My Opinion of Leslie Sansone Videos

     Just sitting here enjoying an ice coffee with this good old south Alabama weather. I am thankful that we have been having more rain than usual so it has kept it a little cooler than normal.

     I did not get to make church this morning because my little man was sick. I think it is just a stomach bug. He has been sick since last night, but is beginning to feel better so it probably is a bug.

     I posted yesterday about my weight update. In that post I mentioned about walking with Leslie, that is Leslie Sansone. I am greatly enjoying her aerobic walking video that I have. My husband has also come on board with me and has been walking. My son has walked more than my daughter. When we begin our new school year in August they will not have a choice. I plan to use Leslie videos for the exercise part of our P.E.

    If any of you homeschool Moms are looking for an easy way to get in some exercise for you or your children, these videos are great. She basically uses the same aerobic moves in each video, just switches them up. The moves are not hard. Even smaller children could use them. She has some videos with Christian music in the background. I don't have any of those yet, plan to get some, but the music in the other videos isn't bad. Just a beat to get you moving. Check some of them out online. You may want to purchase some of them. Right now I only have the 5 day walk plan where you are walking a different amount of miles per day. I plan to get about 3 more of them so I can rotate them.

     There are some great reviews where different people have lost a lot of weight by just using her videos. Some reviews give negative reviews because they think she talks too much during the workout. Personally, that's what makes the videos so good to me because I get so involved listening to her that I don't even realize I have already walked a mile. Before I know it one mile is gone and we are beginning another one. I have timed her aerobic miles and they all tend to last for 13 minutes per mile. Arms, legs, all body parts are moving, a great over all work out. I have added some weights to mine for some toning. Right now I use the weights separate from the video work out. In the future I hope to be able to use the weights during the work out.

     We are moving slow through our books, but we are moving. Summer just seems to have so many events that it makes it hard to get in a good week of school. My motivation, "Some is better than none."

This about sums up our life right now. Hope all is well with you all.

Can't Get Away From Charlotte Mason

In Our Homeschool This Week:
     When we began our school year this year I wanted our year to be a bit more formal than what we were accustomed to. So I decided we were going to use more text books this year. Off our year began and we've been moving right along, BUT something just wasn't quite right. We've kept trudging through our books, accomplishing things, but just not receiving what we have received in the past with our studies. What was wrong with us? Sometimes we would even have a lot of tension between teacher and student. I asked my children what was wrong. Immediately they told me, "We want to dive deeper in to our studies like we were doing when we were doing Charlotte Mason style of education. So this week we made a trip to the library & grabbed some books to reinforce what we have been studying in Science and pulled a book off of our shelf for history that they had been wanting to do. The tension has lifted & our week has been fun & refreshing.
What's Working:
    We've decided that we will keep our Apologia: Exploring Creation With Physical Science (which wasn't giving us a problem, & we love), but would slow it down and also add in library books along side of it. This just means that we won't finish this book this year & will carry it over in to next year.
    Our library book we used for Science this week was: The Atom By Elizabeth R. Cregan

    A very interesting book, filled with information. My DH grabbed this book in hopes of reinforcing our study on atoms. The book covers atoms pretty good, but has a lot of info on radium, radiation, & cancer. My children seemed to be more excited over the things they learned about them than they were the atoms. Like how they used radium in paint to paint the numbers on watches, getting some of the paint in their mouth due to the method they used to paint, not knowing that that the radium would begin to destroy their cells & cause cancer. A very interesting book. Here's a pic of my children drawing a model of an atom.
    For our history this week (& will go in to next week) they wanted to learn about the buried city of Pompeii. My DS had gotten a book from a thrift store about Pompeii so we began a study on it this week. My DS has had to do most of the reading in our book due to some nudity for their bath ceremonies. Other than that we have enjoyed the book & have looked at some pics on Internet this week. The book we are using is: The Buried City of Pompeii By Shelley Tanaka.

    Three math lessons were accomplished in our Saxon 8/7 math this week. We are getting in to Perimeter, Area, & Exponents. We have worked on this some in the past. My DS enjoys the square root part of the exponents.

Helpful Homeschool Tip:

  To pull in some English/Grammar this week I pulled out a handbook I had bought several years back and just picked out a rule for a particular type of verb & that is what we worked on this week. I chose Active & Passive verbs.

    We read the rule from the handbook, along with its examples & then worked on our dry erase board making our own sentences. Today the children had to write me three Active verb sentences then three Passive verb sentences that would accompany their Active verb sentences. That was English for the week. Here's a couple of pics of the handbook I had purchased.

     It's not very thick, but jam packed with info. It covers just the rules & gives examples in a very basic way. Easy enough that my children can take it down & find the rule they would like to use by themselves. I got it from a used book store for a dollar, great investment.
    We are still reading through Pilgrim's Progress for Literature & On the Banks of Plum Creek for a Library Read Aloud. I'm not sure if I put a pic of the version of Pilgrim's Progress we are using on here or not, but we are using a children's version. Here's a pic of it.

    Other than my children spending a lot of time outside after our studies, I think that about concludes our week. Here's a pic of my DC having P.E. this week.

     Kris usually has the Weekly Wrap Up on her blog, but she had a close friend pass away and left behind are her husband and five girls. Kris said that she will not be blogging for a few days. I'm not sure if she will have her Weekly Wrap Up this week. I encourage you to visit Kris's blog and give her a nice comment in her time of grieving. I am so sorry Kris for your loss and hope the best for your friend's family and we will be praying.
     I am also linking up with The Homeschool Mother's Journal this week. Drop over & check out what everyone has been up to this week. I'm sure you will be encouraged.

     By the way I will be starting a Give-a-Way tomorrow that is going to be continuing for a while. I have lots of books & workbooks for all ages. So get the word around, I'm sure you'll be blessed & encouraged.

Getting Fit Goals: Week 8

I'm running a bit behind on my weekly report on my weight loss, sorry. I suppose it's ok though because not anything has changed. I seem to be on a weight loss plateau this week. I did not lose any weight, but I didn't gain either. I'be been searching on the internet and some sites say this is called a weight loss plateau. The sites give tips on how to trigger your metabolism to get it moving again. So, this week I am trying to get those pounds moving again.
I have kept up with my exercise for the most part. Idid my arm rolls, stretches, sit ups almost every night, walked 5 miles, and even added in jogging in place in 5 minute intervals.
My plans for this week is to walk more along with the other exercises to see if more walking will stimulate the metabolism this week. I read another thing to try on a site that I am going to try. I won't say what that is until I do more research on it because I'm just not sure of what the site said. Or, maybe I should mention it to you all to see if you have ever heard of such. The site said to spin around clockwise 12 times and it would shake up the harmone in your body and stimulate metabolism, never heard of it, but why not try it. The site said it would make you dizzy, that would be normal, but if you got dizzy and a bit nauseated then it could be a sign that you are having problems with your thyroid which definitely would cause problems with a person losing weight. The site said you should spin several times throughout the day. Any of you ever heard of this?
Beginning weight: 210 lbs.
Last week's weight: 190 lbs.
New weight: 190 lbs.
I'll update more at the end of the week and let you all know how I'm doing.

Getting Fit Goals: Weeks 6 & 7

I want to begin this post by giving God the glory for giving me the strength to control my appetite and not over eat while at youth camp. I induldged in quite a bit of snacks, like chocolate, chips, etc. but the Lord helped me to control myself and I maintained my weight. That's an accomplishment for me.
This morning I awoke and made my way to the scales and I weighed in at 190 lbs. I was over joyed with excitement. I managed to keep my weight loss right on track for the month of June, woo hoo!
I have done little exercise in the past two weeks. I've managed to get in some stretches, arm rolls, sit-ups here and there, and walking as I would do my daily walking to do what ever I needed to get up and do. I did not do my disciplined walks or exercises.
So here's my new up date:

Beginning weight: 210 lbs
2 week's ago weight: 193 lbs.
New Weight 190 lbs.

I've lost 20 lbs.

Hopefully, this week I can get back in to my walking and exercising. New up date next week.

Getting Fit Goals: Week 5

    This week was much better on my walking. I was able to walk every day this week. Actually, I made sure I could fit walking in my schedule every day this week due to me not knowing how much I will get to walk next week while we are at youth camp.
Between Home Economics and Library Read Aloud time this week, it's wonder the scales didn't shoot back up to my original weight. Thank goodness though, it didn't.

Here's my weekly report:

Walked: 17 miles
Sit-ups: 21 each night
Other: arm rolls, stretches, leg lifts
Beginning weight: 210 lbs.
Last week's weight: 195 lbs.
New weight: 193 lbs

    As I stated last week, I met my monthly goal. I lost down to 196 lbs. I went over my goal 3 pounds, yea! That's great! These extra pounds can help me out during youth camp. I just have to discipline myself so that I don't gain them back during youth camp Oh, how hard this might be beings we have chocolate lined up to take on the trip with the youth, mmm.

    Most of my walking this week was on the threadmill. My DS captured me while I was on there. Here's the pic.
　

    I'll be posting my goals for the month of June probably Sunday, Lord's willing.
My weight loss may be a long drawn out program, but I intend to make it to my goal by the help of God.
I lost 17 lbs. in 5 weeks

Getting Fit Goals: Week 4

   As I had stated in my last post, last week was extremely busy for us so my exercising (walking) was put on hold a bit. I did manage to walk 2 days in the midst of the chaos. I got in seven miles. My motive is, "Some is better than none." I did my nightly exercises with the leg lifts arm rolls, stretches, and sit-ups.
So here's my update on my fitness:

Walked: 7 miles
Sit-ups: 18 each night
Other exercises: stretches, arm rolls, & leg lifts

Beginning weight: 210
Last week's weight: 198
New weight: 195

   Hip, hip, hurray!!! I met my monthly goal. I lost down to 196 lbs. and still have this week to go, yea!
Here are a few pic's of all the fun we've been having on our walks. I think Prissie, our dog, is having the most fun.

More updates later

Getting Fit Goals: Week 3

   I'm so excited!!! I just finished up week three of our Walking for Fitness program (Over at Jamie's blog it is week four, but I didn't count the week we went to the beach). My goals were met this week. Actually, I went over my goal this week, yea! My weekly goal of 1 1/2 to 2 pounds a week was met this week with 4 pounds. I did not intend on that happening, but it did so I am over joyed.
   Here's my weekly progress:
Week 3
   Walked 17 1/2 miles
   15 sit-ups, nightly
   A few arm rolls (Just while walking through the house)
   A few leg lifts (Occasionally, while laying on my bed at bed time)
   Beginning weight: 210 lbs.
   Last week's weight: 202 lbs.
   New weight: 198 lbs.
   Only two more pounds to go this month and I will be met my monthly goal. I have two weeks to meet that goal.
   Remember, I'm not eating diet food. I'm just cutting my portions of regular food. Here's some of the things I've eaten this week: collards, corn, meat loaf, corn bread, rice, bacon, beans, mashed potatoes, Indian taco brownie, salad, oatmeal, chips, cheese, tea and water.
   Those are some of the foods I've eaten, but just cut my portions to the normal serving size. I don't just take a spoon and dip me out a helping size. I get the measuring cup and get me the serving size that the package says. My plan seems to be working, so I'll continue on next week Lord's willing.

   Here's another picture from my daughter this week. We had gone to my mother-in-law's house and there's a track close by so we did our daily walking there for a change in scenery.
　
I'll be back next week with my weekly report. Until then, God bless you all.

Getting Fit Goals: Weeks 1 & 2

    Getting fit (getting this weight off me) is something I have been wanting to do for a long time. When Jamie over at See Jamie blog said she was going to start walking, but would like to post blogs about it so someone could hold her accountable, that's when I decided I was going to hop on the wagon and I was going to get some of this weight off me.
    I've talked it over with my husband and I told him that this time I was going to lose the weight slowly so it would remain off. I told him I was not going to eat diet foods or drink diet drinks. I am going to eat what I want, just controlled portions and drink water most of the time, other than my glass of instant lemon tea once a day or every other day.
    My goal is to eat what I want, exercise, and lose 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each week. I want the weight to come off slow. If I'm eating normal foods and exercising losing weight when I reach my goal I can slow up on my exercise to just a couple times each week. I'm thinking if my body is used to eating regular foods and exercising 4 to 5 times a week that possibly when I reach my goal I can continue to keep the weight off, but just not lose any more by lowering the exercise. Anyway, this is my plan.


Beginning weight:210 lbs.

Week 1

Walked 18 miles - Lost 6 lbs.

Week 2

Walked 12 miles - Lost 2 lbs.

    My weight now is 202 pounds. Eight pounds gone and a lot more to go. I'll begin my 3rd week tomorrow.
    By May 27, 2011 I want to be down to 196 pounds.
I have also been doing some sit ups at night. Last week I tried to do at least 12 each night before I went to bed. This week I raised it up to 15 before bed. I'm not sure what all else I'll be doing before this weight comes off me, but it's coming off by the help of the Lord.
    It may take me 10 to 12 months to reach my goal of 125 pounds, but I intend on reaching it. Cheer me on as I exercise these pounds right off me.

    We got caught on Matthew's Candid Camera (my hubby's not too happy about his before picture).

    This is proof that we did walk and even took my dog, Prissie. Matthew says Prissie is the skinny one with four legs. LOL

Wrapping Up Our Week

   Here's a quick wrap up of our week. We did a couple of math lessons, read Romeo & Juliet in Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare, Started reading a new read aloud, walked for our getting fit, and read and watched some videos on tornado weather.
   We watched a version of Romeo & Juliet on TV Monday night. It was highly different, more of a 20th century version. It had some comedy in it, but not exactly what I call Shakespeare.
Our new read aloud is Tiger ,Tiger by Lynne Reid Banks (Author of Indian in the Cupboard). It is about Julius Caesar and the life style of Romans during the Gladiator period. Tiger, Tiger is giving us a great view of tragedies and triumphs in Ancient Rome. We have it on audio. The reader does a great job reading it so she is keeping my children's attention. My children were captured in the first chapter when Julius Caesar bought his daughter a tiger for a pet. The author went in to lots of detail when describing the events that took place at the Colosseum. There's no doubt of the cruelty that took place.
   As for our walking this week and trying to get fit, I am extremely proud of my family. We walked 18 miles this week. We would do our 2 mile walk in the morning and decided it would do us good to do it in the evening also. So we walked in the evenings too. It's taking us about 1 1/2 hours to walk 4 miles a day. Hopefully, our timing will get better. Oh, and our dog, Prissie, is enjoying the walking also. Walking has been an enjoyable event this week with our entire family. Dad has walked with us. That was worth the walking to me.
   I suppose this about summarizes our week. So we'll up date more later. Blessings

Health - Physical Fitness

    With all the modernized things that we have accumulated in our home, we've neglected exercise. This week we've been trying to do something about that. Thanks to Jamie over at http://seejamieblog.com/2011/04/getting-fit-wanna-join-me/ we've gotten out and gotten moving. Each day we've tried to walk two to three miles. Our goal is to do this at least three times a week. Should we manage to walk more than three days, that will be great. I think I am going to integrate some Health in with our walking plan. I have Considering God's Creation on my shelf. I can pull out some of the detective sheets that focus on the Circulatory system, etc. I also have this cute little set I found at one of our local stores on the human body.
　
    I really didn't want to get into another unit study before the end of our school year, but I feel like we need to have more of an understanding why it is good for us to be walking. We know it is good for us. But, why is it good for us?
   The human body kit that we found is from Discovery Kids. It came with a neat little model of the human body and its organs and two books that are very informational to be as small as they are.

   My hubby says they have some great pictures in them. I'll just throw in some vocabulary and a few internet links and we'll call it a unit study.
   Anyone with any cute quick ideas that will stress this portion of Health, we're open for them. We have three weeks of school left for this term.
   Hope all of you are having a happy homeschooling this week.

Spring Break is Over

Last week was a wonderful week. All of us enjoyed our spring break. We finished it up by having a chocolate party on the way home in the van. Dear hubby stopped at Walmart and bought Reese's Cups and a gallon of milk. We each grabbed a Reese's Cup and a glass of milk and our party began. We reminist about our week and then the children slowly faded in to sleep. Dad was driving so I blogged going down the road.
Saturday night we watched The Wizard of Oz together as a family. It was the first time my children had seen it. Lot's of childhood memories came back to me. My son's favorite character was the scarecrow. He thought he was smart. My daughter's favorite character was the lion. She liked the way his role brought comedy to the movie. Her favorite part was when the lion was on his way to see the wizard to receive courage and he was pulling his own tail and thought someone else was doing it.
Today we hopped back on the school wagon. We worked on our math, walked two miles, read Romeo and Juliet from Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare, watched the annimated version of it on youtube, and tonight we are watching a version of Romeo and Juliet on cable tV.
I think this about brings us currrent on our happenings. Hope all of you have been having a great schooling. Blessings to you all.

Apple Pie Success?

    We did arise this morning and make the apple pie that I had mentioned in the last post. It was a success. My children did an exceptional job following the recipe, with the exception of us changing a few minor things. I don't know what it is about us and recipes, but some how we always change some little something. I took a picture of the pie, forgot to get a picture with the pie and the children. Here is the pic.

It  tasted great with vanilla ice cream. There went my diet. I don't remember those items on the list for my diet. Oh well, it's said and done now.
     Today was my husband's birthday. I think he had a great one.  He seemed to like the apple pie with the vanilla ice cream.
    
Tonight was also our bowling night. My children just started bowling about a year ago and my son still bowled a 77 tonight. I'm so proud of him. I know in some people's eyes that's not good, but I've seen how far he has come along. We had taken off for the summer so he is doing exceptionally well starting back up. He's improving so much. His dad told him and his sister that if they would bowl 100 he would buy them their own personal bowling ball. I think before this season is over daddy will be bowling ball shopping.
     Guess it's time for me to close this post. It's way past my bed time and I am feeling it. Hope all of you have a blessed and happy homeschool week, Traci.