DAY 3 Chemical Peel

Wow! Who knew I had a full beard and mustache hidden away under all that old skin! I guess it's time to visit the laser center. :)

A Week in the Life...

of one homeschooling family...

*note that we fit in workbook type work (aka traditional schoolwork) in between classes

Monday: get up, drink coffee, make sure kids eat, take care of personal hygiene, get dressed, do chores

start some workbook school work which gets done off and on in between classes*

writing class for boys 10-11:30

reading, writing, and math with TJ 10-11:30

spanish tutor comes to our house for boys 12-2

Take TJ to spanish tutor 12:30-1:15

music TJ 3-4

music Mr. Kai 4-5

Guitar for Pickle 5:30-6 (I drop off and dad picks up)

Tuesday: same morning as Monday

see note*

German for Pickle and his friend V here at our house 10-11

do school work with Mr. Kai and TJ 10-11

Art class at our house with all 3 kids 11:15-12:30 ish

this is the afternoon I try to schedule appts, run errands, etc

Wednesday: same morning as the other days but more of a scramble because we have to be somewhere early

Earthroots 9-2

babysit in the afternoon 2:30

Thursday: same morning as the other days

see note*

Chinese at our house all 3 kids 11-12

PE at the beach 1-2

every 4th Thurs we have a meeting with our E.S.

some Thurs we have BookClub in the afternoon

first semester we did Craft/Social Studies with two other families in the afternoons

babysit in the afternoon 2:30

Friday: same morning routine

on a good morning we fill in the holes from the week

Homeschool Park Day 11:30-1:30 This is really the highlight of our week! We have a great homeschooling community and I truly believe it's the key for surviving the ups and downs of homeschooling.

Aikido 6:15-7

Weekends: Even though it's the weekend it doesn't mean learning ends. Sometimes we go places that I consider educational but more importantly it's fun. Sometimes dad will do things with them that we couldn't fit in during the week like science experiments, bike rides, skate park, visiting great grandma who is almost 97, going to the recycling center, going to the grocery store, going to the library. Because we homeschool, I see the educational value in all the regular activities of life. Learning never ends. It doesn't only happen M-F 7:45-2:05. It's 24/7/365.

PE at the skatepark

Running for my life

A little background: I didn't start running until I was 34 years old. I consider myself a turtle - slow and steady. I started running because I wanted to lose weight but after I started I got the running bug. I set goals for myself - first a 5k, then a 10k, then a half marathon (I actually got talked into this one and thought I was crazy for even considering it). And then, the big one - the full marathon. If I can do it, anyone can do it. I'm posting my race reports from my two full marathons. I am signed up to do another one this year in October but I don't know if I will make it to the full. I might down-scale to the half - you know what they say about half marathons - half the distance, twice the fun.

June 4, 2006 San Diego Rock and Roll Full Marathon

RACE REPORT

My Friends! Thank you for the emails!!! Well...total honesty...here it comes...IT WAS BRUTAL! I felt great for the first 20 miles...really...I was cheering on other people that weren't doing so well. Then after 20 came 21 and I hit the proverbial wall. I kept telling myself NO, the wall isn't real, it's just psychological, but my legs were saying Bullshit...I'm done. Slowed down, I made it o.k. to 22 but by 23 I saw my family and I was bawling. I told them This is Brutal but they gave me so much encouragement I had to keep going. It was critical to have them there. (They saw me at 14 looking SO STRONG and at 23 crying). At about 21 I started saying in my head This is Brutal, This is Brutal and then I realized I had to stop so I said YES, it is Brutal but I am strong and I can do this! I'm raw...but I've been through harder things in my life than running a marathon and I CAN DO THIS! So after seeing my family at mile 23 it was really just about getting across that finish line...it felt like I was barely picking up my feet and my body was tired but my mind was strong. I didn't walk...I didn't stop...I didn't get on the bus...I ran across that finish line...5 hours almost to the minute! And then I thought I was going to throw up and pass out so I slowly made my way to the medical tent where they gave me a pack of salt to swallow and water, ice on my knees which were going into rigamortis and I laid on the cot...sucked on pretzels and viola I felt better. I got up and joined the others in the *walking wounded shuffle.* I ate a little yogurt, a little bagel (very little), a banana, and an orange. I felt SO much better. I met up with my family and really felt great. I DID IT!!! I met my goals...I made it across the finish line, I ran the whole time/no walking for me, and I did in a reasonable amount of time. It was my first and I am SO proud of myself...and even though it was so physically brutal it was so emotionally wonderful that I will probably do it again. Am I crazy? Maybe. ;)

July 29, 2007 San Francisco Full Marathon

RACE REPORT

Thanks for the good wishes on my marathon this past weekend. Here is my official race report...

My race was AWESOME!!! I'll start off by saying that I took a friend's advice and incorporated strategic walk breaks into my race this time, and along with some other nutritional changes, it made a HUGE difference in how I felt at the end of the race. AND...I finished faster!!!!

As most of you know, I ran my first full marathon down in San Diego last year...my goals were to finish and to run the entire way. I accomplished my goals but I felt like crap at the end. I felt like I was barely running b/c my legs were so heavy and fatigued. When I crossed the finish line I was dizzy, nauseous, and I thought I was going to pass out. I had to make a b-line to the Medical Tent. Thank goodness for those people. They saved me. They dosed me up on salt and I felt much better. I drank way too much water...not enough electrolyte replacement, and I should have walked, stretched my legs during the race. Live and Learn. Finish time was 5 hours.

Fast forward to Sunday, July 29th (my daughter's birthday). This marathon experience was 180 degrees from last year. My plan was to walk the hills to save my quads and consume table salt the last half of the race. I did both of those things. I walked almost every hill but I walked briskly. I stretched my legs a few times. I carried salt packets with me and consumed those on the last half of the race. I drank Cytomax at the water stations. I took one Energy Gel and ate half a banana during the race. I felt so good. I kept thinking I was going to hit the wall. I knew I could go 22 -23 miles feeling pretty good but I was scared about the wall after that. I was especially concerned b/c my last long training run was 22.5 miles and I threw up a lot of water & felt awful. Unfortunately, I had a migraine on Saturday before the race so I was really just hoping to make it to the race and finish in 5 - 5 1/2 hours without getting sick.

Well, not only did I finish this race without getting sick...I never hit the wall, I felt fantastic and I finished in 4 hours 40 minutes. 20 minutes faster than last year in San Diego. I couldn't believe it! My husband was shocked! He had to hustle from mile 22 to the finish line to see me finish. My kids were cheering me on! It was so amazing! I couldn't stop smiling! I could have kept running, I felt that good!

The walk breaks made all the difference in the world and the salt replacement for me was key. I am thrilled and I can't wait to take on the challenge of a triathlon and dare I say an ultramarathon sometime in the future. :)

A week and a half! Warning - pictures might scare the weak of stomach

This blog is my New Year's Resolution and I'm trying to keep up with it. I can't believe a week and a half has passed and I couldn't squeeze in a post. So it's Saturday and I'm playing catch up. I have 3 things I can post about 1) Running 2) a day in the life of a homeschooling mom 3) my first chemical peel. I know they are all so exciting and juicy!

I'll start with the one I'm knee deep in (or should I say face deep in) - my first chemical peel. It's funny when I was a young teen girl I had naturally light blonde hair and I said I would never color my hair. In my thirties, I ate those words! And when I was a young 20-something I said I would age gracefully meaning naturally without intervention. Now, I see 40 on the horizon waving me down, welcoming me to a new decade and I'm again eating my words. You know it's easy to say you won't color your hair, wax your eyebrows, wear make-up, or have any cosmetic procedures done when you're a hot young 20 or 30 year old. There's nothing wrong with a little facial peel to sluff off some old skin and reveal the young sassy skin just dying to show up to the party, right? - says the 39 year old. The reality is I never thought I'd drive an SUV, wear Lucky jeans, or get anything more than a facial - but here I am doing all 3 and I'm loving it! No apologies! I will add pictures as the face sheds. ;P

BEFORE THE PEEL


Immediately After Appt - Day 1 (aka Senora Greasy)

The First Morning after appt - Day 2 (aka Senora Greasy y Rojo)

Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Wet Dogs ~ OH MY

We have weather! Can you believe it? Not just rain (which is usually a drizzly mist compared to - well everywhere else but SoCal) but real weather. Fences falling over, trees breaking, tornado watch at local schools~ up and down our street yesterday the palm trees were blowing sideways and it looked like a hurricane. Of course, we're used to sunny sunny sunshine so any amount of weather is a big deal for us. I have to admit that usually I don't care for the rain but I'm kind of liking it right now. I don't like the damage it causes but we need the rain and it makes it feel like winter. I love lighting a fire in the fireplace, brewing a cup of tea, and snuggling up with my pups and a good book. The kids are having a blast getting blown around and soaking wet going from the house to the car and back. They love stomping in puddles and dressing in rain gear! Rain boots instead of sandals are a novelty when you live at the beach. I took the dogs for a walk yesterday and they were soaked, nothing like the smell of wet dog. I love my dogs. Roxy is from the Downey shelter in Los Angeles County and Pookie, the yorkie, is a backyard rescue.

ROXY (short for Rockstar) ~ my girl is a terrier mix ~ I rescued her from Downey. Please consider adopting your next pet. The fees are really low in L.A. too. Check out the sweeties just waiting for a home. http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/


POOKIE (named by the kids after Garfield's teddy bear) ~ my lil guy is 2 years old.

The Table

I'm so happy with how my table turned out. It's funky, it's colorful. It's got that beach cottage or farmhouse feel to it. The pictures really don't do it justice. It's a really pretty jade green color and it's distressed.


BEFORE


BEFORE


AFTER



AFTER

The Chairs

Here are the Before & After pictures of the chairs I just redid that go with the table.

I love how they turned out - very beach cottage chic, funky farmhouse - I can dream that I'm not in a track home!


The Back ~ Before



The Back ~ AFTER


The Front ~ BEFORE


The Front ~ AFTER

DIY: Soft Swords

I made these "nerf" style swords with materials from the local home improvement store. The kids seem to LOVE them!

Materials

3/4" piece of PVC pipe

plumber's grey foam (I bought 3/4" but I think bigger would be better, maybe 1")

PVC pipe caps for the handle end

duck tape

hockey tape

Directions

cut the Pipe to the size sword you want (I did approx 30")

wrap them in the grey foam leaving some room from one end for the handle

cap one end

Tape the handle part with hockey tape

Tape the sword part with duck tape

PLAY!!!

Learning 24/7 365

Homeschooling - it's what we do, it's how we live. Here are some great abstract art sculptures the kids worked on today with their grandma. She enjoys art, they enjoy art and mommy gets a break! I've been told these are based on Paul Klee style art.

The Fish

by Mr. Kai 8 years old

Dolphin, Whale, What do you see?

by T.J. 6 years old

Dinosaur

by Mr. Kai

The Hand

by Pickle 11 years old

Isn't this great? Almost makes me want to skip my "free" time and sculpt right along with them. Almost but not quite. One thing with homeschooling is that you have to grab those "alone" moments whenever you can even if it's just to go to CostCo, the bank, and Target - all by myself - let the fun begin!!!

Some Finished Pieces

BEFORE

Just a boring old brown table

AFTER

A Chic Metallic Silver Table

Distressed Bench in Bahama Blue and White

Close up of the distress work

Distressing to De-Stress

Redoing furniture is keeping me sane these days. This is my husband's old dresser (it had fake wood siding like a 1970's station wagon). I wish I had taken a before picture but I got so excited about getting started that I totally had a brain-fart and didn't think about it until I was elbow deep in veneer shavings. I literally hated this dresser before I painted it and now I love it!

Steps

1: sand it

2: sweep it

3: spray paint it

4: beat the bejesus out of it

Staying Sane in the New Year

Happy New Year 2010!

I don't usually like to make new year's resolutions but I've decided to jump into the 21st century this year with both feet (o.k. maybe one foot and a couple toes) and commit to this blog. I'm "just a mom" who happens to stay at home and educate my children outside the local elementary school walls a.k.a. homeschooling. Homeschooling is a ridiculous misnomer. Anyone familiar with homeschooling knows you're never home! At least it feels that way. But I veer off track like a rambling locomotive. This blog is about - well - staying sane - in my multiple personality world.

As some of my closer friends and family know I can get a little "excited" about my new ventures. (Excited can be read as obsessive. I'm o.k. with that). But it's these adventures or projects that keep me sane. A little bit of sanity is not over-rated.

Keeping it sane.

~ Deven