This Simple Home

Homemade Magic Shell

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Sat, 26 May 2018 23:01:00 +0000

I remember having Magic Shell once as a child. The chocolate syrup drizzled over my ice cream magically turned crispy hard. Mmm...

So I was rather excited to see this simple recipe for homemade Magic Shell. And of course I gave it a try.

Yes, the homemade Magic Shell ice cream topping really does taste delicious and it hardens on the ice cream in a crunch, sweet, chocolaty shell!

Make your own by placing 1 cup chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a small, microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat heating and stirring every 15-30 second until melted. Cool for five minutes. Pour over ice cream and serve.

ENJOY!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small percentage at no cost to you. Thank you!
~ Annette
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How to Make Butter Slime

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 20:39:00 +0000

My daughter has been asking to make butter slime. With a very successful second and third tries (not first), we thought we'd share this butter slime recipe with you.

If you've never heard of butter slime, you might be wondering how it's different than other slimes. This recipe for butter slime doesn't feel wet like regular slime. With that dryness, it is also matte. Instead of dripping through your hands, you can form shapes with it.

Butter Slime Recipe

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons white glue
3 tablespoons shaving cream (not gel...trust me)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
food coloring any color
2 1/2-3 teaspoons contact solution

Directions:
1. Place the glue in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Carefully add the shaving cream. It foams up very quickly and will end up being rounded tablespoons of shaving cream. Stir these together.
2. Add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. Stir.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of warm (not hot) water. Stir.
4. (Clean and dry tablespoon if using the same measuring spoon.) Add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir very well. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl well.
5. Add food coloring of your choice. Stir.
6. Add 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of contact solution. Stir well and then use your hands to mix the butter slime together. If it is still sticky, add a few drops of contact lens solution.
7. Have fun with your butter slime!

Store butter slime in an airtight container.

If you are curious what butter slime looks like in action, I found this video helpful, but did add a bit more contact solution than suggested.

If you have a 5-12 year old, I would definitely recommend this butter slime recipe. My 11-year-old pretty much made the butter slime herself and was very pleased to make a second batch to share with her brother and sister. (And that, in itself, is wonderful!)

~ Annette
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Easy Thanksgiving Meal Prep

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 15:03:00 +0000

This year we'll have some of my family visiting for Thanksgiving. Since they're traveling from about five hours away and leaving at the wee hours of the morning I didn't ask them to bring anything for the meal. (But I'm super grateful my sister offered to bring an apple pie.) We look forward to spending the next few days with them.

In the meantime, I think I have finally figured out how to make preparing a Thanksgiving meal, with plenty of sides, a lot easier.

1. Gather your recipes.
Have all of your recipes ready to use. If you use the internet for them, have the printed out. You don't want to have to look up any recipes or even how long to roast the turkey when you're knee-deep in Thanksgiving meal prep.

This year I tried something different. I put all of my Thanksgiving recipes into one document. Using the "landscape" format with three columns, all of my recipes fit on one (front and back) piece of paper. After printing it, I laminated it, just like I did for all my recipes years ago.

(I desperately need to update those laminated recipe cards! Since I prefer to use mostly the same recipes that I know we like, this method works for me. However, I have 20-30 new recipes to add to my recipe sheets.)

2. Prep some dishes the day before.
Typically I only prepare the breads and desserts in advance. However, this morning I prepared the cheese sauce for broccoli casserole, the sweet potato casserole (minus the nuts), the sausage stuffing (celery, onion, sausage), and the corn bread pudding.

I placed all of the prepped food in baggies or bowls instead of baking dishes. I did this for two reasons: My fridge only holds so much and these stack and smoosh easier than baking dishes. Also, I prefer my baking dishes to be room temperature, even if the food isn't when I bake it. (I do plan to take the cold items from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking to get them closer to room temperature.)

It may not look like much, but it will save me a lot of time tomorrow morning!

3. Decide which baking/serving dishes will be used.
I cleared off my counter and brought out a lot of my serving and baking dishes. Using sticky notes, I determined which dish will be used for which food. It works for me.

My husband's grandparents used to have turkeys on their farm. Grandma gave me some tips on how to prep the turkey-especially when there are always some ice in the cavity. Read about Grandma's frozen turkey tips here.

You may be wondering when I'll bake all of my side dishes when the turkey doesn't share the oven. I have taken the turkey out of the oven and still had it steaming HOT two hours later. Read how to keep your turkey hot for hours here.

Thanks so much for stopping by This Simple Home! If you want to know what I'm up to with my writing these days, visit www.AnnetteWhipple.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Annette
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Remember the Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 15:27:00 +0000

September 11.

These figures sit above my kitchen sink. They serve as daily reminder to pray for the police, first responders, and military men and women who serve this country.

We have much to be grateful for.

I must admit these action figures were not my own idea. My local print shop offers the figures to patrons as a reminder to remember and pray for those who serve our communities and country.

~ Annette
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My New Books

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 11:08:00 +0000

Last August my first book was published. This month two more of my books were published by Rourke Educational Media. They were a lot fun to research and write about.

Flowers Book Description:

Flowers are more than just decoration. They have an important job. But they can't always do it alone. Find out more about the work of flowers, how they attract help, and how they help plant species survive.

Flowers

(Amazon links are affiliates at no extra cost to you.)

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Soil Book Description:

Soil hides most of the time, but it's important. Dig into the layers of soil and learn how it is made. Find out how soil helps plants and other living things thrive. Are you ready to get your hands dirty?

Soil

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

If you want to keep up with my writing adventures, subscribe to my newsletter and/or like my author page on Facebook. (Just keep in mind if you don't like or comment posts on Facebook they'll show you fewer posts.)

A lot of people ask me how I became an author. The short answer is that the first book was an assignment. I wrote a detailed post about getting my first book published here.

Others want to know how they can best support authors (myself or others). Please consider requesting your public library order the books your favorite authors write. Then be sure to borrow them, too. Consider buying a book either for yourself or as a gift for another. Telling others about the books is always helpful, whether in real life or on social media. If the author provides school visits, tell your PTO and school principal. All of these things support authors!

My publisher sent me these bookmarks this week. They will be given to children at upcoming events! I laughed when I opened the flap and saw my face there.

Thanks so much for reading about this new writing journey. It's been fun!

~ Annette
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Homemade Owl Pellet Dissection Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 13:59:00 +0000

Children love to know how things work including nature. They can explore owls and the food chain with a hands-on owl pellet dissection kit. You can purchase these or create one. I actually made this homemade owl pellet kit as a birthday gift for a girl who loves owls.

Below are some simple instructions to help a child dissect an owl pellet by him or herself.

Skillet Meatloaf Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 18:21:00 +0000

Maybe my mom made meatloaf when I was a child, but I don't remember it. Any time I had it as a teen, I disliked it. Maybe I just needed to wait for the right recipe.

However, I like meatloaf now, as does my family. My easy meatloaf recipe is moist and delicious. Today I'm sharing my quick skillet meatloaf recipe. I found the recipe in my family recipe book. It's a great recipe! It's fast. It's moist. And most importantly, it is delicious...even with all those vegetables in there. (You might recall I am not a fan of veggies...)

I don't measure the carrots and celery precisely. In fact, I even left out the celery at least once. I use whatever crackers I have on hand. Sometimes it's Saltines. Other times it is Ritz. I think one of the strengths of this recipe is its flexibility. It's also nice to have a meatloaf fully cooked in thirty minutes!

My children saw the vegetables in this skillet meatloaf and didn't think they'd like it. However, they all liked it and some even asked for seconds. (Sorry for the photo quality.)

Skillet Meatloaf
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 sleeve crushed crackers (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard (optional)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 pounds lean ground beef

Combine eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix in saltines, celery, carrots, and onion. Add beef and mix well. Place in a 10 or 12-inch skillet and form a large patty. Top with additional mustard or ketchup, if desired.

Cover. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook 15-20 additional minutes (to 160°). Drain any fat and let stand a few minutes before serving.

Thanks, Aunt Janice, for another great recipe!

~ Annette
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Washington, D.C. Family Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 01:08:00 +0000

With Washington, D.C. only a couple of hours away, our family took an overnight trip to our nation's capitol. It was highly educational, but more than that, we had a lot of fun.

For some background, we don't vacation much. We visit family overnight regularly and go to family camp each summer for a week, but we don't venture into new adventures too often. Our children are ages 10, 8, and 5. The children were beyond thrilled at the idea of a trip into D.C.

We left on a Friday morning when my children's school had off for a teachers' in-service. It was snowing. It wasn't long before the snow changed to rain as my husband drove us toward the city. We went to Greenbelt to take the Metro subway into the Washington, D.C.

It was raining and sleeting when we arrived in our nation's capitol. We happily walked to our first stop of the day: The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Continue Reading »

News from Annette

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 02:38:00 +0000

Maybe you've observed my absence from this blog. Or maybe, you're a bit like me, and you're too busy to notice.

Though I'm not blogging regularly, I am certainly staying busy writing. My first book was published in August. I love writing nonfiction for children!

This month I turned in manuscripts for two children's nonfiction books. They'll be published later this year. I also have a couple of programs in the near future. One is about the creative calling. The others are presentations to celebrate the 150th birthday of Laura Ingalls Wilder. (See my schedule here.) Over at Little House Companion, I've shared how you can prepare for your own Laura Ingalls Wilder event in a series of blog posts.

And of course I still take care of my family and volunteer in my community. There's never a dull moment!

If you want to stay up to date with me, it might be best to sign up for my newsletter or be in touch through Facebook.

Thanks for reading This Simple Home!
~ Annette
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10 Gifts for Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Some professions and hobbies become a person's identity. Writers fit into this category. Based on this past Christmas and my personal wishlist, here are some gift ideas for writers. I think many of these would also be great for bloggers.

1. Good Office Chair
A comfortable office chair makes all the difference when one spends hours sitting at a desk.

We had an office chair, but I avoided it. Once I started writing books, I knew I needed to use my desk. The old office chair went to the basement and I used a dining room chair. I was quite content with it, but I was quite excited for the office chair my husband chose for me as a Christmas gift.

2. Writing Conference
Send your writer to a conference. They'll make friends and connections and understand the publishing world much better. They'll come away inspired and a better writer.

I wasn't sure if there was a conference out there tailored to me as a children's nonfiction writer. My first writing conference was the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference. It was there I met my editor for my recently released book and my two upcoming books. (It would also be great for illustrators and editors.) I can also heartily recommend the Highlights Foundation. I attended the Nuts and Bolts of Science Writing workshop. They were both right in my writing niche. At the Montrose Christian Writer's Conference I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned that applied to me though not many classes were specifically for children's nonfiction writers.

Jesse Tree and The Jesus Storybook Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 15:49:00 +0000

A Jesse tree is a visual celebration which connects the Old Testament to the arrival of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. A Jesse tree can also be used as an Advent calendar.

The name comes from Isaiah 11:1.

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."

Celebrating Birthdays

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 16:37:00 +0000

Welcome to October! October is always busy for us with the three children's birthdays. Add to that football for Big Sister and Brother, community activities, school activities, and everything else, and we're busy.

So how do we celebrate three birthdays that take place in the span of one week?

Dinner and Dessert

Birthday Kid chooses the dinner and dessert menu for their birthday. This is their chance to really have what they want for dinner. Here are this year's choices.

Big Sister, age 10: Velveeta Shells and Cheese with apple pie. (A side note: It has probably been two or three years since we had Shells and Cheese. She hasn't forgotten it!)
Brother, age 8: Andre's Pizza with peanut butter swirl brownies.
Little Sister, age 5: Cheeseburgers and a giant cookie cake. This is incredibly easy and delicious!

A Party

The kids don't have parties every year. In fact, Big Sister turns ten this month and she's having her second friend party. (Her first party was a Little House party.) When the Birthday Kid has a party, they get to help choose a theme and activities. Last year, Brother had a LEGO party. (And no, I didn't blog about it.) Big Sister chose a Star Wars theme for this year.

All of our family lives hours away, so we don't have a family party. However, my mother-in-law visits every year for a birthday. (Often my father-in-law joins us, too.)

We try to keep it simple while celebrating the children's uniqueness!

What's your favorite way to celebrate a birthday?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small percentage at no cost to you. Thank you!
~ Annette
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Chicken Roll-Up Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Knowing how much our family likes our bacon cheeseburger roll-up, I decided to create a chicken and broccoli roll-up recipe. I've made this chicken roll-up a few times now and thought it was time to share it with you. You can use canned pizza crust or a 20-minute (total) bread dough recipe for the roll-up, depending on your time constraints and preferences.

Chicken and Broccoli Roll-Up Recipe

Little Women Marmee Quote

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

As a girl, I read Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. I thought it was a good book.

A good book must be read more than once.

As a young adult, I identified with Jo March more than I remembered.

As a newly married woman, I understood Meg's romance and homemaking struggles.

As a mother, I appreciate Marmee's wisdom and honesty in parenting.

Marmee was the picture of patience and wisdom. She confessed, "I am angry nearly every day of my life, Jo, but I've learned not to show it. And I still hope not to feel it."

Marmee's confession provided Jo the hope she needed. She needed to know she wasn't alone. Understanding her mother's struggles helped her to manage her own.
Continue Reading »

Nonfiction Author School Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Teaching excites some of us. Since I am no longer a classroom teacher by profession, I look for opportunities to teach. One way I teach is through writing and volunteering. But I also get to teach through school visits. On my blog Little House Companion, I shared about Laura Ingalls Wilder beyond her Little House years. As you might be able to tell from the photographs, Sharing about Laura Ingalls Wilder's adult life was lots of fun. Then I had the chance to get a group of first graders excited about writing nonfiction. It was a fun nonfiction author school visit!

These first graders were nonfiction authors themselves, so I began by talking about authors and nonfiction writing.

We talked about how to go from an idea to a published book. Though first graders don't edit to the extent a fifth or eleventh grader does, it's still important for them to understand the proofreading process. This particular school uses the acronym of PUFF in kindergarten and first grade. It works!

I also went on to talk about the publishing process. It excited them to understand the similarities between their published books and mine. The first graders even had a sneak-peak of my book (affiliate link) about to be released!

The first graders' teachers really had these kids prepared for nonfiction. Based on their comments, I think my school visit excited them to write more of their own nonfiction, too!

I'm now booking presentations for the 2016-2017 school year. This school year I am limited to parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. Learn more about my pioneer workshops and nonfiction author visits at my website.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small percentage at no cost to you. Thank you!
~ Annette
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Coming Soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 20:21:00 +0000

Readers, thank you for sticking with me these past months when I updated infrequently. I do appreciate it!

I wanted to let you know I plan to update This Simple Home more frequently. Coming soon: More home and family posts are coming your way!

If you aren't interested in clicking over to the blog or relying on the rather unreliable Facebook to tell you about new posts, be sure to sign up to get blog posts directly in your inbox. You can also sign up for my newsletter. I appreciate your support!

(If you like This Simple Home on Facebook, just keep in mind Facebook only shows posts to a few people who like the page. For me it's usually 5-10%. But I still appreciate when you like it!)

~ Annette
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How to Talk about Addiction with Tweens

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 23:29:00 +0000

Kate Messner's new children's book, The Seventh Wish, is about Irish dancing, ice fishing, and a magical fish who grants wishes. But it's also about heroin addiction.

By some standards, our family is quite conservative. Sometimes we shelter our children from life's yuck. Sometimes we talk about it and live it. Other times we cannot protect our children, even when we want to. So it may surprise you how much I appreciate The Seventh Wish as a children's book.

Continue Reading »

Parenting: Not What I Expected

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 20:40:00 +0000

After all that rain and cool temperatures, it’s finally feeling like summer! School is nearly out!

My three children will be home with me all summer. We’re looking forward to swim lessons, overnight family camp, and a new week of science and engineering camp taught by a friend and me. I'm also going to a writing conference for a week. And lots of relaxing and down time. I don't look forward to every bit of summer though.

Please keep reading for a bit of an announcement, too!

Big Sister enjoyed the water last summer.

Last summer, I realized just how hard down time can be for the children and me. My children like to be entertained. They do play by themselves for a while, but eventually the bickering begins. With three children, this may be inevitable, but I know it’s more frequent in this home than in many others.What's worse is the direct disobedience. This all drives me crazy. I respond. And not with grace and love.

Continue Reading »

Updated Privacy Policy

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Tue, 24 May 2016 14:27:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

This note is to update you on This Simple Home's Privacy Policy and Disclosures. You can read the complete policy here. You can find it linked in the footer at www.ThisSimpleHome.com. Please contact me if you have any questions at annettemwhipple[at]gmail[dot]com. However, do not contact me to ask if I need your services. I do not.

I take your privacy very seriously. I never share your personal information with others without your permission. Subscribers, if you would no longer like to receive emails, please unsubscribe. If you are interested in receiving new blog posts in your inbox, you can subscribe here. If you are interested in subscribing to my author newsletter, please subscribe here. As always, unsubscribe at any time.

Thanks so much!
~ Annette

Oven-Fried Chicken Strips Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Thu, 05 May 2016 19:01:00 +0000

I've oven-fried pork chops and chicken breasts before, but the seasonings and butter come together in this recipe for a dazzling taste that pleases adults and children alike. The first time I made these oven-fried chicken strips my husband asked if I had fried them. I knew what he meant and explained they were fried in butter in the oven. Since then, I have changed the recipe a little. We all love it. My nine-year-old has even requested leftovers in her lunch at school. Get ready to pin this one and share it!

Oven-Fried Chicken Strips

3-4 chicken breasts
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk*
1 tablespoon vinegar

1. Place vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup to the one-cup line with milk. Let sit for five minutes to make buttermilk.
2. Cut chicken breasts into 3 or 4 pieces each. Place in a large bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Chill for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. Melt butter in your baking dish in the preheating oven. When melted, cover the entire bottom of the pan with butter.
5. Place seasoned salt, pepper, paprika, and flour in a large zippered bag. Shake to mix it. (Or skip the bag and mix in a bowl.)
6. Shake extra buttermilk from chicken breast. Place in the bag and shake to cover in the flour mixture (or dip in the bowl). Place in the baking dish after butter has completely melted.
7. Bake for 40 minutes. Flip each breast after baking for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Please note:
If you want to use 5 or 6 chicken breasts, I would recommend doubling the dry ingredients and dividing 1/2 cup of butter between two 9x13 pans.

*If you have buttermilk handy, use buttermilk and skip the vinegar. I cook from my pantry, so I always make my own buttermilk.

This chicken strip recipe is quite easy, though there are quite a few steps. I promise, it's worth it! This chicken recipe was inspired by this one.

Have you signed up for my author newsletter yet? I hope you will! Please sign up here.

Thanks so much!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small percentage at no cost to you. Thank you!
~ Annette
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Easy French Onion Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 20:48:00 +0000

Until I learned to make them myself, I typically ordered one of two things in a restaurant: french dip or french onion soup. I make my french dip recipe in the slow-cooker. In my opinion, it's at least as good (and often better) than what I've had in restaurants. This easy french onion soup recipe is incredibly easy and simply GOOD. I hope you'll give it a try.

French Onion Soup Recipe

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced thin
1 box beef broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices french bread, toasted
4 slices provolone cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large pot, brown onions in oil and butter. Stir frequently. When onions are transparent add broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium/medium-high heat. Once boiling, lower temperature and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Add cheese and bread, layering. Broil for a few minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned. (If your bowls are not broiler-safe, bake at 400° for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

Tips:
When making this french onion soup recipe, I have forgotten to add the Parmesan cheese. I've substituted American cheese for provolone plenty of times. I have also toasted regular bread in a pinch when I didn't have french bread. It's really an adaptable recipe!

This french onion soup recipe was originally posted on my old blog. When I made it this winter for a friend and me to enjoy over lunch, I knew I needed to share it here. It really is easy to make.

Most of my recipes are easy and family friendly. I hope you'll check them out!
~ Annette
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4 Ways to Use Resurrection Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 15:08:00 +0000

Resurrection eggs use plastic eggs and small objects to tell the Easter story. A dozen eggs are filled with different objects. Each object acts as a reminder of one part of Jesus' story. Below are three ways to use resurrection eggs.

Make Resurrection Eggs Together

Older children will appreciate the process of making a set of resurrection eggs. Use a marker or stickers to number the eggs. Have the child look up the Bible verses. Maybe they'll find a different object to represent the verse!

Introduce Resurrection Eggs One Egg at a Time

Some people like to take twelve days to teach the Easter story. They would begin twelve days before Easter and open one egg each day with a child. This allows for more focus on each of the twelve parts to Jesus' story. Before introducing the new resurrection egg and object each day, be certain to review the previous parts of the story.

Vocabulary Parade Costumes

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 19:54:00 +0000

Each year our school asks the children to enrich their vocabulary by creating a vocabulary parade costume. Then the children walk around the hallways checking out others' costumes. Some costumes are truly clever!

Students in grades K-2 make the vocabulary parade costumes at home with parental guidance. The older students take in supplies and create their costumes at school. I must admit it's a challenge to guide the children without taking over at home.

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Whipple) — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 14:00:00 +0000

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!

~ Annette
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This Simple Home

Homemade Magic Shell

How to Make Butter Slime

Easy Thanksgiving Meal Prep

Remember the Heroes

My New Books

Homemade Owl Pellet Dissection Kit

Skillet Meatloaf Recipe

Washington, D.C. Family Trip

News from Annette

10 Gifts for Writers

Jesse Tree and The Jesus Storybook Bible

Celebrating Birthdays

Dinner and Dessert

A Party

Chicken Roll-Up Recipe

Chicken and Broccoli Roll-Up Recipe

Little Women Marmee Quote

Nonfiction Author School Visit

Coming Soon...

How to Talk about Addiction with Tweens

Parenting: Not What I Expected

Updated Privacy Policy

Oven-Fried Chicken Strips Recipe

Oven-Fried Chicken Strips

Easy French Onion Soup Recipe

French Onion Soup Recipe

4 Ways to Use Resurrection Eggs

Make Resurrection Eggs Together

Introduce Resurrection Eggs One Egg at a Time

Vocabulary Parade Costumes

Top 10 Posts of 2015

Merry Christmas!