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http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/how-exercise-fuels-the-brain/?src=me&ref=general According to researach done on mice, exercise can improve brain function. So... maybe the Khan academy isn't the only answer to the atrophy of my brain. Maybe I should take a good run every once in a while. I could definitely use the run physically, and if it can improve my brain function than it's a win-win. Charlotte Mason has some thoughts on the issue of the decay of the brain. "Most of us have met with a few eccentric and a good many silly persons, concerning whom the question forces itself, Were these people born with less brain power than others? Probably not; but if they were allowed to grow up without the daily habit of appropriate moral and mental work, if they were allowed to dawdle through youth without regular and sustained efforts of thought or will, the result would be the same, and the brain which should have been invigorated by daily exercise has become flabby and...

Totally not applicable to the content of this post, I wanted to insert some recent pictures of Tristan and Anastasia. They are growing to be such good friends and learning to share life. This has been the state of my brain lately. Atrophy. I have been letting my brain cells diminish. Watching them slide away without bothering too much about it. I've told myself on more than one occasion, I'll get it back when the kids are in school and I will learn with them. What?!!!! What is my problem?!! Well, Jason, my ever challenging and amazing husband, suggested that I check out the Khan Academy. It's a website composed of over 2700 instructional videos on subjects ranging from biology to art history. Of course, I am watching all of the biology videos. It's amazing! I am remembering how much I love this subject! Listening, and watching the tutorial on how adenosine triphosphate generates (releases, rather) energy and then remembering all the lectures in cell phys. and microbia...

Mom against Toddler Round 1: (ding!) Mom: You need to poop in the potty before naptime today Toddler: throws a few fits over silly things and gets a little out of control Mom: Ok, you need to take a nap now. 30 mins later: Toddler at top of stairs with messy diaper. Mom: changes diaper Toddler wins round 1 Round 2: (ding) Mom: Ok, now we don't poop our diaper during naptime, it's time to take a rest. 30 mins later: Toddler at top of stairs with another messy diaper his bed totally stripped of all pillows and blankets and sheets (a big NO NO!) Mom: This is not OK! Punishes toddler, changes diaper and puts toddler back into bed. Toddler: doesn't sleep at all during the last few minutes of naptime Toddler wins round 2 Round 3: (ding) Mom: It's time for a bath for toddler and baby! Toddler: behaves like a charm in the bathtub. All smiles Mom wins round 3 Round 4: (ding) Mom: Eat your vegetables Toddler: I want Yogurt! Mom: Eat your vegetables fir...

Sometimes it is difficult to trust God and to surrender. I just don't see where God is working, how it's all going to fit together and how it is all going to end. God does! It should be easy for me to trust Him. I guess I often just think that if it doesn't make sense to me, it doesn't make sense. I need to trust. Judges 14 talks about Samson wanting to marry a Philistine girl. His parents were totally against it, and verse 4 says: "His father and mother didn't realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an oportunity to disrupt the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time." Isn't that my own story? I don't realize that God is at work. But God is always working. Psalm 69:32 "The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God's help live in joy." God is continually teaching me (and all who believe) to trust in Him. He will not stop testing until we are wholeheartedly and 100% dependent on Him. As I look o...

Hebrews 10:24 Think of ways to encourage one another in outbursts of love and good deeds. This was exemplified to me through a friend yesterday. I just received a sweet card from her and then a phone call. It was nice and inspiring to me. Then this morning I read this verse. Kinda cool when the scripture is actually lived out for me:) God has blessed my life with people who love Him and are pointing me to Him.

We visited the city's Founders Museum this weekend. Some things I learned about Colorado Springs. The air here is asceptic, that's crazy! Also, there are 310 days of Sunlight per year and Colorado Springs was a part of the Louisiana purchase. Pretty neat. Valentine's day is the day for love and romance. Tristan and I made Red Waldorf cupcakes and ate lots of chocolates (courtesy of daddy:). Anastasia is so cute in her heart hoodie and tried to steal Tristan's Heart-shaped valentine.

If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any other talent . -Isaac Newton In the book Laying Down the Rails , Sonya Shafer summarizes all of Charlotte Mason's thoughts on attentiveness. These are applied in the homeschool setting for older children, however, the principles span all ages and can be encouraged in younger children. The main idea of attentiveness is that it is a natural capacity that children can learn very early, yet if not cultivated leads to trouble in focusing all through life. I can see how our culture does not value or prioritize focused attention on anything and we live constantly allowing ourselves to be distracted and letting our minds wander from thing to thing. Doing everything half-heartedly while justifying by saying that we are multitasking. At the end of the day we are left exhausted and unfulfilled with work half-finished and no memory of what we started the day reading. I would like to cultiva...

The snow here is so dry and fluffy. Tristan loves snow Anastasia getting her first taste of snow I have had a hard time this week. It has been cloudy a bit and I just have been getting kinda down. Today we turned a bit of a corner, of course, watching Kentucky beat up on Florida last night helped cheer me up, I can also see Pikes peak again. Tristan told me that he needed to pee today (first time he initiated). That made me pretty excited. It's such good progress! The pictures are of our snow storm this past weekend. I have some insights (from my book) on attention span that are coming. Soon... until then.

Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing - Ralph Waldo Emerson Well, I am over the moon for Colorado right now! We just got a 10 inch snow storm. Yesterday was such a fantastic time of playing out in the snow and shovelling the walkways and romping. Today, after reclearing the driveway, the sunshine has melted most of the road (untreated) and has dried the driveway nicely. I still can't see pikes peak from my computer because of snow clouds over the mountain, but I am content with the sunshine streaming into my window and I'm excited for an afternoon romp in the snow. This is really what Colorado is all about! I'll try to get pictures up soon. Anastasia is taking more steps, though, Jason still hasn't seen it. Tristan seems to demand more attention with each passing day and when Jason is home he demands mostly Jason's time. It is really exciting to see him developing his fine motor skills especially writing. I'm so blessed that he loves...