Isaiah 9:6 Says it all..........

 

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

Moe

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas & Only Children part 4

In the coming days before Christmas you will see some posts on things that our family does to help in raising our only child to be a caring individual and ward off the evil selfish behavior that is so prevalent in our world today. This would fall under Character Training and is taught on a daily basis in our homeschool.

What are the hardest things to teach an only child?
*How not to be selfish
*How to be giving
*How to be thoughtful

What can you do to teach the above things?
*Teach them to think of others first
*Give them opportunities to serve others
*Teach them about taking care of others

How does our family teach these things?
*Make placemats for Meals On Wheels done
*Play the piano & sing Christmas carols at a nursing home done
*Buy Christmas gifts for needy children done

Christmas & Only Children part 3

In the coming days before Christmas you will see some posts on things that our family does to help in raising our only child to be a caring individual and ward off the evil selfish behavior that is so prevalent in our world today. This would fall under Character Training and is taught on a daily basis in our homeschool.

What are the hardest things to teach an only child?
*How not to be selfish
*How to be giving
*How to be thoughtful

What can you do to teach the above things?
*Teach them to think of others first
*Give them opportunities to serve others
*Teach them about taking care of others

How does our family teach these things?
*Make placemats for Meals On Wheels done
*Play the piano & sing Christmas carols at a nursing home
*Buy Christmas gifts for needy children done

Our son went shopping on Black Friday to pick out the following gifts for a needy boy and girl in our community.



He thought the Lego watch would be a big hit for a wide age range of boys.

He was thrilled to find this on sale (yes my son is frugal!) and he said "Every little girl needs a doll & stroller to play with."

We delivered these to the Mission in town and they will distribute the gifts before Christmas.

 

How can your only child (those with more than one are welcome to chime in too  :O)  bless others this Christmas season?

 

Moe

Christmas & Only Children part 2

In the coming days before Christmas you will see some posts on things that our family does to help in raising our only child to be a caring individual and ward off the evil selfish behavior that is so prevalent in our world today. This would fall under Character Training and is taught on a daily basis in our homeschool.

What are the hardest things to teach an only child?
*How not to be selfish
*How to be giving
*How to be thoughtful

What can you do to teach the above things?
*Teach them to think of others first
*Give them opportunities to serve others
*Teach them about taking care of others

How does our family teach these things?
*Make placemats for Meals On Wheels
*Play the piano & sing Christmas carols at a nursing home
*Buy Christmas gifts for needy children

Here are some pictures of the placemats that we made.

 

They are simple to make, we just used construction paper, markers and scrapbooking stickers. We decorated them up and we will delivery them to the local Meal On Wheels to put out as tray favors.

We have also done this at other times of the year and they are very receptive to it. You could also use  old Christmas cards by cutting out the pictures and gluing them on, scrapbook paper scraps, use punches, Cricut machine, die cuts, rubber stamps or have the kids draw a picture on them.

 

Check back in the coming days for more festive ideas for you and your only child :O)

Moe

Christmas eBook review just for you!

How exciting is this! I can't wait to share this review with you and hope to hear how the eBook blesses you!

This review is for the eBook Christ-Centered Christmas: The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating a Christmas Your Family Will Never Forget by Hal and Melanie Young, it’s available for purchase through http://www.raisingrealmen.com/ourstore/christmasshop/
Not having grown up in a Christian home I missed out on a lot of the teaching that I have read about in the eBook Christ-Centered Christmas: The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating a Christmas Your Family Will Never Forget by Hal and Melanie Young. I am very excited to share this eBook with my family and start some new traditions in our household! "It's not a matter of whether you celebrate or not, but Who is the center of our celebration!" This is so key, especially in today's fast paced retail minded world.

I knew that there was some sort of meaning behind decorating at Christmas time, the authors explain in detail the meaning behind them. The photos throughout the eBook are incredible along with accompanying Scripture verses, they bring out the true meaning of the Christmas season. The photos really touched me and seemed to help my heart understand the Christmas season more, I think over time the material word has crept into my heart.

The Caroling Party idea is GREAT! We have gone caroling, but we never dressed up in costumes for it. It was a blessing to read about the background information that you included with the Christmas Hymns, this would be great to add to family devotion time.

It's such a blessing to read about others Christmas baking traditions and gift giving traditions. You have included some wonderful looking recipes in this eBook. The sausage ball recipe will be a big hit at our Christmas gathering this year. The Christmas Baking Spreadsheet is really cool too! That would be great to have on hand around Thanksgiving time too when baking items go on sale. Aunt Lucy's Escalloped Pineapple may also end up on our dinner table this Christmas. The photos look so delicious and are making me hungry as I write this.

The Santa Claus section is a must read for all Christian families.

The eBook Christ-Centered Christmas: The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating a Christmas Your Family Will Never Forget would be a wonderful gift to send to a new believer in Christ, yet it's profitable for seasoned Christians as well. I think it's so easy for the world to creep into our hearts and minds, that we are corrupted and don't even realize it. This eBook was a real eye opener to me and I plan to have my family read over it too (as I write this review my husband has been reading the eBook over my shoulder :O)

You can purchase a copy of Christ-Centered Christmas: The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating a Christmas Your Family Will Never Forget at http://www.raisingrealmen.com/ourstore/christmasshop/
Download this gorgeous 80 page, full color book now for $15 our special price of $5.00!!
Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this product through in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations

Christmas & Only Children part 1

In the coming days before Christmas you will see some posts on things that our family does to help in raising our only child to be a caring individual and ward off the evil selfish behavior that is so prevalent in our world today. This would fall under Character Training and is taught on a daily basis in our homeschool.

I came across this article from Family Life Today's blog 20 Ideas For Serving Others as a Family This Christmas.

Let us know how your family serves others.

Moe

Winter Time Kitchen Decorations

Cricut fun!!

 

I had some fun playing with my Cricut machine! I made this cute refrigerator snowman using the Snow People cartridge. LOVE IT!  It was easy to make and very cute. I also made a knit type of hat with matching scarf (made out of card stock not yarn) so that I can change his outfit. After the winter season is over, just pack him up in a baggie and he will be ready to go next winter.

Right around the Christmas season we all need to take a small break here and there. It was nice to relax on Friday with another homeschooling mom. She chatted with me while I cleaned up my craft room and got organized. Got a lot accomplished, the conversation was like a soothing balm and we both felt refreshed. She entertained my two guys, (my husband was on vacation and our son was enjoying some man time with Dad) she brought her Kindle FIRE and they both played on it while we visited. So with a cleaned and organized craft room I was able to PLAY!!

What sort of fun have you been having with your Cricut machine?
Moe

Laying down on the job!

Our girls are really laying down on the job! They have not laid well in weeks. Most of our girls are molting and looking pretty shabby......LOL.....Is that where the scrapbooking and rubber stamping industry came up with the term Shabby Chic?

If you don't know what molting means, it's when a chicken's feathers fall out and new pretty fluffy ones come in, it must be stressful on the body since they don't lay many eggs when they molt.
I found these 3 chicks resting high up in the pine trees, they were safe from our beautiful red foxes that like to hang out around our place.

We actually had to buy store bought eggs last week, we got the jumbo ones from Meijers and they were the size of our normal sized eggs that our hens lay. The price of feed has really increased so these girls had better be getting back to work in the hen house to earn their keep!

A little chicken humor for you. LOL

Moe

Holiday Recipe

I like to have something sweet and creamy on hand for a quick sweet treat while everyone is eating gluten & corn filled treats. So I've come up with a Cherry Ice Cream recipe.

This has not been frozen yet, so it's very soft in the photo.

 

Cherry Ice Cream

 

1 1/4 cups milk (whole, 2%, soy, rice, almond) I used soy today

14 oz can full fat coconut milk (liquid and solids from the can)

1/2 c-1 c sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1/2 c tart or dark cherry juice (usually found in health food section of grocery store)

Pour all ingredients into mixing bowl, whisk together or use mixer until combined.

Taste to see if it's sweet enough, add more sugar if needed.

Then pour into ice cream maker and freeze. As mixture thickens you can add in chopped cherries if you want.

Add a drop of two of red food coloring if you want a festive colored Cherry Ice Cream.

YUM!! This was really good!

Moe



How to Tame Holiday Hassles?

Well here we are again, yet another holiday that is surrounded by food!! I do love the Christmas season because during that time my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born of a virgin.

But the food sometimes over shadows the Christmas parties and can make life difficult if we don't plan. Tonight was my husbands Christmas party at work. They had a wonderful party with lots of goodies and treats. I was in a hurry, failed to eat before we left and failed to bring anything with me to eat. A very BIG mistake if you want to relax and enjoy the party. I was starved through most of the party, of course I was not hungry until I started smelling all those goodies.
Below you will find Moe's Tips to Tame Holiday Hassles

Don't start to melt over all those goodies!

 



Moe's Tips to Tame Holiday Hassles

#1 Don't go to a Christmas party hungry

#2 Don't eat or drink ANYTHING that is not safe for you, not even a nibble!!

#3 Pack a bottled water

#4 Pack sweet snacks

#5 Pack salty snacks

#6 Enjoy the conversation & the people

#7 Relax

#8 Have fun

#9 When your husband is speaking to others, show interest in what he says.

#10 Remember the reason for the season, the birth of our Savior.

If you are not familiar with the history of the birth of Jesus Christ, you can read about it in the Bible in Luke chapter 2.

Slow down & enjoy your family this month.

Moe