I think I can get the hang of this! ;-)

      I feel so incredibly loved and blessed. <3  And trying very hard to have myself not feel horrible because I was feeling useless and the only things I've accomplished revolved around the computer, E1, and books. If I rearrange that thought-E1 has her school work for the day, she asked to look up a chore chart we could implement so it can help her remember her chores and she also has been helping work on her daily schedule. We were looking at some books online and discussing things she finds interesting and decided that for our next read out loud we want to do the Narnia Chronicles-well E1 does and I really want to do the Laura Ingalls books because I have some really fun activities to do. However I want her to be interested in it and The Narnia books are awesome and if it gets her reading more by all means! And by read out loud that means its usually something I read out-she is not reading chapter books yet and sometimes she can help read a page or a paragraph or she has certain words she gets to look for. We won't start this until January though.
      With her daily schedule and school work we set up a cool award system, some days are REALLY hard for her to focus and she needs extra motivation. We had an old job chart but she said she didn't like it and shared her ideas on what would make a good chore chart. E1 said she prefers to call it a chore chart because the ch sound can be tricky for her and it will make her practice that sound if we call it that. Whatever works! So she and I looked online for some ideas of what other people have done and found a really awesome one. Don't tell her this but it is almost just like our old it just uses our calendar chart instead of just poster board. AND the reward system falls in line with what we are doing with her school and daily schedule chart.
        I love that E1 loves to plan ahead, that she feels comfortable enough to share her ideas, and comfortable enough with herself to know that there are things she can work on about herself to do better. I am also glad that for her that doesn't cross the line and goes into the dangerous perfectionist territory-though it use too!
       E2 is home and even when she got in the car she was pushing boundaries a bit. I changed her bedtime routine so it starts right at dinner time. As soon as dinner is over she knows it's time for pajama's or a shower if she'd like. She seems to need a lot of downtime in order for her to prepare her body to sleep. I know she's a night person like I am but that also means we aren't morning people and since right now we have to have early mornings that means earlier bedtimes for all of us. She also seems to need at least 9 if not 10 hours of sleep to function at a nice level.
       My to do list tomorrow is looking quite adventurous.... What I told my good friend, I'm resting today so I can overdo it tomorrow.  I am kidding! Well maybe halfway. ;-)  I will just pace myself, keep slow and steady as my mantra, and take breaks often and see a good friend of mine for a much needed coffee date and catch up time, and then go to bed early. I can see that working tomorrow..... Really I can. :D

Happy Thursday!

            I am really excited! Not jump on the couch crazy excited-I am in to much pain for that but smiling like a goof on the inside and out excited. I am excited because it has only taken a bit over a year to finally start my blog. Only a year of encouragement from the wonderful people in my life who want me to share my journey through life with my wonderful daughters, who enjoy and are entertained by my journey with them, and who like to hear about the happenings in my household with my sweet girls, E1 and E2 as I call them. I am not a professional writer. I make plenty of mistakes. Grammar and sentence structure don't fall in line with how I talk. ;-) The purpose of this blog is to share my journey with those that want to hear it, to share wisdom, to gain wisdom, and maybe to add some sunshine in your life.
           Even as I'm excited I'm a bit nervous. What I am reminding myself today is, it's okay if it takes a handful of blogs to make it worth reading, it's okay if it isn't perfect, and I sure have a lot to do today and my body doesn't want to cooperate. I suffer from S.O.S., otherwise known as shiny object syndrome. My mind goes a million miles an hour sometimes and I get distracted easily.
         Today is just my starter blog. In the future my blogs will mainly focus on my daughter's and home life, homeschooling and life adventures, and the random funny things my sweet husband says. Time for to put my focus back on E1 so she can do her daily reading.

Blessings and Happy Almost Friday! :-)