Cheapest Pregnancy Test vs. Overpriced. Which One?

Kyle (10) and Juliet (1 1/2)

Wow, I am barely 4 weeks pregnant.  It's hard to believe I've known for a week that I've been pregnant.  Can you believe that it's always the cheapest pregnancy tests that show I'm pregnant the earliest?  I never throw down money on those expensive tests.  Walmart came out with a pregnancy test that cost only 88 cents.  I know, it's crazy.  So, I got 5 of those and 2 expensive pregnancy tests (just for fun).  Guess which ones showed positive and negative?  The cheaper ones right away showed I was positive.  The more expensive ones that tout it can detect early actually told me I was negative.  However, when I used another expensive test a few days later it finally showed positive.  The cheap tests all showed it immediately.  I think it's funny how there are actually $30 tests out there.  Crazy, crazy.  I might've fallen for that with my first pregnancy.  I can't remember.  Haha.

Anyway, baby is the size of a poppy seed at 4 weeks!  Whoa, so tiny!  They have to start somewhere though.  :D  The kids ask me soooo many questions about the baby.  Is it boy or girl?  I tell them, well it's already been decided but we just can't know for quite a bit.  It's a bit nerve wracking they pray for twins but I guess that's already been decided too.  Ha.  It's funny how every one of them it's excited and talks about it so much.  You'd think the older ones would be like "ehhhh....been through this before.  Yawn."  It's a good sign they love their large family life if they are so excited and don't feel burdened by another person in the house coming.  Makes me feel like I'm doing something right.  :D

 We ended up joining back with a gym that's only a mile away from us because they finally, finally lowered the age they are willing to watch kids in the childwatch.  It was soooo silly.  They would only watch kids from ages 2-6.  What was I supposed to do with the kids under 2 and kids older than 6?  I still couldn't work out.  Well, they at least put it from 6 months-6 years old.  I still can't work out because of the ages I have over 6 but under 12.  Only 12 year olds can go around unsupervised.  Well, it's better than nothing!  It's an amazing deal for us compared to our Lifetime membership that was 15 minutes away.  It's less than half the cost so we're saving a ton.  Back to indoor pool fun during the winter!!!  What I love about the place is that every person that joins there has to have a background check.  Any flags at all and they can't join.  Makes me feel a bit safer for me and my kids. :)

Picking My Priorities: The Delicate Balance of Motherhood

I've been trying extra, extra hard to stay on top of my house work and get ahead before the new homeschool year starts. The hard part is staying balanced and not letting it overtake the time with my kids. I did make a schedule for myself that worked incredibly well a few years back but at times I kicked against it. I know that sounds odd but that's the little kid in me. When I follow the schedule, the house stays looking great. Well, I finally decided to woman up and try it again and the house is looking amazing. Even laundry piles shrinking. Boy, taking care of a big family is a lot of work but soooo worth it. I'm determined to not do any cleaning except for dinner cleanup after 5pm.  Mama has to have her breaks too. Sometimes I'm tempted to work on something but my grandmother (mother of nine) reminds me to not burn myself out. She's so right. I just need to enjoy my evenings. :D

I thought tonight I'd be helping out someone who's daughter got lice from a play center. (Totally keeping this anonymous.)  She called me up and asked for help, offered to pay, hearing that I knew how to get rid of it fast. I said no to the pay and just wanted to pay it forward. Awhile back my kids had gotten lice from other kids and I had poured money into trying to get rid of it. An angel lady just came to my rescue who gets rid of them for a living. She would accept no pay and totally wiped out the problem. Believe me, these places charge a lot. I learned from her and have had some opportunities to pay it forward and help others. What a blessing she was!  Turns out they can't come till tomorrow so I missed my session at the gym with my trainer. Well, Charles took 8 kids with him and I had the house alone for 3 hours. While he was GETTING HIS BUTT KICKED (haha) I didn't even know what to do with all the quiet! We were supposed to train together at the gym but since I wasn't there, he was the focus. Basically he came back and just collapsed in a chair. Haha!  He said, "Baby, she kicked my butt. She's your kind of trainer." I can't wait to get back to the gym for sure. ;)

P.S. If you see all my pics at the bottom of my posts that means I blogged from my phone rather than on computer. Blogger app needs to fix it and make options. ;)

Working Super Hard on Weightloss

I tried a 48 hour detox and it went fantastic. My only regret was not doing it for at least a week. I didn't really have much guidance on the detox so I didn't know it was normal to feel so foggy and out of sorts. I got worried. After watching the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead I found out it was normal for everything I felt. In just five days I lost 5lbs but the key note is I kept it off. Since I'm doing lots of weight training I'm gaining some pounds in muscle so it's hard to tell by the scale. The crazy thing is I've gotten rid of some of the mommy lumpiness and get shocked when I pass by a mirror and see myself. I'm lovin' it!  Before I was doing a lot of working out but not changing my eating habits.  They really do go hand in hand.

 

 

It's sooooo much more than wanting to be skinny. I'm changing a lot of things like understanding micronutrients and healing our bodies naturally through God's creation. The way He designed it before all this processed garbage! I've had some really serious illnesses and I realized how poorly I was treating my body. I can work out all I want but if I'm eating pizza, macaroni, and burgers all the time, where are the vitamins?

 

Charles and I are thinking about a 10 day reboot (detox) but I know I'll not get much done around the house the first few days. Last time I was good for nothing the first two days. I wasn't tired but was just foggy. It can be a bit expensive too but so worth it. God gave us one body, right? I need to act like I'm grateful for it and not trash it.

Watch Video for free HERE!!!

 

 

 

I'm No Supermom...Not by a Long Shot

I'm doing some research before I make a final decision about this upcoming school year. Basically, my kids are spoiled.  I think they are spoiled rotten at times.  Deprived you say?  Bwahaha!  My kids have memberships to the huge 3 story science center, a zoo membership, gym membership.  They don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and they get to leasurely eat breakfast every morning.  While they lazily sip on their morning hot tea, they are either listening to a family bible study by me or watching an educational video.  School comes some time around 10am or maybe starts at 11am.  Depends on when mom's brain wakes up.  That only comes after a good dose of coffee.  They get done in a few hours, maybe only two if they really concentrate, and then they start their chores.  If they are lazy about it they finish in an hour.  When they are really good at it they are done in only a half hour.  Yeah, young ones have dissected and learned the insides of some animals before most kids ever get to.  It's weird having a five year old depressed because her older brother got to dissect a frog before she could.  Yeah, my kids have it amazingly good.  I don't have to worry about late nights at church and having to rush them to bed because of school in the morning.  We have such a good life. 

Do you think my kids would be at my feet thanking me for the good life they have?  Noooooo.... they think schooling takes too long and chores take to long.  They've completely forgotten their days of public school that they hated, hated, hated.  They hated the long days, hunger, and bullying. They hated getting lost in the system because the teacher had moved on before they were ready.  They hated the hurried lunches and the lame 5 minute recess.  Did you know they've cut recess waaaaaay down?  When I was a kid we had a good 20 minutes-30 minutes of recess.  I needed to get all that energy out.  I'm sure my teacher begged the principal to give me Benadryl each day.  Something to knock me out so she could peacefully teach the rest of the class.  A week ago I told them I wasn't sure about another year of homeschooling because they aren't appreciating it.  They all cried and hung on my leg.  Please noooooo!  I took a deep breath.  I thought about it while doing cardio at the gym, I thought about it while lifting weights.  I thought about it while swimming my midnight laps.  I thought about it while showering, eating, and just before dozing off.  I ran into a book that just made my heart leap for joy....

Click here to see on Amazon

Wow!  This is about 15 different families that are all in different situations and all homeschool differently.  I needed a way to keep the attention of my kids and it seems what I'm doing isn't working.  It's just not as exciting for them.  I've been devouring this book and can hardly put it down.  There are those perfect parents who seem like they have it all together and their three year old is learning calculus and then there are the ones.... like me.... that give so much to the kids that I'm just happy to shower that day.  Do you know why I go to workout at the gym after the kids are asleep?  Because that's when I have the time.  When I go it's usually 9:30pm-12:30am.  No, I don't sleep in all day.  Heck, I'm writing this at 2am because it's the only time I've had yet I still have to get up with the early risers.

I woke up to this the other day. Juliet trying to figure out how to get
out of her crib.  Okay, she's 12 months! Help!

I get excited when I find a book that just lifts my spirits when I'm lagging inside.  I don't have a homeschool co-op or a support group.  I wish I could have those cheer leaders on the sidelines but I don't.  I have to just keep my faith in God, relying on His strength, my mind in constant study, and my heart resting in God's grace.  That is the only way I can give sooooooooooo much of myself every day without cracking.  I'm no supermom.  Ha...  By a long shot.  I'm related to some but I'm not one.  I just have to work super hard.

 

Good news!  I'm down 10lbs!!!  Aaaaaagh!  NO CARBS and lots and lots of juicing and vegetables.  White meat more than red meat.  I'm learning to make really yummy food and I can eat LOTS of it!  I will share soon on a great Souperman food I now make. Get it?  It's a soup but man, oh man, is it packed of good stuff.  Superman himself might be knocking on my door soon for the recipe. 

One Good Reason to Love My Fat - JUST ONE!

You'll see what I mean in a few. Yesterday I had the most amazing day.  I had gotten some test done to see what's going on inside of me.  You know, blood tests to show how I've been eating and measure other things in my body.  Basically, my stress levels were really high but it's obvious I eat well.  Those are the only two I remember.  The nutritionist told me that my body is not allowing me to lose weight because of my stress and I had to destress.  Okaaaay..... where to start?

At around 9pm Charles told me I could go to the gym and just workout alone and swim.  He said don't worry about the time.  So I didn't.  I didn't come home till 1:30am.  So what did I do all that time?  I had a protein shake in the restaurant.  Amazingly yummy.  The one I got is called Strawberry Sunrise.  I got to talk to a friend I don't get to talk to often while sipping my drink in the healthy restaurant.  No hiding in the bathroom so she can hear me.  Heh heh.  Then I went up to the gym and did some serious cardio for 45 minutes, lifted weights for another 45 minutes.  Then I went down to the pool and swam 10 laps.  I discovered something AMAZING that I've NEVER been able to do.  I floated and I accidentally discovered it!  You see, when you are bone skinny all your life you can't float.  No fat hardly!  So I was just doing some backstrokes and noticed I was floating.  I realized that the hated fat I had finally made it possible to float on my back in water.  YES!

HALLELUJAH!

I just wanted to float forever because I felt so light.  Ha ha.  For once I was thanking my fat. THANK YOU, FAT!  Okay, I can't be TOO okay with that because I'd like to lose some.  Turns out, the reason my tummy especially is holding onto some fat is because my cortisol levels are so high from stress.  It makes your body go into a fight or flight mode.  Holds onto fat around your belly.  I thought it was from having babies but in a way I can still call it BABY FAT.  Ha!  Stress from kids. 

After 3 hours of working out I picked up a good book called The Birth Order Book that I've read 5 years ago but needed to read again and got in the jacuzzi.  It felt amazing!!  Letting all my muscles just relax.

I decided to go into the steam room but I'm scared of rooms where you can't see anything beyond your own hand.  Well, even though it was only for women I was scared!  I opened the door and let it close behind me but held onto the handle.  I figured I was totally alone and HOPED I really was.  Finally, I was too scared so I opened the door and just let allllllll the steam out. I still couldn't see well but just a little better.  I was relieved not to see anyone and figured maybe I would be safe enough.  Just as I was closing the door behind me I heard a voice in the fog that said, "Could you turn the steam back on?"  I jumped so high I ran out of there like a crazy lady.  Aaaaaaagh!  Just glad I didn't fall.  I got home around 1:30, felt amazing, and just crashed.

I woke up to a delivery of flowers.  I didn't see a name on it and only the words MY LOVE.  Um, who is this from?  I got a little worried but was just hoping it was from Charles.  Ha ha.  I got the hint when I got a text from my husband that said, "Good morning, my love!"  Ohhhhhh, so it was my very own stalker.  My husband who's been following me for 14 years!  Lovin' it too. Not perfect but perfect for me.

Back From a Long Internet Break

This week I am watching an extra 3 kids and I've never seen my house so wrecked! No joke.  It's a mess.  That doesn't mean we don't clean.  It just means that we clean and clean and it goes right back.  I have chores set out for the kids that are here for the week and they do them but it all goes right back to the mess.  Yesterday we even cleaned for 3 hours.  I went into boot camp mama mode and said whatever is on the floor goes in the trash.  I wasn't joking because 2 very large black bags later, the floor was picked up.  Believe me, I gave plenty of warning.  Moms don't have to live their lives as cleaning slaves.  We are so much more than that.  So, I'll get off my box now. 

Other than the constant messes we have been having fun going swimming at our new gym, rock climbing, and just hanging out places.  Ryan's been having fun shooting off fireworks in the area and I think it's time we launch our huge rocket we bought awhile back.  Heh heh.  Well, I'm able to bring the extra kids to my gym but I'm not allowed to check them into the child watch which means no working out this week.  Phooey.  This fat will have to sit for a bit longer.

Anyway, I went on a loooong internet break and I decided it's been a good long time.  Man, it felt good too.  That's the longest we have ever done.  It's kind of like going on a food fast and getting cleansed.  There are just so many distractions and my kids were never wanting to play outside.  Today I am working on all the safety features to protect our kids.  We use Safe Eyes and have really loved it. 

*My friends, if you see me doing guest posts or posts for products, I try not to make it excessive.  I do try to earn money for my family on the side through writing.  If it's not something you are interested in seeing, please just scroll right past to the next post.  :)  I write because I love to!