Merry Christmas!

Topics for December 2006 Newsletter

Top Three Tips

Time Out Corner

Children's Enrichment Project

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Moms' Section

December's Top Three Random Tips for Busy Homeschooling Moms:

1) Simple Meal Planning: Slow Cooker Recipe: Fast/Nutritious Chicken Supper
(4 servings)
--4 boneless chicken breasts
--10 3/4 oz. can of cream of chicken or celery or mushroom soup
--1/3 cup milk
--1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix and seasonings
--1 2/3 cup water

1. Put chicken in slow cooker.
2. Mix soup and milk. Pour over chicken.
3. Mix stuffing, seasoning packet and water. Spoon over chicken.
4. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

2) Festive (but fast and easy) Yard Decorating: Find a large wooden basket--the kind in which grocery stores display fruit. Spray paint it white. Fill it with fresh or fake evergreens or pine cones. (I crumple up plastic trash bags and conceal them in the bottom to make the arrangement appear fuller while using fewer branches and/or cones.)

Hang the basket on a shepherd's hook or directly on a fence using a black hanger. On the top (of the basket handle, hanger or hook), tie a big red bow made from indoor/outdoor material.

3) Quick Cleaning: Getting ready for the holidays? Keep Candleholders Clean
*Melted wax won't stick as easily if you first rub the holders with a little petroleum jelly.
* Pour a little water into the holder. Then insert candle. Wax stub can be removed easily.
*Make candles drip less by soaking them in a strong saltwater solution for a few hours.(suggestions from Haley's Cleaning Hints)

Time Out Corner: We Moms need a short time out each day. Here are weekly movie suggestions for you and your husband to snuggle up, relax and enjoy.

• It's a Wonderful Life

• Scrooge

• Sound of Music

• White Christmas

Children's Section

Enrichment Activity: Enrichment Idea: Make Cards for Others

To encourage generosity and thoughtfulness--

• Match white cardstock with envelopes (You can buy pre-made blank cards or cut the paper to size.)
• Find several small cuttings of an evergreen, pine, spruce, etc. that fit on the card.
• Cover workspace with newspaper.
• Brush the cutting with green tempera paint.
• Press it, paint side down, onto the front of the card.
• Use a pencil eraser dipped in red (or other colors) paint to make berries or ornaments.
• Top the "tree" with a gold or silver star.
• Create a snowy look by splattering the print with a toothbrush dipped in white paint.
• Write your Christmas message inside.

We love your ideas and comments. Please send us 1) your suggestions for book/movie reviews, 2) any special tips or shortcuts that you would like to share with fellow homeschoolers, 3) any and all other comments/suggestions.

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