To help her family slow down and savor the small pleasures in life, December/January 2009 Mom of the Month Anne Petersen schedules a weekly "pioneer night."

Latest news available on the peanut recall.  Read it here:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_re_us/salmonella_outbreak Post from: Homeschool Fitness Coach

I was reading a news article today that I just had to share with you.  Apparently, it’s not only restaurants that have blown up their portions.  Cookbooks are jumping in also. A very popular cookbook has been supersizing portions since the 70’s.  Don’t take my word for it.  Read it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090217/ap_on_he_me/fat_recipes Portion distortion is a North American disease. Post from: Homeschool Fitness Coach

Venessa Mills is fighting a legal battle for the heart and soul of homeschooling in North Carolina. As reported on World Net Daily, on Friday, March 6, Judge Ned W. Mangum stripped her of the right to homeschool, and ordered her three children to enter public school.  Mills was forced to defend her right to homeschool during divorce proceedings brought on by her husband's unfaithfulness. Mr. Mills admitted, under oath, to repeatedly committing adultery. Even with abundant evidence showing the Mills children are well adjusted and well educated, Judge Mangum ruled overwhelmingly against Mrs. Mills on every point. He stated the children would do better in public school despite the fact that they are currently at or beyond their grade level. Evidence showed two children tested several grades ahead. When issuing his verdict Judge Mangum stated his decision was not ideologically or religiously motivated. However, he told Mrs. Mills public school will "challenge the ideas you've taught them." What has emerged is a picture of a clearly liberal judge imposing his beliefs and striking down traditional values. Mangum, a Democrat appointee, disregarded the facts of the case in favor of his own agenda. Such anti-conservative prejudice is increasingly legislated from the bench, and appears to be encouraged by the Democratic Obama administration. Robyn Williams, friend and homeschool mother of four was present at the proceeding. "I have never seen such injustice and such a direct attack against homeschooling," said Williams. "This judge clearly took personal issue with Venessa's stance on education and faith, even though her children are doing great. If her right to homeschool can be taken away so easily, what will this mean for homeschoolers state wide, or even nationally?" On March 24th lawmakers in North Carolina will be reminded of the sheer numbers of homeschoolers in their state. As students and their parents descend on the capitol, organizers of the Capital Fest 2009 field trip will show they have a voice in North Carolina legislation regarding education. Williams is rallying homeschoolers from across the nation to fight back to defend their rights as Americans to educate their children. She feels the judge has been given a free hand to impose his personal opinions and needs to reexamine his decisions. Please subscribe to Robyn's blog and join the fight for protecting everyone's homeschool rights (www.hsinjustice.com). For more information or to schedule an interview contact Adam Cothes at acothes.publicity@gmail.com or call 253-797-6194. The public is being encouraged to take these action steps: 1. Forward this message to every person on your contact list, and all those interested in protecting basic American rights. After the right to educate is gone, property and other basic rights will follow. 2. Read the blog at www.hsinjustice.com 3. Contact three officials to express your outrage at Venessa Mills' right to homeschool being taken away and the prejudicial orders of this judge. Three or four short emails or phone calls could be the difference for these kids, and many more like them. You can reference the case number: #08CVD17753 Judge's Supervisor Judicial Standards Commission P.O. Box 1122 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 919-831-3630 State Legislators NC Senate--Neal Hunt (R) 919-733-5850 Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net NC House--Ty Harrell (D) 919-733-5602 Ty.Harrell@ncleg.net North Carolina Governor Governor Bev Perdue Office of the Governor 20301 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-0301 Phone: (919)733-4240

Posted by Considering Homeschooling For all our friends in Southern California, Exploring Homeschooling of Orange County is once again hosting an incredibly informative "Homeschool Information Night" on Saturday, March 28, 2009 with special guest speaker Janice Henry. Well, you've decided to homeschool your children and are excited about it - all the prospects of great things both educational and spiritual that will help you grow your children into powerful leaders for Christ.  But do you really have to do this alone?   Surely there are groups that will support you as you raise your children at home, aren't there?  The answer is - YES!  But how do you find them?  And how do you know which one is right for you - and for your children? This month, Exploring Homeschooling will be exploring just that - how to find support groups in your area, what the different types of support groups are, and how to choose one (or more) that will provide the support you need as you build your homeschool.  Our speaker, Janice Henry, a Regional Advisory Board Member of the Christian Home Educators Association of California, will walk us through this important question as she shows us how to circumnavigate the various groups.  Come learn for yourself and bring a friend to community support in the world of private Biblical homeschooling.  You will learn: What is a homeschooling support group or a PSP (Private School Satellite Program) and why would you want to be part of one? How to find homeschooling groups in your area and what things to look for. How to file your own affidavit and run your own homeschool. What types of people that you can include in your support structure. Some of the support groups right in your area - who they are and what they do. Janice Henry is currently a member of the Regional Advisory Board of the statewide organization, Christian Home Educators of California (CHEA). In 1992 the she and her husband, Kirk, entered homeschool leadership, in spite of the fact that they had just begun to homeschool themselves. The initial group of people, who were simply interested in getting information about homeschooling, developed into a CHEA Support Group and Independent Student Program. With members in Los Angeles, Orange, and surrounding counties, Southern California Christian Academy (SCCA) continues to help families homeschool with joy and excellence. Janice's warm yet thought provoking messages encourage parents to build strong children and youth for the Kingdom of God through private Christian education in the home. For more information about Janice, see: www.PrivateChristianEducation.com Get all the details about the "Homeschool Information Night" at: www.ExploringHomeschooling.com  

Posted by: Considering Homeschooling The North Dakota Home School Association (NDHSA) 2009 Home School Convention is March 19-21, 2009 in Jamestown, ND.  Workshops and guest speakers include: Michael P. Farris is Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association and Chancellor of Patrick Henry College. George Escobar is the founder of Advent Film Group (AFG) and has over 20 years experience in film, television and interactive media. He has worked for top executives in the industry including Sony CEO, Fox Network and TELE-TV SVP. Prior to AFG, Escobar was VP of Product Development for Discovery, Executive Director for AOL/Time Warner and is former producing Fellow from the American Film Institute Conservatory. He holds seven U.S. patents in technology and user-interface design. Most recently, George co-produced, directed, and scripted COME WHAT MAY in association with Patrick Henry College (PHC). Mike Farris, founder and chancellor of PHC, plays the moot court coach in the movie. COME WHAT MAY was made by and stars homeschooled students. George acknowledges, “When I was in Hollywood I was a marginal Christian. I knew Christ, but I didn’t live for Him. Now, as a more mature Christian, I can clearly see and appreciate why the Lord literally pulled me away from Hollywood. I might have grown to become a successful filmmaker, but I would have been an ineffective ambassador for Christ. The Lord first had to mold and remake me as a homeschool dad of three sons and a devoted husband to my wife, Claire, for 20 years. More importantly, I needed to learn that the Lord comes first in everything I do. That includes my family, church, education, world view, my craft as a filmmaker, the people I work with and the organizations I support.” Theresa Deckert lives in Devils Lake, ND with her husband Jeff. They have been homeschooling in the state of North Dakota for 24 years. Their two oldest children have graduated from their homeschool and are married. Theresa is currently homeschooling a senior and a 2nd grader. She and her husband serve on the board of the North Dakota Homeschool Association. She is also part of the legislative team working toward a better law for our state and the Lake Region Area Homeschoolers. Her passion as a board member and a workshop leader is to represent and help those who are just beginning this amazing journey called homeschooling. Steve Demme and his wife Sandra have been married for over 29 years. They have been blessed with four boys: Isaac, 28; Ethan, 26; Joseph, 23; and Johnny, 21. With God’s help, they have all been home educated. Steve addresses a variety of topics at homeschool conferences to encourage parents in their God-given responsibilities of raising and training their children for His glory. He and Sandra have created the Math•U•See Foundation, a nonprofit corporation to assist and encourage parents and families with cassettes, booklets, and other helpful resources. Steve is the author and founder of Math•U•See. He served in full or part time pastoral ministry for many years after graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. www.stevedemme.com Lois Walfrid Johnson believes that an important part of her call as an author is to restore the spiritual dimension to our understanding of history and religious and political freedoms. Her 29 books and 17 updated editions include three historical series and 21 novels: the Adventures of the Northwoods (1906-07, transition years in MN, WI, and upper MI) and Riverboat Adventures (1857, immigrant, steamboat, and Underground Railroad history). In her Viking Quest series (approximate year 1000) Lois shows a world view in which Vikings came to raid and encountered Christianity. When enough of them became Christians the raids stopped, and courageous sailors changed world history. In the fifth novel, The Raider’s Promise, Lois’ characters join Leif Erikson in founding the only authenticated Viking site in North America. For a partial list of awards received see www.loiswalfridjohnson.com and click the “about Lois” tab. Peggy Ployhar serves as the MACHE (Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators) Special Needs Coordinator with the goal of “Empowering parents to love homeschooling the special needs children God has chosen for their homes.” She says that homeschooling was God’s chosen blessing for their family, an adventure that started almost 6 years ago when her oldest son was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Peggy’s passion to serve God where He calls and motivate others through her speaking and counseling to do the same, has given countless individuals the courage to step out in faith and trust. She believes that being in the will of God is the cornerstone of the Christian walk and therefore her lessons, lectures and retreats all center around bringing individuals back to truth in all life circumstances. Peggy is the former MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Area Coordinator for MN, ND and SD, and she is certified by the American Association of Christian Counselors. Peggy lives in Apple Valley, MN with her husband Doug and their three children, two cats and one dog. Victor Storkel is founder and president of Virtue in Knowledge Publications. He is first a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and has committed his life to follow and apply the teaching of the Bible in all areas of life and to follow the example of Jesus Christ under the leading and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. He is also a national speaker and author on the topics of education and critical thinking skill development. He has been a featured speaker at National Home Education Conventions across the country for the last 10 years. He and his wife Gail have 3 children, Crystal, James and Collette. In his spare time he enjoys studying God’s Priceless Word, travel, golf and soccer. www.virtueinknowledge.com Allen Wold is a former farmer from Wheaton, Minnesota. He has been married to his wife Beth for thirty-two years, and together they have three children and one grandchild. He farmed for twenty-seven years before God led him to enroll at Oak Brook College of Law, a Christian college. He graduated in October 2007. Since the school was online, he homeschooled himself in law while continuing to homeschool his two youngest children.

Posted by Considering Homeschooling For all our friends in Southern California, Exploring Homeschooling of Orange County is once again hosting an incredibly informative "Homeschool Information Night" on Saturday, March 28, 2009 with special guest speaker Janice Henry. Well, you've decided to homeschool your children and are excited about it - all the prospects of great things both educational and spiritual that will help you grow your children into powerful leaders for Christ.  But do you really have to do this alone?   Surely there are groups that will support you as you raise your children at home, aren't there?  The answer is - YES!  But how do you find them?  And how do you know which one is right for you - and for your children? This month, Exploring Homeschooling will be exploring just that - how to find support groups in your area, what the different types of support groups are, and how to choose one (or more) that will provide the support you need as you build your homeschool.  Our speaker, Janice Henry, a Regional Advisory Board Member of the Christian Home Educators Association of California, will walk us through this important question as she shows us how to circumnavigate the various groups.  Come learn for yourself and bring a friend to community support in the world of private Biblical homeschooling.  You will learn: What is a homeschooling support group or a PSP (Private School Satellite Program) and why would you want to be part of one? How to find homeschooling groups in your area and what things to look for. How to file your own affidavit and run your own homeschool. What types of people that you can include in your support structure. Some of the support groups right in your area - who they are and what they do. Janice Henry is currently a member of the Regional Advisory Board of the statewide organization, Christian Home Educators of California (CHEA). In 1992 the she and her husband, Kirk, entered homeschool leadership, in spite of the fact that they had just begun to homeschool themselves. The initial group of people, who were simply interested in getting information about homeschooling, developed into a CHEA Support Group and Independent Student Program. With members in Los Angeles, Orange, and surrounding counties, Southern California Christian Academy (SCCA) continues to help families homeschool with joy and excellence. Janice's warm yet thought provoking messages encourage parents to build strong children and youth for the Kingdom of God through private Christian education in the home. For more information about Janice, see: www.PrivateChristianEducation.com Get all the details about the "Homeschool Information Night" at: www.ExploringHomeschooling.com  

As promised, another New Year's resolution... perhaps the grandest of them all.  While the spiritual burden falls upon dad to raise-up your children in the Lord, most of the daily duties fall upon mom. If you are considering homeschooling, then equip yourself with the best information available from experienced Christian homeschool families. If you are in Southern California, this New Year's resolution will be easier to keep come January 16-17, 2009.  Our friends over at Exploring Homeschooling of Orange County, California will be hosting a free conference by Michael and Debi Pearl of No Greater Joy Ministries on January 16-17, 2009.  Friday from 7:00pm - 9:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am - 3:00pm at Knott Avenue Christian Church. Get all the details and register here. Considering Homeschooling hosted a one night seminar with Michael and Debi Pearl back in 2004.  It was great fun, full of insight and truth as only Michael and Debi Pearl can deliver. This seminar will be twice the fun and insight. Mark your calendars now for January 16-17, 2009... this is the perfect New Year's resolution:  "Train up a child in the way he should go..."

I guess you can see where I'm going with this... but we really want you to attend this free conference.  Did I mention that it's free?  As in free curriculum for life and living! Plus, I know that when wives see the phrase "be a better husband" they will "persuade" their husbands to go.  (Don't worry guys; tomorrow's resolution will be for the wives.) Michael and Debi Pearl's ministry is not just limited to raising-up children with joy, but also strengthening the marital relationship. If you are in Southern California, this New Year's resolution will be easier to keep come January 16-17, 2009.  Our friends over at Exploring Homeschooling of Orange County, California will be hosting a free conference by Michael and Debi Pearl of No Greater Joy Ministries on January 16-17, 2009.  Friday from 7:00pm - 9:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am - 3:00pm at Knott Avenue Christian Church. Get all the details and register here. "Through books and CDs, Michael and Debi Pearl train parents to break the bad habits passed down from former generations and to recognize and emulate the wisdom of those who have gone before.  The Bible and common sense are the foundations for effective parenting." Considering Homeschooling hosted a one night seminar with Michael and Debi Pearl back in 2004.  It was great fun, full of insight and truth as only Michael and Debi Pearl can deliver. This seminar will be twice the fun and insight. Mark your calendars now for January 16-17, 2009... this is the perfect New Year's resolution:  "Train up a child in the way he should go..."

If you are in Southern California, this New Year's resolution will be easy to keep come January 16-17, 2009.  Our friends over at Exploring Homeschooling of Orange County, California will be hosting a free conference by Michael and Debi Pearl of No Greater Joy Ministries on January 16-17, 2009.  Friday from 7:00pm - 9:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am - 3:00pm at Knott Avenue Christian Church. Get all the details and register here. "Through books and CDs, Michael and Debi Pearl train parents to break the bad habits passed down from former generations and to recognize and emulate the wisdom of those who have gone before.  The Bible and common sense are the foundations for effective parenting." Considering Homeschooling hosted a one night seminar with Michael and Debi Pearl back in 2004.  It was great fun, full of insight and truth as only Michael and Debi Pearl can deliver. This seminar will be twice the fun and insight. Mark your calendars now for January 16-17, 2009... this is the perfect New Year's resolution:  "Train up a child in the way he should go..."

Venessa Mills is fighting a legal battle for the heart and soul of homeschooling in North Carolina. As reported on World Net Daily, on Friday, March 6, Judge Ned W. Mangum stripped her of the right to homeschool, and ordered her three children to enter public school.  Mills was forced to defend her right to homeschool during divorce proceedings brought on by her husband's unfaithfulness. Mr. Mills admitted, under oath, to repeatedly committing adultery. Even with abundant evidence showing the Mills children are well adjusted and well educated, Judge Mangum ruled overwhelmingly against Mrs. Mills on every point. He stated the children would do better in public school despite the fact that they are currently at or beyond their grade level. Evidence showed two children tested several grades ahead. When issuing his verdict Judge Mangum stated his decision was not ideologically or religiously motivated. However, he told Mrs. Mills public school will "challenge the ideas you've taught them." What has emerged is a picture of a clearly liberal judge imposing his beliefs and striking down traditional values. Mangum, a Democrat appointee, disregarded the facts of the case in favor of his own agenda. Such anti-conservative prejudice is increasingly legislated from the bench, and appears to be encouraged by the Democratic Obama administration. Robyn Williams, friend and homeschool mother of four was present at the proceeding. "I have never seen such injustice and such a direct attack against homeschooling," said Williams. "This judge clearly took personal issue with Venessa's stance on education and faith, even though her children are doing great. If her right to homeschool can be taken away so easily, what will this mean for homeschoolers state wide, or even nationally?" On March 24th lawmakers in North Carolina will be reminded of the sheer numbers of homeschoolers in their state. As students and their parents descend on the capitol, organizers of the Capital Fest 2009 field trip will show they have a voice in North Carolina legislation regarding education. Williams is rallying homeschoolers from across the nation to fight back to defend their rights as Americans to educate their children. She feels the judge has been given a free hand to impose his personal opinions and needs to reexamine his decisions. Please subscribe to Robyn's blog and join the fight for protecting everyone's homeschool rights (www.hsinjustice.com). For more information or to schedule an interview contact Adam Cothes at acothes.publicity@gmail.com or call 253-797-6194. The public is being encouraged to take these action steps: 1. Forward this message to every person on your contact list, and all those interested in protecting basic American rights. After the right to educate is gone, property and other basic rights will follow. 2. Read the blog at www.hsinjustice.com 3. Contact three officials to express your outrage at Venessa Mills' right to homeschool being taken away and the prejudicial orders of this judge. Three or four short emails or phone calls could be the difference for these kids, and many more like them. You can reference the case number: #08CVD17753 Judge's Supervisor Judicial Standards Commission P.O. Box 1122 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 919-831-3630 State Legislators NC Senate--Neal Hunt (R) 919-733-5850 Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net NC House--Ty Harrell (D) 919-733-5602 Ty.Harrell@ncleg.net North Carolina Governor Governor Bev Perdue Office of the Governor 20301 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-0301 Phone: (919)733-4240

Posted by Considering Homeschooling For all our friends in Southern California, Exploring Homeschooling of Orange County is once again hosting an incredibly informative "Homeschool Information Night" on Saturday, March 28, 2009 with special guest speaker Janice Henry. Well, you've decided to homeschool your children and are excited about it - all the prospects of great things both educational and spiritual that will help you grow your children into powerful leaders for Christ.  But do you really have to do this alone?   Surely there are groups that will support you as you raise your children at home, aren't there?  The answer is - YES!  But how do you find them?  And how do you know which one is right for you - and for your children? This month, Exploring Homeschooling will be exploring just that - how to find support groups in your area, what the different types of support groups are, and how to choose one (or more) that will provide the support you need as you build your homeschool.  Our speaker, Janice Henry, a Regional Advisory Board Member of the Christian Home Educators Association of California, will walk us through this important question as she shows us how to circumnavigate the various groups.  Come learn for yourself and bring a friend to community support in the world of private Biblical homeschooling.  You will learn: What is a homeschooling support group or a PSP (Private School Satellite Program) and why would you want to be part of one? How to find homeschooling groups in your area and what things to look for. How to file your own affidavit and run your own homeschool. What types of people that you can include in your support structure. Some of the support groups right in your area - who they are and what they do. Janice Henry is currently a member of the Regional Advisory Board of the statewide organization, Christian Home Educators of California (CHEA). In 1992 the she and her husband, Kirk, entered homeschool leadership, in spite of the fact that they had just begun to homeschool themselves. The initial group of people, who were simply interested in getting information about homeschooling, developed into a CHEA Support Group and Independent Student Program. With members in Los Angeles, Orange, and surrounding counties, Southern California Christian Academy (SCCA) continues to help families homeschool with joy and excellence. Janice's warm yet thought provoking messages encourage parents to build strong children and youth for the Kingdom of God through private Christian education in the home. For more information about Janice, see: www.PrivateChristianEducation.com Get all the details about the "Homeschool Information Night" at: www.ExploringHomeschooling.com  

Posted by: Considering Homeschooling The North Dakota Home School Association (NDHSA) 2009 Home School Convention is March 19-21, 2009 in Jamestown, ND.  Workshops and guest speakers include: Michael P. Farris is Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association and Chancellor of Patrick Henry College. George Escobar is the founder of Advent Film Group (AFG) and has over 20 years experience in film, television and interactive media. He has worked for top executives in the industry including Sony CEO, Fox Network and TELE-TV SVP. Prior to AFG, Escobar was VP of Product Development for Discovery, Executive Director for AOL/Time Warner and is former producing Fellow from the American Film Institute Conservatory. He holds seven U.S. patents in technology and user-interface design. Most recently, George co-produced, directed, and scripted COME WHAT MAY in association with Patrick Henry College (PHC). Mike Farris, founder and chancellor of PHC, plays the moot court coach in the movie. COME WHAT MAY was made by and stars homeschooled students. George acknowledges, “When I was in Hollywood I was a marginal Christian. I knew Christ, but I didn’t live for Him. Now, as a more mature Christian, I can clearly see and appreciate why the Lord literally pulled me away from Hollywood. I might have grown to become a successful filmmaker, but I would have been an ineffective ambassador for Christ. The Lord first had to mold and remake me as a homeschool dad of three sons and a devoted husband to my wife, Claire, for 20 years. More importantly, I needed to learn that the Lord comes first in everything I do. That includes my family, church, education, world view, my craft as a filmmaker, the people I work with and the organizations I support.” Theresa Deckert lives in Devils Lake, ND with her husband Jeff. They have been homeschooling in the state of North Dakota for 24 years. Their two oldest children have graduated from their homeschool and are married. Theresa is currently homeschooling a senior and a 2nd grader. She and her husband serve on the board of the North Dakota Homeschool Association. She is also part of the legislative team working toward a better law for our state and the Lake Region Area Homeschoolers. Her passion as a board member and a workshop leader is to represent and help those who are just beginning this amazing journey called homeschooling. Steve Demme and his wife Sandra have been married for over 29 years. They have been blessed with four boys: Isaac, 28; Ethan, 26; Joseph, 23; and Johnny, 21. With God’s help, they have all been home educated. Steve addresses a variety of topics at homeschool conferences to encourage parents in their God-given responsibilities of raising and training their children for His glory. He and Sandra have created the Math•U•See Foundation, a nonprofit corporation to assist and encourage parents and families with cassettes, booklets, and other helpful resources. Steve is the author and founder of Math•U•See. He served in full or part time pastoral ministry for many years after graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. www.stevedemme.com Lois Walfrid Johnson believes that an important part of her call as an author is to restore the spiritual dimension to our understanding of history and religious and political freedoms. Her 29 books and 17 updated editions include three historical series and 21 novels: the Adventures of the Northwoods (1906-07, transition years in MN, WI, and upper MI) and Riverboat Adventures (1857, immigrant, steamboat, and Underground Railroad history). In her Viking Quest series (approximate year 1000) Lois shows a world view in which Vikings came to raid and encountered Christianity. When enough of them became Christians the raids stopped, and courageous sailors changed world history. In the fifth novel, The Raider’s Promise, Lois’ characters join Leif Erikson in founding the only authenticated Viking site in North America. For a partial list of awards received see www.loiswalfridjohnson.com and click the “about Lois” tab. Peggy Ployhar serves as the MACHE (Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators) Special Needs Coordinator with the goal of “Empowering parents to love homeschooling the special needs children God has chosen for their homes.” She says that homeschooling was God’s chosen blessing for their family, an adventure that started almost 6 years ago when her oldest son was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Peggy’s passion to serve God where He calls and motivate others through her speaking and counseling to do the same, has given countless individuals the courage to step out in faith and trust. She believes that being in the will of God is the cornerstone of the Christian walk and therefore her lessons, lectures and retreats all center around bringing individuals back to truth in all life circumstances. Peggy is the former MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Area Coordinator for MN, ND and SD, and she is certified by the American Association of Christian Counselors. Peggy lives in Apple Valley, MN with her husband Doug and their three children, two cats and one dog. Victor Storkel is founder and president of Virtue in Knowledge Publications. He is first a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and has committed his life to follow and apply the teaching of the Bible in all areas of life and to follow the example of Jesus Christ under the leading and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. He is also a national speaker and author on the topics of education and critical thinking skill development. He has been a featured speaker at National Home Education Conventions across the country for the last 10 years. He and his wife Gail have 3 children, Crystal, James and Collette. In his spare time he enjoys studying God’s Priceless Word, travel, golf and soccer. www.virtueinknowledge.com Allen Wold is a former farmer from Wheaton, Minnesota. He has been married to his wife Beth for thirty-two years, and together they have three children and one grandchild. He farmed for twenty-seven years before God led him to enroll at Oak Brook College of Law, a Christian college. He graduated in October 2007. Since the school was online, he homeschooled himself in law while continuing to homeschool his two youngest children.

The electric SkySpark flew for 8 minutes and hit a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h) on June 10, 2009.

The CLEP American Government test is a 3 credit exam Social Sciences and History exam. This was our first CLEP exam and it makes a great starting point for students who love history, are interested in government and politics or are competing in debate.Here is a list of materials we used, our method of study and what you must know to pass.....Materials available for this exam can be pretty overwhelming. I used any text available at the library covering CLEP American Government or AP US Government and Politics, includingKaplan AP U.S. Government & Politics 2009 (Kaplan Ap Us Government and Politics) Barron's AP U.S. Government and Politics CLEP Official Study Guide 2010 American Government (Cliffs Quick Review) Peterson's online practice examsBy far my favorite was the Cliffs guide. You can access it free here.Be sure to study the glossary (we memorized it) and take good notes. The other sources were used for test practice and "out loud" question. Other materials may be just as good. We would have used InstanCert but we had not discovered it yet.REA just released their CLEP American Government w/CD-ROM (REA) (Best Test Preparation for the CLEP). Consider using it as your main textbook and supplementing with the Cliffs Guide.Prior to this exam we had little experience in dealing with multiple choice questions at the college level. Together we learned to reason through choices and narrow down to the best answer. Daily I read aloud from the Cliffs guide while they took notes. We spent a lot of time chasing rabbits and creating analogies to help reinforce difficult concepts. This was followed by lots of drill with flashcards made from the Cliffs glossary. The last phase of study was practice tests and as soon as they were scoring in the 60's (according to the CLEP scoring method) we made the appointment for the exam. Other methods may be just as good but this served us pretty well.In order to pass this exam you must know the following concepts well:The Constitution, ammendments and articles Articles of Confederation Major supreme court cases Civil rights acts and their impacts Civil Liberties Types of Federalism The job of the Senate, President, VP, ect Congressional Procedures and committees (differences between committees) A more extensive list of topics covered and percentages is covered at College Board.I highly recommend this CLEP for any student in NCFCA Team Policy debate, both for the knowledge gained but also because policy debate prepares the student for parts of this exam. Your student will learn so much about the government and be able to apply this to negative and affirmative argumentation. For those not in debate this still makes a good starting point as it can be a good foundation for the US History 1 & 2 exams.

Are you pursuing a business degree? Do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? Do you need to set yourself apart from other entry-level employees at work? If you said yes to any of these, maybe CLEP Principles of Management is a course for you.The CLEP Principles of Management exam is a 3 credit Business exam that covers material taught in a college level introductory course in management and organizations. It includes operational and functional aspects of business and human resources. This was our first business exam and it proved to be a good place to start. Here are the materials we used, our study method and what you must know to pass.Many materials are available for this course but the good news for the cost conscious collegiate is our favorites were almost all free or low cost. We purchased the REA Principles of Management Guide with the CD-ROM practice tests but found other materials we preferred. We used:Principles of Management (Cliffs Quick Review) Peterson's Online Practice examsInstantCert ($20 a month) plus the feedback on the InstantCert forum (priceless)CLEP Official Study Guide 2009 A good study method always works in phases and this course was no exception. First we read through the Cliff's Notes Management text, made flash cards and took notes from it and the InstantCert forum and studied the InstantCert material. Next we began the practice test phase, beginning with the Peterson's tests (see the post on studying wrong answers for more details on this process) and ending with the CLEP Official test for a final exam. As soon as both students were scoring in the 60's or 70's on their practice tests we made the appointment with our local testing center. We are pleased to report that they both passed but not with the scores they would have liked. Here is their advice:Peterson's test were by far the most helpful of all the materials. We were glad to have taken them each twice, at least.CLEP Official was good but it was not a true indication of what would be on the test.Be ready for 20 or more names of management theorists and their theories, some we had not encountered in our practice materials.InstantCert was great.Find another source, like Wikipedia or another textbook for more of the theorists.Take notes at the testing facility during your test (they provide paper for this). Sometimes this helps with eliminating incorrect answers.Make sure you know and understand:1. Types of Power (reward, legitimate, coercive, expert and referent)2. Authority (functional, line, staff)3. Types of management structure (formal, functional, mechanistic, network, organic, team)4. Types of teams (functional, cross-functional, self-directed)A complete exam description can be found at College Board.Sometimes the best part of an exam is when you are finished, and while this is partly true we learned so much about the evolution of management here in the United States, how we manage our homes, how the church is managed, how employees respond to different types of managers and how unions affect business. Having spent time in a large hospital we have new insight into how the staff was organized. I pray that the Lord uses this insight for His glory in the lives of my children.

Business majors have several core requirements and for most this is one of them. This 3 credit exam is fairly broad as it covers marketing, management, stocks, insurance and types of businesses. It is better to tackle this fact based exam after you have built a vocabulary in the above topics. On the exam you will find all the technical business lingo and a few simple scenarios. That being said, make sure you study for the updated refreshed version and not the one retired in August of 2009. Here are the materials we used to study for the older version, our method and a list of must knows for the exam. The best materials for this exam come from knowledge of marketing, management and business. We used the following:DSST Fact SheetStandard Deviants: Marketing(not the most wholesome material with some adult humor that was unnecessary)InstantCert (A++ for this exam)Our method was based on timing and crossover. My students took and passed CLEP Management and DSST Supervision prior to beginning this topic. Both said those exams prepared them for Business, possibly with no additional study. We took one week to prep for this test since it was being updated and our materials were for the older version. They also studied the Business cards on InstantCert until they were quite familiar with them. Here is what you must know for the older version:TQMMediation and ArbitrationNAFTATypes of BusinessesTypes of CorporationsFunctions of ManagersFranchise SystemForeign TradeTax PolicyTypes of Stocks & BondsInsurance, premiums, deductionComputing and Computer terminologyMarketing, demographic, geographicHere is a link to the new version. Make sure to compare the fact sheets and note the differences. I'll update this post if I hear of better materials for the new version.

ANOTHER fabulous game from GaZima Games, Zip is unlike any game you’ve played before! Zip is “The Fastest Dice Game in the Universe!” Gazima Games as done it again! They have created another unique game that keeps you on your toes!  This game, like Ratuki, can be played in a matter of minutes, but keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time!  You will be rolling dice to quickly achieve a specific combination, and if you don’t, you cannot advance on the board! Your card might instruct you to roll a combination of all even numbers, or a “straight,” or even all 4’s!  When a card has a star on it, all players compete, and the rolling frenzy begins! My 11 year old son LOVES this game, and beats me regularly! Another thing I like about the Gazima Games is that they are very colorful, and eye-catching.  Here is a picture of the contents of the game box: The box is a small cube, which makes it easy to take along on trips,  and very easy to store when you aren’t playing it! Would you love to win your own copy of ZIP! ? Here’s how to enter to win! Visit the Barnes and Noble site by clicking HERE and tell me why you would love to own a copy of ZIP!  Be sure to check out the ratings while you’re there- it is one of the few games on the site that has the highest customer rating possible! Gain an extra entry by joining the GaZima Games mailing list by clicking HERE Gain additional entries for each of the following: retweeting this contest: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3492337388 following this blog subscribing to this blog in email grabbing my blog button and placing it on your site following this blog on Facebook rating this blog on Technorati This contest will end on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 6pm!  Good luck!! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

We've all heard the statistics- We've all seen the numbers-But are you still drinking from plastic water bottles?If so, here are some shocking numbers for you!Plastic water bottles ARE recyclable, so you may think a reusable bottle is a non-issue. However, very few folks recycle their bottles. 8 out of 10 plastic water bottles end up in landfills according to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI). The Earth Policy Institute notes that it takes about 1.5 million barrels of oil yearly to make plastic water bottles. Lastly, just to manufacture plastic bottles is harmful for the planet. Creating plastics over and over again, releases chemicals into our air, soil, and water supply. Not to mention that these same chemicals can be leached into your child’s beverage from the plastic bottle. Bottled water is no bargain either: It costs 240 to 10,000 times more than tap water. For the price of one bottle of Evian, a San Franciscan can receive 1,000 gallons of tap water. Forty percent of bottled water should be labeled bottled tap water because that is exactly what it is. Read more HERE.So what can you do to help?Buy a Pura Stainless Steel Bottle!Pura Stainless Bottles believe it is not enough to drink from a stainless bottle if it is still sealed with a plastic cap! That's why their caps are also stainless steel! They are durable, and built to last!Pura Stainless Bottles have many perks:Food service grade 18/8 stainless steel 100% BPA-free Lifetime Warranty Stainless Steel Cap Large Mouth Makes Filling & Cleaning a Snap Selected as one of the TOP 50 Small Businesses of 2009 Now, if you're impatient like me, and you don't want to wait for the giveaway to end, simply go to THIS SITE, pick out your water bottles, and use the code VAAGEN when checking out to receive 20% off your order!!If you'd like to enter to win, please do the following:1. Comment below, with your email address2. Visit the PURA site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me which bottle you love the most!3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3629953775. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, September 5th at 6pm. Good luck!Remember, if you'd like to order a bottle now, and save 20%, just click here, and enter the code VAAGEN at the checkout.Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

I LOVE the Gamewright Company! Do you know them yet? After reading this review, you will certainly want to add them to your gift idea list for Christmas!  From the Gamewright website:  “Gamewright was founded in 1994 by four parents whose kids wanted great games. From the start, our mission has remained clear: Create the highest quality family games with outstanding play-value. Guided by themes and experiences that transcend age and salted with a bit of irreverence, our games are designed to foster laughter, learning, friendship and fun.  Over the years our family has grown to over 50 games, 150 awards, and countless happy players.” Include my family in that “countless happy players” group! The Gamewright company was VERY generous in allowing me to review three of their brand new games!  My children LOVED playing with all of them.  I wish I could post a video review of the kids playing the games, but to anyone outside of my home, it would have just looked like pure chaos.  :) My youngest two children absolutely loved Ring-O Flamingo!  It is their new pastime.  It is perfect for younger children, since they picked up on the rules of the game immediately!  They are 2 and 4, and they weren’t the ONLY ones who loved the game.  My older two children also love playing it… and so do I! The object of the game:  Ring the most flamingos by shooting life preservers from your playing piece!  But be careful, don’t ring a crocodile instead!  Here is a picture of my kiddos having a ball playing it! The next game we reviewed was, “Do You See What I See?”. We had a great time trying to collect all of the items on our Keep Me tiles!  This game is based on the award winning book, “Can You See What I See?” by Walter Wick.  Just to prove to you that children of all ages can play this game, my two year old beat the pants off the entire rest of the family when we played this game!! The next amazing game they sent us was BOOCHIE!!  :) This is just an incredibly fun game!  Think, horseshoes meets croquet, meets lawn darts, meets… well, I guess this game is actually just all-together unique!! Here is a picture of my kiddos having great fun with Boochie-   Watch this great commercial on the Boochie Game! Now, it’s YOUR turn!! The Gamewright Company is offering YOUR FAMILY a 2009 Gamewright game of your OWN!! To enter, please do the following: Mandatory for Entry: Comment below, telling me which game from THIS GROUP you would love to own if you win.  Be sure to leave your email in the comment, in case you win! Become a follower of this blog, and comment that you do For Extra Entries: Retweet this contest (http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3393681764) and comment that you do Gain an extra entry for asking your friends to subscribe to this blog, and commenting with their screen name Post this contest to your Facebook page, and leave the URL in the comments below. Become a follower of this blog on its Facebook page, and comment that you do Favorite this blog on Technorati (link in right hand column of this blog), and comment that you do Place my blog button on your blogsite, and leave the URL below This contest will end on Tuesday, August 25th at 6pm EST.  GOOD LUCK! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

If you’ve been a follower of my blog for very long, you know I am a BIG fan of games!!! Be sure to check all my current giveaways! There are 3 different games up for GIVEAWAY right now!! One for children (seen below in the Gamewright Review) and two for adults- Ratuki and Zip, both created by GaZima Games!!This is a review about one of my newest favorites- RATUKI! Ratuki is “The fast flippin', quick grabbin' card game!”My family is a busy family. Just to give you a glimpse into our lives, I’ll throw out these words that describe our weekly schedules-Husband that works constantly, homeschooling 4 kids, karate 3-4 days a week, real estate business, blog review business, music lessons for 3 children, field trips, homeschool group obligations, and… when I can… cleaning my house.So… When we finally all sit down together to play a game, it certainly can’t be a long one. This is one of the MANY reasons we love Ratuki! Ratuki is a super-fast, and super-fun card game, which is for 2-5 players, ages 7 and up!The object of Ratuki:In Ratuki™(ra-TOO-kee), everyone races to get rid of their cards and collect the most points by completing runs of five and shouting "Ratuki!" First player to 100 wins. The cards are eye-catching in their many colors and designs! It makes you think fast, and move even faster! Even when I am watching others play it, it is so much fun!It is well-packaged in a small square box, so it is very easy to store, or pack for travelling!Would you love to win your own copy of Ratuki?Here’s how to enter to win!Visit the Barnes and Noble site by clicking HERE and tell me why you would love to own a copy of Ratuki! Be sure to check out the ratings while you’re there- it is one of the few games on the site that has the highest customer rating possible!Gain an extra entry by joining the GaZima Games mailing list by clicking HEREGain additional entries for each of the following:retweeting this contest: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3492136898 following this blogsubscribing to this blog in emailgrabbing my blog button and placing it on your sitefollowing this blog on Facebookrating this blog on TechnoratiThis contest will end on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 6pm! Good luck!!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

HISTORY(tm), together with the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress, will host a National Teach-In on Veterans History on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 12pm EST. Educators and students nationwide can tune-in and view this LIVE webcast online at www.veterans.com. The webcast will be broadcast live from the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. A panel of educators and veterans will answer questions from students via video, email, and a live audience. The teach-in will focus on the histories and stories of veterans, and will provide information on how communities nationwide can help preserve the stories of veterans and possibly submit them to the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. This event is part of the Take A Veteran to School Day initiative created by HISTORY. The panel features Robert Patrick, Director of the Veterans History Project, Terry Shima, WWII veteran and Executive Director of the Japanese American Veterans Association, Professor Darlene Iskra, a US Navy veteran of Desert Storm and the first female commander of a US Navy ship, and Jonathan Bickel, a teacher from Eastern Lebanon County High School and part of a teaching-team on veterans history at his school. Dr. Libby O'Connell, Chief Historian for HISTORY, will moderate. This fall, HISTORY will air a 5-part special series presentation entitled WWII in HD premiering on November 15th. Each school or teacher that signs up for the October 21st webcast will receive a colorful WWII in HD poster and a field kit developed by the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress. (These will be sent in early October and are available while supplies last.) To register for this webcast and the Take a Veteran to School program, visit us at http://www.history.com/content/veterans If you have any additional questions or feedback, contact us at veterans@aetn.com. There is no registration fee -- HISTORY has fully funded this event. Additional Library of Congress teacher resources relating to Veterans History can be found at http://www.loc.gov/vets/youth-resources.html

Exactly a year ago, on August 13, 2009, I published a Virtual Homeschool Fraud Alert that you might remember reading. My reason for sharing this information was to hopefully minimize the amount of families who might fall victim to these companies and their deceptive tactics. Little did I know that so many of you would share this information with so many others -- including your homeschool support groups, state leadership, HSLDA, etc. I had only hoped that some families who were considering one of these companies might find and read the alert and still have time to preserve their limited budgets for homeschool curriculum resources for the year. At the time I first shared this information, I honestly thought it was mostly common knowledge. For years there have been complaints against Mimi Rothschild's companies. Whenever I read a forum where a newbie was asking advice about signing up for one of her "academies", someone quickly jumped in to point them to lengthy online discussions with multiple grievous complaints -- and warn them away. I honestly didn't realize how many thousands of families had no clue that anything was amiss with Mimi Rothschild and her companies. I was only really thinking about families who were just beginning to homeschool -- those who would not have been around long enough to have seen the dozens of testimonies of families who had been defrauded over the past few years... (Read full article for more)