Free "America The Story of US" DVD

That's right! Have you seen this amazing series on the History channel? If so, you know how fascinating it is! The series includes 6 weeks of stories on the people and events that made us who we are today.

In all, we're talking about 12 hours of educational video FREE (including free shipping) to all accredited public and private schools... including homeschools (grades K-12). Make your request today, before the July 1st deadline and take advantage of this amazing offer!

Looking at the request form, I would recommend you give your name as the Principal's name and then verify you're a homeschool in the comments section. If you've given your homeschool a name (strongly recommended and often required) you'll be able to enter that too. If you've not yet registered as a homeschool with your state, you can create an unofficial homeschool name for the sake of this offer.

Oh, and here's the link! Classroom history lesson

Have fun with this and let me know if you run into any freebie finds of your own! Let's keep one another in the know!

Take the Barefoot Challenge for Underprivileged Children

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Making Change . All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you ever considered what it must feel like to not own a pair of shoes? So many underprivileged children across the world go without. Whether it may be clothing or food, those of us "who have" can often forget those "who don't".

International Children's Day is June 1, 2010 and one ambitious 13 year old continues to carry out the Barefoot Challenge in order to bring about an increased awareness of children in need.

Bilaal Rajan wishes to encourage EVERYONE, regardless of what your plans might look like on June 1st, to go a full day without shoes. Share this idea with your kids and see what they think of the idea! Have them share the idea with their friends and see where it takes you. It's a lot easier to go a day without shoes than a day without food, and what a great way to show our children what "going without" really feels like.

Be safe with this little project and watch where you take them, but even playing outside could be an eye opener. When I was a kid I spent most Summers barefoot, just because we did that sort of thing back then, but nowadays so many of us keep our kids in shoes anytime they leave the house. Not to mention... how many times as an adult have left your home without shoes? lol Maybe on June 1st you could take your kiddos for a walk... free of shoes and socks and see how odd it feels.My guess is this challenge will prove a lot harder for us, than for our children.

The goal in all of this is of course to bring about an increased awareness of those less fortunate than ourselves. Bilaal is hoping making change now will become a top priority for those of us who've been blessed with the comforts of life. It's so very easy to take what we count as "the little things" for granted.

June 1st for my family is actually going to be a bit hard to implement the Barefoot Challenge, or at least without permission first! lol My son is starting a 2 hour a day Summer school program that day, so we'll have to gain permission. I'm interested to see what they'll say! lol After school, we'll be doing our regular daily routine, so shoes will definitely be off! Will you do the same?

Fun Homeschooling Project for Any Age

I frequently find inspiration for my ideas (or flat out steal them) from other people. This time around I stole an idea to share with you here. lol A friend of mine came up with the clever idea of having children create a movie poster based on one of their child's favorite books. I totally love this idea on so many levels!

It means our kids will read a book (usually a good thing, lol)...  then they'll use a few art supplies to share the book with the rest of the family. An alternative to a movie poster.... you could also have them make a comic strip of the book's highlights. My 9 year old has recently been creating his own stories (inspired by a fictional series he's reading) through comics. It's pretty cool and a great creative outlet.

Whether you have a new reader or a teenager, this could be a fun assignment. Pull out the paints and the crayons for your 6 year old, and perhaps the oils and a canvas for your high schooler and see what they come up with. My only recommendation would be that you allow them to choose the book. They're favorite story will no doubt stir up a lot more creativity than yours! No offense! lol

This is really the perfect Summer activity. Especially if you take the Summer off. I think we'd all agree that reading should never take a break.... and I'd bet most of our kids enjoy a good excuse to paint or break out the magic markers? This is something you can introduce that doesn't feel like school and isn't that the best way to learn? lol It's always been my favorite. :)

More Great News for Organic Gardeners

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SaferBrand. All opinions are 100% mine.

The timing of this post is especially pertinent to a situation I have brewing in my own backyard with the discovery of something feeding on my rose bush! I discovered this just yesterday, while cutting stems for our dining room table that something has infested my roses. I've never had this happen before (to this particular plant) and given it's the only flowering plant I have, I'm not willing to watch it die.

At the same time, I don't want to do anything to harm my children, who play just a few feet away. When I look for organic products, it's always with my family in mind. Isn't it awesome to know there are so many great products available today for people wishing to keep things as close to nature as possible? After all, if keeping things healthy and strong... and beautiful, without polluting our gardens is within reach, why not take advantage?

EndAll organic pest control spray protects your outdoor garden... whether you're planting tomatoes or trying to nurture those beautiful roses. Not only that, but also protects house plants! Any landscaping project will flourish under the care of EndALL insect spray.Say goodbye to aphids, caterpillars, harlequin bugs, and stink bugs just to name a few.

What type of products have I purchased in the past? I'm not usually comfortable with the options I find on  store shelves for destroying the life cycle of insects hoping to feed off my garden. Consequently, I've let things die in the past, rather than treat them. Despite the loss of many flowers and a couple of trees, we were always worried about the kids.... so we'd let things go untreated, then eventually cut them down. I don't have a lot of chemicals in our garage.

Just a few things I like about EndAll Insect Killer... it's affordable (and on sale) at just $7.50 for a 32 oz. bottle, kills 45 different insects (from egg to adult), and it's completely compliant with organic gardening.The product comes in a ready to use spray bottle, making it super convenient too. Nothing to mix or measure! Additionally, Safer Brand End All is OMRI listed.

Be sure to check it out today, along with all the other awesome products offered by Safer Brand!

My Computer is Back!

After a lot of persistence on my part and a little bit of luck (or help from above) I'm back online! I suspect I'm not completely out of the dark yet with my computer woes, but my speed is back and I'm able to access all my favorite sites, including Blogger. WooHoo!

It feels amazing to be back in the saddle again and despite having had a migraine since 4:00 this afternoon and having had to cancel dinner plans with a friend, I'm smiling. The migraine is nearly gone... just a twinge of pain in my right temple (it's always my right temple!), I'm feeling pretty healthy again. Having the computer behave for me only adds to that relief. Can I just say "ahhhhh".

Today was a LONG day, but a great one for my kids. We went to a child's bounce house slash party place this morning... I had each of them invite a close friend and they bounced and played for a good 90 minutes. No fighting, no complaining, no attitude... just a lot of fun. Tonight they went to a birthday party at a pizza place slash mini amusement park where they continued to get their sillies out for another 2 hours. Dad took them... mom stayed home and slept! lol Thank God for daddy's who are up to that sort of challenge.

I hope you're all having a great May! We don't have any big plans for Memorial Day, but my husband isn't working, which will be nice! Our youngest is having surgery in the morning to have her tonsils and adenoid removed, making having daddy home an extra day all the sweeter!

I'm signing out for now! Have some work to do, then I'm going to try and get some quality sleep with the hopes of a headache free tomorrow so I can give my little girl my full attention!

Good night!

Your 70 Calorie Mini Moment Indulgence

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.

What on earth is Wendy talking about now? It's hot outside, so I'm talking about cool, relaxing, indulgent loveliness that only costs me 70 calories. It's no longer necessary for me to drown in a sea of guilt when I go for chocolate (and uh... ice cream)... rather, I can truly and richly pamper myself while not increasing my waistline. After all... this is swimsuit season you know!

DOVE® Ice Cream Miniatures is celebrating ice cream and you by launching an exciting new contest open to women who LOVE the melt in your mouth loveliness of ice cream covered in real chocolate! Is that you? Of course it is, who are you kidding?

To enter, simply share your favorite mini-moment of escape by submitting a photo and mini-essay and you'll be in the running to win one of 3 mini-grand prizes, including the following: a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, Spa services for a year or you could win a mini-home makeover. Oh so many mini's!

So, do you take time for yourself during the day? PLEASE tell me you do! It really is ok to give yourself some time alone, time for a walk, time for some reading, or Internet surfing. Maybe time to take a friend out for coffee, or even time to file your nails without having children hanging around your neck or squirming in your lap. If anyone deserves some time to themselves, it's mom!

Dove Ice Cream bars have always been my favorite. The chocolate covering is like no other brand. I can't wait to try the miniatures and oh... by the way,  the timing of my purchase will perfectly align with my new diet which starts tomorrow. lol

"My Mini Moment" contest is open through June 7, 2010, so time is short! Make sure you click on over to DOVE® and get yourself registered! Please don't forget! Maybe your next mini-moment could be taking that photo and writing that essay!

Good luck and happy mini-moment to you!

Computer Woes and Summer Bliss

Agh! It's been a crazy couple of weeks. My biggest frustration to report is that my ANCIENT of days laptop (can you believe 10 years old?) hasn't been working all that swiftly and I've had a few Internet-free days. Despite multiple virus scans, clearing my history and cookies, and a lot of prayer, this computer hasn't wanted to work. I'm now thinking I'll have to find a way to raise $500 for a new laptop buying fund! If you find me selling anything here in the next few days... um, that will likely be why. Pathetic or clever?


Anyhoo... Anyone who knows me, knows that Wendy NEEDS her Internet... much like Summer needs rain. Like rabbits need clover. Like kids need milk. Oh, the pain! I haven't been able to access my favorite sites, update my Facebook page, register my children for local events, access emails, manage my work from home ventures.... and worse of all, I've not been able to pay bills online. What did people do before Internet again? I can't even remember. 

I've been ever so grateful to live within just a few miles of 2 public libraries, where I've managed to let friends know that no... Wendy didn't die. She's still alive and kicking, mostly kicking her laptop. I'm seriously ready to dig a hole in the backyard.

On a brighter note, our Summer break of sorts, officially started this afternoon! The kids will be attending a 5 week Summer course starting in June (just 10 hours a week) where they'll be taking math, computer, and art classes. They're actually looking forward to it... as of today. My son took some time before he was on board, but today I was delighted to hear him say, "Mom, I'm actually looking forward to Summer School." So, there ya go. My computer doesn't want to work, but at least the kids and my mommy ears are happy.

Ok.... so if you don't hear from me much over the next few days, it's likely because I couldn't get to the library. Or... it could be that I'm out pricing laptops and planning out to fit that expense into my ever tightening budget.

Field Trip Giveaway! Enhancing the Learning Experience of Children

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Lunchables. All opinions are 100% mine.

Homeschoolers can make any day a field trip day, and we often do, you know the old saying... "the world is our classroom"... but recent statistics show the number of brick and mortar schools eliminating field trips is up 56%. In our own district, we're facing a 14 million dollar budget cut for the upcoming school year.... can you guess what school activity will be first to go? Although we've not officially been told what exactly will be cut, I can't imagine they'll continue to offer field trips... not unless the PTO is financially able to cover the expense that is. I can smell those fund raisers brewing already.


If you're reading this blog as a homeschooler or as a parent considering homeschooling you know the benefits of learning hands on... the learning a child does outside the classroom is generally richer and more exciting than anything done in a classroom setting...  and I mean any classroom.

Lunchables Lunch Combination is offering deserving students (and they're all deserving!) an opportunity to travel with their classmates on exciting field trips through a new initiative called Project Potential with the goal of enriching the learning experiences of American children. 


Field Trips For All is easy to enter... any student age 6 or older can nominate his or her school by visiting the Lunchables website. It's a great way to show support to the school in your own district... even if your children aren't attending. Homeschoolers have many advantages not found in the traditional brick and mortar classroom. We get to take our kids out and about any day of the week and cater to their learning and interests in a very real and special way.

A total of 50 classrooms will be selected to attend a REAL life learning experience outside their own classrooms! What a great gift and surprise this will be for students who might otherwise not have the privilege or opportunity to visit a science museum, a zoo, or a historical site.

Here's a fun video introducing a group of children to this exciting program:


My children are nominating their own classes at the school they attend down the street... yes, we're no longer homeschooling. If you'd like to know why, check out the "About Me" section of this site to learn about our current situation. It just isn't the right season for us, but we'll likely start up again in a couple years when our oldest enters middle school.

Baby Moose and Mama in Sprinkler

Watch this amazing video with your kids... it's family friendly in every possible way and shows that even a mama moose loves her babies!

I can't even imagine living near moose! lol The wildest thing we ever see in our backyard, are birds, bunnies, and occasionally a squirrel. I've read about how dangerous moose can be, so I'm glad the individual operating the camera kept their distance. Especially given this particular moose is with her babies. I wouldn't want to see anyone give her a reason for those protective instincts to kick in!

You'll love this video... which starts with one baby, then another, followed by mama... all looking for a drink and a shower. What an amazing scene!

You School From Home... Why Not Gift From Home?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of FriendGiftr. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have a graduate to shop for, or perhaps a couple who just announced their engagement? Maybe it's that nephew who's going to be celebrating his 8th birthday in a couple weeks... oh, and don't forget your dad. If he's like mine, he's incredibly hard to shop for, but you know he'd have no trouble finding something at his favorite retailer. So that means a gift card might just be in order.

I love that I can purchase gift cards for my favorite people without leaving my home and with 120 merchants to choose from, there's something for everyone on my list. FriendGiftr allows you to shop directly from their website, Facebook, your iPhone or Blackberry... or perhaps your Android, if that's what you carry! lol Whatever your method, you've never found an easier way to buy gift cards.

You'll find favorite restaurants and retailers and what's more... if you get that part of it wrong... let's say you choose Old Navy and your sister really prefers Macy's, she can exchange it with FriendGiftr without any trouble... meaning at no cost to her. Also... she won't have to worry about making you feel bad, because you'll never know. Everyone will be happy!

Gift cards are one of my favorite things to receive and with this easy service, they're one of my favorite things to give too. Did you know you can personalize your gift too? Go check out the service and be sure and bookmark the page so you'll not loose track of it! Happy giftcard giving!

Remembering Our Backyard Bunnies

Today while at my children's TaeKwonDo class several people shared that they currently have baby bunnies in their backyard. I suspect we may as well... but so far we've not stumbled onto a nest. As cute as they are, the lawnmower situation keeps me praying every year any expecting furrball will opt to dig a nest in another part of the neighborhood!

A few years ago I snapped these shots of what the kids and I came to call our "Backyard Bunnies". Every year we find an adult rabbit living on our property, but haven't found any nests since this one. Oh, but they were cute!

I wanted to share the photos we took a couple weeks before we had to relocate the babies.... which we felt were old enough at that time to survive on their own... that after a bit of online research. :) Gotta love the Internet!

So cute!

This one is my favorite!

It's Mother's Day and I Need an Asprin

Not that one has anything at all to do with the other... well, the motherhood might, but not the holiday. lol

My precious 9 year old son howled, screamed, and cried (unceasingly and at the top of his lungs) for a good 2 hours this afternoon over a homework assignment that he was struggling with. Trust me when I share that we weren't torturing him and everyone (his little sister included) tried to help him with this 1 page writing assignment, but he was so overwhelmed by the task, he couldn't contain the frustration, which eventually turned into a kind of rage. Telling him to put the assignment down didn't work either given his anger wasn't so much that he'd been asked to do this assignment, as it was that he didn't feel like he could.

It's no doubt the Asperger's Syndrome (autism spectrum) rearing it's ugly head again. My son is an awesome kid who deals with a lot of anxiety and gut-wrenching emotion... he's easily overwhelmed by things like homework assignments because some of what he's asked to do doesn't come all that natural to him. By this I don't mean that he has to study harder than another student, I mean he's being asked to process information in a way his brain isn't naturally equipped to do.

For example, he has a great deal of difficulty with inferencing.... which basically means he struggles with communicating to you what he's read... what it meant, how the character's in a story were feeling, what their motives might have been and the like. However... he can read a reference book on Star Wars or parasites (two of his favorite topics), and basically recount word for word what he read. He seems to understand it too... well about as well as any 9 year old would. Then again, he's telling you what the book said in "their words", so maybe he doesn't get as much from the books as I think he is.

Anyway, my head hurts and I'm very tired. I really think my son needs to be on anti-anxiety meds, but can I share that these medications scare me? I don't know what to expect long term, or short term for that matter and I hear stories of children becoming depressed on these meds. I've also heard enough people placing judgment on parents who medicate to make me feel like a giant heel for considering it, but if you only knew the depth of his despair and how often we see it. He wakes up with high anxiety and takes it to bed with him every night. I refuse to believe this is good for his growing body and in fact, anxiety runs in our family. I had it as a kid too and it was paralyzing. As an adult I take an anti-anxiety medication and I function about as close to normal as I think a person can get. Off of the medication I have panic attacks and sleepless nights. So, throw in that lovely piece of family history along with Asperger's diagnosis and my son must really be suffering.

It's been a long afternoon, but I finally convinced my son to put down his assignment. He's quiet and content at the moment, playing his Nintendo DS, looking much like any 9 year old boy would. His homework sits on the dining room table still bearing the scars from having been crumbled up in a ball, but 2/3rd's of the way completed. I'll take whatever I can get. He's in 3rd grade testing at the 7th grade reading level, yet this assignment, which was given to a group of 9 year olds, caused him such despair I'm pretty sure there are burn marks behind his ears where the sparks were flying only 1 hour ago. The assignment? He was asked to form questions (why? what? where? when? and how?) along with answers from chapter 10 of Charlotte's Web, and it nearly caused him to self-combust. Forming his own questions from a chapter of a fictional story is hard work for this child.

Big yawn!! Big stretch and I'll just close by saying, Happy Mother's Day! Whatever your kiddos have thrown at you today, the good, bad and the ugly, give them a great big hug and remember what a blessing you've been given. I had to hug my son a couple dozen times before he decided to stop pushing me away, but he finally calmed down. lol Life isn't perfect, but I'm still going to call it good.

Take Yourself and a Friend to Dinner for Mother's Day!

Maybe not on "the day", but why not treat another mom to dinner at her favorite restaurant? That's what I'm doing tonight! I had the idea the other day when I was out walking with this friend, and we started talking about how we tend to get overlooked on Mother's Day.

Some mom's don't get a lot of recognition for all the hard work and sacrifice we lovingly serve up each and every day to our families. The fact that you're not doing it for a day of recognition, is only more reason you should be recognized! In a world filled with a self-serving mentality, we as moms are unique in that we constantly give... almost as if we were programmed to function that way! lol At the same time, we are only human and SHOULD be recognized, respected, and honored.

So with that said, I decided to start an annual tradition by taking a friend out to dinner each year the Wednesday evening preceding Mother's Day... as to not interfere with any potential family plans that may pop up on Sunday! lol

If you can't think of a friend to invite, maybe take out a sister, cousin, a favorite neighbor, Sunday school teacher, or perhaps even a babysitter. Have a great time and don't forget to honor your own mom on Mother's Day!

Lots of love!

The Joy of Thumbprint Art

Are you looking for a really simple art project with a very real personal touch? I recently discovered thumbprint art, which is exactly what it sounds like! Get your thumbs ready! No thumb is too big or too small to create a one of a kind masterpiece.

You'd be surprised what a simple ink pad and a thin black pen or marker can produce. If you're like me and don't love paint (I'm just a bit too anal to handle the mess), ink pads, baby wipes and a thin marker are a welcome find.

I've shared a photo (with permission) of a very cute example of thumbprint art. I'll eventually supply my own photo. Mine wouldn't be as pretty if I posted today as all I have is a black ink pad and the artwork is oh so much more lovely when you have pretty colors. I need to hit the craft store!

Here's a great link and it's on one of my favorite sites... Squidoo!!! I have several Squidoo lenses myself.
Visit Thumbprint Art and just see what you and your children can do together! Maybe have them make a few thumbprint flowers for grandma in a Mother's Day card?