Lightning- Not Again!

You may remember that in February of 2006, our phone line was struck by lightning, and we had to repair or replace most of our electronic items and telephones. We promptly signed up for the electric company’s surge protection program and installed everything as directed (I think!).

Well, the old saying about lightning not striking twice in the same place may still be true– this time, it zapped the cable pedestal out in the woods, and fried my modem and printer, among other things. And of course there’s no internet access!

In the spirit of make-do, I’m standing outside in the neighbor’s yard, my laptop propped on their trampoline, with their dogs happily “helping” me. Their wireless network seems to be working just fine! The only downside is that it’s sprinkled on and off all day, and another shower is imminent. I guess I’d better take my office back inside!

The point of all this is to say that I may not be able to answer e-mails as promptly as usual, but I will definitely do so as I can. I will also be downloading and sending out orders regularly, so things should go on pretty much as normal. I’ll take the uninterrupted writing time to write on the literature curriculum, so those of you who are patiently waiting for the beta version can rejoice!

Purposeful Planning- A Review

Summer’s winding down, and we’re already preparing to head back into the school year (it’s almost too hot to think of!). Even though the boys are finished with homeschooling, there’s still plenty of schoolwork happening with all three of them in college.

I enjoy looking ahead to the new year, considering priorities, and creating a fresh schedule to help us all juggle rides to school, computer time, and everything else that goes into our busy lives. This is the time of year when I like to re-read some of my personal planning favorites– Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Marilyn Rockett’s Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, David Allen’s Getting Things Done, and others.

This year, I came across Purposeful Planning, a very different sort of planning guide– one written especially for families. Author Phyllis Sather shares the story of how she and her husband began taking short planning weekends together. As the years passed, they included their children, and the planning weekends have become a significant family tradition. Read more

Homeschool Through High School Audio (and Benefit)

I finally have my Homeschooling Through High School: There’s Joy in the Journey audio workshop, with PowerPoint(TM) presentation and book list handout, available on my website! If you’ve been wondering about whether you should home school through high school, I think you’ll find this workshop very reassuring.

There’s something special about it this week, though– I’m offering it as part of an amazing benefit package for someone who is a very special part of the homeschool community. Tammy Cardwell, reviews editor for EHO (Eclectic Homeschool Online), is living with her family in a home that is virtually giving away in the Texas rains. Water, mold, and falling ceilings have created a dangerous situation for their family, and they just need to get out (read more). Several of us in the homeschool community have joined together to offer a collection of really good products in an amazing package deal, so that Tammy and her family can transform a little warehouse they own into a safe, dry home.

For just this week, you can get my brand new Homeschooling Through High School: There’s Joy in the Journey audio workshop package as part of the benefit special, along with over twenty other good things from other home school writers and speakers. CLICK HERE to read more about the benefit and to make a donatation to help Tammy and her family.

If you’d like to read more about Homeschooling Through High School: There’s Joy in the Journey, you can visit my website by clicking here. But remember, be sure to go to the benefit site to get it, so that you can receive all the other special products and benefit the Cardwells.

Among the things included in this workshop:

I’ll share some of the most important lessons I’ve learned as I’ve homeschooled my sweet boys from kindergarten into college. You can curl up with a cup of something cool, and listen, while I take some of the unknowns out of the homeschool high school experience. Remember– there’s joy in the journey!