Thrift Schooling

Spring has sprung and as homeschool moms we are busy as bees looking for relevant crafts for the kids. With rainy days and windy days ahead, we are not quite ready for heading outdoors as often as we would like. Cue the arts and crafts. Take a look at these 25 bee crafts perfect for your homeschool. Pick one, two, or twenty-five to work through with your kids this spring! Bumblebee Coloring Pages Painted Handprint Bee Rock Bees B is For Bumblebee Craft B Preschool Printables Bees: Preschool Theme Unit Honey Bee Lap Book Bee Empire: Online Game Dotted Cartoon Bee Worksheets "The Honey Files" Teacher's Guide Bees Online Bee Notebooking Pages Queen Bee Craft Buzzing Bumblebee Mobile Footprint Bumblebee > Bumblebee Bumblebee M&M Treat Fuzzy Bumblebee Craft Bee Toilet Paper Roll Craft Edible Bee- Lightbulb Bee Popsicle Stick Bee Bee Lunch Bags Tissue Paper Bee Bee Pinata

I was 17. I see a sign in the hallway of my school. The " Hells Bells: The Dangers of Rock and Roll" video would be showing after school. I was interested. I didn't consider myself a "rocker" or anything but I did like some stuff. Nine Inch Nails, Helmet, Black Flag. This should be interesting.  So I went. I still remember being amazed at what the video shared. The backmasking, the hidden agendas. Wow. I called myself a Christian. I really did.  I thought I was one. I went to church. I prayed. I even read my Bible. But the inner dealings of my heart. Those were on reserve. I may have said I "gave my heart to Jesus" but I hadn't. The hurts, pains and frustrations in my life were so bottled up inside and noone, not even God himself was going to touch those areas of my life. This video shook me. As it should. Unfortunetly, the teachings that followed, were by a student younger than myself who was mis-led. He had just transferred from ano...

It's Okay, Mom.  You're going to make it through.  The sleepless nights The puking kids The baby (and toddler, and preschool) blues. You feel a mess confused depressed but the BEST is yet to come. When the children are screaming yelling crying It's okay to feel undone. Just steal away, in another room and take a great deep breath God  gave you this responsibility He won't leave you feeling helpless! Pray a prayer Sing a song Read a verse or two. Jesus said He won't leave you comfortless trust His Word is true!! We don't live by feelings or the pains of the day but the fact that God is real. He loves you and created your kids regardless of the pain that we feel. Ask for wisdom in speech in the difficult times you'll be amazed at what you'll say through the power of the God at work in your heart  when you trust Him and obey.

So I was up in the air about attending my first ever homeschool convention. Trying to get away for three days when you have three little ones, and homeschool is not easy! Ideally I would love to go with the whole family, the thought of being away from the family for three days is a little scary. But not too scary. I think I'll make it. Actually, once I decided to go, everything just started to fall into place, some great women to go with and.... a FREE ticket. That's right, FREE. I entered a contest on a blog and was just hoping as everyone does that I would win, and I did!!! So excited!! I'm not sure I really saved any money though since I know I'll be tempted to buy more now at the used book sale. Yes, you read that right. They sell used homeschool materials, a dream come true!!! If you've ever been to HEAV or another homeschool convention, feel free to leave me a comment with any tips you wish someone told you before you went to your first one....thanks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a few short months ago Teddy Mountain Collinsville  opened it's doors in Collinsville, VA. With three kids ages six and under, I'm always looking for fun and affordable family-friendly activities! When I saw that Teddy Mountain opened up where children can create their own plush toys, I was excited! I was even more thrilled when I found out that their prices are reasonable. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STEP ONE $9.99 for an 8 in plush $12.99 for 16 in  Choose from a wide array of different animals! You can even make your own pillow pet, LOVE it!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STEP TWO Place a little heart and/or song in your toy for a little extra charge... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STEP THREE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STEP FOUR My sweet little birthday girl holding up her bear with his cute pajamas she picked out! She named him Max! They al...