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~ December 2011 ~
Dear Readers,
Happy December! Love is in the air at our house this holiday season, as my oldest son will be marrying his childhood sweetheart on January 15th. Peter and Leanne have known each other for 12 years, since he was 9 and she was 6. Having grown up together as best friends in the local homeschool group, they continued seeing each other after high school and then began seriously courting around this time last year. Needless to say, we've been pretty busy not only with Christmas but also wedding preparations. :)
By the way, I've been making a set of helpful household lists for the newlyweds, which I will share with you over the course of next year. You will be able to print out one per month for free, but I'll also offer an option to download them all at once for a nominal cost. You will have to wait until the next issue to see exactly what they all are, as I'm still working on them! ;)
Blessings to you and your family this Christmas and in the New Year!
Featured Article
Do you need ideas for presents that combine fun and learning? This year, I'm focusing on educational computer games! Many are games that our family already owns and enjoys, or that we've researched and would consider buying. I'll be getting some of these for my kids!
Click Here: http://games.xboltz.net (it will actually take you to my son's site, where you can also find some games that are free to download or play online.) Be sure to check the system requirements, though, because his list contains both older and newer titles.
See also the previous years’ homeschool gift suggestions, all of which are still good!
Educational Toys
Smart Software
Favorite Computer Games
Computer Game Reviews
P.S. You can still order stuff from Amazon through the end of this week to be delivered in time for Christmas.
Book of the Month
This wonderful set of books by a veteran homeschool mom will provide refreshing encouragement and practical motivation for the new year!
2. Easy Homeschooling Curriculum
3. Easy Homeschooling Companion
OR purchase one or more individual titles - also on sale!
E-Books of the Month
Famous Homeschoolers
I was pleased to see that the December 2011 edition of ACTS & FACTS, a publication of the Institute for Creation Research, includes an article titled "Snowflake Bentley: Man of Science, Man of God," by Jerry Bergman, Ph.D. It goes along great with my article on Wilson Bentley. Read my article here, then read the ICR article here.
P.S. Interested in ICR's ACTS & FACTS? This monthly news magazine contains articles and information dealing with creation, evolution, and related topics. Current and past issues can be read online, or you can sign up to receive a free subscription at http://www.icr.org/aaf/.
Reading Between the Lines
Learning Links
- Family Holiday Ideas (For many families, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the winter holiday season.)
- Gingerbread Houses (A homemade gingerbread house makes an impressive centerpiece during the holidays.)
- An Old-Fashioned Christmas (Celebrating family traditions is what makes families unique and bonds family members together.)
- Merry Christmas & Happy New Year in Many Languages (Can You Guess the Languages? Translations provided.)
- Merry Christmas (Jesus is the Reason for the Season... and Wise Men Still Seek Him.)
- Christmas Carols (From the first angelic choir over Bethlehem, carols have rung joyously through the centuries.)
- Let it Snow (Learn all about snow, as well as the Eskimo names for different kinds of snow.)
- The Snowflake Man (Wilson A. Bentley, taught at home by his mother, had a unique hobby of studying snowflakes.)
- The New Year (Here's our chance to start over, to do it right this time, to accomplish something that we want to finish.)
Freebie(s) of the Month
The Candy Cane
The Nativity Story
Print this page, cut it in half, roll each half into a scroll, and attach to a large candy cane using a pretty ribbon. Makes a great stocking stuffer or Christmas party favor.
Print this page (double-sided) and make copies for inserting in Christmas cards, or give as handouts. This is an abridged version of my original 10-page story.
(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)
Quote of the Month
“Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.” ~George Matthew Adams (1878-1962)
A Note From Teri...
As you look forward to Christmas and the New Year, I encourage you to plan on taking a break sometime during the busy holiday season to have the whole family spend some quality time together discussing goals, dreams, and the purpose of life. While you’re at it, why not write a homeschool mission statement! I created an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide that explains how. If you are a new homeschooler, the reasons for homeschooling your children are probably still fresh in your mind. This e-book will help you clarify those reasons and put your educational plan in writing to ensure that your homeschool starts out on a strong foundation and continues to function well into the future. If you have been homeschooling for a while, you may have noticed that the busyness of daily life seems to distract you from the principles that matter most. Your family can get back on track by preparing a homeschool mission statement to assist in guiding you from this day forward. "How to Write a Homeschool Mission Statement" is only $4.95 for 36 pages! View the contents and download your copy here: www.knowledgehouse.info/hsmission.html
Happy Homeschooling!
P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter?