No Time for Tuesday Tidbits today, but...

We've been having fun as a family with a new movie blog called 8 Heads are Better Than 1. Please drop by for a visit!

Just Dabbling Again

(Originally published 2/27/14 on Chezvh.com.)

I've really been aching to start writing again, especially over the past few months. The problem of course, is where to start. We've had a dramatic life event (more on that later) happen in our extended family this month and that's made me want to start writing even more. Facebook updates just don't cut it.


Reading (and even watching) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a piece of this puzzle, to want to write. Not only did I love the writing in The Book Thief, but it somehow made the idea of writing (more) more accessible; perhaps something about the quirky turns of phrases that were so clearly part of the author's "voice" made me feel like my own "voice" might be worth trying out again.



Here are a few quotes which are also making me think.


“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”


Maya Angelou


"I write to find out what I think."

Stephen King

Dismantling My Google Reader Feed

So, I heard awhile back that Google is dumping Google Reader - much to the chagrin of many.

But I have a confession to make. Google Reader never really worked very well for me. It was more of an occasion for feelings of guilt because I could never plug through everything I wanted to. And once I scrolled past it, it felt like it was gone forever.

What I've decided to do, and might actually work better for me (you can check it out in the sidebar here!) is re-expand my list of blogs that I read with Blogger's nice little "Blog List" widget. This provides the title of the latest post on all of my favorite blogs, which allows me to skim and meander at my own pace.

These are all the blogs that I would ideally like to follow (though I am probably missing some), with the exception of blogs that I tend to read via Facebook.

All of the blogs on my list are ones that I'm interested in reading. It's as simple as that. Some because they are friends or relatives of mine, some because I find interesting insights that are helpful to me, etc. A few have not been updated in awhile, but I'd still like to check them out when they are updated. One will, sadly, never be updated again, but I like to go back and meander around there sometimes too. That's the one that was written by dear friend Katrina, who passed away last November after a long struggle with ALS.

Just thought I'd post a little invitation to check out the blog list (though it makes it feeling like I'm going "back to the beginning" because that's pretty much how my sidebar started when I first started blogging). Please feel free to post in the comments any suggestions for blogs I may have forgotten or may enjoy reading.

Blessings on your day! :)

New Digs Again

I am really liking the improvements to Blogger, though there are still some ups and downs to both Blogger and WordPress. In the end, having all of my archives and such in one place and a MUCH better tag-labeling system pushed Blogger ahead. I've already moved all of my favorite posts from the new blog over here, just have to tag a few of the untagged posts at some point.

Is Studeo Dead?

I haven't posted here in almost a month and I've turned off the comments (been overwhelmed with spam lately). I *haven't* decided to abandon the blog, but I'm feeling rather quiet over here for some reason as of late (not the least of which has been the busyness of Kate's First Communion, Ria's High School Graduation, various speaking engagements and getting more involved at our local parish).

I have, however, picked up a bit again on my Love2learn Notebook blog on tumblr, and would love to have you drop by for a visit.

Second Chance Prize Winners!

Please e-mail me with your contact info (or other appropriate information) if you're one of our winners! You can e-mail love2learnmom at gmail dot com

mater et magistra magazine subscription - Jen (Rivendell Mom)

I Remember Mama (2 copies) - J.C. and Evann

Christmas in Connecticut - Paula (Catholic Harvest)

The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley - Angie (Life in Kieler)

Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley - Kathy (tsmallhours)

The Kitchen Madonna by Rumer Godden - Kelli

The Catholic Homeschool Companion edited by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson - Moira Elizabeth

Homeschool Connections One-Month Subscription Service - Kimberlee

A Holy Hour Offered for Your Intentions (Kindly donated by Grace, but not previously listed) - The Heffernan Clan

Let's Try That Again (Bonus Drawing!)

One mater et magistra magazine subscription

Two copies of the movie I Remember Mama

One copy of Christmas in Connecticut

The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley

Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley

The Kitchen Madonna by Rumer Godden

The Catholic Homeschool Companion edited by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson

Homeschool Connections One-Month Subscription Service

A Holy Hour Offered for Your Intentions (Kindly donated by Grace, but not previously listed)

You know the drill - please leave a comment if you'd like to be entered in the drawing. I'll draw the names next Friday (so be sure to check back!).

Unclaimed Prizes...

If I don't hear from people by the end of the day on Friday (May 14th), I'll re-draw the remaining prizes...

3. mater et magistra Subscription - Elizabeth C.

4. I Remember Mama - Princess Annie

6. I Remember Mama - Marie, from Early Morning Musings

7. Christmas in Connecticut - Party of Nine

10. The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley - Beth, from Endless Books

12. Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley - Kim

13. The Kitchen Madonna by Rumer Godden - Caroline

15. The Catholic Homeschool Companion edited by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson - Robynn

16. Homeschool Connections One-Month Subscription Service - Exspectantes

21. A Holy Hour Offered for Your Intentions (Kindly donated by Grace, but not previously listed) - Ann

Blogaversary Week Giveaway Winners!

Thanks for all of your comments - I really enjoyed reading them! Here are the winners of our giveaway. I used a Random Number Generator to match each prize with a winner - allowing no one to get more than one prize. Please e-mail me - love2learnmom at gmail.com to claim your prize (please include shipping information or other contact info as appropriate).

1. mater et magistra Subscription - Robert Gotcher (no kidding!)

2. mater et magistra Subscription - Margaret Mary Myers

3. mater et magistra Subscription - Elizabeth C.

4. I Remember Mama - Princess Annie

5. I Remember Mama - Sarah Reinhard

6. I Remember Mama - Marie, from Early Morning Musings

7. Christmas in Connecticut - Party of Nine

8. Christmas in Connecticut - Sara, from a Shower of Roses

9. Christmas in Connecticut - antonina31

10. The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley - Beth, from Endless Books

11. Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley - MBCW

12. Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley - Kim

13. The Kitchen Madonna by Rumer Godden - Caroline

14. The Rosary: Keeping Company with Jesus and Mary by Karen Edmisten - Sarah, from More than Enough

15. The Catholic Homeschool Companion edited by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson - Robynn

16. Homeschool Connections One-Month Subscription Service - Exspectantes

17. The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton - Wiregrass Catholic Mom

18. St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton - Gardenia

19. Earrings from Singing Ladybug Jewelry ("Really Cute, Sweet and Sassy") - Kelly, from Gratiae ut Deus

20. Earrings from Singing Ladybug Jewelry ("Subtle Sophistication") - Grace from wigleasons

21. A Holy Hour Offered for Your Intentions (Kindly donated by Grace, but not previously listed) - Ann

Old Studeo Headers

Because Robert made me think of it...

By the way, this is not a complete set as I remember having at least one with a snowy background. These came up with a fairly quick search of the hard drive. I don't think I had a lion picture for the banner. Ria did, though.

Blogaversary Week Giveaway [updated]

As I mentioned in an earlier post today, I'd like to make this week a giveaway week in gratitude for five years of blogging here at Studeo. I know things have gotten quieter on and off, but this blog and those I've encountered through it (and in a surprising number of situations, actually met in person!) mean a great deal to me. I think it's also the case that, though additional teaching, activities, and general hub-bub have reduced the quantity of blogging here, that without this blog, Love2learn Moments and lot of my conference talks and other projects wouldn't exist. This has always been my sort of quiet thinking spot and I've found it to be a tremendous resource in both organizing my thoughts and favorite quotes and looking back later to find ideas and things I've worked on in the past and want to include in the radio spots or talks or whatever.

Anyway, I'll be including all of the prizes in this one post, so please leave a comment here if you'd like to be in the drawing. The drawing will take place on Friday, April 30th. Also check back during the week as I'm expecting to be adding more goodies here throughout the week.

P.S. Just wanted to mention that the collection of goodies coming directly from our family are slightly random - many are ones that I picked up on sale in various places and thought were fun and appropriate to this giveaway.

Also, I was originally planning these as gifts of gratitude for the good that has come to me through this outlet. I was surprised and humbled that people were interested in donating items for this giveaway. Feel free to e-mail me if you'd like to be included in some way.

1. Subscriptions to mater et magistra magazine: (3 copies)

I'll be giving away three subscriptions to the one Catholic homeschool magazine in print. I think it's a lovely magazine and a lot of people put a lot of effort into making it a beautiful and encouraging magazine for all Catholic homeschoolers. However, it's fair to say that I might be biased because I'm the reviews editor and write for it occasionally in other ways too. :)

For those who may be interested, I've been helping out with this magazine since its previous existence as Heart and Mind Magazine. One of the interesting projects that came out of that one (though it hasn't been updated in awhile) and actually started out as a unit study for Heart and Mind is our family's Architecture for Kids blog.

And on a funny side note: Some of the students at Latin Convention call their female teachers "magistra" and so my daughter Ria has taken to calling me "mater et magistra" on occasion. ;)

2. I Remember Mama - Irene Dunne, 1948 (3 copies)

I'll be giving away three copies of this hilarious classic film that means a lot to me and my family. Both of my grandmothers grew up in or near San Francisco (both were 1906 earthquake survivors - including one still in utero) and I found out just a few years ago that my Grandma Lawless, who died several years before I was born, especially loved this movie.

3. Christmas in Connecticut - Barbara Stanwyck, 1945 (3 copies)

Though the classic Christmas story on this DVD is fun (and quite a bit silly), our family particularly fell in love with the Oscar winning short, Star in the Night, contained in the special features. It's delightful, hilarious, and rather Chestertonian in spirit. I think I forgot to post about it here on Studeo, but we had to have 4 or 5 showings of it at our big Christmas Day party last year to accomodate all those at the party who wanted to see it. There are three copies of this movie as well.

4. Books by Melissa Wiley (3 books) [UPDATED]

The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley (1 copy) - This is a beautiful hardcover (unabridged and out-of-print) I just happened to find used (but in nearly perfect shape) today.

Across the Puddingstone Dam by Melissa Wiley (2 copies) - This is one of the unabridged Little House prequels that sadly went out of print a few years ago. I decided to pick them up from Old World Wisconsin awhile ago, thinking someone might enjoy them.

Not only are they great stories, but Melissa is one the many friends I've made via the blogosphere (and hers is one of the handful of Catholic homeschool mom blogs that predates mine!).

5. The Kitchen Madonna by Rumer Godden (1 copy)

When I was a child, I generally didn't enjoy being read aloud to as I'm very much NOT an auditory learner. But there were two books my mom read aloud to us during my homeschool years, despite the fact that I was a teenager at that point and I REALLY enjoyed both of them: The Kitchen Madonna and Alice in Wonderland. I'm thrilled that it's been reprinted by Bethlehem Books to be enjoyed by new generations of homeschoolers and non-auditory learners. ;)

6. The Rosary: Keeping Company with Jesus and Mary by Karen Edmisten (1 copy)

My dear friend Karen, who I also met through the blogosphere (I think I found both hers and Melissa's blogs through Danielle Beans' blog), has kindly donated a copy of her lovely book on the Rosary for our drawing. Thanks much Karen! By the way, I stole the lovely image above from my dear friend Alice's blog.

7. The Catholic Homeschool Companion, edited by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson (1 copy)

Maureen Wittmann, a long time friend from the Catholic homeschool online world (honestly, I don't even remember how we met anymore!) has generously donated a copy of the Catholic Homeschool Companion for this giveaway. I've known her long enough to have contributed an essay on apologetics for teens. Thanks Maureen!

8. Homeschool Connections Subscription Service (1 month free subscription)

Maureen has also donated a one-month subscription to Homeschool Connections' Subscription Service. If you're not yet familiar with Homeschool Connections, you should definitely take a look. We know many people who have enjoyed, and been extremely pleased with, online classees for Catholic homeschoolers through this great organization. They also offer a number of free webinars (that can still be viewed online) about Catholic homeschooling, including one I did last year on Choosing Worthwhile Homeschool Materials. Thanks much Maureen!

9. Two Books by G.K. Chesterton

A giveaway here really wouldn't be complete without something by Chesterton, and I've decided on two of my person favorites - The Man Who Was Thursday and St. Francis of Assisi. (1 copy of each)

The blogosphere has been a terrific place for me to fall more in love with Chesterton and had a particular strong effect on my children. I'm particularly grateful to my friends Nancy Brown and to Dr. Thursday and also to the American Chesterton Society on the whole who have been wonderful Chestertonian mentors to our family.

10. Two Pairs of Earrings from Singing Ladybug Jewelry

My sweet friend Maria has kindly donated two pairs of earrings from her Etsy shop, Singing Ladybug Jewelry, for our giveaway. One pair is the "Really Cute, Sweet and Sassy" and the other is the "Subtle Sophistication." Thanks Maria! :)

Coming Soon...

I can hardly believe that this Friday marks Studeo's 5th Blogaversary! Out of gratitude and partly just for fun, I've decided to have a week-long giveaway. Prizes will be picked on Friday. Stay tuned for a list of goodies later today and if you'd like to contribute anything to the fun (even after the initial list goes up), please e-mail me at love2learnmom at gmail.com.

After Making all of Those Lists...

and because I had nothing better to do (heehee), I made a new label for "Lists of All Sorts" and labeled a bunch of my old posts (there sure are a lot of them!).

There's a Spammer Making the Rounds

You might want to turn on your comment moderation (at least for old posts). There seems to be a spammer making the rounds of Catholic homeschool blogs (left 25 comments on random old posts here and I've seen the same one elsewhere). Ugh, what a pain!

Thought I'd Mention...

...that lately I seem to be posting a little more often at our "Learning Notes" blog than on this main blog. You can find it at Age Quod Agis.

Update on Blogger Warning

One of my friends pointed out that only blog administrators can make changes to the layout of a blog (and thus access the currently problematic area). If you are the only blog administrator for your child's blog and simply allow them to be contributors, you can side-step the problem.

Also, it occurred to me that some Internet filters would likely blog the problematic photos. We don't use a filter here (except the heavily involved parental kind and sharing one computer in a busy area of the house kind).

Warning for Parents of Young Bloggers

Blogger has expanded their layout section to offer many, many more side-bar options than they used to. However, if you click on "add a gadget" on the layout page and go beyond their initial list, the hundreds of pages of offerings include some pretty offensive stuff (even as far as the racy photos go) because they include user-submitted sidebar gadgets.

I imagine that this is something they will start screening (when they become aware of it?). Ugh - I can't figure out where to register a complaint with Blogger. These do seem to violate their own policies.

By Special Request...

Here is the old blog header photo. Maybe if I can find some of the older ones, I'll add them to this post later.

New Blog Header

Yesterday, I decided it was time to come up with a new, sleeker (as in, doesn't-take-up-most-of-your-computer-screen) photo for the blog and quickly realized that I had nothing quite right available. So I dragged the kids away from their Olympic viewing yesterday afternoon and into the yard. No changes of clothes or brushing hair or anything - just see what happens. We had lots of fun (and I took LOTS of photos and tried all sorts of different shots) and I finally had an idea that I thought might work. I sent them all in the house to get a book they really liked. Here's what they found....


But most of the kids were eager to get back to the Olympics so I finally let them go. But Frank was so wrapped up in his book (one of the amazingly colorful Ruth Heller World of Language Series) that he wanted to stay for more. And Ria stayed with him. Which is how this more impromptu shot happened (I love having a shot with the other kids running back to the house in the background)...


and the one that made the top of the blog, of course. :)

What do all these smiling faces have in common with Studeo?

They're all three! Happy Birthday Studeo!

And that would be, starting at the top, Ria, Gus, Terri, Bernie, Kate and Frank, each at the age of three.

Thanks for visiting - we enjoy your company!