In this edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling, I consider my wish list while highlighting posts submitted by the homeschooling community. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a smattering of what blogging has to offer.

The homeschool community is diverse and I’m sure my wish list is vastly different from yours, but whatever you desire I hope we can all agree on the importance of liberty.

May the freedom to teach our children continue.

I wish for…

Liberty

• Barbara Frank Online states Let Girls Be Girls.
• Successful Homeschool addresses Homeschool Mom’s Dirty Little Secret #3 – Anger.
• Guilt-Free Homeschooling encourages with How to Adapt Lessons to Fit Your Student’s Interests and Make Learning Come Alive.
• The Homeschool Apologist examines what culture means in Swim At Your Own Risk.
• Alasandra’s Homeschool Blog Awards shares why Moronic Bob Cook Doesn’t Know Squat.
• Home School Dad discusses homeschool registration in Of Carrots and Sticks.

Endurance

• Parent at the Helm shares Two Studies Help Us Understand How Children Learn.
• Chrysalis examines the question, Why Should We Reach Children While They’re Young?
• A Work in Progress writes about embracing Enforced Time Off.
• Laura Grace Weldon challenges Guerrilla Encouragement Efforts.
• The Legacy of Home shares the importance of Family and Home.
• Wonderfully Chaotic remembers Why We Homeschool.

Library/work room

• NerdFamily Things shares resources for the Frugal Homeschooler: St. Patrick’s Day.
• Roscommon Acres gives instructions for The treasures of your heart, a quick St. Patrick’s Day project.
• Ina’s 5 & Our Native Homeschool teaches how to make a Working Aqueduct Model.
• QuirkyMomma has instructions for a DIY World Map Mural.
• SandwichINK shares their favorite Sequence Board Games For Kids.
• Adventures in Mama-Land asks about your workbox pages in Are you a cut-up???

Wisdom

• Opting Out asks Can phonics reduce the crime rate in America?
• Introducing the World reviews The Talent Code.
• Nirvana Homeschooling reviews the Book: Imaginary Garden.
• Tea Time with Annie Kate shares a favorite resource Free: The Handbook of Nature Study.
• Delightful Children’s Books shares 9 Books About Children From Around the World.
• A French Education teaches Silhouette on the Shade.
• A Pilgrim’s Heart found some Online Art Resources to enhance your Art Studies.

Housekeeper

• Why Homeschool shares information about ADHD and diet.
• Homeschool Mo will need some help with cleanup after Tot Time – It’s Flubbertastic!
• Our Curious Home asks the pressing question, “How Do I Homeschool and…Take a Shower?“
• Diary of 1 opens up the playground in the post, “Homeschool Recess.”

What is on your wish list?

If you would like to submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Homeschooling, please use this submission form.

I am honored to share these wonderful submissions from various homeschool bloggers.

There are a number of great articles, so please bookmark this page and scroll through at your convenience. I trust that you will find encouragement and ideas for the upcoming year.

As a way to organize the posts by subject, I chose a theme. And since I’ve collected so many pictures the past few months, I decided to share glimpses of a summer we want to remember.

I hope your summer has been as joyful and educational as ours!

Mark Twain Museum, Virginia City, NV

Thinking about books and history:

• Books in the Home posted at Why Homeschool.
• a book list…decisions, decisions! posted at Bugs, Knights, and Turkeys in the Yard.
• Egyptian Day posted at A Pilgrim’s Heart.
• Enigmas on the Prairie posted at Sage Parnassus.

The Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA

Imagining places and spaces:

• The SchoolRoom Conundrum posted at Nerd Family.
• Guess The Common Room Family School-Room posted at The Common Room.
• Dreaming about School posted at The Legacy of Home.
• Astronomical Field Trip! posted at Question the Culture.
• To College or Not to College? posted at The Expanding Life.

Chihuly Installation at The Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA

Encouraging imagination and ability:

• Opportunity Indulges Passion posted at Home Spun Juggling.
• Extra-curricular or simply curricular? posted at Two Kid Schoolhouse.
• Where Do I Start?–Homeschooling a Kindergartener posted at God Made, Home Grow.
• Five Must-Have School Supplies for Homeschooling Parents posted at Barbara Frank Online.
• Back To (Home) School: My Students; Teaching Multiple Grades & Learning Styles posted at A Classic Housewife in a Modern World.

The Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA

Confronting concerns and critics:

• The Cretins are posting again posted at Alasandra’s Homeschool Blog Awards.
• Planning and Pondering – What is Success? posted at Chronic Learning.
• Why I Homeschool posted at The Rebellious Pastor’s Wife.
• Atlanta Suspects 109 Teachers of Test Cheating posted at PARENT AT THE HELM.

Waiting to board Air Force One at The Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA

Embracing family and friends:

• Susannah Wesley’s 16 Rules posted at C h r y s a l i s ღ.
• How to Pray for a Home Educator posted at Mind Being Renewed.
• Sprucing Up at The HomeSpun Life.
• To My New Blogging Students and Their Parents posted at Blogging 2 Learn.

Camp Tawakani, South Hills, ID

Planning for lessons and learning:

• What’s in a Name? posted at Princess Momma.
• whoohoo, we are finished! posted at No Fighting, No Biting!.
• Homeschool Scheduling and Planning posted at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.
• Homeschool Plan and Curriculum List for My Kids 2010 to 2011 posted at The Thinking Mother.

That concludes The Carnival of Homeschooling: Remember Summer Edition. Thanks for stopping by. Now go celebrate the last bits of summer!

Please submit your blog article to the next edition of using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

A carnival sounds fun, right? It is! Each week homeschool bloggers are asked to submit a post to share. Then the host reads, organizes, and presents them to the community.

I offered to do this in August, but we were in the middle of selling our house in Texas and moving back to Southern Idaho. This carnival features a few of our adventures since we arrived.

Remodeling- Sometimes we make changes

Sweet Pea watches Grandpa install a subfloor

The New Year lends itself to reflection and plans to be better organized.

• The Thinking Mother Looks Back Upon the First Half of the Homeschool Year 2009-2010.
• While thinking about the year, it might help to have some music. Beverly’s Homeschooling Blog has a link for The Year in Rap 2009.
• Eclectic Education shares helpful hints and links to help Get your Homeschool Organized in the New Year.
• Special Needs Homeschooling Reviews The Homeschool Organizer.

Hiking- Sometimes we need new perspective

Bug hikes in the Snake River Canyon

• Raising Arrows talks about drowning in guilt in The Shame On Me Sea.
• A Day in the Life opens up an honest discussion about a Startling Revelation.
• The Legacy of Home gives us a peek into A Housewife’s Pink Mood. What color is your happy self?
• Homeschool Idaho shares a humorous Letter from an Imperfect Homeschool Mom.

Laughing- Sometimes we simply enjoy family life

Sunshine smiles behind my gift

• My Domestic Church encourages with the post Homeschooling to Build Family.
• Crazy Homeschool Mama writes about a new season of life in A Different Kind of Christmas.
• The Mommy Earth has a story entitled Girl Meets World.
• Free to Learn and Loving It shares Life Lesson # 221: Never mix lights with darks.
• Real Life Montessori has a creative way of Making Cookies for toddlers.

Conversing- Sometimes we defend our crazy ways

"Are you sure the bookshelf is a good bed?"

• Homeschool Distractions answers a question about dealing with distractions in the post The Cons of Homeschooling.
• A Tings Thinking Corner examines Robin West’s controversial anti-homeschooling article “The Harms of Homeschooling”.
• Home School Online shares ideas for answering typical questions about homeschooling.
• Why Homeschool found the same questions put to music in this funny video, The 14 Days of Homeschool.
• Our Curious Homeschool has lots of questions to discuss other than the socialization ones. See if you can answer one or two.
• Alasandra congratulates the winner’s of the Homeschool Blog Awards.

Learning- And now it’s time to curl up with the books

The view out my back window

• Abundant Harvest shares the Reading Journey of Child #3. See if waiting and relaxing can really work.
• Laura Grace Weldon wonders about All Day Every Day Video Game Learning?
• Little Green Blog writes ‘Teaching maths’ with home education – 10 Tips.
• Our Journey Westward created Simple Machine Stations. You can, too.
• Topsy-Techie has helpful hints for teaching writing.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you enjoyed your tour through these homeschool blogs and perhaps found a new favorite or two.

The next edition will be published at the carnival founders’ Why Homeschool. Consider submitting a post at Blog Carnival.

Sled at Top of Run

When my sister walked in with sleds on Christmas Eve, my little girls’ eyes furrowed in confusion. Their older brother announced the welcomed gift, but my Texas girls still don’t get it. I can’t wait to see their faces when we finally get to the sledding hill.

In the midst of Christmas clean up and New Year’s preparations, I’m honored to be hosting the next Carnival of Homeschooling.

I’ve neglected blog reading lately, so please submit a post for me to read and share here on December 29th. Anything related to homeschooling and family life is welcome.

It’s simple to participate, just fill in the form located at Blog Carnival. If that doesn’t work for some reason, you may use my contact form.

Narrowing down my top ten favorites required some thought. What does my family use frequently? What do I wish I purchased earlier? What would I miss the most? Items we take for granted have probably been skipped, so consider this a sample.

I hope you find helpful ideas and inspiration in the articles submitted this week. If you enjoy a post, please leave a comment and let the blogger know.

Renae’s Top 10 School Supplies

photo: Stewart

Bookshelves- I haven’t heard of a homeschooler who doesn’t need a few bookshelves. We have a total of ten scattered throughout the house, and I still dream of a room full of shelves.

• Percival Blakeney Academy alerts us to Books Under Seige.
• Home is where you start from shares The Odyssey of Homer- several different approaches.
• Recession Depression Therapy lists Essential Cookbooks for Kids.
• The Expanding Life reminds us reading to our children is important, but we also need to Talk to Them.

photo: MGShelton

Library Card- Even with ten bookshelves we don’t have material for every subject and lesson. One card equals books galore. The library is also the perfect place to find picture books and fiction I don’t necessarily want to buy.

• Homeschool Confidential shares her opinion of Discovering Great Artists in her March is for Art, Giveaway.
• Ramblings from the Crazy House announces I’m Running a New Contest! Win the E-book Turning Points!
• A Pondering Heart presents a review and giveaway of The Auto Upkeep Kit. (Giveaway ends March 10th at 11:59 p.m. PST)
• Homeschool Bytes has helpful ideas for Teaching On a Budget: For Teachers, Homeschoolers, and Moms with Kids.

photo: Orin Optiglot

Craft Table- For years, we did our crafts on the kitchen table. That works, but I enjoy having a place we can leave works in progress. Creative pursuits glittered with paint and glue.

• Fine Craft Guild presents Free St Patricks Day Crafts Templates: Prancing Leprechauns.
• A High and Noble Calling has Resources for Celebrating Purim.
• Teaching Your Children is teaching her family about Pi Day.
• Once Upon a Family shares Salt Dough and Creations.
• Song in My Heart encourages us to make stuff even if it’s messy in Colonial Life/American Revolution Part 3: Candles and No Running Water.

photo: BeccaG

Electric Pencil Sharpener- I wish I had purchased this sooner. Now it only takes seconds to sharpen pencils, and we get to the business of writing.

• Inklings shares a simple tip to impact your children’s writing in There Is Always a Better Verb.
• Adventures on Beck’s Bounty wonders where this unique homeschool lesson fits in For The Record.
• The Reluctant Homeschooler shares how her children take notes and give Oral reports.
• New Beginnings explains Toastmasters is a Great Speaking Group for Graduated Homeschoolers.

photo: Luza

Colored Pencils- Crayons end up in pieces. We still have a box or two, but colored pencils last longer. Some of our pencils were mine from childhood. (Yes, they are ancient.) Amazing things happen when we let our children color what interests them.

• The Thinking Mother makes a good point about trying to turn everything into a lesson in A Self-Directed Learning Moment.
• Barbara Frank used her daughter’s interest in paychecks to discuss The IRS and the Tax Project from Life Prep
• Sometimes I’m Actually Coherent says By All Means, Leave Your Books Out In The Open.
• Reading Circle Books shares how to open the door for our children to learn in Teach Them to Read and Let Them Go!

photo: niseago03

Hole Punch- Before we started homeschooling, I asked my dad for his old paper punch. I planned to fill binders with paintings, timelines, and notes. We use our 3-hole-punch almost every day.

• The Creative Homeschool presents 25 Creative Notebooking Ideas.
• Virtuous Children teaches children about percentages in the article Coupons and Math.
• The Tie that Binds Us enjoyed a week of school with her little ones. She shares it in Limbourg Brothers or the Limburger Cheese Touch?
• Ms. Julie’s Place explains a unit study about knights and castles based on an art lesson in And the Winner Is…

photo: DRB62

Storage Containers- My favorite containers are plastic bins with drawers and square baskets. We store stamps and craft supplies in the drawers and files and math manipulatives in the baskets. Since I enjoy organizing, it’s just another good reason to homeschool.

• Why Homeschool shares Some of the Things I Love about Homeschooling.
• Learning at Home reminds us that we don’t have to face The worst day ever to be a teacher.
• On Wisdom’s Path discusses Qualifications For The Parent-Teacher.
• Home Spun Juggling answers the question, “What about college?” in Home Spun comic strip #328.

photo: Tanya Ryno

Computer and Internet- Lesson plans, educational videos, audio adventures, printable crafts, important ideas discovered. Friendships made.

• Dad’s Homeschool Blog found a tool with a plethora of resources Find Home School Info on the Web You Never Even Knew To Look For- Use StumbleUpon!
• Petticoat Government wonders if Teaching to the Middle = Discrimination Against Boys.
• Corn and Oil wonders What do Illinois Education Lawyers do?
• Principled Discovery discusses An undergraduate research group’s report to lawmakers on homeschooling.

photo: timsamoff

Digital Camera- A camera isn’t something I purchased for school, but we use it to photograph all our adventures. In school they are called field trips. We call them memories.

• Our Curious Home had a wonderful trip to the Boston Children’s Museum.
• Carolina Mama ponders the joy and challenge of the The Homeschool Hustle and a Winner.
• This Side of Eternity shares what her children learn when they don’t sit at a desk in her post Heart of the Matter.
• PrincipledMom looks at all the plans and decides Finishing Is Where It’s At.

photo: anselm

Tent- An item from my first years of marriage finds new life in our backyard. My children haul stacks of books outside and read all afternoon pretending they are in the forest listening to the wolves. Nature gives flight to their imaginations.

• Hayes Happenings takes lessons outside in Spelling Hopscotch.
• HowToMe presents How To Make Toilet Paper Roll Seed Starter Pots.
• Wonderland Academy shares a craft and project in Lenten Ember Days~Trees.

Thank you for visiting the Top 10 School Supplies Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. Next week’s carnival will be hosted at The Homeschool Cafe. Here is how you can submit a post.

What are your favorite school supplies?