Week in Review {March 4-10}

We are on Spring Break!!! (It's so nice.)

But, I haven't filled in the days since my last post.

JR was in an intensive course... the last of his degree!  The kids and I continued to do school... but we also PLAYED!

JR started teaching the kids how to play chess.

One night, after going to bed, the kids decided that they were going to wake up early and head downstairs for a game of chess before breakfast.  JR and I woke up to the sounds of them playing.
(We're raising nerds.)

 I think G looks great in this shirt. :)

"Are you done?!  Can I play outside now?!

One afternoon I made chocolate pudding out of avocados...

It was a huge hit!

I continued working out with Gerilyn.  She's getting me ready to work out with kettle bells.  I'm pretty pumped. 

JR and I were able to go on a double-date Friday night with Kyle and Becca Hooper while Ana Randolph babysat.

Saturday morning, JR had class, I packed us up, and as soon as his class was over, we hit the road for Tallahassee.

We're kickin' it here this week. 
~Daisha

I bet you're wondering...

...what we are eating these days.

And I'm not going to lie... the first week was rough.  I was following a Paleo meal plan that someone else made.

JR was strong and forced down the new foods to set a good example for the kids... but he was NOT really happy with the food.  Neither was Naomi.

But Sunday I decided to do my own thing.  And, boy howdy, did that make a difference!

Sunday we got home from church and I chopped up fresh oregano and rosemary with garlic and rubbed it on chicken breast and wrapped it in bacon.  (are you salivating yet?)  I threw those on the George Foreman grill and sauteed up kale and broccoli in some bacon fat.

It was a hit!  (a HUGE hit)

One night this week I seared up steak in a pan with a compound butter.  Even Naomi loved the steak and G was stealing steak from my plate.

JR was much happier. :)

Last night, however, everyone was singing my praises.  And it was the first time I had a camera ready to capture the goodness. :)

(Disclaimer:  I am a PEOPLE photographer... NOT a food photographer. :)  I left my camera in auto and snapped away.  And really... I don't know how PioneerWoman takes so many photos of each step.  And then plating it and photographing it... I just wanted to dive in! )

Last night I made Paleo biscuits with eggs, cheese (for everyone but me), and bacon with a side of kale.

First off... I sauteed the kale in bacon fat because, like broccoli, Kale's vitamins are fat soluble.  Plus, this is our favorite way to eat it. :)

The grain-free biscuits were AWESOME!

The whole family was excited to see bread on the table.  (Esp. Naomi)

Instead of a fried egg for the meal, I used a microwave thing that cooks eggs in a min.  Next time I'll do the fried egg.  The sandwiches were a little dry. ;)

I stacked up the ingredients, putting grass-fed cheddar on everyone's but mine, and served them up to thunderous applause... well... big smiles and quickly-emptying plates. ;)

Last night I also made some Paleo Banana Bread.  (I didn't put the chocolate in the recipe.)  We had it for breakfast this morning.  Naomi FINALLY enjoyed a paleo breakfast!!!

We are eating WELL.

And here's what I've observed from our 2 weeks gluten-free and sugar-free...

1.  I went from having a 100% guarentee of headache every day to only mild sinus headaches occasionally.  (Whoa, Nelly!)

2.  The kid's (and my) moods are much more EVEN. 

3.  Energy levels have been consistent without spikes and crashes.

4.  Food craving is GONE!  I mean GONE! 

5.  I have not lost any weight.  (and you're thinking... Girl! You eat bacon EVERY day!  Why would you expect to lose weight?!)  BUT... after 9 days I've lost 2 inches off of the measurement around my belly-button.  2 in.   9 days!  I will happily be this same weight the rest of my life if I can lose 2 in. every 9 days! 

6.  The kids are trying new foods.

7.  Veggies are awesome... and fruit is growing on me. :)  (not something I'd ever thought I'd type)


This way of eating may not be for everyone... but I'm certainly seeing the benefits of it.
~Daisha

Week in Review {Feb. 26-March 3}

Maybe I should stop apologizing for posting on Tuesdays instead of Sundays and just accept that this is when I can get around to it.

Yup... that's my new plan. ;)

First off... here's the photo from last week that I mentioned:

Don't you love how she's holding the dinosaur's neck? :)

 This week started out rough. You see... JR had thrown out his back... and then got the flu. Sunday morning G woke up with a fever, and both of the kids had woken up in the night (very unusual). So... Sunday was a Momma-takin-Care-of-Everyone day.

However, even in his sick state, JR gets a prize for Dad-of-the-Year.

Everyone was better by Monday. And we had a normal day.

 Tuesday, we met my parents in Wynne for dinner. They are in South America for the semester and we wanted to squeeze in one more visit. :)

This week the weather has been really nice. Most afternoons, after we've finished up our homeschool, the kids play outside with the other kids on campus.

On Thursday, the weather was so nice that I surprised the kids with a trip to a park after school. We had our snack of oranges there. However, both kids were being REALLY whiny. I explained to them that the park was a treat, and that if they could not stop the whining we'd leave and try again another day. We were not at the park long at all. I will not tolerate whining/crying when we are supposed to be having fun. This really seems to work with my kids. They already know that if they want to stay at the park, they can't complain. (Just like they know that if they complain when we leave the Chick-fil-A play area, they don't get to play in it again.) I did get some shots of them enjoying their oranges before we left, though. :)

Friday was Gideon's first soccer practice!!! He was super excited.

 

Doesn't he look so big? 

 Naomi can't wait for her soccer practices to start!

 This is what you can find Naomi doing when she is at G's soccer practices.


She does not like waiting and not being able to play the game.


I think next time I'll bring her something to do. :)

She decided to tell me Knock-Knock jokes.  (oi!  her jokes...) ;)

 

Gideon really enjoyed his first soccer practice.  He's also excited that it's all boys.  He said, "Gills (girls) just SLOW me down!"

After the practice, we headed to the Red Box to pick out movies for "Family Movie Night".

Saturday morning I took Naomi to a birthday party at Gymstars.  I thought she'd love it... but she was SO hesitant to do anything, and didn't want to participate.  (I find this frustrating.)

 I convinced her to bounce on this.  She loves them at school.

 Oh how she HATED THIS!!!

Here she is with the birthday girl (center).  Naomi and Adelaide have a great time in school together.

Sunday, JR presented the lesson at Grace Crossing.  He did such a great job.  His ease in front of an audience grows every time he has an opportunity to share God's Word.  I couldn't be prouder of him.

And later that night, we both were used in a sketch for Kid's Community.  The kids heard us practicing in our room and knocked on the door to ask us to stop fighting.  The sketch was of 2 kids who were arguing over a game console and needed to used self-control.

Boy were our kids laughing when they saw us perform at Kid's Community. :)  (sorry... no pictures)

And life continues...
This week is "Intensive Week" and next week is Spring Break.  Man! This year is flying by...

 Here's a little preview of this coming week...

~Daisha

Week in Review {Feb. 19-25}

Well... this week has no photos because I took (and left) my camera upstairs. :)

By the time I got around to blogging last week it was already Tuesday (I think).

Wednesday Naomi had her 4-yea-old well-kid check-up.  In addition to their normal check-up I also asked if they would advise me on her stomach problems and get her ready for Kindergarten this fall. (crazy... but I'll explain)

Stomach Problems:  Since birth Naomi has had intestinal problems.  They are mild and not anything that we had huge problems with.  She was just usually a little constipated.  Well we found "Good Belly" (a probiotic drink) that I gave her when we first got back from California.  She was going regularly and without pain!!!  We called it a success.  But then a week later she complained of a stomach ache every time she ate.  For a month she's been complaining of her tummy hurting.  And whenever I asked her to point to where it hurt, she always pointed to the top of her tummy.

Because of Naomi's issues, I've been reading a LOT about nutrition.  (more on this in a bit)

The Dr. gave her some heartburn medicine that we are supposed to try.  (Naomi hates it.)

Naomi did great at her check-up.  She was 39 pounds and 39.5 inches. :)  She is no longer ">99%".  :)

Getting her ready for Kindergarten:  If we were staying in the States, Naomi would not start Kindergarten until fall 2013.  However, in Scotland she would/will start Primary 1 this fall.  Since we plan on raising the kids in the British school system, I want her to be on track when we get there.  So, since we feel like she is capable of handling the schoolwork, we are getting her ready for that step for this fall.

However, this meant that she ended up getting 4 shots at the appointment.  She let everyone know in no uncertain terms that she wanted us to "STOP!".  But she got over it quickly when I showed her where I got MY booster shot (right in the middle of the "cheek").

While N and I were at the dr.s office, JR and Gideon wrestled and played.  JR, however, did something to his back. 

Wednesday afternoon JR and I got to Skype with several of the men from the church in Peterhead.  It was so good to see them (Billy Strachan, Michael Gaunt, Alex Shoney Strachan, Alec-John, and the hand of John Cowie).  Skype is an amazing tool that makes our world a little smaller. :)

Thursday, while the kids were at school, JR had plans to watch the Daytona qualifying with a friend, but I almost didn't let him go.  JR's back was causing him more pain than he's ever experienced.  He almost passed out!  But I couldn't persuade him to stay home or let me take him to the dr. 

When the kids got out of school on Thursday I surprised them by taking them to a park where Daniel and Shelby Hallett were playing.  (They thought I pretty much rocked!)

Thursday night JR and I took our new friends, Client and Gerilyn Burnett, to Fred Astaire.  By bringing guests, we got to earn more free dance lessons.  The 4 of us had a great time.  And everytime JR and I got to dance together we laughed the whole time.  It was great.

Friday, JR still was not doing well... his back was killing him.

I spent the day getting ready for a new venture on which our family is embarking:  Eating Paleo.

Remember up above where I said I'd been doing a lot of research on nutrition?  I was trying to make sure that I was feeding Naomi things that wouldn't hurt her stomach.  I learned so much more!

Back in the fall was when I first came across Paleo (or Primal) Eating.  (You know, when I was finding out about washing my face with honey and making my own laundry detergent.)  It turns out that my new friend, Gerilyn, is a "vitality expert" and is a Paleo advocate.  I read her site, I borrowed a book, I checked out the links she sent to me.

You see, I've long suspected that sugar CAUSES a lot of my headaches.  But I also lack the will power to stay away from it. :(

What I learned from my research is how political our nutrition advice has become.  I have become more educated about grains.  (yikes!) 

So... Saturday began a 30-day Paleo challenge.  We are sugar free, gluten-free, and dairy-free.  For 30 days.  

The kids are helping me cook more (so they have more buy-in for the foods we're eating).  But Naomi keeps asking for granola bars.   JR (with the flu on top of his back problems) really wanted cheese and crackers... and an energy drink. :(  Gideon has just been missing his always-requested dessert.

I think they are still detoxing from the sugars and grains... but I (who had given those up a week earlier) have already passed that first phase.  And I feel great!

Gerilyn is even teaching me how to work out less and get great results.  (I am ALL ABOUT THAT!)

So... that's been our week.
Sorry no pictures.  (I actually took one of Naomi.  She fell asleep one night with a pile of toys in her bed and her hand wrapped around the neck of her brontosaurus.  But it's on the camera... upstairs... and I worked out today and my legs are like jello---from a 5 min. workout.)

~Daisha

(P.S.  I'm also working on figuring out how to add a vertical header instead of a horizontal one, so for those of you who've noticed that there is no header:  Kudos to your observation.) :)

Weekly Review--Late Edition {Feb. 12-19}

Sorry this is coming a little later than my Sunday resolution.  I was traveling... more on that later.

I finally snapped a photo of Naomi and her cool back pack from the Porches.

 

This thing is really cool.  It opens up into a "castle" with a slide into a swimming pool.  Naomi loves playing with it.  And it makes it easy to transport her little play-things.

This week I actually remembered to take some shots of G doing kindergarten!

 Here he is doing one of his math assignments.  The curriculum we use (RightStart Mathmatics) is mainly game-based and has very little worksheets/assignments.  He LOVES doing math!

Here he is using his knowledge of the abacus to reinforce his tens and ones comprehension.  The thing he didn't like most about this assignment was the fact that he had to use glue. :)

He's loving playing "Go Fish" with the deck provided by the curriculum.  Instead of trying to make matches, you ask for the number that adds up to 10 with the number in your hand.  When we first started playing the game, he had the abacus next to him.  Now, however, he can play the game without it.  He has such a blast doing this.  (And I think he likes the one-on-one time with me.)

Valentine's Day 2012:

This year I didn't make a big deal about the Valentine's shots.  The kids had a big day at school with the Valentine's and class parties.  Other than that, this day was fairly normal.

(I cannot... CANNOT believe how old G (especially) looks in these photos!)

Wednesday night, John Berger stopped by to share a chess video with JR.  These nerds...

(Aren't they cute sharing those headphones?) ;)

Also, Wednesday was when I started selling Subway Signs to help raise set-up funds for our move to Peterhead, Scotland.  Go check them out!  Order something or suggest a new sign.

 

Here Naomi is modeling the new shirt she got in the mail from Grandma.  She insisted on wearing it to school.

I'm including this shot because, with her side-ways mouth, she's saying, "Grand-MA!"  This kid has some crazy facial expressions!

On Friday, Hannah Dixon Wood came by and picked me up for our Girl's Weekend "Ou" IV.  I'll write more about that below.

The kids and JR had some adventures of their own. :)  

Gideon and JR went to see Star Wars Episode I in 3D.  While they were there, Naomi joined the King girls for a Girls Night of their own.

 Naomi normally doesn't want to hold "Baby" Jade when Laura asks.  But she finally was convinced to try it.   (I can't believe how much N looks like me in this photo!)

N always has such fun with the Kings.  We are really blessed by their family.  And it is going to be REALLY sad when these girls don't get to play together all the time. :(

I asked JR to take photos while I was away...  He took a photo of Naomi watching her Saturday morning cartoons:

And here is Gideon, in our bed, at 10:30 Saturday morning.  This kid already sleeps and eats like a teenager! :)

JR enjoyed the Bud Shoot-out Saturday night... and it seemed that my presence was not greatly missed. :)

Meanwhile... I was in Nashville with my girls!

Hannah and I stopped for lunch at the Bronte Cafe before heading out of Memphis.  We didn't have any driving directions or GPS, and fearlessly followed the signs that said, "Nashville."  :)

At around 4 we hooked up with Katie Johnston (who became our GPS).  Our weekend was filled with good friends, good food, and good shopping.

We stayed with my cousin, Elaina.  And when we got to her place, Jessi Berger (wife of the chess-nerd above) was at Elaina's house visiting one of her room-mates.  Small world, huh?

It was so great to visit with 2 of my long-term closest friends.  God is moving in all of our lives and it is wonderful to share life's most important things together.

We laughed so hard we cried (and Katie spewed water everywhere). :)  I am blessed beyond measure by these godly women who have been a substantial part of my life since 1993 (Hannah) and 1996 (Katie).

Sunday after visiting Woodmont Hills (a truly great experience in worship, study, and fellowship), we ate lunch with Ashley Ganus (whom facebook has been telling me for months to "friend") and then we headed back to our respective homes.

But I got to keep Hannah one more night.

We got back to Memphis in time to pick up and prepare dinner for my family who were returning from church.  Then we all sat down to "Once Upon a Time".  As soon as that was over, we rushed the kids up to bed so that Hannah and I could watch "Downton Abbey."

"D.A." ended at 9:35 and we wanted to catch the 9:45 showing of "Woman in Black".  We moved in orchestrated precision (who am I kidding... this is me and Hannah!) and got to the movie before previews, got great seats, and were even able to take turns in the restroom before the movie began!  While not as scary as the play we saw in London in 2000, this was really creepy.  However, we feel that there is a 45 sec. scene at the end where they try to make things less creepy that the movie would be stronger without.  :)

Well... that wraps up last week.
~Daisha

Happy Valentine's Day

Our society is messed up. When did the words "love" and "sex" become synonymous? What I find increasingly ironic, is that our culture so casually engages in sex.  And yet, so few people are actually loved.

Anyone thinking that the world has the wrong definition of love? :)

I began reading The Meaning of Marriage (Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller) last night.  The beginning of the book is talking about the misguided ideas our culture provides for love, relationships, and sex.  At one point it brings up that our culture now values sexual prowess.  Then the book goes on to quote a professor of history at SUNY Stony Brook who said:

In the face of recent revelations about the reckless and self-indulgent sexual conduct of so many of our elected officials, it may be worth recalling that sexual restraint rather than sexual prowess was one the measure of a man.

(emphasis mine)

Valentine's Day is FULL of unrealistic expectations.

But instead of focusing on what our world says LOVE is about, I want to think about what the Author of Life...Love, Himself... says about love and sex. 

So we turn to Scripture.

To help us with this Seeds Family Worship is launching their newest album:  Purity.

To say that our family is thankful for Seeds is an understatement.  We have all 6 cds so far and we will be downloading the new album.

You can purchase a download of the whole album here – http://seedsfamilyworship.bandcamp.com.

The Purity album is comprised of scripture about purity set to song:

Hope and a Future – Jeremiah 29:11
Do Not Awaken Love – Song of Solomon 8:4
Your Word – Psalm 119:105
Keep Your Heart – Proverbs 4:23
Not Your Own – I Corinthians 6:18-20
Bad Company – I Corinthians 15:33-34
He Humbled Himself – Philippians 2:3-5,8
Preeminent – Colossians 1:18


Let us remember that this world is not our home.  We can learn what True Love is from God alone.  And real romance is not what we see on the screen.

Happy Valentine's Day!