Wednesday's News Reel

Diets

I started the South Beach Diet on Sunday. I've had a little sugar in my coffee when away because I've forgotten my stevia and those other sugar-free sweeteners frighten me, and I've had ranch dressing a couple of times. But other than that I'm on day 4 of carbohydrate-free living. And I know some things about myself.

eggs for breakfast are good because of the toast and bacon
I don't much care for bacon, sausage, or other breakfast meats.
bagels have voices and can call your name at 9:00 PM
cheese promotes an odd feeling in my mouth and makes me paranoid about bad breath
I can't chew gum after the cheese because gum has those sweeteners which frighten me or sugar

So, though in three days the scale has moved ever so slightly downward, I am excited to eat oatmeal and potatoes. We will see how this does for resetting my cravings and helping me to lose those 20ish pounds I want to lose. I am planning to add exercise and Made to Crave to my diet plans shortly.

School

Abigail is learning. We work for 10 minutes a day on reading and math. We read lots of books; our current favorites are "A Photographic Fantasy" which are little stories of winter from the perspective of wild animals. The photographs are beautiful. We are adding in nature study.
I struggle with feeling like I, we, are doing enough. So we are adding slowly. Next up is a return to geography by way of Voices of the Faithful and good books.
Currently social studies is taken care of in living with an annoying little brother.

Rules

I've established a couple of new rules regarding the dinner table.

No reading at the table.
No bickering or trying to agitate at the table.

These will replace the rules currently on the refrigerator.
The dinner table is becoming sacred to family time and those things that promote disconnection are being expelled. Abigail and Simon almost lost breakfast this morning for all the ruckus they were creating to get their own way. I am standing firm, I tell you!

Other Items

Simon and Abigail miss each other when they are apart, but when together find ways to torment one another--see school and social studies or bickering.
We are pursuing older child domestic adoption, slowly. But our names are on the line.
There is a house, overpriced, but otherwise what we would be looking for. Our house isn't ready, but will be soon. Perhaps a move. Perhaps a stay. Waiting. I have strong feelings about waiting.
Tonight I have a date with a short cutie to watch the Dukes of Hazzard, followed by a date with a taller, more distinguished cutie to watch White Collar. It is ironic that there is more cleavage, both top and bottom in the video for the short cutie than the one for the taller cutie.