We're Havin' A Party! Ultimate Blog Party 2010

 Are you gonna join us?  I think it's going to be a lot of fun.  I hope I still get some housework done!  And homeschooling too.

There is nothing like a week long party, right?  Come check it out.

 There is so much going on this coming week and so many AWESOME giveaways!

But before we get to that, here's a little more about me.

What does one say about themselves?  I could tell you that I'm a stay at home, homeschooling mom.  I could say that I'm my husband's helper and support.  I could tell you that I have short blond hair and bluish eyes. I could tell you where I live and what kind of house I live in.  I could tell you even more about my children.  And I could tell you some of my favorite things.  So, here it goes:

I am J's wife and helper. We have been married for almost ten years.  We have always had a good marriage by many standards.  I know there is better out there for us and I think that we are discovering just what that better is. We went through a rough patch not that long ago and some days I wasn't even sure I liked or loved him any more.  Now all of a sudden we are reaping the benefits of sticking it out.  I feel like we have reconnected again.  I love spending time with him again.

I am a stay at home mom to five children, ages 8 and under.  I am expecting our 7th baby.  Yes, you are right; the numbers do not add up at first glance.  I am also a mom who suffers the pain of a neo-natal death.  God knows what we can handle, and He has used that experience in many different ways in my life already.

I homeschool our five children.  We are on the unschooling end of the homeschooling spectrum.  My students are not "at grade level" in most of the subjects but I'm okay with that.  I really believe and tend to follow the research by the Moore Foundation - Better Late Than Early.  I'm providing lots of interaction and stimulation.  I see them learning every day.  Starting this fall, we will be diving into (slowly) Tapestry of Grace, Year One.

I love books and learning.  I had stopped reading almost completely for a while.  With the busy-ness of motherhood and many moves in our early years of marriage, there just wasn't time; I didn't make the time.  After I took up blogging (another hobby), I discovered reviewing books and products.  I have gotten back into reading in a couple of ways, in addition to writing reviews.  I have joined a number of Reading Challenges (check out my reading lists).  I want my children to see me read more than just the computer screen.  As you can see on my Good Reads profile, I am reading and waiting to read a good number of books.

I started blogging (here) as a way to keep track of the homeschooling we were doing.  However, my blog became so much more than a homeschool record and I moved here to Blogger.com where I started blogging more consistently.  Last year I also joined a group of ladies in writing reviews over at Simply Sensational Divas Review.  We have changed things over there so that we are each posting something monthly - a little more laid back but with some consistency, we hope.

So, that's kinda it - that's me. You'll have to stick around to find out more - the issues that get me going and the troubles (and joys) that we face as a family.  If you do, you will learn more about my friends and my church and my support people.  You will learn about our house that we are renovating (it's a church that we are making into a home). I hope you will add me to your reader or subscribe by email, if you don't already.

I don't have a great giveaway, not even a small one, but there are some great ones you should check out.  (You can find them ALL here.)  I know there are a lot of them listed (both on the site and here, but these are my prize picks (in NO particular order):

• USC 1 – “Two Snowflakes” is the story of Phina and Bella: Identical Twin Snowflakes, who are tired of being mistaken for one another… until a chance encounter shows them just how special and unique, they really are.
• USC 4 – A Child’s Summer Fun Gift Pack. A big sand bucket filled with tons of great toys for outside summer fun. Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, sunglasses, and more. There will be two winners!
• USC 6 – One complete baby outfit from our Gaga for Mama line – includes a bodysuit, pants, bib, and summer hat.
• USC 7 – The book Forget Perfect by Lisa Earle McLeod.
• USC 8 – $55 E-Gift Card for Amazon.com Gift code will be emailed to the winner and can be used for purchases from Amazon.com.
• USC 10 – One winner will receive a beautiful handmade glass pendant with their choice of chain. The piece is made by me with care using glass and paper.
• The design I will give away is called “Lilac“.
• USC 11 – Win a $50 gift certificate good towards any purchase in my Etsy shop or my website.
• USC 13 – $100 gift certificate to Kay Jewelers
• USC 14 – One lucky person will win one personalized music cd featuring a child’s name in the music and lyrics of every song on this full length cd by Kids Personalized Music
• USC 19 – A free ring of the winners choice from Beadworks by Marcy
• USC 25 -$25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card-online or in store, never expires by Baba’s Farm Life
• USC 27 – A $50 gift card to The Recessionista Shop where you’ll find designer shoes, handbags, jeans, tees and accessories for a fraction of retail.
• USC 30 – One $50 Gift Certificate to Paperlicious.com, good for anything in our store, including baby shower and birthday invitations, social stationery, and our signature Momager Calling Cards.
• USC 31 - Lovable Labels Special Starter/Camp Pack! Because Finding Your Kids Stuff _ Shouldn’t Be Tough!
• USC 33 – A $50 gift card to Lindt Chocolate. from Michelle
• USC 35 - $50.00 CASH ~ Paypal Transfer. ($50 USD or current CAD conversion rate) from American Muslim Mom
• USC 36 – $25 Amazon.com gift card from Tara’s View of the World
  
• USC 37 – One winner will receive a $50 gift card to Amazon.com from Shasher’s Life
• USC 38 – Win it before you can buy it! A Place For Delta, this middle grade read will take you and your child on a whirlwind adventure where you travel from Georgia to Alaska, care for a polar bear cub, learn about the environment, and solve a mystery! I am offering 2 finished, hardcover copies before its pub date of June 1 from Online Publicist
  
• USC 39 – A $50 paypal cash prize for one winner from MomDot
• USC 40 – $20 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com. from SandwichINK
• USC 44 – $20 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com from Tara’s View on Books
• USC 48 – A $25 Gift Certificate for Just Jewelry by Jessica.
  
• USC 49 – Label Out Loud Essentials Combo Pack $48.00 for 30 Sticky Labels, 12 Shoe Labels, 70 Tag Mates or 40 Iron-Ons, 2 Teeny Tags
• USC 53 – What’s New, Cupcake? A fun and easy cupcake book, full of designs for every occasion, written by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson by HoosierHomemade
• USC 57 – One winner will choose a pair of children’s shoes from Eleven Collection by Jamaise @ Wishing Penny

• INTL 6 – Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House Written By: Cheryl Meldelson by Hallee the Homemaker
• INTL 9 – 10 winners will receive two ebooks: Pretty.Cool. Cakes: A Baker’s Dozen of Themed Birthday Cake Ideas and FishMama’s Guide to Cooking with Children. by FishMama and LifeasMOM
• INTL 12 – $50 gift certificate will be awarded to 3 winners. Redeemable for downloadable ebooks from Penny Raine. They have great Homemaking How-to ebooks, Family Bible Studies and storybooks and devotionals about life with her family on their horse farm in TN. Learn about everything from country life and homemaking to being a better mother and enjoying it all by PennyRaine.com.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,