Archives for October 2011

Day 18 {wrinkles}

Day 18 and the reality is this is hard!

Each day I wait for some epiphany, something wonderful to tell you. But the reality is that right now life is just nuts for us. In the last year we have moved twice, once from our home of 10 years. We have changed jobs. One of my kids decided he wanted to go to school. We are very actively involved in LearningRx, as you probably already know. Life is busy. My husband’s job is very demanding. He tries so hard to balance home and work life. Last night I kept telling him, “One day at a time baby. It’s all we have.”

It is the only way I’ve learned contentment and thankfulness.

Tomorrow will truly have it’s own worries…….wrinkles and all.

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Posted: October 18, 2011 by Julie |Category: Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: 31 days, contentment, God, wrinkles

Day 17 – Reality (sadness)

I have been so bad about planning ahead for my own 31 days. My sweet friend Scooper has, of course, planned her blogs a head of time. She’s like that. I love her.

“HI SCOOPER”

Today’s a bit about real life. We spent our weekend in SC. And once again I got to glimpse into the life of teenagers and all the pressures they are under. It scares me for my own kids. Will this sex-driven generation ever go away? I’m sad that girls think they need to have bones showing because of TV and magazines. I’m sad that teens are involved in drugs, kill others and collapse under the social pressures of today. I scream out to God “Come, come quickly…for the children!” Taken from “Intense Moments with the Savior” by Ken Gire. If you haven’t read it you need to. Go to Amazon now and download it on your Kindle or buy the book.

We’re up late after a long weekend in SC seeing friends and those we love so I’m off to wake children for school. It’s already nine o’clock.

Bye!

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Posted: October 17, 2011 by Julie |Category: Parenting | Tags: 31 days, peer pressure, teenagers

Day 13 – Real Life

In my dreams of bloggy land I was determined to blog for 31 days but I’m doing something more important the next 3 days. Remember the rest we spoke about earlier?

I’m driving to SC to see friends and to spend a weekend with my hubbie , go to a high school football game, see my favorite chiropractor, and get farm fresh eggs. Not in that order, of course but close.

Our house in SC is waiting for a new loving family. I pray God will bless the neighborhood and the family who lives there.

So…..even thought I MIGHT blog over the next three days, I just might not. So if you don’t hear a peep out of me we’re having fun and I’ll see you on Monday.

Have a great weekend. Go vacuum your garage!!

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Posted: October 13, 2011 by Julie |Category: Other Happenings | Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: 31 days, rest, SC

Day 12 – Openness and Reality

“What if I don’t like it?”

“What if I don’t like it after two days?”

“What if I don’t like it after a week?”

“What if I just absolutely hate it?”

“What if my tutor is mean and I hate it”

I got all these questions and more as I informed my third-born that he was beginning LearningRx yesterday. He was determined to hate it. He doesn’t like trying new things and is definitely my introverted one. He sticks close to home, doesn’t spend the night at friend’s houses, doesn’t make a lot of new friends, and is happy and content playing by himself a lot of the times. So yesterday we all teased him that we were going to remove his brain and give him a new one. We all bet on the color of his brain. He laughed and giggled and then got down to the business of brain training. So what was his feedback when done….”I love it mom!” He took his bag to bed with him last night. They give you a bag with all your materials and games in it. Shh…..don’t tell anyone.

So, I just found out LearningRx has a blog! Yippee. LearningRx’s Blog …. http://www.learningrxblog.com/

OK, enough of all the brain talk.

This weekend I had to laugh at myself. Florida living is so different than rural SC living. Here, lawns are manicures, bushes cut into shapes and being in the lawn industry MUST be the most profitable business here. Men buzz around yards on the whirly-dirly lawn machines at 55mph while someone else is trimming bushes and branches and all that jazz. Must take them 10 minutes per lawn.

Most houses have three car garages because everyone has a boat of course. (NOT US!)

Our house has a very nice garage with some cabinetry built in and some special fancy flooring. My realtor was impressed but to me it’s just speck-ily flooring.

I was out there Saturday, in my PJs, vacuuming the rug that goes from the garage to the hallway into the kitchen. It gets messy with football cleats, flip flops and puppy dog feet. So as I’m busy getting the rug clean I notice the other grass and trash in the garage where my car us usually parked. So I began to vacuum the garage floor. Then, right in the middle of my vacuuming I stopped. “I’m vacuuming my garage floor. Oh my goodness what in the world am I doing?” And I just had to stop and laugh at myself. I used to say, “Get me out of this town.” when we lived in SC. I didn’t want my boys growing up with their greatest achievement in life being the size of the buck on the wall. Now I’m thinking, “Get me out of here…..I’m vacuuming my garage floor.” I’m turning into a real country club woman!!!

If I post pictures of me in a tennis outfit on my way to my morning tennis match come shoot me.

PLEASE!!!

To read more LearningRx reviews and stories from other parents visit: http://www.learningrx-reviews.com/

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Posted: October 12, 2011 by Julie |Category: Chuckles | LearningRx | Tags: 31 days, country club living, Learning RX, Learning Rx review, LearningRx reviews

Day 11- Cognitive Thinking Skills (YOUR BRAIN!)

Only a few more hours left on yesterdays giveaway. What are you guys lazy or just buzy? $20 AMAZON gift card, people.

So today we’re going to talk a little about LearningRx.

This program has been so amazing for two of my kids that I just enrolled my third child. I have seen my son’s ability to complete task increase by leaps and bounds. My daughter sat down this weekend and said she was going to write a book. I almost fainted. And write a book she did!

My oldest son sat down yesterday and got 21 out of 21 questions right on his Math!!! MIRACLE!!!!

So I thought I’d tell you a little about brain training.

This is taken straight from LearningRx Brain Training vs Tutoring.

Cognitive Training

Does for mental abilities what exercise does for the body
Improves the brain’s ability to process information in any subject
Enhances underlying cognitive skills required to learn effectively
Testing uncovers underlying weakness(es) in specific cognitive skills
Training unlocks skills that hinder comprehension, word recognition, reading, memorization, etc.
Personalized, fun programs that use drills to improve needed skills
Intensive: may be provided daily (insert: my kids go 4 days a week for 1 hr and 15 min)
Creates confidence towards all learning tasks.

I can not say enough good things about the program at LearningRx. They care about children, not just about the almighty dollar. They have payment plans to fit any budget. They genuinely care about your child’s brain. Now that sounds funny, doesn’t it? The trainers are wonderful. My children each have a specific trainer they work with for as long as they are at LearningRx so a relationship is formed. I find that to be extremely important in learning because they are building trust! My daughter passed 6 levels yesterday!!! Woo Hoo!

If you have a LearningRx in your area (or if you are in Jacksonville) tell them Julie sent you. You’ll get a discount on the testing or email me and I’ll send you a card. $100 test will be $39. Then you can decide for yourself if it’s right for your child. I can’t imagine this program not helping anyone.

And go take that Quiz from yesterday or I’m sending you all to LearningRx!!!

PS. See that side bar where you can subscribe to my blog? Just enter your email and off we go!

If you have time please leave a comment!!!

To read more LearningRx reviews and stories from other parents visit: http://www.learningrx-reviews.com/

Day 10 – REALITY – How much do you know?

(Contest Over…..sorry, lazy, good for nothing, busy, taking care of children, not retired (mom and dad) people)

TODAY I decided to have a contest. In 31 Days of Reality let’s see how much you know about this:

Okay all you guys out there in bloggy land (Dad, Marian, Mom, Lyn, Kensley, and the rest of you nuts)

What do each thing on the hat represent?

1.The ocean critters hanging off the hat.

2. The 1636 date.

3. The purple flower.

4. The number 1.

5. The red leaves.

6. The anchor.

7. The flag.

8. The ship, the man and the date kinda go together…..what do they mean?

9. There is a giant blue P you can see in some of the photos….what’s that?

10. What do the cow, the fish and the stick represent? They kinda go together too.

11. The red bird?

12. Finally, what state and capital are represented?

I’m expecting big things from you Marian.

The winner gets a $20 Amazon Gift card so have at it!!!

24 hours and it’s gone! Have fun!

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Posted: October 10, 2011 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Tags:

Day 9 – Reality

You can take the family out of the country (and put them in the country club) but you can’t take the country out of the family.

Sunday afternoon inside the County Club!

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Posted: October 9, 2011 by Julie |Category: Chuckles | Tags: 31 days, catfish, country, fishing

31 Days of Openness – Day 8 – God’s Canvas

There is nothing that moves me more than the way God paints his canvas we call earth and sky. There are times my camera can not capture the beauty and breathtaking display I see before me. However, every once in a while I capture something that still moves me when I see it downloaded onto my computer’s hard drive. The photo above is one of the pictures I took that takes my breath away.

The color…..the majesty….the brilliance of the skies God gives to us is just a glimpse into His greatness, His love for me and His ability to do more than my little brain could ever comprehend.

What moves you? Is it the bird chirping in the tree? The tiny frog hopping across the sidewalk? Or is it something huge like the Grand Canyon? I seem to captured by the little things, the things that sometimes go unnoticed. I can even get caught up in the color of a bug or the creepy way God made one look. Sometimes it is the wind across my face that feels like a hug from the Holy Spirit.

So……where does God capture your attention??

31 Days of Openness (Combined 2 into 1)

Yesterday I didn’t post. Why? Because I slept all day. I was up to help with school, go to the dr., run an errand or two but otherwise I was in bed.

About once a month my body completely shuts down. I know a lot of women who push through it but I have learned to listen to my body. If I’m tired, I’m tired. So I sleep. It’s amazing what the next day is like when I listen to what my body is telling me. I’m usually refreshed and energized and feel so much better.

It’s taken me a long time to listen to myself instead of the world. Do I get caught up in the world sometimes? Of course. But I’m getting better at listening to the Holy Spirit inside of me. He certainly knows what is best for me.

How about you? Do you hear that still, small voice? Do you listen to what your body is telling you? I’m interested to know how other women approach their lives, their stress and their day to day struggles.

Sometimes a warm blanket cures all! (See all the other 31 dayers here)

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Posted: October 7, 2011 by Julie |Category: God Breathed | Tags: 31 days of real, God, listening to the Holy Spirit, listening to your body, taking care of you

31 Days of Openness (Day 5) My Office

My husband has no idea how I operate but I do. I’m a random thinker and organizer so I’ll let you in on my attempt to clean my office desk of all it’s clutter.

Hold on to your seats ladies…..

As you can see the piles that have made sense are out of the floor where you can not see them. Now I’m left with the piles that I can’t make sense out of.

“Baby, when ya coming home?”

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Posted: October 5, 2011 by Julie |Category: Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: