As a participant in the iHeartFaces weekly photo contests since the beginning, I am honored and thrilled to be a Guest Fan Judge for this year’s final contest, week 51: Hilarious Outtakes!

The photos should be really crazy this week; I imagine my kids and I will spend lots of time laughing and going through them. The “LOL factor” is key this week. Here is the theme description:

Have you ever gone through your photos and found some that were just too funny for words? Either the person has a weird look on their face, the child was picking their nose, the body was in an awkward angle, or… the possibilities are endless! This is your week to feature not one…but FIVE of those photos in your iHeartFaces entry!

Here are my five:

If you’re looking for a vibrant and creative photography community and resources to take your skills to the next level, check out NAPP, the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. I’m their “Evangelist” for my demographic: stay-at-home moms, bloggers, designers, digital scrappers, and homeschoolers. Join NAPP using promo code DAWN to get $10 off of your membership and the Adobe Photoshop CS4 Design Effects DVD with Corey Barker for free. This would be a great use of your Christmas money and a way to help fulfill those photography-related new year’s resolutions!

I’m a Guest Fan Judge for this Week’s iHeartFaces: Hilarious Outtakes! is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

{This contest is closed.}

You may be thinking, “Straight No Who?” but chances are you’ve heard the music of Straight No Chaser whether you realize it or not. A video of “The 12 Days of Christmas,” recorded in 1998 when they were a 10-member a cappella group at Indiana University and posted to YouTube in 2006, took the internet by storm with over 10 million views. If you have an internet connection, you’ve probably seen it.

One of those 10 million viewers was Atlantic Records Chairman/Ceo Craig Kallman; the rest, as they say, is history.

Here’s that original video:

SNC’s 2008 Christmas album, Holiday Spirits, spent 14 days in the #1 slot on Amazon and 5 days at the top spot overall on iTunes. Their new album, Christmas Cheers, is a fresh 15-track collection of holiday tunes, and the guys are hard at work on a new pop album for 2010.

I was able to attend both a Straight No Chaser meet and greet and concert recently in Atlanta. These guys are amazing—talented singers and choreographers, gracious, and handsome to boot—they’ve got the whole package.

Because I don’t seem to be able to operate both a film and video camera at the same time, this is only part of the song and the camera dips a bit, but here is SNC performing the pop hit “I’m Yours” at the meet and greet before the concert. If you listen at the end you’ll hear Stacie and Renee, too. The guys were incredibly nice, performing just for us and even asking questions about our blogs. They dedicated a song to Anissa, who suffered her stroke that same week.

You knew you were going to get pictures, right?

Win a Copy!

If you would like to win one of two copies of Straight No Chaser’s new 2009 Christmas release, “Christmas Cheers,” just leave a comment telling us this: Are you already a SNC fan, are they totally new to you, or did you see that first video and realize that you were one of the 10 million viewers who had watched their 1996 performance on YouTube?

Help me spread the word and get a second entry by sharing on Twitter or Facebook, something like: “Win @SNCMusic’s CD Christmas Cheers from @DawnMHSH http://bit.ly/7l8zFE” Be sure to leave a separate comment for additional entries.

You can follow SNC on Twitter @SNCMusic or @Ryansongs.

Contest ends Wednesday night, December 16.

Straight No Chaser: Christmas Cheers CD Giveaway is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

This week’s themes at iHeartFaces is “Sweet Dreams” and the guest judges are Justin and Mary Marantz.

This is my youngest, my baby. I have a whole folder of pictures of her sleeping, from her little feet, to her hands, to her face. I think she’s an angel, and here she looks like one, too.

iHeartFaces: Sweet Dreams (week 48) is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

Last year I posted my cheese spaghetti recipe. This Thanksgiving I took pictures and thought I would expand it a bit. My family would forgo the turkey and dressing before the cheese spaghetti. Since it’s not a recipe that just screams “holidays!” I’m not sure why we only make it at this time of year. Growing up, that’s when I had it because my great aunt would bring it on Thanksgiving.

This is the original recipe, which makes a normal-sized serving. Our family is so large and eats so much of it at Thanksgiving that I double it, although it will be “soupy” if you double the milk. It should have a fairly firm set after baking (more like a baked spaghetti dish) instead of the loose like regular spaghetti.

Cheese Spaghetti

Cook 8 oz. spaghetti according to directions. Drain and add:

Large jar of Cheez Whiz (Kroger’s store brand is fine, but not Ingles’)
1 cup milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter
A few slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Put cracker crumbs and grated cheddar cheese on top. Cook 30 minutes at 350.

This year we used two full pounds of spaghetti and two jars of Cheez Whiz.

Slices of sharp cheddar should be tossed in and stirred throughout. Don’t worry, they’ll melt in the oven.

At this point, it’s a big bowl full of spaghetti, Cheez Whiz, sharp cheddar slices, melted butter, and milk.

Next you want to place crackers in a Ziploc, seal it, and hand it to a small child to pulverize. In a pinch, you can do it yourself.

Shake the cracker crumbs on top and then grated cheddar on top of that.

Bake and enjoy!

In the Kitchen: Cheese Spaghetti is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

I used to carry all lenses, external flash, light meter, extra battery, memory cards, manuals, etc. in my Lowepro backpack everywhere I took my camera. Granted, everything I could possibly need was with me at all times, but eventually I started leaving my camera behind more often, not wanting to haul that backpack everywhere.

Next I purchased my little bowler bag, great when just the camera itself is all that’s needed. What I didn’t have was a comfortable, walk-around solution for carrying extra lenses and equipment without the bulk or hassle of the backpack.

Enter the Shootsac.

I’ll explain how I use it, but first I want to share this video:

You carry your lenses and other accessories in your Shootsac, not your camera. It is not designed to replace your camera bag. You wear the Shootsac while you shoot. It is made of wetsuit-grade neoprene—perfect for protecting your equipment without adding bulk—and conforms to the shape of your body.

I have a lot of trouble with my neck and my left shoulder; however, I can wear the Shootsac comfortably by pulling the strap over my head and placing it on my left shoulder with the bag on my right hip.

My buddy Sprittibee took this shot of me at the Type-A Mom photowalk, so you can see what I mean.

In the picture, the bag is behind me while I’m kneeling. When standing, I lay it against my right side and wrap it around me. My largest lens, a 70-300mm, fits in the space behind the small of my back.

The Shootsac was my multi-purpose photography/fashion accessory at both the Type-A Mom and Photoshop World conferences. It carried my lenses, SB600, flash meter, family photobook, business cards, iPhone—whatever was needed for the situation. I have worn it to two photowalks and while shooting my kids’ homeschool co-op cotillion, times when I needed to be mobile and carry easily-accessible extras with me.

The Shootsac comes with a black cover, which I use when I want to look a little more serious, but usually I attach the green and white polka dotted Sprightly cover, which is my favorite color and totally me. The outside is a cotten/linen blend, and here’s the kicker: the inside is a super soft ultrasuede, lint-free, microfiber—perfect as an on-the-go lens cloth.

The covers attach with Velcro and can be easily exchanged. I love how each cover has its own individual page on the site and photo of it in action. Shootsac covers can also be used interchangeably with a new product, the Hip Slip, a Shootsac-style case for your laptop and an item very high on my personal wish list.

The Shootsac is perfect for anyone who owns an SLR with more than one lens and likes to take their photography on the go. This is a great time to buy because Shootsacs, Hip Slips, and covers are currently on sale!

[Product provided for review.]

The Shootsac: A Practically Perfect Lens Bag is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

We are the only ones in our circle of friends who never get around to making Christmas cards. My intentions are good, but the reality is that it just never happens. Never. This year, however, I am quite pleased to announce that not only will we have Christmas cards, they’re already made and ordered in mid-November!

Studio DaySpring makes ordering your cards easy. You can create your own or start with their design templates, which is what I did. I’ve been given a coupon code to share with you for 15% off your purchase with coupon code: CHILDREN15. The best part? 6% of your sale goes to Compassion International automatically! {You can read the story of our Compassion sponsored child here.}

Here is our card. Just ignore the messy spot under the picture, where I erased all of our personal info. If you get one of these in the mail, just forget you ever saw this, okay?

Did you know that (in)courage is not only an inspiring website, but has a line of handmade products, too? I love jewelry. Two of my favorite new pieces are from the Lisa Leonard line at (in)courage.

If you see me, chances are you’ll see either the “by grace alone” or “(in)courage” designs around my neck. Not only are they lovely, but a visible testimony to your faith.

These pins from the Pleated Poppy line are whimsical and individually designed. Mine has been worn on clothes, but I’ve also seen them attached to purses. Hmmm, mine would actually match my camera bag nicely…

They’re an instant dress up wherever you pin them and currently on sale for 15% off at the DaySpring store, just in time for Christmas (can you believe it’s almost here?).

[These products were provided to me as an author at (in)courage, but I would love them just as much even if I'd paid for them. In the immortal words of The Eurythmics, "Would I Lie to You?" I think not.]

Goodies from DaySpring and (in)courage is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

Rarely has a review product entered our home that has created quite the buzz and anticipation of the Harumika, a dress designing kit containing a dress form, three pieces of fabric, fashion stickers, accessories, and a stylus design tool. My girls were so excited that they sketched fashions before we opened the box, adding another creative aspect to the toy.

The dress form has an opening in the back, lined with a rubber insert that is cut in a wavy line down the middle. Fabric is wrapped around the doll to create outfits and tucked into the opening with the enclosed stylus tool. The rubbery material “grips” the fabric, so it stays put once you tuck it inside.

Included accessories can be used to create belts, shawls, necklaces—your child’s imagination is the limit.

As a mother, there’s an awful lot to like about the Harumika:

• It encourages active, creative play
• Although there are additional products available, you can use fabric scraps and pieces of fringe, etc. that you already own to create more outfits
• No batteries required!
• Doesn’t have the “trashy” look of so many dolls marketed to girls today
• My kids enjoy it and play with it

All of the outfits shown here were made with the three pieces of fabric and the accessories enclosed in our Style Starter Kit. Harumika is available now at Toys R Us and Target.

[Product provided for review.]

Harumika: Style Your Imagination is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

We attended our county Veteran’s Day celebration on Wednesday. Because of rain in the forecast, it was moved from its usual setting to an outdoor covered arena. Sadly, rumor has it that our mayor is considering canceling this annual event.

The majority of attendees, besides the Veterans themselves, are from the local homeschool community in a variety of forms: choir students, support group members, girl and boy scouts, parents. It’s a mystery to me why the local schools don’t attend. Surely some enterprising teacher could schedule a field trip.

While the crowds could be bigger, it would be hard to exceed the appreciation expressed by those students who rehearse their songs, skits, dances, and music to perform in honor of the men and women from our community who’ve served our country. Some children present cards of thanks, a gift which helps to conquer the fear of approaching and speaking to a stranger. I stress to my children that one of the most important things they can do is just speak, shake hands, and say thank you.

I’m always touched by how warmly this tribute is received by the veterans on their special day of recognition. May God bless our country and those who’ve served it.

Thank you to our Veterans is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

Parents often harbor unnecessary fears at the prospect of homeschooling high school, thinking that their kids will miss out on sports, extracurriculars, graduation, and the prom. In my experience—and we’ve just graduated our second homeschooled student—that just isn’t the case. It may require extra time, driving, and dedication on your part, but with our numbers growing and homeschooling increasingly recognized as a viable and successful educational option, the possibilities are endless. Today I’m going to focus on one of these areas.

Sports and Related Extracurriculars

More sports teams are popping up as the number of high schooled homeschoolers continues to rise. Most of these teams are started and coached by parents who are passionate about these sports and want their kids to be able to participate in them, too. Bonus for the coach: you don’t have to teach classes all day at the local high school in order to experience the joy of coaching what you love!

Depending on the number of homeschool teams in your area for a particular sport, you may play against other homeschool teams or in conferences that also include private or Christian schools. We’ve done both.

Our kids participate in a band/choir program that works with local home and privately schooled students. Because we have homeschool high school football, two of our kids are able to perform in the halftime show at home games. Our 14-year-old son plays clarinet in the marching band and our 12-year-old daughter is on the flag team.

I love the absence of labels: our son’s dream is to play major league baseball, but he’s in the band. There’s no “jock” or “band geek” label attached to him.

If you don’t yet have homeschool sports teams in your area, maybe you are what it takes to help make it happen.

Here are some photos from our first varsity football game last night. The halftime show featured music from Pirates of the Caribbean. [Note the awesome costuming, especially from the student band directors. How often do you see a pirate directing a band?]

[This post originally appeared at The Homeschool Post.]

Real Life Homeschooling High School is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved