Homeschool Life

2020.

Wow. I don’t think anyone could have predicted what an unpredictable year this would be for everyone across the world.  It’s changed so many things for all of us.  Jobs, school, church, get togethers, and even down to shopping and eating out! 

I know I’m not the only mom who jumped into the homeschool wagon this year, given the COVID-19 crisis and what it has done to the public school system.  Now I don’t know how things are going down where you’re at, but here in West Virginia, it’s nothing short of crazy.  We have a color coded map that’s released every Saturday to determine if your county gets to attend school in person, or remote.  And if you do go, it’s only 2 days a week based on your last name if you go Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday.  Then you have the virtual option.

And then, thank God, there was homeschooling!

Now let me say first and foremost, I’m not one of those “anti-public school” people. I love our school (I still call it our school because I hope we can return one day when things are more normal). I love the faculty. I love the sense of community there.  I was active in our school in years past and volunteered a lot. I loved it!  I loved doing read aloud for Makayla’s class and being there to help the teachers out when I could. 

But I have to say, I don’t miss the craziness that is there now. I’m glad I don’t have to wonder what color we are this week or if this is the week the virus hits our school.  I miss what was.  I am so thankful we live in a country where we can homeschool our children if we please. I’m thankful I CAN stay at home and do this. 

Now I’m not going to lie, we have had our struggles. Each day presents a new challenge. But we have learned to work together as a team.  There are so many resources out there to help along the way.  I’ve also had a couple teachers reach out and ask how we are doing or answer a few questions I’ve had from her school.  That means A LOT!!!  But all in all, I feel like we are doing extremely well thus far! 

I’m just going to leave y’all with a few pictures of our life now. I know most of you see this on Facebook, but for those who don’t, welcome to our homeschool world this year!

(And yes I realize this is the first time I’ve posted in over a year!)

(Making imprints of leaves)

(Field trip!)

(Doing some latitude and longitude) 

(Learning about Betsy Ross)

 

Low Carb Dishes-Dinner ideas!

I’m so glad y’all enjoyed my last post about how I’ve dropped 50+ pounds following a low carb (Keto) lifestyle.  I really try not to call it a diet, basically because I have no intentions of going off of it, like the trend is with “dieting”.  I’m in this for the long haul!

I’ve made a lot of old standbys for our dinners with some modifications to make it low carb, as well as tried a lot of new recipes that are now on our low carb “roster” when it comes to menu planning.

I will stress this the most.  If you really want to stick to this lifestyle, you need to plan ahead.  Plan ahead your meals.  Plan for snacks.  Plan, plan, plan!  Where I live, Walmart is an hour drive away.  So if I run out of certain items, it’s not like I can hop in the car and have it 10 minutes later!   Some of the things I like to have on hand are:

• Almond flour
• Coconut flour
• A sugar substitute like Monkfruit or Swerve
• Pork rinds
• Cheese
• Pepperoni

As I said in the beginning, there are some old standby recipes I tweaked to make them low carb.  

• For chili: substitute the beans with extra meat or extra veggies!  I use onion and celery in mine.
• For a dish with rice: try cauliflower rice!
• Potatoes?: try a bag of frozen cauliflower, especially in a soup dish
• Side dish: take away the starch and double up on veggies.  Don’t forget the cheese! Or bacon!
• Craving bread?: there are low carb options for bread out there now. Check out the mission tortillas that are carb conscious 
• Use lettuce in place of a bun! 

I have found many new recipes on Pinterest as well that are staples in our menu rotation.  Pizza casserole is amazing and great for a quick meal as is egg roll in a bowl.  Both are packed with so much flavor you won’t feel like your missing a thing!  I just discovered a recipe for a Cheeseburger casserole that was so amazing and simple!  

I also love Italian sausage stuffed portabella mushrooms!  That is one of my all time favorites and I believe what I made for my birthday dinner last month!  A summer favorite is Big Mac salad!  It is delish and makes enough for a crowd!  You can also make a fat head pizza crust if you feel like you need a crust for pizza.  It’s a very versatile recipe in which you can use the dough for not just pizza, but cinnamon rolls, bagels, or breadsticks!

I hope you have enjoyed learning about some of our new favorite dishes!  Next post I will have some sweet treats in store for you..yes..you can satisfy your sweet tooth while on a low carb diet!  Again, modifications but I promise you won’t feel like your missing a thing!

Low Carbin’

I started a low carb diet at, ironically, a low point in my life last year.  Damon had an injury at work, which thankfully wasn’t as bad as it could have been.  Ravey passed away, leaving a huge void.  Makayla was struggling in school.  Our church fell apart.

It seemed like everything that could go wrong, did.  Things we thought would last forever, didn’t.

It was a mess, and so was I.

I was already very overweight, but with all we endured during that very short span (probably 3 weeks) I turned to food.  And it wasn’t pretty.

I packed on an additional 20 pounds.  When I went to the doctor for my yearly visit, I cringed when I saw the numbers that looked back at me.  We had went on a little day trip 2 days prior.  The picture Damon took of me and Makayla summed it up.  I had definitely let myself go.

Makayla had a tudor during this and told me she had done the low carb (aka Adkins) diet and had lost and kept off 50 pounds.  I brushed it off when she’d mention it.  “Oh gosh give up potatoes, pasta, and  

sweets?!...I could never do that!”  

Until the day I went to the doctor and saw those numbers.  Those numbers.  Something crept up inside of me and I knew something had to give.  I have so much to live for.  Lord I don’t want to die young and leave my daughter without a mother.  

So I dove in head first.  Every time Makayla went to see her tudor I’d ask her for advice.  I scoured Pinterest and Facebook for recipes.  For support.  For motivation.  

And you know what, I found it!!  Before long I was posting before and after pictures.  Not to show everyone “hey look at me”, but honestly the first one I posted I did out of curiosity if I could see a difference.  

Before long, I had people wondering what I was doing to lose weight.  People were coming to ME for weight loss advice!  Ha!  Never did I ever think that would happen!  No, not me.  

I’m not saying I’m a pro at weight loss, or have bad days, or anything.  I’m saying, this is what’s working for me.  Some call it an unhealthy way of eating.  Everyone is going to have their opinion.  All I know is I am currently down 52 pounds since the end of April of 2018, my bloodwork is spot on perfect, and I no longer have to take anti-inflammatory medication for my foot problems.  

I have lots of low carb recipes that are my go-to’s..is anyone interested in knowing more of the way me and my family eats?  If so, I could start posting some of our favorites!  Please let me know!  And I’ll leave you with my latest picture for a boost of inspiration that you can do it too!

Yes, it’s me!

Hello again blogger world!  I think it’s been *gasp* two years since I last did a blog post?  Blame it on burnout, being uninspired, or what have you.  But I always hung on to this little blog.  I always enjoyed the interactions with all of you and just putting my life “out there”.  I think the latter may of actually been why I stopped.

Fear.

We went through some really big stuff a while back.  Things I never thought I’d have to deal with.  But, God helps you to learn how to deal and move on.  And goodness if anyone knew half the stuff we have been through they would be first to tell you God has kept us moving on!

But enough of that.  I just wanted to do a brief fill in on the in’s and out’s of what all we’ve been up to!

• We’ve had a couple fabulous vacations to the beach the past few years!  I thank God we are able to do things like this because I know some are not fortunate enough to do so.
• I lost my beloved Ravey cat last year.  Definitely the hardest thing I had dealt with in a while.  She was like my first child.

• Makayla repeated 1st grade this year.  It was the best decision we have made for her.  She was one of the youngest in her class last year and just wasn’t as mature as the other kids in her grade.  I’m happy to say she is THRIVING this year!
• I’ve lost 50 pounds doing the low carb/Keto diet.  It has been amazing.  After losing Ravey and going through some other things I just lost control of myself.  I saw a picture of myself in late April and didn’t recognize who I had become.  If you had asked me a year ago if I could give up bread, potatoes, pasta, and sugar I would have laughed in your face.  Funny the things you don’t miss once they are out of your life.  I hope to continue the trend of this lifestyle and lose more!

• We have grown spiritually in leaps and bounds after dealing with some church stuff.  I could go into detail, but I’m not.  I’ll just say this, people can really let you down.  I’m glad where we are now and that Makayla has a Sunday school class (first time for her!), and I’m happy to say I assist with teaching her class!  It’s been a great learning experience and I have some great mentors to learn from.

Many, many other blessings in large and small form as well!  I’m hoping blogging will be a part of my new year!  So please comment and encourage this chick to keep this thing going!  I miss all of you and hope your New Year is the best yet!  

So much...

I feel like so much has happened since my last post.  Again, as you can tell my blogging is going to be sporadic for the near future.  I just don't think I'm ever going to be a regular blogger.  I don't think it was really meant for me.

But enough about that and more on our life lately!

Like I said above so much HAS happened since March!  Damon is working again, praise God!  It's not coal mining but it's something.  And we are very grateful for that and feel very blessed.  I think the past 9 months have been a big test and time for learning for us.  We have learned to lean on God more and not our own understanding.  In a time where we could have been like "why Lord?" we have learned to be content.

Makayla is now FIVE.  How is that possible y'all??  She had a Barbie birthday party and is ready to start Kindergarden in the fall.  And no, I'm not homeschooling her for it.  Her desire is to be with other kids, so that it shall be.

We also have gotten chickens!  And when I say I have become slightly obsessed about all things chicken, it's not an understatement!  Our girls have a swing in their coop and I'm constantly searching for new ideas for them!  What a joy!  Makayla loves them too and has held them a few times!  Oh and yes, they all are named!

Our church is growing and doing really well too!  We are so proud to be apart of a great group of people and see what God has in store for the future!  We recently had our first wedding in the church and also now have a steeple complete with a bell!

So yeah..a few things going on as of late!  Looking forward to the summer months and God's blessings!

I "might" be back!!

I had been thinking about my little blog a few times lately.  Then tonight while scrolling Facebook I read a post shared by another blogger.  It hit home.  Talked about how she was thankful for others who blog, let their feelings, their lives, be out there for whoever wants to read it ( and comment) to do just that.

I think the reason I stopped blogging last June was a few reasons.  One being I didn't really feel like anyone really cared what I wrote.  Which may be true, but when you've done something for so long, you kinda hope someone looks forward to your posts.  You know what I mean?

Anyways.  Life these past 9 months have been filled with ups and downs.  But honestly, we are in a good place.  A really good place.  You might look at our current circumstances right now (unemployment..oh yes again!), and think how can she say that?  But it's true.  We are so incredibly blessed.  Damon and I are in such an amazing place, spiritually.  We are walking close with God daily.  We have grown by leaps and bounds in the last several months and I wouldn't trade where we are now for anything.  Makayla is growing into quite the little girl as well..singing her heart out at church and learning about prayer and our almighty God.  I am thankful for the positive influences she has in her life.  She is surrounded by the right kind of God fearing people that is helping to mold her.

So yeah, I think I may give blogging another chance.  I hope you'll follow me on this journey.

Unmotivated...

I know I haven't blogged in about a month and a half.  I have been debating on whether to put "Country Roads" in retirement so to speak.  I just haven't had motivation to blog.  Don't get me wrong, life has been great!!  It's not that I don't have anything to share, I just don't have the time as of late.  I've been busy with a very active 4 year old, being a wife, being involved in church, and so many other things that when I do have a spare moment to get online I do it for fun (like check Facebook or check the weather).  Blogging has felt like work and not been fun for me for a while.

I'm not going to say goodbye and I'm not closing down the blog.  But I am taking an undetermined amount of time away from blogging.  I hope to be back sometime!  And I'm sure when I do return I'll probably be boring y'all with all kinds of stuff!  Please feel free to reach out to me via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Until then!!