9 Quick Takes - Homeschool Focus

I really want to post about homeschooling, but I want to journal, but I have other stuff to share, so the "7 Quick Takes" form won this afternoon.  Unfortunately, as I finally got all my "thoughts" out there it turned into 9 takes.  Deal with it - oh and consider yourself warned! :)

1) Homeschooling this year is AMAZING so far!!  For real!  Partially because my children are geniuses!!

*Rebekah is so motivated and can do A LOT on her own.  Seriously, this girl can practically homeschool herself.  And she LIKES me and WANTS to do what I think is important.  Can life get any better?!?!  :)

*Samuel is SO SMART!!  I have to sit and "help him" or he will run off and play with his brother, but he catches on really fast and is doing amazing.  He is reading chapter books to me (very slowly, mind you) and flying through his site words cards.  He is a wiz at Math and now picking up geography like nothing.  He cuts well and his writing is legible!  (What more can you ask from a first grader?!?!)

*But perhaps the most surprising is Jacob.  He has not been interested in anything very academic AT ALL up to this point.  He has his blocks and he is happy.  But suddenly, it is as if a switch has been flicked in his brain.  He is getting "serious" over his "schoolwork."  He is a cutting fool and has got quite a bit figured out in the letters and sounds department.  He REALLY likes rhyming and is getting better at writing.  His Math is not too shabby either.  Who knew?

*Paul is. . . well, he is enthusiastic, but let's be real, he is ONLY THREE.  So he keeps trying to do what his big brother Jacob is doing, but although he has the desire, he does not really get it all that much yet.  He is a wiz on puzzles, though (real, connecting puzzles - not those wimpy one piece in one slot jobbies), and loves to cut and color.  So I think he is on track for pre-school.

2) Homeschooling this year is AMAZING so far!!  And I think a lot of it has to do with better scheduling on my part.  Last year I never really came up with a real workable schedule.  I think it was because I was still of the mindset that I needed to run our "homeschool" like "real school" and that really was not working for us.  So I fought with that all year and we ended ok, but it was really frustrating for a long time.  This year I am more realistic about things.  We are not going to cover EVERY subject EVERY day.  Some subjects are really important to me and we will cover those (such as Catholicism, Scripture, Reading, Writing).  Most other subjects are at least twice a week with some special exceptions.  So far it is working well for us, but I foresee more tweaking in the future as I feel out if we need to add curriculum or take some things out.  Anyhow, if you are curious to step into the "heart of our homeschool" feel free to click here for our "schedule."  (Side note: We have a different schedule for each week day.  That is just how we roll around here.)

3) Homeschooling this year is AMAZING so far!!  And it is partially due to one of my oldie but goodie ideas that I call the "visual track."  I make it up in a spreadsheet document.  I actually do this in lieu of lesson plans.  Each "lesson" (however I want to break it down - a page, a few pages, a chapter, etc) is put in its own box.  The columns are the subjects (or book titles).  As they complete each "lesson" they color in the correct box.  This way we know EXACTLY where we are and where we are going. We all love it very much.

4) Homeschooling this year is AMAZING so far!!  And part of it it is because of these cool desks we picked up off the local want-ads.  They were from an old high school that shut down.  They work great because. . . there is no need to shift the chair, they can be easily hauled all over the living room (as I put pads under the feet and we have hardwood), they really do not take up much room, and THE KIDS ALL LOVE THEM!!

5) Homeschooling this year is AMAZING so far!!  And perhaps a  little of it is due to the fact that I was able to get quite a bit of cleaning/organizing done in "the study" before the year started.  Thanks so much to Nana and Papa (my parents) and Grandpa and Grandma (Gordie's folks) for each taking the kids for a couple days so I could paint more on my house and do organizing/cleaning/school prep.

"The Study" (aka where we store a bunch of stuff and sometimes do schoolwork - we really like to do our school work all over the house and outside some too - we are just cool like that :)

"The Study" from the inside looking out.

6) I am still working on getting the house painted.  It is taking forever and I knew it would.  It does not help that I am NOT a neat painter AT ALL.  So I often have to go back and touch up several times for it to look "presentable" but I am definitely getting closer.  I'm hoping to have it all done before it snows.  We shall see how that goes. . .

I KNOW I have a picture of our house in all it's original green and off-white glory, but I CANNOT find it.  (It does not help that I have changed computers at least six times since taking it.  I know it exists. . . somewhere. . . I'm just not sure where right now.)  Anyhow, this is an OLD picture (that is Rebekah and Samuel on the stairs) but it shows some of the original color and paint scheme.

Again, this is to show you the original colors of the house (not a great picture for it, but you can kinda make it out).  And I should note, the door is the same color green (even though it is open in this picture and you cannot really tell).

Hello Cherry Cobbler Red!!  Yum yum! :)

And new color scheme, complete with new door color.  It practically looks brand new!!

7) Rebekah is REALLY into reading and I LOVE THAT!!  Gordie really likes reading.  Seriously, that man reads books like most people watch TV.  He reads a book every night!  (ok, not a whole book, but he is reading a book - and I mean, for several hours)  Anyhow, I like reading, too and I think it is very important.  I am so glad that Rebekah has lots of time to enjoy reading at her leisure.

8) I mentioned in my last journal post that Miriam likes to wear pants (or shorts).  Well, here are some shots of her in her "pjs of choice" (the onsesie is what I WOULD put her to bed in, the shorts are her addition that she INSISTS upon).

Rebekah is "helping" her smile here.  She often gives me a good smile initially when I pull out the camera, but my camera is ALWAYS too slow to catch it .  (Usually it has to charge the flash - dumb regular battery-powered camera - such a pain!!)

Miriam likes Paul's bed a lot.

9) I tried to take a picture of the kids after Mass this morning. . . Miriam was not really in favor of this endeavor.

Oh brothers :)

Low Impact Series: Cardio Supersets

Low Impact Series: Cardio Supersets by Cathe Friedrich

General Background on the Low Impact Series:

First off, let me say I enjoy the entire Low Impact Series immensely and definitely recommend it.  As a whole it is very joint friendly - great for bodies that need a little TLC or pregnant/post-postpartum moms.  It definitely keeps it intense, but low-impact.  With that said, I will try to review each video on its own as you might or might not want to buy the whole series.

On to Cardio Supersets:

This video consists of several drills grouped in sets of two and repeated twice. It moves at a nice pace and keeps things interesting.  None of the exercises are too demanding or difficult.  All are low-impact.  Often she mentions modifications as she explains each movement.  The music is peppy but not annoying.  A good little work-out for some intense but not overly demanding cardio.

Tips:  Cathe counts out how many to do of each exercise and has her crew do them with her, but if you wanted to get crazy, you could just go all out as fast as you could and try to get as many done in the same amount of time she does them.  Likewise, she uses fairly light weight (or often no weight) and I found that to increase intensity I like to wear hand-weights or wrist weights or to increase the amount of weight I use for the weighted exercises.

Pros: Low Impact, but intense.

Cons: Short.  But there are fun premixes to make it longer (or shorter if you are pressed for time). Also, it is a little easier than a high impact intense cardio, so if that is what you are looking for, you will need to make some modifications

Intensity Factor: 6.5 out of 10 (8 out of 10 if you add enough "extras" such as weighed vest, gloves, ankle/wrist weights, or just heavier weights when she uses weights)

Recommended Fitness Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced (with modifications)

Journal #14

Out My Window:

It is dark now. . . but it was a BEAUTIFUL day.  It was a good mix of cloudy and sunny and thinking about rain, but not too humid, not too hot, not too windy, just beautiful.

Clothing Myself:

Lady Tiger Basketball tank top (from a camp in high school - lol), gym shorts, and I still have my gym shoes on as I just snuck in a work-out this evening.  I really need to shower and get ready for bed (as it is 10pm) but I have the post-work-out-buzz that has me in love with the world and my life and bubbling over with eagerness to tell you about it all!

Around the House:

We rearranged the girls' room a few weeks ago as we got some water in it (due to a few random, yet unfortunate circumstances, but we are fairly certain we have fixed the problem for good).  I REALLY like the new set-up and I might have to come back here tomorrow and add a picture (as I cannot go take one now since the kids are sleeping).  Rebekah is really pumped about it, too.  For a while (a couple weeks) we had all five kids in one room.  It actually was not as bad as I had feared.  The baby surprised me the most by seeming to really enjoy her siblings shenanigans (and then just lying down quietly - rather than throwing a major fit for her regular "routine" being off).  I think she might almost miss her brothers a bit now (but I also think she gets more sleep being just in with her big sister).  Rebekah was very vocal about how glad she was to be out of the boys' room, but she still complains about Miriam from time to time.  It is difficult to be the oldest and be the only one of her friends to have to share a bedroom I guess.  Perhaps when Daddy finds the time to build her loft bed we can find a place for it upstairs.  We shall see.

The Baby:

She is doing THE CUTEST thing ever right now (and it might or might not have been one of the major drives for this entire post).  

Tangent: It is funny how I am so much more observant of the behaviors of my later babies - I guess I know what to expect so I can enjoy it more instead of spending every moment freaking out that something is wrong or just flat out not knowing what to expect.

In any case, a few weeks ago, Miriam brought Gordie a pair of shorts (Paul's pj shorts to be precise - as he had left them out) and had Gordie help her put them on.  Boy she was sure pleased as punch to be wearing those shorts over her clothes!!  And since then she has had a thing for shorts and pants.  I find it entertaining as being the second girl after three boys, I have, of course, been putting her nothing but dresses and girly frilly clothes.  But now she seems to want pants!  And she does not just want them, but now SHE wants to put them on.  She has claimed a pair of Paul's pj shorts and wears them to bed.  And SHE PUTS THEM ON HERSELF!!  So adorable.  I can hardly believe how my baby is growing up :)

The Kids:

Paul is going crazy right now.  He is like a little Tasmanian devil.  SERIOUSLY!!  He can cause SO MUCH CHAOS and has NO CONSCIENCE about it AT ALL.  For example: the other day I made a meal for a friend who had just had a baby.  For dessert I had made a pan of brownies earlier in the day and put them on the back porch (enclosed, door shut) to cool.  Paul found them and helped himself to a fourth of the pan.  When I saw the pan I found him and sure enough his face was covered in chocolate!  And all he did as I raged was giggle and ask for more!!  In my little temper tantrum I might or might not have said something to the affect of: "NO BROWNIES FOR PAUL, EVER AGAIN!!" and my dear sweet Rebekah decided to immortalize the moment by drawing a picture of the event.

In general the kids are really doing great.  They play, the disagree, they love each other, they learn patience and lately, they have been behaving pretty well in church, too!! (Other than the baby, but she is just A BABY you know.)

In the Kitchen:

I do not really have anything new to add here.  I am cooking and we are eating.  Some meals are better than others.  Some days are better than others.  I continue to try and cut out the processed food and go more organic/natural, etc but I try not to have a heart attack when that does not happen and just roll with the punches.  I recently made Jacob's birthday cake: Blueberry Butter Cake and MAN it looks/smells AMAZING!!  It is unhealthy as all get out, but it is going to taste great for his birthday tomorrow.  I also whipped up some whole wheat carrot and apple muffins for breakfast (which are full of healthy stuff like raw sugar, real butter, applesauce, and coconut oil).

Crafting:

I'm not sure that it counts, but I finally have gotten to some of that GIANT mending pile.  I'm not really a seamstress or anything, but I do do a little hand-stitching here and there and it definitely keeps pillows from the trash heap and many clothes from being passed on.  I recently fixed a t-shirt of mine (had gotten a hole right on the seam in the armpit) and it makes me happy as it was one of those that "fit just right," you know?

Learning:

Our homeschool year is going to "officially" begin on August 26 and I am super-duper EXCITED!!  This year I am planning to wrap up our new school supplies and a few fun new education games and toys that I have collected.  The kids are not expecting it, but I think it will become a tradition for us as I imagine they are going to remember it well.  I have been cleaning and organizing in our "schoolroom" (which we call "the study") and it is ALMOST where I want it to be.  I need to get some copies made and our schedule figured out and we will be good to go. Just thinking of the joy I get while working with the kids makes me smile.  God is so good to us :)

Reading:

I have actually been reading the Chronicles of Narnia again.  My daughter is reading them and I want to be able to discuss them with her (as it has been a while since I last read them).  I am in the middle of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe now (but I started with The Magician's Nephew).  Rebekah is ready for A Horse and His Boy.

Bringing Me Joy:

*Working out!  I am finally "finding my groove" and just having a good time exercising.

*My baby.  She is so cute and I could just smile at her and make her giggle ALL DAY LONG.

*My sweet children.  They really are my world and I LOVE when they do something unexpected that just melts my heart or makes me laugh (in Paul's case, the laughter usually comes later. . . after the initial yelling, but eventually, the laughter comes :)

*My awesome husband.  Seriously, I definitely "got me a good one!"

Thinking About:

Going to bed. . . it is way late for me and getting enough sleep is tough!  And I still need to shower - LOL! :)

Bible Verse:

Let all that you do be done in love.  - 1 Corinthians 16:14

Pictures To Share:

Miriam is walking with a friend here.  Kayden was such a perfect gentlemen around her.

"Look at me!!" - Paul

7 Quick Takes. . . My Thoughts Right Now

This was basically a "stream of consciousness" post with numbers added, but it does feel good to get it out so I can recognize it all and MOVE ON!!  Without further ado. . . 

Relating to cleanliness

1) I like clean and orderly.  I like houses that are clean.  I like books stacked carefully on shelves.  I like folded laundry.  I like being able to walk around from room to room and not bump furniture or crush toys.  I LIKE these things a lot.  But, I think maybe God is calling me to embrace something other than my immediate pleasure and it is difficult and downright humbling.  My biggest struggle with homeschooling last year was not "cleaning up" before diving into lessons.  If I took time to "tidy up," chances were good we would not be getting around to those lessons that day.  (*NOTE: I am not talking about the kind of cleaning that MUST be done for sanitary reasons, such as left-overs int he fridge taken care of or mold cleaned from bathroom toilets.  I mean the more superficial cleaning, such as stacking things nicely, picking up toys, etc )

2) Lately I am feeling a rather pressing and seemingly unfair burden that is really making me grumpy.  If I make any sort of comment about cleaning, it seems that whatever company I am with is all too quick to turn the problem back on me and imply that I am obviously not doing a good enough job teaching my children to clean and pick up after themselves.  So not only do I not get what I would consider "fair whining," but I get reprimanded and made to feel even worse than before I voiced such a struggle.  With five children there is a lot of cleaning to be done.  Granted, my six and eight-year-olds help some (and MAYBE I am still struggling with holding them accountable to chores and such), but even having my oldest child do some tasks often means I have to either A) pester repeatedly until she finally "acceptably completes a task" or B) let it go with what she HAS done, which often involves stepping carefully around those sticky spots on the kitchen floor.  And I do not BELIEVE there is a power in this universe that can train my three-year-old to NOT DESTROY THINGS and/or pick up the destruction he causes properly.  And for the baby. . . well, destroying is part of learning so she is allowed to do so, but for anyone who has taught a fifteen-month-old to pick up toys and clean up messes, I will gladly bow to your expert tutelage!!

3) Blogs on the internet, especially the homeschooling ones I have been frequenting lately, often post pictures of IMMACULATE school rooms.  My children will not have their learning severely inhibited for not having it take place in one of those such rooms or in a spotless house.

Regarding homeschool attitudes toward curriculum and such

4) There is too much material out there for me to possibly do ALL OF IT with my children.  I really need to focus on what I have chosen so far and not be bullied into thinking I need more or different material in order for them to get the "optimal" learning experience. (even if said material is "free to download!")

5) This leads into my next idea which is still growing in my mind, but definitely taking on roots:  It really DOES NOT MATTER what curriculum I use or do not use.

6) What matters is my attitude toward my children and toward learning.  I am teaching them to love learning, not see if they can memorize every possible bit of trivia about EVERYTHING.  I am coming across things as I teach them, that I did no know before (seriously, I just discovered TODAY what an archipelago is!), and I graduated valedictorian from my high school (with a 4.0) and summa cum laude from my four years at college.  I really think of myself as fairly intelligent, but many of these simple things I have forgotten or seriously just did not know before and obviously I still made it through life, right?

7) Every moment of every day is a moment I ask myself, "Am I doing what God desires most for me and my family right now?"  And then I detach myself AGAIN from all those things I THINK I need to be doing (or am stressing over) and get back to the heart of the matter (and often find my smile again).

An original idea. . . Baby Food Jar Piggy Banks

Actually, I have no idea if this is an "original idea" as in I am the first one to think of it, but I will say it is original in that I thought of it myself (and did not find it on another site or pintrest or anything like that).  What is it, you may ask?  Well, my children are getting into MONEY and we needed piggy banks.  But I think piggy banks are kind of dumb and difficult to keep money in, etc.  So I got a friend to keep a few baby food jars for me and let my kiddos have at them with paint.  We keep them up on a shelf so they can be viewed at all times and brought down for counting, upon request.

This one is Rebekah's bank.

This one Rebekah painted for Miriam.

Work-out review of Cathe Friedrich's "Pyramid Upper and Lower Body" DVD.

Today I will review Cathe Friedrich's Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper and Lower Body.

This is definitely one of her "older" DVDs but it is a SOLID work-out.  It is a "stand alone" video, too, thus, if you are wanting ONE video that will seriously work your arms and/or your legs (both work-outs are on this DVD and you can do one or the other or there is a premix for BOTH), this is IT!  You pick three weights for each exercise.  I always go down from my max, so for example, I can crank out 8 reps of bicep curls at 20 lbs, so that is my max weight for that exercise.  So I start two increments down (for my weight system, that is a ten pound weight with a 1.5 lb hand-weight on my wrist - hey I do not have 12 lb dumbbells yet, so I improvise).  So you begin with 12 reps at your lightest weight (11.5 lbs for me), then you do 10 reps with your middle weight (15 lbs for me) and then 8 reps with your heaviest weight (think as heavy as you can lift for that exercise - 20 lbs for me).  Then you go back down with 10 reps of your middle weight and 12 reps of your lightest weight.  Then you move on to the next exercise.  It is a tried and true formula.  She keeps it moving (I often have to hit pause to get my weights situated as she does not wait!) and the music is peppy (although definitely reflective of the decade it was produced). I try to do this video (once for arms and once for legs) at least once a week. 

 Tip: Keep a notebook handy to write down what weight you used for each exercise as there is a lot of switching going on and it gets tough to remember.

Pros: Solid work-out.  I ALWAYS feel this one.  As I said earlier it is a tried and true method.

Cons: Uses lots of different weight selections.  You could probably get by with just dumbbells for at least the arms portion and maybe the legs (depending how heavy you lift), but as you get stronger, it will require more equipment.

Intensity Factor: 8 out of 10 (assuming you really push yourself selecting the heaviest weight you can handle with good form)

Recommended Fitness Level: all (beginner through advanced - just start with weights you can handle and keep at it!)

Background for "My Great Journey With Exercise Videos"

A while back, I made a post about exercising and how it important it is to me.  Then I promised to post reviews of my videos to help out those that might be looking for something like what I use.  And I have not done anything with it since.  To be honest, the task has been a bit daunting as I have been using exercise videos for about six years now.  It all started when I gained a little too much weight in my second pregnancy so when I tried to get back into my regular running routine (which I did pretty-much all through college, simply because I was intimidated with the thought of going to the gym - haha), I was WAY off-balance.  (And it was winter, that might have had something to do with it, too - since he was born in December.)  In any case, after a twisted ankle a few scrapes and bruises I decided I needed to try something else.  I bought one of those steps from Wal-mart.  You know the pretty green and purply color ones.  I should add that those steps are actually a bit smaller than the regular "health club" step, just FYI.  Anyhow, the step came with a video: "Basic Step" by Cathe.  I started with that one and continued using Cathe videos pretty exclusively for about five years.  It has only been in the past six to eight months that I have tried a few other series.

Why you may ask?  Well I will tell you!  First off, because I LOVE Cathe.  I fell in love with her from the start as she is so positive and upbeat.  She was encouraging and fun.  She was very "doable."  She is not quite like some of the other leaders out there that are all crazy and tough.  She is more "try this, do what you can until you get there."  She CAN be intense and encourages reaching that level, but she is definitely VERY approachable at all levels of fitness.  Secondly, I did try getting another video shortly after purchasing a few Cathe ones.  It was called "Slim and Lean" by Jari Love.  I tried it maybe twice and was SOOO disappointed.  IT WAS SOOO BORING!!!  And Jari was not all that encouraging or anything.  From then until about January of this year I have been a tried and true "Cathlete."  Now, why have I suddenly changed some. . . well I have been doing these videos for so long my body has some SERIOUS muscle memory going on.  In other words, I have "burned out" on these combos and they no longer require much effort AT ALL.  Now, Cathe has put out more videos since the ones I have used, but they have changed some and she really adapts to meet all different audiences, some AWESOME (like her Low Impact Series) and some a little disappointing (some of her X-Train Series).  In any case, I was just ready for something new and more intense.  A friend lent me P-90X.  and although I enjoyed Tony a lot, I was not all that impressed with the program, so I moved on to Insanity.  That was fun, but I was already the level of the "second set" of videos and although they are pretty decent work-outs and require no equipment, they are certainly NOT all that joint friendly or that much fun really. . .but I do plan to continue using them as I am able.  The previously mentioned friend also let me my latest passion, Turbo Fire by Chalene.  Wow, those regular cardio work-outs are SO MUCH FUN!!  The hiit ones are pretty good, too (although I think Cathe's hiit videos are tougher).  I was not so impressed with the "strength" ones as they use a band and it just pulled funny or I could not figure out the right strength level. (I have quite a few weights, so I lean more toward just doing traditional weight exercises.)  And I have not even TRIED the stretch videos yet.  (Oops!  Yeah, that is just how I roll, I'm still learning to like stretching and Yoga stuff. . . I know it is good exercise and good for your body but I just have trouble with something that does not make me sweat profusely or hurt afterward.  I do plan to give them a shot one day. . . honest.)

In any case, this is my "work-out journey" in a nutshell.  My next goal is to get up some reviews of my favorite videos, so stay tuned.

In the mean time, here is a lovely photo of my recently updated work-out space.  I posted about it moving from the basement to the garage a while back.  Now my dearest hubby has helped me "tidy it up" and "upgrade" (notice the nice big screen tv?!?) some.  We are also planning to climate control the garage, so once we get that figured out, it will be golden.  In the mean time, I often sweat a little extra during work-outs in the summer, even if I get up early, but it is a great space, so I really cannot complain much!