Hey, I just saw this wonderful opportunity for anyone to win a doll for the little girl in your life.

Enter to win the Dr. Toy Best 10 Educational Toys of 2008 ~ The Friends Forever Girls *Reina doll* 5 prizes will be given. http://www.friendsforevergirls.com/ 

That's right, 5 Reina dolls will be given away! Each doll retails for $89.00. All you  have to do to enter is leave a comment here at the HSB Front Porch

I figured it was about time to write a little note. Lots of changes have occurred since the last time I posted anything. My sister has moved in with us, as well as, my mother. Like a lot of people this year things are difficult for us financially and we will be having a pared back Christmas.

I'm sorry, today I cannot write in a witty or cheerful manner. I am down today. Without going into details...lets just say we could really use prayer.

As always, thank you for stopping by to peruse my musings. God bless you and keep you.

Anne

I have had a "SNEAK PEEK" at the "Homespun Holidays" e-book and it is gorgeous! With personal short stories, yummy recipes and fun craft ideas all from our friends at The Old Schoolhouse it's a sure winner!

I really liked the "Let Your Little Light Shine" pumpkin craft. Contributed by Tia Linschied, she tells you how to carve a cross into your pumpkin that when lit up at night is quite pretty. I hope to do that with my kids this year and let our "light" shine out on October 31st!

Right now, during our Fall Special you can subscribe for only $39! You’ll receive 2 years of The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine (8 large quarterly issues) AND our current issue (so you get a quick jump start!) You’ll also get 6 fabulous Bonus Gifts (while supplies last).

Make sure when your sick litlle boy starts hollering for you in the middle of the night that you are not too close to the edge of the bed when you rush to get up.

Thud, thump, WHA?! OUCH!!

Okay, so, I confess my back is killing me this morning because....in a rush to get out of bed to answer my little one's cry I fell out of bed. Really...yes...me...a 38 year old woman fell off the bed. Do you know, I can't even remember the last time I actually fell off the bed? Can you?

Sigh, just thought I'd let ya'll laugh with me.....boy do I feel silly this morning...

For my hubby on the occasion of our 10th anniversary.

My Love

His kisses are like a heady wine,

His breath intoxicates me.

His scent surrounds me,

His name pours like liquid from my tongue.

He is a prince among men

His very presence desired,

Like the costliest of jewels.

Hurry, my love, take me away with you!

My love Replies

You, the most beautiful among women

Your very essence more precious than gold.

Your eyes are like jasper,

your skin like pearls.

Your mouth is like the sweetest honey

I delight myself in your treasures

I alone hold the key to your storehouse

Hurry, my love, come away with me!

My Love

He hides me in his chambers

And bathes in my perfume.

He delights himself in my love

And takes rest in my embrace.

I thought this evening I'd share how my hubby and I met.

We met through an online service called Christian Connection in 1997. He was living in Portland, OR and I was living in Fort Worth, TX.  We started writing each other through the service in early fall and then progressed to sharing our real emails and also using ICQ a real-time chat program. There was many a weekend that we chatted all day Saturday! We talked a few times by phone but it was much cheaper to chat online so we didn't do that too many times.

Eventually we felt we needed to meet. He flew out to Texas Christmas Day 1997 at 7am in the morning. I met him at the airport wearing my nicest red skirt suit, carrying a single red rose. I already knew I was in love with this man and we had friends and family on both sides praying about our meeting. Within 2 hours he popped THE question. I said yes. Then 2 days later he flew home.

We did not see each other again in person until March of 1998. I conspired with his parents to fly out the weekend of his birthday and surprise him. I've been told this is one of the few times his mother was actually able to keep a secret from him....hehe. He was completely and totally surprised! They picked me up at the airport and drove me to where he was working and a co-worker they had roped in escorted me up to his cubicle. What fun! I was only there for 4 days and then flew back home to Texas. THAT was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

The next time we saw each other was when he flew out to Texas the week of our June 6th wedding. He came with just enough time for us to apply for a marriage license. We were married on June 6th, 1998 in my cousin's living room by my grandfather. Our wedding was to be the last wedding my grandfather perfomed. My beloved Papa passed away December 22nd, 1999.

We just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary this year!

God Bless, Anne

They only have about 300 left to go with their Fall Special and I know that some of you have been wanting to get in on this deal before it is gone.

The tote bags are a $13.95 value and will be perfect for taking your things on the road with you. in fact, many of TOS Magazine readers have already told them that they are using the tote bags as purses!

When they let their renewing subscribers know that their chance to get the tote bags was about to end, they sold over 100 in one day. Please, don't put off subscribing and longer. They expect to give away 300 of there with new two-year U.S. subscriptions in 4 days.

A two-year subscription to TOS is so much more that just a free tote bag or 6 bonus gifts. Your subscription to TOS can actually save you money. You will benefit from:

• Reviews that save you from spending money on curriculum that's a bad fit for your family.
• Examples of what's working for other homeschooling families
• Free unit studies
• Special freebies and coupons from advertisers
• Monthly online Teacher's Toolbox with free downloadable curriculum items.

Isn't two years' worth of peace of mind about your homeschooling decision and all these great perks worth $39? Definitely!

Show your homeschooling spirit and start today with your two-year subscription to the Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.

We are well into the first week of the TOS marketing class! This has caused me to do some dusting of the cobwebs in the old brain matter so that I can get the cogs turning. Boy was it getting dusty up there!

So far, it's been a lot of fun. I've really enjoyed doing the research required for the assignments and learning something new and out of my "norm". The give and take among the participants has been good. It's challenging and invigorating seeing what everyone else has to say and also getting a new perspective from their viewpoint.

I am greatly looking forward to the things we'll be learning the next few weeks and getting to know this neat group of ladies!

God Bless, Anne

a tiny bit about myself. 

My husband and I were married 10 years ago this past  June 6th and what an eventful 10 years it has been! In our first two years of marriage I lost my beloved Papa, my mother's father, and then six months later my own father passed away suddenly. The next few years after that saw family moving in with us, job losses, loss of home, family moving out, the birth of our daughter, mom moving back in, the birth of our son, mom moving back out. PHEW, tired yet?

We've been homeschooling for two years and there are days I love it and other days when I think I'm going batty and I wonder why I'm doing it. But, then I look at our two gifts from God and I'm reminded once again. It's a challenge, I'm finding, and yet a blessing too. And what an awesome responsibility and privilege to have been entrusted with these two precious souls to teach, inspire, and encourage to reach their full potential in Christ.

I am humbled and awed by them.

God Bless, Anne

Today I was thrilled to find out that I was accepted as one of the finalists in the TOS Marketing Class. Excited...and yet, shaking in my socks! Normally, I would have bypassed the invite, saying to myself "Oh you don't qualify" or "They wouldn't pick you anyway." However, this time, I took a leap of faith.

I prayed over my responses each time and then waited breathlessly through the selection process. I have to tell you the hardest part was writing the summary as to why I should be chosen. One of my least favorite things to do is to "sell" myself. I HATE it, with a passion. I always feel as if I'm taking some pre-determined test where everyone else knows the right answers only I wasn't in class the day they were handed out.

It never fails to go through my mind, what do they REALLY want to hear? Do they want the "real" me or do they want some other kind of me? See, like most everyone, I suffer from self-doubt. What is special or different about me? What makes me worth picking? And, even if they do pick me will they just end up being disappointed?

It is so hard to hear God's quiet, loving voice;  to filter out all the crud shouting and clattering it's way through our minds and hear Him say, "You ARE of worth because you are my beloved child." "You are uniquely YOU and no one else is like YOU and therefore YOU have something to offer that no one else can."

Thank you. Thank you, Lord for believing in me when I don't even believe in myself.

and Thank You, TOS for this wonderful opportunity. Me and my shaking socks can't wait to take this wonderful ride with you!

God Bless, Anne