Book review

I have just finished reading part of Alexis Martin Neely's book WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR:A Fast, Fun, Friendly - and Essential - Guide to Legal Planning for Busy Parents.

There are plenty of books that tell you what you should do to plan for the event in case you are nor around to care for your children, but Ms. Neely presents this in a clear and personal way. This is not some dry, legalese nightmare of a book - it is in a thoughtful, engaging, easy-to-read format that involves you in the whole process of showing you how important it is to provide legal documentation for your family situation.

How does she do this? Remember those books you read as a kid with the alternate endings? When there was a decision to make, it looks like this:

• "If Shaynala decides to jump off of the cliff, turn to page 25. If she decides to turn and fight the Morgols, turn to page 33.

I loved those books. I would always reread them to see how things would have turned out differently had the character made a different choice.

That is how this book engages you. It actually leads you through the story to see how things would happen if different legal paperwork was (or was not) put into place before the need arose.

Not only that, but Neely also walks you through more than just the basic scenarios. What if the person you name as guardian of your children passes away a few years after you do? What if you name a couple as guardians and they divorce? How will your children "know" you and keep your memory alive if you pass on?

This is an awesome book. I highly recommend a copy for yourself and get one for friends, too.

To learn more about the book and to purchase it, go to www.wearcleanunderwearbook.com.

If you purchase the book today, May 7th, you will receive tons of bonus gifts, too.

Yep, I have been a slacker

Well, kids, even Moms get Spring Fever. I have been playing hooky from blogging. LOL

Actually, I am in the process of launching a new company, and it has really been keeping me busy. Between meeting with website developers, emailing back and forth with people - it has been crazy (but fun!).

Also, there are only a few weeks of school left, so I am trying to wind things down with that. :o)

Stay tuned - I have a big announcement coming in the next few weeks!!

How to start homeschooling

The school year is coming to a close and there are some parents who are considering homeschooling for the first time in the Fall.

Here are a few tips I would give if you are "on the fence":

• Read books and learn about homeschooling. One book I recommend is So You're Thinking about Homeschooling by Lisa Whelchel. You can visit her website at http://www.lisawhelchel.com/.
• Talk to families that are already homeschooling. Ask questions. Talk to the parents and the kids. Go on message boards. Learn all you can.
• Consider all of the advantages in homeschooling - family bonding, less hectic pace, customized curriculum, etc.

Once you decide to homeschool, follow these steps:

• Decide which type of homeschooler you want to be: traditional "school-at-home", unschooling, etc. Many families find a "school-at-home" approach to be reassuring during the first year - with texts, tests, etc. - because it is similar to the school situation. It also is helpful for new homeschoolers to have a set curriculum to follow.
• Once you decide what you are going to use - texts, unit studies, unschooling - then prepare for some research. One excellent place to go to research curricula is http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/ - they have tons of reviews, and they have saved me a lot of money I would have possibly wasted on curricula that wouldn't suit my kids.
• Find out the legal requirements in your state and do what you need to do. Don't procrastinate on this! Go to http://www.hslda.org/ for info.
• Join homeschool groups - both online and offline - to learn from more experienced homeschoolers and to find social activities.
• Don't get overwhelmed - just do things one step at a time.
• Be sure to order your materials early! Don't wait until August to place an order and expect it to arrive on time! :o)

I am sure others will be able to add to this list. Above all - relax!! Enjoy your homeschooling journey.

Meetup.com

I have belonged to a site for years called Meetup.

Meetup.com has groups for just about any subject imaginable. They have homeschool groups, WAHM groups, parenting groups, sci-fi lover groups and a host of other things. From animal lover groups to vegan groups and anything in between, they have it.

Best of all, you can either join an existing group or start your own group.

Go to the site and search by subject or ZIP Code. See what is in your area.

I have 3 groups on Meetup.com - one for weight loss, one for homeschooling families, and one for WAHM's.

Check them out! I am sure you will find a group you like!

I won the lottery! Again!!

Hey! Guess what! I won't blogging for long because I will be too busy spending all of the loot I won in the UK lottery! WOO HOOOO!

I also won the Australian Lottery, too.

I figure I can use the Australian winnings to pay my taxes and then the UK winnings will be mine to spend. Sounds like a plan to me. :D

Seriously - who really believes this garbage? Are there really people so ignorant in this world that they get an email saying they won the lottery in another country and they think it's for real?

However, this chick who emailed me saying she needs my bank info because her husband was killed and he had millions she needs to hide - she sounds sincere. I trust her. Not a scammer like those creeps with the lottery.