Happy Birthday TOS Magazine!

In case you were wondering, TOS stands for The Old Schoolhouse...Magazine that is. My favorite magazine ever. In honor of its 10th anniversary, TOS Magazine is having a Blog Hop and all I have to do to participate is to tell you my favorite thing about the magazine. But I can't think of just ONE. So, I am going to tell you my top FIVE things. How's that for going overboard?


Here we go...


Heather's Top Five List of Things She Loves About The Old Schoolhouse Magazine


1. Getting it in the mail. Seriously, this is like the most exciting part of my month sometimes. A present for me. In the mail. And I can choose to sit down in my swing and read it right then, or I can stick it in my bag to save it for later, and savor the knowledge that it is waiting there for me. Somehow, I don't think I'd get this same feeling waiting for the digital version to hit my e-mail box.


2. The excellent, challenging, God-honoring articles. I love opening the cover and knowing that I am not going to have to worry about a) the quality of the articles b) the worldview of the articles. It's such a relief from the usual magazine where SOMETHING is bound to rub you the wrong way or make you gasp in disbelief. With TOS Magazine, every article may not be a perfect "fit" for me, but at least I know every one is well-researched, well-thought out, and prayed over.


3. The Ads. Really, I do love the ads. I get more good freebies and ideas from looking at the ads in that magazine than anywhere else. By visiting the websites of the advertisers (who often offer freebies), I see what they are doing with new homeschooling approaches, ways to get better organized, and even revisit some good, old tried-and-trues. I find that staying up to date with what is new and interesting in the homeschooling market keeps me on my toes, looking forward, planning, and striving for what is best for my students. I don't BUY everything I see, but I do get some good ideas I can make work for me without spending a penny. Just so the advertisers don't feel too bad, I do buy things now and then.


4. The reviews. Again, I love to know what is going on in the homeschooling market and I am always interested in what other people think about products I have been curious about, never heard of, or tried myself. The reviews are always thorough and thoughtful. I really appreciate that.


5. I like the stories of other homeschooling families' experiences. If you look at my right sidebar, you will see that in my list of favorite homeschooling books, there are several titles that are compilations of stories by/about homeschooling families and what they do to make things work for them. I am not someone who thinks homeschooling is a "one-size-fits-all" endeavor, and I am always looking for an idea that will make my job easier and my students' experiences smoother and more pleasant.


Well, there you go. I could probably go on, but I will spare you my rambling about my favorite magazine EVER. If you want to check out The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, click on the link and visit their site. Check out the blog hop HERE for more reasons to like TOS.


If you are interested in receiving a good dose of encouragement and information in your mailbox four times a year, then watch the 'net for announcements of special subscription rates and packages. They run them all the time and it is an investment that really pays off.In fact, I checked and there is a special right now!! If you go HERE and see the special "Bouquet of Gifts" announced, you have made it in time to "catch" the collection of 19 free gifts, which add up to hundreds of dollars of FREE! products...

You can also post your favorite thing about TOS Magazine, or favorite TOS Magazine memory, and join the link up party by clicking HERE.

Blessings,

Heather