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Project 365, Works for Me Wednesday

WFMW – Backwards Day

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WFMW Hooray, it’s another Backwards Day at Rocks in My Dryer. Instead of doling out sage advice and tips on lofty topics like diet/exercise, better sleep w/fans, and coffee, YOU all get to guide me with your wisdom.

I can hardly wait! I need lots and lots of help in almost every category. Well, I do have ‘blogging until 1 in the morning’ down pat so I have a few things figured out. Still, that leaves all sorts of other areas in which I am pathetic and desperate.

rachel and Mia

Rachel rallied from her on-going stomach flu in order to take Mia for a walk this morning.

After much thought, list making and soul searching, I’ve decided to beg for your ideas on healthy eating for the family.

Please!!

feed this boy

David is a great baseball player, but he obviously needs more veggies to keep him strong and healthy.

How do you get your children (and husbands, God love ‘em) to eat vegetables?
What kind of healthy snacks do you serve during the day?
What things are you willing to pay extra for in your budget – organic food, more expensive protein choices (fish, grass fed beef, free range chicken), supplements?
Can you share one thing in particular that you believe has highly benefited your family’s health?

sarah sweetie pie

Look at that little girl, she can’t wait to read all of your comments.

Thank you! I am so excited to hear lots of great suggestions. Go to Rocks In My Dryer and you can find all sorts of other folks who are breathlessly awaiting your words of wisdom.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 310

Related posts:

Daily Life, Parenting Tips, Project 365

I wish I had a Parenting Tip

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But I don’t. Not today. Not this evening when I’m too tired to be insightful, creative or witty. I thought about about something novel I’m trying with the children. “That would make a great blog, I said to myself, picturing the staged photos that would be perfect with the post. But since I just started today, it seems a little premature to share it with the blogosphere.

“Is this a new rule or an old rule, Mom?” my oldest son asked me last night when I told the kids we were going to try something different.
“Um, it’s not exactly new, no,” I mumbled.
“Oh, I got it. It’s an old rule that you are going to start enforcing,” he nodded sagely.

What does that mean and why did he look so world-weary when he said it? I guess an old familiar family standard is better than a shocking new one. This particular child doesn’t like change so he’s understandably wary when I charge off in uncharted waters, whether it relate to parenting or homeschooling or life in general.

I’ll let you know how it goes some time this month. Let’s just say I collected a quarter from at least one child today.

Maybe I can get the children to pay for my coffee habit. Some more coffee and I might be able to stay up and write my parenting posts. See how it all comes back to coffee. It’s an addiction, I can admit it.

help!

That shark looks like trouble, but Sarah isn’t worried.

Get ready for this week’s Works for Me Wednesday. It’s the first Wednesday of the month and the theme is Backwards Day. Instead of sharing a tip, people post a question and readers give advice and counsel. Last time we discussed chores, menu planning and showing love to your children. There were some great responses and I can’t wait to hear from people again this week.

What shall we discuss? Any thoughts? Any burning questions to which you know other Duckabush blog readers hold the answers? Life, liberty and the pursuit of coffee?

I’m definitely too tired to be blogging. :)
Until tomorrow,
Kathy
Project 365 – Day 309

Related posts:

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Events, Homeschooling

Homeschool Blogging Nominations

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It’s time to grab your keyboards, a pot cup of coffee, and some chocolate and head over to Homeschool Blog Awards. The nominations for this year’s blog awards begin on Monday and continue through the 16th. Voting takes place in the beginning of December and there are prizes for the winners. Prizes, fame and more prizes.

prizes galore

Look at this great list of winning categories:

1. Best Homeschool Mom Blog
2. Best Homeschool Dad Blog
3. Best Blog Design
4. Best Artistic Content Blog
5. Best Crafts, Plans & Projects Blog
6. Best Family or Group Blog
7. Best Encourager
8. Best ‘Live-What-You-Believe’ Homeschool Blog
9. Best Unschooling or Eclectic Homeschooling Blog
10. Best Geographical Blog
11. Best Current Events, Opinions or Politics Blog
12. Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog
13. Best Teen Girl Blog
14. Best Teen Guy Blog
15. Best Teen Group Blog
16. Funniest Homeschool Blog
17. Best Cyber-Buddy Blogger
18. Best Curriculum or Business Blog
19. Best Variety
20. Best Thrifty Homeschooler
21. Best SUPER-HOMESCHOOLER
22. Best Nitty-Gritty Homeschool Blog
23. Best NEW Homeschool Blog

Wow! Did you even know there were that many different types of homeschool blogs? Of course, it seems like they are missing a few significant categories. How about these:

1) Blogger most likely to homeschool in her pajamas
2) Messiest school room blog
3) Most prolific blogger – who needs sleep when you can blog?
4) The Homeschool blogger you love to hate
5) Best Homeschool Worrier Blog – will my kids succeed, are we doing enough school, will they get into college?
6) Best “My Kids are Cuter than Your Kids” Homeschool Blog

Best Airport Homeschooling Blogger

A little blogging here, a lttle blogging there. Airport blogging with wi-fi is the best.

I figure I easily qualify for the Messiest AND the Sleepiest Blogger Awards. Did I mention there are prizes this year? Prizes. And fame. Oh, the glory of it all.

You’ll notice there isn’t a homeschooling category in the whole 2007 Weblog Awards. Education, yes, but not homeschooling specifically. I bet they don’t even offer prizes. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

No hanging chads in these elections, I’m sure. :)

Kathy

Related posts:

Events, Joshua, Project 365

Sleepovers, Sick Kids and Tolkien

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Joshua celebrated his birthday this weekend. Pay no attention to the fact that his birthday is in October and it’s November. Nothing like stretching birthdays out, I always say. Especially when it’s MY birthday. Oh yes, and I’m famous for it. Joshua is normally not as birthday obsessed as his mother but the college reunion trip to VA threw his party off by a few weeks.

Friday night Tim gathered Joshua and three of friends and took them out to the Duckabush for a Lord of the Rings movie fest. They met up with a Duckabush friend and spent the evening with Sam, Frodo and their cohorts. I hear they even went to bed at a decent hour.

Well, decent for a sleepover.

boys in the bush

Joshua and his friends, missing Austin, who had to leave early.

They managed to fit in two of the three Lord of the Rings movies, which I think is impressive. Grandma provided a delicious cake and there was plenty of food for meals and snacking.

In the mean time, back at home, Rachel was hosting her own little sleepover. Hearing that Joshua would be out of the house, she decided it would be the perfect opportunity to invite some friends over. Unfortunately, she was hit with the stomach bug that is going through our family. Daniel and I had it two weeks ago, Tim and Joshua suffered through it this week. It’s mild (no vomiting) but painful.

Early in the morning, or maybe it was late in the night, Rachel woke me up saying she was in pain and couldn’t sleep. Poor thing. Her friends were downstairs peacefully resting while she writhed in pain.

Not a pleasant way to spend the night hours. Needless to say, we won’t be posting any pictures of her time with Sarah and Jenny.

Argh!

Daniel expresses the family’s sentiments toward this little stomach flu with a hearty Argggghhh!

Praying that the little ones and all of the assorted sleepover guests don’t catch any nasty flu germs.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 307

Related posts:

Daily Life, Musings

Hard to Be Home Again

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Back to school, laundry, meals and dishes. Thankfully each of those chores come with amazing blessings – children with eager, learning minds; a busy full life; plenty of food in the cupboards and on our table; a purpose and ministry of discipleship.

The work isn’t the problem. I’m glad to be home. I missed the children and love being a mom again. It was a bit strange to be pseudo college student, plus I don’t think I really fooled anyone. Fifteen years are a little hard to hide. :)

student or alum?

How’d I end up back in class and where are all the other students?

No, my difficulty right now is staying focused on my healthy eating and exercising. I don’t WANT to go to the Y and workout. I don’t WANT to stick to my eating plan and record my food. Frankly, I’m SHOCKED that I was so disciplined for an entire month. Who was that person? Surely not me. I’m lazy. I want to stay home and read my book. Pass the chips and salsa, is what I have to say.

Sigh. I definitely didn’t get on the scale this morning for my Friday weigh in. Gulp.

However, I had a great talk with Holly (my “keep your food clean” friend) today and will connect with Julee (my “Jillian, biggest loser trainer” friend) as soon as possible so I hope to get back on track. I’m really, really close to my goal and would HATE to blow it at this point.

Which means, although this afternoon was very hectic with 10 children in the house for dinner, I FORCED myself to go the Y in the evening for a workout. I got in a full hour on the elliptical, while watching Invincible. There’s nothing like a sports movies to keep a person motivated and running hard. By the end of the evening, I felt great and found it easy to resist any late night snack cravings.

what's for dinner?

Time to empty the fridge and rearrange everything. No snacking!

If there are others of you on this weight loss/healthy living/exercising and training journey, I just want to encourage you. Keep Going! Take steps today to be disciplined with your food and fitness. Be strong! Make sure you have people in your life praying for you, supporting your dreams, and pushing you on to work hard and succeed. Communicate clearly with your family your needs for exercise time and healthy foods. You can do it!

Kathy

P.S. A real college reunion/memory lane blog is coming soon. :)

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The musings and ravings of a bloggart family