Prairie Scraps

Last week our area homeschool group parents got into a discussion about testing.  Many parents in our area, have paid money every year for their kids to have Independent Standardized tests.  I have taken a different approach for checking where my kids are at, and making sure that they are understanding what I'm teaching.  In fact, a part of me really doesn't like the standardized tests at all!  Here are some of the reasons why I think they are NOT effective (all my opinions): Many homeschool children aren't having formal testing done regularly, so testing once a year is not going to really test their abilities as a student, as much as test their ability to test. Most public school systems are teaching towards the test. As a homeschooler, you can't compete with this, or even dream of considering the test results to be fairly representing your children, good or bad.  Weeks (and maybe even months) before the testing in the public schools, the teachers are teaching the

I can't say a whole lot about the deals going on, but I can say, you won't want to miss out on them!  You can go directly to my website to check it all out HERE.   The sale items are only while supplies last from January 25-31, so go there right away!  Please contact me if you have questions or need help placing an order. If you are not already in my VIP group, please find me on Facebook HERE and you will be notified ahead of time of deals, new products, fun giveaways and more!

I read the book, "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin on a recommendation of another direct selling leader in my company.   I was so excited that "Purple Cow" was available through our library system to check out for free!  Well, I'm here to say, that you will need to buy this book here , because you will want to really absorb this entire book.  I wanted to take in each and every word, and ended up having library fines for this book, because I just couldn't return it until I had read the entire book. I thought this book was going to give me some answers about how to run my business better.  You know, the specifics.  I thought it would tell me step-by-step how to make my business stand out above the others.  Unfortunately, that's not exactly what this book did.  However, it will change how you work and think about your business. The "Purple Cow" will help you look for ways to stand above the rest and be remarkable. You  will need to own your own co

Exercise doesn't work for me.  I know, everyone is supposed to work out and exercise regularly, but I'm living proof that it doesn't work!  I know so many people say it works for them, but honestly, after years of trying to work out consistently, I've given up! Here's my Top 10 Reasons that exercise doesn't work for me. I don't lose weight! My entire body hurts afterwards. I need a nap immediately after exercise. On top of needing a nap, I fall asleep early. Exercise never gets easier for me. Second winds never come for me, not even years later. I'm more hungry when I get regular exercise, which means I eat more calories, which leads to not losing weight. I don't lose inches where I want to - I lose inches in my chest and not my but, thighs or belly from exercise! The pain in my body never disappears for the entire time I work out. I know I said this before - but, I DON'T lose weight!  If I go through all of this trouble to work ou

For over 15 years, I have been an avid scrapbooker.  I was constantly working on getting my albums finished and up-to-date.  I was even a consultant for 11 years, until the second bankruptcy of the company I was with.  Digital has really made my scrapbooking different and hard to stay consistent in.  I don't get my photos printed very often, and don't really want to print everything, to cut them up and paste them into books when digital versions are so much easier.  So, some of my photos make it into digital albums and for the last three years, my photos from my walls, Christmas cards and other miscellaneous printed photos have been laying around my house, waiting for me to do something with them!  I decided to organize and get all of these pictures put into my album before I completely pack away my Christmas things this years.  I save all of the pictures from Christmas cards, as well as the Christmas letters.  Here, my picture on the left is a random picture we had prin