Boy Mom BlogHop with M.O.B. Society

The M.O.B. (Mothers of Boys) Society is hosting the first annual Boy Mom BlogHop this week!  Now, the first time Preston called me a "Boy Mom," I corrected him, saying "I'm not a boy."  I didn't realize that he had been watching the news with Daddy and they had been talking about a lady who was putting out clothes and accessories for moms of boys, and they had labeled us "Boy Moms."  Ohhhh, ok, I get it now.

My Family.

If this is your first visit to my blog, allow me to introduce myself and welcome you!  My name is Jade, I live in Grand Prairie, Texas with my husband, Michael, and two boys, Preston (5.5 years old) and Callen (nearly 17 months old).  I have been a stay-at-home-mom since Callen was born, while previously I worked at a radio station for nearly 9 years.  I recently started a work-at-home job with Usborne Books & More, and I am enjoying introducing these amazing books to people who have never heard of them!  Last year I began homeschooling my oldest and we are excited to start up again this year - I'll have a First Grader!  My blog is normally just about what's going on in our lives... with huge emphasis on homeschooling recaps.  I also post book, product and service reviews, frugal findings, random thoughts, rants, praises, and what not.  I am a Christian, and I strive to let His light shine through me... though, as a sinner, I often fail.  That is the beauty of grace, though... He still loves me and accepts me as His own.  I pray you know His unfailing love as well.

When I'm not homeschooling, talking to people about books, sweeping my kitchen floor or keeping my children from climbing on top of the kitchen table, I enjoy reading and writing blogs, facebooking, baking (not cooking, yuck!), reading non-fiction books, and, of course, playing with my kids.  I also work closely with a Cancer ministry here in the DFW Metroplex called Shear Hope.  I run their website and manage their social media, but I am also proud to say that I am a Hope Giver, meaning I have shaved my head (twice, actually) and raised money to help support those struggling because of Cancer.

Thank you for visiting my blog, I hope you'll stop by often!  You can follow via RSS or Google Friend Connect (both of those choices are available over on the right-hand side of this page).  You can also follow me on Twitter @heyjade.  Leave a comment so I can visit your blog as well!  God bless!

Summer Weight Shedding Challenge, Post 2 (of 12)

I have joined up with some other ladies at The Homeschool Lounge in this Summer weight-loss challenge. I have found that when I have a specific challenge or a real goal and someone to be accountable to, I can do much better! My goal is to lose around 25 pounds.  The challenge lasts 12 weeks, ending on October 7th.

Week one is over and I apparently lost a pound.  That's awesome!  I have no idea how, because I didn't do anything that would have helped me lose weight this week.  In fact, to be completely honest, I forgot I was even doing this challenge most of the time.  My bad!  I simply continued to eat whatever I wanted, snack wayyyy too much as usual, etc.  So, it was nice to step on the scale yesterday and see that it was one number less than it was last week.  I'll take it!  I don't, however, expect that to happen again.  I'm not that lucky.  I have to gain control over my snacking.  The boys are constantly hungry, constantly clawing at the pantry door... but I need to learn that just because they are having a snack, it doesn't mean I have to have one.  Especially if I'm not hungry!  C'mon, Jade, duhhhhh!

My goal this week is to 1) remember that I'm trying to lose weight and 2) act like it!  But seriously, I think I'll put a note on the pantry door or the Summer Shedding Challenge Icon at least to remind me that I am on a mission!  I need to do some grocery shopping, so hopefully I can keep myself from buying anything that would be too tempting.  And more fruits and veggies!  I know I can do this if I really put my heart into it!

7/15 - 24 pounds to go
7/22 - 23 pounds to go

Initially, I was only going to blog an update once a month, but I think if I commit to blogging it once a week, I'll be more likely to stay on track or at least be more accountable.  Sorry, this series has gone from 4 posts to 12!  Previous Summer Weight Shedding Challenge post can be found here.

Homeschool Mother's Journal, July 22nd, 2011

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: Summer Edition, a link-up with The Homeschool Chick.

In my life this week...
- Feels like my new business has consumed my life, or at least my thoughts and most of my life.  Been working on getting it really rolling.  Honestly, not having the response I thought I would.  Of course, I am less than two weeks into it and I knew going in that it was gonna take some work.  I didn't realize, I guess, just how busy everyone is, and how difficult it would be to get people to answer their phones or return messages I've left!

In our homeschool this week...
- Nothing to report, same 'ole, same 'ole.  Well...except that I got to use the credit I earned for hosting my own Usborne show to purchase some great books we'll be using for schooling.  That was pretty exciting.  Hooray books!  Haha!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...
- Had my Grand Opening party last Saturday so we had a few people over, including my mom, mother-in-law, neighbor from across the street and some married friends with a daughter (Preston adored her!).
- On Wednesday, a friend from highschool came over so I could meet her precious 2-month-old son!
- And on Thursday, I was craving pizza and the Rangers had scored over 7 runs the nite before (which means half price pizza at Papa John's!), only since we don't have a car and I am cheap - and don't like to pay delivery fee or tip unless I have to - I set up an impromptu play/lunch date with my friend Candi!  She brought over her 4 kids, her husband... and she picked up the pizza on her way over!  It was a blast!

Questions/thoughts I have...
- Am I really cut out for a job like this?  I need to grow in my boldness, that's for sure!
- Am I already alienating my friends?  I've left so many messages and only a couple of people out of the huge list have returned my phone call or emails.  =(

I'm grateful for...
- My husband, who is being super supportive through my bi-polar attitude regarding business (one second I am giddy over doing it and ready to go, the next second I am mumbling about my failure, lol).  And he's quite helpful around the house when he can be!  He installed a shelf above the TV to put some of the electronics on, because Callen is just set on a mission to destroy them.  Now he can't reach them, yay!

A quote to share...
"Energy and persistence can conquer all things." ~ Benjamin Franklin

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P.S. While you're here, do you mind "liking" my Usborne FB Page?  Thank you!!!

Read Aloud Thursday: July 21st

I just found out about this weekly meme, called Read-Aloud Thursday @ Hope Is the Word  (found it via Homegrown Learners, oh how I love my homeschool bloggers!).  I am excited to take part because I love reading aloud to my kids.  And just the other day I was asking my friends on Facebook what they are reading aloud to THEIR kids.  And I also, I'd like to start highlighting some of the great Usborne Books & More titles I have to offer.  There are so many good ones available!!!  So, this is perfect for me!

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We have been slowly working our way through the Hank The Cowdog series by John R. Erickson.  Preston (5 yrs old) absolutely loves hearing about Hank's zany adventures.  We are currently reading #4 Murder In the Middle Pasture.  We read one chapter per night, and it almost always leaves us hanging... so much so that Preston usually demands to continue or else he won't go to sleep.  But, I have to assure him that we'll find out what happens soon enough!  I'm not really sure that he's catching every bit of humor or sarcasm that poor 'ole Hank uses, but he's absorbing the vocabulary (though some of it includes words like "howlter" and "whoopter" -which goes along with laughter, lol!).  

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We also read God Gave Us Christmas, a book my mom brought over after purchasing from a garage sale.  It's an adorable book explaining that God is the reason we have Christmas, because He gave us the gift of Jesus!  The pictures fill up the entire page and are really quite beautiful.  Both boys enjoyed hearing the story and seeing the images.  Callen (16 months) insisted that the polar bears were "woof woofs" but... close enough.  Haha.  It was nice to hear a lovely Christmas story in the middle of our 100-degree heat right now.  Yuck!

And, finally, a spotlight on an Usborne book we read this week: Brush Your Teeth, Max and Millie written by Felicity Brooks!  Preston actually read this one aloud to me during bedtime the other night, and I captured it on video.

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He is a great reader for his age, however, he's not the best at being enthusiastic regarding brushing his teeth.  Ha!  So, I had him read this, and talked about how Max and Millie are younger than him and... look how great THEY are about brushing their teeth!  It worked for a night or two, at least.  It is an adorable book, the kids are super cute.  The pictures and story are fun for a kid to hear (or read), very easy for a kid to relate to.  This is a board book, so it's great for toddlers or younger children... you don't have to worry about them tearing pages and ruining the book (one of my problems right now with Callen).  Max and Millie appear in several other books, including Take Turns... and Time For Bed... so your kids can really get to know these sweet little children!