Kids in Church!

3-year-old Reese : 
'Our Father, Who does art in heaven, 
Harold is His name.. 
Amen.' 
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A little boy was overheard praying: 
'Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. 
I'm having a real good time like I am.' 

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After the christening of his baby brother in church, 
Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. 
His father asked him three times what was wrong. 
Finally, the boy replied, 
'That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, 
and I wanted to stay with you guys.' 

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One particular four-year-old prayed, 
'And forgive us our trash baskets 
as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.' 

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A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they 
were on the way to church service, 
'And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?' 
One bright little girl replied, 
'Because people are sleeping.' 

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A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3. 
The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. 
Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.. 
'If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 
'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.' 
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, 
' Ryan , you be Jesus !' 

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A father was at the beach with his children 
when the four-year-old son ran up to him, 
grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore 
where a seagull lay dead in the sand. 
'Daddy, what happened to him?' the son asked. 
'He died and went to Heaven,' the Dad replied. 
The boy thought a moment and then said, 
'Did God throw him back down?' 
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A wife invited some people to dinner. 
At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, 
'Would you like to say the blessing?' 
'I wouldn't know what to say,' the girl replied. 
'Just say what you hear Mommy say,' the wife answered. 
The daughter bowed her head and said, 
'Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?' 
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Scarecrows, Festivals, Ice skating and Jillian.

It has been a VERY busy September. I have lots to share. We started out the school year with a bang. Kids really seem to be adjusting well to their new friends and school.
Since the last post we have done the following..... Salmon Festival, Iceskating lessons and Scarecrow creating/stuffing for the school's Harvest Fest. OH- Lets not forget me taking on Jillian Michael's challenge.
So- sit back- get some popcorn and get ready..... here we go!

Let us start with a gorgeous vision of a margarita.... a FRESH lime juice margarita! There is a God! We found a place that makes FRESH squeezed margaritas..... oh thank heaven!!

 Next on the list- Scarecrows!! Our school has their annual Harvest Fest that is this weekend. It is a huge fundraiser for them. Not to mention a great time. We will work the pumpkin patch....The community really helps support this school. I was going to help make a scarecrow. It ended up me producing 5 scarecrows. It was fun.... a great family tradition to start! The kids had a blast and seemed sad when the stuffing was over. I will let you know how they do.... cross your fingers!

Sister Sings a lot.

Early Morning Mom

Mother Nature In Fall

Scare- E- Crow

Wenatchee Venom Player
Arena Football

 Iceskating...... Oh have times changed! Back when I was learning to skate they strapped skates on and pushed you out there. Now kids have to wear helmets and a lot of them wear elbow, knee gear! Oh- come on!! No one was concerned back in the day.... why now? Its like seatbelts. When your parents threw you in the car with 12 kids and no "toddler seats" etc. It was good fun!
Anyway- my pictures have not been so good. I must take the REAL camera and not just the Iphone. The kids are learning to skate and they L-O-V-E it. It is very funny to watch. Imagine- big bobble heads on ice....cheap entertainment folks! I am the only one laughing. Of course I am also the only one who tells my kids to get back out there and skate- lessons are not over! People look at me like I am cruel. NO! Just you are not allowed to quit because you are cold. Put your mittens back on, zip the jacket and keep going. I will post more about this later. They will continue this for the "fall sport". It wears them out.
They will also do cross country skiing..... get ready - this will be funny or torture for all of us!!

Salmon Festival- In Leavenworth they host a festival celebrating the salmon and the importance to the indians and the area. It is amazing! We were there 4 hours and didn't see it all. The kids did an "animal" parade to celebrate the salmon with story time. There were shows with Bald Eagles... gorgeous.
Kayaking lessons ( very funny to watch my mom), "snow shoeing" , archery, gun safety, indian tribes, customs and dance and much, much more! A great time.... oh did I mention it is FREE!!!!
BTW- Madelon got a bullseye in archery and bb guns..... that's my "Bonnie&Clyde".

 Total Fun for everyone... I can't wait to do this again next year! So well put together!
Last but not least... my update on my working out with Jillian..........
Well, it has been 3 weeks. I have missed 3 days out of those 3 weeks due to sick kids, me and of course a real bad day with my knees. As my kids say- "Why do you have crunchies in your knees?"
I have had a lot of injuries in the past. Bad knees, bad rotator cuff, nerve damage in arm from chemo, 5 csections. So, I have a lot of issues when it comes to work out! No rods in me (yet) but lots of aches, pains and scar tissue. Lots of starting over every time.....
So- I still go out there and do my thing. Kicking, screaming, grunting, cursing and at the end being glad I did it. I feel better everyday. OH- and I remeasured and weighed.
3 inches gone in the chest, waist and 2 in the hips. I have lost almost 12 pounds. UMMMM- close your mouth! Yes- I too am amazed. I have done everything in the world- and NEVER seen results like this.
So- I will let you know what happens on day 30. Oh - a couple of other things:
I do NOT have a six pack or even a flat stomach. My arms are still wiggly and so is my booty. I just got some of my "fuscle"  to change shape. FUSCLE is a combo of muscle and fat. When one cannot tell if it is all fat or is there a glimpse of muscle. It hurts when it is worked out.... and can even go into spasm.
Anyway- the point is- I will still be working on this new me. I like it- even if it hurts.
More later....

Jillian Michaels.... and ME!

I have started to workout again-- and it is  absolutely HORRIBLE! We have a little workout room and I bought some info-mercial workout that I thought... "Look, I can do this. Who in the world needs a gym".
It happens to be kickboxing... which I had done many a years back after my cancer stint. It was great to get back into shape and "air box" some of the frustrations I had..... I had a LOT back then.
So, I see it- think- YES!!! Get it and I feel like I am a spasmo ... no rhythm, no fun. What in the HELL has happened to me? Oh- yes, the children... they have SUCKED my brain cells and all athletic ability from my body. I see it in them every day.... ugh, kids!
SOOOOO- I then had a JILLIAN MICHAEL's DVD I had purchased before moving here.

Little background..... I am a gym junkie. I am a group workout type person. I loved the Runtex killer training runs. I have run 1 marathon ( enough for me- thank you) and 9 triathlons. Oodles of 5ks and10ks and other gigs. I loved my trainer. After I had MR... I got back to PRE-weight. You know- the weight were my hubby was GaGa over me... I was training for my first marathon.. I was F-I-T.! I wore a dress that was Oscar worthy for my hubby's 50th. I will say- smokin'!! I have a drive to compete when I workout. I want to kill myself being faster , better , stronger than the next. I use to be able to run with the top dogs at one point.  I also had knees. Thanks to genetics, I have my dad's knees. They sound like gravel when I walk, they ache daily and to crouch or stoop makes me moan like a moose. It is ugly....my athletic days have faded. Those days are GONE like my skinny jeans. They are now a mere image of who I once was.... and now I have to find a new me in a new way.

Fast forward from MR. I have "slacked" after having Elizabeth. Lord, I was so sick for so long. Was getting BACK into shape and WHAMMO- Henry.
Ok, Ok, Ok, so fast forward again. I am in WA- needing to be active so I can deal with daily stress.
(HONESTLY- folks- just do something for 20-30 mins a day--5x a week- see how your mood changes!)
I said to Hades with the kickboxing crap! I need something that makes me get it done in a half hour!
I opened up JILLIAN MICHAELS 30 DAY SHRED!  You know her from the "Biggest Looser.".. she is tough, mean but has a part that really thinks she cares. This might be the best $12.99 I have ever spent!!
It is EXACTLY what I am looking for..... 20 minutes of make you sweat, mix it up workout. I have found my Utopia! It is great! GREAT!!!! For the fastest 20 plus minutes I am jumping jacking, weight lifting, static moves and ab crunching my way to a better me.
I am on day 4 and EVERY day I think-- I hate this, I hate working out and who gives a $%^*!!
Then I think-- HOLD UP!! What would Jillian say? Oh- I am sure it is not a clean sentence for me to write. Then I think, but I feel better after I do it. I think- who cares if my body is full of lactic acid and I can barely move... who cares if I can't brush my hair because my pecks hurt, who cares if I don't shave my legs for a week because bending down just HURTS.... just put one foot in front of another you PANSY!!!! And off I go- into the manshack. I look at myself in the mirror ( brunette and all) and say- "You can do anything for 20 minutes- don't be such a looser". I hit play.

So- you are probably thinking-- WHY is she torturing herself? Why if she hurts so bad- why doesn't she take a day off....
Listen- I am in TERRIBLE shape. You would think if I am carrying around a 20 pound baby, cleaning house and chasing kids I would be "fit". NOPE!! I have lost muscle mass. This is what is important. Not the size of jean you wear but the fat to muscle ratio. The more muscle- the more energy. The more you can go, do and be. The more fat- the more you want to give in... on everything.
So- I might look "tiny" to some of you... but underneath lies a hot mess. All squishy and little resemblance of the days where I had muscle. It is so very easy to loose what you worked for....
I now have done my workout and realize- day 4 wasn't as much torture as day 1-3. As a matter of fact, I look forward to it. I tried level 2 the other day and realized that was a total mistake. Stay on level one for 7 days before moving on.
I think if I stick with it for the 30 days there will be a difference. If not, I give up!
Seriously- I took measurements and weighed. I groaned and shook my head. Again- it is NOT about the number on my jeans- but how do I feel? How do my clothes fit that are hanging in the closet getting dust on them. It is about gaining energy and brain power.... not being so tired!!

Here is the challenge- I will keep a log every five days of what is going on with the workouts. And for laughs I will post a before and after photo at the end. Yes, you will get tortured by my complaining.... but see if you can pick up the DVD and join me! It could just change the way you feel about working out. One thing- I am not giving up my one glass a wine a night. A girl has to have a "reward".
OH- and if Jillian Michaels is reading this blog-- feel free to call me and tell me to pick up the pace! I need positive- strong reinforcements!!!

Just a random picture.... cheers to good health!

First Day of School!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!! St. Joseph- here we come!

The first day of school started off with a LOT of excitement.  The kids started out very early in the morning... pacing and begging to go to school..... 6:30 AM! I started a new routine of them getting dressed in their rooms and making beds. It will need some work. Everyone had a good breakfast and watched a show. At 7:45 we headed off to school.... it starts at 8:15!
Thomas goes to morning mass so when he finished he was able to meet us at the corner and walk us to school.
We even rode our bikes to school.

Henry stayed behind so I could get them settled. Thomas and I were as excited as they were.
The routine of the school is as follows- You can come to school as early as you want and play on the playground. At 8:05 the first bell rings. They gather in lines according to grade. They say 2 morning prayers and the pledge to allegiance. Then off they march into school....

So- the first couple of days went well. A lot of excitement -- a little too much. They have been bouncing off the walls everyday. Elizabeth has gone to school too. The schedule is a little hectic for me. They really believe in "easing" all the kids into school. WHAT????

It goes something like this--

School starts at 8:15 for the older 3. Kindergarten will get out early (12:45) for the first month as they become familiar with school and "ease" their fears.... O-KAY?!?!

Elizabeth goes to school at St. Joe's T/TH and for the first MONTH- 6 WKS they go for ONE hour 9-10... so the kids can "ease" in..... AAAAAAGHGHGHGHGHGH!!!

So- my schedule goes something like this---

Walk/ride to school....7:50AM

Ride back by 8:15 AM

Take Elizabeth back at 8:50 AM

Pick Elizabeth up at 10 AM

Go back home

Go back to school for MR at 12:40

Go back home

Go back to school at 2:40 for boys

I have now rode my bike a total of 3x back and forth. I have accomplished NOTHING during any of these times and my husband is wondering why I am behind..... ummmmmm??????

So- I have now started my day at 5AM to start my day with a workout, gather backpacks, gather lunches and have a cup of coffee to start the rest of the marathon. I am only praying it gets better... because I am rather frustrated. I have had ZERO schedule all summer and now I am dying to have one.

Not to mention Henry would appreciate it too!!

I am now headed BACK to school. First Friday of every month is early release and everyone is out at 11:45AM! Hey, this I like and can count on. Mass is on Fridays...

We have a birthday party ( for adult ) tomorrow and the rest of the weekend is hanging out! Who knows- maybe a little fishing???

Have a great one...

Oh- one last thing- On the 2nd day of school- Blaise got put in time out for "talking too much" and Elizabeth pushed a kid to the ground ( in front of me) because she wanted to leave "right then"....

sigh....... here we go! Not too bad but we have to work on some things.....