52 Little Lessons from A Christmas Carol #FCBlogger

Special thanks to Family Christian for sending me this book to enjoy. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for stopping by the {Not Just} Homemaking Party! Today I'm sharing a fun Christmas book.

Charles Dickens', A Christmas Carol, is probably the most beloved Christmas story of all time---second to the Biblical accounts of Jesus' birth, that is. Who doesn't love the characters of Bob Cratchit, the nephew Fred, Tiny Tim...and who doesn't relate to Ebenezer Scrooge now and then? 

My annual reading of A Christmas Carol this year has been much more enriched by this short book from Bob Welch: 52 Little Lessons from A Christmas Carol. I'll be honest---I usually shy away from compilations like this as many seem contrived and sort of old-lady-perfumish, but this one really reveals the hearts of Dickens' characters and shows me how much Dickens understood humanity when he created them. 

I wish I would have discovered this humorous study a couple months ago as it would have been fun to read one daily leading up to Christmas. It's definitely something I'll keep in mind for next year, though. Actually---why wait? I've been looking for a great Bible study so why not use one based on a beloved classic?

You can find 52 Little Lessons from A Christmas Carol online at Family Christian or in your local Family Christian store.

Now it's time for the party! Can't wait to see what you all have got to share!

Linking with: These Great Parties

Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce for the Freezer

Hi Everyone! My mom is guest posting today with some tips I gave her on making homemade pasta sauce. Enjoy!

A few years ago my daughter taught me how to make homemade pasta sauce from my extra tomatoes from harvest. Since then, each fall I make a batch and now I am pleased to say, we never waste those precious ripe tomatoes!

First, wash and stem tomatoes. Then, cut in large pieces and place in a large pot. Cook on the stove top with salt until they are soft and falling apart, (approx 2 hours). I add salt, but you could also add Italian seasoning. Cool and freeze. My daughter stores her sauce in quart size zip lock bags so they lay flat in her freezer.

When thawed, squish them in the bag with your hands, then pour in a pot and add seasonings, meat, veggies, and more for a great pasta sauce. You can use it on something yummy like this One Pot Spaghetti.

White Christmas Popcorn Snack Mix

I'm dreaming of some yummy Christmas goodies!! I've been working on freeing up my schedule these next couple weeks because I really don't want this Christmas season to go by too quickly!

About 10 years ago, Jamie's cousin Amy made this delicious popcorn mix and I was hooked right away! I've not made it in all that time so I put some together a couple weeks ago for the kids. It was a hit! I hope you'll try it out too and let me know what you think!

White Christmas Popcorn Snack Mix (or, in our house, Amy's Popcorn)
8 c. popped popcorn
2 c. mini pretzels
1 c. peanuts
1/2 c. dried cranberries
12 oz. white chocolate chips
1 tsp. oil

Mix popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, and cranberries in a large bowl. Melt chocolate chips and oil and stir until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients. Continue stirring every 15-20 for a couple hours until chocolate has completely hardened. This will keep it all broken up for a nice munching mix!