Thanks Chelli! I hope it becomes a place of great inspiration for many. I know it is something I will use often.

Sure, it's a homeschool space. I am sure there are great ideas there anyone can use. Thanks!

Wow! What a great response. Thank you so much for helping to build that collection. I hope your blogs get tons of visits from this as it grows. I love this time a year when rooms, spaces, and plans all get a fresh start. For those of you who put your links here -- I can't link them up at the website for you. If you want them over there as well, then you will need to do that yourself. Would love to have them there. And while you are on the website, feel free to look around and add links to any topic you have blogged about. I will be adding more topics today, so be sure to check back. I really want this site to be a helpful place for moms -- as a blog reader and a blogger.

We got the Prismacolor Scholars for my DD(6) at Christmas time. They have been really great. They were affordable, take the wear and tear without breaking, but give good color and blending.

You know Jen, we have a room that we could use as a hs room, but don't. We actually school in our breakfast nook and prefer it. I will keep that in mind for a future collection of links, though, so look for it soon. Fantastic idea!

My kids really love The Scrambled States of America Game. They both like to play. There is an easier version of the rules and a more challenging one.

I am collecting links to bloggers' homeschool room posts at my new website Real Mom Resources. I would love it if you would come on over and link up your blog. There is not much content there now since it is brand new, but I hope to grow it and one day those top spots may be coveted real estate. :D Feel free to click around and add links to any of the other topics as well. Thanks! Pam

Here's mine. He's such a cutie, but I'm not biased or anything.;)

Don't forget Office Depot often offers coupons -- like $10 off a $50 purchase. That would make it even better. I am a member of their Work Life rewards program and get those in the mail often. You might also find one in the Sunday paper.

Yes, I was having frustrating problems with it. It should now; it does for me anyway. :001_smile:

I started a website where bloggers can link up their articles under topic categories and blog readers can easily find the information that they need. You can check it out at http://www.realmomresources.com. Right now I am trying to attract bloggers and content so that we can build the site for readers. There are currently seven categories to link to (two of which are homeschool methods and homeschool rooms -- because everyone loves showing off their room :D) but I will be adding about two more topics each week as we grow. If you are a blogger and are interested in being featured on the site please PM me for info about the Featured Blogger program. I hope you enjoy! Feedback welcome.

:bigear: Don't want to miss how this ends. You guys are hilarious.

Here's what we did this year http://everydaysnapshots.blogspot.com/2012/01/playful-us-geography-for-first-grade.html?m=1 http://everydaysnapshots.blogspot.com/2012/01/more-us-geography-for-first-grade.html?m=1

I've had a school room in our old house. Now I have a "family room." It could be a school room. It houses all of our school stuff and some other things too, along with the Wii, TV, computer, etc. It is upstairs and we hardly ever use it for school. We used the one in the other house some, but still preferred the kitchen. If I were designing a house, this is what I would do. We do not use our formal dining room. I would have a HUGE kitchen with bar open to a large eat-in area with farmhouse table and plenty of room. Past that would be a "keeping" area with couch, fireplace, and built-in book shelves -- all one room -- big, bright, lots of space. Off to the side of the table area I would build a walk-in butler's pantry-type area to house all of our manipulatives, toys, games, resources, craft supplies, etc. That area would likely have a counter top where we could move half-finished projects to keep or dry when we need the table for eating dinner. During the day we would just eat at the bar. We already school in our kitchen all day and love it. I would just make the kitchen area fit our school needs instead of the other way around like we do now. :D

We had been outsourcing art here, but then I made an impulse purchase at the convention last month. I bought a Home Art Studio DVD. We have done the first three projects and love, love, love it. The kids really listen to the DVD teacher and their projects have turned out great. They are learning about line, color, mediums. So far I have had all the supplies we needed except for the big size of watercolor paper. I blogged about our projects with photos here and here. I got the first grade DVD. I think I am going to pick up the K and Second grade ones and stop outsourcing the art. I imagine we will continue the lessons through the summer. Pam

Oh my we read so many of the same blogs. Amongst Lovely Things is another favorite. And I have found some fun and lovely blogs by reading here too. Mine is in my signature. Lots to do with my time while the husband is away.

Thank you, Ms. Kristen, for the mention. :) Looks like you might be interested in the crafty, printables-type blogs. I tend to read more of the "don't feel guilty if you aren't into all the crafty and printables" ones myself. A few I like: Teaching Stars Kristen's (of course) Amongst Lovely Things - A very relaxed feel with a beautiful childhood, no excuses, and no guilt. The archives are fabulous. Only Small Things - One boy and one mom. Lots of field trips, nature and fun.

I remember hearing that question; you asked exactly what I was thinking. I did not get the convention CDs because we had such rotten luck with them last year. Two of mine stopped working half-way through. :glare: We had ordered them as a group to get the discount and the girl who actually placed the order never got back to them about my CDs. Very frustrating. I am hoping those two talks end up on his website soon, because I would love to have them. Now you are making me wonder what else I missed that was great. :001_smile: If I go back to Greenville we will have to plan a meet-up for next year for sure. If GHC keeps trending away from academics I may not go back at all. :crying: If there seems to be enough good offerings to make the trip, I may go to Memphis instead as the distance is about the same for me. And there is the fact it will be in the middle of DH's deployment, and I will need someone to watch the kids.

Hi Linda! :seeya: We cross-posted! So good to see you here too. I hope the remainder of your conference was a good one.

We were in the same lecture! Wasn't it wonderful? And as for his slide shows, they were absolutely the best power point presentations I have ever seen. If I ever have to do another (you never know ;)) I will be taking a page from his book on that one. I think they learned their lesson on that one. No one was presenting down there this year and they moved the bigger names to the ballroom. I don't remember them doing anything in the ballroom last year other than the comedy show. You are the third person who has mentioned how much they missed Julie this year. I made a comment on the forums about her not being invited back and someone strongly suggested it was because she wasn't popular enough -- in fact, they insisted it could be no other reason than enough people didn't request her again after the conference. :confused: And yet here we are with three random people talking about how much she was missed. :glare: Could not agree more!

I noticed the decreased attendance over last year as well and felt so bad for the vendors. If you are going next year, I would highly recommend the Drury Inn. It is my new favorite hotel and beat ours from last year hands down. All-in-all we had a good time. There were not nearly as many sessions I wanted to see this year. I missed SWB and Julie Bogart. We met some great ladies at lunch and had this very conversation -- how sad it was that the other convention was pulling so much away from this one. I blogged about the sessions I attended and my purchases post will publish in the wee hours of the morning if you want to see what I bought. :D

Ditto this with my six year old. She knows many now. At first I played along with her but now she does pretty well by herself. I also wrote more here and here about first grade geography.

:iagree: We're on an unschooling journey at our house. I say that because I think very few people can wake up one day and say, "we're unschooling," and just do it; it takes practice. :D It is about an educational philosophy here -- not parenting. Two totally different animals. Great conversation. I have been following closely.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the votes. Also lovely to "meet" some folks who have been reading along. :001_smile:

Thanks Michele!