Running Gear

Because I'm nerdy,

here is one of my new running shoes from different angles.

They feel wonderful on my feet! 

Then there are the Under Armour clothes (I LOVE) and weapon.

Weapon will be hidden, of course, but I had to get a picture of it.

We live in the country and I will be running on the back roads

and you never know if you'll run across a black bear.

Or a creep. 

There are lots of creeps these days

 and back roads are their hunting ground. 

Better safe than sorry. 

Anyway . . .

Yesterday I started a running program that I found on pinterest.

It's called:

10 Week Plan to Run:  Beginners Running Program

Breaks it down into a very do-able program for a

beginner, such as myself. :)

Lots of my friends run!  Last week Nathan and I jogged a little

on this walk we all took and it was so nice.

Granted my feet and legs killed me the next couple days, so

that is why I decided I better get some running shoes.

It wasn't a long run, but I did it and I felt good about it.

Running is free, so why not!

Plus I get tired of looking at my bedroom while on the elliptical

day in and day out.

And when the weather is warm I want to be out in it!

Can you believe I'm looking for a fannypack?

Fannypack.  Fanny Pack.  It's a funny word if you say it fast. 

Where does one find a fannypack these days?

Do they still make them?

Guess I could use google and find my answers to these questions.

I don't want an enormous one, just a small one.

Never in my life would I have ever purchased one, but

I must out of necessity now. 

Running with a purse is ridiculous.

I have done it!

Tales from the Motherhood writer, Wendy Hagen,

is trying to bring back the Fanny Pack. 

Check out her Stylin' Saturday post HERE. :)

Weekly Wrap-Up

 

Week 28

 

This past week of school was productive, finally. 

Of course, we are hit AGAIN with fevers over the weekend, so week 29 is starting off not doing any bookwork. 

 

Last week everyone accomplished most of the work that was in their planner for the week.  I rearranged some things just to make sure stuff got done each day.  We're playing a little catch up, but not too much.

 

 

It's really hard to want to have school when the weather has been so amazing!

Last week we took a nice, long walk on some nearby roads. 

Checked out the bushes and plants that are just starting to grow everywhere.

These are growing along the side of the road. 

I love bright yellow against the crumbled brown leaves.

Since we've been sick so much, it has taken a while for the kids to get their math lessons done.  Nathan finished lesson 27 Thursday and started 28 on Friday.  He didn't do the best on his test, but he did OK and since his book is not in front of me I can't remember the score and am too lazy to go get it. :)    Ryan has been working on multiplication tables for a couple weeks and still needs to work on them.  He did do a lesson in his book on Friday.  Grace finished lesson 28 and got a 100% on her test.  Her next two lesson are going to be super easy for her and fun, too  Then she'll be done with her Math for the year! 

Nathan finished his pronoun section in his Easy Grammar book.  He is to do the End of the Pronoun Unit Cumulative Review and test this week, but since he had a very high fever last night he isn't doing anything today, except lying around.  Grace finished her Explode the Code books 3 and 3 1/2 and started in Book 4 and 4 1/2.  Ryan is nearly done with 4 and 4 1/2. 

I ordered Ryan's CAT test the other day.  That's a test I dread for him.  He is a terrible test taker.  We don't study the things he is tested on either.  Makes it harder for him to take. 

Spelling went well for all 3 of the kids last week!  Ryan got a 90% on his test, Grace and Nathan got 95% on their tests.  I was just glad we finished tests! 

Thursday we started school watching movies.  The first one was a 2 part movie on Netflix called

Colossal Squid.  Gross, but the kids were fascinated by it!  We also watched a show called Infested.  Eww, spiders, ants, and snakes infesting these people's homes.  Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.  Again, the kids liked it.  They got some science in last week anyway!

We've been sticking with the basics, mostly.  We add some other things - walks, movies, etc. just to change things up a little. 

I'm on the hunt for some new curricula for next school year.  Looking for an editing based Grammar program (currently checking out Editor in Chief) and a good art program. I'm still debating about See The Light.  We really enjoyed the sample video we received.  One other thing I'm looking for is a good Bible study for the family - maybe one I could buy in book form.  Ink is too expensive to constantly print everything from the internet . 

And that's a wrap!



Maple Syrup Pt. 3

This is from my 2nd and final batch of maple syrup.

Spring came pretty early this year and the trees stopped

producing sap after only a week after we tapped the trees.

*sniff, sniff

I guess there's always next year.

As you can see, this batch is darker than our first batch.

Still just as delicious!

Homemade Healthier Brownies

The ingredients in the blender.

Ingredients mixed in the blender.

So fast and easy! :)

In the oven for cooking.

Yum!

Finished brownies.  I was excited to try these out.

I cut them and added a little whipped cream. So good!

These brownies are called Black Bean Brownies.

Yes, they are made with Black Beans.

Super easy to make! Did I mention that?

This recipe was found online at allrecipes.com

Here is the LINK.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish (mine is a small pampered chef small bar pan - which I love).
2. Combine the black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, sugar, and instant coffee in a blender; blend until smooth; pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.               

*** I left out the instant coffee and next time I might try 25 minutes instead of 30 for just a little gooier brownies.


These are delicious and I dare you to try them! :)

Spring . . . Almost

Spring doesn't officially start until next week, but I am enjoying the springlike weather we've been having this week!  My crocuses are blooming, I saw some green leaves on a bush today while out for a walk with the kids today.

I love the smells of spring.  

The smell of the earth after an early spring (late winter) rain.  

The smell of sap simmering in the pot.  

The smell of last fall's leaves warmed by the sun.

The smell of new growth.

The many other smells just floating in the air that scream spring.
  

New plant growth.  I love!

The new growth is a renewal of life after a long, dormant winter.  The trees are budding and getting ready to grow their leaves.  Life is just getting ready to burst out all over the place and I want to soak it all in and enjoy the time with my family.

It has been a dormant time spiritually for me.  I've been memorizing Colossians, so that has been keeping me in the Word, but I feel like I need more.  My prayer life also stinks, but I have been praying for many of my friends and bringing them and their requests before God.  My prayer life needs to be more heartfelt and meaningful and I just need to enjoy QUIET time with God. All too often I have the radio rambling in the background or other noise going on all the time. 

This winter was very mild, by far, and if we had many more like this I could handle winter so much better!  :)  I like those temperatures.  This temperature was last week (early March)! 

Happy Spring!!

Maple Syrup Pt. 2

 Still boiling down outside for a little longer.

 We brought it in last evening and started to finish it off.

 Had to put it in 2 pans to begin with, but eventually move

it into one pan.

 Here it is in one pan and getting thicker and darker

and it tasted Oh So GOOD!

 Bubbling just a bit right before it reached temperature.

We strained it through cheesecloth and bottled it up.

We had one and a quarter quarts from last night.

Today it appears the trees are done producing sap.  Spring

seems to have come early.  I'm kinda bummed because I

wanted to get a gallon or so of the stuff this year. :(

Next year we WILL tap trees in mid-February instead of early March!

Coffee

 Once upon a time I LOVED drinking

Maxwell House Coffee.  LOVED it!

Then we got our Keurig.

The Keurig came with all kinds of sample coffees.

One that wasn't in our sampler was Dunkin' Donuts,

but Eric got to try it at work and he said it was great.

So we bought a bag of this glorious stuff!

It's my new favorite coffee.

I put it in the filter that came with the Keurig and it is glorious!

Every day I drink a cup or two.  I just can't help it.