Family Musings

Bruce here, hijacking Jennifer's blog again. Today is Mother's Day. And I thought I share a little bit about my appreciation for Jennifer. Jennifer and I met in 10th grade history class. And, within one week of meeting Jennifer, I told her that we were going to get married, one day. This is an undisputed fact. But, Jennifer still has trouble believing I really meant it. Of course, she also shook her head "no" when I asked her to marry me 5 years later; she couldn't believe I was serious that time, either. But, I was. So, why would a 15-year old punk be picking out his future wife? It sure does sound pretty absurd. But, even back then, I knew what kind of woman I wanted to be the wife and mother of my future family. Yes, I was a strange kid. Years later, when I actually asked her to marry me, I had already planned out our financial future so that I knew we'd be able to make it. I was only 19, at that time, but I knew people, including Jennifer, would wo...

Today, instead of reading my rambles on here, you can read them over at Inside That Head of Mine . Angela is the blogger over there and she interviewed me for the first in her series of blogger interviews. I think she asked some great questions and I had a fun time answering them. Learn all about what inspires me as a blogger. If you like what you read, leave her some comment love when you visit. Then come back and do the same thing here!

Today's guest post reminds me of my own need to switch cars when we were expecting our first child . ****************************** As a soon-to-be first time mum, I put off the task of shopping for a new car for as long as I could! The thought of trading in my stylish little convertible for a more practical family car was not appealing to me! Now the summer is coming to an end and the baby bump is a constant reminder that my two-seater convertible just won't do anymore, I need to set about the serious business of family car shopping! Living on the outskirts of London, I've always found that small cars are best. I love the convenience of being able to park them in tight city spaces and can't face the idea of manouevering a large people carrier into an average London parking space. After shopping for baby bits and bobs in Selfridges the other day I came across a small Fiat dealer in central London. I didn't actually realise there were any Fiat dealers in th...

Have you ever been confused by the alphabet soup on the labels in the skin cream department? Then this guest post is for you. I'm glad to have some of the jargon finally clear in my head. ********************************* One of the best ways to prevent the onset of smile lines is to keep your skin healthy using exfoliants. Exfoliants help to remove the outer layer of dead skin cells and promote new cell growth. This can make your skin look smoother and give it a nice healthy glow. There are two main types of exfoliants that are used today, Alpha hydroxyl acids and Beta Hydroxyl Acids. This article will explain the difference between the two and help you decide which is best for your skin. Alpha vs. Beta Beta hydroxyl acids are found in most anti-wrinkle creams because they remove the dry and dead top layer of skin. One of the most commonly used "BHA"'s is Salicylic acid . Salicylic acid can help remove aging skin cells and  can even kill the bacteria that caus...

Thanks to mad networking skills, I've got another guest post to share with you today. This time about traveling with children. I love hanging out with my own kids. But I don't always love traveling with them. It's hard work to do my same job somewhere else without all of the usual comforts of home. I've taken them on a 12-hour car trip to TN, away for staycation over a holiday weekend, and even to Nicaragua. I won't pretend the trips were easy, but they were worth it.  I'm not sure if there will be the time or the money for a family vacation this summer, but this post from Sarah sure makes me want to try! *********************************************** Can you still holiday with younger children?  With a toddler or young child in tow, a lot of parents are dissuaded from holidaying because of the potential inconveniences that such a commitment might bring. Holidays are however an important part of any healthy lifestyle, an opportunity to relax from the stress...

I've been watching a lot of Hoaders recently, and one of the episodes I saw involved a family whose entire home was over run by bed bugs. This really freaked me out. It was so bad, the parents were in danger of losing their children if they didn't get the problem fixed. So it got me thinking... how do you keep bed bugs from wreaking havoc in your home? What if you find out you already have them? Then, I met Jenny from Ohio online. And she had 2 bed bugs outbreaks within 6 months. Her experience dealing with this problem led her to start her own website and even write a free e-book to help other moms out. I asked her to share what she learned with you so we could all take advantage of her experience. *********************************** How to Check for Bed Bugs  For anyone unfortunate enough to have bed bugs in their home, it's essential that you know how to check for bed bugs in the correct manner. Not only to find all the most obvious places that bed bugs hide, but...

I recently had the opportunity to virtually meet a extraordinary woman. She is Tracy, Jack's mom. That might not sound like anything special at first, until you hear her story. I asked her to share a little bit with you because I think the story or Tracy and Jack is amazing. ************************ God works in amazing and mysterious ways. I now know this is true, but not so much 7 years ago when my son Jack was diagnosed with autism . Jack was 2 and although I knew from the time he was born that something was not quite right, I never dreamed he would be diagnosed with autism. In those early months I could not even wrap my mind around this, this autism, but right away I got busy. I'm a single mother and it was up to me to make a difference. I believed Jack should and could have an amazing life and was determined to do whatever it took to make that happen. I never let a little thing called autism get in our way. From day one the miracles started coming one right after an...

My husband is a teacher. I am a former teacher. We talk about the state of education ALL of the time around here. He originally wrote this guest post for his friends on Facebook, but it provides such an excellent insight into the life of a teacher I wanted to share it with a wider audience. Once you've read it, I'd love for you to share your thoughts and to share his post with others. Let's have a conversation! ********************************* The field of K-12 education is filled with experts and consultants who will tell you how to accomplish the miracles teachers are expected to accomplish. Unfortunately, most education experts have no expertise other than the ability to market themselves as experts. I teach at a Title I school. "Title I" means we receive extra federal funding because we serve a student population that is largely poor. And having a population that is largely poor, we have many students who don't speak English well, and/or are ...

With the craziest shopping days just around the corner, I asked Candi Wingate, of Nannies4Hire to share her best tips for surviving holiday shopping with your children. I can't promise these will work though if you drag your 2 year old out a 4 am for Black Friday shopping! All bets are off at 4 am! ************************** You are at the grocery store with your two spoiled, rotten wonderfully behaved children, Johnny and Janie. Johnny sees a snack that he feels that he just has to have. You disagree. He wails for all the store to hear. Later, at the mall, Janie repeats the scenario over a brightly colored necklace. What could be done to minimize the likelihood of circumstances such as these? Try to plan shopping trips to occur when you and your children are well rested, have recently eaten, and are not experiencing distress. Also, the shopping trip will ideally occur when the stores will not be overcrowded, which can create impatience and distractions. Make plans to...

It helps sometimes to put a toddler's birthday party in perspective. Recently, I spoke with Candy Wingate, the President of Nannies4Hire, and she shared the following tips for managing a child's birthday party. Keep it simple. Your child won't care if there are elaborate decorations, or a meticulously thought out menu. He just wants to have fun. Get some help. Many parents get overwhelmed trying to do it all themselves. If your father-in-law is artistic, ask him to make the invitations. If your sister is a great baker, put her in charge of the cake. Consider hiring someone to entertain the kids, run the games or clean your house pre- and post-party. Ask for your child's input. Before you start planning, get your child's opinion. Even young children enjoy a trip to the party store to choose between Elmo and Thomas the Train plates. My kids love to browse through party catalogs to choose a few special things for their party. Keep it manageable. Instead of invitin...

For Charlotte's third party, I wanted to throw her a friends party. I thought she might enjoy having people her own age to play with instead of the "family only" parties we have done so far. But we live in a small place and there is not room to host 8-10 toddlers plus their parents. So, I am planning a park party. And to help me, Lisa Kothari of Peppers and Pollywogs, Inc shared these tips. I know we will be implementing some of these and I hope you find them useful as well. Feel free to chime in on the comments with your own tips about park parties. I still have a few days left to finish everything up! Top Tips for Planning a Party in the Park It’s the season of planning outdoor parties and one of the best outdoor venues to hold your party is a park. It’s usually free and can accommodate large groups. If the idea appeals to you, keep these top tips in mind when planning your party in the park: Make sure to call your parks and services board and ask if a permit ...

I have started teaching Charlotte how to clean up around the house and for now, she generally enjoys helping mommy do various tasks. I've been wondering how I can sustain that when, well, I'm not really the best housekeeper there ever was. This week, Tess shares a solution that worked for her family. Since a new year is starting, why not make a fresh start with your own kids! *************************************************** When I was growing up I never saw my mom do laundry or clean the house.  I didn’t know how it all got done while I was at school and I never asked.  Well, I wish that someone had told me how much laundry a family of 5 can generate.  I wish someone had told me about how dirty a home can get and how it really should take everyone’s help to keep it clean.  My kids are home schooled and with me all the time.  They are never gone so that the house cleaning fairies can come and do their job.  Nope, my kids get to witness this from the fron...

What is something you remember learning in elementary school? For me, it was learning how to be the teacher's pet. (If you knew me in real life, you'd totally understand!). This week, Tess shares something she wished she had in elementary school to make learning a little more interesting. *************************************************************** One of the things I remember about elementary school was learning where states were located on a map.  There was just no connection made for me to help me recall what I was learning.  Schoolside Press has published a book that I wish had been around for me when I was a child.                                                            ...

Want to know what Tess has to say about Time4Learning now that her review period is over? Then keep on reading! :) ********************************************** I’m back with my final installment to this site Time 4 Learning .  I really have had mixed emotions with this review.  I think it is a great site.  It covers all core subjects.  It is entertaining and engaging for the kids.  I think it definitely has its place in home schooling settings.  Here is where I had problems.  I love to interact with my kids.  I love for them to interact with each other.  This program is a curriculum that is solely on the computer.  There isn’t conversation.  I looked over at my child staring blankly into a screen.  I know that he was learning and I am sure the gears were turning in his head, but I felt like I was allowing him too much time in front of a screen for the sake of education.  This site doesn’t claim to be a Christian si...

I have 2 reviews from Tess to share with you today. In the first one, Tess  shares the dark side of her home schooling with us, sort of.  In the second, she offers readers a free 1-month trial to a new math training program. In more personal news, Tess's cat died yesterday and there is a general sadness over her house now. Leave her a quick note to cheer her up (or to let her know if you are going to try out the math program. ******************************************************************* Okay,  I have been letting you glimpse into my world of home schooling.  I have presented a pretty rosy picture so far.  Now I am going to let you in on my not so rosy side.  I am horribly deficient in the fine arts department.  I would rather go outside with the kids and play.  I would rather go to Disney, which living in Central Florida and being pass holders is an easy thing to do.  I would rather watch a movie or bake cookies.  I don’t wan...

  I love to read.  I want my kids to love to read.  I want my kids to enjoy rich literature that demonstrates moral values and encourages  positive character.  Those are strong statements but it is true.  We go to the library once a week without fail.  Sometimes I cringe thinking about what may be on those shelves.  Salem Ridge Press understands.  The founder is just a boy himself.  He is a young man in his mid twenties.  He is a home school graduate.  He loves history and literature.  He found a way to take the things he loves and turn it into a worthy product. I was sent the following three books to review.  The first thing about this company to impress me was the beautiful packaging.  A lot of time and effort was taken to hand wrap each book in tissue.  I could tell right away that this was going to be a special company to interview.  The books were all paperback but that was fine.  The qu...

As part of my continuing series of guest reviews for homeschooling materials, Tess is discussing a novel written by a home-schooled teenager. ********************************************** Missing Link: Found by Felice and Christine Gerwitz has been the latest review endeavor my family has been involved in. This is one book in a series of books called “The Truth Seekers Mystery Series.” Believe it or not, this series has been written by a home schooled girl. She completed it by time she was 17. The topic of the series is Creation Science. I am truly amazed at the story that a young girl was able to create. I began reading Missing Link: Found and was immediately captivated because the setting is in Florida and involved fishing and places I have been to. Beyond those aspects I wasn’t very interested. Personally, I found it a little difficult to read. I don’t think it was for any reason other than I just wasn’t interested in the topic of Creation Science for a leisurely read. I do think ...

Tess, from The Oldschoolhouse Homeschool Crew is back with another review, this time for the Homeschool Library Builder . *********************************************************** Hi there!!!! I have been asked to pass some information on to you home schooling families or any other families that may be interested. There is a site called Homeschool Library Builder that I think will interest anyone that would like to expand a family library. We all know how expensive books can be and having the right book available right away during a lesson is important. Libraries are great, but sometimes they aren’t convenient. So check out this site for books that are very reasonable. There is a huge selection too. You can find their online store by clicking here . This is a family run business that has lots of books to choose from. You can search by curricula, subject, and age. They have both used and new books. They have soft and hard cover. Their goal is to provide you with good, qual...

I know I have been bringing you a lot of homeschooling reviews lately and thought you might like to know what my purpose was. First, I intend to home school Charlotte when the time comes. Reading these reviews helps me begin to form my opinions about how I will teach her and what products I might or might not need. Second, my friend Tess had an opportunity to do these reviews and asked me to share my blog readers with her. She has been home schooling her 3 kids for about 8 years and I trust her opinion about what works and what doesn't. I'll be sharing more about Tess and her experiences as a stay at home, home schooling mom soon. ************************************************ Time4learning.com is the website I am going to talk about today. This is an online curriculum that covers all the core subjects that you would want for your kids. This could be a great “green” way to go. After all, there are no books. I don’t know exactly how I feel about this. I think my three spe...

I can't believe I left you, my lovely blog readers, for almost an entire week! I am so sorry... I had posts written, but forgot to take them out of draft. So I guess I'll be busy this week rescheduling several posts so you don't get overwhelmed. For now, enjoy another guest review from my friend Tess, of The Oldschoolhouse Homeschool Crew . This time it is for a nativity set. I love to have one in every room of the house this time of year as a constant reminder of what we are celebrating. ******************************************** Hi again!!!! Tess here with another review from the Homeschool Crew. I was sent a nativity set from the company One2Believe. This company has a real desire to help parents protect their children’s hearts and minds and provide wonderful toys that teach important Bible stories and truths. The company supports several ministries and each member of their team can be read about on their site. You can truly feel that they have your children’s bes...