Joyful Socks Mom

5/7/12

Humble and Insufficient to the Task

Wholly surrendered to Your will,
trusting You completely and thankful for Your saving grace . . .
Still I feel humble, lowly and insufficient to the task at hand.

Yet, I know, that in all things in life,
Your grace is sufficient..

I believe and trust that in my areas of weakness and need,
You will show Yourself strong and more than able.

I know, Oh LORD, You will provide, direct and bless
according to Your good will and for Your ultimate glory and honor!

The Joyful Socks Mom

Announcement: The Best Little Homeschool Conference is Here!

Good Morning to my wonderful readers!
I am finally ready to let my ~~HUGE~~ small, exciting, fun and potentially thrilling announcement out of the bag! I have been a busy in the wings preparing a fabulous event for all you home educating moms out there. . .

JOIN THE BEST ~~BIG~~ little HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE

Stay the Course and Fight the Good Fight!

A Generational Heart

July 21st, 2012

Inspiring Speakers * Music * Comedy * Food * Fellowship * Curriculum Shopping * Workshops

Get ready for encouragement, fellowship, fun, food, music, comedy and super buys at the Curriculum Fair and Used Book Swap Shop
Resources, ideas and practical advise covering a variety of homeschooling topics, resources and interests
We are ready to inspire your desire to continue or begin the path of home education, while encouraging you to keep a Generational Heart. Let's get back in healthy homeschool momma shape together!
Enjoy the historic town of Granbury, Texas and all the hospitality we have to offer.

Keynote Speaker:

Featured Keynote Speaker

Connie Hughes of Smockity Frocks

and 4 Moms, 35+ Kids

PLUS

ANNOUNCING 2 ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS IN MAY!

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3 Workshop Sessions are included with your admission to event.

Announcing Workshop Session Speakers and topics soon! Be on the look out!

* Affordable * Fun * Inspiring * Helpful *

Registration begins May 11th, 2012

Registration will be open to the first 100 attendees.

Subscribe to this blog via Email

to get the most up-to-date information on this year's

Mom Only! Boot Camp 2012

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Featuring musical talent – Announcement coming May 21st!

and including the wit, wisdom and comedy of

JOYFUL SOCKS MOM (aka Heather Mac of The Mac Rak)
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FREE Curriculum Fair! 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Exhibitors have provided an opportunity for you to peruse their fabulous curriculum, like one big show-n-tell.

All About Spelling, Bright Ideas Press (Mystery of History), Geo-Matters, Shurley English, Vision Forum, Doorposts, Teaching Textbooks, Saxon Math, The Old Schoolhouse magazine, S.H.A.P.E. Academy of Granbury and Weatherford, D.I.E.T. Program of Hood County

Shop all the vendors
Look and Review all of the best homeschool curriculum
Get exclusive Fair Day Discounts AND Freebies
Additional Discounts for Book Camp attendees

Giveaways and Doorprizes have been provided by these wonderful sponsors and exhibitors.

ALL ABOUT SPELLING * GEO-MATTERS * CURRCLICK * S.H.A.P.E. ACADEMY * D.I.E.T. OF HOOD COUNTY * THE MAC RAK
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Well, are you ready? Make sure to mark your calendars and get set for some fellowship at our ~~BIG~~ little conference. I promise it will be an inspiring conference to help you along in your homeschooling journey! Keep your eyes on you inbox for more exciting announcements coming soon. What? You don't get my FREE email updates? Be sure to sign-up to receive my email updates, so you won't miss a minute of Mom Only! Bootcamp 2012 fun.

Mom Only! Boot Camp GIVEAWAYS COMING IN MAY - be sure to keep on the look out.

The Joyful Socks Mom

Visit our wonderful conference Sponsors:

All About Spelling - Incremental and Multi-sensory Spelling and Phonics
S.H.A.P.E. Academy - Supporting Home Educators in Academics with a Partnership for Excellence
4 Moms, 35 + Kids - Practical and Real Parenting Advice, with Humor and Hope
Currclick - New! Write-On workshop: Coaching Parents to Effectively Teach Writing Skills

5/4/12

10 Ways to Utilize the Wind & Enrich Your Home Education

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"Weather" you are a full-time home educator, after-school educator or just a mom looking for enrichment, the wind is your friend! You know that I adore any method that helps a child learn, grow and find contentment in their own environment. Many time few experiences will beat the joy of learning found just outside your own backdoor. It is for this reason that studying nature has become an essential portion of our schooling at home and at cooperative. There is an amazing connection to our Creator while observing all the blessings He has set before our eyes daily. Simple joys.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse . . . " Romans 1:20 (NKJV)

Studying the wind can open up great discussions between teacher and student. Here in our part of Texas, the wind has been in no short supply. You can us the wind to help you instruct in the subject of Nature, naturally ; ) , but there are a wide variety of learning opportunities that our friend the wind can teach beyond the call of science. Here our some lessons for covering a unit about the wind - My Friend the Wind:

1. Construct a Weather vane and observe how the direction of the wind makes it move. Proverbs 3:6 "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

2. Give your students packages of wildflower seed and allow them to use the wind to spread them on a windy day. It will be fun for you and your students to reap the rewards of those flowers at a later date.

Psalm 107:37 "And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest."

3. Have students write a narrative paragraph about the wind: The Day the Wind Caused Plenty of Problems

4. Enjoy the outdoors on a wind swept day. Use a pinwheel or wind streamers to observe the wind. Bubble blowing and wind chimes are also lots of fun. Have your student take turns using adjectives to describe the wind on that day. Psalm 18:10 "And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind."

5. Build little sailboats from sticks and make sails to use on a windy day.

6. Have cotton ball races across the table. Using straws to propel the cotton across the table to demonstrate the force of the wind.

7. Read these living books to discover more about the wind: Miss Rumphius, The Wind in the Willows, Feel the Wind, Curious George Flies a Kite, Gilberto and the Wind - Have your students act out their favorite parts of the story.

8. Discuss the differences in types of wind, hard or gentle, and what are their effects on nature. Observe pictures of damage that has been sustained during strong winds. (I do not recommend this activity with children under 3rd Grade)

9. Wind direction and strength, how hard or soft is it blowing and how can you observe the direction of the wind.

10. Have your students observe the wind in motion. Have them use different words to describe how the wind looks and feels. Take a basket with different objects from the house, outdoors with you (paper cup, rock, pencil, cotton, paper, etc.) What objects move because of the force of the wind?