Home Library Starter Collection Giveaway -- worth over $400

In celebration of my 10-year blogging anniversary, I am giving away a HUGE bag of books and other goodies worth over $400! I am so excited to be hosting this giveaway. It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since I started blogging, but there it is... my first post, March 4, 2002. I actually started blogging on Xanga, and then moved to Blogger in 2007. My original blog is still up, if you want to see it, though I've copied all the posts into the archives over here.

You're probably not too interested in that old news, though, are you? Let's get to the goodies already, shall we?

I have put together a great collection of 35 books that would be a wonderful start (or addition) to any home library, along with some personal interest and pampering items just for you!

I was able to get it all into one of Sonlight's over-size heavy-duty tote bags, but I wouldn't suggest carrying it all that way... at least not very far. The bag was full-to-overflowing. Let me show you what all I've gathered up for you...

First, a selection of favorite children's classics:

• Just So Stories
• Homer Price
• Henry Reed, Inc.
• A Little Princess
• Strawberry Girl
• Henry Huggins
• The Boxcar Children
• Charlotte's Web
• The House at Pooh Corner
• Favorite Poems Old and New (a beautiful hardback book!)

Then a few historical novels:

• Amos Fortune, Free Man
• Bonanza Girl
• Bound for Oregon
• The Matchlock Gun

Next, a stack of missionary stories:

• It's a Jungle Out There!
• Catching Their Talk in a Box
• In Search of the Source
• God Spoke Tibetan
• American Indian Prayer Guide
• And the Word Came With Power
• A Question of Yams
• Torches of Joy
• Window on the World

Then, a handful of fun books for the emerging reader:

• The Bravest Dog Ever
• Mouse Tales
• Frog and Toad are Friends
• Five True Dog Stories

A few biographies for good measure:

• William Wilberforce
• Simon Bolivar
• Thomas Jefferson
• Pocahontas
• The Wright Brothers

And three more go-to books not pictured:

• The Story of the World, Volume 1
• The Usborne Book of World History
• Leading Little Ones to God

Plus, some just-for-fun goodies:

• a Live, Laugh, Love mug
• a box of Celestial Seasonings herbal tea
• a giant Hershey's bar
• a vanilla spice candle
• two cotton crocheted washcloths (made by me)
• a bar of lavendar tea-tree soap handmade by my friend Cathy of LogHouse Soaps

And last, but not least, two cookbooks that I have edited:

• Sonlight Cooks (a collection of recipes from Sonlight users)
• Family Favorites (a collection of recipes from my extended family)

And, of course, the Sonlight tote bag is also included.

By now, I hope you're wondering how you could win this special collection! I'm so glad you asked! I'm going to give you lots of ways to enter, and plenty of time to get your entries in. 

The first entry is super easy. Just leave a comment on this post telling me what item in this collection you are most excited about. If you can't narrow it down to one, that's okay... just mention your favorites. Don't forget to leave a link to your blog or your email address so I'll have a way to contact you if you win!

For more chances to win, here are some other things you can do for one entry each. Please leave me a comment for each extra thing you did, so I'll be able easily count the entries:

• Follow my blog by clicking the blue "Join this site" button under "Riding Along" on the sidebar. (If you already follow, that counts, too. Just let me know you are already a follower.)
• "Like" my page on Facebook. You can just click the "Like" button on the Facebook widget on my sidebar, or follow the link through to Facebook and "like" it from there.
• Share this contest on Facebook.
• Follow me on Twitter: @karlyle. Mention your Twitter username in your comment so I can follow you back.
• Tweet about this contest.
• Follow me on Pinterest.
• Pin one of the pictures from this post on Pinterest and mention the contest.
• Favorite my Etsy Shop by clicking on the heart button.
• Add me to your circle on Etsy.

For bonus entries (worth 5 chances each) you could also:

• Visit my booth at a homeschool convention and fill out a contact card for me. (You'll even be entered in a separate drawing there as well.) My convention schedule is here. OR...
• If you can't make it to one of my conventions, email me (kcook@sonlight.com) with your mailing address to request a Sonlight catalog. 
• Blog about this content.

You don't have to leave 5 comments for each of those things. Just mention that you either saw me at a convention or you emailed me and I will count that as 5 entries. Also, mention that you blogged about the contest (include a link, please) and I will also count that as 5 entries.

That's a total of 20 chances to win!

I will draw the winner on July 1, 2012. Regrettably, I will have to limit entries to US addresses only due to the cost of international postage for a package this large.