I just got some brand new motivation for losing a TON of weight by July 24th! My best friend from high school is getting married and she has asked me to read scripture in her wedding. To raise the stakes even higher, the lead singer of Lady Antebellum, Charles Kelley, is a groomsman. How cool! Here is their newest CD, just released today.

If you’d like to take advantage of Amazon.com’s deal today, you can download the entire album for $3.99. Here is the link: Lady Antebellum for $3.99

I am honored to be a part of Anna’s wedding and I can’t wait to be there on her BIG DAY! Congrats Anna and I love you dearly!

Well, I need to go now so I can eat some lettuce and run 10 miles. LOL! 🙂

~audrey

I kept a friend’s little girl yesterday. She’s the sweetest little baby. It’s so funny to see babies react to all the boys in our house. Usually, they’re content for hours, just to watch and listen to them run and play and laugh. Most of the time, even the quietest babies start to babble and respond to the boys. Katie Mae was no exception. She laughed and smiled and followed them around on all fours. It was so sweet to watch.

We picked up Katie Mae’s big brother after school and I told the boys that Avery would have to do his homework before they could all go play outside. He only had one assignment and that was to read his library book, a picture book about extinct animals, and then write a short summary/report on it. Avery had the sweetest idea to have everyone pile onto the couch and he could read the book out loud to them and then do the written part of the assignment when he finished. The kids were so good as they all listened intently and asked an occasional question. The funny thing is, Avery was homeschooled for a little while and during that time, his momma had the opportunity to teach him ‘real’ science, not the evoluntionary “the Earth is millions of years old” stuff that public schools teach. So every few pages when the book would claim that a certain extinct animal was millions of years old and had evolved from some animal none of us could pronounce, Avery would put the book down for a second and explain to my boys how that page was incorrect. I was very impressed. Tara, you done good girl! I managed to snap a quick picture while Avery was still reading to the rest of the kids. It was so sweet.

I couldn’t help but think, “Yes! That’s the way I like it! This is how it should be!” If we teach our children to love learning and love reading and love sharing their new found knowledge, then they will take pride and joy in teaching what they know to their younger siblings and friends. That’s exactly what Avery did on the couch. Moments like this really encourage my young, new readers and for that I am very grateful.

Yes, Owen is pant-less. Remember? Potty Training Boot Camp?
Day two is going well. No accidents yet!

~audrey

Last Thursday, it rained and rained and rained, all day long. It was awesome. I took the boys to the library and when we got home, we all got back into our jammies and piled into my bed to read and do school work. Even when we finished Joshua’s school work, we stayed in bed and Joshua drew pictures and read his Science Encyclopedia while I read my new library book, “The Well-Educated Mind”.

It’s a great book on learning the classical model as an adult. Hopefully it will help me as I teach my boys classically at home. That reminds me, in efforts to be on top of things this year, I already sent in our registration and tuition for our local classical co-op for the fall. I’m very excited since we missed it last year. I think the added accountability and structure will be a good transition for Jesse as he goes from real school to homeschooling again. We’re all really looking forward it. Our relaxing, rainy day made me even more excited about having everyone home next year.

Joshua likes to doing copy work. This particular day, he learned about the moon.

It was a little treat having Jesse home for one more day while he made it to 24 hours with no fever and no meds.

Jesse was home from school on Friday and today with a virus. His fever got up to 104.7 on Saturday night. It was crazy. I let him fall asleep in my bed. I don’t know why, but I always remember my parents’ bed making me feel just a little bit better when I was sick.

Here we are, another Monday. Can you believe this is the last Monday in January!? This month has flown by. How are you doing on your goals for 2010? Don’t let it be one of those years where you sprint to the finish in December because you slacked off during the other 11 months. Make it a nice steady marathon. For us, this year will be full of new financial discipline, hopefully welcoming two little girls into our family, and just learning how to relax and enjoy our time at home. We stay way too busy and I’ve come to really appreciate my time at home with the boys during the day…even the rough days. 🙂

Today is Potty Training Boot Camp: Day One. Owen has done exceptionally well. I’ve had him in a pull-up all day because I’m not real fond of cleaning up urine (it’s even worse when you can’t find where he peed!!). He hasn’t had a single pee-pee accident today. The ONE time I let him go 30 minutes with no pull-up, I found poop at the bottom of his pant leg, which fortunately was the kind of pant leg that had elastic on the bottom, so the poop was contained. Other than that, I’d consider day one a success. I do NOT plan to buy another package of pull-ups. By Wednesday, I’m putting him in big boy underwear. I don’t play around with the potty training. All or nothing baby, and we’re going all the way this time…especially with the prospect of two more bottoms to diaper in the near future.

Happy Monday!

~audrey

Church was great this morning. Worship was intense and the Word was powerful. Our pastor taught out of Acts, when Jesus gives the disciples instructions, but then tells them: WAIT. NOT YET. There was a LOT more to the sermon than the one sentence I just wrote, but it really struck a chord with me. I know what the Lord has promised me. I know what I’m suppose to be doing in this season of my life. Unfortunately, I am forced to just WAIT a lot. I’m learning more and more with each waiting experience, to just trust Him. Many times, I see later, that if I had rushed results, I wouldn’t have had what I needed to handle the situation properly.

That is where I am right now. Daily, I’m praying for these two little girls. Protection, peace, healing, love, security. I’m fighting the urge to pray for MYSELF or MY family. I want to say, “KEEP MY DAUGHTERS SAFE, LORD!” But I know I have to wait. They may never make it to my house. But I’m committed to pray for them each and everyday for the next week. There’s incredible power in prayer and I’m believing for a miracle.

I’m reminded of the Casting Crowns song, “Praise You In This Storm”:
I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
you are who you are
no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
you hold in your hand
you’ve never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I’ll praise you in this storm.

Now, I’m excited to go sit down with my two Sunday papers and get started with my hard-core couponing this week. 🙂 I look forward to sharing some great deals with you!

~audrey

Maybe it’s a psychological thing, but I do feel a change in my mood and my overall well-being since I’ve been taking vitamins and Juice Plus+ the last few days. On top of that, I’m down another pound this week. It certainly isn’t a big pretty number, but as I said in the first post: One pound a week will still add up to 52 lbs. in a year, so I’m aiming for a pound a week and anything more than that will be just awesome! I’ve been doing terrible on exercising consistently, so that is my goal for next week: EXERCISE!!

Now, for the really important stuff:

We got a call from our foster agency on Thursday afternoon. We’ve been presented with the opportunity to receive two little girls into our home and we’ve accepted. We would love for them to be a part of our family, but most of all, it’s important that they stay safe and are in a loving home. I don’t even know their names but I would love to have you pray as we wait. We’ll update next week when we hear something.

Happy Weekend Everyone!

~audrey

I had an appointment with my new endocrinologist on Monday to get the results of my lab work. My thyroid levels have continued to remain completely normal since my surgery last March, which is awesome, however, it was also very frustrating because of the way I’ve been feeling lately. He did, however, see that some of my vitamin levels, vitamin D in particular, are quite low. As a result, I’m now taking a children’s multi-vitamin and I’m also taking the kids’ Juice Plus+. Someone recommended the children’s multi-vitamin gummies because they taste great, you don’t have to swallow a pill, and they’re absorbed into your system faster. They taste just like regular gummie bears and there are only 15 calories for two. I take three to make sure I’m getting the recommended values for adults. I’m excited to see if these two changes/additions will help me start feeling better.

Oh CRAP, I hear the trash truck coming down the street and Josh forgot to take the trash to the curb last night! UGHH! Better run.

~audrey

I can’t believe this is my first post since last Friday!? What has gotten into you woman??
I have really been in a funk lately. I’m tired, irritable, and just down right blah. I’m trying to push through it, but it’s definitely been tough. I just feel run down. I can’t even completely explain it. No, I am definitely not pregnant. I know I should be going to bed earlier than I do most nights, but I’ve just been getting lost in the stack of books on my bed side table. I’ll start off excited that I’m in bed at 8:45pm. I’ll pick up a book, read for a while, move to another book for several chapters, put that one down to write down a recipe or add something to tomorrow’s to-do list, and suddenly is 11:30pm!! Oops.

My friend Kelli asked her friends/readers to share what they are reading and she did a post on several books that her family is reading at the moment. I love seeing what other people are reading and why. It’s a great way to find new books that you didn’t even know existed!

Right now there is a small stack of books on my bed side table. I recently borrowed The Pioneer Woman’s cookbook from a friend.

I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!! You would think, “how exciting can a cookbook possibly be??” but let me tell you, you must have this cookbook! She tells stories, shares her family, has magnificent photography from their ranch sprinkled throughout the colorful pages, and the best part is, each and every recipe has step-by-step photographic instructions. In my opinion, there has never been a greater cookbook. I loved it so much after flipping through it once, that I’ve already gotten two other copies. The first copy was for my sweet cousin, Liza, who graciously opened her home to me while I was in Arkansas for my grandmother’s funeral. Her husband is a chef and I thought they’d enjoy the book. Secondly, when I got home from Arkansas, I realized that SOMEONE (I seriously don’t know who) got water all over the kitchen counter, the water seemed to have slowly made it’s way to a small stack of books and papers and never got cleaned up. The BORROWED cookbook was on the bottom of that soggy pile!?!! SOOooo, I had to go out and buy my friend a new copy. She’ll never know…unless she has started reading my blog and I don’t know it. Hmm. I was secretly VERY excited to have to go out and buy her a new copy so I could keep the damaged one. The only thing wrong with it is the beautiful book jacket is wrinkled now because it got wet. The book itself is just as good as new. If you want it, buy it at Walmart!! $19.99. I don’t know if they carry it at Sam’s Club, but I’m sure it would be even cheaper there if they do. I found a copy at Border’s because our Walmart didn’t have any, but I paid $28!! Yuck!

Wow, that was a large paragraph for a cookbook.

Anyways, I’m also reading Sarah Palin’s book, Going Rogue.

Being a multi-tasking, passionate, strong mother of three, I really fell in love with Sarah Palin on the campaign trail. I know many people had many emotions and feelings towards her, and I’m not going to get into politics, but her book is excellent. I’m barely half way through it and I haven’t really even gotten into the ‘political stuff’ yet. She’s an excellent writer and storyteller; not to mention an amazing woman with a fascinating family history. I’ll definitely be sharing this one when I’m finished.

I found a Children’s World Atlas book at Border’s last night for $5.99. It’s huge; probably 11″x14″ Joshua has new geography memory work every week and I’ve been looking for something other than a large map on the wall to help him identify and enjoy his geography work.

Several times a year, I go back to my little book that I received in the mail almost two years ago when I first began homeschooling. It is “Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit“, by Terri Maxwell.

This little book packs a lot of punch and always, without fail, puts me back in my place and helps me get refocused on why I’m doing this hard thing that is homeschooling. If you homeschool and have never read this book, it’s a must buy. It’s only $7 on their website and it’s worth every penny. They have several excellent books and materials for homeschooling families. Check out their site.

I’m not reading any chapter books with the kids right now, but we’ll be starting one/some soon. Our lack of cable has gently forced us back into an evening routine of bath time, games, and stories before bed. Not that we didn’t do those things when we did have cable, but it’s different somehow, when you know there really is nothing else to do. I’m loving it. We may even go to the library today so we can find a few new books to read this month. I’ve always found it important to read chapter books to my children at an early age. In this generation of over-stimulated, over-entertained, lazy, self-centered children, I want mine to love and appreciate the arts. I want my children to grow up craving the next great book. And certainly I want them to love the word of God. We read Little House in the Big Woods last year, so we may pick up the next one in the series. I’d also like to find a book that tells stories of missionary families. We had Hero Tales with our Sonlight curriculum, but I sold that last year. Do you know of any or do you have any must reads that you recommend for children? Do share!

~audrey

The scale was kind to me this morning. No change from last week, and I’m satisfied with that after the week I’ve had.

My January goal is to workout with “Jillian’s 30-Day Shred” at least three times a week and walk/run (outside) at least once a week. My other goal is to be out of the 200’s by January 29th (my last weigh-in for January). I can do that.

I have a killer headache, so I’m going to go lay down. Have a great weekend!!

~audrey

We just started Financial Peace University at church last Sunday. I am SO excited about getting out of debt and on our way to financial freedom. We have already read through Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Makeover” and loved it. Unfortunately, life happens, and our debt snowball hasn’t ever gotten any momentum. We are more than ready to make the sacrifices it’s going to take to get out of debt and finally build our savings and retirement. Two of my favorite quotes by Dave Ramsey are:

“Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else.”

and

“Normal is broke. Be weird!”

He stresses how important it is for both spouses to be equally as committed and enthusiastic. I’m so thankful that Josh is the one who pushed for us to sign up for FPU. I’ve already found myself saying no to little things that I have always said yes to. For example, yesterday, I got a call from a friend asking if I’d like her to pick up a coffee for me at Starbucks before she comes over. Normally my response would be, “YES, thank you! I’ll pay you back when you get here.” But instead I said no. When she arrived at my house, she had a coffee for me! Starbucks made her the wrong drink by mistake, told her to keep the wrong one and also made her a new one! I had no doubt that that was a sweet little blessing for my obedience in saying no.

I just posted my treadmill for sale on Facebook. I know it isn’t the wisest thing to sell your treadmill when you just committed to lose a LOT of weight, but I feel it is something that I need to do to jump start our saving and debt reduction.

I also checked prices and we’ve decided to cancel our cable and switch from Comcast to Knology for internet in order to save over 60% per month.

This is a good start. 🙂

Tomorrow–week two weigh-in. I’m scared. Very scared. It’s been a long, rough week of traveling, eating out with family, and ‘funeral food’ (you know, food that neighbors and family bring over when a loved one dies—never healthy, always comfort foods and junk food—bad.bad.bad.). WE’LL SEE!

~audrey

I haven’t flown in five years, so I was actually pretty excited to get on a plane last Saturday.  Most of all, I really love airports.  I like the smells, the book stores, the hustle and bustle, and the array of people.  I could sit and ‘people watch’ all day at an airport.

It’s funny though, how much my feelings toward ‘interesting looking’ people have changed in light of our nation’s security issues.  For example, there was a man in a black trench coat sitting behind me at the gate in Charlotte.  He was on his cell phone speaking Russian and sounding quiet, yet angry.  Hmmm.  That made me a little nervous.  Then there was the man in Atlanta, dressed in a three piece suit, with sunglasses on (it was 7:30pm and dark outside, not to mention–HE was inside!) and a weird tatoo down the side of his neck.  Creepy.

The whole experience was certainly heightened thanks to my traveling buddy, Donald; my brother.  He is quite a people person.  Donald could spark up a conversation with a brick wall.  He also has an amazing ability to make people smile…or at least respond…when it LOOKS like you’re talking to a brick wall.  Here’s an example:

We were going through security in Charlotte on Saturday and there was a good-looking black guy checking ID’s and tickets.  He had a name badge on and it was clear to me what his name was, but Donald wanted to get this guy talking.  He was NOT interested.  Donald was overly friendly, asking how the guy’s day was going, whether or not he liked his job, and finally, “Hey man, how do you pronounce your name?”  The response he got was, “Have a nice day sir.”  It was clear this guy was not interested in Donald’s friendship.  🙂

So, Donald pretended not to hear that and asked again, “How do you pronounce your name?”  The guy sat up straight, looked him right in the eye and said, “Java.”  Yep, just as I suspected.  Java.  Exactly how it’s spelled.  I’m just SO thankful it didn’t hit Donald’s funny bone and warrant a response like, “Wow, your mom must have really liked coffee!”

Once we boarded our flight in Charlotte, the flight attendant approached the only man lucky enough to be an the exit row and asked if he had any questions regarding his responsibilities.  The man seemed nervous to have all of our lives in his hands (assuming he won’t actually have to DO anything).  He said, “Um, I haven’t flown in a long time ma’am.  Where is the inflatable life raft located?  (I’m assuming he had visions of the Hudson River landing dancing through his head).  The flight attendant smiled and said, “Sir, if we go down between Charlotte and Atlanta, a life raft won’t help us.”  Donald and I laughed hysterically from four or five rows back.

Once in Atlanta, we had about an hour before our flight would leave for Little Rock.  I was tired and it was stifling hot in the airport.  I plopped down next to the window and the coolness coming off the glass was quite appealing.  Hoping no one was paying attention to me, I slowly slid down and back and smooshed my face against the glass.  Ahhh, it felt good.  Nice and cool.  I’m sure there was a giant foggy spot surrounding my hot face and head, but I didn’t care.

On the way home yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be on the same flight as my parents from Little Rock to Atlanta.  We were very excited to be together and to be on our way home.  We were about 20 minutes from the Atlanta airport when the captain came over the speaker with this:  “Ladies and Gentlemen, we just received news that air traffic control in Atlanta is down and we will need to circle Rome, Georgia for a while.  We have concerns about low fuel levels, so we may need to divert to a closer airport to refuel.  We’re hoping to arrive in Atlanta within an hour.”

Well, that would cause all of us to miss our connecting flights.  Ugh!

Somehow, about 15 minutes later, the captain came back on the speaker as if he never even said the thing before and informed us that we would be landing in Atlanta in ten minutes.  We all made our flights.

It was so good to be home.  I felt like a kid coming home from summer camp as I waited out front at the little Augusta airport for Josh to pick me up.   Icing on the cake; my Christmas present finally arrived while I was gone and Josh had it with him with a big smile on.  🙂  It’s beautiful.  Here is what it looks like, except it has MY kids’ names on it:

Happy Wednesday everyone!

~audrey