Q&A Monday: What’s on Your Holiday Menu?

by on December 20, 2010
in family time · 22 Comments

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

Homeschooling isn’t really on my mind this week. I’m guessing that for the most part, it’s not on yours either.

So let’s just admit it and move on to what is filling much of our thoughts:

Food. (Among other things like family time, giving, and unity, of course!)

I spent part of the weekend writing lists and shopping for ingredients. We don’t travel over the holidays, so the preparations for our family’s Christmas dinner rests on our own shoulders. As the children get older and can help out, I find that I enjoy this time more and more each year.

Here’s what we’ll be serving up in a few days.

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Weekend Links

by on December 19, 2010
in links · 5 Comments

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.” ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Weekend Giveaway: Cristina Ashley Designs

by on December 18, 2010
in giveaways ·

This giveaway has ended and the winner has been notified via email. Thanks for entering!

Ho, ho ho! Time for another holiday weekend giveaway, hosted this week by Cristina Ashley Designs.

From Cristina Ashley:

“Welcome to my shop! All of our jewelry and keepsake items are sterling silver. Each piece is custom made to order … Hand-stamped, antiqued and polished just for you.

Whether you are looking to find the perfect thing for a mother, friend, wife, husband or child {or even yourself}, we are sure you will find something you love.

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Welcoming the New Semester

by on December 17, 2010
in a mom's education · 8 Comments

Written by contributor Amida of Journey Into Unschooling.

It happens every year. It seems like we just came back from summer vacation when, WHAM! December creeps up on us. It is the end of the year.

Where did the time go? What did we do? Did we do anything? This is when it is very helpful for those who write down yearly goals (or even semester goals) to check off what they’ve done.

Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. I’m more of a make-it-up-as-I-go-and-hope-for-the-best kind of person, eternally optimistic that things will turn out in the end and that whatever needs to be learned will be learned in due time.

The problem is that when December comes knocking, time seems to move in warp speed. Suddenly there are birthdays to celebrate, Winter Solstice to observe, Christmas to shop for, and of course, the semester to wrap up (and another to get ready for).

Sounds stressful? Well, it shouldn’t be.

Here’s how to beat the end-of-semester blues:
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Building a Family Culture Through Holiday Traditions

by on December 15, 2010
in family time · 22 Comments

Written by contributor Jessica Fisher of Life as Mom

When I was studying for my teaching credential, I took a class on Culture. I remember that it was really important to the professor one day that we share our cultural background. Back in the 90′s the focus was on ethnic culture.

Well, my family tree was a hodge-podge of European nationalities that had lived in the US for about 100 years. There was no language, dress, or habits that tied me to my ancestors. I felt bereft of “culture” for a moment.

But then I thought about the concept we were studying. While it has many definitions, culture can be defined as the unifying characteristics of a certain people group. Well, I had that. I belonged to my family.

My parents may not have passed down the language or habits of their forefathers, but we most definitely had a family culture.
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