EEEEK!!

We are starting our next school semester on Monday, January 4th!

Are we ready??

Am I ready??

Happy St. Lucia's Day!!

One thing we do in December that I forgot to mention is celebrating some other holidays. We do this to learn more about other countries and cultures, but also to help make December a more special time.

Today, December 13, is St. Lucia's Day. You can read the story of St. Lucia here, and another version here. A more fictional, kid-friendly version here with a St. Lucia paper doll (just found this site and it has lots of beautiful crafts/ideas- can't wait to explore it more!).

You can go here to learn more about the holiday.

Some years we have had more elaborate celebrations, but mostly we keep it simple. We make a paper crown for N with green leaves and candles. We make cinnamon rolls of the Pillsbury variety (this year we also did caramel rolls - yum!) and we also have hot cocoa and juice. We light candles and turn out the lights. Then N serves everyone their breakfast and we talk about the story of St. Lucia while we eat.

Go here to for a great idea for the crown/hats, and some more links about this holiday.

We also usually celebrate St. Nicholas' Feast Day on December 6, but this year we forgot :(.

Here is a list, and another list, of other holidays to learn about in December -- December 18th is Wear a Plunger on your Head Day!!

Christmas Plans

What fun things are you doing this Christmas season?


This year my kids are making some the presents they will give away (mostly to grandparents). I sort of had visions of them being really excited about it and getting them done fast enough to make some for lots of family and friends, but I was delusional. Maybe if we start in January they can do this next year. They are willing and happy to work on their projects most of the time, but they are also kids and get frustrated when things don't go the way they want. And I'm not going to ruin any surprises by telling everyone what we are making, but here are some hints . . .

We usually make some kind of new ornament each year. Last year the kids colored these wooden ornaments from a craft store, but this year we hot glued pinecones to ribbon. We are not elaborate crafters.

The kids were given this advent calendar at church. I found it online at Sugardoodle - a great website with lots more ideas (and wonderful helps for many church callings)!! I love how it has pictures to go with each day.

LDS About.com Advent figures - I printed these out, let the kids color them, cut them out, and they are using them like paper dolls to act out the story.

We are also singing favorite Christmas hymns (i.e. the ones the kids know) during our morning devotionals. Even O and J are singing Christmas Bells with us. And we are working on classic favorites, such as Jingle Bells and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. I also like to play the Christmas cd's we have.

I love Christmas stories, so we are reading lots of these as well!!

Our favorite is Hilary Knights The Twelve Days of Christmas (I love her Cinderella too - I remember reading it as a kid!!)

And favorite movies!!!

Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Prancer, The Little Princess, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and so many more!!