Baby Snatcher

She calls him her baby. Big sister is now 'little mama' [insert your best Elvis accent here]. She's a baby snatcher. Stealing all of my hugs and kisses. Breakin' my heart.



But I have news for her. They are BOTH my babies... and while I do get a bit busy at moments, I'm still the real mama.

Paws off my sugarbear. Thankyouverymuch.



Join I Heart Faces for the rest of the lovely photos this week... it's people's choice week!

Under Construction?

I seem to have had a graphics hosting meltdown.

Pardon me while I do some minor construction to the site. I promise that I'll have it back up and looking pretty as soon as I can.



I might even use this little mishap to end the procrastination over moving to Word Press.

It has been about a year since I started trying...

Snips of Our Week

What happens in the quiet moments at our little Bee Hive between posts? Tell me what a quiet moment is and I'll let you know!

It is never quiet around here!

The Did-This-Week List:

1. 14 year old got braces and has already had a trip back in to have wires clipped, glue sanded off, and brackets popped back in to place. There has been much ingestion of pain medicine and eating of soft foods. OH, don't feel sorry for him. He's milking it - in the form of ice cream and Atkins chocolate shakes (which are usually off limits except for a rare occassion).



2. The 12 year old has been drawing like a mad woman because we have had so much going on that schoolishness is on the back burner. Life and Art. Art and Life. Everything is learning.

3. We're reading Gods, Graves, & Scholars: The Story of Archaeology by C.W. Ceram - and hoping that we can finish it this weekend.



4. I am hearting Instagram - as always. #swoon ... Love this web page where you can actually comment and check out Instagram on your PC. Oh, and love seeing my pics in slo-mo over at the #incourage search: http://searchinstagram.com/#incourage



5. I have hardly slept over the past week for all the emailing and spreadsheeting and behind-the-scene-ing work we've been doing over at the Homeschool Post. Click that button and go see our prize pages - we have some great loot lined up for our 20 winners this year!

6. Katie Haggard won the Dolphin Tales movie star phone call! Excited for her and her sweet kiddos! Katie and I get to hang out next month in Austin! #woot

7. The book cases are nearly finished! Yay!



8. The 10 year old Kitchen Aid Mixer I got from my friend Ronna is to blame for the stalling of our diet plan. Seems baking is a breeze with this much technology on the counter and my husband and daughter have made home made cookies every other day for nearly two weeks. This proves the theory that God only gives you what you need WHEN you need it (because I've been hoping to get a Kitchen Aid Mixer for 10 years - and just look how fat I would have been if this thing were on my counter that long).

What about you? What have you been up to?

Dolphin Tales Homeschool Day Sept 23 - and Win a Live Phone Conversation with a Homeschool Movie Star

Have you seen the trailer for Dolphin Tales yet? Sally Clarkson's son is working with the Homeschool Movie Club team as a marketing consultant. His aim is to take light in to a dark industry - and his mama is so proud of him. She is helping him spread the word to homeschoolers about Dolphin Tales. Here's what Sally had to say about the movie and her son's job:

"Nathan's responsibility is to try to get 150,000 homeschoolers to the opening of Dolphin Tale, a movie coming out September 23. If this many attend the opening across the country, then Warner Brothers has promised to invest its money in producing more g-rated, family conservative films. Through this project, the executives were given a presentation of the gospel to help them understand the "mind-set" of Christians across the nation.

Nathan and his team prayed about a plan to reach families and help mobilize them as a group so that there would be a conservative voice in hollywood... and God gave them the idea to mobilize the homeschool community. The idea behind this is that homosexuals are just 3% of the population in the United States, and yet they banded together and put such an influential force into Hollywood, that they have homosexuals in every area of influence of the media productions in Hollywood.

Nathan's team discovered that Homeschoolers also make up 3%. They thought, "If we can get homeschoolers out to a movie, to show that they are a market to contend with, maybe Warner Brothers will pay attention and allow us to be a formidable, strong group that could influence the content of what is produced in Hollywood. Warner Brothers agreed to put money behind this idea and came up with this movie - Dolphin Tale - to see if there is really an active market amongst families in America.

...The Film Dolphin Tale is a heartwarming, true story based on a book. The producer actually went to a homeschool support group in California to find the actors. Homeschooling is presented in a very positive light in the movie.

A Homeschool Curriculum has been produced by Apologia to go along with this movie. It has been viewed and endorsed by many homeschoolers."

Do you know about the upcoming Homeschool Day for the movie?



We reviewed the movie at the Homeschool Post and I am so excited to see it. I'm hoping that I can get a ticket before they sell out in my area. Either way, I'm thrilled to help support a family friendly movie with such a positive message. Dolphins are amazing - and have such a strong connection with humans. The story behind this movie is truly inspirational. {I love Sally Clarkson, too. Just so you know. And no, she's not compensating me to say so - or to post about Dolphin Tales!}

What's really cool about this movie is that the main characters are homeschool kids!

How would you like to talk to one of the movie stars yourself? Have these kids talk to your homeschool kids? If you want to "Meet" the movie stars behind this flick for yourself via a phone call this Friday - enter a comment here and leave a couple of questions that you would ask them if you had their "ear".

**You can get one extra entry for tweeting or facebooking this contest with the link to this post.**

Leave a separate comment per each entry. Three entries per person total, please. Winner picked Thursday evening by Random.org and notified via email. If you do not respond in a timely manner the next person will be notified as per Random.org. Your phone call will be (on or around - apparently movie stars are busy people...) THIS FRIDAY, September 23rd!

In the mean time - check out these quick You Tube flicks and click the Homeschool Day button to visit their Facebook site and "friend" or "fan" them... and be sure to get your ticket to see the movie on this Friday - September 23rd so we can send a homeschool-style message to Hollywood! We're used to paying out of pocket for higher morals and better quality in education... let's show them that it carries over to the entertainment industry as well!

Apologia Live Retreat ... and Winner!

Apologia's Live Division invited a few Texas homeschool bloggers to join them for tea, lunch, and chocolate cake this July. They also invited leaders of local co-op groups. They were hoping we could help them get the word out that they were wanting to encourage homeschool moms through their Apologia Live Retreats... and this year they had Austin on their agenda. {insert wild cheering here - it's so nice to not have to worry about getting a sponsor to attend a conference!}



You know... I live in Austin. And I love it when you put the words homeschool, retreat, moms, conference, and Austin all in one sentence. They sound really nice together. Just sayin'.

I had never met ANY of these great ladies before. In fact, I haven't ever used Apologia curriculum, either. So it was great to listen to them speak, get to know them better, and learn about their ministry: to encourage homeschooling mothers. I love finding other women who have a common savior, a common purpose, a common desire. It isn't an easy job to homeschool your kids, y'all. {Just in case you don't already know that.} We homeschool mothers need a lot of support. I love it that Apologia Live gets that - and aims to fill a gap that is deep and wide in this area. Not to say they are the only ones doing it. Of course. But - more power to them for being willing to SERVE in this much needed arena.



After our lunch, I was able to meet up with these other great Texas homeschooling mamas:

Katie Haggard of Boasting in My Weakness, Amber Oliver of A Classic Housewife (who I already knew, since she stopped in at my house once), and this other gorgeous Texas blogger who's name and blog escape me. However, my baby fell in love with her, so I'm sure I'll be getting to know her much better in October.


I got to have dinner with Katie and Amber on their way back home from Austin as a perk. Too bad they don't live in Austin. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only homeschool blogger around. It gets kind of lonely out here with the tumbleweed and longhorns...



And then there's this nice group shot (sans the fat lady on the right). This photo (and the others which are non-blog-material photos) made me want to start my new diet. I've lost 7lbs since this photo... and hopefully I will be able to kick my chocolate habit and get the last 15 lbs off before the end of October. Good luck, right? I have one month left until the Apologia gals are back in Austin at the Crowne Plaza Austin on October 21-22, 2011 - for the Live Retreat. {SO. Excited.} That almost made me want to get on the Wii tonight. Almost.

The real culprit for all my weight woes is this little guy:



And he's also the one of the big kinks in my homeschooling plans. But he's worth every pound and every distraction. And he makes a really nice conference partner... most of the time.

After I shared about the retreats and showcased Rachael Carman's Meet-and-Greet on my blog in August, I picked a random winner for the 2 copies of her book and the conference ticket they gave me to pass on.

Here below are the winners of the loot:

Jennifer of The Kindle Crew won the $119 Retreat Ticket! #woot {I hope you'll be at the Austin event!}

Mandy at Biblical Homemaking and Karen of Simply Living... For Him each won a copy of Rachael Carman's "How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids".

Thanks so much for entering and for hanging out in my teacher lounge here at Sprittibee. I need all the homeschool mom friends I can get. If you'll be attending the Austin Apologia Live Retreat, be sure to leave me a comment and let me know so I can make a point to match you up with your blog/face/name when we get there. I'm terrible with names, but I usually remember faces forever. I can't wait to meet you IRL.




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Remembering 9/11 in Art

2 Chronicles 7:14 - "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Originally, I posted the artwork my son drew of the twin towers in 2006.

It has been FIVE years since then. That's a long time in blog land. I figure a lot of you haven't seen them.

Kaden is 14 now. He was just a little tyke when 9/11 happened... it was the week that we started homeschooling. I still remember brushing aside the teacher planner, crayons and stickers and telling the kids they could play in Pawpaw's game room upstairs while mommy watched the news with Nana and Pawpaw downstairs. I glued myself to the TV, sobbing at the pictures of grown men leaping from skyscraper windows. The whole nation cried together, prayed together - hearts breaking together as one.

People didn't ever come home that day. People that were someone's daddy, someone's mama, someone's child.

I wanted to share my son's pictures today again... and to tell all those who are still hurting because this tragedy was not just an event to them, but reality in their own family... that I'm praying for them - we are, as a family - praying for them.

The only thing I have changed on these images is marking out my son's last name on the first drawing. He drew these without any instruction from me that day - from the scant news that he was able to understand and images he was able to see while not ushered away to a toy room with his sister. He came downstairs to show me these two pictures after he drew them and I was amazed.

Kids are so intuitive and wonderful. You never realize just how MUCH they understand. I didn't think he was really paying that close of attention. I know we all seemed upset that day (the grown-ups in his life). I know he saw me cry. They know more than we think they do about what is going on around them. They are listening to us and watching us.

May God watch over all of us as we seek to walk in Him. May He protect and return our troops to their families. May He gather the lost and comfort the sick and hurting... and may He heal our land and all the hearts within it that need healing.





Below is a close-up of the words I wrote on the top of his crayon drawing after talking with him about it:


Quick Links:Blog Her entry spotlighting this post in 2006 by Karen Rani

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What Happened to Summer?

1. Trophy Oaks, 2. Road Warrior, 3. Put your other foot in your mouth. #incourage #babies, 4. Slurp! #incourage #soup #sweetTea #Texmex, 5. Jenn and the baby bee., 6. #thsc2011 Stroller Alley, 7. #thsc2011 woodlands waterway marriott, 8. Pink Polkadotted Caped Avenger, 9. Phat Mama and The Complainer, 10. Grand Piano .... Today's theme shot "from above" | "my entry for the @photojojo #pinstagram photo contest" (1 entry per day/only tag today), 11. Bathtime Feet, 12. She's starting to use her colored pencils more. Love it! #illustration #Anime #drawing #incourage

Still stuck in July.

I had such a great time in July.

August was a huge black hole... gone before it started - filled up with projects leftover from the summer, getting back in to a school routine, keeping teething babies happy, and lots of decluttering.

Here we are and it is already SEPTEMBER.

Heavens, I can't believe I'm saying that. Just yesterday I was feeling the kick of new life inside my belly, awaiting the arrival of my sweet new bundle of boy.

Now he's sitting up, pulling to standing, letting go of one hand while standing up, has 2 teeth, is eating some baby foods, wears the same size diaper as his 2 year old brother, babbles and giggles, and is picking up tiny things with his pinchers. Pretty soon he'll be driving.

What has your first few weeks of school been like? A blur? I hear ya.

Are you taking photos with your iPhone? Joining in on the #incourage collage by using the #incourage hashtag for your Instagram pictures? Remember that Dayspring is going to make a real life collage of them for the Relevant conference this October! Keep showing them what is encouraging you.





P.S. This is my Camera Phone Friday post for yesterday, too. I'm always late.


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Oh, HAI. I'm HEATHER.

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...

God worked it out again that I could attend the Relevant conference in 2011. I thought there would be no way to top last year (since I not only went, but Chevy leased me a vehicle and my entire family got to travel with me all the way from Austin to PA - with a stop over for a few days in DC so the homeschool kids could "field trip"). [Relevant 2010 was awesome, by the way.] There's no way to top that, right? That's what I thought. God had other plans.


I entered the (In)Courage sponsorship contest after all the tickets were sold out and they picked me to be their Dayspring photographer!!! I had a ticket, and no idea how I was going to get there. God wasn't finished showing off. He brought me Maggie. She and Bright Ideas Press offered to help me get airline tickets to attend the conference! So all that to say - I'm only hotel funds and food expenses away from meeting my Relevant 2011 sponsorship goals and I haven't even started praying hard about it.

I take that as a "God wants you there" kind of miracle. Have no idea what He has up His sleeve, but I know it will be GOOD.



So here I am, introducing myself to a bunch of invisible blogging friends that I either have met yet - or maybe not... some old, some new - but all SISTERS in this craft and in Christ. I can't wait to give you an IRL hug when we meet up in Harrisburg. I'll be the girl that can't put her camera down... the one who is chasing her tail trying to keep a nursing baby happy, her tweenage daughter fed with snacks, and her heart from bursting with joy at being able to be around her online friends AND take photos at the same time.




About me....

I love my kids:  a teen, a tween, a toddler and a tiny 7 month old teething baby.

I'm a crazy homeschool mama.

I've been known to say "If I can homeschool, ANYONE can." That's just flowery language for my secret blog tagline, which is: "I suck at homeschooling so you don't have to."

I live in Texas.

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 ponder deep things while juggling the domestic.

I make lists... and can't stop organizing things. Which doesn't mean I have it together.

I'm the queen of long road trips.

My goal is to try and live in the moment... and to find joy in it.

I come from a long line of black sheep.

I steal french fries.

Sometimes my blog is blank.

I love my iPhone.

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

I take peekshurs.



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 threaten to do it a lot, though. Just to keep people on their toes.

I write at the Homeschool Post (which is running its 7th annual blog awards for homeschoolers right now); with another 19 amazing bloggers you might already know:



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!




I LOVE MY SPONSORS: