Come join Canadagirl for more Show n Tells.

We love this plate, I had always wanted one for our family and a good friend at church bought it for me at Christmas a couple of years ago.  We had gotten away from using it but started again lately, my kids LOVE it.   A child who does an exceptional thing during the day-really good at sharing, helping with clean up especially after not being ask to, their birthdays or having a personal day of accomplish (like getting the next belt in taekwondo)  are all great reasons for the child to get the plate at dinner time.  You wouldn't believe how much they want this, even my 9 year old feels so special when he gets it-its amazing how something so small can mean so much to our kids.  You can get these at Christian Book Stores, I have even seen some parents who make one with their kids.  Just get a colored plate and decorate it. 

I have never won a blog contest before until NOW.  Yeah I won a ticket to the virtual homeschool conference that has a goody bag worth 80.00 and cost 29.95.  Heidi picked 5 names and I was one of them!   It is going to have many live conference speakers and more!  I'm so excited, I can't wait to show up in my PJS and have my frappincino while I attend on my computer.  Well I may be pushing it there but I can dream.   This is the ad for the conference!

In our quest to bring you the absolute best home school resource online, we have listened to your requests and are providing you with a fun filled online adventure! On July 31st through August 3rd, we will be hosting Heart of the Matter Online's first annual Virtual Home school Conference! We will be providing the attendees with motivational speakers, video tutorials, free products, question and answer sessions, and a vendor hall - all ONLINE! Just log on and either listen live during that time or log in at your convenience and listen to the audios.

We are trying our best to make it the most user and speaker-friendly conference possible. I know that God blessed us by helping us find this amazing conference software. The speaker will just log in at her/his scheduled time, with a plugged in microphone, speak about their topic(approximately 30-40 minutes), and then hold a Q/A session with the listeners (approximately 20-30 minutes). All the while the attendees will get to chat amongst themselves in true Instant Message format.

We really want the conference to be less like a “seminar” and more like a bunch of close friends in a chat room. We want everyone to feel comfortable. Some sessions will also be pre-recorded. Just wait till you see what some of your favorite home school personalities have done to educate and entertain you! At the end you will join in to chat with them, ask questions, and they will answer.

BY THE WAY!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!  I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT ONE.

This was a fun site I just heard of today.  It may have been on weblink Wednesday already but I thought I would share it for the ones who don't know of it yet.  It is calendar pages/weather charts/math charts, Some really great things for younger grades for sure. 

http://www.jmeacham.com/

I have been looking at starting some square foot gardening and I didn't realize although many of you probably already know the weather channel has a gardening area.  It tells you what grows good in certain areas and has a whole section for family and gardening.  It also has an essential planting guide. 

http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/garden/?from=secondarynav

Enjoy, hope you all lean about some great sites this week.

Join socalval for other weblnk Wednesday!

If you have a product, book, curriculum, anything that makes life better  for you please write a review and then leave a comment and sign Mr. Linky so we can all see the product you are reviewing.  I love to write reviews and love to read them so I think this will be so much fun!  Feel free to copy the picture above and add it to your sidebar or just use it for your review entry

New:  If would like to do a review but Tuesday is not good for you please feel free to link up to Mr. Linky any day this week, we would love to read your review regardless the day you post it!

I thought it would be fun to review Tiany's new projects.  What a gift her and her husband have on the internet!  They have started a couple of things and I LOVE them both!

The first one of course is the Homeschool lounge, I know most of you know about this great resource but I thought I would share for the ones out there that haven't taken the plunge yet and made a page.  The homeshool lounge is for homeschool parents only, which makes sense of course.  It reminds you a lot of myspace without the bad stuff that comes with it.  You can create your own page, decorate it with the colors that you love and truly make it personal using your own pictures and putting in some of your own music in.  Tiany has thought of everything, for the ones who aren't creative in the designing sense (like me)  she has all kinds of things you can chose to decorate it with.  For the ones who are super creative in that area can do their own thing.  You can add lounge sisters and chat and join fun groups just for us moms, how fun is that!  She even has little buttons you can add to your blog, you can see mine on my sidebar.  This is also great for the ones who don't have a blog and really don't want to put the time in that a blog takes.  It is so much easier and your can write blog posts right on it.  If you do have a blog you can link your RSS feed and people can read your current blog right on your page.  This is great fun and you can meet so many people over there.  I am the leader of the My Fathers World group so if you are a MFW user come over and join the group!

The newest thing these creative minds have come up with the homeschoolbar. You just go to the site and download it and it will be your toolbar.  Its WONDEFUL!  It has blogs(you can get your own added) news stories about homeschooling,  great sites about homemaking, frugal tips, homeschool resources and more.  It has things for the children in your home as well.  Educational sites, library button, activities and fun.  Make sure you stop over and download the bar for your own computer.  You won't regret it!

Check out Amy's blog to see other Monday Motherings.

Last week my husband and the boys went fishing with their Papaw, I will show some pictures of them fishing for  WW.  However I had a VBS meeting and my daughter being 4 wasn't too interested in going fishing in the 100 degree weather so she went with me.  I decided since we don't get a lot of quality time together she and I would go to dinner together, just the two of us.  She was so excited!  We went and had Cincinnati chili=cheese coneys together.   I can't tell you how excited she was, we had dinner, and talked a bunch.  I have no idea where she gets talking so much, lol!  I have been really trying to fit those one on one times in when I can.  Taking a child to the dr (unless they are too sick) can be a great time to go somewhere afterwards, (park, out to eat, anything), grocery store, and even planning dates with our children-they love it and it doesn't have to be expensive!

I think its great when we can take some extra time for just one child.  It really helps focus on them and I have been trying to purposefully trying to find time to do this.  I know it can be quite a challenge especially for larger families.  I heard some great advice at the last convention I went to.  One family I listened to speak had a very large family so dad liked to make things that normally have to happen anyway special times for each child.  So when he got his haircut he always took a certain child, when he had his oil changed a different one, and on and on.  That way he always had times that he took out specific children.  I thought that was such a great idea!  We may not always have the time, money and other things that allow us to set up specific dates (although I think it is great when we do)  but we always have to get a hair cut, go to the grocery store, run errands and etc.  Why not take a child along and have some good quality talks and fun with.  Your child will be like mine, they will beam from ear to ear knowing that they are going to have one on one time with mom or dad. 

My daughter and I had a really great time that night, she couldn't stop talking about it.  It made me realize how precious these days are and OH how I will miss them someday!

I know many of you use a feed to read your blogs, I know nothing about these.  Could you share with me the ones you use and how they work, they sound wonderful.  I do know how to do the blogger/friends thing so I can see many of your entries, however I have never done any other kind of feed where I can put many blogs in.  I would appreciate any help I can get!

Thanks!

Aslan meeting our new family members, we got 6 beautiful fish!  I think he is thinking, wow-what a lunch that would be!

If you have a product, book, curriculum, anything that makes life better  for you please write a review and then leave a comment and sign Mr. Linky so we can all see the product you are reviewing.  I love to write reviews and love to read them so I think this will be so much fun!  Feel free to copy the picture above and add it to your sidebar or just use it for your review entry

I find most women either LOVE or HATE bath n body works.  I think for the ones who hate smells and perfumes this isn't the store you run to but the ones who love fragrance and soaps and lotions in fancy bottles usually have a great time in this store.  Even if you feel this line is too pricey for you, its usually a really fun store to just go in and INHALE!  I love it, my budget doesn't usually allow too much spending here but it is a fun thing to get in my Christmas stocking and fun small gifts to put on list people ask me for at Christmas time!  One of my favorite things in the store is their soap, but not just any of their soap-what I LOVE is the gentle foaming one.  This one just lathers so much and so good, it comes in a great pump and big white suds just pour out into your hands.  It doesn't have the constant drip like their other soap either, so you don't end up with a glumpy mess on the sink.  You can get this in many fragances and colors.  If you haven't tried the foaming one, pamper yourself just once and stop in and get one, actually you can get 3 for $10.00 always and if you blessed enough to have a factory outlet near sometimes you can get them much cheaper!

I had a deep sadness today as I read the news that Tony Snow had died from colon cancer. For the ones who don't know he was President Bush's former Press Secretary.  I know him best from watching him on Fox news and his radio show that I LOVED!  This man was such a neat person; he had strong character and was liked by all!  I was so amazed how he handled his illness that not only took his life but also his mothers when he was only 19.  I loved watching him in interviews, there was never a time I didn't learn something from him and usually more about life then politics. He was a true conservative but was friends with all. He seemed to know how to debate and stand up for what he believed yet never making it personal.  In doing so he was able to get respect from everyone, you never heard anyone putting him down or not liking him.  I think he was an outstanding witness to others because of this.  I'm sure many that crossed paths with him longed to be more like him!  I know even for me its a quality I would love to have, standing up for what I believe with no compromise but not hating or ruining relationships because of it!  Something God is putting in my heart lately.  Love People while Loving Me-I will help you reach more that way, I hear him saying.    It’s not always easy to love the unlovable is it?  Or the ones you don't agree with most of the time, or the ones who criticize you because of your faith.  You just want to argue your point and it can be frustrating when they don't see it your way!

Come join Canadagirl for more Show n Tells.

My stack of to Read books.  Whats really sad is I have started many of them, why am I doing that?  I need to finish one first!  This doesn't include all the audio books I am listening to or have loaded on my MP3 player.   I also have another stack of books to read on people's lives (bios) 

WOW!  What a response to the contest.  We had 88 different people enter, it was great meeting so many new people and I'm looking forward to visiting all of your blogs soon so I can get to know you better!  But of course we can have only one winner so here it is.

The winner for the New Planner from the Old Schoolhouse is HSFAMILY, from homeschoolblogger.  My son picked her blog out of a cup of random numbers that I assigned every person!  Congrats HSFAMILY and I hope you enjoy this planner as much as I do!

Thanks all of you for visiting and getting the word out!

THIS IS A STICKY POST:  IT WILL STAY AT THE TOP UNTIL THE CONTEST IS OVER, SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW ENTRIES!

The Old Schoolhouse is allowing me to give away one copy of the new Homeschool Planner.  This will be my first contest and I'm so excited.  To read my review of my planner go here.

Here are the rules for the contest.  Just leave a comment on this entry post and I will put your name in the drawing.  If you post about this contest on your blog or homeschool lounge page I will enter your name twice.  Let me know in your comment if you have posted about the contest. I will pick a random name on Thursday July 10th.  You don't want to miss a chance to win this awesome planner! 

Make sure if you don't have a blog you leave a way for me to get in touch with you, an email address would be great!

This planner sells in the Old Schoolhouse Store for  $39.00

Just wanted to remind you all that today is the last day to get your comment or entries on your blogs or lounge page up.  I will pick a winner tomorrow for the Old Schoolhouse Planner, make sure you don't miss your chance to win!

Herbie the All American Pug!  (My nephew)

Grandpa with Herbie, he is very spoiled as you can see!

Wow!  Monica over at homespunhearts is giving away a Land's End gift card for 120.00-NOW that would get you some great clothes or bathing suits.  They have some really nice bathing suits, if you read further down on Monica's blog you will see where she talks about her suit-make sure you check over there and enter the contest-you have nothing to lose!    

When I review toys I only like to review the ones that we really LOVE around here!  And this is one of them.  The Littlest Pet Shop.  They have a zillion pets (dogs,cats, ducks, rabbits, mice, etc.)  They are small and easy to carry around.  My daughter really loves them.  You can also get towns, amusement parks, the bakery and hospital.  There are so many extras you can get buy my daughter's favorite is the pets themselves.  She takes them everywhere.  She does have a couple of the buildings that she received for Christmas and I will tell you they are so much fun.  They have seats that move around by magnetics, they spin and move and even my boys will play with these with her. Okay I will admit, mom loves them too!   Each pet usually comes with a dish of food, a pet toy, something that a pet would love!  I would recommend this if your looking for a gift for a little girl in your life, they are great fun! 

Hallie is having an online photography class, I'm excited about this.  I would love to learn how to take better pictures.  This is what she says.  

Through the Lens: Digital Photography 101

"For all of you that expressed interested in the photography workshop,  I am introducing Through the Lens: Digital Photography 101.  A workshop for anyone that wants to improve their photography skills - for beginners - taught by a beginner."

I'm a little behind on assignments but she said just jump in and start assignment 1 when ready and she has only given two assignments so far. 

The first assignment is to read your camera's manual, boy do I need to do that.  I have never learned to do all the fancy things and since I had to replace my lost one, the new version has some things on it I'm not familar with at all.  After that she says to do this-these are her words.

"If you are interested in nature photography, then shoot nature, if it’s children, use your own or borrow one, (it probably should be one you know.)  If it is architecture, go find a building.  Just photograph whatever makes your heart sing, process it however you like and then come back here to link up when you are finished.  You can link up any time between now and our next assignment and if your late, no sweat, take your time.  Do this at your own pace.  You can’t rush creativity"

So I am going to work on this assignment and sign her Mr. Linky when I'm done.  I will blog about it and show my first pic to share with all of you as well.  Wish me luck!