Snow Folks & Snow Critters

Yes, I do sometimes take pictures of something other than lawn ornaments and trees when it's snowing...

Papa Bear:"It be snowin'!"

Yep....pajamas.

Popper pooping.

Ummmm....matching gloves?

At least he's got a jacket...

Antifreeze.

Jenny eating snow. She's so bright.

Jasmin, Dazed and Confused.

Papa Bear: "Sit!"
Jasmin: "Whaaa?!? Brrrrr!!!"

Rollin', rollin', rollin',

Keep dem puppies rollin'.

Now with jacket, and matching gloves!

Snowballs at 11:00 pm!

Night Snow!

There's just something about snow. I can't resist grabbing my camera and clicking away....

First dusting.

Ice toilet seats. Brrrr.

Virgin deck.

More!

Magnolia.

Front walk.

Truck.

Big bulb.

Small tree.

Angry tiki.

Warm bench. Not.

Welcoming shrub.

Ornamental bird.

Anxious chicken.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Day Two

Day Two of Drawing Lessons with Brother Bear....

In an attempt to get us to shut off the analytical, language-oriented left brain, and get into the right-brain groove, Edwards instructed us to copy a line drawing by Picaso, viewed upside-down. The drawing is upside-down in the book, and we were supposed to draw it exactly as we saw it, working hard not try to identify each part we were drawing. Believe it or not, it came out way better upside-down that it would if I had try to do it right-side-up. And, that's pretty much the point of the exercise; get ye self out of ye way, brain, and let ye draw better!

Upside-down line drawing.

Good Morning, Sunshines!

Call me whacky, but I just love that our three boys co-sleep.

Maybe it's because they tend to stay in their own room all night when they've got someone else in the bed with them (even if it is their brother), instead of wandering into my room and waking me up (Papa Bear tends to sleep through most things that wake me). Brother Bear usually sleeps in his own twin, next to T-Bear and BooBoo's queen. But, last night I left them all awake when I went to bed (trying to wean them off "parenting" to sleep), and Brother Bear snuggled down to read to his brothers. Sweet, huh?

Perhaps 2010 will be The Year Of The Good Sleep...

Something Seems to be Missing...

This is how I found our put-the-peices-together anatomy model of the human hand.



Something seems to be missing....

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Day One

Brother Bear has been begging me for weeks to teach him to draw. Kinda a challenge, since I can't draw worth beans myself. So, I pulled out Betty Edward's Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and and ran up to Michael's earlier this week to pick up some materials. Brother Bear and I have set as one of our goal this quarter, learning to draw.

So, Day One of drawing lessons was pretty much creating a record of how much we currently suck at drawing:

Self-portrait, looking in a mirror.

Ugh.

Portrait of T-Bear from memory.
I was thinking of this pic while I drew it.

My hand.

I'm not posting pix of Brother Bear's drawing, because I don't want to embarrass him. I'll post them as he gets better and more confident in his skills. As for me, I have no pride to protect when it comes to artistic talent. I ain't got none. Yet...

Ginger Bread House

Yesterday we ran up to Michael's to pick up some art supplies, and BooBoo Bear decided he wanted to buy a Ginger Bread House kit. With his own money. It was on sale for about $3. Yummy.

So, last night I helped him do the "construction" part, and it sat overnight to harden. Yum. This morning, BooBoo and Brother Bear went at it and had it decorated in about an hour. In time to share with our homeschool group.

The House.

Custom tree out front.

Yes, there was a horrific mess at the kitchen table. But, bless 'em, the boys did their best to clean it up themselves. They're getting much better at being self-sufficient with their projects. Love it :)

First Day Back

Today was our first day back to homeschooling. We’ve been “off routine” for over a month, probably a little longer, between Visits, Holidays, and Nana Stays. So, we were off-and-running today.

Challenge Number One: how to fit my new exercise/fitness/self-care routine into a family routine that includes 4+ hours per day of homeschooling, plus quality time with each child, plus quality time with husband, plus keeping the house from degenerating into a complete pig sty. Oh, and spending some time and energy on my own on-going education, a la TJEd. It helps ENORMOUSLY that my dearest love, Papa Bear, is completely supportive of my self-improvement endeavors (it may help a bit that I’ve become slimmer, more shapely, and more energetic as a result of my exercising, and have been entirely supportive of his own self-improvement endeavors), and is partnering up in arranging work-out time for both he and I on a regular basis. I can’t imagine trying to achieve this virtual overhaul-of-self that I have embarked upon without the full, unconditional, loving support of my dearest. Luv ya, babe!

Two more aspects of this challenge are: the weather has been very cold (for us) for several weeks, with daytime highs in the 30’s and 40’s; and “they” have ripped up “my” walking trail at “my”park, so walking has become an obstacle course. The treadmill at the Y has been providing cardio on the two days I go for strength training, but that leaves me shy of my 3-4 days/week of cardio. I may just have to deal with less cardio for a while, or just get desperate enough to do “aerobics” on the WiiFit.

But, for now, I’ve “balanced” things out by adding Yoga every morning. About 15-20 minutes of “floor work”, followed by a 20-minute Yoga routine I set up on WiiFitPlus. I was pretty discontented with the original WiiFit Yoga set-up, because between each pose you had to wait for the coach to tell you what a good job you did (or not), that you should practice Yoga every day to improve your posture, watch the little ball jiggle around to show you exactly how off balance you were, return to the Yoga menu, and choose the next pose. Apparently, the folks at Wii received enough irate e-mails from folks pointing out, “That’s just NOT how you DO Yoga!”, that they’ve now fixed that. While it’s still not what I would consider a good “Yoga workout”, it does provide enough detailed instruction for beginners, and with Plus provides a seamless routine, that it certainly fits the bill for me and my need to work on postural exercises (my chiropractor will be very pleased).

Challenge Number Two: Setting up a flexible, student-directed “study plan” for each child, incorporating most of the “basics” that the School District and most “civilized” human beings view as being essential, while honoring the goals and objectives articulated by the child. Oh, and finishing up my “assessments” for last quarter, which I’m really not very good at.

Overall, I have to say our first day “back” was pretty successful, mostly because we (meaning, the kids, with my assistance) managed to write and post all of our holiday “thank you” notes to everyone who sent us (meaning, the kids) gifts via parcel post, including Santa. Of course, all of my correspondence-to-be-written-and-sent is still piled up on my writing desk, but at least the kids are up-to-date on theirs. Perhaps next week I can catch up on my own correspondence….

The Next Batch of Marbles

Drink more water (plop). Drink less wine (plop). Do Yoga and posture exercises every morning (plop). Ice my neck at bedtime (plop). Take a sleeping pill every night (plop). One more batch of marbles on my way toward a better life (slide).

I met with my MD today. After MONTHS of not sleeping well at all, I finally got desperate enough to make an appointment, actually show up, and say, “Dr. Suze, I need medication to make me sleep at night.” A radical measure for me to say the least, as I am VERY reluctant to take ANY kind of medication if it can be avoided. But, I’ve tried EVERYTHING ever suggested by ANYONE, and I’m still not sleeping at night. I’m exercising, I’m taking my vitamins, I’m doing relaxation exercises, I’m taking hot baths, I’m taking Melatonin and/or a natural sleep aid, and it’s just not doin’ the trick. On a GOOD night, I’m getting 4-5 hours of restful sleep, and am wakeful the rest of the night. On a BAD night, I’m getting 1-2 hours at a time, with long stretches of wakefulness in between. As any layman can tell you, sleep deprivation is really Bad Juju for anyone, and if left unchecked can lead to an individual who is really grumpy at best, somewhat unstable on average, or flat-out psychotic at worst. If memory serves, it’s been about eleven years since I’ve had a normal sleep cycle on a regular basis. So, it’s kinda time I started sleeping.

So, Doc Suze recommended an OTC sleep aid to try for a few nights. The one I already tried only worked on the first night then fizzled, so I’m not terribly enthusiastic about OTC’s. But, what the heck, I’ll give it a shot. If that doesn’t work, she gave me an Rx for some “real” stuff to try. “It may take a couple of weeks of taking it every night before we know whether or not it’s going to work for you”. Peachy. I’ve procrastinated on this to the point I don’t have much patience left with the issue, but I’ll have to just deal with it. One more step toward a normal sleep life. Right?

The other stuff, well, it’s pretty much self-explanatory. Except maybe the ice part. That’s something my chiropractor is reminding me I need to do every night, since I’ve got stress-and-alignment issues in my neck. So, I’ve stuck a sticky-note on my mirror that says “ICE”, so I remember to go fetch the icepack after I brush my teeth and take my vitamins at bedtime.

I seem to have turned into a project. Can't wait to see how it turns out...

Two-Week Follow-Up

Today I met with my Wellness Coach at the YMCA. It’s been two weeks since she set got me set up on a workout routine and we talked about some goals. She nudged up my five existing Cybex machines to two sets on each, adjusted the range of motion on the leg curl (currently my mortal enemy), and set me up with two new machines; the back extension and the abdominal. We set a new short-range goal of doing cardio three days a week, which I’m already doing…even through the holiday busyness. She also gave me the green light to start bumping up the weight on the machines by 5 lb increments if I feel like I need a little more push. After our meeting, I hit the treadmill for 45 minutes, then went back to the Cybex room and did one set on each of the two new machines. Since I’ve got back “issues”, I wanted to get a feel for the movement the machines require and be sure I don’t have a dorsal revolt tomorrow, before I try two sets next workout.

So, what results have I seen in these two weeks? Well, it’s hard to draw a line between the last two weeks of weight training, and the weeks of walking I had done previously. But, overall, I feel good. Even on “bad” days when I’m having some annoying premenopausal symptom (like aching legs, headache, nausea, lower back pain, etc.), I feel better than many of my pre-exercise “good” days. My energy level continues to hold at a pretty high level, at least based on what I’m used to. I can go all day without completely exhausting myself. My mind is clear and eager to tackle intellectual and creative pursuits (even when I don’t have time to indulge in them). My jeans fit nicely, even though I haven’t lost more than about 1 lb. Even Brother Bear commented today that I look trimmer. And, of course, Papa Bear definitely appreciates the changes.

But, there have been two pretty significant changes. First, I have been sleeping. I mean, really sleeping. I had gotten accustomed to a “good” night of sleep meaning I slept deeply for about 3-4 hours before waking, then spending the rest of the night in a state of restless half-sleep. For the past week, at least five nights I have enjoyed a state of deep sleep for 5-6 hours before waking. You wouldn’t believe how much more energy and enthusiasm I have in the morning after a “decent” night of sleep. I daren’t even imagine what I could accomplish in a day after a full 8 hours of deep, restful sleep.

Second, I’ve turned into a gym rat. I actually WANT to be in the gym. I WANT to be exercising on the machines. I WANT to be blazing a trail down the treadmill, pushing up my heart rate and feeling my legs work. (Oh, I guess there’s one more change; it’s taking more exertion to get my heart rate up to my target zone. I may even break into a trot next visit, just to see if I can.) I’m even preferring the treadmill to walking in the park, simply because it’s more comfortable (yesterday’s “high” was just under 50, and the trail at our park is currently under construction). I'm actually feeling impatient to get to my next workout. I was just at the Y working out this morning, and I want to go again. Right now. I want to get in there and start bumping up the weight on those bloody machines. I wish I had more time for classes and other challenges. Weird, huh?

In some ways, I think I may have created an advantage for myself by being pretty much sedentary for the first four decades of my life. I’ve waited until I’m on the verge of falling apart physically, feeling really run down and weak, before starting an exercise regime. The turn-around, being able to see and feel noticeable, life-improving progress in a fairly short period of time…well, that’s a huge motivator. I can see where folks who have been athletic their entire lives might start getting a bit deflated as they start feeling the effects of age. Same exercise, same effort, but continuing to decline in strength and endurance. Me…I can only improve from my original starting point. Even as I continue to age, I’ll be better off than I was six months ago. Nice.

The other part is, my time at the gym working out is “me” time. I’ve spent the last ten years very focused on caring for my family. My “me” time has been in bits and snatches, here and there, fitting in around my other obligations. Trying to read and study classic literature, study classic guitar technique, write, and maybe even read a little something frivolous from time to time, but mostly my time has not been my own. My time at the gym is not time being taken away from something else I’d “rather” be doing like hanging out with friends or going to a movie. I’ve had so little time away from my family, all on my own, to do exactly as I like for an hour or two, that this time spent on the treadmill is actually a blessed break for me. A full 45 minutes to listen to a full lecture from The Teaching Company without interruption (I’m currently working through my 2nd listening of “How to Listen to and Understand Great Music"). No one wanting my attention. No one needing my help. Everyone else at the gym pretty much ignores me, and I actually really like that.

So, my challenge beginning next week is to keep up with regular exercise and trips to the Y once we're back to homeschooling. I am deeply blessed to have a husband who fully supports my physical metamorphosis, and who has a schedule flexible enough to help cover things at home. Even so, I may have to let some things go to allow enough time for regular exercise. May have to get up earlier in the morning (which will be distinctly do-able if I'm sleeping better). But, with the loving support of my dearest, it is possible. Look out, 2010, here I come!

Left-Over Turkey Pot Pie

I first saw this recipe on Paula Deene's show, and have modified it to suit my taste. It's perfect for using up the last of the left-over turkey and that spare pie shell that didn't get used.

2-3 cups left-over turkey, coarsely chopped
6 very small thin-skinned potatoes, cubed
½ cup milk
1 med onion, coarsely chopped
1 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 – 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 prepared pie shell, thawed
Salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water

Put the potatoes and milk in a large sauce pan and simmer until the potatoes are just done. Add the soup and vegetables, bring to a simmer, and warm through thoroughly (until frozen veggies have thawed). Add cheese and simmer until melted. Season to taste.

Transfer to a large baking dish. Cover with pie crust. Beat egg yolk and water together, and paint pie crust with mixture. Slice crust in a few places to vent. Bake at 350 for about 20 min, or until crust is browned and mixture is bubbly.

Three out of for kids devoured this dish and went back for seconds. I made myself stop after one serving. Way yum.

Christmas Day

Evidence of St. Nick's visit... snowy bootprints from the fireplace to the tree.


Pie eaten, milk drank, and carrots nibbled.


New winter footies from Nana.

Molly B enjoying her holiday treat.

New LEGO set being assembled by T-Bear.

Teamwork: Brother Bear and BooBoo working on LEGO's.

Mama Bear's new easel awaiting an artist. Guess I better start learning to draw.

We are truly blessed by the most wonderful family and friends. Our deepest love and affection go to each one of you who have been part of our lives this past year. Blessings to all in the coming year.

Christmas Eve

Is this a picture of home, or what?


Papa Bear's family tradition includes having a miniature train set up around the tree...


The miniature village...

Papa Bear leading carols at the piano...

....and reading "'Twas The Night Before Christmas".

I love Christmas :)

Delivery!

Papa Bear and The Cubs preparing to deliver The Pies to friends and neighbors...

Wrapping, labeling and bowing.

Guess what this one is?.....

T-Bear donning his Santa attire...

....and Brother Bear doing the same.

All wrapped up and ready to go....

Decked out and ready to hit the trail.

Don't ask about BooBoo's puppy hat...I don't have a clue.

All loaded up in the sleigh and ready to go.

It has been reported by Papa Bear that the Cubs delivered much, much more than just pies. They delivered a huge bundle of joy with each drop-off, along with a volumous bellowing of "Merry Christmas" accompanied by huge grins. The huge grins were repaid in kind.

Isn't that what the Christmas Spirit is all about? I just love it when the kids play Santa :)