Friday, January 7, 2011

J is for Jesus

December seems like so long ago that I actually had to look at the pictures to remember what we had done during the month.  The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas were so crazy busy that next year I am just planning on taking the month off of homeschool so that I can just focus on Christmas and all of the fun activity that goes with it.  Even if it means we do some extra work during the summer.   I moved Bens workboxes upstairs to the dining room and we worked on “activities” as we had time and as he had interest. 

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This year I really wanted to be more purposeful doing Christmas activities with the kids.  I’ve always had some sort of paper Advent calendar but never really did anything with it.  This year I took an idea from another blog and tweaked it to suit me and this is what I came up with.  I typed up ideas and put an activity in each stocking/day.  This helped a ton with keeping me accountable, especially when I have an autistic boy that can read and wouldn’t let me forget that we’re supposed to have hot chocolate that day!  I didn’t get to all of the activities, this is real life, but I did a lot more than last year so I consider it a success. 

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We made Christmas playdoh.  Ben read the recipe (which counted for his reading, right?) Then he and Jacob made playdoh cookies. 

 

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They were really bummed they couldn’t eat them. It was edible playdoh but not Gluten Free.

 

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The boys put together a gingerbread train that was honestly a huge pain in the rear!  The frosting didn’t set fast enough and someone cut the hole too big in the tip of the bag so it just globbed everywhere.  The boys enjoyed it though and I was glad when we checked that one off our list.  Rachel stayed on top of the paper chain.  Can you believe my oldest is 12 and this is the first year I made a paper chain to count down till Christmas? 

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During break Rachel acted as guest teacher for Ben.  He enjoyed doing his work with her and she was a very good teacher.  Good practice for her!

 

 

 

Other Christmas activities/traditions

  • Caroling to our favorite babysitter Stacie and her family
  • Band concerts
  • Christmas program at church (adult, not kids)
  • Read books in front of the fire
  • Matt read “A Certain Small Shepherd”, a book from his childhood, to the kids
  • Advent wreath
  • Watched classic Christmas movies
  • Of course, lots of cookie baking and eating
  • made a birthday cake for Jesus.

We had a wonderful Christmas and we’re thankful for the family we got to spend it with and for all the many blessings that God has provided us.

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