I've seen this blog post going around facebook from a Mom blogger who writes about how arduous this time of year is - how her passion and excitement and encouragement for the school year died weeks ago - it's a funny blog.... however, I felt that way only a few months into public Kindy - and I pulled my kid out.
Instead.... we have homeschooled The Boy since about halfway through Kindy - and it's been .... wonderful. I l LOVE LOVE LOVE having them home with me everyday - getting to teach them things and *learn* things alongside them. Since everything happened last year, The Bubbie has taken over the majority of the home schooling and to be frank.... I don't know *how* is actually learning more: The Bubbie or The Boy?
It's a bit of a toss up there... lololol
The whole purpose behind homeschooling is that the child is in charge of their education and what and when they learn. We *try* to keep the same hours each day, and we do follow a second grade curriculum that I purchased ... however, allowing The Boy to learn in an environment where he can go at his own pace and HE has a say over the material we cover means that there is *a lot* of learning that goes on - on his own.
For instance, and I've mentioned it before, handwriting.
Sigh.
I can remember being his age and literally *crying* over having to practice handwriting. The Boy has never done any of that. I didn't spend tons and tons of time forcing him to trace and write and re-write things just to "practice". The Bubbie was vehemently against this because she thought The Boy had crappy handwriting.
In the end - The Boy became *very* interested in running 'stores' - stores that sold Halloween stuff or Christmas stuff, and then HE wanted his signs for his stores to be *very* clear and readable.... so guess who worked on his handwriting until his signs looked the way he wanted them too......? The Boy.
Lately, he's gotten very into animals and The Zoo. Tante Louise sent him a book on animals - so now The Boy sits down *everyday* and writes up a new "informational poster" which he then hangs in the hallway. Then, along the wall and on the floor, he sets up the animals he's written the report about and he calls it his "Zoo" - complete with cash register at the end (for the gift shop, of course!). lol
So.... what *I'm* excited about is that it is the end of the school year.... but the learning around this house will continue through the summer in the same way that has for the previous 9 months. We're just getting into division and multiplication and adding numbers in the hundreds and thousands...
So me, however, this is also a very bittersweet summer because I'll be enrolling in school soon and then I won't be able to stay with them anymore.....
sigh.
It's almost too much to write... honestly. It's heartbreaking for me. However, worse things could be happening to us... and The Bubbie has agreed to stay on and do the homeschooling.
I wish medical benefits weren't soooooo high. If it weren't for my freakin' medical benefits being over $400 a month, I could hang on doing other stuff an *not* have to work a full time job.... but sadly... it is what it is.
Anyhow..... in *other* news.... I'm down 60 POUNDS!!!!!!!
The first twenty I lost on my own - just diet and working out.... and then another 5 or 10 at the gym, but these were *much* harder to lose. And then..... nothing.
Sigh.
So, some clients of mine who had been friends with me on facbook and had been following The Blog contacted me about doing Advocare.
Let me be *super* clear - that I'm usually a nice person. I'll come to your candle/Mary Kay/jewelry/31 bag party.... and I'll *probably* buy something.... BUT - I never agree to host a party... blah blah blah - that's just not my thing.
I've done Weight Watchers... but they keep changing the plan and the way it works and I get waaaay to confused trying to add up values for food and then add up what I ate... on and on. yuck.
I've done various pills and plans.... clearly they didn't work.
I even did Take Shape For Life..... which I VERY quickly lost 14 pounds on.... then gained back 25 in record time as soon as I started each actual food and not powdered food.
So..... a bit jaded and *frustrated* that I was spending sooooo much time at the gym and not seeing results... I agreed to do Advocare.
You start by going a 24 day challenge - I figured I can do anything for 24 days... right?
In the first 24 days I lost over 10 total inches and 18 pounds..... and since then: I've been losing more every week. The *greatest* part is that this was NOT NOT NOT just "water weight" - this is the HARD weight to lose.... I lose my 'water weight' a long time ago.... this is ACTUAL FAT - leaving my body.
Hoof*ckingrah for that. lololol
So..... three months into the program - I'm down a total of 60 pounds - more than half on Advocare (again... the second half!!!!) - I'm down nearly 20 inches all over AND.... I'm down FOUR PANT SIZES!!!!!
The program is *EASY* to do and you eat your own food - which I love. In fact - I really love doing the whole program - and I LOVE the way it's making me look!
IF you would like to know more about it.... you can email me - and if you want to order your own 24 day challenge Kit - you can do that here:
https://www.advocare.com/130229371
So.... bring on summer!!!!!! The Zoo is open and I'm almost willing to be seen in public in a bathing suit! :)