iDon't Know Where the Time Goes

Outside my Window:  Beautiful blue sky and cool weather with sweet breezes after some crazy thunderstorms and a week of humid 95+ temperatures.

What's on my Mind: Embracing the Process of Growth and Change.  There really is no such thing as standing still in life.  You are either moving forward or sliding back.  Growth is the natural state of all living things. ~From Ten Habits of Naturally Slim People   The last chapter of this book explains the upward spiral of growth and change and how your intense feelings are the catalyst that make you take notice of a discomfort and use the awareness to catapult positive change.  While I know I can promote positive change my challenge comes with consistency and continuity, in otherwords keeping the motion going forward as opposed to sliding back.  Now I sit on a platuea knowing it is imperitive to ride the wave forward and not get swept under by the current of adverse circumstances.

Ethan (red bandana) at his last year at camp as a camper next to big brother counselor Fox (pink shirt)

at Larger than LIFE 4H Overnight Camp

Thankful for: All the boys having an amazing week at camp.  Fox really liked being a counselor for both day and overnight camp and plans to take part again next year.  Ethan made the most of his last year and is looking forward to moving on to day camp counselor next summer.  Benjamin had an incredible time in Huntsville, AL and was pretty proud that he made the astronaut laugh during the graduation ceremony.  The boys made friends with a couple brothers from Korea and had fun sharing words from each other's language and of course iPod apps and games.  I will share more after I get the disc of photos and he can explain more of the missions to me.

Creative Endeavors:  Making games for camp like a Super Twister board on a King size sheet using a pizza box stencil.  We also played human foos ball, Super Swatter balloon badmitton, Beat the Bear (with add-on variations), and Bandana Grab which got pretty intense at times which added to the hilarity.

Latest Project:  Working on some crafty Fair entries using scrap molding and tiles.

My 3 Sons:  In the area of sports we've had a bit of a shake up.  After years of cross-country Fox has decided to jump ship and try something new.  It started with him just wanting more of a workout but it is looking like he will actually stay for a season.  Never thought any of my boys would go this route but it looks like we'll be heading out to some football games this year!  He's been going to as many training sessions as he can and has talked to the head coach about a game plan.  Official season starts Aug. 14.
Ben and Ethan will still run Middle School Cross Country.

Pigs and rabbits are doing well, this week the boys delivered their buyer letters.  Everything is on track for Fair, they've got all the suppies they need and made sure each has a showmanship outfit before they head off to Port Austin to relax before the crazy week of Fair begins.

The first Born:  Aggrivated with her job, threatening to give notice and go back to college full time.  I can only hope.

Employment News:  Starting to work on my renewal tutorials for subbing.  Fun.

Hoping to Improve:  My exercise routine, need to get back in my regular Yoga practices and add some toning sessions.  There's a new fitness studio in town that I have on my list to check out.

Food for Thought:  Much to the complaint of my family I have been working on cleaning out the cupboards using up all processed products with a shelf life and also finishing the meat stock in the freezer.  Alex's vegan sensibilities have inspired me although I'm not going totally vegan I am working toward as fresh as possible and a greater percentage of veggies and fruits.  Cereal is probably going to be what they give me the most resistance about.

Last Words:



Another Year of Possibilities

Hard to believe the new year has begun. All the boys are back in school this week but Alex's classes don't start until next Monday. Our Christmas was probably the least stressful I've had in many, many years and we even started what we hope will be a new tradition for Christmas Eve. I finally finished Marlo Thomas' book which was absolutely fabulous. I knew she did extensive work with St. Jude's but I never knew her father Danny founded it. I'm now in the middle of several readings: Amy Yasbeck's book With Love & Laughter, John Ritter, Joyce Meyer's Battlefield of the Mind for Kids (research), The Four Agreements, and I finally bought myself a copy of Meditations from the Mat so I can highlight and make notes.

Don't ask me about resolutions because I don't make them. Each beginning of the year does prompt a resurge in heathly habits, kickin' up the yoga practice, I'm recording some Total Body Sculpt with Gilad to work in as well, and Pastor has called for a 21 day fast which I am participating in as well although I'm planning to go 30. I'm taking this one in stages, first no meat, then Daniel fast (fruits and veggies only), and at the end I'll do three days of juice/broth only.

My new interest lately is Mandalas, there are literally millions of them from various cultures. Over the course of 2011 I hope to increase my personal creation time through coloring mandalas, developing new collages, and writing; like creatively - not for work.

Fox's continued interest is running, he's becoming borderline obssessive about it. Even when we got the first snow he went out there and spent the afternoon shoveling his path in the back of the property so he could run, then later that day he went back out and ran. He tries to get out there everyday, even in the snow after school today he went out there. He's up to three and a half miles. When track season starts he's gonna be killin' in the mile run. He's also doing weights and calestenics but not daily. If he's not running he's usually playing some type of computer game. All the boys love their Wii and DS games but we're finally finding some semblence of balance. They know that in the morning they have to be dressed, have eaten, and gotten all their school stuff ready before they even think about sitting and playing a game or watching tv. It would be nice to downgrade all screen time in general over the next year (games, computer and television)....we'll see, it could happen.

Off we go again: 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, a clean slate, a new palete, endless possibilities.....so let's go color our world!

Namaste. Peace. Shalom. Godspeed.