The HomeSpun Life

Ten Reasons Why I Might Follow or UnFollow You on Twitter

2011-02-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to have their own pet peeves about Twitter and it's nearly impossible to live up to everyone else's standard of twitterville etiquette. I thought it would be interesting to see how you feel about the Twitterverse.

1. I'll be sure to follow your tweets faithfully if you're sharing quotes and content that inspires.

2. I'll follow closer if you help promote other bloggers without an agenda to butter them up to get something in return. Some tweeps are too obvious in their sucking up. I'll actually unfollow suck ups.

3. I add relational bloggers to a list that gets promoted via the Paper Li. I'm picky about who I put on this list. If you find it in my Twitter stream and you happen to be on it, then you score high in my Twitter stream.

4. I will pretty much follow anyone if they ask me to, but if they end up violating my personal boundaries for my Twitterville, I'll unfollow. My time is precious and I don't want to waste my time sifting through time or emotional vampires.

5. If you think you have the corner market on the divine order of the universe, I unfollow. I don't want to get into heated bashing replies from people who think they have the whole world's truth 100% and neatly packed into their tweets as if they are God himself.

6. I enjoy thought provoking articles that are open minded. I love to follow people who are mature and can handle diversity.

7. I'm not a bigot against gender, religions, etc. So please don't expect me to be. I value a person's human rights and freedom. As long as they respect the Constitutional and spiritual freedom of others. Abusive people can abstain from following me. I stand up for the oppressed, so if you're a bully you may want to stay out of my way.

8. I allow others to voice their opinions if they can allow me to voice mine too. Just be respectful about it. Just because someone disagrees with you (or me) doesn't make them "wrong" or "awful" people.

9. I like seeing my friends tweet their latest articles, just don't over do it. Too much self promotion is overkill.

10. Don't spam hashtag streams. If you're not sure what a hashtag stream's intended use is. ask them For ex: "What is the hashtags #savvyblogging for specifically?" Ask if they have a post explaining the do's and don'ts of it.

What are some of your Twitter pet peeves?
What do you LIKE to see in Twitterville?

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5 Reasons Why Your Blog Might be Superficial

2011-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought your blog might be superficial? Why do bloggers want an audience? The rat race for followers, subscribers, and hit count can drag you down to blog hell trying to create something out of nothing. Blogging doesn't have to be that hard. If we treat our blogs like the hierarchy number chasers in religion, we'll quickly end up just like them. Tired, over worked, and of no substance at all. No one can survive in a superficial community.

1. Why do you want an audience? Are you looking for a limelight for yourself? If you are, you will be creating a superficial audience that you'll have to keep performing for or you'll lose readers. Do you really want that kind of an audience?

2. A good blog audience is built on genuine relationships. Therefore you need to be yourself. Don't try to knock yourself out trying to be Martha Stewart or The Pioneer Woman. It doesn't work. Everyone will know you're a copycat. It's best to just be yourself. If you're working hard to be like 'mega stepford blogger' you'll never be number one, you'll only be a short changed second place.

3. Conquer your fears. If you're always afraid to blog how you really feel, what you really believe, or what your real opinions are, then you are held captive by peer pressure. I'm not suggesting you start using foul language or to be rude, we certainly can tame our tongues and season our words with salt, but you certainly don't have to fake being a sugar cookie if you're really a red velvet cake with buttery cream cheese frosting.

4. You don't know your identity. Some bloggers don't know who they are. This is why so many are trying to copy everyone else. What is unique about YOU. If you don't know, ask the people you know in real life. Go to Wordle and add the URL of your blog in there. Find out what you blog about most often. The word cloud will show what your passions are. Your passions come from the heart. When we copy what others are doing we're just trying to recreate their hearts on on our blogs. Be you. Be original. This is my word cloud for The HomeSpun Life. The largest words are the things I blogged about most this week. You can enter the category URL you write most about too. For example, if your most filled category is "daily life" then get that category URL and put it in the Wordle tool.

5. Be friendly. I can't say this enough. Reply to people you like on Twitter. Participate in your blog comment section. Be genuine. Don't try to butter people up with an agenda to piggy back their audience. Find your own 'place' in the blogosphere and own your place. You'll want readers who really like you for you. To have friends, one must first show friendliness.

Any additional thoughts to share?

Related articles:

Button Swap

Get Related to The HomeSpun Life

How to get the most out of a meme at Pix-O-Sphere Blog

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Finding My Peaceful Moments

2011-02-23T12:11:00.000-08:00

With all the busyness in life it's sometimes difficult to find that peaceful moment to breathe. Daily life of doing dishes, homeschooling, laundry, and cooking has wonderful aspects to them, but finding time to just be me is so needed. I can't allow my housework to define me. My housework is not my identity. If I allowed my daily grind at home to define me I eventually feel like a slave and I need to break out of the routine and get refreshment.

I enjoy my time getting out of the house with my camera and capturing beautiful moments in this place we endearingly call Earth. I see colorful poppies and slow down to notice the color scheme the Lord created around it. The shade of orange is the perfect match for the shades of green surrounding it. I contemplate the artwork of our Creator and thank him for the display of perfection.

Some days I turn up the music in my car and listen to the lyrics of the singers of faith, but sometimes I need silence and He gives me the lyrics to my own heart's song. When I went to Carmel, my husband and I watched the sunset. Listening to the crashing waves then the gentle soothing of the sea foaming fizzing on the sandy shore, that was worship music to me. In my heart I soaked in the rhythm of the waves being pulled by the attraction between Earth and Luna. I listen with my ears ,with eyes closed gently, then I open them to see the painting on the horizon.

These are my peaceful moments with Him, my Creator, Father, and Protector. The One I love so deeply. I silently whisper to Him in my heart that His creation is so heavenly to my senses and he whispers back, "You are fearfully and wonderfully made" The communing between my Creator and I, a two way street. I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't allow my dining with Him in the Spirit to become routine. I won't allow it to become ritual. I cringe at the thought of our time together becoming mundane. In this loud and busy world, I want to slow down and have genuine moments with Him. Moments that are so defined by authenticity, the authenticity only He can provide. If only I'll listen. Prayer most certainly can be different.

I'm linking this to Ann's Walk with Him Wednesday. Much to my surprise her article and mine are so similar. He works among the online community so beautifully. Soli Deo Gloria

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Making a Blog Button in 5 Easy Steps

2011-02-23T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's simple to create a blog button now that we have a free service like Picnik to use. The developers will be adding an API to Pix-O-Sphere so you can edit your photos with a quick connection to your account over there. Picnik already has API's for several othe rphoto services so if you have photos in your Flickr, Photobucket, or Picasa Web albums, you can get the photos you want to edit right through Picnik then save them right back to their albums in your accounts.

I highly recommend you only edit COPIES of your photos. I never tamper with my originals.

Here are 5 Steps to making a blog button on your own.

Go to Picnik.com and click "Get Started Now"
You can then "Upload photo" or scroll down to open a photo from one of your photo hosts.
For this tutorial I am uploading a photo from my computer.

Step 1: After I upload my photo it takes me to the 'canvas' if you will. I'm first going to CROP my photo to get the main portion of my photo to a workable size.

Step 2: I'm cropping this photo to the size of 375x375 because I am going to resize it later to 125x125 (standard size for a button) You can click and drag the crop lines and move the box around to position it where you want it. You can also type in the size you want to make it easier. Then click OK

Step 3: Next I resize my image to 125x125 and click OK

Step 4: Next I'm going to add the text "HomeSpun Life" on the top left. Just below that is the style of font I want. To the right of the screen you can select the color and size then up on the top right hit "Save & Share"

Step 5: Now I have the option to upload it directly to a photo host of my choosing or save to my computer.

Here's what I created:

Related Content:
Blog Refresher Series
Blog Ethics Series

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Button Swap

2011-02-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

I have a very long side bar to the left and it has plenty of room to add more buttons. I extended my blog to show more articles on the main page which gives me more room to help network with friends.

Would you like to swap buttons with me? It needs to be 125x125 and I'd like to ask you to display mine on your main page, as I am displaying yours on mine. I have room for about 10 more buttons..

Here's mine:

Once you've added mine, link me to your blog in the comment section below.

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About Blogging

2011-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have been writing about the things I have learned about blogging for a few years here at The HomeSpun Life. I learned most of it by trial and error. I have made many mistakes and learned along the way while continuing to read other blogs that teach about social media, blog ethics, and conflict resolution. I have studied several aspects of social dynamics since 1994 within families, community, churches, business, and the blogosphere. I'm also a certified counselor for addictions recovery and PTSD with several years experience counseling folks who come out of abusive relationships.

I don't consider myself an expert in the blogosphere, however I do share the things I have done that has hurt myself as a blogger and things that others have been hurt by as well. I don't name intricate details or names out of respect for those who have repented of their deeds. My daughter says, "You live, learn, and blog." Every bit of blog advice out there is due to someone living through an experience then writing to tell what to do and what not to do. If you're a person of faith, you may see that throughout the Bible as prophets wrote about their encounters with the enemies of God.

Everyone deserves the chance to reconcile and move on peacefully without their name being spewed out all over the Internet. Even Jonah, David, and Saul(Paul) were able to repent and move on to do great things for God and their nations. Be cautious of spreading names around and of those who try to suck you in. Not only does it hurt them and the people they tell, but they're really hurting themselves in the long run. Even if someone blogs about you and deletes it, it remains in the Google cache and that's no good for anyone.

I have been in some intense dialogue on blog comment sections that I have learned a lot from and some that made me look ridiculous when the author refused to publish my comments that actually clarified what I had meant. That was left on the blog with a notice that she had no further discussion with me, which was not true. I have the screen shots to prove that I did indeed comment and they left it in moderation. Was it going to do anyone any bit of good to blog that screen shot? Probably not, so I walked away. My partial comment is probably still lingering in their archives, but it wasn't worth it for me to pursue it any further.

Everyone ends up getting burned at one time or another and it's always best to handle things discreetly to the best of your ability before going to the mom blogger newswire for help. Even when you feel it's time to do that, you must tread cautiously. Seek wise counsel from seasoned bloggers who you can trust. In my opinion, it should only be used as a LAST RESORT.

We all enjoy the online community for different reasons, but we're all a part of this human population on earth with a desire to be happy and pursue our dreams. Think twice before you use your audience to smear other bloggers.

Some visitors who were new to my blog this week had assumed I posted my article yesterday about something specific. However, that was not a one time article for me on this topic. I have written about blogging dynamics numerous times.

The Warning

Blog Pyramid Schemes

Hard Core Blog Advice

Inspiration vs. Stealing

Reaping in the Blogosphere

Blogging My Me Time

Mom Blogger Newswire

Are Giveaways a 3 Ring Circus?

PMS Blogging Syndrome

Ruin Your Blog in 5 Easy Steps

Are We on the Same Team?

I know you're probably wondering when I'm going to get around to launching The Family Blog Network, I'm working on it! It's going to be a network of bloggers who are interested in building relationships. The focus is not going to be for monetary gain, although that will come in time. The reason it will come in time is because it takes time to build solid relationships for a blog to become a business. Get your blog started with a good foundation of friendship, integrity, and go through some trials together as a community to come forth as gold. Every trial you go through will show what you're made of. Use every difficult thing in the blogosphere to refine you and rise above it.

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The Warning

2011-02-21T10:07:00.000-08:00

If I took a photo from your blog it's like taking a painting off your living room wall. It's called theft. I'm publishing a series this week at Pix-O-Sphere on some of the most common content and photo thefts that take place in the blogosphere. I know there are several other articles out there, but sometimes new fresh articles are needed as a refresher for newbie bloggers. Especially when we notice it's been happening within our own circles over the last several months. It's time to stop!

It's more difficult to deal with when you know the person who is taking your content and photos. They've been super nice to you, they have huge projects, they seem to be popular. However, when you go to their blog and discover your recipe, a huge amount of your content re-worded, and photos from all over the Internet that don't belong to them, you begin to wonder how they ever got so "popular" so fast while having that many violations. Maybe because everyone is so busy building their own blogs the ethical way (which is hard work, diligence, and honesty) that we don't have time to scrutinize everyone else's blogs to make sure we're not being stolen from. Ang wrote a great article about how to use Google Alerts to track your content. Be sure to swing over there to get some tips on protecting your blog.

So now what? You know your stuff is swiped, even more difficult, it's someone who is intricately woven into your niche of the blogosphere and any amount of confrontation could cause a domino effect of blog drama that none of us want to spend the time dealing with. No one wants a headache, but more bloggers keep getting taken for a ride and stabbed in the back.

Women who take their blogs seriously are working hard to build their relationships with integrity while others come in on the sly and manipulate, gain control, then bully everyone to stay silent. Any amount of confrontation puts this kind of thief on the hunt to discredit you by calling you names and telling any amount of secrets she happened to get out of you while she was "playing your friend".

I really cringe at the idea that people do these things on purpose. I sometimes wonder if it's so ingrained in people that they don't even realize they are doing it. Afterall, many preachers say we're born in sin. Maybe these people are born Internet thieves. Which would mean they can't help it, until the Lord changes them. Then there's the magical word that thieves don't like, "repent".

These sharp tongued bloggers who want to take your ideas, your plans, your photos, and content at the slightest bit of correction will call everyone else a bully and slander them with hate speech garbage to try and take you down. But here's a little bit of encouragement for ya.. that person is a bully themselves. And if they do this and people believe them so easily, then you DON'T want those people as your readers nor do you want to partner with someone who believes tall tales from a scorners lips.

Proverbs 19:25 Punish the insolent - make an example of them. Who knows? Somebody might learn a good lesson. The Message

Well, the big girls in the blogosphere have had enough of this thieving and bullying. When something is going on, speak up! Calling the person out on the carpet will draw the attention of everyone else the person has 'raped, pillaged, and plundered' and you'll have the blogosphere to help you get your content removed from their blog. Sometimes a public spanking does wonders for change.

Ask yourself this.. is the alleged copying THAT obvious?
Ask a blogger your TRUST to check it out and ask for advice.

Know this: The Big Girls in the blogosphere have been around long enough that they see what's going on, they know who to keep an eye on. The underground mom blogger news-wire KNOWS. So don't be afraid to get help.

No one wants to be a tattle tale, but when your stuff is stolen, you have the RIGHT to speak up. If you don't speak up, you're letting a thief get away with their crime.

If you after you seek help you discover that others are in agreement that it's much too fishy to be a coincidence then go to Copyscape and check for plagiarism. If the big girls tell you this person has been doing this to several others for quite some time, has been corrected before, but continues to do it, it's time we all rally together to speak up.

Let me say something else... if you're a theif and you think "No one will do anything, they can't afford a lawyer anyway" That's ok, because Twitter is a great way to get the word out about inappropriate behavior, just as Amazon about the mom blogger news-wire. Words spreads quick.

So don't steal!

On a more gracious note, if the thief repents and apologizes publicly, then let her have the chance to clean up her act. Then hold her accountable.

If you're one who has made mistakes with pulling content from others, hotlinking photos, etc etc, you can get help. The blogosphere wants to be supportive of others who want to blog smart and ethically. Don't be afraid to get help to stop what you're doing. If you've left a path of destruction behind you, burning ever bridge along the way, it's time to make a public apology on your own blog and ask for help to get your blog whipped into shape. It's called character. For more information on character building try Alyssa Avant's Christian Charm School curriculum. It's not just for teens. ;)

(*disclaimer, that is not an affiliate link, but I happened to read it and it's GOOD!)

"Confront them privately once. If they don't repent take two with you. If they STILL don't repent, take it to the blogosphere." ~bloggy epistles of Sisterlisa

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Creativity and Inspiration

2011-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

My fabulous In-Loves send us interesting emails from time to time and this one is probably one of the best so far. Do we really cultivate imagination and creativity in our children? Some of the best inventors had wild imaginations and tons of creativity.

How do you encourage creativity in your child's homeschool?

Other Homeschool Articles:
Trusting the Master Teacher
Teaching With an Open Mind
Homeschool Cults

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Blog Pyramid Schemes

2011-02-19T00:00:00.001-08:00

There's a way to build a blog that seems right to a person, but in the end you could get bit in the butt.

Ever see blog projects go up so fast that it makes your head spin? Where did these bloggers get such a mass amount of followers and link ups so quickly? Does it seem like their hierarchy is somewhat of a cult following? What gives?

If you've ever been a part of a pyramid marketing scheme you'll know what I'm talking about.

There's something about these "get followers fast" schemes that you need to be aware of.

When the storm comes, their tower of power will falter. Why? Because real solid blogs are built on solid relationships that took time to grow. You need a solid foundation to build anything of value that can weather a storm.

Giveaways: Giveaways can be a great way to get people to come see your blog, but some will unsubscribe, unGoogle Connect you, and stop following you as soon as the giveaway is over. Be sure your giveaway includes a "Recent Articles" listing with your most popular posts so they'll know you're worth sticking around for. Know if you're entering a contest, giveaway, or sweepstakes.

Blog Hops: Blog hopping can help you find people of like passions, but not all bloggers contain the kind of character you want to be associated with.

Blog Networks: There have been some good solid blog networks and some that got themselves in a lot of trouble and had companies like Twitter going after them for trademark violations. Use discretion when getting involved in them. Find out how long they have been around. Google the founders and team of their network.

Broaden Your Horizon: Don't rely on only one blogger for blog advice. If they have been blogging for just a few months, chances are they haven't been able to really navigate the blogosphere enough to offer sound advice. Get subscribed to highly successful bloggers for blog advice such as Chris Brogen, Type A Parent, MomBlogMagazine. In my personal experience, I have seen some bloggers write up advice that wasn't very good. The only way you'll know is if you're reading material from bloggers who have paved their way to success already.

Develop Real Relationships: This takes time. Be leery of people who want to strike up instant friendships over night. A solid trustworthy friendship takes time and needs to weather some storms together to be proven as gold.

Do you have any additional thoughts?

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Get Relational with The HomeSpunLife

2011-02-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Out there in the blogosphere are groups of people who go by 'tribes' or 'clans' they are groups of people who group up together for support and connection to help further their blogs. I think a good support group is awesome. One thing that concerns me though, is if they become cliques, face inward, and exclude others from growing with them. Growth requires the ability to expand and you can't expand far without being open to others coming alongside you.

What is the blogsophere doing?

A community grows together. In my community in town, we see this same scenario all over. Some groups become so elite that you can't possibly measure up to be included, while there are others that thrive in community by allowing newcomers to grow and flourish with them.

{I believe in community}

I avoid elitism.

Do you want to grow with me?

If you would like to be committed to being relational with me, grow with me, and develop a friendship with me and some other bloggers, let me know.

Are you willing to:

Add yourself to my Google Friend Connect? (bottom of my blog) I follow back everyone connects with me.
Follow me on Twitter? The HomeSpun Life
Connect with me on Facebook?
Subscribe to my blog?
Comment a few times a month on articles that spark your interest?

But not out of obligation. I'm not looking for obligated 'followers', just friends who would like to grow with one another.

Here are a few posts that will let you know what kind of person I am.
My thoughts on blogging
My faith
Photography
I'm a homeschooling mom
And you can click through the navigation bar up top for more.

Simply link up here, comment below that you are connecting with me in the above places and I'll come around and follow you back in all your places.

Link up your

Blog
Twitter
Facebook page

Hard Core Blog Advice

2011-02-18T09:25:00.000-08:00

You live and learn. When your trust is broken, it's time to make some smart blog choices. I have a few tips I feel are very beneficial and I speak from first hand experience. It's happened to me a few times now and perhaps I'm the one who is to give the hard core advice..since I have lived through it more than enough. There are bound to be flare ups on the net. We see them all the time. A few things you may want to know about me before I continue.

I don't just read blogs. I study the blogosphere. I watch who interacts with each other on Twitter, Facebook, and comment sections. I can see who is teaming up on projects, who departs from one another, and I just happen to have some weird knack for sensing when people are not themselves. Yes, just by a few little things they say on Twitter. I don't know..maybe it's some kind of strange blog superpower. So why haven't I been able to harness it into avoiding partnerships with people who betray me? Sigh** We live and learn. It's called Failing Forward, John C Maxwell wrote about it. My husband raves about his book. So we fail, but don't fail and plummet into an abyss of defeat. Fail forward and grow from it.

Google Them. Dealing with people online is a bit different than dealing with them in person. In the blogosphere you can quickly find out who a person has been affiliated with before by using Google. I don't think it's wrong to Google someone who wants to partner with you. I actually highly recommend it. A blogger who is honest won't mind you asking about their former affiliations.

Ask for references. Ask who they have partnered with in the past and let them know you'd like to contact those people about their partnership. Don't just take their word for it when it comes to a reference.

I saw a woman comment one day that she has written reviews for brands before. I went right over to her blog where she had in plain view on her blog that she has written reviews for Disney Films, and a slew of other huge brands. (She even use their logos on her posts) I used her search bar to find the reviews and what I found was astonishing. She had not REALLY "worked" with those brands. She simply wrote her own reviews of their products, and not very good ones I might add. There would be no way I would ever pay her for such low quality work. Why would Disney? She had about 500 Google Friends on her Connect widget so I Googled her. She had participated in some "get followers quick" project and then proceeded to use that count along with her so-called 'brand" portfolio to demand inflated prices for the simplest things right down to tweeting for companies.

And bloggers wonder why companies don't fork out more dough to buy advertising with them.

Butter. Yes, I said butter. These are the people who butter you up. They lather on the "I worship you" mentality. Too much praise is overkill. If you are approached by someone who begins to butter you up, offer to do tons of things for you, practically begs for you to trust them, use caution. In my counseling experience I can tell you that one of the first things you'll notice about a cult is their over kill on praise and instant friendships. The person doesn't know you! Why are they acting like your best friend? Hold back. Don't be quick to be "so happy to have them help".

Use a Contract. I never thought I'd suggest this for just a simple team effort between bloggers, but I really do think it's a must. If you want to run your blog like a business, you need contracts. Even if it's a volunteer effort to build a group blog, I'd ask for your team members to agree to a contract. Did you know there are laws protecting volunteers now? Those laws aren't just to protect the volunteers, but also the organization coordinating their efforts. A contract can be simple, no need to be formal, just a clean cut agreement to not share the group's plans or ideas with anyone. Save it as a pdf, send it and get it back with a date and signature.

Passwords. Keep passwords confidential. If you need to give a password to someone for admin purposes be sure their access to the behind the scenes is limited. If the partnership is broken, change your passwords immediately. Why would someone you barely know be asking for passwords?

Trust doesn't come easy. Don't be so quick to trust someone. Don't allow yourself to be quicker to trust someone of your own religious affiliation either. For some reason when you do that, it makes the heartbreak so much worse for you. Just because someone shares the same religion as you doesn't mean you give up your trust so easily. Be cautious of new connections telling you that you CAN trust them. A few identifiers I have seen in common online and in counseling people who come from abusive situations are the "poor me" stories. If they can get you to feel sorry for them, they share something in "confidence" with you, ask you not to tell others, then something is most likely up. Start sharing secrets and they have a weapon to use on their behalf later to keep you quiet once they betray you. Yes, this happens!

Openly admit your mistakes. When you know you have betrayed someone, it's best to make amends immediately. Learn from your mistakes and make it public. Otherwise it might be made public for you when you're caught. Go to the person you betrayed and apologize. Apologize to your readers and begin anew. But do NOT attempt to cover up your tracks. Let your own fall help someone else. Then begin anew. If in the future, someone wants to Google you, be honest right away. Direct them to your public apology and let them know how long and hard you've been working to rebuild. Everyone can get a second chance, as long as you've been honest about it. Sweep it under the rug and your rug will get lifted eventually. It won't be a pretty sight.

Discretion. It is always best to try and handle things with discretion, but sometimes people work on the sly and try to get away with what they're doing. If there is public record of some of their comments that incriminate them and prove your case then save all links, screenshot all conversations, and protect yourself. If you see this person beginning to betray more people, you may want to offer the other victims some insight and help, just be sure to use discretion.

Blog Ethics. The blogosphere is a whole different type of social situation. Bad news and rumors spread like wild fire and it must be nipped in the bud immediately. People can disagree all they want about breast feeding, religion, or immunizations. Those kinds of discussions can get rather heated, but when it comes to violating trust in an effort to build up your blogs, it becomes a business situation. If the blogger is clearly showing no effort at all to use ethics, dignity, or integrity at all, it's time to get proactive to protect your blog. Watch this great video about Blog With Integrity and take the pledge today.

Trust your gut! You have that inner voice that says, "watch out for this one, something doesn't seem right" Listen to that voice!

Do you have any additional thoughts to share?

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Blog Networks and a Conference

2011-02-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have those nights when you just can't seem to sleep? Do you lay awake wondering, "Why in the world am I doing all this?" I think it's so easy to fall into human grooves that get us sidetracked so easily. Maybe you are well above and beyond that, but me? Last I checked, I'm still human. (deep breath)

I get anxiety about BIG PLANS, my husband on the other hand.. he THRIVES on big plans. Oh I am excited about big plans, but then my mind races at light speed with all the ideas that come flooding into my mind. Brainstorming keeps me awake at night. And now I'm going to the Type A Conference...another 8 hour flight. But I know it's going to be so totally worth it.

In addition to this, I am almost ready to launch the Family Blog Network at Pix-O-Sphere. I first introduced it on the blog and then a fun update about this networking opportunity.

On top of this I have been experimenting with the photo contest using the linky tools. Did you know they require a yearly fee now? If you didn't know that and you didn't upgrade all your linky posts will no longer show the linky..until you upgrade. So if you use them, go log in and get the details. Your links will still be in your account and after you upgrade they will open your links back up.

Blogging is hard work, unless you allow yourself to have fun as well. I have learned quite a bit about blogging over the last few years. I look forward to launching the Family Blog Network (FBN) and sharing all the uplifting and inspiring things that have transformed my philosophy in blogging. There's a large audience of people who aren't "in it for the money". Usually a get quick rich scheme follows the blogosphere with a 'get millions of hits quick scheme' too. Sometimes there are huge fails, but we can all learn from them.

There are some who'd like to make money on their blog, but have found it difficult to build relationships. Raising a hit count through a giveaway is not the same as establishing relationships with your readers (friends). It takes time to build relationships. Bloggers need to build up those relationships in order to keep a long lasting audience that would attract vendors who would want to advertise with you.

But we don't want to build up a hit count, JUST so we can "make money" off our readers hitting on our blogs. The tide is changing in the blogosphere. Lets get back to basics, building relationships. I'll be tweeting some hints about the #FBN11 under the @pixosphere Twitter stream, so be sure to follow me there and "Like" our Friends page on Facebook.

Does brainstorming ever keep you awake at night?

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Encouragement for Goal Setting

2011-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

The third Friday of each month of 3 in 30 is for encouraging words. What encouraging words helped me with my goals over the last week? The most encouraging thing said to me was from my husband when he said, "Surprise! I'm taking you on a trip to Carmel, Ca for our 19th anniversary." Literally..a surprise with less than 5 minutes to pack.

My desk was cleaned off before we left, but I hadn't gotten out for a walk last week due to my injured hip, but in Carmel, we did a lot of walking and even some hiking. Good thing we brought the Tylenol along. So now I'm back home trying to catch up, but I'm allowing myself some grace in getting back to my routines.

I read several chapters of Ann Voskamp's book on this trip, out loud..to my husband. We loved it! We loved reading about Ann's revelation of Christ in her life. It resembled so much of what God had been revealing to us this past year as well. Something she says often..her Farmer reminds her of..'allow yourself some grace'. Perfection isn't the goal, living life wide awake and enjoying this life Christ gave us is the goal. I'll never forget the advice an old friend said once, "I don't think God cares if my underwear drawer is super organized or not." For me..I think He is looking for us to enjoy life, enjoy our families, and love others.

Having a tidy home alleviates added frustrations, but if we become too legalistic about it we could miss out on life.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller

Here are some of my favorite photos from my trip. I'll be blogging more about the places we visited while we were there..but over at the Pix-O-Sphere Blog in the upcoming weeks in the Travel-Sphere series.

I'm sharing many of my photos from Carmel in my Pix-O-Sphere Gallery so you can use them on your blogs. See you there. {it's FREE to join}

So how are you doing in your goal setting this week? Be sure to hop over to Ashley or Meghan's blogs to get linked up!

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Thank You

2011-02-16T19:38:00.000-08:00

My daughter, Lady Jess, inspired me by what she posted on her blog today. I am following in her footsteps with this post to thank YOU. My readers, my friends. Thank YOU for not only reading my blog, but for contributing to my online community whether it's right here in the comment section, on Twitter, or through Facebook. Thank you.

I realize that some of the posts I have shared about our personal lives might be difficult to read. I have been through a lot over the last few years and I thank you for being supportive and encouraging to me. It's not always easy to bare my emotions, open wide, and transparent out here in the World Wide Web. Especially when I know I have some 'followers' who are out to spy out my liberty.

Galatians 2: 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

Online stalking is such a pain when they live in the same town as you. It doesn't bother me when people are curious because they care, but when it's for the purpose of causing problems in my life, that's where I draw the line. And I thank you for the encouragement so many of you have given me.

How do you deal with locals reading your blog?
Have you ever had trouble with those kinds of 'followers'?

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Goal Check Up

2011-02-10T20:02:00.000-08:00

Since blogging and social media has become a full time job for me I needed a good kick in the rear to stay focused on some of the simplest things that tend to go undone.

Like, keeping my desk clean: I made a goal for February to keep it cleaned up daily. I've done a pretty good job. I keep it tidy every day and then a couple times a week I dust. Here's the after photo..there's no way I'm showing a before photo.

Old things are put away, my desk has become new. :)

My desk has seen it's salvation day!

Is your desk tidy and dusted?

Any tips on KEEPING it this way? ;)

Walking Daily: I also made it a goal to walk daily.. I failed. I walked a little, but I pulled a muscle in my hip trying Zumba and now I don't feel 38, I feel 83. So I have to take this slowly, but I'm not giving up.

Schedule Bills: I did get all my bills scheduled though. That was my other goal. I used the calendar system on my computer and set reminders for one week before the due dates. I also set them for repeat so they'll continue for several more months.

I entered my photo in the 3in30 tag at Pix-O-Sphere. Who knows, someone might want to use that photo some day in an article of their own for another reason. You never know how many times your photo can be used. It's a great way to network with the simplest types of pictures.

Come join the rest of us in the 3 in 30 goal setting. You can get linked up with Ashley and Meghan.

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A Teen Again

2011-02-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Sarah Mae is 31, Happy Birthday my dear. She is asking that we share our high school glamor shots. The one I would LOVE to share is at my mom's house in a frame. So I am going to share the one of me on my wedding day, since I was 19 and fresh out of high school.

So now here is a more recent shot of me at age 38 (after having braces)

How do I look after all these years?

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Dominating the Homeschool Circuit

2011-02-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

In the last few years I have been homeschooling I have noticed something becoming a pattern. Perhaps it's always been this way..others who have homeschooled longer would know more than I do about this. I'm going to be very open in this blog post and it's not meant to offend, although I am sure someone will be offended. C'est la vie. If you know me well, you know I am a very open minded person. I used to be a legalist, and God saved me from that. THANK YOU GOD.

I am thankful that I didn't become so bitter as to deny God, like some have. That makes me sad that so many people have been so burned by Christianity that they have totally rejected Christ. After what I have been through I can understand how they feel.

There are Christians, and then there are 'Christians'. The 'Christians' do more harm to one another than anyone else I have ever known. And yet there ARE Christians who are very loving, grace filled people. I like these kind of Christians.

'Christians' who dominate every aspect of your life annoy the 'gehenna' out of me. All's fair in love and war? I don't think so. Just because a group has tons of money to advertise, sell books, CD's etc does not mean they are 'right'. It is their lifestyle they are introducing to the world. They have their freedom to do so. What gets me is this... why do conferences put these wealthy religious zealots in their 'pulpits' to teach and not allow other, more open minded people, teach as well?

Money

If a homeschool conference allows an open minded (lower income) Christian to teach at the same conference as the 'Christian' who has money backing that conference, the one with the money can manipulate the conference coordinators. And afterall, why would the 'Christian' speakers want the open minded Christians to teach their open minded parenting and education tips among the closed minded narrow way dominating teachings? It would drastically diminish their 'Christian' speaking, book, CD businesses.

So when will the homeschool conferences put a stop to this madness?

Not all homeschoolers are 'patriocentric', 'quiverfull', 'reformers'.

Homeschool companies..please know this.. there ARE other homeschoolers out there that are NOT a part of those movements. Do not let those dominating the homeschool market scare you out of advertising your open minded curriculum, books, teaching materials, and certainly don't let it discourage you about being a homeschool speaker.

So where are those homeschoolers who are wanting something refreshing? Those who aren't buying into the dominating forum that is sweeping the nation. I know you're out there.

What would YOU like to see in a conference not dominated by right-wing fundamentalists?

I'll start the list and you can add to it:
Open to WOMEN speakers (in other words, not dominated by egotistical men or the women who enable that)
Curriculum that is NOT from fundamentalism
Math books that do NOT teach tithe curses. (oiy)
Allow unschool parents to teach
Parenting teaching that isn't necessarily from 'Christianity' (don't ONLY allow 'Christian' teachers)
Offer the FREEDOM to be DIVERSE
A conference that does not support or allow materials that teach whipping children with rubber tubing.

What say you?

*disclaimer: I have the freedom to say what I'm looking for in a homeschool conference and what I don't want in a homeschool conference. So if you're here to try and berate me into removing this post, you're in for an ear full of my rights to exercise MY freedom.

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Inspiration vs Stealing

2011-02-05T18:24:00.000-08:00

When I watched The Social Network, I couldn't help but feel mixed emotions about Mark's supposed statement in mediation, "You had an idea, I had a better idea." So was it inspiration or stealing that spawned the world's largest social network, Facebook?

Then we discover the Ning Network, where you can get your own social network in their system and customize it to suit your needs. Groups from crafters, homemakers, homeschoolers, to blog networks of all sorts. Then there's Tumblr, Twitter, and Google's Buzz. I wonder if Flickr got upset with Tumblr for the unique use of the lower case 'r'. As it is, Mark goes after anyone who seems to have anything remotely similar to something Facebook offers. (Sorry, Mark, but you don't own the word 'book' in a compound word format) Who's going to try to sue the Butterfly or the quarterback?

{oh brother!}

Do you know how many social networks there are out there? How about we attempt to count how many blogs there are. Last I heard there are approximately 80,000 blogs built DAILY. Do you know how many newspapers there are? Does the very first newspaper own all rights to anyone who wants to begin their own newspaper company?

Then we have the ever so popular concept of the Group Blog, Online Conferences, Widgets, and online photography schools.

Each company does it's best to create innovative ways to reach their target audience. Some bloggers even teach you how to do certain things to build up your blog and network with others. Some offer this information for free, while others charge you money. I think It's rather odd that someone would charge people admission to learn something that's already available for free in millions of places on the Internet. But they do.

Some are quite successful at it, others not so much. It depends on your angle, your motivation, and what your inspiration is. If you are simply COPYING what someone else is already doing, it's called theft. If you're INSPIRED by a collection of many different things that forms something NEW in your mind then you have something unique. Ever see Working Girl with Melanie Griffith? Her boss tries to steal an entire idea from "Tess", but the board of directors asks Tess what her inspiration was. After their private conversation, they asked her boss, "Katharine" what inspired her..she couldn't answer them. Consequently, Katharine was fired and Tess was offered a better position in the company.

We all learn from one another and help build one another up. When someone takes an idea from someone and copy it, run with it, and try to say THEY created it, is a serious matter. I recently offered a Blog Button Swap. I offered this swap to the first 15 people who agreed to the swap. I do NOT 'own' the idea of a blog button swap. So, if others want to offer the same thing to their friends, they are free to do so. But if I was to share with a few people some specific plans that I have, invite them to join in, they agree, and one of them runs with that idea and launches it before I get to launch my idea..well that's just flat out underhanded.

I have no desire to call out anyone specific, I have far too much on my hands right now to deal with more bloggy drama. It just puts me back at the drawing table to make my idea even more unique.

By the way, Mark Zuckerberg lost his best friend. He may be a brilliant young man, but he wasn't honest with his friends. He may be an extremely wealthy person, but where does he store those riches at the end of his life? Does building up your blog community come down to your race to become popular, stepping all over everyone in your path? If that style of blog building gets you a following, then you can have that following. I'm aiming at something far more profound than creating a get quick rich scheme off other blogger's ideas.

So where do you draw the line between what is authentic inspiration and flat out theft?

Chime in..everyone gets the soapbox on this one!

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Photo Sharing Safety

2011-02-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

There's been concern in the family friendly blogosphere in regards to finding a safe place to host and share photos. Of course, we built Pix-O-Sphere out of that very need. We also chose to allow for stock photos to be sold as well. So you can get all your photo networking needs done in one safe place. You can host, share, and sell photos. In addition to that, the bloggers use your shared photos in their blog articles, furthering your work for you.

Now we see an intense concern about Flickr, since 4,000 photos were deleted, a Flickr group was deleted, and photo bloggers are not happy. They feel as though their photos are not safe. In addition to this, I've noticed the comments on all these sites. People don't just want to show off their photos, they want the networking with other people. Photography brings together people from all over the world. This is exactly what part of our vision for Pix-O-Sphere has been since the very beginning.

Pix-O-Sphere isn't just a place to host your photos, we desire for the community within the network to grow. Bloggers happily promoting your photos for you. When you offer smaller samples of your photos for sharing, the bloggers use them on their blogs. Your photo credit stays with the photos. Their readers click on the photo and brings them back to find YOU and your photos on Pix-O-Sphere. Every photo has a comment section that you can control. You can allow comments from all Pix-O-Sphere Users or just your friends. When they participate in your Pix-O-Sphere Community, they also get to see your selling photos and can buy from you there.

There's so much more going on in the development stages and even though we're still in beta, the site is alive and moving forward. I hope you'll take a few minutes to check it out and sign up for a free account.

I don't want to just promote Pix-O-Sphere in this post, but rather I'd like to offer a few suggestions too.

1. Always keep a copy of all your original photos on an external hard drive.

2. NEVER rely ONLY on an Internet host of any kind, to protect your photography, files, or blog. Back up everything!

3. If you offer your photos for 'sharing' on any site, add your own watermark to one of the corners of your photos. Not everyone gives credit for their photo source.

At Pix-O-Sphere, we generate a watermark for your shared photos, but you can also add an additional watermark with your own photo editing software.

Pix-O-Sphere has disabled the ability to right click so people can't snag your photo. If they try it, they're in for a surprise when they try to open it in their computer. teeheehee

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3 in 30 Roll Call

2011-02-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

I began participating in the 3 in 30 Goal Setting with Ashley and Meghan last week. My goals were to keep my desk cleaned off, walk daily, and to get all our bills and appointments scheduled. This week they're asking who is participating this month. Me! Me!! I love it. Just 3 goals in 30 days. But since I'm participating here and over at Pix-O-Sphere's blog, I actually have 6 goals.

Also, Pix-O-Sphere is sponsoring 3 in 30 so Meghan and Ashley both are sharing some aspects of the site with their readers each week. I hope you'll join the fun.

And before you go, please enjoy these beautiful photos I get to use from some Pix-O-Sphere members. We connected as friends over there, which means I get to beautify my blog with their photos. So cool!

Join free and be my friend. I've got thousands of photos you can choose from for your blog.

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7 Parenting Tips to Consider

2011-02-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

My views on child rearing in the faith have grown some in the last couple of years. I have gleaned some insight from some friends, blogs, and online ministries about walking by faith while still teaching our children who we believe and why. While we all may not agree with everything a person teaches about raising children in the faith, there are some things worth taking into consideration.

There are some things that I am more inclined to reject in raising my children for the Lord. While I don't want to stay too focused on what I don't believe in, I do want to share with you a few things I have come to no longer follow and why. Then I will share with you what I have accepted and continue to keep in mind each day as my family continues to grow.

1. I don't use cookie cutters. I don't think it's fair or wise to raise my children with a cookie cutter approach. There's some interesting books out there, but I don't follow their teachings religiously nor do I agree 100% with everything within the pages of those books.

2. I don't use scare tactics. I think kids have enough to worry about with the neighborhood bullies when they go outside to play than to put up with it inside their own home. I teach my children what consequences are and we are 'just' and fair with discipline and correction. I see better results in training than I do with any form of punishment.

Now for the fun stuff. (See I told you I wouldn't focus on the negative for long.)

1. I believe in making disciples. Disciple Like Jesus has some interesting approaches written on the ir site that I think is worthy of reading. You may or may not agree with some of what they present, but if you can handle reading it, gleaning from them, and taking what can work for your family, then I think you'll find some good stuff there. Raising my children to learn to walk this life in love makes all the difference.

2. I believe in teaching tolerance. I feel that Jesus was tolerant, he ate with gluttons and sinners. He is a friend to sinners. Don't misunderstand me. I don't think it's wise for children to hang out with the neighborhood bullies, smoke pot, or sneak into the neighbor's cigarettes. I'm not talking about that! What I am saying is that I feel it's important for my family to know that we need to be careful to not be too quick to judge people. Some of the sweetest adults I know, smoke cigars or chew tobacco. While I don't agree with those poor health choices, they love God and love others.

3. I believe I need to allow my children to really learn well. For us, this means that we don't hide certain topics of world history from our children. As they are in their younger years we teach them about different cultures and as they grow older, we begin allowing them to read about other religions. While we will naturally see the differences between those religions and our faith, we focus more on what the similarities are. I'll explain why in the next point.

4. Diplomacy. I believe our next generation needs to understand what being diplomatic is. My husband has an incredible knack for this. He's an evangelist that has been welcomed to preach in churches of various denominations. He knows how to avoid certain topics and knows which topics to keep focused on. He has taken the time to understand what each church believes and in doing so has been asked to come back and preach each year. If we are going to continue to share this beautiful earth with people of different faiths, then I feel it's important for our next generation to be able to communicate with people of various cultures and beliefs.

5. Be a guide. I think that being a guide is different from being a dictator. A dictator doesn't want anyone to think on their own two feet. A guide tells what they know to be true based on their own experience of their path, but allows people the freedom to explore as long as they understand how to explore safely. I think it's wise to let our children know if we chose a path that hurt us and caution them about that path. Our children know that we started off on an unhealthy path. We have never hid that from them. In being honest with them, they know the heartaches our past choices caused in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. A wise guide teaches in such a way that a child can grow up in this world and be wise themselves and learn to explore this great life with adventure and enjoy their lives.

There's more I'd like to share, but perhaps another time. Enjoy the day with your children.

Explore life!

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Top Ten Random Week

2011-02-01T22:59:00.000-08:00

Amanda hosts a Top Ten Meme on her blog and I decided to jump in this week. My top ten list will be the things I actually got done this week.

Totally Random Week

1. Uploaded more royalty free photos to my Pix-O-Sphere Gallery to share with my friends. Wanna see a few?

(no, it's not my Harley..but it sure was a good day for a ride.. I bet the guy enjoyed his day)

2. I caught up with commenting on all the blogs of those who commented on my 3 in 30 Goal article.

3. I managed to stir the pot on Facebook with some thought provoking discussions about theology that might get me unfriended. Such is life.

4. I took my daughter to her dental appointment to get her teeth cleaned. Thursday will be the tough day..fillings!

5. I completed some much needed work on Pix-O-Sphere and am waiting to hear from the developers on the new features they'll be rolling out soon.

6. I got caught up with all my email accounts. It's a good thing I use Gmail filters.

7. When I made coffee this morning, I forgot to put the filter cup back in..and stuck the filter and coffee in without it. oiy! But it still brewed my coffee. :P

8. I found some really great memes listed on the Pix-O-Sphere Blog. Now to decide which week I'll be participating in which ones.

9. I voted for some really great faces at the i{heart}faces photo contest..they're letting the readers decide the winner this time.

10. And..the largest project of the week.. I set up the photo contest for photo bloggers at Pix-O-Sphere.. did you know about them yet? They're the newest innovative way to social network in the blogosphere. (8 categories to enter)

Oh Amanda posted about her trip to Blissdom with this Top Ten Meme..and she's sharing pictures!!!

Thanks for stopping by. :)

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David Bruce

2011-01-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

David Bruce is a friend and a brother in the Lord and has a fantastic CD I want to share with you. When I find good music that lifts my soul, I like to share it with friends. David's music is soothing to the soul.

Last night as I was out taking pictures of the thick fog that covered my town, there was an eerie silence that I couldn't explain. When I got home to view the photos and play around with my Virtual Photographer program, I sensed that these photos needed music, not the eerie silence.

Listening to David's music brought the perfect sound into my soul as I look at the foggy park I captured.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to listen to his music and please consider investing in the download for your home.

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Goal Setting

2011-01-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

My friends, Ashley and Meghan are hosting a fun goal setting meme called 3 in 30. You can use their hashtag on Twitter (#3in30) to chat with the other participants and help spread the word about this awesome bloggy support. For February I am setting 3 goals for myself in regards to my home.

1. I am scheduling all our bills, due dates, and doctor appointments both on my computer calendar and my Droid (smartphone). This will help me to not forget, yes my life is that busy that I need this kind of reminding.

2. Every day I am purposing myself to have my desk cleaned off and organized. This is something that seems to fall to the wayside. As a homeschooling mom my desk gets cluttered with Legos, school work, pencils, and much more on a daily basis. I'm setting an alarm on my phone to remind me to do this at a specific time each day.

3. To go for a walk each day. Working at a desk takes it's toll on the hips! So now that the weather is getting nicer, we're headed outdoors each day.

I hope you'll link up to the 3 in 30 Goal Setting fun. Be sure to check out Ashley's SMART Goal Setting Tips.

I now leave you with some pretty photos I have uploaded to share with my Pix-O-Sphere friends.

Come join me over at Pix-O-Sphere, the only family friendly photo community where you can host, share, and sell photos.

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Blizzard Blog Hop

2011-01-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

I wanted to go to Blissdom, but hey there's always next year right? Ann Marie is having a Blizzard Blog Hop and although I'm not snowed in, I'm jumping in on the fun. No snow here, but the fog is dense. It's almsot 10 am here right now in Northern California and it's as thick as pea soup.

I'm Lisa, also known as 'sisterlisa' on the net. I write here on my personal blog as well as some deeper meatier devotions and thought provoking articles of faith over at Soul Liberty Faith. I also happen to be the creator and founder of Pix-O-Sphere.

We're a homeschooling family who lives by faith and enjoy the daily adventures of ministry living.

I enjoy photography, hiking, gathering with family and friends and blogging! I love these meet and greet blog hops. Can't wait to meet you all.

Do you want to join in? The link up is here.

Here's a few photos I'd like to share with you today..

Huntington Beach Summer 2010

Black Eyed Susans

Coffee and Bread with me... hold out your cup and I'll pour you some coffee.

Want photo for your blog articles? I share them here.
You can join free and be added to me as a friend instantly.

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Photo Contest Entries People

2011-01-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

I'm entering the Pix-O-Sphere Photo Contest. They have 7 categories over the month so you may see additional photo posts since I need to post my entries for each category in different posts. I can enter 3 photos per category. Today I am entering the People category with the following 3 photos.

(I technically can't win since I own Pix-O-Sphere, but I posted this as an example and encouragement to you to go get entered!!) The linkys go live Wednesday January 26th 12:00 am PST)

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Photo Contest

2011-01-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

Pix-O-Sphere kicks off their first Monthly Photo Contest tomorrow and we're super excited about it. Here's what it means for THE BLOGGERS... all entries must be hosted at Pix-O-Sphere in the Shared Pix so that you can connect with those photographers and get to network by using their photos on your blogs. Want a larger variety of photos to choose from? Help promo the photo contest and the site! It's family friendly too!

So that's where I've been for the last two weeks, preparing the launch of this contest. I sure hope you'll join the fun. Come read the details that will help you get the most out of the contest. Also read about how using Pix-O-Sphere helps get the word out about your photography business.

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Homeschool Mother's Journal

2011-01-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Sue at The Homeschool Chick is now hosting a weekly Homeschool Mother's Journal.. So fun! I'm late getting in on this one, but here it goes..

In my life this week...

I became busier with Pix-O-Sphere as I'm now planning a photo contest AND the Family Blog Network. But I'm so excited about it.

In our homeschool this week...

Gina is learning about poetry, Timmy continues to do math in his head.. I hope to get him to actually WRITE it down at some point. Monica wants a different Math book :/ They are all working on a new curriculum that builds vocabulary, which they really seem to be enjoying called Dynamic Literacy, which we are using and reviewing soon! They even offered our readers a discount code and I look forward to sharing more about them with you soon.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

This week we will be taking advantage of the sunshine and warmer weather by going for photo walks downtown. There are some old buildings with great architecture that I'd like for them to see and study. Studying architectural designs is fascinating.

My favorite thing this week was...

Seeing Monica get excited about Dynamic Literacy's books for word building.

What's working/not working for us...

Dynamic Literacy is working for us. We have difficulty with Gina (who has Asperger's) in Math so we have incorporated counting money into her day and she seems to learn Math better that way. I wish I could find the Math workbooks I had as a kid in public school. I don't even know what they're called, but they had lots of picture illustrations with money. They seemed to work for me and I wish I could find the exact same ones for her.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

When will my 8 yr old son like to write? He's incredibly smart, but hates writing.

A photo to share...

These Daffodils are from a previous year, but they're about to bloom again EARLY, which I'm not thrilled about, because I think this is a fake early Spring we're having and sometimes the blooms die off too soon.

Come link up with us!

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Don't Silence the Stories

2011-01-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

I decided to take some risks. It's not easy to do when you have no idea what the outcome will be, but that's why this is called faith. When we take steps in a direction where we can't see any place to put our foot, it's faith. When we think we have everything all planned out picture perfect, knowing the outcome will be as prescribed, that is not quite the faith I am aiming to understand. I used to plan things out very well. Every day was planned in specific order. Meeting the precise goals every day. Always the same. But nothing changed. I wasn't growing. I felt like I was going in circles. Oh sure, I can plan my day very well and still think I'm walking in faith that things will work out the way I hope they will. But there's something different about walking by faith with no definite plan.

Did you see Narnia's Prince Caspian movie? Do you recall when Lucy was going to step across the ravine to where she saw Aslan? But her friends and siblings though she was crazy. Aslan guided them back again and right when Lucy stepped towards the cliff, the ground gave way and she landed on a path that she didn't know existed.

So I've taken some steps of faith that some might think sound crazy, but nonetheless I knew I needed to take those steps. I knew it was time to begin blogging some more details about my walkabout with God. The things He has been teaching me during the last two years away from the place we used to attend for worship. I never wanted people to think the things I was writing about were directly happening in that exact church. I even changed my blog URL to avoid conflict. But over the last two years I have come to know many people from various denominations and congregations that my articles will reflect the kind of dilemma's we see happening all over the world. While I'm sure some people might find my other blog and think the articles are all about them, they aren't.

Some things just aren't so easy to write about on blogs. Especially when we use our real names. Most especially when we have ministries and businesses that could be affected by the critics. But what the Lord gives us, we know we need to share. Each journey we take with our Lord is unique to us. How dare we try to silence one another in sharing our testimonies. The things that God first speaks to us, that he asks us to share with our readers. Some issues leave us vulnerable to critics, but we know what God wants us to say. We share by faith.

We aren't cookie cutter Stepford Bloggers who share stories of Christ in a way that everyone will be thrilled about. I can't change that I came out of legalism. If people get miffed at how I describe my journey out of legalism, then that's between them and the Lord. It's not fair for us to try to silence people for telling their stories.

When we each look through a camera lens, we may find ourselves focusing on a different area of the object of our capture. Some see macro while others see landscape. Each type of photography has it's beauty if we look for it. While we can enter photo contests, our lives and testimonies aren't competition for some grand prize. We're all equal, yet unique to the Lord. Let's just all get along and encourage one another as they share their Deeper Story.

Hot Blog posts this week:

In the Back Room by Sarah Mae at InCourage

The Pastor's Affair by Sisterlisa (moi) at Soul Liberty Faith.

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Weekly Link Up

2011-01-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

With all the extra work I have going on at Pix-O-Sphere, I don't want to lose my own personal blogging passion. Even though I am creating the new Family Blog Network at Pix-O-Sphere, I wanted to give you all a chance to get to know one another and in the process share your links.

If you have a family friendly blog and you have something inspirational, crafty, or even a giveaway, feel free to link it in below. I will leave this linky open for 3 days. So link up and have fun! oh! and tell a friend so they can link up.

*Do you ever wonder what you'll do with all your project and food pictures long after you already used them on your blog? Here's an innovative thing to do and it will give you more traffic to your blog as well.

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One Thousand Gifts

2011-01-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

Please take a moment to watch this truly inspiring video from Ann Voskamp.

Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts is now available at Amazon.

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I'm Not a Leper

2011-01-14T22:28:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all of you who took me up on my offer to swap buttons. I have a few spots left if anyone is interested.

I am working on a new Family Blog Networking project through Pix-O-Sphere. I was just so tired of seeing bloggers suffering from not being able to afford to buy ad space on larger blogs. Without getting too detailed about it all and without going overboard on complaining about it I decided to do something about it. I do hope you'll keep an eye out for details about that. I need to finalize some things this weekend and get connected with a few other seriously motivated friends to help launch this fantastic opportunity for you all.

*****

Now onto something more personal.

And I have always tried to be uplifting in all my blogging, but if you've followed me for a while, you have seen me open up more. I'll be brutally honest with you.. I'm not perfect church wife. I'm not plastic Barbie blogger. I live a real life with real heart aches and ranting is inevitable. I will work hard to not complain too much on my blog, but sometimes I really need to just get some things shared on here and get support from my friends. I'm not always going to inspire you..sometimes I might make you angry or annoyed with me..I don't know.. don't we all have our moments?

I have been sharing some things on my Facebook wall over the last two years, working through issues and trauma I suffered when leaving some places in my community. I have chopped through the 'doctrines' I was taught before and found such peace in being able to question things I was formerly not encouraged to question... so now that I have found my freedom in Christ and the freedom to question..why oh why does it still perturb me when so called former friends ignore me in public?

Even when I was in those places before, and other friends left.. when I saw them in public I was thrilled to see them and stop for a chat. But now that I left.. why do the ones I was closest to, go out of their way to ignore me? It sends me into PTSD all over again. I walked down an aisle at the store..and started crying again.. I want to move. Until we can move out of this town, I will only shop when I know they are in church services. It is the only way I can avoid the awkward snubbing and fake grins from across the store as they rush into a crowded aisle to avoid me. I'm not a leper, for crying out loud.

And in all fairness, not everyone from my former ministries do this to me. But the ones I loved most, do. It's painful and awkward. If you're in a church and people leave..please don't put them through this. It's ok if people don't want to keep going to the same church. Let it go and love them. Be happy for them. And if you're a person of prayer, can you hold up my friend Elizabeth? She had a rough day at church recently.

And I think I'll leave you with this to ponder. Christians being killed... can't we all just get along?

Yes, I think I will only shop on days I know they're in church. Such a small town.

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Reaping in the Blogosphere

2011-01-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about this principle that is often taught in various churches and homeschool groups. What goes around, comes around. Karma. It can go either way? Dish out negativity, reap negativity. Shower others with love, reap love. Isn't this how it works? I wonder if anyone else struggles with wondering when you will reap. Is it just me? Is it the flesh in me that wonders...when will I see the reaping of the kindnesses I have shown?

Does reaping come back through those you have sown love and kindness into? Or maybe it comes around in other ways, at other times, and through other people. Maybe we misunderstand this concept and perhaps this is why we become so hurt when those we sowed into, dump on us..or expect large substantial amounts of money when you ask for some help when you need it. Give a little, get a little. Two way street.

I gave freely, now that I need help, you charge me money? Seriously?

Oh boy...sigh*** yep I'm about to rant.

Maybe others think this and are just far more gracious than I am and they never speak up.

How many of us bloggers have fully supported new blog endeavors for our bloggy friends? How many of us hosted buttons on our blogs to help spread the word about new blogs, new businesses, group blogs, online conferences, Ning sites, etc? How many of us? We supported group blogs galore and then when one of us has something great to introduce they ask for money? And a lot of money at that!

$600 a month for a 125x125 ad? Are you kidding me?

$1000 to put a link in a newsletter ONE TIME? Seriously?

Hey there you mega bloggers, don't forget how you got where you are today. Don't forget your readers who promoted you for FREE!

Why has money become such a huge hindrance in the blogosphere?

Doesn't anyone trade anymore?

Swap links to help be supportive?

If you have AT&T who wants to advertise with you, GREAT! Charge $1000 a month. But start up companies who supported YOU when you first got started? Seriously? Did you have $1000 to pay out when YOU started?

And for those wealthy vendors out there..stop cheap skating the bloggers when you can AFFORD to pay $1000 a month.

Forgive me...I'm just being real here.

Anyone else want to join in with me on creating a network to help promote each other's endeavors? We'll reap and sow together.. for free.

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Looking at Blogging in Hind Sight

2011-01-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

With the hard work I have ahead of me with Pix-O-Sphere, I have come to the conclusion that my person blog, The HomeSpun Life will be 'as inspired'. I will keep everyone updated on what's going on in my life and our ministry and even some updates on our homeschooling, but I can't push myself to remain ultra scheduled about it with everything else I have going on.

Don't forget that we have Growing In Grace for Ladies to be able to share their articles and get some introduction to your blog through the nearly 800 readers over there. Any topic!

Today we're undecorating from the holidays, and enjoying the sun beaming through the windows before the next rain comes. This is the time of year we need to bleach the window sills to avoid mold from growing. ewwww. This 2011 year will prayerfully be a full 'year of firsts' for us. We're praying for the first full year of Pix-O-Sphere to be successful, praying for our first real house, and much more!

The last couple of years I have tried so hard to keep up with the blogging Jones's and it wears me out just thinking about trying again. I can't be 'Mrs. Mega Homeschool Fancy Shmancy Blogger'. So I won't try...I'll just be... ME!

So instead of trying to plan all kinds of activities for my blog to draw you here, I am going to go out there among all of you and just enjoy what you're doing. I took a break from my new meme "Through His Lens" over the holidays, but that will be back soon. I really want to get my blog moved over to wordpress before I jump too deep into anything else.

My theme will remain Relational Living and a new decor will come with the move of my blog.

In the mean time, I am stepping out on a limb over at Soul Liberty Faith. In faith, I am going to share with you the details of my walkabout with God from 2010. Some of it will leave your heart pounding, your mind in amazement, and your spirit stirred in ways you may have never though possible. All those questions about our faith that you may have never wanted to ask publicly, will be covered. I don't claim to be an authority on those matters, but I will share what I have learned from theologians all over the world and from various denominations...then you can decide for yourselves. I'll be sharing more about our ministry and how God is guiding us to gather and study with others in homes and churches alike. The bottom line is to find out what we've been aching to know..that many church leaders put on a shelf to avoid division. But God has said so much in the Bible that can't be left on a shelf for long. I hope you'll join me over there for the adventure.

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Goodbye 2010

2010-12-31T15:07:00.000-08:00

2010 had many deep heartaches for my family and for others as well. But as we say goodbye to 2010, let us keep the amazing memories written on the pages of our hearts. Would you be willing to jot down some of your highlights from 2010 and come share them with us?

Here are some of mine:
The Launch of Pix-O-Sphere
The birth of our family ministry, Ministry Living
Our freedom from religion and fresh revelation of Christ in us!
A new blog for resources and healing from spiritual abuse, Spiritual Abuse Awareness.
New design and launch goals for Growing in Grace for Ladies.
Reuniting as a contributor on The Homeschool Post.
Meeting my many friends at The Relevant Conference.
Enjoying the birth of a Spiritual Revolution.

I pray these fabulous memories are just the beginning of some phenomenal movements in 2011. Good bye to the bitter moments of 2010 and lets carry on those specatular triumphs with us into the new year.

Happy New Year Everyone!

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Has Christmas Become an Idol?

2010-12-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's the week of Christmas and all through the home, is the patter of feet from a small city gnome. The ribbon is strewn on the floor without care, I find slippers and wonder if his feet are now bare.

It's windy and dark and really quite cold, I wonder if he'd mind if his slippers were sold?

Maybe I'll keep them for my little boy, though they're not as exciting as a shiny new toy.

Ok yes, I'm just being silly. This has been, bay far, the most relaxing Christmas we have ever had. I do miss some traditions that we didn't partake in this year, but it wasn't because we refused, these things simply weren't here. I see friends all over Facebook talk about huge Christmas events and choirs and our little town didn't have much at all. I think my whole town is somewhat stepping back a bit this Christmas and just taking it easy with their families.

Do I dare say this??? It doesn't even seem like Christmas. We have the tree up, the baked goods being mixed, the house has the aroma of breads and cookies, presents are wrapped, lights are up, but it doesn't seem like Christmas. Maybe all the years before we were just so wrapped up in the outer appearances of Christmas, that maybe we didn't have the down to earth Christmas intact. Has Christmas become an idol to people instead of a season of remembrance of our Lord?

"Christmas cannot be bought. Christmas cannot be created. Christmas cannot be made by hand. Christmas can only be found." -Ann Voskamp

Sure, there are lots of fun and innovative ways to celebrate Christmas and I think they are all lovely traditions. But even church activities can steal the burning light within us as we scurry off to keep up with the church's status quo of the holiday. I'm not saying all these things are bad, but if we aren't careful they can 'become' bad to us as individuals. I am happy that my many friends have their different ways of celebrating the holiday, but here's what I ask.... for those of us who don't keep up with the church's status quo of Christmas, please don't judge us as scrooges.

You can have a tiny Charlie Brown tree or no tree at all. You can have sugar cookies or Oreos, turkey or ham, or just cereal for dinner if you'd like. All the fancy-shmancy things of the holiday is not what makes the holiday for us. It's the sweet fellowship of family and friends who gather together to remember our Lord and why He gave us relationship with one another. He gives us relationship with each other so we can experience Him in one another as we love one another..As you love others, you are loving Him.

One tradition that we did not think we would be able to do this year, was to host a friend for Christmas. For the last several years, God has allowed us to open our doors and invite someone in to celebrate with us. A special someone. Some years we had a few of them. They were people that we knew, who were down on their luck, without a home or a job and no family to be with. It was the one thing we did not have planned..yet. We honestly, weren't sure God would have us to do this again this year..until...just the other day.. a long lost friend who is homeless came back. ((tears))

I am crying tears of joy..not because we get to have this tradition in place again this year..but that Christ has come back to be with us again..through a person who is among the least of these..his brethren..It is one of our brothers..who is one of His brothers..and He lives within him as He lives within us..and we get to serve him and love him this Christmas...in our home. My daughter, who adores this tradition so..said to me.."Now our Christmas is complete".

Christmas is not an idol to us anymore, it's a manifestation of His love for mankind and we get to partake in this fellowship and communion of Christ among one another.

Luke 2:10 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

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Is December Half Over Already?

2010-12-14T17:23:00.000-08:00

So far, my December has been pretty quiet around my home and it's been so wonderful to not be a slave to any organization during the holidays. Working on Pix-O-Sphere has been so much fun and we're anticipating an exciting 2011 over there at that network for photographers and bloggers. I posted a blog about accepting contributors to the Travel-Sphere.Pix-O-Sphere has a special discount that is only available until December 25th so you'll want to swing over there and get upgraded..it comes out to only being $1.50 a month. There's also something special offered for the first ten people who upgrade.

We have also been working on something for the ministry God has placed in our laps and anticipate that 2011 will have a unique outreach for us. There are some things that are still in the works so I am holding back on announcing what that is just yet. But this ministry will be very unique, but so needed in the world today. Have you ever wondered what happens to our wounded soldiers who seem to have been in retreat? They're not really in retreat. More on that coming soon.

It seems to me that every year in December, something happens that causes us to pause and reflect on the gift that has been given to us..life. We never know what the total amount of years anyone has on this beautiful planet and when we see a precious little one depart from us and his loved ones it makes us take a step back and re-evaluate what we're doing with our lives. The relationships we have with people is of such great importance. I have seen people depart from loved ones over such trivial matters. May we embrace our loved ones a bit closer this month and attempt reconciliation with those we have been far from. No attempt at reconciliation is promised to be successful, but just knowing we tried has it's merit in the long run.

My relationship with my Creator has taken on a direction I had not anticipated and the journey with Him over this last year as been quite an adventure. I recently saw Narnia's Voyage of the Dawn Treader and it spoke so loudly to me. God has been nurturing a deeper understanding of who He is to me..in my heart and I will be sharing it over at Soul Liberty Faith in the upcoming months.

I wanted to move my blogs over to Wordpress and I still want to, but for now I will hold off on that so I can enjoy this holiday month with my family. I already have my new design in mind for The HomeSpun Life, but I'm still working on what will be the new Soul Liberty Faith design.

After being away from my former church for over a year, I thought life could just move on but sadly I live in this tiny town still and sometimes flare ups emerge from time to time and it's incredibly painful. God has blessed us with new friends who love us and we don't all necessarily agree upon some interpretations in the Bible, but we have an understanding of Christ indwelling His people and there is where our fellowship is the sweetest..among who we agree upon..our Lord.

I still want to attend Blissdom, but that hangs in the balance for now. However, Pix-O-Sphere is considering sponsoring some bloggers through advertising and perhaps they can help make it possible for others to go. They need a rather large reach for this and I sure would appreciate your prayers for us to invest in the bloggers whose influence would be best for us at this time.

Some days it seems like my sacred calling is just completing the laundry pile and other days He guides me to minister to a wounded believer who has been trampled on by their former church family. There's so much to do in such little time each and every day..but I rest in Christ..knowing that He is the Savior of the world..not me.

Blogging is a fabulous outlet for me and I enjoy it very much, but in the times when I seem silent here..it's because there are area of my life that He is working on to either purify me or to work through me to help another and I need that time to ponder what He is revealing to me.

All of this to say, December has been restful and busy in other ways at the same time.

How is your month going so far?

Are you ready to say goodbye to 2010?

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Homeschool Cults

2010-12-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

There's been an uproar about homeschooling for many years, but due to recent outcries of abuse it tends to draw in a negative audience. Homeschoolers get upset at the negative publicity, but hey..publicity is a good thing. The part that is the worst is when cases of abuse arise and homeschoolers try to cover it up and hide it. Those are the homeschoolers that get the most negative attention.

The problem people have with homeschooling is the same problem they have with religion and many times homeschooling and religion mix. It's not always a good mix. There are plenty of Atheist homeschoolers who don't abuse and there are Christians homeschoolers who don't abuse. The problem is the isolation and the "I'm always right" mentality. The "Us vs. Them" camp is where most of the problems come from.

These particular camps are creating a modern day Berlin wall. "We're better than you.. you're the enemy blah blah blah".

Excuse me, but I never read where Jesus ever said to isolate yourself and think you're better than everyone else. Some families get so caught up in fear that they isolate themselves from the world as if it's full of blood sucking zombies. There have been so many tragedies when camps isolate themselves. If Jesus had stayed in his own little synagogue where would we be today?

I've had long conversations with foster parents who have dealt with social workers in regards to their religion. For the most part, social workers don't care if you're a church going family of faith. What they do care about is the "Us vs. Them" mentality. And I believe they have a good reason for that concern.

I'm not so concerned about getting negative attention about our homeschooling. Here's why.. I don't force my kids into isolation, I don't limit their textbooks to only Christian books, and I don't forbid them from learning world religions. As a matter of fact, we take quite a bit of time studying world religions. I think it's incredibly important for our next generation to have a good working knowledge of what other nations believe, in order to effectively communicate with them.

Our homeschooled kids are going to enter this world as adults someday and how are we preparing them? With fear? To isolate from co-workers who don't go to church? To only befriend people who go to the same denomination as them? It's no wonder church feels like high school.

I cringe at the idea of homeschool circles being like that. I want to be able to gather with other homeschoolers without having to go to their church. I don't want to hear a bunch of condemnation about the status of my womb or my husband's sperm count. I don't want my kids to have to worry about getting snubbed by culotte wearing teens. In a lot of ways, the world is far more accepting of our family than some homeschool and Christian groups.

I can hear the accusations now...

"Don't call homeschoolers cults!"

I'm not. But what I AM saying is there are a lot of homeschoolers who are in cults and the cult mentality is oozing into the homeschool circles and it's quite annoying. If you don't want the word 'cult' associated with 'homeschooling' then don't adopt the legalism that is infecting much of the homeschool market. Push legalism back in it's closet where it belongs.

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Boys in Motion

2010-12-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm having fun with the Boys in Motion link up over at Home With The Boys today. I also shared some photo tips with Erin's readers, so be sure to swing by her photo meme. The tips are how I capture these consecutive shots and this great facial expression on Timmy's face in the last photo.

I also shared a few indoor Christmas photo tips yesterday.

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Christmas Decor Photography

2010-12-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

The leaves have dropped to the cold stone ground, the tree limbs are bare and moist with the dew of the early winter fog. So the beauty is now inside the home and I'm sharing photos of my Christmas over at Pix-O-Sphere. I added some for sale, but most of them are shared so you can enjoy them for your own blogs. Here are just a few of my favorites.. (including my new header photo)

I'll be sharing more in the upcoming days. But in the mean time here are some tips for getting indoor shots in low lighting.

Flash: I don't use my flash. The reason why is because it creates hard shadows.
Tungsten: I set my camera to the Tungsten setting. Different cameras will have varying settings under this. In my camera I'm able to set it as -3 for less yellowing in my photos.

Exposure: I increase my exposure to just between 1 and 2 depending on how dark the area of my home is.
Hold Still: I brace my elbows against my side and lean against a wall or furniture to keep my body as still as possible. If you have a tri-pod I recommend you use that.
Macro: I set my camera to the macro setting (usually indicating by a tulip icon)

It usually takes me a few shots and adjusting of my settings to get it just right, but then I have it set and snap away! Be sure to reset your settings when you're done with your session. This will set your camera back to auto.

Have you taken any photos of your holiday decor yet?

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Black Friday Weekend Winners

2010-11-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

3 Wallflowers room fragrance plug ins: (value $12.50) {3 winners}
-Winter    ThriftyUrbanMom
-Creamy Nutmeg Burgmissy
-Kitchen Spice   SJisbeachbabe

Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Spray and; Lipgloss (value $12.00)
Three of these sets will be given away. {3 winners}
KairaButler

MidClassMama
97HockeyMom

Reindeer Anti-Bac gel set w/ Holder (value $5.00)
SIDAC

Cupcake Anti-Bac gel set w/ holder (Value $5.00)
CayonGirl789

Fresh Lemon HandiBac Anti-bacterial spray and Tote Bag (stocking stuffer) (value $6.50)
PurpleLover04

Sea Island Cotton HandiBac Anti-bacterial spray and Tote Bag (stocking stuffer) (value $6.50)
followmyjourney

White Citrus Body set (3 products) (Value $15.00)
CCBooBooy
3- 3 wick candles scents: {3 winners} (Value $19.95 each)

-Autumn   BrandyCormier
-Cranberry Woods   Tzdelar
-Winter Candy Apple MomsWithBlogs

The following also participated and I am offering you the opportunity to select 2 of my Ebooks and I will send them to you via email:

cindytrumbly
Momma_Talks
LiveLoveMom
Nickle714
somegirltweets
MoMo064
ElizabethEsther

Deception Behind the Candy Coat: An Ebook to expose the deception behind popular 'religious' key phrases that snare ladies of faith into a works based relationship with God.

Matthew 18 The Heart of Reconciliation: This Ebook shows how Matthew 18 is missused in churches today and how to effectively apply Matthew 18 to restore relationships.

Seasons of Friendship: Designed for young ladies, but beneficial to moms as well. I share from my own experiences with friendships and how we can get through the heartaches of when friends move on into different seasons of life.

Please email me your shipping info to lisa422{at}gmail.com
If you are requesting 2 of my Ebooks, email me with the titles you would like.

You have 48 hours to contact me or I select another winner.

Thank you to Pix-O-Sphere for this giveaway event.

All prizes will be shipped in the same day so it is imperative that you contact me before 2pm Thursday (PST)

And you can always join Pix-O-Sphere for free, add me as a friend, and have access to all of my Shared Photos for your blogs.

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10 Places to Find Fun Freebies for Your Blog

2010-11-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Guest Author: Tanya from Blogelina.com

This post is a stop along Tanya Peterson’s Blog Tour 2010. Tanya is the blogger behind Blogelina, where she writes about blogging your way to success. Be sure to check out all the other stops along the tour and enter to win $100 to use in improving your own blog!

10 Fun Freebies for Your Blog

I absolutely love blogging! Which is why I blog… about blogging! There are so many fun and different things you can do with and through your blog – the only thing standing in your way are the ideas and means to go through with them. I’ve put together a list of fun, free things you can do with your blog, add to your blog, or participate in because of your blog.

Check out the list and let us know your favorites – or, if you know of a freebies, I missed, please add it in the comments below! Some of these things will be for Blogger users only and others will be for Wordpress users only. Be sure to look through the list and find the freebies that will work for your blog.

Social Icons – There are actually quite a few free social media icon sets available online. Simply do a Google search for “free social icons” and you’ll get hundreds of results. Some of my personal favorites are: Vintage set, the fun Latte Art Set in this list, and this Heart social icon set.

Blogger Backgrounds – For a list of dozens of cute backgrounds for your blogspot blog, be sure to check out Shabby Blogs. Don’t let the name fool you – these designs are anything but shabby! And, because they’re all free, you can change out your background as often as you like!

Themes for Both Blogger and Wordpress – This site – Gisele Jaquenod - provides free templates for both the Blogger and Wordpress platforms. Her designs are cute and whimsical and provide a great way to add that personal touch to your blog.

Wordpress Themes – The Cutest Blog on the Block has a list of several different free themes that you can use on your Wordpress blog. Be sure to click over to “page 2” of all the templates – some of my personal favorites are listed on the second page.

Buttons and Blinkies – I absolutely love April Shower’s work. She has such a great eye for design – and she’s giving away some really fun decorations for your blog! Head over to April’s blog and scroll through the list of fun buttons to find one for your blog. She even has easy-to-follow directions for how to add them to your blog.

Make Your Own Buttons for FREE – This tutorial shows you how to make your very own blog buttons for free using picnik.com.

Blogger Widgets – Blogger Gadgets is a great resource for finding fun widgets and gadgets to add to your Blogspot blog. You’ll find everything from an Amazon Deal of the Day Widget for your sidebar to some fun clock designs – you’re sure to find something that will strike your fancy.

Wordpress Plugins – If you host your blog with Wordpress, here is a list of 50+ Ultimate Useful Free Wordpress Plugins & Widgets.

Improving your blog… and having fun in the meantime… doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little research and a little creativity, you can give your blog the unique look that you want it to have.

~Tanya

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Cold Weather Wreaks Havoc on Family in the West

2010-11-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

With this drastically cold weather upon us, my husband began experiencing some intense ongoing pain in his arms and hands. He finally broke down and went to the doctor this weekend. It turns out that the many years of painting has had it's effect on him and he is now suffering arthritis. The medication causes him to be wide awake. And guess who stayed awake to keep him company? It's strange how older movies make overtired old people laugh so much.

We didn't fall asleep til around 3 am then abruptly wake up wide awake at 7:30 am. ((yawn)) Then to remember a friend was needing us to pick him at the airport 2 hours away. The day was long, but I got to fellowship with my daughter, Jessica, and it was wonderful. As soon as I got home, I had another meeting to go to and now I'm home, exhausted, and remembering that I still have yet to announce the winners to the Black Friday Giveaway Series.

I have all the names in order as they appeared in the twitter stream, I am double checking the additional entries over at Pix-O-Sphere, and I will have a video for tomorrow for the picking of the names.

I experimented with the Google Friend Connect Newsletter option and am wondering if anyone got it..if you did, would you let me know? I want to be sure it's working. If you're not sure you're subscribed to the newsletter, go ahead and sign in over there on the right.

I'll be sending out a free Ebook soon. ;)

Wanna see what I had for breakfast on Sunday?

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Legalism Almost Killed Our Christmas

2010-11-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

Over the last few years we had struggled with the legalism of abstaining from Christmas while so many people we knew at the time were being insistent that celebrating Christmas was pagan and false worship. We never worshiped our Christmas tree nor did we push Santa as a reality on our children. Then there was Toys for Tots. There was no way we could fully abstain from Christmas and run the local Toys for Tots campaign. I'll never forget the video that inspired me to get involved with the holiday charity hosted by the Marines.

It wasn't the presents that gave my kids hope, it was the Spirit of Giving that gives my kids hope..hope that there are hearts who still give. The kind of 'give' that comes from deep within the heart, Christ. The One who gives us so much more than pretty wrapped presents.

There's a splendor and awe that kids have when they get to decorate the tree and my children have always had their hearts set on trimming the tree. It was never about paganism to them. It was about time spent with family. We have a tradition about decorating the tree together. I make hot cocoa with marshmallows and we put on the fun Christmas music.

Then we watch a Christmas movie together under warm blankets, snuggled together on the couch. It's that time interacting with family and participating in traditions together that builds memories, writing them on the pages of their hearts.

When we raise our children with the emphasis on Christ and family, then traditions set forth by that family are founded on love and wrapped up in fellowship. Many families have adopted traditions created by other families of yesteryear and some families create their own traditions. Grace is knowing we can celebrate family traditions founded on love while not worrying about how others of the past may have had the opposite focus. Forgiveness lavished with grace erases the memories of what previous people did on the same days and gives us mercy as we seek to walk forward in Christ with our families.

Legalism almost killed our Christmas. It also hinders the Spirit that embraces us as we decorate together, bake together, and commune with one another over hot cocoa topped with marshmallows. I know what the origins of December 25th are. I also know what the origins of the days of the month are too (and I still use a calendar). I don't worship pagan gods, attend a pagan basilica, or eat raw meat from strangled animals. There's no need to attempt to sway people into thinking they are doing something as horrid as that. Yet, even if they were, they would be considered the modern day heathens who Christ died to save. Because of the knowledge of Christ, we can celebrate our traditions with our families and not worry about the condemnation that legalism spreads.

There is no condemnation to those in Christ or in Christmas.

Don't forget to pick up a gift for a gift giving agency in your area. Make a child's Christmas something to remember. :)

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Black Friday Giveaway

2010-11-25T20:37:00.000-08:00

Black Friday Shopping can get pretty crazy sometimes and many of you are staying home where it's warm and quiet, while my family is braving the crowds...for the 9th year in a row. While I'm out among the zany mobs, you might find me tweeting about those nuts who get up at dark-thirty in the morning to stand in long lines wrapped around the buildings. I'll be reporting through Twitterville about every whacked out shopper I see. um ya..reporting..that's my ~~excuse~~ reason for being out there with them. It's just a fun way to work off all the calories we consumed at our Thanksgiving Feast.

But I do have something fun for all of you... giveaways valued at $184 and 14 people will win!

You don't need stand in long lines.
You can stay in your jammies and enjoy your warm home.

Here's what we're giving away... (with MUCH thanks to Pix-O-Sphere for sponsoring this giveaway)

3 Wallflowers room fragrance plug ins: (value $12.50) {3 winners}
-Winter
-Creamy Nutmeg
-Kitchen Spice

Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Spray and; Lipgloss (value $12.00)
Three of these sets will be given away. {3 winners}

Reindeer Anti-Bac gel set w/ Holder (value $5.00)

Cupcake Anti-Bac gel set w/ holder (Value $5.00)

Fresh Lemon HandiBac Anti-bacterial spray and Tote Bag (stocking stuffer) (value $6.50)

Sea Island Cotton HandiBac Anti-bacterial spray and Tote Bag (stocking stuffer) (value $6.50)

White Citrus Body set (3 products) (Value $15.00)

3- 3 wick candles scents: {3 winners} (Value $19.95 each)

-Autumn
-Cranberry Woods
-Winter Candy Apple

To enter...tweet this text: (Mandatory)

14 will win! #giveaways at @thehomespunlife http://ow.ly/3fFbw sponsored by @pixosphere #FamilyHolidays #photosharing #BlackFriday

Optional additional entries:

1- Join Pix-O-Sphere (It's Free) comment below with your Pix-O-Sphere profile URL
2- Additional point: (add your profile photo to your account)
3- Upload a minimum 5 great photos to 'Share' with 'friends' on Pix-O-Sphere (1 point for each photo)

This will run all weekend ending at 9pm (PST) Sunday night. All Winners from this entire giveaway series will be announced on Monday.

You can enter up to 3 times per day (1st time your original tweet 2nd and 3rd time via RT's of others who tweet too)

Thank you to Pix-O-Sphere for sponsoring this giveaway. Please consider them for your photo hosting, sharing, and stock photos. It's family friendly and you can do it all in one site. Check out their video that shows how easy it is to use.

*Disclaimer: Bath and Body Works did not compensate me or Pix-O-Sphere for this giveaway, nor did they provide the products. I just happen to REALLY like their stuff and thought you would too. They probably don't even know my blog exists.

Products all provided for by my husband and I, owners of Pix-O-Sphere.

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Mandarin Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-25T17:14:00.000-08:00

This recipe is very simple and delicious. It was quite a hit at our Thanksgiving Feast.

Ingredients:

2 bags fresh cranberries (rinsed and drained)
8 small Mandarin oranges (fresh)
2 cups white sugar
2 cups water

Directions:

Wash Mandarin oranges, then slice into quarters. Peel off the rind, reserving one whole Mandarin rind for later. Break apart the Mandarins individually and place in a bowl in the refrigerator to chill.

Cut Mandarin rind into thin julienne strips. Place Mandarin rind strips, cranberries, 2 cups of water, and 2 cups of sugar into a pan to boil over medium high heat. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to a low boil and continue to stir to avoid sticking to pan. Cook until the mixture resembles jelly.

Mix in the chilled Mandarin slices and refrigerate again for 1 hour to chill.

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Randomness of a Tired and Busy Mom

2010-11-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

I have decided to publish the remainder of the giveaways in our giveaway series this coming Black Shopping Weekend. So keep your eye out for that post to publish on Thanksgiving night at midnight. The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday.

There are a few hints I'm going to leak out in this post, but I can't reveal it all just yet. I will make further announcements about these hints in the upcoming days. (I sure hope you're subscribed so you don't miss it)

Pix-O-Sphere has a few new updates and some big updates in the way that will make the site even better. They even have a very special limited time offer coming soon.

I also want to take a minute to let you know about a project I worked on for a few years that hasn't been heard from in a while. Because of the changes that have taken place in our lives over the last year, that project fell to the way side. We had too many spinning plates and had to downsize our schedule and get our lives back on track with what is important first, family. God put us on a different path in ministry and it took all our extra effort to get those ducks in a row. Then, of course, there was the creation of Pix-O-Sphere that became a full time job for us.

The project I am speaking of was a girls magazine that quickly became a ladies magazine. The mothers were so impressed with the site that they were subscribing for themselves too. Well, those years of homeschool girls are grown and on their own paths with God now, leaving the site as contributors. They did an awesome job and their writing was worthy of our Lord and the site has been built up to just over 800 email subscribers and a few hundred more in various other blog readers and such. The site has a Twitter account and Facebook page where we promote the articles being posted.

I say all that to tell you this....the site is undergoing a renovation of sorts. We used to run it as a magazine, but have now switched to only the blog format.

We want to open up this window of opportunity for all women of faith to contribute articles no matter what their niche is. It could be recipes, crafts, homeschool, decorating, parenting, etc. So long as these women of faith 'blog with grace'. This is a great tool that can be utilized by the faith-ful blogosphere to get their work out to various ladies all over the world and help bring new friends back to your own blog as well as the others who will be contributing.

There is no schedule commitment required to blog with us at Growing in Grace. Simply send in your submissions as often as you'd like. Keep an eye out at the blog for more details and I'll share more on this after the Black Friday Shopping Weekend. We are helping a local gift giving program with their shopping and will be away from the computer on Black Friday. But I'll be tweeting about anything comical or bizarre while we're out. ;O)

OH! And don't forget to swing by the HSBAPost for the updates about the winners of the homeschool blog awards. They even have the nominations still listed, in case you didn't get a chance to click through those fabulous blogs. Have fun and congratulations to all who won and those who were nominated.

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Black Friday Shopping Tips

2010-11-22T13:41:00.000-08:00

I spent the last three holiday seasons as the local Toys for Tots Coordinator and I learned a lot about being a savvy Black Friday Shopper. I recently turned over the local campaign to another lady who I know will do a fabulous job with it.

My husband and I have also assisted another local toy giveaway program with their Black Friday shopping for 8 years! Yep, we have learned a lot about how to make it as simple as possible.

I figured it might be of help to someone else out there who braves the mobs on the day after Thanksgiving. So here it goes my friends...

Double check with your bank to be sure you don't have a shopping limit for one purchase. Some banks block large purchases. Some require that you call from a cell phone at the register to get a clearance on your account. If you have a bank that has this set up, you might want to consider buying a prepaid Visa card. Or you can go to the store a few days before and get gift cards to use for your purchases. If you take cash, be very careful, because pick-pocketers still do their 'work'.

Keep an eye on the Black Friday Ads website. You'll find just about every major store's Black Friday Ads listed there. This gives you a headstart on your shopping plan since the printed ads don't come out until Wednesday. You can now subscribe via email and get minute to minute updates. Some stores offer the same BF deals when you shop online. So you might be able to get some of your purchases out of the way from the safety of your own home.

Speaking of the printed ads, be sure to get them early. Those newspapers practically fly out of the newspaper bins. You'll want these to refer to while you're shopping. If you plan to shop as a group, which I HIGHLY recommend, then be sure to buy extra copies of the paper. You'll want each member of your shopping team to have their own copy.

Build a shopping team of family and friends. Just as I previously stated, be sure each member has a copy of the ads. Each mom may want to have a teen assistant with you.

Plan your shopping trip on another night before Thanksgiving where you all meet together to plan out your shopping strategy. This involves making your own family's shopping list, then carefully comparing each team member's lists to see which item you all want. For example: If all the women want the same toy for their child, mark that down as a multiple.

Each team member should have a list of the items with the page number that the item appears on in the ad. Allowing one team member have multiple items will assist the other moms. No need for all the moms to rush to one shelf in the store. ONE mom can pick up the multiple items while another mom gets the multiple items on her list on the other side of the store.

Every team member must have a cell phone, FULLY charged, for communication. This includes teen team members. You'll carry the phone in your POCKET, not your purse. You may never hear it ring otherwise. Set your phone to the loudest ring and vibrate.

Create a schedule of store hours so you can plan which stores your team will be going to first.

Some stores have freebie deals for early bird shoppers, but you'll want to carefully consider which one is worth going for. If one store is offering a snow globe, but there isn't anything you want in their store, you may not find it worth your time if you miss out on a limited sale item at another store during the same opening hours. OR if the stores are close enough together, send your teenagers to get the free gift.

Avoid taking small children with you. Find a babysitter who can spend the night so you can leave early. We have a rule at our house that NO ONE watches Christmas movies UNTIL Black Friday. This will keep your kiddos entertained while you're shopping. Have some pre-made cookie dough there for the babysitter. Let her make cookies and cocoa.

Take some snack bags with you so your blood sugar level doesn't drop. Moodiness bursts out when you're hungry and in a crowded store. Perhaps pack some snack bags with almonds, raisins and chocolate chips. Take Tylenol capsules, you may end up getting a headache. ;O) Also pack a small bottle of water in your purse.

If you think you'll need additional energy, many Starbucks stores DO open before the stores do. BUT they WILL be just as crowded as the stores are. Consider packing a thermos of hot coffee for the car.

Dress warm and in layers. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Get to the first store on your list at LEAST an hour early. (This is why you need to dress warm)

The stores get very warm rather quickly, this is why you should dress in layers.

If you live in a snowy or chilly neighborhood get the glove warmers that stores like CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart has. Simply slip them into your gloves to keep your hands warm while waiting for the store to open.

When you get to the store EARLY make sure every mom gets a cart. You each need your own and if your list for that store is long you may want 2 carts per team member (If the store allows). You don't want to neglect getting the carts and end up with NOTHING to hold your items when you get in.

BUCKLE your ZIPPED purse into the cart. Make sure your wallet is DEEP in your purse.

Be courteous to other shoppers. There WILL be mad and crazy shoppers. Just get out of their way. No need to get a black eye over a Tickle Me Elmo doll.

When all the team members are done filling their carts, get in line together. The lines will be long enough to give you time to now separate the multiple items for each mom to purchase out of her own cart.

If you find yourself having an anxiety attack, step back out of the walkway, have your assisting team member watch the cart, close your eyes and breathe.

Some stores are opening at midnight on Thanksgiving. You might want to take a nap after the kitchen is cleaned up after your feast.

Be kind and complimentary to the checker and other store employees. If you only knew what they put up with on Black Friday (eye roll). Thank them for working on Black Friday. Let them know they're appreciated. If it wasn't for them you wouldn't be getting these deals.

When it's all over, go out for breakfast and drink plenty of water. When you get home you'll probably want another nap and you don't want to wake up starving and dehydrated.

Do you have any Black Friday Shopping tips that I didn't mention? Comment below.

And if anything wacky happens, I hope you'll blog about it and let me know of your experiences.

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Through His Lens

2010-11-20T20:36:00.000-08:00

Today's "Through His Lens" blog post is about seeing Through His Lens at family and how he led me to see how He was using a special member of my family as a tool to increase my faith.

This past summer was the first time we allowed our children to play outside unsupervised. There were plenty of other kids and parents taking turns being outside and we always left the windows open to keep an ear out for them. It was really nice to be able to do this for the first time in our parenting lives.

One day my two youngest came inside and said the new girl across the street never comes to join them. I peeked outside to see a down syndrome girl. Neither one of my two children noticed anything different except that she didn't play with them. I encouraged my children to invite her to play and she just might. She declined the invitation a few times, but my children kept asking every few days. Finally, one day she accepted their invitation. It was such a pleasure to see the other children playing with her.

I tried to explain to my little ones that this little girl is what many call 'special needs', but they didn't see how she was any different than them. I just encouraged them to show her more grace and be more patient with her than with any of the other children. They shrugged their shoulders, "okay, Mom." Then off they went to play some more.

Then one day as we were in the store on a very crowded Saturday, I began having an anxiety attack. People were bumping one another with shopping carts and I found myself not able to breathe well. I had to take a step back and close my eyes. I asked my daughter, Jessica to let me know when the aisle was clear. I breathed in slowly and deeply, with slow exhaling. I had to visualize my heart beat calming down and get myself focused before opening my eyes again. Maybe I'm 'special needs' too. Maybe we all are, in one way or another. We all have weaknesses that require extra patience and grace.

My Mom-in-Love commented to me one day about one of my own children being somewhat different. I had noticed the same things she brought to my attention, yet neither one of us could put our fingers on it. I continued to observe how she learned and interacted with other kids her age. I could tell that they sensed something as well, but they were polite and never said a word about it.

The last time my Mom-In-Love came through town, her and Dad-in-Love sat down with my husband and I to talk about it again. We knew it was time that we become aggressive with our research and really nail it down for all our sakes, but most importantly for her. I contacted a fellow blogger in confidence and described what we were noticing and she suggested I look up this one thing in particular.

As I sat here at my computer reading, I could feel the anxiety rushing over me. With each paragraph I read my heart beat faster and faster. My eyes began filling with tears and then I finally burst into sobs. Although these sobs were not sadness, but relief. I was relieved to discover what was different about our daughter. Every memory I had of her, as far back as kindergarten, began to make sense. The pieces were falling into place perfectly. She has Asperger's.

I carefully sought out other bloggers that I had heard had children with this same need. I read their blog articles about their experiences and it all made sense now. We furthered our research and finally discussed our discoveries with the In-Loves and my own parents. As I described this to them I could see the light go on in their minds too. They had the same reaction we had. It was all making perfect sense now. Only now we knew we needed to explain this to our daughter, but we wanted to be sensitive to her feelings and not cause any burden on her mind and heart. God gave us the perfect words. She received what we had to say, but I'm not quite sure just how much she's actually understanding the depths of this. Nonetheless, she now knows and we can begin our walk together as a family in support of the additional things we can do to help her succeed in life.

I think the toughest part is going to be the reaction some may give as this begins to become discussed. Maybe that's the hardest part for many parents, to accept and admit their child has a special need. But until we do, we limit ourselves and our children from getting the resources we need to support and assist the child, and one another. Maybe it's difficult to discuss because we fear the reaction we'll get. The comments that people who are uneducated about the needs, who try to insist they know what your child needs. Until you have either worked in a particular 'special needs' field or have a special needs child, you really have no place to give a 'know it all' comment or advice to the parent. Just offer a hug and let them know you're there for them if they need you. Then go online and start reading up on that particular need and be the friend your friend needs you to be.

In all of this I sought the Lord..."How can I see this through your lens? "He gently whispered into my heart, "Grace". Our daughter's special need is a tool to teach our whole family patience and grace. And so here we are, humbly receiving this journey from God as a gift, not a burden.

Do you have a special needs child?
Can you link me to any articles you have written abut your experiences?
If you've had difficulty with talking about this with others, what made it hard?

Have you written about how God has challenged you to see Through His Lens? I do hope you'll link up with me. I'd love to read what He has shown you. To read about this meme, go here.

The linky will be open until Tuesday, Nov 23rd.

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Winner of Starbucks Gift Card

2010-11-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

Announcing the winner of the $25 Starbucks Gift Card!

Special thanks to Pix-O-Sphere for offering up this gift card.

Be sure to take a moment to check out my sponsor and the service they provide for the blogosphere for photo hosting, sharing, and selling.

Out of 32 entries (including RT's for additional entries)you can see the tweets below(click to enlarge)

And using the Random generator the winner is...

Twitter handle @followmyjourney Christin!!!

Christin, email me your info so I can send you your prize.
lisa422 {at} gmail.com

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Balancing the Holiday Traditions

2010-11-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

There are so many creative traditions out there for November and December holidays, but man is it ever overwhelming sometimes! The thought of Christmas no longer excites me. It sends me into a world of panic and I want to cover my ears and scream. I see all those sparkly new ornaments and festive lights to decorate my house with. All the gift wrap, bows, planning, and cooking over the years has left me ready to quit Christmas for a long time. It's just too much for me. But I have children and a husband who are huge Christmas fans.

I am thankful that Jessica likes to hang the lights and decorate the tree. I quit doing those two activities two years ago. I almost quit wrapping gifts. Well, I practically did since I mostly use gift bags.

I know...I know... but the thought of this coming holiday season has me totally overwhelmed just thinking about it. I guess that's why I'm walking through November as slowly as possible. Just trying to enjoy the Autumn paintings God as created with His fantastic brush stroke each day. Thanksgiving is just one week away and I haven't even shopped for our feast yet.

There are so many thoughtful traditions to celebrate with, but we can't possibly do all of them.

I'm thinking that I may narrow down our holidays this year to be the simplest ever. I'm going to have to. I just can't keep up with it all anymore.

Which traditions does your family celebrate for Thanksgiving and Christmas (or whatever your chosen winter holiday is)?

Are there traditions you have taken a break from?

Any new traditions that you didn't grow up with?
How do you balance it all?

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Photo Sharing and a Giveaway

2010-11-18T09:52:00.000-08:00

{Giveaway Sponsored by Pix-O-Sphere}

Fresh Market Apple HandiBac Lotion w/ a 20% off coupon (value $4) + the percentage you save on your next purchase of $50 or more. (coupon dates Dec 14-24, 2010)

Sweet Pea HandiBac Lotion w/ a 20% off coupon (value $4) + the percentage you save on your next purchase of $50 or more. (coupon dates Dec 14-24, 2010)

AutumnScent portable fragrance for your car value $5 plus $10 off your next purchase of $30 or more (coupon expires Dec 24, 2010.)

Vanilla Bean Noelle and Winter Candy Apple Foam hand soap (value $10.00)
Two sets will be given away. {2 winners}

Today I am giving away these fantastic scented gifts, sponsored by Pix-O-Sphere.

We created Pix-O-Sphere for the family friendly blogosphere with a twist on photo sharing for photographers and bloggers. The site is designed as a network to connect photographers and bloggers.

When a photographer uploads both Shared Pix and Selling Pix, they can benefit from having their photos marketed for them. Here's how...When a blogger needs a photo for an article, they can select from the Shared Pix that are offered. Connect as a friend with a photographer you like and have access to use their Shared Pix for your blog.

The photographer's photo credit remains with the photo. This helps ease the minds of the photographers that their work won't go without credit.

In addition to this, having their photo appear on the blog is like handing out a sample of their work, with a link back to find the photographer's info. Just click on the photo below to see the photo credit. And you can add your own watermark prior to uploading Shared Pix.

You can join Pix-O-Sphere for free! Advanced Membership $22.95 yearly for unlimited hosting and photo sharing. PLUS our social media team helps market your photos for you on various social media networks. We're brand new and still in beta, but are adding new features along the way. It's a new twist on photo sharing and selling stock photos. OH! and it's family friendly!

(subscribers click through to get entire tweet w/ link),
To enter for the prizes above please Tweet this message: (Mandatory)

#Giveaway @thehomespunlife value $35+ savings 5 will win. http://ow.ly/3c1Sw #FamilyHolidays Thanks @pixosphere RT for Xtra entries.

And answer this question in the comment section below.
If you could combine the best of features from other photo sites you've been to, what would those features be?

Deadline to enter this giveaway is Sunday, November 21st.

Extra entries (optional)
If you see someone else's tweet on any of these giveaways you can RT for an extra chance of winning. Just check the hashtag #FamilyHolidays each day.

You can enter to win these prizes as well:
3 wick Bath and Body Candle (value $19.95)
$25 Starbucks gift card
Hand lotions Bath and Body Works

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Blissdom Trip Giveaway

2010-11-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

I don't normally blog about a giveaway unless I am personally hosting the giveaway OR the giveaway prize is so well worth me telling you about..so that YOU can enter as well..and I think many of you would want to know about this fantastic opportunity to have your Blissdom trip provided for you!

The One2One Network is giving away 3 prizes to 3 special ladies to win ...theeeeeeeeese fabulous priiiiiiizes...(I'm doing the Vanna White motion with my arms..can you see me? ) ;O)

The PRIZES:

{Behind curtain number one}

GRAND Prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops), 3 nights at the Opryland Hotel, AND airfare/travel to the conference (up to $500)!!! A $1500 value!

{Behind curtain number two}

FIRST Prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops), 2 nights at the Opryland Hotel!! An $800 value!

{Behind curtain number three}

SECOND Prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops) A $500 value!

To be ELIGIBLE to enter: Click here for details.

{Here is why I REALLY REALLY want to go to Blissdom}

1. I was a contributing writer for Blissfully Domestic for a while before we got busy creating Pix-O-Sphere and I would love to re-connect with their team.

2. Being the CEO and Founder of Pix-O-Sphere has put me in full time social media to promote our Family Friendly Photo Community and I want to increase my knowledge and the speakers and other bloggers going to Blissdom will be teaching the kind of knowledge I need to help make Pix-O-Sphere and the blog better for all of you.

3. To connect with fellow bloggers that didn't make it to Relevant.

4. I live in California and the trip to Nashville is one that is extremely difficult for my family at this time and winning this prize would be such a huge blessing to me.

5. And last but not least, if one of YOU win one of these three prizes, and I win one of these prizes, then we can MEET each other in person!

So please go sign up too, okay?

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Sweet Shot

2010-11-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

{Giveaway In This Post}

I am combining a giveaway with Sweet Shot Tuesday as a special treat today, as well as introducing Darcy's blog to those who will come through from the Twitter stream for this giveaway series.

Darcy is the blog owner of My3Boybarians and she hosts the Sweet Shot Tuesday Photo Meme. She has also written a blog series to increase our photography skills that I recommend. '31 Days to a Better Photo' Darcy also has a category for Photoshop Tutorials and designs blogs through her blog design business, Graphically Designing.

Today's giveaway is under my contribution to today's Sweet Shot Tuesday:

Special thank you to Pix-O-Sphere for sponsoring this giveaway series. Pix-O-Sphere is a Family Friendly Photo Community for hosting, sharing, and selling photos. You can watch their tutorial video about how easy photo sharing in their network here. I host my photos there and share hundreds of them with those who add me as a friend.

Today I'm giving away these items.. I will pick two winners and prize will be at random.

(Directions below)

Cucumber Melon HandiBac Lotion w/ a $10 off coupon (value $4) + the money you save on your next purchase of $30 or more. (coupon dates Nov 8-Dec 12, 2010)

Warm Vanilla Sugar HandiBac Lotion w/ a $10 off coupon (value $4) + the money you save on your next purchase of $30 or more. (coupon dates Nov 8-Dec 12, 2010)

You can enter as often as Twitter will allow you to Tweet and ReTweet the following message:

2 #Giveaways (value $28) BathandBody http://ow.ly/3aM0Z @thehomespunlife Thank you @pixosphere ! RT to enter

Deadline for this lotion giveaway is Saturday, November 20th 8am PST

You can still enter for
the $25 Starbucks giveaway (deadline Friday, November 19th 8am PST)
the $19.95 3 wick candle giveaway (deadline November 24th midnight PST) Winner to be Announced on Thanksgiving morning)

*Disclaimer: Bath and Body Works have not compensated us for promoting their products nor are they involved with this giveaway series in any way. I just happen to really love their products.
{However, should they happen upon this I would be most willing to discuss partnering with them should they so desire.} ;O) I love promoting products and companies I already enjoy.

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Turkey Day Countdown

2010-11-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

$25 Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway in this post..keep reading!

Thanksgiving is just less than 2 weeks away and the buzz around the blogosphere is......Christmas cards. What? We haven't had Thanksgiving yet..please don't rush me! I'm making my own cards this year, as I have for the past several years. I have my idea ready, just need a day to have our photo shoot and I'll probably use Thanksgiving weekend to create them, upload them to Walmart's photo service and have them printed in one hour for pick up. So.... let's get back to Thanksgiving, shall we?

We have just two weeks left. Do you have your Thanksgiving planned out yet? Here are some things you may not have thought about, but don't get overwhelmed by all of these.

Table favors: Place cards, favors with candies, etc. I personally don't think these are a must, but sure are fun if you're entertaining guests. If it's just your immediate family, it might be fun for your family if you created them without them knowing as a surprise. OR you can order mini craft sets from Oriental Trading Company and let your children make them as their contribution. (While you're there you may want to go ahead and order for Christmas and save on shipping)

Dishes: Don't be shy about making Thanksgiving easy. I have used Chinette paper plates and napkins before. What a relief it was! Less dishes to worry about after your feast.

Centerpiece: You can create a simple centerpiece with leaves and acorns from your own neighborhood. I recommend you do this the day before so the leaves stay somewhat fresh for Thanksgiving Day. Add a simple scented candle for ambiance.

Sale Ads: Most supermarket sale ads come out on Wednesdays and you can view them online if you're mail comes later in the afternoon. Once you find a price you like, head over to some Frugal Mom blogs to see if they have coupons for any of those items. Double check all expiration dates.

I'll be sharing more as the countdown continues, but in the mean time, how about a giveaway?

$25 Starbucks Gift Card

How can I enter?

Comment telling me how you like your coffee to enter giveaways at my blog. (optional)
Tweet this following text: (Mandatory)

Enter for a $25 Starbucks GC #giveaway http://ow.ly/39Hd3 #FamilyHolidays @thehomespunlife, I did! Thanks @pixosphere !

**IMPORTANT NOTE: For every time you ReTweet ANY other blogger's Tweet for this giveaway, you get entered another time.

More giveaways to come in the upcoming days..are you subscribed yet?

This giveaway series is sponsored by Pix-O-Sphere. The Family Friendly Photo Community for Photo hosting, sharing and selling. Join Free.(Basic Membership) or you can upgrade to Advanced Membership.

Disclaimer: I was not compensated by Starbucks nor are they affiliated with this post or my blog.

Deadline to enter is Friday, November 19th 8am PST

And you can still enter for the CANDLE giveaway here!!

Find out about the 22 giveaways here. (value $250)

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HomeSpun Holiday Giveaways!

2010-11-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Pix-O-Sphere has graciously funded a spectacular giveaway here at The HomeSpun Life to help make your holidays special! They are sponsoring just over $250 in giveaways purchased from Bath and Body Works, including a gift card to Starbucks.

{Details below graphic}

Why are they doing this? Well, partly because the President of Pix-O-Sphere is my husband and he loves me..and he knows I love my bloggy friends. I wanted a way to be able to bless 22 of my bloggy friends for the holidays and at the same time get you geared up towards another fabulous promotion that will be going on over at Pix-O-Sphere in the upcoming months.

**Quick Disclaimer: Bath and Body Works and Starbucks are not endorsing nor compensating us for this giveaway. They just so happen to be two of my favorite places to shop and I wanted to bless you with their products.

Now, I personally feel that giveaways should be as easy as possible, because ..quite frankly... I dislike jumping through excessive hoops to enter anything. I would imagine you feel the same way. So, I'm trying to be as creative as possible with this one.

Dates: Giveaway series begins Monday November 15th 12:00 AM
Deadline: December 15th
Shipping to: US Mainland Residents only.
Guidelines: Ages 18 and over only (unless written permission is sent to me from their parent)

{Highly Recommended}

1: I wouldn't usually ask you to subscribe to my blog unless it is for this very purpose..so you can get the upcoming blog posts with each new giveaway announcement. So please subscribe.

1a: Once you have subscribed (if you chose via email) be sure to go to your inbox and confirm your subscription.

2: Then, PLEASE COMMENT below that you are participating.

Now that you've done that, this will be the easiest and fastest way to enter a giveaway. If you don't subscribe, that's fine with me, but you might miss some of the chances to enter.

The MANDATORY entry to ANY of these giveaways is to Tweet the text I give with each blog post during this series. I will provide it for you so all you'll need to do is copy, paste, and tweet.

{OR}

Even easier is to ReTweet when you see someone else Tweet it. Could a giveaway get any easier? Not sure, but I am aiming for this as being the simplest way to enter for this giveaway series.

How many times can I Tweet or ReTweet these to enter?
Umm that depends, do you mind if their system puts you in Twitter jail? ;O)

Each Tweeted Entry MUST contain the exact text we give INCLUDING our hashstag #FamilyHolidays

Any spammers butting into this hashtag stream with other links will NOT be entered.

We will be watching the hashtag stream each day to keep track of the entries.

With each blog post there will additional OPTIONAL entry opportunities.

So make sure you read the blog posts CAREFULLY.

Here are the prizes we will be giving away: (in random order)

Enter for these items here
Cucumber Melon HandiBac Lotion w/ a $10 off coupon (value $4) + the money you save on your next purchase of $30 or more. (coupon dates Nov 8-Dec 12, 2010)
Warm Vanilla Sugar HandiBac Lotion w/ a $10 off coupon (value $4) + the money you save on your next purchase of $30 or more. (coupon dates Nov 8-Dec 12, 2010)

***

Enter for these items here

Fresh Market Apple HandiBac Lotion w/ a 20% off coupon (value $4) + the percentage you save on your next purchase of $50 or more. (coupon dates Dec 14-24, 2010)

Sweet Pea HandiBac Lotion w/ a 20% off coupon (value $4) + the percentage you save on your next purchase of $50 or more. (coupon dates Dec 14-24, 2010)

Vanilla Bean Noelle and Winter Candy Apple Foam hand soap (value $10.00)
Two sets will be given away. {2 winners}

AutumnScent portable fragrance for your car value $5 plus $10 off your next purchase of $30 or more (coupon expires Dec 24, 2010.)

***

Enter for this item here

Starbucks Gift Card $25

***

Enter to win this item here
3 wick Bath and Body Works candle 'Winter Garland (value $19.95)

These items coming soon
3 Wallflowers room fragrance plug ins: (value $12.50) {3 winners}
-Winter
-Creamy Nutmeg
-Kitchen Spice

Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Spray and; Lipgloss (value $12.00)
Three of these sets will be given away. {3 winners}

Reindeer Anti-Bac gel set w/ Holder (value $5.00)

Cupcake Anti-Bac gel set w/ holder (Value $5.00)

Fresh Lemon HandiBac Anti-bacterial spray and Tote Bag (stocking stuffer) (value $6.50)
Sea Island Cotton HandiBac Anti-bacterial spray and Tote Bag (stocking stuffer) (value $6.50)

White Citrus Body set (3 products) (Value $15.00)

4- 3 wick candles scents: {4 winners} (Value $19.95 each)
-~~Winter Garland~~
-Autumn
-Cranberry Woods
-Winter Candy Apple

Get ready..we begin Monday! (tomorrow) Want to give your friends the heads up?

Tweet this text: (email subscribers need to come to the blog to get the link) {don't copy tweet from the email}

$250 #FamilyHolidays GiveawaySeries @thehomespunlife http://ow.ly/39EpO Thank you @pixosphere !

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Is it going to rain?

2010-11-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes those beautiful white puffy clouds come along, the temperature drops, and you wonder...Will it rain or not? We grab an umbrella and a coat just in case, then we head out the door. But we would look rather silly wearing the rain coat and holding up an umbrella if it wasn't raining yet. We walk out of the door, prepared, but still we walk by faith.

Sometimes life comes so fast and hard hitting us head on, that we shake our heads wondering why we didn't see 'that' coming? The answer is simple, because if we did, we wouldn't need faith.

I thought about all this as I was seeing these clouds float by. We can't live abundantly if we are in self-condemnation mode. We need to allow ourselves the very grace that God showered us in. Stand in the face of that storm and let it rain, because it's a shower of grace all around us. The storm will pass and we'll keep on living. Live your life abundantly!

{Romans 8:1}
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

You can read why I began Through His Lens here. Please consider tweeting about this weekly Sunday meme with our hashtag #ThruHisLens. Feel free to share how you are looking 'Through His Lens' at family, friends, faith, or photography.

Please add the URL of your direct post. Linky will remain open until Tuesday evening 6pm (PST)

***

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Blogging My Me Time

2010-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Something that I have seen among some bloggers is their pendulum swinging to the extreme far right when it comes to their position in their family. It usually happens when someone has made them feel so guilty for having personal interests outside their families, that they feel they have to give up everything so they can care for their homes better. I'm ALL FOR keeping a tidy home. If my home gets too far behind I go nuts and no one in my family likes when mommy goes nuts. But I'm not in support of mommies having nothing outside of cleaning baseboards, washing mud off shoes, and slaving over the kitchen stove.

As a woman of faith, they may be informed that their home is the priority and I can understand that and I do believe the same way. Our homes and families are a priority in our lives. But let's challenge ourselves a bit so we can find balance and freedom in that. If we view our homes and families as our 'careers' as we view our husband's jobs as their careers then does that mean he also must work 24/7? If a mom and wife is to commit all her life to the home and family then does that mean the husband must commit his whole life to his place of employment?

Doesn't the dad get to come home at night and rest, enjoy the family and maybe go golfing a couple times a month?

What about mom?

A mom's job is never over. Her shift doesn't end at 5pm. Mom wakes up with her feet hitting the floor running full speed ahead before her feet actually even hit the floor. She doesn't stop until she pillows her head at night and even then her mind is making the next days' priority list before she can fall asleep.

If the husband worked his job overtime all his life what kind of a man would that make him for when he is at home?

Over worked

Exhausted

Grouchy, maybe?

Daddy gets to come home, put his feet up and watch some sports, or read the paper, perhaps enjoy a good book. Every night. Typically the husband spends a few hours on Saturday to mow the lawn, check the fluids in the family van, and clean the garbage barrels out. But the rest of the time is his to enjoy as he pleases.

So, a mom might want some time a few hours a week to go to a Scrapping Event, a Pampered Chef party, or out for coffee with a few friends.

Or perhaps mom wants to blog. And if mom's blog is a money maker, she is still working. But if she enjoys this in her free time, then she deserves that 'free time' to blog.

Yes, we need to prioritize that time well. With all the work a mom does it could become a temptation to spend more time on blogging than she really needs to, but perhaps she is overwhelmed and needs some escape. Maybe blogging is her "Me Time" where she can rest, enjoy some funny mom bloggers, catch up with friends through Twitter, or continue her knowledge of how to homeschool better. Maybe she reads blogs for her spiritual time with the Lord as she ponders the inspiration from Ann Voskamp, Emily Freeman, or Serena Woods.

So don't let the legalistic trap yoke you into bondage of no "Me Time". A mom NEEDS her "Me Time", just like daddy does. It's ok to have some time to refresh ourselves, so we can come back to the home and family life and be encouraged to continue on in our domestic careers.

In my free time I enjoy:

Blogging

Hiking

Photography

and

Coffee at a cafe with friends (by the way my best friends are my daughters)

What do you enjoy?

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Disclosure and PR

2010-11-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

This blog is written to an audience interested in the following topics:

Families
Marriage
Homeschoolers
Photography Moms
Cooking
Faith

For questions about this blog, please contact me at: lisa422{at}gmail{dot}com

This blog accepts forms of advertising, sponsorship, trade for products and/or services to giveaway to our readers or other forms of compensation via Paypal.

The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog.

The owner of this blog may or may not be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for reviews or advertisements, I always give honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blogger's own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

If I feel your product or service is not a good fit for this audience, I will recommend another blogger (or more) that I feel would be a good fit for you.

If I am dissatisfied with your product or service, I will return the product to you COD along with a detailed explanation of why. I will not disclose that information to my readers. It will be kept confidential.

Portions of this policy were obtained at http://www.disclosurepolicy.org and customized to suit this blog.

Our advertising package includes ads on all our family blogs including Facebook and Twitter 'mentions'. A potential reach of approximately 10,000+ families.

The HomeSpun Life.com
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FromThePagesofMyHeart.com

Fees for writing reviews and advertising your product with our family's blogs are at our discretion and may vary from company to company. We want to give fair opportunity for small start up businesses and mommy blogger vendors to get equal services, because quite frankly, I applaud them for being brave to start a small business in this huge market and they shouldn't have to give their right arm to get publicity.

For advertising prices or to trade products and/or services for advertising, please contact us for our media kit. lisa422{at}gmail{dot}com

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Harvest Oatmeal

2010-11-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Autumn is one of my most favorite times of the year! We enjoy decorating for the season and beginning our Autumn traditions. This Season of Thankfulness is a month long celebration for us.

On the first Saturday morning in November we kicked off our season with our Harvest Oatmeal Breakfast. It's the only time of year that we take a whopping THREE hours to prepare this special treat for our family.

Jessica and I rose early to begin our preparations of peeling, slicing, and sauteing apples, both kinds of raisins, and baking muffins.

We set out our quaint little dishes for brown sugar, real butter, almonds.

We boiled water in our tea pot and poured over the raisins to get them moist and plump. We let them sit for about 10 minutes, then drained them. We found this great leaf shaped plate on clearance at Raley's.

The oatmeal was the quickest part of the morning. We then sat together at the table for prayer and fellowship with the family.

Each of us then chose the toppings we wanted for our breakfast.

Do you have a special breakfast that your family enjoys during this Season of Thankfulness?

This post is part of the link up for homemaking at Raising Homemakers.
You can read more details about our family's Harvest Hospitality at Frugal Granola.

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Mom Blogger Newswire

2010-11-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

My Dear Mom Bloggers,

After what I saw how quickly the public outcry against Amazon spread from Twitterville to Facebook, then to the major media, it made me ill thinking about how much free advertising was given to an otherwise UNKNOWN book and author.

So can I ask you a simple favor? Can you please use your email next time and not support the free viral marketing that seems to be enjoyed by people like that? I'd much rather pillow my head at night, confident that my social media outlets weren't used to line their pockets and reach their target audience.

1. Don't use public platforms

2. Take it to email

3. Respectfully ask that they also not post it publicly.

4. Provide them with the contact info of the agent directly involved with handling the issue.

Lets keep the "Mom Blogger Newswire" underground ok?

Thanks.

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Redecorate the Bathroom $100 or less

2010-11-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

My bathroom is tiny and hasn't been painted in a few years. When I went to my Aunt-In-Love's new home this last summer, I fell in love with her guest bathroom's colors and it's been on my mind ever since. My husband bought me some new towels to help refresh the look of my bathroom a bit, but it just wasn't enough. I need something different. So I asked him if we had any left over paint in a specific color. Tomorrow we are digging out the paint to see what we have and he said,

"$100 or less"

So that's my budget and I thought this project would be great for a mini blog series. That $100 doesn't include the money he already spent on the towels a couple of months ago..so we'll keep that in mind.

Here is what my bathroom currently looks like... yuck!

I don't know what we were thinking with that shade of blue. We're going to be toning down the colors to reveal a mellow comfortable ambiance, something cottage or vintage style..maybe a combination of both. I have a few ideas I'm kicking around in my mind, but I'd love to hear your ideas. I need to get that drawer fixed and unfortunately we won't be able to replace the cabinets with this project, so I'll have to dress up the cabinets..what do you think of a small stencil on the drawer fronts? With the kind of material they're made out of, we can't add handles. (hate that)

Just to the left of the sink is an area I cover with a curtain. So I'll need to make a new one to match.

Here is why I use a curtain:

Now those little organizer drawers are awesome and since they are hiding behind the curtain, we'll be keeping them, but I do need to clean them all out again.

Just behind me is the commode area and as you can see, the tank lid is broken and the commode is so old that a pumice stone doesn't help. (Not to mention the old window, but we can't replace that yet either) Perhaps a window treatment to cover it up? And what clever ideas can we come up with to disguise the plunger?

Next, just to the right of that is the only open space we have..and the laundry basket goes there..I just moved it for the picture.

We like this style of shower curtain, but we do need one that will match the new color scheme.
A little more to the right and we can see that there is a small amount of space for some wall decor and that amount of space on the floor.

Then we have this vintage scale that I like for the look of...I don't necessarily like to stand on it though.

If you know of a home decor blog with some great ideas for a bathroom (or if you're one of those creative bloggers with a blog like that), please share the link with me and tell me what you like about their ideas and why you think it would be good for my bathroom. Remember, I'm on a tight budget!

Here are the towels I am keeping and I want to incorporate the red into my new color scheme.

So here is what I need to consider:
-A new light fixture above the sink
-A new mirror or paint the frame a different color
-A new sink and faucet (possibly clean the faucet fixtures out, instead of replacing)
-Paint
-A clever way to redo the countertop without actually replacing that.
-New fabric for curtain
-New commode
-New shower curtain
-Window treatment
-Stencils for drawer fronts (??)
-Simple wall decor (or paint frames and replace pictures inside)

{In $100 or less}

Would you like to help? I'm looking for some home decor blogs to glean ideas from! Share the links to the blogs you know of, even if it's yours. Simply leave the blog's URL or a specific blog post's URL in the comment section below.

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Boycotting

2010-11-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

I woke up today to my Twitter stream being inundated with anti-Amazon announcements about a book that has got a lot of unnecessary free advertisement since the complaint went viral. Some argue he has the freedom of speech and others feel Amazon doesn't need to uphold that Constitutional freedom. Afterall, they aren't a government business so they have the freedom to deny selling books that are sympathetic to supporting the 'love' an adult has for children.

Personally, I have no desire to buy the book much less read it. I have my own opinions about it as we all do, but the thing that really has me actually using my blog space and my energy to even publish anything about it is how this is being handled by so many.

First of all, this social media blast has given that man and his book far more attention than it deserves and quite frankly he has gotten the best advertising deal of the century. Many thanks to Twitterville. It cost him absolutely no money at all to have half the universe looking at his book and the few others he has placed on Amazon.

Had there been no attention at all, it may have gone totally unnoticed and unsold. But now curiosity probably has it's grip on people to want to find out what the book actually suggests to that pedo-audience, not to mention how many pedo-violators have seen this free advertising and have now made their purchase. Nice going, Tweople.

Ok so maybe some good will come out of this, but maybe not since people have fought with Amazon to get other books off their website..to no avail.

Many bloggers have removed their Amazon links and halted their Affiliate programs with them. I have an Amazon store and I'm not removing it. Here's why....do you know how much they have on their site that I don't agree with? They have more that you won't agree with either, but this ONE book has been the line in the sand for so many of you. So I have a few questions for you.

Have you stopped getting gasoline? (Have you seen the magazines they sell there?)

Have you stopping shopping at the grocery store? (Do you know who else shops there?)

Have you stopped paying your power company? (Do you know who works there?)

Our money is supporting all kinds of people just in our everyday living in this technosociety. Even our taxes pay to monitor certain men in our communities. And many are on welfare, living off our taxes.

Ok, ok, so boycott Amazon, but please don't put pressure on other people who boycott the boycott.

Don't put pressure on your friends who sell their books on Amazon, to remove their listings. They need to feed their families. Just like you do, with food you by from the grocery store that sells magazines you don't approve of. Food from companies that employ these kind of people who write books like that.

I think, for me anyway, the thing I noticed most in Twitterville today is the amount of moms who lost their joy today over this ordeal. So stop and enjoy life now that you'd said your peace. Make hot cocoa with your kids, jump in the colorful leaf piles in your local park, and let all this garbage go down the drain.

{Storms will keep coming in this life, but without a storm you'd never see a rainbow.}

Snuggle up with your kids tonight, don't mention anything to them about this, and let them know they are deeply loved.

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Through His Lens

2010-11-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

Each time I look through the lens of my camera, I ask myself...what does He see? What if He allowed me to look through His lens? How would I view this? Do I take this beautiful world for granted when I look at it?

I have an insane jealousy for my friends who live back East that get to see tremendous colors during the Fall. I never really thought of my little town as a very colorful place...until I asked myself these questions. So, I began to drive through town a few times a week, park the van and get out for a walk...with my Sony DLSR of course. He began showing me the beauty that really is right here in my community. I just needed to look 'Through His Lens'. Just look at the photos I am now decorating my blog with. These shots are from my little town. It's all a matter of perspective.

But not only did I ask myself these questions about the beauty of the physical world, but I asked the same question about the inward world. The inward of each person and each situation in life. Am I looking 'Through His Lens' at life? It's so easy to get caught up with the busyness of life, the laundry piles, dirty dishes, and fingerprints on the wall. But how does He view all this? I believe He looks beyond all that and straight into the heart. I believe He looks beyond the dirty laundry at the children who enjoyed jumping in the Autumn leaf piles. He looks beyond the dirty dishes to see the happiness communing over the dinner table. I believe He sees those fingerprints on the wall and says, "Enjoy those fingerprints, they grow up so fast."

Am I looking 'Through His Lens'?

Each Sunday I am going to host a meme so we can all link up to how He led us to look 'Through His Lens' whether it's through articles about family, faith, friends, or photography. You can link up anything you had that week where you looked 'Through His Lens'..or maybe you're having a difficult time looking through His lens that week and you post something you'd like encouragement for..from our bloggy friends.

I hope you'll join me and spread the word. You can grab the button and link to the week's post you're participating in, or add the button to your blog's sidebar and link to this post. If you're a free member at Pix-O-Sphere you can add me as a friend and copy the button directly to your account.

If you tweet about your entry can you consider using this hashtag so others can join in? #ThruHisLens

And would you kindly tweet about this upcoming meme today so others can hear about it? You can use this text..it's simple..just copy, paste and Tweet. Thank you so much.

Through His Lens new photo/faith meme on Sundays
#ThruHisLens http://bit.ly/i9STY Join us! @thehomespunlife

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Sweet Reflection

2010-11-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Our Maker gets all the credit for providing such a sweet shot for me to capture on my Sony DSLR. You can see the rest of the reflection collection here. You can join Pix-O-Sphere for free to leave comments on those amazing shots..and I'm not boasting of myself..just the gorgeous view I had that day at the park. Some of those shots are of JUST the reflections and you may not even know it if I hadn't told you. The water was like glass that day.

Thank you to Darcy at My3BoyBarians for hosting the Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Recent Articles:
Homeschool Carnival
Are giveaways a 3 ring circus?
Season of Thankfulness Giveaway Series

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Carnival of Homeschooling

2010-11-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to this week's Carnival of Homeschooling. If you're featured in the carnival, please let your readers know so they can come enjoy the articles and consider tweeting it out or mentioning it Facebook? We've got some great articles this week and this carnival will cover a variety of 'subjects' including lifestyle, faith, and classical music.

We're beginning this week's carnival with the founder of the Homeschool Carnival, Mr. Cate from 'Why Homeschool'. I chose to begin with his as the intro because I felt it was just so fitting with how so many of us feel and it goes well with the name of his blog..Why Homeschool? To avoid jail time! I'm still shaking my head after reading this and Mr. Cate invites you to dialogue with him about the recent news article he featured. Jail time for missing the parent teacher conference? Are you serious? oiy!

Now let's just head on over to discussing our freedom to homeschool with Marine Corps Nomands..what timing huh? She shares her lifestyle of learning and isn't that what makes a well educated adult? The fact that we are instilling education as a lifestyle of learning.

Now if you have been home educating for a while, let Christine from 'The Thinking Mother' ask you this...are you enjoying your homeschool journey? Sometimes we need to step back and ask ourselves this question. I do think that sometimes we get caught up in the educating that we forget to have fun. But check out this timely poem from Karen at 'Homeschool Girls'... sigh** Are you having those Golden, Magic Days?

Now sometimes being home all day every day gets us in a rut. But let's go visit Nadene of 'Practical Pages' to get a bit of refreshment on how to get motivated. And it helps to know you have fans to cheer you on like Jessica has over at 'Teachable Moments'. Jessica shares a peek into her homeschool life and how grace was more powerful than knowledge this week.

Now wasn't that all so inspirational? Because homeschool is more than just academic, it's relational!

Now let's jump into our academic articles this week, because we've got some informative and practical tips coming our way!

First period is with Teacher Lynda at the Denver Homeschool Examiner where she is giving us a FREE downloadable Unit for lapbooking on this month's holiday, Thanksgiving. Cultural holidays is a part of education and this holiday is one that tends to get over looked in between Halloween and Christmas. Our family has noticed this and decided to make a change in how we look at the month of November. Right here at The HomeSpun Life we are celebrating the Season of Thankfulness with a giveaway series..giveaways because we wanted to let our bloggy friends know how much we appreciate their contribution to our lives through the blogosphere.

Our next class will be study hall with Catherine over at 'Petticoat Government' as she asks for help for her little one who is stuck in elementary Math. I can understand how she feels since my own daughter needs a bit more time on Math as well. And we're not alone, because Barbara wants to know if it's really worth it to make them keep writing out their Math on paper. Many classes use the library for their Study Hall, which will kill 2 birds with 1 stone here today since Dave is sharing with us about Library Week.

Now lets climb up into Dewey's Treehouse with MaMa Squirrel as she shows us a creative tactic for studying grammar..because that's just how homeschoolers do things,...period. I love treehouses! You can have so much fun outside, especially when it's raining..and most especially when Miss Nirvana is showing us how to study art and science in the rain. How fun to create Nirvana together!

Do you know what tends to happen when you're educating in a treehouse? You start to dream and sometimes you dream BIG, like Pamela and her kids do. She knows all too well how 'well intended' comments can sometimes put a damper on those dreams, but don't let it squash your plans.And do you know what? I think we should walk Pamela to our next class..right on over to Teacher Robin's blog where they're talking about making maps! Pamela, your kids will have so much fun with map making for your big dream! How wonderful to incorporate Geography with dream building!

But before you head out on the road, be sure to go visit the Lunch time Teacher, Kelly, the Accidental Homeschooler, for her advice about making bread. I just love how we can learn life's little lessons during our homeschool days. Like how the Modern Montessori Mama shows us in her video about incorporating education into the kitchen. We're coming to a close, but before we do let's dive into some Classical Music for the guys with Hal and Melanie of Raising Real Men. Speaking of Hal and Melanie, did you know they wrote a book and Annie Kate wrote a review about it?

And now for a tip from Maureen at Homeschool Mo. She found the top writing contests for kids! Beth shares a review about The Homeschool Reader Series. And if you're thinking about saving up for college, leave a comment over at Wise Bread to thank them for their research on the matter.

I hope you have enjoyed this week's Carnival of Homeschooling. Next week's carnival will be hosted by Nerd Family the week of November 16th. You can send in your submissions here.

All photos in this post were provided FREE by those who accepted my friend request at

Pix-O-Sphere, the Family Friendly Photo Community

...for Hosting, Sharing, and Selling photos. It's free to join and you can add me as a friend to use my Shared Photos too. To find the photographer for the above photos, simply click on them to find their photo credit and add them too.

Anyone enjoying this carnival that would like a chance to win an Advanced Membership with

Pix-O-Sphere

just leave a comment and ask me to enter you. Advanced Members get their hosting and sharing for a year for free and the opportunity to become a seller. I'll choose a winner on Friday night 6pm (PST). Be sure you let me know where I can find you if you win. (blog URL or profile URL with contact info)

Happy Homeschooling!

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Are Giveaways a Three Ring Circus?

2010-11-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

Something I have noticed over the last couple of years is the giveaways in the blogosphere. They used to be simple and now they're so complex and I really started to think about this. Many of the bloggers who have these massive giveaways, are getting PAID to run them or at the very least they get to keep the sample prize they are reviewing. I have no problem with them keeping the prize they reviewed..that's an incentive to us as bloggers to have giveaways. But the thing that really clicked in my mind is for those who are paid to do so. Don't get me wrong..it's not that they are paid that is grinding at me...it's what the entrants are required to do to enter for the prize.

Think about it. The blogger gets PAID to blog about it, Tweet it out, Mention it on Facebook, etc. Then WE are REQUIRED to blog, tweet, Facebook, etc...for a CHANCE to win.

Why are these companies and bloggers 'requiring' us to do for a 'chance' what they get PAID to do?

The bloggers indicate clearly on their blogs that they require a FEE to promote a company's business.
Because those bloggers feel their 'influence' and 'time' is 'worth' getting paid for...but ours isn't?

So these companies and bloggers want us to do what they won't do...use our blogs, our audience, our influence, for nothing in return..except a 'chance' to win.

So if I want to win a 3 pack of honey valued at $10 I have to blog, tweet, Facebook, subscribe, LIKE something on Facebook, follow the blogger AND the company on Twitter, subscribe to the blogger's blog, the company's blog, comment for each and every entry I perform (which means re-type all my info AGAIN)... for a 'chance'

Are you kidding me?

Now if I am required to do all that for every giveaway I want to win, my blog would be ruined with "advertisements" that I'm NOT getting paid for.

I don't think so.

It sure seems like things are getting wildly out of control. I'm done with it.

So here's what I say to those companies and bloggers.... first of all, I'm not the only one tired of it.

Secondly, You're taking advantage of us and our readers.

For me personally, if I enter a giveaway, I will NOT be using my blog as your advertising venue for a 'chance' at anything. I don't want my readers to feel like I'm cramming it down their throat every time I want to enter a giveaway. I suppose if I ran a giveaway blog, they'd expect it..but that's not why I blog..so I won't be using my blog like that and I won't be using my readers like that.

(Unless you and the blogger are giving away a house or a new car..now that I can see the purpose of, my readers would WANT to know about that)

However, if there is a meme I'm already participating in and there just so happens to be a giveaway with it, I'll mention the giveaway. But that's all..a mention and a link. Erin did a fabulous job of keeping her giveaway simple. I totally appreciate that. And it's fun because there's a meme.

For giveaways on my blog..I will not require my readers to blog about a giveaway. Their blog is their cyber living room. If they had friends over for dinner, would she perform a commercial for them in her living room or at her dining room table over dinner? Would she really be having them for dinner because she enjoys their company or just so she can tell them about a product she's getting paid to tell them about? Then require her friend to do the same thing for a chance to win, but she has to do it for free.

My fellow bloggers who run these 3 ring circus giveaways...please think about what I have said. You require a fee, but you require us to do something for free. Is it like this?

Do as I say, not as I do. I'll get paid, you won't.

Do it, do it..I'm trying to build up my following with this giveaway.

So you want us to subscribe to your blog, like your fan page on Facebook, follow you on Twitter, tweet about your giveaway, Facebook mention your giveaway, follow the company on Twitter and Facebook and comment separately for all of those, etc....for the giveaway...not because we enjoy the content on your blog....but for the prize...hmm.

Is this manipulation? I'm not a sucker.

If you're a blogger and you think your readers are suckers, then what kind of blogger are you?

I thought there were Blogger Ethics. Maybe they don't matter anymore? Maybe your readers don't matter anymore. All that matters is numbers and money. Is a mega blog like a mega church?

Yikes! Did I really just say that? Yes, I did.

Can we get back to the simplicity of giveaways?

For a single one time giveaway... comment to enter and tweet about it. (Bloggers, you provide the tweet text and link for them so all they need to do is copy, paste and tweet) Use a hashtag so YOU can track the entries on Twitter. Entrants... just comment.."I Tweeted, please enter me"

{Simple}

Why Twitter? Things go viral on Twitter. People can RT quickly and easily. I count RTs as an entry..why not? My link I provided is going viral.

And if their Twitter is linked to their Facebook or Tumblr automatically, wonderful!

But I'm not going to do for free what you get paid to do.

Do companies really want to stoop that low to get customers? Do they think their customers are stupid? Will I give my business to a company that thinks I'm stupid through their manipulation?

{A good product speaks for itself}

Are these mega bloggers teaching these companies to treat us like this? Are they in cahoots together? I thought 'experienced' bloggers ranted about professionalism..they want good ethical PR with companies, but what about their readers? Did they forget about us? Or is it all about them?

What about being ethical with our readers?

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