The Back to Homeschool Woman's Daybook

I looked back on my blog to see when the last Simple Woman's Daybook got posted and was astonished to find that it was in MARCH of this year. Where has this year gone? I feel like I'm on Magic Mountain at Disney World, rocketing through the dark towards an unknown future. So many colors and tunnels ahead - but I know the Lord has me firmly secured on His track.

So today, I'm in that 'random thought' mode and a Simple Woman's Daybook sounded divine. Hope you don't mind me letting the brain dribble a bit...

The view from where I sit ... a very clean desk, portfolio binders lined up against the school room wall waiting to be put away after our two-day project last week where we hole punched and put away over a year's worth of school papers, the last sip of Gold Peak tea at the bottom of my Mason Jar, my open prayer journal with today's list of 'I hope to get done's, my new IKEA vase and red fake Gerber Daisy that I got this weekend for less than 3$, and a package of Italian software that needs to go to the post office today when we run our errands.

Outside My Window... Rooftops of suburbia. The window by my desk doesn't have the nicest view. It looks like a partly cloudy day out there - plenty of sunshine and probably very, very hot. It is Texas, after all. I CAN'T WAIT FOR WINTER.

I am thinking... of where we need to go today, what we need to do today, when I can find time to study more in my photography textbooks, and about friends who have lost loved ones or are going through hard times... my mind is always moving - even when I'm still.

I am thankful for... big kids who have the potential to shine today (praying the tween attitudes don't interfere with my hopes and plans for them), my washing machine and dryer, hopes that we can raise the money to attend Relevant on time - we are all so excited to have a family 'field trip' in the near future, God's amazing provision and the opportunities he has placed before me lately

We are learning... on Monday....
Mama is learning more about photography.

The kids are learning...
BIBLE/DEVO: starting Screwtape Letters (a little late, sorry, Alli!) and picking up reading through the Bible
MATH, GRAMMAR, SCIENCE, HEALTH: picking up where we left off a few weeks back
READING/HISTORY: Egyptian books... Mara, Daughter of the Nile is what we are currently in the middle of, next up is - The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green, and then Shadow Hawk by Andre Norton.
LIFESKILLS: making our weekly menu and grocery list today, taking care of baby as always, pulling weeds in the garden once the sun sets (too hot outside now)
Some of our curriculum is in the mail still... so excited to start using Institute for Excellence in Writing's Student Writing Intensive. We're going to focus on writing more this year than ever before.

From the kitchen... We're probably going to eat lunch out today. I sense some fast food grease coming on. We have no groceries to speak of, unfortunately - and payday is still a week away. Here's hoping that the mail brings us a happy financial surprise today (forget the hope, let's make that a prayer - Amen).

I am wearing... my pajamas! However, I'm about to get up and go shower and get dressed before we go.

I am creating... order. I'm so happy that our piles of paperwork are finally gone, the kids' rooms are nearly cleaned out, and my desk is clean. I'm thrilled to use our new clear workboxes this year for school.

I am going... I found a wonderful place on Sunday to take my client for portraits this weekend. I'm planning to go there this week in the evening so I can get some test shots taken in the evening light and check my camera settings for the different spots I'll be working in.

I am reading... the Bible, Life Management for Busy Women - Elizabeth George, White Picket Fences - Susan Meissner (fiction!), and of course - all the books the kids are reading (listed above)

I am hoping... for another $1620 in sponsorship donations to come in by October 15th. Of course, we're putting our own money in to this pot, too. This past week I added my website ad money to the pot and raised it a bit. Every dollar counts. The kids are talking about selling lolly pops and drinks to raise extra funds.

I am hearing... Blues Clues

Around the house... things are slowly getting organized, but progress is certainly visible (that's a good thing)

One of my favorite things... my new prayer journal from Target (has an owl on it and uses recycled speckled paper with a date heading at the top where I can simply circle the month and day)... it makes me want to 'write pretty'

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Here's my list:
update my 'brain' binder and calendar, print new monthly inserts, clean out old stuff, update appointments
pick up the house, finish the kids closets and rooms final touches, get laundry done
put the portfolio binders away, finish filing the last school paper pile (my "to-do someday papers")
pair up the last 2 swappers for the Homeschool Post
send out PR kits to Hannah's vendor list she sent me for the Homeschool Blog Awards (to gather prizes)
make weekly menu, create grocery list, cook at home, dishes, clean out refrigerator drawers with wet rag
check the mail, take things to the post office
school supply closet organized
school planning and workbox schedule printed
blogging, facebook, twitter and insane amounts of email as able
read, study, plan and learn for weekend's photo shoot, take test shots on location, get print samples
consolidate sticky notes and to-do lists, retype school to-do list and print for binder
order trip brochures, make reservations for field trip tours, touch base with GM
doctor appointment for the pea in my pod - tomorrow

Here's a picture thought that I am sharing:



They are growing up.

Winners, Hiding, and a New Job

This is my ostrich baby. He's shy.

{When he wants to be.}

He's hiding his face in-between his grandma's legs.

What you don't see is that his great uncle is on the couch behind him. He thinks Uncle Joe can't get him or see him if he turns away and hides. So silly.

Note that he has his sister's pink cell phone in his hands. He loves electronics. You best not hand him yours, though - because he'll fight you for it when you try to get it away from him. No joke. His motto is: 'Hand over the cell phone and nobody gets hurt.'

I've been a little like him lately - hiding from my blog. Not because I'm shy - just busy.

Today I scouted out locations for my FIRST portrait client and took some test shots of the kids. It felt good to have my real camera in my hands after a week or two of decluttering projects and insane amounts of email torture. And I watched a few hours worth of Jasmine Star's live photography class on her wedding that she shot yesterday. And we ate greasy fried chicken for lunch with grandma - but that has nothing to do with photography.... or this post.

Then, in my zeal, I came home and bought my photography business domain on Godaddy. Can't tell you until I get my website up (whenever that may be) what the name is.

Wish I could press a button and instantly have a website up. Oh, well - "anything worth having is worth waiting for" right?

That's what I keep telling myself about the Canon 5D MarkII. And the 35mm 1.4 lens. Someday when I'm rich and famous. Heavy on the rich part.

So you really came for the winner announcements, right? Here they are:

THE WINNER OF THE 50$ LISA LEONARD JEWELRY GIFT CERTIFICATE IS:



THE WINNER OF THE 200$+ TELL ME MORE ITALIAN SOFTWARE SET IS:



Email me to collect your prizes!

Have a super Sunday!

G is for Goofy Girl

I feel sorry for her brother sometimes. However, he doesn't seem to mind her (when they are getting along, that is). She gets it honest! Her mother is a pretty goofy gal, too. It's nice to have someone giggling all the time around here... when the baby isn't napping, of course.

You can't tell right now, but she's 2 years younger than him. She's so happy to be taller than her brother. That will change soon, though. I think my 13 year old is about to hit his growth spurt and leave silly sis in the dust. He sure is hungry all the time!



Pop over (click the button) and see the rest of the top 5 photos for this week at the Homeschool Post! This is the first week of round 3! Don't miss out on our next prize! Get your photos uploaded on the A B See flickr group to be counted!

Tell Me More Italian - Homeschool Premium Version... Giveaway!

I'm so full of wonderful gifts this week. {Mainly because I don't have time to post anything with substance of my own.}

Today is Italian day! 

Put down your copy of "Eat, Pray, Love" and get your comment fingers ready to peck out an entry to win this wonderful software package for your homeschool kid/s!

Here's the fine print in not-so-fine print:

1) This product was given to me to review.
2) I never did the review because we decided to learn Spanish instead. We live in Texas, so I figured Spanish would be more practical (and I might learn how to communicate with my maid's sister).
3) Lest you think I'm rich, my maid comes once a month if I'm REAL lucky and can give up something else - like groceries or gas - because I'm in such a desperate state of needing help around here. Yay for run-on sentences.
4) This product has been opened ONCE, but never used (so the seal is broken on top of the box).
5) You will need a headset to use this product on your PC. I have no idea what happened to the one that came with the box. Sorry! You can find them cheap at Office Depot or Walmart.
6) This product has 4 CD Roms and covers Complete beginner, intermediate and advanced Italian.
7) I'll be shipping this to you from my very own little CASA. See? I do know a few Spanish words... even without software help.
8) This give-away is not sponsored by Tell Me More, and I didn't get compensated for it.

Here's how you can enter (each counts as 1 entry):

1) Follow me on twitter: @sprittibee (you must tell me what your twitter handle is or leave url)
2) Put your mugshot in my Google Friend Box in the sidebar.
3) Sub to my blog in Google Feed Reader or by Email.
4) Tell me where you would go on vacation if money was no option.
5) Tweet about this contest:

@sprittibee is giving away a FREE copy of Tell me More's Premium #Homeschool Italian Software (beginner 2 advanced)! : http://bit.ly/c9L2Z7

(you can tweet once a day for an extra entry and each entry must be in a separate comment with a url)

Contest ends Saturday at NOON. That's August 28th, folks... so hurry!

This is a great program and worth quite a bit of money, I hear. Check out their website if you don't believe me! Looks like they have a new cover design since this version came out.

Winner will be chosen by Random.org and prize will be shipped, so you must give me a valid shipping address to receive the prize.

May the most in need of some culture win!

Treating Mom to Something Special...Lisa Leonard Jewelry Give-Away!

"  Whoooo do you love?" 

That was what Lisa's website asked me. You know, Lisa LEONARD! Maker of fabulous and unique jewelry? Yes, THAT Lisa.

I couldn't help but swoon over this shimmering owly pendant on her site. I am an owl FREAK. I contacted the amazing Mizz Lisa and told her I would LOVE to do a review and give-away for her. I told her that someone who reads my blog was DYING to be blessed by winning her scrumptious silver jewelry. She is just SOoooo talented.

But you know that already.



I bet you didn't know that everyone at Blissdom was jealous of her gorgeous hair, though. Seriously. She's too cute for words.

And she's so creative! {Her blog is as whimsical and fun as she is - and I adore her photography skills. Check it out.} If she goes to Relevant, I'm going to give her a huge hug.

I feel so very honored that she sent me a lovely, personalized owly necklace of my very own (being sure to leave room for an extra name - for the little one that will arrive in February)... and I've been wearing it everywhere. Unfortunately, wearing it and getting a photo of it are two completely different things... and with my current state of "back to school" decluttering chaos, they aren't likely to merge any time real soon.

My book cases look great, though. My daughter's closet is spotless and neat. {So is the hall closet.} I have whittled the piles down to a manageable beast... but my camera and blog have been silently collecting dust.

I'm sure you noticed the chirping crickets in here.

But that's going to change soon. We're about to start reaping the rewards of getting organized, cleaning up, getting rid of clutter, and buying shiny, new plastic 'workbox' drawers for our school work. The camera is about to come out of the closet and go on it's VERY FIRST paid portrait session (with me behind it - imagine that). To top it all off, mama's going to atomize the last of the piles on her desk tomorrow. Tomorrow is PORTFOLIO day. Yay! Out with the old (in to three ring binders) and in with the new!

You would think I finished school last year. You would think we were starting up like everyone else. Maybe starting "back in earnest" would be a better term for what we're doing. Us mandatory year-rounders (due to high-maintenance 1 year old monsters and pregnancy drag) need to break and recharge every now and then. I guess what you could call our last few weeks off is a "break". So technically, we really are starting back up.



I'll be wearing my "Who do you love" necklace on the first day of school. How about you? You know you wanna! I might even stop and take a few pictures... and try to find time to blog them. Then you can see MY very own hoot and moon charms - and my big goofy grin because I love them so much. And because I'm just goofy anyway. But that's another story.

Or maybe you have something else in Lisa's shop that makes you wiggle at the edge of your seat?



HERE'S HOW YOU CAN WIN SOMETHING SHINY:

1) MANDATORY: Visit Lisa's shop. Tell me what you LOVE.

*Update: Sorry I didn't include this earlier - Contest Ends Friday at NOON. No comments will be accepted after that time. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and your address for shipping will be required, along with the item you want from her store (up to $50 - you may pay any overage if you find something you like that is worth more/no shipping fees) and any engraving instructions you have. I'll forward that on to Lisa and she'll be in touch with the winner.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

2) Follow Lisa on twitter... and Follow me on twitter.

3) Subscribe to Lisa's blog... and subscribe to mine (use the button up top!). {You need a big subscribe to my feed button, Lisa! And full feed, not truncated. I'll hit you up about that later.}

4) Leave your gorgeous mug in my Friend Feed box.

5) If you already own a Lisa piece, tell us which one you have and what she engraved on it for you. If you don't, "put your leg in and shake it all around... do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around"... then tell us what you would engrave on your NEW item if you win!

6) Tweet (you can get an extra entry for this once a day) ... "Treat yourself 2 something special! @lisaleonard jewelry! Come enter Sprittibee's give-away: http://bit.ly/bs7LfV ~ ends this Friday!" 
...or come up with your own unique wording - but be sure to link to this post and use either @sprittibee or @lisaleonard (or both) in your message!
 

The end. Sorry this post is a little late. I fell asleep when I put the baby down to bed. That's how you know you are pregnant, tired, and old. Well, that and having your leg fall asleep when you are sitting on the toilet reading a magazine hiding from the kids.

Did I say that?

Fourth and Fifth Grade Homeschool Curriculum

I keep records of the curriculum books/resources we use for each year that we homeschool and add the records to an ever-growing Homeschool Series post. Although my style has been eclectic, my purpose is very solid - to train up my children in the Lord. You'll find a lot of things on my list of curriculum that can be used by homeschoolers in various different methods of teaching. My advice to you is not to go off of someone else's 'list of favorites', but to get out and GO to the book fairs and SEE for YOURSELF. TRY IT and see if it works AT HOME - with YOUR children.

We have always homeschooled on a tight budget and have used the library and field trips with our unit studies as a main source of curriculum. I'm not big on a heavy amount of packaged curriculum, but as you can see - we do use some A Beka and have had success with it. Even with the packaged stuff, there is often a lot of good if you pick and choose what works for you and don't load yourself down with "busy work" or "twaddle" that will kill the love-of-learning your children need to succeed. I truly believe that: You can homeschool successfully with ANY curriculum using ANY method. So be yourself!

Most homeschool kids have a lot of opportunity to do extra curricular things outside of regular academics. My list of those type things has been on the slim side since the economy has taken a down turn. While that might make me sad, I don't think my children are deprived if they miss out on ballet and karate lessons. They can still become great people if they never learn to play a violin. Sometimes you have to make budget cuts - even public schools do this. When you don't have enough money to afford piano lessons, you wait until you can afford them and pick them up again. I would also suggest doing research online for free lessons or getting your own co-op group together and having a talented mom teach a class for much less than a paid teacher would charge. Whatever works!

Below is a list of things we used for the 2007-8 School Year. If you have children who are younger than 4th or 5th Grade, check out my previous years that are listed on the Homeschool Series Post.

If you have any questions; please by all means, leave them in the comments section. I will get to them as I can (if you log in and leave an email address when you comment, I can email you back as well).

MAIN CURRICULUM for 3rd & 4th Grade
Library Books (free - aside from the late fees)
Internet for research
Field Trips
KONOS Unit Studies - Search Amazon.com for konos curriculum
BIBLE/CHARACTER
The Bible
Prayer Journals
Jesus Freaks Volume 2 - DC Talk (devotional)
Clubs: Contenders of the Faith/Keepers of the Home
Secrets of the Vine for Kids (Devotional)
I Can Study 1 Samuel Alone With God (Study)
Lifestlye Priorities, Living with Purpose in a Fast-Paced World - John White (devo)





PHONICS/LANGUAGE/HANDWRITING/SPELLING
Scott Foresman Online Free Grammar & Writing Worksheets
Crosswords (free online) for vocabulary
Journals
Pen Pals
A Beka Penmanship Grades 4 & 5 - Search Amazon.com for a beka curriculum
MATH
A Beka Math Grades 4 & 5

EXTRA HISTORY/SCIENCE/GEOGRAPHY MATERIALS (not required by KONOS)
A Beka American History
A Beka Science book
Visualize World Geography - Visualize World Geography in 7 Minutes a Day: Let Pictography Take You from Clueless to Knowing the World
COMPUTER/ART/FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Free Travel Italian through Library (Rosetta Stone)
GeeArt Online (this program is now called Creativity Express!)
Art Class given by retired public school life-time art teacher (mom of one of our co-op members)
Art Express Textbooks by Harcourt & Brace (K-5)
Piano Lessons by Chickie (the kids' grandma happens to be a piano teacher - I lucked out)
Mavis Beacon Typing Software
















Up next in the series will be:
Post #3 - 4th and 5th Grade Field Trips
Post #4 - 4th and 5th Grade Learning Enrichment Ideas
Post #5 - Favorite Memories from 4th and 5th Grade

You know not to hold your breath on the series getting finished, fast, right? But I promise, I'm workin' on it!

Have a super Thursday!




Quick Links:
3/4 Homeschool Curriculum
2/3 Homeschool Curriculum
1/2 Homeschool Curriculum
K/1 Homeschool Curriculum
PK/K Homeschool Curriculum
Sprittibee's Homeschool Series

*If you are having trouble seeing this post in a reader, click over to see it on the blog!

Subscribe to Sprittibee by Email

The Relevant 2010 Family Field Trip of the Year

*post updated on 9/2/10...


Well, it's two months less than 7 weeks from the Relevant 2010 Conference in Pennsylvania and my time is running short to save the funds so that our family can go. I thought I would give you a little update on the saga - because I have trimmed and trimmed away on my budget and I think I've got it as low as I can go.

Thankfully, a full $1200-1500 dollars was cut when GM Texas offered to give us a FREE Chevy lease for the trip! We also found out that a good blog friend (who also is an author over at the Homeschool Post) actually lives 25 minutes from the conference hotel! That will save us an additional $300 or so in hotel fees if we stay in her house (even though she keeps telling me it is really tiny). Sleeping bags are worth saving $300 and getting to travel to PA and stop over in DC with the family. Right, Beth?




So.... Here are the nitty gritty trip details:

*FIVE people - (husband, pregnant mama, tweeny boy and girl, crazy Viking toddler)

*10 days

*Driving from Austin to Harrisburg, PA by way of DC and back again (26 hours one way/1645 miles - so we are stopping over here and there on the way up and back at hotels and maybe at a friend's house?)

*Thankfully, I already have a Relevant ticket. Some of you had asked, so I just wanted to make it clear that all I'm saving for is gas/food/hotel at this point. The ticket and business cards are already bought and the lease vehicle is free! THANK YOU GM/CHEVY!

*We'll be traveling through Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and a plethora of small cities in VA on the way to DC. Somewhere near the George Washington National Forest I'll be spending the night before we get to DC. Hopefully I can find some good hotel rates along the way because our hotel budget is very slim.

*We're hoping to spend a bit touring DC and maybe even a night there with friends or at a hotel so we have enough time to show the kids around. This part of the trip we have not gotten planned because we have never been there and don't really know anyone well that lives in the area. I'm assuming we'll be in a hotel two nights near there (one the day we arrive, one the day we sight-see). I have heard that you need at least 3 days to tour DC, but we'll be spending one full day and a tiny bit of the first night and the departing morning. I guess that makes 2 full days? I have no idea how to cram DC in to that space of time, but I'm hoping you have some suggestions on what is the most important to see and do - and tips to make it smooth and easy! Keep them coming, please!

*The conference starts Thursday and ends Saturday, and thankfully, my friend Beth will be going with me (leaving the men and children to goof off at her house and sight-see around her town).

Here's the Money Breakdown:
Gasoline: 1,200 (using AAA gas trip calculator for a Chevy Suburban - not sure if that's what I'll be in yet)
Hotel: 500 (some nights we are staying with friends along the way)
Food: 550 (for 10 days, includes 180 for groceries and eating out some meals, my meals at conf. covered)

DC Sight-Seeing: 150 (misc. and transportation fees, I hear most of the museums are free)

So... do you think it is impossible to raise $2050 dollars in the next 60 days? Every tiny penny counts. Seems pretty difficult, but I'm trusting that God will pull us through. I can't wait to see how He will work it out.




UPDATE: As of 9/2/10, we are only needing 1155$. We've added another two sponsors - soon to appear on my sidebar and at the bottom of this post, and I've added all the ad money I've made from my blogging and whatever extra we've had come in from affiliate sales (not much, but every penny counts). A few generous friends have made donations to the pot, too (THANKS!). I keep a ticker on my sidebar all the time updating the fund-raising we have done and have left to do - so if you aren't checking back here, you can see it easily up on my sidebar under my box ads. I'll make another updated Relevant Post in mid-September to update our status even further.

Thank you to my Sponsors for Relevant:

@ GMTexas

Indiana Wesleyan University

Illusionism.TV

MyFavoritePal.com

Amy Loves It!

Math-U-See

Moneysavingmom.com

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

A Woman Inspired Conference

Pix-O-Sphere - The Family Friendly Photo Community

The HomeSpun Life

The Cutest Chaos

My Home Sweet Home

Interested in helping me get to DC and Hershey? Want to 'sponsor' a cup of Starbucks or a few of the 3,290 miles on our long journey? You can click my donate button on the sidebar and drop some coins in the tip can... 

Are you a sponsor that is looking for a blogger to partner with to get your business more press on the web? You can email me and request a sponsorship kit so I can share with you the packages I have set aside for those who wish to advertise here on my blog to promote their products and websites.

My Previous Relevant Posts:
Really Expensive Rambling Road to Relevant
Some Crazy Good Things (about Chevy's offer to lease us the vehicle)

Swappishness

Swap gifts are a fun. I love openining my swap package almost as much as I like packing the one I give away.

This month, I swapped with sweet Miss Anna. She's an author at the Post and we found out through swapping that we have a whole lot in common! Seems like everyone I know ends up living in Georgia, though... so I guess we'll have to stay "invisible friends" for now.

Check out what she gave me:

Yummy, soft home-made bees wax lip gloss (my daughter and I fight over it)
Apple Cinnamon cookies
Raspberry Tea mix
Hip black, white and pink desktop notepad

Are you signing up for the next swap today? The swap is now open at the Homeschool Post! It runs for 2 months so that everyone has time to get their gifts out in this busy world we live in. We understand that a homeschool mom is one of the busiest people on the planet!

I hope you'll consider joining us for the August/September swap! It is so much better than getting bills in the mail!

Love in Him,

F is for Fried Rice

This photo originally debuted on my flickr site and over at my food blog. However, it is one of our family's favorite dishes. I make fried rice at least once every two or three weeks on average. I haven't made it in a while due to the pregnancy nausea. Sounds pretty good to me right now, though.

Last night we had Italian Tuna with Pasta (sounds strange, but it is probably in my top 3 favorite dishes ever).

That's pretty much all I have been doing this past week... cooking (because we have had no money to eat out) and cleaning (still emptying, sorting, organizing and purging closets, book cases, desks, and rooms). I'm happy to report that my dear daughter's room is almost complete. Just waiting on the funds to purchase some white spray paint for her book case and the hardware to hang her extra closet rack. We are all loving the way it has turned out - especially the baby (who shares the room with her and has been banned from it because of the mess for months). He loves the trees and owls in the "green room". It's his favorite place in the house.




Sorry for leaving you hanging in here! You can always check up with me on Twitter when I'm away... the sidebar will have my last few tweets so you'll know I'm still alive. Stop over at the Homeschool Post today and see me there, too - I'm picking the top five photos of the week from our alphabetical photo meme!

Taming the Chaos

If I had a photo for this post, it would look something like a building in a war zone - riddled with bomb holes, piles of bricks and construction dust... everything out of place. That's sort of what my house looks like right now.

I got the urge to declutter. Usually the 'de' part of declutter takes some getting to. Time, elbow grease, trash bags, and a whole lot of patience.

But get there, we must.

To have a good school year, you must start with an orderly home... a functional space to work, a plan on how things will be carried out... and everything in it's place.

That sounds almost surreal in my current state of chaos... but I am no quitter. I'm going to keep tackling these piles and pray that we'll get there soon. Because nap time is coming up for the baby... and mama is pregnant - and exhausted...

...and did I mention that the house was a disaster area?

Hopefully you are cheering me on. Or better yet - praying for my success.

See you tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have progress to report.

H is for Heather... and blogHop!

Hi, my name is Heather and I have a blog conference addiction. I also have a blog addiction. And a photography addiction. And a baby addiction. I'm pretty OCD all around, actually...



This post is serving two purposes... one is the Letter H for the A B See Photomeme over at the Homeschool Post; and the other is ... well.... read along...


I thought for sure after Blissdom that I'd be OK when BlogHer came and went. I figured that two blog conferences for the year was enough. I really wanted to go to Relevant in October of 2010 - in PA... and BlogHer was in New York (another impossible travel spot that would require much more resources and begging for sponsors). I knew I had to pick one or the other. However... as soon as all my imaginary friends started tweeting that they were at the boarding gates and heading to the Big Apple, my heart sank.




That's when sweet Robin (on the right below) reminded me about her BlogHop '10. Just in time for BlogHer10. So at least I can hang with my homies virtually... which is mostly all I can ever do. Sadly.



I've had the privilege of meeting miss Robin twice (and sweet Mrs. Amber, too - isn't she lovely? She's on the left. That would be MY right.). Hopefully I'll have many more opportunities in the future - to hang with both of them... and all of my other wonderful imaginary friends!

As long as my blogging heart continues to spill out in digital form... I'll be hoping to attend at least two conferences each year. Wish I could do them all. Funds and family just won't permit any more of a commitment than that. Last year I did Type-A Mom. This year I did Blissdom and Lord willing, I'll be at Relevant (in my shiny Chevy - riding 5 deep).

I'm the queen of long road trips. Bring on the travel money, baby - this Texan 'ain't skeered... and neither is her posse:



So welcome to my little corner of the BlogHop 2010 party! It sure beats crying in your bag of Cheetos about why you can't be at BlogHer, right?

Here's a brief intro about what this blog is about:

I'm a homeschool mom in her late 30's - raising a set of tweens, a 1 year old, and a soon-to-be tiny infant (pregnant again, and yes, I know what causes that).

I live in Texas.

I steal french fries.

I cook gourmet meals (when I feel like it).

I take peekshurs.

I love my iPhone.

I have been blogging (and trapping Google searchers) since 2005 and am pretty much the last ancient dinosaur blog that hasn't migrated to Word Press where all the cool people are.

I curate for Blissreads and run another site called the Homeschool Post (that has 20 awesome authors).

I blog about everything under the sun. From a homeschool mom's perspective, of course. Which is a very eclectic viewpoint; almost as eclectic as my curriculum. But not quite.

I don't use proper grammar. Unless I'm taking a test.

You can find out more about me at these links:
About Me
Faith
Homeschool Journey in a Nutshell

So how about you? Where did you surf in from? What's your blog link? How long have you been blogging? Have you been to any blog conferences yet?

I can't wait to meet you all!

BlogHop on!!!