Here's a few pics of Rosen Shingle Creek, where the convention was held

we didn't eat there, but I would have liked to!  

The end of the day Saturday, I spent about the last 2 hours at the pool again, I thought I had, had enough info to digest at that point!

resting up from a fun , fast-paced weekend!

Rachie and I had taken one last swim in that wonderful pool, and then ordered some chicken tenders from the restuarant there!

pictured here is Leah and Katy after their workshops

I think I well captured how tired they were!

my friend Twila resting before we hit the road!

on the road!

supper at Cracker Barrell on the way home...a perfect ending to the weekend!       ~Jill~

traveling to Orlando!   Katy Edwards here

on the first night we had some Mall time, where we ate supper

We found some chocolot...a whole store of it!!!!

first evening hanging out at the pool with the kids

me and my friend Twila

I had the room with my girls and thier friend Katy, the teenage room!

The next morning some of us didn't have workshops to attend, so this is what we did....

Rachel Relaxin!

you guessed it thats me!

gathering in front of the venderhall Thursday evening

just waiting to get in

and they cut the ribbon, here we go!

just look at that crowd, no more feeling alone in Homeschooling!

this is my friend Connie who lives in Lakeland, near where we were at, she came and had lunch with us on Friday, I told her this was her first exposer to Homeschooling!  Her first baby is due soon!

Rachel and Connie

Friday evening out to eat at the Japaneese Steak house

washing hands...

me and my twin

our wonderful cook

very entertaining!

oh yeah!

ok, I'm having trouble uplaoding the rest of the pics, so I'll stop here and put a convention part2 weblog on later!

 I'm smiling! Guess what! I'm down 2 pounds this week! PTL!!!

Still walking alot with DH and DD's, sweating alot too! We take our walks after dark, when it's coolest,but...we're still sweating, it's just that time of year in North Fl, only to get worse!

I know the walking is helping, and I followed my points better this week, knowing that I needed one less each day.

Walking with DH clears my heart and mind, gives us a chance to catch up on things......

Walking with DD's fills my mind with more info, and causes lots of gigles! The other night we were getting to silly, DD#2 was jogging, and DD#1 and I couldn't help it, we were laughing like crazy, then DD# 1 decided to see if she remembered how to skip... thats when it got really funny, we were all trying to skip! Then the thought occured to us...what if someone we knew had come by, what if they decided to put that on facebook?!!! LOL!

Still enjoying the journey, trying to keep the fun in it, trying to keep creative meals on the table!  

ps   I didn't get to stay for WW meeting because we had family pics taken...hopefully I will get the chance to post some of them when she gets them up.                         

                                                                                                                               ~Jill~

 I am sooo wanting to put some pics on but xanga says that service isn't working right now , its been messed up about all week!  I want to put pics on from our Homeschool end of the year program, and I have ALOT of pics from Homeschool Convention, (which by the way, was wonderful!)

So this week I have attemped to slow down and rest up from convention, Monday being a holiday, we went to the beach that evening and stayed till sunset. Tuesday DH and the older girls went to the Minstry Thrift store to Volunteer for a few hours, while I stayed at home with the little two. I helped Hannah Grace work on a hand sewing project that I had bought at convention, it was so neat! (I have pics of that too!) I want to share with you all the neat stuff I got there! Tuesday evening DH and I went to Lowes to just price some stuff for home projects we want to do.    Then Wednesday the older girls got the bright idea they wanted to do a room switch again, so I said ok have at it, as long as I'm not involved!  So they worked on that, I worked on some sewing, the little girls pretty much were pests about all day!  It's been so hot and buggy this week, yes buggy! Their little legs are so ate up with bug bites, the bugs are terrible here right now, and they're getting to where they don't like going out unless its to play in the sprinkler. I think part of too was Hope paying me back for leaving her when I went to convention! Has any of your children ever acted out like that after you had left them for a few days??

Thurday the girls were still workin on thier room switch, it' was getting to the drive me crazy part by then, so I decided to take the little girls to the library story hour, (which we hadn't been to in forever!) they made Fathers Day crafts and read books about father;s day. After we played there for a while, we went and spent some time walking around Alco, just looking at stuff. Then home for lunch and a nap for mom! I think I walked later that eve with DH.

Friday, by now the house was really driving me crazy (no they're still not done!) We had got our monthly check and was in great need of groceries, so this time we ALL went off to Walmart to get groceries! The older girls enjoy looking around the store while DH, Hope and I shop for groceries. Also we ate at Firehouse subs before going in! YUM!  I had made a list this time for the whole week of meals, I'm trying out some new recipes, this is going to be fun!   So that afternoon DH had another volunteer prison ministry banquet to attend. I was going to go with him, but decided not to because it would have meant leaving the girls to babysit so many hours. So I stayed home, and TRIED to help the girls with thier rooms much as I could. In the evening we took off to the park which has a walk track around it, the girls and I tag teamed on walking so the little girls could play on the playgound.

Now we're to today... I guess I haven't rested as much as I thought this week afterall! Would you believe, we went back to the beach again today??!! The older girls stayed home cause they STILL aren't finished with thier project! I wanted them to go,but they wanted to stay to work on it without the interuptions of the little girls, so it probably was a good thing!  It was so hot today! The waves were big  and that made it really fun!!  It was so windy I couln't even use my new umbrella for very long!  We thought we should go today because of the oil leak, they say it's coming this way. it may be a while before things would get back to normal. Please pray about the oil leak, it' could have devestating effects on people's livelyhood.    So now we;re all back, had a great supper that I put in the crock pot before leaving today (a mexican chicken dish that I got from the EAT at HOME site). All of us got a sunburn, even the little girls, so we;re all wore out!!!

Day of rest is tomorrow, but my laundry may not let me rest too much, it's been put off for a few days because of..., you guessed it... the room switch! LOL!  p.s. if anyone had any ideas or pics for a safari room, would you please let me know!!!     Have a GREAT Sunday!!!  ~Jill~

I'm getting this on here a little late in the day! LOL!  I hate to report that I was up another pound yesterday at the meeting  but I WILL not give up! I also found out at the meeting that I had needed to subtract on my amount of points per day since I had lost some. I had needed to subtract that several weeks ago, thus ,could be some of the reason I have been loosing  so slowly!  I thanked the leader for coming across that so I can correct it!

Its really hard for me when I get out of routine, like last week going to Homeschool Convention, the eating choices were limited, I had packed snacks but I just didn;t do that great, I got way to careless with it.  One thing I am happy to report though is that I did choose the stairs several times instead of the esculator! I also swam some in thier wonderful pool they had! I'll tell more about that later!!!!

This week at the meeting they talked about "How much do you want this?" So I'm back to walking, trying to be more exact on counting my points, and praying for success!!!

                                                                                                              Love ya all!   Jill

Ok, last week's loss was exceptional for me,3 pounds! This week, not the case! I was dizzy last week and had taken a water pill, so i'm thinking that was why the big loss, I was up a pound this week ! However I'm not discouraged . Although the numbers aren't cooperating with me, my clothing is!!! My 16's are lose, contantly pulling my pants up! I'm fitting into "some" 14's!!!!  See we've been walking about every nite, and one morning when DH doesn't have to leave so early.  So i'm100% sure that the walking is working!!!

I'm feeling lighter on my feet! LOL!

DH is totally on board now also, he has lost over 10 pounds!  Not fair! Men always lose faster! No really I'm happy for his success!   He feels better, his blood pressure is down, and he's looking GOOD to his wife!!!

I love this Man!!!!!

DD has taken an interest in walking as well, she is doing really good, I guess you could say the whole family is on board! We have definitely made some behavior changes around here, as far as food goes and our activities...for exanple, the morning walk, well it's replaced our out to lunch date! Yes we still eat lunch but it is down further on the priority list!

Our WW meeting this week was about getting to moving more, stop taking the easy out all the time for convenience sake! Like walk instead of drive when you can, take the stairs,the one that got me and will be my new challenge along with drinking more water, was to play in the yard with the kids! I KNOW mine would love that!

So I'm still waiting on some of you to join this journey with me I NEED the encouragement! I'd LOVE to hear from you!

I CAN do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me!

I CAN exercise more   through CHRIST who streghtens me!

I CAN stay in my points budget this week   Through CHRIST who strengthens me!

YOU can too! Fill in your own blank here!!!                  Love you all! ~JILL~

ps, I'm off to the Homeschool Convention in Orlando this morning! LOOKING forward to being in MY element! LOL!

our Homeschool group's kids

This was our end of the year program, I have a ton more pics of it, I'll put on later

  Here's some pics of my GW fashions (Goodwill) finds last week when we went shopping with my friend Kay and her daughter Kayla

This is a slim fitting, kind of silky skirt, I thought I could dress up or dress casual with a fitted Tee, what do you think? 

a closer look

This one still had the tags on it, I think it was from Kohls

this one from Walmart but still had tags on it

just an everyday long khaki skirt

my favorite find of the day, it's so slimming, cool and comfortable!

brand name! not that it matters but it was a good bargain!

and these beautiful bowls! I'm starting to collect some pretty dishes for kitchen use, I thought these would be nice for putting dip in, I just bought some tastefully simple dips at a party.

Thats all, but now why don't you show your latest goodwill or thrift store finds, it would be fun!!  ~~Jill~~

This is a little late....but these are pics of my gifts for Mother's Day

Hannah Grace made this for me in Sunday School  

From Leah and Rachel

DH made me these flower boxes for the porch, notice the Lovely Feline in the background relaxing on the swing!

Haven't got this one filled yet, the pot here is one that Rach decorated at girls camp a few years ago

 I love my girls! Little Women!