Deseret Homeschool Association

Walk into a Hug

2012-02-06T21:47:00.003-08:00

LOVE -- what a Happy word!

That simple word can bring so many feelings, stir so many emotions, bring to remembrance such tender memories, can inspire within us the desire to create magical moments in our lives.

Love comes in various forms; the love we have for our spouse, the love we feel as a mother, the love we possess for friends, for extended family.

I feel a great urgency to focus on the sweet children in my life, to nurture within myself the love that I, as a mother, have for our children; to strengthen and renew the relationships I have with each of them. This is an ever challenging battle (especially if you are Momma to teenagers). I say that with a smile in my heart, because I truly feel blessed knowing that my kids and I are close, everything is not perfect (I’d be lying to you if I said it were, but it’s pretty darn close and I am pleased to say that!)

Even with that little comment, I can see where I have a lot of room for growth, for improvement. My goal would be that my kids NEVER doubted my love and devotion to them. That they always felt they were of upmost importance in my world. That they could FEEL the love I hold in my heart for each of them. I would hope that they would always feel that they were walking right into a hug as they approach me. I know that I fail at this more often than I’d care to admit.

Being the Mom is not as easy as I had once imagined it might be…

It is more rewarding than I had ever dreamed possible, but certainly more challenging!

With the choice we’ve made to have our kids home with us instead of away at the local school…we spend practically every waking moment in their presence. BUT, if you are anything like me, life is full and we can tend to “be there” without “being available” to them.

Do you light up when your son walks into the room, do you stop to listen to your little girl as she shows off her latest work of creativity? Do you quickly and happily pay attention when the prodding from a little person calls for you, or do you hush them asking for just another minute before you get to them?

The past few weeks have taught me some very powerful lessons. I have been found very guilty of putting my kids off until I have a moment for them, my little one came to me the other day with a desperate sort of tone in her voice; apparently she had been trying to speak to me and I was in my own little world…this was not acceptable to her! Yes, she does believe she should be the center of my universe and I will not disagree, but at this moment my thoughts were anywhere but where they should have been focused. I was grateful for the not-so-gentle reminder that I was unavailable as the Momma at that point and time.

Unfortunately, not all children will remind us in such a way…some may just give up and find the challenge of obtaining our attention a useless cause. I am recognizing this in some of my kiddos and am determined to make sure they know that I am available for them, that they are a priority in my world, that other things can wait and they don’t need to.

During this lovely month of February, my goal is to provide an environment in which my children really will feel as though they’ve walked into a hug as they approach me…I want them to feel all warm and fuzzy inside…I want them to take those feelings with them, to be strengthened by the comfort that comes with knowing you are loved.

The Re-Set Button

2012-02-06T21:47:00.001-08:00

One day, my daughter was having one of “those” days. For whatever reason, things just weren’t going her way, and she was letting the rest of us know exactly how mad she was about it. Everything was a drama, a disaster, a point of argument. She was making life miserable for the rest of us with her attitude and I quickly turned sour, myself. I was ready to boot the kid into next week!

Things did not improve as the day wore on and in the early afternoon, my daughter came unglued at her siblings, AGAIN. I was in another room when I heard her hollering, and I’d had enough. I was furious. I pounded into the room, ready to give the girl a piece of my mind and to order her to KNOCK IT OFF! I took a deep breath, and yelled over my daughter’s yelling, “GET OVER HERE!”

I was ready to ground her or banish her. But as she walked to me, hunched against “the wrath of Mom,” her face drawn with dejection and frustration, I felt a strong impression to hug her. I all but yanked her into my arms.

It surprised us both. I didn’t know what to say, so I just said, “You looked like you needed a hug.” She burst into tears and just nodded, practically burrowing into me.

We stood there for a long time, my daughter’s jerky, tight sobs gradually lessening, loosening. I felt my anger at her dissolve and my compassion for her build, and even rocked back and forth with her, as she were an oversized baby. I realized then that it had been awhile since I had really hugged this child and let her know that I am here for her, in good times—and in bad times—especially in bad times!

The whole experience was like hitting the re-set button. All the tension and anger and frustration were gone. We couldn’t un-do what happened earlier in the day, but with that hug—that physical reconnection and reminder that I love her—my daughter and I were able to move forward in a positive direction for the rest of the day.

In the days that followed, when I’ve gotten frustrated, or noticed that one of the kids is frustrated, I’ve tried to remember to find a way to “re-set.” I may not be able to change my circumstances, but I can change my attitude, and influence the others around me, if I am willing to stop—and re-set. Sometimes, it’s a hug. Sometimes, it’s a joke. Sometimes, it’s bursting into song. Sometimes, it’s just an open admission, “You know what? This isn’t going well—let’s ‘re-set.’”

I hope if you find yourself or your kids struggling on a given day (week, month, year) that you have a “re-set button” to help restore happiness and humor.

You are doing such profound, amazing work. Don’t forget that. Consider this a virtual hug from me. You’re awesome, ladies!

Marissa Pineda
Vice President

January’s Mother’s Meeting Review

2012-02-06T21:45:00.001-08:00

Last week many of us got out for an evening of Laughter for No Reason! Ok so it was a little weird.... talk about take us out of the norm... but that sorta was the whole point. A great instructor in the art of Laughter Yoga came and gave us a cardiovascular work-out that I, for one, actually enjoyed. No bikes, stair-steppers or treadmills, just good old Laughing. It was interesting how it felt to say my name and have everyone laugh afterwards, it sort of made me feel funny like I was in 7th grade again and on the spot, but then it was also healing, because I realized that's what everyone was SUPPOSED to be doing and I just needed to lighten up and enjoy myself.!!!! So I did, and I also watched everyone else. We had a wide variety of comfortableness with letting go in that room.

What I think most everyone came away with though, was the idea that laughter is healing, and yeah, sometimes we have to force it at first, but genuine laughter feels good, and is Oh, So Contagious!

LOL, Lynnelle

Come Get Your Austen On!

2012-02-06T21:43:00.001-08:00

Need a night out? How ‘bout a chick flick with the girls at Stacey Lytle’s place? Meet us on Friday, Feb. 17 at 6 PM at 1298 N. Cambrick in Kuna. Bring your best British accent and favorite munchie to share as we watch Jane Austen’s classic, Sense and Sensibility!

January!

2012-01-04T22:09:00.001-08:00

I LOVE a New Year…each time one rolls around I have the chance to try to get it right!

I recently read a very humorous little line that went something like, “A New Year’s Resolution is a to-do list for the first week of January.” Couldn’t help but laugh at that one! Rings too true!

As I thought about January and all the resolutions I’m supposed to be setting for this new year, coupled with my thoughts about Moms and Homeschooling and all that faces us each day, I decided to just jot down a few things that might be helpful. As always, they are probably the things I most need to be reminded of. Hopefully one might jump out and grab ya!

J ~ I challenge you to CHOOSE JOY everyday!

Joy is a choice…

Some days we may have to seek and seek to find it, but dig deeply enough and I promise you will feel it, take time to bask in the beauty of JOY…it feels so fantastic!

A ~ Focus on your ABUNDANT blessings! I have a quote that hangs in my school room as a constant reminder to myself, my children and everyone who enters “our room”…

“What IF you woke up today with only the things

you thanked God for yesterday?”

May we make the choice to focus on the abundance of blessings we each enjoy and focus less on the hardships life may bring.

N ~ Never stop dreaming…

Always follow your heart and refuse to shut down or stifle the dreams that reside within you…what an amazing example you are to your children ~ let them catch you tackling the world!

Give yourself the right to be extraordinary!!!

U ~ Believe that nothing is Unattainable!

Keep climbing those mountains, as trying as they may be, YOU will show this world and yourself that you CAN conquer the unimaginable with dignity and grace, just by believing in yourself!

A ~ Attack your battles and challenges with enthusiasm and courage!

Don’t allow yourself to be fearful or worse yet, defeated! YOU are too great…challenges are merely stumbling blocks (or oversized boulders) that when overcome, help us stand a little taller!

R ~ REMEMBER, You are never alone!

During some of our lowest times we may feel very alone…a scripture I turn to time and again that brings peace to my heart is a well known verse - Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” When I read this, I know I am going to be okay, no matter the situation, HE is with me, He is telling me not to be afraid, not to be dismayed, to be strong, to have good courage BECAUSE He is with me everywhere I go. What a Beautiful peace this brings….I am never alone!

President Gordon B. Hinckley’s words of optimism are powerful…I like to picture him looking into the mirror as he would say these words to himself each morning, “It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God and move forward with faith and confidence in the future.”

Y ~ It’s all about YOU!

Take care of you…nurture yourself…feed your Spirit…replenish your cup…

Recognize what brings a smile to your sweet face…and spend more time doing those things.

Make time for YOU!

Contrary to what some may believe…

YOU really must treat yourself to a little “YOU TIME” each and every day…be creative…you may have to sneak in a few priceless moments in the wee hours of the night or before the sun ever peeks it’s lovely head over the mountaintops…

It may feel selfish to find this time for yourself; that is simply not true! YOU will be better, happier, more energetic, more willing, more confident, more adventurous, more nurturing, more joyful, more pleasant, more of everything desirable!

You will be the very best Momma and Wife when you have nurtured yourself and fed your sweet spirit!

Happy New Year, Dear Friend!

My wish for you is that this will be a year filled with an abundance of joyful moments.

Much love to you, Stacey

Why Fix what isn’t broken?

2012-01-04T21:56:00.001-08:00

I started homeschooling three years ago, in January. At the time I had a third grader and a first grader. My husband and I had spent a couple of years researching educational options for our family and came to the conclusion that we were meant to homeschool. We fasted and prayed for confirmation on our decision and received it. We had planned on just NOT putting our kids back in school in September, but somewhere between the intense feeling of RIGHTNESS about our decision in June and the giddy back-to-school hype in the world around us in August, we lost our nerve. We felt crushing insecurity and enough fear to send us jack-rabbiting back to the local public school. It didn’t help that my daughter’s teacher was in our ward, and had apparently hand-picked all the third graders from our ward to be in her class.

“Things will be fine,” we told ourselves. “Mrs. So-and-So is a GREAT lady, and by all accounts, an amazing teacher. She wants our daughter in her class! And we can always pull the kids out later, if we still feel like maybe we should...”

School started and by all traditional measures, the kids were doing fine. They liked public school, they had plenty of friends, good teachers, the kids were excelling academically—even being challenged some, but not to the point of discouragement. Everything was FINE. Except, it really wasn’t. We felt “off” somehow. After receiving confirmation from the Holy Ghost that homeschooling was truly the best choice for OUR family, we had turned our backs on it—succumbed to fear. Lost faith.

It was a terrible feeling, and it didn’t diminish even as my husband and I tried to rationalize it away. We kept repeating my mother’s opinion, “Why fix what isn’t broken?” She had a point—good school, good kids, good friends, good teachers---that wasn’t the broken part.

The broken part was our lack of faith to step out into the unknown and trust that God would show us the way to educate our children and help them develop a testimony of Jesus and his Gospel.

I often get asked what prompted us to homeschool. To be honest, the answer depends on the day, and the longer we do it, the more reasons we find that we didn’t even KNOW at the time we made the decision. But one thing encompasses all the answers I could give—and that is we chose to homeschool to deepen our relationships with each other and with the Lord. To develop our faith—faith in God, faith in ourselves, faith in our children.

Our first test of faith was to see if we’d really do this crazy homeschooling thing. It took us awhile to gather enough courage to jump in, even after we knew we should. And the first four months were pretty hellacious. The kids cried every day. I cried every day. But I didn’t want to face the Lord and say, “I didn’t do my best because it was too scary and I didn’t believe You would be there with me.” So we all kept going—and gradually, miraculously, things got better. I could see the hand of God daily. I still do.

We’ve come a long way in three years.

I look back on our first “official” homeschool day and smile at my bewildered, insecure self and my dejected, confused kids. We really had no idea what we were in for. But for all the stumbling and difficulty getting started and feelings of inadequacy, it’s been an amazing journey. We’ve all been stretched emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I’ve had the joy of seeing my children grow in all facets of their little lives, and I can see NOW how my faith has expanded and deepened.

So, here’s to another January—another New Year of homeschooling—I’m putting my hand in the Lord’s and taking a few more steps in faith. Whatever the next year brings for you, I hope you do the same and I hope you feel His love and guidance as you go along. Happy New Year!

Marissa Pineda
Vice President

Santa’s Workshop Works Overtime at the DHSA Christmas Party!

2012-01-04T21:51:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Melodi Kallmeyer, for mobilizing over 45 “elves” in Santa’s workshop! Kids of all ages tied a quilt, stuffed and sewed toy balls, and sanded and painted building blocks to donate to the Humanitarian Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus were on site, supervising and encouraging the helpers. Great work, everyone, and thanks again, Melodi, for your time and work putting the event together!

January Mothers' Meeting...

2012-01-04T21:50:00.001-08:00

Is anyone in need of a good chuckle, how about some seriously hysterical laughter, or uncontrollable giggling?

January can bring with it a big ugly case of the doldrums...I, for one, intend to kick them right out the door!

Please join us Thursday evening, January 26th @ 7 p.m.

For a night of fun and giggles and yacking....

We'll meet together at Stacey Lytle's home

22899 River Road, Caldwell

I've recently met an incredible friend whom I am sure you are going to love!

She is going to share her secrets of laughter with us...I cannot wait!

I'm hoping you'll all take a little time out for YOU and join us this night...

Come in your comfy clothes, be ready to relax and laugh and eat some yummy treats...

At the close of our evening, you should feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle the world!

Any questions? Give me a call! 453-2945 or shoot me an email lytlemomma@gmail.com

Treasure Valley Homeschool Spelling Bee!

2012-01-04T21:38:00.001-08:00

Our first Spelling Bee is coming up: February 15th, 2012.

We will meet at the Garden City Library.

We will meet together about once a month to practice our spelling skills and participate in a spelling bee. Take a look at around the website to get an idea of what a spelling bee is like.

- Melissa Wolfe

“What do all kids need?”

2011-11-05T23:32:00.001-07:00

I posed this question to my kiddos one afternoon during our devotional time. The answers came shooting out all at once; we don’t really have the raise-your-hand-thing down super great around here, so I found myself frantically writing their responses. As I was writing at super-human speed, I missed how profound and tender their answers actually were. Their shouts of excitement included…

Shelter
Water
Good food
A jump rope
Mom & Dad
Family & Friends
Church
A Hula Hoop
Jesus Christ & Heavenly Father
Our Prophet
Swedish fish and nerds
Fun
Tree forts
Horses and dogs and cats and turtles and fish
Dirt bikes and bikes
Trees to climb
Water to play in
A Giant Mastiff Puppy who protects us and loves us
Clothes
Socks without holes
Good books, math pages, paper and glue sticks

Then on their own, they piped in with what kids don’t need:

Kids don’t need drugs or tattoos or piercings…well, okay…

After listing what my kiddos yelled out in response to this simple question, I cannot help but smile. They know what is important…not once did I hear the answers that you might suspect you’d hear…these were real “things” that they feel all kids need. Now, if I had asked, “What do all kids want???” I may have heard an entirely differing list, but I am grateful that they can distinguish between needs and wants. (Well, for the most part…I wouldn’t really classify motorcycles, hula hoops and Swedish fish as needs, but I am the Mom and not the kid…so what do I know?)

My favorite of all was when one of them said, “Tree forts are something all kids need!” I mentioned to them that I didn’t have a tree fort when I was little. This actually seemed tragic to them, “But kids NEED a tree fort, where are you supposed to go when you need to read or just hang out?” And then another added in, “sometimes you just need to be there.” I thought back to the many, many times I had found a child, or two or three or ten, sitting high up in that little fortress, and as I listened to their feelings about tree forts, I felt a little tug deep within me that came with a tinge of regret…I haven’t enjoyed these moments with my kids…but that will change! I will climb up that scary, rickety ladder and I won’t be afraid of falling down into the creek below; instead I’ll just focus on that beautiful child I am sharing such a magnificent memory with and treasure it forever.

As I ponder the question, “What do all kids need”, I am humbled at the simple reality that what our children most need in this life is right at our fingertips, if we will but only take the time to share it with them…quite simply, they need our love, time and attention. A Mom or a Dad who genuinely shows an interest in their child will touch that child’s heart forever. Their needs are much the same as ours…we just take the simplicity out of life by adding in everything we think they (and we) “need” to be happy and successful, only causing chaos and frustration with the busyness of it all. We would do well to focus on the sweet, simple treasures of life and enjoy them with our kiddos.

“In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home. We talk with, rather than about, each other. We learn from each other, and we appreciate our differences as well as our commonalities. We establish a divine bond with each other as we approach God together through family prayer, gospel study, and Sunday worship.” – (President Uchtdorf - “Of Things That Matter the Most“)

Because of the innocence and wonder of my children…I may never look at a tree without the thought of building a magnificent “fort” to enjoy…maybe we’d all be a little happier if we could run outside to our tree fort when days felt hard…just something to think about!

Wishing you a month filled with beautiful memory making moments!

Stacey

DHSA Halloween Party a “Screaming” Success!

2011-11-05T23:28:00.001-07:00

More than ninety costumed kiddies and adults attended DHSA’s Halloween party on October 31, 2011 at the Lake Hazel Branch Library in Boise. Games and activities included “eyeball golf,” face painting, “booling” (bowling), a Monster Launch sling-shot, and my personal favorite—a mystery substance booth where folks stuck their hands into boxes of gunk or goo to determine if it was sliced skin of newt, werewolf hair, or swamp slime! Rounding out the fun were puzzles, crafts, popcorn, candy, cookies, and some darling Frankenstein Rice Krispy treats! We thank Melodi Kallmeyer for coordinating this “spooktacular” event, and also the teens and parents who manned booths and games and helped with clean up!

History Fair Fun!

2011-11-05T23:26:00.001-07:00

Twenty-four kids of all ages participated in this year’s history fair on Oct. 22^nd, at the Lake Hazel Branch Library in Boise. The kids were enthusiastic and clearly passionate about their chosen subjects. We had dioramas, written reports, clay and Lego models, poster board visuals, flip charts, and oral reports. Here’s a sampling of what we learned about: Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel, World War II, Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty, the history of baking soda, homemakers turned politicians and health advocates, bridges, the Pony Express, a history of flags, pioneer times, and we even had a visit from Mark Twain! Great work kids and thanks for sharing! And we offer a huge thanks to Kimberly Wing for putting the event together and acting as MC!

Mom’s Get-Away

2011-11-05T23:25:00.001-07:00

Krista Flanagan Collins is hosting a moms get-a-way. We are going to Cascade or McCall Nov 17-19. Should be under $50 per person. Anyone is welcome. We have a BLAST! Let me know if you want to come! We need a head count by next Thursday, Nov 11. Email ekristacollins@yahoo.com if you want to come!

Art Contest

2011-11-05T23:24:00.001-07:00

Boxtops for DHSA

2011-11-05T23:19:00.001-07:00

Albertsons is having a great sale on Green Giant vegetables (green beans/corn). And in addition to the great price, they are spitting out box top catalinas for 10 box tops. Have your kids enter in the codes on the website and help fund DHSA activities. Here are the details.

Green Giant Vegetables 11-15o.25 oz are on sale 6 for $4 ($.67 each) You get back a $2 catalina coupon (the coupon that prints at the register) when you buy 6, so the final price after catalina is $.34 a can (great price to build up food storage)!!! Simply figure out how many you want to buy, buy 1/2, pay for those, then use the catalinas to buy the 1/2 of the next group, then 1/2 of the next group along with any other groceries. If you are buying several things, you might not even need to do more than 2 transactions. Example: I buy 60 cans and pay $40, get $20 back in catalinas. Spend that on 30 more cans, pay only tax, get $10 back in catalinas. Use that to by 12 more cans and $2 worth of other stuff, pay tax, and end up with $4 in catalinas to buy produce or other groceries. You don't have to have any coupons when you go into the store.

Sale Ends on the 8th (I think).

Janet Cox - DHSA Treasurer

For More Info on DHSA's Box Top Account Check out this blog post BOXTOPS!

Nature Field Trip

2011-11-05T23:18:00.001-07:00

November 9th (Wednesday) from 10am – Noon

Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge
13751 Upper Embankment Rd
Nampa, ID 83686

Come join us for a fabulous nature field trip. The staff at the Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge are excited to present fascinating classes on animal camouflage. From arctic hares to sand spiders to leafy sea dragons, learn how animals hide and hunt by blending into their surroundings.

First class for grades K-6 will begin at 10 am.
Older kids can browse the fascinating children's
activity areas the visitor's center has to offer.

2nd class, for grades 7-12 will begin about 10:30
and will focus more on the technical aspects of camouflage...
such as chemical camouflage. Younger kids can browse the
activity areas during this class.

After both classes there will be a guided nature walk
on the grounds if weather allows.

No cost. Contact Ruth Hansen with questions. 208-466-0667

http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/

Need a date night?

2011-11-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

We've Got One for You!

Bring your hubby to the DHSA MAN FEAST for a Prime Rib dinner, catered by Lock, Stock, & Barrel!

When: Friday, November 11, 6:30 PM

Where: The Lytle’s residence,

22899 River Rd, Caldwell, ID 83607

$20.00 per couple

(please mail checks to Stacey Lytle

or bring them over when you come)

Please RSVP to gentapineda@gmail.com or call Marissa Pineda at 562-8090 by 5 PM, Tuesday, November 8.

WHY?

2011-10-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

Why did you get out of bed this morning? Why are you reading this message? Why have you chosen to educate your children at home? Why are the things you choose to do important in your world? Look at your list of things to do today. Why has each item been added to the list? For what reasons do you work, love, play, strive and pray?
At times, I look at my life and see that I’ve become a master at going through the routine, but perhaps in going through the motions, I’ve lost sight of what is most important. Perhaps, I’ve lost touch with the reasons WHY I continue doing it all in the first place. If this rings true to you…Stop for a moment and think about the why.
The reasons are there. Buried under the noisy complications of daily life is the person you truly wish to be and the things which you long to achieve. In some way, whatever you're doing at any moment is connected to those reasons. But if you've lost touch with the reasons, the connection may be distorted and your actions may be less effective than they could be.
When you remember why, you get where you wish to go with much more speed and effectiveness. Take the time and make the effort to stay in touch with the why. Know what drives you, and let it take you wherever you wish to go.
This past week has brought a few little challenges and with it a big ol’ load of doubt. It is during these ugly moments of doubt that I am grateful I can go back to the WHY of what I do, to the WHY I choose to keep my kiddos home with me each day, to the WHY certain things are vitally important and essential to me. When I choose to focus on the WHY, I can do the hard days.
Take the time to ponder the why's in your life...perhaps by focusing on why we do the things we do each day, we will again focus on the joys found in all that surrounds us!
Wishing you a BOO-tiful October ~ Stacey
Stacey Lytle
DHSA President

Comparatively Awesome

2011-10-04T23:04:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you, but occasionally I find that I compare myself to others. Sundays are typically when I’m at my “comparative” worst. I feel fat, dumpy, and weird as we walk into church. My kids aren’t the ones who go up and bear their testimonies or have the trendiest clothes. My house is a disaster. I feel so disorganized! I don’t always manage to get through all our lessons each week. Sometimes I think people must wonder how such a nice, outgoing man like my husband ended up with a cantankerous introvert like me.
Or I wonder when people say things like “Wow, homeschooling. You must be super-mom,” they really mean “Wow, homeschooling. You must be a nut-job/right-wing zealot/anti-establishment freak.” And, of course, all of these lousy things are because I am a weak, inadequate person who can’t get her act together!
One day, I was moaning to a friend about how pathetic I was feeling and how life just stinks, she interrupted me with, “Tell me about the good things in your life.” This threw me a little, as I half hoped she’d reassure me of my awesomeness. But she didn’t tell me how great I am. She wanted ME to list the good things. So, feeling kind of dumb at first, I did.
I am relatively healthy and still have the time and ability to improve my fitness. I recently found a single sheet of loose-leaf paper with my oldest daughter’s testimony of Jesus Christ and how she loves Him written on it. My kids are acutely aware of being modest and not afraid to express themselves with their own (quirky!) sense of style. I have a snug home that my family feels loved and safe in. I’m spontaneous and resourceful! My kids are becoming more self-motivated and I often catch the older ones helping the younger ones. My husband and I complement each other—he’s the steady bass beat to my improvisational riffs. And I have an incredibly supportive network of friends who understand and accept my homeschooling lifestyle. (And remind me to be grateful for all that I have!)
The Lord has promised “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then I will make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27)
This scripture helps me not be so hard on myself. There’s hope when I’m feeling pathetic! The Lord says if we’re humble than his grace is sufficient—he’ll strengthen us! Wahoo! I think tied to humility is gratitude—and if we can find something to be grateful for, we can find what we’re blessed with—and if we can find our blessings, we can find ways to strengthen our weaknesses. It is our nature to have high expectations of ourselves—and we should. But let’s not be dragged down when we feel we don’t measure up. God gave us weaknesses to keep us humble—and if we’re humble, He promises to strengthen us.
So carry on, thank the Lord, and know He’ll strengthen you. He knows exactly what you need.
Marissa Pineda
DHSA Vice President

October Mothers Meeting

2011-10-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

Our next Mothers' Meeting is sure to be a blast!
We hope you will all mark your calendars so that you can join us for a great evening.
Tuesday, October 25th @ 7:00 p.m. -- until ???
Our theme for the eveing will be
"The Many Hats We Wear"
We'd love to see you all arrive in your favorite hat ~ be creative & have some fun or simply grab your hubby's hat out of the closet... whatever works for you; and if you REALLY despise wearing a hat you can still come without one, but we might find a crazy one for you to be sportin' around in for the evening!
We'll be meeting at Lynelle King's home

Hope to see you all there ~ we'll have some fantastic treats and lots of time for visiting and fun!

Happy Halloween DHSA Teens!

2011-10-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

Are you ready to celebrate Autumn with some fun, corn-maze festivities? We are meeting at “The Farmstead”, Thursday, October 27th for a pumpkin-filled, “corny” evening of fun.
Wanna come? We hope so! And your families are welcome to come too. EVERYONE is invited at a 65% discount if we pay as a group. So, please come with $4.00 cash for everyone who wants to participate. We'll meet in the parking area no later than 6:45 pm (just look for the “DHSA” balloons). We will pay in a single transaction at 7:00 pm sharp and then have the next two hours to get lost in the 18 acre corn maze, jump on the gigantic “jumping pillow”, root for your favorite pig in the pig races, or go on a hayride. It's up to you! DHSA will even provide some light refreshments at 8:30. Hope you can come! Let other homeschoolers know too. We're trying to grow this group BIG!

RECAP: Where: The Farmstead at 1020 S. Rackham Way in Meridian (I-84 and Eagle Rd.)
               When: 6:45-9:00 pm. (You're free to leave whenever you need to).
               Who: DHSA teens (and/or families)
               Cost: $4.00 per person (must be paid before – look for DHSA balloons!)

Angie Petersen 914-5894
Corrie Munson 250-0137

Opening Social - A Fantastic Event!

2011-10-04T22:52:00.000-07:00

So many friendly faces…
so many adorable kiddos running around…

A great man cooking up hot dog after hot dog after hot dog! My hubby did an approximate count and figured we had somewhere between 180 to 200 of us there! SOOOO glad so many of you came out to meet and greet one another…that is what this organization is all about, supporting one another and enjoying amazing friendships.
This one (below) is my favorite photo of the evening…Why? Well, because this is my sweet husband, our “Chef” for the night. He’s busy getting ready for the crowd of hungry kiddos coming on! I was all prepared to cook for the night, but he would have nothing to do with that ~ hooray for me ~ I was able to walk around being a yack-a-matic all night long!

He was one busy man cooking up all those hot dogs! I had one friend ask me if he had come “incognito.” If you notice the crazy hair atop his head ~ not his! He hasn’t any left (possibly due to all of our kids!)
This is his crazy hat and he decided to sport it this lovely evening…gotta love a man who keeps you laughing!
A perfect night…the weather was fabulous…the kids had a marvelous time playing on the wonderful play yard or with the balls and frisbees, and of course they all love a fun parachute flying around in the air! And while they all played to their hearts’ content; we had a chance to mingle and visit…bonus!!! A huge thank you to all who brought delicious desserts and yummy side dishes…so many scrumptious choices!
It was fantastic to visit with each of you. Looking forward to an amazing year with many more fun-filled activities!
Stacey Lytle

Spirituality–Mother’s Meeting Notes

2011-10-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

Notes from September Mother’s Meeting:
A big thanks goes to Angie Peterson for hosting September Mother’s meeting in her home and to Rochelle Lloyd for coming and speaking to us about coming closer to Christ individually and with our families.
1st of all – a random enjoyable quote from Rochelle Lloyd, “At my home I don’t have any teenagers and never will. Teenagers have a bad reputation in our society. I expect something greater than what society expects for them. I have young men that are in training to become men and young women in training to become women.”
Ok-on to the fabulous thoughts shared by Rochelle:
*We are bombarded by stress in our society – inside and outside the home. There are wars, national debt, loss of jobs & homes, fighting and rebellion at home. The devil loves this – he loves complexity and chaos.
*But – God says, “Come unto me and I will give you rest.” “Be still and know that I am God.” “Ask and ye shall receive-seek and ye shall find.” The spirit brings hope, peace, & the knowledge of what we need to do and how to do it.
*We are children of God! Once that is rooted deep with us we can understand what he wants for us. We must be willing to bend our will to God’s. “Council with the Lord in all thy doings and he shall direct thee for good.”
*The manner in which we follow God’s commandments shows our spiritual state. (referenced story in Book of Mormon in which Alma, who is tired and hungry, returned speedily to Ammonihah when commanded by an angel.)
*Sometimes the things God asks of us are hard. (Alma & Amulek had to watch the people and records being burned in the fire.) God can see the bigger picture and knows best. Bend our will to his.
*Mary, mother of Jesus was a wonderful example of bending her will to God’s. She:
    -was willing to become an unwed mother.
    -taught Jesus and watched him grow up.
    -saw people love and hate him.
    -watched him mocked, scorned, and killed.
    -when Heavenly Father left Jesus at the end so he could complete what he needed to do alone, Mary still stood as support for her son at the cross, knowing that he was innocent and perfect.
She bent her will to God’s and later the scriptures record that she had great joy in his resurrection as an angel told her to go tell the disciples that he had risen.
Bending our will to God’s brings us great joy in the end.
*Remember Elder Oak’s talk from a previous conference about priorities for our family. There are so many good choices and we need to choose the better and best opportunities and priorities for our families.
*Do not run faster than we have strength.
*Do things in wisdom and order.
*Comparison to Weight Lifting: To develop your muscles you add more and more weight that you lift. If you lift too much weight your muscles will tear. Everyone has different limits and God will help us to know what ours are if we listen. Also, we should not judge others by how much weight they are carrying.
*What are we doing to prepare our children for the Lord?
    - Do they know that they are children of God?
    - Do they know how to bend their will to the Lord?
We have to be a good example! At this time we need stripling warriors and to get them we need stripling parents.
*We (as parents) are stewards of these children that are God’s children too.
    -They have to do hard things. It is hard to watch them go through those hard things but it would not be good for us to take them away if
we could. We should council, guide, and love and
then watch them, like Mary watched Jesus, becoming what Heavenly Father wants them to become.
Ruth Hansen
Field Trip Coordinator - graciously took notes at the September Mother's Meeting.

Constitution Seminar

2011-10-04T22:47:00.001-07:00

Hi,
We want to thank all those that sacrificed their time and money to come and participate in the first seminar that we finished this last week! We had a great time talking about Joan of Arc, Columbus, the Revolutionary War, and the events leading up to, and including the Constitutional Convention. Over the 5 weeks of the seminar we also shared a video of the story of Eldridge Cleaver and the events that caused him to become disillusioned and embrace Communism. Years later after experiencing Communism for himself, and while traveling to virtually every Communist country, he learned that Communism was a big lie. He returned to the United States and became a Christian and advocate for the system of government established by the Founders. We also shared a video of Dr. Cleon Skousen talking about Ruler's Law versus People's law. It was great to be taught by Dr. Skousen and hear his insight. Finally we heard a report from Pete Nielson on his trip to Utah to attend the Financial Summit and their discussion about Utah's moving to allow Gold and Silver to be used as legal tender. It was a great first Seminar!!
We are excited to begin the next Seminar in the series entitled, "The Founder's Charter of Freedom". In this seminar we’ll study the entire Constitution from the viewpoint of the Founding Fathers. You’ll see how the trend away from using the Constitution to evaluate new legislation has allowed emotionalism and private interests to become the new standard of measurement for most laws. What you learn in this session will enable you to understand and appreciate the Constitution as you probably never have before—and you’ll be ready for the critically important topics that you’ll study in Seminar 3.
Before we begin this next seminar, we are happy to have our first guest speaker. His name is Dan Vance and he is the National Field Director for all the seminars. He will be presenting information about the Seminars and share a special powerpoint presentation. This meeting, which will be our regular meeting time this next Thursday, will be FREE! Please invite everyone you know to come and find out what we have to offer that is unlike any other program out there. There are many resources from which to learn about the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and the History of this great nation, but we know of no other program that offers that knowledge with a unique perspective, vision, and action plan that cuts to the heart of all the problems we are facing. Come and find out what we have to offer that you won't find any where else.
As a review, here is a list of all the seminars:
Seminar #1: "God's Hand in the Building of America"
Seminar #2: "The Founder's Charter of Freedom"
Seminar #3: "The Unhinging of America - Attacks on the Charter of Freedom"
Seminar #4: "Restoring the Charter of Freedom"
Date: Thursday October 6, 2011
Time : 7-9:pm
Location: Nutrition West, 115 E. Fairview Meridian
Cost: $39 per person per seminar , $25 for youth
If you have any questions, please call.
Regards,
Blaine Bergeson
Thomas Jefferson Center Representative
208-867-5934

Successful Homeschool Fieldtrips

2011-10-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

Lee Anne Tanaka maintains a homeschool field trip email list in the Treasure Valley. She encourages members of the list to organize a field trip and invite others to join them. She also sends out other emails pertaining to homeschooling. Email her at lahtanaka@wwdb.org to be added to her email list if you are interested.

This is here article on suggestions for organizing a successful homeschool activity. She has graciously allowed me to share reprint it here.

Hi! So… you’re organizing a field trip or a class?

Here are some suggestions when setting up with the facility. Please put the appropriate details in a memo that I can send out to the rest of the group about 2 weeks before the tour date. If it’s a class, send out the information as needed for the instructor.
.
Not all these ideas may be applicable to your situation. As you are setting this up, make it convenient for you. If you have 6th graders and the facility only does 3rd graders, it’s ok to bow out of organizing the event.

Here we go
- ages appropriate (we have newborn to 18 years old). If they only take 5th-6th graders, that’s ok. We have plenty of kids in most age ranges
- sign up deadline if needed
- duration (1 hour? ½ hour? )
- how many can participate at one time
- set up 2 tours (if needed): create waiting lists. Consolidate or remove 1 tour if not enough people sign up.
- when finding out the number of kids allowed, find out if the number is just for kids OR does it include adults. We have more adults attending than regular schools because we homeschool. For example, facility says they can accommodate 25. Is that number just kids or does it include adults? Some facilities really mean 25 bodies which would include kids and adults.
- what is the cost/donation (if any)
- if the facility has a cost, this process is in YOUR best interest:
· have them notify you of their intent to be placed on the list via email
· once they notify you, give an address to send you the money required
· give date when money is required to be to you to hold their place
· send an email confirmation of receipt of the person’s money
· there are NO refunds (this gets too messy!!)
· donate any leftover cash to the facility
· keep detailed records for your protection: someone says they paid, when you notified them of receipt, who shows up to the trip/class
- is there a discount for large groups or members of the ICHE (Idaho Coalition of Home Educators)
- are questions allowed
- are any special tools/clothing/materials needed
- are there accommodations for people with special needs (e.g. wheelchair access)
- how are kids with special needs handled? (e.g. autism, hearing, ADHD, etc)
- any other special considerations
- address/phone number and contact name for each group attending (e.g. 3 tours would need 3 contact names for the facility and the tour group attending) people want someone to contact in case they have questions or challenges
- date and time to be there (add 15 minutes to the time – remember we have babies and toddlers, e.g. the facility wants to start at 9:30 am. Tell everyone to be there at 9:15 am)
- directions to the facility, a complete address and phone number of the facility
- please contact the facility as soon as you sign up for your field trip. This is to ensure the facility actually does field trips, is available in the time frame we’d like to do the trip and sets up a contact person in case something comes up on either side.
Please let me know how your tour went. I like to have an idea of how these are going: which worked, how many showed up vs number expected, how was the facility, was it homeschool friendly, etc.
Thanks for being willing to organize a trip! It helps the whole homeschool community!

Lee Anne Tanaka

(please see below for more info)
P.S. Below is a template for those who keep asking for oneJ
When:
Where:
Time (from/to):
Ages:
Cost/Deadline to me:
Notify me via email of your intent and I’ll send an address to mail $
Address/Phone of facility:
Directions:
Contact at tour location:
Special Considerations:
Signup DEADLINE:
Field trip contact:
Name/email

Shakespeare Class

2011-10-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

This class will focus on studying, reading, and performing Shakespeare, with a special emphasis on A Midsummer Night’s Dream which students will perform on the last day of class in March. It is geared towards students ages 10-16. The class is limited to 25 students.

... Classes will be held for two hours, from 4-6 PM, after school on Thursdays, at the home of Bryce Petersen near 5 Mile and McMillan in Boise. Jody Phillips has created the curriculum and has partnered with Bryce for this once-a-week journey into “William’s World.”
The cap of 25 students will ensure that everyone gets to perform.

The class begins Thursday, October 20th and ends with the performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on March 29th, 2012.
Tuition is $20.00 per month per family.
To register for the class PLEASE email:
Bryce rbrycepetersen@gmail.com
Jody boisejlp@gmail.com

Park Days

2011-10-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

Friday October 14 11AM-whenever Settler's Park in Meridian
Friday October 28 11AM-whenever Ann Morrison Park
I am only planning 2 this month, since I don't know when is good for everyone yet!
Kristina
kswruck826@yahoo.com

Holiday Food Drive!

2011-10-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

The TEACH Homeschooling Cooperative is organizing a food drive for Boise Rescue Mission Ministries.

The students and families of TEACH will be collecting food while we trick or treat this Halloween. If you would like to be a part of this food drive, please contact Sarah Westcott sarahwestcott@live.com or 514-2838. We would love to make this the best holiday season we can for our Boise neighbors!

Holiday Shopping List:
NON-PERISHABLES: stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, corn muffin mix, soup, chili
CANNED VEGETABLES: corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, mixed veggies
CANNED FRUIT: peaches, pears, fruit cocktail, pineapple
STARCHES: rice, potatoes, pasta salad
DESSERT: boxed cake mixes

Help us give our homeless and hungry neighbors a great holiday season! The food you donate will be served at our holiday banquets or distributed in holiday food boxes.

Thank you and God bless you!
Learn more about the Boise Rescue Mission Ministries at www.BoiseRM.org

Dairy Products Class

2011-10-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Kelly Collett is going to share one of her talents with us. She will teach us how to make; mozzarella cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, whip cream, farmers cheese (a simple form of cottage cheese), butter and give a recipe for ricotta cheese and ice cream.
When: Saturday, October 8th at 10am – 1pm or Saturday, November 5th at 10am – 1pm Limit of 8 people per class
Where: Home of Kristen Pond
Cost: $5 If you would like extra raw milk or cream there is an additional cost.
This class is hands on. You will be learning how to make all these products. To reserve your spot call Kristen Pond

Treasure Valley Homeschool Recitation

2011-10-04T22:34:00.000-07:00

Treasure Valley Homeschool Recitation will be focused on events for Elementary-aged students to share poems, speeches, dramatic readings, etc.
Join Treasure Valley Homeschool Recitation on Facebook to help me plan events that work for your family. This will also give you the opportunity to find out about these events ahead of time and RSVP.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/153085714782486/?ref=ts
Thanks
Andrea
alwasdahl@gmail.com

Six Rivers Western Festival

2011-10-04T22:33:00.000-07:00

Six Rivers Western Festival on October 14th and 15th in Fruitland, Idaho. It is organized yearly by a local (Fruitland) family who also participates in the music and cowboy poetry. My family attended this last year and had a great time listening to genuine cowboy poetry and music from some the of most talented cowboy poets and musicians in the western states. They offer both day and evening performances. It is definitely worth the drive! If you want to organize your own group to go over, they may be able to accommodate a group rate. You can call them at (208) 642-9610 or send e-mails to:
srwf@live.com
Also, see www.cowboypoetsofidaho.net for more information.
Thanks, Deanne Payne

Facebook for the Family, Safety Tactics Online'

2011-10-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

The Boise ACFE (Association of Certified Fraud Examiners) and HTCIF (High Technology Crime Investigation Association) are bringing in a nationally known speaker, Cynthia Hetherington, MLS, MSM, for a seminar they are hosting for Law Enforcement.

What does this have to do with you & why am I sending this information to all my Neighborhood Watch Chairman you ask?

Ms. Hetherington is offering a FREE Seminar for the public on Wednesday, October 5th @ 6:30 pm at the Red Lion Downtowner entitled 'Facebook for the Family, Safety Tactics Online'. This seminar will cover Social Networks - the good, the bad, and the ugly of the internet; proper use of Facebook & other social networks; What NOT to do on Facebook; examples of ridiculous posts; and examples of dangerous posts.

Please share this information with all your neighbors, this is a DO NOT MISS opportunity for you & your children.

Treasure Valley Homeschool Family Dance

2011-10-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

5645 S Maple Grove (LDS church)
Friday, October 14th
6pm-8pm
Casual Dress
Bring a dessert or finger food to share!
Questions?
Contact Melissa Wolfe (208)968-3998

We will have a large mix of music. We will do a number of familiar dances, such as Macarena, Bunny Hop, YMCA. We will also have the Virginia Reel with calls. Slower songs and songs for swing dancing will be in the rotation as well. There won't be any swear words in the songs. The goal is to provide an opportunity for families to have a good time, meet other homeschoolers, and dance.

Home School Brown Bag Social

2011-10-04T22:29:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, October 5th at 11:45.
This is a time of fellowship for home schooling families. Bring your lunch and join us for a fun time playing with new friends. It doesn't matter if you've been home schooling for years or are just thinking about starting.
We meet at Eagle Church of the Nazarene at 1001 West State Street in Eagle.
Please email me at idahoandersons@msn.com or call 631-4134 to RSVP or for more information.
Hope to see you there!
Michelle

Linder Farms–Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-04T22:27:00.000-07:00

October 21st is Linder Farms home school field trip day. We will be joining in with other homeschoolers in the area to enjoy this fieldtrip. They are expecting many homeschoolers and plan on being fully staffed.
The field trip price includes a pumpkin for each child (from the field trip field), use of the straw-bale maze, a hand-on play station area where the students will learn about the life-cycle of plants, and a wagon ride.
Pricing: age 6 and younger $3.00, age 7 and older $3.50, Corn maze entrance is $4.00 per person (parents will need a ticket to enter with child)
We will meet in the parking lot area near the entrance at 1:00 pm. Since it is their home school day each family can pay individually at the front gate.
Linder farms is located at 7165 S. Linder Road, Meridian Id 83642
http://www.linderfarms.com/index.htm
No need to RSVP

Old Idaho Penitentiary

2011-10-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Old Idaho Penitentiary – should be fun to tour around Halloween.
Oct. 18th Meet at 9:45 AM $2 per person
We will need to pay as a group to get the discount so meet at 9:45 and we will enter at 10:00
The Old Idaho Penitentiary was home to some of the West’s most desperate and callous criminals. It is no longer in use as a prison and today, visitors can experience over 100 years of Idaho’s unique prison history by reliving the Old Pen’s exciting past of daring escapes, scandals, and executions.
Suggested age is 4th grade and older due to tour content. Use your own judgment in making exceptions.
PLEASE RSVP to
Korrine Ayers is fieldtrip coordinator kwchild@aol.com or 870-2313

History Fair!

2011-10-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

Oct 22nd at 2:00pm
At the Lake Hazel Library
We are putting on a History Fair on October 22nd at 2:00pm at the Lake Hazel Library and would encourage children of any age to participate.
You can pick a time in history, a person, an event or the history of an item. It's up to your interest and imagination on what you would like to enter into the fair. We will have tables set up for your displays. Be creative on your displays. Some examples may be a lego diorama of a war, a painting of a person of event, pictures, drawing, models or any other creative idea you would like.

Your child will have an opportunity to explain what they have put into the history Fair. We are expecting a large turn out, which is exciting. We will have to limit explanations to 3 minutes at the very most. We will have to interrupt any one if they go over, so please work with your children and have then practice to make sure they do not go over the 3 minutes allowed.
Please let me know if you are planning on coming and participating. Please include child's name, age and the topic they are going to present, and if they are doing a presentation or just a display. This will help us to plan the event and make certificates.
Mark your calendar now, and call or e-mail Kimberly Wing. sosiouxmeto@msn.com or 968-3111

HomeSchool Skiers/Boards

2011-10-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

Hello HomeSchool Skiers/Boards,
It may not be time to think snow, yet - but it is time for many of you to get important items on your family calendar. We are still waiting for updated registration forms from Bogus Basin. In the meantime you can go to the HomeSchool Ski website(below) and get the dates on your calendar.
TWENTY YEARS will be celebrated this year with 3 additional ski days added to our regular 6 days.
Two days of snowschool/nordic (on Mondays)
and one day at Brundage in March (day to be determined).
Please forward this to your friends who will be interested.
We will send out an email once the forms and further details are ready.
--
Jim & Lynn Adams
www.homeschoolski.com

6th Annual Georgeson Halloween Party

2011-10-04T22:16:00.001-07:00

October 31, 2011
11am – 1ish

Georgeson Home
West Boise

Potluck Lunch of Ghoulish Delights. Come in costume, we will have games, reader’s theater, and lunch. All ages welcome, I have age 3 – 13!

Email Ngeorgeson@Q,com to RSVP and get an address.

Creepy Critters Encounters

2011-10-04T22:05:00.001-07:00

October 29th 4-6:30 pm
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center
13751 Upper Embankment Rd, Nampa
See live owls, reptiles, and insects
Howl for coyotes
Halloween crafts
Learn about creepy critters
Listen to spooky stories
Fun for All!
Wear your costume!
For Info call 467-9278
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center
13751 Upper Embankment Rd, Nampa

MAN FEAST

2011-10-04T22:03:00.001-07:00

The date for our Man Feast / Date Night / Couples' Meeting is changing. We will be having this activity during the month of November. Working with our Caterer to set a firm date and price.

5th Annual Homeschool Trunk or Treat

2011-10-04T19:52:00.001-07:00

All homeschooling families welcome (bring Dad too!)

Friday,October 28th @ 1pm,

Tully Park, Meridian
1:00 pm set-up cars
1:30 pm Group Picture and then Trunk or Treat
Come have a little Trunk or Treat fun with us! Decorate your trunk and bring candy or a small treat to hand out from your car trunk. Kids walk from car to car, in the parking lot collecting treats.

Please sign-in before setting up trunk or trunk or treating.
No super scary costumes or decorations please (blood,
scary masks, gore, etc)

If raining at noon event will be canceled

DIRECTIONS TO PARK:

Hosted by April Mitchell
Questions? Contact me @
mitchell_fam@hotmail.com
208-794-1255
www.homeschoolidaho.com
Please host your own Trunk or Treat in your area if Meridian is too far for you to come-it is an EASY homeschool event to host.

Halloween Party

2011-10-04T19:51:00.001-07:00

Be sure to mark your calendars for the DHSA Halloween Party on Monday, October 31st (Halloween!) from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at Lake Hazel Library (10489 Lake Hazel Rd., Meridian). It's sure to be a ghoulishly good time for all ages, so don't miss it--or else!

Bring a frightfully fun finger food and a small bag to collect prizes.
Dress is cryptic or cute.
Call Melodi Kallmeyer with any questions at 461-5216.
We'll see you there (but will we recognize you?).

School Photos

2011-10-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

Heather has opened up another day for homeschool families to get their "school" picture. It will be OCTOBER 12 (WEDNESDAY) We did our this morning down by the river in Eagle and I can't wait to see them...way better than the ugly old school pictures with the blue background. You can check out her website at Kozupphotography.com. This is an amazing opportunity as she is not charging a sitting fee. Call to reserve you spot. Feel free to send this out to other homeschool families. Have a great day.

Dry Milk Order

2011-10-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

This is for the same milk we have ordered in the past: non-fat, instantized, Vit A & D fortified, nothing else added (no flavorings or sweeteners, etc.). See the attached spec sheet. I still think this milk tastes as close to fresh milk as you can get for being just dry milk with nothing else. It is the only milk we drink. My husband calls making milk "Milking the virtual cow."

This milk is extremely easy to mix up - cold water and a wire whisk (2/3 cup dry milk to 1 quart water). Even my 7 yr. old can make it. If you are used to Skim or 1% milk you will like this milk. It is the same milk that Country Cream repackages and sells under it's label.

I like my milk with about 2/3 cup of Half and Half per gallon since I grew up drinking whole milk fresh from the dairy with a thin layer of cream on the top. Half and Half contains milk and cream and lasts longer than fresh milk in the fridge so it's easy to have on hand. The beauty of dry milk is that it's cheaper than fresh and you don't have to make "milk runs" to the store, instead you just make milk.

It is $113 for a 50 lb. bag, which is $2.26/lb. You get about 90 gallons of milk per bag, so $1.25/gallon. The info on the attached spec sheet says that 50 lbs. makes 62.5 gallons so I checked the weight I use when making milk (a heaping 2/3 cup dry milk = 2.2 oz., 50 lbs. = 800 oz., 800 divided by 8.8 (for a gallon) = 90.90. Maybe they make it really rich. Even with their numbers, it's still a good deal, $1.80/gallon. I've had other people tell me that they got 90 gallons from a bag also.

It will be delivered on October 14th to my house. Deadline to order is October 8th.

email jennifer@teamclark.net to get information on where to send checks.

Just so you know, I don't mark up the milk at all (that's not my business, mine is essential oils:), this is the price direct from the distributor. It fluctuates according to the market but are locking in the price by ordering within two weeks. My contact says the price has been pretty stable lately anyway.

Dry milk from the LDS cannery is currently $8.60 for a #10 can which holds 4.1 lbs., so $2.10/lb.

I tried some of the latest from the cannery and this is my personal opinion: it does not mix up as well as this milk but better than before. It tastes like powdered milk, even chilled overnight, but not as bad as before (my family didn't like it at all though).

We need 36 bags to make a pallet to get this price, so if you know of anyone else that is or might be interested, please send along the information. Thanks!

Other Products: At www.jmswank.com there are other products that can be bought and added to this order. The prices aren't listed because everything fluctuates with the market. So we would need to get a current price. Quantities are as stated so you may want to find someone to share a bag of something with you. Let me know by Monday, Oct. 3rd, what your interests are and I will contact the company. I can vouch for the good taste of the dry eggs, my family likes the cheese powders, and the powdered honey is good though it is not just honey-other things are added.

Remember to check out the blog http://thriveforlife.wordpress.com for other information on food storage, other orders, a few recipes, and health & wellness tips.

All the best to everyone!

Homeschool Movie Day

2011-09-20T22:31:00.001-07:00

Majestic Cinemas

2140 East Cinema Drive, Meridian Idaho

Is hosting a special showing of

DolphinTale

for Homeschoolers.

Friday September 23rd 9:00am

Check out this special Price

$6 per person – includes movie, popcorn, and drink

Please RSVP to Nancy Georgeson – ngeorgeson@q.com

Check out this link to get free curriculum to go along with DolphinTale from the Homeschool Movie Club

Join Us for the First Ever Nationwide "HOMESCHOOL DAY"

WHAT IS ‘HOMESCHOOL DAY’?

‘Homeschool Day’ is a designated day where homeschooling families and groups from around the country gather at their local movie theatre to support family & homeschool friendly films.

When? Friday, September 23, 2011

DOLPHIN TALE

For more information click here

www.homeschoolmovieclub.com

Childcare Needed

2011-09-20T22:30:00.001-07:00

Kimberly Royl is a recently divorced LDS homeschooling mother who just moved to Idahy from Kentucky. She lives in Star, but will be working part time as a massage therapistin Meridian. Kimberly is looking for some afternoon childcare for her sons, ages 8 and almost 6. She would like to find a homeschooled family so they will have others to interact with in a similar environment to her home. She says they are very well behaved and mature for their ages. She is willing to pay for childcare, and it could also be part time in different homes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kimberly Hunstad

lilkim3001@yahoo.com

Donations

2011-09-20T22:29:00.001-07:00

We will have a donation jar available at the opening social. No donation or dues, or participation is required to be a member of DHSA. If you are on the email list we consider you a member. However, we do need a minimal amount of money to run the organization. Donations can be in the form of pocket change, boxtops, checks made out to DHSA, or large wads of cash!

Eagle Scout Project

2011-09-20T22:27:00.001-07:00

Hi there!

My name is Bryce Petersen. I am a working on my Eagle Project, and hope you can help me. I have teamed up with a non-profit group here in Boise who work with abused and disadvantaged kids. They are in need of good books for little children...board book, picture books, ABC/123, etc. Do you have any books you are willing to donate? If so, please send me an e-mail with your address and I'll pick them up. Or, if you plan on coming to the Homeschool Social on the 22nd at Settlers park, I'll be there clad in my Boy Scout shirt ready and willing to take them off your hands :)

Thanks so very much!

Bryce Petersen

email: rbrycepetersen@gmail.com

DHSA's Opening Social

2011-09-20T22:26:00.001-07:00

This Week!!! Thursday, September 22nd from 6-8 p.m.

Bring your whole family to a night of FUN & Games and FOOD to Settler's Park in Meridian. This is a great evening to see old friends & catch up or to meet some fabulous NEW friends...

We'll provide the hot dogs and drinks and paper goods. And we'll even cook 'em up for you!

If your last name fits in the midst of A ~ M: Please bring along a yummy side dish to share.

And if your last name hangs out at the end of the alphabet -- N ~ Z: Please whip up a scrumptous dessert to share.

We'd love to have a head count so we'll know how many hot dogs to be cooking up...so PLEASE take a moment and shoot an email to Stacey @ LytleMomma@gmail.com.

Let me know how many in your family are planning to attend this fantastic evening out!

Maybe the best part for all of you Momma's . . . YOU DON'T HAVE TO COOK OR CLEAN UP!!!

There's reason enough to make the trip!

Can't wait to see you ALL there!!!

Again, please RSVP to me just as soon as you know if you'll be attending! LytleMomma@gmail.com

CALLING ALL TEENS!

2011-09-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

We need your contact information so that we can better serve you this year. Please send the following info in a quick email to Corrie Munson at lotsofpages@fiberpipe.net

1. Name

2. Birthday

3. Street Address

4. Email

5. Best phone number to reach you

6. Do you use Facebook?

Thank you so much!

Thomas Jefferson Center - Boise

2011-09-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

We will be meeting every Thursday evening from 7:-00-9:00pm starting on September 1 at Nutrition West( 116 E. Fairview) in Meridian. Our study material will be the "Healing of America" seminar series. There are 4 seminars in the series, with each seminar taking approximately 4 weeks:

Seminar #1: God's Hand in the Building of America

Seminar #2: The Founders' Charter of Freedom

Seminar #3: The Unhinging of America -- Attacks on the Charter of Freedom

Seminar $4: Restoring the Charter of Freedom

The seminars will be taught by Pete Nielsen, myself(Blaine Bergeson), and regular guest speakers. The cost will be $39 per seminar in advance(at the first meeting), or $49 thereafter. This will cover the cost of the materials, reservation of the conference room, and compensation for monthly guest speakers. Please refer to the Thomas Jefferson Center website to get more information about the content of the seminars: www.thomasjeffersoncenter.com

In our first meeting we will review the purpose of this group and introduce everyone to what the Thomas Jefferson Center is all about. We will show some short videos about what needs to change in the Legislative and Executive branches of the government to give you an idea of the type of information that we will be discussing over time. We will then pass out your binders and materials and launch into the first Seminar. Each Thursday thereafter we will spend almost the entire time going through the seminar material. We will reserve a few minutes each week to cover current events.

Those that show a real interest in learning even more, and are really serious and anxious about transforming knowledge into action, will have the opportunity to be selected to join the Thomas Jefferson Center Boise Regional Roundtable, underneath the Thomas Jefferson Center National Roundtable. There will be an additional cost for this group. This group will be diving into the constitution on a deeper level by going through the latest edition of the "Making of America" student edition by Cleon Skousen. This group will also be responsible for organizing the 3 day Regional event that will be held every quarter. This event will have guest lectures and cover various constitutional topics, including the application of constitutional principles to current events. One full day of the event will be for Regional Roundtable members only, and the other days will be open to the public, but each event will have a different focus.

Feel free to forward this email to anyone that you feel might be interested in studying in depth about the constitution from the viewpoint of the founding fathers. This includes young people, about 14 and older. We really need to make a concerted effort to reach out to the young people and help education them.

Please refer to the website included above to learn more about the Thomas Jefferson Center and to see our first Boise meeting details in the Calendar.

Please rsvp whether you will be coming or not so we have a good count. You will not want to miss this first meeting.

Regards,

Blaine Bergeson

Thomas Jefferson Center Representative

208-867-5934

The Pirates of Penzance

2011-09-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

Sung in English, Gilbert and Sullivan comedic opera with Pirates, Cops and fair maidens in distress.

http://www.operaidaho.org/the-season/pirates-of-penzance/

Homeschoolers can attend the Dress Rehearsal for Free on Thursday, October 6th at 7pm at the Egyptian Theater.

Email beccaboyle@aol.com to be included on the list.

Poetry Club

2011-09-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

Poetry Club meets on the first Wednesday of the each month at the Garden City Library.

We meet at 9:30 am. This is our Web page: http://tvpoetryclub.blogspot.com/

We are accepting new members in October.

If you are interested, check out the web page or contact me directly.

Emma Beck

229-1064 - richemma26@yahoo.com

Mother's Who Know Bookgroup

2011-09-03T21:45:00.001-07:00

Mother's Who Know Bookgroup

Our next meeting is Aug 18th at 7:30 pm. We are reading Urban Survival Guide by David Morris. We try to meet on the third Thursday of each month. If anyone is interested in coming, contact Emma at richemma26@yahoo.com My book group web page is http://motherswhoknowread.blogspot.com

If you will add the following to the upcoming months, that would be great.

Sept 15th - The Student Whisperer - Oliver DeMille

Oct 20th - Macbeth - Shakespeare

Nov 17th - Vanity Fair - William Thackeray

Dec 15th - A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Thanks a Bunch
Emma Beck
229-1064

Lego League

2011-09-03T21:42:00.001-07:00

We are looking for girls and boys age 9 - 14 interested in science, legos and robots!

The competition consists of building and programming a lego robot, researching an issue in science, preparing a presentation on the research, and a teamwork challenge.

We will meet twice a week, for 2 hours each time. Cost will be approximately $50. Season runs September - December.

FIRST MEETING
9 Sept Friday
1:30 - 3:30
Georgeson Home

Check out First Lego League to learn more.

If you are interested please email Nancy at ngeorgeson@q.com.

Class of 2012 Homeschool Graduation

2011-09-03T21:36:00.001-07:00

Class of 2012
"Save the Dates"

Graduation Day

Saturday, May 26th, 2012

First graduation meeting:
6 Sept. 2011 @ 1:00 p.m.
Eagle Nazarene Church

Graduation Application is available online.

idahohomeschoolgraduation.org

Mother’s Meeting

2011-09-03T21:33:00.001-07:00

Mother's Meeting

"Spirituality"

It’s almost time for another Mothers’ Meeting! (Yay!) and while we’re at it—we’re including a Teen Activity Planning Meeting that will run concurrently at the same venue!

When: Sept. 8, 2011, 7:00 PM
Where: Angie Petersen’s
5736 N. Becliffe Court, Boise

(Questions? Contact Angie via phone or text at 914-5894 or e-mail her at angierpetersen@gmail.com)

Moms: Start your school year strong in faith! Join us in discussing how to encourage spirituality in our homeschools (and other endeavors.) Do you have a great system for family or personal scripture study? When do you find time to nourish yourself spiritually? How do you do FHE in a family with teens AND toddlers? How do you motivate the kids to work on their Faith in God/YW Personal Progress/Duty to God programs? What about seminary? Find answers and get ideas for these burning questions and more!

Teens: What kinds of activities would you like to have this year? Are you looking for ways to earn high school credit? What about service opportunities? Just want some fun and socializing? Bring your ideas and interests and help plan the best year ever!

ZOO Boise

2011-09-03T21:27:00.001-07:00

ZOO Boise

Tues. Sept. 27th-10 AM

Come play at Zoo Boise. $2.50/3 & under free.

This is a great deal!

Meet across from the entrance at 10 to coordinate and pay as a group.
We will enter the Zoo when all have arrived or at 10:30 at the latest. We will all tour the zoo individually, bring a picnic lunch to eat by the merry-go-round at noon.

Questions or RSVP? Contact Ruth Hansen 466-0667
srbfkhansen@cableone.net

Celebration Park

2011-09-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

Tuesday Sept. 6th, 10 AM

View petroglyphs left by the Paiute Indians, throw an atlatl at woolly mammoth targets, and more.

Plan to spend a few hours rotating through stations and bring a picnic lunch to enjoy. Location is close to Melba and Marsing.
No fee but donations are gladly accepted.

Questions? Contact Ruth Hansen 466-0667
srbfkhansen@cableone.net

Homeschool Movie Club

2011-09-03T21:18:00.001-07:00

Join Us for the First Ever Nationwide "HOMESCHOOL DAY"

WHAT IS ‘HOMESCHOOL DAY’?

‘Homeschool Day’ is a designated day where homeschooling families and groups from around the country gather at their local movie theatre to support family & homeschool friendly films.

When? Friday, September 23, 2011

DOLPHIN TALE

For more information click here

www.homeschoolmovieclub.com

Bouquet of Balloons

2011-09-03T20:00:00.001-07:00

I just LOVE this time of year… planning, organizing and anticipating a fabulous school year! What could be better???

I love planning our school schedules, meals, devotionals, co-ops, outings, read-aloud books…the list just goes on and on. I thrive on the excitement and the energy that I receive while working so closely with the Spirit to have the “perfect” year ready for all of our kiddos.

That perfectly-planned-year always begins “perfectly” and then something happens (usually just after the lovely month of September comes to a close.) LIFE gets in the way!!! I don’t know why this has to happen time and again ~ completely frustrating!

Up until a couple of years ago, I couldn’t even identify “the problem,” I just knew it lingered year after year and usually showed its ugly head at the close of each September.

After many years of trial and error, I am finally able to put my finger on it…

The “problem” is simply Lack of Balance…

We, as homeschooling Momma’s, are doing one magnificent balancing act! To visualize all the many things that we are responsible for, I like to see each as a single balloon in a very large, beautiful bouquet...reds, pinks, purples, blues, greens, yellows and oranges…all floating about. I see myself down below them, giving a little pat here and a little pat there, and then running to catch a straggler or two, then before I know it there are another twenty million or so that are about to drop to the floor. It is during those exhausting moments that I find myself wishing for an extra hand or two! But wish as I may, I’m pretty certain that an extra arm isn’t going to spring out of my body. So how do we find that peaceful balance in our lives when this is what we face day after day?

“Fifty” children needing attention (all at the same time,)
Mountains & mountains of laundry,
Fantastic Home-Schooling Time,
Ever-Hungry Kiddos ~ Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks and more snacks and MORE snacks,
Meaningful Devotionals with our families and for ourselves,
Paying the bills, Grocery Shopping,
Running Errands, Visiting Teaching,
Planning time, Busy Callings,
Household chores ~ those toilets don’t clean themselves,
Running kids here and there and everywhere,
Time for Friends, (both for kids and MOM,)
One on one time with kiddos,
Family Time, Hubby Time,
and hopefully a little “Me Time”…

Okay, just the above sampling of our lives “balloons” seems BIG; our lives all resemble this list, along with many additions for the “season of life” we find ourselves in. When you think of all that is at your hand, does it make you flip out just a tad inside? Of course it does, but instead of being flipped out, take a big refreshing deep breath and look at the ins and outs of Motherhood in a different light. This is how I see it…

I am not responsible to keep all of these balloons floating by myself ~ I am just responsible to make sure they stay afloat and that our home and family function on a daily basis. I must simply oversee and manage “life” around my home. I don’t have to do all the cooking and cleaning and laundry and chores and running here and there and everywhere. I don’t have to be the all-knowing, do-everything, be-everybody’s-everything all day long, every day! It took me a while to realize this and at times I still find myself falling into that little trap of trying to fix everything for everyone. It is my job to teach our kiddos to be productive and active in the realities of family life.

If I attempted, day after day after day, to do all of these things on my own I would no longer have a lovely balance in my world…I would be a wreck physically, emotionally and spiritually!

Now, please do not get me wrong, I do believe that all these things still need to be happening around me. My home MUST be clean and well-managed. My children MUST be learning and functioning. My household bills, errands and such MUST be handled. Meals and a million snacks each day MUST be available. A little time for me to do my own study and exercise and pondering MUST present itself somewhere in the day. Time for my hubby MUST happen and time to love, cuddle, play, and interact with all of my kiddos MUST happen! The reason for the MUST’s is that these things bring happiness and joy to me and without them that all important balance is missing.

Sooo, how do we keep ourselves from dropping one (or many) of our “colorful balloons” during this amazing balancing act of ours???

Below is a list of some ideas that you might find helpful in keeping balance after September has come and gone and reality has rocked your little homeschool world!

Regular Planning time -- Many of us plan like crazy during the summer months to have a wonderful school year; do we continue to have that same drive and desire throughout the year? Do we have a time either weekly or monthly, whatever is needed, to re-visit those plans, finalize them, put them into action, or to go in prayer about anything that may need altered to meet the ever-changing needs of our kiddos? With a little planning on a regular basis we can be Successful and Happy the whole year through. We can keep a peaceful balance as we continue to assess what might need a little fixin’!

Learn to say no -- This may be the very hardest one for me… It has taken me many years to be able to realize that by saying no to others, I am saying YES to my kids. YES that they are my first priority. YES that their education is important to me. YES that I value them enough to be there for them and with them. I believe that we have to treat our homeschooling just as a paid teacher at a school treats hers. She cannot babysit a host of other kiddos while performing her task of teaching. She cannot leave to go visiting teaching in the middle of a class. She cannot drop class time because someone thinks she should be doing something of greater importance. She is there for those kids and they must be her priority. We are no different! The only difference is that we are not away and others may not recognize that we have a very, very full-time job within the very walls of our homes. Learn to say YES to your kiddos by saying NO to others. (I know it’s hard, just give it a try, the first 50 times you say No are the worst, then it gets a little easier—I think)

Don’t over schedule yourselves or your children -- Do we over schedule out of fear that our kids might be missing out on something? We need to be careful that we don’t find ourselves goin’ crazy enrolling our kids in every available program on earth! There are some fantastic opportunities for our kids and for us out there; just be a little picky on which ones will benefit your family most and be the least intrusive on your sanity!

Perspective -- In which perspective do you view your life? Is it in pieces, such as a puzzle? One little piece being the mom, another the homeschool mom, another the cook, another the maid, another the taxi cab driver, another the wife, another the friend, another the mentor, and so on. Or do you view your life as one big whole? When we live our lives not trying to fit school into our days and just let our lives be all about teaching our kids, it is easier, it flows, it is real and alive. Many times I have thought that homeschooling is our lifestyle, now I prefer to think of it in this way; our lifestyle is homeschool and what we do and focus on are the teaching moments of life. This is simply a change of perspective, not a change of educational standards or expectations.

And speaking of Expectations, we need to regularly evaluate our expectations of others, namely our husbands, children and even ourselves. Expectations play a powerful role in relationships, especially in marriage. They influence the way we relate and respond to each other. I often need to take a step back and question whether or not my expectations are unrealistic or unfair. I have a bit of a problem with needing perfection…I cannot attain the level of perfection I’d like to see in myself and it is unfair and stifling to expect perfection of my dear hubby or kiddos. On the flip side of this, it is vital that our kids understand our expectations of them. They need a clear, concise view of what we wish to see of them so that they can meet, and more than likely, exceed what we dream for them.

Time for fun – We need to lighten up and have more fun! Yes, it is possible to have fun with our kids during our days of homeschooling. Not all school work needs to be drudgery, some of it just is, but it doesn’t all have to be. It is so important for our kids to see their Momma have a great time, laughing, playing and enjoying life. We need to model these things for our kids, so in your planning time make sure you leave ample space for these wonderful moments!!!

Time with our hubbies -- Just so you all know, this one certainly should not come last on your list…it just so happens to as I am writing. Without that sweet man in your life you wouldn’t have all these kiddos to be worrying about homeschooling, you wouldn’t have the balancing act to be contending with, your life would be less than what it is. We must be intentional about our marriages – intentionality is more than scheduling time together. It is finding meaningful ways to connect emotionally to one another. It is more than just going out and gazing across the table at one another. It is so many things…it is about loving and cherishing your time together. Our marriages must come first so that our families can be strong and happy. Too often, homeschooling mothers get so wrapped around their kiddos’ lives that they forget that wonderful man that helped to bring those kids into the world. He must be the center of your world…date him as much as you possibly can, kiss on him, dance with him and let him know he rocks your world…YOU and your kids (and your hubby, but that goes without saying) will be better because of it.

In closing, I pray that you will have a perfectly-lovely-balance in your home and heart. Not every day will be blissful and easy, but if we have the perspective that our lifestyle is homeschool and that our families are always at the center of our heart life will be joyfully abundant!

Here’s to an amazing September & beyond!!!

Stacey Lytle

Social Club for Girls 10-13 with APD and ADD.

2011-09-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

I have a daughter that has an Auditory Processing Disorder. I'm considering starting a social club for homeschool girls with APD, ADD, and anyone else who has a child with a desire to make friends, but has difficulty in social situations. The kids would need to be functioning well enough to come by themselves and not be interupting the club function.

The club would probably meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 1-3

There would also be a book to buy on social skills and a cost of $10/month+ any field trip expenses. If you would like to be an advisor to the club and come to most all of the meetings, then there would be no monthly fee. I live in Melba at about 10 minutes from the Nampa Walmart. Size of club would be about 10 girls.

If interested, email me at fatcatshome2000@yahoo.com or call me at 801-993-6594 if you have questions.

Kristal Herrick

Kim Wing

2011-09-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

Kim Wing

History Fair

I’m Kimberly Wing and I’ve been in the DHSA for about 4 years. We have five kids, four girls and one boy. My husband went to a mothers meeting and he came home thrilled and excited about homeschooling. We jumped in soon after. I truly love homeschooling my kids. Getting an educated is not just for the kids but it’s a whole family affair. One of my passions is learning about WWII. This year I’m in charge of the History Fair. I’m really excited to see what the kids come up with for it. History is such an incredible thing to learn about.

DHSA’s August Mother’s Meeting Notes

2011-09-02T22:38:00.000-07:00

Lynelle King

Hooray! What a fun time we had at the August Mother’s Mtg.!! Lot’s of momma’s, lot’s of great food, and lot’s of great ideas!!

Here’s a quick peek at what happened in case you couldn’t make it!

First of all we had a few Announcements:

*DHSA has a Face book page...find us and like us!

*If you have a personal blog, we can link it to DHSA’s blog… just send Nancy an email

*Please Please Please look for and cut out the little box tops…that’s how we are funding DHSA

*TEACH (a family co-op) has a new location at the Holy Nativity Church in Meridian

*Save the Date: Sept. 23rd homeschool family dance

*A new service group for LDS and non-LDS teens 16+ is beginning, Maria Trimble is heading it up

Then we had a great discussion about our meeting topic:

Do you Plan in Advance or by the Seat of Your Pants?

In a round robin type of approach, momma’s were able to share favorite curriculum picks and ideas for starting the new year including:

*Creating a Planning board for the year or the month

*Story of the World

*Field trips

*Momma’s Inservice Day (like what the other teachers get)

*Life of Fred (math books---polkadotpublishing.com)

*Excellence in Writing

*Apologia Sciences

*Student Accountability Planners (Jill call has a great one)

*Right Start Math

*Poetry Club (Emma Beck runs it)

*Fiddle Music (Ludiker music)

*How to Teach Your Children to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

*Alphaphonics (for teaching reading)

*Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading

*Leap Frog Videos

*Letter Writing

*Teaching Your Child to Read Using the Book of Mormon

*Explode the Code

*Happy Phonics

*Reading Pyramids

*Teaching Textbooks

*Horizon Math

*Liahona Distance Learning

*Aaron Academy

*The local Professional Technical School

WOW that’s quite a list…. A lot of discussion and opinions were shared about all of these products. It was good to re-connect after a busy summer and share ideas before jumping into our school year.

A big thank you to all who contributed!

See you next month!!!

Vice President Message

2011-09-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

Vice-President - Marissa Pineda

This is not the message I thought I’d write. I fully intended to write a Rah-Rah piece about the beginning of the school year and how excited we should be and how September feels more like a beginning than New Year’s or spring cleaning time. But I can’t get a few things out of my head.

First—a quote I found recently: “You are raising a child, not managing an inconvenience.”

Second—in the past four months, I have had two friends deliver stillborn babies, two other friends surprised with babies born with Down Syndrome, and yet two more friends and myself nearly lose children to accidents.

Third—a quote that distills every emotion in each experience mentioned above: “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”

We are strong and mighty women. We may not be able to prevent tragedy or escape heartache—but God knows each of us and has created us in His image. In every fiber of our existence, he has created within us an exquisite capacity to love. He who loves deepest, strongest, and longest has made us partners in bearing and rearing and teaching His children. What a gift! What a glad responsibility!

God has a plan for each child. A plan for each of us. My prayer for the coming school year is that we remember who we are and who our children are; that we seek His counsel in understanding His plans, whether we can see them mapped out or not, and rejoice in them. We have much to hope for and look forward to.

Happy new school year! (Now go hug those rug-rats, will you?)

Treasurer's Announcement

2011-09-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

Treasurer - Janet Cox

Box Tops!!!!

Collecting them is easy. I pointed them out to my kids and they keep an eye out for them on packages before they throw things in the trash. I have a ziploc bag taped to the inside of a cupboard that they drop them into. You can also ask grandparents or friends to save them for us. Stores, like Albertsons, also sometimes offer Bonus Box Tops which print at the register, like a receipt from the catalina machine. These have a bonus code that you can register online and are often worth $5. You can register and enter them yourself and designate the money to go to DHSA. You can also turn them in at Mother's Meetings and we will enter them, but beware that these often have expiration dates that come faster than regular box tops.
For example, right now Albertsons has a promotion running where you get 10 Bonus Box Tops when you purchase any 10 General Mills Box Tops for Education products.It runs from now until 4/20/2012. If you purchase any 10 General Mills Box Tops for Education products in one transaction, the online redemption code prints at checkout.

You can see our progress at http://www.boxtops4education.com/default.aspx Enter Deseret Homeschool Association in the Find Your School field, and it will show Nampa, Idaho

September 2011 Newsletter Part 1

2011-09-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Advanced Gymnastics

Our family really enjoyed gymnastics at Gem State but it was a long drive from Nampa to Garden City, so I spoke with the owner at Advanced Gymnastics in Nampa, just off the Franklin exit, and she is excited to do a homeschool gymnastics class at a great price. It is $26/mo (works out to $6/session) with no registration fees. Depending on interest, she will have 2 or 3 classes based on age and ability held at the same time - on Wednesdays at 3:30-4:20pm. Please let me know if you are interested (even if the time doesn’t work for you, as we may be able to schedule another time if necessary). I visited the gym and they have nice equipment, and although I haven’t taken lessons there before, they are already doing classes for all ages, and have been around for several years so I have high expectations. The mission of Advanced Gymnastics is to provide a safe, positive and fun environment for children to develop self esteem, confidence and an enjoyment of fitness through sport exploration in gymnastics. Here is the link to their website for more info. www.agxcgym.com

If you’re interested, please email me with the number of children you have that would attend and we will get this moving forward. We would like to start the first Wednesday in September (Sept 7th).

Thanks!

Sara Sweet

Homeschool Ballroom Classes

I will be offering discounted classes to homeschool teens 12-18.

We will be meetining at Dance Arts Academy in Meridian on Thursdays at 3:00pm, if we can get a class formed.

We really need some boys in this class. The monthly tution is only $28.00 per month with a one time registration of $15.90

This is a 30% off discount from the regular price. If you have more than one child register, there is an additional 10% off and a discounted registration. I need at least 6 students of young men and young women to open. Right now I have 3 girls and 1 boy intersted. The classes will be 45 minutes in length and if we can get going, we will disscuss if the group would like to perform for the recital in June, as It could be nice option.

Interested people should email Lori Gonzales teachmetango@gmail.com with child's name, gender and age. Please be sure to send you phone number.

Lori Gonzales,

Credentialed Ballroom Instruction

www.teachmetango.com

School Pix

by Kozup Photography

Individual and Sibling Photos

No Sitting Fee

Purchase only the pictures you want

Details:

Photographer takes all photos for free at the specified location.

Individual and Sibling portraits are taken outdoors using natural light.

Photos are displayed online with password

Parents purchase only the photos they like.

Call Now to Reserve Your Spot

September 26 in Eagle Idaho

Space is Limited

208-941-3618

www.kozup.com

email heather@kozup.com

Jodi's House of Rock

Special THIS WEEK ONLY

I'm offering special day-time classes at low rates just for our homeschooling community, and

IF YOU REGISTER THIS WEEK,

YOU GET $8 OFF THE ALREADY LOW REGULAR PRICE FOR SINGLE, COMBO, OR FAMILY TUITION!!!

THIS PRICE LOCKS IN FOR THE WHOLE YEAR SEPTEMBER-MAY.

DON'T HESITATE AND MISS YOUR CHANCE!!

Please mention you are a homeschooler when you register so I know to add you to day-time classes, and so you get your special homeschooler price. After school/evening classes also availble for non-homeschooling friends.

Jodi's House of Rock is now registering students ages 4-Adult
for Rock Music and Clogging mashed with Hip-Hop/Jazz classes.
All classes are age appropriate, filled with fun, and have modest lyrics/dance moves/costumes. In an effort to keep costs for families down, costumes will be as inexpensive as possible, and we will not be traveling for competitions or performing out of town. We are not out to bust anyone's wallets with extra costs.

Cell: 936-8450 text or call (please leave message if no answer)
Email: jodi.houseofrock@gmail.com

See our facebook page for full description of classes in the info section.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jodis-House-of-Rock/136861793068712

Kudos Club

My name is Jessica Collett, and I am a retired English teacher. I taught at Eagle High School, but I quit so I could be home and raise my two darling little girls. I am offering special workshops on strategic reading and writing/mentoring in the language arts.

Strategic Reading and Writing Mentoring

Join the Kudos Club today!
www.kudosclub.blogspot.com
Deadline to register is September 7th.

Who: 12-18 year olds

What: Workshops in strategic reading and writing; mentoring in literary arts

When: Wednesdays 2:00-4:00 pm September 14-October 26

How much: $55 per student. $5 off per sibling

Why: It will change how you analyze literature and approach writing

Where: Jessica Collett's house (Meridian)

During this course, participants will do the following:

Learn reading strategies Read a novel of choice while applying reading strategies Read, analyze and discuss poems and short pieces of literature Identify literary elements Learn about the writing process Write a Five paragraph Essay Learn the Six Traits of Good Writing Learn how to revise an essay Give feedback to peers about writing Meet new people

*This course will help students prepare for higher education as they gain important analytical and writing skills needed in college.

Jessica Collett gradated from BYU with a B.A. in English Education. She taught English at Eagle High School for four years and now runs a preschool in her home. She is the author of Read with Me: A Guide to Strategic Reading and the Learn with Me literature guide series (books on the IDEA catalog). She has mentored hundreds of students and loves to work with youth. She is a mother of two beautiful daughters and a fantastic, comedic husband. She loves to discuss literature over Italian sodas.

www.kudosclub.blogspot.com

Space is limited. Please contact Jessica Collett at jessicamcollett@gmail.com or call at 871-4234 if you are interested.

SAVE THE DATE...WHY???

Cause we are planning the greatest Date Night / Man Feast EVER!

Friday, October 7th

@ the Lytle's Home

22899 River Road in Caldwell

Let's start about 6:30 and we'll just end whenever we want to...

It's a date night, so find a sitter for your kiddos and come enjoy your time away with your hubby!

What Man does not love an out-of-this-world-fantastic-dinner???

And what Woman does not love a date out with The Man of the House?

Oh yeah...this night will be sure to please you both!

We'll eat, laugh and have a fabulous evening together.

There will be a small price tag to go along with this date night...but we'll keep it minimal...price TBA as soon as we have a better idea of what our catering friend will be charging us.

IF you already know that you are gonna have to participate in this amazing night and that there is no way you are going to miss it, send me an email to LytleMomma@gmail.com We'll be sending further info out just as quickly as we have it all together.

Treasurer's Announcement

Treasurer - Janet Cox

Box Tops!!!!

You know those little pink tags on top of cereal, huggies, ziplocs, and hundreds of other items that say "10 cents for your school?" DHSA collects them and uses them to help pay for activities, like the upcoming opening social. You can bring them to any Mother's Meeting or most activities and pass them on to President Stacey Lytle or Treasurer Janet Cox. If each family collects just a few, it adds up quickly. Last year we earned $236 for our organization through box tops!!!! So far this year we've earned $37.

Collecting them is easy. I pointed them out to my kids and they keep an eye out for them on packages before they throw things in the trash. I have a ziploc bag taped to the inside of a cupboard that they drop them into. You can also ask grandparents or friends to save them for us. Stores, like Albertsons, also sometimes offer Bonus Box Tops which print at the register, like a receipt from the catalina machine. These have a bonus code that you can register online and are often worth $5. You can register and enter them yourself and designate the money to go to DHSA. You can also turn them in at Mother's Meetings and we will enter them, but beware that these often have expiration dates that come faster than regular box tops.

For example, right now Albertsons has a promotion running where you get 10 Bonus Box Tops when you purchase any 10 General Mills Box Tops for Education products.It runs from now until 4/20/2012. If you purchase any 10 General Mills Box Tops for Education products in one transaction, the online redemption code prints at checkout.

You can see our progress at http://www.boxtops4education.com/default.aspx Enter Deseret Homeschool Association in the Find Your School field, and it will show Nampa, Idaho.

Aaron Academy Book Clubs

2011-09-01T22:45:00.001-07:00

Do you have a reluctant reader? A child who thinks "classic" applies only to old cars? A student who loves to read and is looking for like minded friends?

The Aaron Academy is now offering enrollment in our fabulous twice weekly book clubs to those not enrolled as full time students. Here's a summary of what our book clubs offer:

Classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30-2:30pm Consistent exposure to a variety of classic and quality modern literature Small class sizes (4-8 students) Age and gender specific book choices A "unit study" approach to books-students read at home then participate in discussion and projects in class. Wonderful, experienced teachers Cost is $40 per month plus a one time registration fee of $20 (that's only $5 per class)

For more information or to give your child this amazing opportunity to fall in love with great literature, please visit our website at www.theaaronacademy.com

Jeneen Haven

Founder,The Aaron Academy

Sewing lessons

2011-09-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

From beginner to advanced, lessons to include reading patterns, fitting garments and completing projects. You can bring your machine and learn how to use it while you improve your sewing skills. I also teach how to do alterations. I am happy to teach this timeless skill to the next generation.

Lessons will be $16 per two hour session. If there are two students, then $20 per session.
Deborah Byrd
854-7788
3746 S Lamone Way
Meridian
sewingbyrds@att.net

Dennis Professional Technical Center

2011-09-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

Hello Again,
The following information is for those who've expressed interest in taking classes at the Dennis Professional Technical Center. If anyone was not able to tour the facility, feel free to contact the school directly (see the Boise School District website-PTEC center) or send me a note.

Have a great year!
Melodi Kallmeyer 461-55216

************************************************************

For homeschool students wanting to attend the Dennis Professional Technical Center, here are the options.

If the homeschool student lives within the Boise School District, the student would enroll in what would be their home high school for 2 periods - the same 2 periods that they would attend the Dennis Center course.

If the homeschool student lives within the Boise School District and is part of an online school, the student would dual-enroll in what would be their home high school for 2 periods - the same 2 periods that they would attend the Dennis Center course.

If the homeschool student lives outside of the district, but within ADA county, they could either enroll at their would-be home high school and then attend the Dennis Center (you would have to approve the enrollment through Meridians PTE supervisor Staci Lowe) or open-enroll at Borah High School for 2 periods. The open enrollment process needs to be renewed each year. See attached form.

If the homeschool student lives outside of the district and county, they open-enroll at Borah High School for 2 periods. Again, the open enrollment process needs to be renewed each year. See attached form. (Note from Nancy: I don't know how to attach the form so you if want it email me DHSA.News@gmail.com.)

If the homeschool student lives outside of the district and county and they are enrolled in a highschool taking one or more courses, they need to dual-enroll and open-enroll at Borah High School for 2 periods.

If there are 2 classes at the Dennis Center that they want to take, then they need to open or dual-enroll for 4 periods.

When you fill out the open-enrollment form for Borah, please write at the top of the form “homeschool - Dennis Center Course”

If there are further questions please call - 854-5810

TEACH CO-OP

2011-09-01T22:42:00.001-07:00

TEACH CO-OP is a parent run coop open to all homeschoolers. Everyone is welcome regardless of religion or homeschooling method. Students are grouped by age and divided into classes. Each parent teaches one 1 hour class. We will meet on Thursdays from 9:30-2:00 at the Holy Nativity Church in Meridian (828 W Cherry Lane). Registration is $50 per family to cover our building and insurance costs and $10 per child to cover class fees. Classes will start on September 8th and run for 10 weeks. We are still finalizing class offerings based on the interests of parent teachers, but some of the ones we plan on offering are Earth Science, Art History, Math and Games, Preschool ABC's. We have about 20 families per semester and around 80 kids ranging from infant to high school. Fall Semester Registration is now OPEN at http://www.teachcoop.com/ with room for a few more families. Questions can be directed to teachdirectors@yahoo.com

A History Fair!

2011-09-01T22:42:00.000-07:00

We are planning a History Fair for October.

Exact date and location will be sent out ASAP.

We invite kids of all ages to participate.

You are invited to make a display of what you've learned and prepare a short presentation about your project (3 minutes or less).

Please contact Kimberly Wing at 968-3111 (sosiouxmeto@msn.com) if you are interested In participating. We need to know how many are interested so we can make sure we have enough room and plan accordingly.

September Mothers' Meeting

2011-09-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

It’s almost time for another Mothers’ Meeting! (Yay!) and while we’re at it—we’re including a Teen Activity Planning Meeting that will run concurrently at the same venue!

When: Sept. 8, 2011, 7:00 PM

Where: Angie Petersen’s house—5736 N. Becliffe Court, Boise 83704

(Questions? Contact Angie via phone or text at 914-5894 or e-mail her at angierpetersen@gmail.com)

August 2011 President’s Message

2011-08-09T16:25:00.001-07:00

Stacey Lytle - President

‎"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think, but the most important thing is, even if we're apart… I'll always be with you.”

Winnie the Pooh

I absolutely LOVE this quote…makes my heart swell with joy each time I read it. I would love to put it on vinyl or paint it up and hang it in our boys’ and girls’ bedrooms having it come from “Mom” so that they always remember how deeply I love them. When I read this little gem, I can’t help but reflect on motherhood, specifically, my role as Momma and how well I do or do not fulfill this all-encompassing role.

A few of the thoughts that have been running through my mind…

“What is it like to be my child?”

“If I were a child of mine, would I be happy?”

“Would I love being around me?”

“Would I feel loved by me?”

“Would I feel special?”

“Would I feel worthy and important?”

“Would I want to be with me?”

“Am I the kind of Mother I would wish to have?”

“Do they feel welcome, wanted, valued?”

“Can my children see the love I feel for them in my eyes and in my countenance?”

I love the following scripture; I added a couple of things that I feel help in fully understanding the significance: (When it just says “brethren”, it doesn’t do it for me, but adding in those that are “real in my world” makes it such a strong & deeply important scripture for me to pay attention to)

“Therefore, strengthen your brethren (Husband, Sons & Daughters)

in ALL your conversation,

in ALL your prayers,

in ALL your exhortations,

and in ALL your doings.

(D&C 108:7)

It is up to us, up to ME and YOU, to strengthen these little families of ours in ALL that we do…this scripture points out four areas of focus: I plan to address how to strengthen our children (hubbies will have to be covered at another time)…

First, Strengthen (your children) in all your conversation~ As we converse with our children, we have the ability to build them up or tear them down…let it be our goal to always lift them, to help them see the beauty and the potential they each possess. As I think of this, I also wonder if I am the kind of listener that they need, that they deserve. Do they feel that what they have to say is important and worthwhile to me or do I shut them down, making them feel less than important? Body language is another major form of communication that we must remember ~ are we standoff-ish toward them or do we portray a welcoming, approachable attitude toward our kiddos? Hopefully, they feel like they are walking into a Giant Momma Bear Hug when they see us!

Second, Strengthen (your children) in all your prayers ~ As we pray for these kiddos of ours, as we pour out our hearts in their behalf…I so firmly believe that Heavenly Father will hear our prayers and that he will come to the aid of our babies…they need our strength, our hope, our faith, our belief – especially of them! We must always pray for these special little spirits that have been sent to us!

Third, Strengthen (your children) in all your exhortations ~ As we address these little people of ours, we can do so emphatically, we can urge them in doing “something”, whatever that something may be, but again we can do this in a manner that is strengthening and not damaging to their little spirits. As mothers, we are sure to exhort our children numerous times in their lives, let it be felt with love and tenderness, leaving harsh and abrupt feelings behind, always remembering that we are to strengthen & uplift them.

And finally, the scripture says “In ALL your Doings”…Strengthen (your children) in all your doings~ well, that pretty much sums it up…IN ALL THAT WE DO, in all of our moments with our kiddos, or in thought of them, or in prayer for them, in each and every moment of each and every day we have the opportunity to bless the lives of our children by strengthening them and building them and assisting them in gaining their own living testimonies.

It is my prayer that our children will see and feel the love that we have for them

…that they will never have cause to doubt the love of a mother. That if there is ever a tomorrow when we’re not together…they will know we will always be right there with them.

Wishing you a fabulous end to your summer days and a splendid beginning to your adventurous school days!

Hoping to see many of you (all of you!) at our Mothers’ Meeting on the 11th!

Stacey

Redhead Express and The Walker Family

2011-08-09T16:24:00.001-07:00

I remember when I had just three little girls, the oldest being 4, and looking at sending her to Kindergarten in a year. I guess the year was about 1994. I had a sister and a sister-in-law that had homeschooled, and I KNEW that was what I wanted to do, but my husband wasn’t so sure. As he was teaching Sunday School to middle school age kids, he quickly realized there was an issue with most public school kids: His 4 year old could read better than they could! That was the beginning of him deciding to let me homeschool. With the help of Marge Litster and other veteran homeschoolers, I began my career and have never looked back.

I remember starting the Deseret Homeschool Group as newsletter editor, then later as President with Stacey Lytle and Susan Porter by my side. Many moves later, from California to Alaska, then Branson, and now Nashville, I am still enjoying homeschooling. That and the gospel are the two constants in my life. Everything else has changed dramatically!

While in Boise, I ran a daycare, taught piano, and even did a paper route. Brett sold magnetic health products. In California, I was just a Mom! Back to Boise, and I worked for IDEA in its’ beginning stages. Then to Alaska and Brett bought and sold real estate, while the rest of the family would fix up homes with him. It was here that we were introduced to and fell in love with bluegrass and old timey roots music. We began performing at nursing homes and farmer’s markets. After some success, we felt impressed that we ought to do something more with the music. The family prayed and unanimously agreed to sell everything, leave our new dream home we’d just built, and head to the south to study roots music from those that have been passing it down for generations. Homeschooling made it easier to decide to leave. The kids had no major ties to anyone or anything.

4 years later, we have toured across the US, performed nearly 1,000 shows at performing arts centers, fairs, festivals and churches, and we’ve had a BLAST homeschooling in an RV… on the road! History comes alive as we visit historic sites; Civil War battlesites, old forts, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Plantations, and so much more! Then the Science activities; Museums, Challenger Space Center, A Mammoth Site Dig, Zoos, Countless outdoor ‘nature’ activities. And the geography we are learning is awesome.

I have done SO many different homeschool programs over the years, only to find myself doing more unschooling than anything else now. We kind of run our own personal fine arts school. Scripture study and music are high priority. Hours a day are spent studying, creating, writing, learning and performing. We do the basics in school: Lots of reading, writing, math. I still love to use Story of the World for History, and lots of living history books. The Well Trained Mind has always been one of my favorite programs. I used to teach the Latin, but not anymore, now that the music has taken over. English has to be enough now! I let the kids’ interests guide, also. Meghan studies Chinese on her own, Ammon studies Spanish, Joseph and Alisa are artists, and Sean is our resident techie- running sound and video for the band.

Some programs I’ve tried over the years: A Beka, Konos, Online Great Minds Conversation Study Groups, BYU Online, Horizons and Saxon Math, Apologia Science, Science in a Nutshell… if you want more specifics on subjects or specific grade level programs, just email me and I’ll be happy to share: apryll@redheadexpress.com.

We still spend a lot of time at the library when we’re in Nashville. The boys will check out enough books to last a ‘tour’, and they’ve learned to renew them on their own when we can’t get back for a couple of months. And they love it when we can find a good book store! What do they like to read? Peter Pan Series, Warriors, C.S. Lewis, and Boxcar Children, to name a few.

Meghan is into Jane Austen. She and Joseph are both writing books. They keep a google doc so as to never lose it! And we have a friend that we met on the road who critiques their work for them. She used to be an English teacher, so it’s perfect! I have always been a believer of using other people’s strengths where I am weak. Meghan found a retired Math teacher friend of ours in Virginia to work on Math problems with. And our friend loves the challenge! Another couple lives on the road, and they send Joseph word problems related to their travels. Use real life experiences and challenges to work into your everyday schooling. It will be much more meaningful, and your children will remember lessons better, learning how to apply them to real life situations.

My 3 oldest have now graduated and continue to live with our family, learning every day. Kendra is 21 and challenges herself by reading books, writing music, and arranging for the band. She plays guitar and is our lead singer. She did a year of college online through BYU Idaho, but after that she decided the college of life was better, and she is doing what she always wanted to through her music.

LaRae is 20 and our resident health food chef. She encourages us to work out and eat right. Her love, besides banjo and dobro, is to study how to be healthier. Her favorite website is Daniel’s Challenge.

Alisa is 18 and just finishing her high school requirements. Fiddle, mandolin and lead vocal singing keep her quite busy. Due to major health challenges, she spends hours and hours studying diet and learning how she can prepare and eat her foods and continue to feel good! The Juicer and Vita Mix are our best friends and our secret to staying slim and healthy.

People ask us often: Yes, the girls do date. The guys find out via Facebook when they’re back in Nashville, and they get asked out. And they even date on the road. The oldest 3 just got set up on a blind triple date for September when we head back to Wisconsin… dating 3 young men from my Dad’s ward. Makes life interesting, that’s for sure! We also are blessed with countless opportunities to share the gospel through people we meet on the road, at shows, at churches we sing at. The world is our backyard, and the world is our Ward, also. Our friends are Jews, Atheists, Mormons, Protestants, Baptists… pretty much any religion. We have come to love all God’s children and enjoy the differences while seeking for common ground.

I suppose this is too long already. Thanks for allowing me to reminisce and look back for awhile. It’s fun to remember where we’ve come from, and to see that the homeschooling has been a huge influence for good in our lives. I know it has shaped my children into fine people that are very capable to survive in the world, to communicate and serve and help to create a better society by who they are. I always felt I would need to ‘raise my children as a calf in a stall’, and homeschooling is very much just that. We have learned to be in the world, but not of the world. And I’m grateful to the fine people in the Treasure Valley, and more specifically the Deseret Homeschool group, for taking me in under their wings, teaching me the ropes, loving our family, and encouraging us to take this road less traveled, as it HAS made all the difference!

I hope to see many of you at our concert August 19th at Centennial High School Performing Arts Center! Feel free to call 208-908-3938 or email apryll@redheadexpress.com if you have ANY questions! I am…

Yours truly,

Apryll Walker

July Presidents Message

2011-07-25T19:39:00.001-07:00

Stacey Lytle - President

The Oak Tree
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day.
It stole the Oak Tree’s leaves away.
Then snapped its boughs
and pulled its bark
until the Oak was tired and stark.
But still the Oak Tree held its ground
while other trees fell all around.
The weary wind gave up and spoke,
“How can you still be standing oak?”
The Oak Tree said, “I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two,
carry every leaf away,
shake my limbs and make me sway.
But I have roots stretched in the earth,
growing stronger since my birth.
You’ll never touch them, for you see
they are the deepest part of me.
Until today, I wasn’t sure
of just how much I could endure.
But now I’ve found with thanks to you,
I’m stronger than I ever knew.”

As I contemplate the beauty and truths found in this simple poem, I feel a deep appreciation for the freedoms that we all share….

Living in the United States is a blessing, and we have the added blessing of living in Idaho ~ freedoms abound here!

We have the freedom to help our kiddos establish the strongest, deepest roots during our days with them. The powerful influence that a homeschooling mother has is beautiful and can help to sustain our kids through the most difficult of times. Mighty winds will surely challenge our will, our strength, our endurance; we may feel helpless as these storms torment and try us ~ BUT it is in these moments of struggle that we and our children will recognize what this little oak tree so tenderly stated, “I’m stronger than I ever knew!”

For the Little Oak, it was the mighty wind that finally, through complete exasperation, became weary as the Oak never wavered and continued to stand tall and firm. For us, the challenges come in many forms, but just as that little oak, with its deep roots was able to endure, so are we able to push through anything that may come our way. My prayer for our children is that we, as mothers, will help them in establishing (and recognizing) roots that will make the most horrendous, terrifying storms weaken at the sight of their strength and ability to endure ALL!

Wishing you a fantastic summer ~ With love, Stacey

Homeschooling Advice

2011-07-25T19:38:00.001-07:00

Marisa Pineda - Vice President

Are you new to homeschooling? Are you considering homeschooling but haven’t “taken the plunge” yet? Here is some advice that served me well in deciding to homeschool and getting through the first year:

Define what a “good education” means to you and make a list of what you want for your children. This definition and list will guide you as you decide how to approach the teaching of your family.

Find out what the laws in your state require from home educators and students. (Idaho is very homeschool friendly. See http://www.iche-idaho.org/idaholaw.html to learn about Idaho’s education laws.)

Talk to “veteran” homeschooling families. Don’t be afraid to approach them with questions. Most homeschoolers are happy to share their experiences and insights. We LIKE questions. We’ve all had to make the decision you’re contemplating. We’ve been there!

Do your research. There are many, many methods and philosophies out there: Unschooling, Charlotte Mason, Unit Studies, Thomas Jefferson Education, Waldorf Method, Classical homeschooling, K-12 programs through the public school system, etc. The more you read, the more confident you’ll feel finding a method/system/philosophy that works for you.

Join a homeschool support group like DHSA. In fact, join more than one.

Get involved with activities and social events. You’ll meet other homeschoolers and have access to resources that will assist you in teaching and enriching your family. You’ll make friends, your kids will make friends, and you’ll discover you’re far from alone in your endeavors.

If you are removing your children from the public school system, expect an adjustment period. Give yourself at least a year to get accustomed to your new lifestyle. You’ll need it, and you won’t regret it.

Make the main focus of your homeschool your relationships with the Lord and with each individual family member.

If you’re married, make your spouse your top priority.

Write a letter to yourself explaining why you chose to homeschool. When you’re having a bad day/week/month, read your letter. It will remind you why you decided to do this crazy thing in the first place.

Have a plan AND be flexible. A big newbie mistake is to cling to a certain plan or a certain curriculum, even when it’s clearly NOT working for you. Be willing to revise, or even scrap something that doesn’t fit, or is making you crazy.

Have a sense of humor.

Develop your own sense of wonder and excitement for learning.

Pray. A lot. (That probably goes without saying.) Have faith that the Lord trusts you with His children.

Schedule breaks for yourself and your kids. This is especially important if you’re just coming out of the public school system!

This ought to get you started. Or at least get you thinking. All this advice came from the homeschooling families I hounded for information. They were all willing to share and very patient with me. And they were spot on. Thanks!

Marisa Pineda

Introducing New Board Members

2011-07-25T19:37:00.001-07:00

We are excited to introduce you to new board members who have volunteered to serve this year.

Secretary: Lynnelle King

Treasurer / Box Tops Coordinator: Janet Cox

Teen Coordinators: Angie Petersen, Melania Rosquist and Corrie Munson

Opening Social Coordinator: Corrie Munson

Field Trip Coordinators: Ruth Hansen and Korrine Ayers

Party Coordinators: Melodi Kallmeyer

History Fair Coordinator: Kimberly Wing

Science Fair Coordinator: Sara Sweet

We are looking forward to a great year. Continue reading to be introduced to some of our our new board members.

Corrie Munson - Teen Coordinator/Opening Social Coordinator

We've been educating our children at home for the past 11 years. We have 4 children. When you start, you can't see the end, but you hope & pray. My first just graduated!! It can be done without losing your mind and your patience. It's been a challenging yet such a rewarding experience for our family. In addition to being a teacher, cub scout den mother, 4-H leader and wife, I have a small online business that keeps me busy. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming year.

Corrie Munson

Lynelle King - Secretary

Dear homeschooling sisters,
It's so funny how things come around just at the right time isn't it? We meet amazing people who have just the experience we need to learn from, we get a check in the mail right on the day we need it, (that could happen more often!) our kids clean their rooms without being asked the morning before the family night lesson on tidiness, a friend calls to go for a walk on a hard day, and on and on the blessings go. Over the past few years, it's been in recognizing and thanking Father in Heaven for those types of blessings that I have found the most happiness. Well, here I am again, thanking Him for the chance to serve some amazing women and families! As I've reflected on my involvement with DHSA, I can't help but feel grateful for the associations and friendships that have lasted through the years. You have molded who I and my children are today. My activity level in the DHSA activities has waxed and waned over the years as the needs of my family and extended family and even me personally have changed. BUT, just knowing that there was a dedicated group of women volunteering their time and energy for me if I needed it, has always been a comfort. Ten years ago, I moved back to the Treasure Valley from Puerto Rico and the first meeting I went to was an election mtg. I signed on board as secretary not knowing anyone or what I had gotten myself into. Well, this year when the email went out that called for women to volunteer to be on the board, I knew what I was getting into and I just have to tell you how excited I am!! I love my homeschooling sisters! We share a bond that creates an immediate common ground. AND WE NEED EACH OTHER!!. We need each other's perspective and experiences and shoulders to cry on. We need curriculum ideas, places to go on rainy days, and cheerleaders for spelling lists. We need to know that we are not the only ones praying to know what period of history to cover, and whether PE can consist of walking (running) around in WINCO with five kids who think it's a gym. You belong with us! DHSA is a wonderful place to be supported, to learn from other amazing women, and to contribute to. Your efforts are valued and appreciated! I can't wait to meet you again, or for the first time! See you at the Mother's Meetings!

-- Lynnelle King, Secretary
Mother of 8 strong spirits and wife of an amazing guy!!
This is our 11th year to enjoy homeschooling

Janet Cox - Treasurer - Box Tops

I have been homeschooling for over 7 years. We are expecting another baby in August which will give us 9 kids, 6 boys and 3 girls. Two are adopted from foster care and the oldest is now out on her own. This year I will be teaching kids ages 11, 9, 7, 6, 4, 2, and taking care of a new baby. Every year has been a little different and I love the challenge of finding the best way to help them each learn (most of the time). I enjoy reading and doing things with my family.

Melodi Kallmeyer - Party Coordinator

I am the mother of six hilarious children and the wife of a drop dead gorgeous high school principal. Together, we run a small farm complete with chickens, pigs, turkeys, goats, and a cow. When I'm not milking, mucking or making dinner, I like to run, write, play sports, read, and eat chocolate ice cream. Honesty, if homeschooling weren't ton of fun, I wouldn't do it--there just isn't enough chocolate icecream in the world to make me.

Melodi Kallmeyer

Ruth Hansen - Field Trips

Hello gals, my name is Ruth Hansen. Deseret Homeschool Association has been a wonderful blessing for my family as over the years we have participated in PE activities, Science & History fairs, co-ops, fieldtrips, and parties. The most fabulous thing we have gained from DHSA would be wonderful friendships that have extended throughout the years. I am excited this year to help plan fun and educational fieldtrips and hope to see lots of you at these events. We have some great ideas for fieldtrips that I hope you will all enjoy.

Just a bit about me. My husband, Steven, is a computer programming guru who just started his own business (along with 2 partners) this year in February. We have 7 wonderful kiddos...the oldest being a handsome 16-year-old red-head and the youngest a getting-into-everything 1-year-old. As a family we love to watch 3D movies together, visit the park, BBQ, and read scriptures and stories together at night. Recently we have been reading the complete set of Roald Dahl books. Fun Fun.

Most of my day is spent in the hustle and bustle of being a mom, teacher, & sweetheart. Any free moments are spent crafting or enjoying a good book.

I am looking forward to seeing you at the fieldtrips!

Ruth

Melania Rosquist - Teen Coordinator

Hi, my name is Melania Rosquist. I was born and raised on a ranch in New Mexico. I married my childhood sweetheart when I was 19. We grew up together and our mothers arranged our wedding when we were infants. (not really, just kinda) We have 5 beautiful children. (Brace yourselves for names and if you haven't heard the explanations then I know you will want to. Feel free to ask in person.) Our oldest is Crash who is 13, Beau is 9, Auraleigh is 8, Chalk is 5 and our baby is Ayliahna is 2 1/2.

I love all things artistic and "crafty."

I have been homeschooling for four years. I love spending time with my children. I am very excited to be helping with DHSA in the teen group this up coming year and can't wait to get to know everyone!

Angie Petersen - Teen Coordinator

I love teenagers! I really do. I appreciate Stacey for asking me to serve on the DHSA board so that I can get to know your teens better. I am a homeschooling Mom of 5 children (do I count my eldest college-age daughter anymore?). My teens are 17 and 14. I also have two little girls ages 8 and 6. So the scope of our school's curriculum is wide and varied. It is definitely a challenge, but one that I was called to do nearly 22 years ago after meeting veteran homeschooler, (and dear friend) Jody Phillips. It is a continual adventure full of fun, frustrations and those wonderful serendipitous moments too. I am constantly learning and searching for better methods/curriculum/ideas. I look forward to learning from you!

Angie Petersen

Reeder Family Spotlight

2011-07-25T19:36:00.001-07:00

We are the Reeder family - Randy, Kim, Colin (10), Robyn (9), Grace (7), Caden (4), and Betsy (2). We have home schooled since Colin was 3 years old after being introduced to A Thomas Jefferson Education and the Face to Face with Greatness Seminars. Thanks to all those that have influenced our journey!

We love learning together and I (Kim) am constantly amazed at the things my family comes up with to teach me. Colin teaches me everything I ever wanted to know and more about computer programming and he recently started building a computer from spare parts so now I am learning more about the hardware too. Robyn pushes me to keep up with her in sewing and hand crafts and occasionally I impress her with my front handspring and ripstick skills. Grace loves to do science and art projects and try new recipes, she also enjoys working in the garden. Caden and I have read many, many books about trains and I was pleasantly surprised at my new ability to discuss trains and ask fairly intelligent questions on our visit to the Golden Spike in Promontory, Utah last week. Betsy keeps me humble as her favorite thing is to play babies, she (along with the rest of them) provides a great mirror for me to see myself through. In my case, motherhood has definitely made me smarter, or at least more well rounded.

The kids all play the fiddle and Randy and Colin are learning the guitar. We needed a little more variety in our family band, so Randy surprised me by making me my very own homemade washtub bass a few weeks ago.

Eddleman Family Spotlight

2011-07-25T19:35:00.001-07:00

My name is Autumn and I am a brand new homeschooling mom. I have always known I wanted to homeschool ever since I met one of my sister-in-laws friends. He was homeschooled his whole life and was just starting college at the time I met him. He came to my house with my sister-in-law and instead of a young, nervous awkward teen. I found myself talking to a self assured, polite, and confident young man. I had thought to myself, "Wow, I want my son," who was just a baby at the time, "to have as much self direction and high self esteem as that young man did."

So I did some research, took some time to move three times and have another baby, then sat down and really made my decision. I have read through so many different educational styles, looked through mounds of curriculum choices and I am still not one hundred percent sure I know what I am doing, but I am certain that I have made the right decision for my boys. My boys are five and three now. The oldest is super quick in math, but not yet interested in reading. The youngest loves anything hands on, motorcycles, cooking, digging, building etc. They are vastly different and I sometimes wondered if I would be adequate when we really got into the school year. I told another homeschooling mom that my oldest was five and she said, "So you have been homeschooling for five years now." I must have stared at her funny because I never thought of it that way, but then I thought about all those child led science questions that turned into projects we have done in the backyard, the addition and subtraction games we played with toys and cards and the hours of reading during quiet time and bedtime. She was right, I have been homeschooling all along.

I recently started a more scheduled school time in the morning where we work on phonics and or mathematics. In the afternoon we work on social studies and science. Kilian, my youngest likes to cut and paste. Everyday I learn a little more about my children and everyday I adjust our curriculum depending on their mood and interests. I am never bored. We have been having a lot of fun lately learning about maps. Treyson, my oldest is going to help me plan out our next camping trip with his new mapping skills. School will continue through the fall when he would normally go into kindergarten, except in our case we might be learning about weather, subtraction and reading about superheros. We will be working at his exact level and I am excited to see where our journey leads us next.

The first picture is the whole family. Mom, Dad and boys at the Grand Canyon. The other picture is of Dad and the boys at an aquarium in Utah.

Autumn Eddleman

A New Year – A New Board

2011-06-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to last year’s DHSA Board and those who facilitated the Mother’s Meetings, field trips, parties, and activities throughout the year! Thank you for your enthusiasm and your dedication!

Introducing the New Board

Stacey Lytle – President

I am so excited to be serving on The Deseret Homeschool Association Board this year. Homeschooling my family is my passion and supporting homeschooling mothers is a very close second for me.

A little about me…Well, I am a Mom who truly loves being the Momma; my dear hubby and I have 7 kiddos…ages 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 25. I am also “Grammy” to two adorable little people. We have homeschooled for what feels like a lifetime…over 15 years!

I LOVE teaching! I love learning! I love spending my time with my kids! I have the best job ever…I couldn’t have dreamed up a better one…and in the same breath, I will say I don’t think I could have dreamed up a more difficult one. Homeschooling is not always easy; sometimes we can’t always see the rewards, but I assure you that they are there. The relationships we have with our children are strong and close and real and I would not give that up for the world…I know my kids inside and out and they know me. I treasure my time with them and value the blessing of learning alongside them each day.

Homeschooling means so many things to me, the blessings are innumerable, the lessons endless; but foremost in my mind is this -- Homeschooling is really all about Building Relationships. These days with our kiddos are a time for nurturing and growth, a time for learning patience and understanding, a time for seeking truth and a time for realizing our true potential. It is a time to learn that there are no limits…a time to teach our children about becoming…they can “BE” anything & everything…they must know the extent to which we believe in them…we must be their best cheerleaders. When our relationships are strong and solid, the faith we have in them will be felt by their hearts and they will go beyond their most magnificent dreams.

In my early days of homeschooling, I heard the best advice ever and to this day I treasure it…Never let your child’s education become more important than the relationship between You and Your Child. I take this to heart when I want to flip out about some silly math problem that a child just cannot get even after we’ve gone over it 500 times! Or the days when the Spirit in my home is just ugly and contentious, I need to be more concerned with how my kids are feeling and not so concerned with what they are accomplishing in their school work. My relationship with them is #1 and I will not let anything stand in the way of that. With that as my goal…I know they can “BE” everything they ever dream and our relationships will be lovely and amazing!

I am excited for this year and look forward to seeing each of you! We will be holding a monthly Mothers Meeting and will rotate between Thursday Evenings and Saturday mornings, to hopefully accommodate the schedules of more families. We are also hopeful of hosting many fabulous activities for you and your families to enjoy throughout the year. Please take a look through our open board positions in this newsletter ~ we’d love to have you join us!!!

I truly love and admire you for the work that you are doing…I believe with all of my heart that there is nothing better that we could be doing in this lifetime than raising these beautiful kiddos and sharing with them the foundation and beliefs we cherish in our lives. I wish you the best school year ever ~ may you enjoy each and every day and look forward to the next with exuberance and enthusiasm.

Stacey

Marissa Pineda – Vice President

My name is Marissa Pineda and I am excited to be a part of the DHSA Board this year. I live in Boise and have five kids ranging in age from eleven years to three months old. I started homeschooling two and a half years ago and I was so grateful to have DHSA as a resource and a support from the outset. My goal as a member of the board is to provide the same kind of loving, practical support to homeschooling mothers and families as has been provided for me.

Nancy Georgeson – Newsletter
I have been a member of DHSA since 2004, a full year before I began homeschooling. Receiving monthly newsletters, regular emails about activities in the homeschooling community, and attending Mother's Meetings helped me to make the decision to homeschool. We have now been homeschooling for 6 years and we love this lifestyle. We have 5 kids, aged 13 - 3 years. We love the freedom that we have to learn what, when and how we want. We also love to get together with others, so we often invite people into our home to have fun with us.

A Year in Review

2011-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all you wonderful members of DHSA. I had a great experience being president of DHSA for a season. We had a great year, full of fun, surprises, and learning. Here is a brief list of the activities that were offered last year. I did not participate in all of them, but the ones I did participate in were great. This is as it should be, all members of DHSA should feel free to do what they want and invite others along for the ride.

Thank you again for a wonderful experience.

Veronica DeMayola

UNLEASHING YOUR VOICE (Gina Starkey)
Dennis Professional Technical Center Tours (Melodi Kallmeyer)
August Park Days (Krista Collins)
Opening Social (Veronica DeMayola)
Andrew Pudewa Institute for Excellence in Writing workshops (Jeneen Haven)
Book clubs for homeschooled kids at the Caldwell Public Library (Jennifer Reibe)
Vicki Jo Anderson presentation (Merry Pearce)
Presentation on Our Country's Constitution and "The 5000 Year Leap" (Merry Pearce)
FREE Wahooz ticket Exercise Program (Kelly Collett)
Boise Art Museum Field Trip (Nancy Georgeson)
October Mother’s Meeting: “Why” you homeschool (Veronica DeMayola)
Homeschool Halloween Party (Nancy Georgeson)
Monthly Planet Kid Field Trips (Robyn Henrie)
Couple’s Meeting: Proper Role of Government (Greg Collett)
Children's Live Nativity Pageant (Pamela Cowley)
Christmas Party– potluck and sledding (Jennifer Reibe)
Valentine's Party (Veronica DeMayola)
February Mother's Meeting & Teen Activity (Veronica DeMayola)
History Fair (Kelly Collett)
Constitution classes (Julie Paine)
Home School Science Olympiad Team (Nancy Georgeson)
Idaho House Hearing Open to the Public (Merry Pearce)
Mothers Who Know Book Group (Emma Beck)
Wahooz Day Field Trip (Kelly Collett)
Homeschoolers production of Shakepeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (Jody Phillips)
Meat Preservation Class (Kristen Pond)
Soccer Shots– organizing group soccer classes (Sarah Anderson)
March Mother’s Meeting: discuss the Thomas Jefferson Education Forum (Veronica DeMayola)
March Teen Group Activity: mock debate (Veronica DeMayola)
Eagle Scout project Work Day (Marcee Clark)
Aaron Academy Open House (Jeneen Haven)
Historical Museum Field Trip (Nancy Georgeson)
April Mother’s Meeting and Teen Activity (Veronica DeMayola)

Fabulous Women Needed

2011-06-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

DHSA is a fabulous support group because it is made up of the most fabulous women EVER…each of YOU! It is our goal to put together some super activities and inspiring Mothers Meetings for you and your families this year. This happens best when we all work together to make something great even better ~ So, in saying this,

Be a part of something wonderful...
Do you want to throw a party, organize a field trip, start a book club, or any other fun activity? This is your chance to help make this association great and inspire other moms in the process. Remember, all of our members are welcomed and encouraged to plan and organize activities for the organization. Please don't hesitate to share some fun with all of us ~ we'd LOVE it! E-mail us the details of your activity and we'll be sure to get the information in our newsletter.

We would LOVE to have our board grow by leaps and bounds. Following are a few positions we’d like to fill ~ if you have any inkling or desire to serve on the board with us, we would love to have you join us for a fantastic year.

The positions available are:

Secretary ~ this person will take notes at the Mothers Meetings and do a small write-up to be included in our monthly newsletter. The secretary will also assist with gathering content for the newsletter and help with membership updates. The only requirements would be to attend as many of the mothers meetings as possible and have some fun writing up what we all chat about (if you can’t make it to a particular meeting, I’m sure we can find another board member that would be happy to take your place for that meeting.)

Field Trip Coordinator(s) ~ It would be great to have a couple of ladies who would like to put together a mix of wonderful places to visit…we have so much available to us in this valley…the sky is the limit! We can have field trips for large groups, small groups, groups of teens, groups of just little people or groups for all ages. The responsibilities for this position basically include coordinating the trip, submitting the info for the newsletter, attending the field trip, and if possible (not necessary, but I think it would be fantastic) a little write-up of the event for the next newsletter just to let us know what is out there to do if we were unable to attend. This position is a blast!

P.E. Coordinator(s) ~ P.E. …What child does not love to run and play and experience new things??? Well, that is just exactly how this position started…there was a need for kids to have a great time learning some new skills outside of their homes…I believe that need may be present again. There is really no end to what a coordinator could do in this position -- anything from setting up activities at various locations, bowling, golf, gymnastics, karate, to doing track and field and outdoor games at a park, or a combination of all of the above. If you have a desire to put together some ideas…we’d love to start the P.E. Group up again. Or if you’d like to do something on a smaller scale, such as organize a soccer game or a one-time activity, then that would be fabulous! Anything would be great in this area…

Science Fair - History Fair - “Other Fair” Coordinator(s) ~ We’d love to see our association host some fantastic fairs this year…In the past, we have enjoyed Science Fairs and History Fairs…If you’d like to coordinate a “Fair” of some sort please let us know…these are so fun and have typically been very well attended. This is the perfect time to let your kiddos “Shine” as they “show off” their hard work. (This is a fun one to do with a friend and it will lessen the load just a bit!)

Teen Activity Coordinator(s) ~ Well, that one is pretty much self-explanatory…There is a need for some FUN activities for our older kids. The younger kids seem to have plenty of co-ops and what-not to enjoy…but let’s not forget our older kids! These can be as simple as having a mom or two in charge of assisting the teens in hosting some fantastic, fun filled evenings. This is a position I would REALLY LOVE to see filled, so please let me know if you have an interest or if you have a teen who would be willing to help out. It seems that the most successful teen groups we’ve had in the past have basically been run by the teens for the teens because they really know what they want to do. An additional benefit of this is that there isn’t a ton of work on the shoulders of the mothers, just overseeing (oh, and possibly making some delicious treats!)…

Holiday Party Coordinator(s) ~ If you are someone who loves to put on a great party…this is the job for you! You can choose just one holiday or take ‘em all… If you have an interest in this area, please let me know.

Other Coordinator(s) ~ If you have an idea for something that is not listed, PLEASE feel free to share your thoughts and let’s make it happen. There is no end to what we can do, so long as there is a desire.

Can’t wait to hear from you…please let us know if there are other things you NEED or want to see happen this year…

I’m excited to see you join our board, so please send me an email ~ DHSA.President@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer for any of these positions or if you have any thoughts or concerns.

Thanks a million ~ Enjoy the sunshine!

Stacey Lytle

DHSA Website/Blog

2011-06-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

The deserethomeschool.blogspot.com blog is updated and ready to be used this year. All the contents of the newsletter can be found in their entirety on the blog. You can click the links in the newsletter to go to the full article on the blog.

If you have a blog that you would like to share with our membership you may email DHSA.news@gmail.com and get added to our list of Member Blogs. We look forward to getting to know you and your family through your blog.

Make sure you check out the calendar. We will add events organized by board members and members alike. If you have something planned and want to invite others to join you email DHSA.News@gmail.com and it can be added to the calendar and sent out in the newsletter.

If there are any features you would like to see on the blog please let me know at DHSA.news@gmail.com.

Deadline for July's Newsletter is Monday June 27th. Email submissions to DHSA.news@gmail.com

Looking for LDS Homeschoolers in your neighborhood

2010-06-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

LDS Homeschooling.org offers a unique service to the LDS homeschooling community. You register and then can search for and connect to other LDS homeschoolers in your area. You could meet for a park day, or start your own neighborhood co-op. You can search by Stake ensuring that the homeschoolers you might find are in 'your neck of the woods'. Along with a series of great links, ideas, and articles LDS Homeschooling.org is a great way to start connection with other LDS Homeschooling families.

Chance

2010-06-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

"Parents can plant seeds in the hearts and minds of their children only if they know where the children are and what they are doing. Parents should not leave the teaching of their children to chance. "
~Joseph B. Wirthlin
Ensign, May 1989, p. 9

New Favorite Blog

2010-05-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

LDS Homeschooling is fast becoming one of my favorite new blogs.I stumbled upon this blog and subscribed to it. The new posts arrive in my email inbox. They are always a nice treat and I have really enjoyed them. With 8 regular authors and a variety of guest authors, the content is always fresh.

Features:

links list to other LDS homeschool blogs
LDS Homeschool links
relevant content

-April

Learn With Me

2010-03-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

Check out this new product for home schooling families at

Learn With Me!

Our goal is to provide home educators and teachers resources that bring life and depth to a student's study of reading and writing. Our feature product is Read With Me. This book contains the core principles of reading with purpose; we call this strategic reading. These strategies are taught through activities, writing prompts, unique ideas, literary terms and much more. Read With Me is a must have resource for any language arts educator.
Our line of literature study guides are crafted to elicit discussion, foster literary analysis and also inspire change. These are available in book form or digital download.

March News

2010-03-16T12:56:00.001-07:00

DHSA needs your help. We have had some wonderful mom meetings and parties this year and I am very grateful to the moms who have stepped up and helped. But I know there are many more moms with talents and gifts in our organization and we need your help too. We are all busy, but if each of us does a little bit, DHSA will flourish. These are some of the things we need.

Somebody to build a webpage.

Somebody to put together a newsletter.

Somebody to plan a fieldtrip or two.

Somebody to be in charge of boxtops.

Somebody to plan and host mom's meetings (especially in the Boise side of the valley).

Somebody to plan other activities, like a science fair, spelling bee, or anything else you can think of.

Somebody to help plan a closing social/activity to elect a new board.

Email janetcox123@gmail.com if you are willing to be "Somebody."

Please help us end the year with a BANG!

Hunting for Easter Eggs

Several years ago when we lived in Utah, there was a gospel doctrine teacher for Sunday School who seemed like he must be crazy. We moved in in July and every week he would talk about Easter eggs he had found during the previous week. It was several months later that he finally explained to some visitors what he meant by Easter eggs and it all started to make sense.

At Easter, we hide eggs and baskets for children to find because it is fun and enjoyable for them. We hide them in a way that with a little effort they can find them. We're not trying to make the task impossible, but we don't want to make it too easy and just hand them a basket of eggs already gathered.
Neither of those options would be as fulfilling for the children.

The Sunday School teacher explained that there are figurative Easter eggs hidden in the scriptures. Gems of hidden knowledge, inspiration, and insight that Heavenly Father wants us to receive and has made available for us to find if we take the time to look for them. He knows we will remember these insights better if we earn them and own them. Even when someone else shares an insight, we are
less likely to remember it unless it ties into our life in some way.

Over time, I have come to love this concept and found it applies to many other aspects of life as well, especially mothering and homeschooling. The “Easter eggs” are the special little moments that help you know what you are doing is worth it. Little treasures that are often hidden by our daily activities that are easy to miss unless you are looking. I've learned to write them down, so I can look back over these treasures on the hard days. I want to share some recent Easter egg moments from my family in the hopes that you will start noticing and treasuring the Easter eggs in your homeschool.

Tyler, who struggled to learn to read and has finally “got it,” commented, “Books are so much more fun once you can read what they say.”

We started a DVD about Lewis and Clark and Ryan told his dad, “I know EVERYTHING about Lewis and Clark. Mom had me read 2 books about them and we spent one whole day (hour) learning about them at co-op.” He then had dad stop the movie 4 different times to tell us more information about something the DVD talked about.

Our cat got hurt and her leg looked pretty bad. The kids were working on schoolwork when they saw it and Tyler stopped working to ask if I would help him start a fast so she would get better.

I couldn't find a library book, so I offered the kids a $1 reward. Ryan went racing to his bedroom, (where library books are not allowed) just as I found it. He was disappointed and told me, "I was going to my room to say a prayer because I know Heavenly Father would help me find it and then I would get the money."

One morning I had an important phone call and let the kids watch PBS during it. When I finished and we started school, Jeanisha commented, “I wish I could have done math while you were on the phone, I like school lots better than TV.”

****We have plenty of hard moments as well, but remembering these little moments help me find the joy in homeschooling. Many of these would slip past if I wasn't trying to look for them and I probably wouldn't even notice them.

The National LDS Homeschool Association

2009-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

Are you on their email list? I love the articles and especially the Homeschool Humor section. This Orem, UT based website and publication has only been around for 5 years now serving the LDS homeschoolers nation and worldwide. Started in 2004, this LDS homeschooling resource was long overdue, they mainly feature relevant articles, and a variety of ways to stay connected to other LDS homeschoolers. They feature LDS homeschool conference listings, which although few, are happening each year.

If you write consider submitting a homeschool article to them. They also publish homeschool photos and humor submissions. Have fun exploring this site! The National LDS Homeschool Association

School of Abraham

2009-11-18T21:40:00.000-08:00

School of Abraham

Have you ever checked out this great LDS homeschool resource, The School of Abraham? The School of Abraham website is huge! You will not be disappointed spending some of your time online there. They do have their own educational philosophy that you can look into, but even if you don't school their way this site is still full of AMAZING resources for the LDS homeschooler.

One of my favorite resources offered on their site is the Storied Scriptures. I am so grateful they took the time to organize this. I copy and paste the lists into Word, then print the whole list for each book of scriptures, trim the pages down and staple them together, and fold twice. They fit inside my scripture bag and are handy as we do family scripture time. They are organized in a sequential story format, skipping over sections that are not essential to understand the overall story. This is nice for keeping my younger kiddos interested. If you do narrrations, these are also great to use for drawn, oral, or written narrations after you read.

I also LOVE their resources for homeschooling Dads- Dads: The Ultimate Homeschoolers

On that note-My husband told me the other day, when he had a full day off during the week and helped with our homeschool that day, that I looked beautiful when I was teaching our children. So sweet!!

Back to the website....There are also countless links, article suggestions, and great quotes to support you.

Keep up the good work ladies! You all make a huge difference in the world everyday you spend with your children!

~April

November President's Message

2009-11-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

October was a crazy month at our house. A friend's husband passed away, we had grandparents come visit for several days, then we were hit with swine flu that hung around for two weeks. The last week of the month was spent playing catch-up and trying to get the house back in order. Our regular routine was pretty much thrown out the window for the entire month.

Where did homeschool fit into all this? When I flipped the calendar I thought, “Did my kids learn ANYTHING last month? Would they have been better off at the school down the street where they have substitutes when the teacher gets sick and the routine stays in place even when life happens?”

I suspect we all have similar thoughts at different times during our homeschooling years when life gets crazy and busy and things don't go as planned. It is easy to get discouraged and frustrated at times. However, as I thought more carefully about the month, I realized my children had been taught or learned many things which will probably be more valuable to them than the academics we would have covered.

For example, we talked at length about the plan of salvation and how blessed we are that our family is sealed together and can be together even when someone dies. We talked about serving and helping others and how we can't make them feel better, but the Savior can, and we are His hands here on earth. The kids helped think of things we could do to “mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”

When grandma and grandpa came they were able to show off their projects and papers and share the things they've been learning. The lessons “sank in” even deeper as they taught someone else what they had learned. It also gave them a chance to shine and feel the pride of accomplishment as grandma complimented their handwriting and grandpa challenged them with math story problems. (He was probably testing them to see if they are really learning anything, but they thought they were showing off.)

Then, when I was in bed with the flu, my 7 and 9 year old boys read stories to and played with the younger kids, raked leaves for us and the neighbors, played board games, and cooked several meals for the family. When they were sick, they read, watched educational videos, and slept. They practiced serving each other and showing gratitude when others served them.

While they didn't complete the assignments on my schedule, they were learning and growing.Most of the planned assignments will still get done, at least the important ones. They just won't get completed on the timetable I laid out in August. Heavenly Father had different priorities for our family this month.
The holidays are coming and I know from past years that life will get busy and our regular school routine will get set aside, but this year instead of worrying about the boxes I don't check, I'm going to focus on the lessons they are learning and the people they are becoming. Academics are important and it takes time to practice and develop those skills, but homeschooling is more than just academics, it is raising and nurturing righteous, faithful people who are prepared to make a difference in the world. It's learning gratitude and service. It's becoming Christlike. That's homeschooling-- the Lord's way.