A December To Remember

Before we begin this blog post I'd like to tell you about the songs we chose for our blog this time and why.  Each year we have certain Christmas songs that stand out to us.  This year they are "Christmas Bells are Ringing".  This is Little Man's absolute favorite this time around!!  (last year it was Run Run Rudolph) He will be playing happily or just walking around quietly and then suddenly burst out singing as loud as he possibly can (which is quite loud) "Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong"!  He gets so mad when the radio doesn't play his song when he wants it!  Our next song is "Christmas Eve-Sarajevo" for BabyGirl. This is her favorite every year!  She's keeping her fingers crossed that their performance next year doesn't fall on the same night as Open Concert.  Lastly, I chose "Christmas" by U2.  It reminds me how fortunate we are to all be together at Christmas each year.  (and we just love to sing this loudly while we all dance together)

Now, we begin...

I am so thankful for this wonderful time of year.  When I think back to the last two Christmas' past, I can't believe how much has changed!  Two years ago I was big and pregnant with Little Man...snowed in on Christmas Eve.  Last year I had a little baby who was attached to me with his sling most of the time.  This year I have an active, inquisitive and amazing little boy who is into everything Christmas!!  Two years ago BabyGirl would rest her head on my tummy and wonder what was in store with the coming of her sibling.  Last year she was the best big sister I could ever imagine, making sure her brother was always safe.  This year she has grown into the most incredible young woman ever!  I am the luckiest mom in the universe.  I look forward to taking off the next two weeks to savor these moments with my children....to slow down....to make memories that will last a lifetime.....and treasure the true meaning of the season.

Here is a small home school update first.  Our Red Cross club got to take a tour of our local facility, and take a few classes.  Here is a picture of the kids touring the Emergency Response Vehicle.

 The children learned how to rescue someone from choking...

 and, to give first aid to a bleeding wound.

 Before Thanksgiving we made Pilgrims!  Here is Little Man with his little boy Pilgrim.  In the background you can see his block tower.  He is a true prodigy when it comes to block towers.  I'm not kidding.  This boy can take any size block and put it on another with such ease, and it *always* stays.  It's amazing.  We love to sit in awe as he unknowingly totally out-stacks every single one of us!

 Here is Sissy with her Pilgrim girl.

 After the Pilgrim craft, Little Man refused to quit doing art.  So, we pulled out a peacock template he could use.  (notice the way he holds his head when he poses....this looks exactly like me when I was his age!  Especially when he squints his eyes and gives a HUGE cheese!  I remember making that same face!)

 BabyGirl and her peacock.

My two turkey's hand prints!

While we're talking about art....here is a picture of something.  We just finished our unit on Claude Monet.  BabyGirl was to do a Monet-inspired painting.  This is a section of her painting.  She brought it to me and pointed to this section of the picture.  She said "These may *look* like little red and black blobs of paint.  But, when you look at them from a distance, they give you the "impression" of being lady bugs!"  Perfect.

These dabs of paint give you the "impression" of being an owl face.

The complete painting.

 This is Little Man testing our chocolate coconut cream frosting on Thanksgiving morning.  Breakfast of champions!!!  Look at the glow in those eyes!!

 Here is a picture of the plate of turkey my Uncle Ken dedicated to Grandma with the Bird.  It was a fabulous Thanksgiving!!!!!

 After Thanksgiving our focus turns to Christmas!!!  December 1st always brings our long awaited first chocolate advent!!!

 Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without my Santa head made by Grandma the Great!!

 Trimming the big tree....

 Trimming Sissy's tree....

 The finished product, complete with our big Thomas track under the tree!

 The stockings are hung by the chimney with care....

 This is Little Man's tree.  His tree topper is a "boom boom hat"!  Perfect!!

 Sissy's completeed tree!

 Our Christmas jalapeno pepper!

 Making Christmas cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Yummy!!!!

 Reading Christmas books before bedtime is already wonderful....but, add the new quilt handed down from Grandma J to the bed....and, you've got complete bliss!

 Making our salt clay ornaments!

 Looking at Little Man from this perspective really shows how much he's grown!!!  Look at him rolling out his own dough!

 Painting the hand prints!

 We surprised the kids with a trip to Rhema last weekend to see the beautiful lights!!  Neither one of them wanted to leave.  We went through the tunnel eight times!!!!  These pictures don't do it justice.

 Here is BabyGirl with Buddy the Elf who just happened to be there, too!

 Little Man loves to cook in his kitchen!!!!!!

 He also loves his new "cookie" gloves!!!

 Here is the back of our envelope to The North Pole!!

 BabyGirl has been working so hard on her music this year!!  She was accepted into the Open Concert after her audition last week!!!  This is a wonderful opportunity that only a few students get each semester.  I am so proud of her for giving it her best every single day, not giving up, and putting everything she has into all she does!  She has grown up so much since the birth of her brother.  She is a huge help to others, full of patience, thoughtful, hard-working....I could just go on and on.  She shows me the kind of person I want to be, and I can't thank her enough for that...or for choosing me to be her mommy.

Here she is with her Mimi and Papa (and flowers) at her studio concert.

 Here she is with Nan and Pop.

 Here is a video of the lights at Rhema, along with one of our favorite songs!  Remember to pause the music at the bottom of the blog before you hit play.

This is from BabyGirl's studio concert.  It is missing just the first few notes of the song since I had a hard time switching from camera to video.  :)  I will save her big song for Open Concert time.  This one is called "Fairy Tale".  Enjoy!