Christmas Ideas....

Advent

Celebrating Advent ~ Knitting Families Together In Christ

Christmas Food and Budget Ideas

How to Plan Wisely for Holiday Feasts and Fun

Feed the Freezer This Christmas

Simplifying

10 Great Tips to De-stress Your Christmas

Christmas Ideas with Kids

Christmas History Happenings in NE TN

Cool Christmas Ideas With Kids From A-Z

Great Gift Ideas

Free Quillow Pattern for Baby ~ Easy Step by Step Instructions

How to Plan Wisely for Holiday Feasts and Fun

This article orginally appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and was featured on Crosswalk.com

The last few years have been a tough year for homeschooling families. Gas prices have doubled in two years, grocery expenses are spiraling out of control with each trip we make to the store, and that tight budget needs to stretch farther! Most of us are single-income families, and it can be a juggling act to make it through each month. Now the holidays are upon us, and we love to celebrate with food. How can we enjoy our traditions, make our family favorites, graciously entertain, and save money on food during this holiday season?

Read more: How to Plan Wisely for Holiday Feasts and Fun

Celebrating Advent ~ Knitting Families Together In Christ

Advent ~ Tis the Season to REMEMBER the Reason

Every year on Christmas day we suffered from the heart-sickening knowledge that we weren't glorifying the Lord, His precious birthday, or focusing on Him as much as we could.

We were good at sharing Christ during His season of birth, but we always had the disconcerting feeling that something was missing. We had an empty, aching longing for our Savior. Our lives focused so much on Him, but somehow, as each Christmas rolled by in a flurry of activity, were we missing Him?

Several years ago, we discovered the beauty of celebrating Advent. Our hearts began to fill with the Lord, as we slowed down, and celebrated Advent! We ordered a devotional, Jotham's Journey (part of a trilogy that is now out of print) and on the first Sunday of Advent, we hastily pulled together a wreath and candles.

That first night, with candles glowing, singing carols, and reading the Bible, we began to fill the ache of many years. The single most exciting thing in our lives is celebrating Christ in Advent each night!

Read more: Celebrating Advent ~ Knitting Families Together In Christ

Feed the Freezer This Christmas

 There are some fabulous recipes in here that we used to make a long time ago! We have switched to a MUCH healthier style of eating now, which is over The Prudent Wife website. Yet these oldie but goodies will help, as we all struggle to get dinner on the table this Christmas season,  these are great for folks on the go and much better for you than an endless parade of eating out! Enjoy the Rock ‘N Serve Recipes from yesteryear! 

Read more: Feed the Freezer This Christmas

10 Great Tips to De-stress Your Christmas

The Elusive Dream….Does a Stress Free Holiday Season Exist?

10 Great Tips to De-stress Your Christmas

 Are you already fantasizing about a stress free holiday season but thinking it is nothing more than an elusive dream? If you are like most homeschool families, the holidays can turn into a deluge of invitations to serve, go and do, punctuated with kids events, Christmas plays, church performances, recitals and the Nutcracker, with a few family events and traditions hurriedly thrown in for good measure, not to mention those out of town relatives you’ll be hosting for two weeks! Here are 10 great tips to help de-stress your life this Christmas season!

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Advent books - Lifetime Testimony

 Originally written by our friend, Tina Farewell in November 2005. Tina and husband Bob owned Lifetime Books and Gifts, traveling the country for years, sharing their wonderful living books and treasures with Christians across America. This is Tina's testimony on advent, which includes my testimony - and brings back sweet memories of precious times with the Farewells. Had to include it here. You can visit Bob and Tina Farewell at their new website and learn about more workshops and retreats that they do.

Dear Friends,

Read more: Advent books - Lifetime Testimony

Cool Christmas Ideas With Kids, From A-Z

Merry Christmas to all! Our family treasures Christmas. We love decorating the house, lights, presents, trees, holiday baking, scrumptious fudge, cooking our family’s favorite dishes and most of all we love our Savior who was born so long ago.

Read more: Cool Christmas Ideas With Kids, From A-Z