School + GOD = A GOOD thing!

*If you are a non Christian...please do not take offence..this is just my personal opinion and my core values (not to mention MY blog). I never look down or judge anyone for their own beliefs and choices.

Often people ask me why me and my husband pay so much money to send our kids to a private Christian school. The first thing that I always say is this, "I believe that our children are gifts of the Lord. We are responsible to train them according to His Word not only at home and in church, but in school as well." Christian school educators teach all subject matter from a Christian context. They put the Bible at the center of the curriculum and ask students to evaluate all they see in the world through the eyes of God. I think it is SO important for me and my family to view everything we do through the eyes of god and through his LOVE for us. I am no perfect being (far from perfect..totally wicked far actually ) and I don't always see life through God's eyes..but God's strength is MY core, and even when i stray off the path..I can be rest assured that God will pull me back and back in the right direction. I can go on and on about the small class sizes, extra attention, and the fact that Christian schools offer a better level of instruction. There is no question about it. The test scores over a long period of years are conclusive. The annual Stanford Achievement Test administered to first through eighth grade Christian school students in the western states shows these students to be seven to nineteen months ahead of the national norm in reading, and seven to thirteen months ahead of the national norm in all subject areas. BUT....All that for me is simply icing on the cupcake. GOD'S word is why I choose to send them to their school. Below are some pictures inside Anna's classroom.

Anna says to me, "Mommy look me and God share the same Birthday month!" *SIGH* seriously, it does not get any sweeter than that!!

This is my most favorite poster hanging in the classroom!
amen!

I hope everyone has a blessed day! Love to you all!

Randomness at it's finest...

I have so many random thoughts swirling around my brain like little tornado's. So...This little Blog post is dedicated to random thoughts served to you on a silver platter straight from a very quirky mind...that would be my mind....

• First things first. Never go to bed with wet hair...but always brush your teeth at least twice a day...and floss to..i DO this now, but I hate it. Which is a random thought in itself. Why do people hate to floss? It really does not take up to much time...but everyone just despises it! Everyone knows they really should do it...but they don't! Me included...it's so weird, and make NO sense what so ever.

• Second of all...why in the world is there a baby fly flying around me right now? Is this not the time of year that flies die and disappear into holes or something? Did this fly hatch too late or what? Maybe he did NOT get the memo. Either way..he will see his death today if I lay my eyes on him again.



• Have any of you seen the movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun"? I watch that every night in bed. I get lost in that movie...pretending that I am Diane Lane..running away and buying a Villa In Tuscany...really living. Someday maybe.



• Routine. I know that when you have three kids..routine is essential. But I'm so not routine...Sometimes I think i am to adventuress and spontaneous for my own good. When the kids are all away at college working on their phd's...I'm gonna wake up some mornings and go online, buy a random plane ticket (Italy or Hawaii preferably) and just GO...no thinking..just flying away.



• Spaghetti tacos..think about it...it could be a good thing!



• Is it weird that I spell check stuff like every three minutes, oppose to just doing it all at once at the end of my writing?



• Oh...and here is a random thought that has really been weighing me down. If you DVR something, does it still get credit for the shows ratings? I worry that the shows that i LOVE are not getting credit because I am DVR ing them oppose to watching them live? Any thoughts on this?? Anyone? anyone?



• SPELLCHECK....



• Seriously...I am a HORRIBLE speller, it is so embarrassing! Is there a way to get better at that? Or did i just miss out on something in like third grade, and now I'm just screwed?



• do you notice that in the grocery stores they put all the really surgery crappy for you cereals at the bottom for the kids to see...and all the healthy stuff wayyyy at the top? Check it out...they do!



• You know..This thought is just way to deep..especially following a thought regarding cereal placement. But really...sometimes i DO NOT get life...and what is thrown at you at certain times? Why people come into your life at the wrong times...it's so frustrating! I can only hope that someday down the road it will make sense..but it sucks at the time when it makes NO sense at all!!



• Is it wrong that when i smile at a complete stranger to make their day brighter, and they look back at me with a glare...that i wanna then smack them in the head...hard? Why cant people just SMILE?



• squirrels love to eat pumpkins. Why do i know this? Well...i grew my own pumpkins this year with visions of having lots and lots of pumpkins on my porch until THANKSGIVING...ya well...they ate all 10 of them!! Those furry little animals are lucky that I love them so much.



• My college team plays tomorrow morning at 10:00am...is 10:00am to early for hot wings and beer?



• I can walk into a Barnes and Nobel and get lost in their for hours..i think i may have to make a trip very soon.



• This morning 2 of my kids were putting oatmeal ON top of toast..i seriously threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Holy mother of all that's pretty...bless your heart if you made it to the end of this crazy...blog consisting of complete non sense!! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend...I mean that too ;-)

p.s. I totally think that fly was a literary insect..because i have not seen him once since the start of this post! He must have read that insert about him and got the heck out of dodge! Smart fly he is!!

Thursday Thankfulls & Hot dogs in the snow!

Wow...either I have a had a crazy busy last few months, or lacking some caffeinated creativity. I think it's a mixture of both! It's fall now...and things are winding down..well kinda. I really miss reading and writing my Blogs...so here I am..kicking it off with some Thursday Thankfulls:


1. God and his forgiveness


2. 2nd chances


3. My wonderful..rockin awesome 3 kids


4. Egg nogg lattes from Starbucks..had my first one of the season yesterday...yummo


5. Snuggling with my girls in my bed at night reading good books


6. Art and books


7. the fact that the older i get..the more silly i get!! =p


8. prayer


9. Friends


10. Snow days...me and the kids grilled out hot dogs IN THE BLIZZARD....so much fun!




Oh how I mis blogging....I hope everyone has a great day..and a blessed week!

Friday Confessions...whoop..

Oh man i miss doing Friday confessions!MMMkay....lets see what Melissa has been up to:

1. I said Dude...a lot at Michael's back to school night. Everyone knows that I heart the word dude...but i should prob try and refrain from saying it in front of his teachers! Although Michael's little peeps appreciated it!!

2. Titanic...that's all I can say about that. Sweet confessions...and this is one that I will NEVER regret

3. oops i did it again...again i cant go in to detail on this one either...but i had to get it off my chest!! Phew...i feel so much better =)

4. I have only flipped off one person in the car this week..but still that's not a good thing, I hate the "When Melissa gets behind the wheel personality", she can be so ugly!!

5. I watched Twilight 6 times this week!

6. I'm pretty sure I said Edwards name in the night double that!!

7. I have ate the same thing for lunch and dinner since Monday..except once. Ham and Swiss on rye. Its not really something to confess...but it's just weird!

8. I have had Starbucks way to many times to even confess..i mean remember!

9. I smoked a cigar one night on the front porch by myself one night at like 10:30pm...Who does that???

10. I washed the same load of towels that are in the washer 3 times..maybe 4!

11. Oh ya...seriously i almost hit this kid on a bike

12. I love the new Miley Cyrus song, climb. This is just so wicked embarrassing..the fact that I am actually publicly confessing about it ...is crazy!!

13. As always on the list...watching cartoons ALONE!

14. Okay..i am adding onto confession #4. I feel i need to explain here! I am a "Grandma driver" I have kids (my precious kids) in the car...so I drive the speed limit and I DO NOT..I repeat DO NOT turn left on orange arrows or lights. So its the people that ride my a$$ and yell at me that get me mad..and i end up flipping them off.. and at times i even get out of the car (at an orange lights) throw up my arms and yell out, "Wanna go?"

15. hmmm...#15...i need one more confession. I cannot stop at 14, that's just weird...so....lets see...okay..here is one...Allie has had a crappy (literally) diaper the whole time I have been writing this blog post..I totally should have changed her by now..but I was on a roll!!! But ya...I'd better go take care of that business!!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!!!

Thursday Thankfulls

Holy wow...I have not been here in a looong time...It's funny how I always come back on a Thursday... just in time for Thursday Thankfulls!! I always loVe to say out loud the things around me that make me oh so happy and grateful!! So...here is my list for the week:

• God....of course #1




• My family




• Unexpected Love...like the kind in Titanic!




• Best friends who make ME a better ME




• Health..and striving to be healthy...omg..i totally have to update you all on my weightloss!! 27 pounds!!!! woo to the HOOOOO!!!




• The gym membership that Stacie got me =)




• Ham and swiss on Rye =)




• Coffee...with hazelnut of course!!




• Strangers who smile at me =)




• DVR...oh how i love my dvr!!!




• Facebookin




• Red Bull...yummy




• Laughter




• Candles




• Time....




• mountains




• dreams


• Freedom of choice


• Creating memories with my kids...DAILY


• My ability to live each day like it's my very last
• Soul mates

I can't wait to catch up with all my blogging friends, i hope you are all doing great....I will be back tomorrow with Friday confessions!!!! Bahahahahahhah =)

Thursday Thank fulls

• GOD



• My husband



• GOD



• My wonderful kids



• GOD



• My parents, little sister and Gabe



• GOD



• JennyKate and Renee



• GOD



• Exersize



• GOD



• Red Bull



• GOD



• My ipod touch



• GOD



• My church and my pastor (these two totally come before red bull and ipod)



• My ability to pick a lock with a credit card. Allie my 2 yr old locked herself in my bedroom..i could not get it open...i tried and tried...i was so afraid that i would have to call the fire dept. Expecially since i was naked..i had just got out of the shower..and for once the laundry was totally clean and put away..i had NOTHING to put on!!! Luckily after about 15 min. I got the door opened!!



• GOD



• The big tree in my front yard



• GOD



• My trip coming up in 8 days to see Jennykate and Renee in Oklahoma!!



• GOD



• Farm town on face book...i am such a nerd..but it makes my day just so much fun!



• GOD



• Summer break..it officially starts here today at 3:45pm!!!!



• GOD

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! =)

weightloss update!

Wow...I'm just so proud of myself! I am still going strong with my " Weight loss Journey". I feel so great! I have to confess that my one single obstacle is WEEKENDS!! They get me every single week! It is perfectly acceptable to reward yourself once a week, just NOT the whole weekend! During the week...It's like nothing can get in my way, I really just need to figure out some balance on the weekends.

Here are some new things that I have started doing since I started:

• I have never been a HUGE fish fan..I mean it's okay..but it was never my first choice. I knew to take my progress up a notch, I had to up my protein intake. I bought those Gordman's Fish fillets in the frozen section at the store. I love the garlic butter ones!! They are sooo yummy and super easy to prepare! I just throw them on the grill with my asparagus..and its an awesome meal! Speaking of asparagus...people always ask how i prepare it. I lay some out on foil, brush it with some extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with some sea salt and a little bit of garlic powder, and grill it!! It delish and sooo good for you!



• I have been drinking 1 gallon of water per day. It seems like a lot, but with my pink nalgene bottle that holds 32 ounces, i know its just 4 of those..it makes it not seem so bad. I have that bottle by my side always! When I'm on the couch, in the car, outside...everywhere!!



• I am still doing Sparkpeople.com religiously..well except for the weekends! Which HAS to stop!!



• It's crazy how my lifestyle is changing! Me and my husband had a date night planned for a few weeks ago. Instead of doing it at night, I switched it to a date DAY. Typically we go out in the evening for some huge dinner with drinks. Instead we went for lunch at a cute place in the mountains (We had a buffalo burgers) Then we went for a hike!



• I have increased my exercise schedule. Here is my week schedule as of now:

Mon, wed, Fri- Tae Bo in the morning, EA Sports game on the Wii in the afternoon and Abs

Tue, Thur, Sat- Tae Bo in the morning, Running outside at night. Anywhere between 30-60 min

Sunday- Rest day

I am participating in a half marathon (13.6 miles) in September. I tend to be very goal oriented, so I figured that would be something great to work for...and it will be an awesome accomplishment when I complete it!!

New things that I cannot live without:

• My new ipod touch...I could never run without it!! I LOVE IT!!



• My new EA Sports game for the Wii. If you have a wii...you have to get this!! Bob Harper (Oprahs trainer) worked with EA games to create this! It is a fabulous workout! It combines cardio with strength training! I LOVE it..it is sooo worth the 60.00!



• Red Bull!!



• My fitness watch, I got it a Target for like 45.00. Among several things..it's a pedometer and it tells you how many calories you have burned by how many steps you have taken.



• My new food scale



• DVR...Oh wait that has nothing to do with weigh loss does it?? hehe

Anyone can do this too! I'm not gonna lie...it's a pain in the butt to get going...but once you do..its addicting! The energy you create by exercising is addicting! It feels amazing!! Again...I am ALWAYS here for moral support!!