New Beginnings

I'm going to blog again this summer. I haven't done any blogging in so long, but I still remember how. I think my Facebook page has taken the place of blogging, which is fine, but there are times I can't say all I need to say on Facebook.

So we'll see how long I actually keep this up . . . will it be another 7 months before I post again?

School is out for me, and even though I started a week and a half before they did, my kids are out of school, too (thank you Bryan ISD for FYP). They both got commended scores on their Math and Reading TAKS tests and were at school the required number of days, so they were able to take an early leave of school. The kids who didn't do so well and missed a lot of days will be toiling away at school until June 4th.

So we're out. I finished all the teacher work I had to do last Friday, and I'm free! I always have big goals for the summer, when I have the time to take care of me and the house more. That's sad, isn't it? I put all my energy into my work, just about. That, and driving my own children to their "stuff."

Here are a few things we've got on the schedule this summer:
Howdy day Camp (B---Girl Scouts)
Softball season (Lar and B)
TNT Youth Conference (J----drama)
GS trip to Palo Duro Canyon (me and B)
BVT's production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr. (J)
Library actvities (including B volunteering with the programs for little kids) (both kids?)
$1 movies at Cinemark (me and the kids)
teaching Tabitha class and a 3s Bible class just for the summer (me! and J helps in another class)
Regional Track meet (Larry and B---and training her beforecompetition)
Church Camp---Bandina (the kids)
a visit with my sister and family when they come to Texas in July (all of us)
swimming (all of us)

We actually have a full summer planned out, and we'll be busy, but not too busy. Summer is full of freedom! Keeping everyone doing the things they love doing is my goal. Summer is when we actually have the time to enjoy our hobbies.

So, spread out, relax-----summer's here!

Embracing Sweat

I have been SWEATING here in Bryan. We hit 100 degrees yesterday, and expect to today----it's 4:23 and 96 degrees. We may still make it! But I really don't want to, of course! I do not take the heat very well. I have a fair complexion, burn easily, and just wilt in the heat. My face turns red, I feel weak, and when it's bad, I start to get white around my mouth and eyes. My raccoon look!

The disturbing news is . . . the average first 100 degree day in College Station is July 16th. We were one month early this year! Doesn't bode well for us.

I feel like I have to learn to embrace the sweat, because I can't get away from it. If I have to get in the car without cooling it off, I'm instantly drenched in sweat. If I go outside for any length of time, anywhere under the hair on my head, it's hot. As soon as I get out of my almost cold shower, I start sweating. I can't dry off before the sweating begins!

But one time of the day, I have been sweating on purpose. Bess's track camp is in its middle week, and I have been taking advantage of being there at the track. I walk around the track for about one hour each day. This week, I walked 11 laps (2.75 miles), Tuesday 12 laps (3 miles), and today I walked 3 miles again, 12 laps. Both weeks, I've only gotten to walk 3 times. This week we have a track meet on her 4th day. But last week, I did yoga two times, too. I'm proud of myself.

It may be my imagination, but I feel like since I've done this 3 times in the last two weeks, my stomach is smaller. This is my least favorite part of the body---this fat stomach!! But I really think it's getting better. I have one more week to walk during Bess's track, and after that, I plan on walking at 7 am instead.

Oh! Did I say it's 9:15 before I begin walking? It's very hot even by then, but the saving grace has been the clouds. It's been cloudy in the mornings. Of course this means we have high humidity, but at least the sun isn't beating down on us all.

This past school year I got into some bad habits and gained some weight. Here are some good habits I have been trying to nurture this summer---now that I have no excuses:

Walking 3 miles 3 days a week

Yoga twice a week (one 30-minute DVD, one 50 minute DVD)

high fiber breakfast (I'm looking for >5g of fiber)

less soda, more water (or decaf tea with Sweet n Low)

a daily SPF 15 lotion on my exposed body parts---face, legs, arms, neck, ears


Hope you're enjoying your summer! I'm feeling good about myself again.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, May 30th

Today's PhotoHunt theme is books. Ahhh . . . summer . . . the time for reading club at the library. Half of our books are from the library here in this picture. These are the books we are reading currently. B has the record of 3 books going---A Brief History of Pants (Poskitt); Eggs (Spinelli), and Pizza, Pigs and Poetry:How to write a Poem (Prelutsky). J and I have two each, and Larry has only one. We haven't moved on to new books from what I wrote in the previous post!

If you'd like to see more books, go to TNChick's site and have a look! next week's theme is advertisement.

It's Summer!

I'm out of school, the kids are out, and MY DAY is on my schedule once again! Sorta.

I'm SO glad to get the summer going.

I input all the summer options into the Yahoo calendar and we have an option for almost every day this summer. Included are calendars from:

The Library (both the regular program and the Teen program J could go to)
The Movie Theaters ($1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays @ 9:30---both our local ones!)
Troupe activities (J)
Summer Track (B)
Church camp (J and B)
Craft days at Michael's
Softball (we're stil not done)
Paydays!
Middle School band camp (J)

That's a full summer. Of course many things are just optional.

B is already half-way through her public Library reading chart---and she's doing 45 minutes per segment! J has an hour per segment, and he's doing fine. But B is reading like crazy. It may have something to do with computer time being tied to reading and chores. But it really doesn't---B just loves to read.

I'm also making an effort to raise my kids' appreciation for the lowly sandwich. I even got some Provolone for J---he makes a wonderful warm Turkey and Provolone on white bread. I got some beautiful tomatoes for my sandwiches! Kroger had some yummy ones for $1 a pound. And chicken tenders on sale for a great price---making a casserole for Diane's family tomorrow.

I've been successfully limiting computer time around here. I have an equal work for equal time on the computer plan, for the most part. B picked up dog poop for a 3 times bonus this morning! ;-o It was really yucky----I had to help her at least this first time. So 10 minutes of gross work got her a half-hour on the computer this afternoon. J got 5 minutes for taking out the trash (this one takes so little time, I just had to give a whole 5 minutes). I'm adding onto a list as I think of some more unusual jobs or things that need to be done only occasionally. The hard part is (and I saw this coming), there are chores that need to be done more frequently that the kids don't really want to do. But we have to do them! So far my plan is that I expect them to do about 3 jobs a day, and I get to pick one. Hopefully this will get the more necessary jobs done.

And get our house back in order!! Yikes, it's so out of control right now.

I have great hope for our summer, though! ;-) Hope you are already enjoying yours.