Got my bonus in....killer chest. It should say killer arms cause that's where I feel it. Also went for a walk with my dog and youngest. He was on his bike and challenged me to keep up so it turned into a bit of a jog.

TeacherZee, I'm reading Boys and Girls Learn Differently by Gurian. That's sociology and since you're a teacher maybe it would interest you. Yes, the whole book is like that. I felt so drained when I finished it, but satisfied and content feeling. I am happy I read it. Love it. Well, I know those books are not allowed in Germany. Nothing with Nazi symbolism is allowed. When my cousin was visiting here and she saw the book displayed in Barnes and Noble she about fell over.

I bought a smoothie recipe book a long time ago. Never cracked it open. So I've decided to try a new smoothie every day or at least a new one every week. Today was honeydew, cucumber, pear with plain kefir and water. I added stevia to sweeten as the melon is not very ripe. Boo for not picking a good melon. The recipe actually says to juice the fruits and drink that way. But I don't juice so I will turn all juicing recipes into smoothie ones by adding kefir/water/milk of some kind/etc.

Wine.

Lizzy, that reminds of the story a friend of mine told me. She plays professionally in an orchestra and she told me that one of her friends there broke her nose by choice....sort of. She is a cellist so her hands/wrists are essential to playing. She was walking and tripped on her carpet. She fell forward and actually tucked her hands *behind* her back so she wouldn't injury them thus leaving her face completely exposed. So she smacked the ground with her face and broke her nose. All I can say is that is some amazing will power to overcome the automatic reflex to catch oneself with arms and hands to protect the head!

My kids do their practice first thing in the morning right before and/or after breakfast.

Upper body I've done this one before so I increased weight. I believe I will curse myself tomorrow. There is a bonus video for today but I will try to do it later. It's 10 minutes of different push ups. If I try to do it now I will fall on my face.

I will echo everything Jen in NY said, and I do NOT have a music degree. ;) For me music is just as important as all other school subjects. We actually spend more time on music than history which is almost blasphemous in the classical home school realm. My dh and I have always viewed music lessons as part of the kids' education and not only as an extracurricular activity. We started each of them in piano (because that's the instrument we have and because it's a foundational instrument) at age 5. Practicing piano just becomes part of the school day like reading, math, grammar, writing, foreign language, etc. The day's lessons are not done until piano is done. Do they complain some days? Of course. Just like they complain about math or Latin. Do we miss days? Of course. Just like other subjects. They experience frustration and boredom like with everything every now and then. However, my oldest is really starting to delve into music now. Real music. My middle ds is not far behind. Both of them love to sit and play now. My little one is only 6 so still very new, and it's very frustrated as he's having a hard time learning the notes. I know now to expect bumps in the road (many!) but that in the end he will have more benefits from music than not. When we had to cut back on activities due to budget we cut out our kids sports. We skimp in other areas so that we can pay for music lessons and they are expensive.

My little one slept in my room so I couldn't get up at my normal time. I had also promised to play a game with him as soon as he woke up. That meant I couldn't work up before he got up and I had to play when he got up and I had to workout as well. Solution to preventing little boy meltdown from mommy not keeping her promise? Did my workout while playing Battleship. Just meant a few longer breaks for me in between HIIT sessions. Day 3

It can be a sign of over training too. If you think that might be it or if you have several bad days then back off and give more rest/recovery time. It was probably just an off day though.

Today was upper body weights with a bit of cardio

Yep, Loft. They always have some sort of sale going on. I think you may have just missed the 70% off sale price sale.

What is fading kitten syndrome? I don't want to google. Might see/read something I can't erase.

I read Anansi Boys by Gaiman and liked it. So far I haven't found a Gaiman I don't like.

I'm sorry but the bolded part.........does not compute.

Getting closer to the first dance production ever. I'm a bit overwhelmed at the amount of dress rehearsals and such involved. All I can say is that I'm glad I have a boy. His costume and hair is easy. For his tap class he is a clown. He's the only boy in the class so the teacher thought it would be fun to give him a special role. All the little girls (also clowns) will build a small pyramid and then my ds runs up and pushes them down and gives a big dramatic bow. Then for the all boys class they are doing a Michael Jackson theme which is the cutest thing ever. My ds is the little guy in the class (he's only 6) and he tries so hard to keep up with the big boys. At the very end of the dance the teacher again gave him a mini solo piece. If you want cute it's a 6 yr old doing Michael Jackson moves with the famous fedora.

Um, wait. 500 of those suckers in one day? That a lot of freaking tricep work. In one workout?! I'm trying to imagine that. Yesterday was an exercise in smiling while biting my tongue and playing nice nice at my in-laws. Like when my mil said, "Oh, you look like you've put on some weight. You're fatter." Um, thanks? Yes, I have gained 5 lbs in the past year and thanks for noticing. It's all MUSCLE, baby! ;) Today I started a 2 week FB schedule for busy people. I bought it for my dh and decided to do it too. Day 1 butt/thighs and "bonus"

Thanks Julie, buying a DVD is a good idea. I am not opposed to Christianity being talked about. It is after all the major worldview for the majority of Western literature. I want my kids very familiar and comfortable with it. I just don't want want the attitude of something like "all heathens are immoral" being taught as fact like in some other books I have seen.

You sound like me. I'm so busy planning for my to-be 9th grader that I almost missed the fact that my youngest will be 1st grade. I also don't require actual school work before age 6. He turned 6 a few months ago so we've been doing reading and math for his lessons. I'll ease him into other subjects come fall.

It's already too hot to do much gardening here. Actually fell asleep normally and woke up with my normal energy. Did day 5 of the challenge. This challenge was "For Busy People" so all the videos are 30 and under. I like that's it is finished before you know it, but I like longer workouts too. I feel like I'm cheating when I only do 30 or under. I can say that I was not really sore doing this challenge unlike the regular 5 day challenge. That one leaves me ouchy. Don't know if it's the increased time, or maybe I just didn't lift heavy enough for the shorter lengths. Now off for the normal weekend bustle. Dance class, dance rehearsal, finding pants/shoes for rehearsal, grocery shopping, homework for myself, homework help for ds, and so forth. Ya'll know.

Great Books? Do you have a link?

The session about homeschooling children with special needs is a bit vague. Special needs such as dyslexia, ADHD, dyspraxia, Down Syndrome, Autistic spectrum.....?

It seems when someone comes to the house (repair person, delivery person, whoever) they can tell that I home school when they come inside. If the kids are home that is usually a big sign, but I've had people ask if I home school even it's not school day hours or the kids are not home. I guess my house gives me away. Does your house scream homeschooler? How about when you are out and about? I've had people ask if I home school based on different things. I've been told they can tell due the way my kids talk, how I interact with them, the type of questions they ask, the fact that they talk to adults, how they dress (!), and such. Of course, one time my ds was wearing a t-shirt that said, "Warning: Unsocialized Homeschooler approach at own risk" and the lady laughed and pointed at him when I asked how she knew I homeschooled. So are you glaringly obvious?

Oh, I'm so sorry he his a brain injury. I hope he recovers fully and sooner than later.

I almost never put added sweetener in fruit smoothies. The fruit is sweet enough for me. Unless it's a fruit that is not very ripe then I might add a bit of stevia.