Smylebii: Something to make you Smyle

I love the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that some homeschoolers display. One homeschool business that I am excited to see flourish is Smylebii. Smylebii is the creative effort of four homeschool girls who have learned to find joy in all situations. They want to spread that joy through their business. Smylebiis are figurines, charms, and keychains, that are sure to make you smile. They will custom make a one of a kind Smylebii just for you! Who are the Smyles behind Smylebiis? We are four home schooled daughters of an Evangelist/Missionary to North America. We love to make people smile … Continue reading

How do you do it?

“How do you do it?” “I could never do everything you do!” “You amaze me.” I have heard it all. I have heard how amazing I am to how I must be a master of time management. My friend told me that she could never do everything I do. I responded with, “that’s okay, I cannot either.” I am a mom, homeschooler, wife, freelance writer, blogger, and business owner. Among those aspects of my life come other “hats” and responsibilities. However, I am here to tell you that I am not amazing. I am not a master of time management. … Continue reading

Could You Teach A Class Online?

When I first contemplated becoming a home-based professional, I was skeptical that I would be able to find work. The more I learn about working from home, the more I realize that there are many more legitimate ways that people can earn a living while working at home than I previously thought. Today I learned a little bit more about a type of home-based work that I had not given much thought to before – online teaching. With the rising cost of higher education as well as an increased demand for educational degree programs that offer flexible schedules, online education … Continue reading

Home School Blogger Spotlight: The Book Chook

Based in Australia and authored by Susan Stephenson, The Book Chook, is a delightful blog dedicated to children’s literacy. Susan is a Kindergarten teacher who describes herself as a reading mother hen to her little chicks in the classroom. Hence, the name The Book Chook, as “chook” is what many in Australia call a hen. I love the name of this blog. I find it memorable and quite adorable. The Book Chook is a blog that is easy on the eyes and invites you to sit down and enjoy a book or two. You are introduced to quality children’s literature. … Continue reading

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Vickie Smith, Part Three

We’ve been talking with Vickie Smith, author of The Quiet Doll Queen and president of Ark Essentials Publishing, about her decision first to homeschool, and then to send her children back to public school. You can read part one here and part two here. Vickie, you mentioned that most of your children did very well acclimatizing back into a public school routine, but two of them did have some difficulty. Can you tell us about that? My fourth daughter started in public school- my first daughter to attend public kindergarten. She did well in kindergarten but struggled severely socially in … Continue reading

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Vickie Smith, Part Two

We continue our talk with Vickie Smith, author of The Quiet Doll Queen and president of Ark Essentials Publishing. You can read part one here. Vickie, after teaching your children at home for a time, you chose to send them to public school. How did the transition go from home to school? My oldest adapted fairly easily. She’d already made friends and gotten used to things gradually. I also adapted to the huge amount of paperwork and costs that went along with public education. My second daughter struggled a bit, but part of that was by choice. She could’ve dropped … Continue reading

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Vickie Smith, Part One

Today I’m joined by Vickie Smith, author of The Quiet Doll Queen and president of Ark Essentials Publishing. Vickie, thank you for taking time out to chat with me. How did you arrive at your decision to homeschool? I begged my mom to homeschool me way back before it was popular. I had a very stressful time as a young student. I always finished my work and just sat around class, reading. When I was an office volunteer, I’d get my homework for the day and be done in a short period of time. Public education just seemed so wasteful … Continue reading

Interviews with Homeschoolers: Karen Loutzenhiser, Part Two

Karen Loutzenhizer, a homeschool mom from Utah, was kind enough to join me earlier to share some of her experiences. Here is the rest of our conversation. Karen, what are some of your other philosophies in regards to education? I really believe that we underestimate kids. Instead of just focusing on the pet topics so commonly taught to children, I attempt to open up all kinds of topics and present them in a kid-friendly, understandable format to my kids (all age 9 and under). We study chemistry and the periodic table, the Hittite people, and Monet–not just recycling and ancient … Continue reading

Interviews with Homeschoolers: Karen Loutzenhizer, Part One

Today I’m talking with Karen Loutzenhiser, a homeschooling mom from Utah who took time out to chat with me about her homeschooling journey. Karen, how did you know that homeschooling was the right choice for you? I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl, and the only thing that could top that career in my heart and mind was being a mommy. By the time I got my degree in education, I already had two kids in tow. I knew that they were my absolute joy and my #1 priority. Why would I drop my … Continue reading

When Your Passion Becomes Your Job

If anyone had told me even a year ago that my passion would become my job, I would have said you were nuts. While I would like to say that I had confidence in myself, I think I did only to a certain degree. I was a stay-at-home mom for all three of my children. In addition, I was a homeschooler for a period of five years. It wasn’t until my children entered kindergarten, 2nd grade and 5th grade that they began formal school. Before I had children I worked in an office. I started off as a secretary, which … Continue reading