Christmas

The Shepherd’s Carol
Methinks I see an heav'nly host Of angels on the wing Methinks I hear their cheerful notes So merrily they sing - so merrily they sing: Let all your fears be banish'd hence,  Glad tidings I proclaim,  For there's a Saviour born today,  And Jesus is his name. Lay down your crooks and quit your…
Avoid The Awkward Pause
One of the great joys of the holiday season is the chance to spend time with family members that you don't get to see the rest of the year. Unfortunately, that's also one of the stressful things about the holidays – extended family that you don't see the rest of the year. (more…)
Preparing for Christ-Centered Holidays
  The holidays are rapidly approaching, and while we all enjoy the feasts and the fun, there's so much more than that. The trick, really, is remembering why we celebrate, being sure to teach that to our kids, and somehow figuring out how to plan a big family celebration without losing sight of the One who…
Boxing Day Secrets
It's the day after Christmas, and I'm working in the living room this morning, happily surrounded by my new books and the noise of our younger children playing. But there's the question: What are we going to do about all the new toys in the house? Here are some startling truths we've discovered in 23 years of parenting:…
Has It Come to This?
"We'd like for you to sing traditional carols at the Tree Lighting." "Wonderful, that is just what we love to do." Our homeschool history club advisor was glad when the organizers of our town's tree lighting ceremony finally called. It was someone different this year and we needed to know how long they wanted us…
The Arrival of a King Lapbook
The Arrival of a King Lapbook with Study Guide Learn about the events and the people surrounding the birth of Jesus. Your child will learn about Joseph, Mary, Caesar Augustus, Gabriel, Zachariah, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Shepherds, Herod, Sheep, The Romans, The Wisemen, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh and more! (more…)
Christmas Lapbook & Study Guide
  Christmas Lapbook and Study Guide Snuggle up on the couch with the kids this holiday season and make the holidays exciting with this Christmas Lapbook with Study Guide. Lapbooks are fun for children of all ages and a great way to have hands-on fun! (more…)
Countdown to Christmas by Amy Puetz
A few years ago, we used the book Jotham's Journey during the Advent season to build up anticipation for Christmas. The children loved it, so the next year, we used the sequel, Bartholomew's Passage. That one seemed a bit more contrived to me, but it was still a lot of fun for the children and…
Why We Had a Party the Day After Hal Had Surgery :-)
Yesterday our teens took a 15 passenger van full of friends to a huge Christian concert in another city. Some of our friends were very concerned. Weren't we worried? Was that really safe? How would they manage the parking, the concert venue, staying together? Why did I let them do that when we were already…
The Ornament of the Year: Preserving God’s Working in our Lives
Christmas had always been a special time in both our families growing up, our mothers made many of the ornaments on our tree, we had certain foods that were always served, certain activities the family always did. Our first Christmas together after our marriage found us over a thousand miles away from our childhood homes…