The Homeschooled Housewife Works

You've asked and now I'm answering.  What do I do?

Well the simple answer is that I do part time customer service from my home.  I found this job on craigslist, beat out 100's of other prospects- many of which were former Microsoft employees and held Master's degrees and so here I am- working and homeschooling.

The company I work for is a local, family run company.  There's less then 5 employees and I am pretty much the only one who handles the customer service.  I answer customer questions and place orders via phone and online chat.  In addition, I also help with assembly of the product when needed.

I do not get paid a lot.  But I do this job because it allows me to be home to homeschool and run our house.  I am always on the lookout for new jobs and more ways to add to our family income.  At this point in life, I have a few requirements from any new job that I accept.

1.  Flexible.  Any prospective employer must acknowledge that my family comes first.  With my son's ever changing homeschool classes and activities, a flexible schedule is a must.

2.  The ability to have my son with me if needed.  It's simple really- I stay home so we don't have to pay for daycare.  So any job that I take must allow for me to have my son with me if I'm unable to have my husband or other family members watch him.

And that's it.  Yep- just two priorities when I take on any new job.  Notice that I didn't say money or career advancement.  These things aren't even on my list although I'm sure for most people they would be the main reasons behind accepting any new position.

So Moms- if you're looking to work and homeschool I have some advice for you.

• Be willing to do anything.  If the job is flexible and allows you to have your kids, then it doesn't matter what the actual job is.  I've cleaned offices and scooped animal poop all because it met my two requirements above.
• Work several part time jobs instead of one full time job.  It's much easier to find a couple part time jobs that offer a flexible schedule then it is to find a full time one. 
• Work odd hours.  There's a market for folks who are willing to work super early, late at night, weekends or swing shift.  And yes- many times these odd hours mean more pay.
• Apply, apply, apply.  Seriously- if you're even remotely qualified then apply for it!  Who cares that they want a college degree and you don't have one.  Or the hours don't seem like enough.  You never know what the job will become if you didn't at least apply for it.
• Get creative.  Think outside the box.  Ask family and friends if they have any work for you, contact your local church about working in the nursery or for evening childcare for choir practices and MOPS meetings.
• Every little bit helps.  If you're in desperate need of money, then you need to realize that NO job is too small.  I complete surveys online for $3 each.  Seriously- only $3.
• Change your attitude.  This is by far my biggest piece of advice.  There is NO way to make lots of money without working your butt off.  Be prepared to do what it takes.  And while you're at it- have confidence in yourself.  I have never gone on a job interview and NOT been offered the job.  I'm not boasting here- this is simply because I know what my skills are, my strengths and my weakness and I take pride in who I am.  With an attitude like that- you can't fail.

Here's a list of jobs that I've personally had while homeschooling:

Babysitter

Night shift at hotel

Assembly for my current job

Human Resource Assistant

Pet sitter

Janitor

Market Research with Fieldworks Seattle

Church nursery worker

Housecleaning

Assistant Marketing Director at Retirement Home

Ebay seller

Online survey taker with Pinecone Research

Blogger

Vacation Bible School day leader

Independent employee for gas price research

Customer Service

Assembly & Production

Sales

Event staff at convention center

So yeah- nothing too glamorous here but it helps pay the bills.  Being able to stay home is a blessing but I won't say that it doesn't come without hard work and sacrifice.  

You can do this Mommas!

***Want to Read More****

I'm a Working Homeschooling Mom

*After publish edit.

At the time of the original posting, I was only working one job.  I now have a second job as an Administrative Assistant outside the home on nights and weekends.

I'm Too Young to Die

That's the first thought we had upon hearing that the husband was at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  "He's too young."  Shit.

Now, if you've been living under a rock for the last decade- you may not be aware that type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate.  This type of diabetes is of course mainly considered a "lifestyle" disease because you typically get it as a result of a bad lifestyle.  Simple enough, right?  The good news is that because of this, you can also reverse it.  Yay!  I'm all for that!  And of course that's just what we did!

Diet is the first place you should start and that's what I'm going to focus on here.  Since we had already started on our food journey, this was pretty easy for us.  We had already started by eating less meat and cut out most of the fatty foods.  So yeah- you should do this too.  Then add in as many whole foods as you can.  Those processed foods are scary!  Lots of hidden salt and sugar so its best to make as many foods at home as you can.

Finally, do a little research on which foods are best for those who are at risk.  But because I'm totally awesome, here's a great article courtesy of Natural News.  This is a great list of 10 foods that are super easy to add in to your diet.  There's also some supplements you can take to help as well- the husband personally takes cinnamon and I highly recommend this one.  But as with anything- please do your own research and consult your own medical professional before starting on any major changes.

Oh- and if you're wondering how you're going to make these changes or get your picky family member to eat these foods, I'm here to say- it can be done.  The husband hated kale.  He also doesn't like blueberries or almonds.  But you know what- I got creative and now he happily eats them and enjoys it! True story.

Our preferred method of getting kale in our diets is by drinking these yummy Green Smoothies.  And I just concocted a Blueberry Smoothie that is equally fabulous.  Both are easy to make and provide a ton of health benefits.  Not too worry- I'll share the recipe below for the newest smoothie!

So the next time you hear that someone you know is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes- I hope you'll share this with them.  It's not too late.

Great for breakfast!

Blueberry Smoothie

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 frozen banana
2 Tbls honey*
2 tsp chia seeds


Defrost your banana for 10 minutes prior to using.

Dump all ingredients in your blender and blend away.  This will make enough for 2 people and as always, please try to use all organic ingredients.

Enjoy!

*The honey is optional.  However, local, raw honey is SO good for you and I highly recommend you add some in if you have it.

Raw, local honey is where it's at!!!

Gender What?

"Just Say NO to Gender Conditioning" was the headline of a recent article I came across.  I couldn't help but think, gender what?

While this concept is not new, this was certainly the first time I'd heard this term- Gender Conditioning.  But for those of you that are unfamiliar, the meaning is simple.  We as parents tend to push our children toward behaving more like their gender, through play, dress and social interactions.  Think about it- you buy toy cars for little boys and dolls for little girls, right?  Well, at least most of us do.  But now- it seems that not even this is right because there's an emerging trend with today's parents to raise a gender neutral child.

So I'm just gonna say this because well, frankly it needs to be said.

Parents- you are raising confused, over indulged children.

Yeah, you heard me right.  You're treading on eggshells.  Concerned because your little boy only wants to play with plastic green army men and your daughters want an Easy Bake oven for Christmas.  And because you can't handle their natural preferences towards a gender specific toy, you rush out and buy your girls combat boots and your boys pink t-shirts.  Say what?!?

Sure, I get that you are trying to get them to express themselves and be who they really are.  And I know you want your boys to grow up with a healthy respect for women but do they really need to run around in tutu's and paint their fingernails in order to do this?

No.

Teaching your children to respect the opposite gender comes from how they are raised.  NOT by what toys they play with and how you dress them.  It goes without saying, that they learn this respect at home.  Not only through what you teach them but by watching how their parents treat each other.  Ladies, if you disrespect your husband and treat him like a child, no amount of pink t-shirts can change what your boy sees.  And men, if you use your size to intimidate your wife, it won't matter how many dump trucks your daughter plays with- you simply can't erase this.

So how about instead of focusing on the material aspects of each gender and thoroughly confusing our children, we simply try to teach them respect and empathy towards each other.  Novel concept, I know.

And who gives a shit if your daughter loves the color pink and wants to wear a sparkly tiara everywhere she goes.  What does it matter if your boy loves everything camo and has a fascination with all things dirt encrusted.  If this is who they are- embrace it and allow them to be themselves.  Quit trying to change who they are in an effort to teach them empathy and understanding.  Focus on that stuff at home, where it matters.

And yes- if your son wants to grow up and be a ballerina, then by all means- enroll him in ballet class and buy that boy a tutu.  But until then- step off.  Support your children as they are, however that might be.

It's All About the Tots

Who doesn't love tator tots?!?  Seriously, they are SO good.

A few years ago, I saw a recipe for something called Tator Tot Casserole and I just knew that I had to make it.  Seriously- tots as the main ingredient?  You know it's gonna be good.  So I clicked on the link and sadly, the rest of the ingredients left something to be desired.  Canned cream of mushroom soup, bricks of fake Velveeta cheese, factory farmed ground beef....umm, yeah- no thanks.  I think I'll pass on that processed crap.  But still....tots....oohh how I love the tots.  And so was born the "Gimme Some Tot Casserole".

You'll probably notice that most of my recipes here on the blog are meat free.  Well that's because we simply don't eat a lot of meat.  But when we do- this is one of our favorites.  I also want to mention that for us- this is an indulgence.  The tots are greasy and combined with the cheese and meat- it makes for a heavy meal.  So you probably won't want to make this every week!

For this recipe, I only use 1/2 pound of ground beef.  Most folks would use a full pound, so feel free to increase this amount if you'd like.  Would you believe that my family only eats about 2 pounds of ground beef each month?!?   I know- crazy right?  But if you're looking to cut down on your meat consumption or just want to save a little money on the ever increasing costs of food- this is an easy way to do it!

This meal will serve a normal family of 4.  Or perhaps a family of 6 with several small children.  You will also have a little bit leftover for lunch the next day.  Not a lot- just a little.

Let's get cookin'!



Gimme Some Tot Casserole

1 1/2 bag tots
1/2 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp beef bouillon
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt & pepper



1.  Put your tots in the oven according to package directions.  Don't forget to set your timer!

2.  Cook your ground beef, onions and garlic.  Drain the excess grease (but let me just say you won't have much to drain if you're using local, organic meats) and return to the pot.  Now sprinkle the beef mixture with your flour and cook on low for a few minutes.  The mixture will start to thicken- so begin adding in your milk, about 1/2 cup at a time and then add the beef bouillon.

Tip- We use this beef bouillon, which is really more of a beef base.  It just adds another level of beefy goodness to the casserole.  You can leave it out if you don't have this ingredient or just use one of those cubes of beef bouillon, however I do not recommend those.  So I hope you'll try to find this beef base or better yet- make your own!

3.  Once you've added in all your milk, season with salt and pepper.  Your mixture should be just a little thick but not runny.  Add more milk if you need to and finish the meat sauce by adding in the sour cream.  By this point, your tator tots should be done cooking- so pull those puppies out!

4.  Now it's time to build your casserole.  I use a glass 9 X 13 pan, spray it so it doesn't stick and place a layer of tator tots first.  Then your meat sauce, then some shredded cheese.  Repeat this layering until you've used up all your ingredients.  You can totally add more cheese if you'd like, just adjust to suit your family's tastes.

Tip- At this point you can also add veggies to your casserole.  However, my family is hardcore and we prefer to eat it as is- no green in sight!  Although I do serve the veggies on the side.


5.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Keep an eye on it- you just want to combine everything and get the cheese nice and melted.

SO Good!

So there you have it.  Super yummy and easy casserole.  This recipe works great to double up on too.  I just make a double batch and put one in the freezer before cooking.  Perfection!

Some People Hide the Bad Stuff

Wolves in sheep's clothing.

Evil packaged in a pretty person.

Hatred disguised as love.

Bitterness with a side of sarcasm.


Yeah- some people are truly nasty.  And the kiddo is just starting to realize this.  I had hoped to hold off on this lesson just a little longer but here we are.  "Mom, how can someone change so much on the inside but still look the same on the outside?"

Sigh....

This lesson never stops.  Finding the good people, who are good down deep to their soul is probably the biggest challenge in life, for all of us.  Even more so when these people present a totally different image on the outside then what is living in their heart.  But what I've realized is that this evil will eventually spread so that even the most beautiful people will become ugly on the outside when they have this evil lurking inside them.

It becomes even more difficult when these people are in our own family.

And so begins a double lesson for the kiddo.

1st- People aren't always what they appear to be.  Some are very good and hiding the bad.  Proceed with caution.

2nd- Learn to search for the good and hold on to those who are beautiful deep down to their soul.


And let me just tell you- this is a lesson you will probably never stop learning.  Because those first people, the ones who are so good at hiding their true selves, they are also pretty darn good at fooling others.  So it's easy to overlook the bad sometimes, to dismiss the hurtful, sarcastic comments until one day- BAM.  You're blindsided and totally caught off guard by the hate and bitterness dripping off them.  Yeah- these people are so good at hiding who they really are, that even they probably don't realize how truly evil they are.  It's sad really....But at the end of the day, true beauty, true goodness radiates from within.  And there's no hiding that.

So as my son gets older- this is what I'll teach him.  That there are some truly beautiful people in this world.  People who love you, care for you and support you.  They are filled with love and light and because they are beautiful deep down to their soul- this won't change.  Hold on to these people.  Strive to be one of these people.  This is my desire for my child.

The Imperfect Perfect Family

I posted this over on the Facebook page and it was just so awesome that I wanted to share with all of you here.

The comments were pretty great too, but one of them really stuck with me.  So much so that I will probably always think of my little family this way now.  And of course, this title also applies to all of you and the ever expanding community we are growing here.  The Imperfect Perfect Family.  And you know- that's kinda what we are.  We are SO far from perfect.  Oh My Word.

But you may or may not know that I'm just a little OCD.  So as a result, I personally strive for perfection.  Not too worry- I'll never reach it but it's nice to have goals, right?  I want to have happiness, health, a nice clean house, a well mannered child, a sexy husband, I want to look nice and cook good food- you know...I aim to do things right.  This is my idea of what perfection is- yours may be completely different.  But I'm human and thus I will always fall short.  I'm ok with that.

Now I'm sure that many of you have goals too.  Things you want to master and do perfectly.  To be honest, I think everyone has this but only a few will admit that they strive for perfection.  So to all the naysayers, I say this- sucks to be you.  Sometimes we just have to own our imperfections and sometimes its ok to accept when we've done things perfectly.  Really- it's ok.


So I give you- The Imperfect Perfect Family.



We laugh often, we sing silly bedtime songs, we skip lessons to bake cookies, we write love notes to one another, we cry and we stay up late & go fishing. We make volcanoes on the dining table, we go for walks in the woods, we read books, we sometimes say bad words and we play fetch with the dogs. We rescue bugs, we eat together, we yell at each other and we snuggle on the bed together. We do science projects at 10pm and paint rocks during breakfast. We listen to music, we grieve over the loss of loved ones, we watch Jeopardy together, we are silly and weird. We get mad at each other, we do schoolwork in the car, we make promises to one another, we love each other.

We are a family. We are just like you.

The only difference is you get to see us. We are sharing our lives with you. Our struggles, our joys- just a little bit of our family and what makes us who we are.

Please know that we are not perfect. Our story is not unique. We are simply a family sharing our journey and hoping that we can inspire others to homeschool, to build up their marriage, to follow the good path of family and love.

We are blessed that you are here. For the time that you spend with us, within this growing community. Thank You.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

This is one of the husband's favorite meals.  Seriously- he can't get enough of this stuff.

The original recipe came from the husband's Grandma.  They were in town visiting one Christmas and I asked her to show me how to make this favorite dish.  It was good folks- no, beyond good, it was awesome.  But the original recipe had WAY too much cheese, grease, fat etc and there was NO WAY that I could feed this to my family with a clear conscience.  I'm not even kidding- there was 2 pounds of cheddar and 2 packages of bacon and a full stick of butter!  Ack!  So over the years, I've lightened it up a bit and adjusted the ingredients to fit our organic, non GMO lifestyle.

The results....pretty darn awesome.

Homeschooled Housewife's Homemade Mac & Cheese

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
6-8 slices turkey bacon
16 oz penne pasta
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
heavy cream


The ingredients are simple.  The process is easy.  Start by boiling your water for the pasta, the husband likes this with penne pasta but you could use whatever you like.  Then put your bacon in the oven, 375 for 8-10 minutes.  We use Applegate organic turkey bacon and yeah- I cook bacon in the oven.

Once you start the water boiling- begin on your sauce.  Super easy.  If you know how to do a bechamel sauce, the process is identical.  And folks- this is one skill you simply must have.  Making a good homemade bechamel sauce will come in handy more times then you can count- so trust me & learn how to do this!

For the sauce- melt your butter & then add the flour to it.  Cook on very, very low heat for just a minute.  You're basically cooking off the flour taste.  Then slowly add in your milk- 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time.  You want it to slowly thicken with the flour/butter mixture.  Continue adding all your milk, making sure to stir often so you don't scald it.  Once you've added your milk- time to dump in the cheese.  Use a good quality cheese that melts.  We use Organic Valley sharp cheddar- just cut it up into small chunks and slowly add to the milk.  Don't put it in all once!

By this point, your pasta should be done cooking.  Don't forget to check your bacon- better yet, set a timer!  Drain your pasta and set aside.  Cut up your bacon and add to the sauce.

Finish your sauce by adding salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Go easy on the salt since there's already salt from the cheese and bacon!  You can also add a little bit of heavy cream at the end to give your sauce a richer flavor.  It's not needed and if you're trying to lighten up this dish- then skip it.  But when we want to indulge, you know I add at least a 1/4 cup of heavy cream!  A pinch of nutmeg and you're done!

Combine your pasta and sauce and put into a large cassarole dish.  Now- you can totally cook this a little in the oven or just eat it as is.  We do both.  The husband likes it cooked a bit, 375 for about 20 minutes while I like it fresh from the stove top.  As with any recipe, I urge you to use only organic ingredients.  You can also get fancy and use a combination of different cheeses or fun shaped pastas.  Trust me when I say that using quality ingredients just makes your food taste better!

Enjoy!

10 Things You Should Never Say to the Mom with One Child

The kiddo is 9 so for the most part- these comments have died off.  Praise Jesus.  Because I will fully admit that I don't always know how to reply to them and frankly, can't believe some of the things that come out of people's mouths!  Now, I do try and always give folks the benefit of the doubt.  And I like to think these comments are well-intentioned....but really?!?  Just...really?!?

So the next time you see a Mom with one child- please refrain from saying these things.  Please?  Pretty please?

1. Just One?  Oh.  My.  Gawd.  Nothing gets me more fired up then someone asking if I have just one child.  Just?  Gah!  I don't ask if you have just 3 kids or just 8 kids, so why would you ask if I have just one?  
2. But he needs a sibling.  No- I'm pretty sure no one needs a sibling.  This is strictly a matter of want.  The reality is this- sometimes siblings suck.  Seriously suck.  No one needs this in their life- stuck with a crappy sibling.  How about a nice best friend or a close cousin instead?
3. But what if he dies, then you won't have any kids.  Cheese and crackers people!  Do you even think before speaking?  What if all your kids die- then we'll be even.  Sheesh.
4. Lucky you- all that free time.  I'm sorry- what?!?  I'm still a Mom and I still have Mom shit to do, same as you.  Feeding 3 kids doesn't really take any longer then feeding one.  I still drive around to soccer practices, swimming, classes, doctor appointments etc.  
5. Better have another kid before you get any older.  Deep breath.....did you just call me old?!?  Yeah, you probably shouldn't have said that.
6. Everyone needs an heir and a spare.  I'm sorry- are kids tires now?  Pretty sure I don't need a spare kid.  And how insulting that you think of your kids in terms of spares.  Wow....just wow.
7. Doesn't he get lonely?  Well, I'm pretty sure with all the playdates, soccer practices, trips to the YMCA, school etc that my child is anything but lonely.  So try again.
8. He'll grow up to be a spoiled brat.  While it's true that I do spoil the people that I love- spoiling someone doesn't necessarily mean they will grow up and be a spoiled brat.  It's all in how you raise them.  My kid knows how to share, show kindness, express empathy and be a good human being.  Done and done.
9. Don't you wonder what a girl would look like?  Well all the damn time.  But that doesn't mean I'm going to have another kid just so I can compare looks.  I'm pretty sure any children I have would be cute- doesn't mean I'm having more.
10. That's selfish.  Sigh...well I guess it is just a little bit.  But isn't it selfish to keep having kids because you want babies without thinking about how this affects your present kids and spouse.  How many wives get baby fever and the husband just gives in- you know he doesn't want more, yet you do it anyways.  Now that's really selfish.

And you probably shouldn't say this to a Mom
with more then one child!

The Great Pizza Debacle 2014

Last night the husband really made me mad.  Well how could this happen you ask?  Here's how...

The Masterpiece

On his way home from work, he stopped literally 5 minutes from home and bought a Little Caesars pizza.  Then promptly ate half of it by the time he got home.  Meanwhile, I was battling work, a cranky kiddo who was NOT listening, homeschooling and 2 crazy Rat Terriers who were fighting over chew bones.  I took time out of my insane day to stop and make the husband one of his favorite meals, homemade macaroni with cheese.  But ladies- I stepped it up a bit.  I added 4 different kinds of organic cheese, 2 different pastas and Applegate organic turkey bacon.  I slaved over a hot stove, in a hot house for 90 minutes making this masterpiece!  And the husband buys crap pizza less then an hour before dinner!?!  Yeah- I was pissed.

So why am I telling you all of this?  It's simple really....I want you to see how a real marriage works.

I was angry.  I told my husband I was angry.  We talked about it, we figured out a compromise and he promised to get his head out of his butt and never do that again.  People make mistakes- we all do.  I know that he wasn't intentionally trying to ruin this nice dinner that I made just for him.  Sometimes shit happens.

So even though I consider myself to be a Traditional Wife- that doesn't mean that I don't still get angry at my husband.  That doesn't mean that I'm meek and timid.  If he pisses me off- like he did last night, I let him know.  We work through our issues, we seek compromise and resolution and we do it in a way that is not hurtful to the other.

Because at the end of the day- my marriage succeeding is worth the struggle.  It's worth every small argument as we navigate resolution, it's worth the anger and the upset, it's worth the fight.  I love my husband.  My husband loves me.  We got this.

Mommy Bloggers Unite!

You've heard me talk about my desire to inspire and encourage others, right?  But where does the Homeschooled Housewife find her encouragement?  Ooohh....I'm so glad you asked!  Today I will be sharing with you my top 10 favorite fellow Mommy bloggers.  Some are all about laughs (please excuse the foul language) while some of them provide encouragement for marriage, some focus on our food and then others are just plain awesome all around.

Someday, I hope to be on a list somewhere of someone's favorite Mommy bloggers.  Only time will tell...

Top 10 of my personal favorites, in no particular order.

1. Jen Hatmaker- Not only is she hilarious but her husband is a motorcycle riding pastor.  Seriously- does it get any better then this?!?
2. Time Warp Wife- All about a Christ centered marriage with focus on house and home and your role as a wife.
3. 100 Days of Real Food- What started out as a pledge for her family, turned into a lifestyle.  If you want to get the processed foods OUT- this is the woman to help you!
4. Lady GooGoo Gaga- She is not your normal Mom.  Laugh out loud, bust a gut FUNNY!  Beware of the foul language.
5. Diary of a Mom- Every single time she posts on Facebook, I cry.  It's that good.  Amazing writing from a Mom who provides inspiration not only to those with autistic kids but to all Moms.
6. The Busy Mom- Encouragement for the busy homeschooling Mom.
7. Happy Wives Club- Changing the tone of marriage one couple at a time and proving that happily ever after does exist!
8. Baby Sideburns- Bringing you the shits and giggles of motherhood and everything in between.  Don't forget to check out her tiger pants!  
9. Club 31 Women- A safe place for women who have a passion for husband, home and family. 
10. Thrifty NW Mom- Helping us save money, one penny at a time.  Tips, coupons, recipes, travel- it's all here! 

Special shout out to The Food Babe, while she's not a Mommy, she is an awesome source of inspiration for me.  This is my go to blog for living a natural lifestyle, tips on how to reduce the chemicals in our everyday products and food inspiration!

Wow!  That's a pretty awesome list!  And I hope that it can provide you with some inspiration and encouragement just as it does for me.  I love supporting fellow Moms!

You Like Me, You Really Like Me!

Oh.  My.  Gawd.

The Homeschooled Housewife Facebook page has officially hit 1,000 likes.

I'm just gonna stop a moment and take it all in.  This is pretty big and I have to admit that I've been driving my family nuts all day as I watch the counter get closer and closer to the 1K mark.

Just a little over a year ago, I started The Homeschooled Housewife.  I've spent a lot of time working on the blog and posting away over on Facebook.  I'm even trying to figure out "the Twitter" but really- it's not  my fav.  My goal in the last year has been simple.  To encourage others.

So when I started my Facebook page to accompany this blog, it took me months to hit 50 fans.  Months!!!  And here we are, just a year later and I'm at 1,000 likes.  Can I just tell you all how awesome this is for me and what great encouragement for me to continue on!

Now listen, I know that some of you may feel I'm being a little silly.  And that's ok- I get it.  But as with any labor of love, you have to start small and work your way up.  I desire to be like many of my favorite bloggers- a beacon of encouragement.  But I want to do it my way.  So I will continue to plug along, to share my life, to talk about my family's journey and hopefully to inspire others to do the same.  There's nothing silly about that.

And we all know that I can't continue to do that without all of you, the fans.  All 1,000 of you!  I am ever present of the fact that The Homeschooled Housewife doesn't exist without you and so I offer my deepest thanks.  Seriously- THANK YOU.  You are helping me to build this great community and your words of encouragement keep me going.  You are awesome.

To the next 1,000 fans and growing.  To infinity and beyond.

The Homeschooled Housewife.

All Things William

The true star of this show is the kiddo, aka, William.  So today, I'm writing about all things William and I'm giving you just a peek at this funny, smart and amazing little person that my husband and I are privileged to raise.

William was born in 2005 and he turned 9 this year.  Click here to read about his birth story and learn all about the momentous day that he came into our lives.

William is officially entering the 4rd grade this Fall.  He attends Edmond's Heights K-12, it's a homeschooling program through our public school system.  He has been going here since he was 5 years old and yes, we plan for him to attend all the way through his senior year of high school.  In addition to this program, we also do school at home.

The kiddo is currently obsessed with Legos.  He loves ALL things Lego and on our last big vacay, we knew we had to take him to Legoland.  William spends a lot of time constructing Lego sets, attending events at the local Lego store, researching characters online, playing Lego games and watching Lego movies and TV shows.  Yep- it's official, he LOVES Legos.

The VIP (Very Important Puppy) in William's life is his trusty sidekick, Buddy Boy.  Buddy is a 2 year old Rat Terrier that we welcomed to our family when he was just 6 weeks old.  Buddy Boy loves his William- they share a bed, he follows him everywhere, William is Buddy Boy's "person" and he cries when William goes out front to play and he can't follow.  Every boy needs a dog and William is very lucky to have two- Buddy Boy and Lucky Dog.

William with Buddy Boy & Lucky Dog

William is fearless.  Seriously, he has NO fear.  He enjoys climbing trees, doing one-legged jumps on his scooter and riding roller coasters.  His favorite ride at Disneyland is Big Thunder Mountain followed closely by Space Mountain.  When he was three he tried to ride his little kiddie play car down the stairs and parachute off the top of the fridge.  Yeah- he's a bit of a daredevil.

Playing "Knights & Swords" with
Buddy Boy.

William is outspoken.  Much to the chagrin of his grandparents and other's who are used to a more "reserved" child, William speaks his mind.  It's no holds barred and there are seriously NO secrets in our house.  William has always had an amazing vocabulary, he was doing baby sign language at 9 months and speaking in clear sentences by the time he was 18 months old.  As a result, he has always had a way with words and will simply tell it like it is.

William is funny.  He likes to crack jokes and when he starts laughing- I can't help but laugh too.  He likes to dance around the house in his underwear and he is seriously not afraid of how other's view him.  He is simply being himself and it's a pretty wonderful thing to see.

William is strong willed.  He fights for what he thinks is right- even when it means he's arguing with Mom and Dad.  He challenges authority and questions rules.  Yes, he still knows right from wrong- but he is no "sheeple" but rather, a child who thinks for himself.  He's a wonderful mix of stubborn and kind hearted all put into one boy sized package.


Finally- let's end this post with some random, fun facts about William.

• His favorite color is orange.
• Favorite books are the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
• He has his Daddy's gorgeous blue eyes.
  
• He's a great swimmer.
• He broke his arm when he was 3 years old.
• He hates tomatoes but puts ketchup on everything.
• William loves soccer and is improving his skills all the time.
• He loves animals.
• William's favorite place is Disneyland & he's been 4 times.
• His favorite foods are meatballs & rice, pizza, mashed potatoes and fruit.
• He is an only child.
• He loves flip flops & usually goes through about 3 pairs each summer.
• He learned to ride a bike without training wheels by the age of 3.
• He didn't eat his first cheeseburger until he was 5.
• He loves to dance.
• William learned to read later in life but now he's ahead of the game.
• He has a very short attention span, seriously- very short.
• He's super smart but does not enjoy a formal/forced learning environment.

So there you have it.  Now you know just a little bit more about the special little man in my life.  And just in case you're wondering why I call him "the kiddo" it's really very simple.  This is what my Dad called me growing up and to this day, he still does.

My Kiddo