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Welcome to the 22nd issue of Flanders Family Freebies, a weekly themed list of resources designed by me, Jennifer Flanders, in hopes of helping you build a strong, happy, healthy home. Thank you for giving me a place in your inbox -- I deeply appreciate it!

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Hello, Friend!

This is a big week for our family. My ninth-born is graduating high school, and all his siblings plus much of our extended family are coming into town to celebrate. One flew in from Hawaii on Wednesday with his wife and kids, and we have more due on Saturday.

Free resources for you this week:

Some of the following posts (such as our transcript template or diploma-making tips) are specific to homeschoolers, while others (like the prayers, games, and guest lists) would be appropriate for public, private, homeschool, or even colleges and university graduates.

• ​A Prayer for the Graduate - another of our pretty printable prayer guides
• ​A Game to Celebrate Your Graduate - a Scattagories-style game for seniors that is perfect for group play
• ​How to Write a Senior Tribute - finding the right words of encouragement for your senior can be challenging
• ​Getting Your Child Ready for College - a short list of the things we do to prepare our kids for their time at University
• ​Earning College Credit at Home - how to save time and money on your child's college education using dual credit and CLEP exams
• ​Free Editable Transcript Template - create an official high school transcript for your student to use for college admission or job applications
• ​How to Round out Your High Schooler's Transcript - ideas for fulfilling graduation requirements and awarding credit for extracurricular activities
• ​Graduation Guest Book - use these pretty printables to keep a record of the family and friends who celebrated your special day

What I'm reading this week:

I finished reading Exploring Creation with Astronomy to my elementary-aged kids and grandkids this week. We love this science series from Apologia. We finished the final chapters in the car and Doug was there to hear me read them. He was surprised by how much he learned by listening in.

The only other book I read this week was Motherhood Mantras: Encouraging Reminders for Moms. It was a short read -- I finished it in a single sitting -- filled with helpful tips from 38 moms in the trenches. My favorite quote: "Let faithfulness be your goal -- not perfection. What you do in your home, for your family, matters far more than you realize, even if you don't see the fruit right away...." To download a FREE copy of this book, just follow this link (not sure how long this offer will last).

What we're eating this week:

I made a big batch of garlicky lentil soup earlier this week and have been enjoying for lunch ever since. Lentils are so good for you, and this recipe is the most flavorful I've ever had.

We've also been consuming our weight in fresh strawberries after a friend invited us to meet her family at a local pick-you-own berry farm to stock our fridge and freezer. Mmmm-mmm! They're so sweet!

Progress on last week's goals

I accomplished most of what I planned to do last week, although I only ✅ finished 8 of the 10 freezer meals I wanted to lay up (we used the extra freezer space for strawberries) and am barely making baby-step progress on sewing my daughter's new bed linens. (At this point, I've successfully ✅measured and cut the fabric. 😊)

Goals for this week:

• finish Isaac's diploma
• take family photos while everyone is home
• cook up the chickens another daughter-in-law recently butchered for me
• attend graduation and host a reception at our home afterward
• repot the plants on our back patio

That does it for me this week. I still have much to do before the rest of the family gets here. Hope you have a great week!