The Sparrow's Home

: Life is hard. God is good. We need each other.

  • Homeschool
    • Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
    • Homeschooling High School
      • Earning College Credits in High School
    • Elementary, Middle School, & Littles
    • Local Tutoring
  • Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Vegetables & Sides
    • Breads
    • Desserts
    • Beverages
    • Freezer Recipes
    • Preserving
  • Faith
    • Resources for Living a Biblical Faith
  • Family
    • Parenting
    • Marriage
    • Everything Disney
    • All the Board Games
    • Themed Entertaining
      • Do you dig a party with a theme?
    • Home & Garden
      • Herbal Remedies
  • Contact
  • Home
    • Web Stories

4 Must-Haves for Every Homeschool Room (Even if You Don’t Have a Designated Homeschool Room)

August 31, 2016 by Susan 7 Comments

4 Must-Haves for Your Homeschool Room (Even if You Don't Have a Designated Homeschool Room)

 

What do you need for your homeschool room?

Before you can answer that question, you really need to ask:  Do you need a dedicated homeschool room?

The best thing about homeschooling is that every family can do what works for them.  We usually think curriculum when we talk about this, but it applies to every part of how we ‘do’ homeschool.  And that includes where we homeschool.

Whether you have a designated homeschool room or do schoolwork at the kitchen table, there are 4 areas we all have to consider.

Continue Reading

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Canning Tomatoes

August 30, 2016 by Susan 28 Comments

If you are interested in canning tomatoes without all the fuss...this is perfect!

I admire people who put up summer produce by the bushel, stocking their pantry shelves with row upon row of the good stuff.  I’ve tried that.  My dad does pickles and relish each summer, and I’ve helped out.  One time I did get a giant box of tomatoes and canned spaghetti sauce myself.  It was delicious and wonderful, but it was an awful lot of work and mess for the amount I got.

I wouldn’t rule out doing a mega canning session again but it’s not really my style.

Here’s my style:  I take out my canning pot mid-August and leave it in my kitchen until mid-October.  I can two or three or six jars of excess produce as I have it.  It’s the same with freezing.  As I have extra peppers or corn or whatever, I fill Ziploc bags and stash them in the freezer.

Continue Reading

From Toddlers to Teens: Raising Kids Who Pray

August 29, 2016 by Susan 7 Comments

Teaching kids to pray doesn’t have to be formal instruction. Tangible ways to integrate prayer into our lives and raise kids who pray.

God smiles when kids pray. Teaching our kids to pray doesn't have to be formal instruction. How do we integrate prayer into our lives and raise kids who pray?

 

When I was in college, I was part of a youth ministry team.  We taught classes, led activities, and were tasked with mentoring the young people in our community.  Part of the training we received in mentoring encouraged us to spend time with the teens outside of class.  Real discipling happens in the day to day.  The “Hey, I’m going to the mall, would you like to join me?” and, “Let’s cook dinner together” moments.

That’s when real parenting happens too, you know.

After all, parenting is–at its heart– discipleship.  God tells us what parenting our kids should look like in Deuteronomy 6 when He says,

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
-Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Family meetings, lectures, classes, going to church… all of those are good and beneficial things.  But that’s not where our kids learn how to really follow God’s commandments…how to serve… how to pray.

Continue Reading

Love is Caramel

August 24, 2016 by Susan 8 Comments

This easy caramel sauce is perfect to whip up for a spontaneous ice cream sundae or dipping slices of apples. No candy thermometer needed.

Easy Caramel Sauce

I think love is caramel. Sweet and fragrant; always welcome. It is the gentle golden colour of a setting harvest sun; the warmth of a squeezed embrace; the easy melting of two souls into one and a taste that lingers even when everything else has melted away. Once tasted it is never forgotten.     – Author Jenny Colgan

I have made ‘real’ caramel before.  You start with white sugar and burn it just enough to get caramel-y but not enough to scorch.  Delicious indeed, but time consuming.  And frankly, stress that I don’t need in my life.

If you, like me, occasionally need to whip up a quick caramel sauce…this is for you!

Continue Reading

2-Minute Hot Fudge Sauce

August 23, 2016 by Susan Leave a Comment

This easy hot fudge sauce comes together in just a couple of minutes with just three ingredients. It will definitely satisfy your chocolate cravings!

This easy hot fudge sauce comes together in just a couple of minutes.

So I didn’t actually time it, but can’t take more than 2 minutes to make this Hot Fudge Sauce.  Maybe 3.

I wrote yesterday about the ice cream floats we made for our Titanic Girls Movie Night.  Since I had gotten the ice cream at Costco, we had leftovers, of course.  So I did what any nicest-mom-in-the-world would do…I made sundae toppings!

We’ll just go ahead and make this whole week’s posts about ice cream.  What do you think of that?  Tomorrow I’ll tell you how to make the world’s easiest caramel sauce.

Monday was our first day back to school, so let’s end summer with a bang.  (And by bang I mean ice cream).

Continue Reading

Ice Cream, Right Ahead! … A Titanic Kind of Movie Night

August 22, 2016 by Susan 4 Comments

Ice cream floats make a perfect Titanic themed snack for your girls movie night!

Trying to think of a Titanic themed snack wasn’t the easiest, let me tell you.

I do love a party with a theme.  We started our Girls Movie Nights with musicals, and have branched out into other “must see” movies.  I try to always theme the menu to the movie in some way.  We’ve done full dinners, but usually just snacks.

Then I thought of floats.  Ice cream icebergs bobbing in your choice of soda.

It’s the Perfect Titanic Themed Snack

Continue Reading

« Previous Page
Next Page »
Low-pressure questions and candy ease tension and set the stage for people to have fun and get to know one another with this easy ice breaker. *Free Printable*

Connect with Me:

About me…

Welcome! I'm Susan, and I'm so glad you're here. I am a former teacher turned homeschooler, married to my favorite person, blessed far more than I deserve, and certain that we don't have to do it all alone. Find Out More…

Get The Sparrow’s Home delivered right to your inbox. –Never miss a thing!

Let's be friends! Send me all new posts and updates.

Internet-safe kids

Recent Posts

  • Bite-size Christmas treats that taste like Butterfingers
  • Your roadmap to finding joy and purpose in life from a 103-year-old doctor
  • Chicken & Noodles in the Slow Cooker: A perfect example of the whole being so much more than the sum of its parts
  • Cottage cheese oat pancakes for breakfast: A simple, high protein way to start the day
  • What does a strong woman look like?

What’s Popular

  • Recipes That Use Up A Lot of Eggs (Bonus Pudding Recipe!)
    Recipes That Use Up A Lot of Eggs (Bonus Pudding Recipe!)
  • Freezer Apple Pie Filling
    Freezer Apple Pie Filling
  • One Hour Bread: Fast & Easy Italian Bread Recipe
    One Hour Bread: Fast & Easy Italian Bread Recipe
  • Use these questions to break the ice 'a Skittle': An easy ice breaker for people who hate ice breakers.
    Use these questions to break the ice 'a Skittle': An easy ice breaker for people who hate ice breakers.
  • M&Ms Ice Breaker and Guided Prayer Activities
    M&Ms Ice Breaker and Guided Prayer Activities
  • 100 Bible verses that say who you are, what defines you, and why you matter
    100 Bible verses that say who you are, what defines you, and why you matter
  • Need to make hot dogs for a crowd?  Use the crock pot!
    Need to make hot dogs for a crowd? Use the crock pot!
  • Moms, please don't stop doing things for your teens.  They can still grow into responsible adults...promise.
    Moms, please don't stop doing things for your teens. They can still grow into responsible adults...promise.
  • Winnie-the-Pooh Baby Shower That's Sweet as Hunny
    Winnie-the-Pooh Baby Shower That's Sweet as Hunny
  • Organize your pantry in one day on the cheap
    Organize your pantry in one day on the cheap

Follow The Sparrow’s Home:

Contact

Privacy Policy

Disclosure Statement

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Susan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2026 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Homeschool
    • Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
    • Homeschooling High School
      • Earning College Credits in High School
    • Elementary, Middle School, & Littles
    • Local Tutoring
  • Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Vegetables & Sides
    • Breads
    • Desserts
    • Beverages
    • Freezer Recipes
    • Preserving
  • Faith
    • Resources for Living a Biblical Faith
  • Family
    • Parenting
    • Marriage
    • Everything Disney
    • All the Board Games
    • Themed Entertaining
      • Do you dig a party with a theme?
    • Home & Garden
      • Herbal Remedies
  • Contact
  • Home
    • Web Stories