20 Best Tips

Puffed Caramel Corn Recipe

Dec162014
December 16, 2014 by 5 Comments

Caramel corn is one of our family’s Christmas favorites, both to munch on and bag as gifts for friends and family. It’s typically the first thing we bake as a part of our Christmas goodies and something the kids are forever sneaking bites of.

puffed caramel corn recipe

This year though, there’s a girl in our house who has been missing out on that tradition thanks to her braces (big no-no on the list from our orthodontist). BUT we found something that is a yummy substitute and has made that girl SUPER happy – puffed corn.

IMG_2702

Instead of using regular air popped corn, when the puffed corn is covered with the same yummy caramel sauce and baked, it is so every bit as tasty as our regular caramel corn.

While I don’t often share recipes here, this puffed caramel corn recipe just seemed like one you all might enjoy. Keep in mind that this isn’t a staple in our house – or we’d all be in big trouble with the dentist (and our waistline), but oh my – so good!

Puffed Caramel Corn Recipe

  • 3 bags of puffed corn (we used Frito Lay butter flavored 3.5 ounce bags)
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • optional: add 1 cup of peanuts (we add this to the caramel corn, but usually not to the puffed corn)
  • Note: to make caramel corn, replace puffed corn with 7 quarts of air popped corn
  1. Add puffed corn to a large baking dish (I used our large turkey roasting pan). If adding peanuts, mix them in as well.
  2. Bring butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt to a low boil for 5 minutes.
  3. Add baking soda and vanilla to mixture, stir in well, and remove from heat.
  4. Pour caramel sauce over puffed corn and mix in well.
  5. Bake at 250 for 45 to 50 minutes, mixing the corn and caramel again about halfway through.
  6. Pull out of the oven; stir again and let cool. Store in an airtight container (should any remain once your family gets their hands on it).

Between this recipe and homemade peppermint bark, we definitely keep our sweet tooth satisfied in December! Does your family have a Christmas staple to munch on?

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Uncategorized 5 Comments

The Heart of Your Homeschool

Dec82014
December 8, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The following is a guest post from David Nunnery of Teach Them Diligently Conventions, one of our site sponsors. I have been blessed to be a speaker at past conventions and also a speaker at the 2015 conventions.

For the Heart of Your Homeschool

Homeschool Population is Growing

Homeschooling is exploding across America. The families that are just starting are from every region and state in the US, and their motivations for homeschooling are diverse. Whether embarking on this journey because of bullying, failing government schools, common core, special needs, or a thousand other reasons, families that homeschool are as diverse now as they have ever been. We all have come to this same journey from different pathways. There is no hierarchy to the inspiration for bringing your children home for school. But the largest mistake most new and veteran homeschoolers make is they never answer the question of foundation. In other words, why are you homeschooling in the first place?

When doing an internet search, there are a wealth of strong resources that all teach parents the hows and whats with reviews on what is good and what is trash. In many cases, it can be overwhelming to new homeschoolers and to veterans as well. For many, when things get tough and routines fall apart, children struggle with Algebra, and uncles and aunts think we are hurting our kids, our families struggle and these tensions overflow beyond simply education to marriages, parenting, and every walk of life. Homeschooling is not easy, but it is rewarding.

What is your Homeschool Foundation?

So for a moment, push all of the how-tos aside regarding homeschooling. When building a home or new building, the contractor does not start with walls, or plumbing. The contractor starts with a foundation so the question I have is what is your heart for your homeschool? Is your goal to simply protect your child from a bully or unwanted influences? Do you just want your child to excel and graduate with honors and get into a stellar university? Are you homeschooling because you were homeschooled? What is your foundation? This is the question you must answer if your hope is to be successful as a parent-educator. What is your anchor? And, while academic or protection reasons are strong and compelling for homeschooling, they are secondary. Academics are what makes homeschooling an education just like walls are what make a house. They are important and should not be overlooked. However, start with the foundation and build up from there. The foundation is what puts everything in order and gives it clarity. Without an anchor, you are just floating and without that strong foundation, your structure will surely be compromised or fall.

How Does Teach Them Diligently Help Your Family and Your Homeschool?

We run a series of homeschool events across the country called Teach Them Diligently. Our events are huge with great speakers such as James Dobson, Barbara Rainey, Ken Ham, Stephen Kendrick, and hundreds of workshops on raising a family, health and nutrition, every flavor of homeschooling with curriculum and resources, plus a huge exhibit and resource hall. We have the how-tos—the meat and potatoes of homeschooling—but the point of Teach Them Diligently is to speak to the heart of homeschooling. Our goal is encouraging parents in the discipleship of their children. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation that all the other curriculum, flavors, and resources are set upon. We believe that homeschooling needs a foundation. Answering this question of foundation and strengthening our hold on it changes everything. This is why so many families come to Teach Them Diligently. And, this is the reason that so many say that we are the best homeschool event they have ever attended. It is all about the Gospel, and we invite you and your family to join us there.

 

David and Leslie Nunnery ShotDavid Nunnery is the co-founder of Teach Them Diligently (www.teachthemdiligently.net) and the President of Worldwide Tentmakers (www.worldwidetentmakers.com). His heart is to see families strengthened and equipped as they disciple their children and to raise up a new generation of missions-minded families to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world.

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Free Penguin Pack from All About Learning Press

Dec22014
December 2, 2014 by 1 Comment

Penguin-Pack-705-3801

My laminator is getting a bit of a workout this week! All About Learning Press is offering a fun, new Penguin Pack that includes 30 pages of reading and spelling activities for kids of all ages and abilities, so all of our kids will have a little something to do over the next few weeks before we break for Christmas.

Penguin Printable PackThis special penguin pack is available for FREE during the month of December with every order of $25 or more from All About Learning Press (while supplies last). We are HUGE fans of both All About Spelling and All About Reading (you can read our spelling review and reading reviews).  Both are programs we’ve used for years and recommend highly – we love them so very much!

Included in the Penguin Pack:

  • Penguin ABCs – for pre-readers and beginning readers/spellers
  • Penguin Word Search puzzles – seven levels, one for each level of AAS
  • Rhyming Penguins – four levels of reading and spelling skills
  • Fun Penguin Facts – sixteen penguin species for a penguin fact book
  • Positively Penguin Lunch – hands-on lunch plans
  • Playful Penguin Stickers – a little sticker fun for your kids!

How can you get your Penguin Pack?

The Penguin Pack is available for FREE with every order of $25 or more from All About Learning Press while supplies last. All you need to do is place an order now and you’ll be sent this wonderful, full-color resource – printed and ready to use!

A Few Fun Penguin Crafts & Activities

Penguin Crafts for Kids

Win a Penguin Fun Kit

Giveaway-Penguin-Fun-Kit-500x500-75value-4

Head over to the All About Learning Press blog and enter to win a penguin prize pack valued at $75. It includes some fun books, a learning game, a DVD, and a penguin puppet.

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Uncategorized 1 Comment

Black Friday Homeschool Deals and Codes

Nov282014
November 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

There are so many great deals available this weekend, and shopping online is one of my favorite ways to grab specials without needing to get out of my PJs! Here are a few discounts and codes to save up to 60% from companies that our family has purchased from and used.

If any additional deals show up, I’ll be sure to share them here and on Facebook – or if you know of any, feel free to leave a comment and let us know!

For Your Classroom

2014 Black Friday Sale BIP image
194

bfsale_728x90

  • Bright Ideas Press – save 20% using code gobblegobble (excludes bundles). We’re using North Star Geography and Mystery of History from Bright Ideas.
  • Educents – Save an additional 10% and receive free shipping with code HSCreations10Free – exclusively for my readers!
  • Grapevine Bible – save 33% off all Old Testament studies. Looking for a New Testament study? Save 33% on Monday, December 1st.
  • What’s in the Bible – Use code SAVE30 to save 30% and receive FREE s/h
  • Compass Classroom – Up to 50% off Visual Latin, WordUp Vocubulary and more – no code needed.
  • Biblioplan – save 15% this weekend using code, GiveThanks15Off

Fun Delivered to Your Mailbox
  • Kiwi Crate – save 60% on your first month’s subscription. Use code MERRYSUB.
  • Little Passports – save 50% on your first month’s subscription with code BLACK50

For the Entire Family

Christian Homeschool convention
  • Vintage Remedies – Save up to $200 on natural health online courses. I’m currently taking the essential oils class with them.
  • Teach Them Diligently – save $5 on registration to any 2015 convention until 11/30. Use code TTDTHANKS during checkout.

For Moms Who Blog

If you are a blogger, I cannot recommend Elite Blogging Academy enough! Registration opens today and the first 100 student receive some fantastic bonuses. It also comes with a 100% money back guarantee!

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

$50+ of FREE Educational Printables – {Subscriber Freebie 4 Days Only!}

Nov242014
November 24, 2014 by 5 Comments

How about some fabulous news? For a limited time, Educents is offering all of my blog subscribers an amazing freebie set valued at almost $60! For FREE!!

(Yay for you all!!!)

$50 in educational printables for free

There’s a little something for everyone in this bundle…

  • Amusing A
  • Back to School Selfies
  • American History Cookbook
  • Frozen ABC Fun
  • George Washington
  • I Have, Who Has? CVC Game
  • MOO!! First 100 Fry Words
  • Rhyming Bunnies
  • Robert Munsch Author Study Lapbook
  • Short Vowel Sort
  • Sight Words Rings Freebie
  • Spring I Have, Who Has?
  • Spring Poems
  • Spring Wheels
  • Teach Me Sight Words Freebie
  • Vowel Sound Clothespins

But remember, this freebie is only available from 11/24/14 to 11/27/14, so don’t forget to download it now!

Thanks to Educents for the great freebie for you all! Be sure to check out the multiple daily deals they have for homeschool families.

 

How to Download Your Freebie

If you are reading this post via email or RSS, check the footer of the post and you will see a link to download your freebie right above the sponsor thanks area. If you are not a blog subscriber yet, you can sign up here and choose to subscribe for daily or weekly updates. You will receive a welcome email once your subscription is confirmed, and the link will be in that email.

Enjoy – and thanks for being a subscriber of Homeschool Creations!

 

Note: This subscriber freebie will expire on 11/27/2014 – so grab it now!

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Uncategorized 5 Comments

Homeschool deals ending soon…

Oct292014
October 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Typically I share homeschool deals and coupon codes on the weekend with you all, but several of these end before then, and I didn’t want you to miss them. We’ve taken advantage of a few of them already and there are some great (and FREE) things included!

image

Until October 31st, save 50% on the updated Exploring Creation with Chemistry from Apologia. This is a huge discount, so even if you aren’t planning on using it this year, you may want to think ahead for next year!

image

Love cooking with your kids? Grab the “Cooking up Some American History” Cookbook via Educents. This cookbook has 50 authentic, easy-to-make, printable recipes from all periods of American history. Want to know what George Washington’s favorite breakfast was? Or what wealthy Spanish colonists ate for a treat? The answers and actual recipes are right here!

image

If you’ve been interested in the What’s in the Bible series, now is a great time to get the set for a huge savings. Save over $95 and get free shipping until the end of the week. If you only need a few of the DVDs to finish your collection, What’s in the Bible is also offering FREE shipping on all orders (no minimum purchase). We love these DVDs and recommend them highly!

image

Register your family TODAY for Teach Them Diligently to save an extra $5. Early bird pricing of $45 per family will end on November 2, so don’t delay. The new Family Registration rate will increase to $50 starting November 3.

image

The Six Flags Read to Succeed program is now open for registration. Students in grades K – 6 can earn a FREE ticket to Six Flags when they complete six hours of recreational reading (not school related). Our family has participated in the program for the last two years and have loved it.

 

image

Our girls are using the WordBuild vocabulary program, and right now you can take 25% off all of their print products using the coupon code HSC14. This is a special coupon just for readers of Homeschool Creations.

Draw your way through the Bible
 

We’ve been using Picture Smart Bible with our family and love that you can adapt it for different ages. During the month of October, save 35% on all items (except the K program) under the “SHOP” tab, using coupon code All35.

Word Up! The Vocab Show from Compass Classroom

We haven’t used any of these videos, but Compass Classroom is offering the first volume of their new Word Up! Vocabulary Show dvd or download for $9.99. Download the first two lessons for free and check it out before you buy.

North Star Geography homeschool curriculum

If you’ve been considering North Star Geography, here’s a quick tip to save 20% on your order! Join the weekly Geo Tip of the Week newsletter and inside you’ll find a lovely coupon code to help you save! This is our high school geography program and we absolutely love it!

 

image

During October, you can also save 15% off all American History from Bright Ideas Press using the coupon code richheritage.

 

That’s all for now. If you know of a special deal that ends soon, leave a comment and share!

{ Leave a Comment }
Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment