Thanks to Barb for passing along this award to me…it means a lot that she considers my blog to have substance.

The biggest thrill for me was seeing the list of names that were included in this pass along award.  Really humbling!

Then I was checking my Incoming Links on wordpress and saw that I received it again from North Laurel Home! What a thrill for a July Day! Plus, I really enjoy reading North Laurel Home, and somehow she must have gotten out of my reader – so it gave me a chance to subscribe in Google Reader and put a tag on so she doesn’t get lost. 🙂

The Award Rules:

•Thank the blogger who awarded it to you.
•Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience using ten (10) words.
•Pass it on to 10 other blogs which you feel have real substance.

Publicly blogging 10 months -  encouraging middle school moms – To Relax. (Whew!)

I have so many that I enjoy – but I thought I’d share the 10 that I peek at anytime they come up in the Reader. 

Handbook of Nature Study is the #1 – Her stat counter probably has me down as a stalker. I enjoy all of back information on her site – she is so good to leave it all up there for us to search.  But she doesn’t get to play the blog award game today – so um, she doesn’t count. 🙂

In No Particular Order –

The Pioneer Woman.  Good Gravy. I I do mean good gravy.  I love reading her recipes out loud to the family. Makes my husband smile. I love the soccer stories. And holy cow the fireworks were amazing. I had been reading her blog for quite some time thinking we were the only two people in the room, then I tried to comment and I was like 33,000 or something. Then I watched her on The View. She might be busy – but her blog still reads like its just the two of us.  Havin’ bacon and butter sangrias and coffee together.

A Holy Experience.  I read her articles almost daily as a morning devotion. They give me something to chew on.  For as encouraging as she is to live a life for the Lord with Love and for your family – she shares her days when she is the one needing grace from her family. She is honest in encouraging us each day to live better, and honest when she needs to follow her own advice. I love her delicious links – always thought provoking.

Academia Celestia. Makita is a middle school science teacher marathon runner master swimmer – turned homeschool mom. Her journey to the home – focusing on her two sweet children – has been a joy to watch.  She has mastered the Squidoo Lenses and shares all of her knowledge as freely as Barb does.  She is working to create homeschool science curriculum in e-book form, and has created quite a few so far. She is an encouragement to me to keep my health up – my exercise going – even while sitting under the laptop looking at the fog seems like a better choice.  She encourages me to learn the correct vocabulary to share with the boys – beyond – ooo pretty yellow flowermabob.  She allows her young children to follow their passions and does not limit them by age categories – sweetie is learning mandarin because she’s just thrilled by the whole culture. 🙂 Even with all of her teaching credentials and professional career – she embraces the Charlotte Mason – seems to lean towards Delight Directed learning.  Encouraging. 🙂

Little Kisses from God Suzanne is a fellow Nature Lover – homeschool mom.  She encouarages me in the posts – in the comments – as we have walked together this winter and spring through learning to get out doors – stretch beyond what is comfortable – and learn to be content in our circumstances.  She is a woman of wisdom and faith. 🙂 You’d just love her blog!

Mondorfment. Honey is a new online friend – who is just a kick to be around on line.  Her honesty – and quick witted humor just crack me up. She does not speak in “homeschool-ease” which I adore. 🙂 Here’s an example of one of her comments on a Snake Skin Theft Scare “You know you’re a homeschooler when you get anxious over someone taking your snake skin! hehehe!!!

I can see the news now…Attack during The Reptile Man…and it’s not what you think! Tonight at 9!

Or…

When Mother’s Attack! ..and the scared children they leave behind!

“The vacant shell-shocked expersions of the children chilled your soul especially after hearing how 2 mothers mowed down a toddler, took out a Kindergartner & tossed a pre-teen to the floor. The carnage was excessive; bits and pieces of skin thrown about like confetti after a New Years Eve gala. As one woman was wheeled away clutching her prize, a shredded snake skin a few inches long, she repeated to herself…’…good science…good science…good science…’

Honey” 

Ya. She’s funny.

I Capture the Rowhouse is  new to me blog I just started reading this week.  She has a great writing style. Honest. Crafty. Fun with words. I think she will encourage me to “state it like it is” a little bit more. 🙂

A Familiar Path – Hmmm It looks like my feed has not updated this one for a while – I thought she was just on a break.  I enjoy reading her blog – but have no idea what she’s up to . . . . Maybe we should all go find out.

The One Thing – Well first of all – She has an Amazing Name – Angie. :)  She shares Charolotte Mason and Homeschooling and Nature with The One Thing always in mind.  Great blogger!

Our World Wide Classroom has been a new blog to me – she is the host of the Homeschool Blog Hop.  She is encouraging moms to share about their days – to write it down – and create community as we learn from each other.  Leaning a bit to the preschool/younger elementary side – she also encourages moms of olders to jump in the hop – to share what we go through as well. 🙂

And – #10 – I gotta tell you it was hard to pull 10 names out of like 137 that are in my reader - 

Wonder in the Woods – I have met Cori online – and in person now this week. Her boys are just adorable.  I enjoy reading her path written online – as she starts to define family, faith, learning – she is open to thinking out side of the normal educational box – pushing herself to get outdoors more – get her boys into “real men” experiences – and grow together with them.  Her beginning journey sounds like like mine was in the beginning – hearing about homeschooling styles that just did not make sense on paper – but knowing in your gut that it is the right path for your family.  I applaud her open journal as she walks through it – and encourage her to keep going!

Whew.  10.  Of the blogs that post most frequently – I ‘d give out a few awards to Blogs with Substance who post once a month that I’d never miss too . . . .