Socialization and homeschooling???

Do these two things work together???
I have a dear friend of mine who is beginning the adventure of homeschooling her two children.
Then she calls to tell me that an in-law of hers "offered" $1000 to send them back to public school.
My mouth dropped and I was appalled.
Appalled yes, surprised? Not really.

You can check the news daily and see what kinds of things are happening in the school systems all over our country.

Anyone who takes the step of controlling your child's EDUCATION, not controlling their children to the point of abuse.....I applaud them wholeheartedly.

Homeschooling kids are normal kids.
Homeschooling mom's are normal too....
But we just made a different choice on how to education our children.

Don't knock it people till you tried it!!!!
Even then, respect those choices your loved ones make and find something else to do with your time besides bribery!!!
Nikki

American Heritage Girls

The above pictures are just a few of the ones I took at our very first American Heritage Girls Camping Weekend which was August 8,9 and 10.
It was a weekend of lots of fun and fellowship.
If you haven't heard of American Heritage Girls, don't beat yourself up. I hadn't either but its a Christian organization focused on Jesus, Patriotism and serving God, family and others.
This year will be our 2nd year doing it and I recommend this to others who are looking for an alternative to Girl Scouts.
Below is a link to something that opened up my own eyes to the Girl Scout Organization.

http://www.cwfa.org/articles/5431/CWA/misc/index.htm

I care about my daughters well being and care about the things she is being taught.
This is my little cherished daughter who is looking to mom as an example as what she needs to be.
May she always be as sweet as she was in the picture below.



This picture was taken years ago when we lived in Virginia Beach but I remember it like it was yesterday.
Nikki

Its been a while

I have been going thru a very VERY troubling time in my personal life and haven't even been able to contemplate blogging and for those who check here regularly, I'm sorry.
I know everyone goes thru these types of things but this was very bad.

I just don't have answers why God allows such suffering and I feel like I'm in the trials of Job.

I hope to be able to find what I need to be able to come back here to blog more regularly.
Nikki

A Day of fun!!!

This past Tuesday Angel and Tony and mom went on a day of fun.
WE went swimming and on the water slide and went on the boats and did the put put golf thing.
I only got to take pictures of the golf but here they are!!!


















So there you have it.
We didn't get to finish the course because Angel hurt her toe :( but it was fun!!!
Tonight is me going for a small run at the gym after work and then taking the kids to Betty Zane Days in Ferry!!
Saturday I am running my first race ever!!! Its a 5K race in Wheeling called the Debbie Green 5K!! Its at 7pm and I'm so psyched!!!!!!! My goal for this race is to run it all the way thru without walking!!!!

Will update you later on how it went!
Nikki

Fire in Ferry

Well, you can read about the Martins Ferry High School Vocational building fire here..

http://www.wtov9.com/

But here is a picture

This fire took place only 4 houses from where I live.
Lots of smoke and not a good thing.
The high school has been closed now for a year.
Not sure of what started this fire....But it sure brought congregations of people to see it.

Hmmm, wonder why when something bad happens people flock to the scene but its not interesting to see something good being done?
Nikki

Random-ness

What do these words mean to you

1. Intimidated :: Sometimes


2. Brush :: Where is mine....ANGELLLLLLLL!!!!!!


3. Masquerade :: Ball


4. Procedure :: Under the knife surgery


5. Tattoos :: Wish I were brave enough to get one.


6. Square :: Geometry


7. Tuck :: In kids before bed


8. Boyfriend :: Don't want to hear that word for another 10 years


9. Thousand :: Dollars

The Silencing of God..................

Psalm 83
1Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

On Wednesday night Bible Study we are watching a fantastic video series called The Silencing of God. Its is a MUST SEE series of lessons for any Christian living in our country today.

Here is a link that I think you can listen to it for free:

http://www.thebible1.net/audio/silencingofgod/




I URGE you to listen or if you get a chance to buy this series, watch it.
Its incredible and I've only heard the first 2 lessons.

Teachers, those of you in the public school environment, watch out. Its eye opening how our history books are full of lies.

Pray that God will help our country to get back to where He wants it to be and how it began when our Founding Fathers were still alive.

Nikki

Disciple's crosses

The picture you see above is an example of one of the crosses my son Joey makes.
These are called Disciple's crosses and are handmade from bent nails and wire.

He makes them in various colors and one of the most popular crosses is pictured below.





These used to sell for $12 each.

If you are interested you can email me and I can give you the colors that he has available.

With the holidays approaching, these would make an excellent gift.

Vilano6@comcast.net

Nikki

Where has summer gone???

Doesn't it seem like summer is almost over???
Its almost August and on the 19th that means starting back to a new year of homeschooling for us.
On Wednesday night Bible study we are doing a video series called The Silencing of God.
Let me say this, its incredible!!!!!
Those of you who are Christians reading this, ask your school system that your child attends to let you read your child's history texts book. Most school systems aren't even teaching our REAL country's history. I already knew this and make sure that the books I get for our homeschooling incorporate REAL history into our studies.

On another note, I'm trying to organize my home and my MIND to start another year of homeschooling. With the thoughts that I might be having 6 daycare kids here during the school year, I HAVE to get organized.

Angel's American Heritage Girls starts up soon. Our pool party is tonight and August 8,9 and 10th is our summer came we are attending and have been looking forward to that all year!!!
With that, I'm actually going to be staying at Camp Presmont WITH Angel!!! That should be interesting. Pray its a nice weekend with NO extremely hot weather :)


I wanted to share a nice picture of me and my son Joey who is 16!




Also here is another picture I wanted to share of my oldest son, Michael, on his 20th birthday.
Gotta love how I caught the expression on his face!!





Well, thats all folks!!
Daycare kids are here and in full swing!
Have a blessed Monday!
Nikki

What does a child need?

' A Child Needs.........'

We are products of our environment it is said
and from birth through life we are variously led

From infancy to childhood others are in charge
When you are little, others seem rather large.

A child needs benevolent and respectful care
As well as being taught to love and play fair.

If a child is taught to respect God and others
He will love himself and likewise his brothers.

Whether our childhood was nurturing or not
Comes the time when we must deal with our lot

The decisions we make will color our future
And show what we're made of as we mature.

If victory is to be won, it's upon God we trust
Knowing, loving and serving Him well we must.

Getting through life is hard enough we all know
Traveling with the Lord is the only sure way to go.

Guide the little ones in the ways of the Lord
So they, too, will praise Him, and to Him accord

All Honor, All Glory, and All Adoration
hearts full of joy and expectation,

toward the day of eternal jubilation
and
infinite exaltation.

(not sure where this came from but it showed up in my email and I keep goodies like this)

~~~Nikki here~~~~

Well, the beginning of a new school year will soon be upon alot of us. In Martins Ferry, Ohio school starts around August 19th....so I had to start thinking about my plans for this school year for Angel and Tony.
Their standardized tests have already been done and I'm waiting the return of those with their scores so I can send in a new form to the super's office to enroll them in homeschooling for yet another year.
I don't have to do this with Joey cause he is enrolled in The American School of Correspondence so really he isn't being "homeschooled" but taking distance learning classes.

This years school should be alot of fun.
I want mostly hands on type of things this year.
We are doing ALOT of dissecting for hands on science..and lots of field trips for history.
I am looking into some board games so the kids can have fun while learning language arts and going to get a list of books to read to them that will be interesting to them and fun for me too.

This year my goals for Angel and Tony is to get them to love learning again.
Science experiments...field trips....games....hands on stuff....that is what I'm hoping will do this plus at the same time satisfy the requirements for the state.
Nikki

Update

Well, I finally got a bit of encouragement today.
I have had alot of personal demons to fight lately but I think things will be much better

On the subject of exercise and weight loss....I hit one of my goals. I lost 10 pounds!!!!!

I am very stoked about it and that was even taking a week off. Last week, I just couldn't get up the energy or the motivation to do anything that takes that much will power.

But I'm back in the saddle again and can't wait until a pound or two more and I will be in the 140's!!!!!

Pretty soon, I have to start planning for our school to begin the middle of August.
Tony and Angel will be learning the history of Ohio and West Virginia and for science we will be focusing on dissection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are really excited and I can't wait either.

Daycare is still pretty slow. I still only have 2 full timers. I need 4 more but in God's timing, and not my own.

Joey is in Virginia Beach visiting friends for the next 3 weeks. I will miss him greatly but this time away before school and starting his first job will do him good.

Well, wanted to update you all. I thank you all for your prayers. I do feel them and I am thankful for a God who cares about our troubles.
Nikki

Very discouraged

Good morning !
Its been a while since my last blog and really today I just want to ask for your prayers.
I have some personal issues I'm dealing with that the moment and all I can say is I am very distraught and discouraged. I'm feeling pretty low and really unworthy of anything.
I need prayer for strength. I know God allows things to happen to help us grow and that is the only thing that keeps me sane right now knowing God cares about me and I am not alone.
Thanks everyone
Nikki

The crazy business of childcare

Oh kids come and they go!!
I have a family with 3 kids who used to be full time. Well they haven't been here now for 2 weeks. I don't think they will be coming back....I think the family is having health issues but now I'm down to 2 children.

The business of childcare can change from day to day.

Its been a busy Monday. I got caught up on paying bills and also paying my dad's stuff.
He has a hard time writing so I do his bills and any writing for him. Also had to make some phone calls for him on his behalf...so its been a pretty busy morning.

I'm trying to come up with a flyer for childcare to put in people's doors to advertise. I need to be full quickly!!!!

I feel like I have a huge list of things I want to do but can't even get to them. I want to clean out my car, clean out my dad's car...clean the basement....try making casseroles ahead of time and freezing them....etc...but I just can't find the time. I wanted to give more to selling these awesome books but don't have time for that either.
My day consists of childcare, cooking, cleaning, bills, laundry, organizing, teaching and then when my day ends around 4ish, I leave for the gym.

Speaking of the gym, how is my weightloss coming? Well, today is weigh in day so I guess I will find out. I really don't want to eat much today cause it will reflect in my weight in around 5.
Maybe eat now for lunch and wait until after I run to eat again. I don't expect to lose much cause if I expect then I can get let down. I will keep running daily and eventually, the weight will come off. This is the slowest I've ever lost weight. The other diets I've done are the South Beach diet and I lost weight quickly on that but I put it back on once I started eating carbs again sooooo maybe this way I'm doing it will help me keep it off.

Well, hope this update isn't too boring.
More later
Nikki

Has it been THAT long?

Wow, I didn't realize it had been that many days between postings?
I haven't lost anymore weight since the last time I weighed but hopefully I will see more results soon. I've been pretty strict with my diet this week cause I wanted to see what I was capable of doing!!!

I will probably hit the gym tonight when I get done at 4 before bible study.
Not sure if I will be able to go tomorrow as we might be having company over.
Then I plan to go on Friday AND Saturday. I am trying to go everyday except on Sundays.

Daycare is slow right now. I only have two kids, they are twin brother and sister that are almost 2 years old. I had a family of 3 kids but things aren't very good with that family right now. Gotta wait and see what happens.

Well, not much more to update right now.
When I lose my next pound, I will let you all know hahaha

Nikki

Now, THAT"S what I'm talking about....

Ok, I jumped on the scale again yesterday and since Monday I've lost another pound!!! I'm HOPING that on Monday, the scale will go down even more!!!
I worked out in a class called Bootcamp yesterday. WOAH!!! Its a very hard workout but when I feel burning, I know its working.
So, I'm down to 155.5. Seeing it working is giving me the encouragement to keep with my diet and get these pounds off!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, another church sign saying that stuck out to me:

The Lord gave us commandments. He didn't mention amendments.

Think about that one.
Don't we try to amend what God has commanded? I know I do sometimes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, I'll try to update again soon.
I got a few comments that have told me to write more "informative" things.
Let me ask you all this:

What would make my blog more interesting to you guys who read it?

NIkki

When I fall, I fall H-A-R-D

Ok, I fell off the diet wagon yesterday!!!

So I had to find a cartoon that went with my story lol.

I guess my reasoning is I have to enjoy my food once in a while so I very much enjoyed a Wendy's burger and fries!!!!

I get done with daycare at 4 today so I will be able to make it to the gym to work out before bible study today!!!

Angel and Tony went to Wheeling Park pool today with their step grandma. They are getting to experience the slide for the first time. Denise called me and told me they are having a blast.

I thank God for family. We've been away for so long and I so enjoy being here with family again.

Sometimes I feel guilty that I don't get to take them places like this because of having a full childcare but then family steps in on days like today and the kids are having a blast!!!!

We got AC units put upstairs in the boys room yesterday and it is cooling off so nicely up there.

Well, i'm off to pack my bag for the gym so that at 4pm when the kids leave, I am ready to walk out the door. I want to run for 40 minutes today...I usually do 30 but need to increase it 10 more minutes all week to account for the yummies I ate last night :)

Good reasoning huh.

Nikki

Another pound!!

Well, according to the all-knowing scale at the gym, I've lost another pound in a week.

I guess that isn't bad but you know how alot of women are, we want to results (that show on the scale) NOW NOW NOW.

My wonderful husband tells me that if I keep doing what I'm doing, I WILL see results, just be patient. He is right but I don't know why I have to see the scale to drop big time to show me results.

Anyway, I am very thankful for the loss of another pound. I'm down to 156.5 now. My goal used to be 125 pounds but its starting to change. When I was that thin before, I don't believe I had any muscle tone to me so since muscle weighs more than fat, I can probably get away with 130 or more and still look as thin as 120 or 125.

One thing on a positive note is this:

I am no longer at the weight I was when I was 9 months pregnant with Michael :)

HOpe you like the new cartoon.

I added the other on accident then I couldn't figure out how to get rid of it ....

GRRR.

ENjoy

Nikki

Am I crazy????

I am really enjoying this workout stuff!!!!

I get where I almost crave it....maybe I'm just crazy. Who knows???

Yesterday, I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes then some guy who was giving a "Boot Camp" Aerobics class came in and pointed at me and told me to come ....

He said, " You up for it?"

Well, if you know me well, you put a challenge in front of me and I HAVE to take it!!!!

So I went.

It was rough. Especially since I just worked my legs for the past half hour but I did it. It was fun and the squats I did really worked out my legs cause I'm a bit sore today.

But back to the treadmill again today.

Unless its just pure imagination, I think my body is starting to shrink.

My pants are a bit looser...but the pounds havent come off but a couple of pounds.

I've been hitting it hard for about 2.5 weeks now but things are working...I feel great!!!!!

Today is an easy day for childcare. Only the family that has 3 kids are here today.

And the didn't get here till 10:30 so its been a pretty quiet day.

I try to get my housework and laundry all done so I can enjoy my weekend.

But I don't consider the gym work...its fun to go and I like seeing "shrinkage" HAHAHA

Hope you like the little cartoon!!!!

Nikki

What is Sin?

This little saying I found says it all :

Sin is a very short word beginning a very long sentence.


I love these little sayings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other news:

I took yesterday off from running. I needed a break.
Today I'm supposed to go run today and do some ab work. I might not have any daycare kids today so it will make for a very nice day to do whatever I want!!!
But for now, I'm enjoying blogging for a few minutes and enjoying the quiet while I have it.

The picture above is of Michael and Angel and most of my daycare kids.
The only one NOT on there is the baby cause he wasn't here when I took this one.
I have a fantastic group of kids!!!!

God has truely blessed me with the kids I watch !!!!
Nikki

Church sayings

Because of a fellow bloggers site, I decided to do a search on the internet for sayings that people put up on church signs. One that popped out at me is this:


Eternity Is A Long Time To Think About What You Should Have Done


That sure says alot...
Can you imagine what eternity will be like with GOD?

Can you imagine what hell will be like WITHOUT HIM???

I can't imagine living an eternity with regrets.....

Do something about it people.

God is knocking, but who are you letting in?

Nikki