Did you know today is George Washington’s birthday? We have a son who firmly believes birthdays should (always and only) be celebrated on the actual anniversary of one’s birth. Not the weekend before. Not the weekend after. Not once the moving boxes are unpacked, or when we get home from vacation, or after the stomach…
Yes, I know President’s Day isn’t until Monday, but today is Abraham Lincoln’s actual birthday. Back when I was growing up, we used to get two days off from school instead of just one, because we celebrated Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays separately. And it is in that spirit this post is written. Ideas for Celebrating…
Today I’m sharing something to help your kids keep quiet in church: A free sermon notes printable for children. Our family spent most of January touring the East Coast. This extended road trip gave us the opportunity to attend three different out-of-town churches. Last Sunday morning, we worshipped with The Church at Brook Hills in…
We’re home at last from our East Coast vacation. We got to do and see a lot of wonderful things while we were away, but when our family recounted “high points/ low points” on the drive back to Texas, my four-year-old said without hesitation that her favorite part of this trip was “getting to play…
Our family decided to take an Early American history tour this winter, so we’ve spent the better part of January on the East Coast. Our travels put us in northern Virginia when “historic blizzard” Juno hit New England. We were far enough north that we got a little snow, but not so far that the…
Looking for a good side dish for Super Bowl Sunday? You’d have a hard time doing better than a huge batch of our All-American Potato Salad. Throw in a pot of baked beans and some barbecued pulled pork sandwiches (with a little mustard and thick slices of sweet onions), and you’ll be all set for…
I use Mondays for clearing out my mailbox. This week’s topic is saving money by cutting hair at home. Is learning this simple skill worth the hassle? You bet it is! Question: How does your family handle haircuts? Dear Jennifer, How do you do haircuts? Do you cut their hair or does anyone get their…
When I was growing up, my father would always read Luke 2 aloud on Christmas morning before we opened gifts. I love the way the first 20 verses of Luke 2 (see coloring page below) sound in the King James Version. And it came to pass in those days… When my husband and I got…
I’m using Mondays to work through the messages stacked up in my mailbox. The question I’m tackling today? Rightly responding to negative comments regarding family size. Question: How do you deal with rude comments? Hi Jennifer, I’ve emailed you before and love your blog. I’m curious as to your response to negative individuals as your…
I love all the extra mail the month of December brings with it. It’s fun to open all the pretty Christmas cards and see the family photos, but I especially enjoy reading the newsy letters that are often included. If you’ve ever thought about sending such a letter to your own friends and family at…
When it comes to appropriately expressing appreciation for a gift, it’s hard to beat a handwritten thank you note. Some folks will tell you that a phone call or an email or even a simple spoken “thanks” at the time of receipt shows sufficient gratitude — don’t believe them. Although any of these options would…
I saw my first Vitamix demonstration at the Texas State Fair when I was about eight years old. From the moment I tasted those little sample cups of soups and smoothies, I knew I had to have one of these machines. Two decades, one husband, and four children later, I finally got a Vitamix. It…
We’ve been in San Antonio this week visiting our two kids in dental school and speaking at the FEAST Convention, but today we must book it back to Tyler in time for Benjamin’s graduation. He’ll be participating in our homeschool support group‘s cap and gown ceremony at 5 PM. We had to miss the rehearsal…
Although things have been a little quiet on our family site lately, we’ve been busy on our blogs (and elsewhere). Do You Wanna Have a Baby? For starters, we just produced our first music video. It’s redo of one of our favorite FROZEN songs, but with original lyrics better fitting to our frame of mind….
A couple of months back, I taught a short class on calligraphy techniques to some homeschooled friends. The students learned to experiment with different calligraphy supplies, including chisel-tipped markers, calligraphy pens with ink cartridges, and pens dipped in ink. We even wrote the old-fashioned way with quill feathers. Of course, all these tools take time…
I recently gave my children’s weekly school assignment charts a facelift. They love the new look, and I love the simplicity of it. I just fill in each day’s assignments (lesson, page, or chapter numbers) in ink at the beginning of the week, and they mark it off as it is completed. If they work…
We’ve had a lot going on at our house and on our website this month. So I thought a quick update was in order. We’ve added a potpourri of printables, including Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (scroll to the bottom of this post to print), some Subway Art for Valentine’s Day, and children’s chore charts (now translated…
As a homeschooling, scrapbooking, list-making mother of twelve who’s been keeping calendars, planning lessons, and printing schedules for over 30 years now, I’ve gone through more than my fair share of printer cartridges. I’ve tried everything to save big on ink — from joining rewards programs and stocking up when it’s on sale to using…
Brrr! It’s been cold here this week. This sort of weather makes me crave a hot and hearty bowl of soup. So I thought I’d share one of our family’s favorites today: Mama’s Marvelous Minestrone. The recipe was given to me many years ago by my dear friend Wendy. It’s fast and easy — the…
Do you ever wish you could be two places at the same time? I do! If I could, I’d leave one “me” at home cleaning closets while the other “me” cheered on my sons’ team at their twice-weekly basketball games. Since I can’t split myself in half, however, I’ve been sitting in the bleachers, rooting…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2013 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: 2013 December 2012 Happenings We…
One of our family’s favorite Christmas traditions is bell-ringing for the Salvation Army. Every December (with the exception of that year we had the chicken pox), we pull out our Santa hats, bundle up warm, and head over to the mall to man the red kettle for an hour or two. We usually sing Christmas…
Parents often ask us about our philosophy on children’s chores, but we’ve found that what many of them are really looking for is some idea of what sorts of chores their child might be expected to do at what ages. So to that end, I’ve created this little free printable chart, available in English, as…
Are you looking for a way to get the holidays off to a great start? Then try packing a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. The national collection week is coming up soon, so now is the perfect time to make plans to participate. Just wrap a shoebox with colorful paper (wrap the lid separately), fill…
Today I’m sharing a brand-new free printable I designed to challenge my kids while we were tent camping last week. It’s an outdoor scavenger hunt! These picture bingo cards are full of nature items, like pinecones, sweet gum balls, rocks, leaves, and doodle bugs. I laminated our cards so we’ll be able to use them…
I don’t know about the kids at your house, but we have a couple of children who would spend 24 hours a day in front of a computer screen if we’d let them. We’ve tried restrictions (no computer time until homework’s done), rationing (only 15 minutes per day), and relegating it to non-primetime hours (weekends only, after family time).
These measures have helped, but only to a point.
Heading back to the classroom soon? Here are a few of back-to-school chapter books that mark and celebrate this season in unforgettable ways. Whether you read them aloud as a family or read them individually and discuss, these heartwarming stories are sure to bless and inspire you. Don’t miss them. Our Family’s Favorite Back-to-School Chapter…
Looking for a way to encourage thoughtfulness, friendliness, and consideration between your kids? Try our free printable Kindness Punch Cards. This idea has worked for us. I print and laminate these Kindness Cards, one for each child, and carry them in the pocket of my apron for a couple of weeks, along with a star…
A few weeks ago, I was discussing the best bedtime books with some other moms and was shocked to find out they’d never heard of The Napping House. In our family, this book is as much a staple of childhood as Dr. Seuss. My oldest son was given a copy as a shower gift (over…
Despite the fact that February is so short, I finished a record number of books last month, including The Flipside of Feminism and six others. This is partly due to the fact that we also did a fair amount of traveling (so we read while we were on the road) and partly due to the…
As long-time Cat-in-the-Hat fans, we couldn’t let March 2 pass without paying homage to the memory of Theodore Seuss Geisel and his masterful literary creations. So here are the activities we have planned for Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Deck the Halls My early risers helped with some party decorations. A festive banner and some bright balloons…
I have a friend who found a great way to help her children gain skill and comfort in public speaking: by having them practice in front of their own (large and growing) family during a weekly “Presentation Day” devoted to that very purpose. Our family has decided to do the same thing this year, and…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2011 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: 2011 December 2010 Happenings Last…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2012 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: 2012 December 2011 Happenings Gabriel…
I spotted A Cowboy Christmas on Amazon and got it for our “25 Books Before Christmas” countdown this year. We opened and read it for the first time yesterday, and — oh, my — was it ever a great choice! We’ve long been fans of author Audrey Wood (my kids love The Napping House and…
Just before Thanksgiving each year, our family prints out the following list of 67 Ways to Celebrate the Season. We post it on our bulletin board for easy reference and use it to jog our memory concerning all the different activities and events we’ve enjoyed during Christmases past. The children helped me generate our original…
Our kids like to make this super-easy (and tasty!) craft to help count the days until Christmas. We usually make them right after Thanksgiving, although we’re running a little late this year. Then beginning December 1 (or whenever we finish the chains), we cut off one chocolate kiss per day until Christmas. To motivate the…
One of our readers recently wrote to request a printable homeschool report card. Traditionally, I’ve not been as meticulous about grade reports for elementary school as I am about high school transcripts. However, I’d been considering printing up something more “official” looking for my younger kids. This would allow them to take advantage of some…
In the month of August, our family read four books: Dr. DooRiddles plus three others. Read on for our our impression of each. 4 books we read in August Too Much of a Good Thing by Dan Kindlon This book addresses the problems that occur when children are given everything they want, but not what…
This article, 25 Ways to Express Love to Your Wife, is one Doug originally wrote for his blog, All Truth Is God’s Truth. It has been so popular there that we decided to include it on our family website, as well. To read the original post, follow this link. For a printer-friendly version of the…
Choosing curriculum can be a daunting task. There are so many different programs available, and deciding on one is often fraught with difficulties. Whether you do research online or attend a book fair or pick the brains of a seasoned homeschooler, it’s important to choose books that fit both the learning style of your students…
Are you looking for activities that will foster family togetherness? Trying to find fun and meaningful ideas to help you bond with your loved ones? Searching for ways to make every month more memorable? Our free printable of fun annual traditions offers lots of great ideas for inspiration! If your children are anything like mine,…
March was busy busy! I only finished three books all month: For Young Women Only and two others. Read on for my impressions of each… 3 books I read in March Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Our family has been listening to an audio version of Anne of Green Gables for the past…
Question: Where can I order a homeschool diploma? Hi, Jennifer. My homeschooled son will be graduating from high school in May. I’ve just about completed his transcript, but am wondering how to go about getting him a diploma. I remember seeing the ones you gave your kids at graduation, and I really liked them. Where…
I’ve been using Mondays to clear out my mailbox. This week’s topic: assignment charts for students (especially those who are homeschooling). Question: Got any assignment charts I can use? Hey Jennifer! I have been trying to come up with a new homeschool chart for my kids’ actual school subjects… thought you might have something fabulous!!…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2010 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: 2010 December 2009 Happenings In…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2009 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: 2009 December 2008 Happenings A…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2008 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: 2008 December 2007 Happenings Jennifer…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2005 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: 2005 December 2004 Happenings We…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2007 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: 2007 December 2006 Happenings “What’s…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2004 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: 2004 December 2003 Happenings It…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2003 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: 2003 December 2002 Happenings “The…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2002 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: 2002 December 2001 Happenings The…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2000 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: 2000 January 2000 Happenings We…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1997 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: 1997 January 1997 Happenings What…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1996 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: 1996 January 1996 Happenings New…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1995 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: 1995 January 1995 Happenings We…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1994 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: 1994 January 1994 Happenings This…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1993 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: 1993 January 1993 Happenings What…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1991 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: 1991 January 1991 Happenings Several…
What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 1990 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: 1990 January 1990 Happenings So…
If you are serious about trimming your budget (or your figure), there’s no substitute for cooking at home. “Convenience foods” are high in cost and calories, low on nutrition. Not only are home-cooked meals usually more healthful, but they are roughly a third of the cost of dining out. Plus, if you learn to be…
Favorite Quotes Is your house filled to overflowing with stuffed animals? Scale models? Barbie dolls? Kids are born collectors, so how about turning them on to collecting something that takes up almost zero space, is totally free, and will profit them enormously in the future? Teach them to collect quotes and proverbs. Such a hobby…
One of our Family’s Favorite Holiday Traditions Our family has been sending out Christmas letters for 35 years years now. Although I (Jennifer) do the actual writing, we all work together to determine which stories to put in the letter, take family photos we include with the letter, and get the letters ready to mail…
Our children share bedrooms, with two to four siblings occupying a single room. This does more than economize space. It also teaches valuable life skills about getting along with others and working together toward a common goal…. One such goal is passing “Room Check.” Our handy little inspection forms spell out clearly what is expected…
I’m slowly but surely clearing out the messages in my inbox. This week’s mailbag question deals with finding time for intimacy. Question: How do we find time for intimacy? Dear Jennifer: My husband and I have three children, but ever since the second was born, I have felt stretched to the max. Between chauffeuring kids…
One of the most challenging aspects of home schooling multiple ages is balancing the different needs of each child. This is especially true when there are preschoolers in the home. Keeping toddlers occupied long enough to do lessons with bigger kids becomes a daily challenge. As much as possible, I try to do intensive teaching…
Making the Most of the High School Years Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get an email from another mom wanting to know how our kids managed to rake up so much college credit before they ever graduated high school -— and asking what steps they can take to give their own child(ren)…
Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of ready-made day planners. Some I like better than others, but the one I finally settled on is completely homemade and customized to my own unique needs. If you find yourself growing frustrated with what’s readily available, I’d recommend you read this post on how to make your…
There are probably as many different reasons to homeschool as there are homeschoolers. Some parents (ourselves included) deliberately choose to homeschool from a sense of conviction. They view it as the best alternative for passing their values on to their children. Or for tailoring an academic program to an individual child’s abilities and interests. Or…
Start Here So many books! So little time! That’s why I recommend beginning with the best book ever written: The Bible. That’s the book I start with nearly every day. It provides a solid foundation and framework for interpreting and weighing everything else I read. I’ve read all the way through the Bible multiple times…
Want fresh ideas & free resources to make your home happier, healthier, and more harmonious? We’ve got you covered! My name is Jennifer Flanders. I’m a Christian wife and homeschooling mother of twelve and grandma to 20. Although I’m the one who does most of the writing here, this blog was really the brainchild of…
We finished four books in the month of February: Large Family Logistics (my favorite) and three others. Read on for our impression of each. 4 books I read in February Two and Two are Four by Carolyn Haywood My two middle girls took turns reading Two and Two are Four aloud to me and their…
I finished five books in the month of January — six if you count the beautiful new Tasha Tudor book, A Time to Keep, that a dear friend recently sent me. Read on for my impressions of each: Prodigy Project by Doug Flanders Doug’s gripping novel is the main one we’ve been reading lately. We’ve…
We finished reading five books in July, starting with Seeds: A Memoir. Read on for our impressions of each title. Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr Rachel and Rebekah took turns reading this book aloud to the family last month. It tells the true story of a young girl’s struggle with leukemia…
Our family finished five books in the month of May: The Survivor’s Club and four more. Read on for our impressions of each: 5 books we read in May Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder I just finished reading Farmer Boy aloud to my children yesterday afternoon. It was my sixth or seventh time to…
We finished reading four books in April, including The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man, by one of our all-time favorite authors, Lloyd Alexander. Read on for our impressions of each. 4 Books we read in April The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel Do you say you believe in God, but live with worry…
Below is a sample itinerary from a trip our family took several years ago. The longer I have to plan a trip, the more detailed my itineraries become. (For a list of the money-saving sites I normally check while planning, see this post: Favorite Websites for Vacation Planning.) I’ll admit the hourly schedule is probably…
Dear Jennifer, I am interested in how your daily schedule works. I have a 2 year old and an almost 5 year old whom I might be home schooling in the fall. My husband…is gone alot and so it is a bit overwhelming for me to think about [home schooling or adding to our family],…
