Weekend Links

by on June 19, 2011
in links · Leave a Comment

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

The hot days of summer stretch out ahead of us–are you making plans to change up the routine and take a much-needed break?

I am, which includes a bit of a sabbatical from my online life. So for the next month you’ll be treated to some incredible guest posts and summer thoughts from our regular contributors.

As for me, I’ll spend my days working on another book as well as making time on my list for staring and other worthwhile summer pursuits…and maybe a nap or two! I hope you also find a way to slow down and care for yourself this season.

Now on to our weekend links and announcing giveaway winners:
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Weekend Giveaway: Peace Hill Press

by on June 18, 2011
in giveaways ·

This giveaway has ended and the winner has been contacted via email. Thanks for entering!

Welcome to today’s weekend giveaway, brought to you by Peace Hill Press.

Learn more about Peace Hill Press:

“Most educational presses are run by large, international companies. Not us. We’re a small company; we want to stay that way. When you call our office, you don’t get a phone tree; you get to talk to us directly.

Our books aren’t written by committee; they’re produced by a small group of dedicated, skilled writers who have training, experience, and (in most cases) multiple graduate degrees.

Our materials provide parents with a rare combination of academic rigor and ease of use. We are proud to say that our materials are the best books available for teaching history and language arts that we have seen. We’re also proud that as we come out with more and more products, they keep getting better and better.”

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Lessons Learned While Camping

by on June 17, 2011
in field trips · 32 Comments

Written by monthly contributor Renee Tougas of FIMBY.

A note from Jamie: This post first published on June 11, 2010. With many of us gearing up to make smores and set up tents at some point over the summer, it seems like a good time to revisit these thoughts from Renee.

Summer is a great time to be outdoors. A time to get away from it all, relax and play as a family.

One way to make the most of summer and to really enjoy nature together is to go camping.

Camping is a fun, affordable and memorable vacation for many families. It also presents excellent education opportunities.

So why not get out there and take advantage of the following things you’ll learn when camping.

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The Case for Once a Month Decluttering

by on June 16, 2011
in organization ·

Today I’m writing over at Steady Mom about the decluttering system that works for me.

From my post:

“Back in April I wrote a post about how I deep clean my house once a month. I mentioned that “it’s amazing how a tidy, uncluttered house can fool people into thinking it’s clean.”

In a followup post, I actually shared before and after photos of my cleaning days. In the comments Jenni wrote:

“Will you do a post on HOW your house looks so good in the before pictures? Decluttering? Organization? Simplifying? Daily pick ups? Where is all your STUFF? I love it!”

Others mentioned feeling discouraged by my photos (the complete opposite of my intention, by the way)–feeling like they had so far to go or that I secretly clean without calling it cleaning.

In a way, that’s true–I don’t consider tidying cleaning. No, I don’t wash my dishes once a month (ew!) or sweep after meals once a month–putting things away is part of family life, doesn’t take a ton of energy or time once you get started, and allows monthly deep cleaning to proceed with ease.

The secret to any success I’ve had in this area comes from stumbling across an organizational system that has worked well for me–once a month decluttering.”

Head here to read the rest!

Summer School: A Time for Skills Training

by on June 15, 2011
in home maintenance & management · 17 Comments

Written by contributor Kris of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Summer. A time for swimming, sleeping in, watching a little more TV, reading a few more books, cook-outs and family vacations. In short, summer typically offers a more relaxed schedule and a little more free time.

Even if you school year ’round, chances are your summer schedule isn’t as packed with outside activities as normal.

More time and less structure can make summer the perfect time to learn some new skills. No, I’m not talking about the three R’s. I’m talking about those things that can make your home run more smoothly when school is back in session.
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