Dear Home School Solutions Friends,

Well, we did the Easter Story Cookie project as a family last night. I printed the instructions on card stock, cut them apart, and placed them inside numbered Easter eggs. We had great fun taking turns opening the eggs and reading the step-by-step recipe. What a joy it was to hear my six year old son look up and read the scripture references just because he wanted to do it!

The project took more than an hour, all told, but the time seemed to pass quickly. My four year old was a little antsy, but overall, she loved it.

However, the cookies were horrible. They turned out completely flat, not hollow, and they were so sticky that they couldn't be removed from the waxed paper except in little bitty bites.

So, after doing a little checking, here are some things I would do differently next time.

1. Make sure there are NO traces of yolk in the egg white.
2. Do not add any of the ingredients together until you're ready to beat the mixture. That way, there's plenty of time to find and read each scripture without compromising the recipe.
3. Do NOT stir anything together with a spoon.
4. Make sure your mixer is on the highest possible setting.

Live and learn, right? Sometimes, when you're cooking with kids, things don't turn out as planned. But, we all agreed that it was a fun family night.

And, here is the take away lesson we learned from our cookie fiasco.... Recipes may fail, but Jesus NEVER fails. His mission was accomplished exactly as God planned.

If you tried this activity and have any tips, I'd love to hear them. We may make these cookies again soon just to see if we can improve on our first attempt. I'll keep you posted!

Easter Blessings!
Mrs. Sherry

Below is a post I wrote last year that I retrieved from the archives. Enjoy!



---------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a great way to teach the Easter story using this simple baking project. It would be fun to assign older students the job of copying the scripture verses on paper strips to put inside plastic eggs in a cute Easter basket in advance of the baking project. The eggs with scripture should be numbered to correspond with the directions below. Alternatively, you could mark your Bible in advance with numbered strips of construction paper corresponding to the directions; younger children can take turns finding the correct Bible marker, and readers can take turn reading scripture selections aloud.

This recipe was originally written by Wanda Long and published in Home Life Magazine. Be sure to follow the directions carefully.

Easter Story Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
baggie with zipper
wooden spoon
wax paper
cookie sheet
tape
Bible
optional: plastic Easter eggs, paper strips, Easter basket

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees before you start.
2. Place whole pecans in baggie and allow children to beat them with wooden spoon to crush. Read John 19:1-3 and discuss how the soldiers treated Jesus when he was arrested.
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Add vinegar to mixing bowl. Explain how Jesus was thirsty on the cross but was given only vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand, and ask them to brush it into the bowl. Give them an extra pinch to taste. Explain that it represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
6. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar to the bowl. Explain that the sweetest part of the Easter story is that Jesus died because he LOVES us. He wants us to know and belong to him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
7. Beat mixture with mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks form. Explain that the white color of the peaks represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
8. Fold in broken nuts.
9. Drop batter by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheets. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
10. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door, and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a pice of tape and seal the oven door. Explain the Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
11. Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers' were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
12. The next morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter morning, Jesus' followers were amazed to find Jesus' tomb open and empty! Read Matthew 28:1-9.

He Has Risen!

Easter Blessings,
Mrs. Sherry

Because of my husband's work schedule, we don't have school on Mondays. So, today, we've enjoyed some fun, and I thought I'd share it with you.

I love to see my kids pretend. I know there are some who believe fantasy and make-believe are sinful, but I personally think that it's okay, even good, for kids to imagine to their heart's content. (Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of "dark fantasy," however, like Dungeons and Dragons, etc.) I'm glad that my kids are growing in their ability to discern real and pretend...it's a mark of maturity. At the same time, silliness is sometimes the mother of creativity, and I'm weary of a culture that wants my kids to grow up too fast and be too smart too soon. Let's have some fun, already!

Anyway, ranting aside, my kids are having fun writing pretend stories about leprechauns and are designing leprechaun traps at the moment.

Here are some fun links to try:

Puzzles, songs, silly stories, fingerplays, coloring sheets:
http://stepbystepcc.com/leprechauns.html

Story and limerick starters:
www.storyit.com (One of my favorite sites!)

Leprechaun "history" and how to make a "trap:"
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/leprechauns/a/030501a.htm

Happy Home Schooling,
Mrs. Sherry

Dear Home School Solutions Friends,

Happy St. Patrick's Day! My good friend, Tamara, recently shared some great observations and ideas about St. Patrick's Day.

For example, did you know that St. Patrick is credited for using a three-leaf shamrock to explain the truth of the trinity? That's why he's often pictured holding a shamrock.

While many Protestants may dismiss the holiday as one of revelry, why not use it as a time to explore Irish culture, history and the faith of St. Patrick?

Tamara noted that there are many beautifully written Irish blessings. While some pay homage to patron saints, many are simply delightful prayers written with poetic grace. You could easily read one Irish blessing a day throughout March as a tribute to our friends in faith across the sea.

A great website to explore Irish heritage is:
www.irishcultureandcustoms.com.

Be sure to visit the kids tab and blessings tab!

This is also a fun time to celebrate the new life of a green spring that's just around the corner, and the new life we find in Christ because of this Holy Week. My husband made green pancakes for breakfast this morning by sprinkling green sugar on the tops. For fun, this is also a great day to read the Seuss classic, Green Eggs and Ham. Hide green Easter eggs around the house with favorite Easter-themed scripture verses tucked inside. Get creative, and you're sure to have some fun today!

I posted an Irish blessing below that's perfect for home schooling moms! It's so eloquent, I think I'll print it and post it in our school room. We should all voice this prayer today for our children.

Home Schooling Green Today,
Mrs. Sherry

P.S. Thanks, Tamara, for the ideas!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

A mother's prayer
for God's blessing
on her children

O Thou, to whom to love and be are one,
hear my faith-cry for them who are more
thine than mine.
Give each of them what is best for each.
I cannot tell what it is.
But Thou knowest.
I only ask Thou love them and keep them
With the loving and keeping Thou didst
Show to Mary's Son and Thine.

If you've been skeptical about the decline of traditional parental rights in America, doubt it no more. Home schooling and parental rights in California were violated this week in an unfathomable way. In fact, California can now boast of having the most restrictive home school legal climate in the country!

Please read the article below from the Home School Legal Defense Association, and then visit their website (link to the right) to sign a petition to ask the California Supreme Court to "depublish" this ruling. After that, forward this information to every freedom- loving parent and grandparent you know to take action. We need to stand together to protect our rights as parents.

California fashions eventually get to Iowa about a year later. I hope this is one trend that never makes it to the midwest, but if we don't do something, it could.

Pray, and do what you can. Home schoolers in California: we're standing with you!

Thankful to be home schooling in Iowa,
Mrs. Sherry

P.S. If you haven't already, be sure to visit www.parentalrights.org (link to the right) for more information about stopping the decline of parental rights in the U.S.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Defending Homeschool Freedom in California: from www.HSLDA.org

On February 28, 2008, the Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District in Los Angeles handed down a very bad decision regarding a case involving a homeschool family.

HSLDA was not involved with this case, and the family are not members.

The opinion holds that homeschooling is not a legal option in California. HSLDA strongly disputes this interpretation of California law. We believe that the court made a mistake when it relied on a decision from 1953 in order to show that homeschooling is not a legal option.

If the opinion is followed then California will have the most regressive law in the nation and homeschooling will be effectively banned because the only legal way to homeschool will be for the parent to hold a teaching certificate. Parents should not have to attend a four year college education program just to teach their own children.

California is now on the path to being the only state to deny the vast majority of homeschooling parents their fundamental right to teach their own children at home.

In response, HSLDA believes that the best course of action is to petition the California Supreme Court to depublish the opinion. If the opinion is depublished then this ruling can not be used against every homeschooling family in California.