Archive for December, 2007
Memo Monday: Carnivals
Written by Jacque on December 31, 2007 – 4:07 pm -
We have been sick around here at my house, but I didn’t want to miss letting you know about some educational-type carnivals that might interest you.
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Carnival of Homeschool: Week 105 - The 2nd Anniversary
If you have not taken the time to peruse the 105th COH at WhyHomeschool, here is a list of the topics you are missing:
New Years Resolutions
Reflecting
Education
Christmas
Politics
Socialization
Deciding to homeschool
Communication
Humor
Math and logic
Miscellaneous
Next week the carnival will be held at About Homeschooling.
If you are interested in submitting a post for a future carnival, click here for information.
Go here for the archives of previous carnivals.
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CARNIVAL of HOMESCHOOL GRAPHICS CONTEST
If you are good at making graphics, don’t forget to enter their Contest for Carnival of Homeschooling Graphics.
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Other Carnivals of interest this week include:
Unschooling Voices, #11 up at An Unschooling Life.Mothers and Daughters Blog Carnival, the current issue for Jan 01, 2008 is at Real Life
The Homesteading Carnival #31: Ring In The New Year is at Seeking Rest in the Ancient Paths.
The 152nd Carnival of Education | So You Want To Teach? is on at So You Want To Teach.
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CURRICULUM
I found this at a friend’s blog, April of ElCloud Homeschool: Walking In His Ways:
“I just downloaded this free sled dog lapbook by Hands of a Child at the Homeschool E-Store, and I plan to use it during the Iditarod sled dog race, which begins March 1st.
You can also find more activities at the Iditarod website.
Below are a few other Iditarod links to explore if you want to study the Iditarod this year:
http://www.workingdogweb.com/Iditarod.htm
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/seasonal/winter/iditarod.htm
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson300.shtml
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson300b.shtml
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson103.shtml
While you’re at the Homeschool E-Store, look around at their other great curriculum and e-books.” Thanks April!
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Here’s hoping you all stay healthy and have a wonderful New Year!!!
blessings!
Posted in Memo Monday | No Comments »
Redeeming the Time
Written by bunnytrails on December 27, 2007 – 9:11 am -
Flexible.
Spontaneous.
Fly by the seat of your pants.
Taking life as it comes.
Go with the flow.
Do any of those describe you? Does that sound like a fun way to live? I definitely tend towards that end of the spectrum. I can manage structure and routine for maybe a day or two, and then . . . well, I get distracted. While living free and spontaneous sounds great to me, it can become a hindrance and even bring bondage to my walk with the Lord.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
Jesus came to give us freedom. Unfortunately, the enemy is ever so adept at taking God’s blessings and twisting them into bondage. That’s why Paul says, in Ephesians 5:15-17,
“See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Because the “days are evil,” they can threaten to fill my time and distract me with things that are contrary to godliness. If I am not aware and purposeful as to how I live, other things will subtly creep in and lead me down the path of folly.
I’ve found that going with the flow is often an illusion. I’m not talking about a lack of flexibility in my life. But the “stuff” of life still has to be dealt with, sooner or later – the meals, groceries, bills, taxes, etc. I have yet to burst into spontaneous meal planning, just for fun, or scrub the bathroom because the mood just struck me. No task takes care of itself as I go merrily flitting through my day! The great paradox is that routines and structure are actually very freeing. They are the keys to the shackles, not the shackles I once thought them to be.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40
Planning and following a routine allows me to obey God, and enables me to make the best use of my time. In fact, routines free me up so I can take advantage of spur-of-the-moment fun and activities. In addition, having a routine means that meals are planned and ready at dinnertime, I wake up to clean dishes in the dishwasher, and homeschool happens according to plan.
Whether you’ve never tried routines or even if you have, I’d like to encourage you to try adding one small thing this week. Maybe you’ll pick out clothes for the next day before you go to bed. You might plan meals for the next few days before you go grocery shopping. What if you took just five minutes to sort through one stack of mail? None of these takes much time, but each will offer you just a little more freedom in your day.
Posted in Thursday Thoughts | 6 Comments »
Merry Christmas from HSBA
Written by Sprittibee on December 25, 2007 – 9:02 pm -
Posted in Everyday Posts | No Comments »
Memo Monday: Good-bye 2007
Written by Jacque on December 24, 2007 – 1:11 am -
Wow!! We are in the last week of 2007! I know this is a busy time of year, but if you find time, make these Memos in your schedule this week:
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HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM
Brrr…. it’s cold outside here in Indiana! After 50′ weather on Saturday, the chilling wind has now blown in a bunch of snow. If it’s cold where you are, you may want to take advantage of the natural lessons of winter while studying the Antarctica Project Pack by Hands of a Child. For another fun winter-y unit study, you might look into Sled Dogs Project Pack - Hands of a Child
If winter study is not what you want to focus on right now, may I suggest the Christian Liberty Press Nature Readers. There are 6 readers, each at a different reading level.
I have been working with Amanda, ready to graduate, and then Jocelyn to follow next year, trying to get all of their records together. While there are different ways to keep records, and each state has its own laws, I am happy I found a couple of resources to aid me with a checklist I can print off and stick in their files. One that I will be using is What Your Child Needs To Know… according to the Bible, According to the State by Robin Sampson.
Another set we use sometimes, just as readers is The Core Knowledge Series by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. We read out loud from the books from the series which includes What Every 1st Grader Needs To Know. These books give me a standard of what knowledge to know when. This series goes from Kindergarten to Grade 6. It covers a lot of different information, and as with all books, I make sure I know what they are learning out of it!
If you’re like me, you would rather stay inside where it’s warm and work on all of your unfinished projects… or snuggle up with a good book. If you have been wanting your children to write more, winter is a great time to sit by the window and journal all the stories you can remember of all the winters past.
If you are looking for a good list of some great places to get good reads, Amanda did a great post … Saturday Poetry and Literature: Reading Literature
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PLACES TO FIND CURRICULUM, Books and Other Items:
When I am looking for homeschool materials, the first place I look is the TOS Store where shipping is free. If I am looking for Heart of Wisdom resources, I go directly to their store. Christianbook.com is another place I might look. They have their own Homeschool category with all kinds of homeschool products.
Besides your usual online homeschool stores, I read blogs and find other moms who have found a rare homeschool find at thrift stores like Goodwill, and I think to myself, “Why didn’t I remember that?”. Have you heard of http://www.FreeCycle.com? This is another place I have found free books and/or homeschool items offered. It is a free community service to recycle good items, large and small, instead of throwing them away. You have to sign up for the yahoo group closest in proximity to your town to get alerts.
Blogs are a great resource for homeschool curriculum. Many of the blogs you probably already read have their recommended Homeschool Resources in their sidebar. Sprittibee has a great list of links on hers.
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OTHER HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES
I really have begun using Dictionary.com quite a bit. It’s easy to use. You will find a search bar where you can also search the Thesaurus and Encyclopedia or all sources together.
Something I just found: The Homeschool Buyers Co-op has a fully searchable database of Free Curriculum and other educational Resources. I clicked through to a link to National Geographic: My Wonderful World geography games and information.
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SPECIALS for HOMESCHOOLERS
If you use Unit Studies in your homeschool, remember to check in weekly at Homeschool EStore for a free homeschool E-book product.
50% Off every Heart Of Wisdom Ebook!
Scholarships: Visions in Education has a page full of different scholarships available.
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HOMESCHOOL CONTESTS & GIVEAWAYS
*Barb at Harmony Fine Arts is having A Contest with Comments. Every person who comments on her blog in the month of December will be entered into a drawing for a free year of her art and music appreciation program, Harmony Fine Arts plan, year of their choice. Grades 1-8 are available. $19.95 value.
*The Company Front Porch has a great contest going on right now: “Visits to Terrestria” is a study guide covering all seven books in the Terrestria Chronicles allegory series. There will be 7 winners for this contest! 6 winners will each win “Book one AND the new study guide. and 1 winner will win a complete series including the new study guide! Now that is a dandy of a prize! All you need to do is leave a comment. You must be at least 18 years of age to enter and live in the U.S. Full contest rules can be read here. Contest ends December 28!
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Heart of Wisdom is having a Giveaway! The Heart of Wisdom Blog Contest: Free Weekly Book Giveaway will be held every Monday through the months of December and January at the Heart of Wisdom Blog. Each week one Heart of Wisdom subscriber will be randomly selected o receive one FREE Homeschool Book or Heart of Wisdom Ebook from Homeschool-Books.com. A new title will be given away each week. Click here to enter.
*Calling all homeschoolers who think they can “Write Like Mike.” for the “Write Like Mike” Homeschool Writing Contest. Know any sports-crazy children between the ages of 8-12? Get them to write a sports column about a local or national event (250 words or less) and have them enter Walden Media/The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s “Write Like Mike” Contest for an opportunity to have their sports column published in an upcoming issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 14, 2008
*HomeschoolBuyers Co-op has announced an All-Ink.com: Scholarship Contest. All-Ink.com is committed to helping students pursue their goal of a higher education by offering $5,000 in scholarships to qualified students. If you are enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited college or university program during Spring 2008 / Fall 2008 or Full-year 2008-2009 school year, you may want to look at this contest, but hurry! Deadline is December 31, 2007.
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Other Contests of Interest
*5MinutesForMoms has a great contest going on right now: “Orville popcorn for a year” coupon book, along with a 12 month, 2 at-a-time subscription to Netflix! You can enter by leaving a comment here at this post and linking back to this contest and to www.orville.com. They will announce the winner on January, 1st 2008.
*Enter to win a lounge set to keep your child cozy warm this winter. Stop by Amanda and let her know what your favorite item is from Creations by Lisa McGrath. Deadline is January 1st.
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CARNIVALS
The 30th Homesteading Carnival:The Heart Edition is up at A Pondering Heart.
Carnival of Homeschooling goes up this week on December 26th, hosted by Po Moyemu — In My Opinion.
Seventh Edition of The Charlotte Mason Carnival: Making Charlotte Proud (Freedom Academy)
Carnival of Education 151 will be at History is Elementary this week.
The 33rd Carnival of Space is up at Spaceflight, a blog from Germany.
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Now, that’s enough to keep everyone’s calendars full until next Memo Monday!!
Posted in Everyday Posts, Memo Monday | 1 Comment »
Saturday Poetry and Literature: Reading Literature
Written by SuperAngel on December 22, 2007 – 8:44 am -
Winter. A great time to sit with your coffee in front of the fireplace, snuggled under a warm afghan, reading a new book or an old favorite. Just make sure you don’t forget yourself, reading for hours, forgetting that the horses need to be fed or dinner needs to be made.
Reading literature has become a passion for me. I really love it. I wish more people had the love of reading a good book as I do. Reading is the entrance to a world of new thoughts. It enhances your way of thinking. To share a love of books is to share a love of learning. Books need to be a part of everyone’s life. There are countless things you can learn from books.
I acquired my love of reading and literature very young. I loved being able to read about people’s lives and learn from them. I loved getting lost in their world and putting myself in their shoes. I think that books give a very interesting look on life and many situations.
I also don’t think one can ever have enough books. We even have multiple copies of some of our books. We have more than one copy for a couple of reasons: 1) More than one person can read it at the same time. 2) You can give your extra copy of your children’s favorites to them when they leave to have their own home. 3) It is easier to do a study on one book when you have enough for everyone. We were very blessed to have been able to purchase quite a few of our books from the library. They had them for sale for $.50 each because they were upgrading to newer books and disposed of the older, better classics. It is unfortunate that our world has degraded so much that we no longer have a sense of what is good and wholesome.
We have so many books our walls are lined with bookshelves and are filled up. I love to walk into a house and see full bookshelves. It tells me that there is a love of books. I agree with Cicero who said, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.“
I don’t know about you, but I love the old books. The ones with the cloth covers and the yellowed pages. I love the shape of them. I love how they are so thick, yet small enough that you can hold them in one hand. It reminds me of the olden days when children used to tie their books together with their belts and head to school. It is so nostalgic to me. I love thinking of those times. I also prefer hardcover books. They have that nostalgia to them. I can’t bend it as easily and therefore it won’t get ruined by me squeezing it as I get into the story. 
Although softcovers do allow easy accessibility for keeping the pages apart.
Reading definitely enhances your vocabulary. Because I have read so many books and of so many different genres, I have a very good vocabulary. I have learned so many new words by reading literature. I have a ’sophisticated’ way of using my words, if you will. I was once told that I talk strange (for a teenager) because of the words I use and how I use them. I would rather be told I had a strange way of talking, then talk like other people my age, with the “like whoa, man, like that is like so like cool, dude.”
To have a love of literature and reading is to have a love of words and their meanings. When I read a book and there is a word I don’t know, I love to get out our 1828 Webster’s Dictionary and look it up. It thrills me to find a new word and its meaning. I love books that have the meaning of words at the bottom of the pages. It is neat to read it and then go back and read it knowing what it means to the story.
Another great reason for homeschooled children to read literature is that it can be counted as schooling. You can incorporate many of your other subjects into reading literature. If your child doesn’t care for textbooks, give them a book to read. If you are studying the 1800’s, get out David Copperfield, if you are studying Romans, get out The Robe. You can learn a lot about the culture, customs, and events going on at those times from reading literature about the times you are studying. Those are just some of the great ideas that you can come up with using literature.
There are so many great books that you can read. If you aren’t an avid reader and are kinda lost as to what you would want to read, there are multiple literary clubs online that you can join.
One is the HSB Literary Club. We just finished discussing The Hedge of Thorns. What a wonderful book that was!! That book cannot be recommended enough, I think. We will start discussing The Inheritance after the beginning of the year. I sure would love to see you there. Also, you do not have to have an HSB blog account to join in the discussion.
There is also the Society of Avid Young Readers. They are currently reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. They are reading a book a week, so if you want to read the above, better hurry over there.
So what are you reading?? What do you prefer-Fiction or Non-fiction?? Classic or Newer books?? I would love to know.
I am reading a couple of works right now. I recently finished up The Dark Foundations by Chris Walley and The Hedge of Thorns by John Hatchard. I am now reading Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. I also plan to get The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
If you are looking for a great place to purchase some wholesome books, there is The Old Schoolhouse Store, which carries the Lamplighter books. Those are some of the best books. They have wonderful inspiring stories that also have very important lessons and virtues in the storyline.
Something I found that was quite neat is GoogleBooks. Some of the books you can actually read as a whole online. I did this when I was waiting for my Walley book to come in. Of course, nothing beats having the hardcover in your hands, but it was great that I could start to read it while I was waiting for it.
Also, Mom found these 2 websites Munsey’s & Books By Henty that you can download books from. The second one is only G.A. Henty books, but we found G.A. Henty, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen on the Munsey’s site.
There are so many books that you will never be able to read them all, I know. But instilling a love of reading in your child will help them immensely in life.
If you are not sure about what books you want your children to read, there are several lists that have age-appropriate books. AmblesideOnline has lists for children divided up to school grades. I also have posted a list of books I have read. Now, its not all the books I have ever read because that would be way too long, but it a list of ones I wrote down as I read them and it is mostly Classics. I would be happy to tell you when I read what books and if they would be a good read for your child. I know I am no expert, but if I have read it I could probably give a good idea about the book and its storyline.
I hope this has encouraged you to read more books and to let your child learn to love reading. Books are a gift that keep on giving.
Prayers and Blessings as always,
Tags: Ambleside, books, Classics, Dickens, Douglas, Henty, Homeschool, Lewis, literature, reading, The Old Schoolhouse Store, Walley, Webster
Posted in Saturday Poetry and Literature | No Comments »
Foto Friday: Just Some Thoughts (and photos)
Written by carrie on December 21, 2007 – 12:00 am -
This will be my last post over here for this year. I’ve had fun highlighting homeschool photos and being a part of this great team of ladies.
I thought it would be appropriate to leave you all with some thoughts. You know, just some important things to remember as you continue on this epic voyage of homeschooling.
Using a magnifying glass to complete your reading workbook doesn’t necessarily mean you need glasses. Unless you have a secret wish to be Clark Kent. In that case, beg your mother fifty times a day to buy you real glasses, not the kind with no lenses. Then if she says no, use a magnifying glass for your assignments because then she will feel really sorry for you and consider it.
Other reasons to use a magnifying glass for your assignments might include general quirkiness in your personality and an actual belief that it helps you get it done quicker.
And speaking of magnifying glasses, using one for burning leaves IS a valid science experiment. And it’s free and frugal, if you already own the equipment.
Just remember, winter time is not the best time to catch a leaf on fire.
Nor is trying this without your mother around.
If your child happens to dress with a wig and sunglasses and use a southern accent on a regular basis, don’t check her into the psych ward just yet. She’s probably just ultra talented in the acting department and maybe you should look into some drama classes or let her use the video camera to get it out of her system.
She may be so convincing that you worry that she actually has a split personality. But don’t. Homeschooling is a great way to nurture those skilled in multiple personalities acting.
Remember, it’s never too early to instill some drawing skills into your gremlins. You’ve just got to watch for the spark of interest. Sure you might be drawing an important portrait for a customer, but you wouldn’t want to squelch that passion for art, now would you?
I wouldn’t.
Posted in Foto Friday | No Comments »
Thursday Thoughts
Written by Trish on December 20, 2007 – 12:00 am -
Food for thought:
After all is said and done, the most important part of a child’s background at any time is the love and companionship of his parents. Children will leave their most precious toys or the most fascinating game for a romp with Mommy and Daddy. The best gift parents can give children is themselves. ~ Annie Laurie von Tun
Posted in Thursday Thoughts | No Comments »
Winner Wednesday: A Circle of Quiet
Written by Dawn on December 19, 2007 – 12:00 am -
What is your name?
Diane (Pictured with her oldest in Cannon Beach, Oregon, August 07)What is your blog address?
acircleofquiet.blogspot.com
Tell us a little about your family:
My immediate family includes my husband of twenty-one years, five children (daughters 17 and 11, sons 16, 14, 8), my mother who lives in our granny flat, a one-eyed dog, three spoiled cats, dozens of coffee cups and a huge basket of unmatched socks.
What lead to your decision to start blogging?
I honestly can’t remember. I know I started with fear and trepidation, but I was hooked within a week.
What was the first blog you read?
Mental multivitamin or Quiet Life (mentalmultivitamin.blogspot.com and booshay.blogspot.com) Both of these blogs are by women who I had become acquainted with through message boards, and I was happy to find a place on the web where I could read more of their writing.
What is your favorite thing about blogging?
The people I have corresponded with, and the added privilege of meeting a few friends in person. I had no idea I would make pals through my little splash in the internet ocean.
You write beautifully. Have you always enjoyed writing?
Thank you for your kind words. I have always enjoyed getting my thoughts written down, and blogging has given me a chance to do that without deadlines, worry about rejection or someone else’s guidelines. Those can be good things, too, but blogging is a joy.
Who are your favorite authors?
C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Charles Todd, Jane Austen, Wendell Berry, Madeleine L’Engle, Walker Percy, Annie Dillard, Philip Yancey, J.R.R. Tolkien, P.D. James, Susan Wise Bauer, Ellis Peters, Patrick O’Brian, Jan Karon, Frederick Buechner, Lauren Winner, Elie Wiesel, Kathleen Norris, William Shakespeare, Francis and Edith Schaeffer, Elizabeth Gaskell, Nick Hornby, Mark Salzman, Charles Dickens, P.G. Wodehouse … oh, should I stop? You didn’t want me to limit it to two or five or ten, did you? Can I just add Robert Frost and Robert Coles and Ralph Moody? Okay, I’ll stop. Disclaimer: read anyone’s list of favorite authors with discernment. Some of the authors listed above use horrible language; others have very strange ideas of faith and practice; others give more details about immorality than some can stomach; and some are just plain fluffy.
Can we see a photo of your desk where you blog?
Well, this is a picture of my desk. I love my desk. BUT, I don’t usually blog here. I blog at the dining room table, on my bed, or on the little red bench on the front deck. I take my lap top wherever the quiet will soak in and let me think.
What is your favorite topic to blog about?
Family. Faith. Favorite books. Films. French roast coffee.
What do you love most about the homeschooling lifestyle?
Well, I joke that I love not having to make sure everyone has their hair brushed and their socks matching by 7:30 in the morning, but my real reason is more complicated than that. Susan Card says in her book The Homeschool Journey that she didn’t want to be a stranger to her children’s souls; that makes sense to me. I also long to give my children the space they need to breathe and think and grow. Our lifestyle gives them time to sleep, stare out the windows, cook, get outside, dive into their strengths, and work out their weaknesses without ridicule. The iron-sharpening-iron of family relationships also gives them a taste of reality within the safety of home. Have no illusions: sometimes the iron gets awfully sharp, but I still consider that a really, really good thing for all of us. My husband teaches eighth grade in our community, so I get an honest view of one of the other educational options available to us.. So far, home is it for us.
What is your favorite subject to teach? Least favorite?
In the last year my favorite subject has become speech. A year ago I never would have guessed it would be a favorite; I was too overwhelmed by the process of getting speeches ready for NCFCA (National Christian Forensics and Communications Association – ncfca.org) competition. Now I know it is a lot of work, but it has kept my older kids focused and motivated; I love watching young people grow in confidence, in humility, and in their speaking skills.
Least favorite: math.
Posted in Winner Wednesday | 6 Comments »
Memo Monday
Written by Miss Jocelyn on December 17, 2007 – 8:02 am -
Well, the polls have finally closed. There were a lot of wonderful homeschool blogs nominated. I hope you had a chance to look through them and vote. The winners are to be announced today so make sure you check that out. I am so proud and honoured to be a part of the HSBAwards team. The Ladies on the team are a lot of fun and work really hard to keep up posting, updating, and announcing things. Let’s give them a round of applause! Also congratulations to the 2007 Homeschool Blog Award Winners as well!
Prayer Requests
There are a lot of things that we should all pray for. Pray is the most powerful weapon against the enemy and for us. When Jesus struggled or healed, He prayed. He rebuked demons and healed sickness and talked with His Father. Pray is powerful. Please lift these people up in your prayers
- Mrs. Haskins. She is having some health issues right now and could really use prayer and encouragement.
- Tristan - He is two years old and has leukemia. Please pray for healing in him and for his mom, LindaI, who is doing a wonderful job with her children, but she needs strength and encouragement.
Carnivals
The 103rd Carnival of Homeschooling, which will be hosted @ The Common Room so don’t miss it! The COH is a great way to see how others homeschool, share your thoughts on homeschooling, different methods, and just to have a little fun taking a peek into someone else’s homeschool-life. This carnival is hosted every Tuesday, so be sure to visit each week (carnival schedule) and submit something about your homeschool!
The 28th Homesteading Carnival: CHRISTmas Edition was host by the lovely SisterLisa @ Our Apples of Gold. This carnival is designed to bring homesteaders of all genre together. Everything from cooking dinner to making crafts to milkin’ the goats - THC has it all. This carnival is hosted every Monday, so be sure to visit each week (carnival schedule) and submit something from your homestead!
Heart Of Wisdom is hosting a wonderful contest… Each week, THREE Heart of Wisdom subscribers will be randomly selected to receive one FREE Homeschool Book from Homeschool-Books.com. We will offer a new title each week. 1st place will receive the tree book 2nd and 3rd place will receive the Ebooks. The Heart of Wisdom Winter Giveaway Contest is open to everyone over the age of 18 anywhere in the world. Be sure to check it out and get a ticket!
Book Review
I recently did an in depth review on Homeschooler’s Book Of List by Sonya Haskins. About a month ago, Mrs. Haskins emailed my mom about sending a copy of her recently published book to review. We received the book, and though it was intended for my mom
to review, I had to share how much I enjoyed it myself. This book gets two thumbs up!This is a book that motivates you to learn. You will find your children picking it up to read. My dad even got it out to read after mom kept saying what lists were included. It’s a history book. It’s a curriculum resource. It’s a chart book. It simply is something you MUST have in your homeschool collection.
This large, almost 600-page book is simply stuff full of a vast variety of information. This book includes lists on topics such as History, Government, Mathematics, Religion, Science, Geography, Great people, Quotations, Speeches, Arts, and much more. As a homeschooler, I have grown up viewing learning as an every moment, everyday activity, and this book is like a piece of candy. Being a big history-geek, I immediately flipped through the pages and began to read. This is a rich book; one that you can go back to over and over again to find information… read more
Blogs For Young Ladies
I have been blogging for quite some time… coming up on two years next March. I have met a lot of bloggers all over the world and I make effort to welcome any new bloggers. Since I make myself a “welcoming committee”, I’ve had quite a few people ask me what young ladies’ blog I would recommend for their daughters. A lot of moms want their daughters reading Godly blogs that are worth reading. Blogs that have a point and thought behind the words. Blogs that are good and wholesome. Blogs that will make you think. The internet is a scary place and you never know what you will run into. Parents want to make sure their children are reading blogs that are appropriate and safe. The internet is a tool and must be applied that way. So here are some excellent blogs I would recommend for young ladies…
For Older (13-up)
- Raora
- StrongJoy
- Arya
- Eyebright
- Inklings
- rjdjohn316
- SuperAngel
- 15Proverbs1
- TheLordsDaughter
- IloveyouGod
- VirtuousMaidens
- Rose
- BrielleCostumes
- Narniagirl
- Backyard
- alizona
- Melarooski
- Bluejane
- Ebell1993
- Grace4God
- StatesExploration
- Rosebuds
- Amusing Reflections
- Letters To A Messed Up Nation
- SAYR
Younger (10-12)
- Rachel’s Reasoning
- MaidenInTraining
- the cooking with mjshow
- RaspberryPixieMuffin
- jessica0439
- recipesandcrafts4YL
- Bluejane
- BookLover
- bassethound
- Luthien29
- doglvr
- rjdjohn316
These are just the ones I could think of. I know there are PLENTY more that I am forgetting. However, I would encourage you, if you’re a mom, to have your daughters check these blogs out. They are very intelligent in their speech and thoughts, and are wonderful, delightful girls. All unique in their own special way. Each and everyone of these blogs are different in some way. Some are picture blogs. Some are story blogs. Some are group blogs. Some are reading clubs. Some are recipes and homemaking blogs. Some are theologians and deep thinkers. Some are blogging just to share with all…. but they’re definitely worth taking a peak at.
Literary Societies
The HSB Literary Club, moderated by Jacque & Amanda Dixon, will be finishing up their latest read, The Hedge of Thorns. They just finished up discussing chapters 7-8, and have a few more chapters left.
“The HSB Literary Club is designed to discuss characters and themes that the authors across time have offered us. We hope you will read along with us and contribute to the great conversation. We are picking out the next book, so we will be letting you know so you can get that ordered if you don’t already have it. The next two chapters, 9 and 10, are the last ones.”
If you’re interested in reading any of the Lamplighter Books, check over there within the next few weeks to see what’s up next for discussion. This literary club is for all ages so make sure to get in on the fun!
@ A Pondering Heart
Posted in Everyday Posts, Memo Monday | 5 Comments »
And the WINNERS ARE:
Written by Sprittibee on December 17, 2007 – 12:33 am -It isn’t Winner Wednesday, but I’m announcing the winners anyway. Below is a list of the “people’s choice” for each category. The same thing happened this year as last year (we had a couple of winners that won multiple categories). That’s OK this year, but for fairness to the rest of the nominees, next year we are going to limit winning to one category. Not sure exactly what the rule will be yet (we’ll hash that over later). We’ll announce it next fall.
Before I list the winners, let me say that the Homeschool Blog Awards website will go on as usual. Be sure to check in with us here for:
Memo Monday (updates/curriculum reviews/etc.)
Tuesday Tour (highlights on the homeschool blogosphere)
Winner Wednesday (interviews of winners and award updates)
Thursday Thoughts (devotionals and quotes)
Foto or Funny Friday (humor and smiles)
Saturday Swap/Scripture/Literature/Better Blogging
We post 6 days a week here with our team of 9 or 10. We hope you’ll hang around after the awards have come and gone.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S 2007 HOMESCHOOL BLOG AWARD WINNERS!
Best Homeschool Mom Blog
Best Homeschool Dad Blog
Best Blog Design
Best Artistic Content Blog
Best Crafts, Plans & Projects Blog
Best Family or Group Blog
Best Encourager Blog
Best “Live What You Believe” Homeschool Blog
Best Unschooling or Eclectic Homeschooling Blog
Best Geographical Blog
Best Current Events, Opinions, or Politics Blog
Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog
Best Teen Guy Blog
Best Teen Gal Blog
Best Teen Group Blog
Funniest Homeschool Blog
Best Cyber-Buddy Blog
Best Curriculum or Business Blog
Best Thrifty Homeschooler Blog
Best Super-Homeschooler
Best Nitty-Gritty Homeschool Blog
Best Variety Blog
Best NEW Homeschool Blog
If you are one of these lucky bloggers, be sure to email us at the HSBA website so we can get you a winner button for your sidebar and get info from you for your prizes.
Everyone else, be sure to continue to stop in at all the wonderful blogs that were nominated for the awards. While we only have a few winners, the bloggers represented in the nominee lists are top notch. Thanks for helping to make this a fun and wonderful 2007 awards season. We’ll see you tomorrow - back on a regular posting schedule!
Merry Christmas and have a super week from the HSBA team.
Posted in Award Updates | 10 Comments »
