Well, here it goes...my first blog.  I type this with nervous fingers and an anxious heart.  I will begin with a brief and humble description of myself and family.  I am married to my college sweetheart, Kevin, a very handsome pilot who flies for the owner of a major league baseball team.  I enjoy my 'girly' time with our two daughters...ages 10 and 8.  We love to curl up with a good book, go to Starbucks for an Iced Chai, long nature walks at the trail, or go to the local bookstore and find a cozy corner with a stack of books (I have to drag them out of there after a couple of hours).   Homeschooling allows our family freedom to flow with my husband's schedule.

As for myself, I was raised in a loving Christian home and went to public school for grades K-9, then finished at a private Christian school for grades 10 - 12.  I am the oldest of 3 girls.  I was always the 'good girl' (at least this is what my sisters teasingly say) who wanted to please her parents more than anything.  I feel blessed to say I lived a sheltered life.  I hope and pray that I can be the Godly influence for my children as my parents were and still are for me. 

Why did Kevin and I decide to homeschool?  We feel it is in God's plan for our family.  Call it a personal conviction.  We don't believe that the traditional public schools line up with our vision for raising our children according to God's plan.  And even though Christian schools are a better alternative to public schools (our oldest went to a small country school for Kindergarten and a private Christian school for first grade and had a wonderful experience....a time of blooming I call it), we believe there are still many advantages of homeschooling that outweigh the traditional classroom setting.  Having not been homeschooled ourselves growing up, my husband and I find this a journey of learning and growing.  We have been homeschooling for 3 years now and are still finding what works and doesn't work for our family.  I feel I am getting a better education now as a homeschooling mom than I did growing up with the typical textbooks.  Ugh!!  How boring!!!  Living books are so much more fun!!!

If I tried to describe our homeschooling style, I would have to say it is a combination of Charlotte Mason, and Classical.  My 4 favorite books of reference (of which I could not homeschool without), are the Bible, Karen Andreola's "A Charlotte Mason Companion", the Clarkson's "Educating the WholeHearted Child" and "A Thomas Jefferson Education".  Not to mention Carole Joy Seid's coveted booklist!  I am a booklist junkie....and my most favorite "me time" is perusing the shelves of a good used bookstore!!  OH....the thrill of the hunt!!!

Why am I starting a blog when I already feel my plate is quite full and probably shouldn't create another distraction away from my daily priorities?  Well, I hope to use this as sort of a personal journal so I can look back on our homeschool journey to see where we have been and how we have grown and also in hopes of creating some dear friendships with other like-minded moms.  We homeschooling moms tend to stick out in the crowd and are watched a bit more closely....but then again, I never have been one to 'do what everyone else is doing'.

My writing skill never was one of my strong points in school....it just kind of has a style all of its own.  But at least here, my writing won't come back to me with a bunch of red ink.  I am putting my heart out on the line for all the world to see.  With me, "What you see is what you get".  No frills or fronts.  But I hope to make some good 'heart' connections through all of this where we can share our hearts, our weaknesses, our successes and our prayers with each other. 

Well, here it goes....I look forward to seeing what happens.

In Him,   Lisa

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Posted by TNMOMTOMANYBLESSINGS

Hi-
Welcome to HSB. I think your writing is great.
It ws nice to get to know you here.
I am sure you will make many new friends here.
Blessings,
Maria

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Posted by socalval

Welcome to the Homeschool Blog world! You have a great blog! I enjoyed my visit. Feel free to stop by and visit with me any time. Just click on my name socalval by my picture.

Valerie

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Posted by barrellfullofmonkeys

for stopping by my new blog. I'm finding this rather addictive :) I look forward to reading your future posts too!

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Posted by advancedmaternalage

I also am new at blogging! And I love to read books-practically any book. I have only one daughter, but I am striving to instill in her a love of reading also. We have more books than toys at our house. My dh once said that it looks like we live in a used book store. I'll have to weed some out, but don't you find a good book is like a dear friend?

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Posted by ShayC

Hello!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your first entry. I stumbled upon your blog through Geanine (mom2fourtreasures). She's REALLY neat isn't she.
I have homeschooled off and on for five years now. My husband and I FINALLY decided to stop running from what God was calling us to do and are WHOLEHEARTEDLY beginning homeschooling again in July. I certainly look forward to reading more about your homeschool life.

Growing In Christ,
Shay

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Posted by mom2fourtreasures

Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the nice post you left on my blog. I enjoyed reading your first post. I love books as well. I knew what you meant when you said the thrill of the hunt. We have a 2 story used book store near by. They take trade too. How exciting to go in with a box full of books that you don't want, and come out with treasures. Anyway, have fun blogging. Come by and chat anytime you like:)
In Christ Jesus,
Geanine

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Posted by advancedmaternalage

Hi Lisa, thanks for stopping by my blog. Yes, blogging is addictive, and I have only been at it three weeks. I look forward to reading more of your and getting some tips on other good books to read.

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