A trip to Tulsa

I have a confession to make...  I'm a homeschool convention junkie!  I love the sight of a packed curriculum hall full of new homeschool treasures to discover.

The last several years,  a couple of friends and I plus our teenage sons - yes, you read that right, we like to take our teenage BOYS with us, have taken a weekend getaway to Memphis and the Great Homeschool Convention.

Sadly, this year - Great Homeschool Conventions opted not to come to Memphis.  Panic set in...where do we go to get our "fix"?  Cincinnati was a bit too far away, and the timing was off for us (not to mention the cost!)

We settled in on the Oklahoma Homeschool Convention in Tulsa, OK.  It's only about a 4 hour drive. While, much smaller in size than Memphis, Tulsa was perfect for a Tuesday/Wednesday getaway.

We loaded up the vans (teenage boys eat a lot...you gotta be prepared or you'll spend a fortune!) and hit the road.

My dear friend and I have somewhat of a reputation for being, shall I say "directionally challenged" (Yes, we did actually drive an hour the wrong direction the first time we were returning from Memphis... we had a lot to talk about!)  But,  I am extremely proud to announce, due to my superior navigation skills, we made it there and BACK without having to take a scenic detour even once!

Our sons participated in the HSLDA's Generation Joshua Program.  If you ever get the chance, don't pass it up!  They had a wonderful time learning the entire political process in a very hands-on way.  They created a party, nominated a candidate, and even had to raise campaign funds. (You wouldn't believe how helpful they can be when you have a handful of "fake money" they want...)  A favorite activity of theirs...hanging from the support beams in the parking garage...the short kid on the ground is one of mine :-)



With a smaller curriculum hall to explore, we had the freedom to relax and enjoy the speakers.  I listened to several favorites (Diana Waring, Todd Wilson) and met a few new faces (Cyndi Kinney, Barb Shelton).  Of course, I stopped by my favorite - YWAM to get the new titles to add to my collection of Christian Heroes books.  These have been my all time favorite find at a homeschool convention, you should have seen my poor husband's face when I bought the entire set our 2nd year! 

I think every homeschooling parent should plan an escape to a convention nearby.  You will come away renewed and recommitted to your calling.  Plus, it's great girlfriend time!

The hard part... jumping back into reality and school the next morning..