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Christmas Clearance!
 Little Ones Plush Nativity Set
 Christmas Countdown
 The Legend of the Three Trees (Book & DVD)
 A Christmas Carol (Charm & Book
 To Bethlehem We Go (Peg Puzzle Book
 Santa, Are You For Real?
 Olive Wood Ornaments, pack of 8 mixed
 Come Let Us Adore Him: Stories Behind the Most Cherished Christmas Hymns
 The Christmas Story
 Nativity Ornaments. 12 Ornaments
 The Animals' First Christmas
 Little Advent Calendar Sticker Activity
 Tomie Depaola's Make Your Own Christmas Cards
 Little Ones Plush Nativity Set
 Christmas Countdown
 The Legend of the Three Trees (Book & DVD)
 A Christmas Carol (Charm & Book
 To Bethlehem We Go (Peg Puzzle Book
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A Bethlehem Supper— A Christmas Eve Tradition
Enjoy a taste of the real night before the Savior was born with this Bethlehem Supper. It is quick and easy to prepare, a boon for mom when things can otherwise be quite hectic. The simple foods are a refreshing taste change from the rich holiday foods. Eating what Joseph and Mary may have eaten transports us to a different time and experience, and keeps us more mindful of our Savior's birth. It also makes a meaningful prelude to reading the chapter in Luke or re-enacting the nativity.
You can create a very simple supper or a more elaborate experience. Here's some things we have done:
*Play instrumental folk music from Israel in the background.
*Dress up in robes and sandals, pretending you are travelers at an inn in Bethlehem.
*Set the scene with palm fronds, oil lamps, simple pottery or wooden dishes, small earthtone candles (no electric lights).
*Have guests wash their hands in a large bowl with a pitcher of water before eating.
*Sit on the floor on blankets or pillows and use a low table for the food. If you are very courageous or don't have little ones, you can spread the tablecloth right on the floor.
At the time Jesus was born, the large meal of the day may have included wheat bread, cheese, vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils and eggs. Fish or chicken was the most common meat. Beef and lamb were served only on special occasions (the fatted calf at the return of the prodigal son). Pork and seafoods such as crab, lobster or shrimp were forbidden. Food was boiled in a big pot seasoned with onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, mint, dill or mustard, and salt. Sweets included wild honey, dates and grapes. Food was eaten by dipping fingers into a common bowl.
Here are some menu ideas to choose from:
Flatbread
Hummus (recipe below)
Fish sticks
Goat cheese (called "feta")
Olives
Raw veggie tray with dip
Cheese and cracker platter
Pomegranates
Braided Jewish bread
Grape juice or grapes
Tomato and cucumber salad
Soup
Dates and figs (can twist a few in gold tissue paper and put by each place setting as a treat)
Orange slices
Enjoy!
Make your own, try these easy recipes:
Hummus—Middle Eastern Sandwich Spread
To make a Middle Eastern sandwich, open a half pita and spread hummus inside. Then add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions if you like, and drizzle with yogurt and cumin. Very delicious, healthy and authentic.
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, or 1 can (15 oz.) drained (reserve liquid)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 small clove of garlic
Dash of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding a bit of cooking liquid (or liquid from canned beans) if needed to make a thick dip. Spread on pita bread, crackers, or use as a dip for vegetables. Serves 8.
Pita Bread
Easy to make, magical to watch puff up in the oven, and delicious to serve with hummus, above.
1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 cups warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup white wheat flour (see page 31, or whole wheat)
Sesame seeds
Put warm water in a mixing bowl with yeast. Stir in salt and enough flour to make a stiff dough. This may be a bit more or less. Knead dough until smooth. Cover and let rise. Break off a walnut sized ball of dough and roll out on a floured surface until 1/4" thickness, or pat them quite thin patty-cake style. When pita is formed, you may press it onto a plate of sesame seeds if you like. Lay gently on cookie sheet, without touching. To insure that they bubble up, forming a pocket, preheat hot oven before putting pitas in to bake. Bake at 450* for about 8 minutes. They should not brown or get crisp, but should still be soft. Makes 6 pitas.
(from Hopkins' Healthy Home Cooking)
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Love to Learn! Homeschool Handbook
Your Guide to Setting Up a Homeschool, Selecting Resources, and Joyfully Educating Your Children

Need homeschool help?
Diane Hopkins has been reviewing and testing homeschool products for over 20 years and you can benefit from her experience. In this comprehensive guidebook, each grade of school is detailed with the best-on-the-market in curriculum for your homeschool and notes added on how to use these resources! Set up your school schedule, learn how to get your kids to take charge of getting their schoolwork done, and how to make your homeschool fun and meaningful. Reproducible forms are included.
Large, spiral-bound book introduces you to the 7 Hopkins children, and shows you how she taught and raised them homeschooling: the mistakes she made along with the successes. Full of family photos, personal stories, and wisdom—this volume will give you the help you need to get enthused, get organized and get going! More details and sample pages, click here!
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I've chosen some of my favorite kitchen products to offer you below. You'll be on your way to freedom from the grocery store!
 *WonderMill I highly recommend this investment in your family's health!
 *Wonder Junior Hand Grain Mill Want to grind it by hand? The highest quality, most versatile hand mill available!
 *Chocolate Stevita Delight Enjoy no-sugar, real chocolate sweet treats!
Here's what I like for the Love of Liberty:
  *The Patriot's Handbook
A fabulous collection of source documents read on CD. Wonderful!
 *A More Perfect Union DVD My favorite movie on the founding of our nation—inspiring!
 *Take Your Hat Off When the Flag Goes By A wonderful "short-course" in the making of our nation, set to song for kids.
 *Learning the Bill of Rights in Minutes
Knowing our rights is vital to our freedom. Even kids can learn them quick!
 *American History Stories You Never Read in School . . . But Should Have! Fascinating, true, little-known stories from America's founding.
Hi!
I am Diane Hopkins, mother of 7 children (ages 14 to 34) whom I have had the privilege of homeschooling over the past 23 years. I'm a mom, just like you, and have those fabulous days and those not-so-good days like we all do. My hope in writing is to share experiences, and hopefully we can encourage one another in this wonderful, intense adventure of childraising--that is really what homeschooling is, after all.
Hoping to help, if I can!
Love, Diane
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