~Congratulations to our Winner!~

At 1:00 a.m. I headed down to the blog, tallied up the names, wrote each entry on a slip of paper (many of you had multiple entries... good job), and put them in a bowl.

This morning I shook the bowl, handed it to my daughter and she drew....

Denise's name. Denise of "ShortyBear" .... see my sidebar. Please visit Denise's blogs. She is an incredible godly woman who is trusting God in the valleys. She will bless your socks off.

For the rest... I wish I could give a prize to all. But, if you want to buy something from one of my sites... or my Whimsyandtheword blog I'll happily give you a 10% discount on anything ALREADY made...

Thanks so much.

Be watching for another giveaway on Whimsy.... my son is working on a web page for me so I'll have my own site on which to list... when that happens I'll probably do another giveaway for the grand opening.

Blessings all and thanks so much for visiting me!
Kim
p.s. Denise... I'll need your snail mail address... you can email it to me.

~ Giveaway ends in 4 hours!~

Anyone who's interested has four hours left in which to enter my giveaway...

click the link on the sidebar to see the rules, which are basically, comment, become a follower, find my other blogs (linked in the contest post) become a follower, bring in new followers...

LOTS of ways to enter. Great prizes.. an altered bottle, altered journal and "Bit of Charm" necklace... check out the contest post to see the pictures.

Hurry hurry!

Blessings, Kim

And how does your garden grow?

(some of my lilies a few years ago)

The day after a migraine I usually am a bit slower on the uptake. So, although I was up and cooking last night, went with Dear to pick up the van (with the nail now OUT of the tire and the tire patched), and I even did a small grocery run I was still going slow this morning. The upside is:

• no rebound headache
• a sparkly clean counter top
• home made waffles for breakfast
• a heart ready and willing to work

I always wonder where I got my love of cooking. My mom, although loving to bake didn't really "love" the idea of cooking a big meal. Which made sense, because neither did her mom. They both loved gardening. And, so when we were told we were going to have a vegetable garden in the darkest, dirtiest, weediest, buggiest part of the yard and I was informed that I would have the honor of weeding said garden... me with my bug, plant, and pollen allergies... well, perhaps that explains my love/hate relationship with trying to grow things.. in dirt, near bugs, and weeds. YUCK!

(The only year the bush flowered.. I'm trying fertilizer this year.)

But today the question is, "Do I actually finally iron and put away the laundry or instead go out and play in the garden a bit more?" Usually if I find myself actually WANTING to be gardening I head out because I'm here to tell you I do NOT love gardening. I tolerate it. Most times. Sometimes I flat out ignore it, which is how I ended up hiring two young men to pull YARDS of poison ivy off the house and out of the beds. Now we're using the dreaded spray to be rid of the stuff. I HATE spraying, but with all of us being allergic and MMH needing shots if she so much as looks at it that's they way Dear chose for us to go and I'm happily following along.

I'll try to get some "after" shots of the flower beds when I'm done. They're not a showpiece by any means, but so much better than when they were merely bushes and weeds. The bushes came out by the plumber's truck when we found a leak in our water main, the bradford pear tree came down when an ice storm decimated 1/3 of it... That left us with some odd looking empty beds. It's been a slow go, both due to finances and my love/hate relationship with gardening, but today we have the following:

• plum tree
• dwarf japanese maple
• little miss kim lilac bush
• clematis
• hydrangea
• dianthus
• asiatic lilies
• day lilies
• tiger lilies
• daffodils
• creeping periwinkle
• snap dragons
• hardy geraniums
• one returning mum... long story
• a couple of hyacinth
• morning glory that's being sprouted in a pot

Seriously, it's really quite pretty right now. I keep adding bulbs here and there and am learning to add perennials rather than annuals so I don't have to keep adding more and more. But, the occasional annuals make their way in as I think they are so pretty.

(This is one love I DID get from Gram... she always had a bank of lilies by her back porch.)

Our deck is usually fairly simple. We have a hanging pot of pansies, a basket in a stand of pink geraniums and hens & chicks in a planter... simple, but nice. When I bring out the colorful tablecloths, the fiesta flatware and luray plates we have plenty of color.

Well, that's it for now. I've been enjoyng time focused on my family and home after a rush of childbirth classes and a birth. All of which I LOVE, but it's nice to take a small break. Very small. I start teaching the next batch of classes tonight and have two births coming up in late May/early June.

One way or another we manage to keep busy, keep school running and have some fun in the process. This weekend April and I get to make a long awaited junkin' run to a HUGE flea market in Evansville. I'll post pics of my/our finds later.

Hope you're enjoying your day! I am actually looking forward to getting back to my flower beds. What's in your garen?

Of course, these aren't quite in bloom yet, but they're bushing up by the lilies!

Blessings, Kim

p.s. Don't forget to enter my giveaway, tomrorrow's the last day. The link is in the sidebar!

Choosing Curriculum

Many of my friends just returned from the Cinncinnati, Ohio Homeschoolers Convention. I hear it's even bigger and better than the one in Indy which I attend most years. BIGGER? BETTER? That's a little daunting.

Over the years our pastor has spoken about the world of Christian publishing, with which he is quite familiar as both his family and his wife's family are involved. I am beginning to see that that same may be true of homeschooling publishers.

As a Christian homeschooler it's important to me that the curriculum I use, especially for the younger grades, is based on strong doctrine. However, taking a math book (which doesn't necessarily need doctrine, per se) and sticking a bible verse on each page does not a Christian text book make. I am learning. Sadly, over the years I learned the hard way, often times plunking down hard earned money and ending up with something that looked to be the next best thing since sliced bread, only to find two months into the year that either it was more of the same, or not even that good.

When we go to the conventions we need to have several things in mind:

• budget: much like a house, clothing or car, we need to set a budget for our schooling. Sometimes it may be okay to extend, but ask your husband, don't just do a spur of the moment purchase.
• WHO are you teaching? Remember, you are teaching your child, not yourself. Maybe this is a way you would have liked to learn, but is this a way in which your child CAN learn?
• Prepare: spend a few months BEFORE the convention studying up on what you are interested in purchasing. Maybe have a few alternate choices if you have something this year that you know you need to change.
• Submit: Run the changes by your husband. One, he may have some insight for you, two he'll help you to keep a cap on your spending, or conversly encourage you to spend on something you should rather than "save money" which in the end may cost you dearly.
• Involve: As your children become older, junior high and above, you might involve them with some of the choices.
• Study: As your children hit high school age look at the classes, look at what your child thinks he may be doing as a life's calling and then try to suit much of his learning to that goal. Example: Young Man is now earning a degree as a Missionary Aviator. So, in high school we geared his language to where he thought he might be called to serve, rather than Advanced Biology we had him take Intro. to Aviation and rather than Chemistry we had him take Introduction to Electronics... all of these are things he needed to help prepare him, but also to help him be sure that this actually was where God was calling him to serve.
• Flexiblity: After all this, be open that you may, indeed, find something new at the convention. Think long and carefully before grabbing it. I had a number of books I sold at used book sales which I had never or only barely used. Sometimes it's worth the price of shipping to give yourself time to think and pray.
• Lists: Bring a list for each child. This helps in the end to make sure you didn't forget anything. I was so pround when I came from convention this year that I had purchased everything I needed. Then I realized I had not purchased our language program. In the end this was okay, because we changed our course based on some good advice, but if I had brought my list I might not have been so quick to think I was done.
• PRAY! Before you go and while you are there pray. Don't think you have to be a cookie cutter homeschool mom. It's so tempting afer one of those great talks to come down hard on ourselves and think, "I should be like so and so and then I'd have great success in my homeschooling." God has created you to be a unique individual, and your children likewise. Don't try to become just like everyone else. DO base your homeschooling on scriptural truths, DO submit to your husband, DO remain accountable whether to your husband and/or to a co-op or a friend, but DO NOT try to become someone you are not.
• Unique: DO NOT assume each of your children are gifted alike. Each of my four kids is very unique in their personality, style of dress, abilities, interests and life goals. That's 100% fine. God makes individuals... remember, some are the hands, some are the feet, maybe someone in your family is an elbow. They may not look as important as a mouth, but try to be a servant to someone without bending your arm and you realize that elbows are also important.

I hope this helps a bit. It's a bit tardy in its posting, but even now this may help as you look at what you've already purchased. Maybe somethings are a perfect fit and others just need to be returned. Enjoy the process, it does give you a unique insight into each child. Hopefully you will know them better and better each year and truly enjoy who God has made them to be as you go about choosing their curriculum.

Shalom, Kim

p.s. Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway... and yes, this includes my local homeschool friends and church friends as well. I'd love to have your names in the drawing! Simply click on the button located in the upper left portion of my sidebar to find the rules and ways to enter!

~Run the Race Well~

It's SPRING! Yep, with all caps. That means the weather's getting lovely, the birds are singing, the garden beckons, and it's everything we can do to keep ourselves motivated to finish our daily tasks for school, let alone keeping a clean house, because, after all, who wants to stay in when we can go out?

1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of
witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12: 1-3

I need to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, reminding myself it's not just me, myself, and I out there. It's not even just me and the girls. It's all of us LIVING FOR CHRIST. That means that each thing we do we ought to be able to invite Jesus to be a part of what we're doing and know that he would feel welcome. If I know I should be teaching grammar, but instead I want to go to an auction, I can simply ask myself where Jesus would feel most valued, or welcomed, in my life. If I'm doing something that isn't exactly what I should be doing, even though it's not "bad," then I know I wouldn't be as comfortable inviting Christ to partake in this activity with me. That's a simple test for me. Then I know I put aside the things that entangle.

The other thing I see in this verse is that we run with endurance. This says to me that the race is not easy. There are simply days when I want to put the girls on the big yellow bus that comes to the corner of our street. It would be so simple (metaphorically speaking of course!) to just send them out the door and do my own thing. But, that would be running without endurance. Would you honor a runner who part way through the race hopped in a cab because they were tired and then got out just short of the finish line so they would appear to have run to the end of the race? I didin't think so. That's what I have to remind myself. No cab. No school bus. No short cut.

I may be tired. I may be interested in other things. The girls might whine. I might whine. (The dog whines all the time!) But, we have a race and for our family it's homeschooling. So, we're going to finish the race this year, Lord willing, with God's help, inviting Jesus to join us. It's then I know we're most likely to honor him. When Christ is with us I know we will not grow weary and lose heart, rather we'll be inspired to finish because he himself ran the race unto death, death on a cross, just for us. How can we do less?!


So, what's your race? I pray you will finish well also.

Shalom,
Kim

p.s. Don't forget my giveaway... it's linked on the sidebar to the right! You have till April 22.

Giveaway... change in plans

Okay all, this is making me sad, sad, sad. But, I've had exactly one comment on my contest. One. That's it.

So, I'm opening this up for one more week. That's it... Till April 22. Prizes leave this house on Friday, April 23.

So, here's the deal:

• leave a comment here and mention your favorite thing on this blog
• become a follower and leave a comment to let me know
• bring a new follower, they leave a comment and share that YOU brought them here, you BOTH get entered
• visit my Whimsy and The Word blog and become a follower
• bring a new follower to Whimsy and the Word, have them leave a comment and mention this contest and YOUR name, and you BOTH get entered.

EASY as pie. Lots of ways to get more than one entry.

~Now, perhaps the problem is this: You haven't seen what you're going to get. So, here's another change, I'm picking out a necklace for the winner...And there are at least two other gifts as well.

• "A Bit of Charm"copper necklace, "The Miss Emily" on a 22 inch copper ball chain, embellished with a lovely antique button. The back reads "Contemplate" in lovely coppery glitter.

• The Plain Princess... an altered notebook. 4.5 inches tall and 3.25 inches wide. The front and back have lovely paper cut outs dating from the early 1900s and late 1800s, layered with trim, scrap papers and coated in glitter. All sealed with a matte sealer to keep it fresh and lovely.

• "Fairy Tales in Glass"... DREAM... altered bottle with an excellent reproduction of a vintage postcard, layered on top of ledger paper from the late 1800's. covered with beeswax, embellished with vintage buttons, a lovely crystal, the tag "Dream"and all tied up with a gorgeous coppery rose bow.

All told this prize package is worth almost $40.00.

So, please please please share this with your friends. If you or someone else uses my button and blogs about the contest that will be another entry! (Just be sure and tell me so I know.)

Contest is open now... and closes next Thursday.

One more note... besides Peggy, because she already entered... open to US residents only... shipping and handling gets really intense otherwise... sorry lovely ladies... maybe in the future I'll be able to do this. But, I am keeping Peggy in the drawing... only fair since I added this later. No worries.

Blessings, Kim
p.s. Denise wins something no matter what... she's the only who posted to date. So, Denise, email me and we'll work out what kind of necklace you want... then I won't send it till next week in case you win this version of the contest as well.

AH HA ... a contest!

(Please note... this has now been edited)

Hey Ladies,

I reached 100 posts and didn't even realize it. So, here we are, post 101. It's funny as I've reached this same point several times over the years as I start and restart blogs. Just part of who I am I guess... always needing to start fresh.

Well, as promised, I'm holding a giveaway. Now, the key here is two-fold, and I'll be quite upfront with it. I want to thank my current readers, but I also want to gather in some new followers.

~So, if you are already a reader/follower, please comment and share what you have enjoyed about this blog.

~If you join as a new follower, please let me know (leave a comment)... that will give you a chance in the drawing.

~If you bring someone along as a new follower, not only do they get one chance, but you get a second chance. Just be sure to have them mention your name (or blog) in their comment. Each person should share why they enjoy this blog.

And the prize? Well, part of it will be that I will make a "Bit of Charm" or a "Domino" necklace for you. We'll work on it together, via email. The other part? Well, it will be something else I have made. A surprise. (Hint... I've been working notebooks, notecards, memory boxes and all sorts of things, so your prize will fun and if you want more ideas of what might be in the winning giveaway just visit WhimsyandTheWord.blogspot.com and see what else I've been making!) YEAH! I'm sure you are wondeirng though, "What necklaces?" I've shown two below to whet your appetite, BUT

~Well, visit my OTHER (WhimsyandTheWord)  blog and if you become a new follower there (or are already a follower and leave a new comment) I'll give you ANOTHER entry in the drawing. Yep, that's right. And the rules continue as above... if  you bring someone else to THAT blog as a follower then I'll happily give you each a draw in the entry. Of course, if you come to the other blog, you'll have to comment... here or there... as I have noted above, just note that it's for my blog contest.

Now, here's another fun thing. I would LOVE to have this grow bigger. So, if you want to save the picture in the post and use it on your blog's sidebar and link it to this post or in a post about this giveaway that will give you ANOTHER entry in the draw.Yep, I guess I'm feeling generous today.

Oh, and the important question, "When will this end?"  Well, I guess let's give it one week. April 15 the contest will end at midnight Eastern time.

A recap of the ways to enter:

1. leave a comment here about your favorite post, or why you like this blog
2. become a new follower and leave a comment
3. bring a new follower, and have them leave your name/contact info in their comment 
4. become a follower of my other blog
5. bring a follower to my other blog and have them inclued your name/contact/blog info in their comment.
6. use my picture above in a post or on your sidebar. (you'll have to email that you've done so in order for me to know)

That makes for a lot of possible ways to earn an entry. Enjoy.

In case you just don't think you'll like the necklace, in case you just don't want to be bothered with going to the other blog... here's a hint of what I've already made and what we can design together for you... IF you're the winner.
If you visit the other blog search under "necklaces" and you'll see more of what you could win.

35 to go...

35 what? to go to where? why?

Well, 35 more posts till I reach 100. Why is that special? I may just do a giveaway. Actually, I will do a giveaway. Now the clue is that it will be SOMETHING from my Etsy shop OR it will be a gift certificate for some unknown, as yet, amount. How's that?

So, here's the deal. WHEN that post comes, I will let you know how the contest works, and what to look for in my shop. But the clue is that you will have to go to my shop. And, if you put a link to my blog on your blogroll I'll enter you twice.

I know... this is WAY early... but I want to build the excitement. And frankly, I'd like for someone to visit my shop. So.... keep watching. I'll let you know when the day arrives. And, folks? I've got three auctions coming up so hopefully I'll come up with some beautiful things to turn into artful creations. Keep watching...

Shalom,
Kim