Book Review: The Danish Way of Parenting

I very much enjoyed this book. I’m finding that I really love learning about parenting practices and different ways to make me a better parent.

It is also hard though the more I read to distinguish between the different ways things I like and don’t like some of them of course say the complete opposite thing so you really have to do it feels right for you.

This book was equal parts, engaging and enjoyable, followed by some very dry clinical things to back it up. I do enjoy knowing that there’s science behind what they’re saying and studies to back it up, but sometimes they went a little too deep in the studies and I glazed over a little bit. But overall I thought it was a really good book and I very much enjoyed it.

A week of homeschooling

Wednesday –

AM – 3 worksheets done and 1 book read

Then gymnastics and the library

Thursday – AM

Two worksheets and 1 spread in ‘things to spot’ as he ran around the house hahaha

Then into the stroller the kids went for a 2 mile run. Then some time to run around the backyard.

Back inside we ‘worked’ on a puzzle, which means I put the pieces in place and he stomped them down hahaha. But I do try and get him to point out 1 or 2 things to me each time and I name the continents and oceans.

We also played with the bunny boo game. It works on spacial awareness and directionality

PM – I read to them for 15 min

Friday AM – 3 worksheets

Saturday – OFF

Sunday – OFF some Sundays we will do a little bit but today we went to visit the grandparents

Monday AM

4 worksheets and 1 spread in our ocean math workbook

After this he had a lovely toddler meltdown compete with ear splitting screaming.

After he calmed down I loaded the kids in the stroller and went for a 3 mile run then we did some exploring and gardening in the backyard.

Tuesday – AM

Got 2 worksheets done, and even that was like pulling teeth lol.

And that is a wrap! That is a week of homeschooling with us. Some weeks we get more done and some less. This month we are really busy with swim lessons so each week we have 1 gymnastics class and 2 swim lessons. Since we are so busy I am pushing school a little less.

Because it is preschool level and he is only 2.5 I try and keep it light and not make him do things he isn’t feeling that day or time, I want to foster a love for learning not destroy it.

Thanks for joining us!!!

Homeschooling

My children are not school aged so I am not doing any formal schooling yet. But I am trying to foster a love for learning and put as many learning opportunities in our lives as possible.

We love to read

I bought a nature study curriculum called exploring nature with children that I am currently dipping in and out of for inspiration. When we are playing in our yard or taking walks I mention the seasons and ask about flower colors and flower bulbs and on and on.

The other curriculum I was introduced to by my friend Stephanie is by a company called Timberdoodle. So far I love, love, love it. They have curriculum for kids from 0 years old to a senior in high school. I don’t know how long I will homschool for but the state of public education in this country is scaring me more and more.

Farmland math
Working dates, seasons and weather

I picked and chose what I liked and wanted to start with. We don’t touch on everything every week but i try and hit 1-2 things a day m-f. The weekends are just bonuses if we manage anything because our schedule is different.

Threading is great for dexterity and motor skills
He LOVES these smart workbooks
Puzzles are still a work in progress hahaha
These 2 are more advanced and not quite as ‘fun’ as the smart workbooks so he’s less into them right now.
Bunny boo. He is supposed to recreate the example on the card. Eventually he gets it but currently needs a lot of prompting.
We also count chicken eggs and fruits and vegetables when they are growing. My 2 yr old helps me in the kitchen sometimes. I’m basically just trying for a wellrounded introduction to life and education hahaha.

I just love when they understand something, when they learn something new, and when he tells me something I taught him 5 min ago, 5 hours ago or 5 days ago. I love when she actually communicates something to me bub pointing or bringing something to me.

Come on this crazy journey with me!

Relaxing

Fall 2018 quarter is over!!!!!! As I type this I am sitting on the couch with a chicken roasting in the oven watching old episodes of criminal minds and drinking my 2nd glass of wine. I didn’t have to work today and spent the day doing very little. I have read (non-school book) a little, watched TV, done a little laundry and taken the pup for a nice walk.

This quarter was phenomenal, I loved my Anatomy and Physiology class! I am very excited for my next quarter but I am also very excited for the next 4 weeks off. This quarter made me so excited for nursing school. We got to use stethoscopes, EKG machines, we started taking pulses and it was my introduction to the cadaver lab. This was one of my favorite school quarters to date and I think they are just going to get better and better! I won’t lie though it was soooo hard to get back into school and study mode after the wedding and honeymoon. For that whole week I didn’t think about school or anything. Coming back and having to study instead of just spend time with my husband was very difficult.

At this point I know i finished my psychology class with an A but I won’t know my A&P grade for a few days. I am also currently wait listed on both the classes I need for winter quarter so fingers crossed some peoples plans change. As long as I get into the classes that I need I will be applying to nursing schools in February. I will keep you posted.

Tonight I am making roast chicken with potatoes, onions, bacon and green beans. It is a recipe from Mastering the Art of French cooking. The interesting thing about Mastering the Art of French cooking, though this is only my 3rd recipe, is how simple they are. The recipes usually have a lot of steps and take a long time to make but the ingredients are so simple its amazing and so far the first two recipes were delicious and this one certainly smells wonderful.

I took the last 5 days off working out to focus on studying for my final but tomorrow I am back at it!! I am contemplating my first sprint triathlon for my 31st birthday this coming year…………..

Fall 2018 school week 1

Hi!!!! Well I have survived my first week of the new quarter!

I am taking PSY 237 which is Life Span development, basically it looks at a person from conception to death, this class is online. My 2nd class is Anatomy and Physiology 2, i have lecture 2 nights a week and lab one afternoon a week. Had to do a little switching around with my work schedule to make it all work, I now have no weekend lol. I still have 2 days off work but they are spread apart. One of my days off I have lab that day. This was the only class that even halfway worked with my schedule, thankfully another girl at work is a student and a class she wanted to take worked out perfectly if we switched one of our days with each other. So I have 1 full day off from everything the next month. That may be the one day i devote to my relationship because anatomy is no joke and i plan on rocking this class. Thankfully my fiance and soon to be husband is so supportive of me going to school.

I think PSYCH will be pretty easy. Online classes, as long as they aren’t math or science, are usually pretty easy to me. They definitely can take more time because you usually have extra work to do since there is no in class work but i love that i can sit down whenever i have time in between the rest of my schedule and knock out whatever i need to do.

Now for the good stuff: A&P!!!! I transferred to a different community college this year since the fiance and i moved to a new city, this is actually the school where i will be applying to the nursing program, no names of course so i can keep talking about it. The price per unit is roughly the same but man they must have extra funding somewhere because WOW, infinitely nicer digs. We each have our own microscope in lab and are you ready for this……….they have a cadaver lab!!!!!! in a community college!!! I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to learn on a real human body.

We got out first introduction to the cadaver lab this week. I really appreciate that they put a big emphasis on respect, these people donated their bodies to science not to be played around with. We got to see 2 of the 4 bodies. The first was a female who had 1 leg partially dissected so you could see the skin, the adipose layer and the muscle underneath then her neck was dissected so you could see the muscles, arteries trachea. Her abdomen was also pretty fully dissected so we could see the viscera, it was so interesting!!! The second body was a male and it was dissected to be able to see all the muscle, one side was superficial muscle and the other was deep muscle. This cadaver will be my best friend for a bit as we currently need to learn 160 muscles in about 2 weeks!!!!

We also did a little review of A&P 1 and wow am i rusty, it is time to review! As well as cram all the new knowledge into my head!!! My teacher seems really awesome too so fingers crossed this is going to be a great semester!!!!

We have to be able to identify all these on a model, a diagram and……..a cadaver……in 1.5 weeks.

Monday Motivation**September 10, 2018

Had planned to run 9-10 miles this weekend then my stomach had other plans and so I cut it off at 4.5.

Then I picked up my wedding dress!!!!! I am going to do a whole post on wedding stuff soon.

My friend and I have a step challenge going

And she is currently kicking my butt. I need to get moving!!!

Monday Motivation**July 30, 2018

The Kind Diet another cookbook I LOVE! Yes it is also vegan and but there are some delicious recipes in here! There are a handful I make over and over and over that I just love!!!

Leftover chili with bread for lunch today. So delicious!

One of the residents where I work had their freezer break and thaw out so they needed to use up the meat that was in there ASAP, lucky for me they aren’t eating red meat right now so tonight Brandon and I will be BBqing a new York stead with grilled zucchini and mashed potatoes! And we will have lamb burgers tomorrow…..I’ve never had a lamb burger so we will see but I want gonna say no to free food!!!

It turned out soooooo good!!!!

I got the hw that is due tonight all done and worked ahead on tomorrow’s HW. I’m one day ahead now, I wish I was more ahead though. I will need to work on that for next quarter.

Stats for this week:

Cant wait to see what next week holds!!!

Not included in those stats:

My first tempo run tonight!!!!

It was only 1 mile but I didn’t walk at all and was under the pace I wanted so yay!!!

I am going to train properly for this half marathon……did I mention Brandon and I signed up for a half marathon the first weekend in October?

Monday Motivation**June 25, 2018

running with Brandon is one of my favorite things to do.

I worked out 4 days last week

Time to break the foam roller back out

Vanilla shakology with frozen strawberries and a smidge of coffee

Weekend walk with my old roommate

Quesadilla and salad for lunch. I have been adding bell pepper, tomato and onion tops to my quesadillas lately.

Homemade lunchables!!! Less expensive and healthier!

Post workout crazy hair

Yoga!

Muscles!!!!!!……almost lol

June goals

June

The goals for the year broken down for this month:

revamp my diet and STICK TO IT!!!!

Drop two clothing sizes, go from a 10 to a 6. Should be at a 6 or about to be.

Stop overspending!!!! Continue not keeping money on me, adding to accounts and adding to savings

Take a few minutes every day to sit in quiet reflection, meditate, and do something spiritual. 10 min/day, full and new moon and holidays

Continue to work on and grow my relationship with Brandon. 1 outing a week and 1 meal a week

Read 1 non-school book a month