Much Creative: September 2013

9.22.2013

Living and Active Challenge: Checkpoint 1

Click the image to learn more!

I started this challenge last week, Tuesday. I did four days of 25+ minutes of exercise and memorized (pretty close anyway) the weekly "soul food".

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Tuesday: 15 minutes of resistance bands, arms and 10 minute Pilates video

Wednesday: 10 minute ab video and 20 minute Bollywood video

Saturday: walked for 25 minutes at a good pace

Sunday: walk/jog for 15 minutes and 10 minutes of resistance bands

Luckily, Sunday ended up a gorgeous day so I made the most of it and exercised outside. I will enjoy it as long as I can.

9.17.2013

Tasty Tuesday: One Pot Chicken and Rice

We are finally getting settled in and I've been trying some new recipes. I'll be more excited about this once all of our kitchen goodies and non-perishables arrive. I found this on Pinterest but leave it to me to change a recipe.

Here is what I used:

8 chicken legs, skin on (gross, but yummy)
2 cups wild rice mix
3-4 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
your favorite seasoning mix
sea salt, pepper
4 cups water (or chicken broth)
2-3 cups frozen green beans

Melt butter, add olive oil, onions, garlic and some salt. Cook until onions are translucent and then add chicken legs. Season chicken legs, brown them (doesn't need to be cooked through yet), then move to a plate. Add rice to butter mixture and let it absorb the liquid. Then add water or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add chicken back in the water/rice. Bring back to boil. Add green beans (I had enough to cover the top) and push down into liquid. Cook until rice is fluffy. That is it. YUM! It took me about an hour maybe a little more but my chicken started out frozen. It tastes really good, so give it a try! Buon Apetito!

This is a picture of the rice I used.

Living and Active 5 Week Challenge

Clare at Peak313 is doing a five week Living and Active Challenge! This is the second annual challenge and I did not join in last year but this year... I am doing it! It is not a hard challenge but you have to be committed (not institutionalized or anything, don't worry!) to make a difference in your fitness and your spiritual life. DONE! Sign me up! Technically it started yesterday, so I guess I better get going! You can follow my progress each Monday here on my blog and on Instagram. And I have no scale right now, so I am going completely by how I feel and how my clothes are fitting. I will also take measurements.

Here is the plan: Workout 4 times per week for at least 25 minutes each time {minimum}.

Memorize a weekly Bible verse.

And here it is... the before picture:

I can do this! Pray for me, with me. Thanks.

9.13.2013

A Homeschool Mother's Journal: Back to School Edition

We officially started school this week. To read more about what we are using this year click here or hit the Homeschool 2013-14 tab above. Here is the Homeschool Mother's Journal for this week!

In my life this week… Some tears, some joy, some exhaustion, some peace.

In our homeschool this week… School began!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… Give yourself a break!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… Anywhere! Praying we get our car next week so we can leave the house.

My favorite thing this week was… Sharing art with the boys.

My kiddos favorite thing this week was… Joshua says Teaching Textbooks, Nikolas says Art.

Things I’m working on… Patience and getting a routine down.

I’m cooking… nothing! But hubs ordered a dehydrator, food saver, and meat slicer.

I’m grateful for… My amazing, supportive, and incredible logical husband.

I’m praying for… My husband.

I rewarded my kids this week by… Having peach tarts with ice cream.

Something I am ogling or have my eye on… boots. I need some brown boots.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share (silly, serious or both!)… Here are the photos of the week!

Love all that highlighter because that means we're done!

A fabulous books for children, that goes great with MFW Adventures.

Making name necklaces.

Nikolas and his art. "I Can Do All Things"

Joshua enjoyed using these to guide him with drawing.

Learning about our names.

Wearing their name necklaces.

Nikolas tangraming.

Joshua doing Teaching Textbooks!

Joshua reading John... by choice, all on his own.

Joshua making cursive "J" over and over.

Nikolas. A self portrait.

Back to School!

First day breakfast.

Mom's planning explosion.

9.06.2013

The Homeschool Mother's Journal 6SEP2013

In my life this week… Lots of piles or books, papers, binders.

In our homeschool this week… We are slowly getting started. Waiting for our curriculum to arrive so we can officially begin.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… Don't be too hard on yourself.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… Not many because our car is not here yet.

My favorite thing this week was… The long weekend but only because Hubs was home for four days and I also got a great workout in on Monday.

My kiddos favorite thing this week was… Joshua losing teeth and making money.

Things I’m working on… Organizing and preparing for the school year. College work. Trying to balance.

I’m cooking…New foods that I've never seen before.

I’m grateful for…Click here!

I’m praying for…focus and consistency in my prayer life.

I rewarded my kids this week by…having a PJ day!

Something I am ogling or have my eye on…

I want the one on the right for my new bedroom!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share (silly, serious or both!)…

9.05.2013

Out and About

We are {im}patiently waiting for our car, so we haven't been able to explore our new city too much yet. But here are some of our adventures.

The Bayterek (click for more info)

We found an arcade.

Salami and some stringy, dry, smokey, salty cheese.

European candy is the best!

Joshua is in the window!

We can see this from our house. The clouds were so pretty that day.

This is the same building at night. The picture does it no justice.

This is about 1.5 liters of fresh, raw honey that we paid about $22 for!

I had to break out the slippers already.

Mexican Ketchup. Yup.

Fall is in the Air.

I can't believe it is September. I can feel fall in the air but fall is much shorter here. I heard that is snowed in late September here last year. Yikes. I just hope our household goods are all here before the cold sets in. Our car should be here this week but when we will be able to drive it depends on customs. I ordered our school supplies and curriculum but made some changes to the plan (of course I did). We are waiting for that to all arrive. In the meantime, we are doing math, reading, copywork/handwriting, and some geography just to get warmed up for the real deal in the next few weeks.