6/26 update!

I'll be picking a contest winner next Friday, July 3rd, so hurry up and leave me a comment for a free ebook!  Also, the price break is only for the next 48 hours.  :)

N.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are enjoying this season?  It is LOVELY out this morning.  I decided to come in a do a quick post for you all.  My youngest son begged me to cut his hair this week, so he would be nice and cool for his boy scout campout.  He has a TON of hair, (gets that from his dad's side of the family) and it is very thick and hot.  So I got out my scissors and spray bottle and we headed outside for an "al Fresco" haircut!

I've been trying to upload a photo...having technical difficulties this morning.  But not to worry!  Just imagine a really cute little boy with a handsome haircut!

I bet there are a lot of little boys needed one of these right now!  And I know that many of us are having to conserve our funds--but, I decided that for a little while I'd slash the price of my haircutting ebook, just for YOU!  Haircuts For Little Men is now only $7.99!!  Take advantage of it right here.  You can go to my website, NancyBaetz.com and read all about it.  I've got testimonies on there, etc.  You can also "Google" it  (when did Google become a verb?) and read what others have posted on their sites.  The response has been postive!

So there you go.  Learn how to do that haircut today!  It is SO easy and you'll do great.  If you'd like to try it out for free, just leave me a comment here and I will put your name in a hat for a freebie!  Also, if you are really hurting financially, are a minister of the Gospel in any capacity, let me know.  I'll send you one gratis!

Please do me a favor, and blog about this contest ok?  And if YOU would like to have a giveaway, I'd be happy to let you do that too.  Just ask!

God Bless,

Nancy---off to enjoy the kids and the flower garden!

You have all heard the story of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, right?  You haven't?  Well, it is a wonderful parable about taking care of your neighbor. Luke 10:25-37

Today, we had a bit of a "Samaritan" adventure!

First off, we visited with a wonderful friend of mine who is dealing with a sore back.  She's been laid up for a few days and we got to spend some time with her while she rested.  It was a wonderful time.  Just the girls and I.  We can learn so much from this dear friend.  She has homeschooled all her kids who are now out of the house doing "their" thing.  So exciting to hear how they got there.

Anyway, back to the S. thing.

My two girls had to race to the grocery store before we went to our friends house, and on the way in I vaguely noticed a car sitting on the "in ramp" to the store.  After we got our groceries, we had to race back home and feed the cat and put away our perishables.  Alas, at the "out ramp" of the store, I saw a lady with some kids in a car, hood up and obviously stalled.  If I can, I try to stop and help people when I see them. We were in such a hurry!  I agonized over not being able to turn around and go help her.   I said a quick prayer that the Lord would send someone to help her, and felt terribly guilty that I didn't have time.   It really ate away at me...

After our lovely visit with our friend for a few hours, it was time to head home.  We had to go back to the same store, to get gas for the car.  We were running on "E."  We also needed a couple of things we had forgotten.  So I pulled up at the front doors of the supermarket and my daughter was getting out to run in and....my car just quit running.  It was weird!  It did nothing.  I tried starting it up again.  Nada.  Oh that sinking feeling.

Right in front of the automatic doors.  In everyone's way!  The car never has done THIS before.  Just deader than a doornail.

So, my daughter just figured it would start back up and deserted me.  :)  My emergency flashers didn't even seem to work, so I was having to wave people past me.  One truck went around.  Then a car pulled up behind me and just sat there, waiting.  So I got out and told the gal driving it that I was stalled, and she would have to go around me.  She promptly asked me if I needed help and she parked really quickly and came back to push me!  Another gal joined her and they pushed my car (91 Ford Explorer) to a parking space. 

 Samaritans numbers one and two. 

My husband is on a campout with my boys.  Wouldn't you know it!  So I called a friend who lives close to the store and she came right over with jumper cables.  However, they were too short to reach, and while we were waiting for surrounding cars to leave so she could park closer to connect us up, THREE more people asked if we needed help.  One was a guy driving a truck with a "Purple Heart" on his license plate.  He jump started the car, while another guy who had stopped but didn't have cables said he was going to go get some friends to help push.  Wow.  The other was a gal, actually an old neighbor of mine.

 So that was Samaritans numbers three, four, five and six.

After we got it running, I still had to try to get gasoline, so I did, and the car went dead again.  So my friend jump started it again and we headed to the auto parts store to have the battery tested.

We got there safely, and the battery tested good.  But then we started to leave, and it died.  They charged it briefly and we headed home, about 5 minutes away.  About ONE minute away from the auto part store, it died.  Right at a major intersection.  ARGHHHHH!!!  My 17 year old daughter got out to push (BLESS HER HEART!!!) and a gentleman pulled up right behind us, got out of HIS car and helped her push us out of the way and into a parking lot.  He then went back and got his car and came back to be of assistance.  In the mean time, my friend who came to help way back at the beginning of this crazy saga had called her hubby who called a friend who is a mechanic and he was on his way!

The gentleman, Joe, told me that it must be the alternator.  You know, I can't even remember the name of the other guy, the mechanic who showed up with his wife and charged the battery for me for about a half hour with his GMC---of course he made jokes about my Ford, but that was ok by me.  It's the best $500 car we have ever owned, even if it does break down occasionally!

So, let's see; that makes Samaritans numbers seven and eight, right?

The mechanic offered to take me back to the auto part store and get an alternator and put it in for me, right then and there.  "It's only 3 bolts to take out."  Well, I was tired, hungry and a little stressed....although completely BLESSED by all the help that kept arriving.

So I decided to save the fun for my husband.  (He will be so thrilled, for sure.) And the mechanic and his wife and my friend both followed us the rest of the way home to make sure we arrived safely.  We did.

You know what I think about all this?  I was very surprised and thankful for all the help we got.  It was truly awesome!  But the Lord also showed me that He has the heart of a lot of folks out there, and even though I didn't stop to help a stranded motorist earlier today,  that when the tables were turned and I was the stranded one, God poured out the love on me.  There is NO condemnation in Christ!

So if you can't be the one to help out physically in a situation you see,  God's got it covered.  Pray and trust, and then when you can help, go for it and be a blessing.

Eight Samaritans.  Isn't the Lord wonderful?

Nancy

I couldn't figure out why my site meter kept telling me that a constant contact page was visiting me, repeatedly.  So I investigated and found that Molly Green over at Econobusters was sending readers my way for a free homeschool Mom Poem!  I wrote that waaaaay back in 2006.  Time Flies, or Fly's...flies. Tempus Fugit!  Whatever!

I'm so glad it was shared.  I recently told Gena that it was one of my top hits, that crazy wonderful poem.

Anyhow, it really isn't in the best format for printing out so I decided to make a nice PDF for you all to enjoy.  Here ya go.  Homeschool Mom's Poem.   That link will take you to my page at Lulu.com, and the poem is free to download.  Let me know if you have any trouble doing that!

Printing hint:  Just print the first page.  :)

I hope it encourages your heart today!

Blessings,

Nancy

O.K.  I will admit it; I am a field guide junkie! 

I've got field guides for birds, rocks, flowers, butterflies, mammals, edible plants, amphibians, reptiles...stars...what else...?  Hmmm. 

 How about a field guide for homeschoolers? 

Zip over to Dana's blog, Principled Discovery.  She is hosting the ninety-zillionth carnival of homeschooling with this wonderful field guide to homeschoolers!!   Wish I wasn't so busy, I'd have loved to get in on this one. 

Can't wait to read all the entries!!

Nancy

P.S. My Hollyhock Doll page is up over at Remembrance Press!  See it right here.

Empty Nest Syndrome.  I'm too young to have that one...but got a taste of it today.  My firstborn got on a plane all by herself and flew clear across the country.  My baby! 

Well, all my fretting and stewing and coaching and warning were pretty much a waste of time and energy.  God is in control and I've got prayer warriors on their knees for her.  (And for me too.)  And she's a highly capable young lady.  Organized.  Practical.  Prepared.  She thinks ahead, and thinks well.  I am so proud of her!

Her little sister snapped this photo of her right after she passed through security.  She has a sewing machine in her carry on luggage.  :)  Her daddy called her and Essie snapped this photo of her.

She was very cool and confidant.  I was feeling a bit nauseaus --however you spell that, and near tears.  She was on her way to take the subway to her gate and we didn't have a gate pass.  Next time I'll not forget to get one of those!  My heartstrings were stretched to the limit right then.  But she did great.  Called us a few minutes later from her gate.  I am SUCH a worry-wort!

I thought I'd post a few pics that she might enjoy, if she happens to pop over to my blog while she's blogging about her trip.  You can read her "trip journal" here.

Here is a view of the airport, after we left.  We weren't able to get a photo of her plane taking off though.  Bummer!

It is much bigger in real life! It is that big funny white bumpy thing in the back there.  I call it the "Gran Tetons."  I have no idea what they were thinking when they built that thing.  Crazy.

Anyway, here is a shot of our lovely "America's Mountain" that we could see most of the way home.  There aren't many of these where she went.  :)

 When we got back to town, we took the kids to a park to get wet in a HUGE fountain that rotates and has a water "veil" that flows down into a reflecting pool.  You can splash around the base of it, but don't get on the second level or the "staff" will get you!

We had a great time getting wet!  The wind would come up and blow the water right off the sculpture, so the kids got pretty drenched, but then they played at the play ground to get dry enough to get in the car.  Note to self:  Keep extra clothes in the car!

So that has been my day.  I thought teaching her to drive was tough.  Watching her walk away from us to go on a cross-continental plane fight....well, 2/3 of the way across anyhow, was very hard!  The only thing that kept me together was the prayers of my friends, and the one who heard those prayers.  He is SO faithful to keep us from ourselves.  :)

God is good!

Hold those kids tightly in your heart, and know that God holds them even tighter in Hands.

Nancy

It is hard to know exactly where to start.  I guess I can start with today, and then work my way back...

I took my kids (who are all either taller than I am now, or will be "shortly" -ha!) out to run some errands today, and we had a pretty fun time.  When they are all getting along, it can be such a blessing!  On the very last leg of the journey home, I was just getting into the left turn lane when a truck coming the other direction (going very fast) left his lane and headed right into mine.  I don't even remember "doing" anything, except somehow I had time to honk and swerve to my right--while he swerved back into his lane.  There is no way to explain how neither of us hit any other cars, or were hit by any other cars.  The traffic was very heavy and moving fast, the northbound cars just coming through a green light going probably 45 to 50 mph right there. 

Anyway, I consider it a blessing.

Although it shook me up I was thankful that the Lord kept us safe.  We pray together every time we get in the car, and I pray silently A LOT.  I'm a very nervous driver because the city traffic is horrendous!  I'm also a nervous rider, because I am a control freak.  Just ask my husband.  Never mind, don't ask him.  LOL!

So as we rounded the corner and headed up our street I was pondering how I had time to honk and steer out of the way without getting us killed and one of the kids said the angels must have steered us out of harms way.  I think I'll agree with that!

Just one of many blessings.

We have been working on some projects that require trips to the local thrift stores and fabric stores etc., looking for costume materials and props.  While we were at one particular store, we happened to have some small talk with a dear sweet little lady.  She told me I had a beautiful family.  (They were all getting along very well that day.)  While I was off looking at a dress or something, she approached my oldest daughter and told her that she had a beautiful Mother!  (That made my day.)  Then she insisted on giving her a wad of bills and told her to take me out for lunch.  My daughter tried to resist, but the lady persisted and said that the Lord had blessed Her, and that the Lord was going to bless my family.  I believe He did just then.

I had noticed in the store there, that they had a 50 percent discount for military, and for seniors age 50 and up.  I thought wow, in about a year I am eligible for that!  When I got up to the cashier, she asked me if I "qualified" for any of the discounts and I told her that I would next year.  She said "well, we'll just give you that discount today anyway."  That was a blessing!

Sometimes these kinds of things just happen in clusters.  We seem to be having a cluster of blessings week.

On Monday, a friend called and said she won a ticket to our state homeschool convention.  She already had bought one, and I wasn't planning to go this year but she asked me if I wanted to go now, for free!  Well, that was hard to pass up, so I said yes!  I'm going up with a group of younger ladies.  They think I am a lot of fun.  I told one of them that they were delusional.  :)

I'm excited about the convention because I'll get to see my friend Jen again.  I haven't seen her since we did the Christian Booksellers Convention together...was that 5 years ago?  Gee Whiz.  I need to check on that.  Anyway, she'll be there representing Rosetta Stone. 

There are a lot of trials and tears in our days, but there are blessings in the midst of them.  If you want to go check on the progress of Jessica Hulcy, please do.  You can even donate to her recovery fund!  Go here.  It has been a long week for the Hulcy family, but there have been blessings, many of them. 

We must remember that we are all in the Lord's hands, all the time.  Not just when we are safe, warm, fed, happy, and healthy.  We are in His hands when we are in turmoil, scared, hungry, sad and injured.  The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever.  No one will ever take us out of His hands.  He won't leave us or forsake us.  But first....are YOU in His hands today?  He is reaching out to you...won't you reach back?  It just takes a small act of your will to say YES to the free gift of salvation He has for you.

Blessings, for sure!

Nancy

Just a little bit too busy around here for my taste.  Whatever happened to relaxed homeschooling??

Well, it's my own fault.  I love to be busy.  Most of the time.  Right now, Calgon, where are you?

I got up really early today, made some chai and then for two hours I was on the phone.  Well, it was "talkshoe" and I interviewed Jill Novak about the new issue of the Girlhood.  The she interviewed me about our experiences with a CSA these last few years.  She's got three more seminars today, so I hope you get to hear them!  Get on her mailing list so you can be a part of them...they are so uplifting!

This afternoon we had our "Delightful Kids" meeting at our local library.  We did watercolor painting, embroidery and attempted to create some things out of playing cards.  The boys did a bridge of sorts.  They had a great time, but I was envisioning the Golden Gate Bridger or Eiffel Tower or something...:)  Maybe next time.  I hope to post some photos soon.

Jen over at Jeneralities.com is having a great contest for RS.  Go check it out and enter.  I'm supposed to paste some text here but by golly, it's late and I am sooooo tired.  I'll try to do it later.  Just go check it out anyway. 

Have a wonderful day, and God Bless!

N.

Have you ever made Hollyhock dolls? 

 I can't even remember who taught us how to do these, it may have been my mother-in-law, "Nana" as we all call her.  I guess I'll have to double check with my kids, they remember everything!

At any rate, for the last couple of years I've had this video (we just finished creating) about how to make these cute hollyhock dolls, stuck in my computer!  We'll, I'm happy to say it is finally "unstuck" and will soon be on sale over at Remembrance Press!

I personally think it turned out pretty cute, although a very close friend and video critic said it is "no National Geographic."  Haha!  I'll keep her identity secret for the time being, but we weren't trying to emulate NG, for sure. 

Now, the reason it was stuck in the computer for so long was because of several factors:

A.  My brain was stuck for two years.

B.  My brain has been overloaded...for longer than two years.

C. I Can't remember the other reasons.

(However, I did come up with a really good reason for the use of the word "whatchamacallit" this week!  I was driving with my kids and having a conversation, however, I couldn't think of the right words to say and began to say "whatchamacallit" at will.  Then it dawned on me why my Mom used to use that word at regular intervals while I was a youngster.  She used it rather often.  :)

So there you have it!  As to what that has to do with the Hollyhock video, we may never know.  But what I do know is that "Making Hollyhock Dolls and Other Flower Friends" is a lovely little homeschool production that you are going to LOVE! 

This half hour video teaches you all about making flower dolls.  It has lovely classical music in the background.  It also has numerous quotes and information about flowers that you will love. Of course, this is my unbiased opinion! 

Furthermore, the photos are lovely, the flowers are beautiful, my daughter did a great job on her part and even though the video will not win any awards at the San Antonio Christian Film Fest, I assure you that it should win an award for the longest project ever stuck in a homeschool Mom's computer.  One thing we did *not* do was include a "bloopers" section.  We figured that there were enough of those in the video already.  :)

You can order it through Remembrance Press!  But if the order page isn't up yet, just send me an email and I'll have them get to it A.S.A.P. It sells for $14.95 plus postage. 

Blessings!

Nancy

Homeschooling Is Life!

Nancy Baetz (at) msn (dot) com

P.S., the companion eBook is in production also.  Hopefully before the year 2012 it will be available!

Neat.

And Simple.

That is what I want my life/home/everything to be; neat and simple.  Unfortunately, I'm a compulsive pack-rat and bibliophile.  My house is always overflowing with things that I think I need, and think I will use some day...etc.  Homeschoolers have a disadvantage in the "stuff" area of life.  We use our stuff! We think we need every wonderful thing that comes our way, and our kids are little creative mass-producers!  We have STUFF, and more stuff.  Whew!

I'm on a mailing list for a great blog called Neat and Simple.

Ariane Benefit  (isn't that a great name?) has a company that majors in helping people overcome the clutter in their lives.  She has a great sounding class coming up.  It might be just what you need!

You can get on her mailing list, join a group that helps people with creativity disorders (ha! my words, not hers) to get things organized,  cleaned up, uncluttered and help those lives stay changed! 

 It is one thing to get things fixed up, if you know what I mean.  It is another thing to change habits and keep them that way.

Ariane also has some awesome ebooks that she gives away gratis!  Now, mind you, she is not "geared" specifically for homeschoolers, but hey, we need a little help too, don't we?

A lotta help, me thinks!

Blessings,

Nancy

p.s. gotta give a quick plug here:  Haircuts For Little Men is still at a discounted price right now.  Go check it out!  It will be back up to regular price soon.

And please, disregard the ads above the header...I'm still trying to get rid of those.  Long story.  :(

Every inquiring Homeschool Mom wants to know:  Which Curriculum do I need to have in order to teach...(fill in the blank.)

As much as I LOVE "stuff" ie, curriculum, books, workbooks, field guides, reference books, yada, yada, ad nauseum, (hope that is spelled right) I need to tell you something:  You don't need curriculum or curriculi, or curricula, whatever.  Remember what Psalm 23 says? 

The Lord Is My Shepherd.  I SHALL NOT BE IN WANT.

Maybe I am taking that a bit out of context, but seriously, what do you need?  A pencil, a piece of paper, and a brain!  If you are reading this blog, you have a brain.  And you know how to use it! 

So Homeschool Mom, you can do whatever you want, seriously.  It is no skin off my nose if you go out and buy a $300 pre-packaged program.  But I bet you could put that money to better use.  If you are selling a $300 program, I'm not trying to put you out of business.  I just know that we can MORE than "get-by" with a few tools that we already have, than "get-into-debt" with the latest and greatest falderal out there just to keep up with the Joneses or whatever other rationalization you have irrationally swirling around in your Mommy brain.

You know my philosophy is "we are learning all the time."  And yet I do believe that time can be squandered, and once it is gone you can't get it back.  But we can redeem it wisely while we have it.  So don't fret, just start doing something.  Seriously, just do SOMETHING with your kids today!  The will learn, you will have accomplished something and it will add up line upon line, even if you didn't just go into hock to put it on the dining room table. 

Are you paralyzed with your homeschooling?  Do you feel like you can't do anything, because everything is too intensive to even try?  But you know you NEED to do more than you are doing?  But you want to be a relaxed homeschooler?  LOL!  I'm not laughing at you, but with you.  Here are some ideas for some things you can do RIGHT NOW with your kids. 

 Just do it, ok?

So here are those ideas:

Cook something together.  Even if it is simple, like instant oatmeal---just do it!  Enjoy being together and talk about what you are doing.  In a natural way, you aren't giving a lecture.

Do the dishes as a team.  Practice a poem, Bible Verse or song together while you work.  Whistle while you work!

Get some colored pencils and a plain white sheet of paper.  Have your kids, no matter what ages they are, write their name.  (Homeschoolers often miss this step! ) 

Next, write their phone number, address and age.

If they can't spell it, don't tell them to "look it up."  Tell them what it is!

Ask them to write the abbreviation for the state they live in. Then, the country they live in.  Then the continent they live on. 

Have them put their age down in numerals, then spell the word.  Remember, if they don't know it, how can they "look it up?"  That skill will come with time.

Ok, so there you go.  That was today's lesson.  It's pretty much time for lunch now, right?

Here are some other things to do with your kids.  Remember, learning happens all the time!

Sorting and doing laundry, that is home education.

Watering the plants inside and out, taking care of pets, daily chores.  That is learning.

Know anyone with a birthday coming up?  Make them a card.  If the child is too little to do the writing, have them dictate it and then you write in it for them.  Have them attempt their name!  They will do just fine. Don't correct it, just let it be.  :)

Draw pictures for Grandma and Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, etc.  Then send them!  Let the little kids decorate the envelope, put on the labels and stamps.  Have the older kids address them.  Teach them how to keep an address book!  (This teaches organization, alphabetization, etc.)

Take your kids to the library.  Get a library card.  Look for books on favorite subjects. Then sit and READ to them.

Get old magazines and cut them up!  Make scrapbooks of favorite pictures.  Let the little kids cut, glue and staple!  Hands on.  Hands on.  Hands on.  Did I mention hands on?  Kids NEED to use their hands to learn.  They also need LESS time sitting.  That will drive your kids crazy.  Seriously!

Hmmm....well, just a few things off the top of the old noggin.  Please add your own to this list, ok?  I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a comment with some of your own ideas. 

One last thing.  We all have rules we have to abide by, our state statutes etc., but I know from all the Moms I talk to that there are some who are just flailing about and need to be encouraged to do something.  Just do ONE thing, and see how good it makes you feel.  You CAN do it! 

Blessings!

Homeschooling Is Life!

Nancy

Copyright © 2009 Nancy K. Baetz