Teach Them Diligently

Aaron and Jesse with Ken Ham (that's him on Aaron's shoulder)

Jana, Mason, Jennifer and Savannah

Jesse, Christian and Silas

Jennifer and Mason making a MOST exciting purchase!

The great books and toys in the vendor hall

There was a wonderful conference in South Carolina, just a 2 1/2 hour drive from us, so our family and Aaron's sister's family went together to be encouraged, informed and challenged in our parenting/educating/spiritual journeys!

Homeschool conferences can be overwhelming at times just because of the quantity of information that's put out there.  If you are able to take it one bite at a time, though, the speakers and resources can be a huge help.
We went to our first conference in San Diego when Megan was a baby, Jesse was 2 and Jana 4.  Our goal was to formulate a plan for Jana's education and have her books in the cupboard, ready to go whenever she showed signs of readiness.  I felt secure in entering into homeschooling, because I had materials to lean back on and I didn't have the concerns of  not doing it "right" because I had invested in the best...at least that's what the guy in the vendor hall said! haha!
Throughout our years of homeschooling, I've attended conferences in California, Idaho, Montana, and now South Carolina.  Each one is unique in it's focus- usually dependent on the keynote speaker and the intent of the conference organizers.  People willing to share from their experiences and lessons learned, workshops and fellowship have been such a blessing.  I just love spending time focused on why we homeschool, what our goals are for the year, and being prepared to learn all that the Lord places before us as we learn and teach one another~this important part of our life! 
The 'take-away' from this conference was completely new and fun, because it is focused on purposeful education during the high school years. (We can't believe we have a daughter entering 9th grade!) We learned the details of using CLEP tests and good course choices during high school to acquire college education at the same time as meeting high school graduation requirements.  If the children feel led to pursue education beyond high school, we can structure High School coursework in such a way that will serve them well in pursuit of a Bachelor's degree simultaneously!  Good stewardship of our time!