The most unique "bookshelves"

Isn't this a creative idea for your school room or office?

Visit Real Simple to learn how to make these unique "bookshelves."

(Tip- I probably would use different brackets. Besides that, these are adorable.)

Super Scholastic Resources

I LOVE books! I love reading them and I love shopping for them! I would take a box of books over a box of chocolates any day! I know, you may think I'm strange but that's the truth.

And  have a secret to share that many educators in school and at home do not know about. Scholastic has a Teacher Store with incredible discounts. They even have books that cost a dollar sometimes! Whenever I am looking for a book for my kids, this is the first place I shop.

While you are there, make sure to check out all the resources they offer for teachers! Tons of FREE printables, unit studies, workshops, study jams, tons of computer labs, and much more.

This is my favorite activity for creating writing prompts. Kids love it!

Enjoy!

Hip, Hip, Horray!

Only a few more days of homeschooling! If you are looking for some FUN and creative ways to cheer your child on until the very end- you have to see these cheers and chants. Visit the Apple Basket Teacher and watch the video clips. They are absolutely adorable!

Enjoy!

Summer Mad Libs

I love using Mad Libs to practice grammar, sentence structure, parts of speech, and vocabulary with my kids. Here are some fun Summer Mad Libs from Classroomjr.com. Click on images below to print.

Here is website that offers FREE Mad Libs that your child can
complete on your computer- www.itsamadlibsworld.com

 Enjoy!

Introducing TLC's Blog Star....

♥ Sorry, I couldn't resist. ♥

Check out Ana's first giveway!

I LOVE Ana's educational products!
She is so talented at making learning FUN. The lucky winner will win Ana's complete collection of

The Letter of the Week file folder games!

Hurry-this giveaway will end on Monday 23, 2011.
Just click on an image to hop on over to her site to check it out!

Good luck!

Simply the Best Homeschool Blog

Have you heard the news about teaching blogs yet? If not, I can't wait to share the newest craze in education with you!

The most amazing and inspirational group of educators and parents from around the world are sharing teaching tips at www.TeachingBlogAddict.com.

After teaching in a classroom and then homeschooling for many years, I needed some new and refreshing ideas. Then one day, I found teaching blogs and it was like attending mini-workshops that rekindled my passion of teaching. Hop on over to visit TBA. You will become hooked- I guarantee it!

Organize your blogs with Sqworl

I must admit that I am an organizational freak.  At least that's what my friends and family tell me. I like everything to be placed neatly in a particular place yet I am also very practical. 

Nancy from www.theapplebasketteacher.blogspot.com recently taught me about a tool that is both neat and practical- Sqworl.

No, I did not just make a major typo. It really is spelled Sqworl. See for yourself at  www.sqworl.com

Teachers and parents can now easily organize their favorite sites and blogs for themselves or for their children in a visually pleasing manner. No more scrolling through your favorites. Just make a Sqworl with your favorite sites, and the screen will look like the image below.

After you create your Sqworl, just click on which site you want to go to and it automatically jumps to that site. This is also perfect for non-readers.

TeachingBlogAddict.com has organized the best teaching blogs by grade levels and categories. These blogs have are filled with fun, creative, and effective teaching tips for preschool teachers, elementary teachers, home educators, parents, and tutors.

Until next time, have fun creating your Sqworl!

Create a stick family

I get excited over silly things like this stick family generator- it's just so cute!

Arrange the available stick people to make your own family.
It's very simple to do- my kind of fun!

Hmmm... Mother's Day cards, Father's Day cards, Christmas cards ...... Just thinking outloud.

CLICK HERE to create your very own stick family.

Cute Weekly Planner

I thought this was perfect for keeping track of homework assignments or scheduling homeschool activities/projects. How cute!

Created by Family Fun
Click on image to print.

I am so blessed

Mother's Day 2011- Fort Myers Beach

Motivation Cards

We are almost there! My kids and I are counting the days until summer break. I think I need the break more than they do! It has been the hardest school year for me with homeschooling a 17 year old in difficult high school subjects, homeschooling two elementary children, chasing a very active one year old everywhere, and caring for a newborn that was born in August (the week before we began school). Somehow we did it and I can say the kids are all on schedule. We have certainly proved that with God's help, anything is possible!

As I cheer them on to the finish line at the end of May, I will be using these adorable compliment cards that I found at Kind Over Matter. I printed them off on cardstock and will randomly leave them in places that they can discover them (ex. taped to a bathroom mirror, under their pillows, inside their shoes, etc.)
Another little perk and change of pace helps us all out. ;o)

UPDATE: I printed these off with my two elementary boys in mind but also used them with my seventeen-year-old, too. To my complete surprise, my teenager loved them and even left them taped up in his bathroom and bedroom this weekend when his friends spent the night. He said they were "cool." Wow- that caught me off guard. I actually did something cool! :o)

Happy Mother's Day

Mothers hold their children's hands for a little while,

but their hearts forever.

Faith, Hope, and Love for Moms with Babies

Faith: I have faith that one day I will wear my pre-baby clothes again. And before they are all out of style!

Hope: I hope I get out of my pajamas today before my husband gets home from work. Maybe he'll just think I am so together that I'm already dressed for the night- naaa... he knows me too well.

Love: I would love to eat a warm dinner sometime in 2011. And reheating food in the microwave at 10:00 pm after all the children are asleep does not count.

My little Charity is worth it all.

Building the Blocks

After viewing the post below, you will never be the same. I promise.

 BUILDING THE BLOCKS

It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.

~Mother Teresa

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in. 

Mathew 25:35

Awesome Mother's Day Projects

You have to blog hop over to Tip Junkie for some really great Mother's day ideas- Enjoy!

Mother's Day Special Edition Printable

Click on the image to print this special edition of the World's Best Mom offered from Martha Stewart Living.

Mother's Day Gift Idea- Subway Art

I am just learning about "Subway Art." I love the concept and thought these would make unique Mother's Day gifts and cards. I searched "Mother's Day Free Subway Art" on-line, and here are some creative treasures that I found.

www.thepinkinkdoodle.blogspot.com
So cute!
www.ladycrafter14.blogspot.com
This site even lets you choose the color before printing.


www.todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com
Amazing options available, such as several color choices and inserting a photo in the middle.

www.eighteen25.blogspot.com
 Visit this site for tips to download, print, and frame.


www.aproffittablelife.blogspot.com
This site has many options.

If you are extra talented and want to make your own, visit www.themotherhuddle.com for a tutorial.

Enjoy!

Love more ~ complain less

This Mother's Day I will love more and complain less.

I usually like to write upbeat posts that motivate readers, but thirty minutes ago, I stumbled upon a blog that has me in tears. Not just a couple of tears but streams of tears. This blog quickly stripped away my self-centeredness and made me so appreciative for every facet of parenting- the easy and the difficult times.

Just an hour prior to reading the blog, I was complaining to a friend in an email about how tired I was. My baby was teething last night and was up until 3:30 am and my one-year-old woke up this morning at 7:00 am. With homeschooling my three older children, naps are not an option for me. After reading the blog posted below, my whole perspective changed instantly.

The bond a parent feels with a child is indescribable, and I would not trade being a Mom for anything in the world. One of my greatest annoyances is when people ask me how I can spend all day, every day at home with my children. I'm also told quite frequently "I don't know how you do it," or "My kids would drive me crazy."

To be honest, every day is a challenge and my kids do drive me crazy sometimes BUT I absolutely love spending quality time with them, and I feel very blessed that I am able to do so. God called me to love and nurture my children when I became a mother, and I'm incredibly fortunate that I can be with them throughout each day. Have some people forgotten that a child is one of the greatest blessings from the Lord?

Yet motherhood is tough. There are many sacrifices a mother makes for her children. There is also the constant concern a mother has for her children that doesn't ever seem to go away, even when her children grow older. I strive daily to find comfort in the Lord and completely trust Him and His sovereign plan for each of His children that He graciously chose me to love. This is something that I have to continuously remind myself so worry doesn't consume my daily thoughts.

I cannot imagine any loss being more tragic than losing a child. I have had miscarriages, including a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy that resulted in major surgery with an ovary removed and months of recovery, but these sad events are still no comparison to the pain a parent must feel who has lost a child that has unexpectedly passed away. When you bring your child home from the hospital, you never think of having to plan their funeral in the future. You always assume you will pass first.

I recently read this mother's response to losing a child. "Many people assume that time heals all things but this is not true. This is a wound that will never heal completely. This is an amputation. Just like someone who has lost a leg or a hand- you now have to find a new normal."

To all the mothers who have an empty space in your hearts this Mother's Day, I pray that God fills you with His peace and comfort. Each passing day is one day closer to being reunited with your little one in heaven. I pray you feel His embrace as you regain your strength to keep moving forward. 

Make sure you have several tissues before you visit-

The Images of Mother

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE: My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE: My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE: My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE: Naturally, Mother doesn't know that either.
16 YEARS OF AGE: Mother, She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE: That old woman, She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE: Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 YEARS OF AGE: Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion
45 YEARS OF AGE: Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE: Wish I could talk it over with Mom once more.

The best birthday!

Here are some photos celebrating my 40th birthday with my family on the brand new Disney cruise!

Amazing ship

Fun times!

They even sat me at table 40- the kids got a laugh from that.

Pirate night

Ahoy Mate!

The older Chilver crew

I never thought turning forty could be so much fun!