Where I have been

I still owe you all the story behind those last two pictures.  

I hope to get to writing those up this decade.

I really should not be here but I wanted to make sure you knew I have not abandoned my blog.

I've just been a bit busy.

Here is a summary of the past 2+ weeks.

• June 7: My birthday and those owed stories
• June 8-10: Cleaning and other wise being super busy doing mom stuff
• June 11: My Aunt Jan and Uncle Dave's 60th Wedding Anniversary Party
• June 12: the church service where we had a visitor and we were locked out of our rented facility after beautiful new doors and locks were installed
• June 13-16: Super busy cleaning and prepping for IL trip
• June 17: kids to MyLois's house while I shopped for cute, non-kid stained outfits for my 20 year reunion
• June 18-19: laundry and packing
• June 20: left at 5pm for a 12 hour drive to Gale, IL
• June 21: 5:30am arrived in Gale and took a nap then hung out with Papa Dan and Papa Joe
• June 23: left Gale, drove North to Nokomis to visit Papa Don & Ruth
• June 23-24: the boys camped in Grammy's yard in a tent and then we went to the Bloomington Children's Museum and then out to eat Chineese
• June 24 evening: it was off to Grannie and Papa G's house in Champaign for birthday surprises for Otto (now 7) and then Hubby and I were off to a bar in my hometown (which was formerly dry) for the first stop of reunion activities.  I saw NO ex-boyfriends and got in some GREAT talks with classmates from my youth.  It was a WONDERFUL time.  Hubby was not terribly bored either!
• June 25: I toured the high school which has had TONS of additions.   WE HAD A BLAST!  Hubby would have been very embarrased as we grabbed the marching band's practice flags and started to twirl them!   Hubby had the chance to drive up north to visit with a college roommate.  That afternoon we took a nap and then that evening headed off to another gathering of classmates.
• June 26: We needed to skip the family picnic and head on up to Morris for a gathering of two Aunts, an Uncle, Great Grandmother, Grammy and some cousins.  It was a nice relaxing visit grilling out and watching our kids run around like wild people.  
• June 27: we drove the 7 hours home and I was bit by a cleaning bug.
• June 28 through today we have been catching up on cleaning, rest and other activities.

I've been a bit busy but promise to come back soon to give you some REAL stories.  Until then, hang tight.

Stay tuned............

As soon as I am home long enough to not only do basic, bare minimum child care and house management but to actually sit and THINK while typing at Miss Mini.....

I will tell you the story between this:

and this.

And the Pony Trouble Winner is.....

Number 48.

So, I guess the last shall be first. 

:)

 

Congratulations to 

Mom2Seven.

If she has not responded in 48 hours 

one of the other 10 entrants will be selected by Random.org.

Give Away: Autographed Copy of Andi's Pony Trouble

Awhile ago I had the pleasure to review ANDI'S SCARY SCHOOL DAYS written by Susan K. Marlow.  It is one of several books in her Circle C Beginnings Series. 

You can read my review for the TOS Crew here.

Circle C Beginnings is an easy reader book series geared toward children ages 6-8.  The series takes place in the Wild West in the late 1800's and centers around the life and adventures of a little girl by the name of Andi Carter.  Andi and her horse Taffy are full of curiosity and fun with a predisposition to getting into trouble.

I am in love with this series and after the author, Susan K Marlow, commented on her wall I emailed her and asked if I might be able to sing her praises even more.  I have found Susan to be incredibly sweet and kind and thoroughly enjoy our exchanges.

I am very impressed with these fun books that keep me and my two boys (6 and 4) tuned in at every corner.  I am just as impressed with Andi and Taffy's amazing website and free resources that Susan has devised to accompany these books.  While you are on the Circle C Beginnings website you can access and download activity packs, puzzles, coloring pages and more.   Andi also has her own blog where she writes short updates on the characters from the Circle C Beginnings books as well as the Circle C Adventures books which are written for ages 9-14.


Here is a fun video to show you even more:

Do you know what I am EXCITED ABOUT THE MOST???

Susan K. Marlow gave ME an 

AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF 

ANDI'S PONY TROUBLE 

 FOR ONE LUCKY READER to win!!!!

You can click HERE to learn more about Andi's Pony Trouble where Andi attempts to show her family that she is old enough for her very own pony.  

Andi's Pony Trouble is the very first book in the Circle C Beginnings series.

Are you ready to learn how you can get a chance to win 

or perhaps even a few chances???

 First some rules:
You must leave one comment for each entry.

Your email must be embedded or typed into each comment or I will not know how to contact you to email you your prize.  If that happens I will re-draw.

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me you want to win!

After you do that, you can gain some extra entries by any of the following, remember to leave an extra comment for each item so they will count as entries...

1.  Visit and Like the Circle C Facebook page 

(Please note this contest is not affiliated or connected to Face Book in anyway.  You do not have to visit FB in order to have a chance to win this prize.)

2.   Visit Andi's Blog and then come back and tell me something you learned or about your favorite part.

3.   Follow Clothesline Musings through Google Friend Connect (top left) or tell me you already do.

4.  Connect with Clothesline Musings via Networked Blogs.

5.  Follow Clotheslinemuse on Twitter.

6. Tweet this giveaway:  Sample Tweet:  @Clotheslinemuse is hosting a Circle C Beginnings #giveaway. Enter here: http://tinyurl.com/3zagnnh

7.  Friend request Clothesline Musings on Facebook.

8.  Scour Clothesline Musings and and tell me about your favorite post.  You could give a link so that others could easily find it as well.  :)

This Giveaway is open for anyone.

Contest ends Midnight June 7th CST at the close of my 29th birthday!!

(okay.. this will be my 10th Celebration of 29 and next year I'll admit I really am 39!)

I will select a winner using Random.org on June 8th, so be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.  The winner will be emailed directly and will be announced here.  Winner must respond to email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.
----------------------------
This giveaway is linked up with
Hip Homeschool Moms!

Go visit them to see what other awesome things you can try to win!

The 2010-2011 TOS Crew Blue Ribbon Awards

At the end of each review year, TOS Crew members vote for their favorite products.  The results have been tabulated.  If you have not already visited these vendors you most certainly will want to do so. 

And now I present to you, the 2010-2011 Blue Ribbon Winners:

Favorite Language Arts Product => Institute For Excellence in Writing (IEW)
Favorite Social Studies Product => Bright Ideas Press-Wondermaps
Favorite Science Product => Eagle’s Wings-Considering God’s Creation
Favorite Math Product => I See Cards-Pyramath
Favorite Online Math Product => Ten Marks
Favorite Writing Product => Writing Tales
Favorite Reading Instruction Product => Talking Fingers
Favorite Foreign Language Product => Classical Academic Press
Favorite Fine Arts Product (art, music, etc.) => Artistic Pursuits
Favorite Preschool Product => Go Go Kabongo
Favorite Elementary Product => Speekee
Favorite Upper Grade Product => Vocab Ahead
Favorite Special Needs Product => See-N-Read
Favorite Christian Education Product => Apologia
Best Resource I Didn’t Know I Needed => Lanschool Technologies
Best Customer Service => Peterson Directed Handwriting
Best Online Resource => Big IQ Kids
Best e-product => Zeezok Publishing-ZGuide to the Movies
Best Technology Resource => Collectorz
Best Homeschool Resource => Yesterday’s Classics
Best Book, Novel or Magazine => Zoe & Sozo Publishing-Foundlings
Best Children’s Book => Kregel Publications-Circle C Beginnings
Best Hands-On Resource => Corps of Re-Discovery
Most Adaptable Resource => The Write Foundation
Most Unique Resource => GoTrybe
Most Family-Oriented Product => Growing Healthy Homes-Nutrition 101
Kid’s Choice => Schleich Action Figures
All Around Crew Favorite => Institute For Excellence in Writing

Keep your eyes open for an upcoming post on TOS CREW PRODUCTS we here on the homestead think you MUST purchase.  :)