Skinny Housewife

I've been doing this workout 3 times a week, for the last 2 weeks.  My arms are sore--a lot, but I've been pushing myself pretty hard.  I do all 3 parts (after watching the first video, there should be a link to do part 3, and after that part 4.)





I've also been doing these:

Flat Tummy Workout--No crunches!

My arms and core are the areas I need the most work on.  Zumba and running have helped me burn off a lot of fat, now it's time to tone and strengthen!

Two for Tuesday

Tin Can Lantern

Cardboard Star Gazer

Skinny Housewife

Sooo...super trendy right now is Paleo. It's often followed by the word diet, but I don't find that to be a fitting word. It's really a lifestyle change and it's largely about real food. You know what real food is, we all know what REAL food is. Eat that, not that sub-par fake stuff you are currently filling your face with.  This is a movement I can stand behind. It just makes sense. 

For ME-pasta is going to be hard to give up. Dairy too...but now, dairy can be a bendy point for Paleo. Some people still use it ( in organic form, which we already mostly do) and do just fine. I have eliminated dairy from my diet once before. For a really painfully long two months. The biggest change I noticed?  I lost weight pretty rapidly. That's not really a goal for me right now, so I'm thinking I will limit it but not do away with it entirely. 

It's just another option, I recommend reading up on it. :)

Wordy Wednesday

Screen free week day 4 complete. Amazing. Truly!  They have only asked once a day all week and there has been zero whining about my "we aren't doing screens, remember?" answer. I'm astounded. And so pleased. 

We've spent so much time together too. It's just win all around!!  Tomorrow we are going to have a movie night. I'm excited about it, but only because it seems 'special' now that we've had such a break from it. 

Yay!

Sideways Saturday

Tomorrow we are starting a screen-free week. No screens for the small ones-no wii, no smart phone play, no tv. Limited screens for all the big people. I will allow myself use of my laptop and phone before 7 (since we kick of our new school year Monday, I need access to my computer. And well, like millions of others, I'm a candy crush addict.) And, I'm still going to allow the girls either TV/phone usage between 8 and 10 pm, but not both. I'll also be using my computer, phone or watching TV between those two hours. But, I'm going to make myself choose as well. If I'm going to play on my phone, then I'll have the tv off. If I'm looking at the web on my laptop, no tv and no phone use. 

We are all screen addicts I think. This is my intervention. There will be one other exception. One night this week we will have a family movie...something old shook Disney most likely. We will all watch together, after dinner. :) 

I haven't broken this week's rules to the big girls. I did give the boys some warning today though, that tomorrow, we're not turning the tv on. I think we will wait until Thursday or Friday night for the movie, giving it some time to "sink in" before we have a little break from it. 

I'm going to put the baby lock on the entertainment center, which will prevent the boys from being able to "forget" they aren't supposed to turn it on. I'm an evil wench. 

Wish me luck!

Wordy Wednesday

It's been so long. My life turned upside down-again. I must say these last two years have been a roller coaster to say the least. I decided on a school schedule for the boys-going year round, because I like the breakdown and with too much 'down time' my kids turn on each other. We are going to do a combined 1st grade/kindergarten year. Four just turned four but he's ready for K. One and Two also did K at four and were fine. Three just had no-interest (he still really doesn't) so I just waited until he 'should' have started. Four is always wanting MORE so I'm going to let him jump right in with his brother. I'm hoping there will be some positive peer pressure on Three as a result. 

Our new school year starts on Monday, July 8. Our first theme is 'all about me.'  I've been working hard on planning the first month, allowing me time to keep planning ahead on the weekends. We don't have our first "track out" until September. 

How I planned?  I made a master list of themes I wanted to cover. Some of them naturally correspond with certain days of the year-day of the dead, for instance. Or apple picking-I want to make a trip to the orchard near us so I checked their website for picking times and put the apple theme in that same week. We do an annual beach trip on Mother's Day so I put the ocean theme there. You get the idea. Then I just filled in the rest of the themes. Leaving our "track out" weeks empty. 

My goal is to have one field trip a week that corresponds, if at all possible, with our theme (like the orchard, and the beach...)  I also want to take the kids to the mountains-since I've lived here for 22 years and never been to the mountains in my own state!  I've seen Gorgeous mountains in Canada...but not three hours from me, go figure?  I am undecided about what theme I will tie that into or if it will be a "track out" trip. 

I have some shopping to do to pickup the supplies for our first few themes. I'm excited to get going again. It's been a month of only doing math and reading (skills I don't want Three to lose momentum on) and I think we're all ready to get back in the full swing of things. 

Happy Schooling!