Happy Homeschool Moments

I just want to say how much I enjoy homeschooling. I hope that I am someone's inspiration when they get tired, burned out or just plain want to quit as we all sometimes get. I was there a few months ago and I apppreciate and thank all you homeschool bloggers because you keep me going during those times. I am in an upswing right now though. I am completely in awe and happy to be homeschooling. We are having so much fun this summer, going to $1 movies, lagoons, aqua centers, swimming meet ups and other fun activities with our homeschool group. We are so blessed to have them. I dont know how any family goes without the support of a wonderful Chrisitan homeschool group because I dont honestly think I could. Our group is large and growing and local and supportive and meets frequently and chats online and just plain awesome! The leaders moved our group to an online meetup site recently so we can chat frequently and it has been so neat. My kids just plain amaze me at all they know. We have taught them so much about life and learning and joy and its just so cool that I get to be there and be the one, the one who does all this with them. I am so lucky, so blessed, so happy and try to always remind myself of why I do this when there is a down month sometimes and we all get there on occasion, but the bigger picture plays out and we realize why we are doing what we are doing. My kids are learning and happy and healthy and behind older peers socially who are getting more sexualized and culturalized the way society inevitably does. My kids aren't and for that, I can truely say, I am thrilled.

Some Current Pics

Dandy, our teeny lil 10 hand pony. He is AWESOME
Lexi(my sisters baby, 6 weeks old) and Maddy(just shy of 3 months), arent they adorable?

My sister and her baby Lexi, My brother and his baby Chevy and Me and Maddy

My Baby Sister is a Mommy and 19 now!

The cake
My sis and I with our baby girls....Lexi and Maddy

My pretty sis and her gorgeous baby

Awww Proud Gramma with the two newest grandbabies, making a total of 9 grandbabies now for my mommy

Isnt she gorgeous, I just love my sister. I am so glad our daughters are close in age and will get to grow up close as friends and cousins, its just really awesome! They are actually planning another baby pretty soon so I will get to be an aunt again soon I am sure. I am already an aunt to my brother's 2 kids, but he lives far away and he and I arent close so I dont see my nephews too often.

Libby

She is young, but also underweight, look at that mane though
Such a beautiful girl

her skinny booty

We rescued her from an abusive situation out in the desert and she is an absolute sweetie. She ties, trailers and we have been able to ride her as well. She is only around 2 and she is smart as can be. She is underweight and needs her feet trimmed, but otherwise she seems like she is gonna be a great little horse.

My babies!

All the kiddos at the new house, sitting on the hay
My beautiful little Kenna the cowgirl (20 months)

Kenna (20 months)

Maddy and her little grin (2 months)

I have never had a baby with blue eyes, they all came out brownish. I can't beleive how blue they are because she has a very dark complection

Things are really coming along at the new house, we have our horses over there, we just got them all dewormed and the shoer and dentist are coming out tomorrow morning to do their feet and teeth. The kids love having horses and I am absolutely loving it too! As far as the actual house goes, the addition is almost completly done now, the new windows are all in and we will start busting out the bathroom next.

Post partum weight loss continues

My butt is shriveling and my abs are getting more cut
after 6 kiddos, 2 months post partum, I am quite proud of myself

Its moving, but its slow so its been a while since I posted. I am now at 126!! I am 4 pounds below pre preg weight and feeling great. I will keep on keeping on because its still coming off at about 1 pound a week so I am hoping to get down to 120, we will see though

We Got a..............

5 minutes after we got Speckles home
She's a big girl! I love her

My baby

I haven't been this happy in so long, other than my kid's births probably!

So yeah, I am completely head over heals for this baby

NEW HORSE! OMGosh, I am so excited!!!! It all happened so fast. We are keeping her at our new place even though we can't move in for a bit. We are just taking care of her over there until our move in since its only 1 mile away. This past Saturday night, my mom called asking if I wanted her. My Aunt had a neighbor who is struggling with lung cancer and is on his second go round with chemo treatments and he is too weak to care for his animals at this point so we were offered Speckles(our new Appaloosa Mare) for free. We jumped on it and we went yesterday and bought all kinds of tack and gear and grooming supplies. Now, my mom has offered us one of her horses as well because she has too many and isn't riding enough to keep them so we are getting and Appaloosa Gelding named Spencer from her tomorrow. We are super excited. I jumped on Speckles bareback within 2 minutes of getting her home and she did perfect. I went over today and washed her, groomed her, braided her tail, rode her bareback all over including loping her for a while, and she is just perfect. She is slightly spirited so not a kid's horse, but she is perfect for me. It was meant to be. Now we will see how Spencer does tomorrow when we get him over there. We will be looking for a pony shortly for the kids too. Its been 7 years since I had to sell our horses so its really nice to finally get horses again since I thought I may never get to.

Been Busy-pic overload

Tanner admiring Maddy at 5 weeks old
a month ago, Kayla and I leaving to see Hannah Montana...girls day!

Madelynn 7 weeks old.....so happy

Everett and Kenna

Wyatt and Kenna

Kenna waiting to go for a bike ride(her favorite!

me holding Maddy and Lexi

Madelynn 6.5 weeks

The boys taught Kenna to boogie board down the creek haha

Nate and I at the creek

Right after they finished peircing her ears

Sorry for the lack of updates. Life with 6 kids is definitely busy. I had a bad run with mastitis that ended up so bad I had to be on IV meds. I am recovered from that, but working harder than ever to drop more weight. I am stuck at 128 and I refuse to weigh that so last Saturday, I took measurements and upped my work outs making cardio 6 days a week instead of 3 day a week and weights and 3 days a week. Cardio is now 1.5 hours a day instead of 30 minutes. I am seeing improvement, but the scale is barely budging so I got a food diary and I now write down every bite that goes into my mouth in an effort to loose the weight. I have only lost a few ounces as of now lol so I just have to keep pluggin along to get the weight off. I am okay at 128, sure, but I have some vanity pounds I would like off. On an more interesting note, we got Madelynn's ears pierced may 8th and they are just gorgeous. I love them. She is smiling so much now and even starting to giggle and coos quite a bit at me. She is super alert and sleeps maybe 4 hours during the day time now....not much for a 7 week old. Kenna is still nursing lots, but I did get her to nightwean finally at almost 20 months old! YAY. She is now in her own bed and in Kayla's room. She is doing great, started on Mothers day and has slept in there fine ever since. This past week was psycho though because all the kids got the stomach virus and then a sore throat virus so the house was sanitized today now that almost everyone is better. Poor Kenna is still pretty sick though. We have just been busy transitioning back into our regular life with old friends since leaving church and not being pregnant. It feels nice to get out with friends and have a few drinks here and there. I also enjoy a glass of wine in the evenings (4oz red wine) for health benefits. I feel super balanced right now. The kids are thriving well and growing fast. The weather is beautiful and we have been doing tons of bike riding(great cardio with 2 kids in the bike trailer hehe) so for now, life is good. Oh, and how could I forget, my sister had her baby May 2nd, Lexi Jade weighed 7lbs 5 ounces and is doing great......my sister had an all natural childbirth and is nursing her little sweetie.

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and check out my post partum weight loss pics. I am so proud! I am 2 pounds from pre preg weight and dropping fast:) Oh and for all those who are asking, grab the book, Body For Life and visit the website bodyforlife.com.....I am just following it to a T and thats how I am loosing so fast, BUT I am also nursing 2 babies.

Madelynn's First Beach Trip @ 12 days old

Madelynn as we were leaving
Enjoying the milkies haha

Dang camera blurred kaylas face Wyattman

They had an awesome playground

aw Kissy kissy

My sweet baby

ahh

Playing in the freezing water

Love this pic of Kayla

12 days old, soakin in the sun

ahhh

All the big kids playing in the sand

Nennapoo loved it

It was the only day this week forcasted to be above 80 so we wanted to take the kids to the beach during spring break and get a nice tan. We went to Newport/Balboa and spent the entire day walking, getting ice cream, sunbathing, and playing in the sand and water. The weather couldnt have been better and I think Maddy really loves the outdoors like the rest of us. I wore her most of the day, but I still managed to get a tan too:0)

Post Partum weight loss

April 26-sunday: I am 128 this morning. I am so proud of myself. I am staying committed and its paying off! I will take another pic after a few more pounds.

Tuesday April 22-HAPPY Due Date to me! I need to get a recent pic, but I am still recovering from mastitis. I am now at 129(1 pound below prepreg weight), these last several pounds are just moving so slow. Now I am hoping to drop another 5-10, but if I dont, I am still very happy with my body.

20 days post partum side view-weight 131.0!! 1 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight
20 days post partum weight 131.0 front view with my tanner man.

Easter Sunday, 18 days post partum-weight 132, 2 pounds from pre preg weight and belly is almost flattened out, planning to loose a little more though and get below pre preg weight. Maybe 125??

17 days post partum-weight 133.5

leaning out and looking toner....I started working out 3 days post partum. 16 days post partum-weight 136

5 days post partum-weight, 141
7 days post partum
12 days post partum-weight 139

I will keep posting more pics as I further deflate to show progress. My delivery weight was a whopping 149, my highest delivery weight of all 6 kids by 2 pounds. I am hoping to get the weight off quickly and it seems to be melting off easily. I am doing the Body For Life plan, eating and work out and its working beautifully so far. I started back working out modified at 3 days post partum and by 12 days post partum, I started back full force, unmodified work outs.