Homeschool connections online

A great way for new homeschoolers to connect with others is to start online, you will find what is happening in your locality and get an idea of what other homeschoolers are doing, where they are going and how active homeschoolers are in that area. 

Online groups are growing and in Ontario we have quite a large choice there are some that are focused in my Toronto neighbourhood all meet different homeschooers needs.  Some are designed to support homeschooling younger children others meet a families religious beliefs.

There is a new group just started in the Toronto area that is basically welcoming all homeschoolers in the Greater Toronto Area.  Their aim is to keep the focus on sharing with and supporting each other in thier homeschool journey.  The moderator is hoping for respectful discussions on curriculum use, methodology, field trips, homeschool ideas, books, support etc.

You can find the new site here:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GTAhomeschooling

If you are looking for a group specific to your local or needs you might find one on www.yahoogroups.com

These Ontario events have been arranged by Homeschooler Carol-Anne

Please contact her if you would like to reserve a spot(s) at thebirthden@ yahoo.ca

 Open water certification for 12’s and over

I have arranged with the Dive Shop in Newmarket to offer the adult open water certification which is appropriate for children 12 and older, plus adults! This is a bit more intensive a program. Please be sure to reserve spots through me and do not contact the Dive Shop directly (their request). Here are the details...

Dates:
At Aquacentre 1215 Stellar Dr., Newmarket
Tuesday July 29th. Class:9am - 1pm, Break 1pm-2pm, Pool:2pm - 6pm
& Wednesday July 30th. Class:9am - 1pm, Break 1pm-2pm, Pool:2pm - 6pm
The instructor to student ratio for this phase of the program is up to 1:6.

At Lake Simcoe (Barrie)
Tuesday August 5th. 2 open water dives=3 hours total per person. Depending on number of participants the dives will be at 9am OR 12pm OR 3pm.
& Wednesday August 6th. 2 more open water dives=3 hours total per person. Depending on the number of participants the dives will be at 9am OR 12pm OR 3pm. The instructor to student ratio for open water dives is generally 1:4.

Cost: (tax not included)
$199 includes everything for the course except gear. You can bring your own gear or rent it for $50. If you decide afterwards to purchase your very own student starter kit ($249.00) then your $50 gear rental fee will go towards your purchase of the brand new equipment. There is no wetsuit provided for the pool component but they are available to rent for $10 if you decide you need one. Payment will be due at time of reserving your spot(s).

Minimum: 4 participants (already have 2)
Maximum: 12 participants

__________________

Science Centre visit on June 2^nd

  This article is part of 'The Heart of the Matter' Homeschool Meme

Homeschooling was a BIG  eye-opener to me, I learned so much just from having the opportunity to homeschool my daughter, I just wish many more parents offered themselves that honour.   Here are some of the things I learned.

•  Though I was the authority, as a parent their was so much more she could teach me now that I had the time to listen.  I finally got the message that my way was not always the right way.
• Children are more honest with themselves than we are to ourselves.
• Its OK to fill your home with collected items from nature e.g. stones, shells, acorns and tree bark.
• Homeschooling allows for the flexibility tof the individual each child as an individual needs.
• More time is avaiable for learning because it is adapted to each child = more time to have fun with your child and more importantly more time for your child to have fun and be happy.              
• It is OK to show that adults can sometimes fail too therefore letting a child know failure is part of lifeipart of life; part of learning
• When it comes to covering a subject you don’t feel confident in there are numerous ways to cover it, from involving another family member; hiring a tutor; arranging a group class; or if it is important enough you could take the upgrade yourself so you can cover the topic.
• That many of us would be lost if not for books and public libraries; and nature within our reach.
• Learning can happen just as much when standing in the woods among the flowers, trees deer and butterflies as you can at the kitchen table with all your encyclopedias and cuuculum material.
• I was homeshcooling myself as i was homeschooling my daughter
• I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING

Play pick-up baseball every Thursday afternoon (starting the 24^th April) in Glen Williams near Georgetown. We would like to invite anyone who loves to play a
laid back fun game with peers. Everyone, parents included, is invited
to attend and to take part. Games would start around 1:30 and we
would play for about an hour or 90 minutes.

There is a great playground right beside the baseball diamonds and
there is a creek and marshy area for anyone who wants to explore.
There are picnic tables and a covered pavilion on site as well.

Let me know off-list if you think you would be interested.

For those who haven't ventured our way, Georgetown is 30-40 minutes
northwest of downtown Toronto. 30 minutes north from Port Credit in
Mississauga.  We also have participants from the Guelph Homeschool Group too so you will get to meet many other homeschooling families.

We would LOVE to have you take part in this with us.
 
Sam

Enter the Family Fun Story Contest to Win an Autographed Copy of                                                            "Tales of the Heartily Homeschooled"    ~ By Carolyn Currey and Rachel Starr Thomson.  (Homeschoolers from Ontario)

"We love family stories—that's why we wrote this book! We'd love to hear your stories as well. If you are between the ages of 8 and 18 and you have a funny, dramatic, or touching true story you'd like to share, write it up and send it in!

 We'll be picking one winner in each of four age groups to receive an autographed copy of "Tales of the Heartily Homeschooled." The deadline for our contest is May 1, so get your entries in soon!"

 Entry Guidelines:
 Stories should be between 700 and 2000 words. All entries must be based on real-life events. Put "Family Fun Story" in the subject line and paste the story into the body of the email—no attachments, please. In the top left corner, include your name, age, and email address. Email your entry to publisher@littledozen.com.
For more information, visit www.littledozen.com/thh.html

INFO ON "TALES OF THE HEARTILY HOMESCHOOLED"

 What do you get when you throw twenty children, four parents, several cross-country trips, and a sense of humour between the covers of one book?
Lots and lots of big family fun that will tickle the funny bones and warm the hearts of your entire clan.
Rachel Starr Thomson is the oldest of twelve children. Carolyn Currey, her second cousin, is the oldest of eight. Not only are their families huge, they also homeschool! Drawing on some of their favourite memories, Rachel and Carolyn have written a book of essays that will make you laugh, think, and thank God for family.
For more information, including sneak peeks, original cover art, and author bios, visit www.littledozen.com/thh.html

I was sent this link and a couple of earth events to share with you all.  I checked out the main link for earth day and was quite disapointed, each link had a counter for the amount of people who have registered and the numbers here in Ontario do seem extremely low, just for curiosity I checked out  London UK, and Perth Australia and the numbers are not much better.  Have I registered? no not yet, but I do usually do my part in my own neighbourhood.  I do encourage all those who are able to join in with an earth day event, start and register your own or at least spend a couple of hours with your own family to recognise our earth.

http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday

Organization: Etobicoke School of the Arts SEEDS
 An Evening Of Green: Building an Environmental Community
Etobicoke School of the Arts
675 Royal York Road, Toronto, Ontario
Contact Person: enid wray    Phone Number: (416) 394-6910   Email: esaseeds@mac.com

Event Description: An Evening of Green: Building an Environmental Community is for everyone who is interested in the environment, development and sustainability. Featured elements of the evening include: a Community Screening of Everything’s Cool (a climate change documentary); a Coffee House featuring Fair Trade coffees, teas and comestibles as well as live music; a Fair Trade Marketplace; an Environmental Forum and Marketplace; Recycling Opportunities; Student Activism; and a Community Food Drive. We have great plans and hopes for the event. If all goes well we look forward to making this an annual event. Visit http://web.mac.com/seedsesa for details.

========================================

Earth Day Canada, Downsview Park and Toronto and Region Conservation invite you to our annual spring Earth Day festival. Leave your legacy for future generations this Earth Day at Downsview Park by planting 1 000 trees in the Canada Forest and helping create a sustainable community.

Earth Day at Downsview Park features environmentally-friendly exhibits, activities and entertainment–-rain or shine-–for the whole family!

- The Green Pavilion offers food, crafts and products by eco-friendly vendors and exhibitors.
- The Recycle Yard lets you safely dispose of hazardous household waste, pick up a blue box, load up on compost for your garden, and donate your used clothes, books, and household items.
- Interactive exhibits showcase new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, how to build birdhouses and fun ways to learn about nature and the environment.
- The Kids Area features arts and crafts, buskers, face painting and more.
- Our Main Stage salutes the best in up and coming enviro-focused entertainment.

Team Green Challenge
Help promote positive environmental action by organizing a group of friends, family members or coworkers to participate in our Team Green Challenge. Tree planting teams can compete to be the “largest group of planters” or the “most spirited group of planters”.

For more information about Earth Day at Downsview Park or to register a team for the Team Green Challenge, contact Downsview Park at 416-952-2222 or info@pdp.ca. www.downsviewpark.ca.

==============================================

Sunday, 2008 April 20

FREE

The Toronto Climate Campaign and Streets are for People are putting together another great event this Earth Day weekend.

Reclaim Earth Day: Kyoto Now

12 noon rally at Dundas Square    1 pm parade    2-4 pm street fair on John Street

This is a kid-friendly event. The organizers are encouraging participants to have engaging, interactive displays and lots of street theatre.

IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE TME TO ADD HERE (ESPECIALLY IF IT IS GEARED TOWARD HOMESCHOOLERS) PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH DETAILS AT: homeschoolresources@hotmail.com

Lynn

Earth Day Canada is on 22^nd April (2008)

EcoKids is a Canadian site that has a free curriculum-based environment education program that educates and inspires young Canadians from ages 7-12 with topical environmental information, interactive games, and hands-on activities.

www.ecokids.ca/pub/index.cfm

They also have a section for you to check out events in your community or register events that you are planning.  (note some events will happen before that date)

Here’s the link for Ontario

http://www.earthday.ca/pub/events/search/shell_summary_public.php?prov=Ontario&accessibility=public

A Few Environment  Book Suggestions for Earth Day

             Trash Action: A Fresh Look at Garbage    

~Ann Love & Jane Drake. (Tundra Books)

~David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden (Douglas & McIntyre / Greystone Books)

             One Well: The Story of Water on Earth.

~Rochelle Strauss (Kids Can Press)

             Who Likes the Sun?

~Etta Kaner (Kids Can Press)

By same author:   Who Likes the Rain?    Who Likes the Snow?

Who Likes Wind?

             Fire! A Renewal of a Forest

Written and illustrated by Celia Godkin (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

             Bear Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife

~Keltie Thomas (Firefly Books)   Readers will meet people around the world who are trying to ensure a future for these vulnerable animals. Photographs, anecdotes and fast facts supplement the text.

             Climate Change

~Shelley Tanaka (Groundwood Books)    What is the basic science behind climate change? What can we do about it? A concise overview of the issues surrounding this important challenge. Grades 7-9

             Endangered Frogs

~Molly Aloian and Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing)       Frogs require two healthy habitats – in water and on land. This book explains how sensitive they are to environment changes, and why people should watch over them. Ages 7-10 

             I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life and Death

~Jan Thornhill (Maple Tree Press)     Ages 9-12 What does it mean to be “alive”? How do living things die? A bird’s death is the jumping-off point in this intelligent, sensitive, and wide-ranging title about the cycle of life.

             The Life Cycle of a Polar Bear

~Rebecca Sjonger and Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing)     Eye-catching photographs and clear wording guide us through each stage of a polar bear’s life. Children also learn how global warming is affecting them. Ages 6-10

             The Life Cycle of a Shark

~John Crossingham and Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing)     Readers gain insight into the growth of these fascinating, prehistoric fish – how they grow, locate food, and are important to the oceans. Ages 6-10  

             The Life Cycle of an Ant

~Hadley Dyer and Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing)     Fascinating text and enlarged photographs reveal ant anatomy, colonies, larvae, development,  communication and more. Ages 6-10  

             Plants in Different Habitats

Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca Sjonger (Crabtree Publishing) In this beautiful book, readers learn about plants in tropical rainforests, grasslands, deserts, mountains, wetlands and more. Stunning photos highlight a range of habitats.  Ages 6-9  

             Rainforest Bird Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife

~Linda Kenyon (Firefly Books)     Over 700 species of rainforest birds face extinction. Readers will meet dedicated people from around the world who are fighting to ensure a future for these beautiful birds. Ages 10-14  

             Wonderful Whales

~Bobbie Kalman (Crabtree Publishing)     Vivid photos and captivating text help kids understand how whales hunt, move through water, eat – and the important role they play in oceans around the world. Ages 8-12  

Spring is upon us or so I am told, it was hard to believe until yesterday when I chanced upon a ladybug among the snow,  O.K., it was dead and likely fallen from the tree above with the snow flakes but it reminded me of spring and got me into the mood and thinking about this lovely season.  Spring is not my favourite season but it is for me a time of inspiration a time of renewal and inspiration, the quirks of nature catch my eye daily around this time which for me right now are producing ideas for my craft projects.

Here in my part of Toronto the first signs of spring are the native trilium in my local woodlot which is also the Official Provincial flower for Ontario and now i'm waiting for them as they come and go so quickly you could miss them.  I really know it is spring when I can hang my laundry outside to dry, I usually have the company of a robin who sits and watches as I do this.  I swear it is the same robin every year and yes I expect raised eyebrows as I write this but I now feel comfortably mentioning this as I have family and friends who have witnessed my little friends visits.

Are you ready for spring?

This is a great time for homeschoolers to join and learn more about nature, perhaps you could get together with others and take your learning outdoors.

You might start by :

1.  Looking for plants and flowers native to your region (and maybe in your search you may come across a ladybug)

2. Taking this time to learn about photography and development of your pictures

3. Checking in with your local bird-watch organisation

4. Many communities have clean up days a nice get together with others in your community to clean up after the spring thaw (for those who get snow) In my neighbourhood clean-up-day will be all day on April 19th and includes a picnic and meeting place plus drop off to clean up locations for those who need it.  If there is not one in your area why not start one up or better still have a homeschoolers clean up day and have someone log the volunteer hours for the children.

5. I dare you to wait for the next rainy day, wrap up warm with some waterproof boots (shoes ok if your close to home and go 'puddle jumpin' I loved doing this with my kids when they were younger and just a couple of years ago my grown daughter dared me to do this- and yes, we did but waited until after dark.

6. What better time to take a visit to the Toronto Islands (snake hunting anyone?) or the Toronto zoo, not half as busy as summer and you and the kids are less likely to have meltdowns from the extreme weather.

Let me know if you have other welcome spring ideas and I will add them here.

Also if you want to promote an Ontario event here for your neighbourhood clean-up please email me and I will post.

Useful sites for spring lessons:

Information on the trilium     http://www.naturepark.com/trilinfo.htm

Make a Teepee [plans]     http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/native/skills/teepee.htm

Workshop  for 10-14 yr olds "Environmental Focus: Camers Workshops for Youth" www.torontoartsonline.org/content/view/full/18459

Nature Books For Children [CANADIAN:]

Animal Life Cycles: Growing and Changing ~by Bobbie Kalman [Crabtree Publishing, 2006]   Ages 7-10  RL: Grades 2 and up     -----Diagrams and photographs help explain the life cycles of many different animals including mammals, birds, snakes, lizards, fish, frogs, insects, spiders and worms.

Baby Grizzly ~by Aubrey Lang [Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006]   Ages 4-8  RL: Grade 2     -----In Alaska, a mother grizzly cares for her three cubs. The writer/photographer team documents their first year of life through simple, informative text and photos.

Baby Porcupine ~ by Aubrey Lang [Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006]   Ages 4-8  RL: Grade 2     -----An introduction to the life of a baby porcupine – big, and already covered with quills. She has some growing to do before she is safe from predators. Features photos taken in the wild.

 Canada’s Woodland Animals ~by Chelsea Donaldson [Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2006]   Ages 6-8  RL: Grade 2      ----Discover Canada’s woodland animals such as wolves, bears, bats, snakes and woodpeckers through easy-to-understand language and amazing photos.

 A Crash of Rhinos, A Party of Jays: The Wacky Way We Name Animals Groups ~by Diane Swanson [Annick Press, 2006]   Ages 7-11  RL: Grade 2    ----A pride of lions, a bed of clams… This book focuses on 11 animals and the curious collective nouns that describe them. Includes neat-to-know facts, playful illustrations and colour photos.

Creatures: Great and Small ~by Karen Patkau [Toronto: Tundra Books, 2006]   Ages 6-9  RL: Grade 2    ----Join award-winning Patkau as she embarks on this informative, beautifully illustrated voyage of discovery. The simple, fact-filled text is presented in the voices of the animals themselves.

 Endangered Butterflies ~by Bobbie Kalman and Robin Johnson [St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree Publishing, 2006]  Ages 7-10  RL: Grades 2-3    ----Some of the world’s most beautiful butterflies are in danger. Striking images show these insects up-close, and may encourage readers to help save them from harm.

Everyday Insects  ~by Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca Sjonger [Crabtree Publishing, 2006]  Ages 6-8  RL: Grade 2          ----What are insects? Beetles, butterflies, crickets, cockroaches, earwigs, ants, flies, grasshoppers, lice, wasps and others are the focal point of this book.

Jurrassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and Others) Left Behind ~by Jacob Berkowitz [Kids Can Press, 2006]  Ages 8-12  RL: Grades 4-6    ----How does poop get preserved? What can it tell us about dinosaurs, humans and other animals from long ago? Funny and informative, this book is flush with facts, stories and activities. 

Plants in Different Habitats ~by Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca Sjonger [Crabtree Publishing, 2006]  Ages 6-9  RL: Grades 2-3    ----In this beautiful book, readers learn about plants in tropical rainforests, grasslands, deserts, mountains, wetlands and more. Stunning photos highlight a range of habitats. 

Small Wonders: Baby Animals in the Wild ~by Marilyn Baillie [Maple Tree Press, 2006] Ages 4-6  RL: Grade 3                 ---Children are invited on an amazing journey across our land to visit baby animals in their natural homes. From mountains to prairies, they see animals play, feed and grow.

This is Daniel Cook at the Farm ~by Yvette Ghione [Kids Can Press, 2006]  Ages 3-6  RL: Grade 2    ----Mmmm. Daniel gets to drink milk fresh from a cow. He learns all about sheep, floppy-eared pigs, horses and other farm animals. Includes instructions for children to make a finger-puppet farm.

This is Daniel Cook on a Hike ~by Yvette Ghione [Kids Can Press, 2006]  Ages 3-6  RL: Grade 2    ----With his bug spray ready, Daniel’s off on a guided walk through the forest. Insects, animals and plants are some things to learn about on a nature hike. Includes a granola snack recipe.

The Water Cycle ~by Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca Sjonger [Crabtree Publishing, 2006]  Ages 7-10  RL: Grades 2-3     ----Kids will learn how evaporation, condensation, precipitation and run-off work together to move water from the ground to the air and then back down again.

***Well-Schooled Fish and Feathered Bandits: The Wondrous Ways Animals Learn from Animals ~by Peter Christie [Annick Press, 2006]    Ages 8-11  RL: Grade 3    ----These fascinating creatures have learned some of their best tricks – what to eat, what to avoid, how to make tools and communicate – by copying other animals of their kind.

Who Likes the Wind? ~by Etta Kaner [Kids Can Press, 2006]     Ages 4-7  RL: Grades 1-2    ----I wonder why the wind blows? What does a cloud feel like? Young readers open flaps to reveal the science of wind and other related topics.

We really need to stay aware of what is going on in the state of California as what happens their could affect us here in the future.

Please read the following and keep up with the developments in this case -WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED

What In the World Is Going On In California? By Karen Braun By now, most homeschoolers across the country have heard about the California appellate court ruling handed down on February 28 ordering the children of Phillip and Mary Long to attend public school or a legally qualified private school. The judge's ruling surprised everyone and sparked a firestorm of concern among homeschoolers nationwide, many wondering if homeschooling had become illegal in California. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine staff has been following the developments since World Net Daily first broke the story a week ago. In this Homeschool Minute, we would like to provide a brief summary of the events and offer links to various perspectives to help homeschoolers understand this ruling, how it impacts homeschoolers in California, and what homeschoolers across the nation can do to help. To gain a better understanding of this case, it is necessary to note that prior to this ruling, the Long family had been involved with the juvenile court system regarding the care of their children. Such proceedings are confidential, and in most cases, a court-appointed attorney is provided to represent the interests of the minor children. The attorney representing two of the children was not satisfied with a ruling made by Superior Court Judge Stephen Marpet, who found the children's education to be "meager" but determined that Phillip and Mary Long have a constitutional right to school their children in their own home. The attorney for the children brought an appeal before the Second Court of Appeals of California. The California Second Appellate Court in Los Angeles found that the Longs had not demonstrated that any of the exemptions to California's compulsory attendance applied to their children. The court reversed the finding of the Superior Court and ordered the children to attend public or a "legally qualified" private school. The court remanded the case back to the lower court for a hearing to determine if the family was in compliance with the law. The family plans on appealing this ruling decision to the California Supreme Court. Read the complete court opinion here. The ruling spurred reactions from attorneys representing various homeschool groups and interested parties across the country. The Homeschool Minute provides these links for informational purposes related to this case and does not necessarily endorse these sites. Sunland Christian School. The Long children were enrolled in this school. Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). These attorneys are representing Sunland Christian School and advising the family. Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). HSLDA presents several appeal options to reverse this ruling or diminish its impact upon California homeschoolers. There is a petition available for those interested in supporting the HSLDA's move to depublish the ruling. National Home Education Legal Defense (NHELD). Attorney Deborah Stevenson offers a detailed and informative analysis of this case. Several homeschool groups in California issued statements concerning this ruling: Homeschool Association of California California Homeschool Network Christian Home Educators of California Private and Home Educators of California California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement in support of homeschooling: "Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will." By the end of a long news week, the court decision reached the broader Christian community through a radio broadcast by Focus on the Family. Dr. Dobson discussed the California court case with several prominent guests.

From All of Us at TOS We hope this information has helped you gain a greater understanding of the facts surrounding this case and its impact on homeschooling in California. The Homeschool Minute encourages you to pray for the family and those involved in this situation. Several of the websites present ideas about what you can do to help. We encourage you to prayerfully consider those ideas, to do all that you can to help retain the freedom to homeschool in our country, and to pass this message along to others. We will be following this case and will provide further updates as information becomes available. Join us again on Wednesday with our normally scheduled topic. And now as much as ever, be sure to enjoy every minute!

Spend a glorious weekend hanging out with other unschoolers?

Join us for the family-friendly Toronto Unschooling Conference, May 9-11, 2008!

The festivities start Friday night with a meet and greet bonfire and continue through Sunday afternoon with a 2 hour guided hike on the Hockley Valley section of the Bruce Trail, part of the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

Bring the family and meet other unschoolers, enjoy the funshops, the gaming room, the kids' play room, participate in the talent show, hear some terrific speakers, including Anne Ohman, Carlo Ricci, Francette Fey and Cindy Bablitz, and participate in the various roundtable sessions. There's something for everyone!

This year we'll be at the family-friendly Hockley Valley Resort, a wonderful all-seasons resort nestled in beautiful Hockley Valley in Orangeville, Ontario approximately 45 minutes northwest of Toronto. They have reserved a limited number of rooms at a discounted rate for our group so make your
reservation early and remember to mention the conference.

For all the conference information and registration details check out the website:             http://www.livingjoyfully.ca/conference

If you have any questions feel free to email me at pam at livingjoyfully dot ca and you are welcome to join the conference yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TorontoUnschoolingConference/

Pam Laricchia  - Toronto Unschooling Conference coordinator

Greetings!   You spoke and we listened. After some of you pointed out that mailing to Canada was much less expensive than mailing elsewhere internationally, we decided to take another look at our pricing. So today, we're happy to announce that we now have a new *much* lower price just for Canadian subscriptions! Our normal international subscriptions are $45.60, but our new Canadian subscription price is just $30. That means Canadians can now save 1/3 off our regular international subscription price! Spread the word and let your Canadian friends and support groups know about our new lower Canadian subscription price. They can save over $15 and STILL get the 19 FREE international gifts valued at over $300!   No doubt about it, that's a great deal!

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding this offer. We can be reached at 1.888.718.HOME.   Sincerely,   Paul & Gena Suarez, Publishers The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Oh Canada! If you're interested in more information on home learning in Canada, feel free to browse these links on our sites. Homeschool Nations - Canada (lots of helpful links!) Minute to Minute - Quebec responses Provincial blogs: British Columbia New Brunswick Nova Scotia Ontario Quebec  Don't see your province? We're looking for enthusiastic people to join the Homeschool Nations Team for each province. Just contact Kris Price, Homeschool Nations Manager for more details.     Save $15! Let your Canadian homeschooling friends know about our *NEW* lower price for  Canadian subscriptions. Regularly - $45.60 New price - $30!

Just to let everyone know - It will be quite on here for a few weeks. Due to family reasons I will be offline, in that time if you need help or information re this blog page you may contact 'The Homeschool Nations Manager' at pmills@homeschoolmagazine.com  She will be happy to help. 

Meanwhile you should check out this great offer from The Homeschool House Magazine

Lynn

Help!  I bought more books

I have been keeping away from the bookstores and also avoiding magazine stands where I know I can pick up craft mags, it seemed to be working for a while, since the beginning of the year in fact but on Friday while visiting with a friend we made a detour to one of the bigger libraries in town and somehow, I found my way to their old book sales section and wham it happened I purchased 5 books without even realizing what I had done. 

My new finds include a homeschooling book, 2 craft books a sewing book and a genealogy book (probably outdated but I have to start somewhere).  Well so much for my new year’s resolution, It’s a good thing I don’t live close to this library.

Now I am seeking ideas on how to catalogue the books that I have, that is the 600 plus that I also need to cut down at least in half, but think it will be easier if they are catalogued.  Has anyone out there tried this and are you willing to share, if it worked, how it worked and what system you used.  I think I remember reading you can purchase a system for cataloging books, videos and CD’s but I don’t want to get into paying for a program.  Perhaps when I figure this out I can work on organizing the families CD’s which will need to include identifying who owns what.

For Now,

Lynn

Happy New Year to all.

As with many folk this time of year I am starting my new year off as usual by re-assessing my lifestyle. And this year it seems I am looking to make many changes for one I need to take serious note of my health by eating better and exercising a lot more.

I am also looking back to this time last year when my goal was to organize myself, and though I did make great strides in putting my house (especially my sewing room) in order I still need to work on it, continuously it seems.  I have come to recognize that I am a collector, not sure why I did not see it before but recently I had contemplated reaching for the minimalist lifestyle within the next five years and came to realize that this is not something I aspire to anymore, it is not me, the real me loves those extras, most of them were started unintentially by receipt of accept the reason I have found it hard to let go gifts folk have bought or given me which makes them precious and also holds fond memories of the givers.  So today I am looking forward to steering my priorities not by what society seems to dictate I should be doing, not by the recent trend of simple living but by simply following my own desires and inspirations.

It seems like every corner of my tiny home is filled with my precious collections –some on display and some hidden- the one pattern seems to be that most of my collections are useful and usable.  Some would say it is an unhealthy need for things but I now see it is a passion to preserve things I see as beautiful, things that I love and cherish for their connections to the people I love and care about.

Here are some of the Items I have in my collections

40’s stuff – wall vases, table lamps

    Old stuff – green glass vases and bowls

General – linen table cloths, doilies, old dolls (that I will one day make vintage cloths for)

Houses mostly old, and a lot of them with lids or hidey places including some that are wall hanging

Smaller stuff collections – thimbles, old broaches, lace, beaded purses, stamps, post-cards, lead soldiers, napkin rings, beads, stamps, music boxes and movements that inexplicably play without having been wound up, cigar boxes.

My “Over the Top” collections include – books, fabric (vintage and new), buttons

In an effort to prove to myself that I can pare down and clear up some space I intend to get rid of  a couple of my collections, if only to prove to my husband and children who are also collectors that it can be done.  I will start with: souvenir spoons, bottle openers, china cups and saucers, ewers and jugs, perfume atomisers.

I Guess in reality I am searching for a cure, maybe some feedback on how not to build new collections but focus on enjoying what I have already.

Lynn