Welcome to the 121st edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling which has grown a great deal since I first heard of it while I was still blogging over at HSB. It is even beginning to attract its own spam, the first mark of recognition in the blogging world. This week’s carnival is inspired by a post by Irene of Taschek Tales, a woman too busy to blog regularly but who seems to have kept her humor through it all. It is with her gracious permission that I borrow a few of her bags, her photo and a bit of her title as the Carnival of Homeschooling honors:

The Homeschool Bag Lady

Travel with the homeschooler is never light. As Tashek notes,

They’re not just equipped with the standard fare of mom’s bags such as hand bags, diaper bags, snack bags, library book bags or shopping bags, either. Oh, no-no-no. In addition to these standard fare bags, these moms shlep a multitude of other bags making it undeniably easy to identify her as a Homeschool Bag Lady. Taschek Tales

Here, we shall take a peek into these different bags the homeschooler carries as education takes place at home, at the park, in the car and anywhere the child goes.

The Press Kit

Keeping us prepared for media and public relations.

And the effect can be oh so dramatic, if only quite local as Home is Where You Start From shares in Neighbors, golden.

It is difficult to get through a discussion on homeschooling with out some reference to testing to make sure you are doing your job. So take along Standardized Tests by Life on the Planet.

Most homeschoolers seem to agree that when it comes to measuring children’s educational ability, it is time to put away the yardstick as A Woman on Purpose explains.

And research. Studies. Data. Corn and Oil takes a stance against some of these surveys in My kid is not named Data.

If your child is gifted, A Bundle of Contradictions offers some defense in It may not be perfect.

But then, if your child has special needs of any kind, the public school system often struggles to meet their needs. Barbara Frank shares her experience with homeschooling a child with Down Syndrome.

But this bag can also be the heaviest, leading us to feel as if we are under pressure to be perfect, to act as ambassador even when we are struggling as Half Pint House demonstrates in Decision 2008.

Which goes along with The More, The Messier’s thoughts on Learning All the Time. Even if we might not choose to include her dirty little secret’s in our press kit. But she has a question for those of you homeschooling high school. (They aren’t driving Port-A-Potty trucks, are they?)

Life Without School offers you a chance to help develop the Press Kit further by contributing your Crucial Elements for a section of their website. (And a little more on this project).

And no press kit would be complete without a little chiding of the public system. Diary of One takes this up well with It’s a good thing Raphael didn’t attend public school in modern day Wisconsin.

And someone really should call the authorities on this family. At least if we want to be consistent as The Upside Down World points out.

Home Based Business Success also pleads for schools to Stop the Madness, Please.

A few arguments about why we should choose homeschooling are always helpful. Like the amount of money it would save the government as presented by Why Homeschool.

And Everything Heart n Soul offers her thoughts on homeschooling, rights and a one world government in Lincoln Said Study the Constitution.

The Curriculum Bag(s)

Brimming with curriculum, unit ideas and ways to engage our kids in learning.

It contains titles like Making Grammar Fun. I’d say you can see where Nerdmom gets her moniker from, but it doesn’t seem so nerdy in a homeschooler.

Building the Tabernacle by Sprittibee shares a wonderful, hands on look at the Tabernacle.

Here you will also find What’s Inside a Tooth as shared by Giggles, Grins and Grades. At least there are no sugar bugs.

Bunny Trails slipped in Sculpture Walk, to offer a little hands on art in the community.

The Common Room offers Template for School Subjects CM Style for those who are looking at the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling.

If classical is more your style, Little Homeschool on the Prairie offers a recipe on Building a Classical Curriculum to slip in your bag.

For a little help preparing bible lessons, Living Life Between the Trees shares how to prepare Judah Bible Lessons with E-Sword.

For the artisticly inclines is some information presented by A Ten O’Clock Scholar: Before the Impressionists.

And More textbooks?! as The Reluctant Homeschooler exclaims.

With education on the fly comes planning on the fly. Shades of Pink shares an impromptu unit on airplanes to help her children deal with Daddy’s trip.

Which brings me to the question How Do I Plan by Keep the Way.

Don’t forget to teach your children how to set goals. Love’s School is here to help.

Stuffed in a pocket is a memory aid shared by Pimp Your Grades.

Wax On…Wax Off presents a way to look at “pointless” education exercises at selectcourses.com.

The Green Bag

One I’ve seen popping up in a lot more homeschooling families.

To start things off, Natural Family Living Blog presents Raising Kids Who Care About the World Around Them.

Homeschooling in Ohio added an Earth Day Project for your K-2 children.

Raising a Healthy Family also offers some Earth Day activities.

The Library Bag

Stuffed with materials a little overdue.

Like a book review by The Thinking Mother on 7 Keys to Comprehension.

And some great books worth reading again and again like the Pathway Readers My Domestic Church has fallen in love with. Why else would they be overdue?

Homeschooled teenager SuperAngel from The Daily Planet shares a book review of Helen’s Temper Book.

And No Fighting, No Biting shows us the whole library with Weekday Mornings.

The Barenstain Bears, however, are being returned by Sometimes I’m Actually Coherent.

The Scrapbook Bag

Where memories are stored to eventually (hopefully) be put into scrapbooks.

Family School, for example, has a priceless memory shared with Tongue-Rolling Your Way to Your Identity.

And some more memories and cultural heritage passed along by Ragamuffin Studies in Pesach Reflections: You Shall Tell Your Child on That Day.

What better way to develop a community of learners sort of atmosphere with local homeschoolers than offering a course in your own home? Kim’s Play Place shares the pros and cons from her own experience with an astronomy course her husband is offering.

The Gym Bag

Because simply shlepping bags doesn’t seem to help with general fitness.

In Up and Running, Learning at Home shares why she is running. Despite the creaks and gasps for air.

The Activity Bag

Keeping kids entertained and educated all through the day.

If you children ever struggle with boredom, or you are tired of hearing, “I’m bored,” take a moment to reflect on Why Do Kids Get Bored at Just Enough and Nothing More. Maybe they need a little less.

Or just providing the materials for them to do it themselves as Today in Faerie School demonstrates in Eclipse.

And don’t forget volunteering. As a family as her homeschool blog demonstrates.

Or the value of work as Dishpan Dribble reflects on in Questions we must face in raising kids for the future.

Out of the blue comes an activity which couldn’t have worked better if it were in the planned curriculum bag as Mrs. Hannigan shares one of her daughter’s goofy movies and its surprising conclusion.

And a puzzle here and there is great for concentration and education. Try Figuring out Figurate numbers with Let’s Play Math! I’m sure it will pass Sudoku as the next worldwide puzzle craze.

So long as we have the puzzle book out, do you remember how to factor quadratics? Algebra simplified is showing it the easy way.

Seabird Chronicles shares Crafts for young children which will surely keep your children productively engaged for many hours.

Chrysalis offers a review and a recommendation for Expelled, No Intelligence Allowed.

The Shopping Bag

Because at least around here we seem to always need to pick something up.

Like maybe some taco seasoning for Laura Williams’ Musings’ Enchilada Casserole.

Or maybe a recipe to swap with Hayes Happenings.

The Treat Bag

Where we store that necessary ration of chocolate for our souls.

After all, we’ve been asked “Are you insane?” enough times to start wondering if we are as Homeschooling With Encouragement shares.

A quick smile is offered by Home Spun Juggling with Those Frenchies!

If your children have ever mussed up your house, you will enjoy Life Nurturing Education’s little muss-makers.

Bad days can have their bright sides as View from the Hill shares in A Reason to Homeschool.

Please do not forget to homeschool with grace. Guilt Free Homeschooling lines out ten benefits perfect for a morning break just after one of those deep breaths I seem to need a few of.

And how does Titus 2 Woman homeschool? By seeking God…a little after the fact.

And if, after sorting through all the bags, expectations and mountain of information offered you are feeling a tad overwhelmed, take a moment to read Old Fashioned Homeschooling by Choosing Joy.

At conventions we use to hear that we, our child’s parents, were the experts on our children. Now, we often hear from the true homeschooling experts….and feel that we shouldn’t question their authority.

All of the curriculum providers offer some great resources…but they also sell the idea that you cannot do this without them. Do not listen.

Thank you so much for visiting this week’s Carnival of Homeschooling, owned by Why Homeschool. For past editions, please refer to their archives. If you would like to participate in next week’s event, it will be hosted at Homeschool Buzz. Please take some time to visit some of the fine offerings stuffed in each bag and feel free to share your thoughts on the many bags you carry as a homeschooling family!