The Starfish Country Home School will provide a quality education and living environment for all of its students so that they can lead happy and productive lives. Academic excellence, individual creativity, personal responsibility and concern for others and for the environment are our goals.

Treasure hunters dig for what they say may be plunder buried by the Nazis.

Any number of different factions among the Maya may have built temples.

An Iron Age stone slab confirms that people have been into the idea of a soul for a long time.

Thank you, faithful readers, for patiently waiting with us for our new website.  Bad news, it’s still not ready.  Good news, it is awfully close — close enough, in fact, that we can share a taste of it with you.  The temporary link is http://parentalrights.easycgi.com/.  Feel free to click on it and take a look [...]

This snack-time staple has applesauce for moisture, and diced apples because, well, they taste great.

Inspired by the Victorian tradition of hanging gilded walnuts on a tree, each ornament holds a special fortune in its empty shell.

Find dozens of hot, delicious soup recipes and stew recipes for families, from FamilyFun.com.

Butternut squash, sweet onions and ham give this hearty soup a distinctive flavor that's great for fall or winter.

The 2008 campaign for president was the most vicious in U.S. history, some pundits have said. Yeah, right.

-by Mimi Rothschild When you go to cut your Christmas tree, send the kids around to gather up a good sack of pine cones as well. Use them for some fun, hands-on lessons. Make a pine cone bird feeder.  This is a satisfyingly messy project. Before you begin, do some research with your students to determine what [...]

With all those rich chocolate chips set against a striking orange background, this kid favorite isn't just delicious, it's pretty too. For a healthier option, substitute raisins for the chocolate chips.

Find beautiful breads to bake with your kids for the holidays or any day.

This game involves lots of pats on the back and laughs, so it's perfect for family gatherings.

This game requires a bit of prep but is well worth the effort. Put a small prize in a small box, tape it well, and gift wrap it.

This cardboard and fleece tree performs the amazing feat of keeping all your holiday cards organized.

A holiday craft that's easy for kids to make.

With peppermint extract and red food coloring, your kids can turn this simple dough into edible ornaments for the tree.

Watching Out for Her Little Ones Belgium and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Winter is finally upon us, ushering in the joys of the holidays and, at least for most of the country, the arrival of cold weather. As the temperature falls and the days get shorter, Moms and Dads brace themselves for [...]

Directions for creating your child's first gingerbread house.

Get recipes for your favorite holiday cookies and ideas for your gingerbread houses. Decorate Christmas cookies and gingerbread men with your kids and enjoy the festive season!

For the most flavorful meat, get a smoked and salt-cured country ham.

People who are very comfortable around each other can play a guffaw-inducing game with a couple of long-handled wooden spoons.

For all the talk about change, everything old seemed oddly new again in 2008.

-by Mimi Rothschild Is it better to memorize information, or to have lots of hands-on learning so the information is fully understood? The answer is a definite “It depends.” Human brains were designed by God to understand fully. We’re not as good at memorizing things as we are at learning them – that is, at getting complete understanding [...]