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Island Girl
Dec. 24, 2009 - No Homeschooling, No Christmas for the Johansson Family
Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
As you celebrate Christmas this year, please remember all the parents who are still fighting for their right to homeschool, and for parents who have had their children taken from them by force without just cause because they homeschooled their children-- like the Johansson family of Sweden. This Christmas we can rest easy knowing that the gifts that we bought for our children will help further their education or offer a new way for your family to have fun together. The Johanssons have been denied Christmas with their only child, and so much more.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB |
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Dec. 24, 2009 - Communication Corner ~ Last Few Days of my Video Countdown to Christmas!
I've done this each year for a few years now. These are the final days of my Video Countdown to Christmas that started on December 15th. Each day I'm uploading an inspirational or comedic video that shares the spirit of Christmas with my readers. Check it out on Communication FUNdamentals!
And Merry CHRISTmas everyone! |
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Dec. 23, 2009 - Homeschooling Through High School ~ Merry Christmas!
 Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
I want to share a couple of video clips which I located on YouTube...they are from a Public Television show that I have seen many Decembers over, titled, "Rick Steve's Christmas in Europe." These two clips share my favorite parts of the show. I love the peacefulness, the simplicity, and the picture of the family generations coming together. I hope you enjoy it, too!
Rick Steve's Christmas in Europe ~ Part 9
Rick Steve's Christmas in Europe ~ Part 10
May God bless you and your families as you focus on the beauty of God's plan for His children, and all that "Emmanuel" means to you.
~Lori
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Dec. 22, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday ~ How To Make Different Sugars To Save In Baking
(I will show pics of making the coloured sugar later in the morning)
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How To Make Different Types Of Sugar To Save In Baking
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I love to bake and all in my family can testify to that. One event I really like to do during the winter break is to make gingerbread boys and girls. I try to look for ways to make them ( and other goodies too ) for less.
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Three ways to save money in your baking are to make your own...
-brown sugar
-coloured sugar
-and powdered/ icing sugar
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Now, I have to admit if you are not careful you can spend a lot of money on candy to decorate them. I have bought in the past a coloured sugar set and that is very expensive. You get 4 or 5 little tubes of different coloured sugar. It costs us between $3-$5 dollars. You pay a lot for what you get. I started to research for a tightwad way to make coloured sugar and found a VERY ecconomical way to make it for pennies !
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How To Make Coloured Sugar:
You get a small jar with a lid that will hold a cup of granulated sugar.
Pour 1 cup of sugar into the jar and drop 3-5 drops of food colouring.
Put the lid on the jar and shake REALLY good will colour is well mixed. If you want the colour darker add more food colouring. You can decorate so many goodies with this !
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Two other sugars you can make yourself and it costs a lot less and save yourself money.
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How To Make Brown Sugar:
You measure the amount of sugar you want. For every cup of sugar you add 1-2 Tablespoons of molasses and mix really well. I really like to mix mine with my Kitchen Aide and use the flat paddle. Or you could also use a hand mixer to blend the sugars together.
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How To Make Powdered/Icing Sugar:
Measure 1 cup of granulated sugar and pour into a blender and blend till sugar is a powder form and use as recipe calls. If you want you can add 1 teaspoon of cornstartch for each cup sugar. Empty blender and keep doing this the amount of powedered/icing sugar is desired. I have heard that the blender is the best choice. It is hard to attain the powdered consistency in a food processor.
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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....
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Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
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example of a URL ...
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
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Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's.
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Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."
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Dec. 19, 2009 - Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers ~ Decemer 19 ,2009
Posted By Canadagirl
 "Got teens? You lucky dogs.
Spend time with them; enjoy them; listen to them; and love them.
They are the most incredible people, these emerging adults,
and they can become the best friends you'll ever have."
~Diana Waring, Reaping the Harvest. The Bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling~
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With raising young adults it is a bumpy road helping them and guiding them into the person that God is leading them to be. They come with emotions that are still maturing and trying out how to be who they are apart from mom and dad.
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I had a dad who in all my growing up worked on the house I grew up in. Watching him tear down a side of the house and rebuild it was as normal to me as my mom taking us kids to the library. For fun when we went on road trips my dad would look at houses for ideas and to see what others had done.
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Where am I going with this ? Yes, this is connected to my boys growing up. My sweet Handsome is limited in carpentry skills and I didn't know how I would provide a way for them to learn these skills. God knew how dear these skills were to me for the boys to learn. Part of the journey of building "The Hosue That God Built" my oldest got to be VERY apart of building it. I was sad that my 2ds was not quite old enough to be apart of it. Well, God still knew how important it was to this mother for her sons to learn carpentry skills. My BIL has been building a temperary living space till he gets his house built. So he has asked Luke to help out the carpenters time and time again. Not only is God providing way for the boys to learn how to build but he is providing way for them to earn some income too !
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I love how God takes what seems impossible and says "watch what I can do" in different situations. I just love watching out my livingroom window and seeing Luke build and thank the Lord for what he has provided. I could have never organized what God did. God is so good all the time and all the time God is good. |
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Dec. 18, 2009 - Featured Blogger ~ TOSAffiliatesCorner
How many of you are TOS Affiliates? Ever think about becoming one? I'm sure you have a lot of questions about it. Let's find out with this week's Featured Blogger the TOS Affiliates Corner!
How do you become a TOS affiliate? Find the answer on the first blog post, Welcome to the TOS Affiliate Blog!
If you become an affiliate, what kinds of ads have to go on your blog? Check out the latest TOS promotion for When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A Police Officer.
As a TOS affiliate you won't always be asking your readers to buy something. TOS loves go give away freebies! While you don't make any money off of these promotions being able to tell your readers about free gifts is always a bonus!
So if you aren't a TOS affiliate yet, what are you waiting for? Christmas break is a great time to get started because in 2010 TOS has a lot of great products coming out!
Say hi to Cheryl, the TOS affiliate coordinator and if you have any questions you can ask her in a comment.
Would you like to nominate a HSB blogger for Featured Blogger of the Week? Email me at tlinschied@thehomeschoolmagazine.com. Please keep in mind that Featured Bloggers must be at least 18 years of age and their blog must be encouraging, uplifting, and/or inspiring.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB |
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Dec. 18, 2009 - Special Words for Special Needs ~ A Beautiful Christmas Project
Merry Christmas (very soon)!! It's time to talk about Christmas!
How do you run your homeschooling around Christmas? The season has plenty to do, but my kids demand structure. This time of year I tend to turn to my Christmas unit study. The art time in the afternoon will get turned into present making time or ornament making time. Though being Christmas time I search for more meaning in our days.
This time of year I also try to fit in outside service projects. In talking with a homeschooling mom recently she shared how they use this season to help train their children in service to others and keep it Jesus focused.
The day after Thanksgiving she and her family settle on a family that is in great need. They each give part of their Christmas gifts to feed and care for this family. Then a week before Christmas they drop this package off at the needy family's home.
You may say well there are groups out there that do that. Yes, there are. I would argue though that it is our duty as Christians to help others and what better way than just a simple exchange in love and covered in prayer. You show very clearly to your children that it IS better to give than to receive.
Thank you my friend for sharing that with me!
Think of a way you can share the love of Christ with others. What does your family do at Christmas to make Christ an active, real part?
I pray blessings to you and may your Christmas time be productive for the Lord!
Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. |
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Dec. 17, 2009 - Special Needs Children: Bring Them Home Where They Belong
Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
More abusive teachers are in the news, this time two teachers tortured and abused several special needs children in their care--children who couldn't speak out about what was happening to them.
Parents, even your special needs children deserve to be at home where it is safe, and where you can be there to protect them. Homeschooling special needs children can be done!
Check out these resources to start:
You can find many more resources by searching online, and don't be afraid to ask questions! Trust is a huge thing for children with special needs. Your child trusts and needs you, not a person that neither you nor your child has never met before. You wouldn't just leave your child with strangers otherwise, why do so just because that stranger works for a public school?
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB |
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Dec. 17, 2009 - Communication Corner ~ Countdown To Christmas!
Dec. 16, 2009 - Background Checks for Homeschoolers?
Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
World Net Daily reports that just may become the case for British parents who wish to homeschool their children. The law stems, in part, to a problem that some parents are using homeschooling as a way to disguise abuse. However, what the law doesn't stipulate is what is required to pass a background check, it invades the rights and privacy of parents, and presumes them guilty until proven innocent.
As I've said before, there are already laws in place--in both Britain and the U.S.--in regards to child abuse. Government agencies are refusing to back those laws up. While there are several homeschool parents in Britain who are in agreement with making tighter restrictions on themselves in order to get rid of the few who give them a bad name, they need to recognize that this bill isn't really about protecting them. It's about a government trying to find ways to slow homeschooling down--period. Find out which parties and agencies are backing this bill and I think you'll find they aren't, and never have been, friendly to homeschooling.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB |
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