Top 25 Homeschooling Blogs!

Circle of Moms is trying to find the Top 25 Homeschooling Blogs!  The contest on their website runs until June 27th.   Honestly, I am a regular reader to most of these blogs that are listed already and I can tell you that they are terrific!  However, there are quite a few others that I think should be added!  Click HERE and see who is on the list so far, and make sure that you click the "pending approval" tab to get a look at ALL the blogs. 

You have until the 27th to vote for your favorite blogs.  You can vote once every 24 hours!

Happy Voting!

Sunshine Award

I received this beautiful award from my friend Judy from Benmakesten!  It's called the Sunshine Award.  I'm delighted to be able to share this with other bloggers who are a great source of joy and encouragement for me.  Honestly, this is a hard one!  I receive so very much joy and encouragement from my blogging friends that it is very difficult to pick out just twelve!  Here goes....

Of course, blog awards come with rules…
1. Put the logo on your blog and/or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to twelve bloggers.
3. Link to the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and the link to the person from whom you received this award


1)  First up....Judy from Benmakesten!  Yes...right back at ya, Judy!  I am so thankful for her blog and website!  Every single time I visit (today in particular!), I am touched and inspired.  You will find oodles and oodles of information about family life, homeschooling, personal spiritual reflections and a wonderful E-Book called "I Surrender"!  Judy has a kind, gentle and sweet spirit that draws you right to Our Lord!  Thank you, Judy, for being the hands and feet of Jesus!

2)  Colleen from Thoughts on Grace!  I am always amazed at how God can use evil for good.  Colleen has shown me, through her experiences, that what satan means for evil, God will turn right around and bless someone else!  She is a wife, a mom, a grandmother, Spiritual Director, parish secretary, writer and an incest survivor!  Phew!  Her E-Book, Blueberry Muffins, Everyday Stories of God's Love is about those times in our lives when we've really experienced God's loving presence.  Her book called The Third Floor Window, A True Story of Secrets, Survival and Hope is about her healing journey through childhood sexual abuse. Visit Colleen today!  You won't be the same after you've done so!

3) Therese from The Musings of a Mom!  I think in many ways, Therese and I are soul sisters!  It's a shame that we live so far apart!  Her Italian/Catholic heritage makes her uniquely "cool" in my world!  I love that we share some of the same struggles and joys!  Although we've never physically met, I feel like I've known her for years!  She has 3 beautiful boys and 1 little princess!  Her smile will warm your heart!  Love you, Therese!

4)  Amanda from I Am Baker and I Am Mommy! Amanda has the type of talent that most of us only dream about!  Just take a few minutes to visit her sites and you will see things that YOU WON'T BELIEVE!!!  For instance...take a gander at THIS.....or THIS.....or.....how about THIS!  And let me tell you...this is only the tip of the iceberg!  Amanda is so sweet...she has had several encouraging words for me!  She inspires me as a mom!  Oh, the possibilities.....

5)  Mary from The Beautiful Gate!  To me, Mary just overflows with the love of God!  There are some people in this world that I think God blesses with a special ability to view the world through special "God Glasses"....Mary is one of them!  She is so good about doing her best to see what God has to say to her in the everyday musings of life!  Recently, after suffering most of her life with an unknown condition, she received a very special gift from God....the gift of HEALING!  This post brought me to my knees!  Spend some time with Mary....seriously!

6)  Abbey from Abbey's Road!  First of all, I love it when fellow bloggers share about their families!  It's really special to be able to be introduced to people you otherwise never would have known....had it not been for the blogging community!  There are blessings here that are beyond measure.  Abbey also allows me to share in some daily thoughts and meditations for Christian living...called Heartlight! Here is the most recent edition of Heartlight.  This is soooo uplifting and encouraging!  Sometimes, I'm convinced that God has sent me to Abbey's blog at just the exact moment that she has posted something He wanted me to know!

7)  Rocco Palmo from Whispers in the Loggia!  Do you want to know what's going on in the Church?  Do you want accurate information?  Rocco's blog is so very good...it's encouraging to see the Church through his decidedly orthodox eyes.  If you want to be able to read press releases and the texts of speeches from our Holy Father...this is the place.  He also provides some great photos that I haven't really seen anywhere else!

8)  Jenn at Ambrose-a-rama!  Jenn is one of the bravest people I know (or know...but have never actually met...)!  She and her lovely family live in China!  She encourages me almost everyday with her tales of living outside of this country!  Things are not easy in China...and they are very different!  She is thousands of miles away from her extended family and friends, yet she handles it all with grace and humor!  This incident alone would have pushed me over the edge!  I enjoy reading about her adventures!  You will too!  Besides....she loves Starbucks almost as much as I do! 

9) Erika at Simon Says....Hi Ya'll!  Erika is someone that I've been following for some time!  She is a breast cancer survivor with two small children!  She really is an example to me of how to pick yourself up...dust yourself off and start all over again!  She (like many I know) has struggled through treatment and reconstruction while still trying to be a mom, a wife, a daughter and a friend!  It is NOT EASY to keep it all together and I think Erika has done an outstanding job of keeping her head held high!  Erika...you truly are an inspiration to me!  Thank you for sharing your journey!

10)  Aspiring from Aspiring f.o.o.L. (friend of our Lord)!  Oh my!  Where do I start?  Aspiring brings joy to the world through her blog...truly!  You will not find "on the surface...light and fluffy jibberjabber" on this blog.  This is the real meat of our faith...as shared by the voices of the most influential intercessors that our world has ever known. Aspiring is a writer!  She does it well!  You will be challenged here!  Thank you, Aspiring, for all that you bring and share!  I am a different person because of you!

11)  Elizabeth from Turtle Cottage in the City!  Elizabeth is a true blessing to me!  She is so encouraging and uplifting.  She is always sharing about where her heart is....making a happy home for her wonderful husband, Dave and their little Candy!  I'm often encouraged by the simple way that Elizabeth goes about her vocation of homemaker.  I've often said that I wish they could come up with smellavision....the recipes she shares look so good and I've made a few of them myself.  Elizabeth has a cheerful attitude and is always looking for ways to bring the love of Christ to others as she serves.  Thank you, Elizabeth!

12)  Frizzy from Heaven's Gift!  I am ALWAYS encouraged when I visit Heaven's Gift!  Frizzy and her husband are adoptive parents to a beautiful little girl, YaYa!  They are currently in the process of a second adoption.  Frizzy is another one who loves to share photos of her family...and most days you will find me perusing her blog and smiling from ear to ear!  Frizzy, thank you for your words of encouragement!  You are a blessing to me!

Now, I could go on and on....but I won't...because it's 10:36 pm and I need my beauty sleep!  However, all of you mentioned here for this award (and all of the others...you KNOW who you are!), I thank you from the bottom of m heart for the joy, love, encouragement and prayers that you have shared with me over the last 18 months or so that I've been blogging!  Thank you for touching my heart!

Sisters In Faith

I think blog awards are fun. Sometimes they're cute, sometimes silly and sometimes....they hit the nail on the head! This blog award, Sisters In Faith, is one of those! It was given to me by a very special person, Colleen from Thoughts on Grace! She truly is a Sister In Faith! God brought her into my life at just the right moment for a very special purpose. We have both taken a step in faith and are waiting to see where God leads us! Perhaps one day, I will share this journey with all of you!

I would also like you to meet Karinann, the creator of this Blog Award. You can meet her at over at Blessings of the Day. Read about how this Blog Award came to be in this post.

As Blog Awards go, you are supposed to pass them on to other bloggers who you feel represent the spirit of the award. Technically, I could pass this on to every one of the wonderful ladies on my sidebar...and quite a few others. In this case, the instructions are: 1. To pass this award on to sisters who have been blogging with me from almost the beginning, 2. Include at least one new Sister In Faith.

1. Carrie at Quite The Normal Life

2. Mary at The Beautiful Gate

3. Easter at Mostly Prayers

4. Frizzy at Heaven's Gift

5. Therese at The Musings of a Mom

6. Judy at BENMAKESTEN

7. Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop

8. Tracy at A Catholic Mom in Minnesota

9. Sarah at So....This is the Road I'm Traveling On

10. Elizabeth at Real Life

11. Barbara at Praying for Grace

There are many more...but these are the ladies that are truly a part of my life! They pray for me, encourage me and help hold me accountable! Thank you ladies, and Happy New Year.

Honest-Scrap

Guess what?? I have been honored with this "Honest-Scrap" award from Judy at Benmakesten!

Let me just say from the get-go that Judy has one of the greatest blogs I've ever visited! Seriously! You could spend all day there and never get bored! She recently included me in a weekly feature called Daily Blessings Weekly Interviews! The questions were a lot of fun to answer but also very challenging! Please take a few minutes to stop by her place and visit!

Now...to keep this award, I must do the following: 1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award. (Hence, see the beginning of this post) 2) Share "ten honest things" about myself. 3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me. 4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it :)

Ok...so...number one was taken care of at the start. Number two is to share ten things about myself:

1. I hate to fly! You know...the "need a drink before I even get on the plane" kind!

2. I really, really like my kids! They are so unique and such specials gifts!

3. I procrastinate a lot and have many unfinished projects in my house (and my mind).

4. One of the biggest regrets I have in life is not learning to speak Italian so that I could communicate better with relatives.

5. I have a tendency toward anxiety/panic attacks....since I was a little girl.

6. I almost never finish a a Novena prayer that I start (see #3).

7. I am a FOXNEWS addict!

8. I love to cook but at ages 8, 5 & 3, my kids aren't very adventurous about trying new things and so I stick to about 4 main items that I cook over, and over, and over, and over, and over....etc.....

9. Sometimes I wish I had been born in a different time....late 1800's....early 1900's....or even in the 1950's. I long for a simpler time when things were black and white and all this gray area that has been caused by political correctness didn't exist.

10. My parents are deceased (1982 & 2006) and I miss them both terribly!

Now, I would like to bestow this award to the following people/blogs!

1. Elizabeth at Turtle Cottage

2. Therese at Musings of a Mom

3. Sarah at Ora et Labora - Journey of Truth

4. Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop

5. Michelle at Mama in High Heels

6. Chris at Burning the Candle at Both Ends

7. Carrie at Quite the Normal Life

Now, I could go on and on with more than 7....but today...I feel like following the rules! Please enjoy all of these blogs....these are true women of God and I know you will be blessed.

Blogging Friendships!

I really love blogging! I love being able to express my thoughts, fears and dreams in a place that's all my own. In some ways, it's therapeutic for me. However, there's another benefit to joining this blogging world! For me, it's meeting other woman around the world who share the same values...who love their families, their God and who try everyday to be the best wife/mother/friend/sister/daughter that they were created to be. These woman often make me laugh and they help me to know that...I'm not alone.

Aussie Therese has sent this Lovely Blog award to me:

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

I'm passing this on to the following:

Nichole at Heaven's Gift

Chris at Burning the Candle at Both Ends

Carrie at Quite the Normal Life

Therese at The Musings of a Mom

Barbara at Praying for Grace

Award Time!

I received this lovely award from Jen....all the way from China!!! This is the Superior Scribbler Award. It is passed on to Extremely Deserving Scribblers. It was originally created to "commemorate, celebrate and generally share the bloggy love"! Well...I'm always up for that!

And so, as most blogging awards go...I get to pass this on to others (that's my favorite part).

Here are the rules:

• Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the award on to 5 most deserving Bloggy Friends.


• Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom he/she has received the award.


• Each Superior Scribbler must display on his/her blog and link to this post that explains this award.


• Each blogger who wins this Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List (scroll down). That way, we'll be able to keep up to date who receives this prestigious honor.


• Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

I'd like very much to send this award to the 5 following blogs: Michele, Barbara, Easter A, Aspiring and Nichole. I've chosen these 5 ladies because they are all an inspiration to me! Their writing is expressive and bright. You feel as though you've had a glimpse into their lives as they share struggles, victories and dreams. Their blogs are awesome!

Many thanks!

For those of you who have been blogging for any length of time know what a true blessing it can be. You meet people in cyberspace that never would have crossed your path otherwise. Such is the case of Chris from Burning the Candle at Both Ends. She has given me an "I Love Your Blog" award! For one thing...I was never really sure that anyone (other than family and select friends) would ever read this blog. It started out as my cancer journey diary...mainly so that my children would someday have a record of my thoughts, dreams and concerns during this particular trial of my life. Which brings me to Chris' blog. Who could resist the title..."Burning the Candle at Both Ends"!! Is this not what all of us do as life marches on? Her blog brings me much encouragement about my faith and my motherhood. I know that if we lived closer and could be with each other in the flesh...we would be close friends. For now, we just do it through monitors, electrical outlets and space. That's good enough for me!!! Please take a few minutes to visit. You will be blessed with her attitude about life. She has gorgeous children! Thank you Chris for this Award.....I'm honored that we can encourage each other!

There are questions associated with this award and are supposed to be one word answers (yea right...when have you known me to use only one word to answer questions???)......so here goes:



1. where is your cell phone? purse (battery dead)

2. where is dh? 10 feet from me

3. your hair color? Bald (chemo)

4. your mother? Has gone on to her eternal reward (10/20/06)

5. your father? Has gone to his eternal reward (6/14/82)

6. your favorite thing? hearing my children laugh

7. your dream last night? don't remember

8. your dream/goal? to beat cancer, do all I can to help my children get to heaven

9. the room you're in? living room

10. your hobby? blogging, cooking, sudoku

11. your fear? January 20th, 2009

12. where do you want to be in six years? Alive and cancer free


13. where were you last night? Parish Night Out

14. what you're not? patient

15. one of your wish list items? dishwasher

16. where you grew up? Beserkley, California

17. the last thing you did? changed a diaper...it is never ending

18. what are you wearing? pj’s

19. your tv? on..Olivia watching Arthur

20. your pet? Three...two cats one dog, and of course...fish

21. your computer? on my lap

22. your mood? anticipatory/dread...chemo #3 in 45 minutes


23. missing someone? everyday

24. your car? Paid -for

25. something you're not wearing? shoes


26. favorite store? Barnes and Noble

27. your summer? too hot

28. love someone? aboslutely

29. your favorite color? red


30. when is the last time you laughed? this morning

31. last time you cried? yesterday


I get to nominate the following bloggers for the same award...


1. Emily at God's Canvas....she is a Catholic, pro-life, military wife and mom who inspired me much during this election season. Reading through her blog, I have found that we are like minded and have been through similar struggles. Drop by for a visit...you'll be glad you did.


2. Barbara at Praying for Grace....she is another Catholic, pro-life mom who definitely has a gift for writing. I especially like her November 5th post!!! Definitely something we all should think about.


3. Tammy from Tammy's Recipes/Everyday Cooking Inspiration....Tammy and her husband are right in the middle of moving their growing family from Ohio to Washington! She has wonderful recipes that I have tried many times....the Farmhouse Chicken is our favorite! Her site is filled with great photos of her recipes and kitchen tips (she posts those on Tuesdays)....go check it out!

instructions for the recipients...

display your award, link back to the person who gave it to you, nominate at least three other blogs, put links to those blogs on yours, leave a message on the blogs of people you have nominated, enjoy your award!!!!!

A Blog Award!!

I never win anything....that is, until today. Nichole at Heaven's Gift has given me this blog award and I'm as thrilled as can be! Thank you, Nichole! You should go on over and visit Nichole's blog as soon as you can....she has a wonderful family and a wonderful message! I have been blessed by her story and I know you will be too.

Here's how this works:

I now get to choose 5 blogs that I can give this award to. Seriously, this is hard! There are so many out there that I love....so many that have given me inspiration and encouragement as a wife, a mom and a Christian. If you could see my "favorites" list, you would be shocked...I bet there are over 200 that I've bookmarked. Of course, I can't read them all everyday, but, when I'm feeling sad, down or anxious....these are the places I go! Thank you all so much for your time and dedication. Anyway...here are the rest of the award rules...

1. Place the logo on your blog 2. Link to the person who awarded you 3. You can nominate up to 5 blogs 4. You can then add their links to your blogs 5. Leave a message in the comment section of each nominee to let them know

And...drumroll please....here are those I'm saluting:

Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight

Margaret at Minnesota Mom

Suzanne at Gladdest Hours

Rachel at Testosterhome

Christie at Motivated to Change

I know some of these women have won many blog awards...some might even have won this one already! But still....I wanted to let them know how much I appreciate them!! Thank you ladies...for sharing of yourselves with us! God Bless You!!