wednesday randomness....

1. I love homeschooling my kids. Five of them. Two go to public school. Nine have graduated. Four are registered nurses (3 of them are taking classes/continuing education to branch out to be N.P.s, or other specialties). One is an accountant (Abigail!). Ben has "graduated" from the Army, was a medic, and now is an apprentice in the HVAC program. Samuel is in the Army still. Joseph is taking classes/studying art. And Margaret just graduated in January, has a part time nanny/babysitting job, and is leaving in June or July to go to Norway for a year with Abigail.

2. I love homeschooling these kids of mine because their minds are sponges, and I simply get a kick out of their enthusiasm.

3. Yesterday was a good day. I worked out, yay me, and went for a walk. Now, before you go thinking how much I totally rock, consider this: I was huffing and puffing. I used to be able to do four sets of 20 push-ups, now I struggle with three sets of 10. not good. But. I am not giving up.

4. My weight: I lost 72 pounds, through diligence and struggle and self-denial, eating lots of good foods and cutting out bad ones. I gained back 25. Actually 30, but have gotten 5 back off. I have spent months now gaining and losing the same few pounds. That's still a maintained loss of 47 pounds, which is a good thing. But I don't have the luxury of reveling in that. I have tasted better, and want more. I know I need to move more and avoid sugar like the plague, eat more veggies, and stop my excuses. I already know what to do. My one valid excuse is that my knees are shot. Full of arthritis, and very painful. I cannot fully extend my right leg anymore. Some days are better than others, but taking those walks I so enjoy make me limpy for the rest of the day. The dr. said no hills, no stairs. But at what cost? One of these years, I will seriously consider replacement surgery.

5. Anyway, I am not giving up. I put the brakes on when I regained that 30 pounds, because believe me, I could so easily be back where I started.

6. It has been a long winter. The view from my kitchen window.

7.
This was yesterday...there is grass! Perhaps we aren't stuck in a land of Frozen after all!

8. I am going to Washington D.C. in a few weeks to visit Samuel! I love it! I love going on base, hearing his stories, seeing him, seeing new places...we are not staying in D.C. this time, but are choosing a place in Virginia, not sure exactly where yet. Abigail and Kathryn and Suzanne are going also.

9. Paul is leaving for France that weekend.

10. Jonathan and I are saving to go on a trip by ourselves. He gets the can and bottle money, and I pay him to do little jobs. He has almost a hundred dollars already. We want to go see Benjamin and Ashley (and little Anya, my only granddaughter), in the fall, to Washington state. Charlotte Claire and Camille caught on, and want in. They each have like a hundred dollars. Jon says if we include them it will take us way longer to save. Ha, Ashley is probably reading this, thinking WHAT?!

11. I think it's good for kids to have things to look forward to, and to save for.

12. Today, Margaret is taking the three youngest kids on a field trip to have lunch with some friends who have three small children. They are pretty excited.

13. I am staying home, as I won't have a vehicle.

14. When Marge gets home, I might go to the thrift store quick, for half price Wednesday.

15. Mali is going to have a baby at the end of August, and I am stroller shopping online for her. poor me, ha.

16. The girls are awake in their room, and will be coming out to greet me...I know these years are numbered, having little ones in the house...they are growing up so fast. Miss Char will be NINE in May. Slow down, girls!

Is that random enough?