-
1000 Hours Outside – Take Two!
Have you heard of the “1000 Hours Outside” challenge? The premise is simple: spend 1000 hours outside in one year. I found their Instagram page in late 2021. It seemed like it would be a great fit for my kids and a fun challenge for us all! On January 2, 2022, we started our first timer. I do not like to call it a New Years Resolution, I do not make them because I do not like to set myself up to fail! I was quickly amazed how much fun we had with intentionally spending time outside. I am not going to lie, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the…
-
To Use or Not to Use . . . a Tutor
Math. It’s the bane of my existence. Apparently, I can do math, but I’ve had a difficult time teaching two of my three kids math. One, because I really don’t like math, and two, my daughter and I have very similar (ie, strong) personalities, which can lead to some difficulties. It’s hard teaching and explaining when a person’s expectation exceeds their ability or knowledge, someone who just has no interest in math whatsoever, or they have decided a career path that requires math for college that I never learned. So I decided to get a math tutor. I have to admit, it was a difficult decision. I felt like…
-
Back to School Excitement!
by Heather Grier I always end our school year in May with bubbling excitement. The excitement is not because that school is over for the ‘year’ or we have successfully completed another year of homeschool (pats on both of our backs for that, though) but because I have all the new stuff right around the corner! I’m already excited about the new classes I’ll be teaching at our Co-op and getting into the nitty gritty creativeness for them. I am so excited about the new curriculum we’re doing this year, reading and getting to know it. I’ve already cleaned out and mostly organized our school l closet at this point…
-
To Start or Not to Start – THAT is the Question!
I have a dear friend who is adamant. Nothing SCHOOL-related is to even be spoken about until AFTER LABOR DAY. As she says, “August is SUMMER. Enjoy it!” Now, I know what you’re thinking: Does that mean she hasn’t even thought about curriculum? Is she planning out the year?? Is she just going to WING it? Oh, please. You KNOW she’s got a plan. She’s a homeschool mom, for heaven’s sake! But, when it comes to starting a formal school day, nothing official is happening until that first big fat Tuesday in September. I’m on the fence. I have planned. I’ve purchased. I’ve cleaned and decorated. I’m excited about the…
-
Two Days and Counting!
The excitement is building! We have vendors and speakers heading to the eastern panhandle of West Virginia to participate in our second annual Tri-State Homeschool Conference. There are volunteers getting ready to help set up the venue space and used curriculum sale, decorate and get things ready for Saturday. Before the excitement of the day, our leadership would like to share with you some of their memories of last year, anticipation for this year, and desire to help other families with their homeschool journey. Samantha Spitzer My favorite memory of TSHSC 2022 was standing in the foyer in the first hour of the conference and watching attendees discussing with each…
-
It’s just around the corner!
We have 8 days until the Conference! A year and a half ago, I sat at a table with several other women listening to Samantha’s passion and dream of a local homeschool conference, never thinking that I would be sitting here today in the final stages of preparation for our second conference. And yet, here we are. To say it’s been a long journey is an understatement. Lots of prayer, meetings, planning, work, and dedication go to these events, and on top of that, we all juggle multiple responsibilities, like all moms do. As a group, we have dealt with job loss, death of a loved one, family issues, and…
-
Five Tips for Curriculum Shopping with the TSHS Conference Vendors
We have been highlighting Conference speakers for quite a while, but let’s focus on vendors! Our vendor hall will be packed out with vendors from all over the east coast! Some coming from as far away as Ohio and Kentucky! If you’ve never been to a homeschool curriculum fair, here are some words of wisdom. Keep an eye out for the Curriculum Techs wearing white coats who will be milling around the vendor hall and the used curriculum sale. They will be able to answer questions and offer ideas for your individual situation. If you plan on purchasing books, bring a roll cart! They get heavy quick! (Ask me how…
-
Used Curriculum Sale
Holy moly, we have two weeks to go!!!! Speakers are prepping, vendors are packing, and we have a plethora of used curriculum making its way to the Conference ready to be loved and used again! If you have curriculum sitting around the house that you no longer need for your family, there is still time to participate. If you would like to submit curriculum for the sale, please register here. The used curriculum sale has gotten so big, we have separated it from the vendor hall this year! You don’t want to miss this! You must register for the Conference to attend. If you haven’t registered, here’s the Conference Registration…
-
Four Weeks Until Conference!
Tri-State Homeschool Conference Committee is proud to present to you the lineup for speakers and workshops for all five sessions that will be presented throughout the day on April 22, 2023. If you have high schoolers in your house, we have sessions for you!!! If you have special needs children, we have seasoned educators with knowledge and resources!! If you are brand new and kind of freaking out because you want to make sure you do it right, we got you covered!!! If you need encouragement and a place to breathe, this is the place for you! Our sessions are pretty locked in, but there may be a few tweaks…
-
2023 TSHS Conference Registration is open!
The second Tri-State Homeschool Conference is rapidly approaching. We are working diligently to ensure that this year’s conference is better than last year! Our goal is to make it even more informative and beneficial to homeschool parents. We are working with great speakers and vendors, both new ones and also a lot of faces you will recognize from last year. The good news is that winter registration is open now! We are offering an early bird registration for $35 for the next two weeks, through February 2, 2023. For this amazing price, you will get five incredible sessions with multiple seasoned homeschool parents and advocates who will share…
