Happy Birthday Roo!

My sister's birthday is this week so we celebrated with her on Sunday we got LSU cupcakes, they were too cute!!  The kids had at least two each. 

Happy birthday Marissa.  Hope you have a great day- we will be celebrating at the flag football game on Tueaday!!

Saturday run arounds

Saturday the kids and I went for our usual lunch spot- McAllisters Deli. Bi told the kids we would have to scale down a bit because $30 for the four of us to eat lunch was not good on my budget.  We made it under $20!!

After lunch we took a 30 minute drive to show the kids our old house.  Jacob has been talking about it a lot lately so I wanted to run by there.

Afterwards we drove another 15 minutes to grab some yogurt. We had never been there before and I doubt we will go back. They didn't have plain vanilla, they were out of two flavors, and two flavors didn't have anything in them. 

So the $10 we save at McAllisters we spent on yogurt. Oh we'll. 

Weight Loss

Here we go again.  I have always struggled with my weight, more than those closest to me know.  

I did really well several years ago. I was a stay at home mom at the time, but then went back to work.  Wow! Five years later and I have gained over 60 pounds.  It's ridiculous. I have tried to get back on track but after a few weeks I always fall off again.  

Well I have GOT to do something. So this week I started back in Atkins. I know there are a lot of critics regarding a Atkins. But it works for me and I try to watch the fat intake a well. 

I started Tuesday and so far I have lost 6 pounds.  I know most of it is water weight but its enough to keep me motivated. 

My mom wants to plan a cruise next year and I refuse to go if I don't loose the weight.  

So here is to losing!

Fire Station field trip

Jace's class went on a field trip to the fire station. Jace says he wants to be a fireman so he was really excited. Plus one of the firemen was his Sunday School teacher last year, Mrs. Lisa.   Jace didn't want to have his picture made in the fire truck but I made him take a group picture with his class. He started telling me his stomach Hirt, not sure if he was for real or I he was trying to get out of taking a picture.

This is as far as Jace would go into the firetruck. 

Flag football and pumpkin patch field trip

Yesterday Jace went on his first field trip with his K4 class.  He rode a school bus for the first time!!  He was super excited! We went to the pumpkin patch. We saw animals, took a hay ride, picked a pumpkin, and played on farm swings.  We had so much fun.  He picked the smallest pumpkin he could find.  He carries it with him to his brother's football game.  He sat with it on the couch to watch his tv shows.  He even got to paint it. He just loves that pumpkin. 

Jacob had his 7th flag football game last night. He is really loving flag football.  We missed the sign up for tackle football, but we will make sure not to miss that deadline next year. 

Here are a few pictures they took at the game last night.  His referee is his pitching coach also.  The coaches got a little heated last night.  We couldn't hear much from where we were sitting but we could tell. 

Catch up

If you haven't noticed I just downloaded the blogger app so I am playing catch up. 

Here are a few pics from this year. 

Jace with his new goggles.  

JoAnnain her gymnastics uniform. 

Jace singing in the choir. He is front row, green shirt, holding his ambulance. 

Jacob sparring with Mr. Steven. 

Jacob sparring Mr Seth. 

Jace at the yogurt place. 

Jacob won 1st place his first time sparring in a tournament. 

 I finally got my kayak. My sister got one too!

Jacob and my sister kayaking 

Keith kayaking. 

Jacob's first time on n or plane. Went with CC and Papaw to Texas. 

Our Saturday tradition: lunch at McAlliaters 

Jace about to have his tonsils and adenoids taken out. 

Braves baseball game. 

Summer fun with water balloons. 

JoAnnas birthday.  She wanted a rainbow loom. 

Me and my mom parasailing on a ladies trip to the beach. 

MBraves benefit game for Carter Brown. 

Labor Day weekend at CC and Papaws. 

Visiting the space museum. 

Jace's birthday at CC and Papaws. 

 Creation museum with Nana, Papa and the Smiths. 

 

Louisville slugger factory and museum 

Upward fla football

Skate Day Field Trip

Yesterday we took a fuel trip with our homeschool group to the skating rink in my hometown.  Which is 30 minutes from our home.  I have been wanting to take my kids for years but never got around to it. 

We had such a great time. Not sure if they will continue to meet at this location or not.  The kids missed their cousins,it would   have been an hour drive for them.  The other location opens to all area homeschoolers once a month, but were closed this month for repairs.  So we will have to wait until next month to skate with the cousins. 

Art/School Room Makeover

Our school room has been a mess for a LONG time to the point I hated to even walk into the room.  Actually we have been doing school work at the kitchen table because the school room was so unorganized I couldn't stand the sight of it.

I knew we needed more bookshelves but had yet to find any locally that would fit the room and my budget. So I resorted  to ordering online.  

Happy  birthday to me! The shelves came in this past Friday and Sunday afternoon I put all three of them together. I love the space.  Well half of the room is now organized.   I still new to work on the other half which is mostly my "project" box and other things.  

We were able to do school work IN our school room Monday.  It was great.  We only have one large desk, instead of one for each child.  Works out much better.  I can get Jacobs individual work do e, then combine them for group work.  Then he is done and I can work on JoAnna's individual work and then Jace's. it works much better to work with one child at a time rather than have them all in the room all day together. Less distraction and less fighting. 

So here are a few pictures of our art/school room.

I even pulled this bean bag chair out of the garage to use as a little reading nook.  I bought it as a prop for photography sessions. Works great in this space!!

The kids helping me put together the shelves. 

36 before 36

Yeah I am going to try it again.  I still have a lot of the same things from my "34 before 34" list however I am slowly checking things off my list!!!

This time I wrote my list in sharpie and then water colored over it.  This was a little New Year's Eve project we did at the daycare.  The kids loved it.  I had seen it on Pinterest for a "Summer To Do List" and wanted to do it with my "36 before 36 list".  Now if I can only check off a few things! 

One thing I have check off already...

...taught Jacob how to ride his bike without training wheels!!

I still need to teach JoAnna but I got the 8 year old riding which was the main goal.
There was one other thing I had on my list that I did not include in my artwork.  I did accomplish it! So that is two things so far!

A few things I failed miserably at...

... make one Christmas gift per month

...journal weekly

... more time with God.

I am still optimistic and think I CAN accomplish these things. 

I am VERY close to finishing my CDA (Child Development Associate), I think I will be done by the end of March with the 120 coursework.  Then I will just have to complete an observation by my advisor, a test and then a review by someone from D.C.  Wow! Getting a little nervous about that!

I really need to simplify.  We have too much stuff in our house.  I really have a hard time letting go of things.   I think as soon as I get rid of them I will need them.  So I hate getting rid of stuff but I know it'll make my life easier-"less is more".  HOpefuly I can work on that more this year!!