FREE Registration to the MidSouth Homeschool Convention

It’s here! It’s here! Okay, well maybe there are a few more months, but the MidSouth Homeschool Convention will be in Memphis less than three months from now. If you are anything like us, then you just can’t wait until the exhibit doors open with aisles and aisles of fresh curriculum ready to see and touch because as you know seeing and touching a school book is better than trying to read through it online.

The line-up of speakers is incredible as always with a few of our favorites (Andrew Pudewa, Amanda Bennett, Linda Hobar, Leigh Bortins just to name a few) ready to walk across the stage and share their experience, wisdom, and tips of how our families can get the most out of our homeschool experience.

This is a new curriculum purchase year for us so we are going to be spending a lot of time inside the exhibit hall. Take a look at the list of exhibitors and you will see why you should really make a schedule and plan your “attack” before attending this event. We expect to have curriculum overload by Saturday afternoon.

Tickets are available NOW for purchase, but if you want to receive an even sweeter deal, then consider volunteering a few hours and being rewarded with FREE registration for you or your entire family. Yep! That is access to three days of wall to wall homeschool vendors and hours and hours of inspiring homeschool speakers for FREE just as a thank you for your time.

If this sounds like a great deal to you, then complete the volunteer registration form and return it to Great Homeschool Conventions.

Also, there are $10 day passes available which give you access to the exhibit hall only if you’re just wanting to buy curriculum. These passes will be available for purchase at the door each day of the convention.

You just may bump into us in the exhibit hall.

It’s Not Too Late to Celebrate Advent

If you thought it was too late to celebrate Advent with your child, then YOU ARE WRONG! Yes, even though it is the middle of the month and all of the plans you had of shopping, squeezing school in somewhere, and getting a handle on fitting in everything you still want to do seems unlikely, there is still time.

Amanda White’s Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands is a wonderful way to bring Jesus back into the season and celebrate Him with your children. The Truth in the Tinsel E-book is a combination of five activities that you do daily with your child which include:

1. The Clue – 24 picture and word clues of the study for the day which are offered either as cutouts to put into your own Advent calendar or to make a printable paper chain.
2. The Scripture – The chosen Scripture passage for the day mentions the daily clue as well as offer words of meditation for your child.
3. The Ornament – The ornament is something from the passage read and offers your child a chance to be creative and bring to life something they heard about in the Scripture read for the day.
4. The Talk – While making the ornament, this is a great time to discuss what your child learned from the passage of the day.
5. More – Amanda includes some extras (DVD selections, additional Bible Scripture, etc.) to use if you want to pursue the daily study further with your child.

Although the study is intended for and written with 24 days of activities, Amanda knows there are mothers out there who may need another option because of the busyness of the month, so she also includes alternate schedules of six (Just the Basics or By Book of the Bible), seven (Prophecy), or ten (Characters) days of study that allow you to still accomplish celebrating the season the way you intended with your child.

Truth in the Tinsel is normally $4.99, but through midnight (ET) tonight, you can receive 20% off of the E-book using the promo code 12DAYS to celebrate her 12 Days till Christmas Sale. Amanda has also added a new 12-day schedule to count you down to December 24th.

See You at the Pole

Have you ever stood still and listened for a word from God? More than 15 years ago, a group of teens listened to a word from God, followed in obedience, and from that a prayer movement was born. To this day, See You at the Pole™ continues to bring together young people in one of the largest, organized student prayer events. It has grown to global proportions including participation from students around the world.

On Wednesday, September 28, young people around the world will meet at flagpoles on school campuses to pray for “their friends, schools, and leaders.” Although most prayer meetings will be at school flagpoles, which are an easily identifiable location on school campuses, there are many students who will be meeting at alternative locations, which include designated churches, parking lots, etc. If there isn’t an organized meeting place near you, then don’t let that stop you. The idea is to PRAY!

To learn more about this inspiring and uplifting event, visit the See You at the Pole™ Web site and learn how you too can participate. Let us know if you participated and what you did.

Celebrating National Punctuation Day

Jeff Rubin, founder of National Punctuation Day (NPD), and his wife Norma (a.k.a. Mr. and Mrs. Punctuation) have been celebrating NPD for more than five years. The day even has an official dish, Punctuation Meat Loaf. “Punctuation counts. A misplaced comma can alter the meaning of a message.” This is one of the reasons that Jeff decided to create and promote the holiday and his efforts didn’t stop there. Mr. and Mrs. Punctuation take the fun to schools and make guest appearances in classrooms sharing through their program Punctuation Playtime.

Did you know that brackets [ ] were punctuation marks? If you don’t use them often, then you probably just thought they were neat looking symbols on your keyboard. There is actually a correct usage for brackets. In fact, all of the symbols have a specific purpose. What are you teaching your children in school? If you need a refresher before the annual day which is Saturday, September 24th, then visit the National Punctuation Day site and brush up on a few punctuation marks, write a few sentences, and make the teacher in you proud.

A Wet Day at Nashville Shores

…as opposed to a dry day. If you have not signed up already, then TODAY…TODAY is the last day to make your reservations for big, huge, gigantic, enormous fun at 1/2 price at Nashville Shores.

This is probably the one time parents don’t mind getting wet with the kids. Splish, splash, and have fun getting wet going down the water slides, zooming through the lake, or wading in the pools. If you prefer to stay dry, then a game of volleyball or horseshoes may be your speed.

If you dare, then climb the huge 4-story water treehouse and sprayground on Kowabunga Beach and be sure to yell, “kowabunga” as you go down. See other attractions at the park and the fun you can have.

Time: 10:00AM-6:00PM (M-Th) and 10:00AM-7:00PM (F)

Tickets: 1/2 price off general admission, BUT you must purchase them by Wednesday August 3rd (That’s TODAY!)

Web site: Nashville Shores

Contact: Courtney Chapman

Telephone: (615) 889-7050, ext.221

Tax-Free in Tennessee

Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if every day were a tax-free day in Tennessee? Well, since it is not, then take advantage of the upcoming Tax FREE Holiday which is celebrated annually in the state of Tennessee. The holiday dates this year are Friday, August 5, starting promptly at 12:01AM and the tax-free period continues until the clock strikes 11:59PM on Sunday, August 7.

Before you get started on your shopping spree, here are a few things to note to prevent confusion and disappointment when checking out:

• Exempt purchase items include clothing ($100 or less), school supplies ($100 or less), and computers ($1500 or less). All retailers are required to participate in the holiday with the exception of those who only sell to business purchasers. If a retailer sells to both businesses and individuals, then they are also required to participate. Along with that, business purchases do not qualify for exempt purchase status during this holiday.
• Store coupons reducing the value of an item to less than $100 makes that item eligible for the tax-free status.

• Internet sales also qualify during this holiday period so if you prefer to stay home and shop, then that is an option.
• Taxable services for labor and rental costs are not exempt during this period.

Learn more about Tennessee’s Tax-Free Holiday.