A month of fun! Week #1: BLOGGER giveaway

On January 26, 2009, I started a blog. While it started out as nothing more than a family blog, it has evolved to become so much more ~~~and all with enough Jane Austen thrown in to keep even the truest Englishwoman (or man) happy!

So, this is Brighton Park's 3 year BLOGOVERSARY and I am holding 4 themed giveaways this month; one for each week! The first is for you, my fellow BLOGGERS!  Start the new year out with a fresh blog look and a fresh outlook! The winner of this giveaway will win:

A new blog header and coordinating blog button designed for you by Little Bitty Design studio,

The new Kirk Cameron Autobiography, Still Growing and

 the new book by Candace Cameron Bure (with the Time Warp Wife, Darlene Schacht) ReShaping it all:Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness

and lastly, one month (February 2012) of free sidebar advertising of your blog or etsy store in the Brighton Park sidebar (must be family friendly).

What a great way to start out your year! So, how to win?  Do one, or all, of the following (each one equals one chance):

 1. leave a comment on this post telling one goal you have for your blog in the new year!

 2.  click here and link up your favorite post from the past year to the Brighton Park Best of 2011 link up and share your best with other bloggers by clicking here

 3. follow this blog via GFC or Networked Blogs or subscribing to RSS and leave a comment letting me know you did

 4. "like" the Brighton Park facebook page by clicking here and tell me in the comments

Thank you for being with me on this journey for the past three years! Good luck, and wishing you a happy and successful year of blogging in 2012!

** Giveaway ends 1/7/12 11:59 pm, winner will be chosen using random.org, with a winner being announced on Sunday Jan 8th! Winner MUST live in the 50 United States. Winner will receive books within 2-3 weeks. Work done my Little Bitty Design Studio will be scheduled by LBDS, based on where the header/blog prize fall in their work queue.  This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook and facebook is not liable for prizes. Brighton Park, or any persons associated with this blog, shall not be held liable for any damages incurred through the use of these prizes. Thank you.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: Happy New Year

In my life this week… have enjoyed a leisure week of lazy mornings. Got my laundry caught up for first time in FOREVER (okay August; same difference) and started my 2012 organization challenge.  and....I am guest posting today over at Hip Homeschool Moms about being a homeschooler and a college student again. If you havent heard my story about Mr. Darcy and the watermelon yet, then you must hop over there and read my post ;-)

In our homeschool this week… holiday break; though we are still doing reading time each day.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… do not use worksheets with the little ones. homeschool is not school at home and they will learn best through play, reading with you, and your time/attention. Keep the JOY in your homeschool, but especially with the wee wee ones.

I am inspired by… the possibilities of the new year, or as they say in French...

My favorite thing this week was…re-watching the movie Fireproof with my husband. I had forgotten just how much I love love love that movie.

What’s working/not working for us… Let's just say we made a family rule of no computers on the table during mealtimes :-)

Questions/thoughts I have… Have you checked out some of the prizes being offered here at Brighton Park for the January Blogoversary giveaway that starts this week on January 1st? you haven't? Well, click HERE! There will be 4 giveaways; one for each week of the month.

Things I’m working on… plans for the blog for 2012. I am so excited about the content I will be offering and the direction Brighton Park is going!

I’m reading… Steady Days by Jamie C. Martin. A great book about "intentional and professional" motherhood. Put it on your "must read in 2012" list...

I’m cooking… my way through a couple cookbooks in order elevate my cooking skills this year. One is "Everyday English" by Todd English and the other is the "Martha Stewart Cooking School". Some things are old hat but good to brush up; others I have never done before. Should be fun!

I’m grateful for…Jesus, Mr. Darcy, kids, family, friends, house, food, books; pretty much in that order

I’m praying for…my husband and his faith journey, myself and my faith journey, my girls for their confidence and my boys for continued life skills independence.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share… You are invited to link up your favorite blog post of the past year that you wrote at the Best of 2011 link up. Doing so automatically enters you in the giveaways and you will be sharing your best with other bloggers. 48 have linked up so far and you are next! Linked up posts will be shared via my twitter and fb page throughout the year!

The Homeschool Mothers Journal is a weekly link up hosted by Sue at The Homeschool Chick. Please join me over there to meet other great homeschool families.

Have a safe, healthy and happy 2012, everyone!

Looking back at 2011...my fave photos from this year.

I love the beginning of a new year. It is a great time to reflect and a great time to plan.

CHALLENGES:

2011 was a year of change and challenges for me personally as I went back to graduate school, starting a second Master's degree in History with a concentration in Romance languages. Learning French at 40 has been a challenge and in January that challenge grows as Italian joins my courseload.  I am still figuring out how to manage homeschooling and homemaking with being a student again...mainly, I miss sleep and my laundry has not been caught up since August. LOL.

TRAVELS:

2011 was a year of travels for us. We got to experience history when we went to England for the royal wedding...we were in that throng of people at Buckingham Palace when my husband snapped this picture...

and it was a great learning trip for our daughter, age 7, who we took with us... if she looks tired, its because we were at the palace that morning at 5am to get our spot. Totally. worth. it.

GOALS MET:

Of course, one of the highlights for me was  starting a Jane Austen Book Club here locally that met once a month throughout this past year (to start your own, see this post)  and visiting the Jane Austen House in Chawton...Seeing the house; the exact table, where she wrote my favorite story (Pride and Prejudice) was a thrill.

The whole day was a teachable homeschool, literature loving, moment. Here is my daughter Audrey and I walking the Gardens at the Jane Austen house.

From her house in Chawton, we drove to Winchester to the Cathedral where Jane Austen is buried.  It was a Jane Austen Book Club lover's dream daytrip. 100 points to my Mr. Darcy for indulging me for the whole day.

I also marked a big thing off my bucket list by finally seeing Paris. I went alone and got to indulge my adventurous spirit by exploring the city for 5 days with nothing but my newly learned French, a dictionary, a walking tours book and a map of the city.  I'm not exagerating when I say this adventure changed my life and I think a big adventure now and again is good for the mind, body and soul.

Versaille

 The Iron Lady

 Louvre humor

Royal Opera House

Last night in Paris

On the family front, the kids had a great year and I love love love being their mother. There are still alot of challenges in our home with two of our five children having special needs. We continue to persevere. For now, everyone is happy and healthy and you can't really ask for more than that.

favorite outdoor activity: riding

favorite indoor activity: skating

favorite homesteading activity: the chickens!

Baby Brooke turned one!

 favorite field trip this year: tie: the circus, the Renaissance Faire, san diego zoo

Mr. Darcy is used to my adventurous ways...who knew there was a rock wall at the SD Zoo?

From our home to yours, from our homeschool to yours, thank you for sharing 2011 with Brighton Park. Thank you for joining us on these adventures. I have some wonderful things--new and useful-- in store for the Brighton Park Blog  for the new year and will be sharing those with you this week! May 2012 bring you all good things.

All my best,

Thank you...two blog awards

This month, Tanya at The Humble Homemaker, and Gail at Stuck in the Middle with Two  both nominated my blog for the Liebster Award! From Gail's blog: "The Liebster Award is for small blogs (fewer than 200 followers) that can be described as dearest, sweet, beloved, kind, or favorite."

Thank you!

The rules for the award if you’re inclined to share the joy:

1. Thank the blogger that nominated you by linking back to them.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks for the award and leave a comment on their blog.

3. Post the award on your blog.

My top 5 picks for this award are:

1. A Mother in France (an English mother's tales of life in France with her 5 children) 

2.Austenitis (fun Jane Austen inspired site with a variety of subjects covered!)

3.  Defying Gravity (my friend's homeschool blog that is based in Australia)

4.Minimalist Mommi (one Mom's journey to do it better with less)

5. Field Trip Blog Hop (a great blog that is designated to homeschool field trip link ups)

Thanks so much for thinking of me. I hope you will swing by one or all of these blogs and follow them! It is always nice to get new followers, especially when you are starting out.

Blessings,

Lessons for a Christmas Eve...

It's been a busy week (notice the unusual lack of posting), and it has been a weird week; one of those weeks where I learned alot...

I learned that there are people that are so desperate to be important, to be more than they are, that they will cheat, even during Christmas. And, surprising myself,  I learned that what I felt for them was pity, not anger.

I learned about the negative side of social media when a woman I have never met and has never met me or my family wrote something about us that wasn't true, because she received erroneous information from someone who she learned, was not a credible source. And thankfully, I learned that with the help of good friends, I could learn to just let it go knowing that the truth would come out, as opposed to being upset like I would have been, had the same thing happened when I was younger.

I learned that there will always be people who think they know everything, the know-it- alls, that the rest of us have to endure. I think this is God's way of teaching us tolerance. 

I learned that there is nothing and no one who will ever take the joy out of Christmas for me. In all things, I will celebrate our Saviour's birth!

I learned that I have some really, truly amazing friends and prayer warriors beside me; both in person and in blogland.

I learned that "good will towards men', is easier during Christmastime, but needed all the time.

I'm going to take these lessons this week, wrap them up in a bow, tuck them away, and be thankful.

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks

Happy Christmas from our home here at Brighton Park, to yours.

Homeschool Mother's Journal: Join the Fun

In my life this week… took my final in my French class. Looking forward to the next 4 weeks being study free, for me anyway. Anxiously awaiting my final grade, hoping for an A.

In our homeschool this week…homeschool lite. The girls are in CA for two days so I have been able to have extra time with the boys, which has been nice.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…Tomorrow I am hosting the Girl Scout Troop's Family Gingerbread Decorating party.

My favorite thing this week was… 29 bloggers have shared their best post in our Best of 2011 link up so far (your next!)  

What’s working/not working for us…I'm going to be cutting my social media time further in 2011. I will still be active here at Brighton Park and on Brighton Park's fb page, but my personal facebook page will be seeing less of me!

Questions/thoughts I have… Do you get depressed during the holidays? I read that so many people do. If you do, may God bless you during this time and prayers going out to you!

I’m reading… your blogs, as time allows!

I’m cooking… Gingerbread houses, cookies, and holiday fare!

I’m grateful for… all my friends and family. For my health and for my home and for a God who sent his son for me. Happy Birthday, Jesus.

I’m praying for… those of you who have sent me requests, asking me to do so.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Can you spy Marie Antoinette, Napolean and Josephine, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Buckingham palace carriage in this picture? They are just a few of the many history ornaments hanging on our tree this year. We entered our tree (history themed and decorated by Mr. Darcy), in a contest. If you wanted to vote for us that would be lovely. At the time of writing this we are in 2nd out of 72 trees. There are no sign ins. just 2 clicks. Easy. TREE #23/BRIAN at this LINK. (Thanks for supporting our homeschool history tree!)

The homeschool Mother's Journal is hosted by Sue at The Homeschool Chick. Please join me over there to read other great entries by other homeschooling families! 

Blessings to you all!

BEST OF 2011 LINK UP!

Do you have a favorite post that you wrote between Jan 1, 2011 and Dec. 31st?  I do...actually, I have a tie between two I wrote this year:

Pride and Prejudice and Farmgirls  and Gifts, a post I wrote for my sons with special needs when they turned 11 this year. Now they are hidden from view....the ghosts of blog posts past.  So, I thought it would be great if everyone linked up their favorite post they wrote from this past year here at Brighton Park!

This linky will remain open until Jan 15th, 2012 and then will remain a visible button on my sidebar throughout 2012, so this is a great opportunity for you to showcase your favorite and best post of the year to other bloggers! The post must be family friendly.

 Since these are previous posts being linked up, they do NOT have to link back to Brighton Park. Instead, please put this brighton park banner button on your sidebar for the month of December or January, depending on when you link up (you may keep it up longer if you want) showing that you were in our Best of 2011! (You can grab the code from the top of my sidebar) Thanks so much! (All posts linked up will be entered in to win one of our giveaways coming in January to celebrate my two year blogoversary!)

P.s. Try and visit the blogs who did the posts before and after yours, that way everyone gets some visits and comments. :-)

 I look forward to reading all of you favorite posts! ~~Katie