HOTM Conference ticket giveaway

We have Random winners! Congrats to Danielle Leigh, Jac and Karen! Check your inbox for an email from me. :)

Heart of the Matter Online will be hosting an online Homeschool Conference next month. I don't know about y'all, but February is the perfect time for a little mid-homeschool-year pick me up! And online is the perfect place to listen, learn and fellowship without having to battle the cold weather or pay for a hotel room (you can save your money for a date night!).

I sound like an infomercial when I say this, but if I had to list my favorite speakers this time around, I would have to list all of them! (go ahead and *groan*... you know you wanna).

Take a look for yourself:

Speakers (Amanda Bennet! Carol Barnier! Jimmie! Cindy West!...)

Conference Schedule

Door Prizes (I *heart* door prizes!)

And if you aren't sure how this whole virtual conference thing works, the FAQ's will answer all your questions.

HOTM is graciously allowing me to give away 3 conference tickets!

Y'all have three ways to enter.

1. Leave a comment saying I need a pick me up!

2. Share this giveaway on Facebook.

3. Tweet this giveaway.

Time for a pick-me-up homeschool conference- you can even wear your pj's! @drewsfamilytx is giving away tickets at http://bit.ly/gnkYbs

Leave a separate comment for each entry, for a total of three entries. Contest closes Thursday, February 3rd.

Winners will be notified by email- so be sure to include your email addy! You can make it look something like this: youraddress[at]internet[dot]com

See you at ze conference!

I won't get breakfast in bed for Mother's Day

You can find me writing about not getting breakfast in bed for Mother's Day over at Heart of the Matter today. Come over and tell me that surely I'm not the only one... am I?

While you're there, check out the new color scheme and header. Just a little spring sprucing going on! I love little changes that mix things up a bit.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, Y'ALL!

Happy Birthday HOTM!

I can't believe that Heart of the Matter is turning TWO!

When the Amies first began Heart of the Matter, there was quite a bit of discussion as to what it should be called... THOM or HOTM?

THOM was from THE Heart of the Matter, which pretty much dropped into obscurity.

There was, however, a slight hesitancy with HOTM. If you glance at it rather quickly, it makes you think "Hot Mom". Or at least it did to me. (Does that make me weird? or creepy? or juvenile?)

How does it look to you? Would THOM (tom) make David jealous? Or would HOTM (hotmom) cause us even more problems? Just wondering...

BACK TO THE POINT...

In the past two years, I have been challenged and blessed by the encouragement, advice and (more than occasional) kick in the bootay that I have received as a reader of HOTM.

And as a writer and team member, what can I say? Words cannot describe just how thankful I am for the close and amazing friendships that God has given me, not only with Amy and Amy, but with all my other writer and reader friends.

Y'all have really loved on me and my family this past year. Saying "Thank You" just doesn't seem to cut it!

Okay, enough of this *sniff sniff* stuff!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY, HOTM!!!

Be sure to head on over there to say Happy Birthday and enter to win some awesome prizes (like giftcards to Starbucks, Target and Amazon)! Eeeeeee! Who doesn't love free stuff?!

Summer School Isn't So Bad

Yup, we are schooling through the summer.

Actually, we hope to finish up the current year in, ahem, well... let's just say summer should be officially over by then!

You can read more about it on my latest post (and leave some comment luv) over at Heart of the Matter: http://heartofthematteronline.com/summer-school-isnt-so-bad/

A Little Goes a Long Way

Sometimes I drive myself crazy wondering if any of our homeschooling lessons are actually going to stick. Will my kids really remember the scientific method or this history lesson by the time next week rolls around? Will they even remember any of it tomorrow?!

Please follow me to HOTM to read the rest of my post! Oh and leave a comment over there, I lerve me some comments! :)

Sometimes it's okay to be a QUITTER

Come read my latest postover at HOTM about this:

Why I love my hubs

Here is my video for HOTM's video meme about why I love my spouse:

We don't do much for V-day, but we did start the day with Tank's first soccer game of the season where he scored 2 goals! And the second one? Wow, it was amazing- my boy has his daddy's soccer SKILLZ!

So how did you spend your day? Have you made your video yet?

I love it. I hate it. It's Valentine's Day!

Below is my post for Heart of the Matter Online. Feel free to pop on over there and leave me a comment!

There are many things in which I have a love/hate relationship… my cell phone (chatting with my sister- good, ringing during my nap- bad), our dog (protector- good, poop on my shoe- very bad!), and, dare I say it?… Valentine’s Day!

I love it y’all.

There is something about this day that brings out the best and worst in me. The best in that it forces me to not be my usual self and to just spoil my boys… even if it’s just a little spoiling. For example, giving them a heart shaped box of cheaply made, cheap tasting chocolate and letting them eat it for breakfast. Some mom’s are really good about throwing caution (and health) to the wind by letting their children eat ice cream for supper- just for fun (as in, it’s not just because it’s someone’s birthday!). I, however, am not one of those “fun” mommy’s! I’m a rule making, slightly uptight, bossy, drill-sargeant type of mom. Yes, my children know that I love them, but there’s nothing like V-day to make me purposefully think and do outside my normal box.

I hate it, y’all.

One of the things I despise the most about Valentine’s Day is the tremendous pressure on a man to woo, romance and spoil his wife. There is an over abundance of commercials, music, and movies hounding them (and us) to believe that gifts and glitter are true tokens of love and affection.

In my pre-married days, I would have defined romance as a horse driven carriage, candlelit dinners (prepared by my man, not me of course!), diamonds, roses and poetry. But alas, I did not find such things back then… and I certainly haven’t found them since! Those things can only be found in soap operas and novels! (If I am wrong, please don’t burst my bubble and just count yourself lucky for having found such a romantic mate.)

Such expectations going into marriage… My oh my, I think my dear husband did not have a chance! But even without the outward trappings of overbearing and hit-you-over-the-head “romance”, he wooed me with his handsome self, his sense of humor, his easy-going personality, his purpose and drive, his intelligence and many other fine qualities. Oh wait, he also brought me roses. Back then he did. Now? Not so much. And that’s okay.

I have come to appreciate the other romantic qualities in my Mr. Drews. How is he romantic? He does little things. Many little things.

• Calls me just to tell me he loves me.
• E-mail’s me when he’s on a trip.
• Let’s me sleep in… AND keeps the kids quiet! (which is better than what *I* do for him!)
• Leaves me quick little love notes around the house– in my jewelry box, my purse, the garage door, the closet, on the mirror, on the computer monitor before he leaves on a trip (on Word with the monitor on sleep, waiting for my fingers to touch the keyboard after the kids have gone to bed).
• He opens doors for me– car door, house door, or to any building.
• He makes up songs about how he loves his “wifey” (I hope you’re not embarrassed David, at least I didn’t make a video clip of your song to share with everyone, right?)
• He always thanks me for the meal and compliments my cooking.
• He praises me in front of our children.
• He praises me in front of his parents.
• He even praises me in front of his friends! (and I blush and get embarrassed… but I like it, I really do.)
  

So yes, I suppose my husband is romantic. But not the opera and picnic under the stars kind of romantic. It’s the everyday kind of romantic. It is the loving me even when I am not so loveable kind of romantic. Yup, that’s MY MAN.

How is your husband romantic? Are your expectations unrealistic? Does he show you his love and affection in his own way or are you disappointed because it is not what you imagine it should be like?

Perhaps now would be a good time to make a list of all the things that you do appreciate and adore about your spouse. And ta-da! If you use your best handwriting- or even color ink in the printer- you will find yourself with a mighty fine homemade Valentine’s Day card!

Look who's on the cover!!!

My littlest man!!!

*sigh* I miss him. Christian was so excited when we gave him his own big boy bike. Funny thing is that he never figured out how to pedal it! He'd sit on it and want us to push him around.. or he'd just walk it around and around and around the driveway. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

You can see him on the front cover, inside front cover and inside back cover. :-) Thank you dear Amy and Amy for remembering Christian and celebrating his life with me! Y'all are the bestest donut-loving-cajun-talking-mind-reading-fun-loving-separated-at-birth friends a girl could have.

Anyhow, back to the magazine! We are very excited to announce that you can now view our magazine in THREE ways:

1. Click here to be taken to the flipbook version, where you can click and turn the pages as you would a print magazine. Be sure to turn your sound on.
2. Click here to download the magazine in pdf format.
3. Or you can visit HOTMto see the articles in blog format.

(The flipbook version is my absolute favorite! I just love the sound it makes when you turn the page... oddly satisfying.)

Where I find my Christmas joy

This week's Heart of the Matter Online Meme is on the topic of: Where I Find My Christmas Joy.

"Eggnog, Christmas music, decorating cookies, going to church… each of these things bring me joy for one reason–they all include my family. Each moment is imprinted as a permanent part of our family Christmas legacy. Where do you find your Christmas joy?"

During the Christmas season, I find much delight in having a good excuse to give gifts to those closest to me-- be it a toy, game, baked goodies, making things together (like crafts or cookies, especially with kids)... The best part is that they (hopefully) will not give me anything in return other than the joy and satisfaction I gained in the giving. It really is more blessed to give than to receive!

Besides gift giving, I am also quite fond of eggnog (not a la southern comfort or whatever some people put in it to make it icky!), singing Christmas hymns, beautiful lights on the trees and houses, and gathering with friends and family... especially family. It takes exceptional people to know me so well and yet still choose to be around me! Right, Coco? ;-)

Christmas 2007 at our house.

JOY, however... wow, that's in a category that is leaps and bounds over "enjoy" or "delighting in".

Like the old acronym goes, you can have JOY by putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. It's a mighty fine recipe!

Jesus- Can you imagine life if Jesus had never been born? It literally makes me shudder. It is through His sinless life and sacrifice on the cross that I have hope in this life and assurance of eternal life! Without Jesus, funerals would be very different, wouldn't they? It would be ashes to ashes, dust to dust... no hope, no rejoicing, no peace... No assurance of seeing Christian again-- what a miserable existence that would be!

Others- God has been gracious to give me many wonderful friends-- true, trustworthy, fun, caring, devoted friends... not only in my family(!!!), at church and around town, but in other parts of the country as well as in the cyber world. :-)

Yourself- I am my most miserable (read: joyless) when I think too much about myself:

• I* am tired.
  
• That's not how *I* wanted things to turn out.
  
• *I* want the house to be spotless.
  
• *I* want things done right this second.
  
• *I* would never throw dirty clothes right next to
  the laundry basket (instead of in it!).

Me, me, me! Waaaaah! Poor pitiful me. The *I*'s usually become more prominent during times of stress or busyness (ahem, like Christmas and any other major holiday or time that I overscheduled or don't learn to say "no" enough). What a big baby I can be sometimes! I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I have learned over the years that I most definitely cannot change other people. Or control everything around me. But I can choose to change my attitude, my outlook, my response!

Will you choose JOY in your house, in your mind, in your heart?

As a mom, you will set the tone and mood for your entire family. The choice is not always easy, but with God's help, you can do it!

Video Intro of Me!

I thought I wouldn't have a problem posting this for Heart of the Matter's Friday VIDEO Meme... but ummm... yeah (or yah or yea or whatever!)... Here is yours truly in all my goober glory!

I hope y'all will join in on the fun!!!

Pleeeeeease?

PS Do I really sound like that? I think I'm louder in real life. Oh and I mumble and talk MUCH faster!

Our current curriculum

Today's Heart of the Matter Meme is about what we are currently using in our homeschool. Yes, I know it's shocking-- a post about homeschooling on this blog!

Although we are currently on a mini-vacay to Niagara Falls, we are planning on starting our lessons on Monday, August 25th. And here is what we will be studying:

History:
WinterPromise's The American Story 2

This literature-rich program is scheduled like Sonlight but more hands-on, and has helpful suggestions on DVD's, crafts, games, websites, etc. We have really enjoyed the adventure readings (read aloud's) as a family. This past year, we studied the first half of American history and actually did a timeline for the first time ever! Both Dash (9yo) and Tank (7yo) do this program together. WP also has middler packs where you can add an older student to this program.

Language Arts:
WinterPromise Language Arts Grade 2 and Grade 4..

The Readers used in this LA tie-in to the time period/theme we are studying in history. They also use a great variety of workbooks that we have been very pleased with in the past like SpellWell, Wordly Wise 3000, Explode the Code, Grammar Puzzles and Games Kids Can't Resist, etc. This past year was the first year that I was completely happy with the thoroughness of a Language Arts program. Oh and did I mention that they schedule the days on this as well? Man, I totally *heart* a written out schedule-- even if we usually do 2 days worth of work in a day... thereby only having to do LA twice a week. But maybe that should be another post altogether...

Math:
Math-U-See Beta and Gamma (and Delta if they move quick enough!)

This is honestly the only curriculum that I have been 100% thrilled with! I have yet to use the teachers manual or actually go over a lesson with them. I completely love the DVD lessons and the boys have never ever given me grief about doing math! If they don't quite get a concept, they just play the lesson again on the DVD player. I am available for questions and reminders but the teaching credit all goes to MUS!

Handwriting:
Getty & Dubay Italic Writing

Tank does have some cursive writing in his Language Arts using A Reason for Handwriting. I'll give y'all a progress report later this year.

Science:
NOEO Chemistry 1

It sounds daunting, doesn't it? But it really looks like fun and very do-able with my elementary aged kidlets!

Latin:
Song School Latin by Classical Academic Press

All I can say is WOW!!! I received this to review (to be posted soon) and cannot speak more highly of it. It has catchy songs, covers quite a lot of vocabulary, and is for Grades K-3... Yes, K-3! I am planning to use this with all of my boys-- 3yo (minus any writing of course), 2nd grader and 4th grader. I think it will be a fun introduction to Latin for all of us. The next program we'll use (unless they come out with a second volume of this!) is Prima Latina... but I never used it this past year because it intimidated me. Song School Latin-- I am confident that we can actually do this twice a week without fail!

Art:
Artistic Pursuits Book 1

I bought this to use last year but never quite fit it in. This year, I have it scheduled at least once a week.

Preschool for 3.5yo Dozer:
I'm Ready to Learn Program by WinterPromise

Scheduled daily just like the other WinterPromise programs (can you tell that I need someone to plan for me if I really want to get it done?). I've got lots of picture books to add to the bunch and he has his desk and pencil box ready to go! :-) He has been SO excited about "doing lessons" for the past two weeks so I started him with a few books from Kumon like their book on Tracing and one on Cutting.

August 08 edition of HOTM Magazine is out!

In this month's issue:

12 Essential Back To School Ideas For Mom
Headsprout Reading Online AND Giveaway!
Only "Actual Teachers" Should Read This!
How the Other Side Thinks
Hypocrite Proofing the Home
Battle of the Sexes
Homeschool Built On Christ
Nature Study - Relaxed and Fun
Teaching Emotions Through Conversation
How To Tell Why Your Child Is Struggling part 4
A Tour of Cheapville
Idols and Effigies
All The Validation I Need
Snippets of Time
Let the Games Begin
Public school administrator calls for homeschool exposé
Getting Out of the Way
Give Me the Simple Life
Think before you jump!

Think before you jump

You've heard the old phrase (or lecture) If all of your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?! I had heard that a time or twenty growing up and I hate to admit it, but I have also said that to my own kids (even though I totally promised myself I would never say those words when I was a grownup)! I imagine they took that sound piece of advice exactly as I did when I was their age-- a la Charlie Brown's teacher... y'know, Waahhhh waaaah wa wahh waaaah wah.

In fact, those words came out of my mouth recently when one of my kids gave another one a wedgie. Yup, that's right, a wedgie! First of all, it's not a family ritual or pasttime to give swirlies or wedgies in this house. Second, umm... we homeschool so where did they get this bright idea? Third, that's just plain old mean and disrespectful to the other person. When the perpetrator of the aforementioned wedgie was further interrogated, his feeble defense was Well, my friend Luke does it! Ahhh... so Just because Luke thinks it's a good idea and fun, does that really make it the right thing to do? And this is the precise spot where you would insert the oft used phrase And if Luke jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?

Please head on over to Heart of the Matter to read THE REST.

Last Words

As I write this post, there is a 93 year old gentleman lying in a hospital bed in a coma, moments away from death. Some would say "Well, he's had a full life." And to that I say, "Yes, he has." Others might say, "Well, he is old... you knew it was coming." Of course everyone dies one day, but that still makes this day sad. Sad because he is my dear, sweet mother-in-law's daddy-- whom she really does still call daddy!

To read the rest of this post, please visit me at
Heart of the Matter...

Confessions of a Curricaholic -Take2

Stressed. Overwhelmed. Guilty.


That is how I felt last year when I looked around at the overflowing bookcases, unopened (educational!) games in the closet, and my expanding need/want list for the next school year. How in the world could I get all of this curriculum under control? Was there a way to turn this situation around? Would I be able to get what I needed for the next year?

Let me tell you, my home was not pleasant when I got like this. I turned into one mean and grumpy, ugly bear of a momma! And you would think that after having a few years of homeschooling under my belt, I would've known better. But noooooo... Instead, I got carried away and took those few extra years to accumulate more STUFF! That just sat there! All of these good ideas and wonderful bargains wasted because they didn't fit into our lesson plans at all for the entire year... or three.

So what's a momma bear to do?

***
Read the rest at Heart of the Matter.

HOTM Magazine May 2008

May 2008 Edition

In this month's issue:

Insectigations
What Do You Do If Your Child Decides They Want To "Go To School"?
Schedules
Fragrances Pleasing to God
Will you let yourself be blessed?
How to tell WHY Your Child is Struggling (Part 1 of 4)
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Where the Lord Guides, He Provides
Power in the Blood
Common Misuses of Analogy in Homeschool Criticism
The Autism Spectrum
Slowing Down The Pace
Because Life Happens: Happy Mother's Day
When Winning 'Does Not Compute'
How to Shop the Drugstores
Chaos to Order Book Review
From Our Readers


This month's printables:
Nature Journal Pages for your 3-6 year old
Nature Walk Guides for little ones under 4 years old
Eric Carle Multi-Book Unit Study for The Grouchy Ladybug (with lapbook!), The Honeybee and the Robber, The Very Busy Spider, The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Lonely Firefly, and The Very Quiet Cricket

All of these printables are courtesy of Homeschool Share.

Confessions of a Curricaholic.

Obsessed. Compulsive. Junkie. Curricaholic.


Those are words that described my passion for all things curriculum. Be it posters, workbooks, CDs, books, DVDs, games or puzzles-- if it was "educational" then I had to have it! I mean, come on, look how packed that one measly bookcase is up there!


Believe it or not, that is actually pared down from what I used to have. You can say that I am a recovering curricaholic. As summer and the season of homeschool conventions draws near, I can't think of a better time to share with y'all some tips on how to combat the compulsion to cache curriculum.

But first, you must realize one very important thing...

*****

To read the rest of the story, visit me at Heart of the Matter Online.

The verdict is in...

I am GUILTY!

I have been found guilty of expecting too much and being unrealistic. Expecting...

Too much from my curriculum-- it's supposed to make our lessons easy! and quick! and perfect!

Too much from my morning cup of coffee-- it's supposed to give me the energy of a 5 year old boy that's hyped up on sugar... and give me the endurance of a marathon runner.

Too much from my husband-- he's supposed to read my mind and never have a bad day.

Too much from myself-- I'm supposed to always have it together, never lose my temper, wake up at the crack of dawn and have white-glove-clean baseboards (HA!).

To make things even worse, ...

*****

To read the rest, please follow me to Heart of the Matter...

Having Dessert First

I don't know about you, but I am a Type-A kind of girl. And no, it doesn't mean that I am an A+ excellent home educator and on the mommy-honor-roll with my kids proudly proclaiming it with a bumper sticker on their bikes!

Reality would more likely show me to be an overbearing, over-scheduled, checklist loving, rule following drill sergeant! At least that's how I'm naturally bent. Or was today anyway. When the troops... er, my children don't keep to my schedule, follow all my rules to a T, and allow me to merrily mark off all the items on my checklist, let's just say it gets pretty ugly around here.

To READ THE REST of the story, please follow me to HOTM...