A New Podcast!

About a year ago my friend Allie Suydam told me I should be listening to this amazing podcast (Before Breakfast) she just started listening to and how she was learning a ton about leadership, time management, and other topics. I wasn't really into listening to podcasts mostly because I'm a visual learner and don't tend to remember things I hear. BUT...I decided to give it a try and found out I loved it! Thank you Allie! I now listen to podcasts while multi tasking with something else like getting ready in the morning, laundry/ironing, taking a walk by myself, or sometimes driving. It's a great way to learn something new or get inspired.

After being interviewed for the Mom Inspired Show Podcast last month I was asked by several people if Heart of Homeschooling could do a podcast. So...I decided to start a podcast for Heart of Homeschooling! It's not super flashy and pretty basic, but I had fun putting it together. This first episode is about how to get started homeschooling. It's great especially for those new to homeschooling and those who don't know what to do now that most charters are not accepting new students.

I hope you like it.

Oh! And I'm looking for homeschooling moms and dads to have on the show for future episodes. So, if you are interested, please email me at shannon@heartofhomeschooling.org.

Here's the first Heart of Homeschooling episode 1 for the series - Simple Steps to Homeschooling Success: https://anchor.fm/heart-of-homeschooling

Also, if you are interested in hearing my interview with the Mom Inspired Show go here: https://mominspiredshow.com/homeschooling-101-series-part-4-shannon-carpenter-197/

Does God ever speak to you? Are you listening?

Does God ever speak to you? Are you listening? You have to quiet yourself sometimes to hear from Him. He speaks through His Word, devotions, other people, nature, etc. He confirms things he’s putting on your heart to encourage you on your path and purpose (and sometimes convict you to get you back on the right path).

This past week I’ve been feeling the Lord wanting me to pray about the words I speak (and my thoughts). He is showing me how subtle it is to have negative thoughts and words take root or become a bad habit in our life. I pray my words would be life giving and an encouragement to the hearer. I’ve been more attentive to my words each day as the Lord continues to teach me and show me what he desires. I’m learning to slow down and pray before speaking. It’s not easy!

Then this popped up today in my Jesus Calling devo. Hoping it encourages you about your words and how God can speak to you too about what He wants for your life! Pray today and ask Him what He wants for you!

Thank you Lord for your encouragement!

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Can I really homeschool?

This is a question that I get asked pretty regularly these days as many families are considering venturing into the homeschooling lifestyle. I get emails and messages from new mom's wondering if they really has what it takes to homeschool. I always say "YES! YOU CAN HOMESCHOOL! I believe anyone and everyone can homeschool and no two homeschooling families look alike. 

So, short answer...anyone can homeschool. In fact not only can anyone homeschool, but everyone is already homeschooling! Whether you've thought about it or not, you are already homeschooling your child(ren) in one way or another. Think about all the milestones you have helped your child with such as learning to eat, talk, walk, go potty...they are all done through "homeschooling."

Every day you educate your child teaching them your values, manners, skills you have or want them to use, and so much more. These are all examples of you homeschooling. So relax in knowing that you already have some great experience as a home educator.

But here’s what you’re really questioning: Am I qualified to teach my child math, grammar, history, and all the other things they need to know in order to be successful in life? Our society actively trains parents to believe that they are the least qualified to teach their own children. But there probably has never been another time in history in which such an abundance of resources has been made available to help parents who want to home educate and many of those resources are free or cost very little to acquire! In fact I am in the process of writing a book - The Complete Guide to Homeschooling (not totally set on the title yet) which is due to come out mid-August and will be chock full of helpful information all about homeschooling including curriculum and how to's on homeschooling. It will be for teachers helping support homeschooling parents and also for parents (both new and veteran) to learn tips and tricks and ways to develop and grow in their homeschool lifestyle. 

On top of the wealth of information available, other homeschool families are a wellspring of information when it comes to the day-to-day of home education. Facebook groups like Heart of Homeschooling, blogs (like this one and others), podcasts (watch for HOH podcast coming soon!), and personal networking will open doors of opportunity when it comes to subject matter that might prove difficult for you at first. The Heart of Homeschooling Courses are just perfect for this if you want to learn at your own pace using an online course! And...we just majorly reduced our prices because so many need them now due to COVID-19. Courses are now our non-accredited courses are priced a very affordable $9 and up. Plus we still offer the FREE course to get you started. 

Homeschooling allows you to develop a special bond with your children as well as the opportunity to dig deeply into and invest the time toward your child’s own special learning style so they have the best possible chance of success. In the Heart of Homeschooling I and II I teach you all about finding your child's learning style and a curriculum to match. Your child doesn’t fall through the cracks in the classroom because, in your homeschool, your child is the class.

Don’t be afraid. Anyone with enough passion about, and dedication to, their child’s education to choose the homeschooling journey already has what it takes. YOU CAN HOMESCHOOL! 

Love Always, 

Shannon 

PS Email me anytime if you have questions about homeschooling at shannon@heartofhomeschooling.org 

To love their husbands and children...

Titus 2:3-5 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Yesterday Wes and I had the privilege of being interviewed by a church friend for a project she is working on to create a parenting course for our community called Intentional Parenting. We were honored to be asked to be interviewed. She told us she sees good things in our kids and family and wanted to learn more about our parenting. What a blessing! We were very humbled and excited for the opportunity. It was so fun to reflect on our past 28 years of marriage and parenting and also be asked thoughtful questions. I couldn't help but have tears in my eyes as I thought of all the ways we have relied on God over and over through trials and triumphs and how many times God showed up in our lives. I'm so grateful and more in love with Wes and my sweet family than ever before. I also realized that I wanted to recommit to being a more "intentional parent" and started my quiet time this morning asking God to show me what that should look like. 

What he showed me is that even though he has given me a lot more time now than I have ever had before since I was laid off from Inspire last Fall, I have not been using the extra time wisely. I have instead been unwise with my time wasting it with unproductive/unintentional things and I realized we are also in a rut with our daily activities. Do you know what I mean? Can you relate? For example, we just do the same thing day in and day out. I have so enjoyed being home more and spending more time with my family, but we have kind of become like robots and I feel like we need to be more intentional with how we spend our time. I long to be more focused on teaching, training, and taking advantage of teachable moments to teach Biblical truths to my family.

 

Here are some of the positive routines that are going well, but could be deepened: 

• Daily Quiet time with the Lord - family share about what the Lord is showing us
• Finishing school subjects daily - add in read aloud time together
• Meal times together - add in devo time and share time

Some things I want to add to get out of our rut: 

• Weekly dates with each child and grandchild 
• Weekly FaceTime with grandparents and children/grandchild who lives out of town
• Add in "Life Skills" (see below) training time with each child/children
• Add in Character lessons with children - do this during devo and read aloud time
• Family walks after dinner or pool time. 
• Family game night and outdoor movie night

Life Skills Projects to do with kids:

• Cooking new healthy meals together - breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Remodel of children's play house in backyard
• Finish barn loft to create extra sleeping area/Recreation Room
• Build backyard garden area and plant flowers/grass
• Build backyard deck 
• Paint kitchen and laundry cabinets

I've prayed for a long time that God would give my husband and I a ministry to do together thinking we could do mission trips or have a family ministry..But, you know what? The Lord told me this morning "Look around you...I've already given you a ministry! Your family!" I was so humbled. Of course I knew this, but this is exactly what He wants me to focus on now in this season! I was thinking bigger and something outside of our family unit, but in this season the ministry God wants us to focus and build into is right in front of us. I've realized in this season that I'm in where God has me being STILL a lot that I've so often taken my family for granted. I've put off pouring into our children's lives and replaced that time I could have been spending teaching and training with work priorities, phone calls, email, the Internet, social media, or whatever. Those things are not bad (although sometimes they can be if they take all your time), they are usually just neutral. But, God is teaching me over and over that the TIME we have on this earth is soooo short and goes so quickly. I have to be diligent to be directed by God and realize the blessings he has given me and what is right in front of me. I have to ask him daily what he wants me to do with my time. 

Besides loving my children and recommitting my time to my family, the Lord is teaching me something else from Titus 2:3-5...to love my husband and what exactly that looks like. I will share next time what I'm learning. 

TODAY's CHALLENGE: I want to challenge you to write down some ways you can show love to your children today, this week, month, etc. Make a list of what is working and another list of what you want to add to show love. Pray over your children and ask the Lord to show you exactly what is needed for each of them. Summer is the perfect time to start some new habits. Take it one step further and ask a friend to keep you accountable to your list. Will you keep me accountable? Let's check in periodically to see how it's going. Feel free to comment below what you want to add. 

Life is busy, not too busy to start posting again. Re-post from 2017 with an update!

The past year and a half has been amazing. I can't believe that I now have a 7 year old, 9 year old, 12 year old, 14, 17, and 19 year old at home still. In addition, I have a 22 year old expecting her second baby and an amazing 25 year old son through marriage. I feel so blessed, but at the same time I feel that I'm living life in the fast lane.
There is nothing I love more than being a mom to my amazing 7 children and bonding with my grandson and future second grandchild. I have decided that I want to take the name of my grandma who I admired more than anything...Meemaw and I hope Papa becomes a hit for Wes.
It's almost time for school to begin for the 2017-18 school year and I still need to decide on what we are using for curriculum. The kids are so excited because they will be attending the Specialty Program called Edventure through Inspire two days a week. But, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we need to figure out what we are going to do. My hearts desire is to bring our family together again and learn and read together. So, I'm drawn to Bookshark, but I really want to use something that has Biblical principals woven in throughout the lessons. I'm also drawn to My Fathers World and Angela O'Dells curriculum for history. Do any of my readers have experience with these curriculum choices?

Lately we've been watching episodes of "When Calls The Heart" as a family with my youngest three. It is such a blessing to watch something that was produced by my all time favorite producer's son...Michael Landon Jr. I grew up watching "Little House on the Prairie" every Monday night on NBC at 8:00. When Calls the Heart has the same values interwoven in the themes. I love it.

Here is a very cute picture from our last weekend at Lake Almanor. Jeff and Emily's amazing church held a Family Camp. We had a great time and can't wait for next year.

UPDATE: My grandma name is actually Mimi (which is little Meemaw) and that way my grandma stayed the one and only Meemaw. Also, our then 17 year old daughter is now married to the love of her life, Kris Channell and lives in Lake Tahoe with her new baby boy, Brayden. But, I will have to save that story for another post. Wow, so much to write about. I'm glad to be blogging again! 

XOXO

I'm going to be a Grandma? Re-posted from 2015 with a surprise blessing!

My oldest is newly married and expecting her first baby and I'm going to be a Grandma! I am so excited and amazed at God's goodness all at the same time. God is so incredible. I remember being a little girl pretending to be married and a mama. That is all I ever wanted to be! God gave me a good and godly man to marry and raise a family with and we have been so abundantly blessed. My five year old is going to be an aunt and I will hopefully never have an empty nest as the generations just continue to happen.

I had an incredible Grandma who I was very close to. She was known as "Meemaw" to all of her grandchildren and I think about her and miss her every day. I also remember when I was a little girl wishing and hoping that I would be a young Grandma someday like my Grandma was. Meemaw was 44 when she became a Grandma, my Mom was also 44 and I will be either 44 or 45 depending on when this new little one enters the world. God has truly given me the desires of my heart in which he planted there long ago.

However, I have had a hard time adjusting to this new season. It is bitter sweet because "my vision" and dream was that all of my children and grandchildren would live on the same street or just around the corner from us so we could be a part of their everyday lives. I could bake cookies for them and truly know them and play a significant part in their lives. But, God has other plans and my daughter and new son-in-law have moved three hours away. I am so thankful it isn't further than three hours, but also sad that it isn't closer. I fear we will miss opportunities I had hoped for like lazy days of stopping by just to say "hi", Sunday family dinners, babysitting for date nights, or just hang out time, but I rest in the peace knowing God has our lives in His hands and my plans are not always His plans. I trust we will do our best to stay involved and make EVERY moment matter.

An incredible blessing from this beautiful marriage was our Son-in-law. He is so perfect for our oldest and we are so thankful for him. He is so patient and considerate of her and her needs. He is caring and loving to her and it is so beautiful to watch their love grow. They are going to be incredible parents. We are so proud of them both and the decision they have made to follow God with all of their hearts. God paved the way for them to meet and their courtship was so sweet.

Just a few weeks ago, when they were still here, we were recalling some special moments in their relationship. Soon after we moved to Cool, Emily began singing on the Worship Team at our new church. Her now husband volunteered on sound, so he got to see her sing quite regularly. She sang the song "Blessings" one Sunday that summer and he remembered his mom leaning over to him and whispering "you need to find a girl like that to marry." One day, around the same point in time, Emily was talking to an old friend and decided to play a joke on her. She told her she was engaged to a guy here in Cool already and his name was Jeff Lomas (her now husband)! I couldn't believe she was saying that, since at that point she didn't know Jeff, and told her she shouldn't say that since he or his family could find out in this small town. She just laughed. I guess it was providence.

So, even though they are not down the street I am thankful we are not too far away. I pray for the everyday that God will continue to bless their lives and that their love will continue to grow.

UPDATE: In 2018, shortly after my sweet grand-daughter, Kinsley was born, our daughter Emily, Jeff, Tucker, and Kinsley bought a house only 4 houses down the street from us! God is so good! We just couldn't believe it when it happened and now we get to see our adorable grand-kiddos all the time! Of course they will be homeschooled and it will be so fun helping out when that new adventure begins! 

Welcome to the NEW Heart of Homeschooling BLOG!

Dear Heart of Homeschooling Members, 

I'm so excited to welcome you to the HOH Blog! Truth be told I'm merging a blog I started almost 10 years ago when I was homeschooling 7 children ages 1 to 15. Life was busy in a different way back then, but I thought HOH members might glean some thoughts and tips from what I wrote way back then. Now that I've got Heart of Homeschooling running smoothly, I thought I would start up the Blog writing again. I love to write about family, homeschooling, and what God is doing in my life. My hope and prayer is that this will be a blessing for you and an encouragement in your homeschool journey. 

Since this is the first post officially for Heart of Homeschooling I want to first of all welcome all of you! If you are new and haven't joined our Facebook group, please do so today. You can join HERE. Please also like our Facebook PAGE. You can find out information about our courses on our website: www.heartofhomeschooling.org. 

The other thing I wanted to talk to you about was a little about me and why I created Heart of Homeschooling. I chose this picture because I wouldn't have been who I am today without my sweet hubby, the love of my life. I am more in love with this guy today more than ever and I can't wait to share with you my secret...stay tuned to Part 2 of the story.

Oh boy, where to start? I guess I can go back to when I was a teenager. I want to go back that far so I can share how God perfectly placed me in situations to direct my path and grow me spiritually to prepare me for the next place he was going to take me all without me knowing this was happening...LOL. 

So, when I was a teen my mom was a church secretary and I was the oldest with two little brothers that were 10 and 12 years younger than I was. There was a Christian school at the church and when I was about 14 or 15 I started working in the "After School Program." I loved it and it was then that God planted the seed of teaching in my heart, but I didn't know it yet. I also loved to plan and listen when someone was going through a hard time so I thought I would be a psychologist. 

I transferred from Orange Coast College to Point Loma Nazarene University my Sophomore year and met the love of my life in the second month there. I was a Psychology major on my way to a doctorate. However, God had other plans. My roommate was on the Teacher path and would talk to me about her love of education. Well, fast forward a couple of years and now I'm engaged to my love, realizing I really just want to be a mommy and wife so I quickly change gears to the Teacher Credential program which I finish after our wedding adding one more year to my studies. This worked out fine as we got to live in the brand new Married Housing condos for $500/month with an ocean view! Wow, we had no idea what God was blessing us with! 

During my 2nd Student Teaching assignment I learned about a little school in Kane'ohe that needed a 5th grade teacher for the following year. After a one hour phone interview I was hired and we were moving to Hawaii which happened to be both of our dreams since we were little. Coincidence? No way! That's how God works. He planted the seeds of a love of the islands in our hearts before we even met. 

We moved to O'ahu in August and the first Sunday church service a guy hired my husband to do construction and we were set. I worked 2 years teaching with a beautiful ocean view from my classroom and students who loved to learn. We found out we were expecting our first baby and made the very difficult decision to move back to the mainland to be near family. It was a decision that we knew was the right one, but will forever feel sad about. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't miss Hawaii. 

We moved in with my in-laws when Emily was about 6 weeks with very little money, but a lot of love. We ended up living with them for 9 months and they were so gracious to welcome us. That's what family is for, right? 

Then Wes got a job in Santa Cruz. All I knew of Santa Cruz was from "The Lost Boys" movie. I asked him if there was any chance that vampires really lived there...LOL. We were moving again in June of 1996. My biggest concern was finding a community and I found one right away at a wonderful church called Twin Lakes. We got plugged in right away and about a year later I was expecting our second baby girl, Sarah. About this time I started thinking I would start tutoring to help make ends meet and we were able to buy a 2 bedroom mobile home within a walk from the ocean. It was a sweet starter home and the amazing thing in Santa Cruz is that mobile homes actually increase in value. 

That first home that we owned was the best. We had a little yard, we were at the end of a cul-de-sac, a community pool, and walking distance to pizza and the beach. AMAZING. We felt so blessed. In 1999 I found out I was expecting again, due in July of 2000 and we began looking for a bigger house. You see the mobile home park had a rule you couldn't have more than 4 people in a 2 bedroom unit, so we were going to be in trouble soon. 

We soon found out God had a plan the whole time...but I think I will make this a to be continued since it's getting a little long. I just have to say that God is so amazing. When we put our faith, hope, and trust in Him, He will not let you down. He worked some pretty awesome miracles for us to move not once but twice to our dream homes and, again, we had no idea how it was going to happen. 

Next week I will continue the rest of the story. 

CHURCH

Happy Valentines Day (the day after) everyone! Can I just say...I LOVE our church? My whole family looks forward to going every weekend and worshiping together. This is such a blessing to both Wes and I! It is soooo important to find a church that fits your family culture and feeds you, challenges you, and causes you to grow spiritually. Bayside does that for each of us. #BaysideGraniteBay