Sweeping Up
Thank you so much to everyone who visited the canival, left comments, and/or felt it worthy to recommend their readers to stop by. I hope everyone enjoyed reading through the posts as much as I did while putting this together. I've never done this before, and I was worried that no one would contribute. And that no one would visit. My first fear was actually set at ease fairly early. I had a few entries shortly after the gmail account was forwarded to me (I was hoping they weren't just late entries from the last carnival). I also got a favorable response to the invitations I had sent out to bloggers I read regularly, but had never noticed in previous carnivals. I was quite happy to have quite a few that had never contributed before alongside those who are carnival regulars. I changed my theme midway through a half written carnival because the original theme just was not working.

My second fear was allayed at 9AM yesterday morning. I had just finished sending out invitations and came back to fix an error that someone had pointed out to me. My statcounter had jumped to over 600 page views. That is more than I get in a week and I had no idea that many people would get here that early. Then I noticed instapundit had linked to it. I believe the resulting flood of visitors is officially called an "instalanch." Good description! I really hope that a fair number of the many people who travelled through yesterday and today made it on through to some of the contributors, because they did the real work, homeschooling by their hearts, sharing their thoughts, and submitting their best work. So here is my official thank you to all involved.

First, to Why Homeschooling who own this carnival. They do a great job with it. They answered all my annoying questions, and did a wonderful job promoting the carnival. This carnival wouldn't be if not for them.

Second, to all the contributors. I really felt that everyone had chosen their best work and not just something for the carnival. I enjoyed reading them and was happy that nothing was of questionable content.

Third, to Gates of Vienna, a blog that has nothing to do with homeschooling, but they made a beautiful invitation for the carnival. If you would like to use it, they have given permission:


Fourth, to everyone who linked to the carnival. No one would know about it without the promotion. I have also enjoyed reading quite a few blogs I otherwise never would have stumbled across. A few of them have some interesting conversations going on in their comments box. The following is a list of those I know have linked to the carnival. If I missed you, just drop me a note, and I'll add it. These are in the order I find them on technorati and TTLB:

The Thomas Institute, Venomous Kate, Apollos Academy, Spunky Homeschool, The Magic School Bus, Education Wonks, The Homeschooling Revolution, Dr. Helen (a Christian psychologist...see, we're not nutty freak jobs!), Tami, Pollywog Creek Porch, Joanne Jacobs, Going to the Mat, Instapundit, Trinity Prep School, Blogher (a lot of conversation from someone who USED to think we were all nutty freak jobs), Semicolon, Science and Politics, Dunker Journal, the brew crew adventure (a great blog if you've never visited her), Homeschoolbuzz, Guiltfree Homeschooling, Nerd Family, Pursuing Holiness, Autumn Rain, RichieD, A Day in Our Lives, Freeman Hunt, Learning Umbrella, Gates of Vienna, Cirque de Mois, Steve Walden, Dewey's Treehouse, Principled Mom (the one who got me started blogging...she was entering willingly or not!), Life in a Shoe, Chronicle of a Meandering Traveller, HE&OS (ok, maybe he's a nutty freak job, but we like him, anyway), Holy Experience, Exvigilare, Somerschool, Tales from the Bonny Blue House, Leslie, The Company Porch, Why Homeschooling, reddit.com, Bona Vita Rusticanda Est, Here in the Bonny Glenn, Sunny Dazy, The Opiniated Homeschooler, Highland Christian Learning Center, Since Eve, The Homeschool Cafe, Homeschool Nations Illinois, Truth Laid Bear (the carnival had more links than Michelle Malkin...now that's an organized community effort!), Notes From a Homeschooling Mom, One Beggar's Bread, Barbara Frank, Let's Play Math, The Curt Jester, The Prattling Preacher's Wife, Not My Fault!, The Lilting House, Mental Meanderings, Club Mom: Daily Dose, phat mommy

Thank you so much! And I hope you enjoyed the carnival!

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