What I Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll November 2025

 

Hosting the Presence by Bill Johnson

Christians believe that when they are saved, they receive the Holy Spirit.  So what do we mean when we say filled with the Spirit?  How can one be more filled than another?  Bill Johnson explores what it means to be filled and why some Christians walk in the miraculous.  He teaches his readers to be someone the Holy Spirit would desire to rest on, and how to pay attention to and respond to Him.  This was an interesting book to wrestle with.  At times, I wholeheartedly agreed with Johnson.  Other times, I felt that he was greatly reaching to make a point.  I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.  I wouldn't recommend it for a new believer.  But if you're someone who's been following the Lord for a while, and want to know more about revival culture, this would be a good place to start.

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Carley Connors has always only had her mom to depend on.  But when her new stepfather lands them both in the hospital, she begins to question the only relationship that felt solid.  Moving in with a foster family, the Murphys, Carley sees what it would be like to live a more stable life.  As time goes on, she hopes to find a place in this new family.  As a former foster mom, I've had this book on my reading list for a while.  One for the Murphys is a gentle introduction to the hard topic of foster care and finding a family.  However, it is an honest look into the fact that family life isn't always pretty.  Knowing a few adopted kiddos, I would recommend this book with caution.  It could easily bring up some hard memories, and parents should be available for discussion.

C.S. Lewis: Christian Heroes Then and Now

by Janet & Geoff Benge

We love the Chronicles of Narnia series so this was a good chance to learn more about the author.  C.S. Lewis' life was one full of ups and downs.  While he's well known for the Narnia books, there was so much to his life, writings, and journey with the Lord.  It was a life marked with success and tragedy, and deep fullfilling relationships.  I think the thing that marked me most was Lewis' resilience in the face of an unknown future.  He lived during an tumultuous time in history and still retained a sense of choosing right and loving those around him.  A great read for Lewis' fans.

10 Gifts of Wisdom by Sally Clarkson

Sally Clarkson is always such an inspiration for parents.  This quick read covers 10+ gifts we can give to our kids as we raise them.  These gifts include hospitality, relationships, and reading.  Focused on character training, 10 Gifts of Wisdom is filled with personal examples and practical advice in raising individuals with character.  Great for parents of any schooling type, this book is a short read, but deep and rich.  Would make a great a gift for new parents.

Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery

I'm still continuing in the Anne series.  My daughter calls this one "the book of letters."  Windy Poplars covers the three years that Anne and Gilbert are separated while she's teaching and he's pursuing becoming a doctor.  The story follows all the crazy antics and relationships that Anne gets involved in and is broken up by letters to her beloved Gilbert.  Absolutely hilarious.  I'm reminded just how silly and life can be.

Our Homeschool Read Alouds:

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

This is an annual read for us.  The third in the Mrs. Dowdel series, A Season of Gifts is my favorite.  It follows the new pastor's family and how they're settling into a small town, living next down to the town's most well-known character.  Mrs. Dowdel "don't neighbor" and yet finds herself giving gifts to this family, just not the type found under the tree.  This has quickly become my favorite Christmas read aloud.

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson

Hobo Armand is happy and content with life.  Until he finds himself unofficially adopted by the Calcet children... and from then on, his whole life is turned upside down.  As their new "grandfather," Armand helps them find a safe place for their family and does his best to create happy times for the kids.  It's a story of kindness, magic, and finding family where we least expect it.

What are you reading?

Weekend Links ll November 26, 2025

Thankful Lapbook

45+ Thanksgiving Trivia Questions

Ways Your Teen Can Create a Christmas Community Project

Kindness Acrostic Poetry Printable

 

Felt Pointsetta Pins

 *This post was originally published on 12/16/13.  Enjoy!

I love poinsettias.  They're so festive and cheery.  I think there's something perfectly Christmas-y about poinsettias.  So while I was thinking about creating something for my mom and grandma, I really wanted to include this holiday treat.  And that's how I came up with these Felt Poinsettia Pins

You'll need:

Red or white felt

Hot glue and gun

Scissors

Buttons

Glitter, optional

1. Cut a paper petal template in two sizes of your choice.  One for the first layer, and a smaller petal for the top layer.

2. Cut 6 petals of the larger size and 6 petals of the smaller size.

3. Start arranging your bottom petals, overlapping and gluing as you go.

4. Glue your top, smaller petals on top, overlapping as you go.

5.  Adhere a decorative button in the center.

6. Add the pin back to the reverse.

7.  Finally add glitter glue of your choice to add a little sparkle.

And there you have it... a pretty gift for someone special this holiday season.  Enjoy! 

Weekend Links ll November 21, 2025

November HomeschoolFreebies

Thanksgiving Word Scramble

Turkey Lapbook

13 Ways to Teach Holiday Social Skills for Kids and Teens

Thanksgiving Silly Stories Printables

Thanksgiving Poetry Teatime

Including the Kids in Thanksgiving

 *Originally posted on 11/16/15.  Enjoy!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to focus on family, friends, and blessings.  It's a quiet holiday just before Christmas.  No presents, no huge holiday displays... just a thankful heart to give and receive.  And dare I say, it's one of the most important holidays on the calendar.

But for a kid, Thanksgiving can be quite lackluster.  No wrapping paper to throw off, no holiday music, cold weather, and football.  How can we better include them in this important celebration?

Here are just a few ideas:

1. Create a Thankful tree-- Find a pretty vase and have the kids gather some sticks and rocks and start the tree.  Then add tags or colorful construction paper leaves.  Have the kids write down something they're thankful for, then interview others and include theirs as well.  See how many things you can find the be thankful for.

2. Have them set the table-- Thanksgiving is filled with pretty plates, cloth napkins, and shiny silverware.  It fun to set the table all fancy with vases and runners.  And it's a great time to learn about proper place settings and etiquette.  You might be surprised which of your kids gets the decorating bug.

3. Include them in creating a snack platter-- Appetizer and snack platters are fun to create with little hands.  Have them slice olives and fruit, arrange pickles, create a vegetable turkey, or mix up the dip.

4. Or a special dessert-- We're making pretzel turkeys this year, but why not decorate cupcakes to go with the pie?  Or stir up a fruit dip?  My kids love helping run the mixer or learn to make homemade whipped cream.  Kids love being in the kitchen, and since most desserts can be made ahead of time, including them in making dessert avoids a time crunch.

5. Read a Thanksgiving book together-- Snuggling up with a good book together is always a great way to spend an afternoon.  Some of our favorites include: The Bernstein Bears Give Thanks, Turkey Surprise, The Thanksgiving Story, The Very First Thanksgiving Day, and This First Thanksgiving Day. 

6. Or watch a special Thanksgiving video-- We love watching Walton's movies on Thanksgiving.  Or why not pop in old family movies and walk down memory lane?  Or create your own family movie on Thanksgiving.  Interview other members of the family.  What are they thankful for?  What do they remember about Thanksgivings past?

7. Create Thanksgiving crafts-- Create a fingerprint fall tree with the kids' fingerprints.  Make a paper bag thankful book with a turkey on the cover.  Play Thanksgiving Bingo.  There are so many turkey crafts out there.  Go browse through Pinterest.  :-)

How are you including your kids in Thanksgiving this year?

Weekend Links ll November 14, 2025

Christmas Stories to Teach in Middle School English

How My Kids Learned About the Stock Market

20+ Beatrix Potter Freebies (Stories, Units, Etc)

Advent Activities for the Whole Family

Free Pumpkin Game Printable

Christmas Advent Calendar with Bible Verses

Yes' and No's in Our Homeschool This Year

Every homeschool year comes with its own unique opportunities and challenges.  Some years are full and busy.  Some require use to pull in closer to home and nurture family relationships.  When I look back over our family's journey, I can see the ebb and flow of these seasons and the opportunities the Lord placed in our path... some for a year or two, and some for the life of our homeschool.

With that in mind, I approached 2025-26 with fresh eyes to see what God was doing THIS year.  What was He asking us to say yes to?  What was He asking us to lay down?  And where did we have choices to explore?

For this year of homeschooling two high schoolers, I had to remember that every "yes" would require a "no. " When I wanted to say yes, I had to ask myself what I was willing to lay down... and was the trade-off worth it?  In some areas, we scaled back, and in others, we went full throttle ahead.  I really wanted to make the most of the final year of homeschooling my daughter.  So a lot of our "yes" areas focused on relationship and memory-building.

Ways We're Saying Yes in 2025-26:

*Homeschool Group-- Over the years, I've looked at various homeschool co-ops and groups, but never felt right about joining one.  Either they were too rigid, too transient, or just too expensive.  This year, we happened to fall into a group that's just right for us.  It's a group of 5 families that meet once a week, focused on discipleship and relationship-building.  Our time is filled with worship, games, and teaching that leaves us all feeling refreshed and filled.  Instead of taking away from our homeschool, it has only added to it.

*More Field Trips-- Since 2020, our available field trip opportunities have really changed. About two years ago, I started to get brave and organize my own field trips for the kids.  We've found a few new opportunities, but this year, I'm reaching further beyond my comfort zone and leading us into new places, both for the experience and for learning and trying new things together.

*Allowing my Son to Do more Cooking--My daughter has always been the one of my kids to do most of the baking and cooking, but my 14-year-old recently showed an interest in learning to cook more.  So I'm pulling him into the kitchen with me more often.  We're also researching and cooking 1-2 new meals a month based on our geography study.  He's learning a lot of practical skills as well as what he likes and what he doesn't.

*More Science Experiments--I've never been very good at incorporating science experiments into our homeschool, but I do really see the value.  With my youngest doing Biology this year, I decided I could be brave and incorporate more experiments into our homeschool.  I'm going to say that we'll definitely be dissecting a frog, but I am trying to incorporate more hands-on learning.

And Where We're Saying No:

 1. Serving a Hot Meal 3x/ Week--My kids get up and eat at all times of the day.  I have one that's up early, and one that's pulling out of bed just in time for Morning Basket.  One is watching the clock for meal time, the other is always eating late to accommodate her dance schedule.  So I just cook dinner.  Everything else is just on your own.

2. Mom Doing ALL the Teaching-- With two kids in high school, I just can't teach it all.  I can keep up with the main subjects, but once kids get into electives and specialized classes, I'm in over my head.  Anatomy?  Forget it!  I've done some outsourcing this year with my senior's Civics class (Michael Farris' American Civics is amazing),  and my freshman is the first in our family to use Shormann Math (I love that the high school math is integrated).

3. Chess class-- It hurt to let his one go.  It really did.  And we still drop into the local Chess club about once a month.  But the trade-off for a 2x/week class wasn't worth it.  Something had to give.  My hope is to re-evaluate next year and possibly host a club in our home.  But for now, it's back to playing with big brother.

What are You Saying Yes and No to In Your Homeschool?

Planning a Thanksgiving Unit Study

 It's November, and that means just over 3 weeks until Thanksgiving.  This year I wanted to share the holiday with my kids in a way that focuses on gratitude, love, and family.  So I went searching for fun, nostalgic stories and activities to sprinkle into our homeschool throughout the month.  And I came to find that there were so many good ideas that we probably won't get through them all.  So if you're looking for some family-centered ideas for your homeschool, I hope you'll find lots of inspiration here.

Reading Ideas:

*An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott

--Listen on audio

--Watch the Hallmark version here

*Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf

*Over the River and Through the Woods by Lydia Maria Child

*Twas the Night before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

*Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson

*Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin

Poetry & Essays:

*We Thank Thee by Robert Louis Stevenson

*Hunting the Deceitful Turkey by Mark Twain

*Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner by Lucy Maude Montgomery

Author Study:

*Louisa Mae Alcott Unit Study

*Louisa Mae Alcott Biography

Grammar:

*Thanksgiving Mad Libs

*Thanksgiving Writing prompts

*Thanksgiving Writing and Grammar

*ABC Gratitude List

*Thanksgiving Analogies

Math:

*Thanksgiving Math and Logic Puzzles

*Thanksgiving Dinner

*Turkey Touchdown

*Thanksgiving Dinner Shopping (including sales flyers, budgeting, quantities to purchase for a crowd, etc)

Science & Baking:

*Turkey Mini Unit

*Turkey Nature Study

*Hasty Pudding

*Old Fashioned Doughnuts

*Cider

Art & Music:

*How to Draw a Turkey

*Freedom from Want

*8 Thanksgiving Paintings

*How to Draw a Pumpkin

*Over the River and Through the Woods unit study

*Thanksgiving Music Lesson

Handicrafts:

*15 Thanksgiving Yummy & Crafty Ideas

*Hand dipped candles

*Orange Pomanders

*Popcorn Garlands

*Popcorn Candleholders

*Corn husk dolls

Family Activities:

*Including the Kids in Thanksgiving

*10 Thanksgiving Ideas for Christian Families

*Giving Thanks Family Traditions

*Thanksgiving Family Traditions

*Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

How are you bringing Thanksgiving into your home?

Weekend Links ll November 7, 2025

 

Top 10 Life Skills To Teach Your Kids Before They Turn 18

Homeschool Adventure Goal Calendars

Turkey Lapbook

Thanksgiving Mad Libs for Kids

Free Study Guide for The Dog Snatcher

Incorporating a Cranberry Thanksgiving Into Your Homeschool

*This post was originally published on 11/20/23.  Enjoy!

 A few years ago, we came across the classic picture book, A Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin.  This charming story introduces us to Maggie and her grandmother preparing for Thanksgiving.  While Maggie and Mr. Whiskers gather firewood, Grandmother creates her famous Cranberry bread... a recipe so famous that she hides it to keep it a secret.  As part of their tradition, Maggie and Grandmother each invite a guest to share their Thanksgiving dinner... Mr. Whiskers and Mr. Horace.  The story is fun, unexpected, and holds an important message: "Don't judge a book by its cover."  Paired with the themes of friendship and hospitality, A Cranberry Thanksgiving has become a family favorite.    

Reading A Cranberry Thanksgiving is a great starting place for even more cranberry unit study activities.  Included in the back of the book is Grandmother's super secret Cranberry Bead recipe.  Apparently, it's not a secret anymore.  And while pumpkin typically dominates in fall flavors, this cranberry recipe is really quite tasty.  We typically make muffins for Friday morning breakfast, so we've adapted the bread recipe and baked them together after reading the book.  They definitely satisfy the "comfort food" craving.

Baking offers a multitude of learning activities.  Reading a recipe involves reading comprehension, attention to detail, and sequential thinking.  Math concepts abound with measurements, fractions and even multiplication and division.  Science is part of the process as well, making it a full activity.  

While the muffins are baking, it's a great time to talk about plot, setting, and themes.  The book does a great job of contrasting all four major characters and their motivation in the story.  And this simple picture book follows a classic story arc, making it a great example to study.  

Chalk Pastels also offers a lesson on creating Mr. Whiskers from the book.  The lines are simple and basic for beginners, but the end result is very satisfying.  It really does look like him!  There's also a silhouette lesson for artists who want to take it a step further.

If you have older students and want to take it a step further, here are several other resources we've found:

*Ocean Spray's Cranberries in the Classroom website

*Make a cranberry bog in a cup

*Use cranberries to determine acids and bases

*Create a Cranberry Thanksgiving lap book

*Build a cranberry raft

*and so much more!

What fun activities would you include?