Heart of the Matter is more than just a homeschooling site. It is a site dedicated to bridging the gap between the child and the parent, a relationship designed by God. We hope to accomplish this by presenting you with motivational posts, encouraging articles from “real” parents, and resources so that the parents can take 100% control of their child’s education. We provide a blog that is updated daily, a quarterly digital magazine, online conferences, how-to tutorials, reviews, giveaways, and more for the busy parent.

Heart of the Matter was formed in January 2008 by Amy Bayliss and Amy Stults, the team now known as “The Amies” and the writers are made up of some of the home schooling community’s most popular authors and bloggers. Each brings their own passion and style to Heart of the Matter.

Our family of contributors

Angela DeRossett – Owner, Editor-in-Chief

Angela is a fun-loving, married to the military, homeschooling mother of four. She has four cats and a great big dog and loves her very full house. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Christian Education and holds a Bachelor’s of Arts and Science in Christian Ministries. Angela is a coffee and theology junkie and is passionate about Autism advocacy and disability rights. You can find her blogging at Memoirs of a Chaotic Mommy and Homeschooling the Chaotic Mommy.

Amy Stults – Co-founder, Development Consultant

Amy is a devoted wife to her husband of 12 years, a Classical homeschooling mom to an eight-year-old Superhero and the co-founder of Heart of the Matter. She has a passion for genealogy and is aspiring to be a Proverbs 31 lady. Be sure to visit her blog at Milk and Cookies.

Amy Bayliss – Co-founder, Development Consultant

Joining you from the heart of Cajun Country, Amy is a Christian, homeschooling mom to four amazing little men. She is blissfully married to her best friend, Ryan. They reside in the heart of Louisiana where they worship and serve under Healing Place Church, the birthplace of Servolution. When she is not writing or designing something, she loves to travel, cook, and read. A self-proclaimed small appliance junkie, Amy has a passion to see women set free from the bondage that holds them captive. Her life experiences have prepared her for such a time as this. You can find her passionate pursuits by visiting Inspired Hearts Media, A Woman Inspired, and her personal website: AmyBayliss.com.

Marsha Drews – Managing Editor

Marsha is proud to be the Mrs. to David for over 14 years. They have been homeschooling their rowdy boys in the Lone Star State for the past 7 years. When she’s feeling like a slacker, you can find her drinking coffee, reading a book and writing at her blog — and sometimes all at the same time! You can find Marsha at Other Such Happenings.

Karin Katherine – Director of Reviews

Karin Katherine is a proud stay-at-home homeschooling mother of 4 living in Sunny Florida with her children, husband and various reptiles. As an eclectic style homeschooler she relishes the opportunity the review new curriculum and resources and share them with readers. Please visit her blog at www.KarinKatherine.com or follow her homeschooling adventures at www.PassportAcademy.com.

Laura Delgado – Digital Magazine Copy Editor and Writer

Laura  has been married to her husband, Henry, for 14 years. She gave birth to four children in exactly 40 months, but cheated since the last two were twins. She now happily homeschools her 8,6, and two 4 year-olds. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Rice University, but finds that she uses her undergraduate Great Books education far more in her homeschooling pursuits. In addition to writing for various homeschooling publications, she creates educational materials for edHelper. For homeschooling helps and curriculum reviews, please visit her blogs at Living as Martha and Salve Regina Homeschool.

Amy Fleeker – Lead Forum Moderator

Amy is a part of a great family that includes a husband of 12 years, 3 children, a dog and a cat. Her homeschooling style is eclectic with a emphasis on classical teaching. When with her family, you can find her watching movies, playing board games, and living life with a great sense of humor and knowing that God is all around. In her spare time she enjoys scrapbooking, tatting, crocheting and doing a little family history. You can visit Amy at her blog, Counting Change Again.

Cassandra Simpson – Assistant Lead Forum Moderator

Cassandra is a homeschooling wife and mother of four children, ages 1, 8, 9, and 12. She is starting her 6th year of home educating in Indiana and uses a “Classically Eclectic” teaching approach. Cassandra is the Assistant Lead Moderator for HOTM’s forum and loves talking homeschool with anyone who will listen! Her hobbies are reading, blogging, sewing, and cooking. You can check out her family’s blog at In His Image.

Dawn Camp – WordPress Design Consultant and Writer

Dawn has been homeschooling her eight children–ages pre-K to college–since 1993. Her interests include photography, and both graphic and web design. She is the owner of Barefoot Blog Designs, and also blogs at My Home Sweet Home, (in)courage, Blissfully Domestic, and The Homeschool Post.

Darcy – Branding, HTML, and all around “We broke it! Help!” girl

Darcy is the mom to three boys ages 8, 7, and 5 and blogs over at Life with My 3 Boybarians. She is the owner of a blog design business at www.graphicallydesigning.com. She and Handy Man live in Iowa…nowhere near a Starbucks.

Pamela Swearingen – E-Reviews Coordinator

Happily homeschooling in the beautiful Pacific Northwest for several years now, Pamela and her family have really enjoyed an “eclectic Charlotte Mason with a hint of unschooling” style of learning.  Books, unit studies, notebooks, and nature journals are all part of their homeschooling week.  Her kids are transitioning into middle school now and the lessons in their homeschool and in life are getting very exciting!   She truly feels that God has blessed her family with the opportunity to homeschool and she strives each day to honor Him with theirlessons and actions.  Her goal is to inspire other families to homeschool greatness by pointing them in the direction of some really great books, resources and field trip ideas.  Her reviews and suggestions can be found on her blog.

Monthly Contributors:

Angela Parsley

Angela, of the international ministry Refresh My Soul Ministries, is a wife and homeschooling mother to her 2 young daughters. Angela is also a contributing author to a devotional book entitled, “Standing on the Promises of God” and Radical Revolution, a devotional site for teen girls through Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Ann Dunagan

Ann Dunagan is a longtime homeschool mother of 7 (with 4 high school graduates and 3 university graduates). Since 1987, she and her husband Jon, and their family, have ministered worldwide through Harvest Ministry, to a combined total of 70+ nations, on all 7 continents. Ann is co-founder of 2 African orphanages (with over 700 children); author of several books, including The Mission-Minded Family; and she blogs at Passionate Homemaking and “Better Parents, Better Families” on The Christian Post.

Aubrey Lively

Aubrey is a homeschooling mother of four, ages 9, 7, 3, and 2. She has a BA in Literature and an MEd in Teaching and is currently surviving seminary with her husband of ten years. Visit Aubrey online at http://aubreylively.blogspot.com.

Barbara Postma

Barbara and her husband, as they homeschool their 7 children, are finding out that no two children are alike! Between lessons and lunches, Barbara blogs at Fuel by Barbara.

Belinda Bullard

Belinda is a wife and homeschooling mother of three, Belinda is an author and the owner of A Blessed Heritage Educational Resources, a literature-based history curriculum featuring African-American presence in history, as well as the contributions of other races to American history. A chemical engineer by formal education, she also serves as adjunct faculty for college distance learning programs. Belinda blogs at Simply Belinda and Chronicles of a Blessed Heritage.

Bethany LeBedz

Bethany has been married for 17 years, homeschooling for 10 years, and organizing forever. She homeschools her two girls in North Carolina. She is also a partner in Codex Publishing, publisher of The Tutor and classic book reprints. She writes a regular column for the Home School Enrichment magazine. When she isn’t homeschooling or driving the family taxi, Bethany enjoys reading, music, church activities, editing, writing, history, and keeping up with friends. Follow her blog at Confessions of an Organized Homeschool Mom.

Carol Barnier

Carol Barnier is a fresh, fun and popular conference speaker unlike any you’ve heard before. Her objective is to have the wit of Erma Bombeck crossed with the depth of C.S. Lewis, but admits that most days, she only achieves a solid Lucy Ricardo with a bit of Bob the Tomato. She is a frequent guest commentator on Focus on the Family’s Weekend Magazine broadcast, has been a guest on many radio programs and is a speaker to conferences nationwide. She’s the author of three books about dealing with (or possessing) a non-linear mind in a linear world: How to Get Your Child Off the Refrigerator and On To Learning, If I’m Diapering a Watermelon, Then Where’d I Leave the Baby?, and The Big WHAT NOW Book of Learning Styles. Her main websites are CarolBarnier.com and SizzleBop.com. You can also find Carol at her blog for moms with distractible kids at SizzleBop. And for fun, see her church humor blog at CarolBarnier.

Chris Worthy

Chris is mom to Caroline (16) and Nolan (11) and will soon celebrate 21 years of marriage to her favorite person, John. Chris practiced law before becoming a writer and stay-at-home mother more than 10 years ago. She enjoys cooking, crafting, spoiling dogs, green living and rummaging though old books. Follow along at www.chrisworthy.com.

Christine Hiester

Christine is a Christian, homeschooling mom to three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 9 to 2 years old. She is a musician by trade, eclectic in homeschool style, and continues to grow and learn along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. Visit her blog at Fruit in Season.

Courtney Joseph

Courtney blogs over at Women Living Well. She has been married to her high school sweet heart for 12 ½ years, home schools her son and daughter and is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute. Her passion to see women living well landed her on the Rachael Ray Show in November, 2009. Since then, she blogs regularly about marriage according to God’s word.

Dana Hanley

Dana is homeschooling her five children while moving to the country. You can follow her plans and adventures while seeking to live life more abundantly at Roscommon Acres.

Debbie Strayer and Dr. Ruth Beechick

Debbie is a veteran educator, speaker, author and home educator. She enjoys spending time with her husband of thirty years and her grown children.

Dr. Beechick, too, has spent many years teaching and writing on education. She specializes in curriculum and in how children learn. She is mother of two and grandmother of four and loves working together with Debbie because they think alike on education matters. For more books and articles, see debbiestrayer.com.

Debra Anderson

Debra has three sons ages 11 and younger. Her passions are education, mentoring, her husband, writing, church ministry and missional living — not in that order. She has her seminary Masters degree in Christian Education, is married to her pastor-husband of 16 years, and resides in their newish home in Denver, CO. In spite of moves between four different states, she has always home educated her boys — even on the hard days. She maintains a blog at www.emergent-homeschool.blogspot.com.

Hannah Hagarty

Hannah is a relaxed homeschooling mama of five. Her and her family are big on the outdoors, big on family days, and big on making memories in everyday small ways. She loves handcrafts, iced lattes, re-arranging furniture and counts falling into bed exhausted a sign of a really great day. She and her husband make a home in upstate New York with their energetic children and a menagerie of animals. Hannah blogs at Cultivating Home.

Heather Laurie

Heather and her husband, Christopher, have been married for 13 wonderful years, and have been blessed with 7 children, two of whom are awaiting them in Heaven. They began their homeschooling journey eight years ago, amidst trials and unexpected journeys, including genetic disorders, autism, sensory disorders, and lupus. Heather and her husband created the ministry Special Needs Homeschooling as a way to use their trials for the Lord’s glory and to encourage special needs parents and homeschoolers.

Heather

Heather is a homeschooling mom of four kids ranging from middle school to preschool and wife to a handsome chemical engineer. Before raising a family, she taught middle school science (with a BS in biological sciences) and has a masters degree in curriculum and instruction secondary education. Now teaching at home means the chance to provide the extraordinary for her children. She’s been homeschooling five years and you can read about those adventures on her blog, Blog She Wrote.

Jimmie

Jimmie is a former public school teacher turned homeschooling stay-at-home-mom. A sense of humor, faith, and creativity keep her “pressing on” in her unique situation — living and traveling abroad with an only child in a bilingual environment. Visit her blog at Jimmie’s Collage.

Julie Barnett

Julie is a Navy veteran and spouse who has been happily married since 1993. She is a homeschool Mom to 2 amazing kids, a teenage young lady and an elementary age young man. She enjoys fishing, camping, scrapbooking, card making, crafts, reading and oh so much more!

Karen

Karen is married to the love of her life, Steve, and a homeschooling mom of 4 children ages 9,7,5, and 1. She was called to homeschool when her oldest was kindergarten age after thinking, “I could never do THAT!” Now she is passionate about encouraging others on their homeschool journey, as well as learning all she can along the way. She sees her kids as her mission field and loves the verse in Romans 10:15 that says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who carry the good news.” Follow her blog at Beautiful Feet Bring Good News.

Kristin Nitz

Kristin has been happily married since 1986 (they were 18) and after 16 years of marriage they decided to have kids, a son Vincent (2002) and a daughter Raquel (2005). She is bringing her kids up in a Godly education without the concerns about socialization in the traditional school setting and all the worries that may go along with that. With the lack of God in the schools and the illiteracy rates Kristin felt she had to find another option for the treasures that God gave her. So, she decided to homeschool and raise up her children in the way of the Lord not in the way of the world. Because what we teach today is what we will reap tomorrow. Kristin started NutBugs.com because she knew there were other people out there like her who wanted to read many different blogs and posts to help them better understand homeschooling, teaching and curriculum choices.

Laura Luna

Laura is in her 7th year as a single homeschool mom to 3 beautiful daughters. Currently they are in the 7th, 6th, and 3rd grades. She enjoys growing and learning along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. She hopes to bring encouragement and hope to women who find themselves in difficult situations. You are invited to follow her homeschooling adventures at www.pillarsinherfathershouse.blogspot.com.

Lee Binz

Lee is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper. Get homeschool transcript help with her Total Transcript Solution. Get comprehensive homeschool support as a member of her Gold Care Club.

Leslie Thompson

Leslie and her husband Jeoff began educating their children at home almost three years ago. They have a passion for sharing Christ’s love in marriages and helping point husbands and wives (including themselves) back to Christ when resolving conflicts. Leslie is Director of a Classical Conversations Community, in which their two oldest children are enrolled. Their two youngest children, ages 3 and 1, provide a much needed element of joy throughout the family’s school day.

Lisa Van Dong

Lisa has been teaching her two sons since 2004 and attempts to incorporate study, work, service, and play into their homeschooling days. She takes an eclectic approach to homeschooling and enjoys reading, writing, editing, and essential oils. Lisa blogs publicly at Pockets of Time and privately at Scooter and B.

Meg Wilson

Meg is a devoted wife to her husband, Ken, of 10 years, and mom and homeschooling teacher to her 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. When she’s not writing or creating something, Meg loves to cook for, host and entertain friends and family. She also enjoys reading, the outdoors, eclectic music, yoga, and studying history. You can read all about her adventures (and misadventures) at her blog, Muses of Megret and read her product reviews at Muse Reviews.

Melinda Boring

Melinda has been married to Scott for 25 years and has three homeschooled children. Her 22 yr. old son and 21 yr. old daughter graduated from home school in 2006, leaving Melinda an “empty desker” of two along with her 17 year old daughter who will graduate in 2011. Two of her children and her husband have been diagnosed with AD/HD. The children also deal with auditory processing disorders and sensory processing challenges. The name “Boring” just doesn’t fit this family, and Melinda shares many humorous moments in her speaking and writing endeavors. Melinda is the author of Heads Up Helping and has been a contributing author to multiple publications. She is a workshop presenter with a passion for helping struggling learners and providing practical strategies, compassion, and understanding for those with special needs. Melinda is also a speech/language pathologist with over 25 years experience and the owner of Heads Up, a company with products for those who learn differently. You can find her blog at the Heads Up website, where she writes as “Heads Up Mom”.

Melissa Morgner

Melissa is a happy wife of 16 years to her college sweetheart and mother to six loud, but lovable children ranging in age from 13 down to two. After eight years of homeschooling and sampling way too much curriculum, she takes an eclectic approach in their little schoolroom, choosing resources that best suit the children and the teacher. Her busy household puts her gifts of juggling and winging it to the test each day. She steals moments here and there to write on her blog, Day In Day Out, about the lessons she’s learning from the Lord in the routine but privileged tasks of mothering and homeschooling.

Misty Krasawski

Misty is the overly-blessed mom of eight children whom she homeschools in sunshine-y Florida. She has been clinging ferociously to the hand of her Lord since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, homeschooling for the past thirteen years, and has eighteen more years ahead of her with the children who are glad she will have done most of her experimenting on those who went before. Her wonderful husband Rob has much treasure laid up for him in heaven for having been called to such a daunting task. After the house goes to sleep she can sometimes be found gathering her thoughts at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MistyKrasawski.

Montserrat Wadsworth

Montserrat is completely devoted to her wonderful husband, Joseph, and their eight children (seven girls and one boy!). They live on a 4,000 acre alfalfa farm nestled in a small Northern Nevada valley. They’ve been homeschooling for 11+ years. Montserrat enjoys, photography, cooking, crafting, chocolate, and sloppy goodnight kisses. She strives to live each day as God would have her do following Mary’s biblical supplication, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) You can find her at her blog Chocolate On My Cranium.

Nikowa Lee

Nikowa Lee is a quirky homeschooling mom to a special needs son, co-schooling mom to a son that’s a handful, foster-to-adopt parent, Cub Scout volunteer, frugal lifestyle livin’, 2x cervical cancer surviving wife. She enjoys social media, photography, gardening, reading, and teaching. You can visit Nikowa at The Adventures of a Quirky Mom.

Patty Thompson

Patty is a homeschooling mom to 4 kids and wife to her high school sweetheart. She has been homeschooling for 4 years and loving every minute of it. Future plans include Homeschooling through high school. Her kids range from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Her style is very eclectic and believes in going with what works! She is rarely seen without a book in her hand. She loves to plan lessons and unit studies. She has started working with a co-op group and has enjoyed teaching group classes. Her hobbies include Genealogy and card making. She has often been found lost in thought on her blog. Catch her there and take a moment to feed their school mascot, Shiver, at Shiver Academy.

Peggy Dalley

Peggy has been married to her best friend and husband for 14 years. She uses the eclectic approach to homeschool their three sons, 12, 10 and 7. Her interests include writing unit studies, Bible study, history and she is working hard to become a Proverbs 31:10 woman instead of a Proverbs 21:9 woman.

Rachael Moriarty

Rachael is wife to a Navy Tubist and mommy to three children, ages 1 to 6. She is Director of a Classical Conversations group and a childbirth educator and doula. She works along side her hubby on their hobby farm and has a passion for kitchen experiments. She aspires to train and reach the hearts of her children that they may know the purpose of life is to know Jesus and make Him known to others.

Renae Deckard

Renae has prepared lesson plans, enjoyed children’s literature, and delighted in discovery with her three children for over seven years. By studying Principle Approach philosophy, she realized what she always suspected: the Bible lies at the heart of all subjects. Find her reflections at Life Nurturing Education.

Rhodema Cargill

Rhodema lives the parenting adventure with Calvin, her college sweetheart. They have two adult daughters and two teenagers still at home, a girl and a boy. Their homeschool style is eclectic with a great love of living history books. Rhodema is a freelance writer and speaker. Visit with her on her blog: MommyLife.

Robyn Stone

Robyn is a wife, entrepreneur and homeschooling Mom to one very energetic little boy who is not quiet so little any more. She shares about her journey in life on her blog Our Homeschool Home. She loves a good cup of coffee, photography, and a great conversation.

Ruthanne Genco

Ruthanne has been homeschooling for just over a decade. She’s passionate about many things ~ the Lord, her principal and students (mother to four boys and a girl), photography, baking and really good coffee. You can find her blogging at www.eclecticwhatnot.com where she shares a few random thoughts and loads of pictures.

Sheri Sears

Sheri (with the help of her fabulous husband Mike) began homeschooling her four children in 2001. She spends her time creating whatever she can out of nothing to make her house more homey, writing lesson plans, listening to her son’s garage band and writing how God is carrying her out of the depths of depression. You can catch up with Sheri at her blog The Shades of Pink. Be sure not to miss the Love Story she and her husband have written.

Tammy Dallmann

Married in 1980 and still living in the same house in a woodsy rural setting, Tammy’s homeschooling journey began in the fall of 1987 when her oldest turned six years old. As rather new believers professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, homeschooling was a way to live out the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Through all the challenges of life Tammy has stayed the course growing to a family with nine children who presently range from grade school age to college graduates married with children. Her role has transitioned from learning everything she could about homeschooling to becoming an encourager to others coming along the way. Please visit Tammy at Garden Glimpses.

Tara McClenahan

Tara is a devoted mom to a two-year-old “little man” and enjoys discovering how God has “packed his suitcase”. As an associate with iBloom, she has a heart for inspiring, encouraging and equipping moms to become “Proverbs 31 mamas” and raise their children according to Biblical principles and guidelines using the Bible and other tools. Tara adores falling leaves, sweatshirts, Starbucks White Chocolate Mochas and the first curly BBQ chip from the bag! Make sure to visit Tara’s website to download your free Christian mom resource!

Tracy Jackson

Tracy is first and foremost a Christian, a military wife and mother. She grew up as a military brat all over the USA and is married to her Air Force, pastor husband of 16 years. They have 2 beautiful teenage children that they home school. She is photographer, and owns Shots From the Heart Photography and loves to do what she calls “Capturing the Fingerprints of God!” in her images. Tracy also created a workshop called Mommytography, where she teaches Mom’s how to use their cameras and to take better pictures. You can visit her at her blog: Work of HeART and Soul.