TOS Crew Blog Hop!

As I, and the rest of the members of the TOS Homeschool Crew, gear up for another year of fun reviews, we'd love for our readers to get a chance to know all of us!  Stop by the linky to find some wonderful homeschool blogs and leave a few comments to say hello!  It's a great way to read some really fun blogs that you might not have come across previously, and to discover who else will be providing reviews!

If you would like to check out previous reviews, be sure to check out all of my reviews from 2010-2011!

Also, please give a special visit to our Blog Hop Hosts, Our Homeschool Studio, a glimpse of our life, and Our Village is a Little Different!

Have fun hoppin'!

"Not" Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week

This week at Heart of the Matter Online's "Not Back to School Blog Hop", the highlight is school rooms.  The way our house is set up (and probably the way in which I homeschool), we don't have one designated room for school - it happens all over the house!  That means that our decor tends to reflect that - our main room accents include bookshelves, wipe-off boards and maps!

Here's a peek into our school rooms - oh, and I didn't do any special clean-up before taking pictures - I'm keeping it "real" here! ;-)  Consider yourself warned!

This bookshelf is in our front living room.  It holds 4 Sonlight Cores, preschool and math manipulatives, and other miscellaneous homeschool and non-homeschool books. Oh, and a BB gun and remote controlled helicopter.  This is a houseful of boys, afterall!

The dining room, where the big kids do their independent work.  The bookshelf holds art supplies and paper, and other "stuff".  See my easy-to-put-away school boxes?  Notice they are not actually put away?  Yeah, I know.

The wipe-off board in the dining room, where we do our spelling.

The eat-in nook in the kitchen.  Notice lovely aforementioned wipe-off board and map decor.  We usually use this wipe-off board for memory verses and science.  And keeping track of who loses Wii time due to door slamming.

Another view of the kitchen.  The dresser to the left holds, well, junk.  Actually, it has CDs, plus alot of artwork that needs to be sorted and corralled.  The plastic drawers to the right hold wipe-off markers, coloring books, magazines for cutting up, and other random art supplies.  The basked holds some kitchen rags, always good to have in quick reach for spills!

This is our back living room, which is open to the kitchen.  Again, the map look.

The main couch, where I read to the littles and also do History and Read-Alouds with the big kids.  This is across from the fireplace pictured above.

The same couch, different view.  A bookshelf!

The love seat that holds the dog and some laundry.  No, that's not it's actual purpose, but it does do that frequently.  Our end table is decorated with legos, of course.  Isn't everyone's?

A close up of the basket next to the main couch.  It holds 6 weeks worth of Sonlight stuff, for easy access.

This basket is next to the love seat, and holds our P 4/5 books.

This is the computer desk.  We had a bigger one and I thought downsizing would help me keep it cleaner.  I was wrong! 

Well, that was the grand tour! Thanks for stopping by and having a look at my school rooms home!  Be sure to check out others at the Not Back to School Blog Hop!

Moms of Boys Blog Hop!

The MOB Society (short for "Moms of Boys") is having their first annual Boy Mom Blog Hop!  Seeing that I probably qualify as a mom of boys, I thought I'd jump in for some fun!

If you are new to my blog or joining me from the Blog Hop, let me introduce myself and my kiddos!  I am Erin, married to my wonderful husband Michael for almost 13 years.  We are blessed with 5 boys, and were recently surprised with our first girl in February! (I say surprised because, after 5 boys... I just figured a girl wasn't possible!  It was the shock of a lifetime! A joyous one, of course!) My blog is mostly about every day life, homeschooling, and my faith in Christ.  I also do reviews for the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Well, that's enough about me - now to introduce the boys (and girl, I have to include her - she's the cutest one of the bunch!  Although there are some close runners up!):

Isaac is 10.5, and such a helper!  He is my second set of hands and eyes, and loves being the biggest brother. He's also getting way too big for my liking!

Ezra is going to be 9 years old soon, and he is our class clown!  He loves to have fun and make others laugh, and he is also a wonderful encourager.

Joel is 6.5 and always in motion!  He's a chatterer, too, so there is rarely a dull (or quiet) moment with him around.  He has a tender, gentle heart, is very artistic, and is growing up so fast!

Next up is Nathan, who is 4.5.  He's our quiet one, and is often found off by himself playing somewhere - who knew there could be an introvert in a big family?   But once he comes out of his shell, he's got a fun, quirky sense of humor and it's fun to see what goes on inside that quiet self of his!

Judah is 2, and second star of the "cuteness" show - and he knows it!  He's our resident musician (he takes after my husband) and always keeps us laughing.  He's still in the cuddlebug phase, which makes this mama's heart happy!  The first six months of his official status upgrade to "big brother" has gone wonderfully as he adores his little sister, and I am excited to see how close they grow over the years.

And while she doesn't fit into the "boy" category, here's the little miss of the household, Rachel - she's already stolen Daddy's heart and has the rest of us well wrapped around her finger, as well!

One of the topics suggested in the Blog Hop was a list of my boys' favorite books.  I'll try to keep it brief, although we tend to read a LOT around here!

Isaac loves all sorts of books (he's a bookworm).  He has read the Lord of the Rings trilogy a few times, he loves missionary stories (such as the Christian Heroes series) and stories about martyrs (such as the Jesus Freaks collections).  His top favorite series, however, are The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins (which I also really enjoyed!), and The Terrestria Chronicles by Ed Dunlop.  There are many others, and he has a list over on his own blog, A Full Family, if you want to see more!

Ezra loves books about Indians.  For school this year we studied early American History, which included reading several books detailing the lives of Native Americans, and he devoured them.  He's not really into reading as much as his brother, so it really says a lot when he sits down to read a chapter book non-stop!  He especially enjoyed Om-Kas-Toe and Naya Nuki.  He also read and enjoyed the Underland Chronicles, as well.

Joel is a beginning independent reader, (for which I recommend Bob Books!) so he still enjoys being read-aloud to.  His latest favorite stories are from Make Way for McCloskey - the number one choice being "The Doughnuts" from Homer Price.   Another top-read-aloud among the little guys is anything and everything from the Harper Collins Treasury of Picture Book Classics - this collection I consider a must-have for little ones!  Nathan's top pick is always something from A Family Treasury of Little Golden Books - he adores these stories.  Judah enjoys listening in on anything - he doesn't have a favorite book right now!

Life with a bunch of boys is pretty wild!  I only had a sister growing up, so I am learning quite a bit about snips and snails and puppy dog tails - and I love it!  While I am glad to have a little bit of pink in the house now, I thank God every day for the blessing and privilege of raising up men for His glory!  My prayer for them is that they grow to be men who follow hard after God, stand strong amidst adversity, and humbly serve and love those around them.

Thanks for stopping by!  I'd love it if you'd leave a comment to say hello, and please be sure to drop in on the other moms participating in the MOB Blog Hop!

Thoughts of Spring Blog Party

Lynette Kraft at Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground is hosting a delightful blog party, called Thoughts of Spring! I decided to be social and join in (not to mention there's some pretty cool gift incentives for participants! But that wasn't my main motivation, I promise!) Lynette created a list of "get to know you" questions for partiers to answer... so... get to know me! Oh, and just to keep with the theme, I'll throw in some random pictures of the signs of spring that we've seen lately, here in the lovely warm South!

First off, a brief introduction! I am Erin. I am 31 years old and have been married to my awesome husband Michael for 12 years (yes, do the math, we were youngins when we got married!) and have 6 incredible children - Isaac, age 10, Ezra, age 8, Joel, age 6, Nathan, age 4, Judah, age (almost 2), and (finally!) a little girl, Rachel, who is a month old! We homeschool and live in the (usually warm) state of Georgia, although I'm technically a Yankee, being raised most of my life in New England. I am in love with Jesus and have been completely transformed by His grace in my life - I am so thankful to be a New Creation in Him!

Now with the formalities over, I'll dive on in!

Our first daffodil this year!

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.)
Gosh, what a question to start with! I have no idea how other people would describe my personality! I'd HOPE they'd describe it as "joyful" or "upbeat", or even "funny" or "kind", but for all I know people might also describe me as "weird", "uptight", or "annoying"! How do I know how people would describe me?

Are they right?
Probably yes, to any of the above, depending on the day.

What celebrity/celebrities would create a “Star-Struck” feeling if you saw them in real life?
Honestly, none. I don't idolize celebrities. They're just people like you and me! They just happen to have a talent that puts them in front of other people more frequently. Which I don't envy at all!

Who is your favorite blogger? Why?
This is a really hard question! I love Brenda at The Family Revised because she's so down-to-earth, funny, and just plain REAL. But there are tons of blogs that I love (see my two sidebars as proof!), so I'm always scouring lots of blogs.

What is your comfort food/drink?
Dark chocolate. And nice, hot food that I didn't have to make myself. Italian is especially good, but I also like regular "down home" cooking! Yum! I love food!

Be brave – tell us something very random and weird about yourself.
Well, I covered a few down below in the "strange talent" and "strange phobia" questions. I guess it would be that I AM random and weird! At least, at times ;-) As proof, here's a random and weird picture - our dog, on our picnic table, with snow boots, a potted plant and some dirty washcloths. Why I took this picture, I have no idea!


Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?
Yes!! My biggest desire is to adopt! Yes, more children! I have a huge burden for orphans and I think that adoption is one of the biggest "pro-life" statements that can be made.

Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres?
I'm not a huge movie person, and it's hard for me to narrow down my favorite "type". If it's a good movie, it will keep my attention, no matter what the style. The only kind I don't watch at all are horror movies.

Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Biographies, True Stories, Self-Help, Devotional/Study? What are your favorite types of reading material?
I mostly enjoy devotional/study type reading, as well as non-fiction, and true stories. Even as a child I preferred non-fiction - I like learning!

Music: Funk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Film Score, Blues, Classic Rock, Crooner, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Techno? What are your favorite types?
I used to like Country music a lot, but the lyrics have been going downhill and I don't enjoy it much anymore. So I listen to Christian music 99% of the time, all kinds (popular, hymns, anything except the heavier stuff). I really enjoy Bluegrass style music, as well.

If you inherited a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with your money?
I know this sounds so goody-goody, but the first thing I would do is give a bunch of it away! I find great joy in giving.

Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul).
Perfectionism keeps me bound in guilt and feeling overwhelmed a lot. It's a horrible burden, and I know the Lord is slowly but surely helping me overcome, but it is still a struggle!

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go?
I love living in the South! I'm quite happy here in Georgia. I used to think perhaps Tennessee or Virginia would be nice. Lately, I've been thinking BEACH! So, Florida? The gulf coast! But then there are hurricanes to contend with. Hmmm... hurricanes vs. chilly winters... which are worse? I'll have to think on that...

Strange Talent? Can you juggle basketballs, put your legs behind your head or perform some other strange feat?
OK, this could be embarrassing, but... I do have a strange talent... I can fit my entire fist into my mouth, up to my wrist. Yes, apparently, I have a large mouth and a flexible jaw. Kind of like a snake. But not exactly. Oh, and if you know me in real life, please don't ask me to demonstrate. It's not pretty! It involves strange facial contortions and slobber.

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift).
Yikes! I had to think about this one. Organizing time, maybe? Not that I'm the best user of my time, but I can organize it pretty well. And I'm good with numbers, so, financial stuff like budgeting. I wish my skills were more creative, like sewing or baking yummy things, but I'll be thankful for what I've been given. My skills do come in handy for homeschooling a large family, so God knew what I'd need!

What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of?
Hyacinth! Aaahhhh... the perfect smell of spring! That and honeysuckle.

(not in our yard, but I hope to plant some for next year!)

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less?
Usually that I would have talked less.

If money wasn’t a factor, what stores would you shop in?
I would grocery shop at Whole Foods or some other natural food place. For non-groceries like clothing or household supplies, I'd still shop wherever they're cheapest. Just because you've got the money doesn't mean you should spend $100 for a pair of jeans, you know?! To me, that's absurd. No offense to people who are more style conscious than me!

What is your greatest fear or strange phobia?
I hate swimming where I know there are large fish. Small fish I can handle, but fish that actually weigh pounds?! Nope, won't get in the water. That's not my greatest fear, but I suppose it's a rather strange phobia. I also get super nervous in social situations. Even talking to the cashier at the store! I fake it pretty well, but really, I can be painfully shy.

What is your greatest accomplishment?
Hmmm.... giving birth to 6 amazing children! And second to that, making it through each day with all six of them ;-)

What are your favorite animals?
Horses. I was the epitome of a horse-crazy girl growing up! Here's some random pictures of me and some of my favorite horses, back in the day:

Turtles are pretty cute, too, but I don't have any pictures of me and turtles!

Are you a hopeless romantic?
Nope, I'm a pretty down-to-earth realist.

What movie or book character can you most relate to?

Another tough one! Honestly, I think I relate to Peter in the Bible... my heart can be so full of passion and love for the Lord, but then I can go and make the lamest mistakes, or even neglect Him outright. It is so comforting to me to see the love Jesus still had for Peter, the forgiveness He poured out, and the power He sent to Peter through the Holy Spirit to do His work. I know He does the same for me, despite my weaknesses!

Just a pretty tree!

Happy beginning-of-Spring! Thanks for coming by!

Party Time!

I've decided to go ahead and join in on Lynnette's Blog Party over at Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground! I have to admit, I believe this is my first "official" party to attend! I'm excited to get to know some other bloggers and allow others to get to know me a bit better, too! Our first event is to answer these 20 questions, so here I go...

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?
Hmmm... while writing, I don't snack. While reading... um, anything ranging from peanut MnMs, or a Coke, perhaps some ice cream... (yes, I do realize that NONE of that has any nutritional value! What can I say? Blogging and snacking are indulgences for me!) (and I definitely don't snack on these every time I'm blogging!)

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
God

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
A farm, absolutely. But I love to visit both the beach and the mountains.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?

You know, its hard to say, because I kind of dread most chores, but once they're done, it feels so good to get them done! I think cleaning the kitchen is probably my least favorite, though, because it always needs doing, and then as soon as its done, its messy again!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
I always get told I look like somebody someone knows! As far as famous people, I've been told Alanis Morissette and Alyssa Milano. Who interestingly, have the same initials, of which I do not. And I don't think I look a thing like either of them.

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?
Staying at home! The occasional party is fun, but I am homebody!

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
I really don't know... I'm not a big movie person!

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?
What make up?

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
I'd love to get better at photography and gardening. I'd also like to play the cello. I'm very un-musical, however!

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Now, this is a difficult question. A really random thing I can do is fit my entire fist into my mouth, all the way to my wrist. Does that qualify as strange?

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
Um, what didn't? His hair, his eyes, his smile, his physique, his sense of humor, how kind and tender he was, what a beautiful runner he was, the fact that he was left-handed, played guitar, and how his toes pointed in when he was sitting down, his passion for God... how could I not fall in love?

12. What is something you love to smell?
Flowers, especially honeysuckle, hyacinth, and... one other I can't remember the name of!

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I tend to interrupt when I'm in a conversation about something that's really interesting to me. I hate that I do it, I think its so rude!

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Usually how to spend it on Michael or the kids. Homeschool stuff counts as "for the kids", of course. ;-)

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
More loud than silent, I suppose. Michael and the boys make me laugh the hardest.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
Eh... nowhere in particular, really.

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Exercise. Maybe start riding horses again.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
I go back and forth on this.

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)
Off the top of my head, I'd say Anne Shirley Blythe is up there for me... but we did just spend the summer reading all of the Anne books, so that opinion might be tainted.

20. Would you want to be famous?
Nope, no way! I'm not one who likes the spotlight and the pressures fame would bring. I'm happy to be in my home with my husband, children, and a few close friends. I'm rather an introvert.