Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 30

I hope everyone had a beautiful and blessed Christmas!  It is almost Tuesday again!

The most viewed post from last week's hop was:

Peppermint Holiday Floats from Faith Filled Food for Moms

An InLinkz Link-up

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A Blessed Christmas!!!!

I wish all of you a blessed Christmas!  Let us never forget the true meaning of Christmas-- the most precious Gift ever given, the Miracle of the Incarnation, the Word becoming Flesh and laid in a manger in Bethlehem.  Let us always sing with the angels "Gloria in Excelsis Deo!"

I shared this poem last year and so many enjoyed reading it that I thought I would share it again.

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,

St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;

Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,

While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child;

The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,

The grown-ups wouldn't bother, there's no room they said;

When even the innkeeper send them away,

Joseph was wondering, where they would stay;

He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,

Let's go there said Mary, it's silent and still;

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,

Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;

And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,

Our Savior was born on that first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in Heaven above,

He sent for His angels, His couriers of love,

More rapid than eagles God's bright angels came;

Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,

Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;

Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,

Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,

And saw in the heavens an unearthly light;

The Angels assured them, they'd nothing to fear,

It's Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,

Till Mary invited them in to adore;

He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,

Never did the shepherds see a baby so sweet!

He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,

He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;

Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,

And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,

Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!"--Sr. St. Thomas, BND de N

"My Week in Review" will return next week.  :-)

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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 23

It's time again for our wonderful recipe share!  :-)  To my Jewish readers, hope you are having a wonderful Hanukkah.  To my Christian readers, I wish you and your families the most blessed and merry Christmas!

In the first spot below, you can find our homemade hot chocolate.  It really is quite good.  Kiddo #4 sampled some the other day and gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up!  :-)

There was a tie for the most viewed post from last week's hop.  They were:

Amazing Cranberry-Pomegranate Vinaigrette from Gallimaufry Grove

Betty Crocker Cheesy Hashbrown Turnovers and Cheesy Meatballs from B is 4

CAN I ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated in the "Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog" category of the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you kindly vote for us?  Just click on the circle to the right of "Home to 4 Kiddos" and click VOTE.  You can vote once per day per device.  Thanks SO much.  Click HERE to bring you to the voting page. 

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Homemade Hot Chocolate

This is an old favorite in our house.  I shared this recipe last year and thought with the cold weather and Christmas almost upon us, that I would share it once again!  (The photo of Kiddo #3 is from last year's batch.  You can probably tell that he looks much younger!)  :-)

The Kiddos and I like to make this up and place it in a festive mug for Christmas gifts.  Kiddo #4 is giving one to her sewing instructor this year.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups powdered milk

1/8 cup cocoa

1/3 cup sugar

mini marshmallows (optional)

Directions

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

When you are ready to use, scoop out 1/2 cup of the mix and place in an empty 12-ounce mug.  (My daughter used  about 3 tablespoons for about 8 ounces) Fill the mug the rest of the way up with boiling water, but leave room for a few marshmallows!  Or, if you prefer, add whipped cream.  Enjoy. 

We love it here.  Hope you do, as well!  :-)

CAN I ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated in the "Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog" category of the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you kindly vote for us?  Just click on the circle to the right of "Home to 4 Kiddos" and click VOTE.  You can vote once per day per device.  Thanks SO much.  Click HERE to bring you to the voting page. 

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and the Chicken Chick

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My Week in Review #17

Can't believe Christmas is in one week!  Wow.  Where did the time go?  Speaking of time, however, it is definitely time for you to share all about your week!

Linked in the first spot below is my post all about the 3rd week of Advent in our home.  I hope you enjoy!

CAN I ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated in the "Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog" category of the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you kindly vote for us?  Just click on the circle to the right of "Home to 4 Kiddos" and click VOTE.  You can vote once per day per device.  Thanks SO much.  Click HERE to bring you to the voting page. 

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My Week in Review/Weekly Wrap-Up December 20

We finished up school this week and have continued to focus on Advent.

Our tree is decorated

Our Advent chain is getting shorter and shorter (I can't believe Christmas is literally days away!)

The Jesse Tree continues to fill as we learn about the geneaology of Christ

I have put up the memory tree (a tree I made with photos of loved ones who have passed away)

And Mary and Joseph are getting closer and closer to "Bethlehem" (I found that beautiful little state on Ebay, believe it or not)  Our church has as beautiful display with a similar (but a bit larger) making its way through the hilly 1st century streets to the manger.  It is stunning.  I will try to remember to take a picture of it this weekend.  Until that display went up, I had never seen a statue of Mary expecting and being led on the donkey by Joseph.

Not Advent related, but worth mentioning nonetheless, lol--  one night I picked up a pattern and some elastic for Kiddo #4.  By the next afternoon, she was wearing her Winnie the Pooh pajamas.  She amazes me!  :-)  In class, she is working on a dress.  In another week or so, it will be done and I will be happy to post a picture of it.

We have also baked, attended an Advent prayer service at church and the kids went on their annual shopping trip with their grandmother.  She takes them to a store (actually several stores!) where they can pick out gifts for each other and for my husband, parents and I.  They so look forward to it.  It is something very special they do together and I love how excited they still get over picking out (and then wrapping and actually giving) the gifts to each other and us.

CAN I ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated in the "Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog" category of the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you kindly vote for us?  Just click on the circle to the right of "Home to 4 Kiddos" and click VOTE.  You can vote once per day per device.  Thanks SO much.  Click HERE to bring you to the voting page. 

I hope you and your family have a wonderful last weekend of Advent!  God bless!

Linking up today with:  My Week in Review,  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection and Family Fun Friday and T.G.I.F. Linky Party and Let's Homeschool High School and This Week and Collage Friday

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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 16

I can't believe it is Tuesday again and that it is almost Christmas!  Where did the time go?  :-)

The most viewed post from last week's hop was:

Rolo Pretzel Turtles from My Sweet Mission

CAN I ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated in the "Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog" category of the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you kindly vote for us?  Just click on the circle to the right of "Home to 4 Kiddos" and click VOTE.  You can vote once per day per device.  Thanks SO much.  Click HERE to bring you to the voting page. 

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My Week in Review/Weekly Wrap-Up- December 12

Advent is in full swing.  We lit our candles, read special books, prayed special devotions and did Lenten-focused activities (like our Jesse Tree and Advent chain)  Kiddo #4 made a beautiful purse in sewing class.  (Here is my Mama brag-- it it fully lined and has a zipper, too!)

Last Monday was an awesome day for Kiddos 2, 3 and 4.  They all passed their tests and advanced to new belts in Taekwondo!  Kiddos 3 and 4 broke a half-inch board with their elbows (ouch!) and earned their green belts.  Kiddo #2 broke a one-inch thick board with his knee (double ouch!) and earned his blue belt!  We are very proud of them!  :-)

We also celebrated a special birthday for Kiddo #3!  (we now have 3 teenagers! yegads!!!)  :-)

Kiddo #4 got up super early, made her brother a delicious breakfast of pancakes and muffins, as well as having decorated the kitchen with streamers that she sewed herself!  She bought 3 different colors and sewed them together to make a bunting!  Wasn't it pretty?

In our homeschool, birthdays are field trip days, with the birthday kiddo choosing wherever they would like to go.  Kiddo #3 chose the zoo.

The weather cooperated as best it could do in December and we had a great time.  The zoo has begun to put in overhead walkways for the animals to wander about.  How incredibly cool is it to have a cougar sit and watch us eat lunch?  As soon as we were done and went outside to say goodbye to him, he stayed just long enough for us to do so and then went on his way.  Just like he was giving a special gift to the birthday boy.  :-)

It was also awesome to see the new lion cubs and other great exhibits and animals at the zoo.  The Philadelphia Zoo is America's First Zoo and has much to offer.  I think Kiddo had a great birthday.   :-)

We also baked some Christmas cookies, made some crafts and got our tree and decorations up.  Phew!

Hope your week and weekend were fun and productive, too!  :-)

Could I ask you a favor?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated as the "Best Homemaking and/or Recips Blog" in the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you mind clicking HERE to vote?  You just have to click on the circle to the right of Home to 4 Kiddos and then click vote.  You can vote once a day per device until the 29th!  :-)  THANKS so much!!!!!

Have a wonderful week.  God bless and Happy third week of Advent!  :-)

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My Week in Review #16

It is that time of the week again-- to share all about your adventures.  I can't wait to see what you all will link up!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Disney Memories

As many of you know, my parents took us on a wonderful trip to Disney over Thanksgiving.  What a  blessing, indeed!  The kids had an amazing time (as did the adults) and we were definitely very grateful for their generosity.

We visited Magic Kingdom

and had a birthday girl

Kennedy Space Center (and literally got up close and personal with a Space Shuttle!!!!! WOW!)

Sea World (and got to have Thanksgiving dinner with Shamu-- I'm not kidding!)

Animal Kingdom

and Epcot

And, here are some photos with the "grown-ups" :-) in them:

Even a week doesn't do it all justice, but definitely gives us reason to try to get there again someday!

**Home to 4 Kiddos has been nominated for the "Best Homemaking and/or Recipe Blog" Award in the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Can I ask for your vote?  You can vote once per day per device. Click HERE to go to the page to vote.


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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 9

Try a New Recipe Tuesday is back!!!  We took a little break for Thanksgiving.  I am looking forward to seeing everything you will share this week.  :-)

CAN I ASK YOU ALL A FAVOR?  Home to 4 Kiddos was nominated in the "Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog" category of the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Would you kindly vote for us?  Just click on the circle to the right of "Home to 4 Kiddos" and click VOTE.  You can vote once per day per device.  Thanks SO much.  Click HERE to bring you to the voting page. 

The most viewed post from the last hop was:

Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables from At the Corner of Happy and Harried

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My Week in Review #15

Welcome to another week of sharing all about your adventures!  We were away last week for Thanksgiving (hope you had a wonderful holiday!), so the hop took a week off.  It is back and I am looking forward to seeing everything you will share.

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My Week in Review #14

It is that time of the week again-- time for you to share all about your week's adventures!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- November 18

It is time for another wonderful week of recipe sharing!  :-)

The most viewed post from last week's hop was:

Snickerdoodles (Grain-free) from Intoxicated on Life

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My Week in Review #13

It is that time of the week again!  Time to share all of your wonderful posts about your week's adventures!  :-)

The most viewed post from last week's hop was:

The Week of Almost All Packing from First Comes Love

An InLinkz Link-up

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TOS Review- Out of the Box Games

Today I am reviewing Snake Oil from Out of the Box Games.

Have you ever laughed so hard your face hurt?  I'm serious!  Playing this game is one of those times. My face actually hurt from the constant laughter!!  :-)  The kiddos said they couldn't remember the last time they laughed so much and especially while playing a family game!  If that isn't a win-win (mom and dad are having fun while the kids are having fun), I don't know what is!  :-)

We LOVE Family Game nights.  It is difficult to find a game that all of us can play at once and that we find appropriate.  Well, we found one!

Remember the Old West?  Remember how the salesmen would try to sell you their concoctions of just about anything that would cure just about anything?  Well, in this game, YOU are that Snake Oil salesman trying to make that sale to an unsuspecting customer-- those who are playing the game with you.

There are over 300 word cards and just about 30 customer cards (we pulled just a few that we felt inappropriate to make it fit our family) but it had no affect on the game whatsoever!)

Each player has a chance to be a customer.  Once everyone has been the customer, that round is over. The rules are easy to follow: when you are the customer, you draw a customer card.  Everyone else draws two word cards.  Whatever their two words are becomes their product, no matter how hilarious it may sound.  They now each have to take a turn trying to "sell" you on their product.  After each has provided their "pitch," you decide which one was the most convincing.  Whoever won over the most customers wins that round.

As hilarious as it was (trust me, there is laughter from moment one), the kids really get to learn a lot about marketing-- how to promote and sell a product to others.  And, boy you have to be creative and use your imagination!!  They need to communicate well and articulate their thoughts clearly and with a 30-second limit.  Wow, learning and fun at the same time-- you know that would be a hit in our house.  I just love any type of fun, hands-on learning.

Whoever has the most customer cards by the end of the game wins!  

This game is geared to those 10+ (there is a version for younger kids, as well) and sells for $19.99. It is for 3-10 players, so it is appropriate for families of all sizes.

My kiddos really enjoyed playing this game.  I loved the fact that it was something that all 6 of us could play together and really engage with one another. 

To find Out of the Box Games on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OutoftheBoxGames

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/OTBgames

Watch this fun video on how to play Snake Oil:

This holiday season, if you are looking for a fun, family game, I would recommend Snake Oil.  To see what my colleagues how to say about this game or the version for younger children, click on the graphic below:

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TOS Review: Purposeful Design

Today I am reviewing Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation by Jay Schabacker at Purposeful Design.

Jay Schabacker, once part of the Apollo Moon Program, has created a visually stunning (a perfect coffee table book!) book that goes over the scientific principles that run our world in such a way that is compelling and easy to understand.  Mr. Schabacker provides evidence that a loving God was purposeful in this incredible design.

He takes the time to describe in detail how exact the earth is (it's tilt, rotation, etc.) and how this never varies.  It is unchanging and precise.  He explains how the seasons work and just how important each one is to our survival.  

My children were intrigued by the section on the water cycle.  71% of the earth's surface is covered by water.  If it was higher, there would be too much rain and extreme floods.  If it were less, there would too much desert and not enough rain.  Everything is so incredibly precise and it all points to an intelligent and compassionate Creator.

The book quotes Albert Einstein saying "The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."  Einstein knew that the "rules" of nature do not and have never changed.  Just the fact that there are these rules at all is a miracle in and of itself.  Schabacker tells us in the book that the second law of thermodynamics says that "the energy for useful work si (and always has been) decreasing with time."  If your child spins a top, it will slow down and stop eventually.  That is illustrative of this law.  What keeps the earth, planets, and moon moving and at the same constant speed and velocity year after year?

He also discusses the perfect tilt of the earth at 23 1/2 degrees.  Could something so perfect have happened by chance?  There are so many benefits to our earth's exact tilt-- our seasons and the changing the sun's rays in how they hit the earth's atmosphere.  If it was a 0 degree tilt, we would have no seasons.  Seeds wouldn't germinate, insects wouldn't be killed off in the winter (thus causing extremely high mortality rates due to insect infestations), etc.  How abut a 50 degree tilt?  Did you know that portions of the earth's atmosphere would get extreme "seasons" with heat of the sun 24 hours a day for up to half of the year.  It is truly mind boggling how precise, exact and perfect a 23 1/2 degree vertical tilt really is.  :-)

Another feature I loved is the downloadable curriculum that includes a workbook for students and a teacher's answer key. The teacher's guide also has certificates of completion to give to the students after each chapter.  There are discussion questions, crossword puzzles and lots of other supplemental materials, including memory verses that make it all come together for your child, no matter what age they are (the book is geared to all ages)- from youngsters to high school and adults.  

There is so much fun in this book, too.  It isn't all boring science "facts and figures."  There are questions answered like "Have you wondered how fish swim?"  and "How does ice float?"  One of my kids' favorites was "Our Purposeful Designer has a sense of Humor," especially the Piglet Squid that is the size of an avocado.  He sure is funny looking, isn't he?  :-)

There are sections on the human body, the human cell, stars, sea life and more!  Mr. Schabacker says in the introduction of the book why he wrote this book and I think it is so worthwhile to repeat here.  He said, "I have written this book because I have a passion for others-- how they are doing and how they are thinking.  And, I wish everyone would have an immensely positive view of themselves, of this world that we are in, and of others--mostly because of the understanding of our own astounding and loving creation."  Wow.

You can have this wonderful book for only $18.95, and if you request, Mr. Schabacker will autograph it for you.  My kids think it is incredibly "cool" to have a NASA Apollo enginner's autograph in his book.  :-)

Click on the graphic below to see what my colleagues on the Crew had to say about this book:

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