Could I be so bold as to ask you for your vote? My blog has been nominated for the "Best Homeschooling Methods Blog"!  The prizes are pretty great and I'd love to win! SO, if you think my blog is worthy and you like what I do here, click on the button below, then on the side bar click on the VOTE button, scroll down and click on #24 "Best Homeschooling Methods Blog", and vote for "In the Sparrows Nest"!   THANKS so much!!

Writer2b at Findings has blessed me with the honor of being chosen for the Arte y Pico award. Its creator says this award is “dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity.” Writer2b choose me for being a "homeschooling artist".  What a beautiful thing to be called!  I am so honored by these kind words, thank you so much!

Part of receiving the award is passing it on to 5 other bloggers.  There are numerous blogs that came to my mind and I wish I could pass it on to all of them, but here are the five I chose:

Julie at Forty Acres, A Husband, and Three Kids is one of my newest blog friends, and she has truly been an inspiration to get to know!  She is definitely an "artist of the heart".  Her writing style comes straight from her heart and is full of beautiful thoughts and sweet inspiration.  Julie and I are "kindred spirits" in our love of God's creation in nature.

 

Cindy at On Our Journey Westward has been a best friend of mine for years and I have been blessed immeasureably from this!  Cindy is a phenomenal "teaching artist", full of creativity and inspiring ideas.  Cindy's love of teaching is contagious to say the least, and she is passionate about sharing this love with others.  What a blessing you are my friend!

 

Jamie at Life and Love in Rose Cottage to me has been a "artist of words and photos."  She has an absolutely beautiful blog in which she blesses all those who visit with her wise and artistic words and vividly stunning photography.  Her words have brought me to tears at times with their wisdom.  And her photos have brought beauty to my day.

 

Jennifer at 317 Zephaniah Way is another best friend of mine for years and she is most definitely an "artist of sharing His heart".  Her inspiring love for our Heavenly Father radiates through her writings as she shares her heart openly.  She has very wise words and teachings and shares with great passion.  Jennifer and I have very similar homeschooling philosophies and the Lord has lead us down a dual path together in our discoveries.  Jennifer's motto is "Be brave, you were made for this!"  And that you are my friend!

 

Kim at From His Treasuries is another beautiful person I've gotten to know over blogland.  She is an "artist of creative hands-on homeschooling".  This Mom really gets her hands into learning with her children!  Again, something near and dear to my heart!  She has a gift of making it real and alive to her children, and she's been a terrific inspiration to me to continuing doing this with my children.  Also, her love of God and His Creation are illuminated so clearly through her blog.

Thank you all for being my friend and such an inspiration to me, and for sharing your amazing artistry.  May you all be blessed by His greatness!

I've been very blessed lately with awards!

Kim at Natural Paths and Cindy at On Our Journey Westward have both awarded me the "You Make My Day" Award.  How very sweet!  Thank you!

And Nancy at Daughter of a King and Holly at Apples of Gold both awarded me with the "E for Excellent Blog" Award.  THANKS so much!

These thoughtful awards mean so much to me!  I have been so blessed by the friendships I have formed in blogland.  I am eternally grateful for each and all of you and think all of your blogs are award-worthy!

Natural Paths has awarded me the Excellent Blog Award!  Thank you!

I feel everyone on my friend's list deserves this award, so I'm going to just say if you haven't received it yet, please grab it and post it!  You ALL deserve it.  Thank you for being such a daily inspiration for me.

I'm definitely not deserving of this one (see post).  BUT, it will definitely be a motivator and inspiration to me!  Thanks Nancy for deeming me worthy!  I'm going to hold off for right now on passing it on, just because I've not been checking out blogs enough lately to figure out who to pass it along to.  And the only ones that come to mind have already appropriately got the award!

Have a blessed Christmas season!

My awesome and great real life friend forever Cindy over at On Our Journey Westward has awarded me the Blog Friend Forever Award!  Thanks Cindy!

I will pass on the award to:

Growing in God's Grace

Mountain Top Praise

Of course I'd love to pass this one along to all my blogging friends!

Thank you so much naturalpaths for The Egel Nest Award!

There are lots of blogs I would love to pass this award on to, but here are some I have recently enjoyed immensely.  Thank you all for being my blogging friend.

applesofgold - reading her blog feels like talking to a old friend and having a some refreshing laughs.

peaksandvalleys - I have received amazing enourgagement from reading this veteran homeschooling Mother's blog.  She's been inactive for a bit, I sure hope she returns soon.

reviewsbyheidi - Heidi not only has great reviews for books on her site, it's an overall pleasure to read her everyday writings.

My dear friend Cindy from On Our Journey Westward has given me the Nice Matters Award!  This is the first award my blog has won and I'm so excited.  Thank you Cindy!

Here is a description of the award criteria:

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.”

I admit, I'm still a little new to the blogging world and I'm slowly getting to know others blogs.  So I only have two, instead of five, blogs to pass this wonderful award on to.  The others that I had in mind have all received the award prior.

Peaks and Valleys

Mountain Top Praise