Sunday School Post #3

It's Sunday and I am very late in posting, for this I apologize! We havde had a busy day and last night was rough with my youngest having growing pains all night and up until 4:30. Now, let's get on with the post! Has anyone out there done the Love Dare? My husband and I plan on doing both the one for couples and parents as our challenge for Lent. It is definitely something that strengthens our bond as a couple and as parents, gotta love it! Read More HERE!

I created that worksheet on the left of the Our Father prayer, for our lapbook. Little did I know that as I was preparing other portions of the lapbook, that this would be fun in itself. My kids all know this prayer, but a friend asked us to make a lapbook for a fun learning resource for her and this is what we came up with. For just this game print out THESE TWO PAGES. Laminate the page with the words and just slip the other page of blocks into a page protector. Cut out each block of words and mix them up and now have your student try and put them in order.

Here is our lapbook! The cover is a coloring page, my daughter added a little heart that says Jesus Loves Me. Open it up and on the left hand side are trivia questions pertaining to the Our Father as well as prayer in general. In the file folder is an Our Father holy card and will soon be home to Vocabulary Cards, using words from the Our Father:

art, hallowed, will, tresspasses, temptation
In the middle is the sheet of blank squares and on the right hand side is an envelope with all the pieces in it. I also have a little sticker that says how many pieces should be in the envelope. It's a fairly simple design, but should be a great teaching tool for this awesome prayer. I have not decided what to put on the back side yet.

Do your kids get Magnifikid? This is a great magazine to help children follow along in mass and learn along the way, but not only that, we use it in our homeschool as well! Each child gets a magazine subscription and there is always excitement when it arrives. The first thing I do is grab the one for this coming week and place an AVERY removeable tab with writing space on the last page. This is where the children jot ONE line from the homily that stood out to them, we then discuss their line that evening as a family. It's amazing how different things stand out to everyone. I love this part of our Sundays! Next, I tuck in their offering envelope that I picked up from Family Christian.

My children must put their money away in 3 ways: Save, Spend & Church. They are free to divide it up as they wish and that is where the money for their offering comes from. They tuck them all away into one of their Veggietales bags. 

These magazines are a wealth of information and we absolutely love using them to prepare for Mass. On Monday we read the comic and then discuss the project it would like us to do throughout the week. We then read the letter from the editor as well, next we write down all the difficult words from the readings that they have highlighted onto the board and discuss their meanings. We leave these words up all week to discuss or use in conversation each day. On Tuesday, we read the spotlight of the week and go through the order of the Mass as we read the readings that we will hear on Sunday. On Wednesday we discuss the readings and psalm along with going over the difficult words again. Thursday brings us back to that week's project it had us do and we talk about all that we learned and or collected for that week and then do the activity page. On Friday, we read about the Saint that they have shared with us and once again go over the difficult words. Each day we say the morning prayer they have provided us with in class and every evening we pray the evening prayer together as a family before the children head to bed. Now they are prepared for Sunday mass and can listen attentively and know everything that is being read or said. 

Enjoy every minute my friends!

Find Links to my other Sunday School posts in my Little Catholic Homeschool post HERE

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Healthier = Happier?

Update 6/10/13

I am still working on this and it is a very slow process. When I don't see results I tend to get frustrated and then neglect my eating. It's horrible and even though I know it, I make excuses in my head. I have not been going to the gym nearly as much as I should and that is due to a HUGE change in our schedules. I am hoping to come up with a new idea on how this can work, but right now have to depend on healthy eating to get me in the right direction. Here is my Southwestern Pico De Gallo that I love to snack on with cucumber slices instead of chips for a healthy take on chips and salsa! Herbs and Peppers are from my garden and I can't wait until the tomatoes are too! RECIPE HERE!

Updated 6/7/13

My drinking fuel for hot Summer Days? Mint Green Tea, Iced of course!!

1. Boil 4 cups of water in a pan
2. After water is boiling, turn off and add 20 fresh mint leaves and 1 bag of green tea if desired.
3. Let steep for 6 minutes.
4. Remove leaves and Bag
5. Serve over ice! 

Update 6/1/13

Something tells me that I should start putting the newer posts up here so that people that come back daily don't have to scroll all the way down. Would that look weird to the new people clicking here though?? I don't have the time or the strength to make another blog for this! LOL! It's hard enough to just get my meals photographed...Let me know what you think in the comments :)

I know, I know...every year, EVERY ONE is determined to get healthy but this isn't new to me! I've been going for quite a while now and am just now deciding to share it in 1 blog posting. I will continue to add to this post only so that it doesn't take up a post daily on my blog. I will add what I have had for Breakfast (no matter what it is!) and Lunch. I am working on photographing dinner, the problem is that I make it in a rush hug and kiss my husband as he walks in the door and leave for Zumba. I very rarely eat it and if I do I am doing the worst thing possible and eating in a rush so that I have at least an hour of no food in my system before Zumba. I am trying to change that come Monday, so that I am not eating at all after Zumba unless it is a piece of fruit. You can always find THIS POST in the tabs above by clicking Healthier = Happier?

Eating healthy is HUGE for me, because we are convenience eaters and that is 100% what helped me put on the weight that I have. No fear though, I have lost quite a bit of weight already but I just have more to go. The main idea though is to eat healthier. You will notice that my calorie count per day is low but that is because I am short. I am only 4 foot 10 and am taking in 900-1000 calories a day. This is on advice from my nutritionist so I am not being crazy or extremist. I am at the moment only working out 4 days a week with ZUMBA for 1 hour each of those day. On Monday I plan on adding on 3 days of walking for at least 30 minutes on those day so I am active the full 7 days a week. This idea was proposed to me by a friend. I have also added wrist weights to my walking routine.

Monday: ZUMBA 6pm

Tuesday: ZUMBA 6pm

Wednesday: Zumba 6pm

Thursday: Zumba 6pm

Friday: Walking 30 minutes

Saturday: Walking 30 minutes

Sunday: Walking 30 minutes

With my Zumba classes, I have a gym membership and I plan on looking into and testing other classes as well as Zumba. My goal is to try 1 new class a week.

Along with eating healthy I take 4 vitamins (I just ran out of 1 so I will have to add in a photo tomorrow after I buy it later today!)

1. Vitamin B12 - I take it for energy & to maintain my healthy nervous system

2. Women's 1 A Day - For the other vitamins!

3. Green Tea -Helps in case I don't drink my 6 cups of tea a day & aids in weightloss

4. Biotin - Healthy Hair (shhhh, I am losing hair and can't figure out why?!!)

I am NOT a breakfast person, so it's a constant struggle to eat something in the morning. I force myself because if I don't eat anything I want to inhale everything for lunch. This also aids in settling my stomach with the vitamins. I also drink 8 cups of water a day and try for 6 cups of tea.

 Strawberries, Green Tea & Water = 40 calories

Salad with NO DRESSING EVER! I only use salt & pepper or Lime Juice which is my favorite!

1 small tortilla with half a slice of cheese quesadilla
1/4 of a grapefruit

190 calories 

My go-to snack is always fruit and yogurt because I am CONSTANTLY craving something sweet. Instead of ruining a day of healthy eating, I keep this stuff in my fridge ready to eat. I add cinnamon to my yogurt and it helps so much! Using small containers for dips/sauces keeps portions in control.

95 calories

This was a day when I didn't eat any breakfast. I made myself a small bite to eat and played with it, so of course come lunch I was famished.

Wrap 150 (75 each roll)
Boiled Egg 57
Veggie Dip 40 (20 when used as a spread)
Oranges 20
247
------------

 This veggie dip is FANTASTIC! I use it as a sandwich spread as well!!

1 wedge of laughing cow (tomato and sun dried tomato) -35 calories
2 slices of seedless cucumber diced -3calories
1/4 of a small yellow sweet pepper 2 calories

Green Tea, 1/4 of a grapefruit and 2 spoonfuls of applesauce. This is the breakfast I played with. I probably ate half a spoonful of the applesauce and drank all the tea. I just wasn't feeling it at all.

40 calories 

Breakfast today is a fruit salad that I barely ate half of. I did have 2 bottles of water and am in the process of having my tea right now. Whatever I don't eat for breakfast I just save in the fridge to munch on throughout the day.

1/2 of a small orange = 22 calories

1/2 of a small pear = 40 (OUCH!)

1 cup of strawberries = 53 (YIKES!)

115 calories

Friday Lunch is fairly simple, since I needed to take it on the road. 

6 baby carrots = 24 calories

1 laughing cow wedge = 20 calories (didn't finish it)

Salad = 13 calories

2 wedges of lime = 5 calories

62 calorie lunch with 2 bottles of water!

I was just asked about my Veggie Dip! This is absolutely delightful and so low in calorie it's not even funny! This recipe fills a small mason jar and lasts me all week long and that's with my kids and husband sharing too!!

2 Wedges of Laughing Cow Cheese = 70 calories

Half a cucumber =20 calories

3 Mini sweet Peppers = 18 calories

Dice up the veggies depending on how chunky you want your dip and then just use a fork to mix it all together, store in an airtight container in the fridge!

This ENTIRE JAR is 108 calories!! The idea is to chunk it up with the veggies so you don't need so much of the Laughing Cow! I use this stuff on everything. As a sandwich spread, with crackers, veggies and even over cold pasta to make a pasta salad!!!

Dinner was light yesterday as I had no breakfast and a sandwich for lunch but I was in a hurry to volunteer at Bingo. I packed an assortment of fruits and my yogurt dip. Simply but so delish!

Soup and Salad for dinner last night. This was very filling, even though I thought for sure I would be starving afterwards! I didn't even have seconds!! I used lime on my salad and just a hint cilantro in my soup. The veggie soup was homemade.

Soup 150 calories

Salad 15 calories

165 Calories
 

I have a secret to share...I HATED salads,as in absolutely HATED them. What changed my mind? Cilantro and Sweet Peppers. These 2 items combined gave my salads such a hint of delish flavor that I wanted more and more, without even using any dressing. It was awesome! The cilantro is my secret to everything and with hardly any calories (4 in 1 cup!!!) it's the perfect thing to add. As weird as it sounds, I am going to start keeping a small tupperware of it in my purse in case I get caught eating out, I can order a salad and add it in!

Breakfast/Lunch is super huge today, since I am eating 2 meals in one. I have a lot of errands to run today and I want to be nice and full instead of stopping for a 'quick bite' or even worse, just starving until I get home and then gorging myself. Those are the awful patterns I have gotten myself used to.

2 Egg & Ham Burritos = 278 I should have just eaten 1 but they were so good! LOL!

1 container of strawberries & grapes = 45 (grapes are high in calories but I needed the sweetness!)

Total of 323 Calories.

This leaves me with only  577 calories for dinner but I am making a roast, so I will eat my salad first and skip the potatoes leaving just a small piece of roast and carrots!

There it is. The registration for this years Chicago Marathon. I have so much training to do, in order to make a decent dent in my time from the last time I ran. I am eating better but am I doing all I can to be in that kind of shape? I have to make a decision quickly and I am already dragging my feet, which is not a good sign. I get so discouraged and with no one to train with nearby it is hard. I don't want to make excuses and want to be able to do this but I just get so darn scared all over again. Last time I had my mom to do it with. This time it would be just me...relying on me...

No breakfast today (I know, I know!) but I was just feeling so blaaah. I had a handful of cucumbers (5 calories) 2 tablespoons of humus (8 calories) and half a pita with thinly sliced ham inside of it. (158) for a total of  171 calories. Not bad but I also feel really funny so who knows what the day will bring. 

A way that I keep eating healthy on a daily basis is to keep all fresh foods quick at hand. They have to be washed, cut and ready to go. This makes it FAST FOOD! The MINUTE I walk in the door with groceries, I wash, cut and store all my produce with this awesome produce wash:

In a spray bottle mix together:
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
2 Tablespoons of baking soda
2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

Spray fresh produce generously in the sink.
Let it set in for 5 minutes then rinse off!!

Soooo simple and yet effective!

Breakfast today is 1 large orange (86 calories) and I am in the process of making some green tea for the road. I'm keeping it light because I am just not feeling food right now but I have to eat something while I am running errands. I will bring a thermos of boiling water to keep refreshing the tea and also packing up a veggie lunch to eat on the road.

Gahh!! Sorry it has been so long since the latest update. I was having so many of the same meals that the photos began looking the same! LOL! I have been keeping it up though and am actually down 8 pounds since I began. It's not much, but it is something. 2 boiled eggs & a cup of berries 220 calories. 

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Rockford, IL Farmers Markets

I'm a HUGE fan of fresh produce! I shop 4 times a week for my groceries and am in actual HEAVEN when I am out of the Country at open air markets. My favorite time of year is when the snow has melted and the sun is shining bright, the breeze is light and the farm stands are up. Farmers Markets are a way of life for me during the summer months and I love hitting them up as often as I can. Here is a list of Rockford Area ones that I frequent and some that I hope to visit this year. It's a fresh list, since the season has just begun and I have not gotten all the start dates yet, so I will be updating it as the times and dates come in!

Rockford

COLONIAL VILLAGE FARMERS' MARKET

Newburg Road & Alpine Road

Late May through October, Fridays from 9am to 1pm.

815-398-3350

Rockford

EDGEBROOK FARMERS' MARKET

Edgebrook Shopping Center

Wednesdays. May 5th - last week in October: 9 am to 1 pm.

815-226-0212

Rockford

KLEHM ARBORETUM FARMERS' MARKET

2715 South Main Street

Mondays, 4pm to 6pm.

815-965-8146

Rockford

MIDTOWN FARMERS' MARKET

222 Seventh Street

Fridays, 3pm to 8pm.

815-961-1269

Rockford

NORTH END COMMONS FARMERS' MARKET

1400 North Main Street, West lot

Saturdays, May 22 through October, from 8am to noon.

815-962-1234

Rockford

RIVER DISTRICT FARMERS MARKET

YMCA South Lot, 215 Y Blvd

Tuesdays and Saturdays, 8am to noon.

815-964-6221

Rockford

PERRYVILLE FARMERS MARKET

Perryville Commons, South Perryville Road and Fincham Drive

Saturdays through October from 9am to 1pm.

815-229-3000

We usually spend our weekends in Geneva and they have a FANTASTIC open air French Market in town near the train depot. It's a great market with fantastic produce, I love the Granola and the flowers! This Market is on Sundays and on Saturdays is the Community Winter market, so as you can see I cover my bases wherever I go!

Share some of your favorite markets, no matter where you live!