Homeschool Co-ops 101 by Karen Lange, Book Tour & $25 Amazon GC Giveaway!

Essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families.

Thinking about joining or starting a homeschool co-op? Not sure if a co-op is a good fit? Homeschool Co-ops 101 weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for today’s homeschool family.

Section 1 includes essential, digestible info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout.

Section 2 shares a sampling of co-op games and activities, and

Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. These ready to use studies include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or home use. This section also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic.

Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources.
Karen Lange has gathered insight from years of co-oping and now shares her own and others’ experiences in this valuable and encouraging handbook.

Homeschool Co-ops 101 is available at:

~~~Amazon~~~

~~~Barnes and Noble~~~

~~~Kobo~~~

About the Author

Karen Lange, her husband, and three children were active in co-ops during their sixteen-year homeschool journey. Her experience includes serving as a local homeschool support group coordinator and consultant for a state homeschool network in New Jersey. Karen’s children have since graduated, and she is now a freelance writer and online writing instructor for homeschooled teens.

You can connect with Karen at her Blog, on Twitter, and Facebook.

Blog Tour Schedule

November 4
~Ruth Schiffman, http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com/
~Robyn Campbell, http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/

November 5
~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/

~Diane Estrella, www.dianeestrella.com

November 6
~Gena Mayo, ichoosejoy.org

~Marja Meijers, http://sacredsabbath.blogspot.com/

November 7
~Sandie Crozek, http://chattycrone.blogspot.com/

~Melissa Brander, http://mkbrander.com/

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

November 8
~Susan Reinhardt, http://www.susanjreinhardt.com/

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

November 10

~Laura V. Hilton, http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

~Melissa & Tiffany, http://www.homegrownfamilies.net

~Janette Dolores, http://janettedolores.blogspot.com

November 11
~Susan Sundwall, www.sundwallsays.blogspot.com

~Michelle Isenhoff, http://www.michelleisenhoff.com/wp

November 12
~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/

~Jeanette Levellie, http://www.jeanettelevellie.com/

November 13
~Susanne Dietze, http://susannedietze.blogspot.com/
~Sherryl Wilson, simplysherryl.com

~Anne Payne, duhpaynes.blogspot.com

November 14
~Rhonda Schrock, http://www.rhondaschrock.com/rhondas_blog/
~Abi Buening, http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/

~Amber Schamel, http://www.amberschamel.com/history-blog.html

~Renee, motherdaughterbookreviews.com

November 15
~Crystal King, http://asimpleheartforhome.blogspot.com/
~Barb Winters, inthemidstof.wordpress.com/

~Tyrean Martinson, http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/

November 16

~Julie, soaringeagle8.blogspot.com

~Sarah, myjoyfilledlife.com

November 17
~Amada Chavez, ascphotosanddesigns.blogspot.com

~Cindi Clubbs, http://ccclubbs.com/

~Rebecca Boerner, http://ohiohomeschool.blogspot.com/

November 18

~Carlene Havel, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440085.Carlene_Havel/blog

~Cindy Loven, http://cindylovenreviews.blogspot.com

November 19

~Karen Loethen, http://taytayhser.blogspot.com.au/

~Amy Smith, myseasonsofopportunities.blogspot.com/

November 20

~Darlene Arroyo-Lozada, http://lovebookslozada.blogspot.com/

November 22

~Sarah Bailey, http://growingforchrist.wordpress.com

~Thumb Updown, http://momsthumb.blogspot.com/

December 2

~Jennifer Shirk, http://jennifershirk.blogspot.com/

~Ticia M., http://adventuresinmommydom.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Giveaway

Open to US addresses only. One person will receive a $25 Amazon GC and a copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner will be chosen from those entries and announced December 5, 2013. Good luck!

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as e-mailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Diane at That’s What I’m Here For… and sponsored by the author, Karen Lange. The author provided me with a free copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101 to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a giveaway in return for the free book.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Be sure and follow the directions above  for the giveaway. It is not sponsored by Stuff & Nonsense. Any questions regarding said Rafflecopter giveaway should be directed to Diane Estrella @ That's What I'm Here For, or author Karen Lange.

Chick Flick...

We have a total of 26 chicks but this a quick peek at the 4 breeds of chicks we received from McMurray Hatchery on Monday.
 Aren't they adorable?!
L-R: Barred Rock, Red Star, Rhode Island Red, and a possible Silver Gray Dorking (they sent us two of these as bonus chicks. I think this one is male as he has different feathers on the side of his head and he is much bigger than the other one. Could be a Phoenix breed but I am NOT sure!)

"Hey, what about me?" asks Mr Smith.

"That's better!" he says.

Not so much, is what the other chick appears to be thinking. 

Look at her face! I love my chicks. They are so much fun to watch. I hope they will be friendly :)

We are in the process of getting our new coop finished. Pictures will be coming soon!

I am looking forward to farm fresh eggs!

I'm linked with

Desperate times call for desperate measures

My sixteen year old has never shown an interest in the kitchen other than to fill his plate and eat. I refused to make his favorite cookies this week because he has been sick with a severely sore throat. Figured the sugar wouldn't be good for it. Well, he got desperate and went to work for himself. Since we're home educators, I grabbed my camera to document this amazing event and I'm calling it Home Ec 101: Cooking  :)

Sam's Favorite Cookies

(recipe below)

Gather the ingredients...

[can you tell by the recipe card that we've made these a few times? 

i believe there's more than a little vanilla & peanut butter smeared on there :)]

measure the oatmeal...

[we actually live in our house so just ignore the clutter in the background ;)]

peanut butter...

vanilla (Molina is the best!)...

and sugar & cocoa.

melting the butter...

adding the sugar, cocoa and milk...

and stirring and stirring and stirring...

add the peanut butter and stir some more...

(at this point he said they aren't quick :)

adding the vanilla and oatmeal was fun...

but now there is more stirring!

(not his favorite part of making cookies)

now they are ready to plop onto the pans...

Sam did an excellent job on his first batch of 

Quick Chocolate Cookies even if he thought they weren't quick. They are delicious! His daddy grabbed one as soon as he came home from work but wouldn't let me photograph his look of joy. 

These are my guys favorite cookies!

Recipe: No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar

1/2 c milk

1 stick butter

4 tablespoons cocoa

2 1/2 cups oatmeal

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

Heat first 4 ingredients. Boil 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring pretty much constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add last 3 ingredients. Stir, stir, stir. Spoon quickly onto a pan lined with wax paper. Let cool. Enjoy!

What's your favorite cookie?

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