another level)
Reading (each a different level and J is more a tutoring program)
Language Arts (all the same....First Language Lessons)
Writing (all the same......Writing with Ease)
Penmanship-Print (all the same Handwriting without tears)
Phonics (all different levels same publisher)
Spelling (L and a at different levels. J is part of his reading program)
They also watch a Magic School Bus movie each day for science :)
Story Time (with Sophie all the same)


My school day is:

• Devotions with 4 youngest and Lincoln
• Language Arts/Writing Instruction with 4 youngest.  Give leveled assignments to each child.
• Writing Instruction with youngest 4.  Give leveled assignments to each child.
• Bounce between kids and help/observe as they do Explode the Code Phonics sheets (2 sheets per child per day) and Penmanship.
• Math with instruction with Sophie
• Math instruction with Jackson and Lydia
• Math instruction with Audrey
• Snack for everyone
• Start Magic School Bus
• Read to 4 youngest from latest chapter book.
• Lunch
• Reading with Sophie
• Reading with Jackson
• Reading and Spelling with Lydia
• Reading and Spelling with Audrey
• Check Andrew's Math
• Grade Papers and put in folders.  Record Andrew's grades.
• Prepare for tomorrow.
• Help kids as needed with co-op assignments/homework
• Prepare for co-op

That is what we are doing this year!  It has been tough getting into the swing of things this year.  The house has been revamped, we have a new room mate, we have a packed schedule, and full course loads, and a couple reluctant learners.  Equal a lot......So we are still trying to figure it all out and leaning heavy on the Lord.  Day by day!  He has a plan and it IS good and it is FOR my good.

Being Conformed Daily,
Kim

Monthly Weight Update

Well....Another month has gone by.  I only lost 2.2 pounds this month.  UGH!  BUT.....Randy and I did run in our first 10K YEAH!!!  A 10 K is 6.21 miles.  Randy ran it in 50.14 and I did it in 1:08. 

My Mom and Dad, Randy's Mom and sister, My brother and his wife, and 2 nieces, 2 nephews, and 4 of our kiddos came to cheer us on and what an encouragement that was!  They would meet us on the course and cheer and hold signs.  So sweet!

About a month ago I injured my ankle and was under strict doctor orders not to run at all until my race.  So I did NO running for the 3 weeks prior to my race....well I did run back from Bob and Ruth's one time....just to test the ole ankle out....but other then that I was on my best behavior.  So I was nervous about being able to run it.  I was thrilled that I did it.  It really was a beautiful celebration of the change in my life.  I did have to stop and walk a little between miles 4-6, because my ankle HURT....but I did run almost the entire 6+ miles.  It felt so good to run again!  However....the day after....and every day since....including today....my thighs are screaming.  Going from no running to 6 miles as fast as you can is a little hard on the old body!  I had missed my running though.  My ankle held up fine and seems to really be on the mend.

One of the unexpected benefits of the race was that the kids got pumped up.  They all decided that they want to be runners too.  They asked if we would coach them. :)  So we agreed and they are planning to run in a one mile race as early as next month.  I am happy to see them excited about doing something so good for their bodies.  Training starts today....they are badgering me!

So my stats are one week shy of the 15 months mark and 86.8 pounds gone!  Randy is 14 and a half months in and has lost 102 pounds and is 2 pounds from his goal weight!!!!

So....the challenges continue. 

This month was hard.  Several things happened all at once that messed with my head.  Grandma moved in.  School started back.  I hurt my ankle.  This all made exercise next to impossible and I became very afraid that I was going to revert to old habits.  Eating to deal with the stress.  Not exercising because I got out of the habit and it took too much time. 

HOWEVER....

God really has changed me.  I am not exercising as much because I am injured....but I am not quitting.  I didn't want to go to Weight Watchers today....because I knew I gained weight. I ate a lot more then usual while we were at the beach.  Hello Krispy Kreme and Blue Bell Ice Cream!   I also hate to take the break from school to drive over and weigh in.  BUT....I decided to face the damage.  This is my real life.  It will not be success only.  So yes...I was disappointed I gained a pound.  I mean 3.2 would have been a much better report....but I'm glad I faced the scale.  I'm okay with the gain.  I'm not a lazy/glutton.  I am a busy woman, who is hurt, who was on vacation, who was celebrating her birthday, who had a fantastic time, who ran a 10K, who rode waves, who went for walks on the beach, who is more then a blip on the scale.  I also don't quit.  So even when life gets busy and stressful and weight loss becomes routine I will keep at, not because I am awesome, but because Christ is.  I will continue the journey.  I will lose that pound and more because I am going to use my body for his glory not for my comfort!

Still Swimming,
Kim