Homeschool conventions.. to go or not to go...

Have you ever gone to your States home school convention? Are you a regular attendee or someone who goes every now and again?

I remember my first convention. It was completely overwhelming. It was huge! So many choices in merchandise, booths and people! It was to much. I knew very little of what I really wanted and knew nothing of curriculum. I actually left not to long after arriving, not to return until 4 years later.

To bad too, lots to see and do at these annual events, and the encouragement you can get is wonderful as well. I wrote more about this over at The Heart of the Matter. Stop on over and visit.... let me know what you think....

Love to all, in Christ! Lisa~

Wordless Wednesday

WATCH Conference Washington State !!

I was able to visit and listen with Diana Waring this Saturday at the used curriculum sale I organize here in our County. Diana, her husband and preciuos grandson sat through 90 minute ferry delays and drove another 45 + minutes to come see us! What a treasures they all are! Her purpose in coming was to talk first hand about an upcoming family home school conference in our State. I'm very excited about this event!

Its called WATCH: Washington Association of Theaching Christian Homes.

I have never gone to this conference before. It was nice hearing first hand accounts of what the convention will be like, who will be their and what the conference offers us for our hard earned money. In all honesty, its going to be worth every penny, and not just because Diana came to speak, but because of the first hand account and detail we were given. It is going to be an event to remember and its for the entire family.

The conference will be held at Seattle Pacific University this August. How cool is that? WATCH has not just secured a few rooms for speakers and workshops, and a place for the vendor hall. They are offering us dorms, or suites on campus and use of all the amenity's the campus has to offer. Even the good ole cafeteria!

In the eveningin after the conference they offer dorm talks. They will happen around dinner time, or just after. Speakers will be mingling and visiting with those who are staying on campus. Informal conversations and morning devotions at breakfast are also planned. This is what really drew me in. The community and family aspect to this conference. This is unique all in itself.

These are a few of the reasons that has me so excited, is because this is a unique experience from any other conference I have ever gone too. The formality is still in place, but its more of a community/family feel. This is something that really draws me to want to go. its about building connections and relationships over this weekend with folks we know, and some we dont.

If you are interested in going, go to the WATCH website and readover everything they can offer you over these couple of days in August.

WATCH Website

If you already know about WATCH and know you are going, feel free to use the registration button below in this post! This new feature allows us to change what speakers or events our family will participate in up to 1 week before the actual conference. I love it!

2008 Conference Details online event registration by RegOnline

Only be careful, and WATCH yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

Amtrak Field Trip

Thursday was an exciting day! It was our day to go on our annual train trip to Portland Oregon on Amtrak! I booked this trip back in February! So we have been awaiting this day for just a little bit....I booked it through The Schools on Trains program that Amtrak offers for school field trips.What a blessing they allow homeschoolers in on this wonderful treat!



Normally a round trip ticket for 1 adult is $43.00 and a child is around $24.00. With the school to rails program round trip tickets are a flat $10.00 fee per person in grades K- adult.

Koinonia Academy had 67 people along with them on this field trip! It was a 3 hour train ride from Tacoma Washington to Portland Oregon, on a normal day... but when we arrived at the train station our train was delayed 45 minutes. So we arrived around 12:00 or just after. The ride down was nice. You can choose to watch a movie or not, they have a snack car and or you can bring your own food and entertainment. Some kids bring checkers, or cards. RyLee...brought sorry! The entire thing! lol

Once in Oregon everyone went in their own direction. It was already getting warm! The sun was out, clear sky's... it was a beautiful (hot) day! We went to the Portland Zoo with Tina in WA family. Then got lost with them ( or made them get lost) on the way back! lol We were all so hot and hungry... we kept going in the wrong direction... but made it back to the train in time. Good thing, because I'm the only one with the ticket! *Ü*

The trip is always a lot of fun, and we plan on it next year as well. Its nice to get away from the phone, tv, school and well... just all the stuff that we "have" to do and go have fun for a day with the fam.

Later this week I will post a few pictures and share a little more on our adventure in Oregon.

Koinonia Academy Summer Schedule 2008

I have been putting thought into what we will be accomplishing over the summer. Although its not summer yet, we will begin our summer schedule tomorrow ( Monday May 19th) We will continue with science over the summer, Christian is behind. RyLee is not, but I want to cover Zoology 1 before we begin our official school year.

Both girls will continue IEW SWI B and C over the summer.

We are reading all of the Little House books over the summer as family read aloud. Its been years since Christian has read them. I think she was in first or second grade. RyLee was a wee one still... so, we will read them together. The girls will take turns reading out loud.

The month of July will be taken off. We have our Basque student returning form last year and he is here for the month. In July we have a lot of things planned already for the students who come, but when we have our family time with our student we want to go to Pioneer Farms
and Camlann Medieval Village. They have summer festival we would like to take advantage of! We will also treat him to a trip to our Seattle Zoo, The Seattle science Center and Imax theater.

August we will continue on with our summer studies and begin our official school year the 2nd or 3rd week in September.

Wordless Wednesday

Josh Harris The divide

I found this over at Cindys blog this morning. Its Josh Harris speaking about how there can be a divide between homeschooler, public schoolers and those who's children attend private school. It was only about 5 minutes, and good. Deciding what is best for our children can be hard, but hopefully we can support each other no matter what one chooses.

Menu helps for busy moms

Even though we tend to be home a lot home schooling and taking care of our own, I find it hard sometimes to find time to prepare and make healthy meals for my family. We have good weeks and not so good week. For me,I need a plan and if I don’t have one, we tend to eat things that are not so healthy.

I worte more about this over at Heart of the Matter. Please visit the link to see what else I had to share. *Ü*

Mom2legomaniacs taged me!

I have been tagged by my blog friend Mellisa over at mom2legomaniancs! Drum Roll please!!


Here are the rules:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player tags 5 people and posts their name, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

What was I doing 10 years ago:
I have to think that far back? What kind of questions are these? lol I honestly dont know... RyLee was 2, Christian was 6, and Shawn was 8. Oh my goodness.... that seems so long ago... especially since they are all 10 years older! lol I’m sure we were just busy with home schooling, Awanas, church, family... pretty much what we do now, only no Awanas anymore.


Five Snacks I enjoy:
1. Air popped popcorn w/ Brewers yeast (its so good!)
2. Pepper Jack cheese thinly sliced, apple sliced thin and ritz crackers
3. Hummus and celery stick, or good bread...
4. Watermelon
5. Green grapes

In the real world:
1. I’m goofy and laid back!
2. I like to be home....
3. I like helping in Sunday school with the K-2 crowd...
4. I love being with my family....
5. I love to try new things....

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Give money to church, and COTN
2. Give money away to family
3. Set money aside for my kids
4. Buy a house on the beach, or 2 *Ü* Maybe one West Coast one East??
5. Travel with my family on non missions type trips and mission type trips, but as a family.

Five jobs that I have had:
1. Respite care provider for Autistic boy
2. Waitress and hostess
3. I worked in a Deli as a teen (Pax River Maryland navy base)
4. JFK Movie theater (St Mary’s County Maryland) as a teen
5. Does full time mother and home school teacher count? 13 years and counting!

Three of my habits:
1. Coffee w/ a splash of milk
2. Check emails early morning
3. Family loves to watch Lost!!!

Five places I have lived:
1. St. Mary’s County Maryland
2. Ridge Maryland
3. Holly Wood Maryland
4. Silverdale, Washington
5. Bremerton, WA

What do you want others to get from your blog:

I don’t know... I guess encouragement would be my biggest thing... That I love my family and Jesus! I stumble in real life and I’m successful... I trust in Jesus and lean on Him. I hope people enjoy some humor too and get a glimpse into our home school and daily lives. I just want to share and be an encourager. I’m not perfect, I want to be transparent here… as in real life. *Ü*


So there, now you have been enlightened a bit more about me now.

Gosh.. now Im supposed to tag 5 people. Here I go.

Patrica
Brittney
Amy
Amy
Kysha

Wordless Wednesday

Friendly neighbors..........

We have lived in our current home for almost 2 years.

For 2 years we have we have gotten to know a few neighbors, but we have not gotten "to know" our neighbors.

Recently we had a huge garage sale and lucky for us we were able to get to re visit with some neighbors who live a few properties down. Not only are they friendly and nice....

They have a daughter RyLees age......

And bring us these!!!!

They were so darn pretty! I didn’t want to eat them! Fresh eggs! Twice now we have been blessed with these little nummies! It also made me want chickens!!

Call me crazy... but now I want them! *Ü*

Funny: We now know why Eagles have been hanging around lately..... They like chickens....they visit these wonderful folks property daily.... hoping to catch a tasty chicken for themselves.... RyLee sees them every time she goes to play.....

Oh... and just in case you were wondering if I got to have my own chickens.... nope... the principle said no way...no how... to messy...... *Ü*

Darn!

COTN Pastor James Uganda

From the Bad News, we learn of the Good News.

I just listened to the most incredible sermon/testimony from a man named Pastor James. Pastor James is from Uganda and the director of an orphanage of 29 children their. His testimony and sermon is amazing! So amazing I want to link it here, in hopes some of you will take the time to listen.



I forgot to time it, but Im sure its about 30-40 minutes long....Its starts out a little slow as he gets comfortable speaking, and he has a heavy accent, but you can still hear and understand him. If you do listen, I hope you will share with me what you thought.Be blessed today...

Pastor James Uganda

When you click the link, pleaselook to the top of the page it directs you to. Click the link PBF sermon podcast: Click 4-20-2008 2 Corinthians: sermon four -Death unto Life with Pastor James from Uganda.

P.S. If the link does not work, please email me or leave a comment so I can fix it.

Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe

Over at Heart of the Matter, we are discussing the book " Lies Homeschooling moms believe: Learning to live the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

By Todd Wilson from Family Man ministries.

One of Todds first quotes from scripture is this:

Galations 5:9
" A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough"

How true is that! I know for myself... those words of doubt can come on in and suck any joy we might have, robbing us of peace that we find in TRUTH. One little lie can then turn into more....I know that this is my own vulnerability at times and he knows it! One negative thought can creep in and then another and before you know it, nothing is as it should be!


In the book Todd is speaking about some leader or home school teacher that could introduce a lie... and we know this to be true as well... but I also want to point out those moments of doubt and insecurities that creep in because we are not on guard.


My last post is evidence of this. I allowed myself to get to busy and not focus on the top priorities in life, and soon was feeling as a failure, having doubt of my capabilities and dropping out of the things I truly enjoy. I allowed myself to not prioritize in a healthy manner.... and soon felt overwhelmed mentally because I was just playing catch up and not accomplishing anything well. Thoughts of doubt, failure and uselessness began to fill my head.


Now, I did need to re prioritize, and accomplish my tasks on time and with consistency this is truth! The lie was believing I was useless and should no longer continue in these things I enjoy, because I am obviously not capable anymore, I’m a failure. I was about just about to quit 3 things that I have really found joy in, and connection but decided to go talk w/ my husband first.

We waded through what I was doing, how I was going about it, and what needed to be changed. it was enough truth to help gain some confidence again and get back on track. Reality, I was falling short, other reality; I was still useful, and capable. Total contrast to what I was thinking and feeling. That’s another thing that trips us up sometimes! Feelings.... they can’t be trusted... only fact and truth can be. If in doubt seek it out! Truth!


"Its about what you believe" John 8:44

He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is NO truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar.

“Lets Talk"

What do you hope to get out of this book? Encouragement and better understanding of myself and others. To glean from others experiences and be set free from any lies that may linger, and know and believe the truth!
On a scale from one to 10, how good a job do you feel you are doing home schooling?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


In the book, Todd also shares the lies we know:
Lies are not the truth

Satan is behind every single lie

Woman are prone to believing lies

If believed, lies become truth to the ones who believe them

Life is what you believe

Lies leave the believer feeling defeated

Another Lets Talk

1. What do you think might be some lies that you struggle with?
That I cant successfully teach my children.

2. Can you think of a time when you believed something so strongly, even though it wasn’t true, that you acted on it? Well, relating it to home schooling, I almost sent my son to public school in 3rd grade because I just couldn’t do it. I was not capable nor could I teach him and his soon to be in 1st grade sister. I was taking steps to accomplish this until God intervened. *Ü*

3. Right now, in your home school journey do you feel lost, weary or weighted down?

Why or why not?

No, not at this time I don’t. We are making progress and that is what is most important to me. Its not how much we get done, but the quality of work. I have felt a little lost this year... it has come and gone a few times... but as far as home schooling, I feel comfortable with what we do and are doing.

I hope you can go visit HOTM and see what others have thought about the book so far! I’m so thankful to Lori for leading this for us. This is my first real devotional online like this!

Stop the Insanity!

This time of year gets so busy. Even when I wasn’t involved with much outside of the home, it always seems to be busy. This is the time of year we test annually, this is the time of year we no longer want to be inside, this is the time of year I begin to organize and spring clean, this is now the time of year I plan field trips and a used curriculum sale... and don’t forget I still need to get my sons Sr. Pictures done and plan graduation!! Thats been a roller coaster of emotions right their! Time is a ticken!!

Im hearing a quote in my head... its from Susuan Powers...

" Stop the insanity!!!!"

Don’t get me wrong, I love everything I do, but lately I think its been to much. I stepped back from the computer for a bit, and now am slowly coming back. I was mostly doing memes and I began to feel like I lost my groove! lol ok... I sense another quote coming on! Ever see Emperors new groove? It’s a Disney movie... In the movie there is a line where the Emperor says "He threw off my groove"! Well I threw off my groove! I lost my rhythm....ok I have not been doing anything well....

I have been placing way to much focus on things outside my family and way to many things outside my quiet time. I have actually struggled with that earlier this year and this last month that slipped again....

I sat down w/ my husband and we talked about goals for me, we taled about seasons and what is important to me. What can I really handle, and what needs to go. Well at this time believe it or not... we decided nothing! What my husband did help me to see is I was accomplishing my tasks, but because I was not completing them doing my best... it was weighing down on me. I do not like to disappoint anyone... who does! I just tend to beat myself up over it! I’m sure like many women....

What has helped most is talking it out, writing the things out and then prioritizing what’s important at this moment, and reminds myself to only worry about today... you know the scripture...

Matthew 6:34
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Putting it in context:

Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own

Now in fact if we read chapter 6 of Matthew we see it offers us a lot of encouragement and what we should be doing.... it talks about giving to the poor, fasting and true treasure! It even mentions what I think is a cure for worry and how we should focus!

Matthew 6: 25-34
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I toil and spin a lot latley... but what I really got from it all... is to keep Christ first, and take it one day at a time... a message I know, a message I have learned before.... but sadly, still need to hear again....

I think I can handle one day at a time. Dans helping me to be accountable for the days tasks and this is good. Life is full of worries, plans... un met expectations... what have you... I just needed to step back and gain perspective again..... *Ü* some day... I'll get it right... but for now, I will worry about today, take it all one day at a time, and do my best. If I’m still not doing my best, then we will re-evaluate...

Mathcounts

This is new to me! Im pretty excited over it. Its called mathcounts. I just recently was told about this and given the site addy. It looks great, and is for kids in 6th -8th grade?? Im still figuring out the information on the site, but wanted to share my find!!!

Had I been on top of the ball yesterday, this would have been a great weblinks Wed post!!! Enjoy looking over the site!