With Valentine's Day just around the corner and a few family challenges Melanie has been thinking about what she loves most and decided to build the carnival around Things Homeschoolers Love. They are facing some very hard things right now. Along with some good posts to read are some vintage Valentine cards to enjoy, so get on over there and check it out.

The next carnival will be hosted at SmallWorld. Submissions are due by Monday at 6 p.m. I look forward to reading your submissions.

The theme for the 2010 Doodle 4 Google Contest is "If I Could Do Anything, I Would..." Homeschooled students are invited to participate in the competition to create a new design for the Google homepage logo centered around this year's theme.

The doodles will be judged on artistic merit, creativity, representation of the theme, and other criteria.

Remember...If you don't enter, you can't win!

Image courtesy of Google

Shadow or no shadow? Punxsutawney Phil? Candlemas Day? How much do you know about Groundhog Day? Learn all about groundhogs and Groundhog Day with these fun printables, activities and quiz.

A new Groundhog Day Tic-Tac-Toe page has been added to the printables. Will it be three shadows in a row or no shadows?

At my grandson's first birthday party, I spotted this baby praying mantis. It was about 1/2" in length and was just the cutest thing. After showing all the kids and then snapping his picture, I gently shoo'd him away so we could eat. Have fun learning all about insects and other creepy crawlies with these fun printable pages.

Want to dig deeper? Visit the Insects site here at About.com. Debbie Hadley shares her passion and expertise with you. She answers the question, What is an Insect? She gives you Twelve "Must Have" Tools for Studying Live Insects and has an excellent photo album, entitled A Monarch is Born.

More about bugs:

• Learning Science - Bugs!
• Praying Mantis Coloring Page
• I Spy an Insect
• Springtime Poem