Hello Friends!  I have missed you!  So much has happened this last month and I thought I'd like to get my blogging buddies caught up, if they were so inclined to care.  :)  (Of course you do!)

Pretty much every year the Balloon Classic can be viewed right from my front yard!  It is so neat to see the balloons go over the house. 

My ash trees are starting to turn---well, a little more than starting!  I love this color!

For a great bunch of ideas on Fall Leaf activities and such, go check out Teri's site.

At the beginning of September, we headed out to the Lone Star state to see my Father-in-law.  He was having some health issues and we knew we needed to get back there and visit him.  It was a wonderful time!  We saw many of my husband's family and extended family and I even met some I didn't know.  What a blessing!  The trip is always a hard one; too many miles to drive, but the hospitality was wonderful and the food was as good as always.  Speaking of the Lone Star state, I've never seen anyplace so proud of their flag and their state emblem!  There are "Lone Stars" on purdy much ever'thang and you can even get Texas shaped waffles at the hotel breakfast bar!  (Wouldn't Colorado shaped waffles be a bit boring?  Oh, ha!  I guess we already have Colorado shaped waffles!  :)

                       Heading south--Spanish Peaks with new snow on them!

We got home nearly unscathed, a little bit of coughing and such but the rainy weather was nice and we managed to stay relatively cool for the most part.  After 10 days at home however, we had to turn around and head back--"Papa" passed on to his heavenly home.  We drove back for the service and this time saw the rest of the family and had a bittersweet reunion. 

Aren't these cool?  Brush stroke clouds.  This was on our way to Daingerfield, TX.

Now we are back home again and realize that we were gone almost as much as we were home last month.  Two of us had birthdays while on the trips.  One of us is another year closer to "50" and I have a 13 year old.  We literally have hit the ground running, and are still trying to get everyone well.  The flu or whatever we have keeps bouncing back and forth.  Other than that, it is SO good to be home!! 

Now, if we can just shake these Texas accents we'll be all the way back to normal, y'all!

Nancy

Homeschooling Is Life!

P.S., Teri over at Knowledge House posted a really nice review of Haircuts For Little Men.  Teri has some awesome resources, a super newsletter and be sure to check out ALL her websites!  Homeschool Patriot is great!

  You can read it right here.   And, Friendship Alley has a great review with photos!  The author won a copy of my ebook and posted her before and after pics.  I'm impressed!  She did a great job, didn't she?

*Announcement:  Adena, you are the winner!  Thanks so much for the great comment.  It reminded me a bit of Sampson and Delilah. 

Adena, please contact me at nancy baetz at msn dot com --- your download bounced!  If I don't hear from you in about 48 hrs, I'll choose another winner.  Thanks!

Everyone who entered--or not--you are all welcome to a discounted copy of the *prize* Ebook, "Haircuts For Little Men." Just go to my website. 

 Tell a friend!  Enjoy!!!  Offer good till the end of August.  :)

___________________________________________________________________

I can't believe how quickly this summer is zipping by!  We've had so much rain that it never really felt like summer to me.  But instead of discussing the weather, again, just a quick update on our homeschooling progress and then on to the giveaway!

To tell you the truth, stuff happens so quickly here at home that I just don't even have time to chronicle all of them, at least as much as I used to.  My oldest daughter has a part time job now, and it is very exciting!  She is learning to be an ABA Therapist, and she really loves it.  She is also taking a class at the local community college on a scholarship she won (for her photography) in the county fair.  You can search ABA therapy on your favorite search engine.  :)  For a great book to read on a family who is going through autism, read Facing Autism by Lynn Hamilton.

We are planning for a big celebration later this year for her 18th birthday/homeschooling celebration and I certainly am up for any great ideas anyone might want to send my way!  How have YOU celebrated your child's homeschooling "career" without a cap and gown type of graduation ceremony?  I'd love to hear from you!

My younger three children are off and running too...in many different directions.  They still amaze me with all of their interests and abilities, and I am still trying to get "my ideas" of education into those thick I mean sweet little heads of theirs.  My oldest son is working hard to move up the ranks in Scouts and hopefully get his Eagle Scout in the future.  I've got a singer on my hands who needs an outlet for that...and we are working on getting her into a chorale.  My youngest would just love it if he could do experiments with magnets all day...or basically any kind of hands-on science.  That and cooking. 

Right now while I am grabbing a few moments at the computer my girls are cleaning fiber--Navajo Churro wool that was given to them.  It is gorgous when it is all cleaned and washed!  My youngest daughter is working on some grammar work, well, she was earlier.  The days go so fast and it seems like we never get everything that I want to do finished.  My blest laid plans.  LOL!

Between those things and our upcoming art show, and the fact that our van is broken down and various other "opportunities" that have knocked on our door lately, I guess I will just repeat my motto:

Homeschooling Is Life!

Nancy

P.S. Can't forget about the giveaway!  And a hearty THANKS to Molly over at Econobusters for mentioning this. I'm giving away yet another copy of my eBook "Haircuts For Little Men." 

Anyone who comments will be entered.  Actually, I will give two more of these away before the end of the month.  Usually I just pick some random comment, sometimes I give one away to EVERYONE who comments, depending on my mood.  This time, if you make me LAUGH a whole bunch, you will be the one.  I always need a laugh, or two or three.  I have to have a way to contact you too, or check back often so you can see if you won!

p.s. if you have never heard of "Haircuts For Little Men," it is an eBook tutorial on how to do a simple, basic haircut for the little (and big) guys in your life.  Just check out my website:  nancybaetz.com and read about it for yourself.  Save money, have fun learning a new skill!  And win a copy for FREE right here.

N.

Hi Blogging friends!

I've been so busy that I am not always able to get on here and take care of blog business.  I hope to be able to catch up on that in the next ten minutes! 

I said I'd give away some Ebooks this month, and am a little behind on that too.  If you have left me a comment recently with your email address, be looking for a download in your inbox.  If you would like to have a free copy of "Haircuts For Little Men" please let me know.  I know we can all use a little help now and then, and if you are up to the challenge of learning how to do haircuts at home, it can really save you some money. 

We've got several friends who are struggling in this crazy-wacked out economy and I'd like to tell you about at least one of them who has a great idea and a website where you can help out.  Go here and see how keeping CHRIST in Christmas might help out a family who needs it.

Other than that, please keep us in prayer while we deal with a crisis in our extended family.  Just pray.

When it rains it pours, and I don't mean Morton's salt!  However, just thought that might make a really good spiritual lesson, when life rains down adversity, the Lord will help you as you remain in Him, and be salt (and light) in these situations. 

Please continue to pray for Jessica Hulcy and her recovery.  If you aren't getting her updates through caringbridge, you are missing seeing God move and also the blessing of her family as they chronicle  this amazing journey.  She still has a lot of recovery to go through, but God is doing amazing things.  Keep her in your prayers.

Also, my friend over at UnderTheSky could use your prayers also.  She's a gal who I worked with for several years over the internet, but we've never met in person!  But she's been there for me when things were tough here, both spiritually speaking and in practical ways. 

We are hoping here to have a peaceful weekend, and know that with the Prince of Peace we can have that.  I pray that He will give you that peace also, even if it seems impossible in light of what is going on in YOUR life today.  He can and will do it.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. " 

 John 14:27

Blessings!

Nancy

Hey, have you heard about the art show we are having? 

Our local library is hosting a show for us homeschoolers!  So your sketches, paintings, drawings, photos even your crayon art can be shown for a whole month!  (Well, your kid's art anyhow!)

We'll have judging too, who doesn't like to get ribbons, right? 

So head over to our blog if you live in the Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Castle Rock, Monument, Black Forest, Woodland Park, Falcon, Elbert, Calhan....doesn't matter where you live I guess!~  Just as long as you can get your art to us on the drop off day and pick it up at the end. 

Go to our blog and download the forms, ok?

Homeschool Artist Showcase

Please pass this info on to your local groups, homeschooling friends and homeschooling neighbors!  We have a lot of room this year for a lovely art show.  Come join us!

Nancy and Mary Rose

Hi Friends,

I want to apologize for the fact that my blog has morphed into a perpetual info-mercial lately.  I've been trying to promote my ebooks and things, and maybe a bit too fervently, forgetting my real purpose for starting this blog. 

At any rate, I am continuing to give away a copy of "Haircuts For Little Men" every week through the summer, so please tell your friends so they can enter.  All they have to do is leave me a comment and a way to reach them.  Please read previous entries for the details.  I said I'd pick one for last week and will get to that at the end of this post.

Our summer is going nicely and we've had rain, rain and more rain here.  Our little bitty yard is an explosion of color and I love spending time out there with the kids.  My boys have been doing lots of scout activities which is a new thing for them this year.  We found a small, homeschool Christian scout troup that we love dearly.  New friends are being made and fun is being had.  They are learning good things too, and being boys together. 

 My girls are enjoying domestic bliss while they improve all their home-making skills and just get sweeter every day.  My oldest had such a great time in MD earlier this summer and although she started a trip blog, she never finished posting all her photos and telling her stories.  Maybe she'll have time someday?  She much prefers to just be doing anything other than being on the computer.  Anyway, she's been enjoying volunteering at our library and just started doing some math tutoring.  She's helping her cousin who is learning 6th grade algebra!  Go figure.  LOL.  Anyway, she's helping with fractions, multiplication and prime numbers...she's really great at math, I'm so proud of her. 

I'm a little sad that blogging seems to be taking a back seat to face-booking and twittering and whatever other social networking is popping up.  I still love to blog, but there are too many important "real" things going on here that steal my heart back from my former blogging addiction.  I'm not doing as much freelancing as I was, so my time on the computer is fragmented.  I think it is for the best.  My kids are growing up and now we are getting to be more of "peers" than "parents" in some ways.  It is sad to see them grow so quickly, but also exciting to see how much they have to offer as fellow sojourners!  My baby will be 11 this next week (although he looks much older since he is a big kid) and then I'll have another teen in Sept.  Wow. 

Anyway, talking about blogging, I was telling my friend Jill about how we are going out to the county fair this week to see if we got any ribbons, and she said "didn't you win best of show last year?"  Well, not that good!  But I couldn't quite remember what we won...so I went to my blog archives.  Cool!  I have also used my blog as a way to wrap up our year for a Christmas newsletter, etc.  It really has become a great archive of things in our lives, as long as we're writing regularly.  One of my other favorite friends is now mostly facebooking and her wonderful blog sits fallow.  (At least it was last time I checked.)  So sad!   My friend Jill again, was lamenting that folks used to write nice notes to publishers all the time, but now barely have time to shoot off an email to tell them thanks for the nice magazine article or some such thing.  I never though the computer would take the place of writing a letter, but it has. 

We are in a new era of communication.  Just add water.  :)  Instant everything.

Well, as I said earlier, I'm going to pick a winner from last week:

 jennifer at quiverfullfamily!  Congratulations!!!

I'll be sending your download right away. 

Happy Homeschooing Everyone!

Nancy

Don't forget to comment so I can enter you in this weeks giveaway!  Sorry, no mister linky, no frills, just cheap easy comments will get your name put in the proverbial hat. Good Luck!

We just got done with County Fair projects and got them ALL safely delivered to the fairgrounds yesterday.  No major mishaps this year (remember last year?)  Actually, one child who shall remain nameless, made one batch of the WRONG kind of cookies, which could disqualify his whole cookie project, so with only an hour or two to get there (and an hour to drive) he whipped up a new batch and baked a sheet of them before we left.  Talk about deadline pressure!!!

The kids did great though with their creativity once again.  Both girls entered in the "new quilter" category, so we'll see if they earn any ribbons on those.  We actually won't get to see how we did, although the judging was yesterday, until probably mid-week.  Crazy busy summer!

Today my oldest and I are doing an extreme home-makeover here, trying to get ready for some company. 

Hope all my blogging buddies are doing well!  It is always great to have you stop by---oh, and btw, don't forget that you still have a few days left to get a new comment in for the giveaway!

Blessings,

Nancy

Thank you everyone who commented.  Please feel free to comment each week!  Every Monday through August I will pick a comment I like and send out a free Haircuts For Little Men ebook to the lucky winner.  (I really like every single one, but will just pick one each week.)

You can re-comment every week, OK?  Please do!

Please tell your friends about the giveaway too!

Kyrie24, thanks so much.  Your download is on its way!

Nancy

That's right, Giveaways! 

 Every week for the next two months I'll give away a copy of my haircutting tutorial, "Haircuts For Little Men!"   All you have to do is leave me a comment and a way to get in contact with you. 

PLEASE, write your email in "code" like me at whatever dot com.  I hate it when my friends get spammed, and that happens when you leave your email on blogs yada, yada, yada.  :)

Leave me a comment!

Nancy

Hope you all have a very happy 4th!!

  Stay safe and remember it's not just about barbequeing and making noise. :)  But enjoy yourself doing those things!!

 I'm praying that next year at this time we will be able to say we've saved the freedoms we have and not be lamenting the fact that we are losing them at a break-neck speed.

Keep our country in prayer!  God help us, forgive us and keep us in the palm of His hand.

Nancy

p.s. Judy, you won last weeks contest--your download has been sent.  Enjoy!  And ladies (and gents) I'll be giving away a free download of "Haircuts For Little Men" every week through August!  Tell your friends.

I'm so happy to see them.  Aren't these lovely?

 We'll be making hollyhock dolls real soon!

Nancy