Gingerbread House Day

Oh Christmas Tree

The kids finished up the tree today and I thought I would share.  The tree topper turned out really cute and it was simple to make.  The boys gathered some sticks from the woods near our house and one of the older boys placed them together to make a star shape.  I plugged up the glue gun and put glue in just the right places and we added another little star. 

The kids have also been busy stinging popcorn to go on the tree and I am so happy because I have always wanted to try this.  It looks sweet and I love that they all worked together to do it.  (You have never seen so many little pieces of popcorn all over the floor!  Thankfully it sweeps up easily!) 

Have you seen the commercial where the people are saying "done" to everything?  I want to be able to say that but I find myself saying, "not done" on most things.  There are many things left to do like wrapping gifts, and baking, and cooking, and cleaning, and getting ready for company, and delivering goodies and, and, and...  I'm trying not to stress out about anything and just enjoy making memories with the family.  I hope that is what you are doing too!

Our Home for the Holidays

Our decorating is simple.  You won't find anything fancy here. We try to make it warm and cozy and special for our children and our guests. 

Here's a little tour...

Right now we've just got white lights on the little tree but we are planning to string popcorn on it.  At night the snowflakes, tree, and snowman are plugged up and add quite a bit of light to the front porch.

I collect snowmen so you will see quite a few of those around our house.  I leave them up all winter and usually pack them away in February.

I try to decorate simply and inexpensively.  I got this set of Christmas dishes at a garage sale for $10.  And the greenery in the middle of the table I was able to pick up off the floor around some cut Christmas trees for FREE!

These are the children's "stockings".  My husband and I have fun each year finding little things to fill them up.

The tree!  We are in the process of making our tree topper and haven't finished that yet.  I always have a dream of having all of my Christmas decorating complete by December 1st but I don't think with 6 kids that is ever going to happen!  :)

Our sweet little 5 year old gal decorated here.  This is the children's book shelf in the family room.

There are only 10 days until Christmas now.  How fast time has flown since this picture was taken!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good-night!

Linked to Courtney as we tour our blog friends' homes.

THE HEART & HOME OF CHRISTMAS Karla Dornacher

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28 NIV

Christmas is the most loving, giving, joyful holiday of the year.  And yet it can be the most burdensome season as well.  So much to do and so little time to do it!  The voices of expectation vie for our attention.  Perfect presents cry out to be purchased.  The house and hearth long to be dressed.  Parties and programs invite us to attend.  And the list goes on and on and on!  The sad truth is that we can become weary of Christmas just thinking about it!

But, shhhh!
If you can hush the holiday clatter for just a moment you will hear another Christmas voice, a quiet calling from the Baby in the manger.  "Come to Me," He bids.  Not demanding, but with a gentle spirit, He invites you to lay aside the heavy burden of the season and "find rest for your soul."  He yearns for you to trade in your unrealistic expectations for a season of heartfelt celebration!

To help you stay focused on the Heart of the season, choose a quiet place to set a nativity scene (even if it is in the bathroom) and find some quiet moments every day this month to hold the Baby Jesus in your hands and know that He holds you in His. 

Lord Jesus, forgive me for listening to all the other voices before I've listened to Yours.  I want this Christmas to be different...I want it to be all about YOU!  Help me to lay aside all my expectations, to set aside time to be with You, and to know You're with me.

LOVE, 1 Corinthians 13 Style

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls but I do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator. 

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime but do  not show love to my family, I am just another cook. 

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. 

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but I do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point. 

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. 
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't. 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.  Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.  But the gift of love will endure.

-Sharon Jaynes

Christmas School

Do you think it's hard to home school during the month of December? 

It is!

With all of the extra "stuff" on Mom's plate, doing the normal home school load is almost impossible.

Here's what we do...



Read tons of books.  Now is the time for snuggling under quilts and sipping hot chocolate and READING great Christmas books. 

Make Christmas crafts.  The ART projects that we normally don't have time to do, we do in December. 

Make Christmas cards and write letters.  HANDWRITING, SPELLING and CREATIVE WRITING are covered here.

Establish a Christmas budget and buy gifts for family members.  This serves as great MATH practice for our younger ones.  (Much better than many workbook pages on counting money!)  We draw names and everyone has a budget.

Collect food for the food bank, deliver goodies to neighbors and the local firefighters and such, take a meal to someone, or visit a nursing home.  These things teach SERVICE TO OTHERS and to me that is more important than Algebra, Chemistry and the like.

Practice MUSIC and sing Christmas carols as a family.

Bake and bake and bake cookies, breads, and other treats.  This time in the kitchen is worth HOURS of "regular" school.  For the younger children, the measuring and counting is great real life MATH.  We always have MUSIC playing and enjoy the teamwork aspect of all the baking we do in December. 

Take walks together as a family.  If you want to get in some P.E. this is a great way to do it.  Especially here in the south where it is still very warm.  (Yesterday we went to a Christmas parade and all of the kids wore shorts!  We are actually wanting some cold weather.) 

Read the BIBLE individually and as a family.  Have the children copy verses.  Study the story of Jesus' birth and have the children put on a play.  The planning and practicing and costume designing are all great activities that cover a myriad of school subjects.  (*an added bonus - while the children are working on their play Mom could get a few minutes to wrap gifts or work on something she needs to do!)

Have the children write Christmas poems and draw Christmas pictures.  Again, HANDWRITING and SPELLING and ART.

These are just a few ideas for Christmas school.  Just remember, home school Moms, you can get back on your regular schedule in January.  The month of December will be gone soon so make the most of the time while you have it!

DECEMBER Count Down to Christmas!

Every year I have big plans for all the fun things we will do to count down to Christmas. We have our traditions we always do, every year without fail, but there are other things I think of and desire to do but when Christmas has come and gone I realize not all of my ideas came to fruition.  This year I came up with something to help make sure we did all of the things I had hoped to.  I picked up a write on/wipe off festive red and green December calendar and I put a date to every idea.  Now the kids are all fired up and won't let us miss one of our planned activities, AND I feel super organized!  *SMILE*

In addition to the list below, we read an Advent book each year.  My favorites are written by Arnold Ytreeide and this year we are reading Tabitha's Travels.   We read a portion of the story for every day of Advent and for Christmas Day.  Each reading includes a family devotion.  We usually read this at night right before the kids go to bed.  We also have 2 large baskets, one full of Christmas movies and another full of Christmas books.  Each day during the countdown we alternate reading one or more of the books and watching one of the movies.  I started picking up Christmas books when my oldest was just a baby and we have quite a few now.  In fact, both baskets are overflowing.  I keep these books and movies packed up all year long and only bring them out during the month of December. 

Here's our countdown...

December 1st  Cut down Christmas tree.  Using paper strips, make a "Count Down to Christmas" chain.
December 2nd  Decorate Christmas tree.
December 3rd  Decorate our own wrapping paper.  Create a wreath out of a paper plate.
December 4th  Make Christmas cards. 
December 5th  Bake Christmas cookies.
December 6th  Make hot cocoa mix for friends.
December 7th  Wrap some Christmas presents.
December 8th  Send  Christmas e-cards. 
December 9th  Make Christmas gift tags.
December 10th  Collect and deliver food to food bank.
December 11th  Make a Christmas treat for the birds with a pine cone, peanut butter, and birdseed.
December 12th  Make pretzel treats with chocolate and sprinkles.
December 13th  Make Christmas tree ornaments.
December 14th  Bake gingerbread.
December 15th  Make snowflakes out of paper. 
December 16th  Go Christmas shopping. 
December 17th  Make gingerbread houses.
December 18th  Make snowman pictures with cotton balls.
December 19th  Make Fudge and Monkey Munch.
December 20th  Take a drive with a thermos of hot chocolate and popcorn and look at Christmas lights.
December 21st  Make goodies and deliver to Fire Department.
December 22nd Make goodies and deliver to neighbors.
December 23rd  Make sausage balls.
December 24th  Turn off the lights once it's dark and use only candle light.  Read from the Bible (Luke) and pray and eat special Christmas Eve dinner.
December 25th  Christmas Day!