My Trimaversary

"Once you discover nothing tastes as good as peace feels, the journey becomes less and less about food and more and more about God." 

Lysa TerKeurst

Yesterday was my Trimaversary. It was one year ago on September 9 that I started my journey of eating healthy with Trim Healthy Mama.
I had been challenged in the past by God to show self-discipline in my life in the area of food/health, but after many ups and downs, I struggled so much with finding my "want to" that I just couldn't get started!

I went on furlough last year weighing more than I ever have, and discouraged because I knew I would gain more weight while in the US. I hated having pictures taken. It was so hard to choose pictures for our prayer card, because I didn't like any of them! I was on furlough for 4 months when I stepped on the scales and was in shock when I saw how high the numbers were. I had kept promising myself, "I'll never get higher than ___," and I was higher than every one of those promises.

I had two good friends (one in the US and one in NZ) that had shared with me about THM on numerous occasions, but I was afraid to spend that much money on a book. I was afraid that it might not work for me, or even more, that I might not have the will power to stick to it. I tried to get it from the library, but it was always checked out with a long waiting list. This day I was desperate. I just had to make a change. I bought the ebook, and started reading it right away. I stayed up late, devoured half the book, and made changes immediately. I didn't tell anyone that I was trying something new because I thought I might fail! 

In the first week I lost more than 5 lbs. Even though we were on furlough, I was able to cook for myself most of the time. When we were traveling or at other's homes, I just made the best choices I could. If someone made me lasagna, I ate it, and then was right back on plan in 3 hours. By the time we left for the field, 2 months after I started THM, I had already lost over 25 lbs! I have continued THM on the field, and, after a year, have lost 55 lbs (25 kg). I am just lower than my pre-pregnancy weight - FINALLY, as my first pregnancy was 16 years ago, and my last one 13 years ago! I have gone from a US size 18 to a US size 8/10. 

Trim Healthy Mama has helped me implement change. I am not at my goal weight, but I know I can do this. I cannot ever see myself returning to my former eating habits.

(It was these before photos that contributed to my decision to make a change! I don't have good before pics, because I hated having my picture taken!)

Before

After

Chocolate Coconut Muffin in a Mug with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing (THM)

Muffin

1 Egg, beaten
2 Tbsp Almond Flour
1 Tbsp Desiccated Coconut
1 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Tbsp Xylitol
1 tsp Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Water

Mix together in microwave safe mug or bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. (Alternately, bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.)

Frosting

1 Tbsp Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Sugar Free Peanut Butter
2 sachets Candarel Stevia (or sweetener of choice)

Mix together and slather on top of cooked muffin. Enjoy!!

**Next time I will thin the icing a little with some almond milk. It was a little thick!

Beverley Naidoo, South Africa & Tapestry of Grace

What happens when you move? You sort. And sort. And sort. I sorted through things as we packed, getting rid of what we no longer need, and now I'm sorting through things as I unpack!

I came across a book today while unpacking my school room that I thought I could add to my my children's reading list this year. We are doing Year 4 of Tapestry of Grace, which covers the time period from 1900 to the Present. The book is Journey to Jo'burg by Beverley Naidoo. As I researched to find the time setting for this book, I found that she's written several other highly recommended books. I thought I would share, first of all, so that I don't forget about them! Secondly, I thought someone else might find it useful.
Please keep in mind, other than Journey to Jo'burg, I haven't previewed the books and plan to preview them before letting my children read them.

Out of Bounds, TOG Y4, Units 3-4, 1950-2000

Recommended for Grades 6 and up. (Also available on Kindle)

Journey to Jo'burg, TOG Y4, Wk 31 - 1985 (This is when the book was first published)

Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

Chain of Fire, TOG Y4, Wk 32 - 1986 (This is when the book was first published) (Out of Print)
Sequel to Journey to Jo'burg


No Turning Back, TOG Y4, Wk 33 or 34
Recommended for Grades 4 and up. (Also available on Kindle)



There is also the sweetest children's book! I am going to have to purchase this one! I just fell in love with the preview on Amazon.

S is for South Africa

Homeschool Curriculum 2015

Here is what we're using for homeschool this year...

Brandon, age 15

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 - Rhetoric Level, which covers:

• World History

• World Classics of Literature

• Fine Arts

• Church History

• Government 

• Philosophy

Apologia Biology

Easy Grammar 

Math U See Algebra 2 and Stewardship

Mavis Beacon Typing

Afrikaans 

Institute for Excellence in Writing US History, Vol. 2 and High School Essay Intensive

Marissa, age 12

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 - Dialectic:

• History, Arts, Geography

Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics

Easy Grammar 

Math U See PreAlgebra

Mavis Beacon Typing 

Afrikaans 

Spelling Power, Fourth Edition 

Institute for Excellence in Writing US History, Vol. 2

Mya, Age 7

Little Footprints (first half of year)

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 - Lower Grammar (second half of year)

Hooked on Phonics/Blue LLATL

Math U See Alpha (finish/started last year) & Beta

Handwriting Without Tears 

Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics

Cinnamon Vanilla Rooibos Tea (Hot or Iced)

I started playing with different ways to drink Rooibos tea when I needed a substitute for my Five Roses tea with cow's milk. I love my Five Roses, but only with cow's milk, and that's not very conducive to my shrinking waist line! So, here you have it. Dairy Free. Sugar Free. Yummalicious!

1 Rooibos tea bag

1/4-1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Pinch Salt

Unsweetened Almond milk, to taste
Sweetener of your choice (I use stevia)

Add 1 Rooibos tea bag to a large mug. Add hot water. Steep as long as you prefer. I like it strong so I just leave my tea bag in. Add cinnamon, vanilla, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir. Add almond milk to taste. Inspired by Trim Healthy Mama's The Shrinker. Serve hot, or poor over ice. If serving over ice, add up to 1/2 cup almond milk. Enjoy!

Boer versus Briton 1880-1902

I am in the process of adding South African history to our homeschool studies, integrating it with Tapestry of Grace. The Boer versus Briton (Anglo Boer War) section of All About South Africa would fit into TOG Y4.


Books to look for:
Ring Around the Moon by Maretha Maartens
Place Among the Stones by Jenny Seed
The Policeman's Button by Jenny Seed
The Spy Hill by Jenny Seed

Links:

Photographic Record of the Anglo Boer War
Anglo Boer War website

Field Trips:
Battlefields
"Luthuli Farewell Square is named in honour of early trader Lieutenant Francis Farewell and liberation struggle leader Albert Luthuli. Monuments here include statues in honour of Queen Victoria, a Boer War memorial, a Cenotaph honouring the fallen in both World Wars among other memoria. The square is opposite the eThekwini (formerly Durban) City Hall." (As a side note, eThekwini City Hall was built in 1903, so also a great visit for this time period.)
Battle of Magersfontein - Kimberly
Kruger House Museum - Pretoria

Change...

My blog has been VERY quiet as of late. I think that it's justifiable with packing, moving out of a house, flying to another country and traveling for 6 months, and then moving into a new house. And that's not to mention any other "minor" events in our family during this time period!
So... I'm back. We are still settling into our new home, but we're back in Africa and life is beginning to look like normal, if there is such a thing.
While we were traveling, we ate lots of different foods. We enjoyed our old favourites - Arby's, Mexican food, cheesesteaks, Grinders from Mancino's, etc. We also had MANY delicious home cooked meals as we met new people and visited with old friends in their homes. We ate our way across the Eastern US! ;) And needless to say, instead of losing weight or even maintaining it, I gained. I stepped on the scales in Sept, about 4 months after we started traveling, and reality slapped me in the face! I was determined to make a change.

 

A couple of friends had mentioned Trim Healthy Mama (THM) to me months earlier, and I was interested, but the cost of the book seemed daunting, especially when I wasn't sure I would stick with the plan or if it would work for me. But now, I was ready to splurge. I needed to make a change! And I found that the ebook version from their website was a much better price.
That was the 7th of September. I started implementing the plan on the 9th of September. We were still  traveling in the US and had many meals provided for us, so I wasn't on plan 100% of the time. I love this way of eating! It has made a huge difference for me, not only in weight loss, but in the way I feel! I love that I feel hungry when it's time to eat, which is approximately every 3 hours. I have lost 31 lbs. (14 kg). And before I started THM, every afternoon I would feel exhausted. I felt like I had to sleep or I might just collapse! I no longer feel that way! In fact, last week on my birthday, I laid down to rest to "spoil" myself and got back up because I didn't feel like sleeping! It amazes me how much more energy I have!
I just wanted to share, as it was as a result of some good friends sharing with me that I found this great tool to get healthy. Check it out! You may even be able to get a copy from your local library!

Caramel Rooibos Tart

Cake:
4 extra large eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup strong cold rooibos tea
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp table salts
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp melted butter

Syrup:
2 3/4 C boiling water
1 1/3 C sugar
2 rooibos tea bags
2 tsp vanilla essence

Topping:

1 can nestle treat filling and caramel topping filling (dulche de leche) (google how to make your own from sweetened condensed milk)
1 C fresh cream
white chocolate grated – dream Cadbury bar
preheat oven to 180°, grease a 24 x 32cm oven dish

Cake
beat eggs and sugar
add rooibos and vanilla
sift in dry ingredients and fold in.
stir in melted butter
turn into dish and bake for 40 min

Syrup
Combine boiling water and sugar into saucepan. Add rooibos bags – heat until sugar
dissolves. Simmer for 5 mins, remove from heat, remove bags and add vanilla. Pour
over cake as it comes out of oven and leave to cool.

Topping
Beat nestle treat and cream together
Spread over cooled cake
Top with white chocolate curls

Alphabet Pasta Sensory Box

I filled one of the workboxes with alphabet shaped pasta and added some wooden letter string beads. I added the laminated flip book of letters & words that we created to use with "Teach Your Child to Read in 10 Minutes a Day" and instructed Mya to pick out 3 words from the list that she can already read.

She had to find the letters from the word, put them in the correct order with the letter beads on the string, one word at a time, and finish by saying the word out loud.

She really seemed to enjoy this activity, and even chose to spell the last word with the tiny pasta letters!

Play Dough Alphabet Activity

I had printed and laminated the alphabet stencils from Shirley Erwee's "ABC Fun & 1-2-3" a long while back, and was reminded of them today as I was looking for ideas for Mya's workboxes! We have used them with "Teach Your Child to Read in 10 Minutes a Day" to introduce letters, and have traced them with our fingers as a reminder how to properly write a letter. Now, we will use them with playdough for a fine motor activity!

It's simple enough. We make our own play dough - Dad even got in on the fun this time! Mya asked him to help her make it and, of course, he couldn't resist. Here is our favourite play dough recipe: Best Ever No-Cook Play Dough.

For the alphabet play dough activity, the child makes play dough snakes and forms the letters right on top of the cards. If she finishes with the letters that we have already learned quickly, then I will just give her free time with the play dough until I am ready for her to move onto the next box.

I am so glad I was reminded of them before I printed new ones. There are many free printables out there. Just search "Play Dough Alphabet Printables" if you need some!

Home School Workboxes

Mya starts Grade 1 this year!! Hard to believe. She's growing so fast! I am considering using a workbox system so that her schooling will be a little less teacher intensive during the school day. It will require a little more planning from me before school, but that is a good thing!
So, while we are on holiday, I am researching and planning. Don't let me fool you - I love to research!
I thought I would "gather my thoughts" on my blog, and maybe it would help someone else, too.

Right now I am looking for ideas for in the workboxes. We have our basics....

Word of Life Quiet Time
Math U See
Handwriting Without Tears
Teach Your Child to Read in Just 10 Minutes a Day
ABC Memory Verses
Little Footprints
Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day


Here are some other ideas I would like to include (when not already planned for me in Little Footprints):
Calendar/Day of the Week/Weather
Fine Motor Exercises
Gross Motor Exercises
???

I have a long list of fine & gross motor exercises like painting, drawing, cutting, folding, crawling, marching, jumping, etc. I am looking for specific ideas to implement, like what to do with lego blocks, what to make out of playdough - something that she can do with simple or no instruction from me. So, stay tuned! I am going to post those ideas in separate blogs. When I finish them, I will link them up here.

And if you have ideas you'd like to share, I'm all ears! Just leave a comment!

Weather Calendar

I am creating a simple calendar for Mya to have a daily review of the month, day of the week, and the weather. Like I said, it's simple! I am using this in conjunction with TBB's My Weather Journal available for free from Teacher Book Bag.

Here is a photo and a link to the pdf files...

Calendar

Calendar Months

I printed the weather pictures from TBB's My Weather Journal and the calendar months and cut them apart. Then I printed the calendar. Finally, I laminated them all of the items. The calendar has no dates printed on it, so that it is versatile. I will write the dates on the calendar each month in permanent marker so they don't smear, and this can be cleaned off at the end of the month with nail polish remover, a cotton ball and a little elbow grease.

Home School Curriculum 2014

Here is what we're using for homeschool this year...

Brandon, age 14

Tapestry of Grace Year 3 - Rhetoric Level, which covers:

• World History

• World Classics of Literature

• Fine Arts

• Church History

• Government 

• Philosophy

Apologia Physical Science

Easy Grammar 

Math U See Geometry and Stewardship

Mavis Beacon Typing

Afrikaans 

Institute for Excellence in Writing

• SWI 

• US History, Vol. 1

He is also using the recommended Vocabulary list for the SAT's, doing 15 words a week. We will slow down to 10 words a week, if necessary.

Marissa, age 11

Tapestry of Grace Year 3 - Upper Grammar/Dialectic:

• History, Arts, Geography

Apologia Science Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day 

Easy Grammar 

Math U See Zeta (will probably start PreAlgebra mid-year)

Mavis Beacon Typing 

Afrikaans 

Handwriting Without Tears 

Spelling Power, Fourth Edition 

Institute for Excellence in Writing

• SWI 

• US History, Vol. 1

Mya, Age 6

Little Footprints 

Teach Your Child to Read in Just Ten Minutes a Day

Math U See Alpha 

Handwriting Without Tears 

Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day 

The Letter B

This is what we've done for the letter B...

• Read Old Bob's Brown Bear (over and over and over and over)

• Memorized a "B" verse 

 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.
Luke 11:28b


• Found objects around the house/garden that start with B
• Added "B" to our laminated flip book of letters & words, along with new words we can read (BAG, BAT, BUG, TUB, CUB, CAB, COB, BOB, BUT)

• Decorated a letter B with beans
• Read a Buffalo Poem from our favourite Alphabet Book (It has an animal, poem and recipe for every letter of the alphabet.)

• Found B's in a bowl of all the letter magnets and arranged them on cookie sheet.
• Play with our Leapfrog Alphabet Magnets.
• Made B from our Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) wood pieces and learned how to make G's with HWT's My First School Book and Slate Chalkboard.

• Watched Sesame Street's "B" videos

Tears

I was reminded of this today, and had to go search the MySpace archives to find it! Thought I would share it here...

From July 2, 2008:

I read this yesterday, through my tears, and I just had to share. I couldn't believe how much I related, and with the freshness of visiting an orphanage....

The Tear Collector

And today we were at another orphanage! My heart just broke for those children. And then I walked into a room full of babies, cribs lining all the walls. The first baby I saw was a tiny new baby that had been abandoned. She was so precious and innocent that my heart melted! So in need of a mother. I could hardly hold back the tears. She had only been there for days and was assumed to be a couple weeks old. As I write this, I still want to go back and get her and bring her home with me. As I held her, she yawned and put her tiny fingers in her mouth to suckle. Lord, I know you love her and have a plan for her life. Please allow her the opportunity to know the love of a mother and a family, and through that love, see You!

Slow Cooker Sugar Bean Curry

Ingredients:
+/- 1/4 Cup Oil
1-2 Points Star Anise
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Bay Leaf
3 Tbsp Curry Powder, more or less, season to taste (I use Osman's Taj Mahal Extra Special Hot Curry Powder)
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Tomato, chopped
500 g (about 1 lb.) Sugar Beans, dried (like Pinto Beans)
3-4 Potatoes, cut into large chunks
*can also add chilli powder (not Mexican chili powder, but ground chillies) to add heat

Heat oil in pot on stove, enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Add spices and onions. Cook until onions are transparent. Rinse beans and pick out any bad/broken pieces. Add to slow cooker with 5 cups hot water. Add spice/onion mix, tomato and potatoes. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours and then switch to low and cook another 2 hours.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with a hollowed out section of bread, which is know as bunny chow. Could also be served with roti.

*I have also used this recipe to make Chicken Curry - instead of adding beans and hot water, add 4 frozen chicken breasts. Cook about 6 hours on low, until chicken is cooked through. Use a wooden spoon to break chicken into smaller pieces, so it goes further.

The Letter G

This is what we've done for the letter G...

• Read The Day Gogo Went to Vote (over and over and over and over)(Gogo is Zulu for Grandma)

Here are some links to free unit studies for this book:
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-africa/SteCar/

http://www.kidsvotingaz.org/KVAZLessons/lessonDetail.cfm?Lesson_ID=73

http://www.wcmu.org/radio/childrensbooks/cbdlquestions-2008.html#36

http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-africa/micmea/index.htm

• Memorized a "G" verse 

 God is love.
1 John 4:8b


• Found objects around the house/garden that start with G (grapes, grass, glue, garbage, glitter, globe, glasses, guitars)
• Ate Grapes
• Added "G" to our laminated flip book of letters & words, along with new words we can read (HUG, GOT, TAG, TUG, HOG, GAG, GAP)

• Decorated a letter G with glue and glitter
• Read a Giraffe Poem and made Giraffe Giggles from our favourite Alphabet Book (It has an animal, poem and recipe for every letter of the alphabet. I was kind of disappointed that the animal for the letter G didn't have the "hard" G sound, but Giraffe are my favourite African animals, so I guess it's ok.)

• Found G's in a bowl of all the letter magnets and arranged them on cookie sheet.
• Play with our Leapfrog Alphabet Magnets.
• Made G from our Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) wood pieces and learned how to make G's with HWT's My First School Book and Slate Chalkboard.

• Watched the Sesame Street Podcast, Play Inside the Letter G
• Watched Sesame Street's Grover and the Growing G
• Used ideas from EasyFunSchool Introducing the Letter G

The Royal Diaries & Tapestry of Grace

The Royal Diaries, like Dear America, is another series of historical fiction books with a target audience of 8-13 year old girls. However, unlike the Dear America series which is written based on the accounts of fictional girls in America's history, the girls that The Royal Diaries are written about are women of royalty all over the world. Some of the books were made into TV movies and are available on Netflix.

Following is a list of the episodes that are available on Netflix, along with a link to the actual book.

• 57 B.C. Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, by Kristiana Gregory 

• 1466 Isabel: Jewel of Castilla, Spain,by Carolyn Meyer

• 1544 Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, by Kathryn Lasky

Dear America & Tapestry of Grace

I just became aware of the Dear America books, a series of historical fiction books, aimed at girls ages 8-13. Each book is written in the form of a diary of a young girl during a different era of US History. They also made some of the books into episodes that are available on Netflix. I am excited to read & watch some of these with my daughter as we study the coinciding time periods in Tapestry of Grace! 

Following is a list of the episodes that are available on Netflix, along with a link to the actual book (some of which are even available on Kindle!),the week I plan to use it with Tapestry of Grace and a link to the discussion guide from scholastic. There are a lot more books available, but this is where we will start!

• 1620 (Y2, Wk 21) - A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, by Kathryn Lasky (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1763 (Y2, Wk 29) - Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of Catharine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, by Mary Pope Osborne (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1777 (Y2, Wk 31-32) - The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, by Kristiana Gregory (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1836 (Y3, Wk 12) - A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence, Gonzales, Texas, by Sherry Garland (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America) 

• 1847 - (Y3, Wk 13) So Far from Home: The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl, Lowell, Massachusetts, by Barry Denenberg (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1859 (Y3 Wk 21) - A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia, by Patricia McKissack (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1864 (Y3 Wk 24) - When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, by Barry Denenberg (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1903 (Y4 Wk 1) - Dreams in the Golden Country: The Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, by Kathryn Lasky (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

• 1919 - (Y4 Wk 7) Color Me Dark: The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, the Great Migration North, Chicago, Illinois, by Patricia McKissack (discussion guide) (Teaching with Dear America)

ABC Memory Verses

We are working on one memory verse with each letter of the alphabet we learn. I printed them all on A5 sheets, laminated them, punched them and added rings so they are easy to study and review.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord. Colossians 3:23a

Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11:28b

Casting all your care upon Him, for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Depart from evil and do good. Psalm 34:14a

Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:13

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

God is love. 1 John 4:8b

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down. Proverbs 25:28

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. John 20:31b

Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking lies. Psalm 34:13

Lying lips are abomination to the LORD; but they that deal truly are His delight. Proverbs 12:22

My God shall supply all your need. Philippians 4:19a

No man can serve two masters. Matthew 6:24

O give thanks to the Lord for He is good. Psalm 118:1

Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; Psalm 147:1

Quit you like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13b

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8

Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Isaiah 55:6a

Trust in the Lord forever. Isaiah 26:4a

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: Psalm 75:1

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. John 6:47

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

eXceeding great and precious promises are given unto us. 2 Peter 1:4

Ye are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14a

Zion heard and was glad. Psalm 97:8a