How I Spent My Summer Vacation

So how did I spend my summer vacation? Like all good homeschoolers I spen it in school! In this case beauty and business school. To find a creative writing assignment explaining it all go check out my newest website www.mrsmarch.com! Enjoy! and leave comments!

Can Brownies Save the Day?

When Mr. March got home Tuesday night the neighbor came knocking at the door to let him know the dogs had been barking. His wife had a headache and the other neighbor's wife was also very upset.

It makes me long for the days when we bought this house. None of the other houses were built. I could see the mountains from my front window. Beyond our backyard fence there was a large field where the girls would dig in the dirt. Now, everything is crowded.

I think back to waking up at 5:30 am every morning last summer when the contractors were putting up an addition on the house next door. Nothing like waking up to big machines and pounding hammers. But it never occurred to me to go yell at them about it! I mean, that's life stuff happens. And this went on for months!!! I didn't go get all the other neighbors involved either!

Did I mention that until their dog died it barked all the time? Again, not worth mentioning. Dogs bark.

So now that I am done whining. We are making brownies. The girls are going to take them to the neighbors and say they were sorry for how noisy the dogs have been. Hopefully this will bring peace to the neighborhood. I mean, can you really stay mad at little girls who come bearing plates of brownies made from scratch? I know I can't. Cross your fingers that we will be bring peace.

I hate the sick feeling I am getting in my stomach when I come home. I'm just sure that I am going to get yelled at!

Homeschooling Makes Parents Smarter

Everyone has heard the stories of how homeschool kids are really smart. They are winning competitions right and left. They do amazing things in their spare time to save the world. Let's face it they're a great group of kids! After all, isn't that why we homeschool?

But I think we have left out a very important and unexpected benefit of homeschooling. Homeschooling makes parents smarter too!

Just to name a few things, I know more about history now then I ever learned in school. I am writing more now in different genres, for different purposes and with a much larger reader audience then ever before. My math skills are at an all time high, and they are nothing compared to Mrs. Hannigan's. (The math involved in those coupon deals scares me!)

I recently started a home based business. This was directly linked to homeschooling. As in, I didn't want to have to send my girls to school so I could go back to work teaching, but my income as a teacher is being missed. Something about $4.39 for a gallon of gas + 1 '96 Chevy Suburban.

I had the great idea of linking my business to my blog. A new and separate blog but using a tradition web page, like a store front tying the blogs together. In order to do this great idea, I needed to change from Blogger to Wordpress. No problem. They are both free and Wordpress can't be that much more difficult right? After all, the really cool blogs are on Wordpress. So I started to work with wordpress. If I could just be happy with a premade run of the mill template, I'd have no problem. But...I couldn't. Part of the beauty of being a blogger is creating your own look. It goes with your own voice. After all, even if we all claim we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, it's the first thing we all look at!

Sooooo I finally broke down and got Wordpress for Dummies. I can learn to do this no problem. I have a college degree. I am an intelligent resourceful woman (you can stop laughing any time now) I must say, I do think the book was great. It pointed out all my computer deficits. I had to go back to the book store and get Head First HTML, XHTML, and CSS.

Um, yeah, that means I am now teaching myself how to write HTML. Which is why I haven't been posting. The time I would normally be spending writing has been spent building my soon to be released new website. Which is really, really, bad for keeping my blog interesting and worth coming back to.

That isn't even taking in to account the new things I am learning about my new business! (More on that to come! I promise!) I haven't pulled hours like this since I was in college. Actually, college was much, much, easier!!!

So thanks to homeschooling I can now add that I am a small business owner, a freelance writer, and soon to be webpage developer!

Putting Things in Perspective

Evey once in a while something happens to help put the rest of life back into perspective. I can hyper focus on the stupidest things. Then something happens to help bring everything back into focus. What is really important and how do I really want to spend my time?

Thank you Punk Rock Mommy for taking the time to share your light with us. God Bless you.

Things I Love

Maybe I'm just bossy, but I really love telling people my opinions about homeschooling. I know that ultimately they will take what I tell them and go their own way. I know that they will make their own decisions and do their own thing. That is one of the things I love about homeschooling! But the time I spend with a mom who is taking those first steps into homeschool world are so priceless. I want to help ease the transition. I want to help her face her fears and doubts as she considers curriculum and plans her upcoming year.

Today was extra special because I have known this mom since we were in high school. It was so great to see her and see how much her children have grown. It was fun to hear how her oldest daughter was doing in school. Another area that I laughed about because it was the school I graduated from! Needless to say, things are not working out as well as could be hoped for. (After all if things were great, would she be considering homeschooling?)

I hope that I was helpful. I know she will do an incredible job meeting her daughters educational, emotional, and spiritual needs. Best of Luck! You know how to get a hold of me if you have questions or need help!

Thanks for the Advice!

I just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for their input on my hair. I got lots of great ideas and really appreciate that you took the time to offer feedback! So Emama, Darla, Emily the Great and Terrible, Tracey, Abbreviated, Nette, Emileesings, and That Lady with Six Daughters, thanks for all of the advice!

Help! Frump Winning Hair Battle!

My dearest Mrs. Fussypants and her wonderful squad of beauty advisers,


I am joining my first Fight the Frump, not as a wise and helpful advisor, but as one in need of your wisdom! I haven't had my hair done since November of 2007! Yikes, GASP, Quick... Someone get some water...I think Mrs. Fussypants may have fainted.


So here's the deal. I know I need to do something but I feel like I don't speak the right language when I enter a beauty salon. I try to use the picture books but it never seems to translate into something stunning! Ladies, I implore you...I NEED to look stunning!!!! (part of the new job thing)


I need a hairstyle that does not take a lot of time to create. I need something that when you look at it makes you think...Hollywood Hottie...(Hey I can dream can't I?)


And...I know this is going to be a challenge. I need to keep as much length as I can. Mr. M. is so warm and supportive about anything that I do with my hair. He never complains...But I KNOW he likes it best long. He has this thing for long blond hair, (Comes in right after his thing for Southern Redheads who make killer Pecan Pie, but I can't ever pull that one off. However, if you have a killer Pecan Pie recipe....)


So please, please, please, Fussy and Friends, Send me your best advice!!!!


Here are the really scarry before pics.



Thank you, thank you, thank you!

New Job!

I have decided that I have too much free time so I got a new job.

Well, actually I got three new jobs, two on Friday and one on Monday. The two jobs that I got on Friday are freelance writing jobs. The one I got on Monday is still a big secret! I'll be keeping you updated, but let me tell you that right now I am learning a WHOLE lot about computers because of this! I feel like I'm back in College again! In the meantime check out my first Suite 101 Article! Yeah Me!!!!!


http://homeschooling.suite101.com/article.cfm/homeschool_learning_centers