It's Homeschool Convention Season!

And what a glorious thing, that! I love the Convention!

If you haven't been to a convention, I'll take a minute to let you in on why I refuse to miss one.

1) It is my break time! I get to get away from my normal daily routine for a few days! Granted, I'm very spoiled in this. My convention is 2 1/2 hours from my house. But only 30 mins from my Dad's! So I get to stay at his place which is a bonus not only because it's free, but good 'catch up time' for my Dad and me! Sometimes I take the boys, they get to do some fishing and golfing with Grandad. And sometimes I go alone (which actually is much easier for me to focus but either way works...)

2) Speaking of focus... I get to focus on what I'd like to accomplish in the next year of education in our home.

3) The Used Curriculum Sale!! I think I have an addiction that needs help on this one. I LOVE used books. And a used curriculum sale is the best! This one is bigger than any in my local town (though I don't miss any of those either!) I am able to find rare items that may be out of print, or maybe pick up something at a reasonable price that I'd othewise have to pass on buying. I also find curriculum and supplements that I have always wanted to see "in person" but have been unable to till now. I don't know about you, but I like to see it, flip the pages, and decide if it's for me.

4) The vendor hall... As much as I love a used sale, I also love the vendors. Here's why~
A) I can't always find what I need at the used sale.
B) Sometimes you just have to have 'new' no matter what.
C) It's a very good thing to support these companies. Many of them are homeschool families, and who doesn't want to support them? And if we stop buying a curriculum, the company may stop producing it.
D) Again, I like to see the curriculum "in person" before buying if at all possible.
E) I get to ask the vendors specific questions.
F) A lot of booths offer special prices at the Convention!

5) The speakers... I don't care how long I have homeschooled, by the first weekend of June (this is when our annual convention is scheduled, and like Pavlov's Dog, I start drooling near the end of May) I am ready for some support in some area. Maybe I need the 'hang in there' speech, or maybe the 'here's how to juggle housework and homeschool' talk. Whatever my need is at that time, it seems there is a speaker covering just what I needed to hear!

6) The fellowship... Let's face it, there is nothing like being with other like-minded moms and dads. It is encouraging, and I've built new friendships as well as nurtured old ones. This one thing is worth attending!

"But," you say "I get so overwhelmed!" Let me tell you how I prepare and see if it helps. A convention can be overwhelming, but I'd prefer you to be refreshed instead. ;)

* Make a binder with the following things inside...

* Make a list of books you already own. This is a great thing to have on your computer, keep updated, and print off when you head to sales. As the years go by, I honestly forget if I bought that one book or just considered it. Then I bring it home and find that I had 3 other copies already haha!! Even with my list, I still sometimes do this. But the list helps!

* Make a wish list, with prices! I list all the books and supplements that I'd like to buy for this year. Then I list the prices I can find them for online. This way I know if I've found a good deal, or not.

* Bring some blank paper and a pen. You'll want this for notes, phone numbers/e-mails of new friends, etc...

* Don't impulse buy on day 1... Take time looking at the curriculum. If it's something you are considering, take time to think and pray on it. It will be there on day 2. Ask the vendor if they'll ship it to you for free if they run out before you purchase your set. They'll often do that with no problem. This way you are sure about your purchase and excited for the school year rather than having buyer's remorse the first night.

* Look for audio CDs of the convention... Most every convention offers audio CDs of the speakers at the convention. This is a great option because chances are you'll wish you could be in 2 classes at the same time. Or you may find the class so interesting that you wish you could take it home and listen to it over and over. The CDs are usually very reasonably priced.

* If you just aren't sure... Still overwhelmed at the vendor's booth? Take their catalog and feel free to order later. You might miss a 'sale' at the convention, but it may be better to hold off and make sure this is the curriculum you want.

I will be heading out tomorrow, I love this time of year! If you have a question or concern about conventions, please feel free to comment! :) I won't be near my compupter from Wednesday night till Sunday night. I hope you have a blessed week, and if you are going to a convention, have fun!!

31 Days To Be Continued... Overwhelmed!

I really haven't fallen off the planet. But I had to postpone the 31 Days challenge for a bit. Not because it's overwhelming or not doable. But because I hit a wall recently. And I want to take the time to do it properly.

I think it's somewhat in our nature, as moms, to push ourselves past a healthy level of activity. Some of it is beyond our control. We have to take care of our kids, our homes, our husbands, and if we homeschool, the education of our kiddos. But for some reason, that plate isn't quite full enough.

Correction, it's packed full. And yet, we can balance a bit more on our plates if we stack it right, and maybe if we juggle it just right we can add a few more things on top of the top. But eventually the balance is gone and the plate topples.

My thyroid isn't exactly in tip top shape. I know lots of ladies can identify. If you know anything about the thyroid, you know that it has a lot of influence in how you are feeling. As does your immune system and your adrenals. It seems all of mine were tapped out. I ordered a few herbal products to help get back on track. But by Monday morning last week I was unable to stay out of bed for very long at a time. My order came on Tuesday and I'm happy to say each day is an improvement! I've got a ways to go but I'm much more human these days.

Don't write yourself off as emotional, crazy, too tired, etc. You may need to re-evaluate what is on your plate. And then find a really great Naturopath who can help balance those hormones. It's so worth the time and effort!

As for the challenge, I'll get back to it later. When I have time. Hahaha! Yes, I need to scrape a few things off the plate! But first, the homeschool convention! Woo Hoo!

31 Days ~ days 9-15

It's been a while! Not only has life been busy, but my computer decided to be naughty. I had to send it to the shop to get fixed. Then, after I got it back home I had to leave for the weekend. We had a fabulous ladies retreat! This meant my week was all over the place. So I had to do some creative planning on the 31 Days. I shuffled a few days around and make it work. I crammed most of the weekend into Wednesday and Thursday, knowing I'd be busy packing on Friday and not home till Sunday night.

So here we are on Monday morning. I have already done the assigned duty for today the 16th, but not the 15th. So I'll do that today (wash mirrors, walls, windows, clean window treatments, dust ceiling in the bedrooms.) Then, I THINK, I'll be on track for day 17 on Tuesday the 17th.

Sometimes in life we just have to get a little creative with our routines to fit things in. And sometimes we just have to let things go entirely. I'm glad I was able to fit things in this time. However, after a weekend away, I'm looking at a house that is in need of some TLC today... ;)

Hope everyone is still hanging in there on the 31 Days to Clean challenge! Even if you have to juggle, cram, or draw it out longer. It's worth the time.

31 Days~ days6-8

I don't want to get sidetracked... I did days 6-8 on Friday the 6th. I figured that with a busy weekend ahead (helping to build a new beach in our area on Saturday and Mother's Day on Sunday) I had better get my kitchen work done on Friday. So I'm pleased to say that all my cabinets, drawers, and pantry shelves were cleaned and organized. It took me about 3 hours to do, but it was so worth it! I LOVE how each cabinet looks when I open the door. I'm probably the only one in the house that appreciates it, but I am very happy to have it done. I need that to be an annual event, I think. :)

Today is day 9. I haven't begun yet, but I will. Today is the last day of the kitchen duties for the 31 Day challenge. :)

31 Days~ Day 5

Short and sweet today... We were asked to wash the inside windows of our kitchens and also clean the window treatments. I had a very full day planned and I had my kitchen window chore done by 8 this morning :) Woo hoo! My boys and I were able to enjoy 2 hours at the park today, which is a huge joy considering it's the nicest day of the year so far!! :)

I'm not sure how much I can get done on day 6 as I have Mother's day projects going, but I want to get what I can knocked out as early as possible tomorrow, also!

Have a fabulous Thursday!

31 Days ~Day 4

Welcome to day 4. I started this day trying to tease my boys that it's Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you...) yeah, poor kids.

So today's challenge was timely~ To clean the microwave and oven, inside and out. Here's the story...

The other night, my hubby was being so sweet by baking a pepperoni pizza. This was great and it gave me a night off from cooking. Last night I made some white bean chicken chili and thought that corn bread would be lovely as a side. My 7 year old did a great job preparing the cornbread. I had the oven pre-heating as I was stirring the chili. Every time I walked over to stir the pot I thought to myself "why does it smell like a BBQ?" And at one point I thought "hmmm, smells like the neighbor is BBQing hot dogs or something." I did have the kitchen window open over my sink. But I haven't smelled any BBQ coming from that yard in a while. So it really struck me. Back to the cornbread. I opened the oven door to put the nicely prepared dish in to bake, when what did I see but a flame go WHOOF when I let the fresh air into the oven. There, on the bottom of the oven, was a chunk of pepperoni pizza, at least that's what it was at one time. Now it was a black piece of charcoal on the bottom of the oven, with about a 4" flame rising up. I closed the door, grabbed one small handful of baking soda, opened the door and found that to be an effective end to the drama. I reached inside with salad tongs and pulled the char out and tossing it in the sink where a bowl of water was ready to receive it. It was a great lesson for my son. He learned about fire and baking soda. Also, we're learning about the water cycle, so he saw steam come up from the 'pizza' in the bowl. We talked about that just today, in fact. Hey, you gotta take everything and make it a lesson when you homeschool, right?

So, today's challenge to clean the inside of the oven came at a good time. Other than that, the oven wasn't in too bad of shape. I had been wanting to clean the glass on the front anyway. So this was a good time to do it. While cleaning, the sink turned into quite a mess. So I worked at scrubbing that with a bit more elbow grease than normal. Then I cleaned the microwave and toaster oven. While I was at it, the top of the garbages looked grimey, it's what I get for buying white ones, yes? So I cleaned those. Then the door to the back yard looked sad, too. So it got a quick wipe down. A little ADD? Yup!

In addition, Wednesdays are my dust, vacuum, mop days. So I got all that done, as well.

The Mary challenge, I'm still going to have to work on. I haven't even had the time to consider it and honestly I'm about to throw a hat on and leave for the evening. What's on the ageneda? My hubby and I get to clean at his work tonight. I do walk on the wild side. :)

How is the challenge going for you? I found a great link today for the 31 Days to Clean calendar! This way you can post it and have it handy all month long. The only thing missing are the Mary challenges. But you can look those up in the book. Here's the link! http://www.4shared.com/document/8KtghJaP/31_Days_to_Clean_Calendar.html

Happy cleaning!

31 Days~ Day 3

Today is day 3. It was the shot in the arm that I needed. Arm... speaking of which, my shoulder has been acting up. So while I worked hard I really tried to be gentle on my bad shoulder.

The Mary challenge said to ask your family what makes them feel most loved when it comes to you caring for your home. Well... the wording, unfortunately, went over my husband's head. And it hit me, I'm communicating in female terms again. So I had to re-word it a bit and find out what it was that he liked when he walked in the door. His response? The smell of food cooking for dinner, and peace. Not arguing amongst the kids and a frazzled "I have NO idea what we're having for dinner so don't even ask me" look on a frazzled wife's face. Hehe. Not that I ever have that kind of environment in my home! Ok, yes I do. But I usually try to have the kids do a quick pick up of their toys, I try to tidy up a bit and run a comb through my hair and sometimes get a candle lit before he walks in. It doesn't happen every night but I do love to do it when I can. So, tonight, knowing what he likes, the house will be picked up, and dinner will be in the crock simmering. That's all it takes.

As for the Martha challenge. THIS is where the shot in the arm comes in. Now, I have "wipe tops and fronts of cabinets and refrigerator" as a part of my routine (I use index cards from the SHE system.) So they weren't too bad. However, I still had my Snow Village on the top of my cabinets. They look so cute up there that one year I left them year round. The upside? Not having to take them down, pack them up, carry them to the basement, only to do the reverse in a few months. The downside? They were gucky and gross and needed a good cleaning after that. So, today I pulled them all down and packed them up and the boys helped me get them to the basement. I admit, it felt good to get them put away and I loved having the boys help. My shoulder? It's not as happy but I'm working out...

A couple years ago I bought some cute little garden decorations, birds, flowers, etc. I never splurge on decor. But that year I really wanted something springy. So today I brought it out of the box that it was stored in since last October and put them in place on my cabinets! It looks so cheery!

I did wipe all surfaces while I was at it and even scrubbed the light fixture over the sink. Now I need to ask my sweet hubby to take that one last box to the basement, cuz this shoulder is finished. I hope you are being blessed in this 3rd day of the challenge! :)

31 Days~ Day 2

Created to Give Life... That's today's title.

Before I get into the meat of this chapter, let me just say I breezed through the Martha challenge, to clean the inside of the fridge and freezer. It felt good. It is on my routine to do, but I've let it slide lately. So it was much needed and I have to wear sunglasses when I open the door now. :) Now on to the tougher one...

Sarah points out that one of our special gifts from God is to give life... A few of her examples are with our words, in our homes, in education, church, socially, culture and arts, and heritage and traditions.

Our Mary Challenge today is to consider what I can do to bring life to my home, my children, my husband, and my sphere of influence. This is a question I haven't really considered before. At least not consciously. How about you? Have you really sat and pondered this before?

I think that something as simple as a smile to give freely to our families is a very small but profound way to give life. And yet, in the rush of our day we can often forget such a simple token of love. I also think words can have life or death. And when we're tired and feeling like we're running behind or not getting enough done, we can lose those life giving words and that smile to be sure. I think I resemble a porcupine more often than I'd like to admit.

So how can I find that smile and those life giving words? By being rested and not feeling behind all day. And how does that happen? For me, it is by being up before the family, having time to exercise and get in God's Word. If I have that time alone in a quiet home I find myself much more at peace to start my day.

But wait, the alarm clock is going off and the bed is so warm and the snooze button is calling my name! So this can't be where it starts, can it? I'm still missing something...

Like dominoes we have to go back to the first one to start off the chain of events. So we really need to go back to the previous night. If I can get myself to bed earlier, I can get up earlier. If I get up earlier, I can exercise and spend time with the Lord. If I can exercise and spend time with God, I can start my day with peace and order. If I can start my day with peace and order then I can have a smile for my family when they get up in the morning. See how it's like dominoes?

So, that said, it's 9:08 PM and I really need to be heading to bed soon! This is a hard habit to start because our lives are so busy. But I'm going to start making an effort. It's obvious that it won't happen naturally. So, goodnight all!!!!!! See you on day 3! :)

31 Days~ Day 1

It's day one and already this day was more challenging than I expected. And to think, it's only day 1! Sarah asks us to come up with a mission statement as a part of our Mary Challenge. The Martha Challenge is pretty simple. Since I seem to have every cleaning item under the sun, so I didn't have to go looking for anything.

But a mission statement... Oy! She said it should only take a minute to read. She didn't know how long winded I could be... I want a clean home, not because I'll be in some magazine, or look like I have it all together for surprise guests. But how to put into words the reasons deep inside my heart for an organized and welcoming home...

I have to admit, I actually kind of enjoy cleaning. It's true! I love going to cleaning seminars and bringing home new fluffy dusters and microfiber mop heads. What I don't like is the clutter. That's another story. Once upon a time I felt guilty for enjoying cleaning. I had some people tell me that it appeared I really did have it all together. I felt so bad, because I didn't want to make anyone feel like I was better than them or that they weren't doing as well as I. I truly didn't 'have it all together' at all. But, how silly that was!! Were my eyes on God or me?? The fear of man is a strange thing. I don't think ANYone really has it all together, we all know what's stacked in our closets, emotionally and physically. But a dear friend told me that if God gave me the ability to work in my home, and even enjoy it, then I ought to joyfully go about doing just that. So long as it isn't taking away from my family. Anything, even cleaning, can become an idol.

But how do I put it all together into a 'why' statement? I was told once to always write in the positive, rather than saying how I wish things were or what I don't want to do. So, here goes.

"Daily I desire to bless and honor the Lord, first, doing all as unto Him. "So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the Knowledge of God." Col 1:10

I am blessing my husband, who works so hard outside the home. He has a warm, inviting home to return to each night. Our boys are blessed by the nurturing environment I create. "The heart of her husband trusts in her..." Prov. 31:11a "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." Prov. 31:28

My home is welcoming and peaceful so I can bless others. "She provides food for her household... She opens her hands to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy." Prov. 31:15b,20.

My home reflects peace and joy, and my heart is bountifully blessed. "...and she laughs at the days to come." Prov. 31:25b

I work eagerly and willingly for the love of the Lord, my family, and others. "She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." Prov. 31:27 "She works with willing hands." Prov. 31:13b"

If I want to read it in just a minute, as Sarah suggests, I can leave out the Scripture verses. But I really do best when I have Scripture to guide me. :)

How's everyone else doing on the mission statement?? See ya on Day 2!