It's good to be informed

This might be a fun project for you to do in your state.

Parents, whatever you are doing, return home.

I was reminded of a quote that I read a long time ago.

"Remember to keep your family responsibilities as a priority. There will be many who will want to encroach upon your responsibility to teach and provide activities for your family. Never forget that yours is the primary responsibility, and that your ultimate success in all other endeavors will be in direct proportion to the attention you give these divinely appointed relationships." (See D&C 88:119)

Have you ever had the wonderful experience of cuddling up with your little ones and reading or telling them a story?
My most happy moments are those when I am with my family. I love the individual time as well as the group time. I am seeing that as my children get older the temptation to send them here and there, to lessons, to sports, and to whatever the world has to offer is getting stronger. I feel so strongly to keep them at a minimum. Yes, lessons and sports can be very important supplements for helping to raise our children, but let's not forget the most essential things. Home is the best place for mom, dad and the children to be. Especially young children who are so impressionable. Working, learning and playing together will teach them the most important lessons in life. Time with your children is your most valuable gift to them.
Parents, whatever you are doing, return home.

Christmas Projects

My boys love to paint!

I got this idea from a Martha Stewart Living magazine. Of course, hers looked a bit different. She used pieces of wrapping paper glued on the clothespins. We decided to put a spin on the idea and paint them. The boys did a great job and had lots of fun doing it! We used ribbon instead of small rope/jute.

There it is, all finished and ready for lots of Christmas cards!

Here's another fun clothespin card holder idea:
marthastewart.com

Attitude is everything!

I can't tell you how many times my children and myself have been asked "oh, is school out today?"
I have learned a very important lesson since we began homeschooling and that is, 'attitude is everything!'
I have a good friend that I knew when my oldest was just 2 or 3 years old. She had a fun, big family and always had just the right answers when asked about homeschooling. Once, while meeting her at our local grocery store, we were chit-chatting by the cashier about our next homeschool group activity. The cashier overheard us and asked very skeptically why we would do such a thing? She continued to tell us about people she knew that homeschooled and how socially backwards they were, how they dressed weird, etc., etc. etc. Well, me being very young, impressionable and a bit easily swayed, broke out in a hot sweat, was unable to respond intelligently and felt a bit inadequate as a mother and a person on the whole. Luckily, my dear friend was there to save me. She responded simply and confidently and I may even add, very lovingly, "Oh, no! You are so mistaken. Homeschooling is the most wonderful thing in the world! We are so blessed to live in a country where we can do this. It is wonderful and it works for our family. "
Well, the cashier woman was speechless! I expected a big debate, but no! She respected my friends' answer and left it at that. I was amazed to say the least. Here I had been humming and hawing when people asked me if we homeschooled. I never answered like that before. I didn't have the confidence that she had........yet. I was trying to be an "in-the-closet" homeschooler. I learned that I had to be confident in my decision, and let others know my confidence.
I went home and told my husband about what had happened at the grocery store. We decided that from then on we wanted to be more confident in our decision and to respond with a good attitude.
Go ahead, try it. The next time someone asks if you homeschool or why your kids aren't in school, just respond with a great attiude "Yes, we homeschool, and it's the greatest thing in the world!". You'll see, they will be speechless and continue on with whatever it was they were doing. ;)

Good advice

This is a homeschool mom that I have never met, yet LOVE to read what she writes. Her advice seems so seasoned, tested, tried and true. She just recently started a blog of her own. Here is her address:
http://dianehopkins.blogspot.com

I hope you all enjoy too!

Santas Beard Countdown Craft

Here is a link to a fun countdown to Christmas.
http://crafts.kaboose.com/santa.pdf