SusanEvans.org—It's Everything You Love About Homeschooling

Homeschool mentors. I've been greatly influenced by them over the 20+ years we've homeschooled.

If I'd had access to Susan Evans remarkable website and blog, filled with articles, audio workshops, E-Books and hands-on resources, I'd have considered myself in Homeschool Heaven. And that's what it feels like when you enter her site and hang out awhile. It's everything you know you and your kids LOVE about homeschooling.

With almost 100 articles on a variety of topics and subjects, a ton of ideas to use with unit studies (my absolute favorite and effective way to teach), awesome real-life photos, and intriguing hands-on, ready-to-use resources for purchase, you need to add susanevans.org to your list of favorites. Oh, and I love that she includes a Charlotte Mason primer on the famous set of books.

Does she have experience? I'd say. She grew up in Guatemala as a missionary kid (read her E-Book!), raised by Christian parents. At 18, she moved to the U.S. and earned a Bachelor's degree in English. She was a certified teacher and taught for seven years before having children. She's taught in public and private schools, including two years in London, England. She was a middle school drama director and became popular for her hands-on learning, which she incorporates in her methods of teaching her own children at home and willingly shares with others in workshops and through the web. She loves God, delights in her husband and four kids, has a BIG heart for homeschooling, and loves to play dress-up.

In fact, go to her site now and you can sign up for the free workshop: "Boxes, Forts, and Tents." It's packed with fun ideas. And at times during the year, she shares her children's hands-on learning yearbooks as well. These are incredibly unique works, that include lots of fun unit study ideas with pictures galore! Hint, hint—are you making scrapbooks or yearbooks with your kids yet?

Another thought about those mentors. When you search the web you can find a lot of info, even free info, but it costs something to those that provide it. Be generous—if you are blessed by something or someone, let them know! Buy a product you'll love, share on FB, tell your friends!

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success . . .

It's the title of K.M. Weiland's new book, and I'm really looking forward to exploring its pages! Buy her book this week and you could win some fab prizes. You'll also love her web site: WORDplay, Helping Writers Become Authors.

Here is the description: Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will help you choose the right type of outline for you, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, aid you in discovering your characters, show you how to structure your scenes, explain how to format your finished outline, instruct you in how to use your outline when writing the first draft, reveal the benefits of outlining, and dispel the misconceptions.

K.M. Weiland is the author of the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn.  I knew her as a young homeschooler years ago, and her writing talent has blossomed to unusual heights. Visit her website: kmweiland.com.

My Article is in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!

Gee, it's long past time for updating this blog. I'm excited this month because I am a published author in the summer issue of TOS, and guess what? It is going viral for FREE. My story is on page 72, a new version of my blog entry from many years back when we first moved to the natural state of Arkansas.

Check it out for yourself here: Free digital Summer 2011 edition of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Feel free to pass it on and share with your friends.



I'm in my last year of homeschooling with my youngest son this year and doing a lot of reminiscing. How did so much time fly by so fast? We are so blessed.

So for now, my life is turned toward homeschool planning with Jeremie—his last year. I can't believe that this awesome homeschool journey with our four sons is ending . . . but I'm reminded that our education NEVER ends. It's cool that I am still on FIRE about learning after all these years. That's how God made us. I've loved learning along with my sons . . . but the journey is never ending for me. How about you?

I saw this quote this week and remembered reading Teach Your Own many, many years ago—so glad I took the time!

"What makes people smart, curious, alert, observant, competent, confident, resourceful, persistent—in the broadest and best sense, intelligent—is not having access to more and more learning places, resources, and specialists, but being able in their lives to do a wide variety of interesting things that matter, things that challenge their ingenuity, skill, and judgment, and that make an obvious difference in their lives and the lives of people around them."

—John Holt~ Teach Your Own