Holiday TV Addict - It Is True

Hi, my name is Becky and I am addicted to Holiday TV!

Yes, SHOCKING!

It is so true. I anticipate it every year and have a calendar ready to mark down my strategy for watching, taping and viewing. We plan our meals around it. Holiday viewing is a family affair! I have my favorites, my annuals, and then I try a few new ones every now and then. Many have multiple showings, so with the right plan - bam - we can have a wonderful mix of drama and comedy, color and b&w, musicals and dance numbers, old and new, the animated and the live people....I could go on and on.
We began our hot chocolate viewing in Nov. and have not looked back. We are deep into the season now and counting down the days of Christmas with the likes of ABC Family and Hallmark, and many more. (Of course we also have our Advent Calendars and Studies as a sharp contrast as well.)



Wait, what? Surprise - I found the gem of all gems for us holiday tv addicts - the blog site called "It's a Wonderful Movie". Oh yes, you can visit channel sites and watch the TV guide but this gal, she gives you the whole low down. Be sure and click HERE for the whole Christmas schedule! I signed up for email alerts and it keeps me right on schedule, giving me the 411.

She even has a few fun things around her site like the "Which Holiday Character Are You?" quiz. Below is my answer - I am like Linus, cheerful and angelically sweet!


HAVE FUN with your family, find creative and free ways to enjoy this season of hope, joy and love! Merry Christmas!

You CAN Celebrate, even with $0 budget - There Is Hope

I was there last year. We had no budget really. To add it to it, my daughter's boyfriend, who was courting her, was going to be with us. I felt so ashamed. I really beat myself up. He however, helped me to step back, breathe and see the beauty of the celebration itself. Recently, my thirteen year old son shared that last Christmas was one of his favorites, if not THE favorite! This Christmas, when we had to scramble eggs and make some microwave bacon moments before heading to Christmas Eve service? This Christmas, where many gifts were things we owned and were giving away to each other? This was my son's favorite? How could this be?

My point, several online friends have voiced there hurt and fear about this 2011 season. I know what you are feeling. I know those fears. I know the way you batter yourself because you feel like you are not measuring up. I understand that jealousy and covetness can creep in, even anger. I hear you. I feel you. So does your God.
Let Him guide you to frugal and resourceful ways you can share His love this Christmas.

Now I will share a few ideas and links that may spark an idea for you:

First, I want to mention that there are many blogs and companies doing giveaways. This is a way to earn some free gifts for loved ones. I just won a WWII video the other day for my son and husband.

I also have found some great DIY sites and shared those with my newly married daughter. She has made so many beautiful gifts and Holiday decor from things she had on hand. Ex: she took a coat hanger and an old book and made a very hip/retro wreath that she hung on her wall. She then had an old frame and put that around the wreath. It looks amazing and she did not spend a penny!

This Craft Site has a daily newsletter and what seems an endless amount of ideas!

Once again, here is the link for free schedules and information about ?Holiday programming. You can make these very special by watching as a family. Have holiday snacks and treats you have made. Make some Hot Chocolate and add a candy cane and some marshmallows to everyone's liking. Maybe everyone could watch in their pj's and snuggle inside sleeping bags. The ideas are endless. We often will do something special together while watching a holiday program, each evening before devotion time. This has become a treasured tradition that even Daddy looks forward too. Our daughter who is now married mentioned how she misses not being here to do this with us. some nights she calls and checks in during a show in order to feel closer.

How about mixing up a great snack mix? these usually begin with Chex cereal. Here is the site to many recipes from Chex!

Look for free events in your hometown or county. Look for Church's offering free concerts and plays. These bring alive the reason for the season! Also look online for free activities you can do as a family. Here is a link my children loved to visit when they were younger: North Pole

With prayer and creativity you can still celebrate the season. Yes, it will look different than years past, but it might just turn out to be the best Christmas ever! If you want more links or have questions, feel free to contact me.
Also be sure and see free links I shared in the posts on Advent. May you have a blessed and festive season, a holy season, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and His amazing Love that came down. Embrace love and hope this Holiday season, and it will be the best you ever had!

Freebies to Enjoy

I had offered to share a favorite freebie list back in Sept. but life circumstances kept me from seeing that offer through to fruition. I want to make good, per say.
We will start with Unit Studies and then I will post separately free resources for each subject and some other great free finds. I will do my best to post these on Friday's as many look for freebies on that day.



A new favorite place to glean ideas from is GuestHollow.com. Here you can find free Units, schedules and plans for all subjects, free printables, and helpful links. I adore her graphics.

Unit Studies:

I was able to use these as a resource even into Middle School. We have gathered Units in whole or gathered information and links and created our own.

You can find many resources at Heart of Wisdom for Unit studies.

Homeschool Share
Easy Fun School
Highland Heritage Homeschool

Check out this "Star Wars" Unit from Bella Online

One place I have been gathering alot from, for my son's education, is from Simply Charlotte Mason. This is a real treasure trove if you are using the CM method in any form. Most CM families are all CM are none, but we eclectics differ on that. We have our own groove here but I find this site very helpful.

I cannot do a list of Unit Study helpful links without listing Amanda Bennett. While not a freebie site, her units are very affordable and are fantastic! We have used and reviewed several of them. If you are wanting a laid out Unit Study that is affordable, this is the number one place to go, in my opinion.

Lastly, a huge part of our homeschool lessons came and still come from links, ideas, and information gathered from Tapestry of Grace supporting links list for each year! Find the time period you are in, click that cover. It takes you to the home page of that year. Then look on the right and you will see the link for supporting links. Just about every subject is covered. I create our studies and lessons from these. Fantastic resource!!!! A real favorite!

Well these are just a few of the many free resources you will find on the net. Keep searching, hope this list helps a bit. Blessings, and have a festive week!

Our Advent - Week One

We have been celebrating the Advent season since Sunday when our church kicked off the season. Candles were lit as a reading was done, and there was special music and a special sermon. We have a church wide prayer and scripture guide for each day of the week. This week we were focusing on being "Proclaimers". The prayers challenged our son and I. My husband challenged his choir to be more aware of those around them that may be hurting this holiday season and just need someone to take some time for them. My son and I discussed ways we could proclaim God's love and message of hope more. We discussed ways we already do, like through the blog, openly sharing with those who visit our home for any reason, talking with people as we wait in lines, etc...

We also began opening the doors on our Advent Calenders. We have two this year. One is an old embellished paper calender from my childhood. Each door of the jolly winter scene opens to share scriptures from Jesus' birth. Our son reads these aloud to us. The other was bought in Germany at Epcot this year. It is a traditional German Advent Calender with the nativity scene. Behind each door is a chocolate surprise. The young lady who checked us out looked very much like me at 20 and made my husband chuckle. I didn't quite catch it till I later looked at a picture in the hall of me at that age, at home. Anyway, we enjoy these little traditions and the anticipation they ignite.

Another part of our Advent Journey, has been using Ann Voskamp's "A Jesus Advent Celebration" which she has been offering as a free download at her site, "A Holy Experience". This study is a Jesse Tree study. Ms. Voskamp does wonderful bringing the message to life, and using words to ignite the soul. We have literally met with Jesus each day for a few quiet moments in the hustle and bustle these short days bring. Today all got quiet as our son sang "Away in a Manger". I got chills as I could feel the saviour's delight in this thirteen year old's passionate heart and gift of worship, at this moment. It felt like heaven came down to our little school room. We have looked at how life began as a love story, and continues to be one. We were challenged to create something out of love. Our son is making Mama an ornament.
I baked my husband's favorite cookies and had them waiting hot for him has he came home from work. We were reminded that everyday God is with us and often is whispering, "Where are you?" I could tell this was getting to my son's soul as he thought about God always being with him, Jesus enveloping him, literally wearing Jesus! That is empowering and humbling all at the same time. Today we were reminded that we are saved! We read the story of Noah. We thought about the rain being the tears of our King, our Creator, our Saviour. We thought about the rainbow being a visual picture of God's love, as if that rainbow stretching across the sky is God's arms reaching out to hug us, to rescue us. These are powerful lessons! Nothing is more important to learn.

Our challenge for today was to do something that would please God. Once again our son, rises to the challenge, or I should say had rose. He had already accomplished this, as he worked hard and diligently on the house today helping me. Never a complaint, only "Yes Mam", and doing the job till it was done right. This included doing some work that had been designated for his Dad. Last night, he told Dad, "I got it. I will do it tomorrow for Mom. Don't worry about it. You've been working hard." Sure enough this afternoon, that boy carried up the stairs six large boxes and placed them in the right rooms for when I can get myself up there. remember, with my illness, going up stairs has a huge negative effect on not only my heart
but my whole body. I only go up when I stay up there for hours and get everything done in one sweep. In between my times, the boys do their best. Getting these Christmas boxes back up to storage and other boxes of decorations for the rooms upstairs was an important job that I needed someone to do. these boxes were crowding the hallway and were a hazard. Our son's willingness to help without being asked, obeying us and respecting us pleases God! I asked Anthony to stop and think about the fact that the Creator of all things had stopped for a moment and watched what Anthony was doing, and He was delighted, smiling like a proud Daddy. now, that is beautiful! That brings me the joy of the season!

* This post is part of a meme hosted by "Day by Day In Our World" and
"A House upon the Rock", I hope you will visit them.