It's getting crowded in here

So I'm all over the place. Originally this blog was for my homeschooling ramblings. I've kinda departed from that and started a new blog for Fitness and then squished every other good thot into this space. It's time to reclaim my spaces and separate out the thots. Time for yet, another blog. I like to organize and space my thots out so that's what the new blog will be for. So the homeschool journey continues and remains the school space. The other blogs will be for exactly what they are for. Thanks for journeying along with me these years of sporadic posting. As homeschooling winds down, I'm finding more time in my day for such things. And some seasons are fuller than others. Do you find that too? I'll be posting the new blog soon. Stay tuned for blog #3!

The New Blog

Forgot to give you the link to the new blog!

http://radianceinsimpleexercise.blogspot.com

Come on over for some inspiration and my real life journey from flab to fab! :)

Bootcamp is coming....

Well my booty is in need of camp. After a winter of recovering from Retinal Eye Surgery, it's time to firm up the flesh! I'm so grateful for the group of ladies that joined in last spring and came out to our Fantastic Free Park Workout in what started as a 4 week challenge and turned into a summer of mornings and exciting change in all our fitness levels. Well, I feel like I'm starting over in some ways and in others, so happy we did that, I believe it was my over all level of fitness that really helped me in such a complete recovery. I was still able to ski this winter a bit, which was really important to me, ballet was given back and now, running is my next mountain to conquer. I had to lay down the kettle bell, but that's easy to pick up again and get going. So my plan is that there is 8 weeks till the ballet recital. With the help of the motivation going on at Peak 313 I'm convinced that things will move rapidly! Can't wait to be feeling fitter and looking so forward to the journey in getting there.

Finishing strong

March Break always gives me a boost. I get recharged and excited again about finishing but also about choosing where we'll go next year in our studies! This year we've been digging deep into the Battle of 1812. We went on the most amazing day hike in the Niagara Region and visited many many sites that were crucial to Canada winning the war. We even found the spot where our troops climbed the escarpment to over take the American troops and win the war. If it wasn't for that moment, Canada would be America. Don't get me wrong, I love our American neighbors and have many friends who live there. Yet, I can't imagine a world without my Home and Native land. I AM Canadian and grateful to all our folks in service both now and in the past, who have laid down their lives, their health, time with their families, so that I can enjoy being free to vote, blog, home school, attend church, have access to medical care when I need it, and to just be free. It's so critically important. So thank you.
From my heart, thank you.
As for finishing strong, we're pressing on. Almost there. 2 1/2 months left really, of grade 7 and then onto the last year. The prep year! In order for me to finish strong I need to have some things lined up right. Most importantly, my own health. Recently I lost 65 pounds. Slowly tho, I allowed 10 lbs to creep back on and then, I had surgery. During that time another 10 crept back. I'm not at all impressed by this nagging 20 pounds and am very ready for it to go. I gave up sugar 48 days ago and it's going well but I only moved 5 pounds off. So clearly it's time to move the body beyond a morning walk. It's bootcamp season. Almost. The snow is trying to melt which means the streets will be cleaned soon and running will be more comfortable. So I'm heading back out for a daily run...walk/run to start. :) AND...I'm excited to be following the Peak 313 "Try It" Challenge. It starts next Monday. Can't wait! This week I'll walk more, try some running and will begin with my kettle bell again. Now that I know I'm healed from surgery, it's time to get back to it. :) A little do over! I'm very excited. You can link up too!

A Homeschool Hop

Here's one for fun! Join in a Homeschool Hop where you can read the blogs of many different styles and families journeys. Always worth checking out.

The many ways of homeschooling...

I'm enjoying a series by Courtney this week on homeschooling. I like her. She's fresh, she's lovely and her heart is for the Lord. She is living the way her Father has called her to. No apologies. I like that. Her ways are not my ways, as our ways are not our Fathers ways, but He leaves room for us to grow to Him. Courtney leaves room for us to ponder and lean in. I like that too. So link in to Women Living Well. She's onto something. Happy Day!

It's almost over

Strange, it's almost done. The homeschooling journey is feeling like it's creeping up to a close. I have one home with one and a half years left. Powerful moment, because I clearly remember day one. Our days are not so full anymore, not so rushed and a little bit melancholy even. But still worth while and wonderful. Never would I change a moment. Well, that's a lie actually. If I think back to day one, I can see a hundred ways I would do better. But being on this side of the fence is easy. It's always easy to look backward and say I wish I had...but that won't fix or change anything. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had in this, grateful for the friendships I've made and who God has allowed me to become. My second education through primary school is almost complete, I'm not where I was, but I'm not where I'm going to be yet either. Praise God!

RePost of the 10 Things list

So way back I posted a 10 things in 10 days list. Here's a revisit of that thing. It was a great movtivator for sure, but life happened, and the list did not. :D I'm good with that. Because the cool thing about lists is, I'm in charge of it, not the other way around. So I'm going to redo the list and make it fit my now. What's your list?

Here's mine from the beginning of summer.
1. clean carpet in living room (bought the soap...)
2. finish Simon's grad scrap book (during advent)
3. organize mudroom for fall (done)!
4. remove anything not conducive to sleep from my bedroom (done)
5. paint muskoka chairs (spring)
6. power spray the deck (leaving till spring due to tree removal)
7. lay mulch around pool (bought it...still sitting there)
8. paint JP's bed (spring redo of whole room will include this one)
9. remove wallpaper in Sara's room (one layer done)
10.frame and order grad pictures for Simon's diploma set (in the mail)

New list
1. clean carpet before cookie exchange at end of November
2. fix toilet seat and taps in 2nd bathroom
3. book shelves up in bedroom
4. organize mudroom for winter
5. clean out the linens in cupboard
6. fall displays away, begin christmas decorating
7. make list of christmas to do's
8. declutter basement music area
9. scotchguard couches
10.move drums and vacuum

Okay, lets see if this works better. :D You in with me?

Life is full and good

There is so much to do. Do you have that? I'm not at all complaining, in fact, I'm actually quite grateful that the words, even, the thought, 'I'm bored' can't escape my lips. I can't remember the last time I was bored. What a blessing. In fact, I remember thinking as I was drifting off to sleep last night, that laying here for 8 hours is crazy. I could be doing something! I'm always excited to get up, to 'start' my day. I'm usually really ready for something to begin! I know that some days are easier than others to wake up to, like when the sun is out and bright early in the morning, it's really easy to jump up and begin living again. But I love sleeping too. At the end of a full and complete day, I love dropping into my bed, reliving my day in thought and picturing my next one. What a blessing that today I got to enjoy my next one. I never want to take advantage of that. God is good to me. I'm crazy about Him. The scriptures say he rejoices over me with dancing! Can you imagine? The God of the universe, dances over me. And you too! He loves us that much. And while we sleep and renew our bodies, he still dances over us. Oh, how he loves us.

Back at it...again

I tend to do that. To just stop. Not sure why, if it's life being so full, or lack of attention to the things that I like because I'm so busy. I choose to not beat myself up, jump back in and move on. That's my plan in the natural. In the supernatural, I know my God is just waiting on me to do a new work in me. He maintains me, prunes me, organizes my ways to his, when I let him, if I was really honest, that's not very often. I love control. I home school. Where in your life do you need to let go? I'm not sure if it's letting go of my kids, or just letting things shift and change and move the way they should. When things are the same for a long period of time and then change comes along, it can be hard. But it can also be exciting! New beginnings. Do you like change? I do, mostly. Some change I could do without, but I love new-ness. That's why I love my Jesus so much...he came to make ALL things new. Even my controlling nature can be made new to something better; surrender. Today, in the grayness of fall, I surrender. A good and exciting surrender, not a defeat. A renewal, a shift of season. A surrender that I don't have to have it all together, I don't have to know everything, I can be simply me, knowing that Jesus will love me right where I am. Things said, things unsaid, it doesn't matter. He alone is enough for me. He is my portion, I am his bride. We were born to praise him, to live for him, to direct our everything to him. As I try to maintain all my lifes stuff in the natural, it gets messy. When I rest in the supernatural love he has for me, clarity and order become like crisp water from the purest stream, touching my lips and filling me with a fresh and revived energy, a fullness that I can't describe. So why on earth do I run in the exact opposite direction? Do you?

Amazing grace?

Well this week has escaped me, but non the less, I felt like I needed to check in. Our first week of school was a bit of a strange one, sickness, moving dear friends, and just the whole business of starting is a strange thing. This week brought helping hubby at the family business, pointe shoes and the beginning of ballet. My all time favorite thing to do with my own self. Now that said, the pointe shoes are not mine, they belong to my very adept dancing daughter. I on the other hand...find myself in great need of abundant grace. This being my second ever year of dance should say much. Dancing is serious hard work. It requires something from you. A trust first of all, that you believe you can make your body move in a way that feels completely foreign but looks completely beautiful when someone else does it. And an understanding of rhythm...which I thought I possessed until last year. The whole counting thing in dance is lost on me. It's all I can do to stay upright without every part of my body shaking under the stress my muscles feel. Once the quiver begins, it's not pretty. Then the toe cramp kicks in and finally the butt cramp..yep, I said butt cramp. Honestly, my lovely teacher, Ms. Hannah, makes it look so graceful. She is lovely and strong. So in my minds eye, I pretend I am she and float and move with as much grace as I think I own. And it feels amazing. Grace? Not so much.

I'm listening

It's hard to be still, but the benefit is enormous. The payoff is sweet and so worth it. Stillness, I covet you and invite you into my busy stuff. Open my ears so I can hear the Divine, the lover of my soul, speak words of life and truth to my spirit. "Meet me, in the quiet of this room." Wanda Mann. Have you found that song that can bring you into that space, even when the chaos is running around you? Meet Me, by Wanda Mann is that song for me. It's the kind of song that when I close my eyes, I can hear silence even on a busy street corner, in the grocery store, anywhere. So today I pray Lord, you'll Meet Me, as I meet you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLUhIBelcxg

I win

A noticeable drop in workout buddies this week as we all return to our fall schedules. But I am not deterred. This should maybe be a tweek it post, but, it's a win instead. Learning to change direction and make something work is so important for the win. Knowing I need motivation to get the job done is the biggest thing for me. So when something isn't working, change it. It's okay to do that. If you make the rules, you can change them too. And...here's news...it's okay to say 'no, that doesn't work for me.' Try it with me...it starts with saying, no. Out loud now...say it...no. NO! Feel better? I'm excited for change. I'm excited for new beginnings and I'm most excited to be able to say, No. This isn't working for me. I need to change it. And, for my sisters in Christ to know that freedom too, blesses me beyond measure. So sisters, say it with me again...NO. Now, go out there and practice. If it sounds like a great blessing but isn't lining up with your best plan for your family, then say it like you mean it. "No". You win. I win.

Tender times

This morning was bitter sweet. I let my daughter go from the homeschool to the highschool today. The first time she's been in school since ending grade one! Wow! She looked beautiful in her kilt and uniform shirt. The picture of confidence and loveliness. And her brother, off for a victory lap in highschool. Sorting out his courses and confident he'll do so. So that leaves just me and Johnny P. A tiny homeschool family of one student and one child. Sweet. Bitter sweet. It's so quiet as I type this. It's a different quiet. Almost lonely. Well, here's to some excitement. I don't want to miss a thing, so I'm off to celebrate the first day of school with breakfast at gramma's and then off to begin our school day. It's a crazy life, but it's our life, someone once said. I like it's a full life instead. Full to overflowing somedays. I'll take it. Every stage, every season, every moment.

Labor Day

To me it will always be labour day. The day I became a mom for the very first time :D
Enjoy your day off...I am! School starts tomorrow. Grade 7, Grade 11 and Grade 12B which is another way of saying Grade 13. :D Ahhh, routine!

full on friday more like it!

It's actually Saturday, I couldn't post yesterday due to traveling to Huntsville to collect the man child. Yep, I have an adult child. First one too. I'm not sure exactly what that really means, and what actually changes, but whatever it is, I'm excited. I'm excited to have arrived at this place. It's not just a milestone birthday for him, but for us as well. Mom and Dad...successfully rear a child to this point. News flash, it CAN be done. And right there...freedom. How do I get freedom in this moment? Well, there's a certain level of satisfaction in bringing a newborn through all those stages to adulthood. Even though, this is the baby end of being an adult, he's here, he's made it. So I'm good with where we are. I'm sure there's more to come, so many 'mores' to come...finishing the next level of education, jobs, weddings, grandbabies...yep gotta slow down, but I look forward to these events. It's with great joy that I celebrate that I'm old enough to have a child this age. That I've arrived right along with him. Freedom for me, is knowing whose I am and knowing my kids are His too. Freedom is peace, that surpasses all understanding. So, even tho it's been a busy weird week, it's full of joy. Happy Birthday Simon, my first born. You bring me such joy and pride. I'm so blessed and pray that blessing into your life. As an adult...welcome to a very cool place. And I pray you know the same peace that I do. All your long, long life.

weary or dog tired

Have you ever been so beyond tired that thinking is an event? I'm there. More than weary? I'm there. I thot. Because that got me thinking...what is weary? What I'm feeling is dog tired. You know, the kind of satisfied at the end of the day, get a good shower, cozy bed and relax kinda tired. Weary doesn't leave. Weary won't quit, it's like a fog that won't lift. And it never really will unless...you go to Him. When Jesus said, 'come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest', I don't think he meant, come to me if your dog tired and I'll make you fall asleep fast. Jesus is the only way out of the fog. The only way. And when we go to Him first, he'll direct us in the ways we should go to seek help. To medicate or not to. The scriptures remind us that He is the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE. So if I want life and good life at that, I gotta know the truth to find my way. Weary is a tough place to be. I'm grateful tonight for dog tired.

You would not believe what happened!

So, we go to Huntsville on Friday last week to take our son to camp and get stuck in this MONSTER traffic jam. I'm talking people getting out of their vehicles, walking around, going for jogs, you name it. No moving. In park on the 407. 3 Ambulances, 2 Tow Trucks and an OPP go by... crazy. Then an hour later we go from 0 to 100 in however fast a minivan can...people were scrambling to get back to their cars, hilarious! So we're thinking there's gonna be bodies all over the road, a huge crash scene...nothing. No evidence of anything at all. I'm completely baffled.
So we get to Huntsville, have a lovely evening and drop the child off at camp. Only I leave my teen son and pick up an adult son. On Saturday he turns 18. Trying to wrap my head around that still. So Monday, as I'm pulling out of the driveway to go register my daughter for highschool...I see this hole in the soffit of my roof. Raccoons. Ugh. So I call the guy to come and take them out but on the other side of my house is an even bigger hole that I could climb in! Freaked out. Right there. So, $1000.00 later I have 2 doors on my roof that let the critters out but not back in. Good thing too! Cause that's nasty! In a week the guy comes back to take it all down, disinfect and repair the damage. So, my projects are falling behind. I'm okay with that.

10 Things in 10 Days list Update

Okay, so I didn't account for the rain. So the outdoor activities are way off schedule but the indoor things are coming along really well. Purged the bedroom. Now it's in my living room. But that's not so bad since I'm moving it down to the family room today to be shredded. I can't believe the paper work. Crazy. So the bedroom is looking really great. Today I'm working on the floor in the living room so that I can clean the carpet on Friday before we leave for Huntsville. That will work really well for me. I'm hoping the weather isn't crazy blazing this week and I can do the mulch out back and also spray paint the items in need. My list may extend beyond the 10 days, but it feels really great to have a plan. I might have to do this challenge again. I'm kinda liking the deadline. It's pretty fun. How about you? Are you working to a deadline? And if so, how do you organize your lists?

Freedom Friday!!!

Whooo hooo! Another week of bootcamp done! Check week 12 off the list. So a great conversation happened this morning during our stretch time. We've all realized that we're gaining weight. Okay, that was not the plan. The plan was to loose weight. I've gained 5 pounds since starting and a couple of my clothes are fitting tighter. Strange cause I thot muscle was smaller than fat...unless I'm bulking which really, isn't true at all. So, today is research day for me. I want to get to the bottom of this strange thing. It's not just me. Out of all the women this morning, 100% have experienced weight gain. What up wit dat? So in the spirit of freedom friday, I'm feeling actually really great about the fact that it's not just me, but I'm completely uncool with the gain. So, I've decided to post my foods. I journal what I eat anyway, so this is no big deal, but it is a bit more, (okay alot more) public. I think I'm beginning to realize my freedom in my weight isn't tied to a scale but more to how my clothes fit. And even there, it's a bit dicey because I can always buy another size. But measurements don't lie. I know that a woman should never exceed a 35 inch waist and men a 40 inch waist. This has something to do with the kind of belly fat that is very dangerous. So, therein lies freedom. Stay below 35. Done. Eat less, exercise more. Done. Live, love and laugh...be free. Working on it.

Food Journal so far today...

6:20 Protein Shake
6:30 -7:30 2 cups water
8:00 coffee
9:00 1 egg and toast with smidge butter
and 2 cups water