The Art of Strewing {Winners!}

Congratulations, Kina Summerlin and Natalie Reading!

You both have won a copy of Aadel Bussinger's The Art of Strewing.  You will be contacted via email and will have 72 hours to respond or the prize will be forfeited and a new winner(s) will be randomly selected. 

Harvest Journal

Today marks a pretty exciting day for me.  I get to pass a summertime passion along to one of my best gal pals.  With boxes of fruit in hand and four Littles in tow, she'll be headin' my way first thing this morning .  We'll be canning peaches which is something I've never canned before but figure it won't be too different from the jams and veggies I've done in previous years.  

Pinterest Flips & Flops: DIY Self-watering Seed Starter Containers

I don't know about you, but my Pinterest Boards are chuck full of Martha Stewart-style perfection!  I have pinned soooooooo many great ideas in the last few years...or have I??  

Every once in a while, I actually get the notion...and time {ahem!}...to try one of the fabulous-looking recipes, homeschool studies, crafts, and DIY projects that I've cataloged on my boards.  Now, I haven't necessarily been keepin' tabs, but I'm guessing that many of my outcomes haven't always been as picture perfect (or as edible) as the originals.  

In fact, I can recall one breakfast cookie recipe disaster that went something like this...

I pulled the steaming cookies from the oven, called the Hubs over to sample the first bite, and watched as he immediately ran to the trash can to spit it out.  Then, with complete sincerity he asked, "Is this some kind of practical joke?  Is that really our breakfast?"

Maybe it's just me?  Maybe I'm the only Mother Inferior on Pinterest who can't seem to follow the directions correctly.

But, I'd like to assume that if I've had more than my share of Pinterest disappointments, I'm not the only one.  

I've teamed up with some of the lovely ladies of iHomeschool Network to bring you a once-a-month link-up of some of our Pinterest FLIPS and FLOPS.  If you're a blogger, we invite you to try one of the projects that has been collecting dust on your Pinterest boards.  Blog about your success or failure...whichever the case may be.  And, link up to get the word out to other mommas about whether a project was a "two thumbs WAY UP" hit or was a "doesn't work in real life" disaster.  

5th Grade Homeschool Curriculum 2013-2014

It's hard to believe that my girl is going to be starting 5th grade this year!  Wasn't it just yesterday that I was holding a little pink bundle in the hospital?  But alas, at nine years old, half of her childhood is officially behind.  Instead of focusing my thoughts on all that is past, I'm going to force myself to daydream about all that is yet to come...for her...for us!  

The Art of Strewing {Review and Giveaway}

A few weeks ago while junkin' at a neighborhood garage sale, the Hubs came across a gently used guitar. He plunked down his $10 (It was marked at $15, but he's a picker, so he NEVER pays full price...but, I digress.), and headed home to show the kids. Not surprising, the new little treasure was passed from hand to hand as everyone clamored to strum a few "notes???". When Sweetie Pea took her turn, she picked at the strings and then casually mentioned how much easier the guitar would be to play if it came in a smaller package. (This post contains affiliate links. Please see the disclaimer below.*)

"The smaller version's called a ukulele." the Hubs said nonchalantly.

A ukulele.

10 Thoughts on Raising Boys to be Men

The other day while perusing the magazine rack of the hair salon waiting area, I stumbled upon a very popular parenting magazine and was intrigued by a headline on the cover.

In big, bold letters it read

Raising Boys to be Men

or something to that effect.

Of course, as the mother of four boys, I immediately grabbed for the issue and flipped to the appropriate page. Not surprising, I was sorely disappointed in the suggestions given by "the experts." It was a disparaging look at society's attempts to raise gender-neutral boys.  

Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2013-2014

With curriculum shopping list firmly in hand, I scoured the shelves of my state homeschool convention determined to find great books at great prices!  I'm fairly certain that I lugged home my body weight in GOOD READS...but that's between me and my chiropractor.  

I'm so excited to be able to share my picks for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year with you.  If you've been a regular reader around these parts, you'll notice that several of my choices have remained the same from last year.  But, you'll ALSO notice, that I'm mixin' it up a bit with a few new additions and replacements.  I have highlighted all of those changes in pretty pink...but don't tell my boys.  They haaaaaate pink! 

Tips to Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op: Creating a Schedule and Assigning Jobs

Pheewww! We've come to our final day in a five-day-long series about Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op. If you've been keeping up with me, you have partnered with a few other families, secured a place and time for your group, and have begun planning some fascinating and age-appropriate classes.

You are just about ready to welcome eager little preschoolers to their very first day of co-operative learning. But first, you have to determine a workable order of events (schedule) for your co-op meeting and assign responsibilities to each of the participating mothers.

Tips to Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op: Planning Age Appropriate Class Topics

We've come to Day 4 in a five-day-long series about Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op. I trust that you have prayerfully considered inviting other eager homeschool mommas to join your group and that you have secured the perfect location for your co-op meetings. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Next on your TO DO list is to tuck the kids into bed, give the Hubs a big goodbye smooch, and head to the local coffee house to meet with the other co-op hopefuls in order to brainstorm co-operative class topics.

First on the agenda is to decide if you will be a non-formal or a formal group.

Tips to Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op: Choosing a Time and Place to Meet

You've taken the leap and are on your way to launching a homeschool co-op! If you are joining me for Day 3 in my five-day-long series on Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op, I will assume you've wangled up a group of like-minded mothers with preschoolers all anxious for occasional co-operative learning. Now what?! Well, unless you intend to Skype your way through the preschool year, you will obviously need to determine a PLACE...and eventually a TIME to meet.

Today I'd like to share a few thoughts that will hopefully help you select just the right venue and timetable for your group.

Tips to Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op: Partnering With Other Families

I'm assuming that if you've joined me for Part 2 in my five-day long series on Starting a Preschool Co-op, that you are seriously considering launching a group. Not to state the obvious, but a co-op is not a co-op if you and your children are the only participants. In order to co-operate with other families, you have to FIND other families to join you. And although the number of families who choose the unconventional route of homeschooling continues to climb throughout the US and abroad, finding co-operative participants is perhaps the biggest hurdle to establishing a new preschool group.

Tips to Starting a Preschool Homeschool Co-op: Intro

One of the best decisions I ever made when first starting out as a Newbie Homeschooler was to join together with a handful of other newbies every other week for a homespun preschool co-op. Our little bi-weekly get-together provided my children with a chance to interact with other kids, glean the wisdom of other mommas and their areas of expertise, and participate in large-group activities that would have otherwise been difficult to create with just one or two kids at home...like short theatrical plays and team games.

Summer Boredom Buster: Painting a Monoprint

"Mom, I'm boooooooooored!" 

Have you heard that yet?  Chances are, if you've had scorching summer heat or mid-summer showers holding you and your children captive indoors, you have.  Here's a simple summer-time boredom buster  that you can pull out in seconds.  Read More >> 

10 Little Things You Should Know About the Unlikely Homeschool

1.  I filter everything I write through my faith.

I am an evangelical Christian and seek to glorify Jesus Christ, my Savior, in everything I do including how I educate my children and what I write about on this blog.  I realize that not every homeschooler chooses to homeschool because of faith, but that is definitely one of my primary reasons for doing so. That being said, I'd like to be candid with all of you, my dear readers, and admit that I filter my writing through the same grid that I filter my life...my faith in Christ and His Holy Word.  While I welcome ANY homeschooler to join me in this on-line journey, I recognize that not all of my readers share my same beliefs.  I never mean to offend, however, I don't apologize for speaking The Truth as I know it to be according to the Bible.