Psalm 27:4 The Happy Palace Homestead

Commit to be Fit

Well, off we went to the gym this morning to find my waistline and let the kids swim.  20 minutes into my workout with a nice young guy named, Nate, my legs got so weak and shaky that my head thought that would be a good thing to do too.  There I sat, leaning over a trash can, sure my burps were going to turn into regurgitated sausage and eggs!!  They brought me some juice and a cool rag for the back of my neck and I managed to breathe deep and slow enough to keep my breakfast where it belonged.  Once my heart stopped pounding, I was able to stand up and took a very leisurely walk on the treadmill.   Nate told me to be sure and eat carbs with my breakfast before a workout and noted on my card, to do ONE set of exercised until my body gets used to being exerted again.  I am so very tired tonight and will probably be sore tomorrow after the few exercises I did manage to do.

The kids loved their swim time and Kurt behaved himself quite well with Karra helping him do his school work.  WE told him that if he fought with Karra over his schoolwork, he couldn't go swimming.  Boy, did that work!  We were all exhausted and moving slowly when we got to the library.  WE did pretty good with the food that we packed.  I bought the kids hamburgers at 2:30 (since the girls had dance at 4 and I had run out of cheese - how could that possibly happen, since I practically OWN the cheese case at Kroger!) and Kurt hadn't had any protein with his lunch.

I am tired and going to enjoy my sleep tonight!

The newest homeschool adventure at the Happy Palace Prep Academy.

Joy in the Journey

I had an epiphany of sorts yesterday.  I had gone to the gym to re-up myself for the long haul (you know, that determined effort to relocate your waitstline?) and then took the kids swimming.  When we decided to school year round regardless, one of the reasons was that the kids wanted time to go swimming and have fun outings and not just school, school, school all of the time.  So, I'm watching them playing in the water and having fun and I realized that in my efforts to put the "home" in our homeschool and homestead, I had destroyed the joy in the journey of homeschool.  It was like doing school at home with none of the fun that we had previously enjoyed.  Not to mention how tired and worn out I've felt since I quit exercising on a regular basis.

I got to take two lucious dips in the hot tub & a couple of swims in the pool (Karra called it refreshing; I called it COLD!).  We stayed in the pool for an hour and it was just fun and wonderful.  We were very tired when we got home and wondering how we will pull off swimming on a dance night.  The girls don't get home until 8pm after dance.  It will be a very long day for them when we're leaving at 9:30 to drive to the gym.  But, we don't have to get up in the morning.  The biggest problem will be packing enough food in the cooler to get us through the day!  I'm trying not to think of when soccer starts and Kurt & I will be out until 8pm as well.

As an aside I must describe to you Kurt as he headed for the swimming pool:    He has on his swim trunks, life jacket, adult-sized flippers, swim mask (the strap folds his ears down), and snorkel.  Slap, flop, slap, flop, he walks out of the stall and tries to navigate his way out of the ladies locker room and out to the pool.  The ladies are sticking their heads out of the changing stalls to get a look because he 'sounds' so funny!  I just shook my head and said, "that's his dad, not me!"   I wish, oh, how I wish, I'd had a camera!

That is today's homeschool adventure from the Happy Palace Prep Academy, home of the Penguins.

Good Morning Blogosphere!!

Well, the computer just ate my entry and I'm not going to retype it.  Suffice to say that the colossal decision has been made to become year round schoolers!  We just don't feel like we can enjoy the benefits of homeschooling when we're tied to a "calendar" school year.  Joel is even okay with it.  We'll do school in the mornings and be able to enjoy other activities in the afternoons.  The more I've tried to stay home and "do" school, the more stressed we get.  I want the kids to pursue their passions and interests and not be bogged down by an overloaded life.  So, we're going back to the gym to swim & help Mom find her waistline (there is nothing like looking at a 10 year old video of yourself to show you just how far you've lost it!).  We can do the library again and actually utilize it's benefits.  Once summer hits school may shift to the afternoon so that Mom can garden in the morning before it gets too hot.  I think the new schedule will be a big help when we have animals to care for.  Since we know that things will get done and it's okay if they don't get done today, it won't put us behind, we should be good.  We'll still have those weeks off for swim lessons and camping and visiting Grandma and Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I know that a steadier routine will probably be healthier in the long run for all of us.  No time to forget our multiplication facts and our letter sounds.

I'm excited and already feel calmer about how our "check book"s look (that's what Kurt call's my Instructor Guides).  Report cards came out this week and everyone is doing fine.  I'm so proud of Kristen and the progress that she is making in spelling/phonics.  She still doesn't really hear the ng combination, but she's more aware that it exists.  Her spelling as improved alot and her ability to retain the spelling patterns.  It's just one of those things that came to her a little later than the "norm".

Well, this is completely different from the entry that the computer ate.  Karra is thinking that she would like to be a nurse and help babies be born.  She'd also like to volunteer at The Columbus Women's Clinic and give ultrasounds and help save unborn babies.  I'm so proud of her.  She'd make an awesome nurse - or a doctor.  She's still passionate about animals but has decided that maybe Dad is right and being an animal scientist may not pay as well and have as bright a future.  Besides, there is nothing like the miracle of a baby to put the kabosh on evolution!

And that's the latest adventure at The Happy Palace Prep Academy.

Hasty Pudding