A few months ago I was contacted by a couple of friends who wanted some help starting their own blog. I wrote this post about it.

Today, I’m happy to share that Blogelina is offering readers of I Choose Joy! the opportunity to join her June 4-week blogging class for free!

Heads Up: This offer ends May 31st!

Blogelina is once again offering her very popular 4-week blogging class — for FREE! This online class will be held in June 2013.

If you sign up for this free class, here’s what you’ll get:

A class manual – packed with 60 pages of information that will help take the overwhelming out of starting your own blog
4 weekly online class sessions where you can ask your questions and get personalized feedback
A FREE year of web hosting.
Blueprints, step-by-step tutorials, networking with other bloggers – Everything you need to grow your blog.
Save yourself a lot of time, trouble, and money – learn from my own experiences what to do and not to do.

I’m already signed up, and hope you’ll join me. (If you do, please leave a comment or send me an email!)

Go here to sign up for the FREE 4-week blogging class.

(Post contains affiliate links.)

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I don’t know about the dad in your house, but the dad in ours would LOVE a $100 Home Depot Gift Card!  It’s one of his favorite stores.  :)

Welcome to the Father’s Day giveaway event sponsored by Tip Hero, featuring some wonderful bloggers. With Father’s Day just around the corner, we thought that a giveaway event was a great way to recognize all of the dads out there and to give someone a chance to win a great dad-ly prize.

One lucky winner will be the recipient of a $100 Home Depot gift card to help get your favorite dad the perfect gift this Father’s Day!

This giveaway begins on May 24th and will run until June 7th at 11:59pm US Eastern time. It will be open to residents of the US only, 18+. Use the PromoSimple form below to enter, and be sure to take advantage of the many entries you can gain.  Come back daily for even more chances to win. Good luck to all!

$100 Home Depot Gift Card

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The From House to Home Link Party is open below.  Please link up a post or two!

One of the greatest blessings about homeschooling is that we have freedom!  We school year-round and just take breaks when needed.  And I’ve decided:  I need a break now!  Friday is going to be our last official school day of this year.  Then we’ll take a couple of weeks off to regroup.

Here are our plans for the summer:

Bible Bee Sword Study and Memory Verses–  This is an in-depth Bible Study which takes about 30 minutes a day.  It incorporates reading, writing, history, using reference materials, etc.

Lots of music lessons– B (12) will take violin and saxophone lessons.  J (11) will take percussion, piano, and violin lessons.  M (9) piano and violin.  R ( 8) piano.  T (6) violin.   And  they will all take singing lessons with me (mostly group, but the oldest ones will have some private lessons as well).  We’ll also do some focus on music theory, written as well as computer or iPad apps.  (If you know of any good ones, let me know!)

Summer camps– One week of sports camp called LifeSports and one week of theater camp with Spotlight.

Math– My oldest needs to finish his 6th grade math book.

History– We’ll continue reading history to finish volume 2 of Mystery of History.  I also have a couple of historical fiction books to do a review on.

Science– I have a unit study science book to do a review on, so we’ll do a couple of those.

Phonics/Reading Lessons– Do Alpha-Phonics with R (8), T (6), and L (4)

Typing– I like to use the summertime to have the kids do typing practice.  We like these free websites:  typingweb.com and bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

Art– We might add in some drawing lessons.

Reading– Summer reading programs where they’ll do lots of silent reading, I’ll continue to read aloud

Jonathan Park– We love to listen to these great CD dramas and learn about creation science and apologetics.  I’m going to see if I can add in some enrichment activities to go along with the reading.

A.C.T.S. Summer of Service–  Service Projects

So, things that will to on hold until next fall are: Latin, Logic, Writing, Math, Worldview, Handwriting, Spelling, and Grammar!

Also, my oldest has been begging to do football for years.  This might be the year we relent (we have one more month to think about it).  If we do, that will consume months August – November.  Do you sense that I’m not into it?  The weirdest thing is that he actually “looks” like a football player.  Trying to make the right decision here.

Vacations–  The first that I’m so glad we get to do is our state’s annual homeschooling convention called ICHE (Illinois Christian Home Educators).  I first went when my oldest was 17 months old and my 2nd child was 6 weeks.  We went every year since until last year because Baby E was born.  She’s almost one and started walking yesterday!  Anyway, my husband and I be going to the convention with the baby and two oldest boys in June.  We have a couple of young ladies (sisters) who will come and stay with the other kids.  We might do a road trip, but haven’t made any plans yet!  And we’ll do our summertime trip up to the lake where my husband’s parents live.

What are your summer plans?

It’s time for our Link Up Party: From House to Home!

Only 2 rules:

1. Link up family-friendly posts (exact post, not website) about making your house into a home: homemaking, parenting, homeschooling, marriage, loving God!

2. Link back to my site with the button below or a text link. Thanks! The code can be found at the top of the Link Party page. (If you don’t link back, your link might be deleted.)

See the wonderful blogs I’ve linked up to here!

(Post contains affiliate links.)

The post From House to Home {Link Party}: 2013 Summer Homeschooling Plans appeared first on I Choose Joy!.

Until I decided to do this giveaway, I didn’t even know what Apple TV was!
We are increasingly becoming more “Apple” people. We now have a Mac, an iPad, 2 iPhones, and 3 iPods! Have fun entering this giveaway today!

Welcome to the Apple TV Giveaway Event hosted by Famous Free Samples! We’re looking to give away an Apple TV, in the form of a $100 Apple gift card, to one lucky winner!

A little about the Apple TV:

“Apple TV gives you access to the best 1080p HD content – including blockbuster movies, your music and photos, and more – right on your widescreen TV. You can even play content from your iOS devices on your TV using AirPlay.”

This giveaway begins on May 22nd and will run through June 5th at 11:59pm EST. Open to residents of the US only, 18+.

Use the PromoSimple form below to enter the giveaway. Be sure to come back daily (click through to I Choose Joy! if you don’t see where to enter) for more chances to win. Best of luck to all!

Win an Apple TV

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Yesterday morning it was only 8:55 a.m. but I had reached the end of my patience with my 2-year-old! And it only got worse as the day progressed. FINALLY, he was asleep (on my floor) by 10:30 p.m. and I could relax.

I used to think I was doing pretty well with the fruit of the Spirit–you know: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. And then I had kids! I am now continually challenged in even the “easiest” of these virtues. I pray continually for God’s strength to be who He wants me to be!

So, I absolutely love the book I’m reviewing today because it teaches about the fruit of the Spirit!  Be sure enter the giveaway at the end.

It’s called My Princess Bible Purse and is definitely a book for girls–pink and sparkly!  It has board-book strength for the covers, which velcros together at the top and has a handle, so it looks like a purse. The inside has regular pages and very cute illustrations.

Each of the 9 fruits of the Spirit has its own page and gives the young girls a description of what that fruit could look like in her life. For example, kindness means sharing toys and goodness means cleaning up your room.

I’m grateful for this book because reading it to the kids will keep the fruit of the Spirit constantly in my mind as well as I try to grow to be more like Christ.

Check out this link for a flip book of My Princess Bible Purse.

Now, enter to win a copy! (Click through to http://ichoosejoy.org if you don’t see a place to enter here.) The winner (18+, U.S. only) will be chosen next Tuesday 5/28/13 and will has 24 hours to respond to my email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Disclosure: Thomas Nelson provided a complimentary copy of this book so I could write this honest review.  Post contains affiliate links.)

The post Review/Giveaway of “My Princess Bible Purse” appeared first on I Choose Joy!.

I know I’ve posted a lot today, but I just had to post one more that I just found out about!  T-Tapp is offering 50% off all workouts, including Starter Systems and Variety Workouts.  If you’ve wanted to try out T-Tapp or add to your collection, Tuesday 5/21/13 is the day to buy!

And a BONUS:  All orders over $100 receive their choice of either Digest + (Retail $49.95),  Pyruvyl-Glycine Spray (Retail $39.95) or HCG-PG Spray (Retail $43.95)

Here’s a link to the T-Tapp Store!  Use coupon code DDT032113 at checkout to receive this discount on your T-Tapp order.

Here are a few great workouts:  (My favorites are Basic Workout Tempo, Step Away the Inches, and TappCore!)

(Post contains affiliate links.)

The post T-Tapp Deep Discount Tuesday: 50% off All Workouts! appeared first on I Choose Joy!.

The giveaway for this event will begin on May 24.  This is just an announcement post.  :)
Tip Hero’s Father’s Day Giveaway Event

Sign-ups are now open for this great new giveaway event!

• Event is free to join with an announcement post. If you don’t wish to post the announcement, please send the $5 non-post fee to tiphero@gmail.com
• You’ll receive 1 free link for participating (either Twitter or Pinterest)
• Additional links (RSS/Email, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest) are available for $5 each
• Sign-ups for this event close on May 22th
• Event runs from May 24th – June 7th
• Prize: $100 Home Depot gift card

Please send all payments to tiphero@gmail.com as a “gift” via PayPal.
Sign up for this event here.

The post Announcement Post for Tip Hero’s Father’s Day Giveaway appeared first on I Choose Joy!.

Registration is now open for The 2013 Bible Bee

If you live in my area, go to www.BibleBee.org/LakeCountyIL

If you live somewhere else, you can search to see which one is closest to you!Register at www.BibleBee.orgPlease use this referral code when you register: 2v848zH6
Using the referral code above helps the Lake County Bible Bee!

Fulfill your desire to grow your family in God’s truth… Receive the equipping and encouragement to lead your own children in a deeper walk with Christ Use quality materials to build life-long habits in Bible study, application and prayer Share the growth with other local families at fun, monthly support activities

.	You can do this! Memorize just two Bible passages each week as a family Spend 20 minutes a day in age-leveled, synchronized Bible studies Share what you’ve learned each week at a “Family Bonfire” with the help of weekly overviews, questions and activity ideas in the Parent Guidebook

Celebrate your family’s growth… Registered family members receive Bibles, memory cards, Bible studies and more on June 1st Youth from 7 to 18 years may choose to compete in a Local Contest on August 24th Oral and written tests review the 24 Bible memory passages and the Biblical book covered in provided Bible studies The 300 top-scoring local contestants are invited to compete at the National Competition to win part of $260,000 Click Here to See the Bible Bee Basics Click Here to See the Competition Rulebook Click Here to See the Sample of the 2012 Sword Study & Bible Memory Cards

 

 

The post It’s Time to Register for the Bible Bee! appeared first on I Choose Joy!.

  30% Off on READY-SET-BRUSH KIT from Twooth Timer

…

Here’s a nice set from Educents today–a toothbrushing timer, tooth pillow, and book.

Our latest buy from Educents was a globe!

We learned something new with it this morning, too.  My son was studying it compared to the map on our wall and said,  ”Did you know that Greenland is only 1/3 the size of Australia?”  I’ve heard this phrase before:  ”Maps lie, globes tell the truth!”

Head on over to Educents to check out this and other deals. But, hurry! They don’t last long.

 

(Post contains affiliate links.  Educents is a sponsor of I Choose Joy!  All opinions are my own.)

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This is an announcement post for a giveaway opportunity we’ll be involved in next month.

Hi and welcome to the sign up for Mommy Lesson Plans Summer bash!  This event will begin June 15th at 7pm and run thru July 15th at 7pm.

I am so excited for this giveaway! So far we have 8 confirmed sponsors with prize totals around $400. I am working with a few more and we will hopefully have 15 with prizes around/over $600! This is going to be HUGE and we will all get a great response from our readers! The prizes are half kids and half women’s sop far but I am hoping a couple of men and neutral companies come thru before we get started!

I am only accepting 50 blogs with free links. After that it will only be host/cohost/and paid links available.

Sign up HERE!!!

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