Our Homeschool Castle

Natalie Vecchione is an FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) parent advocate, homeschooler, podcaster, but MOST importantly... she's a wife and mom! She began homeschooling  7 years ago, when noticing how many accommodations her son (who was later diagnosed with an FASD) needed.  After his diagnosis, she began advocating for FASD by being a peer support mentor and facilitating a support group.  Natalie is certified in Mental Health First Aid and has been a Board- Certified, Music Therapist for 25 years. Recently, Natalie has volunteered as a board member and social media coordinator for several North Carolina nonprofits. In April  2020, Natalie began her new adventure in the world of podcasting through producing and hosting podcasts about FASD.... and she became a "Mom on a Mission with a Microphone". In October 2020, Natalie and her husband John co-founded  “FASD Hope”. The mission of FASD Hope is to provide awareness, information and inspiration to people whose lives have been touched by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Natalie and John live in the farm country of North Carolina with their 5 1/2-year-old daughter (who just began homeschooling) and 18-year-old son (who just graduated from homeschooling and he is now proudly working part time as a carpentry apprentice and studying computer coding part time). Natalie is thrilled to begin this new adventure of FASD Hope, LLC and the “FASD Hope” podcast series.  "We don't really think about whether today was a good day or a bad day. We savor the good moments and trust in God to bring us through the tough times." - John and Natalie Vecchione http://www.fasdhope.com/ [email protected] Instagram - @fasdhope Facebook - @fasdhope1 Pinterest - @fasdhope1

In this episode I interview my friend Leilani who has the YouTube channel Living With Eve. She is a homeschooling mom of four kids, a special needs mom and a former school teacher. She shares her insight on her daughter's therapies and how she homeschools 4 kids. https://youtube.com/c/LivingWithEve Also in this podcast Leilani talks about curriculum and you will find the links below.  Math U See: https://www.mathusee.com/ All About Spelling: https://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/all-about-spelling/

In this episode I interview my friend Katie from the YouTube channel Life In The Mundane. She will give us some great resources of podcasts for kids to listen to. The podcasts she talks about are Christian based or secular which can fit any homeschooler.   If you know of any great kids podcasts please leave me a voice message! Also if you or anyone you know have a unique homeschooling experience or resource to share please contact me for an interview or just to pass along some great resources! email: [email protected] Here's the list of the top 5 Katie recommends! (available wherever you listen to your podcasts) 1. Real Cool History For Kids 2. Earth Rangers 3. Homeschool History 4. J House Podcast 5. Paws And Tales

This episode I just briefly tell you about what I am going to be doing in this new year with my podcast. I hope you stick with me and follow where ever you listen to your podcasts!

In this episode I interview my friend Nichelle about her journey as a special-needs homeschooling mom. What her homeschooling style is and how she decided to homeschool her child with autism.

In this episode I talk about what is needed to go to the food bank, how to find a food bank and what to expect when going to a food bank. We all have a separate level of need and should never hesitate to find the help we need.

In this episode I talk about some more free resources or inexpensive resources to look into. I talk about how I organize this overwhelming list of free resources for our homeschooling.

In this episode I talk about happy planners and how I use them. It helps me to stay organized but also brings encouragement to see my progress. It also gives me a artistic outlet when I can decorate my planners.

In this episode I talk about decluttering my dresser and making it easier to find clothes for this very busy holiday season. Also how to create a mom uniform to make morning time go quicker in getting ready!

vt9NFXdaQWip5O15uNmP Christmas is difficult for many this year. How are you celebrating? What gifts are you thinking about for your family? I am a practical person and love to get gifts that are meaningful and will actually be used.  I think many are thinking crafting or art gifts, puzzles, games and books.