Unique Family Vision

The Ultimate Field Trip by Disney

2012-02-15T09:51:00.000-06:00

Homeschool Family Owned and Operated

Making Dreams a Reality since 2005

Announcing The Details of The Ultimate Field Trip!

Now enjoying our 8th year of Fun at Walt Disney World® Resort.

In 2012 we're partnering with The Homeschool Lounge and Magical Mouse Schoolhouse to bring you the best Disney has to offer!

Breaking News!! Steve Barrett (author of the Hidden Mickey Guide and also known as the Hidden Mickey Guy) will be our special guest at the Mega Meet!

Getting To Know The Group

This year The Homeschool Lounge has provided us with an online group where we can chat freely in relative anonymity from the non-homeschool world. You can also interact with us on Facebook, Twitter and of course, by emailing us directly. We welcome your questions and comments and every opportunity to improve and grow to meet the needs of our attendees.

Grabbing Educational Opportunities
We have great (free!) options for all of the families attending provided by Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, where Disney IS School. Not only that, they will help us provide multiple fun and friendly educational options for you to explore at home before your trip.

Our Resort of Choice for 2012

Disney's Pop Century Resort!

No one is required to stay in the same resort to participate in UFT 2012 - but it does increase your chance of participating in spontaneous pool time, bus line and food court fun!

Sample Pricing for your family can be found here.
Get exact pricing for FREE by requesting a no-obligation quote from one of our team.

We apply every discount available to your package at first opportunity - even AFTER you have booked!

As soon as you're serious about considering The Ultimate Field Trip, your first step is to Get a quote for YOUR family with multiple resort options onsite and links sent to your inbox to look at pictures of each resort. We want you to have what is the best option for YOUR family!

About Our Events

All of our events are 100% optional. We do have a completely free, online sign up, which allows us to plan well and make sure there are an adequate number of giveaways for our attendees, but we recognize that for many families this is a trip packed full of amazing options and it may not be possible to do everything!

Dinner at Pepper Market
September 3, 2012

Prior to our Mega Meet, many families will be enjoying dinner at Pepper Market. We'll have multiple hosts set up to greet families as they enter Disney's Coronado Springs Resort and head over to enjoy a meal that's one of the best values on property, with excellent food prepared to suit every palate, allergy and preference.

UFT Mega-Meet

September 3, 2012

Our opening event in 2012 will be held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center in a private room. Our annual Mega Meet is where every family is able to pick up their itinerary hot-off-the-press, commemorative giveaways and specialty items created just for their children. This years Special Guest is Steve Barrett - The Hidden Mickey Guy!

Magic Kingdom® Park Scavenger Hunt

Meet up with other families for the Magic Kingdom® Park Scavenger Hunt! We'll be gathering together in one location and heading out in teams. Families will be given the option of staying together as a unit or sending off their teens for the teen-team.

Magic Kingdom® Park Dole Whip Drop In

Super casual yummy fun can be had at the Dole Whip Drop In, created by popular demand! We'll meet in Adventureland and share the treat as a group.

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot

We'll be saving space as a group and getting goodies.

Illuminations is a breathtaking fireworks, laserlight effect, music and spectacular nighttime event! The only thing that could make it better is enjoying it with your family and UFT friends!

- As we grow and chat with our attendees, secure sponsors and keep an eye on Disney happenings, we will add events. Final dates and times for all events besides September 3rd events (which will remain as planned) will be announced when Park Hours are released and you will be able to sign up for events at that time.

Update! Park hours were just released! UFT Events will be updated on our website this week! Your assigned agent will let you know as soon as we have our online sign up available for you and your family.

Carol Beth Scott - Founder of the Ultimate Field Trip & Owner of 3D Travel Company

www.3DTravelCompany.com

CarolBeth@3DTravelCompany.com

469-396-8952

Emailed by The Homeschool Lounge

Call to Action: Email Your Swedish Embassy

2012-02-14T20:42:00.002-06:00

How You Can Help

Instructions for finding and emailing your Swedish Embassy are below.

Select your country from the online list.
A website for the Embassy of Sweden in your country will open.
Locate the “Contact us” section on the website
Email or write a letter to the appropriate email or postal address listed.
It is appropriate to address your email or letter to the Swedish Ambassador. The proper salutation is “Dear Mr./Madam Ambassador.”
* If you mail a letter, please address it to:
His/Her Excellency [Name of Ambassador]
Address Line 1
Address Line 2, etc

Swedish homeschoolers have explicitly asked their fellow homeschoolers around the world to contact Swedish officials. Sweden continues down a dark path of totalitarianism in education. Although it is likely there are fewer than 100 homeschoolers in the country of 9 million, Swedish officials appear to be vigorously seeking to stamp out the small community. Over the past three years authorities have used a variety of measures including harassment, hefty fines, referral to the courts, and threatening to or actually removing children from the home.
Jonas Himmelstrand, president of the beleaguered Swedish Association for Home Education, says there is a need for as many emails and calls as possible from all over.
“We ask our fellow home educators to email the Swedish authorities on a mass scale about the situation in Sweden,” said Himmelstrand. “We want to let Swedish officials know that their actions have drawn international attention. Please write to the Swedish embassy in your country on our behalf and state that it is a mistake to equate the compulsory education requirement with mandatory school attendance. Banning homeschooling is against all international conventions on human rights.”
Himmelstrand and his wife had homeschooled their three children for multiple years before authorities in the municipality where they live denied them permission in 2008. The Himmelstrands currently face fines in excess of $26,000 in U.S. currency for their choice to homeschool. HSLDA and the Alliance Defense Fund have filed a brief in a Swedish appellate court on behalf of the family. However, their local municipality is now seeking to force them to pay the exorbitant fine, even though their case is being tried at the Kammarrätten (appeals) court.
The Angerstigs are another family who have endured persecution for their decision to homeschool. Lisa Angerstig, an American with a master’s degree in business who is married to a Swede, has homeschooled her children several times with permission in recent years. She ran into trouble when the Uppsala government suddenly decided to prohibit her from homeschooling her older son in 2009. A court verdict stated that their son had to go to school and that the parents would be fined as long as he stays home.
The alarming case of Domenic Johansson warns of the serious threat from Swedish authorities. In June 2009, Swedish police forcibly removed then 7-year-old Domenic from his parents, Christer and Annie, without a warrant, placed him in state custody, and have not yet charged the Johanssons with a crime.
Other families who have faced persecution have already made the difficult decision to flee their homeland and move to nearby Denmark, Finland, or Norway, where homeschool freedom is much greater.
The Hammarnejd family, who fled Sweden, told HSLDA: “We assessed our options. We could stay and fight. Or send our kids to school. Or … move from our homeland. Other families we knew had already left Sweden and moved to different countries. They had no problem home educating, as long as it was outside Sweden.”
Michael Donnelly, director of international relations at HSLDA, explains the gravity of the Swedish situation and the pivotal opportunity for homeschoolers around the world to support these families.
“Homeschooling is legal in the United States and in many other countries only after decades of tumultuous legislative and legal conflicts,” he said. “Swedish families are now fighting for their basic rights. Please support Swedish homeschoolers and send the Swedish embassy in your country a respectful yet persuasive email as soon as possible, explaining how homeschooling has worked for your family and calling upon Sweden to allow parents to choose home education. The right of parents to choose the kind of education their children receive is a fundamental human right recognized by Article 26, part 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Full post emailed from the HSLDA

My eBook has Launched!

2012-01-30T16:38:00.004-06:00

I'm SO excited to introduce my new eBook,
Keeping His Way Pure.

It's available as a PC Download RIGHT NOW as well as on Amazon for your Kindle!

Visit the site now to read reviews, testimonials and information on how this eBook can help you in guiding your son (or daughter) into purity.

If you would rather, you can buy right from here for only $4.99.

Don't have a PayPal account? Add to Cart and then click the PayPal button and you will have an option for paying with a credit card/debit card at the sign in area for PayPal.

Thank you!

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-06:00

mLm

Let's face it - Mondays can be hard. The kids just don't seem to want to start school for the week and our stress levels can reach a high before noon.

MadLib Mondays is here to help!

What is it?

A weekly Link-Up for you AND your kids.

What to do:

1. Anytime during the week, hop over here and copy the MadLib that my daughter has written to your blog. Take the whole week for your kids to work on it, but have it ready to post by the following Monday.

2.Show up on Mondays (beginning at 6:00 a.m. CST) and post the link to your MadLib post using our link up tool.

3. Allow your kids to visit the other linked up blogs and see what their kids came up with. Same story-totally different experience. Let your kids leave comments on others posts.

4. If you and your kids enjoy it, spread the word about MadLib Mondays via Twitter, Facebook, or any of your favorite networking sites.

5. The next day, Tuesday, a NEW MadLib will be posted to work on for the upcoming Monday. Come back and repeat steps 1-4. :)

Let's put some laughter back into Mondays!

Has anyone ever told you about the time a country produced the largest burrito?

It was a very adjective day. Same country created a burrito that was number with unit of measurement tall! They put everything possible on it! From noun(s) to noun(s). Then from animal(s) to bug(s). Exclamation!

People came from all over the world to see it. Male Celebrity also came, but nobody even paid attention to him because the burrito was so adjective.

One day, the makers of the burrito said that if somebody could ever eat fraction of the burrito, they would be given a noun as a prize. Person after person tried.

The challenge was so big, that even celebrities started pouring in to try. Celebrity, Celebrity, and even Celebrity tried. Nobody could even come close until...male cartoon character showed up. He verb(ed) and verb(ed) until his noun grew number times the size it was originally!

In the end, he finished the challenge and was given the noun(prize from above). He was so emotion that he had won! It was a adjective day that we will always remember.

mLm

It’s LOL fun!

CRC Ratification SET FOR NOVEMBER 20, 2012 (THIS IS BAD!)

2012-01-26T13:39:00.001-06:00

If you haven't gotten involved by now, please consider getting involved by spreading the word, signing the petitions available and donating to the cause. If you are a parent, this concerns YOU! You can click on the picture and watch the short film.

Target Date Set for CRC Ratification Proponents of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) have set a target date by which they would like to see it ratified in the United States: November 20,2012. That date is the anniversary of its adoption by the UN General Assembly back in 1989.

Last month the Child Rights Campaign began pushing online petitions calling on the President to move for CRC ratification. Tuesday, Time ran an online opinion piece by Lawrence Cohen and Anthony Debenedet calling for the United States to ratify by November 20. In the piece, they name our organization and then provide some misinformation to convince readers we are wrong.

Clearly, our opponents have no intention of letting up. They are pressing to make ratification happen before Obama – and their best opportunity – are gone.

That is why we must continue to stand against them. And we need your help.

The CRC purports to protect children, but would replace fit parents with government bureaucrats and judges as the first line of defense for our kids. In addition, it would take family law authority away from our states and make it an international treaty obligation at the federal level.

This is because under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, any ratified treaty becomes the supreme law of the land, and the judges in every state are bound by it, regardless of conflicts with federal law or state laws or constitutions.

Cohen and Debenedet cite Reid v. Covert to contend that our concern is false because “no international treaty has the power to override the U.S. Constitution.” But this ignores the fact that parental rights do not appear in the Constitution; they are implied rights found in the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court in Reid v. Covert addressed rights not expressly in the Constitution, such as parental rights, thus: “To the extent that the United States can validly make treaties, the people and the States have delegated their authority to the National Government, and the Tenth Amendment is no barrier” 354 U.S. 1 (1957).

Sadly, the CRC is supported by international organizations with billions of dollars in assets (and with access to outlets like Time magazine), while we must depend entirely on the support of individual donors – people just like you who understand the dangers of letting the government decide whether fit parents are making the best decisions for their children.

We must continue to fight for free families and free U.S. courts, no matter how deep the pockets of those who oppose us. As they are turning up the heat, we need your help to meet strength with strength.

First, please make as generous a donation as you can right now. We must make certain this treaty is not passed. To give, simply visit parentalrights.org/donate or call us at 540-751-1200 (8:30 - 5:00 EST).

Then, pass this on to everyone you know. The freedom of parents to raise children according to their own convictions, and the authority of U.S. states to pass family law without dictates from the federal government or an overseas committee, hang in the balance. Preserve America’s future by supporting the Parental Rights Amendment today.

Sincerely,

Michael Farris

NEW MEME! MadLib Monday!

2012-01-22T20:06:00.001-06:00

Let's face it - Mondays can be hard. The kids just don't seem to want to start school for the week and our stress levels can reach a high before noon.

MadLib Mondays is here to help!

What is it? A weekly Link-Up for you AND your kids.

What to do:

1. Show up on Mondays (beginning at 6:00 a.m. CST) and copy and paste the MadLib that my daughter has written to your blog.

2. Before posting on your website, have your kids fill in the blanks, all the while, practicing their grammar without even realizing it!

3. Come back and link up on this website.

4. Take your kids on over to all the other linked up blogs and see what their kids came up with. Same story-totally different experience.

5. Spread the word about MadLib Mondays.

Let's put some laughter back into Mondays!

Messy Mondays: Seven Lies About Homeschoolers

2012-01-17T15:32:00.000-06:00

I know this has been posted a bunch today - all over, but it's cute...just in case you hadn't seen it - Enjoy :)

Are you a Left Brainiac or a Right Brainiac?

2012-01-08T21:55:00.001-06:00

Via: Online College Advice

Free Typing Class

2012-01-02T16:59:00.000-06:00

I have looked at several free typing classes online, but we have never stayed with anything. Today, I decided to get serious about my 8th grader learning the proper typing method. She types very fast, but it's her created method and I'm afraid that will limit her in the real world. With the world's focus being on computers and not on hand writing, I need to give it priority.

Here is what I found and so far, I really like it. The site offers a teacher's portal. You sign up, add your students, and then they log in with the username and password you created for them. You can check in on their progress and view reports.

It's totally free. You can upgrade if you want for a small fee, but I don't think that will be necessary. If you use it, let me know what you think!

Typing Web

The Secret to Fulfilling the Dream

2011-12-29T11:01:00.000-06:00

Do you have a dream? I do. In fact, mine started out as an actual dream (while I was sleeping) when I was in 7th grade. I didn't realize it at the time, but that simple dream became something I would strive to achieve for years to come. In fact, before I said "yes" to my husband's marriage proposal, I made certain that the dream I had was something he felt called to do as well. It was~ so I said "YES!"

One day I think I will write a book (or just complete the one I have started) on our dream together as a family. We have certainly seen many difficulties. Sometimes, we have felt completely isolated and it seemed that while everyone around us was enjoying success, we were the only ones experiencing disappointment after disappointment; so much so, that the people around us began to tell us to just give up on our hopes. That was a very low time for me.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph found in the book of Genesis beginning in chapter 37. When I learned that his time spent in prison wasn't just a quick stint, but actually 10 years, it really resonated inside of me. I felt my time in the "wilderness of despair" was lasting too long. I began to wonder if I was being punished for something, something I didn't do...kind of like Joseph.

Joseph didn't have the hindsight we have looking at his story. In fact, no one in the OT did. Yet, Joseph remained like a rock, firm in his trust in God. He had been stripped of his beloved father, his not so loving brothers, and his chance at being a leader (remember his dream??). Now, Joseph was a mere slave in Egypt. He didn't have the lens we have when viewing his story. He didn't know that God was always at work and had never forgotten him. He didn't know that this was the process by which God would bring his dream to reality. He didn't know that God's favor never left him for one moment.

One thing that struck me was Jacob's quote when the brothers came back to collect their brother Benjamin and take him to Egypt to comply with Joseph's command. No one knew that this was Joseph who was calling for this, so it put Jacob in complete turmoil and he said, "Why does this always happen to me?"

I have said those words! Yet, from our perspective, we can see that God wasn't just making Joseph's dream come true, but Jacob's as well. He was about to be reunited with his favorite son, a son he thought was dead for years. Yet, he complained and refused to budge. I can truly relate.

I love the Bible. It reveals my lack of faith and distrust and sets me back where I need to be. It reminds me that His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are better than mine. I need that reminder ALL the time.

What's more, what I believe inside about God affects my children's belief in God. That means I need to be VERY careful what words I let come out of my mouth even if it is not completely directed at God. Kids are smart! They can connect the dots. They will be the first to see when we are not trusting in Whom we tell them to trust.

Oh, I have made some mistakes in this area, let me tell ya! I am so grateful God lovingly brings back His Word to comfort me. I am SO thankful that while Joseph was going through such a dark time in his life, that he remained faithful and through his faithfulness, his story encourages us all thousands of years later.

I feel so loved by God when I realize that all those years ago, God wasn't just accomplishing something in Joseph, but He was thinking of me and setting the stage to accomplish great things through me as well.

I will never give up hope in my God. Now others can say about me one day:

And they can say that about YOU too. Why do we believe we can? Because we know Whom we have believed in and we are persuaded that He is able to keep that which we've committed unto Him against that day!

Do you realize that in ONE day, Joseph went from a slave to the most important man in Potipher's house? In ONE day, he went from a prisoner to a prince? In ONE day, his dream was fulfilled and in ONE moment, he was the instrument that saved ALL of the world from famine. This illustrates one of my favorite quotes, " God takes forever to act suddenly".

In the midst of the wait, follow the example of Joseph. He never complained, he just trusted. He took on whatever situation God put him in with strong conviction and did it all with excellence, even while he was in the dungeon. He never gave up and always hoped. Dream big, believe God can and will, be patient and no matter what, never give up hope. That is the secret to fulfilling the dream. If God put the dream within you, it will happen in ONE moment.

Linking up with Meghan and using the word "Fulfill" for my plans this year. It might be my year :)

Another Chance

2011-12-26T11:47:00.002-06:00

photo credit

I love the new year. The end of the year is a chance to let go of things past, re-prioritize, set new goals, and look to new opportunities.Many of us do this personally, but how many of us do this as a family?

*Let go of things past*

It seems that everywhere I look, people are making jokes about family stress during the holidays. I'm not talking about stress caused by grief and trying to figure out how the holidays are supposed to look without the ones we love. I mean the petty disagreements and old hurts caused by one another in times past. Families get together and struggle through their celebration of Jesus' birth. The focus is on ourselves and what makes us comfortable or uncomfortable instead of on Jesus and the fact that He came into the world to give us a second chance. Christmas should be about extending the grace God to one another and forgiving each other in those areas where we have hurt each other the most. It's a new year coming up...a new and second chance to offer that grace to the ones we love the most.

*Re-prioritize*

This one affects me. I seem to always lose sight of my priorities during the year. The busyness of life just catches up to me and though I am constantly trying to find that "home base" throughout the year, I find that I get most fired up January 1st. This is where I am able to make the most of my commitments and where I can pump myself up to try again. I stop beating myself up in areas where I have messed up and it's truly a new beginning for me. I always reset my priorities in my time with God, my time with my family, and my focus on what is eternal instead of the temporal. As far as our family goes, we re-prioritize all year round. My husband and I talk about it all the time, so that helps. How about you? What do your family's priorities say about you all as a whole? Do you see issues in your children? Your spouse? If your family members need to work on re-prioritizing, consider sitting down together and discussing it as part of a new tradition on New Year's Day. That way they can learn to do that in their personal lives too.

*Set new goals*

I love the idea of setting new goals, but to be honest, I am terrible at it. This is different than re-prioritizing. I think of re-prioritizing as setting things straight in our minds and hearts, but goal setting is taking it a step further, making new commitments and writing them down so that they are in front of us all year round. They are what hold us accountable and the fact that I lose site of my priorities is a clue that I am not good at setting goals. One of my goals this year, is to set goals. :) I especially want to do this for our family. I want to be more intentional with sitting down with them and discussing the goals we all have as a family. I have written about it, but my follow through has lacked luster. But that is OKAY, I am letting go of it and starting fresh! Lord willing, I plan on sitting down with my family and setting family goals this year. I hope that in July (Christmas in July), we will sit and take a look at them and see if we are hitting the mark or if we need to make some changes. Do you do this as a family or just as a personal discipline? If not, consider extending that to your entire family so they can learn how to set goals and follow through being held accountable by each other. To know more about that, you can visit a past post: Goal Setting.

*Look to new opportunities*

We are a family of opportunity! We have little success with it, but we always have big ideas, big hopes and big dreams. One of my favorite things about the New Year is the hope to see those dreams finally come true. I have to constantly remind myself to look to God and not to the dream. It's something I know, but still something I need to remind myself of all the time. God is my hope. God is my dream. God is my Giver of dreams. If it's not His dream for me, I don't want it. This year, we have new opportunities. They are BIG individually and as a family. I am setting a goal to trust God as we walk them out. If they are not God's, I don't even want to go there. What kind of opportunities do you have this year? Are you trusting in God or your opportunity? I have learned that how we respond to disappointments within those opportunities reveals where our trust lies.

*But there's good news!*

No matter where we are in our year, God is able to accomplish new things within us and He doesn't need to wait until January. So if you find yourself "falling off the wagon" this year in your New Year's Resolution, get back up and rest in the fact that His mercies are new every morning!

Homeschool For FREE

2011-12-25T21:59:00.000-06:00

~~$$$$$$$$~~

Ready to cut out the middle man? You know...the cash?

A couple things to try:

Ask around. If your friends are like me, they are always changing it up and have extras laying around the house.
Ask your homeschooling group if they have a lending library. Ours lets you check things out a year at a time.

Check out this book: Homeschool Your Child for Free

Google is always a great go to to find out more.

Make a date with your library.

Visit FREE printable sites for extras.(Will add more shortly)

Here are some sites that can help you as well: (List will be added to shortly)

Homeschool Share

Homeschool 4 Free

Bible Time With Kids

2011-12-22T08:53:00.000-06:00

Remember listening to stories on the radio where the story came alive and there was no need for visuals because the sound effects and the characters were so believable? There is a great place online that you can go and find 22 stories that walk you and your children from Genesis to Jesus.

Find Genesis to Jesus Here

"Walk through the Bible with your children in this action-packed, radio theatre-style dramatizations from the 1599 Geneva Bible."

Photo Credit

I love finding new ways to highlight the stories of the Bible to my children and present creative ways to hearing the Bible because "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17.

It's at my favorite online Bible site called Bible Gateway. I go there to find Scripture references based on topics and many times, I go there to just read the Bible when I can't seem to find mine. (My Bible seems to get up and walk around the house and hide from me :)) Now it's a great place for me to go with my kids. I hope you will think so too.

Update on the Johansson Family

2011-12-20T23:16:00.000-06:00

Family of State-napped Swedish Child Savors Small Victory

Christer and Annie Johansson have won a small but hopeful victory in their quest to regain custody of their nine-year-old son Domenic who was taken from them over 2 years ago in a dramatic raid while the family was seated on an airliner departing the Nordic country. Ruby Harrold-Claesson, the couple’s attorney, reported to HSLDA that the Gotland District Court ruled in favor of the Johanssons, allowing them to retain their parental rights of Domenic.
“Gotland district court has ruled against the social workers and the social council and the Municipality of Gotland in their quest to terminate Annie’s and Christer’s parental rights for Domenic … I hope that this court decision is the beginning of the end of the gross violations of Human rights that Annie, Christer and Domenic have been subjected to at the hands of the social workers and the social council in Gotland,” said Christer Johansson’s attorney and President of the Nordic Human Rights Council Ruby Harrold-Claesson.
Michael Donnelly, director of international relations at HSLDA, says this decision offers a glimmer of hope.
“I am hopeful that this is the beginning of the end to the horrific treatment these people have suffered at the hands of Swedish authorities over the past two and a half years,” states Donnelly. “The Johansson family has endured unspeakable tyranny over their decision to homeschool their child and then to attempt to leave Sweden. Sweden’s behavior in this case has been shocking.”
The Swedish Social Services Committee first sought to terminate the parental rights of Annie and Christer Johansson in October 2011. The latest decision by the Gotland court against social services marks a significant departure from previous decisions in the Johansson’s case. Swedish courts had also previously removed Harrold-Claesson from the Johansson case.
“The social services are afraid of me because I stand up to them,” said Harrold-Claesson. “There are few lawyers in Sweden who dare to. But in Jamaica where I grew up this kind of treatment of families is unheard of. Too many magistrates simply do the bidding of the all-powerful Swedish social services, and this case is no different from the scores I have litigated over the years.”
Magistrate Magnus Schultzberg dismissed Harrold-Claesson from the case in June after Gotland local authorities requested she be removed. The magistrate then appointed a public defender, Torsten Bäckstrand. However, under European human rights laws, defendants have a right to choose counsel.
“I applaud Torsten Bäckstrand’s decision to resign after he was told by Christer that he wanted me to represent him,” said Harrold-Claesson. “The latest magistrate has recognized the family’s right to have me, and I applaud her decision to keep this family together, at least on paper, for now. We will continue this fight for justice until Domenic goes home.”
The tragedy concerning the Johansson family began in June 2009, when then seven-year old Domenic was forcibly removed from his parents, Christer and Annie, while the family was on board an airplane bound for Annie’s homeland of India. Swedish police snatched Domenic without a warrant, placed him in state custody, and have not charged the Johanssons with a crime. Authorities have subsequently pointed to some minor dental problems and a spotty vaccination history as justification for continuing to hold Dominic in state custody.
HSLDA continues to work with the Alliance Defense Fund and Harrold-Claesson at the European Court of Human Rights representing the family in their lawsuit against Sweden. The case has not been provided any kind of schedule. The ECHR has the authority to order Sweden to pay monetary damages, as has happened in the past in similar cases, but could not enforce an order to have the child returned to his parents. The local court’s decision indicates a possible shift in the way the case is being handled and offers a breath of hope. One of the major reasons for the state-napping and continued seizure of the child was because the family homeschooled him.
“Sweden’s government continues to go down a frightening path of educational tyranny as it implements harsh policies causing more and more homeschooling Swedes to flee the country. In the past several months, three families have relocated from Sweden to neighboring countries under pressure because educational officials have reported them to social authorities. The social authorities have virtually unlimited power to take children from families and cause great pain and suffering if they choose to,” Donnelly said.
HSLDA has petitioned Swedish officials to reunite the Johansson family, condemning the continued separation of Domenic from his parents. As of October 2010, the Johansson’s case had been heard at the every level of the Swedish court system and the actions of social services upheld.
If you would like to send the family a note of encouragement, you may contact them at: Christer and Annie Johansson, c/o Rune Johansson, Alva Gudings 363, 623 46 Hemse, Sweden.
Please remember this family during this Christmas and Holiday season, and consider donating to our work in support of the Johansson’s and other families like them. Give to the Home School Foundation’s International Fund.

***Credits***Full post credited to HSLDA.

More Information

First Newsletter

2011-12-14T09:44:00.000-06:00

Our First Newsletter: Sign up so you can receive the next one. ( I don't send them out too often :))

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Have you ever felt like you needed a cultural clean out? You know...you feel like the world is creeping into your home and it's just not welcome anymore? I have. I think at the end of the year, I start reflecting on my year and can see where I have let my guard down. I encourage you this month to begin asking God to show you where you have become lax and ask Him to begin the cultural clean out in your home. Is it with the TV? The Internet? Our phones? Our friends?

"Examine my heart oh God, show me if there is any wayward way in me and lead me to life everlasting."

SOME EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS

I am back to blogging. It has been a wonderful break! During this time, I have been working on two new eBooks and the first should be released in January just in time to use it as a spring board into your New Year's Resolution. It's called "Keeping His Way Pure". If you have boys (or girls) then you won't want to miss this! It will challenge you to make certain you are doing what is in your power as a mom and dad to guide your son to purity. The eBook will also give you a year of memorization for all different ages to truly hide God's Word in their heart "so they might not sin against God".

The second eBook is for moms and dads with girls. It's called, "Journey to Womanhood-A Guide to Her Rite of Passage." It will give you the ins and outs of a Rite of Passage and explain why it is so important to give this gift to your daughter. I will update you all when it is ready for release.

Thank you for being a part of the Unique Family Vision Team! We are all parents who want to change the world, one person at a time, beginning at home.

Merry Christmas!

Tammy

2011-12-12T12:24:00.003-06:00

****BIG NEWS****

Thanks so much for coming to see my big announcement. For me, this is SO exciting and REALLY scary :) I have written two Ebooks on my break.The first one is set to launch in January. It's called:

"Keeping His Way Pure"

This Ebook is for moms and dads of boys. It focuses on Psalm 119:9 when David says, "How can a young man keep his way pure?" I am so excited to share with you what God has shown me. I have two boys, so this is very close to my heart. It gives practical ideas on how to set your son on the path to purity. Whether your son is a child, a tween, or teen, it is never too early to lay a strong foundation and it is certainly never too late! January is a great time to set up New Year's Resolutions, so this book will give you some great goals to achieve while putting the tools in your hands to do it. So jump on board and commit to making a difference in your son's life!

The second book will come out a bit later. It's called:

"Journey to Womanhood- A Guide to Her Rite of Passage"

If you have never thought of holding a Rite of Passage, my book will show you why this is a life changing ceremony and what it can do for your child .

If you have a daughter and are thinking of holding a Rite of Passage, this details the whys and hows of it all. I hope this will be a useful tool in the upcoming years to give you the wisdom behind the ceremony and walk you through it. The more you know, the less intimidating it is. And of course, the rewards are amazing!

Please sign up for our newsletter if you want to receive a notification when these launch.

I am so glad to be back. I will get back to the Wednesday Word shortly. Thanks for sticking around while I went on a break. You guys are the best!

Dive Into Math Review Snippet

2011-08-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

I was ecstatic to receive the Dive Into Math CD-ROM in the mail. After all, I have dreamed of someone else teaching math to my kids for a long time.

You may feel the same way for several reasons.

1. Math may not be your strong suit and even though you are armed to the teeth with a teachers manual, you still feel ill equipped.

2. You have a hard time communicating with your kids during math because you are speaking two different languages- yours is Math and you have no idea what theirs is.

3. Maybe you’re good at math, (especially your adding and subtracting) but with a houseful of kids also needing your hip self, you find it difficult to juggle all of their subjects.

4.Your husband may like to come home to a sane woman every once in awhile.

5. You need more time because time is money and just like money, time is tight! Right now you currently have a science experiment growing in the toilet and you still haven’t updated your facebook status in like, two hours! Need. More. Time.

6. Maybe you are a working parent, so though you value the benefits of being their teacher, you still need to supplement in certain areas and often times, math is a subject you need to supplement.

Whatever your reason, Dive Into Math is definitely something you should consider..

Please follow to the full review on Hip Homeschool Moms.

Free Bible Curriculum

2011-08-02T17:01:00.000-05:00

I ran aross a Free online curriculum for Bible today. I printed off what I needed for the week and it gave me the memory work, the bible story to be read, and the activities to go with it. It was so simple. The site is easily navigated with 325 lessons. Check it out for a full curriculum or as a supplement to the one you are already using!

My study on Creation had the Bible study reference to read the story, a great memory verse, a word search, a crossword puzzle, a maze, T/F, multiple choice, short answer and a coloring page. My preschooler listened and did the coloring page and my 3rd and 5th grader will do the whole packet.

Go to Bible Study Planet to see what they have :)

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Submission

2011-07-25T09:24:00.001-05:00

PHOTO CREDIT

Oh no, now I have gone and done it! I said the S word. This is a bad word in many circles and a very confusing word in Christian circles. Well, I hope to maybe give you another idea of this word that is so sadly misunderstood and misused to manipulate and degrade many women.

When I lived in Africa, I attended an American wedding that was led by a Kenyan pastor. My friends and I began to pick up on a tone that the pastor set through the entire wedding. The word submit came up over and over. So much so, that we began counting. If I remember right (and I probably don't), I think it was around 15 times that the pastor reminded the new bride that she was to submit to her husband. We giggled at the obvious attempt to brain wash the bride.

I am a big believer in the word submit. (Let me pause for a moment while my mom and dad have a moment of laughter to themselves.) Don't get me wrong, I loathe the idea of a husband dangling the word over his wife in an effort to manipulate her or require something of her that is unthinkable. I am not a big fan of authoritarian marriages either, so if your husband has come here to get his permission to dangle, it's not going to happen. I want to define this more clearly as I believe God intended this command to be lived out.

In the past, when I have been in discussions with women on this word and what it means, I find myself skirting by on the idea that it is for when a big decision arises. Let's say you both are on opposite sides of the court and you do your faithful duty as a wife and say, "I concede. You want to go to France, I want to go to Italy...France it is." Get the picture? Big decisions. Well, not so the case. My heart has been changed on this as of lately. Yes, the big decisions are still a part of submission, but there is more, so much more and I really don't want you to miss it.

Here is what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean agreeing. It doesn't mean liking your husband's decision. It doesn't mean being a stepford wife. It doesn't mean women are weak. It doesn't mean men are bad.

Not too long ago, I contemplated how scripture can be so familiar to us that we miss the true meaning behind it. We have heard the verse a million times, assumed what we thought it meant and never given it another thought or another chance to penetrate our hearts and change us. We may even skip over it thinking we are already obeying that verse. Now, imagine standing before the Lord and He points out an area that you completely dropped the ball in and you reply, "But I didn't know," and He says, "It's in the Bible...in plain English" (unless you read the KJV and then He might say 'in very difficult English') :) Anyway, wouldn't that be a sad moment for us, to realize we assumed instead of asking God to reveal our blind spots? I, for one, would not be okay with that.

The Lord showed me the other day where I had done just that. I assumed the verse, "Wives, submit to your husbands," meant one thing after being so familiar with it...15 times in one day at the wedding in fact and then of course all the times I had read the verse, discussed the verse etc. I knew it like the back of my hand. I even thought I was obeying it.

Over the last year, my husband has sheepishly repeated a desire to me. He's a children's pastor at one of our campuses. Many times he has said, "I wish you could work with me." "I sure would love to have you come along side me in this." Wouldn't it be cool if we could work together?" My response - "Oh, no thanks...I am doing such and such and I am happy with that," He always accepted my answer and we went along our merry way.

A couple weeks ago, the Lord brought that verse up to me when I was thinking how we misunderstand and misappropriate God's Word due to familiarity. He instantly checked my spirit. When I went through my line of thinking with what it meant, He so gently said to me..."Yes, but there is more. Submitting means submitting to the desire of your husband's heart." Instantly I was reminded of his wishes for my help in his ministry. Oh.my.goodness. How had I missed that?

Think about that Ladies. We love our husbands. The Bible says we are one with them.Why are we not one with their hearts? Why do we not see that submission is not waiting for them to command us to go here or there, but submission happens when we choose to respond lovingly to the desire of our husband's heart even when it is unspoken.

My husband would enjoy my partnership in his ministry. Well then, that is where I need to be. God will honor that and my desire for that ministry will soon grab a hold of my heart.

Take time to know and understand your husband's heart. He may not have loudly articulated his desires to you, so it might take some thought on your part to decipher what he needs from you. Maybe he has and you are refusing to go there. If so, I submit to you that you are being insubordinate to the will of God.

Ouch! I know. I felt the same way. Actually, I felt ashamed that it took me 16 years to see such a simple notion.

Take time today to let the Holy Spirit walk you through your husband's heart. Let Him pinpoint some things where you can ....brace yourselves....submit to the quietly spoken desire of your husband. I guarantee you that if you live a pattern of this life, your husband's heart will be changed towards you in areas that maybe you feel a change is in order.

Here is what submission IS. It IS obeying God's Word. It IS hard to do sometimes. It IS a loving action. It IS a selfless act. It IS being a good example to your children. It IS peaceful. It IS going to reap blessings. It IS healthy. It IS going to win his heart. It IS going to please your Father in heaven. It IS going to strengthen your womanhood.

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A Word about the Wednesday Word

2011-07-18T22:59:00.011-05:00

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. ~Philippians 4:8~

As a blogger, do you find there are times when a verse, a devotional or just a precious time with God speaks volumes to you and you are certain it could bless others? I get that ALL the time, but never find a way to share it and when done too much on facebook it can look...preachy.

I am sure you have heard about the Wordless Wednesday blog hop using pictures. Well, on Unique Family Vision, we will be hosting The Wednesday Word blog hop. It will be a place to link your post that references either a verse or something God is teaching you. This is your chance to be a pastor of sorts. Many bloggers have that gift, but others haven't yet found your spiritual wisdom. UFV wants you to have a chance to link up your blog and find others who have something meaningful to share that day as well from the Bible.

Starting this Wednesday (that is tomorrow), the links open at 6 am. I hope to see you ~~there!~~ here! :)

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Birthday Gifts from God

2011-07-14T09:53:00.001-05:00

In June, something dawned on me while praying for my daughter the morning of her 10th birthday. My prayer started by asking God to bless her, to do a work in her and to keep her safe. I prayed for her to grow in the beauty of the Lord etc...you know, what all Christian moms pray for their children. As I prayed, I began to ask God to give me a special verse for her that would be from Him as her birthday present from God. How cool to have your very own 'birthday word from the Lord'. He quickly laid something on my heart. I scribbled the verse down on a 3x5 card and woke her up with it saying, "Happy Birthday, here is your present from God." She was really excited about it. I explained how I came by knowing that and now she keeps the card in her Bible. The verse revealed to me something she is supposed to be doing as a believer and now we have focused our attention on that verse in our conversations and will continue to do so throughout the year and over her life.

I am so excited about the idea to follow this for all of my kids, through all of their birthdays. I am going to have them memorize the verses that God gives me and my plan is to write a prayer/blessing surrounding this verse over each child for the year. We will keep each one in our Bible's to pray over our kids. One day, our kids will have a scrap book of all of their prayers/blessings that were spoken over them for an entire year.

Today was my son's birthday. I was excited to ask God what He had for him. The verse was not something I would have picked out, assuring me that this is not just a 'me' thing, but really of God. It actually was a stern warning. Wow, God loves us so very much, that even at the tender age of 8, the Lord desires for us to be Holy, set apart, saved to do the work of God and not the work of the flesh because He is jealous for our affection, even our son's and daughter's!

We will focus our prayer and discussion on this verse. Right before the verse, there was another one that spoke to me and my hubby. We saw our responsibility in bringing him up to be able to follow this command the Lord gave him. This has totally inspired me to an even deeper level of prayer for my kids.

If there is anything I can emphasize from this post, it is to urge you to talk to God about your kids with an abundant expectation of hearing from the Lord. It was never meant to be a one sided conversation. He speaks today, to us, about us, about our children. Getting away from the computer, the TV, the phone, our stresses and sitting before the Lord is the lifeline to bringing our kids into the Kingdom of Heaven with us.

If you haven't done this, sit with the Lord and ask Him. He really is waiting there, just waiting for us to ask for His guidance in our lives and our child's life. You know what? We need to do this for ourselves as well! Even for our friends. I am sure your friends and loved ones would be touched to know you took the time to ask God to give you something special for them on their special day. How much more should we take the time for our very own precious children?

I would love to hear from you. Is this something you would want to start doing or are you already doing it? If so, have you seen it making a difference in your child's heart? After all, that is what we are after...their heart. Don't be apathetic with their heart though, the enemy is after it as well and we must be diligent. Intentional parenting is not sitting around and hoping our kids turn out. It is putting a stake in the ground and saying..."As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

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What do you Think of This Quote?

2011-07-12T22:46:00.000-05:00

"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into it's soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no others hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller

WOW, that quote is ...

(Can you finish the sentence in the comment section? :)

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Top 25 Homeschooling Blogs! We did it!

2011-07-11T21:56:00.004-05:00

Guess what everyone? I am so excited to announce that Unique Family Vision was voted Top 25 Homeschooling Blogs for Circle of Moms. Today, it was announced to their 6 million followers! This site placed 15th and it is because of all my faithful followers and friends that voted for me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the time you took to go to the site and place your vote. YOU are awesome!

Total Yearbooks Giveaway

2011-07-11T06:30:00.011-05:00

Since you homeschool, let me ask you a question. Do your kids sometimes become discontented with being homeschooled because they are missing out on some of the traditions of public school, like let's say...yearbooks? I know my oldest has expressed disappointment that her public school friends get to have a year book and it feels so "unfair". I get that. So when Total Yearbooks gave me this opportunity, I jumped at it. Now I can happily say to my children that having a yearbook is no longer just for the lives of her PS friends...we can have it too! Isn't homeschooling grand?

Would you like a chance to receive a gift certificate to make your own? Hop on over to Hip Homeschool Moms to read the rest of my review and to enter for your chance to win!

*UPDATE* We have a winner! Congratulations to Lucy Wilson!
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Obedience for our Children

2011-07-07T12:13:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I find myself wanting to knock my head against a brick wall. The reason? Disobedience in our kids. I am like all other moms, intentional parenting or not, my kids disobey. Most of the time, it is not done in a defiant way that is noticeable. I think we have tried very hard to put some fear of defiance in them, but it is still there at times and wrapped in a "I didn't hear you" attitude, or a stalling technique like going to sit on the throne in the bathroom to wait out the pressure. Sound familiar anyone?

Regardless of how disobedience plays out in my kids, the thing that drops me to my knees are the verses: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord. Honor your father and mother so that it may go well with you."

I desperately want it to go well with my kids, that they may have long life and that they will bring joy and not grief to us. I have to master teaching my kids to obey, even when I am tired of repeating myself. I have to choose to continue our discipline when what we are doing seems to not be working, but out of obedience because the Bible instructs us on how to discipline.

Patience and consistency, but with prayer...

I began reading the ebook Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most.

Praying and doing battle in prayer is what I feel called to do, but it always helps to have something written in front of me to help me when my creative juices have expired...which they do by about 10 am everyday ;)

I highly recommend buying this prayer book. I have chosen to use the scripture in my own prayer time like she suggests with putting the child's name in it. I have printed it off for quick reference to keep with my Bible to ensure I actually pray it.

Secondly, I have rewritten the verses in first person, so that it can be read as a prayer by each of my kids. Why should we parents be the only ones believing for this? Let them pray it over themselves as well! So, I have taped the scriptures on the head board of my boys' bed and on the walls above my daughters' beds. Each day, they will be reading this prayer. Eventually, I hope it will become a prayer of their hearts. The benefit? They will eventually have the Word memorized. They can hide this word in their heart that they might not sin against God. (Sigh) I can feel my burdens lifting. They are the Lords and if I commit my way (parenting) to the Lord, He promises to give me the desires of my heart, to not let my foot stumble, to direct my paths, to orchestrate my steps, and to lead me in paths of righteousness. God, please guide me there with my kids in tow.

Here is the prayer I put up for my kids, feel free to print it off for your children. The order of the verses came from the aforementioned Ebook. Please take the time to buy her book! It is awesome.

Obedience

Dear Heavenly Father,

Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, may I obey the LORD our God...so that it will go well with me (Jeremiah 42:6).

May I obey my parents in the Lord, for this is right (Ephesians 6:1).

May I obey my leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over my soul, as those who will have to give an account. Let me do this with joy and not with groaning (Hebrews 13:17).

May I obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

May I return to the LORD my God, and obey with all my heart and all my soul all the commands God has given (Deuteronomy 30:2).

May I walk after the LORD my God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice. May I serve Him and hold fast to Him (Deuteronomy 13:4).

May I stop my sinning and begin to obey the LORD my God (Jeremiah 26:13).

May I obey Jesus' commandments, and remain in His love (John 15:10).

May I show my love for Christ by obeying His commands (John 14:15).

May my parents be full of joy at my obedience (Romans 16:19).

Please give me a new heart, and a new spirit. I know You will put it in me. Remove the heart of stone from my flesh and give me a heart of flesh. Put Your Spirit within me and cause me to walk in Your statutes and be careful to obey Your rules (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

I ask this in Jesus' name and by His power to change my heart. Let my words not return void but accomplish that which it has set out to do.

*note* I have NOT received any compensation for mentioning her ebook. This is my own free 2 cents :)