Tuesday Coffee Chat

Today's Tuesday Coffee Chat is a fun one! It is simply this ... Would you rather _____ ? And the comparison is up to me.

This past week while looking through photographs it was mentioned how young, pretty and skinny I was five years ago. And I had to admit that, dang, I did look good back then! I don't look awful now, it's just that in five years I haven't been as diligent about taking care of my body as I should and I have allowed stress to take its toll on me. Stress really does affect your physical appearance over time.

While talking about this I admitted how old I felt. And one of the kids said, "Well, you do all old lady kinds of things. You like to stay in the house and read, etc. Do some young things and maybe you'll feel younger!" (That was paraphrased some, but that is definitely what I heard.)

And it got me thinking how right that child was ... I have started to get comfortable with my aging and have just been giving into it, maybe even trying to hurry it up a bit.

So here is my question for you ... Would you rather grow old gracefully or try to fight the process for as long as you can?

I have been very comfortable with growing older. Rick says that I can't wait to be an old lady, and he is right. I love the thought of having the whole day to myself, with lots of quiet, sitting and reading and watching my television shows, swinging on my porch swing with a cup of tea, piddling in the house and in the yard/garden, taking my dog for a walk, enjoying visits from my kids, spending quiet evenings with Rick.

But I also want to feel good, feel energized, look energized, act energized. I want my skin to shine and to still have a stylish hairstyle. I don't have to be in style in my clothing but I never want to be out of style. I want to have enough energy to attend the activities of my grandchildren and go on vacations with my husband. I don't want Rick to feel like he has to do everything alone because I don't ever want to leave the house.

I don't want to be a lonely old woman like my Grandma Alice was, just waiting to die. I want to enjoy life and enjoy it to the fullest for as long as I can!

I want to fight the process of aging as long as I can physically do it! And I don't mean plastic surgery, botox, spending thousands on beauty products. I mean staying active, staying alive, moving and doing and having fun, smiling and laughing, hosting dinners, attending activities. A lot of these things are outside my comfort zone. But if I give in so easily to the aging process, then I am going to be old before I know it.

So, although I plan to give myself a little bit of grace in this aging process (because I am, in fact, getting older), I am going to try my best to stay out there fighting it a little each and every day. And, hopefully, enjoying my life in the process. I am still looking forward to that quiet life I mentioned above. But it will be here before I know it, and I shouldn't rush it or welcome it so quickly. I have a lot of life to live and a family that wants to live it with me.

So how about you? Would you rather grow old gracefully or try to fight the process as long as you can?

CTC Math {Schoolhouse Review}

We found our groove with math this year. I found a curriculum that both of the kids respond well to and seem to enjoy (as much as one can enjoy math). We have spent the whole year learning the ins and outs of multiplication and were just a few lessons away from being ready to move onto the next year-long level on division. And then an opportunity to review the 12 Month Family Plan from CTC Math became available. To be honest, I wasn't very enthusiastic. I mean, why mess with the methods that have worked so well? When I was chosen to review the product I didn't go into it with the level of enthusiasm that it deserved. We have been using a dvd/workbook curriculum with great success. The 12 Month Family Plan from CTC Math is a web based curriculum. As we have not had a lot of luck with those types of programs, I went into this review with a negative attitude. And then my socks were knocked off by how great it is. In fact it is so great that we are going to continue to ...

Veritas Press Self-Paced History: Old Testament and Ancient Egypt (Schoolhouse Review)

For the past several weeks we have been reviewing Veritas Press Self-Paced History: Old Testament and Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament and Ancient Egypt Flashcards from Veritas Press . As we were entering into our more easy-going summer schedule, and had just concluded a two-year Old Testament Bible course, I was happy to try out this product as it appeared to be something that Eli and Brynne could do together, alone, and would act as a review of the Old Testament presented in a different way. And I was right. Each Veritas Press Self-Paced History program includes 160 lessons teaching about 32 events in history. They are designed for children in grades 2-6, and it is recommended that the student be a minimum of 7 years of age at the time of the first lesson. What We Received We received a full one-year subscription, for one child, to the online Veritas Press Self-Paced History: Old Testament and Ancient Egypt program and the accompanying Old Testament and Ancien...

Cells ~ It's What's for Dinner

Dawson made edible cells on Friday. He made an animal cell pizza ... and a plant cell chocolate chip cookie ... He reviewed what he's learned about cells the past two weeks, and I had dinner made by someone else. Win, win!! I am linking up at Science Sunday at Adventures in Mommydom.

AnonymousMarch 10, 2015 at 9:38 AM
I want to grow old gracefully but that doesn't mean I won't fight to stay in shape while I'm still young-ish. Can I do both? I mean, at some point, age will take over but I hope to still look decent.
Aloha AcresMarch 10, 2015 at 3:30 PM
My husband's grandmother was 94 when she passed. She walked 2 miles a day and took very good care of herself until she got where she just couldn't anymore. She still enjoyed life to the very end, asking her son what he'd like for her to cook him for supper when she got home from the hospital (on the day she passed). She always told us, "Growing old is better than the alternative".

I say embrace it ... while doing your very best to enjoy each moment.
LA BotcharMarch 10, 2015 at 6:10 PM
I am definitely on the side of gracefully. but like others said, that doesn't mean I am not going to try and be in the best shape possible. And by "shape" I do mean ALL of me: body, mind, spirit. I never want to stop learning new things and devouring information. I never want to get comfortable with being still all the time; although I do want to be able to appreciate the stillness when it comes. I want to keep seeking adventure - even if it is just strolling through antique shops and cafes on a Sunday afternoon. It doesn't always have to be wild and crazy times. I am in my 40s and my youngest is only 5 years old. I watch her experiencing the world and I think: that sense of wonder she has -- I never want to lose that either.
great question!!!
ForgetfuloneMarch 11, 2015 at 9:55 PM
Growing old gracefully! I guess there are some ways in which I would like to fight it, but it's inevitable. I am looking forward to retirement in 5-10 years, depending on when my kids graduate from college. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
AnonymousMarch 14, 2015 at 11:49 AM
Oh my, you cannot fight age. Nor do I want to even try. It is more important to just take care of myself and be happy with who I am. I think that is what makes people beautiful, when they are happy. Age is fleeting for all of us. Happiness is what really matters.
UnknownMarch 15, 2015 at 6:26 PM
I'm with you! I love, love, love my kids...but there are times when I would like to have some time for my interests or simply to clean the house and have it stay that way! LOL I know I will miss them and being a mother terribly though...Anyway...I don't mind growing old. Most people think I look much younger than I am and I'll take that.

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