Weekly Wrap Up: Back to School

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Have you started school yet? We've been at it for about a week now. We got our groove on pretty quickly, not surprisingly, as I have teen sons who require mainly just management from me. They are immersed in the Notgrass history studies--which we LOVE--and this year (drum roll please) we are using Rosetta Stone. I got a real deal on it at the Southeast Homeschool Expo, the kind of deal that dismisses any excuses, and so we are locked in. We are doing Spanish (Latin American) and we will just see how it goes. I actually made the purchase for my youngest, Derek, a freshman this year, but I got the first three levels, and my older son, who had Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 through a tutorial program, wants to give Level 3 a try. If we love it, of course, I will wish I had gotten it with the first child rather than the last, but I think it will be worth it's weight in gold if we can just learn how to better communicate with the folks in our own community.

It's good to be back in a school schedule, although we are all having to be weaned off summer.I have so enjoyed my bloggy vacation/summer break. We've had tons of things going on around here: DANYA's new EP was released, David bought his first CAR (and with his own money, too!), Derek got a Facebook, and my sister-in-law is doing tremendously well as she fights breast cancer. Praise the Lord! I will be sharing some pictures with you over the coming weeks. 

By the way, the Mom's Tip of the Day (MTOD) has been moved to my Facebook page. It makes more sense to put it there, and save me a bunch of time, so if you haven't "liked" my author page yet, please do! And the tips will go up on my Twitter, as well.

Check out all this week's Weekly Wrap Ups at my friend Kris's blog. Have a great weekend!




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Weekly Wrap-Up: PIH, Rally Day, and BaseBrrrr!

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

Hey Everybody,

I feel like I am just regaining my bearings after the Pure In Heart Conference in Lake Charles last weekend! We had such a wonderful time! I totally failed my Twitter followers in regard to updates from the conference. I actually turned my phone off so it wouldn't be a distraction, so I didn't tweet hardly at all! Suggestion: Follow Danya. She tweeted lots! :) It was great serving with my daughter as we spoke to the 11-12 year old girls about having and maintaining a pure heart in thought, words, relationships, and modesty. There is nothing like having a beautiful witness to the truth at your side when you are trying to make a point with a tweenager! :)

How I have grown to love the team that serves in the Pure In Heart ministry. They are such a great bunch of godly women, and I am so blessed every time we are together. (None of us take near enough pictures, unfortunately, so that is something we will really have to work on! LOL) I usually need a day or two after an event to settle back into "real" life (and my "real" energy level when not fueled by the adrenaline of a conference!), but I really hit the ground running this week. David need new cleats before the boys' baseball game Monday, which was two hours away. So we were headed to Academy Sports before I was even ready to get my game face on! Literally! :)

Photo courtesy Logan Vaughan

The next day was the annual THEA Rally Day, and I am quite ashamed to tell you that, in 15 years of homeschooling, it was the very first one I have ever attended. (Sad, really.) It's an effective way to let our state legislature know of the very real presence of homeschoolers here in our great state, and I have just been apathetic, I guess. I have no excuse. But I got involved this year, thanks to my friend Beth, and I hope to make it from now on! I so enjoyed serving alongside AnnaBea, daughter of my friend Janet, and just meeting and greeting so many homeschooling families. There are A LOT of us out there!

Upper: I love names, and since my job was to mark people's names off a list for a luncheon, it was right up my alley! I even met a kid named Abraham Lincoln! (I actually didn't comment, either. I figure he gets enough of that.) And a lot of homeschoolers, like me, name their kids with the same first initial, i.e. Danya, David, and Derek. When people have a lot of children, it is interesting the names they come up with in order to keep the theme going. (One of the funnest parts of having kids is naming them, right?) Downer: Gregg Harris was actually on my list, but he never showed up for the luncheon! :(

So Wednesday was my collapse day, and Thursday, we were back out to the baseball field, but it was not a beautiful spring day like Monday was. Nope, it was a freezing cold day and by the third inning I was watching from the car! Basebrrrrr! Not fun for this mom, that's for sure!

Anyone heading for the Alabama Homeschool Expo in Montgomery in a couple of weeks? Let me know, because I would love to meet you there!

I hope you've had a great week! Be sure to check out all the Weekly Wrap-Ups at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!



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Weekly Wrap-Up: Rebuilding the Wall

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

Ever have one of those weeks where you're not sure who's learning more: you or your kids?

David, my 16 yo, just finished reading through the book of Nehemiah for his Notgrass study. Nehemiah has been foundational for me over the past year or so. I read through portions of it in January of 2010 and combined the Scriptures with focused prayer for our children's department and our church in general as we were considering a building project. (For those of you new to my blog, my family serves the Lord in an inner city church where my husband serves bi-vocationally as the missions pastor.) Also last year, our pastor took us as a church through the entire book as we prayed corporately over several decisions. So, I love Nehemiah!

In the Notgrass study, David was reading Nehemiah as the Biblical parallel to our country's rebuilding after the war between the states. As I read through the book last year, I saw it clearly parallel the broken community and the hurting children where we serve. Let me share a portion from my prayer journal, written in January 2010:

Our building and our church kids look okay on the outside, but the inside of both structures has been neglected. And there are multiple reasons for that. ...Lord, You see the bad situation we are in--how the building is in disrepair and how the children are left to raise themselves.

Everybody pitched in to rebuild the wall, whether they were builders by trade or not. Whether it was their passion or not. Whether it was in their skill set or not. They saw the need, heard the call, and went to help.

This journal entry concluded with a desperate plea for the Lord to send workers to our children's department. And a year later, that's still my prayer!

Rebuilding, whether it is in fact a building, or a war-torn, divided country, or a life, takes time. And it takes people. People that may not be skilled or gifted, but just people who see that a job needs to be done and who are brave enough to work outside their comfort zone.

Does something around you need to be rebuilt? Perhaps from the ground up? Or maybe today you're in the middle of a repair. You might have internal damage to tend to that isn't so noticeable from the outside. Whatever you're working on, there is hope in the story of Nehemiah. I was reminded of that this week, and I pray you will be too!

Be sure to check out all this week's Wrap-Ups at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!


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Weekly Wrap-Up: HATCH, SHOW, PRINT

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HATCH: Danya and I visited Hatch Show Print in downtown Nashville earlier this week. She had to go for her art class, and I tagged along--who knew I would ever get to go on a college field trip? :) Hatch is a very cool place--the kind of place that you just walk in and you feel like your personal cool factor just shot up several degrees by virtue of where your feet are standing, LOL! (But then, I feel like that every time I'm in downtown Nashville! Or with Danya!)

Working letterpress

From their website: "If you follow music, art, and culture of the American South, sooner or later you're bound to run into the letters, images, and unmistakable "look" of Hatch Show Print. We're one of the oldest working letterpress print shops in America, and over the years our posters have featured a host of country music performers, ranging from Country Music Hall of Famers Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, and Johnny Cash to contemporary stars such as Garth Brooks and Wynonna."

Nashville is full of rich history and folklore, and of course, our country music roots run deep. That said, music inspires creativity of all kinds, and Hatch Show Print clearly reveals how advertising competes with the more show-stopping aspects of celebrity with which this town is infused. Style and craftsmanship detail every poster with color and depth. Advertising becomes art, and marketing begets magic in this little piece of downtown Music City, USA.
I'm keeping this place in mind when it's time to buy Christmas and birthday gifts! Lots of old time country artists as well as contemporary ones are available in these collectors' prints--reasonably priced!

SHOW: While Danya and I were enjoying this aspect of art, my boys have been exploring another medium: making videos. If you want to be entertained, check out the video below. It is 1:20 minutes of craziness! Derek is filming, and David's character is "Fox Stoves" (a parody of Bear Grills).


Derek and his basketball team got to go to their own version of the "big show" when they played for our conference championship. They gave their all and played a great game, coming in second for the season. It was a thrill to be competing, and we were all tickled to have made it that far! Now, one season fades into another as David has already started baseball practice. Signs of spring are all over my house: extra laundry, grass/mud stains, cleats, and athletic cups LOL.

PRINT: This week I've been working on a couple of articles and I'll be sharing some excerpts with you in the coming weeks! I was blessed with the privilege of interviewing a young woman, 18 years old, who has memorized Romans, Colossians, Ephesians, and 1 & 2 Peter, plus tons of other Scriptures. WOW! Can't wait to share her story with you!
 

 

Be sure to check out all the Weekly Wrap-Ups at Kris's blog! Now, go out and have a great weekend!

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Weekly Wrap-Up: Top 10 Ways You Know You are the Child of Homeschoolers

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

A very special homeschooling family recently welcomed a grandchild into the world! I am so excited for them! This week, my wrap-up is written with second generation homeschoolers in mind. Here are the top ten ways you know that you are the child of homeschoolers! (I hope y'all enjoy this! I had a lot of fun writing it! Thanks to the homeschool moms and homeschooled kids who offered input so my readers would LOL!)

Getty Images

10. Your journey through the birth canal is counted as your first field trip.

 9. You are swaddled in denim.

 8. Your parents have charted the past nine months on a timeline mounted across their living room wall.

 7. Your parents' greatest stress has been deciding which letter of the alphabet would begin your name (thus setting the precedent for all future siblings' names)

 6. Your nursery is wallpapered with world maps.

 5. Your first rattle is made of salt dough.

 4. Your parents insisted on a midwife who could speak Latin.

 3. Your aunts and uncles are currently writing papers on neonatal development, postpartum depression, and the rising cost of health care.

 2. Your grandmother is pregnant.

 1. Your mother grinds her own breast milk.



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Weekly Wrap-Up:Twittered Out!

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This week marked my first experience with a twitter party. Twitter is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you! If it weren't for my teenagers, I would be lost to this New Age. (I prefer classic TV, classic movies, classic books...even classic sports, i.e. baseball (Lord, hurry the spring!)). The Twitter party for the 2:1 Conference--who's going, btw?--was scheduled for this past Tuesday night. What was also scheduled was an away basketball game for our umbrella school. So Derek had to be at a game in Murfreesboro, about an hour away from us, and the games were running late. I rode with my friend Beth, and we had five teenagers with us (clearly we were outnumbered LOL). After stopping to grab a bite to eat (the adjective "hungry" goes without saying when it comes to teens, right?) on the way home, we were further delayed by rain, and when the Twitter party started, I was somewhere on I-65.

I texted my husband to ask him if he would "tweet" for me.
His reply was a callous, heart-breaking, "No." (Okay, well, maybe not so callous and heart-breaking, but still, no. LOL)
So I texted him to give his phone to David and have David call me. Always happy to serve and even more so when it comes to something involving social networking, David logged on to my Twitter account as the 2MomSeriously proxy. With David on my line, I used Beth's phone to call my friend Kelly, who was also joining the Twitter party, to ask her how to do it! She said, "I've got to set up my tweet grid and then I'll call you right back."
Tweet grid?
Oh my.
So David set about to googling "how to set up a tweet grid." Within a few minutes, he got me up and running and was handling the tweets like an old pro by the time I got home!
It was definitely one of those, Am I really needed here? kind of moments!

Btw, the whole Twitter party thing sparked several humorous discussions around here about the conjugation of the verb "to tweet." (My children are word nerds just due to genetics, poor things.) Danya likes: tweet, twate, have tweaten. You can also go with twit, twate, have twitten. Or stick with the brand conscious "to twitter" and go with the traditional twitter, twittered, have twittered (yeah, I know, boring). Here's a cool link for you: Have fun with English (and French) verb conjugation at http://www.verb2verbe.com/. :)

If any of you are thinking about attending the 2:1 Conference, YOU SHOULD GO! Really, talking about homeschooling AND talking about blogging, with a bunch of folks who love both? Meeting virtual friends and gabbing face to face? And I get to speak on Sunday, which I'm really looking forward to! Be sure you are keeping up with the Facebook page for the conference; there's info there about a special discount that will be offered on Monday only! Check it out, and make your plans! It's going to be lots of fun!





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Weekly Wrap-Up: Back to School!

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

Hey Everybody,

It has been good for me to post about routines and "flying" this week because it has really helped "up my game" around here! I totally needed a shot in the arm to start off the new year, and it's been great to revisit FlyLady. I hope it's helped some of you find some relief and structure, and I hope you'll check back at her site often for motivation and encouragement!

I got to meet the FlyLady in person a few years ago. She and Leanne Ely came to do a weekend workshop for the military wives at Fort Campbell, KY. At the time, I was leading a moms' group at the hospital on post, and so I got to help with some of the arrangements. It was VERY cool! She was just terrific. She had a bunch of her resources out on a table, including her very own, actual, live-and-in-person morning routine check-off list. You would have thought it was the Holy Grail! LOL! Ladies were walking by oohing and ahhing, gently reaching over to touch it. "Oh, that's hers!" they clamored as they gathered round. "That's what she really uses!"

It actually was very inspiring! And it made all the difference to hear the FlyLady strategy taught by the one who developed it, and lives it, every day!

I guess it's good for all of us to go "back to school" and revisit concepts that may have gotten old to us, or overlooked--buried under the carpet, so to speak! LOL! I haven't really considered the New Year to be a time of thinking "back to school" thoughts, but it really is. My boys have had about a month off, and they dug in this week, revisiting those familiar books and concepts that have been gloriously overlooked during our break! But it is definitely a good thing to get back into our routine, back into the books, and back into life as lived the other eleven months of the year!

Speaking of "back to school," there's a great conference coming up in the spring that is geared expressly for bloggers who are homeschoolers! There's always so much to learn about both subjects, and this conference seeks to enlighten and inspire us in both those callings. Check it out HERE and see what you think! I'm going, and I would love to see you there!

Check out all the Weekly Wrap-Ups at WeirdUnsocializedHomeschoolers.com!


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Weekly Wrap-Up: A Tender Tennessee Christmas...with SNOW!

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!



(L to R) Derek, David, Danya

You've got to love this pic of my kids. It looks entirely photoshopped--but it's not! They're sitting in front of the picture window in our kitchen (admittedly one of the top five reasons we bought this house) and behind them you see the snow the Lord blessed us with on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was glorious.

We had such a sweet Christmas this year. I hope you did too. As the kids have grown up, there are lots of sweet memories of past Christmases, and this year, I put some pictures out of them at various stages--around the Christmas tree, Christmas mornings--all so precious. We had a great Christmas Eve service, too, which every year becomes more and more like a homecoming, with families and friends coming together--in from out of town, home from college--for those sacred moments of worship and communion. So, I'll say it again, Christmas here at the Powells' was sweet.

Are you already looking ahead to the New Year? Got your resolutions ready? LOL I'm all for New Year's Resolutions, but according to my husband's sermon last Sunday, you are only successful if you are resolute in keeping them. I don't know about you, but I can be easily swayed. I remember a speech class that I had in college where we spent weeks debating gun control (this was around '87). We had to be prepared to debate both sides of the issue, which I could talk myself into either one, but the problem came when the opposing side persuaded me before it was my turn to speak! LOL  I'd be thinking, "oh, that's a good point...that's a good point, too!" And then I would have to take my turn at the podium and talk myself back into arguing for the opposite view. If you're still with me after all that...the point is that it is difficult to be determined, resolute, and unwavering. The enemy always has a "good point" whether it is in the form of brownies, alfredo sauce, or snuggling under the covers instead of getting up for some time with the Lord. The enemy is resolute in his attempts to lead us away from all that God has for us. Let's be resolute this year--moment by moment--in our pursuit of the Lord.

The New Year holds several speaking opportunities for me, and I hope I get to meet some of my bloggy friends along the way! Our next Pure In Heart Conference is March 19, at Trinity Baptist in Lake Charles, LA. Danya and I haven't been to Louisiana in a couple of years, and we're so excited to return! Registration begins in January.

I have several homeschool conventions coming up in 2011: Alabama, Georgia, and Illinois. Check my schedule to learn more. I'll be presenting middle school topics as well as "Homeschool 101" topics for parents new to homeschooling. That will be so much fun!

Plus, here on the blog, I'll be reviewing some brand new releases that should make their way into your personal library! Dannah Gresh's new book,What Are You Waiting For?: The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex is an incredible resource for moms and daughters (and I think our sons should read it too!). I received an advance review copy and proceeded to read half of it standing at the kitchen counter where I had stopped to open the mail! Seriously! I have already passed it on to Danya. Oh, and so much more is in store for y'all...but I'm still on vacation. :)

Happy New Year, and I'll see you on Monday!


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Weekly Wrap-Up: The Power of a Mentor

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

Who is your mentor? Can you think of those people who have played "Mr. Miyagi" to your "Daniel"? Maybe it was a beloved high school teacher, a dear friend, or a next-door neighbor who poured their own life--by example and instruction--into your own. Maybe it was your big sister or a beloved aunt. Heaven-sent, they made a difference that will eventually be re-invested into a life you touch one day, and passed on again from there.

When it comes to parenting, we long to be our child's mentors, and when they are little, we definitely are. As they grow, however, especially when they reach their teen years, we have to pursue, pray for, and provide for other folks to step in to those mentoring roles. Coaches, teachers, youth pastors, and other instructors come along who share like interests with your child and who offer them a fresh perspective. They possess the experience and knowledge on subjects that are appealing to our kids--subjects that aren't necessarily "our thing."

(Lto R) Kelli, Josh, and Derek

About a year ago, my son Derek's love for music and radio connected him in a unique way with a local Christian radio station, WNAZ, owned by and housed on the campus of Trevecca Nazarene University. The student deejays there still run call-in contests and take requests when they're on the air, and after Derek won a succession of several contests, he began calling on a daily basis just to talk with the guys. We found out we had a mutual friend with DJ Josh Taylor, then a senior (who also happens to have been homeschooled). Josh invited both my boys, Derek and his older brother David, out to tour the studio and sit in on his shift last December. Yeah, after one visit, Derek was hooked! He returned several times to see Josh and learn more about what it's like to work in radio.

Then just a few months ago, we found out that Trevecca was going to sell the station. My boys became activists, setting up a Facebook page and seeing how the nature of a quiet protest works. (You can read about that HERE.) I'm not sure if Trevecca realized they were losing a potential student when they opted to sell the station LOL, but they did, and Derek's dream of one day being a student DJ on campus at WNAZ was pretty much shot...until he saw this video on Facebook.

Josh and his wife Kelli make the big announcement!

This Saturday, beginning at 1pm CST, Derek will be hosting his own shift at WNAZ! We hope all our Nashville friends and family will be listening (and call in a request, if you'd like!) and for those who live out of the area, the station broadcasts online with live streaming at WNAZ.com.

My thanks to Josh for his willingness to share his gifts, talents, and love for radio with Derek. That's what a mentor does! And when it comes to raising boys today, I am so very thankful for godly young men like Josh who are willing to invest the costliest gift in the next generation: time.



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Weekly Wrap-Up: Successfully Brainwashed!

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, homeschooling encouragement, and every day, a Mom's Tip of the Day. Enjoy!

Are y'all as excited about Thanksgiving as I am? Whoo-hoo! We have not taken much of a break since we started school, so the boys and I are ready for a few days of rest. 

One thing we won't be taking a break from: The Light And The Glory: Did God have a plan for America? -- the classic by Peter Marshall and David Manuel. I am nearly ashamed as a veteran homeschooling mom to admit that I have never read it. Danya read it a few years ago when she was doing David Quine's Starting Points Curriculum, but I did not join her for that one. Now, Derek and I are reading it, and we LOVE it!

I picked up the Anne of Green Gables movie collection from the library and am planning to enjoy that over the break as well. Anyone an Anne Fan? I will not be putting up anything red or green (LOL) until FRIDAY--the day after Thanksgiving! I know some of you are starting early, and one of my favorite people in the world has her shopping done (as in...COMPLETELY!) by the end of October--every year!-- but to me, it is just not Christmas without some hustle and bustle, you know?

John Davidson

When I was a little girl, my sister and I loved playing the Christmas records (yes, class, vinyl records!) that my mom ordered from Reader's Digest. We grew up listening to John Davidson, Steve and Eydie Gorme, and Doris Day singing the classic holiday songs. I remember how we would beg and plead to start listening early....and it was just absolutely out of the question! LOL!

My first Thanksgiving in my own home with Rich, I decided that I was liberated, and I pulled out my own Christmas music (I opted for Elvis' Blue Christmas) and started playing it the Monday of Thanksgiving week. While no thunder clapped nor did lightning strike me down, I felt sooooo guilty that I couldn't do it! I mean, I felt baaaaddd! So, my friends, indeed, I was successfully brainwashed, and I continue to enjoy Thanksgiving--and my fall decorations-- until the clock chimes (guilt-free, I might add) around 8 o'clock Friday morning. Then, Katy, bar the door! it is officially Christmastime! :)

Enjoy all the Weekly Wrap-Ups at WeirdUnsocializedHomeschoolers.com!


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Weekly Wrap-Up: A Sweet Reward is on the Other Side of the Wall

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Okay, Weekly Wrap-Up friends--I have a special message for y'all today. It's kind of a message from the past...from my past...that popped up again just a few days ago. Let me explain.

Before the school year began, I was getting the boys' books together (Over the summer, I keep my curriculum and other books stashed in a closet), and I came across a devotional book that I used many years ago when the kids were little and I was just starting out homeschooling. The title of this little gem is Bread for each day ; 365 devotional meditations. (You can get it on Amazon for .04--yes, four cents!) The copyright is 1962, so it's an old book, but it contains so many valuable truths! When I rediscovered it, I decided that the boys and I would use it together this year. We have really enjoyed it. Well, last week, as we were having our devotional time together before we started school, I opened the book to the day's reading, entitled, "A Sweet Reward." I saw that I had underlined a few things, and I had written a note on it, way back in 1998. Then, my children were 6, 4, and 1. (That was a whole different world. Days were long. Boys were short. LOL.) The passage for the day was Proverbs 11:11-18. The meditation verse was, Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded (2 Chronicles 15:7). Let me share an excerpt from the actual devotion text with you:

The story is told of a woman who had a rare rosebush. She worked over it for weeks, but saw little or no results for her labor. One day she observed a crack in the wall and upon investigation found a small shoot of the rosebush running through the crevice. When she went to the other side of the wall, she found roses blooming in splendid beauty and her labor rewarded. Some of us, too, work year after year seeing little if any result, but we are not to be discouraged, for our work is truly blooming. However, it may be we shall only see its luxuriant growth when we get on the other side of the wall!

The line I have underlined above is one that I had underlined in the book. Out to the side, I had written: This passage rings in my heart today as further encouragement from God that I am to "press on" with homeschooling. Thank you, Lord, for my "precious seeds": Danya, David, and Derek.

Well, moms--I'm a crier, and I just wept my way through sharing that day's devotional with my boys. I rejoiced remembering how every step of the way along my homeschooling journey, the Lord provided encouragement. Sometimes I didn't know how much I needed it until He gave it to me. And sometimes--oh, you know those times!--I was desperate to hear from Him that I was to press on.

The Other Side of the Wall

It is indeed a sweet reward to see the other side of the wall. Today, I already am able to see so many rewards from the investment I made in my children. And I continue to press on, because I'm not finished! Some days, you just have to roll up your sleeves and say out loud, "I'm going forward." And just go!

Homeschool Mom, may you see your own roses blooming today, and if you can't see them just yet, may you somehow catch the scent of their lovely fragrance, wafting its way over the wall.



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Weekly Wrap-Up: Two Weeks in One!

Hey Everybody,

This week's wrap-up is absolutely full...primarily because I neglected to post a wrap-up last week! So, it's two, two, two weeks in one!



DANYA
(L to R) Asa, Danya, Matt, Mat

 First, I want to tell you about The Battle of The Bands in which my daughter's band, DANYA, is competing. The Battle is hosted by The Underground, a Cincinnati venue. There are several bands competing and they are evaluated by a team of three judges (American-Idol style) plus audience vote. DANYA has made it through the first round, with rave reviews from the team of judges. You can actually view their 15-minute set HERE and see the judges' comments, too. (You have to watch an ad, but then go about an hour into it to see the band). The next round is November 20th.

Question: Are any of you from Cincinnati? Do you live anywhere near there? Do you know someone who does? Consider this your official invitation to come support this band of great young people with a great message. (This band of four are all Christians, and all homeschoolers/homeschool grads.) Anyone who wants to help me get some Cincy homeschoolers or church groups out to support them on Nov. 20th, please contact me!)

Then last week and part of this week, I was featured as an "Ask the Expert" on the CafeMom site! The topic was homeschooling, of course, and one thing I learned is that being an "expert" basically means that if you don't know the answer, you know someone who does! LOL! My friend Sandy, who worked as a reading specialist for the school system here in Nashville before she became a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, was able to help me with some of the tough questions on reading issues. Other than that, it was a great ten days of answering questions from moms who are doing their best to provide their kids with a quality education at home. There were lots of questions about how to homeschool older kids with little ones running around...oh my, I remember those days! Coming next week, I'll be posting a Mom's Tip of the Day: Homeschool Edition! I'm excited to post some tips that are exclusively for homeschool moms, so please pass the word, and follow this blog so you don't miss any!

My boys spent their fall break helping me paint our kitchen cabinets! Now there's some valuable life skills for you! I've been thinking about painting them for a looooong time, and I am so glad we finally did it! My guys work cheap--pizza and a couple of new CD's are a good trade but, quite honestly, don't even come close to touching the value of their time and energy spent in helping me. I'm so thankful for my two guys! (Pictures still to come!)

Hope you have a great weekend! Make some time to visit more of the posts on the Weekly Wrap-Up--this week hosted by Jamie while our dear Kris is having the time of her life at the Relevant Conference!




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Weekly Wrap-Up: We're Not Building Roller Coasters

Disneypicture.net

It’s easy to feel a little intimidated by all the stuff that you people post on your weekly wrap-ups. I mean, really. When I’m reading some of your posts, I declare, it’s like watching an episode of Phineas and Ferb! You gals build roller coasters and water parks in the course of a day, and I’m just left sitting here with my mouth hanging open! LOL! But seriously, my hat’s off to you for all you’re doing with your kids, and for the investment you are making in their lives. So if your kids had a normal week of studying, read on. There's nothing scary here. :)

This week, my wrap-up has to do with some of the fun things going on around my house this fall!

Baseball. As long as we’re in the post season with the World Series still to come, I can pretend that summer lingers on. My guys and I were thrilled with Roy Halladay’s no-hitter…only the second time in MLB history that a pitcher has made such an accomplishment in the post season!

Bonfires. My boys had several of their friends over last weekend for an all-night bonfire/campout. As with all my boys’ gatherings, there were no nail polish fumes or chick flicks to be had…

Basketball. Yes, I’m mentioning two sports in the same post. That’s because basketball practice has begun, with our middle school boys’ schedule getting off to its official start in just a few weeks. We had a get-together with the families last Tuesday, and I am enjoying the fellowship of these parents! It’s going to be a great season…as long as I keep the duct tape handy to “tame my tongue” when we play those certain teams that definitely qualify as arch rivals! :)

Books. David finished The Scarlet Letter this week as part of his Notgrass American History curriculum. That story never gets old, and we had some great discussions surrounding its plot, characters, and human elements.

Bands. Speaking of bands, which I just did LOL, if you’re in the Cincinnati area, you’ll want to go to The Underground tomorrow night for The Battle of the Bands, and you’ll want to vote for DANYA, a great message, a great sound, and a great group of (all homeschooled/homeschool grads, btw) kids.

Big news. Derek and I have discovered a Latin program that is actually fun! And we are learning the language together! Any time I spend with my middle schooler is a blessing, and this has become a special part of our school time that we both look forward to. Be sure to read my review of Visual Latin.



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Weekly Wrap-Up: Gotta Be Homeschoolers!

For this week's Wrap-Up, a question:

How do you spot a homeschooling family? I mean, really, let's be honest: Some of us just SCREAM the fact that we homeschool. (Please know that I am not saying there is anything wrong with that!) And then there are some families I have met that I would have never known they were homeschooling until I was told. (And there's not anything wrong with that either.)

Take the Duggars, for example. I remember the first time I ever heard of them. They were in the news because Michelle had just given birth to their 15th  child (so that was quite some time ago). In the news segment,  they showed this sweet family all wearing outfits made from the same plaid material, and I just thought, "Gotta be homeschoolers." And of course, they are, and today, they are the much-loved, ever-growing family on TV's "19 and Counting!"

My Favorite TV Family!

Now if ever there was a TV family that could have, should have, and probably would have homeschooled (ya think? If it had been just a decade or so later!), it would be the Bradys. I mean, really. Think about it! Believe it or not, I have thought about this, and I hope you enjoy my Top Ten Reasons Why Carol Brady Should Have Homeschooled!*

10) She had a shag haircut–a quick, simple, easy-to-maintain do that would have been perfect for those up and at 'em homeschool mornings.

9) She had six kids. 'Nuff said.


8) She had that room off the kitchen that would have made a perfect
homeschool room.Can't you see world maps adorning those wood-paneled
walls, along with the kids' art and a bulletin board complete with
chore chart? Just sayin'.

7) She loved family field trips! Think about the trips to the Grand Canyon and Hawaii, incorporating education with family fun. She was just thiiiis far away from greatness….

6) She loved camping!

5) She loved reading in bed! (Although I feel sure that if she were on the air today, she would be watching HGTV in bed, LOL)

4) She was all about sibling unity–the girls shared a room, the boys shared a room, and they all shared a bathroom. That's quality family time right there. (I'm actually serious. My kids share a bathroom, and it has proven to be a bonding experience...sort of)

3) She got involved in politics (remember saving the city park?)

2) She was way ahead of her time doing unit studies! UNIT STUDIES!!!! Remember when Bobby learned about Jesse James (they invited an author over to tell him the truth); Peter's awesome science fair project (the VOLCANO!!!!); and Greg and Mike's passion for photography (including the darkroom they set up in the bathroom). The woman had a heart for learning at home!


And the number one reason why Carol Brady should have been a homeschooling mom…

1) She had Alice. What I wouldn't give for an ALICE! I mean, really, people--wouldn't an Alice make your homeschooling life so much easier? :)

I remain almost convinced that Carol Brady was even secretly homeschooling her clan during summer breaks except for one sad but true factor that dispels the urban legend I am trying so hard to create:

Carol Brady never--ever--wore a blue jean jumper.

Now...how would I be able to tell that you are a homeschooling family? Make it funny (I bought 500 bolts of yellow plaid fabric on sale back in 1997 and am still using it for our clothes, curtains, and diapers--gotta be homeschoolers!) or tell the truth (My kids know how to interact successfully with people of all ages--gotta be homeschoolers!)


*This post is adapted (or perfected?) from many times of telling it at homeschool conventions since 2006.

Read more: Visit my homeschooling page to read more about my 15 years (and counting!) homeschooling journey!



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Weekly Wrap-Up: Driving Thru

Licensed to Drive!

Can you believe it's Friday--and time for the Weekly Wrap-Up? So glad, so glad! What's been going on in your family's homeschooling world? Around here, it's been busy!
My daughter is loving college and somehow managing her courses with a busy show schedule as well. Derek has started basketball practice and is getting ready for a GREAT season! Go Royals!

Eighth grade is moving along with the settling of America (and my sophomore is right there, too, in his Notgrass American History). I told Derek tonight that I really don't think it gets old; reading through American history is a yearly thrill for me. The passion, the politics, the privilege we have of living in this country--and the perspective--the perspective that studying history brings to current events. Oh my, that's definitely another post (and probably someone else's blog!)

And my David got his driver's license! Would you look at the authentic, undiluted joy on that boy's face? It means so much to a young man; it really does. David is a good driver, but I must say, it was different teaching a boy how to drive than it was teaching a girl. I don't know--with a son I think it's just that you realize there is a lot of thrill-seeking, risk-taking, adventure-chasing genes that you know have to be disciplined and reigned in for his safety, the safety of others, and your insurance premiums LOL. David's best piece of advice for mothers teaching sons to drive?

"Don't freak out."

Well said.

And some news: The week of October 11-15, I'll be doing an "Ask the Expert" Q&A on home education, answering questions about homeschooling on the CafeMom.com website. (I guess anything you do for 15 years will net you "expert" status!)  There will be some giveaways involved (you like that, right?), and I'd love for you to be a part of it!  If you are not a member of CafeMom, the leading online community for moms, please register and join, so I can see you there! I'm a member already, so look for me: MomSeriously! Have a great weekend!





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Weekly Wrap-Up: A Divine Appointment?

My friend Sandy and I have been working together on a project for a few weeks now, and so we have moved our infamous "teachers' meetings" to a booth at a nearby Chick-fil-a where we are literally taking up time and space for several hours. This past Tuesday, a mom and her preschool-aged daughter came in and sat close to us. They were having a great time together, engaging in conversation, really having a lot of fun. Since Sandy and I are just now getting used to the fact that our girls have graduated, we were enjoying watching them while we remembered some of the things we used to do with our kids when they were little. Some of our best memories, of course, revolve around the days we spent with our kids in homeschool. So we were talking about some of those kindergarten activities, field trips, and books we enjoyed.

As the mom and her little girl got up to leave, she stopped by our table.
"I couldn't help but overhear you talking about school," she said. "My daughter is going into kindergarten next year. Could you tell me about the school up the street? Is it a good one?"
So we told her that we didn't know anything about that school, that we had homeschooled our kids.
She hesitated, then said, "I've thought about doing that."
Sandy smiled and said, "We have loved it."
And then this mom says, "Well, I'd like to, but my daughter is really social, and she needs to be around other kids."

Honestly, I am the first to say that homeschooling is not for everyone. But if you are thinking about it, and you want to tell me that your child is too social for it, then I take that personally, as though you are saying that my children are socially maimed because of our choice to homeschool. It is not a valid argument for backing away from homeschooling if the Lord is calling you to do it.
Sandy just laughed and said, "Our children are all fine. They got plenty of socialization through church and sports." We chatted for a few more minutes, and the mom said that she had been listening to us talk, and she thought we were teachers (hello? LOL), so she had just wanted to ask us about the local schools.

But there was just something about this mom, a hesitancy about her spirit, so I said, "You know, this just might be a divine appointment. Maybe homeschooling is something you should consider."

Then she said, "I would really like to, but my husband won't hear of it."

Ohhhh.....

And then I told her this, which I firmly believe, "If you and your husband are not on the same page, it will not work."

If your neighbors think you're crazy, you can still homeschool.
If your family thinks you're crazy, you can still homeschool.
If your friends think you're crazy, you can still homeschool.

You will certainly miss their support and encouragement, but you can ignore the nay-sayers, pray for strength, and make new friends. If your husband, however, does not want you to do it, then you are setting yourself up for a house divided if you pursue your desires over his. But what if I really believe I'm called to homeschool my children? Then you need to continue to submit (yes, I said the s-word!), and leave any mind and heart-changing in the hands of the Lord. Easy? Nope. Necessary? Yep.

Well, that's my contribution to Kris's Weekly Wrap-Up! I'd love to hear from you today--tell me about any obstacles you have overcome in your choice to homeschool!

Plus, if you've seen my posts lately on the topic "Porn&Purity," I'd love your feedback! Oh, and, Dig Deep is on sale! Check it out HERE!



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Weekly Wrap-Up: Week, Consider Yourself Wrapped!

Hey Everybody,

Now y'all know I don't talk about my kids much (ROFL), but it's the weekly wrap-up and this is where I indulge in talking about them and what we're doing!

Big news this week: Danya started college. My, oh my--it is so official! We are so excited for her. As a homeschooling mom, I never had to experience dropping my kids off at kindergarten, or watching them climb aboard a big yellow schoolbus...nope, on my child's "first day of school," she drove herself to the university and it was all good.  No sad faces! :) I am praising the Lord for all the years we spent together learning, and I am excited for her in all that God has planned...I know that His plans are to prosper her and not to harm her, to give her a hope and a future! And as far as the past is concerned, when it comes to our decision to homeschool, I have no regrets.

Sure hope my kids don't either! I don't think they do. We were asked once what their biggest complaints were about homeschooling, and Derek responded that we didn't have a house dog.

Huh?

We don't have a house dog, actually; we have a humongous dog that is most definitely an outside dog, but if that is the kid's only complaint, then I'm good with it! :)

Also big news this week: David started another year of tutorials. What we have is similar to a hybrid school, but it is only one day a week. We have used tutorials for the subjects that I, well, that I cannot bring any degree of enthusiasm to: advanced math courses, foreign language, and chemistry (ugh!). David's math instructor believes that when God said, "Be fruitful and multiply," He meant, Sit down and do your Saxon! LOL! David needs those folks who are crazy about those subjects that hold no appeal for me. It is such a blessing for our family to have those classes available.

Derek, my youngest, just continued to make me smile this week. :) We are enjoying our time together. I am  hugging all of them a little tighter this week because I realize every day how short is the time we have with our kids.

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