Exercise Keeps Me Sane

It true. I skipped a couple of days this week, because my plan for Wed. and Thurs. was to walk/run the hill, but it was just too dang cold. I told myself I would squeeze in some Dance Dance Revolution, but it never happened, its amazing how easily you can talk yourself out of something. Well I was grumpy for those two days, and even found myself arguing with my husband over health care reform, while thinking "Stop it, do you really care this much about health care reform?" Well today I had a workout with my trainer, and as usual she kicked my butt(which needs some lift), and afterward as I was getting ready to do my cardio workout I realized how happy I felt. I had survived another trainer workout, and felt really good. I am ready to take on the day and Halloween!

Where Have All the Bloggers Gone?

I know I'm guilty of stepping away from blogging for months, I've written about half as many posts as I did a year ago. I don't feel guilty, and don't want anyone else to either, I know everyone gets busy and just doesn't think about it, plus it's not like it's all that important. The reason for this post is that today as I was checking to see if there were any new posts on blogs that I read (there were a couple), I decided to check in on a scrapbooking blog that I hadn't read for a while, which led to rediscovering some blogs and sites that I used to really love to read. So I thought I would share those on my side bar. I also added a list of homeschool blogs and sites that keep me going and sometimes just nurture my soul as a mother, there is some great stuff even if you don't homeschool your kids, and that is a piece of me and so it should get some space on my blog. I am feeling more inspired to write lately, but I will make no promises, who knows what I'll think tomorrow :). Happy Reading!

I think I've OD'd on Candy Corn

I cheated and bought Candy Corn last Saturday (my personal rule was Thursday only). We went to Walmart where I found another brand of gourmet Candy Corn, there was Creme brulee, which Shelby loves, so I bought it. It was good, but just ok good. Then I had to go into town on Tuesday to take the kids to art class, and thought I would run over to Target and get the Cotton Candy flavor, so that I wouldn't need to go on Thursday. I opened that package on Thursday(so that's not really cheating), I don't like the cotton candy, it has a bad artificial sweetner after taste. I was hoping for the yummy burnt sugar flavor that Maggie Moos cotton candy ice cream has, no luck. Thursday I went back to Walmart to get the chocolate caramel candy corn and decided to grab the gourmet pumpkin pie flavor. Again I was disappointed by the pumpkin pie, but the Chocolate Caramel was yummy! So if you were counting that was four flavors of Candy Corn this week. I think I need an intervention. I'm still trying to decide what to do for Halloween, maybe I've had enough, maybe I need just plain old regular candy corn, or maybe I need to have my favorites and then put it all aside until next year.

Look at it!

I totally stole this from Garrett's blog, but it has us laughing around here. Read his story it makes it more funny, or maybe its just some weird family sense of humor. Happy Birthday Garrett! Thanks for the laugh.

The Crock-Pot

Don't ya just love the crock-pot? I do. I love putting dinner in in the morning and by 4:00 the house smells of our delicious dinner. We do regularly entice the kids friends to stay for dinner with the smell. I have used my crock-pot every day this week, yes I realize its only Tuesday, but I'm not being picky. Yesterday's dinner wasn't a smashing success, but tonight's smells really good right now, its a lentil stew. Besides, since dinner was already cooking I had plenty of time to make the apple strudel for FHE! I love that you can take a cheap cut of meat and make it super yummy. Plus its such a fall/cool weather thing. I love that I can take a few minutes to throw dinner together, then no matter how crazy my day gets dinner is done and I don't end up eating out because I'm too tired or just not in the mood to cook. I am also a HUGE fan of soups and my crock-pot gets plenty of use making soup. Its the appliance that helps me feel like a pulled together homemaker-yummy food, and sense of self all wrapped in one.

Candy Corn

I'm just going to put this out there. I LOVE Candy Corn. This year there are all kinds of fun flavors out there, so since I am big on education I feel it my duty to educate people on the new and exciting candy corn out there. Thursday is new candy corn flavor day(not a coincidence that it is also weigh in day and my week starts over, so I have extra points). This is the third week of my October obsession and I have decided to share it with my small group of readers. It all began with the Carmel Apple Candy Corn made by Brach's and available at Walmart. These are red and brown and very good, I need to get more of them. The second week involved pumpkin pie, and toffee flavored candy corn. Both of these flavors are available at target in small bags that sell for 2.99. The pumpkin pie were not as good as I had hoped, but the toffee is delightful, and even better it is dipped in chocolate-YUM! So far the toffee is my favorite. Last week I tried s'mores and regular candy corn dipped in chocolate(both from Target). They were yummy! Today I revisited the s'mores and tried green apple. The green apple has the chocolate dipped pieces as well. I like the green apple it is like a green jolly rancher, the chocolate dipped ones are a bit much. Tiff was with me today and she bought the toffee ones, I think I might have to visit her a few more times cuz they are the best. There you have it, my candy corn review. If you don't like candy corn that's ok, but if you do, be a little adventurous and try some new flavors. Next week will definitely be chocolate caramel and maybe cotton candy, check back for my reviews.

I'm coming around

I've got some things on my mind that I want to take a minute to write down. I've been on a kind of journey lately. For the last year, plus I've been trying to get control over our finances. Little tricks I used to use stopped working, and I needed to reevaluate and make some changes. I asked a good friend for some tips and have saved and used them, it really helped get me pointed in the right direction. I stopped being afraid of those lessons in church and conference talks about living providently, and opened up to what I could learn and use. I have read books, talks, anything that could give me inspiration and renew my commitment to this. I decided to read the Book of Mormon looking for more inspiration and guidance. It has been a long journey, but we have had our best month (financially) in years, at least since we moved into our house-and we have lived here for 9 years. I have found joy in living simply. I can be creative in finding solutions. I think the economy has made it easier for me to just flat out say "I can't afford it", people are being more honest, we're all trying to do better. I still have a long way to go, this requires constant diligence. One of the things I keep telling myself is that; if I can figure out how to manage my weight (something I once thought impossible) I can figure this out, and with a lot of prayer and faith I think I am.

Another thing. I love homeschooling my kids. Every once in a while feelings of insecurity creep in and I wonder if I'm doing enough, if my kids would be better off back in school. I feel like I am turning a corner. I am starting to have more faith in the process, and the method I have chosen. I think part of what is helping me is seeing the results in my kids. They are doing great and really love to learn, especially when I get out of the way, and try to follow their lead. Shelby is working on a model of the Solar System, how cool is that? I think we'll tackle trig. tomorrow, or maybe build a jet engine or a windmill that will power our house. But seriously, I am also seeing a need for me to study more. I have been reading a lot of mindless stuff lately and its time to put that aside and get back to stretching my mind so that I can better inspire my kids in their studies.