Note: If you live in Tyler, you can view our local list here: “Kids Eat Free in Tyler.” That one has been popular with our friends and neighbors for years, but since most of our readers don’t live in East Texas — and because our family travels frequently and could use one ourselves — I’ve…
NOTE: Don’t live in Tyler? You’ll find our national listing here: Kids Eat Free in the USA Go easy on the cook and on the checkbook by taking advantage of these local kids-eat-free (or kids-eat-cheap) restaurant deals! What’s for Dinner? You can browse by day of the week, or scroll down to see entire list….
I intended to post this free printable Merry Christmas banner much earlier in the month, but Christmas isn’t here yet! So you’ve still got time. In fact, I know at least one or two families who don’t even begin decorating their homes until Christmas Day, then leave everything up until the Epiphany on January 6….
For many years, before so many of our kids grew up and moved away, we attended a delightful gathering at a friend’s house the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year right. The day’s itinerary was always the same: We’d share a meal, play some kickball, and sing several hymns of Thanksgiving together. As much as I’d…
I had an epiphany about twenty years ago while standing in the kitchen doorway yelling for my kids to COME BACK INSIDE and HELP CLEAN UP the dinner dishes. NOW!! Granted, I had to shout to be heard when they were at the far end of our property playing tag as they were doing that…
After reviewing Dr. Livingston Anatomy Puzzles back in 2020 and loving them, when the puzzle makers contacted me recently about reviewing their line of Dr. Livingston Junior puzzles for kids as well, I jumped at the chance. We have several avid puzzle fans in the family, with more coming up right behind them. So we…
We’ve all seen it before: Whiny, selfish, entitled children pitching fits when they don’t get their way. And, sadly, many of them never outgrow it. An alarming number of adults act that way these days, as well. So how do we combat that? How can we raise our progeny to be moral, upstanding members of…
Summer reading is in full swing! My younger kids and grandkids are busily checking off time and titles in all the various Reading Rewards Programs their parents have signed them up for. But along with the standard time logs to which they’ve grown accustomed, they have another fun way to track their progress this year…
It’s National Scavenger Hunt Day! And I’ve rounded up a plethora of free printables to help you celebrate! Thanks to our pending move, my entire life feels a little like a scavenger hunt these days. Everything is getting packed up and ready to transfer to our new home, and nothing seems to be where it…
Our family celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday (also known as Read Across America Day) yesterday with some fun free Cat in the Hat printables I designed for the occasion. I meant to share these yesterday, but got so busy partying with my kids and grandkids that I quite forgot. So if you like them, you may…
Some of my most popular and often-requested resources are my free printable calendars. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get at least 3-4 emails asking if next year’s calendar is ready yet. So in an effort to make my calendars a little easier to find, I’m collecting all those links on this page…
My children love making crafts, and I love saving money. How do you reconcile the two? By using art materials that are always in abundant supply — like the following collection of cute and clever leaf crafts for kids. Additionally, our family recycles a lot of our trash for art projects: cardboard boxes, glass jars,…
Our family goes tent camping for a week every October. This year, I’m gearing up early for the trip, as thirteen of our sixteen grandchildren will be spending at least part of the week with us. To make things easier during the hours I’m in charge, I’m bringing some fun activities to help keep them…
Since Grandparents Day is right around the corner, I wanted to share some Grandparents Day printables I created recently. Three of my children’s four grandparents are still alive and well, and I thought these pages would be a fun way to honor them this year. If your kids are still blessed to have living grandparents,…
Our family loves to travel. We’ve been seeing the world together for decades. But it didn’t take long for us to learn the secrets to stress-free travel: streamlined organization and loads of prayer! Think traveling with twelve kids in tow would be a logistical nightmare? More work than it’s worth? Think again! We learned long…
I love me some good quotes! And I’ve collected quotes on a variety of subjects (including books and reading) for years. Which is where I found the inspiration for the quirky set of free printable bookmarks I’m sharing today. Print them out. Cut them apart. Laminate if you like. Then use them however you see…
Since it’s Teacher Appreciation Week, I’m sharing some free printable Teacher Appreciation Gift Tags. My kids gave these to all their teachers on the last day of our homeschool co-op last week. click to print teacher appreciation gift tags Make a list of recipients Think about all the teachers who pour into your child’s life….
If you’ve been around this blog for long, you know we offer free printable gospel tracts for all kinds of occasions. We have tracts for New Year’s, Valentine’s, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. And now, thanks to the suggestion of an astute reader, we have free printable gospel tracts for Easter, as well. That reader works…
January is almost over, and I just realized I haven’t published my December reads. But today’s the day. I finished seven books last month: Clutter Free by Kathi Lipp plus six others. Read on for my impressions of each (ranked according to when I finished reading them). The Poverty of Nations by Wayne Grudem and…
I’ve been working hard lately to clear out my email inbox. Although I’ve already answered many of these messages from readers directly, I’ll be publishing those of general interest in this Monday Mailbag column. Recently, I received a request for a free printable home health care chart, which is what I’m sharing today. Question: Hi,…
Today, I’m sharing some free printable Christmas coupons. These are just the thing to give to loved ones who claim they don’t want anything for Christmas. Know anybody like that? We have a couple of folks in our family who’ve always been difficult to buy for. That’s because, by their own admission, they already have…
Emily Buchwald once said, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” That’s the theme of this week’s coloring page. But I want to unpack it a little. What, exactly, can parents do to raise children who love to read? As a homeschool mom, I want my children to enjoy devouring good books…
I can scarcely believe summer break is already over, and it’s time to head back to class. This Back-to-School Banner will help you send your students off in style. If you print it on heavy card stock, you can to re-use the same banner year after year. I used a paper cutter to trim the…
Looking for a last-minute gift idea for Dad? Print out a copy of our Father’s Day Coupon Book and let your kids assemble it before Sunday. My Abby was so excited about this project. She watched intently as I designed the printable, offering suggestions, then helped put the book together the following morning. The coupons…
Although our kids are doing a little schoolwork through the summer, their lessons are relaxed enough to allow for lots of extra-curricular reading. That’s why summer book clubs are always popular at our house. Keep reading for our complete list of the best reading reward programs out there for kids, newly updated for 2022. Kids…
Tomorrow is National Scavenger Hunt Day, but many of us are still under shelter-in-place orders. That’s why I created these free printables for a Stay-at-Home Scavenger Hunt. How many of these things can you find in your house? I made the first version with pictures of each item sought, so even pre-readers can play easily….
I use Mondays to clear out my mailbox. This week I’m fulfilling a reader request for a bill payment checklist. Scroll down for this brand new free printable resource. It will help you get and keep your financial accounts in order. Question: Do you have a chart for tracking bills? Hi, Jennifer. I just found…
Thanks to COVID-19, we’ve been cooped up indoors for weeks. But the weather has been glorious in our neck of the woods lately. The sunshine is beckoning us to come outside. If you’re feeling a similar pull, here are 50 Ways to Enjoy the Great Outdoors. Print out a copy and give one a try……
These are changing times we live in, right? This coronavirus outbreak is wreaking havoc on carefully laid plans everywhere. School’s been suspended. Travel postponed. Concerts and conferences and church services cancelled. And no idea when (or if) life will ever return to normal. Yes, the times are changing. But God is able to bring good…
We don’t have much need for mittens in Texas. My kids consider themselves lucky if we get one good snow a year. More often than not, it’s only a light dusting. Rarely do we get enough snow to build a decent-sized snowman. If we want enough snow for sledding or building snow forts or staging…
Although I’m ahead on my reading goals for the year, I only finished three books in August. It was a busy, distracted sort of month! What’s more, I spent a bunch of the month on the road. That’s why all three of the titles I “read” were audiobooks — two of them freebies from my…
Who’d ever dream that I could have so many things in common with a celebrity like Kelly Ripa? First, we both have the same son-to-daughter ratio: She has 2 boys to 1 girl. I have 8 to 4. Proportionally, that’s equivalent. Second, each of us enjoys a decades-old marriage. She and her husband, Mark Consuelos,…
This week, I updated my Summer Reading Rewards list for kids. I have some kids who absolutely love to read and others who need a little more persuasion. Thankfully, these reading rewards motivate the bookworms and the reluctant readers alike to crack open a book. And they keep them sufficiently motivated to establish a lifelong…
Did you know that May is “Get Caught Reading Month?” That’s a great goal for families, don’t you think? Reading is a pastime I want to encourage in my children. But it is also one I actively cultivate in myself. As we take a break from most of our school subjects during the summer months,…
I think the gospel message is the sweetest story ever told. So using jelly beans to share the good news of God’s love makes perfect sense — especially this time of year. Although I wrote the words to the following version of the “Jelly Bean Poem,” the concept has been around for a long time….
I started to call this post “7 Habits of Happy Homemakers.” I like the alliteration, but realize more goes into making home a happy place than keeping things clean and tidy. So I changed it to “Clean and Clutter-Free Housekeeping.” That’s because housekeeping does play an important role, even if it isn’t #1. A well-kept…
One of my secrets to being more productive is redeeming the small snatches of time that usually come up between other commitments. That’s why I created this Free 5-Minute Task List. Having such a list of odd jobs I can knock off in 5 minutes or less helps me use my time wisely whenever such…
Question: Can you make more Christmas bingo cards? I am looking for a way in which the “Christmas Travel Bingo” can be 10 versions of it. When I click on it to print, it only has 4 versions for it. Is there a way for it to be 10 different versions? – Victor Answer: It’s…
It’s been awhile since I’ve published my Mailbag Monday column and things have really stacked up. So I’m tackling as many as I can this week — all centered around a freebie theme — in an effort to get caught up. Enjoy! Kids Eat Free First, I want to say a big THANK YOU to…
I love reading. I love making lists. I love challenging myself (and my children) to reach new goals. And I love pretty vintage artwork. So this summer, I decided to combine all those likes and create a Reading Challenge that can be easily adapted for any age: Doesn’t that look fun? The kids and I…
Want to encourage your child to develop a consistent daily quiet time? Want to help him broaden his Bible study skills? Do you long for her to discover how rewarding daily spending time in God’s Word can be? Exploring the Bible is a great place to start. Timberdoodle sent me a review copy of this…
I’m up late tonight working on some last-minute suprises for Valentine’s Day tomorrow. For my younger kids, I designed these little pyramid treat boxes: Aren’t they cute? They remind me of the kinds of Valentines I used to find in those big books of cut-out-your-own cards and envelopes. Remember those? They were always my favorites….
For my Monday Mailbag post this week, I’m sharing a free printable wake up reminder. That’s because one of the questions I receive most often comes not from the readers of my blog, but from the children in my house. I find it written on sticky notes and chalk boards and scraps of paper, left…
Winter never lasts for long in Texas. If we want to enjoy cool-weather activities, we have to act fast. Get cracking on our winter bucket list before things start warming up again. Here are 50 of our family’s favorite things to do when temperatures drop… Our Winter Bucket List: 50 Things to Do for Family…
Our family has handled Halloween in a variety of ways over the years. When our kids were younger, we tried to avoid it. Now we try to redeem it. And these free printable trick-or-treat tracts are a big part of how we go about it. We live in a neighborhood that attracts hundreds and hundreds…
It may be hard to believe it, but fall officially starts this Friday. The year is nearly ¾ over! But the remaining quarter packs lots of potential for making great memories, if we’re intentional about doing so. Start by making a list of the activities you don’t want to miss, then check them off as…
It’s that time again! Time for Cow Appreciation Day! That means free food for cow-costume-clad Chick-fil-A customers. That’s right — cows eat free at Chick-fil-A all day long every second Tuesday of July. Our family is full of Chick-fil-A fans, but none more avid than my husband. Busy physician that he is, Doug sometimes has…
One of our sons is engaged to be married in May. So most of our extended family came to Tyler over the weekend for a bridal shower some friends of ours threw for the happy couple. Everybody congregated at our house after the big event. Parents. Grandparents. Siblings. Cousins. Aunts and uncles. Nieces and nephews….
Since October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, I thought this would be a good time to address a problem that has plagued parents for decades — at least in our part of the world. How can we get our kids to eat more vegetables?
After nearly thirty years of “experimenting,” I can tell you what has worked best with my twelve children. They are all huge salad lovers, and the majority of them are fond of things like beets and beans and…
Growing up, I had a friend whose mother would save whatever he refused to eat at one meal and serve it to him for the next. I don’t know about you, but I doubt I would recall my childhood very fondly if I’d routinely had the same bowl of soggy cereal set before me for…
This week, I’m sharing a special coloring page forGrandparents Day. This holiday falls annually on the first Sunday after Labor Day. That’s today! click to print Grandparents Day coloring page The Bible tells us, “Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.” (Proverbs 17:6) If you or…
It’s that time of year again: State Fair Days! At our house, that means we are busy and bustling around, trying to get all our entries ready for the Creative Arts contests. Drop-off days come a lot earlier than they used to here in the Piney Woods of East Texas. We missed the first, which…
Since today is Skyscraper Day, I thought I’d share some pics and tips for finding free fun in New York City. Although NYC doesn’t have the highest skyscraper, it had some of the highest prices we saw on our 17-state road trip. But that doesn’t mean you have to drop a bundle to visit The…
During a recent road trip to the Northeast, my husband learned that one of his favorite bands, BOSTON, would soon be playing in Boston. Talk about a fun thing to do with kids in Boston! So we shuffled our travel itinerary so we could be in town for the big event. If you look closely,…
In honor of National Video Games Day (that’s today!), I wanted to share a few of our favorite free educational games and websites that have benefited our family over the years. All six of these sites are free to use and include a wonderful variety of resources. Of course, life is too short to spend…
Since Father’s Day is just around the corner, I wanted to share some free Father’s Day printables your children might enjoy filling in for their dad. Personally, I think handwritten cards and letters are some of the best gifts a person can give — or get. And these are sure to put a smile on…
I use Mondays to clear out my mailbox. This week’s letter comes from a reader looking for financial charts for her hardworking kids. Read on to see what we’ve come up with. Question: Where can I find some kid-friendly business budget forms? Dear Jennifer, My husband and I have considered giving our kids an allowance…
I received a message last week from a reader who wanted to know how I manage my laundry and laundry room. She has a husband and five kids and, hence, a lot of laundry. So she was hoping I could give her some new tips. Here’s all I got on that topic, plus a free…
For twenty-five years, we managed to keep Nintendos and Gameboys and X-boxes out of our home, because we didn’t want our children to waste their childhood playing video games. But enter the age of the iPhone and guess what? Our kids spend far more time staring at screens than we would prefer, not only to…
In addition to reading frog books, singing frog songs, and doing frog activity sheets, I’m planning to make a few frog snacks to celebrate Leap Day today. And for inspiration, I’m perusing these 10 Terrific Treats for Frog Lovers. These snacks are too good to eat only once every four years! In addition to Leap…
February has an extra day this year, and I’m determined to make it a memorable one. Yesterday, I published a bunch of free, frog-themed activity sheets for celebrating Leap Day. Today, I’m sharing some of the frog-themed picture books and songs I’ll be reading/singing with my little ones that day. I absolutely loved frogs as…
Next Monday is Leap Day, February 29. It only comes around once every four years, so we need to celebrate it while we can. And since my little ones won’t be so little next time it rolls around, I’m catering our family’s celebrations to them! So today, I’m sharing some free printable frog themed activity…
Let your loved ones know you’ll stick by them through thick and thin with these free printable Valentine stickers! As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve created a wide variety of styles and designs. Click on your favorites to print individual sheets, or download the whole set here: Stickers for Valentine’s Day I printed mine using Avery…
Today I’m sharing some brand new, free printable Victorian Valentines. Our family has been crafting lots and lots of valentine love notes this week. Several of our older children have moved away from home, and our little guys wanted to be sure their big brothers and sisters know they’re still in our hearts and minds,…
In honor of MLK Day, I wanted to share a few free printables, starting with this I Have a Dream printable. It contains just a small portion of the moving speech Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered in Washington in 1963.. I Have a Dream Coloring Page I hope you will read it with your children…
Today is National Bird Day. I hope you’ve had a happy one! In honor of the occasion, I’ve prepared some special state bird coloring pages to share with you. To download this free printable set of all 50 state birds, just click the sample image below. click to download entire set Bird-Watching Supplies Interested in…
It’s December! Can you believe it? Only 25 days until Christmas, and I’m determined this holiday season to keep my heart focused on CHRIST, where it belongs! And today’s Advent Christmas Chain will help me do exactly that. Want to join me? The principle behind this Christ-focused Christmas Countdown is super simple. Assembly Instructions for…
Today I’m sharing a slew of free printable envelope seals for all your Christmas crafting needs. One of our family’s favorite holiday traditions is exchanging Christmas letters with friends and family far and near via good, old-fashioned snail-mail. I usually write the letter and take our family portrait in late October or early November, so…
Do you ever hear your children complaining of boredom? Teach them what to do when they’re bored by pointing them to this simple list of suggestions. Something I call the Bored Board. I spotted the idea for this Bored Board on Facebook recently. (Read the original post here.) Don’t you think it’s a brilliant acronym?…
I use Mondays to clean out my mailbox. I noticed a theme in the messages that have stacked up this week: All of them were about economic ways to feed your family: taking advantage of Kids Eat Free deals at local restaurants, saving money through meal planning, and super-quick recipes for freezer cooking, easy enough…
Yes, I know. “Stop, Drop, and Roll” is what you are supposed to do if you ever catch on fire: Running only fans the flames and makes them burn hotter. Rolling on the ground or in the dirt helps to smother the fire and put it out. But “Stop, Drop, and Roll” is also a…
I’m using Mondays to clear out my mailbox. The topic of this week’s message deals with our free editable high school transcript. Read on for all the deets. Question: How do I make an “official” transcript for my homeschooler? Dear Jennifer, We’ve had a time, trying to get our “home schooled” kids set up for…
We have a bunch of bookworms in this family, and a big part of our budget goes to buying new books — especially when you lump in all the textbooks needed by the five of our kids who are currently in college or professional school. (Textbooks are especially pricey, which is why one of our…
After mentioning the fact that our children are required to quote their weekly memory verses before checking out our iPad, I received some questions from readers as to whether that rule applies for other electronics, as well, and how we go about monitoring our all children’s screen time. The answer is, yes, they have to…
I love a New Year, don’t you? It’s a great time for looking back, taking stock, celebrating victories, thanking God, recognizing weaknesses, asking forgiveness, looking ahead, making plans, resolving to do better, praying for wisdom, and starting afresh. I worked on all those things this morning while my children slept in. The older ones helped…
In matters of housekeeping, as in so many other things, children are more prone to do what we inspect than what we expect. We have certainly found this principle to be true when it comes to keeping kids’ rooms tidy. Which is why I created this free bedroom inspection checklist. Our children have always shared…
Want to show your kids a good time without breaking the bank? Tyler offers a variety of opportunities for free family fun. Here’s a short list to get your started: Tyler Museum of Art http://www.tylermuseum.org/news_updates.aspx TMA offers free admission the 2nd Saturday of each month for Family Days. Faulkner Park http://parksandrec.cityoftyler.org/parkdirectory/faulknerpark.aspx Strap on your bike…
After I published my age-appropriate chore chart several months ago, I had several people accuse me of robbing my children of their childhood by having them pitch in with household tasks. So to demonstrate that I don’t believe life should be all work and no play, I came up with this matching printable devoted to…
I have a couple of little ones who are really good at math, but not so good at penmanship. Although they know the correct answer to an arithmetic problem, they often write it backwards. So I designed this numeral writing printable to give them some extra practice. click to print Number Writing Practice Sheet If…
With the advent of summer, I’m sharing a list of boredom busters today. Most of our lessons are winding down for this school year. We’ll keep the basics going during the next ten weeks, but will take a needed break from history, science, and grammar. The abbreviated schedule will give both Mom and kids time…
Today’s game is “Life Experiences BINGO.” This makes a great ice breaker to play as guests are arriving. Guests are asked to check off all statements that apply to them. Whoever calls gets a BINGO reads their five in a row to the whole group and usually elaborates with a little storytelling.
Registration for Six Flags “Read to Succeed” program opens in January, so make a note on your calendar to sign up then! Also, the deadline for turning in reading logs is the end of March, so you won’t want to miss that one, either. This program is designed to promote a love for reading among…
There is no question that laptops, smart phones, and iPads have altered the way we do life: Technology puts a wealth of information at our fingertips, but can simultaneously cost us a fortune in terms of first-hand experience. These portable gadgets make it possible for us to connect with people on the other side of…
If your summers are anything like ours, they are packed to bursting with projects we’ve not had time to finish during the school year. We have found that we must be very intentional about how we spend our vacation if we want to make much headway on all we want to accomplish. Which is how…
I love pretty printables! I enjoy creating them, using them, and sharing them with others. If you like printables, too, you’ve come to the right place. Our family website offers a treasure trove of pretty & practical printable resources — calendars, chore charts, coloring pages, and much, much more. Clever uses for our pretty printables:…
I’ve been using Mondays to clean out my mailbox. This week, we’re discussing tips for keeping kids rooms clean. Question: Any tips for keeping kids’ bedrooms clean? How do you get teens to clean their rooms? This is a big struggle at our house right now. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks. Frustrated Mom Answer:…
Want to take a stress-free and affordable family vacation? Let Jennifer Flanders, a seasoned globetrotter and mother of 12, show you how! PACK UP & LEAVE is jam-packed with tips to make traveling with children more fun, enjoyable, educational, economical, and EASY.
NOTE: This listing is for the digital files only (PDF format). If you would prefer to read the print version, follow one of the links given in the full description below to buy a paperback copy from your favorite bookseller.
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2020 Flanders Family Christmas Update. To see a full listing, see Our Christmas Letters. For tips on writing your own family history in this fashion, follow this link. In the meantime, enjoy! The Flanders Family Update: 2020 December 2019 Happenings Last…
I have great memories of Thanksgiving dinners I enjoyed in the home of my grandparents. They always spread a bountiful feast I took for granted as a kid. But as an adult, I marvel at all the work that must have gone into what at the time seemed like such a simple celebration. So, now…
When I noticed recently that Restaurant.com — one of my favorite dining programs — is having a huge sale this week (only $2 for a $25 certificate), I shared the information with my friends on Facebook along with a tip about how to save even more by shopping through Rakuten (formerly Ebates). Since such sales…
Our family recently took a trip to Colorado. Our older kids were in school, so it was just my husband, myself, and our four youngest. Yet finding family fun in Denver wasn’t difficult. We were only in the Mile-High City for a few days (passing through on our way to Aspen), but we packed in…
It always helps me in my blogging, when wrapping up the old year and setting goals for the new, to take stock of which of my posts have enjoyed the most popularity over the last twelve months. That’s my goal in tabulating these top 10 posts of 2015. Knowing what has been most helpful to…
Not only is the turn of a year a great time for looking ahead and setting goals, but it’s also a good time for looking back and reflecting. Which is my goal in tabulating my top 10 posts of 2014. My husband and I were looking over both our blogs this weekend. Noting trends. Discussing…
In our current economy, there seems to be a renewed interest in trimming expenses any way possible. Bring on the budgeting tips! As somebody who has always viewed frugality as a virtue, I think this trend is great and hope to see it continue even after the economy rebounds. Being frugal means being wise and…
I finished six books in March, including the newly released Really Very Crunchy by Emily Morrow. Read on for my impressions of each title: 6 Books I Read in March 1. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis In C.S. Lewis’s classic work, The Screwtape Letters, a senior demon by the name of Screwtape offers diabolical…
Our Easter Print Pack is a collection of Easter-themed printables: games and activities, trivia quizzes, craft projects, conversation starters, coloring pages, pennant banners, and much, much more to help your family center your hearts and minds on Jesus this holiday season.
NOTE: This listing is for digital files only (printable PDF format). You will be able to download your files immediately after purchase and will have lifetime access to any and all future updates of this digital product.
Our Valentine Print Pack is a collection of Valentine-themed cards, games and activities, decorations, gifts, treats, and other printable resources to help make your next Valentine’s Day one to remember.
NOTE: This listing is for the digital files only (printable PDF format). You will be able to download your Valentine Print Pack immediately after purchase and will have lifetime access to any and all future updates of this digital product.
I read six books in the month of January, including Alisa Childers’ Another Gospel. I finished that one plus two others in the course of four days while we were traveling. (Don’t audiobooks make drive time so much more enjoyable on those long road trips?) But it took me nearly four weeks to finish the…
ATTENTION: Are these free printable 2025 Calendars not the ones you need? Then follow this link to find the year you’re looking for. We’re only two weeks into 2024, and I’ve already gotten multiple requests for next year’s calendars. Evidently, I have a lot of readers who’ve taken advanced planning to a whole new level,…
Despite the fact my December was crazy busy, I finished reading eight books over the course of the month, including (appropriately) Kevin DeYoung’s book by that same title. 8 Books I Read in December The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson We listened to one of our favorite Christmas books on our way to…
At the end of every year, I try to look back and see which of my posts from the preceding 12 months enjoyed the most popularity. Hence, my Top 10 Flanders Family Posts of 2023 below. Creating this list helps me better understand what kinds of resources have appealed most to my readers (that’s YOU)…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2023 Flanders Family Christmas Update. To see a full listing, see Our Christmas Letters. For tips on writing your own family history in this fashion, follow this link. In the meantime, enjoy! The 2023 Flanders Family Update December 2022 Happenings Simple but elegant….
Our Family Camp Print Pack is a collection of campout-themed planning and packing lists, games and activities, delicious recipes, and other printable resources to help make your next family campout more memorable.
NOTE: This listing is for digital files only (printable PDF format). You will be able to download your files immediately after purchase and will have lifetime access to any and all future updates of this digital product.
Our family is camping out this week with kids and grandkids, so I brought along a few camp-themed activities to help keep little ones entertained. First on the agenda was a brand new, free printable, camping concentration memory game, which turned out to be even more popular than I suspected it would be. The longer…
Our family loves to travel, and we do a lot of it. As homeschoolers, we view the world as our classroom, so every vacation becomes just one extended field trip. Below are a few of our favorite travel tips to make family vacations more economical, educational, and enjoyable. Vacation Planning I enjoy planning our trips…
Since September is “National Better Breakfast Month,” and I have better breakfasts on the brain, I wanted to share a breakfast-themed brain workout for you in the form of a new word find puzzle. Print out several for your kids and see how many words they can find in the morning before you get breakfast…
We’ve fielded a lot of questions over the years on the topic of homeschooling. Below are a few of our most helpful (and frequently requested) posts, pages, and printables for homeschoolers — whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been at it for years. Why Homeschool? There are as many different reasons to homeschool as…
My grandkids came over this week and tried out another of the new critical thinking games I recently got from Timberdoodle. This one is called Dress Code. It contains several clear acrylic tiles — four with pictures of children on them, and several more sporting various patterns in a variety of colors and styles. The…
Pregnancy & Childbirth Great Expectations SEE ALL PREGNANCY POSTS Babies are such a blessing. Whether you love being pregnant and watching your belly expand, or you spend nine months puking your guts out, we count down the days to delivery with high hopes and grand expectations. Newborns & Babies Beautiful Bouncing Bundles of Joy SEE…
This refrigerated salad really hits the spot in the heat of summer. It’s popular enough with my kids that I usually have to double this recipe, and we still have no leftovers. Ingredients: Instructions for making black bean salad: Dice jalapeño and red bell peppers. Drain beans and corn. Dice red onion. Mix with all…
I finished reading half a dozen books last month, including the New York Times Bestseller, Effortless by Greg McKeown. Read on for my impression of all six titles. 6 Books I read in June George Muller by Geoff and Janet Benge While the grandkids were here last month, we started a new read-aloud, George Müller:…
When Timberdoodle offered me the opportunity to review Kumon’s new My Book of Cutting, I agreed without hesitation. That’s because I’d already tried some of Kumon’s other skill building workbooks with a few of my grandchildren. Builds Fine Motor Skills This workbook is a little larger than the ones I’ve used in the past. It…
Sure, garages are supposed to be a place to park the car, but most of us end up using them as storage rooms, as well. And depending upon the amount of stuff that needs storing, there may or may not be any room left for the car. Can you relate? Then these tips for organizing…
We only have one more week of our homeschool co-op to go before summer break, but already I’m planning for next year’s schooling. One new program on our schedule? Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. We’re actually planning to work on this one through the summer, since my daughter is wanting to…
I finished reading five books in March: Greta Eskridge’ s Adventuring Together plus four others. Read on for my impression of each title (recorded in the order read): The 5 Books I read in March Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder We listened to the audio version of Little House in…
It’s almost time for our family’s traditional all-green cuisine lunch in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and one of the dishes on our menu this year is tangy green apple salsa. It’s both tart and sweet with just the right amount of crunch. The recipe came from a sweet church friend of mine, Mandy, who…
Are you looking for an easy and engaging way to teach your middle or high school student general science? Then take a look at Westfield Studios General Science 101, available from Timberdoodle Co. Comprised of 4 DVDs plus a teacher’s guide and unit quizzes on PDF, this program is surprisingly broad in its scope. Not…
I’m sharing another Lincoln Quote Coloring Page today in honor of our 16th US President’s birthday. This one features Lincoln’s wise observation: Lincoln Quote Coloring Page “You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for…
Well, 2023 has gotten off to a great start, book-wise. I finished reading eight books this month, including Brant Hanson’s recently updated and expanded Unoffendable. Keep reading for my impression of each work, reported in the order that I read them. The 8 books I read in January: Deep Work by Cal Newport I’m hoping…
This month is almost gone, and I still haven’t posted reviews for Awaking Wonder or any of my other December reads. And, come to think of it, I missed posting my November books last year, as well, so I’m including those in this list, too. What’s not included are reviews for the books I re-read…
