14 Days of Christmas Books for Children

I have a serious love for children's books.  I love all children's book, but especially Christmas books. And especially Christmas books that are well written and have the ability to fill our minds and hearts with beautiful ideas and pictures.  We've read some Christmas books over the years that have left a mark on us, but here's a list of our favorites!



{The Christmas Miracle of Johathan Toomey by Susan Wojclechowski}

We read this for the first time last year and it quickly became a favorite.  Especially since it came with a CD and is narrated by James Earl Jones.

{Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage & Tabitha's Travels by Arnold Ytreeide}

If you haven't heard of this series and don't have it in your home library, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING and go to amazon.com right this second and get them!  Seriously--right now.  Go ahead.  I'll wait right here...

If you love to celebrate Advent, these are a MUST HAVE.  One reading a day starting on the first day of Advent until Christmas day.  Such a precious way to prepare the hearts of your children {and yours too} leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus.  

{A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens}

Classic.  This little gem needs to be in every home library.    

{Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble}

This book had actually been out of print since 1998 but was recently published again.  It's a sweet story about the love between a father and his daughter.  The illustrations are done in watercolor and are so beautiful.  

  

{The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado}

I forget how much I love this story until I read it again every year.  I love how Max Lucado is able to weave in God's plans and purposes for us in the midst of difficult circumstances.  

{The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg}

This book will guarantee that you eat candy after reading it.  

{Peace of Earth: A Christmas Collection by Mary Engelbreit}

This book is a collection of some of Mary Engelbreit's favorite carols, Christmas poems and the story of the birth of Jesus.  Each page is filled with beautiful pictures and quality literature.  

                                           

{The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore} 

Mary Engelbreit is one of my favorite illustrators--ever. Combine that with this classic story and BOOM, you have perfection.  This is one of the boys favorites that we've read for years.  

{An Otis Christmas by Loren Long}

I bought our first Otis book at Barnes and Noble about four years ago and all of the Otis books have quickly become favorites.

{The Nativity: From the Gospels of Matthew and Luke by Ruth Sanderson}

You read the entire story of Jesus' birth from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke in this book.  The illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

{The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jane Ray}
The traditional Twelve Days of Christmas with GREAT illustrations.  I'll be honest, that's the only reason I bought it!

{The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry}

This is a new one for us this year and I'm so glad we found it.  Such a precious story about a husband and wife who make sacrifices to make Christmas special for one another.  A beautiful story of love and the true meaning of Christmas.

{A Merry Little Christmas: Celebrate from A to Z by Mary Engelbreit}

Ok, clearly I like--scratch that--LOVE Mary Engelbreit!  Such a cute story of a little mouse family preparing for Christmas.  But the illustrations are my favorite.  You'll get lost looking at all of the attention to detail...it's wonderful!

{The Parable Series: The Pine Tree Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs}

This is another new one for us this year.  This story is about a farmer and his family that grow Christmas trees and upon wanting to keep the best for themselves, are taught the real meaning of Christmas.

I hope each of you have a blessed and joyful Christmas and get to spend lots of time with your children and grandchildren on your laps ready lots of great books.  May you be filled to overflowing with the love and presence of Christ.

Merry Christmas, friends!

Favorite Thanksgiving Books for Children...Plus Two Recipes!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year.  Not only do I love the weather and all of the smells associated with fall, but some of my best memories in elementary school were making Indian vests out of paper grocery bags, Indian headbands and Pilgrim hats.  Oh the memories.  The story of Thanksgiving and the earliest moments in American history just never get old. And the food?  Goodness gracious.  Is is just me or does anyone else daydream about the spread that was laid out on the tables in the cool, crisp New England air that day?

We've read lots of great books about Thanksgiving the last few years, but there are a few in particular that have become fam faves.

Here's our Top Six:

{Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin}

I LOVE this book!  It's a new one for us this year and I fell in love.  Grandmother and Maggie each invite someone to the cranberry farm every year to have Thanksgiving dinner with them.  Grandmother's Cranberry Bread is served {recipe below} and it is long sought after.  To their surprise one of the guests wants the recipe--and it's not who you think...

Grandmother's Famous Cranberry Bread

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp grated orange peel

3/4 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a large bowl.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Add egg, orange peel, and orange juice all at once; stir just until mixture is evenly moist. Fold in raisins and cranberries. 

Spoon into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

If you choose, you may substitute cranberries for the raisins to have an all cranberry bread.

{An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott}

She's best known for writing the popular novel Little Women, but this is another great story by Louisa May Alcott.  Such a cute and classic story.

{Squanto's Journey by Joseph Bruchac}

The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful.  You've probably read the story of Squanto many times, but this is written in a fresh and interesting way.

{Thanksgiving Story by by Alice Dagliesh}

This is a story of three siblings making their way to the New World on the Mayflower.  Along the way their brother, Oceanus, is born and as they arrive to their new home they are witness to many challenges that were facing those that came before them.  Love the illustrations in this book!

{The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George}

Jean Craighead George is a Newberry Medalist and Thomas Locker is an exceptional illustrator.  Lots of interesting facts in this book surrounded by great storytelling.  

{Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas}

We read this every year!  Eric Metaxas is great.  If you haven't read this one yet, get it for your library.  It's a classic that deserves a place on your bookshelf!

This was the recipe to the first pecan pie I ever made.  It was so good that I just didn't feel like I ever needed to search for another recipe ever again!  I initially read the ingredients wrong and used two sticks of butter instead of two tablespoons.  Woopsie!  But it tasted so good that I was a little unwilling to let go of all the butter--but I did.  Instead of two sticks I just use one :)  

Practically Perfect Pecan Pie

3 eggs beaten well

1 cup white Karo

1 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 stick of butter

1 cup pecans

1 tsp vanilla

Start with eggs and add as listed.  If you use chopped pecans go ahead and add those to the mix with everything else.  If you'd like to use whole pecans place in rings on top of the pie before baking.  Pour mixture into an unbaked pie crust {I like to use Pet Ritz}  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes then 350 for 40 minutes.  Check every five minutes or so--don't bake longer than 55 minutes.  If your pie crust starts getting too brown just tear strips of aluminum foil and place on the pie crust.

May our hearts and minds gravitate towards Christ this month and may an attitude to thankfulness, contentment and joy be present in our lives.  We have so much to be thankful for, friends. 

  

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

{A Day with Dad...Theology & Air Hockey}

One of the best things about homeschooling is the unlimited amount of field trips we can take--wherever we want, whenever we want.  And when one of those field trips includes just Dad and the boys, well that's just cool.

If you've never heard of the Lanier Theological Library {I hadn't either until about two weeks ago}, here are some really cool things about it:

- They have the second largest collection of C.S. Lewis in the U.S.

- An original Kings James Bible printed in 1611.

- An original fragment of the Dead Sea Scrolls--not facsimile {the boys thought this was really cool since Guy had just told them the story of how the Dead Sea Scrolls were found}

- Books on ancient languages, church history, Egyptology, patristics and lots more!

How did we never know about this place?!?!  I give that a big fat boo.

Another cool thing about the library is that admission is FREE!  I really can't believe that given everything they offer.

Here are some pics from the day. They loved it and can't wait to go back...next time I'm going too!  

Elijah reading a Children's Bible.  Guy said the boys felt like they were in Hogwarts in the library with the limitless books and winding staircases everywhere!

In the chapel.  Guy has video of them singing 10,000 Reasons and it's so precious.  Guy said that was a highlight of the day for him :-)

On the grounds...

C.S. Lewis Collection...all of these are 1st editions.

1611 King James Bible...it's opened up to a typo in Ruth.  Oops!

Map of Narnia

The artwork in the chapel is breathtaking and done by an artist from Lubbock.

Roman Coins--so cool since we're learning about Ancient Rome this year!

They don't know how to play but the board sure is cool!

Click on the link to view the website and be sure to check out the videos on the site as well!  

http://www.laniertheologicallibrary.org/

Guy surprised the boys with a trip to ITZ afterwards {a game place over by the library.}  We knew ITZ would be a big hit because they've been asking to go back since they went to a birthday party there this summer {it's pretty far from the house!} I asked the boys what the funnest part of their day was, fully expecting to hear that it was ITZ, but they said the library was their favorite.  SCORE! What every homeschool Mom wants to hear...

Until next time, friends!

My Little House Obsession Produces Biscuits...

I'm obsessed with the Little House series.  Farmer Boy was the first book in the series we read and I've been completely hooked ever since.

I've always had a love for the way things once were--such a simpler time. I have a vivid memory of being in the 3rd grade and as our teacher read to us about pioneer days, each student took a turn shaking a Tupperware container filled with cream that, by the time our teacher was finished reading, turned into butter.  We spread it on saltines, which at the time seemed pretty cool, but now I'd much rather spread it on freshly baked bread {or one of these freshly baked biscuits}!

I typically read the books out loud to the boys everyday and sometimes the chapters end and I'm dying to know what happens next.  So I'll just go ahead and tell you that I've secretly read ahead in the books because I just couldn't wait any longer to find out what happens--especially with Laura and Almanzo in These Happy Golden Years.  I'm not kidding when I tell you that I laid in bed one night and read over fifty pages to find out how Almanzo proposed to Laura.  I slept so good that night knowing that all was right in the world and that things happened just as I thought they should.

So anywhoo, all that to say I made roast with potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker last week and naturally wanted an opportunity to feel like Ma on the prairie.  So I looked on Pinterest, of course, to see how to make biscuits from scratch.  People knew how to live back then.  Why, WHY did we have to industrialize ourselves and start buying tubes of biscuits that have 793 ingredients in them!?  This is a great mystery to me.  I could kick myself in the shins for not realizing earlier in life how easy making homemade biscuits really is.  I'll tell you one thing, I'm never buying tube biscuits again.

Here's the recipe...

Becca's Little House Biscuits:

2 1/4 C flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup buter, chilled and cubed
1 cup whole milk

{Preheat oven to 425}

Stir or sift together the dry ingredients.  Using a fork, mix in the cubed butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal.  Slowly add in the milk.  The dough should be a bit sticky, but able to be handled.  If it's too sticky then add a few more pinches of flour here and there until it's the desired texture and consistency.  Knead the dough a handful of times on a floury surface then pat or roll the dough to about an inch thickness...they HAVE to be at least an inch thick.  Cut dough with a floured cutter {I used a regular sized mason jar lid} and pull the lid or cutter up right away--don't twist it or it won't leave the edges of the biscuits jagged enough to rise properly while they're baking.

Place biscuits on a greased cookie sheet {I use coconut oil} or you can use parchment paper.

Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Enjoy, friends!

Chili...It's What's for Dinner.

I'm so in love with fall.  I love chilly, crisp days.  I love pumpkin candles and harvest decor and thinking cozy thoughts on my couch in the mornings while drinking coffee out of a really pretty fall coffee cup.  Not that we have legit fall days in Texas, but still. And I love chili. Homemade chili.  Not the canned stuff....that's just, ewwww.  

Yesterday was rainy and droopy here in southeast Texas so chili was on my mind.  Monday's are usually spaghetti days in our house, but chili won out.  Sorry spaghetti!

I like to use grass-fed beef and organic beans, tomatoes, spices, etc., but it's perfectly fine to use whatever works best for your fam!

Ingredients:

1 lb grass-fed beef
4 cans of organic dark red kidney beans
6 roma tomatoes {stewed and peeled} OR you can use one large can of organic stewed, peeled tomatoes.
Dump all of this in a big pot plus two cups of water.

Seasoning:

3 T chili powder
2 T cumin
1 T garlic powder
1/3 C dried minced onion
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 black pepper

Stir occasionally and cook on med-low for about an hour or two if you can.  If not, be sure to save some for leftovers...the longer the flavors have to melt together and become BFF's, the better.

I'm to lazy to post a homemade cornbread recipe, so make some of that too.

There you have it, folks.  Not much to it.

Enjoy!

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day...

We had a great time at our Roman Feast on Friday!  So let's get right to it and look at some fun pics from the day...

The boys toga's were so simple to make.  For each toga I used one adult large white t-shirt.  I cut off the right arm of each t-shirt along with the hem of the bottom portion of the left sleeve and around the neck.  Then I used two white pillow cases that I already had--cut them at the seems on each side and also at the bottom portion at the hem.  The pillow case was the perfect size for these guys!  Last I purchased some gold rope trim at Hobby Lobby.  I spent about $10 total for both togas.  

Next we made laurel crowns.  All you need is a white paper plate, green construction paper, scissors and a glue stick!  We should've added green leaves to the underside of the crowns so the white wouldn't show as much, but we know for next time!   

These look so cool from the side!

I was so excited to find this large glass jug and "cups" at Hobby Lobby.  Glass was half-off that day so all of this was less than $5.00.  You can't drink grape juice out of regular cups at a Roman Feast.  That's just a no-no.  I'm pretty sure the kids thought this was way cool.  

Sparkling grape juice...we were so legit at this feast.  

Roman cuisine at it's finest!  Grapes, figs, meatballs with pine nuts, deviled eggs, apples, cheese, olives, dried apricots and cranberries, bread and olive oil with herbs.  DELISH!  

Cheers!

Meat, cheese, fruit and olives--heaven on a platter!

Fresh figs and apples.

All of our supplies for our Roman Coins:  

Clay, cut outs for the coins, gold spray paint, copper paint and a foam brush to brush on the copper.  

Break off the clay in sections and mold into a ball the best you can {this clay was SO hard}.  Next roll it out with a rolling pin on parchment paper.  

Next use the cutters to make different sized coins... 

After they were all cut out we used metal skewers {toothpicks would be great too} to carve out different pictures and symbols on the coins.  After the carving is complete place the coins on a non stick cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.  I put them in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes to help them cool quicker.  

Next we sprayed the coins with gold spray paint...

The finishing touch...lightly brush on the copper paint over the tops of the coins.

We decided that we liked them better without the copper so we made some more!

Our friend, Bella, joined us!  She's learning about Ancient Rome this year too.

And baby sister Rose came to be part of the festivities as well :)

The fancy Romans.

We ended the day by reading a chapter in Detectives in Togas {this book is part of our curriculum for Ancient Rome} by Henry Winterfeld.  LOVE this book.  

So I think the day was a hit.  Looking forward to a few more fun days during the year to make learning about Rome come alive!

Blessings!