Small but mighty . . .

So as a homeschooling mom I am always looking for ideas to inspire and teach my children. Last year as part of our homeschooling endeavor we watched the movies Food Inc. and Food Matters. They were powerful. We have been interested in nutrition because my boys are both dealing with food allergies and they wanted to understand more about them.

Today I came across this little video which is powerful by an 11 year old homeschool boy who has an amazing message and does it with such eloquence and calm you forget he is 11 years old. I hope you find this as much as I did. It is about our food system and how we can make a difference. It is called Monsanto Corporation Gets Owned by 11 year old boy!

Remember we can make a difference with every purchase we make.

Homeschooling is a Lifestyle

I was sitting here thinking about how different my life is now that I chose to homeschool. As I think about how my days flow and my relationship with my boys, I realized that homeschooling is a lifestyle. We take our time through the day, we have our devotions, we homeschool, we go to the library, we go to the park, we enjoy each other and all the time I am able to build a business. My boys still have time for boy scouts, church youth group, sports activities and play dates. Their only gripe is how sad they feel for all the kids who have to be in school all day and then do homework. They have so little time for play.

I am grateful all the time for our new life and wish we started it sooner. When I find myself regretting ever putting the kids in school, I am reminded how I would not appreciate our life now had I not known what it was like before. When the boys were in school, the stress in our home was unbelievable. Homework was a nightmare. Getting to any after school activity was a daunting task if I wanted to feed my family and get it all done.

Would I go back? I don't plan on it. My hope is to homeschool them through high school. In fact my youngest son, who still is a snuggle bunny, wants to be homeschooled through college. Okay I am a realist, that is not part of my plan, but I love that it is part of his. My point, I am enjoying where I am, being present is the most important part. My boys have a better mom and hence we are a better family.

Time . . . a four letter word

I was looking for a quote for an e-lesson I was creating for my Business Marketing Gym members when I stumbled on this quote:

When someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day," I always wonder, How can that be? How can you not have all day? George Carlin

I could almost here George Carlin's sarcastic tone as I read it with a smile on my face. The truth is we all have the same amount of time, the question is how do we manage that time. I have said it before, there is no such thing as time management, that implies we can change, add or do something about time. No, that cannot be further from the truth. I do believe in "Behavior Management." That we can control. So my question to you as we start 2010, what behavior are you going to change for 2010 to get the most out of your time and life?

You Can Feel It In The Air

I woke up this morning to the reality that it is December 1st! This is not bad news, just a fact. I felt it in the air that is brisk and filled with energy. I felt as my boys are starting to catch the excitement of the media that Christmas is around the corner. There is something different about this year though, we are homeschooling.

I think what I like best about that is the flexibility of our schedule. We work hard but on our terms. We are getting ready to study the Westward Bound expansion which includes the Alamo and the Gold Rush. Tom and David cannot wait. There are lots of exciting stories to read and facts to learn. We are also preparing for the holidays which includes a new chapter, making our own Christmas presents. We fill our days with reading, playing and sharing.

I think my favorite gift this year is the opportunity to work my boys. I love them, and they really love being homeschooled. I hope your holidays are a blessed as mine. May your days be filled with peace and may you never forget the reason for the season.

The Quest Is Nearing An End

It has been a bittersweet quest to determine if I am going to homeschool or not. Besides talking to other homeschooling moms, even ones who have businesses running and homeschool at the same time, I went to a homeschool mini-convention in my area. I have read up on the different styles of homeschooling and reviewed my boys learning styles as well as my teaching style. At the same time I had the boys visit a school that has been on our radar screen for many years, a Christian school. They truly felt at home there. They were welcomed and when I came to pick them up, they were energized. Based on all the research as well as the most recent parent-teachers conference, we are definitely leaning toward the Christian school option.

I must say that I am personally disappointed. I wanted more than anything to be a homeschooling mom. But in the final analysis, I feel it is in the best interest of the boys and their mom to be in a school setting for the time being. That being said, it does not mean I might not broach this subject in the future. I am leaving my options open and I will not say "never." It is possible that once my business evolves and my boys are older, it may make sense to homeschool them at that time. Even though the quest feels done, it is only on hiatus for the time being. Thanks for following the continuing saga. The good news is whatever decision we make for the boys, I know it will be the right decision for our family.

The quest continues

Yes, I am still considering home schooling my guys. As I gently let me family and friends know that this is an option, I get many reactions, but mostly I get "What, are you crazy?" No I am not crazy. Furthermore, I feel more grounded than ever as I delve into this world. Who else can love and nurture my boys more than a mom? I am not sure where this journey is going, but I know that at the end of the road, my boys will be well educated, safe and have their self-esteem intact, which I am not seeing right now in their current school.

Wish me luck and if you are a praying person, please pray for wisdom and discernment.

Did I fall off the planet???

As you can see it's been a long time since I posted. I have to admit, I had a dry spell. I make no excuses, I was just plain old overwhelmed by life and let it get me down. In that state my creativity was non-existent. My whole house was sick for two months. Then there were the holidays and I was still trying to keep the business running while the kids were on their extended break from school. Then school re-started but the sickness did not leave. We have had this flu, ear infection, upper respiratory infection and many other renditions of it for two months. My husband is still recovering from pneumonia. What's my point? Well, life happens.

This week I feel like I woke up and realized I have been letting outside circumstances dictate my future. No more! Today I commit to staying focused. I commit to creating an editorial schedule so I can blog on a weekly basis. I commit to living each day with the purpose of helping fulfill my dreams and purpose in life. Thank you for the reminder God. I will be true to you and I will be true to me.

Is It Me . . .

or is the world just getting a little crazy! Imagine taking your preschooler to get their hair cut. After some research in the cool magazines in the shop your son says "Mom, this is really cool, can I get this cut?" Keep in mind he's in preschool, not looking for a job. You say, "Sure, why not." After all it will grow back, right? Now picture your son feeling pretty cool about his new look. He's styling! He cannot wait to go to school and show all his buds. "You're the best mom!" is what you hear as you drop your child off at school. You would think the school would see the joy and the exuberance in his face and greet your son with the respect and jubilation due a preschooler. That was not the case for one young man. I am sharing a link to this story because there are times when you just have to wonder, have we gone too far. This boys was crushed by the response. Now his mom is left to pick up the pieces of a little boys moment of glory.

Read for yourself: Preschooler banned for trendy haircut

Juggling is not just for the Circus

Today I was preparing dinner, giving my son a pre-test for spelling, loading a dryer, setting the table and checking email. That was done all within two minutes of each other. I suddenly realized I had become a master juggler. Now honestly I think I am more suited for the clown antics, but in the meantime I might as well hone these skills. You never know when you are going to need them.

When I finally sat down to dinner, I found myself relaxed and ready to enjoy my few minutes with my family. In our house family dinners are sacred times. We try to eat together as often as possible. Right now that is about five nights a week. I think that is pretty good. They are always home cooked meals. When I realized that I was relaxed, I knew that I was in my groove. During the juggling time I don't know that I was feeling much of anything but the pure adrenaline of getting things done. But when I was spending time with my family, I was able to be present and enjoy.

I guess mastering the art of juggling is all right and it's even okay if I drop a ball or two. As long as I take time to enjoy the quite times.

Ouch!!!

It started out as a great day. I had a great client appointment. I was able to make a great connection at a networking meeting. I even had time to work in my home office before I picked up my boys. It was while I was on my way to pick up my boys from school that I things seemed to take a dramatic turn. It happened in seconds. One minute I was on course to the school. The car knew where to go, it travels that road four times a day. The next minute I was pulled over to the side of the road. It all happened so quickly. I am still not sure how or why the red Caravan that was in the lane to my left decided to turn right. After all I was there. Didn't he see me? Apparently not. As the accident was happening I remember thinking "Oh my, is he doing what I think he's doing?" And sure enough he was.

The dilemma, my boys! I am going to be late. Argh! So I called the school and asked for them to be taken over to the after school program. The awesome receptionist assured me my boys would be well taken care of and she would not let them know what happened. After all the paperwork was exchanged, the nice police officer informed the young man that he unfortunately would be found at fault for the accident. It was clear this was not good news for my new friend. It was good news for my insurance agent. It really was just an accident. One of the crazy moments you wish you could do over, but just differently.

I guess what really struck me out of this whole event was the reaction of my sister. She is so great. She was immediately concerned, just like a good sister. After I told her she called back a bit later and said, "Do you want me to take a bus to you so I can help with the boys?" I assured her I would be fine. A bit sore, but still functional. It was in that moment that I realized that this accident might have had a stronger impact on her. I tend to bounce back quickly. On the other hand, my sister has trouble bouncing back. Just an interesting observation.

So what I am learning is I am stronger than I thought. I have roles and responsibilities and not a lot of time to stay down. I get up, dust myself off and get on with it. I like that.

Smelling the Roses and Loving It!

A day in the life of an Entrepreneurial Mom

I took a moment to enjoy the cool pace I was keeping and thinking life is good.

Today was a typical day. I got up and got my kids fed (Cream of Wheat – one their favorites) and delivered to school by 8:00 am. When I got to the school I put on my Parents Association hat and helped decorate one of the bulletin boards. I was back in my home office by 9:00 am where I read emails, made calls to connect with prospects and client’s, ate breakfast and got caught up on the news. I also ordered new business cards because I was completely out and heading to a networking meeting. At 11:20 I was off to my weekly networking meeting where I enjoyed a nice lunch and great entrepreneurial fellowship. After the meeting I decided to stop at the supermarket to get my food shopping done. I was done by 2:00 pm, just in time for my 2:00 phone meeting with a potential business associate. While I drove we discussed the possibilities. I finished my call just as I arrived at the school to pick up my boys and catch up with the moms in the parking lot. Then it was off to home for homework, snacks, dinner preparation and dinner. As you can see no moss grows under my feet.

The cool thing about the above is that I really enjoy these days. It is always different and always rewarding. Yes, sometimes it is challenging, but I am never bored. I cannot imagine sitting at a desk day after day for 8 hours and waiting for the day to end. I cannot imagine only getting a 2 hour window to hang with my boys. I get to enjoy the afternoon with them as well as the evening. And on their days off, I take those days off.
It just doesn’t get any better.