"flashes" while sledding

The boys and I spent most of the morning and afternoon sledding at the park. Yesterday and last night brought about 3 inches of sleet. Today it was like walking on a frozen pond!!! This made for great GREAT sledding!!!

FLASH back to junior high......
4 young teen girls were sledding on one sled. They asked me to push them down the hill. I had already been pushing my dad on his sled and I was in the middle of racing my youngest son. I told them "sorry, I can't. I am out of breath." Apparently, this made them mad. I had hiked my old, overweight self up to the top of the hill to race Max. When I made it down to the bottom, where the girls were, they were pointing and laughing. They were whispering and making faces at me. I wanted to yell..."I am 36 years old you idiots...why would I care what you think about me??".....................and just like junior high, I told my mom and she tried to make me feel better....."they thought you were a teenager. It should make you feel good that they thought you were so young." I doubt they thought I was a teen. It doesn't matter. I still wanted to beat them up!!

FLASH of death.......
I was trying out a sled that is shaped like a motor scooter. I sat down on the seat. I put my feet on the feet rest. I pushed off with my hands. I went about a foot and then my scarf tightened around my neck so tight, I thought I was being strangled. Luckily, I came to a stop. I realized my scarf had been pulled up under the scooter. I was being strangled. This kid's sled was so small and I am NOT. I had to roll off the sled. I then could not sit up. I had to roll over onto my knees. I was on a very slick spot. I could not get traction under my feet. I crawled to a better spot and stood up. Several people were standing nearby. I am not sure if they were looking at me, concerned or oblivious. I had created so much heat trying to survive and stand up that my glasses had fogged up.

NEVERTHELESS, today was fun. It was the best sledding in 30 years!!

always 9 years old

It is 12:25 am. I am on the couch. The curtains are open and I am waiting for the winter storm. We have been told all week that we are expecting ice tonight. I just checked the radar and it looks like it may pass us by once again. Man, we are going to be tired at their music school tomorrow...........and possibly late.

Teacher, Master, Controller.....mwahahahah

One thing I hated about teaching in the schools were the stupid lesson plans!

Have you ever made a list of "things to do"?
Did you get them all done in the appropriate time and in the correct order???
NO!!

Students are like life. Some work faster. Some work slower. Some have to do it over and over. Some need to skip it until later.........I could go on and on!
School lesson plans were a joke to me. I know why the "upper powers" require lesson plans. They believe that if you turn in lesson plans, then you are teaching those plans in the classroom. What stupidity!

I was a great teacher (all God given!). I never followed my lesson plans.....so you can imagine what the lazy teachers are or are NOT doing....

Administration should require the following as lesson plans:
Week one:
History: Ancient China
English: Parts of Speech
Math: Fractions
ETC...
....Then if the teacher eats, sleeps and breaths teaching.....they are a good teacher! When I taught, I was constantly thinking "how could I teach this so Alice will learn?......how can I teach this visually?......how can I teach this so Joe won't sleep through my lesson?....."
My day was not 7:15 to 3:15......my day was 24/7!! If I wasn't teaching, I was researching or planning or thinking about it ALL!

NOW that I teach at home. I am Master, Controller, the Grand PUBAH!!
I love it!!

Yesterday, the plan was to do a weaving project because we are studying Ancient Americas. I was preparing and getting very angry at the weaving. Then I thought "why do this?........". I could not come up with a reason. If my sons are ever in a situation and they MUST weave to live........THEN they are not that bad off.....they will live!!...........(now watch the final test to get into Engineering school will be to weave.....oops)

Back to the faster or slower student.....
My oldest was not getting one chapter in his Math. We took a month and did hands-on and life applications.....he not only got it...mastered it....he sped through the next section. If all teachers could teach like that, then students would not be behind or ahead....they would just BE!!

I am inspired to come up with this type teaching and curriculum at an affordable price for everyone. The Ziegenhorn School!!......MWAHAHAHAHAHAH
There are pros to teaching your kids at home but there are MANY cons! We should not have to rely on home schooling. Lets provide a new school system! Let's go back to the idea that education is a privilege not a handout!!!



COUNTDOWN:
34 pounds  176 days

New Project....week 2

ok, I will admit, you are getting ripped off this week. My project is personal. I explained last post about my new weight loss endeavor. I am making it my project this week.

PLAN:
take my Juice Plus daily (this is raw fruits and veggies dehydrated and put in capsule form...all food, not vitamins)

walk 45 minutes everyday on the treadmill

drink 3 glasses of water before each meal

drink 3 glasses of water every time I would like to munch!!

cut out carbs, salt, sodas and sweets

TODAY:
ATE/DRANK:
2 glasses of water before breakfast
Juice Plus
one cup of Kashi Go Lean crunch with lactose fat free milk
one banana
1 glass of water before lunch
one apple, handful of baby carrot (raw)
one slice leftover bbq chicken pizza from Memphis Pizza cafe (had to finish it...there is no more...)
one bowl of buttered noodles with salt and shredded cheese (better than the entire package which is my usual lunch)
2 cheezits (honestly, only 2! but I stole them off my son's plate when he wasn't looking)
one cup of Florida Natural OJ
3 glasses of water before dinner
2 cups of my home made soup (black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, corn, water, salt-free seasoning and bottle of beer...in the soup)

EXERCISE:
I walked for 33 minutes on the treadmill. I "warmed up" for 15 minutes while I walked and read Max's Science lesson for next week. I fast walked/ran for 10 minutes while watching Operation Petticoat on the Retro Channel.  I "cooled down" walked for 8 minutes.

THOUGHTS
I thought about my daily routine. When Jeff is in town, I spend my day waiting on him to come home from work in the evening. When Jeff is out of town, I am in "get through the day" mode. Since I teach the boys in our home, I do not have to get out of the house on Monday or Saturday. When one of the boys are sick, we do not go to church on Sunday or Wednesday.
Sitting around the house, watching movies, TV, doing school, ....all these things provide me with the urge to eat.
Lately, it has rained ALOT so I don't spend time in the yard.

Doing a project each week to report to my readers will hopefully give me motivation and a goal!!

COUNTDOWN
35 pounds and 178 days
(yes! that is right! I lost 2 pounds today!)

up...down...up up....down...up....down....up

What am I talking about?? My weight. I have a food addiction. I feed my anxiety, I feed my sorrow, I feed my excitement, I feed my anger................................

At the end of summer, we will be taking a Ziegenhorn family trip to the beach. I need to lose 37 pounds.

After I ate a 10 inch pizza for dinner, all by myself, I decided that I would start tomorrow on losing weight.

Tomorrow is January 24, 2010. My goal is to lose all 37 pounds by July 22, 2010 (that happens to be my anniversary).

So the countdown begins:
37 pounds in 179 days

I am done!!

The first week project is finished..............well, not totally.

It is stitched and it works!! I just want to put some of that gluey stuff that keeps material from unravelling. I am hoping to pick some up tomorrow.

I know my millions of readers were on the edge of their seats to see if I could finish this project.
(but apparently I do not have wealthy readers. I have not been given a digital camera)
I would love to show you the pictures!! oh, well.

Just wait until next week!!
I bought 2 bunches of bananas and then was given a third bunch. I am trying to find something to make with the bananas!!! (not cooking....I hate cooking)

OR.....something with paint and fabric......hmmmmm

WHA??? yougottabekiddinme!

I finished my second try at making this simple wood wind swab. My son tried it and it was too thick!! It would not pull through the instrument.

I had doubled the fabric. I was trying to strengthen the material to reduce ripping. NOT A CHANCE.
So today, I am on my third try. I am using one piece of material and using the blanket stitch around the edges to reduce unravelling.

Well, so much for starting with a simple project!!