If you're new to homeschooling you may want to connect with other homeschoolers.  Where are they, you may wonder.  How do I find them and will I be welcome?

We've all been there.  There is anxiety associated with entering an established group, so don't worry if you're nervous.

I've found that the best place to find local homeschooling groups is to go to Yahoo! Groups and type in "Homeschool PA".  It will give you a list of groups across the state and you should be able to find some that are local to you.  It seems as though many of the groups in PA organize by county, so you may want to add your county's name to your inital search.

If you belong to a homeschool group that you'd like to list on this site, please email me at irishlass7299-at-aol.com and I'll be happy to add it.  The more connections we can make with other homeschool families, the stronger our homeschooling voice will be.

Have a great week!

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 4th! 

It's here and I am so excited.  There's nothing quite as delicious as curling up on the end of the sofa wrapped in a cozy blanket with a hot cup of coffee and a great book...or in this case, magazine.  To be able to read it cover to cover in one sitting would require more time than I usually have on any given day, but knowing that I can break it down into small ten minute moments....well, it's priceless.

So, what magazine am I so excited about?  It's The Old Schoolhouse's Fall edition.  It arrived yesterday and I nearly wept for joy, because it always gives me that extra homeschooling boost and reaffirms why homeschooling is the right choice for our children.  For me, it really is so much more than a magazine....it's encouragement and hope.

I thought I was the only one in our household who read the magazine, but last night I learned differently.  When I came home from work late at night I discovered that my previously plastic ensconsed magazine was now out of it's shell and bearing the unmistakable creases of a thorough read.  My husband freely admitted to getting to it first and was excited about what he read.  He said he enjoyed reading it, but more than that, it made him appreciate that we homeschool.  Hmm.....    That's exciting for a homeschooling mom/wife to hear.

If you haven't had a chance to ever read The Old Schoolhouse  magazine I can't recommend it highly enough.  In fact, if you've never read it leave a comment and I'll send out a free copy to one "lucky winner".  And now, I'm off to curl up for 10 minutes before "school starts" and I try to figure out how to fix our leaky roof.  Have a great day! 

Did you know that if you have an AccessPA sticker on your library card you can access virtually all public libraries in Pennsylvania?  Truly, a library card is the best resource a homeschooling family can have!

At our local library they offer Educational Videos (from Bill Nye to PBS Documentaries to exercise to nutrition) free for a week of borrowing.  Entertainment Videos are $1/week and New Releases are $1/2 days.  Still, the selection is great and my boys love the free videos.  In fact, we've been able to find free DVDs on every subject we've studied so far this school year!

You might also be unaware of the downloadable audio books that some libraries offer.  Forget iTunes and go straight for your local library's website!  The audiobooks are formatted for your mp3 player or you can burn them to a CD and listen to them in the car.  It's a great FREE resource!

So, I challenge you...check out your local library this week and see what new programs, offerings or services you can find.  Then let us know!  There will be a prize.....  =)