Shannon's Shared Feed

Pros And Cons Of Homeschooling

(author unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:37:34 -0700

Shared by PHAT Mommy
Lots of interesting info here. Some I agree, some not.

Explore the pros and cons of homeschooling from parents with years of experience.

Lapbooking - A Few of Your Questions Answered

Suzanne — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:00:16 -0700

I’ve had several people (real life and this here life!) ask about our lapbooks. What are they? What do they look like? Where do I come up with ideas? Do the kids like them or are they just a Mama-thing? How much do you they cost? How do you fold them? Are they just for little people or do older kids do them too? What do you need to get started? And these are just a few. So I thought I would answer some of those questions. And start showing off my kids’ work a little along the way.

What are they?

A method of homeschooling. Or supplementing any other learning (public, private, or just free time fun stuff). The are basically scrapbooks that kids make. You can print off little “components” (see, I’m even gonna give you some lingo, so you feel “in the know”!), have the kids fill in the information, and glue them in file folders. Yeah, just those plain boring manila kind that you can buy a whole bunch for very little money at your local get-it-all store. Typically you refold the folders to where they open up like shutters in the front, but that depends on the lapbook and your preference. It’s a great place to keep their work (I’ve suggested them to my public schooling friends who don’t want to trash all that paperwork their children bring home from school).

What do they look like?

They look like little booklets that unfold and hold lots of cutesy pictures and fun folded paperwork.

Where do I come up with my ideas? And how much do they cost?

You can buy very cool preprinted packages from some very trustworthy and amazing places. A Journey Through Learning and In The Hands of a Child are great examples. I’m cheap and prefer free. That means a little more work on my part, but not much. My favorite site of all and great place to get started is HomeschoolShare. Wow. Free, constantly updated, exhaustive, and organized. Really, for homeschooling what more could you ask for?! You can go explore their site, but if you’re looking for the shortcut straight to the list of lapbooks they offer go here. Their lapbooks are then either listed exhaustively or broken down by age. They have lapbooks by topic (for instance lizards, the human body, and honey bees) and literature-based lapbooks (we’ve done Winnie the Pooh and Some Bees, The Mitten, and If You Give A Mouse A Cookie just to name a few). I love both, but am probably partial to the literature-based just because I can cover so many subjects in one place.

How do the kids feel about them?

Mine love them. And I have 2 boys and a girl ranging in ages from 7 down to 4 who currently participate in them. They like picking them out or seeing what surprise one I’ve picked out for them. They enjoy doing each component, and since mine are still so small I usually put them all together at the end for them, and they love that completed surprise when it’s all over. And here’s the amazing part, after about a year of doing them, they’ve started asking to go back through them. At bedtime it’s the number one asked for item over books or toys. When they see a show about a book or topic we’ve covered before they run to get that lapbook to look through it again.

Are they just for little learners or for older kids too?

As I said my kids are all under the age of 8, but they have some pretty advanced and very cool chapter book lapbooks, as well. And I look forward to turning over the entire putting-togetherness of it when they get just a bit older. I think you’ll be surprised what all’s out there for both genders and all ages once you start looking into them.

How do you fold them or the oft-heard “That’s very cool, and you make great ones, but I would never be able to figure out all that folding” ?

There are such great resources out there that take you step by step in the process. Remember, it’s one little fold and one little component at a time that eventually adds up to one whole complex cool lapbook. Don’t get overwhelmed by the finished products. At HomeschoolShare they have a whole section on blank resources if you care to do them yourself or expand on the lapbooks they have available for you. When you click on an already prepared lapbook each component is listed seperately so that you may pick and choose the items you want to include in your lapbook. With those items you print are instructions of how to fold them. They also include pictures at the end of each section to show you what their completed lapbook looks like. But it’s always just a suggestion. And I’ll always take comments or emails and talk you through any place that you’re stuck.

How do you know just how much to include or when you’re through with one lapbook?

This is a good question. You can play by the rules and print off the whole list and when you work through it, well, then you’re done. I’m not a good rule follower. I go by my kids’ levels of concentration. I pick components I think they would like (or let them pick), print them off, and have them on hand. I’m not a great planner or stick to it-er once I have a plan, so maybe I’m not a great one to ask. Or maybe I’m the perfect one to ask. You pick! Either way, this is how I do it. I print off the things I want, we jump in one morning and get started, when my kids start losing interest for the day, we quit. Then we do some more the next day. And we keep going as long as they show interest and aren’t fighting me on it. When they seem through, I quit, put it all together, and give it to them like a present. If they show more interest than I have printed items for, then I go get creative. I go to sites like Enchanted Learning (a paying site for the premium stuff - $20 a year last I checked, but very trustworthy, legitimate, and a WEALTH of resources), an awesome site full of free stuff is Jan Brett’s site, I do a search for the topic we’re working on, and/or there are usually related extra resource sites at the end of each lapbook on HomeschoolShare with lots of free printables to add to your finished project. This is yours and ultimately you’re in control of all of it!

How much do they learn, does it cover enough, and do you use it a your sole curriculum?

Hmm… Depends on who you ask, but since you asked me, I’ll answer! My kids have learned a ton and have retained nearly all of it. Really. When they see something in real like that reminds them of a once-covered lapbook they get excited and start reminding me about what they learned. It can be your sole curriculum and cover enough if you’re dedicated. They are great as a companion to Five In A Row. I have one friend who uses Abeka and plans to use these to kick off or wrap up each 6 week series they start. I have another friend who wants to use these mostly during the summer and do their “regular curriculum” during the “regular school year”. It’s up to you. Homeschool Share even has a scope and sequence checklist for the things you might want to cover with your child according to grade. Print that off, make a plan, work through it. And you have an entire school year ahead of you, if you’re that organized and so inclined. If you are, I envy you and dream of being you some day. For me, I’m kinda lazy. Or kinda busy (at least that’s what I tell myself, though I have a sneaking suspicion it’s more the former). So we do lapbooks according to their desires and fill in the blanks with workbooks and textbooks when I get tired of lapbooking (yes, it can happen, even for an enthusiast such as myself), or run out of one of the necessary items to lapbook.

Which brings us to another question I get..

What do you need to get in order to lapbook?

This is a running joke amongst my lapbooking friends and myself. Just go buy stock in glue sticks, printer paper, ink, and file folders now. I’m kidding. Kind of! Depending on how many lapbooks you do, how often you do them, how many children you have and how many of those children either contribute to one large combined lapbook or each have their own you may very well find yourself at one of the super mega supply stores buying in bulk. But when you consider the price you pay for curriculum or other fun learning projects then the price is nominal. If you’re a beginner I suggest you buy a pack of file folders (I buy the manila ones because I’m cheap - we have painted and decorated them before, but mostly just leave them plain, however, they do have colored file folders if you desire); several glue sticks (I like the sticks over the liquid, because when you’re doing that much gluing - your paper will tend to wrinkle - and well, that just drives me crazy); a pack of printer paper; a pencil; and some colors, markers, or paints; those brass brad things are handy, but not always necessary; a stapler; and sometimes you may want some clear contact paper for the things you want to keep “just so”. As with most things, they can be as simple or as elaborate you want.

An example of a simple literature-based lapbook my 3 year old daughter did is What Will You Wear Jesse Bear?

And an example of a more elaborate exhaustive topical lapbook is the Volcanoes lapbook my 5 year old son did kindergarten year.

Have questions I haven’t covered? Sites I haven’t mentioned? Or want to show off your own awesome lapbooks? Please do! We’d love to hear from you.

Suzanne is wife to one and mama to four and a half. The little ones are 2 boys ages 7 and 6, a girl who’s 4, a wild toddler boy who’s 2 and new baby boy expected this October. She eclecticly unschools with lapbooks the Charlotte Mason way. In other words, she doesn’t have the slightest clue what she’s doing, but does it anyway. She lives in a world where there are few absolutes. The dishes don’t stay cleaned, the laundry doesn’t stay put away, the children don’t remember what she told them yesterday. But in their chaotic lives they have found joy. And they’d love to share that with you. So, come on over, kick a path through the toys, have a seat on the couch and grab a cup of strong coffee. Just be ready to hone your skills of “interrupted conversation”! And be sure to stop by her personal blog at TheJoyfulChaos.

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Technorati Tags: all ages, curriculum supplement, educational supplements, FIAR, Five in a Row, Hands of a Child, Homeschool Share, homeschooling, how to lapbook, Journey Through Learning, Lapbooking, Projects, scrapbooking

I Don't Care About Your Kids and I'm Not Really All About Mine Either (via feedly)

(author unknown) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:19:28 -0700

Here's the funny thing about mommyblogs, the good ones are about mommies. Sure they include a few posts now and again about the kids that make that woman the mommy she is, but for the most part, they're not about the kids. They're about the struggles those kids put her through, but not about the kids themselves. Because? As George Carlin once said, "I don't give a fuck about your kids. That's why they're yours!"

And really, truly we don't. Do we? Care about other bloggers' kids? I don't.

I don't want them to run out in front of a car, or jump from a third story balcony, or drown in the community pool. I care about them to the extent of not wanting them to die, but lets face it that only rates them right about equal with the neighbor's dog on my list of priorities. Unless we're talking about the neighbor's dog down the road to the west, in which case they rate a bit higher because I'd like to run that little fucker over with my car. Twice.

No, really. Twice.

But I digress, it's about not being about the kids. And it applies to real life too. What I've observed is that the good mommies, the mommies I want to hang out with, the mommies I want to be? They're not about the kids. They have kids, hence the title 'Mommy', but they're not about them. They're about the hot lifeguard they saw at the pool, the kickass documentary they watched during naptime last week, and if I'm lucky they're about a mojito and a long day in the sun. And it doesn't make them just good mommies for me to drink myself out of stress with, either. They're damn good mommies at being mommies for it.

And you know what, so am I.

I'm not about the kids and mommy isn't my only title. As a matter of fact, it's not even the one I bear most proudly most of the time. It's not the one I mention first, it rarely defines even a portion of me, and that's OK. It's really, really OK. I love my kids and I make more sacrifices for them everyday than I have ever made previous to them in my life; probably more than I ever will again. But those sacrifices, if I'm to be honest with myself, are only a marginal part of those days. They're not worth dwelling on. And those kids? They're not what defines me. And so, yes most of the time I don't have much to say about them. They're doing well. They're growing, they're learning, they're making me go gray. They're doing all the things kids should do and man is it an amazing thing to watch, but lets do eachother a favor, next time we get together lets not talk about that. Lets talk about the cute waiter, the sinful chocolate cake we both want for desert and the best book of the year that just came out. Because yes, we're mommies, but we're women too and don't we deserve a break from being about the kids sometimes?

Or if you think I'm a terrible mother for even thinking these things and can't help yourself but talk about your kids and all their accomplishments, at least try not to blame me when my eyes glaze over and I bury my head in my margarita, knodding only occasionally. I warned you, after all. I just don't care about your kids and I'm really not all about mine either.

Call me what you will.

Secular Homeschool

(author unknown) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:35:46 -0700

Shared by PHAT Mommy
Represent.

Secularhomeschool.com aims to be your one-stop shop for all things homeschool! We will be highlighting information about wonderful secular homeschool resources, and keeping you up to date with what is going on in the world of secular homeschooling.

10 Best Homeschool Blogs : Parenting : Life : Blogs.com

(author unknown) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:23:05 -0700

Homeschool Blogs, Links & Giveaways

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:21:33 -0700

Time for some homeschool links! I have a guest post up at blogs.com listing the Top 10 Homeschooling Blogs. I listed some of my favorites, but I’d love to hear about yours. Leave me a comment with the URL of your favorite homeschool blogs.

Now, let’s talk giveaways.

Journey2Learn has a 2009 Schoolhouse Planner~Review & Give Away. This planner looks pretty amazing, with 375 pages of forms, resources, and even recipes.
ChoosyHomeschooler has an ongoing Wednesday Winner Contest. Just subscribe to their newsletter to be entered to win something new every week.

And I’ve got some excellent workbooks to give away. Summer Bridge workbooks consist of daily activities in reading, writing, mathematics, and language arts with bonus activities in science and geography for grades Pre-K through 8th. The books include flash cards, incentive contract calendars to keep kids motivated, and a certificate of completion. My daughter begs me to do this workbook every morning. I think we might be through the “summer activities” in two weeks!

I’ve got three to give away. (Winners will let me know their child’s grade level and the appropriate book will be sent to them.) Here’s how to enter:

Leave a comment with a link to your favorite homeschool blog or online education resource — need not be specific to homeschooling! (one entry)
Twitter this page as follows: @phatmommy is giving away three Summer Bridge Activities Workbooks that will keep your kids sharp over the summer. http://bit.ly/6YaqO

(one entry)

Giveaway will close on July 5th at midnight ET.
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Blogging is back? ORLY

(author unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:05:15 -0700

Who cares where the audience is? I don’t. Now thanks to working on my FriendFeed aggregator you’ll see my words whether I write them on Wordpress, on Tumblr, on Posterous, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Flickr, on Upcoming.org, on Building43, on YouTube, or a number of other places.

Homeschooling goes from fringe to mainstream in US - Yahoo! News

(author unknown) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:23:46 -0700

"But while socialization is a big problem in homeschooling, it's the opposite of what you might think: there's too much of it,"

Do I Really Want My Daughter on TV?

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:17:41 -0700

I have just 4 days left to make a decision.

There is this contest. For kids. Kids who might want to be on a PBS show called Raggs. Raggs is looking for “animated, talkative and clever kids,” which clearly defines my daughter.

I’ve taken some video of her. I just need to put it together and submit it. But I have all these nagging feelings. Do I really want my daughter on TV? What if she is chosen and we go to a taping and she hides behind my leg, or cries, or is just generally uncooperative? On the flip side, what if she’s fantastic and we’re bitten by that “show biz” bug? This is honestly what I’m most afraid of. I’ve always wanted to be in show business. My dreams as a little girl were of becoming a rock star or a dancer on Broadway. I’m not sure I wouldn’t get completely obsessed with getting her auditions, commercials, photo shoots… Do I want that life?

Perhaps I’m getting way ahead of myself. It’s just a PBS audition. I can take things one step at a time, right?

Only 4 days left if you want to enter your child. I’m still not sure if I’ll enter mine.Similar Posts:

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(author unknown) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:33:56 -0700

To Blog Or Not To Blog?

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:20:33 -0700

I almost quit blogging this past week.

Whenever I spend time traveling, on field trips, or working on projects around the house, I come back to my computer and wonder if this blogging gig is a good use of my time. It’s definitely not a big money-maker, so it’s more for my own personal satisfaction and quiet time. Which is fine, but there are so many other things I want to do that would also fill that need. Scrapbooking. Traveling. Photography. Gaming.

I’d love to have a blog that is a “business.” Something I can brand and promote and make money from. And I’ve tried (half-assed) to do this several times, but I’ve always felt too scattered. I have this “mommy blog,” but then I have a few other blogs about other topics and I can’t keep up with them all. Being the perfectionist that I am, it makes my brain explode and I just end up throwing my hands in the air and not focusing on anything.

I’ve been working on ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog and it’s already helped me see that I need to make some changes. I don’t know what will become of this blog. I don’t know if I have it in me to turn this blog into a place where I share resources for homeschooling parents and discuss how blogging and the internet can help them find community, support and information.

And… haven’t you read this exact same post on this blog several times before… ?

So I thought I might just close up shop. Then I thought I’d just stick with one blog. Then I thought maybe I’d try to re-brand. Then my brain exploded and I threw my hands up in the air.

Decisiveness is not my strong suit.
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What I Learned From Preschool

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:00:32 -0700

Most readers of this blog know that I homeschool my children. Many also know that I sent my daughter to preschool this past year. Now that preschool is over, several people have asked me if I’ll send her on to kindergarten in a traditional school. My answer is no.

Preschool was fun. Playtime, with some education and social etiquette thrown in. It was a good experience for our whole family and it actually taught me to more fully embrace homeschooling. I learned that as much as I yearn for more “me” time, I like being with my kids and sharing their learning and growing process. There were several times that Cassie shared something she learned at preschool and I’d get this prickly feeling, like, “Oh, you learned that? I wanted to teach you that.”

I did consider sending her to school. I don’t “get” my daughter the same way I “get” my son. Our personalities clash. And the arguing that goes on between my kids makes me want to find a way to separate them permanently. But none of this is a valid reason to put my kids in school.

A valid reason might be believing that they would thrive and be challenged and be taught to think independently and pursue their passions. But I don’t believe that would happen. I believe they’d learn to mock or shun kids that are different or younger than they are. They’d learn to memorize facts to pass a test and get a good grade. They’d likely learn to be bleeding-heart liberals. And would I be any less stressed? I doubt it. If preschool is any indicator, I’d have my hands full helping with homework (that I’d be pissed off about because subjects weren’t being taught properly), field trips (that I’d rather do on my own in a more leisurely fashion), parties, assemblies, fundraisers and other responsibilities that come with attending a public or private school. And I’d know much less about my kids.

I homeschool my children because I believe they’ll be better off. And because I want to. For awhile I wasn’t sure that I wanted to. But I am now.

So thank you, preschool. It was an interesting ride. But I’ll happily give up the early-morning rush, getting homework in the backpack, scouring the house for a show-and-tell item, and packing up snacks and craft items and permission slips. We do that once a week when we have our homeschool co-op. The rest of the week we’re happy to have leisurely mornings in our jammies before moving on to our field trips and playdates. And the learning? With just a little suggestion and a rich environment, it happens all the time. It’s beautiful, natural, and pretty darn exciting to be a part of.

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Operation Baby Bear

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:12:34 -0700

When my daughter was born my Mom bought her a stuffed bear with a blanket for a body. As soon as Cassie was old enough to know what it was, it was dubbed “Baby Bear” and carried around everywhere. It is well-loved and still in pretty good shape, except for the paws that are nearly dismembered and the silky ribbon on the bottom which has been worn to shreds and fallen off.

Being the (somewhat) crafty Mom that I am, I brought my daughter to Michael’s and had her pick out some silky ribbon. I pulled out my sewing machine and prepared for Operation Baby Bear. When she first saw the sewing machine, needles, pins and scissors, she was pretty nervous.

But she got over it quickly enough and wanted to help.

I sewed a new, shiny, silky ribbon on the bottom. Cassie wanted “hot pink” instead of a lighter pink that matched.

But we used light pink for the paws. They look a little Frankenstein-esque, but are soft and silky nonetheless.

And tonight, all is well in the world again.

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A "Common Standard" for Homeschoolers? [via feedly]

(author unknown) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:15:46 -0700

Shared by PHAT Mommy
Be afraid...

President Obama is justifying the violation of the Constitution and the take over of education by declaring that it is "inexcusable" for the United States to have 50 standards for education. Today's system of 50 different sets of benchmarks for academic success means 4th grade readers in Mississippi are scoring nearly 70 points lower than students in Wyoming -- and they're getting the same grade

Heart of the Matter Online - bridging the gap between child and parent

(author unknown) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:52:18 -0700

To Whom it May Concern, No, I am definitely not. More patient, I mean. The mere mention that I am homeschooling my children seemed to bring up a barrier

Haircuts and Today’s Update

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:05:18 -0700

Yesterday was haircut day. My daughter got her first major haircut. Doesn’t she look so grown up?

My son got a haircut, too. But he was all like, “I’m just too old for this blogging about my hair thing, so leave me out of the photos.”

Cassie and I played a new game yesterday called “Kung Fu Bubbles.” According to my daughter, this is a game where “two girls, who are twins, fight bubbles with their army powers!” We blew bubbles and tried to pop them with our Kung Fu, wonder-twin, matching haircut awesomeness.

Update on the Life/Blog Happiness Project, days two and three: I didn’t run or Shred yesterday because I cleaned a good portion of my house and my pool. I also pulled our garbage can up our long, steep driveway which is really very similar to doing two to three sets of leg extensions and hamstring curls. I smiled a lot and I only yelled once because I still have not mastered how to hold my temper with a snotty tween who insists on picking on his younger sister for no reason at all. I did Shred this morning, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get a run in for a few days because of this incessant rain we’ve endured for, oh, I don’t know, a month?

As for the Build a Better Blog Challenge, my task was to write a list post. So go check out my post on Five Kindergarten Math Resources. Today’s task is to promote that post, so how about a Stumble or a Tweet after you read it?
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Five Kindergarten Math Resources

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:07:56 -0700

Did you know that in 1992 Mattel released Teen Talk Barbie who spoke a number of phrases including “Math class is tough!”? Well, that doll was recalled and we all now know from Danica McKellar that math is neither tough, nor does it suck. (I really love Danica. Loved The Wonder Years and love her. She’s way cool.)

Since my daughter is only 4 1/2, I can’t yet get her the book Math Doesn’t Suck, but I can work with her on some fun kindergarten math activities.

Maths Is Fun: We love the picture addition worksheets — a great way to introduce basic addition to your child.
Number Time:Unique math worksheets including number ladders, number stories, sequencing, and more.
SoftSchools: Generate your own worksheets and online games, personalized with your child’s name.
Kindergarten Math: Lots of simple games your child can play online.
HomeschoolMath.net: Suggests games, activities, worksheets and goals for kindergarten math. The concepts presented here seemed easy for kindergarten level, so this article may also suitable for preschool math.

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Principled Discovery » How should homeschoolers communicate in the public square?

(author unknown) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:47:22 -0700

If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? –Psalm 11:3

LBHP Day 1

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:17:05 -0700

LBHP: That’s the Life/Blog Happiness Project.

Today, I was a Rockstar.

Health: Walked/ran 1.5 miles, per Couch-to-5K program. Did Jillian Michaels’ 30-Day Shred. Drank only water and coffee and stayed well within my calorie limit.

Happiness: Smiled more - even when my kids were fighting. That really throws them.

Blogging:

Started commenting on the SITS community web sites. Just takes a minute to spread some comment love and discover new bloggers.
Per ProBlogger’s 31DBBB, I wrote an elevator pitch for my blog. Here goes:

PHAT Mommy brings parenting, homeschooling, and technology together. I share resources for homeschooling parents and discuss how blogging and the internet can help them find community, support and information.

At least that is what I’d like my blog to be. Having that elevator pitch will help me to define and develop my blog with a clear goal.

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The 30-Day Life/Blog Happiness Project

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:58:52 -0700

Most of my life I’ve been mistaken for someone in a bad mood. I think it’s genetic to some extent (um, Hi Mom!) because my sister has the same issue (um, Hi Sis!). When we answer the phone people ask us, “What’s wrong?” We just have gloomy dispositions. And I’m sometimes anxious and overwhelmed and not particularly social.

I was never particularly bothered by this facet of my personality until I started noticing it manifesting in my children. After reading a magazine editorial that said, “Smile more. Your face speaks volumes to your child,” the truth I’ve always known was driven home once again: What you model is way more important than anything else you do in raising your children.

And there’s the issues of my weight (not happy with it) and my career (need to commit and focus).

So today I am starting my 30-Day Life/Blog Happiness Project. My goals?

Lose weight, eat better and continue working on the Couch-to-5K program in anticipation of the BlogHer 5K.
Consciously work on being more calm, patient and happy.
Follow ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.

Every day I’ll post an update of how I’m doing. It’s a lot of work to change life-long habits, but perhaps with accountability and the help of a wonderful blogging community (not to mention a supportive spouse), my children can soon see a happier, healthier face when they look at me.Similar Posts:

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Answer to: Who Stumbled me? :: Plain Jane Mom

(author unknown) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:24:11 -0700

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Sweet little tip I never knew about!

Easy way to find out who Stumbled your site.

Unschoolers on Twitter [via feedly]

(author unknown) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:09:42 -0700

LinkWithin - Related Posts Widget with Photo Thumbnails

(author unknown) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:35:03 -0700

How My Daughter Stole My Pillow

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:31:55 -0700

Here’s a little secret about me: I sweat a lot when I sleep. My theories include perimenopause, stress, or perhaps erotic dreams that I unfortunately do not remember. Whatever the cause, it’s annoying at best and disgusting at worst.

So I was interested in trying out the Protect-A-Bed Pillow Protector when the opportunity came my way. According to Protect-A-Bed:

Your body can lose up to 2 pints of moisture for every eight hours you sleep. This excess moisture creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites in both your mattress and pillow.

Ewww. The Protect-A-Bed pillow case (they also have mattress covers and crib protectors) is designed to prevent this breeding and cut down on allergies, asthma and eczema. It’s made of a soft terrycloth that I thought might not be comfortable, but it really is.

I slept on the pillow cover for exactly 3 nights. Then my daughter stole it.

“Honey, I need to sleep on this pillow so I can review it on my blog. It’s Mommy’s work.”

“But it’s sooooo soft and cuddly. I neeed it.”

There’s an endrosement for ya.
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Register Now for the BlogHer 5K Fun Run

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:48 -0700

What: BlogHer 5K Fun Run

When: Friday 7/24, 6:30 am

Where: Chicago Lakeshore

How: Register now! The 5K is limited to 50 people and we’re halfway sold out!Similar Posts:

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The Book

(author unknown) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:18:09 -0700

the deliberate dumbing down of america is a chronological history of the past 100+ years of education reform.

Thoughts on School Choice

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:13:29 -0700

It’s been awhile since I engaged in a good “debate” on homeschooling. After commenting on A Dad First’s response to an anti-homeschool article, I started clicking around the web and came across some gems.

Here is school reform advocate John Taylor Gatto:

“If you gave children and families (schooling) options … inside of a decade the institutional schools would vanish because they don’t teach the way children learn nor can they teach the way children learn. That’s not what they’re set up to do … They’re set up to sort people into occupational categories…”

Hat tip to Muse with Indy Jane.Similar Posts:

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And So It Ends

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:42:36 -0700

(digital scrapbook page by Shannon)

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Join Us For the BlogHer 5K Fun Run! | PHAT Mommy

(author unknown) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:07:46 -0700

On Friday, July 23rd, 2009, at 6:30 am, I'll be facilitating a 5K Fun Run at the BlogHer conference in Chicago, IL. You can walk or run. There will be no

A Dad First...: In Response to The Case Against Homeschooling

(author unknown) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:43:37 -0700

I would gladly pit the overall educational standing of homeschooling to that of public schools any day. Oh, wait...that's already been done. Homeschoolers win.

Takeover Advertising: Would You Do It? : Jessica Knows

(author unknown) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:40:41 -0700

Shared by PHAT Mommy
"I'm not a tool." Heh.

There’s been some whispers around the blogosphere that an ad network is talking about engaging their publisher partners (read: bloggers) in takeover advertising.

30-Minute Brand Building for Twitter | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

(author unknown) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:11:39 -0700

Here’s a 5-step guide that walks you through exactly what you need to do – spending 30 minutes or less per day branding yourself on Twitter.

American Capitalism Gone With a Whimper by Stanislav Mishin

(author unknown) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:44:37 -0700

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American descent into Marxism is happening with breathtaking speed, against the backdrop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.

Geek Jokes Turn Me On

Wed, 27 May 2009 07:08:06 -0700

Husband: “Remember our trip to Gettysburg?”

Me: “Yeah.”

Husband: “Didn’t we go camping then it rained?”

Me: “No idea. I thought we just drove around the area on our way home from somewhere else.”

Husband: “No, we were camping. Then we hiked all around Gettysburg. You don’t remember anything.”

Me: “But you have to ask me 5 times what is happening tomorrow. My brain is full of the stuff I have to manage day-to-day. I have scrapbooks to help me remember the past.”

Husband: “So it’s like you are RAM and I am ROM.”

I love that man.
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The ‘Minority Card’ Played Properly

Tue, 26 May 2009 10:42:29 -0700

Alternate Title: Unlike Sarah Palin, Sonia Sotomayor’s Vagina is an Ace Kicker, Not Her Whole Hand

More than six months post Election-2008 firestorm, the minority candidate card is being played in the political game once again. This time two-fold. This time properly.

I like to think we’re not so removed from the near political past that we’ve forgotten the sickeningly blatant play for pseudo-female acceptance – or old-horny men’s votes, or perhaps a combination of the two – that was made by the GOP when McCain fingered Sarah Palin for the VP spot on the presidential ticket. So, this morning when President Obama officially introduced his nominee for Supreme Court Justice, New York judge Sonia Sotomayor, a small part of me danced a little jig of happiness on the inside; even if we did all know at least some political smearing was imminent.

With the titles Prosecutor, Corporate Litigator, Trial Judge, and Appellate Judge all under her belt, if the supreme court was a poker game Sotomayor would come to the table with a full-hand of experience to play from. Raised in a Bronx public housing project, she was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight. Just one year later her father, a factory worker with only a third grade education, passed away. Her mother, a nurse, worked six days a week thereafter to support both Sotomayor and her brother.

Sending them to Catholic School, Sotomayor’s mother, a Puerto Rican immigrant who came to America with their father during WWII, believed with a good education her children could accomplish The American Dream; and that they did. Sonia later went on to study at two of the nation’s best universities, Princeton and Yale Law School before launching her bright legal career. Her brother is a successful physician in New York.

In short, Sotomayor, not only a woman but a Puerto Rican woman, has the gender, minority ethnicity, and life story to play; but more importantly the experience to back it up. To put it in Sotomayor’s own words, she is “an ordinary person blessed with extraordinary opportunities.” To put it bluntly her gender nor ethnicity are expected to land her the job. They’re just a bonus; as they should be.

Because, being nominated to grace the bench of the Supreme Court of the United States of America based on having earned the credentials to prove she can do the job well while being a Hispanic woman, not because she was born a Hispanic woman? That’s furthering women in politics; that’s progressing minorities in leadership positions. And that’s something everyone should be able to get excited about.

Diana Prichard is an independent feminist political junkie living in rural Michigan with her husband and two daughters. She gets overly excited about progress for women in society, and overly fired up about ass-hat political moves that hinder that progress – and never lets them go. You can read more mundane musings at her parenting blog Of The Princess and The Pea or at her newly launched, self-titled personal blog Diana Prichard.

Buying a Nebulizer is Tougher Than Getting Through Airport Security

Fri, 15 May 2009 01:41:30 -0700

Last week I had to buy a nebulizer for my daughter. While she hasn’t been diagnosed with asthma, she does have “respiratory sensitivity” that turns every simple cold into an alarming event in which I end up sitting on the bathroom floor holding her while the shower runs hot for half an hour to steam up the room and help her breath.

So the doctor gave me a prescription for a nebulizer. My health insurance won’t cover it, so I’m thinking I’ll just walk into the medical supplies store and pick one up. Not. First I had to fill out paperwork. Three pages of medical background and personal information. The woman then told me to “take a seat” and she’d be back in a few minutes. Huh?

She went back to her semi-private office area in the back of the store and starting typing away on her computer. She calls questions out to me every now and then. What county do I live in… Was my daughter actually diagnosed with anything… She’d need to copy my health insurance card… After 15 minutes, I reiterated that my health insurance is not covering this and was all this paperwork necessary? Oh yes, she says, “for my protection.”

TWENTY-FIVE minutes later she comes out with several pages of printout from what looks like the old dot-matrix printers with the little holes down the sides that you have to tear off. She busily starts separating all the copies and asking me to sign. I have to sign that I DON’T want them to submit to my insurance company. I have to sign again that I fully understand I am buying this product WITHOUT expectation of financial compensation from any insurance company. I have to sign two sets of instructions on how to use the machine. I have to sign that the store employee opened the box and demonstrated the instructions. Then I have to wait while she gets a respiratory nurse on the phone to explain the instructions yet again. And, oh, then I have to sign that… you guessed it… the respiratory nurse spoke to me and I understand the instructions.

Forty minutes later, I am allowed to give her my credit card and purchase the damn nebulizer. Well, at least I didn’t have to take my shoes and belt off.

And getting the government more involved in health care is a good idea? Similar Posts:

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To Serve Man, You Must Obey

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:37:57 -0700

First, go read this: GIVE/SERVE Act: Increased volunteerism or back door for grade school indoctrination?

The GIVE/SERVE Act is making its way through the Senate as I type. Part of this legislation calls for the creation of Youth Engagement Zones which would require children to participate in “service learning” and mandatory government service programs as part of their school curriculum. It also slyly imposes several restrictions on what these children can do during participation in these programs.

Oh, and it’s completely unconstitutional. But, pshh, who cares about that silly old piece of paper anymore?

Conservatives are calling the legislation “creepy” and references to Hitler, Orwell, and even a Twilight Zone episode, “To Serve Man,” abound. Michelle Malkin writes:

Especially troublesome to parents’ groups concerned about compulsory volunteerism requirements is a provision in the House version, directing Congress to explore “whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.”

What this says to me is the government is attempting (again) to mold our young people to their liberal agenda. “Strengthen the social fabric of the Nation?” Turning our kids into liberal cogs does nothing to strengthen our social fabric, it only serves to make big government stronger. Tell me why we need to force people to volunteer? And not only volunteer, but contribute $6 billion to help the government force them to volunteer?

If you post about this on your blog, leave a comment here so I can link to you.

Exposed: The GIVE Act Bans Religious Activities for (Mandatory) Participants

Missouri: Ron Paul Supporters Are Possible Terrorists

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:46:31 -0700

A report designed to help Missouri law enforcement agencies identify militia members or domestic terrorists flags things like third-party bumper stickers and possession of subversive literature. I understand the need for law enforcement to be aware of the facts (the report is said to have come from “publicly available, trend data on militias”) but where do we draw the line and prevent irrational profiling? As military veteran Tim Neal says in the article:

“If a police officer is pulling me over with my family in the car and he sees a bumper sticker on my vehicle that has been specifically identified as one that an extremist would have in their vehicle, the guy is probably going to be pretty apprehensive and not thinking in a rational manner,” Neal said. “And this guy’s walking up to my vehicle with a gun.”

Going John Galt on Colbert

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:15:54 -0700

My good friend John had his web site “Going John Galt” mentioned on the Colbert Report! You can check out the video here – it’s about 3 minutes into the show.

From John’s site:

In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, the novel’s hero John Galt leads a secret strike of the most productive citizens in an America where productivity and freedom is no longer valued. The strike is an act of rebellion and self-preservation, fueled by Galt’s crucial insight that their enemies’ only weapons are the ones the strikers produce for them. By recruiting more and more strikers, Galt precipitates the ultimate collapse of American society.

In a nutshell, John is proposing that a calculated work slowdown will demonstrate that the government can not continue to take and take and take from the productive citizens of our country.

I am thrilled that more and more people are considering Ayn Rand’s philosophy. How about you? What do you think of Going John Galt?

Revolution Now!

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:24:35 -0800

As the Feds Spend On, A Revolt is Rising

“Now is the time for all good taxpayers to turn the tables on free-lunching countrymen and their enablers in Washington. Community organizing helped propel Obama to the White House. It can work for fiscal conservatism, too.”

Love how Michelle Malkin is donating pork products to these protests.

What About Bob the Builder?

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:51:04 -0800

As in, did you know that everyone’s favorite construction cartoon this side of Handy Manny is now the star of his very own stage show? The 90-minute musical extravaganza has an environmental theme and includes Scoop, Dizzy, Lofty and the rest of the gang.

A trip to a live show makes a great gift for a child: The experience will be a memory they won’t soon forget, and you keep yet another toy from clogging your home. To find when Bob the Builder is coming to a city near you, check out this TicketMaster Web site.

And if Bob’s not your thing, there are many other “ticketed” events to that make great gifts, from rock concerts to Broadway shows (Telecharge.com), to ice shows to Monster Truck shows to hockey games to. . . well, you get the idea. Not only does your loved one get treated to live entertainment, but they’ll get to spend some quality time with you. And after all, isn’t that the greatest gift?

And hey, a giveaway! We have two tickets to Bob the Builder Live! Spud’s Big Mess on May 30, 2009 at 2 p.m., at the Beacon Theater in NYC. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us the best live event you’ve ever seen. Good luck!

The sweepstakes has ended. Congratulations to winner Jackie H.!

Heart of Rock ‘N Roll

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:57:34 -0800

The difference between a dozen roses and a cookie bouquet? Both are edible, I suppose, but only one is as sweet as your sweetheart.

Prices vary based on number of cookies; $51.99 as pictured. Prices range from $7.25 (one cookie) to $88.99 (12 cookies)

Baby Love, My Baby Love

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:20:18 -0800

Your baby may be oblivious to the commercialization of February 14 we call “Valentine’s Day,” but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have something soft and smooshy to chew on. Heart rattle from Yellow Label Kids (also available in yellow and blue), $8.99 at Oompa.

It Only Goes To Show What Little People Can Do

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:59:09 -0800

Back in the day, Fisher-Price Little People were actually little. Heck, they were originally made out of wood. And they made Little People versions of Sesame Street characters. And I had to walk 3 miles in the snow uphill (both ways!) just to get to the toy store to buy them.

Over the years, the Little People went through several changes–the current larger folks bear almost no resemblance to the originals, long since abandoned due to choking concerns. But now, Fisher Price has released 50th anniversary Little People sets very much like the originals. . . only not as little. . . ’cause, you know, the choking thing. Available are the farm, schoolhouse, and house set (a Target exclusive). All are portable, providing big on-the-go fun for your little person. (Target, $14.99)

‘Cause He’s Always Trying To Get You Into His Pants. . .

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:25:19 -0800

Personalized boxer shorts, $19.99 at Snapfish.

Super Gifts for the Super Bowl

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:51:18 -0800

With less than two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII, you need to get your party plans underway. Surprise your party host with these Referee Shirt Foam Drink Holders, $1.56 from Super Bowl Fun. Or you can’t go wrong with a “nearly life-sized” Chocolate Football, $59.99 from The Popcorn Factory.

Then there’s this awesome Ultimate Pepsi Super Bowl Party Pack! And thanks to Pepsi, one lucky winner will have it in their hands in time for the Super Bowl. To enter to win, leave a comment below and tell us who you are rooting for – Pittsburgh or Arizona? (GO STEELERS! -Ed.)

The Party Pack (valued at $250) contains:

1 football
1 beverage pail
1 snack helmet
2 key chains
2 hats
2 t-shirts
5 Pepsi 24 pack coupons
5 Frito Lay coupons

This sweepstakes is now ended. The winner will be announced shortly.

Happy New Year!

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:11:26 -0800

Happy New Year!

I know I’ve been gone for a while. . . let’s call it winter vacation at Gift U. I hope everyone had a great holiday and that you found some great gift ideas here (or elsewhere). What was everyone’s favorite gift to give/receive? I’ll start. . .

I know I’ve mentioned Savor, a popular Etsy soap shop, many, many times, but I simply love soapstress Lisa’s “Creme Fraiche”–whipped soap in a jar available in scrumptious flavors like Blood Orange Granita and Creme Brulee. Lisa’s inventory is constantly changing–you can find a calendar of her upcoming listings here. I bought several mini-sized Creme Fraiche–they are a perfect air-travel appropriate 2 ounces each–for my mother and sister for Chanukah, and they were a big hit. I definitely plan on giving more of these as gifts this year. ($4 for minis, $11 for most 8-ounce jars)

My sister really liked her copy of Here’s the Story: Surviving Marsha Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick ($17.13, Amazon). I’m hoping it will be followed by Pork Chopsh and Applesawce: Peter Brady Speaks Out, but I won’t hold my breath.

As for myself, I think my favorite gift (other than the Toshiba laptop I purchased with my gelt) was the giant ceramic mug I requested at the last minute. If you know someone who always seems to have a mug of tea or coffee or cocoa or Postum or hot Pepsi or whatever floats their boat, a giant mug for oversized beverages are great. (You can find many hand-thrown ones on ETSY; you can also find ceramic mugs at any grocery store, drug store, Target, etc.)

The gift that may have changed my life the most, though, is the Peek my father gave my mother. The Peek ($79.99) is a portable device for e-mail, and nothing else–no phone calls, no Internet, no games, no airbags, no espresso maker, no time machine. . . you get the idea. Service costs $19.99 a month. Why has this changed my life? Because now my mother can e-mail me any mundane message she wants, from “I’m heading to the butcher and I hope they have cornish game hens” to “Please e-mail your father to let him know who played Rooster in Annie; also, who played Daddy Warbucks.” (Answers: Tim Curry, and Albert Finney. DUH.)

Please, people. Don’t put this technology in the wrong hands.

In the coming weeks, follow Present Professor as we switch gears to Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, SuperBowl Sunday (ok, some of these aren’t gift-giving holidays, unless you’re a president) as well as great ideas for the everday gift-requisite events in your life. Also look for the return of the giveaway. . . and don’t forget to Ask Present Professor if you need a great gift idea. Have a great 2009!

Make a Top Posts List

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:15:17 -0800

There is a good post here about the importance of maintaining a Top (or Best or Favorite, whichever you prefer) Posts list on your blog. Todd writes:

Think of your best posts page as a sitemap for new users to check out your style. There are two things that will get people to subscribe when they visit – Personality (about page) and style (best posts page). Personally, it takes me less than five minutes to decide if I’ll ever visits a blog again and subscribe with bloglines. Please make a good impression to your first timers.

Indeed. With all the amazing blogs to read, determining which ones to follow can be a daunting task. First impression and accessibility to the best content helps convert casual visitors to loyal subscribers.

Since I use Wordpress, I can point you to a couple excellent plugins you can use to automate your Top Posts list.

Popularity Contest for Wordpress
Top Posts by Category for Wordpress

While plugins are super, sometimes your most visited/commented posts are not the ones that say the most about you or your blog. In that case – or in case you’re using a blog platform that doesn’t offer a good plugin – it’s simple to manually add links to your five or ten favorites posts in your sidebar. Just choose your best posts and put the links in your sidebar.

And don’t forget about that About page. Give your readers a little background on who you are and why you are blogging. If you reveal your personality and highlight your best content, subscribers will follow.

Finding Images For Your Blog

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:31:51 -0800

It’s a well-known fact that a blog post with a photo has more appeal, at least initially. Do you often find yourself spending more time looking for a photo than it took you to write the post to begin with? Here are some great ways to find photos to use in your blog posts.

Microsoft’s Clip Art: When I hear the words “clip art,” I’m prone to envision cheesy one-color illustrations or animated smiley faces. Not here. This site has a quality selection of graphics and photos to use on your blog.
Stockvault: Free stock photos, decent selection.
123 Royalty Free: Very nice selection of free images. Images stay on the site for 30 days, then expire and new images are continually being added.
Stock.xchng: Another free stock photography site. Also offers photos for as little as $1 each.
PicFindr: Useful site that searches several sources of free stock photos simultaneously.
The Photodropper Plugin: It searches for Creative Commons licensed photos – images that are licensed for shared use – and lets you drop them into your posts – right from your dashboard with just one click.
Flickr: Until recently, I had no idea that there were photos on Flickr listed under a Creative Commons license, allowing you to use them on your blog with proper attribution. It might take some searching, but you could find something useful there.
iStockPhoto.com and Dreamstime: While not free, I have to mention these awesome sources of stock photos. You’ll find high-quality graphics here and most cost as little as $1.

Photo attribution: pointnshoot’s photostream.

Originally posted at Blissfully Domestic.

Get More Out Of Google Reader: 5 Easy Tips

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:26:06 -0800

Google Reader is one of the most popular feed-reading tools on the web. If you are still reading blogs by visiting the sites one by one, you are missing out on a lot of time-saving functionality. Give Google Reader, and the tips below, a try.

1. Use the bookmarklet. In GReader, click on “manage subscriptions” and then “goodies.” Scroll down and drag the little “subscribe” button to the bookmarks toolbar. When you are on a blog you want to subscribe to, simply click the bookmarklet in your toolbar and you will be forwarded to GReader for subscription options.

2. Make use of the folders. If you are adding feeds to GReader and simply seeing a long list of items to wade through, you’re sure to be overwhelmed. I have a folder for A-list blogs – the ones that are most important to me – and I check that folder first. I also have folders by topic: Moms, Social Media, Blogging Tips, Homeschooling, Friends, and News. When I subscribe to a new feed, I add it to my “Testing” folder. I monitor these feeds for a week or two to see how often they are updated and if the information continues to be of interest to me. If I decide to keep the feed, I’ll then decide what folder to place it in. To set up folders, click on a feed, then select “feed settings” from the upper right corner of the page. You can then add the feed to an existing folder or create a new folder.

3. Try keyboard shortcuts to make navigating GReader faster and easier. Some of the most common shortcuts include:

j/k: item down/up
o: open/close item
s: toggle star (another tip: use the star to track items you want to go back to or blog about)
m: mark as read/unread

There’s an in-depth article covering keyboard shortcuts at LifeHacker.

4. Tweak GReader. For two-click subscribing, bypassing iGoogle’s choice page, changing fonts, and maximizing items on the page, check out the Better GReader add-on for Firefox.

5. Use Feedly Feedly is an awesome Firefox plugin that turns your Google Reader feeds into a personalized magazine-like home page. It offers several other perks such as sharing, annotating and managing your feeds.

I’ve heard people say they dropped GReader because they were overwhelmed by seeing the “1000+ new items” to read every day. I encourage you to read this post on Making the Most of Your RSS Reader, which says, “Life’s too short to worry about it, aren’t you glad you read what you were able to find the time to read?”

Originally posted at Blissfully Domestic.

Shannon's Shared Feed

Pros And Cons Of Homeschooling

Lapbooking - A Few of Your Questions Answered

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Secular Homeschool

10 Best Homeschool Blogs : Parenting : Life : Blogs.com

Homeschool Blogs, Links & Giveaways

Blogging is back? ORLY

Homeschooling goes from fringe to mainstream in US - Yahoo! News

Do I Really Want My Daughter on TV?

Of The Princess and The Pea: Peace - or Not - In Public Schools

To Blog Or Not To Blog?

What I Learned From Preschool

Operation Baby Bear

A &quot;Common Standard&quot; for Homeschoolers? [via feedly]

Heart of the Matter Online - bridging the gap between child and parent

Haircuts and Today’s Update

Five Kindergarten Math Resources

Principled Discovery » How should homeschoolers communicate in the public square?

LBHP Day 1

The 30-Day Life/Blog Happiness Project

Answer to: Who Stumbled me? :: Plain Jane Mom

Unschoolers on Twitter [via feedly]

LinkWithin - Related Posts Widget with Photo Thumbnails

How My Daughter Stole My Pillow

Register Now for the BlogHer 5K Fun Run

The Book

Thoughts on School Choice

And So It Ends

Join Us For the BlogHer 5K Fun Run! | PHAT Mommy

A Dad First...: In Response to The Case Against Homeschooling

Takeover Advertising: Would You Do It? : Jessica Knows

30-Minute Brand Building for Twitter | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

American Capitalism Gone With a Whimper by Stanislav Mishin

Geek Jokes Turn Me On

The ‘Minority Card’ Played Properly

Buying a Nebulizer is Tougher Than Getting Through Airport Security

To Serve Man, You Must Obey

Missouri: Ron Paul Supporters Are Possible Terrorists

Going John Galt on Colbert

Revolution Now!

What About Bob the Builder?

Heart of Rock ‘N Roll

Baby Love, My Baby Love

It Only Goes To Show What Little People Can Do

‘Cause He’s Always Trying To Get You Into His Pants. . .

Super Gifts for the Super Bowl

Happy New Year!

Make a Top Posts List

Finding Images For Your Blog

Get More Out Of Google Reader: 5 Easy Tips

I Don't Care About Your Kids and I'm Not Really All About Mine Either (via feedly)

A "Common Standard" for Homeschoolers? [via feedly]