He is in the little things

My husband and I had a fight today. I will spare you the details, but I will say that it was emotional. I was emotional. There was definitely some crying involved. Normally I wouldn't blog about a fight with my husband, but it was the was the resolution that made me want to share. My husband ended our argument with three simple words. "Let's pray together"  And you know what? It worked. All of my hurt and anger and resentment were soothed away by my husband's heartfelt prayer. I think this speaks volumes to how far the Lord has brought us. It wasn't that long ago that it would be unheard of for us to find resolution to an argument through prayer. We have learned that only when we acknowledge that we are broken and lost without Him can we find the strength and perserverence to stay on the path He intended for us. How blessed we are to be able to continue to learn and grow in our faith. And how incredibly blessed I am to have this man for my own... 

Word Filled Wednesday

Let us never forget His goodness. He heard my cry for mercy, of that I have no doubt. When I am faithfully seeking Him and putting Him first in everything I do His presence in my life is tangible. It is my hearts desire to be the person He intended me to be; to feel that presence all of my days...

To see more visit Internet Cafe Devotions

The Book Guardians

My fellow TOS Crew member, Very Blessed Mama, has created a new blog called The Book Guardians. This blog has twelve contributors (including yours truly) who will be sharing about books they are reading with their families. We will let readers know if the books include the following points:




1. Religious/ Secular Content:
2. Adult Content:
3. Mature Topics:
4. Strong/ Inappropriate Language:
5. Magic/ Witchcraft/ Fictional Characters:
6. Disrespect/ Rebellion:
7. Drug/ Alcohol Use:
8. Violence/ Abuse:
9. Educational Value:
10. Positive/ Negative Messages
We will also give a brief summary of the story and what age group we think the book would be appropriate for.

I know with three girls at different reading levels it's sometimes hard for me to read all their books beforehand. This site will be a perfect tool for that. You go to the site and look for a book you have in mind. (there is a small collection right now, but it will be constantly updated) From our summaries you will be able to see if the story contains any subject matter that you feel is inappropriate for your child. This will also be good if you're just looking for something new to read.

Remember the site is brand new, so be patient and give us time to add to our collection. I'm sure it's bound to become an invaluable reasource!

Schoolhouse Expo

It's back to homeschool time and registration is open for the online Schoolhouse Expo, October 4-8.

It's five days of top homeschool speakers, fellowship, and fun door prizes.

Save $5 per ticket! Register between August 16 and midnight August 22, and you'll pay only $19.99. Plus you'll receive over $200 in free E-Books.

You'll be inspired by speakers including: Zan Tyler, Dr. Jay Wile, Jeannie Fulbright,Carol Barnier, Diana Waring, Todd Wilson, Davis Carman, Kim Kautzer, Lee Binz, and many more!

A special teen track is planned--the entire family will definitely want to listen to these special sessions. We've also planned a special focus on a topic that touches every homeschool--writing. Plus, an array of other topics that will inform and inspire you throughout your homeschooling years.

Don't forget, MP3 copies of each session comes with your LIVE event ticket.

Two special preconference shows on August 24 and September 21 with Dr. Jay Wile, Jeannie Fulbright, and Kim Kautzer!

Register starting 12:01 a.m. on Monday, August 16.

The theme this fall is "Celebrate Homeschooling!" We're going to celebrate the unique blessings of homeschooling, the beginning of another school year, our families, and the freedom to tailor our children's education to best meet their needs.

If you cannot make the Live event, then the October Expo To Go is just your ticket! You'll reserve MP3s from all of the workshops. This week only, pay just $14.95!

You can visit either of these links to get more information.

http://www.schoolhouseexpo.com/
http://bit.ly/aWHFiL

Enjoy!!


*I am receiving free Expo-To-Go tickets in exchange for my post*

The Last Planner You Will Ever Need

Are you a homeschooler?

How about a parent??

Do you like to be organized?

Do you NEED to be organized??

Have you been searching and searching for the perfect planner?

The planner that will help you organize your school, your house, your LIFE?!

YOUR SEARCH IS OVER!!!!

With the The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner organizing your life will never be the same again!! I have spent countless hours and precious dollars in search of the perfect planner. Finally, I found it!

At over 600 pages, there is truly something for everyone!

Informative educational articles

     Must-know lists

     Forms, forms, forms!

        (fully customizable-type right on them!)

Calendar pages

High School Transcripts

Co-op

Preschool Planning

Unit Studies

Activities Logs

Weekly and Daily Schedules

Schoolhouse resource lists

Christmas Card Lists

Report Cards

Nature Journals

Grocery lists

Menu planning

Recipes...

...and more! Lots and lots more! So much more you'd have to see it yourself to believe it!

I am still in AWE of this planner!! It's been like Christmas around here since I got it!

Does it sound too good to be true?!

Trust me, it's NOT!!

Need to see it for yourself? Visit The Old Schoolhouse for an unbelievable 59 page preview! 

You get all 600+ pages for just $39!

Ready to buy? Download it now at The Old Schoolhouse Store

*As a member of TOS review crew I am taking part in an advertising contest.
 I have received a free copy of this planner and have written this post for this purpose.*

Sunday Snapshot: My teenager

I love my daughters more than anything. As my firstborn, my teenager holds a particularly special place in my heart. She's intelligent and beautiful. She's a gifted artist and writer. She's got a wicked sense of humor; every day she makes me laugh. She's got a kind heart. I wouldn't change a single thing about her.
Oh wait. Yes I would. That's kind of the point of this post.
She hates having her picture taken. Every single time I try to take a picture, I get a battle.
Take last weekend, for example. We were all outside enjoying the gorgeous weather and I wanted to get a quick shot of everyone together.

However, when Samantha sees a camera it signals to her that it's time to look away.

(I can't even guess what's going on with Katie.) So I give them the old "Everyone look at the camera! Smile!!!"

Ok. So we've made progress. She's actually looking at the camera now. Looking in the right direction took a lot of effort, I know. So I try again "Ok. Now everyone smile!!"

Do you see how everyone is cooperating? Sam? Not so much.

Ten shots later, and this is the best of the bunch. After ten shots!! I would've kept going, except poor Katie was starting to struggle. (She tries so hard!) I guess by now I should have learned my lesson. With my Samantha, there is no such thing as a "quick shot"...boy is she lucky there are so many other things I love about her ;)