The Quick-Start Guide to Clearing Out Unwanted Curriculum

Written by Jessica.

The end of this school year is in sight, but I’m already starting to think about what materials I’ll need for next school year. This is an ideal time to go through books, curricula, and other learning materials to clear out what is no longer needed. If you are willing to do some work, this time of year presents an opportunity to sell or donate any items that you don’t plan to use again.

5 Reasons I Go to a Homeschool Convention Every Year {and why you should too!}

My oldest child was two-years-old the first time I set foot into a homeschool convention. Yes, you read that right. I had a two-year-old. Just writing that makes me blush. To say that I was eager to launch is obviously a gross understatement.

In my defense, I tend to be a proactive parent--one who looks ahead and builds for the years I can not see--as opposed to a reactive one.

I wanted to learn all I could about homeschooling during those early years, so that I didn't get drowned by a firehose of information later on.

Big Fat List of Online & Digital Curriculum

Last month, my husband and I welcomed some friends for the weekend. They are a family of seven who had traveled over 8,000 miles to visit us and others for the next few months while here in the states. Up until their arrival, we'd never actually met them before in real life. We'd only ever connected with them online

They are missionaries in a "closed" country spreading the gospel to those who have never heard. A year or so ago, my family (along with one other family from our church) began sending them emails, small gifts, financial support, and prayer.

How to Buy and Sell Used Curriculum

Written by Tammy Sorenson

What does a homeschool Mom love more than the smell of coffee, clean laundry, and clean children? I would venture to say it might be the smell of books and curriculum at discounted prices.

Many homeschool groups get together throughout the year to have used curriculum sales. These swap-and-shop gatherings are a great way to add books and curriculum to your homeschool without having to spend a ton of money, which makes most homeschool moms do a little happy dance.

3 Hospitality Hacks for a Life-Giving Home

7 women and 12 tween and teen girls joined my daughter and I for a mother/daughter tea party a few weeks ago. I pushed aside furniture, wrote out some name tags, and somehow crowbared them all into my teeny-tiny dining room. We played parlor games, ate food, laughed hard, and learned about being ladies who take the Truth of God's Word with us wherever we go. 

In one quiet moment, one of the moms causally tossed out the question that was perhaps on everyone's mind, "Why did you do all this? What made you want to host a night like tonight?"

And my answer?

Well, it was quite simple. "Investment."

Homeschool Shopping Show-n-Tell 2016

This past weekend was filled with two of my most favorite things...conversations about homeschooling and books...lots and lots of books. I had the privilege of speaking and shopping at the annual Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators Conference. 

FREE Museum Tickets for all: National Museum Day

It's time once again for the Smithsonian's annual museum day. On Saturday, September 26th, participating museums all across the country will be offering free general admission to anyone who has printed off a Museum Day pass from Smithsonian.com. Head on over to snag your two FREE tickets. To find out which museums in your area qualify for this annual celebration, just enter your state or zip code onto the Search for a Museum page. From there, you'll be directed to the participating museums in or around your community. 

**PLEASE NOTE** Each group is limited to TWO FREE tickets.  All FREE tickets MUST be printed in advance from Smithsonian.com and presented at the museum's ticket counter.

Looking for more field trip ideas on a shoe string budget? Be sure to check out my list of field trips for FREE or Cheap and download a free copy of my field trip log printable.

Top Tips for Whole Foods Living for the Large Family

This is the story of my food evolution...my motion from fast and easy to slow and nutritious. To tell you the truth, it's been a gradual progression. But, a steady one. 

At one time, in the not-so-distant past, I was an extreme couponer. You know the type...the kind that would hoard an obscene number of barbecue sauce bottles in her basement like an apocalyptic prepper...the kind that would buy not one, but twelve subscriptions to the newspaper in hopes of clippin' twelve times the amount of savings...the kind that could walk out of the grocery store with a receipt total in the negative numbers. 

Yep. I was THAT girl.

50 Easy Ways to Sneak in Learning

Homeschooling isn't just an educational choice. In our home, it is a family culture. Even when the books are stashed away and the hands on the clock read "school's out," learning is still happening. Over the years, I've peppered our home with strategically placed items designed to foster curiosity, imagination, and learning around the clock.