Christmas Countdown

Hello Everyone,

Our family is all geared up and ready for Christmas. Here is a glimpse into some of our family Christmas traditions.

First we don't do Santa. I know shocking right my poor kids. I don't like to lie to my kids so we never gave gifts from Santa or promoted him as a real person. They still put out cookies and milk for "Santa" but they know that Santa is Daddy. Here's another BIG shocker we don't push Christmas as Christ's birthday either. Why? Because we feel that Christ's birth is something that should be celebrated year round. Soooo, for us Christmas is a Holiday about family, giving, and reflecting on how we can be better givers and be kinder to one another throughout the year. We have fun and enjoy the season. We talk a lot about things like Santa and the birth of Christ but it's more like a history lesson. We look at were our modern traditions come from and how they have changed into what we see in the world today. We talk about how it is celebrated differently in other countries and cultures around the world. We also don't do the elf on a shelf.

So what do we do? First of all we cut and decorate a tree with ornaments that Great Grandma Rose sends for the kids every year, plus some homemade ones.

We Make Cookies usually Crinkles and Sugar Cookies.

We do a 12 days til Christmas countdown. It usually includes things like free hot cocoa day or Make Christmas gifts for the animals day. Today we will be having a picnic by the Christmas tree. We have little bags on a string numbered 1-12 and each one has a little note in it on what we get to do special that day.

Christmas Eve the kids put out Cookies and Milk or Eggnog

Christmas morning we usually start off with Home Made Doughnuts. See Recipe in the recipe tab. Then we open our Christmas stockings. Those are also a family tradition going back generations. Everyone in our family has one hand made especially for them using a pattern that has been handed down. My Nana used to make them, now my mom makes them and someday I will take over. They are made for each new baby born or new husband or wife who joins the family. Then we go and do our morning chores and pass out our gifts to all the animals. Then we come back in and open gifts. Later in the morning the rest of the family here on the homestead comes down and joins us and we exchange gifts, watch movies, eat cold sandwiches and a finger food buffet.

The Kids took part in the annual Christmas play at the church yesterday. Then we all enjoyed the great food at the potluck after and of coarse ate way to much :)

Merry Christmas!

Let us remember not one day a year but every day.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour , which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 

Tis The Season

Hello and Good Day,

This week was yet another busy one. We had the Manley Hot Springs Sally Hudson Crafter's Guild Christmas Store on Saturday. The rest of the week involved getting ready and putting final touches on our craft projects that we would be selling. Lisa made more of her quilted trivets and the boys made more of their peg games. I made a few small crochet items and did some baking. 

Ken has been hard at work on his truck build. We moved the cab from his black truck onto the dually frame. It was quit the ordeal. It took Ken, Darryl, Ian, September and I to move it safely. Donna, my Mom and the kids all got to watch, cheer us on and bite their nails as we moved it over. 

Before on it's original frame

After Black cab moved onto heavier dually frame

Ken Mangled his thumb making the new body mounts. We're watching it closely. I really wish we had a suture kit on hand suitable for human use.

The picture is 3 days after. Right after it happened the one side looked like hamburger. 

We're gearing up for the Christmas season. Yesterday we went out and cut down a tree. This morning it's up and warming up. The kids are hoping to decorate it this evening. If we tried to put the ornaments on the cold branches they would snap off. We're pulling some of the other decorations out of the Christmas tote and putting them up around the house. 

 

Our big plans for this week include lots of school to make up for the time we took off for Thanksgiving. Not because we feel like we have to cram but because we have some super fun projects coming up that we're looking forward to. 

Lisa just finished her first chapter book. "Little House in the Big Woods". Now she's doing a book report and she's started the second book in the series. 

We're doing American History this year. We started with the Native Americans and we have just recently moved on to the first Colonies. 

For Science we're doing Astronomy. 

Math is Teaching Textbooks.

We also do Bible study and we're learning Swedish as well as still learning some basic sign language. 

Language Arts is a custom curriculum blend based around reading actual books. 

Art we really like the Homeschool Art Studio series. Plus we do seasonal crafts. 

Lisa is doing Quilting with Nonie for Home Ec. The boys are doing wood shop/mechanics with Ken.


Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6