Comments of the Week

June 14, 2009 by AmyS

Here at Heart of the Matter, we love our readers and we love your comments! One of the greatest things about Wordpress is the amazing plugins we can install on the website here. Like the comment thread, which enables all of us to have conversations with each other right in the comments. You can leave your own, or reply directly to someone else. AND (if you so choose) your pretty little face and latest blog entry appears right there in your comment!!

If you are reading Heart of the Matter through RSS or email, we would be so happy if you stopped by every once in a while to say hi and give your input.

Now, read on for a handful of insightful comments from last week! And keep ‘em coming…YOU could be in the spotlight next week!!

“Repartee: Your Yearbook Moments”

Sarah, from the blog Small World, says

The biggest yearbook moments came with our oldest. The biggest is that he began taking classes at the local community college as a dual enrollment student, beginning at age 15.

“Evaluating Your Year… Hear the Music of You”

Marsha, from the blog Homeschool Happenings and Such, says

What a clever (and true) analogy! It really is true that I set the tone for my family. And it is always interesting to see which child will be the cellist. One thing is for certain– our family is much more beautiful and interesting with the complexities of each individual. How boring it would be if we were all the same, all the time!

“Are You A “Real” Homeschool Mom?”

Ann, from the Hibbard Family blog, says

Thank you so much for this article! For a while I lived with the “I’m not as good as…” mentality, but then I got to know the “…” of my statement better. She’s great at certain things, but struggles with others. She’s normal, just like me!!! I love her so dearly now and want to be just like her – real! My goal over the past year or so has been to be real. To thank people for their complements of my children, but to also be honest about my weaknesses. If more of us could be real, I think more parents who think about homeschooling would actually have the confidence to do it! Thanks for being real and honest!

Trish, from Joyful Heart blog, says

Ha! I knew there was a reason I like you, Amy! We just finished our 14th year of homeschooling, and we never, not even one time, completed an entire textbook or read every single read-a-loud out loud. We did more than our fair share of “practical living days” ~ code for we’re-going-to-spend-the-day-cleaning or baking or whatever it was we needed to get done other than school that day. And you know what? Our kids are great. They’re intelligent, well spoken, well rounded young men who are able to converse with octogenarians, play with babies, and mix with every age in between.

“Summer school isn’t so bad”

Bev says

I am so glad someone has said it out loud. I have felt behind all year this year but its because I am comparing myself to others. We took a big chunk of time off during the winter months because my oldest was having some anxiety/behavior issues which I think are resolved for now. We will be doing some school througout the summer. I am really bad about comparing, I look at my 7 year old who struggles with reading and I am fearful someone will judge me because of it but then my oldest eats up knowledge in books and could give a speech on how to raise and train parakeets, or what the diff types of sharks there are. I know it will come together and someday I wll look back and say “why did I worry so much”. Thank you once again for voicing my thoughts.

Angela, from Homeschooling the Chaotic Family, says

We have toyed with the idea of year-round schooling but then decided we do kind of fit the mold. Instead of hard core subjects during the summer months we catch up on reading, biblical studies, projects and things that don’t seem ’schoolish’. I love the vision of lounging on an uncrowded beach in September. Wish I could join you!

Tags: Encouragement, Featured comments, Featured Homeschooler, Life Experiences

Featured Homeschooler – Sprittibee

April 12, 2009 by Nikowa

5 Comments

redmom Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler, Sprittibee

Where did the name Sprittibee come from?
Sprittibee is actually a nickname and a last initial put together (and here you thought it was all about honey bee obsession!). When me and my hubby were dating back in the early 90’s, he called me Spritti and I called him Spooker. Sickening, I know. The “SP” was a language addition based on that REM song, “Losing My Religion,” where he said “It’s bigger than you… and you are not me.” He slurred his words and said “Spigger”, which was somehow REAL funny to us barely 20 year old, lovesick kids who were stuck in the car part of every day together as we both ran errands for the companies we worked for. That song was on the radio a LOT back then.

Spritti is really “pretty” (glad he thought I was – cuz I was head over heels and still am). I bet you can’t guess what Spooker was. It came from a the shell necklace that Kev bought in Galveston when he went down there to buy a Yaga t-shirt. The necklace was made of puka shells. Add your S and you’ve got the original version of his pathetically dorky nickname. Lucky for him, it didn’t stick quite as well as mine. I’m sure I haven’t called him that in over ten years.

Kids are retarded. Sadly, dumb nicknames STICK. I figure it doesn’t matter if you all know this sordid secret, though. You would be amazed at how many people ask. If I had given my “brand name” a little more thought when I started blogging (on accident through commenting on someone else’s blog), I probably would NEVER have used “Sprittibee” as a blog title. Believe me, I have regretted it many times–but after four years of blogging, I’m stuck with it. I do like bees, so it’s not all bad. I have quite a collection of bee knick knacks.

Can you share a little about your family with us?
We’re complete nerds. My husband is a computer geek and very handy with electrical and mechanical stuff. We’ve been married for over 16 years. It was love at first sight. We only dated 8 months and I was barely 20 when we landed in the JP. Amazingly, we still get butterflies for each other, so I’m pretty sure that God was behind the whole ordeal – even before we were on his bandwagon. We have 2 kids and one on the way. Our son is 12 and our daughter is 10. They are super kids and I suspect they will be more than helpful when the little Viking arrives in a few weeks. When we aren’t all working, we like to spend time together. I think homeschooling has created the most awesome bonds of love and friendship in our family. I’d rather be with my husband and kids than anyone on the planet.

Have I mentioned that my man is exquisitely handsome? That helps.

You blog at http://sbees.blogspot.com How has blogging been therapeutic for you?
Blogging is just part of who I am now. I wanted to be a writer when I was a kid, and yet I was too lazy or overwhelmed by large projects to ever spend the time necessary to get something done and turned in to a publisher. Being a party-chasing heathen didn’t help. I had binders full of poetry, short stories, beginnings of novels–and life tended to get in the way. After I met Kevin and we had our first child, I pretty much gave up passionate reading and writing. Being a wife and mother was much more pressing and rewarding.

I’ve always journaled and began scrapbooking after I had my kids, so blogging was a natural transition for me. Once I figured out what blogging really was and discovered its potential (and realized it would take too much of my precious time up), I became addicted.

It serves as a platform for sharing thoughts and ideas with other like-minded folk.
It provides a place to share and help to encourage other homeschool moms.
It gives me a place to create a digital scrapbook or portfolio for my homeschooling and our lives.
It offers a way to share updates with family who want to keep in touch.
It is a platform for whining, swollen, pregnant moms on bedrest.

What’s not to love about blogging?!

What’s your favorite self indulgence?
Blogging and chocolate are my favorite self indulgences. I consider the time I blog an indulgence since it doesn’t offer equal compensation. The friends I’ve made through blogging make it worth my while, the fun reviews and free products are a nice perk, but I’d love for someone to pay me a salary for all the work I put in to it! What blogger wouldn’t?

As for the chocolate (which is almost as important), I like Choxie dark chocolate truffles, Raspberry Dark Chocolate bars from Godiva, York Peppermint Patties, and Andes Mints. In that order.

Have you ever experienced “homeschooling” negativity?
Sure. We have plenty of naysayers in our family. I’ve always been somewhat of a rebel, though, so I’m used to the “black sheep” syndrome. I was an awful and sneaky child that stayed in trouble most of my younger years. Even to the point of tricking my mom to give me $75 for church camp and taking a bus to another town and go out all weekend – all night. My kids won’t ever get anything past me. My theory on naysayers is just to let it roll off my back like beads of water on a duck. As long as you have the support of your husband and you believe God has called you to the task, YOU GO MAMA! God will give you what you need to succeed and your children will be the proof that YOU were right in the long run.

Many of the people who didn’t agree with us homeschooling as the kids were younger are coming around, or at least acknowledging that the kids are different than public schooled kids (in a GOOD or BETTER) way. Even my husband (who was my biggest critic when I first wanted to homeschool) said just the other night to the kids, “I’m so glad you guys aren’t in public school.” Now that they are older, the proof is really there in the pudding! And since I’m a firm believer that character is more important than academics (who likes an intelligent JERK?), I’d say that that proof is more than worth dealing with any “negativity” that I’ve ever dealt with.

If you could have any curriculum on the market, what would it be?
Well, I drooled over Rosetta Stone for years and haven’t ever been able to afford it. I guess I’d take a few boxes if they offered a give-away or review! We are about to start Italian with another program soon, so I’m not as whiney about it any more. I’d also love Photoshop Design Premium CS3 or 4, but not just for school (although I would love to teach the kids digital art and photography skills, as both of them are interested in it–like mom). Those two programs are way out of my price range. I pretty much have what I need and borrow what I don’t from friends in local co-ops or the library as we go along. If I had my druthers, I’d have much more mad money for buying books that we fall in love with, though. Books are my homeschool desire when it comes to spending sprees.

You have a large blog following. Does this effect what you share at all?
I don’t spend as much time worrying over numbers of readers like I did when I first started blogging. I often forget about the site meter for long periods and I removed my blog from the ‘ecosphere’ because I’d rather worry about the content than my “status.” I realized over the years that you shouldn’t try to figure out what people want to read, you should just be yourself. If the traffic comes, then so be it. That doesn’t mean I don’t try to be part of the community and reach out to other bloggers, it just means I don’t obsess over my readership–or lack of it–but rather focus on being real, just like you would in real life!

I post pretty much whatever is on my mind – but I do consider how family members or friends might react to it before I blurt it out. I think I worry more about my family and friends who read my blog (the ones I know in person) than I do the general public. I’m sure there are other weirdos like me out there. I love reading other people’s blogs when they are candid and real… so I figure it will only run off the people who probably shouldn’t be reading, if I’m that way in my posts. Even when talking about fry-snatching, getting catheters at the hospital, and swapping snot on accident.

Could you share with us your homeschooling motto/theme/verse?
I believe what Clay and Sally Clarkson said in “Educating the Whole Hearted Child,” that homeschooling is “the right thing to do!” In their book they share so many amazing quotes and inspiring scriptures. It is hard to narrow it down to just one verse, motto, or theme.

I call our homeschool “Magnum Opus Academy” based on the book Charlotte’s Web. Magnum Opus, loosely translated from Latin in to our modern tongue is “life’s masterpiece.” Charlotte’s was her egg sack, containing the children she would share with the world after she was gone. You could also call that a legacy. Your children are your legacy. There’s nothing more important than educating them and passing on the faith in Christ that sustains you. One of my favorite verses (listed on my About Page at my blog) has the line “when Christ – who IS YOUR LIFE appears” in it. I firmly agree that He IS my life. Based on that, nothing else but a God-centered education would do for my children. Homeschooling is really the only way to achieve the type of family bonds that God desires, the worldview that God desires, and the purity of heart that God desires.

I absolutely adore my kids. I see how homeschooling (even though I am flawed and broken) has blessed their character every day. Therefore, I rejoice that in my weaknesses, God has done miracles. I am honored to be His tool.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 4

One day I hope to be able to say that long after I have finished my portion of the educational life experiences that my kids are to receive, that they will continue in the Truth. After all, any parent that loves their children would not sacrifice herself to make sure that they stayed alive. And eternal life is much more important than this temporal one.

How has homeschooling changed your life for the better?
Homeschooling is freedom. Freedom to think for yourself, to follow your bliss, to take advantage of quality time together as a family, to dig as deep as you want in to what ever interests you. Every day we spend with daddy when he is off work, every vacation we take, every field trip we go on, we are so very thankful for the fact that we are not strapped in to the rigid schedule (or watered-down curriculum) of the public school system. As much as we have moved, I can’t see how any other lifestyle would have worked for us. While we lived in Arkansas for two years my husband worked nights and weekends and got odd days off (sometimes not even consecutive days). If it weren’t for us homeschooling, they would hardly ever have seen their dad for two solid years.

Another blessing has been the PEOPLE we have met. Oh, I can’t even go in to this right now or this might become a novel. Suffice it to say that there are a ton of wonderful kid-loving, God-fearing, selfless and amazingly interesting and fun homeschool parents and kids out there. Friendships that will last far beyond graduation–that’s another blessing homeschooling has to offer.

Congratulations on your “future new addition.” Has pregnancy changed any of your homeschool routines?
Pregnancy has forced me to reconsider my perfectionism. It has really relaxed our style and given me the freedom to feel like God is in control (instead of me). What a blessing! The kids are thrilled with our more flexible and relaxed schedule. School and family life has been more enjoyable. Will our school schedule always stay like this? No. I’ve learned that change is still the only constant – even with homeschool curricula and schedules. However, it is a joy to go through the different seasons of your life, and we are trying to make the most of this one despite any difficulties it presents. Hopefully the infancy and toddler years will be the same–more growing, learning, adapting and bonding together.

Interview by:

nikowa Nikowa is a 2nd year homeschooling mom to two boys. With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, and reading. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.

Tags: blogger, Charlotte's Web, chocolate, Christian homeschooling, Educating the Whole Hearted Child, Featured Homeschooler, Godiva, homeschool life, Photoshop CS3, REM, Rosetta Stone, Sprittibee

Featured Homeschooler: Carol

March 8, 2009 by Nikowa

2 Comments

wintery-walk Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler Carol from My Heart’s Desire!

You live in my favorite place in the world, Colorado! Tell us about your nature studies.

Nature study for us is taking a walk on the 75 acres where we live, driving down the road to one of the lakes or hiking trails. We bring a sketching tablet, pencil and colored pencils with us. The kids choose what they want to study, and draw it. We look up the name of it at home in a book or on the Internet. We love to be outside, but this year we haven’t taken advantage of it like we should have.

You stay so busy with three ladies, one son, being a physician’s assistant and homeschooling! How do you keep from being overwhelmed?

Who says I am not overwhelmed? I am often overwhelmed! You forgot to mention that we work with a missionary organization called Youth With a Mission too. I try to keep my priorities straight, family always comes first. I do all my outside work in one day.

What is your favorite curriculum?

This year I’m using My Father’s World for the first time. We are enjoying it. Until this year we used Sonlight, which I still like a lot too. I am using a mix of both this year really. We homeschool with a Charlotte Mason flair using living books, narration, dictation, short lessons, etc. I love it and so do my girls.

Could you share with us what a day at your house would entail?

Weekdays we get up between seven and eight, try to eat breakfast, get dressed, make beds and straighten rooms and start school by 8:30. We always start with our Bible lesson. This year the two oldest are memorizing the book of James.

Next we do math (Singapore Math and/or Miquon), language arts (Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serle and/or Sonlight Language Arts 3 for my 9 year old, and Intermediate Language Lessons by same author and Writing Strands 3 for my 11 year old) and spelling (Sequential Spelling). josiah1

We take a snack break about 10 am and then the girls read their readers – mostly from Sonlight and MFW book lists. While they do this, I do some learning activities with my 4 yo daughter +/- my 2 yo son. I am using Sonlight’s PreK 4/5 program with her, plus Singapore Early Bird A math, Developing the Early Learner series and Before You Explode the Code books A-C.

After reading the older girls finish their assignments in the above lessons and then we may do our history reading or science. My oldest daughter will write a short summary of what we read into her history notebook. We usually then go to have lunch at the dining center with the rest of the YWAMers (see #1) where my husband is the main cook.

After lunch we come home and the older girls have a bit of free time while I read to the younger two and put the baby down for his nap. Then we do history and science if we haven’t yet, the girls take turns on the computer doing Rosetta Stone Spanish, and then it’s getting close to time to prepare supper. We have been having supper at home, lately, but six months out of the year we also eat supper at the dining center.

After supper the kids get ready for bed and I read a read-aloud to them – usually a fiction book, from Sonlight or My Father’s World. The kids can color or do play dough or just lounge while I read, and we often have hot chocolate or another treat to make the time special. We all love this time. Daddy often will read separately to the youngest two and put them down to bed before I finish the reading for the oldest two. I then pray with them and they go to bed around 8 or 9 o’clock unless we are really into the book and read late!

What is your favorite Bible verse and why?

That is a hard one! I suppose it would be Psalm 37:3-4. It has been an anchor for me when times get hard here. It isn’t always easy to live in community with other Christians, but the Lord has used this scripture to tell me to trust Him, stay put, and FEED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS. He has really shown us His faithfulness since we joined YWAM 3 years ago. I like all of Psalm 34 and 37 actually.

What is the one thing that you’d love to have for your Homeschool?

A piano teacher, a voice teacher, and nice kids who lived nearby that would play with my kids on occasion.

If you could take your family on any educational field trip, where would it be and why?

We would like to go back to Mesa Verde and stay for about 3 days, do their junior ranger program, camp nearby, and see all of it. We visited there last August and the few hours we had just didn’t do it justice. We’ve been studying a lot about the Native Americans and this would fit nicely into what we are learning. I also enjoy taking my family on missions trips, which are always educational too. Last time we went to Guatemala for 12 weeks.

$ciara-doing-math$

How do you teach different learning styles?

My oldest daughter, 11, loves to write, draw, etc. and so I let her do things that require writing. My second daughter, 9, struggles with writing so I let her do much more orally. When she was younger I had to let her go outside a lot between subjects and run a lot of energy off so she could focus better. Now she has a much longer attention span, but she is much more auditory and oral than visual. She likes to draw some too, so she will more often illustrate what she is learning than write about it, and she will do oral narrations rather than written.

Interview by:

Nikowa is a 2nd year homeschooling mom to two boys. (Ages 9 and 5) With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, reading, and knitting. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.

Tags: a day in the life, Colorado homeschooling, Curriculum, Featured Homeschooler, homeschool life, learning styles, My Father's World, nature studies, Scripture, Sonlight, working mom

Featured Homeschooler: Carol Topp

February 22, 2009 by Nikowa

6 Comments

caroltoppheadshot175pixel Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler: Carol from HomeschoolCPA

You’ve been homeschooling for 12 years; that’s a feat in itself! What have you learned in your experience that you wish you would have known from the start?

Don’t buy things because they are sale and think, “I’ll use it someday.” I bought two years of a curriculum because it was on sale and my daughter hated in within the first 3 weeks. I also figured out why it was on sale—no one wanted it! I tried to resell it for two years with no success! Ugh!

Your child can do more than you think. Set the bar high and be proud of them when they achieve high standards. My daughter is in a high school homeschool program where the tutor had the students write 30 essays in one semester (some were only one page essays). As a mother, I would have lightened the load, thinking “Oh, the poor thing. Thirty essays is too much work.” But my daughter rose to the challenge and is a better writer for it.

How do you manage homeschooling and being a work-at-home mom?

In the early years when my daughters were elementary age, I “schooled” in the morning and assigned homework for the afternoon when I worked from my home office. I limited work to a few hours a day. I have a separate office and I don’t answer the phone when we are focused on doing schoolwork. Now my daughters are in high school and are independent learners, so I spend more time grading work and picking out math problems than actively teaching. I increased my working hours as they got older and more independent. I have also made more use of homeschool co-ops and tutors as they entered high school.

Working from home allows me to be available when then they have a problem or question. My work as an accountant to individuals (www.CarolToppCPA.com) and to nonprofits (www.HomeschoolCPA.com) can be done easily from home. Except for tax season, I don’t have very tight deadlines. Accounting is a very flexible career that works well with homeschooling.

In your article: Pursuing Their Dreams, you talk about the 4-Step Career Exploration Process. How has this helped you in your own homeschool journey?

I started a new career as an accountant at the age of 38, so I teach career exploration from my own experience. I encourage my daughters and my students in my homeschool co-op that learning never ends. They may study a particular subject while at college, but may not stay in that career for life. Homeschooling shows students that learning is not confined to a building or a particular time of life.

As a CPA who’s passionate about Biblical Finances, what are some of your best tips for controlling your finances in this troubled economy?

Tell your money where to go, instead of wondering where it went! As Dave Ramsey preaches, put your budget “on paper, on purpose, before the month begins!”

I also encourage automatic savings so that savings come off the top, not after everything else. This works for giving as well. If we save or give from our excess, we will never save or give a dime because there isn’t usually any money leftover. American’s are good at spending all we make. We can even spend more than we make by using credit cards and that can get us into serious trouble.

Cut your spending (cell phones and cable TV are my two favorite suggestions) and build an emergency fund of at least $1,000. Avoid turning to credit cards for unexpected expenses; instead use your emergency fund.

Save up for expenses like vacations and furniture instead of using a credit card. Get the power of compound interest working for you in a savings account and not working against you on a credit card. Teach your children the discipline of delayed gratification by being a role model.

What are the biggest mistakes that you feel people make regarding their finances?

Living beyond their means and usually spending too much on their house and cars. All housing expenses (mortgage, utilities, property tax, insurance and repairs) should not exceed approximately 35% of after tax take home pay. Most people listen to the mortgage broker who tells them that they can afford a more expensive house, but never consider all the other expenses such as utilities and taxes. Being overextended on housing has been a huge factor in our current economic crisis.

Also, I think that couples do not work together on the family finances enough. I meet a lot of homeschool moms that don’t know enough about their family finances because they let their husbands manage the money. Marriage is teamwork and it’s fine to let one person do the paperwork and bookkeeping, but we as wives have a responsibility to be good stewards too. Stewardship involves setting a budget that the couple both agree on and discussing financial goals together. It also involves understanding your tax situation and your investments. Most wives will outlive their husbands and need to be financially literate now and in the future.

You have a new book out, tell us a little about it.

I wrote Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out to share what I have learned about operating a successful homeschool co-op. I combined my accounting skills, nonprofit knowledge and experience on my own homeschool co-op board to help homeschool leaders. The book has has advice on :

* Pros and cons of starting a homeschool co-op.
* Types of co-ops
* Having a focus and a mission
* Gathering interest
* Getting help
* Setting policies
* Managing the money
* Dealing with volunteers
* Handling conflict
* Avoiding burnout

Anyone currently leading a homeschool group will learn something by reading my book. I’ve had leaders with more than 10 years of experience in leading a homeschool co-op read my book and tell me that they learned something new. Obviously anyone wanting to start a homeschool co-op now has a much-needed source of advice and wisdom. And every active person in a co-op whether a volunteer teacher or leader will benefit from reading the book, especially the chapters on leadership and conflict. You can see the table of contents and read a sample chapter at www.HomeschoolCo-ops.com. Homeschool Co-ops is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other on-line booksellers.

You seem to be a very busy woman! What do you do to make time for yourself?

I have a To Do list! It’s color coded to remind my of what’s urgent and what’s a longer term goal or project. I also keep a large calendar in my kitchen, again color coded by person, so I know who is going where. I also plan menus three months in advance and write them on the calendar. These strategies help me stay organized. Staying organized helps me stay in control and not burn out.

I’ve also learned to say no. I know that I cannot do too much, or I won’t be successful at anything. I focus my attention on a few projects at a time. I recently told my church that I could not serve on a committee because I had made other plans for 2009 (a book called Micro Business for Teenagers). I also pray over every endeavor and discuss it with my husband. Sometimes I get very positive confirmation and sometimes I shelve an idea. Maybe the timing is not right, or it is meant for someone else to do.

Interview by:

Tags: Featured Homeschooler, finances, Frugal living, homeschooler

Featured Homeschooler: Traci

February 8, 2009 by Nikowa

2 Comments

me-kids-hats1-15-09 Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler, Traci from Traci’s Christian Cottage!

As a veteran homeschooling mom, do you have any suggestions for those just starting out or considering homeschooling?

Relax. I think most just starting out get so tense, worried & nervous about the whole process of homeschooling that they don’t enjoy much of it.

Also, know that what curriculum you start out using, may not be the one you stick with: and it’s ok! Just make sure you are mindful of what is and is not working for your family. If your child is in tears using the highly recommended math program, then that isn’t the math program for you! It’s ok to switch and use what works better for your family.

You have a graduate! First of all congratulations! You must tell us, looking back-what would you change if you could?

emily-hannah-mc-learning Other than follow my advice above to relax when starting out; the only thing I might change is getting started earlier with music and foreign language. These two things seem best learned starting from a young age. Also to make sure your child is involved in some extra curricular activities or groups; as these can be very important to certain colleges. Not unlike being involved in clubs, student counsel or whatever in a public school setting – same goes for homeschool students if they were active in similar groups in the homeschool community or in the community where you live doing volunteer work, sports, choir, etc…

What are your top 3 must-have’s for the homeschool?

My top 3 must-haves would be:

1. a computer & printer (with internet connection, of course)
2. a solid knowing of your child’s learning style – as this will help you in curriculum choices
3. join a support group. Online and/or offline – but connecting with other homeschoolers & getting that support is invaluable!

What do you like to do in your own “free” time? What are your hobbies, etc?

I have a lot of things I like to do, but seem to rotate & do them in spurts as the urge strikes me. One of my greatest hobbies/loves are dogs. I have six dogs – 4 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels & 2 Shih Tzu + 2 cats. A few other things: I also make all our own soap using the cold-processed soapmaking method, I sew, do machine embroidery and love to bargain shop.

Have you ever had any negativity regarding homeschooling? If so, how do/did you handle it?

I’ve not had any negative remarks really made to me; other than the usual “I could never homeschool – my kids would drive me crazy” comments. My parents were a little unsure of homeschooling at first, but it’s been 12 years now, so they’re used to it. LOL

What has been your favorite field trip so far?

We don’t do a lot of field trips; but we enjoyed Meramec Caverns this past summer and plan to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder home in Mansfield, Missouri this spring. We have been using the Prairie Primer unit study this year, based on the Little House books.

Interview by:

Tags: a day in the life, Featured Homeschooler, homeschool graduation, homeschool life, Homeschool Methods, homeschool must-haves, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Traci's Christian Cottage

Featured Homeschooler: Tiany

January 25, 2009 by Nikowa

3 Comments

Tiany Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler: Tiany from Less of Me, More of Him

Share with us what made you decide to Homeschool your 4 boys.

Homeschooling was on my heart long before I had children and once I had them I knew I did not want to let them go for 6 to 8 hours a day. The more we researched and prayed about homeschooling the more evident it became that it was the best choice for our family. It has felt natural and right to homeschool from the beginning.

What was your inspiration for The Homeschool Lounge & The Little Lounge?

In 2007 I noticed social networks such as Facebook and Myspace getting very popular among homeschooling mothers looking for community and support, I searched but there were none to be found. Thus the vision started for a safe, private, Social Network exclusively for homeschooling mothers, a year later The Homeschool Lounge was born.

The Little Lounge was created after many requests from moms on THL, it’s a fun, safe place for homeschooled children to interact and share.

Tiany1 You’re the Queen of organization! Got any tips for the rest of us?

Consistency! The key to being organized is consistency and much discipline. Honestly, I am running on grace since I am naturally a very disorganized person and somewhat of a “messy”. Being married to a “born organized”, clean freak has made me develop a natural tendency to be organized by practicing it every day. I am a list making, planner toting, routine oriented kinda gal now, thanks to hubby.

As mom to 4 boys, your entrepreneur endeavors and homeschooling-you’re a busy “bee”! How do you decompress after a long day “at the office”?

I am still working on finding the balance and finding time to decompress. Troy works some evenings but when he is home you will find me lounging on the couch with him laughing and catching up on the days events. Thankfully, I can usually unwind and relax with 20 minutes of meditation and prayer in a hot shower!

Do you have any tips for anyone considering the great journey of homeschooling?

Just do it!
Enjoy spending time with your children; enjoy the journey.
Think outside the box.
Be flexible.
Remember more is caught then taught!
You CAN do it! – Philippians 4:13

You enjoy Jane Austen’s works. Which is your favorite?

My Favorite has always been Pride & Prejudice; the characters are so real and beautifully sketched. I finally read it after exhausting my A&E DVD version of the movie. I am a true Austenian at heart!

You share some great recipes on your blog, would you like to share your favorite with us?

That’s a hard one… my favorites would probably have to be my Chicken Pot Pie and Quiche Loraine recipes because they are the boy’s favorites…and my favorite way to get the veggies in them!

Quiche Loraine
INGREDIENTS

1 deep frozen pie crust for a 9 inch single crust pie
½ cup of bacon pieces (not bites, get the real thing)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 box frozen spinach thawed and drained
1/3 cup minced green onion
4 eggs, lightlybeaten
1 cup half and half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 335 degrees
Mix all solid items, spinach, bacon, Swiss and onion
Spread spinach mix into pastry shell.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, sugar. Pour mixture into pastry shell.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Tiany2

What’s your favorite curriculum that you just “can’t live without”?

We have only just begun this journey but today I would have to say My Fathers World, we have used this from day one and it is all we know. We love everything about it.

What would be the perfect date night for you and your Prince Charming?

We are a very simple couple and the little things excite us. A perfect night in would be Troy cooking a romantic dinner for two and a large plate of international cheeses, fruit and a glass of wine. A night out would be an evening at our favorite Italian restaurant “Gino’s” and a movie.

Do you have any other Homeschool projects in the works?

We have many new and exciting features coming to The Homeschool Lounge but other then THL I would have to say…no. My hands are more than full of blessings and over flowing right now.

Interview by:

nikowa Nikowa is a 2nd year homeschooling mom to two boys. (Ages 9 and 6) With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, reading, and knitting. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.

Tags: Featured Homeschooler, finding time to relax, homeschooling boys, interview, Jane Austen, Social Networking, The Homeschool Lounge, The Little Lounge

Featured Homeschooler: Nikowa

January 10, 2009 by Angela

11 Comments

Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler: Nikowa from Knowledge House Academy!

Describe your normal homeschool day

I love schedules! It seems like a make a new one a couple of times a month. Making them is easy; following them seems to be the problem. “Something” always comes up. We have a lot of impromptu field trips and frequent vacations. Every day seems to be different. Nothing is ever “typical” except the fact that we’re a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of family. But hey, it works for us. Our learning philosophy is “Learning Never Ends”. We’ve learned history in South Carolina, marine biology at Sea World, and the appreciation of the culinary arts at Krispie Kreme. We love field trips!

Right now, I’m “testing” out a block schedule. This is where we alternate subjects by day, spending up to 2 hours on the subject. That’s real immersion! Seems to be going great, so far anyway. Next week, I’ll more than likely be trying something else.

I noticed that you are looking into adopting another child…how hard has the research been?

What kind of struggles have you faced in the process? It’s been a learning experience for sure! I didn’t realize there were so many different types of adoption, each with their own set of pros & cons for everyone involved! I’ve definitely been doing a lot of research. It’s exciting & exhausting all the same; and we’re just getting started! We’re looking forward to it & have decided upon Open Adoption. We’re going to start the process after tax season & are currently preparing for our home study.

What is it like having a houseful of boys? Do you feel this affects your curriculum choices?

Constant bodily noises, pencil tapping, singing and humming, and lots of distractions just to name a few. I’ve definitely had to adjust our curriculum. I don’t think “typical” curriculum could work for us. Especially anything literature-based. They HAVE to be busy. We often “do” school in the floor & we do a lot of hands on projects.

Speaking of curriculum, what are your favorites?

We just started Story of the World & we’re really liking it! We also use (& love) Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Botany. I’ve just ordered Handwriting Without Tears, so I don’t have any experience with it yet.

One of the things I admire about you is your faith despite hardship. Can you tell us a little about your struggles through overcoming cancer and how that impacted your life?

I was first diagnosed with cervical cancer with I was 14 years old. After many painful biopsies & cryotherapy, I was deemed cancer-free. Thankfully, the cancerous cells were only superficial. I was ordered to see the doctor every 6 months. At the time, the enormity of the situation didn’t dawn on me. After all, I was young & had “nothing to lose”.

In June of 2007, I was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer. I was 26 years old. This time, it was devastating! I wanted to have more children and now I had everything to lose! Again having to undergo painful biopsies & in the end a radical hysterectomy, I was happy just to be alive! Thankfully the cancer, although it was spreading to other areas, was contained. I didn’t have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy but because of my hormonal changes, my hair soon began to fall out by the handfuls. I ended up shaving my hair to 1″ with my husband’s clippers; partly in retaliation & partly to feel like I had some sense of control. I’ve had to Cancer learn how to take care of myself all over again. Because of menopause, everything has changed; oily skin is now dry, dry thick hair is now oily & thin.

But praise God I am here and I am alive (and so far cancer free)! I am reminded every day when I look in the mirror of my many blessings. I’ll take The Change any day; at least I’m here with my family! The verse that really helped me to cope during my difficult time with cancer was

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~Isaiah 41:10

What are the most important lessons you want to impart to your children before they grow up and leave the nest?

Be nice to everyone. You don’t know what they’re going through. The homeless man on the street, the old lady that talks to you non-stop in the grocery store, everyone has a story.

Pray constantly. There’s not a “time & place” for prayer. Wake up praying & go to bed praying. Always trust in God. You are never alone.

Botany I love reading your blog. How did you get started blogging and what was the main goal you hoped to accomplish in joining the blog world?

I started blogging shortly after I started homeschooling. I noticed how close knit the homeschooling community was & I wanted to participate! I originally started to share our homeschool adventures & learn about other families’ homeschool adventures! Knowledge is only useful when it’s shared.

In looking towards the future, what skills would you like to learn as you continue your writing journey?

Writing for Heart of the Matter has truly been a learning experience. When I write, I feel like it’s sort of an online journal. “What I did today was….” Normally I’m not a procrastinator, but with my writing I am. It’s usually a day or two before the writing assignment is “due” and I have nothing. I always pray, “Lord, what do You want me to write about? What is it that I’m supposed to be sharing?” Then like clock-work, I either dream about something or it “hits me” the next day. If I don’t run to my computer & type it out “as I feel it”, then it’s a loss. So to answer your question, I would like to be able to write on demand. Not without feeling, but more at a moment’s notice. I also don’t want to sound like I’m writing in a journal.

Okay, final question, what words of encouragement can you offer to other women who are homeschooling and find themselves struggling with life issues?

Welcome to the club! You are definitely not alone! The number 1 thing I would say would be to reach out to someone (even if they don’t homeschool) to talk.

Talking about your issues helps a lot. No need to pay a therapist; talk to a friend, to God, to the family pet! Get it out. If you write, start a journal. Do whatever you have to do to get it out in the open. Don’t bottle it in. Just like negative feelings, your struggles and stress will fester. This only hurts you to start with but when your “stress meter” is full, you’ll explode at everyone around you. This hurts those closest to you.

Reach out and discuss your feelings. You’ll soon find that you’re not alone at all.

Tags: adoption, Apologia Science, cancer, Encouragement, Featured Homeschooler, Handwriting without Tears, homeschooler, homeschooling boys, hysterectomy, scheduling, Story of the World

Featured Homeschooler: Jenn

December 28, 2008 by Nikowa

2 Comments

Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler Jenn from Busy At Home!

Your blog is entitled “Busy At Home” and my, you sure do stay busy! How do you keep from being overwhelmed?

Yes, we keep pretty busy as homeschoolers. To tell you the truth, I don’t always keep from getting overwhelmed! However, when those moments happen, I am so thankful for my faith in Jesus. I strongly believe that He has called us to be a homeschool family. I strongly believe that He will not lead me where His grace cannot keep me. In fact, that idea gets me through a lot of rough spots. Also, keeping my mind in the Word helps. A verse that I cling to is

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (NIV)

I feel this is a time in my life that is for planting. One day there will be a great harvest, if I don’t give up.

What is the one thing that you couldn’t live without?

One thing that I could not live without, would be my computer, of course! Not only do I have access to every topic imaginable, there is great encouragement to be had from other homeschooling moms. I would not like to give that up. The support of my online friends has been one of the most important outlets I have found.

How do you keep track of each child’s school work and records?

I take my job as a homeschool mom very serious. In the state where I live, we are only required to take attendance. However, I must say I am pretty hyper when it comes to their records. I don’t want anyone doubting our work. So, I use an Excel spreadsheet for each child. Every week, I print off a new sheet. Across the top are the days of the week. Down the sides are the subjects and books we use. In the boxes in the middle I record the page numbers of what we did. I keep these sheets in a separate 3 ring binder. I have them from the first day when we started 6 years ago. As a former nurse, it was drilled into my head that if something is not recorded, it did not get done!

What are some of the family activities that you participate in?

We are blessed to live in an area full of fun places to go as a family. This past year we were members at our zoo, a living history museum as well as a children’s museum. We enjoy going to these places as a family when as often as we are able. We also enjoy going to state parks. Our favorite one is 3 hours north of where we live on Lake Michigan.

What is your favorite subject to teach?

I think history is my favorite subject. We use Sonlight for this. I can’t think of anything more satisfying than to have our entire family gathered around listening while we read a great living book. I love discovering along with my children.

You’ve been married for 13 years, what’s the secret?

Sadly, my husband and I both came from broken homes. We got married with the idea that divorce would not be a word in our vocabulary. And as we both cling to Jesus we are set us up for success. Because my husband and I follow a Biblical model for marriage and not what we learned growing up, we are deeply committed to making our marriage one that brings glory to Jesus. It’s hard work. It takes determination. On my part, it takes a lot of effort to keep my mouth shut when I need to! I truly believe that the woman sets the tone for her home and usually it depends on her controlling her tongue to get the job done. I keep Proverbs 31:26 on a card near my kitchen sink. It says,

“When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instruction.” (AMP) Proverbs 31:26

What is your homeschooling style?

I think eclectic describes my style pretty well. I am a bit laid back, except for keeping records. I am a “do what’s next person”. I use a variety of materials each selected for the learner based on their unique needs. Each one of my children learns in different ways. One of my children has special needs. It is my job to teach to their bent.

What’s on your Homeschool wish list?

Right now I am pining for Apologia Elementary Science books. I have a big stack of books to sell when I get home from vacation to make some money to pay for the books I want. I have read great things about Apologia and I can’t wait to try them out.

Interview by:

Nikowa is a 2nd year homeschooling mom to two boys. (Ages 8 and 5) With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, reading, and knitting. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.

Tags: Featured Homeschooler, homeschooler

Featured Homeschooler: Dianne

December 14, 2008 by Nikowa

3 Comments

Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler Dianne from Bunny Trails!

How did homeschooling come into your life?
When our oldest son was set to go to school, we looked into homeschooling, but for some reason it never came together. So we sent him to the little neighborhood school a couple blocks away. The next year, his brother followed suit. While both boys attended public school from kindergarten through 5th grade, we always knew that we didn’t want them attending middle school in the public school system. We knew people who attended one of the Christian schools here in town and anticipated sending them there when it came time for 6th grade.

As we neared the end of 5th grade for our oldest, we began looking into the cost of sending him to the private school. It became quite clear that the only way that could happen was if I went back to work. But that wasn’t what God had for us, either. At that point, we began considering alternatives, one of them being a free, computer-based charter school. That was looking rather promising – they provided the computer, printer, books, record-keeping, testing, etc. Then I attended one of their informational meetings here in town and the reality began to sink in. This was merely a public school education in my home. If I was going to homeschool my son, we wanted a curriculum that focused on God’s word as its foundation. At that point, I began seriously researching homeschool curriculum options.

I got online (of course) and did loads of research, checked out books at the library, and attended our state’s homeschool conference. I only bought passes to the vendor hall, not the entire conference, because I was only interested in getting catalogs, flyers, and information on paper. I did not want any of the representatives or workers to talk to me. I didn’t want to attend any sessions or have anyone tell me anything. I just wanted information that I could take home, look over, and make my own decision. Sometimes I’m kind of independent like that. I did use Cathy Duffy’s Top 100 Homeschool Curriculum Picks book. Her book was extremely helpful. I recommend it to anyone just starting out.

That first year, we decided to just bring home our oldest son who would be starting middle school. Our youngest finished out 5th grade at the public school. We figured it would be a good way to break into homeschooling, with just one child. But we also knew the next year we’d bring our other son home. While I didn’t have a poor relationship with my oldest, I also felt that we were at a somewhat critical fork in the road. It seemed that at this time, we could either build a stronger bond or drift apart. My prayer was that through homeschooling, and the individual time we’d have, our relationship would be strengthened. God answered that prayer in the affirmative. We had some struggles, but overall, we’re much closer than I believe we’d have been if he had been elsewhere for school.

Your blog is called Bunny Trails, how did you choose this name?
I was using KONOS and participated in their eloop. There was a lady who always seemed to have valuable and insightful information to offer the group and she had a link to a blog at the bottom of her signature. I had heard of blogs, but really knew nothing about them, so I went and checked hers out. I found it to be interesting and informative, as well as lots of fun to read. I was hooked. I somehow ended up at a blog designer’s site and began perusing blogs that she’d designed. That was where I found some more great blogs to read.

All along, I thought how cool it would be to jump in and be a blogger. But I didn’t know a single person who blogged IRL. And I didn’t have a name. Well, that’s not entirely true – my parents did name me when I was born. But I couldn’t come up with a snappy, fun, unique blog name like everyone else seemed to have. In the meantime, I started coming up with ideas that could be blog posts IF I actually had a blog. So I’d type them up and save them in a folder called My CLOG (computer log). I was a big old blogger wannabe.

That first blog I ever read? Our dear Sprittibee’s. She’s the one who hooked me way back when. And then she had a contest at her blog, to win a digital camera. I didn’t have a digital camera, but I sure wanted one. I knew that I had to get cracking on that name thing, so I could have a blog, enter the contest, and hopefully win a camera. After much pondering, I came up with Bunny Trails. While it was nothing like the other ideas, it quite aptly described my life. I don’t think I ever complete anything without venturing off on at least one bunny trail. This fact often makes me crazy. But it also causes me to recognize that God has the master plan to all my bunny trails and never loses track of me. He meets me out there on the trail and provides whatever I need for the journey at that particular moment. It’s kind of fun to go back and see what the Lord has done in my life along all those seemingly random bunny trails.

Did you notice the long and winding trail it took for me to even get to the answer? Sigh. No, I didn’t win the camera. But here’s the post that was my entry. And I was able to buy my own digital camera about 6 weeks later.

What’s your favorite curriculum?
We began with KONOS in the fall of 2005. We’ve definitely had some fun with that. One of the best units we did was our first one – pottery and sculpture. Through that, my son began his hobby of miniature clay sculpture. He’s very gifted and creates some amazing things. This is the one area of our day that I’m always asked about. “Are we doing KONOS today?” It’s the fun part — the icing on the cake, for my boys (and me).

While it’s not exactly a “curriculum,” I have also been very blessed by Robin Sampson’s Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach. Finding it was a total answer to prayer at a time when I was really struggling with feeling like God and the Bible weren’t as integral to our days as I wanted. I was also trying to reconcile homeschooling methods; structured, unstructured, delight-centered learning, scope and sequence perspective. It was driving me crazy. I poured out my heart to God about my frustrations and the very next day, He took me to her site. As I began to read the sample pages from her book, it was exactly what I needed.

Have you experienced any homeschooling negativity and if so, how did you respond?
Not really. I think most everyone has either been supportive or neutral. The only time I felt like people weren’t in agreement with me was when I told the teachers at the public school the boys had attended. They weren’t openly negative, but I just got the sense that they weren’t on board with it. Not that I didn’t care about them, but it wasn’t as if their opinions were going to change our direction. I think there was only one teacher who was encouraging about our path. When I come across people who aren’t familiar with homeschool, they just tend to ask a lot of questions.

How has homeschooling changed your life?
I think one big area of my life where God has used homeschool is to get my eyes off of me. I can be so self-absorbed and focused upon my own wants and needs. Other times, I just get distracted (must’ve gone down some bunny trail), and forget to come back to my kids. With homeschool, He calls me back to the boys over and over again. There are things in life that I can’t do right now, but that’s okay. He reminds me that it’s a season. And this season of my life right now is ministering to my kids. At 14 (almost 15) and 13, I don’t have a lot of years left to influence their lives (as much as I can now). It’s so easy for me to fall off track, but He’s faithful to bring me back and get my eyes where they need to be. Since we started this journey three years ago, I’ve struggled with wishing I’d have homeschooled from the beginning. But I have to remember that it wasn’t what the Lord had for our family at that time. He’s calling me to make the most of what time I do have with them.

Congratulations on being married 22 years! What’s the secret?
God. I can’t say where we’d be without Him, because I really don’t know (nor do I wish to!). Although He was not a part of our lives (from our perspective) during the first part of our marriage, He’s been a very integral part for a long time now. I also have the sweetest, most considerate, thoughtful, supportive, and understanding husband. That definitely helps! We’ve always been good friends. Back when we dated, I always knew that he’d be a great friend, even if we weren’t together. Praise God that we are, because now I have my best friend and an awesome husband. We’ve had our share of life struggles throughout the 22 years, but the amazing thing is that our marriage has always been strong and intact.

What is the one thing that you couldn’t live without?
Only one thing?!?! I’m sorry, but I can’t really answer such a generic question. God is at the top of the list, in terms of life. Of course, my husband and boys. But they’re not things. Neither is God. My Bible is certainly of great value to me. Ranks right up there with God, naturally. After that? The camera. I’m a picture-taking junkie. Ask my boys. They totally know that when I pull over, seemingly randomly, I must need to take a shot of something.

Oh that’s right, this is a homeschool interview. That’s probably more what you were looking for. My laptop and my brain-in-a-binder. I know – still not one thing. I’m not good at staying in the box. But those are the tools that are most used by me in homeschooling.

What one lesson or piece of advice would you share with other homeschoolers?
To love and enjoy your children. Study them and figure out what makes them tick, what they’re interested in, and what their gifts are. Help them to pursue those areas that appeal to them. Don’t stress out trying to make everything perfect. God will take our meager offerings and bless them. He loves our kids more than we do and will work through us and also in spite of us. And pray about everything; with your kids and on your own. The Lord has a plan and our job is to get on board with Him. He’s willing to provide bountiful wisdom. But we have to ask (James 1:5 ).

Interview by: