Welcome Winter ~ A Collection of Posts

• Winter Inspired Activities

• Winter Inspired Beauty for Your Home

• Making Marshmallows

• Garlic and Cheese Bread Loaf Twist

• Citrus Series ~ What to do with all your in-season oranges and lemons?

• Be Still This Season

• Teaching the Calendar ~ A Unit Study

• "Get Well Soon" Spray

• Mulling Spices/Simmering Potpourri

• Pooh's Medicinal Honey

• The Gift of Time ~ A Mother's Treasure

• Pop Some Corn With Family Movie Night

“In seed-time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."

 ~William Blake

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Make it Yourself Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Natural Living Tuesday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Christian Homemaking, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Homemaking Wednesdays, Homemaking Thursdays,  From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. 

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The Gift of Time ~ A Mother's Treasure

Drift off to Dream by Daniel F. Gerhartz

The best gifts in life are made up of minutes and seconds. 

It is the time and energy you give to your children.

It is the moments poured from your soul and into their little hearts. It is something that money can never replace and gifts can never satisfy.

It is you, dear mother.

It is those mornings you sit with your child as you read together from books. It is those afternoons spent stirring a batch of cookies. It is the evenings spent embracing them, showering them with kisses. 

It is your investment of time.

It is precious, invaluable.  Just like your children... for they are your gems.

They are the only treasure that you may take with you to heaven.

Forego the fancy toys and the glittering electronics… It is the memories spent with you that will always be cherished.

Won't you wrap yourself up these next few years in a box with pretty string and offer yourself to your family?

Your time, dear mother, is the best gift that you can ever give.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

making the best use of the time…"

~ Ephesians 5:15-16

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Make it Yourself Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Natural Living Tuesday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Christian Homemaking, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Homemaking Wednesdays, Homemaking Thursdays,  From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. 

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Autumn Potpourri of Posts

“Days decrease... And autumn grows, autumn in everything.” 

~ Robert Browning

• Apples in Autumn ~ A Unit Study

• Autumn Inspired Activities

• Autumn Inspired Beauty for Your Home

• Butternut Squash ~ Harvesting and Storing Through the Winter

• Columbus Day (October 14, 2013) Activities

• Company Cornbread ~ Printable Recipe

• "Easy as Apple Pie" Crust ~ Printable Recipe

• "Give Thanks" ~ Free Inspirational Art Printable

• Granola ~ Good Breakfast and Great Gift!

• How to Prepare Pumpkin Puree'

• How to Save Pumpkin Seeds ~ For Replanting or Roasting

• Make a Happy Harvest Gift ~ Pumpkin Seed Packet Printable

• Presenting the Pilgrims ~ A Week Long Study

• Save Your Scraps ~ Make Apple Cider "Scrap" Vinegar

• Trees ~ A Unit Study 

“Autumn… the year's last, loveliest smile.” 

~ William Cullen Bryant

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Make it Yourself Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Natural Living Tuesday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Simple Living Wednesdays, Homemaking Thursdays, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. 

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Little House on the Prairie Mini-Series ~ Family Movie Night

The Little House on the Prairie Mini-Series Movie is the latest addition to Our Wholesome Video List (and not to be confused with the TV series). With over 4 hours of playing time (2-DVD set for only $4.96!!!), it was a great investment for our family library.

We love the pioneer genre and this movie did not disappoint. Full of family bonding, frontier adventure teamed with heartache, this series brought the "Little House" books to life. The cinematography was also beautiful! Due to the content of some hair-raising scenes on the prairie (nothing "scary" but real life troubles on the trail), you may choose to show this to older children of 8 and up. And finally, no childhood romances, swearing, nudity, and so forth (*sigh* of relief)...

What is it about?

"Marking a return to the autobiographical books by renowned author Laura Ingalls Wilder, Disney's epic production of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE celebrates the magnificent and heartwarming story of a pioneer family's brave travels into the untamed American heartland. The majesty and grandeur of the frontier come alive with breathtaking cinematography and a host of classic characters. Disney's critically acclaimed miniseries chronicles the magical adventures of the Ingalls family as they stake their claim to a rugged parcel of land on the Kansas prairie. Their exciting journey brings them face-to-face with mysterious Indians, wild animals and their peculiar new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Scott. Spend some quality time with "a fine family drama," says the New York Daily News. Presented on two DVDs, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE is hours of rousing entertainment for everyone."

~ From Amazon.com

Homeschool categories:

• American History: Pioneers/Westward Movement
• Character Building: Obedience/Perseverance

To see our criteria for choosing media for our family, click here.

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Our Favorite Creation Science Videos ~ Simple Summer Schooling

The knowledge of creation science in this evolutionary-indoctrinated age is a tremendous tool for the believer to acquire. The concern for our children is… if they do not accept that God created the heavens and earth as recorded in Genesis, perhaps they will begin to disregard other areas of Scripture as well. A solid foundation in the Bible is key. When the world questions our beliefs using the "sword" of science, are we prepared with sound, scientific answers that bring honor and glory to our Creator?

Here is a list of our favorite creation science videos that helped to build a scientific foundation of faith in our family. They are wonderful to keep your home education alive during these warmer months. Make the evening special with a fruit salad or popped corn. Learning together about God's creation is fun!

Note: The Creation Mini-Series from Answers in Genesis is like a "Creation 101" class for anyone who is new to this fascinating subject of science and the Scriptures.

For Younger Children 4 and up:

• Dinosaurs, Genesis & the Gospel (Answers in Genesis DVD)
• Your Backyard: Identifying Birds (Crowe's Nest Media DVD)
• Your Backyard: Monarch Butterfly (Crowe's Nest Media DVD)

For Children 6 and up:

• Newton's Workshop World Building/Germinators DVD (Moody Science DVD)
• Newton's Workshop Bug Safari/Cell-a-bration DVD (Moody Science DVD)
• Newtons' Workshop : The DNA Decoders/The Pollution Solution DVD (Moody Science DVD)
• Newtons' Workshop: The Name Game/As the World Spins (Moody Science DVD)

For Children 8 and up:

• Project Dinosaur (DVD) (Fun & educational! BJU Unusual Films) Highly Recommended!
• Journeys to the Edge of Creation (Moody Science DVD)
• The Mysterious Islands (Vision Forum ~ Awesome Information, Music & Cinematography)

For Older Children (10 and up) and Adults:

• Mount St. Helens: Explosive Evidence for Catastrophe (Institute for Creation Research)
  
• Evolution: The Grand Experiment Episode 1 (Dr. Carl Werner)
• Grand Canyon Monument to the Flood (Institute for Creation Research)
• Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution 1
• Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution II
• Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution III
• Wonders of God's Creation Set DVD Set/3 (Moody Science DVD)
• Awesome Forces of God's Creation DVD (Moody Science DVD)
• Global Warming: A Scientific and Biblical Expose' of Climate Change (Answers in Genesis)
• Creation Mini-Series 6 DVD Pack (Answers in Genesis)
• Dinosaurs & Dragon Legends (Theme: Dinosaurs, Dragons, Creation Science) Short Video
• Flood Geology (Theme: Noah's Flood, Geology) Short Video

Visit here for a look at our Creation Study.

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Make it Yourself Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Natural Living Tuesday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Simple Living Wednesdays, Homemaking Thursday's, Farmgirl Friday and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. 

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A Mother's Masterpiece

Give me my pen,

For I would write fine thoughts, pure thoughts,

To touch men's hearts with tenderness,

To fire with zeal for service grim,

To cheer with mirth when skies are dull;

Give me my pen,

For I would write a masterpiece.

Yet stay a while,

For I must put away these toys,

And wash this chubby, grimy face,

And kiss this little hurting bruise,

And hum a bedtime lullaby—

Take back the pen:

This is a woman's masterpiece."

~ By Ethel Hueston

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Earth's Broken Lives...

“Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to heaven's glory.” 

~J.R. Miller

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."

~ Psalm 147:3

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Pretending to be Pioneers ~ Precious Playtime

"All alone in the wild Big Woods, and the snow, and the cold,
the little log house was warm and snug and cosy.
Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie
were comfortable and happy there, especially at night."
~ Little House in the Big Woods

Little children love to dress up and pretend. A few books can inspire a pioneering spirit in your home. It will implement the good values and hard, honest work that are being lost in today's "gimme" society.  A childhood with these simple amusements will yield beautiful fruit (Galatians 6:7 ).

"And then, Pa told stories.

When Laura and Mary begged him for a story,

he would take them on his knees and

tickle their faces with his long whiskers until they laughed aloud.
His eyes were blue and merry."

~ Little House in the Big Woods

Read to your children… Books are the best way to open up a hobby in the home. When reading a book like Little House in the Big Woods, you will be surprised at how quickly they create a pioneer playtime themselves. We began reading chapter books at the age of four (this one is appropriate for that age) and have had great success. They are learning about history and do not even realize they are being educated. I suggest reading a chapter a day together and then offering them the use of the My First Little House Series books for further pictorial inspiration. These will really inspire both boys and girls toward healthy and historical fun, the old fashioned way...

Summertime in the Big Woods (My First Little House Series)

County Fair (My First Little House Series)

Going West (My First Little House Series)

Winter Days in the Big Woods (My First Little House Series)

Winter on the Farm (My First Little House Series)

Sugar Snow (My First Little House Series)

Going to Town (My First Little House Series)

Prairie Day (My First Little House Series)

Dance at Grandpa's (My First Little House Series)

The Deer in the Wood (Little House Series)

Cook with your children… Choose some recipes to cook together from the Little House Cookbook and make a pioneer style meal together. Or, some biscuits and gravy recipes from your own collection would work out just as well!

Another fun kitchen activity would be to make some butter out of cream. All you need is a jar with heavy cream and some little, helping hands.

Playact with your children… Enjoy an evening together with only candlelight like Laura's family…

Make a simple coonskin style hat for your son to wear (or you can find one here)...

Make a simple bonnet for your daughters to wear (or you can find one here)...

Encourage a working lifestyle... If you live in the city, visit a working farm where your children may be allowed to milk a cow, feed animals and do farm chores. Children in the city can also pull weeds,  be responsible for pets and do other daily outdoor work (which would be just as valuable). If you live on a homestead, I do hope you involve your young ones with jobs such as feeding the chickens or taking care of the smaller animals. Good old fashioned work is what they need to encourage future industry. We don't grow up and instantly become hard workers, we need to nurture that now (in proper doses) so that it is a natural part of life for our children (Genesis 3:19).

"Father and Almanzo tramped through the falling snow in the woods, looking for straight, small oaks. When they found one, Father chopped it down. He chopped off all the limbs, and Almanzo piled them up neatly."

~ Farmer Boy

Have children collect and stack firewood for the "winter". Little children can collect piles of sticks for kindling.

Color with your children… Here are some pioneer inspired pictures that can be printed out.

"After the day's work was done,

Ma sometimes cut paper dolls for them.

She cut the dolls out of stiff white paper,

and drew the faces with a pencil.

Then from bits of colored paper she cut dresses and hats,

ribbons and laces, so that Laura and Mary

could dress their dolls beautifully."

~ Little House in the Big Woods

Craft with your children… Make your own paper dolls like Ma (instructions above) or you can print out these paper dolls for free. You may also like to create a corncob doll wrapped in a handkerchief like Laura had.

Enjoy music with your children... There are some fun, historical songs from Laura Ingalls Wilder books that have been recorded for our listening pleasure. It really enhances the stories to hear these!

Enjoy this precious time with your little pioneers! Everything is new to your children so read to them and expose them to all the good things in life…

All the black and white illustrations are by Garth Williams.

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