PennywiseLearning.com - Homeschooling, Homeschool Curriculum

I am married to Randy and we have 9 terrific kids. The oldest is 19 and the youngest is a baby. We have 3 girls and 5 boys. I tell the girls they are like diamonds. There are fewer of them so they are all the more precious. We were blessed with 8 by birth and one through international adoption. Our adopted son is also special needs. We have homeschooled since our oldest was in 1st grade. We began our business, Pennywise Learning, in 2002. We are actively involved in our church with leadership responsibilities. I even have a hobby, scrapbooking. I call my style speed scrapbooking since I don’t have time for the intricate creations seen in many scrapbooks. As you can see, we have a pretty full plate. Part of the purpose of this blog is to encourage families that they can homeschool, even with busy and complicated lives. I hope you are blessed and encouraged along the way. Homeschooling is a wonderful lifestyle. Our family has been blessed beyond measure because of our decision to go this route. May your family be as blessed as ours in your homeschooling journey. I hope to hear your stories as an encouragement as well.

Kristen Pratt
President
Pennywise Learning, Inc.

For me, the word pennywise always brings up a mental image Benjamin Franklin and a printing press. It just seems to have a nostalgic ring to it. That’s why, when the opportunity came for us relocate to a historical landmark only five miles from our home, we jumped on it.

We started PennywiseLearning.com in 2002. Like a lot of home birthed businesses, it started in one part of the lower level and eventually had taken over most of the house. Which by the way is a great problem to have. By spring of 2008, we really had no choice but to look at our options.

Imagine a home with eight children and two adults. Fill the entire lower level with offices, shipping areas and many thousands of dollars worth of inventory. Then add in three or four employees, UPS, Fed EX, sales people, and a tractor trailer of two waiting to be unloaded.

Do you begin to get the idea of what it must have been like visiting the Pratt house? I remember people coming to visit and saying, “you really live like this?”, and we were like, “yeah. We wouldn’t have it any other way”.

But after one very hectic morning, Kristen and I had go out to run some errands and I remember saying, “I think it’s time”. To that she replied, “funny you should mention it, I saw this building I have always loved in town is for sale. Do you want to take a look?” So we did and within a day I made a ridiculously low offer knowing that if they said yes, it would only be the Lord. Of course, they accepted it on the spot.
The building was built in 1876. Built on the Erie Railroad it served as a dry goods store and the original post office in town. It even housed the town hall for a bit in the late 1800’s. It still has the original safe along with all of the receipts and paperwork from the 1800’s to the 1950’s.

This 7,000 square foot building is a treasure to us. There is enough room for inventory, offices, and even a warehouse outlet store. There’s even a loading dock where the horse drawn carts used to load and unload. To top it off we have the hitching post sill out in front of the huge front porch.

We love the fact that we have the opportunity to recycle and reuse this building as much as we love the history of it. Located less than five miles from our home, I could not have asked for a better location for PennywiseLearning.com

We spent the first two months gutting, cleaning, and remodeling the inside. After a lot of work, we moved in October of 2008. Of course there’s a long way to go finishing it off but we’re off to a great start. Best of all, now when I think of the word pennywise, I think of Ben Franklin, the printing press and of course, the PennywiseLearning.com Historical building.

We have had the privilege of serving over 20,000 Homeschool families since 2002. Whether you are new to Homeschooling or a seasoned pro, we look forward to being your #1 curriculum and related supplies provider.