I am a child of God. I am a wife and mother, homeschooler since 1998, and curious researcher. I love my Lord, my husband, my kids, and my life. I write to offer encouragement to other homeschoolers, and other parents in general.
I believe that parenting has been pushed aside, leaving children to be raised in artificial environments, and it’s not right. I didn’t become a mother to have someone else raise my kids and instill their values into them. Parents need to be informed, armed with information that will help them in the day to day busyness of life with their children. I try to help do just that. I also ramble a bit, touching on many different subjects, but bear with me or use the search box to find what you want to read about! 
My most frequent topics are homeschooling, homeschool curriculum, fuzzy math, special needs, faith, and parenting.
My hobbies include curriculum shopping (I’m weird like that), and digital scrapbooking. I gave up my paper-scrap supplies to my two daughters, in favor of a digital pen tablet and PhotoShop CS2!
I’ve been tagged with a few “About Me” type Memes, so you can check them out:
8 Things About Me, How We Got Started Homeschooling, and an A to Z Meme.
I also belong to these Yahoo Groups, although I mostly read & lurk:
Frozen Assets
MegaCooking
Learning Abled Kids
HST Lessons
SpellToWriteAndRead
Other sites I frequent:
Scrapbook-Bytes.com
DigitalScrapbookPlace.com
ShabbyPrincess.com
DigiFree.com
DonnaYoung.org
CHFWeb.com
HomeschoolEstore.com
Vegsource.com/homeschool
HomeschoolTracker.com
Please leave me comments! Agree, disagree, ask questions, suggestions, or whatever!! I love comments!! Blogs are for interaction, so let’s chat!
Stumble It!
May 23, 2007 at 5:04 am
I came across your blog while searching for reviews on Teaching Textbook. I see that this year you used Math & and was wondering how old the student was who used it and your opinion of the product. We have used Math U See Since first grade and my daughter just finished Epsilon. Next year we were going to use Zeta but I think she is burned out on focusing on 1 thing for a whole year and I am not sure Math U See has enough review. However it looks like Math 7 would mostly be review but I don’t want to stress her too much by trying Pre-Algbra. Sorry to keep rambling. I just need an opinion. I have enjoyed looking at your blog.
Thanks,
Cindi
May 23, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Cindi: You didn’t leave me a blog to respond to you on!
My daughter who is using TT Pre-Alg. is 7th grade. Teaching Textbooks website has placement tests for the student. If I were you I’d have your daughter take a placement test and just see where she’d place in TT. You might be surprised! We love Math U See also… faithful users for ten years, for elementary grades. MUS has great teaching… I wouldn’t change it if it’s working for you. Get the extra practice workbooks from MUS for your daughter if you feel she’s not getting enough review.
August 3, 2007 at 1:27 am
I saw the reference to chfweb and have been reading this, trying to figure out who it is??
chfweb.net has been redirected to chfweb.com, but it’s having technical difficulties, so some of us are at TaminAz’s blog in the interim
Sherry in NH
December 21, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Hello Mamma,
I would appreciate your consideration of reviewing my new book for parents and sons. I have been told the book would be a good resource for parents wishing to shape good character in their preteen sons. So, I am trying to get the word out.
I am currently writing an article for LifeWay Resource’s Deacon magazine. It should be published first or second quarter of 2008. It will be an article about fathers mentoring their sons in faith and life.
I was given the opportunity to write the article after meeting, about month ago, with LifeWay’s editor to share about my authoring and illustrating a new book called Sentinel: City of Destiny. It is a Christian fantasy novel … a modern day allegory (Think The Chronicles of Narnia crossed with Pilgrim’s Progress). Its story is aimed primarily at boys ages 8 to 12, but speaks to people of all ages. (There are suspense, battles with creatures, temptations, etc.) You might say it is an adventure story with a moral. It is currently available online at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Borders.com, Walmart.com, etc.
I wrote it to capture the attention of preteen boys and crafted the allegory to be a teaching tool for parents (there is a study guide in the back of the book).
The following is a kind review posted on Amazon from one homeschooling mom:
Twyla Snyder, Amazon.com (Dickson, TN)
“Sentinel - I am a 43 year old mother of four boys. I read Sentinel first to proof the content before giving it to my guys. What I didn’t expect was for it to minister to me, teaching me through allegory a fresh look at the dangers of debt, gambling, coveting, among other things. And in the end, teaching me how easily it is to get waylaid in the journey by even good things like intellect and talent. Sentinel has given me lots to think about and to discuss with my boys. I have a fresh vision of the Christian race and the destination. My 15 yr. old son has already stolen the book from me and read it 3 times now. I will buy Sentinel in bulk and keep it on hand to give as a gift to our many friends with boys.”
For additional info, please go to my website at http://www.bridgemaker-books.com.
I would love to send you a copy if you would be so gracious as to post a review on your blog.
If you are interested in reviewing the book, please provide an address where I can mail it.
Many Blessings!
Landel Bilbrey
January 8, 2008 at 5:56 am
Hello fellow blogger, fellow homeschooler and fellow “VHS-er”… ;0)
I don’t think we have actually met. Although we just moved here in June and I met alot of folks early on and the names just kind of came and went.
You can visit me at: http://www.clothedwithscarlet.typepad.com
I just wanted to stop in and say hello. I shall visit in the future to see what is on your mind.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Klause
{rhymes with house ;0)}
Psalm 100
February 3, 2008 at 2:49 am
I found your website when searching for ideas for WA state history. Can you tell me if you found Teresa Ten Feet Tall in Idaho at a library and which one? My library system does not have that book, we have read all the others and would like to finish the series. Thanks!! Renee
March 29, 2008 at 1:17 am
I came across your blog while doing a search on Fetal Valproate Syndrome. My 20 month old has this. (just figured it out after a diagnosis of failure to thrive, a visit with the gastro doctor, endocrinologist, and finally a geneticist.Oh yeah and oodles of blood work.) Lets see, Devon is way off the growth chart (21 pounds…less than 3% on the chart) and he is 31 inches (just about 3% on the chart) He also doesn’t speak and is developmentally delayed in general. He has all the classic facial features of a valporo baby. (You can see his pictures if you have a MySpace account.) Anyways, please write me back. I would love to correspond.
A Jones