The Joy of Christmas & Our Christmas Picture

Did you sign up for the 25 Free Shutterfly cards giveaway??? 
I have 3 sets to giveaway!! Ends Friday:)

Well this was my favorite card this year!

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

I just like big pictures right now;) But the JOY in the corner captured my heart!!

Oh ...
how I desire our home to be one of joy
not joy in perfection...

but true joy overflowing from the love of Christ that each of us shares with one another.

We're totally NOT there yet!
We have squabbles daily. Bad attitudes come out. Complaining... you name it... we see it. We're human.

But that's the beauty of Christmas, in the midst of all the real messy stuff of life, we can focus on the joy of this little babe who came and was the longed for Savior, the Redeemer! The One who provides hope, joy, peace and salvation.

I just LOVE this song from SEEDS Family Worship...

The JOY of Christmas!

More Wordless Wednesday at  NapTime MomTog, 5 Minutes for Mom,  Mama to 4 Blessings, Go Graham Go

and any other linkys I find !!!

Tiny Talk Tuesday: Robots, Thugs & Judge Judy

Brian was working with Anna on a Lego creation for Chris. Brian has noticed that Anna does really well following the directions to make the figures and enjoys doing it... and will work on it for a long time.

She worked alone for a bit, then she asked Brian to help her with a step.

After a minute, he asked Anna, " Do you think you'd like to be an engineer when you get older? You'd get to build stuff like buildings, bridges, and or maybe even a space shuttle?"

Anna responded,"Dad, I can't even build this Lego robot, there is no way I can build a space shuttle!!"

*************************************************
Recently once of Anna's spelling words was "Judy".

We don't know anyone named Judy really well, so the name was a bit new to Anna. She gave me a strange, thoughtful look and kept saying,"Judy, Judy, Judy...."  (obviously the reaction of a genius... LOL!!)

After a minute she looked up at me and said,"You mean like Judge Judy??"

I was surprised she knew the name... if our TV is on in the afternoons it's on PBSkids:) So I asked her where she learned about Judge Judy.

Anna responded,"Oh, I watch it with Pey!"

**************************************************
We had a slug come into the house that has caused quite a stir:) LOL!!

The kids were all one-upping each other's slug stories...

Anna found it:)

Chris touched it:)

And Lydia responded," I've touched a thug before when we had one slugging around in the washroom!"

I always wondered what the movement of a slug was called.... slugging around sounds pretty good;)
And touching a "thug" sounds kind of dangerous;)

**************************************************
Often as I ask Chris to clean his room.... which he gets asked VERY often, the kid can be a walking tornado sometimes...

Chris shares with me,"I wish had a robot that would do my chores for me!" LOL!! And he was quite pleased when I responded that he should try to make one :)

Weekly Wrap Up

Bible
 In the beginning of the week I didn't really have my act together as far as starting the Advent study from A Holy Experience. But we got on the ball later in the week and have a couple of lessons to do to "catch up"! I printed the "ornaments" from the lessons and I had the kids color the one from the lessons we did complete... they liked that:)

Before starting the Advent studies we read about Jeremiah and wisdom from Proverbs. Both were from a little reading that turned into a conversation... I just love it when that happens;)

Language Arts
Last week I had Chris and Lydia doing the same spelling words. We did the Days of the Week. Chris almost knew how to spell each word and Lydia was starting from guessing what each day said based on the beginning sound;)

Here is a website and some activities that we used :

• Kids Learning Station - Days of the Week
• Each copied the Days of the Week on their own notecards... we used them for a memory game as well as flashcards;)
• Practiced spelling the words in flour

By the end of the week, both Chris and Lydia recognized the Days of the Week words, could read them and put them in order. But we still need to work on the spelling a bit. So they will continue to practice those words a little longer;)

Anna is learning yet another poem through First Language Lessons! I have been very please with  the poems that she has learned so quickly! Just a reminder of how much their little brains can soak in right now! And it's a nice "break" from all the sentence diagramming :)


Math
We did our normal lessons but again with Saxon... there is always some hands-on activity to do. On Monday I combined Lydia and Anna's lessons since they were both learning about using 1 cup to find the "volume" of containers around the kitchen... Chris, jumped in to participate (of course)!!

On Tuesday Anna's lesson included learning the parts that make up a gallon... ie pints, quarts, etc!!  We used Gallon Man to help us;)

Chris is only 6 more lessons away from completing 1st grade math!! He started last December, so he's right on time as far as completing the "year" in a year:) I feel like such a big accomplishment for us;)

History
Last week we were in Chpt 6 of vol 3 of Story of the World and it was about the start of slavery in the colonies and then highlighted the Portuguese in Africa. Slavery is such a sensitive topic and I wasn't sure how my children would handle it. With the use of some helpful library books, it really brought this tough topic to life while being sensitive to my younger children (ages 7-4).... so I definitely suggest hunting down some library books to "bring this topic to life".

I wish we had found more time to do the activities... we read, narrated, colored and mapped... and by then our little Nate was ready for Momma's attention again:/ Thankfully a couple of mornings he napped:)



Other
Monday was beautiful... we enjoyed a picnic lunch together, raked up leaves and then played in them!!

We spent one evening putting up our Christmas tree together!! We've had our little Christmas tree for a LONG time... we bought it days after our 1st Christmas married:) And there were many years I waited before the kids when to bed to put it up, but it's a lot more fun to have the kids helping... although getting all the right pieces in the right places and warding off jousting with branches was a little challenging;)

Advent... trying to slow down

Some how the days leading to Christmas this year are relatively "quiet" around here! Obviously not free from children noise- giggling, wrestling, singing - but not too hurried from activity to activity. I am thankful:)

In these last few months I have added a couple more responsibilities to my plate that are keeping me busy... isn't that how it works;) And with these few extra tasks... the burden on me feels great most days.... the daily tasks rarely get completed :(

I look back to what I named this YEAR.... the year to Chose the Best. I haven't always succeeded ... but in these last few days when the extra responsibilities are pulling at me....

 I am trying hard to keep the focus.

To spend the mornings and afternoons with the kids.... teaching, guiding, shaping with love... trying!! And then cramming all my tasks into rest time and after the kids have gone to bed :)

And to prepare for Christmas:)

Just wanted to share this video with you:)


We aren't doing much!

We have a little advent calendar where we move all the Nativity characters in their places... expectantly waiting for Baby Jesus.

We've been listening to Christmas music and attempting to memorize the Christmas Story:)

We've put up and decorated our sweet, faithful, fake Christmas tree:) This year only using the ornaments the kids wanted... ones they made, ones saved from our childhood or ones given to us.... no fancy bows, or ribbons... simple.

We're reading through and trying to do some of the activities from the Jesse Tree Advent by Ann @ A Holy Experience. If you wanted to do an advent devotional... it's not too late.... just start on today or read through to catch up!

And eventually we'll start Christmas shopping.... yes, we wait to the last minute:) We already have a couple of presents collected  and since we don't do too much, there is plenty of time!

Thanks to Angela... for insisting to get a pic:)

Thankful for this Advent season... of trying to slow down.

Trying to enjoy each day with one another.

Trying to share the importance of the little babe in the manger... to the little babes of my house;)

And if you are looking for some Christmas (or anytime) cards.

I am giving away 3 sets of 25 from Shutterfly ending Friday!

Evidence that I DO do Housework

You've heard of "monkey see, monkey do" right???

Obviously, Nate has seen me do plenty of cleaning:)

Couldn't pass up his droopy drawers and determination to get the corners clean:)

Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway for 25 free cards from Shutterfly... I have 3 sets to give away!!! It ends next Friday!!