By Melanie Rainer

When my daughter first became old enough to understand the gifting part of Christmas, my own reflexes surprised me.  What do you want for Christmas this year? I would ask. Ooooh, is that something you would want for Christmas? Christmas is coming, maybe you’ll get that toy then!  Even as the words started tumbling out […]

By Editorial Team

If you haven’t already, listen to the Podcast now:           Raising Boys and Girls Podcast: Christmas Show Notes The Raising Boys & Girls podcast is back with bonus episodes to help you finish 2020 strong! Join Sissy Goff and David Thomas this week as they share ways to help you ward off the “mores” and […]

By Stephanie Thomas

Two months ago, the first Christmas catalog of the year arrived in the mail. Per tradition, I tossed it on the kitchen table with a blue and green marker—different colors to designate the interests of each kid.  It didn’t take long. Within minutes, every item on every page sat inside a crooked circle—or two. And […]

By Melanie Norman

“Mommy, tonight is my turn to pick the book, right?” he says. “Yes, it is Shane, and I’m so excited to see what you picked for us to read tonight.” As my son runs to his room, our family gathers together in the living room by the fireplace with warm blankets and hot chocolate. Shane […]

By Editorial Team

Many families are familiar with Advent Christmas countdowns as made popular by adorable daily calendars flooding our Pinterest feeds throughout the fall. But Advent has been observed for centuries, long before treat-filled houses with numbered doors or chocolate and toy companies offered a way for kids to count the days of December in anticipation of […]

By Melanie Rainer

  Whether your kids are budding culinary talents or connoisseurs of a chicken-nugget-only diet, Thanksgiving offers abundant opportunity to spend some quality time together in the kitchen! From sneaking bites of cookie dough to kneading fresh bread to warming up frozen peas in the microwave, kiddos (and parents!) of all culinary levels will find a good fit […]

By Jessica Wolstenholm

In years past, we’d probably start an article like this with a joke about how we can always count on that crazy uncle to make holiday conversations a bit more . . . interesting.  But Thanksgiving 2020? Anything can happen.  Per tradition, the fun topics of weight, relationship status, religion, and “When are you gonna […]

By Melanie Rainer

Scripture commands us to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), even in years like 2020. This year has been marked by tragedy, death, political upheaval, natural disasters, and sickness on a global scale. And still, daily grief interrupts our individual lives at the same time: people we love get sick and die, games […]

By Melanie Rainer

Here’s a round up of our 10 favorite Thanksgiving crafts for kids! Check out the pages below to find easy, fun and festive crafts for the Thanksgiving season.   1. Beaded Corn and Pumpkins – ThinkCraft This is such a clever fall decoration for kids to make! We love the pumpkins and maize – these […]

By Editorial Team

There’s no doubt this Halloween is going to look different. If you have allowed your children to trick or treat in years past, chances are, they may not be able to participate in an epic night of candy collecting this October 31st. Whether you “celebrate” Halloween or not, we’ve always encouraged our Minno families to […]