Rylie Hudson, Gymnast

As I was getting ready to write this post, all sorts of really lame, cheesy titles came to mind - "Unparalleled Excellence", something about "vaulting into success", you get the picture...I dismissed them all (I still don't have a title yet!) because I didn't want anything lame or cheesy detracting from this feature on homeschooled, competitive gymnast Rylie Hudson.  Rylie works hard, in and out of the gym.  Like other homeschooled kids I am planning to or hoping to profile, I want to celebrate her achievements.  So, with no lame or cheesy title, meet Rylie, who would love to follow in the footsteps of her favorite gymnast, Shawn Johnson...

"She saw some girls doing flips when she was four years old and said, 'Mommy I want to do that' and has been hooked ever since," mom Robyn says of her now 9-year-old daughter.

Rylie is currently a Level 5, competitive gymnast for the girls' team at Phoenix Gymnastics Academy.  She spends 10 hours each week in the gym, conditioning and training.  She competes in the fall, participating in some seven meets over the course of three months.  "Bars is my favorite event.  I least like beam...it's just scary," Rylie admits.

  
"I find it is much easier to homeschool a gymnast then send her to regular school. We have done both, and she does much better with homeschooling because it allows more time for her," Robyn states.  Homeschooling allows a flexibility with the schedule than traditional schooling simply doesn't afford. The Hudsons don't have to worry about balancing the hour or more of homework that must be done each night with her training regiment at the gym.  Robyn says that "Homeschooling her has worked out well for us and she loves it."

When asked, Rylie concurs.  "Most of the girls on my team are jealous that I am homeschooled," she reveals.  "They want to be homeschooled, too."

With a family who places a high value on education, and all of the life lessons Rylie is learning in the gym, there's no doubt that she will finish strong. 

 

This post was untitled until I finished writing.  Something about the simple beauty of this last photo in particular made me decide to go with a simple title, and not try to make the title into anything cute or clever.  I hope you liked "Rylie Hudson, Gymnast".



Elevate Martial Arts

Martial Arts are a family affair for the Ruiz family, homeschoolers in Chandler.  "We began training 11 years ago in Mesa under Sensei Daniel Spalding," Marcus recalls.   "We actually got my daughter enrolled and I began to train with her when my work schedule would allow. When our boys got old enough ( 4 & 6), I continued my training."  They now have three Black Belts in their family.

The Ruiz family's love affair with Martial Arts doesn't stop there, though.  As owners of the Gilbert-based Elevate Martial Arts, Marcus and Vanesa have gone one step further and opened up their own studio.  Keeping it a family affair, everyone in the family participates.  Marcus runs most of the business side, including the instructing and coaching.  His wife, Vanesa, handles the marketing and communication with the competitive team.  Their 11-year-old gives private lessons, and their 6 and 8- year-old boys take classes.

"We offer Martial Arts classes for adults, teens and children ages 4 and up. We teach an eclectic style, mixing Karate, Tae kwon do, Kenpo and other arts together. We also have the top Sport Karate Competition Team in the State of Arizona," Marcus says, proudly.   "We offer Zumba and Boot Camp classes during the weekday mornings as well as Saturday mornings."

They homeschool in the mornings during the work week.  With both parents home, it leaves Vanesa free to work with Noah while Marcus works with the two older boys.   Marcus leaves for the school by 3pm daily.   "I have an opportunity most days to answer emails and do community work depending on the needs of the boys," he says.

Marcus and Vanesa have poured their passion into their business.  It is more than just a business, and more than just Martial Arts to them.  "It has been my calling.  God placed this school in front of me and expected me to act," Marcus shares.  "My wife and I prayed about it and it is what He wants for us.  We have been able to introduce people to Christ and shine His light on those who are not believers." 

Even the name they chose for their studio reflects that higher vision.  "We chose Elevate because we want to assist people becoming better. Everyone has a starting point and we are here to help them Elevate themselves in all areas of life, not just Martial Arts," Marcus explains.

Shining His light on those who are not believers means that Marcus and Vanesa use their business, their talents, their time, their energy and their money to bless their surrounding community.   "We do a lot of work with the Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley as well as donating to Central Christian Church's ACTS Ministry on a regular basis," Marcus explains.  "We have service projects planned for next summer as well. This December, we have a goal of building 500+ Help the Homeless Bags (stay tuned for a future blog post about that and how the homeschooling community around the Valley can get involved!), which also will be given to Central's ACTS Minstry."

The Ruiz family is also looking for a way to serve the homeschooling community around them.  "Right now, we are trying to see if we can work in a homeschool program twice a week during the days," Marcus says.   "I think it could be huge for home schooled children to have the opportunity to exercise and learn Martial Arts within their schedule."  If you are a homeschooling family interested in more information about homeschool Martial Arts classes, please contact them.  Contact information is available on their web site.

Mercie J Auto

"Maybe it's in our blood?" wonders Chandler homeschooler Rebecca Glandon, chuckling as she ponders her family's history in the automotive business.  Husband, Michael Glandon's start in auto mechanics began well before high school ended. His father, who currently owns a custom auto shop that builds hot rods, was a self-employed diesel mechanic for many years. Michael did an apprenticeship and went to school to earn his ASE Master Technician certificate.



In 2001, Michael went to work for Rick Smith at Rick Smith Auto Care, which had been in business since 1995.  By 2006, he and wife Rebecca were made full partners with Rick and Mary Smith.  They changed the name to Mercie J Auto Care.  The name comes from a blending of the first initials of each family member in both the Glandon and the Smith families.  "We also love that the name reminds us of the mercy of our wonderful Savior, Jesus!" Rebecca reveals.

Mercie J is "pretty much bumper to bumper mechanical repair and maintenance on all Asian and Domestic vehicles. Our certified master technicians are especially skilled in the areas of electronics, engine performance, emissions, and air conditioning," Rebecca explains.

The Glandons have been homeschooling their four children for the past seven years.  "Our homeschool balance is fairly typical," Rebecca says.   "Michael works at the shop full time, and I stay home with the kiddos. The nature of the business does not require him to regularly "bring work home," though we have certain issues or projects that sometimes require after hour attention. Usually, we work together on these. From home, I work as the administrator of our facebook page, and Michael manages the business finances."

Their 14-year-old son, Christopher has aspirations of his own to become a technician.  He is currently helping out in the shop three afternoons a week, managing the shop's janitorial needs.  In the process, he is also learning a lot about the business!

Above and beyond the technical aspects of the automotive trade, clients of Mercie J will be leaving their vehicles with people for whom honor and integrity is of the utmost importance.  "Our heart's desire is to be a local business that serves in our community the way Christ served others around Him," Rebecca states. 

In the spirit of service, Mercie J offers car care clinics for teens, for ladies, and for seniors.   "A clinic is a one day, hands on class that lasts approximately 2-3 hours," Rebecca explains.   "Past clinics have gone very well and we are currently considering when to have our next one (we don't have them over the summer, as the shop gets too hot)."

Mercie J is interested in developing a curriculum for a homeschool auto shop class, and would appreciate feedback about what such a class should look like via their Facebook page from homeschoolers who would be interested in such a class.

To have an opportunity to earn trust, there is a $40.00 discount (no minimum purchase amount required) given to everyone on their first visit as an incentive to give them a try.

 

The Path Less Taken

There's this blog that I really love to read.  It's one of the only blogs that I follow regularly.  Sure, my friend writes it...but that's not why I love reading it.  I don't get to see her and her kids very often, even though we only live about 25 minutes from each other, so it's nice to be able to keep up on what her crew is doing...but that's not why I love reading it, either.  I don't even love reading it because I agree with everything she says in her posts....because, guess what?  I don't.

The blog is called The Path Less Taken.  My friend, the author, is Phoenix homeschooler Jennifer McGrail.  The first reason I love reading her blog is because her blog always challenges me somehow to be a kinder, better person and to think about things differently than I otherwise might.  Even if I don't agree with her, the way that she writes makes me understand exactly where she's coming from.  I'm never left wondering how on earth she could possibly believe what she believes. 

The second reason I love reading her blog is that she is an incredibly gifted writer.  I love the way she writes.  Her style and her choice of words - they're top notch.  You can hear the passion that she has for writing and for the topic du jour in your own head while you're reading her words.  "Writing is my outlet. It's my preferred mode of communication, my way of expressing myself, and my way of working through and processing all these ideas, concepts, and feelings in my head. I HAVE to write or I'll explode," Jennifer states.  BTW, that feeling of having to write or exploding - I totally get that.  That is why I have this blog! 

Jennifer has been blogging on The Path Less Taken for about six years, reserving what she wrote for her own satisfaction and the benefit of family and friends.  It's only been within the last year or so that she has "gone public" with it.  I remember when she opened up a Facebook page for her blog and there were fewer than 10 fans on it.  I watched it grow and grow and grow.  Now she has almost 1300 fans on her Facebook page for her blog, and 250 through Blogger.

Going back to the beginning, the title of the blog was a conscious choice on Jennifer's part.  "It (the blog's title) came from a few different places. The well-known Robert Frost poem, and the quotes “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." and "Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence." (Emerson & Thoreau, respectively) I am completely enamored with the concept of finding your own happy path in life, no matter how different or weird or “out there” the world might view it," Jennifer explains. "We have made a LOT of choices that the world does not agree with, and we are blissfully happy doing so. I think that that should be celebrated. Hence, “The Path Less Taken”."

"Until very recently, I hosted my blog on Blogger, which is great for beginners," Jennifer says.  "I signed up, picked a background, and started blogging that night.  Over the years, I learned more about tweaking the layout, adding things to sidebars, etc.  A few weeks ago I decided to switch to self-hosting with Wordpress, which gave me a lot more flexibility. I am still learning as I go though.  As far as getting the word out, Facebook has been invaluable for sharing new posts and connecting with readers."

As her blogging has moved into the public sphere, Jennifer has moved away from a journal style of writing, although she does post occasionally about her family's adventures and experiences.  Instead, she has chosen to focus on issues she's passionate about.  She blogs about unschooling, mindful and gentle parenting, and every week, she participates in "Plank Pullin'", which means she exposes her own flaws rather than pointing a finger at everyone else.

Because many of Jennifer's life decisions and personal philosophies are off the beaten path, they invariably stir up strong feelings and controversy amongst her readers.  "I had a very difficult time dealing with the nasty comments when I first started getting them. They really hurt my feelings, even thought I knew intellectually that their words said more about them than they did about me," Jennifer admits.  "Now though, I'm much better able to compartmentalize. I know who I am, and my friends and family know who I am. Nothing that anyone else says can change that. I remind myself that 1) the fact that I have “enemies” means I'm standing up for something, and that's important! And 2) that making a positive difference for even one person makes it all worthwhile. I've gotten the most beautiful emails and comments from people letting me know how something I've written has impacted their lives, and that means the world to me. It's also the reason I can keep blogging even on the days of the “You're a terrible mother who's raising future hoodlums and criminals” comments."

When asked about her favorite posts personally, Jennifer says that her favorites fall into one of two categories.  The first ones are the posts that have been read and shared, read and shared.  Her words have gotten people thinking and talking.  "My most viewed posts to date are here: http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/popular-posts/," Jennifer shares.

The second category of favorites are favorites because of their personal nature.  They are memories of her family, preserved, like this one http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jennifermcgrail.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fconversations-with-7-year-old%2F&h=EAQCM3BAV and this one http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/2011/03/life-with-three-year-old/.

Jennifer's kids, 14-year-old Spencer, 11-year-old Paxton, 7-year-old Everett, and 3-year-old Tegan, know that their mom writes about life and other things that are important to her.  They're also used to her following them around with a camera.  Beyond that, she says that her kids don't have an opinion about her blog.  "As far as they're concerned, I'm just mom" she says.

As a mom, Jennifer admits that she's not doing a very good job right now of finding that balance between her writing and her homeschooling.  "I am still trying to figure out the best way to manage my time," she explains.  "Right now, I write in bits and pieces, whenever I can steal a few minutes.  I'll often get a chunk of time in the morning, before the kids are up, and I try to take advantage of it.  The kids always come first, which means that my writing often takes a backseat."

To those who know her or have followed her blog for any length of time, that sentiment would not be a surprise.  For Jennifer, relationships trump all else.  "We identify most closely with “radical unschooling.”  We live in partnership with our kids.  We believe that they are the best equipped to decide what, when, and how they will learn something," she emphasizes.  "Right now, our 14 year old has been researching starting his own landscaping business, as well as learning about fixing small engines.  Our 11 year old is immersing himself in the world of online video gaming.  Our 7 year old is the busiest of the bunch... learning to read, doing lots of projects (science and otherwise), playing basketball, and doing Cub Scouts.  The three year old is just very busy being three.  She loves Dora, princesses, and her gymnastics class."

In the meantime, Jennifer says she just wants to keep doing what she's doing.... "spreading the word about unschooling and living and learning in freedom, as well as parenting peacefully and with respect."

One of the ways she spreads the word is by doing give-aways on her blog.  She noticed some of the blogs she follows doing them, and thought it would be a fun thing to do.  And she says it was!  "It's good publicity for the business AND for my blog," Jennifer says.  "And a reader gets to win something cool. Win, win, win. My very first giveaway was for a good friend of mine, who makes crocheted baby hats and handmade tutus (among other things), and I've since gone on to do giveaways for both friends and strangers alike." 

She makes sure she only does give-aways with products she would use herself and that she's comfortable endorsing.  "I particularly love to highlight small businesses owned by fellow moms (especially homeschoolers! - hint, hint here for any homeschoolers who own businesses and who would be interested in partnering with Jennifer for a give-away, please contact her privately on her Facebook page or through her blog)," Jennifer admits.

"It would be cool if I could do it (writing and promoting causes and philosophies she's passionate about) on a larger scale some day, and if not, that's okay too," she reveals.  Don't expect that larger scale any time soon, though.  Like she said, Jennifer's primary focus will be with her children as they grow up.  So until then, you'll have to enjoy her blog as the posts come.

Ladybug Portraits

It is the best of both worlds for Christy Zamboni.  She gets to homeschool her four children and run a growing business as a photographer in the Phoenix area.  Christy is the one behind the camera for Ladybug Portraits. 

Photography has been a lifelong passion for her.  During college, she worked at a photo lab, and after college, she spent seven years working in a portrait studio until she struck out on her own.  "When I left the portrait studio, I pursued working for myself more, to support my habit," Christy chuckles.

She has been in business for herself for about 15 years.  She started with family and friends, and then began accepting other clients through word-of-mouth.  Her specialties are family, teens, children, babies and pets.  She works mostly in the West Valley, although she will travel east for an additional fee.

*portrait used with permission from Ladybug Portraits

Photography is a family affair in the Zamboni household.  "One of my older daughters accompanies me on my photo shoots as my assistant," Christy says.  "They (my children) have also helped me address and stamp mailings to clients."  Above and beyond actual participation in her business, the creative aspect of her business allows Christy the opportunity to both teach her children about art and learn from their creative expressions.

The nature of the photography business makes it fairly family-friendly.  Christy is able to focus her attention on her children and their schooling during the weekdays, and turn her attention to sittings and events on the weekends.  "As my kids get older, I have more time to dedicate to my photography," she admits.

One of the things she has been able to do within the homeschooling community is to offer portrait days for homeschool groups at a fraction of the cost of a regular, full photography session.  "I also happily offer a discount to homeschool families for full sessions," Christy says.

Her portable studio can take your portraits in your home or an outdoor location.  Contact her on Facebook for more details.

Inspired Occasions

Who knew that the simple decision to bake and decorate a cake on her own for her oldest daughter’s first birthday would lead to a new career for Queen Creek homeschooling mom, Bonnie Adams?  “I had decided to play around with it and see if I could make her cake myself,” Bonnie recalls.  “I took a beginning cake class at Michael’s.  I picked it up fast and right after her first birthday, I started my business.”

Almost nine years have passed since Bonnie opened Inspired Occasions in 2003.  After she fell in love with cake decorating, she knew she had found her calling.  She baked in an inspected kitchen to adhere to health and safety codes.  The rest of the time, she was able to spend decorating, studying and playing around with the various tools and techniques of the cake decorating trade.

When Bonnie opened Inspired Occasions, she had only one child, who was then a young toddler.  In the years since then, she went on to have two more children and begin homeschooling the oldest.  “This (balancing work and homeschooling) is a little tricky,” Bonnie admits.  In her household, it’s important for her to plan ahead for her children’s schooling and the cakes clients have commissioned her to bake.  “We try to get our school done in the morning,” she says.  “Depending on the week, it could move to afternoons.”

Flexibility is key.  Being well organized is crucial.  While Bonnie can and does bake her cakes and work on school with her eldest child at the same time, she must give the frosting and decorating her full attention.  “I stay up late a lot,” she reveals.  “I have a schedule where I try to get all the baking done one day, and the icing and boards another day.  I like to have my cakes done the day before they are needed, as it leaves room for anything unexpected.  However, each week is different for both work and school.  It’s important to be flexible.”

That flexibility has allowed Bonnie the freedom to bake and cook with her children, playing with fondant and supporting and encouraging her oldest daughter to enter several cake decorating competitions herself, as well as do the community service work she finds so important and give Cake Boss a run for his money with some local celebrities.  She has made cakes for Randy Johnson’s daughter and Louis Gonzales’ daughter.  She made a baby shower cake for a group of football players’ wives, and a birthday cake recently for Chester Taylor of the Arizona Cardinals.

Yes, it is very special to have a celebrity clientele, but from (an author’s) personal standpoint here, Bonnie’s commitment to serving her community is more impressive.  She regularly donates cakes for the monthly birthday parties and other special events sponsored by HopeKids and Icing Smiles.  “I enjoy giving back a little bit and helping to make a bright moment in their lives,” Bonnie says of the chronically and critically ill children that both organizations serve.

Bonnie has also recently expanded her services to include decorating classes for homeschoolers.  Her very first class was in my home, and was attended by 10 children who all had a blast with their cupcakes and frostings.  “I really enjoyed teaching the homeschooled kids,” Bonnie says.  “It was a lot of fun and it was nice to see them enjoying it too.  I plan to teach more now!  I have plans for more homeschool classes and to start offering decorating events for birthday parties.”

Homeschooling and military families each enjoy a 10% discount on orders placed with Inspired Occasions.  Homeschool groups can also contact Bonnie about the classes she offers at Bonnie@InspiredOccasions.com.

Scheduling and Coordinating Field Trips

Scheduling and coordinating field trips isn't rocket science, but there is a small learning curve as you figure out what you need to do to stay organized, keep track of RSVPs, handle money, and deal with no-shows.

As the primary scheduler and coordinator for the field trip group Just Field Trips, I choose field trips that I want to do with my kids.  I don't waste my time scheduling anything I don't want to do myself.  I choose dates and times that are convenient for me.  I think about the location and the weather when I choose when to schedule them.

Once the details are confirmed, I post an event on Just Field Trips' group site and open it up for RSVPs.  After one free field trip where NO ONE who said they were coming showed up, I decided to implement a field trip deposit.  Everyone who wants to go sends me a refundable check for $5, and that secures their spot.  The $5 is refundable as long as they either show up or cancel within the time frame that I give.  Some free field trips require the location to secure volunteers, and when that is the case, I make checks non-refundable on the same date that I must give final numbers to the location.  Some coordinators accept payments via PayPal.  I stopped doing that when PayPal implemented fees.  Now I only accept checks and cash (sent at the members' own risk).  

A lot of places ask (or require) that one person collect the money from everyone and make one lump sum payment.  I have started doing that for all of them.  Having the money counted and ready ahead of time in an envelope with the number of student and the number of adult attendees written on it makes it so much easier (I learned that the hard way on one field trip!).  There are often deals where a school (or homeschool group) will get one free adult admission per every 5-10 student admissions.  I use the free admissions for my family (that is the only sort of compensation for all of the hours I sink into field trip scheduling and coordinating that I ever take) and then I make a donation to the location with the rest.  It is much easier than trying to figure out who gets the free adult admissions.

I always ask members to note how many adults, how many children and the ages of the children attending in the comments section below the event details.  I keep the comments section clear of clutter.  That means I delete comments expressing regrets that one cannot attend.  I keep questions, if they are likely to be repeated.  As I receive payment from members, I add a comment under their family's RSVP numbers indicating that I have their payment.  That has been a huge help in streamlining things.  I keep the payments in a tickler file, where I can easily access them when I need them.

I try to be as clear as I can when I write out the event details.  People need to know dates, times, locations, cost, any age restrictions, cancellation and refund policies, payment deadlines, and behavioral expectations.  I rarely make any exceptions to my payment deadlines or my cancellation and refund policies.  Making exceptions just makes it harder to keep it simple.  As deadlines approach, I will generally send out a reminder that the payment is due soon.  That helps attendance.  Once deadlines pass, I edit the event title to include "is closed!" so that people know that the field trip is not accepting any more RSVPs.

The behavioral expectations I have of members of Just Field Trips are pretty simple.  At no time should a staff member of a location we are visiting ever have to intervene with one of our children; that is the parents' job.  I expect parents to be diligent and remove any disruptive children immediately.  We have received compliments on the behavior of our children at many of the field trips we have done, and I want to see to it that we continue to do so.  How our group behaves reflects on the homeschooling community at large because we are homeschoolers, Just Field Trips in particular because that is our group and we are right there, and me specifically because I am the primary point-of-contact and will continue to be so for the foreseeable years to come.

I try (and with a 2-year-old in tow, rarely succeed) to arrive at the location before anyone else.  The only person I will have the location wait for is me!  Other than that, I encourage the staff at the location to start us off on time.  Latecomers will get left behind and either miss it all together, or will miss parts.  As I do more and more field trips, the number of people attending each one that I haven't met before drops.  Even though I have almost 250 members on my Just Field Trips, there are really only about 30 families who go to most of the field trips.  I do, however, have the names of the attendees with me so that I can check them off as they arrive.  I return deposits for free field trips then as well.

If at all possible, I have my older two children make thank-you cards the night before for the people leading our tours.  I bring along a clipboard and a pan, and I pass the cards around during the field trip.  Once everyone has signed, I hold onto them until the end, at which point, my children present the staff with the cards.