Happy sigh...

I was just showing someone my sidebar here at HSB and it brought back sweet memories of being part of the HBS community.  I really, really loved being here at HSB and met so many wonderful people.  Sometimes I do miss blogging here and think about coming back.  But then when I think about packing up all my posts and moving them back here I snap back into reality and realize what a huge project that would be. 

Oh if there wouldn't have been so many glitches with the switch last year I would still be here.  (Never been one good for patience *blush*).

So, it's good to see ya' old friend.  Don't go anywhere, dear HSB blog.  Who knows what the future holds?

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Over the next few weeks I will be moving over all my old posts from this blog to my new one at www.trainingheartsathome.blogspot.com

I just wanted to make sure this blog didn't get deleted before I have a chance to save everything since this is a journal of memories (for the most part).

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Please come visit me at my new blog here...

http://trainingheartsathome.blogspot.com/

It's still a work in progress, but I hope you'll come visit and maybe even join my mailing list!  If you've joined it here, please rejoin on my new blog to make sure you will still receive emails of any new entries I blog.

See ya' there!

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I have a confession to make...

...I have not done a very good job training my children to keep their rooms clean.  And from the looks of our home right this minute, evidentally they haven't learned the importance of helping mom keep the rest of the house picked up either! 

If the truth be known, while my mom did the very best job she could do raising me (which wasn't bad at all I must say), cleaning and keeping a home wasn't exactly an area that I was trained in nor had a very good example of while growing up.  So while I love a nice, clean, comfortable home, it's something that I really have to work at and push myself to do.  I don't want to pass on the same lack-of-training to my own children, so I know I have to begin by making changes in myself.

This is something I've seen a few times and am seriously considering purchasing, not only for the kids but for me too!  We have, and LOVE, Times Tales and this product, Zone Cleaning for Kids and Laundry Basket Cleaning was created by the same wonderful people.  Because of how great Times Tales is, I'm thinking that their Clean & Flip charts would be a great blessing to our family.

Check it out, and if anyone has used this and has an opinion on it, please leave me a comment here and tell me what you think!

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While most of us may never have to deal with Social Services, there are plenty of stories out there of families who have been the target of unfair invasion by those who do not agree with their decision to homeschool and who think they are harming their children by doing so.

So what can we do to protect ourselves from those who would like to interfere in our lives and cause us unnecessary problems simply because we homeschool?  First of all, I can not recommend enough that every homeschooling family join HSLDA, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association.  HSLDA is a nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. Through annual memberships, HSLDA is tens of thousands of families united in service together, providing a strong voice when and where needed.

And if you are ever faced with a social services worker at your front door, here are the steps you need to take:

• Stay calm.
• Be polite and friendly.  Smile.
• Get his name and business card.
• Do not let him into your home.  The only legal ways into your home are with:
  • an emergency situation (immediate and obvious danger to life and limb),
  • your permission, or
  • a search warrant.
• Do not allow him to interview your children.
• Tell him you are willing to cooperate if he will tell you what the charges are.
• When he tells you, tell him you will take your child(ren) to your physician and have him write a report to CPS.
• Repeat the above statements as often as necessary.  Do not be afraid of silence.
• After he leaves, write down everything that occurred and call Home School Legal Defense Asociation (HSLDA) and/or your attorney.

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This Thursday, March 1st, will be the 1-year anniversary of the passing of our dear Missey Gray.  If you didn't have the priviledge of knowing Missey, you can peek into her life at her blog here.  (I just want to say a big thank you to the wonderful people here at HSB for leaving Missey's blog up so we can all continue to glean from it.  I hope it remains available for a very long time).

If you are unfamiliar with Missey's story, last March 1st she underwent a C-section to deliver her 5th child and died from an amniotic embolism.  Moms around the country were shocked and hearts were broken as Missey had touched so many lives and helped so many other homeschoolers with her wisdom and kind spirit. 

In honor of Missey and all that she represented, homeschoolers around the globe are celebrating 'Heartschooling Day' this Thursday, March 1st and hope to continue doing so every year on (or around) this day.  One of Missey's entries on her blog talks of how she is she is putting away all the formal school work and just enjoying the holiday season with her children... playing, baking, etc.  So Heartschooling Day is a day to just put away all the formal stuff and just enjoy being with our children.  Do what THEY want to do.  Cuddle and read, go to the park, bake something together, get down on the floor and play Barbies or trucks.  Whatever!  As long as you're ALL laughing and making precious memories together.

Please join us in honoring this much-loved and very-missed momma.  I know it will touch her husband and children's hearts to know that Missey touched so many lives and that she has not been forgotten, but instead is being honored. 

If you do participate, please return here and tell about your day (Just leave a 'Comment' to this post).  I will be printing off all the stories and sending them to Tom and the children to let them know just how much Missey touched so many lives and that she is not forgotten.

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It's been 20 days since I last blogged!  Wow.  I think that's a new record.  Where in the world have I been you ask?

Well, believe it or not, for the first time in 11 years, I have a job.  Well, at least one I actually get PAID for .  But it sounds so funny to me to even call it a 'job'.  I can't believe I get to do this and actually get paid for it.

What is this wonderful job?  Well, I am now one of two photographers for all the newborn babies at our local hospital!  Can you believe that?  Someone's going to PAY me to handle newborn babies!  And, I can wear scrubs if I want.  Getting paid to work with newborn babies AND wear clothes as comfortable as jammies!  You've GOT to be kidding me!

This is only part time work, about 15 hours a week or so.  Out of 14 days I'll work 7.  What time I go in is very flexible, so we're still able to homeschool!  Depending on how many babies there are, which we're a small town so it averages anywhere from 1-4 or so a day with more here and there, I'm only there 2-3 hours on the days I go in.  And my hubby works from home, so the kids are taken care of.

I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect.  My two passions are babies and photography, so this opportunity was created just for me!

Just in case you'd like to see if there are any openings close to you, here's where you can find out.

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Ok, surely there has got to be some kind of glass breaking curse on this house of ours.  Here's today's episode in our lastest on-going drama...

Granted, this is not nearly as bad as the lasagna or chicken noodle soup mess, but this time, as hubby was trying to unscrew a blown lightbulb it busted in his hands.  Glass and powder everywhere.  So now he has cut hands AND I still don't have a light in my laundry room/closet because the screw-in part (whatever that's called) is still stuck in the, um, the part that you screw a lightbulb into!

Can I just say... I AM SO TIRED OF CLEANING UP BROKEN GLASS!!!!

Stay tuned for the next episode of... 'These Are The Days of Our Lives'.  Sigh...

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If you've been following my blog for any amount of time, you probably know about the many 'mishaps' our family has experienced lately.  First there was our spontaneous science lesson, then there was my REALLY bad day, and most recently, our lovely lasagna disaster.  Oh, and who could ever forget about my 6-year-old's big shocker as well as his run-in with a metal sign, my washer being ever-so-kind as to allow me to experience what women of old used to have to do, as well as my first experience with 'the other driver'!

Well, since everyone seemed to get such enjoyment out of these adventures, my 10-year-old daughter thought she would add one more to our ever-growing list of 'fun' things to do to mom.  Wasn't that so nice of her?  Here's her latest addition to the ever-increasing grey hair I keep finding in the mirror.

This WAS her bowl of home-made chicken noodle soup tonight.  Not quite as good as my award-winning lasagna splatter, but I give it an 8!  Just in case you have forgotten, here's MY addition to our latest fun around here...

Funny thing is, my hubby and I simply couldn't believe it had happened AGAIN and we both just sat there for like five minutes just looking at it without saying anything or even making a face, like it was the most normal thing in the world (which lately around here, it is!), hoping the other one would get up and clean it up first.  LOL! 

Ahhhh... the joys of family bonding time (as in, while hubby and I are on the floor cleaning up glass... lots of good time to talk).  There's never a dull moment around here... anyone want to come for a visit?

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