Sept 2021 workout

 The past month I have been using my willpower and pretty much just the fact that it has now become routine to get my workout and yoga in every day.

What my workout looks like:
Each week I 5 more reps to each exercise. I use upbeat playlists to keep my pace moving.

10 normal squats
10 pile squats
10 narrow squats
10 sumo squats
10 squat to knee up

 

10 per side alternating hip dips

10 in and outs

10 sit-ups

10 reverse crunches

10 per side Russian twists


Yoga! I use a different playlist each day and a different mantra depending on what I need at that moment. My yoga movements are harder to explain than my workout so I am just going to say use an easy one from Pinterest and take it slow.

Plus I get in 10,000 or more steps a day and do two walks with the kids and dogs!

Random Spotify

Music makes me move, feel, think, cry.

My music tastes are very unique and I use mainly Spotify for listening. I have a different playlist for pretty much everything. One of the "catch-all" playlists is called Liked Songs. I have 1011 songs on this playlist.

This is it on random play: Top 10

Where are U now by Skrillex: I dont even know why this song is on here other than it has a good beat unless of course you have a migraine and then at that point, it would be just hell.

Tomboy by Miranda Lambert: this is a newer song I have added to my playlist. I like almost everything by her. I have a child or two who are "tomboys". I grew up building, playing climbing with the best of the boys, I have never worn make-up or dresses.

Hell by Squirrel Nut Zippers: What was I thinking when I added this to my playlist? It has a neat beat.

Criminal Minded by boogie down productions: What is this? Who is this? How did they get on my list?

GDFR by flo rida: I like the beat of this song but that's about it.

Honey, I'm Good by Andy Grammer: apparently, Spotify is not feeling my mood today lol. This is one song I do like and so do the kids.

Yeah Boy by Kelsea Bellerini: I like a lot of her songs.

Problem by Ariana Grande: Does anyone not like her music? I love the beat, it makes me want to move and sing.

Chainsaw by the band perry: I like them and their music.

Even flow by Peral Jam: yup they are on the list too. Who doesn't know this song and love it?

Ya, I wasn't kidding when I said my playlist has a little bit of everything, although I am not sure how some of those songs got on the list. So strange!

Homeschool Week one 2021

 Every 6 months I sit down and I make a homeschool plan with the best of intentions. Towards the end of the 6 months, it is me not putting as much effort into what I had planned and the kids bored with the plan.

Once again it is September and once again I have a plan. Yes, I am doomed to repeat this process for the next 15 years and I am just fine with that. With each new week, we cover a topic the kids choose. We are also covering a new life skill each week.

Week 1: H's choice Reindeer. Life Skill: Washing dishes

Day 1: Workbooks, reindeer video, book, reindeer song, game, reading, sight words, writing book.

Day 2: Work Sheets, reindeer video, book, game, reading, sight words, learning application.

Day 3: Workbooks, reindeer video, reindeer craft, book, game, reading, sight words, writing book.

Day 4: Worksheets, reindeer video, book, game, reading, sight words, learning application.

Day 5: Workbooks, reindeer video, reindeer body parts, book, game, reading, sight words, writing book.

The book we are reading a page from each day can be found here.

Games we play vary between letter sound bingo, math bingo, puzzles etc.

The writing book I use for them can be found here.

We use a few learning applications and they alternate between them. Homer, Khan Kids, adventure academy, and ABC mouse.

The packs of worksheets I use come from different sources, Pinterest, google, teachers, pay teachers, Canadian Curriculum books that are subject-based.

 

Business Tools

 I wasn't planning on doing a lot of business posts on the blog because I don't use it for business, however, some of the things I want to post on my business page are way too long for just a Facebook post.

Over here I am trying to think of it as just more content to post have on my blog.

Every business has important tools that use on pretty much a daily basis, mine is no different.

I can't say I have a favourite tool but I do have one that has made my life easier and added so much to our business. It is our sublimation printer. This allows us to put images directly on shirts, mugs, keychains, shot glasses, hats, and SOOOOOO much more.
There is one downside to doing this. It has to be HIGH poly count for fabric items and have a special coating for hard surfaces such as mugs. 

Our oldest tool is our heat-press, she is an industrial heat press and she is an old girl but I do love her! She is large and in charge so to speak. I can't even lift the old girl. She allowed us when we first started to be the only home-based company that used an industrial heat press instead of the iron for heat transfer vinyl. We are still one the only local home-based companies that use one.

My biggest pain in the arse tool is our embroidery machine. I only bring her out when I have to. We got her many years ago. She and I don't always get along.

What hurts me the most? I would have said the heat press as I am always burning the top of my hands on it. However, with the last week, my sewing machine has enter first place for that title by sewing right through my fingernail, of course, I panic and pull my hand back pulling the needle and thread right through the top of my finger. OUCH!

A tool that no one mentions but is a great help to our business is Facebook ads. I purchase these a few times a year and they have created a lot of business for us. 

There are a million other tools that I use daily such as my phone, my laptop, special software, the mug press (I love that thing), a cutting machine, scissors, and so many more that it is excessive to add them all. OH can't forget the TV it keeps me company while working long hours! 

 

Business or not do you have any tools that you love?

New year, new homeschool plan!

 We homeschool all year round which means that September means not much around here.

For me, it means I start planning homeschool trips and activities for the kids with the other homeschool parents. Last year Covid put a huge damper on any trips that we were going to take. This year Covid is still putting a damper on things for a few reasons.

1) Limiting the number of people we can have on each trip which means less of a discount for those who are attending. Some we had to even do as individual families because many of the families were too large to even group with another family.

2) With the vaccine passport up in the air we are not even sure when the trip time comes around that those who are signed up to go can go because if they are not vaccinated and they put the passport into place then they can't come most are paid for ahead of time.

What that means for this year is that we are taking things slow when planning trips.

With Sept 7 comes the "Not Back To School Homeschool Picnic"
This year I was shocked the number of parents and children has tripled compared to 2019. It was amazing! My kids even made new friends and I made a new friend too lol.

We have a couple of trips planned and are working on planning more but slowly. I will like always, post about our trips.

I like to think in my head that all my plans are going to work out for homeschooling and we are going to learn all the things but not always is that the case because well, kids. If it wasn't for them the homeschool plans would go off without a hitch LOL!

Like all homeschool moms, I have in my head these plans and ideas but not always are they what the kids want and what they want to learn and do comes first because after all, it is their schooling, not mine.

I wish you all an amazing school year be it in the classroom, virtual or fully homeschool!  I am excited about what this year is going to bring.

My workspace(s)

 I want to cry at this moment. I had this post almost finished when I hit a button and it was all gone and I couldn't undo it. SIGH

WorkSpace, they say you should share a photo of your workspace. I don't know who "They" are but I am guessing they didn't have 3 dogs, 4 kids, homeschool and run a business all at the same time from their home. OR they have this amazing room where everything for their business just fits and is (A girl can dream).

My "workspace" is organized and neat and tidy about 4 times a year. the rest of the time it's pretty much tidy chaos.

I am going to show my real workspace, not the "I just cleaned and want to make it look like all nice for a photo opt" no I am going to show you reality.

Let's start with the main floor. I work in a few different spots on the main floor.

The living room! This is where some of the magic happens. My sewing area is my machine along the wall on this awesome old-school sewing table that I found at goodwill. I sit on the arm of the couch with the TV playing either kid learning shows or one of my shows that I don't have to hear to follow (mindless background noise). Here I sew tutus, dresses, car seat covers, repairs, placemats, flags, masks and so much more. 

The floor! Here I cut fabric. I also lean against the couch to pin or put together tutus. I tape mugs and shirts here as well. Bows, headbands and so much more get done while I sit on the floor with the TV playing a show that I need to hear to follow.

In this room sits a long shelf with a mix of kids' puzzles and business supplies. There is an old dresser that my laser printer and cutting machine sit on top of. (group homeschool takes place here)

The dining room. In this room, I blog, answer clients, make my lists, design all the sublimation items, drink my tea and listen to Alexa who is in the kitchen. It looks stained? that is because this where I also refill the ink for the sublimation printer because the light is better in this room than in the rec room. (seated homeschool also takes place here) No there isn't food in that happy meal box, one the children is using it to keep stuff in.

Outside, this is by far my favourite place to be in the spring, summer and early fall. When the pool is up I can't do anything that will be ruined by getting wet. Here I sit, pin, cut, crochet etc. I even have a table to the side so that I can sew outside. (This is also where I paint)

In the rec room, along the back wall of the rec room, I have storage, my heat-press, my sublimation printer, my mug press and my desk. In this room, I print everything sublimation, while listening to the kids fight over the Xbox, toys or what to watch next. I head press everything in this room as well.

The laundry room (which I do not have a picture of) This room houses supplies for both the business and of course the house.
The picture below is my dream for the laundry room!

Would I love a well-organized space where everything has a place and is labelled? It's my dream! but I work with what I have and one day I will have a perfect space. Until then I work in the chaos that is spotless and organized 4 times a year.

Would you rather see the "photo opt" workspace or the reality?

March 2021 FITNESS Challenge

 I stuck with the January Challenge! I got to my 200 squats a day and am super excited about it.

Then February happened. I did nothing but my yoga in February. I started to feel stuck. Lockdown and winter in Canada beyond sucks!!

I decided that just because I sucked at life in February didn't mean that I couldn't start new for March.

I decided to find a challenge that did the squats plus a new exercise to add to it.

How I do my workouts:

Morning Yoga (on one of the kids 15 min breaks) I listen to a Spotify playlist for meditation when doing yoga to help with the flow. The kids know they are allowed to join me as long as they are quiet while we do it.

Now that the weather is at least bearable we are doing a morning walk. Takes about 20 minutes.

In the afternoon if it is warm enough for me (I am a cold sissy) I head outside to do my daily challenge I do this while the kids are doing their 15 minutes outside after their afternoon snack.

I do not do rest days. So on the calendar in this photo when it says rest day I either do the day before again or the next day.

I found this one on Pinterest and I am super excited about it.

If I happen to miss a day for whatever reason I will break it up to catch up so I will do yesterday's challenge in the morning and then the day I am on in the afternoon so it's not all at once.

How did you do with the January Challenge?

Did you do one in February?

Dancing on Rainbows

 Did you know no one sees the same rainbow? How about that it's round? I sure didn't!

H picked the topic of rainbows this week. I enjoy when it is her turn to pick what we learn about because I always end up learning something new.

How our days went for Rainbow week

8 am breakfast, get dressed, hair put their dirty laundry downstairs.

8:30 am Now that it is milder in the mornings we have gone back to walking in the mornings. One of the mornings we did a rainbow walk and the kids loved it so much that once we finished the sheet they started it all over again!

9 am either workbooks or worksheets. I alternate each day so the kids don't get bored with doing the same thing every day.

15-minute break. On this 15 min break, I get everything ready for the next activity, put laundry in, hand wash the dishes that need to be washed, empty and reload the dishwasher.

930am Journals and a letter sheet. (These are great for H learning her letters and the other children to keep working on letter sounds.)

15-minute break outside. I empty the dishwasher, answer clients and make their snacks.

10:00 am Snack While they eat their morning snack this month we are reading about one women in history from the book 101 Women in History

We talk about how things were, how things still are for many women in the world and how far we still have to go. 

10:30 am Rainbow activity or video (If its a video then fold and put away laundry while they are watching a video.)

11:00 am They have free time to do whatever they would like (this amount of time depends on how long things took us.)

In this "free time" I work on client orders and make lunch

12:00 pm LUNCH

12:30 pm reading. They each get to read their book with me and do the sight word cards as well as the sight word wall. (The books and the sight word changes every three days)

1:00 pm "Online learning" They each get a turn using the learning app on my phone called Khan Kids. They each have a profile and play what I consider one round. One round is playing until they get a prize.

1:30 PM They have until snack to free play. I sweep, clean up and work on client orders.

2:00 pm snack. I start dinner at this point.

15minutes outside.

Then they have until dinner to free play.

4:30 pm Dinner

5:30 pm walk dogs

6:30 pm start baths. When I start baths I get out the painting I have been working on and work on it while each child gets to play in the tub for 10mins.

7:15 pm snack, stories, teeth and bed.

At about 8:45 pm everyone is asleep, which means I get to work on client orders, cleaning, folding laundry and getting everything ready for the next day's schooling.

Here are links to the videos and activities that we did.

Activities

This one is fun and edible! 

We didn't frame them but we made these 

Colour page  

Rainbow walk 

 

Videos 

I love this guys videos!  

This one wasn't great for kids but I liked it. 

This isn't a video about how rainbows are formed because you can only watch the same information so may times but it is a book read on video about rainbows. 

Women's History month videos we watched

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#quote

 

 

 

 

 About a week or so ago I had another small business owner message me. Her business is similar to mine but different at the same time.

From the day my partner and I started this business we supported everyone who gives it a shot because we know how hard it is to do be a small business owner.

We are headed into year 8 of our business and we are doing okay, the pandemic has hit us hard not so much on orders and whatnot, but because we can't physically work at the same location or do our vendor shows.

We do not consider any business similar to ours or otherwise competition. We also really don't pay attention to who is doing what in our area what that means is that Cindy Lou could be doing shirts and we wouldn't have a clue. There are a few businesses that we know like Once Upon A Tutu, not because we consider them competition but because they do great work and we have chatted with her a few times. Do I know her name? NOPE.

Now back on topic. This woman messaged me starting out asking questions about if a store our products are in was closing. I explained that no one said anything to me and I just dropped off some products. This turned into them speaking unkindly of the store. I do not speak unkindly about any business because I know how it feels being a small business owner, not even when a client comes and complains about another business messing something up. I always reply with "I am sorry such and such happened to you, let's see how we can make it better".

A company putting down or bad-mouthing another company is not only in bad taste but also highly unprofessional.

Once we got through her "thoughts and feelings" about one of the shops we are in, she set into myself and our business.

For the first time in my life, I was called cutthroat because as a company I will only slowly raise our prices each year, and not raise them to where other companies in this area have them.

I also feel that I wouldn't want to pay $20.00 for a shirt so why would I charge that amount?

I stopped responding and moved on with my day.

We help build up other businesses and when we can't do something or we know for a fact that another business is doing it at that time we send people to the businesses that are doing it.

For example, there is one local business doing those picture frames with the song scan code. Can we do them? yes, 100% we can, are we doing them this valentines day? no. I sent them the name and business page link to that potential client.

I came across this quote the day after being called cutthroat. I have no idea who said it, but I do know that it is very true. As women in general and especially as women business owners we have enough crap thrown at us daily we don't need to sling mud at each other as well. The world IS big enough for all of us to be successful.