A New Swimmer in Town

Cooper is officially registered as a USA Swimming swimmer and signed up for his first swim meet.


He's so excited that I had to create a countdown for him to keep track of how many sleeps until the meet in San Antonio October 15-16.


I'm amazed at how much progress he's made since he learned to swim in April. We owe it all to Coach Adam who Cooper completely admires. We're pretty fond of Coach Adam, too.


I mean, this kid has seriously come a million miles from being the kid who would only scream bloody murder when we forced him into a pool. It was Coach Adam who finally convinced Cooper that he wouldn't drown in the pool.


Now, we have a fish on our hands for an hour every day after school. He can't stand to get out of the pool once he starts swimming. I can't wait to see what he does at his first meet. Go Cooper! 

Tuesday Treats - Clean Eating Pineapple Pork

We have challenged ourselves to eating a paleo diet for two weeks. (The Paleo Diet mimics the types of foods every single person on the planet ate prior to the Agricultural Revolution: fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and seafood; we aren't eating refined sugars and grains, saturated and trans fats, salt, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and processed foods.) In other words, we are mainly eating everything except grains, potatos, beans, dairy. So, I was in search of new recipes and even found quite a few paleo crockpot recipes. This was my first venture into the paleo pot world. It was speedy and tasty!


Mix 1 t. paprika with 2 T sugar-free dijon mustard and rub onto two pounds pork roast. Top roast with one pineapple cut into 1" cubes. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred pork before serving.


The recipe actually calls for pork ribs, but I can't stand to eat anything but french fries and sandwiches with my fingers. Go ahead and try out the rib version if you're a lick-your-fingers-while-you-eat kind of person.

Star Student

Today is the first day of Abigail's Star Student week. She's terribly excited.


I wish I could show you the Star in all her crowning glory, but that would involve going into the classroom with her. There's no chance she'll allow anything that embarassing to happen.

Mason Money

A few months ago we set out on a new financial journey. It's called A Budget. We decided to take the kids with us. I even bought them new luggage for the trip.


These mason jars are now the keepers of all things needed for the trip. Cooper only has one jar, because anything further would be difficult to understand. Abigail has three jars: spend (70%), save (20%), tithe (10%).


The kids earn money by doing chores. We don't give them an allowance, but do pay them for any tasks beyond what is already expected of them, i.e. clean rooms, beds made every morning. Cooper has become wonderful with the vaccuum cleaner. Abigail likes to clean out my car. And, I was able to let my housekeeper go.

Cooper's jar is mostly empty, because he recently spent all his earnings on a used Nintendo DS with five game cartridges. Abigail's save jar is empty because we opened a savings account that is used when the jar becomes full.

I love that the kids are learning that money must be earned. And, I especially love to see them making choices of how to spend their money.

Abigail was named the Star Student of her class for the coming week. Don't be too impressed. Her name was drawn out of a hat, which the teacher will do each week until every kid has spent a week as the Star Student.

I'm not sure of what the title involves other than wearing a crown all week in class and getting to skip out on some of the homework for the week.

And, Abigail has to present a poster to the class Monday morning that tells them all about her. She spent more than half of today coloring and decorating her poster.


I had all kinds of creative ideas for how to "help" her with the poster, but the assignment came with instructions from the teacher that parents were not to help.


Cooper desperately wanted to be involved in her project. I spent several hours bribing him with his DS to stay in his room.


Fortunately, it's done and ready to present to the class. Take note of my "favorite" section where she wishes for a sister. Yeah, she can just keep wishing. That's one wish that won't be granted!

Lately, there has been lots of fighting. I mean, screaming, hitting, slamming her brother's head and fingers in her bedroom door. That's why her daddy had to remove her bedroom door.

She says mean things like, "You ruin every day of my life that you're in it."

She yells that she'll kick him in the face if he talks to her again.

Then there are moments like tonight when she loves him and asks if she can read him a bedtime story. They snuggle up in bed together in his bed and she reads a Skippy Jon Jones book in her best Mexican accent.

Then, they hug and kiss each other goodnight, and I know that one day they won't want to beat each other up.

The Teacher Becomes the Student

Sometimes my children frustrate and annoy me. There are days I wonder if they've heard anything I've ever taught them. Many days go by that I want to pull my hair out because I can not think of a punishment to fit the crime.

Then, there are days when I am the one being taught. I am humbled at their knowledge and understanding of kindness.


A few days ago Abigail began to ask me a question and abruptly stopped herself. I continued to probe because I could tell she was truly curious about something. And, I'm not one to ever let anything go. I insisted that she ask her question. She insisted that she could not ask her question because it would be impolite to talk about someone. "Mom, it would be gossiping." She continued to tell me that she had just found out a friend has divorced parents. Abigail had thought the friend's stepdad was actually her birthfather. With this new knowledge, came many questions, but Abigail refused to ask them. She would no longer discuss it because she insisted that she would not gossip and her friend's family life would not be appropriate to discuss. I was amazed at the maturity she had shown at just seven years old. I wish I could be that discreet and mindful of not gossiping.

Also in the past week, Abigail was in the car with me and I was listening to Dave Ramsey. I love hearing his financial advice, but the kids are quick to request a station change as soon as I pick them up from school. Usually I oblige them. This time, Abigail asked, "Why is that man talking about money?". I explained the purpose of the radio program, but she probed again. "But, isn't it rude to talk about people's money issues in public?" Wow! Another golden nugget from the pipsqueak kid! Uh, yes, I have strongly taught the kids not to ever discuss the cost of items or a person's salary or anything close to those topics. And, now the oldest one was calling me on the hypocracy of my Dave Ramsey obsession. Oh, goodness.

I can't help but be amazed at my daughter's intelligence and consideration of others. But, I wish she could show it in a less humbling way.