Christmas Pictures

Lydia has been wanting one of these for a long time and was very excited to finally get a purse to color.

Littlest Pet Shop - always a big hit

Perler beads - definite favorite

Both the girls got a decorate your own Littlest Pet Shop

Sparkle shoes and Twinkle Toes! (Thanks to a great clearance price this mama found)

Read along princess books and cd's

Look and find style book - very magical

More LPS

Emma can't be left out of the coloring fun

Gifts from Mana and Hoppy - Little Ponies and LPS

Lydia wants to learn how to sew so we are starting with this kit

Final Product

They did a great job - Lydia really does have quite the artistic eye

We had a simple and very blessed Christmas.  We are not huge gift givers and toys are not the way to my girls heart.  Quality time and the touch they both crave are far more suited to crafts and games than toys.  My Christmas gift this year was the tree you see in the background. Justin surprised me one day and went to Sam's and got it for me.  I love it! Justin and I rarely get anything for each other so it was a really nice treat.  Hope you had a fun Christmas and that you have a blessed new year.

Christmas Learning Fun

Here are just a few snapshots of some of the fun learning activities we have been doing around here this month.

Alphabet soup - yummy!

Boy, look at ALL that snow.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair. Obviously we like dress up around here!

Now Mary, that's more like a pastor's kid, right?

Another, older version of Mary.

Not sure about this one....she said she was a cowgirl. Lasso and boots?

Roll and Build a Nativity from 2 Teaching Mommies.

Nativity Word search

Nativity timeline from 2 Teaching Mommies

Alphabet match, upper lower case

close up

Color words candy cane matching. Emma could read them all!

Day 20 of our Christmas fun days, decorating an ice cream cone tree.

Always some dramatic flair.

Notice: not all ideas to be an out of the box teaching mama lend themselves to good results. Dry erase markers on our fridge did not go well.

The math problems were answered correctly but the result on the fridge seems permanent.

Several different home remedies later and it is still there.

Be blessed!

Family Fun

PJ's are a must when we snuggle in for a movie or a good book!

Our family is so very much enjoying our celebration of Advent with some really fun activities thrown in. Last night we had family movie night and the movie of the night was "Snow Buddies". The girls loved seeing the cute little puppies and lets just say that Justin and I suffered through it for the sake of our children.  Not what we would consider quality entertainment here folks.  Other than that it was a fun way to spend a night with my favorite people in the world. 

December Fun

Here is the final list I put on the pull out cards in my homemade Advent calendar.  So far, the girls are having fun and I am pleased with the way they are listening when we do our Jesse Tree devotions.  Really feeling the peace and calm this year for the Christmas season.

December
1 - Tree Decorating
2 - Family Movie Night (FMN) - Rudolph (with special Rudolph chapstick from Target dollar spot)
3 - Serve meal at the Union Mission
4 - Decorate Christmas Canvas Bags
5 - Christmas Shape Tracers
6 - Window Clings (2 from Target dollar spot and Nativity set from Christmas Walmart Clearance last year)
7 - Color Bookmarks
8 - Jesus - paint over his name with q-tips
9 - FMN - the library has several good Christmas picks
10 - Paint Ornaments
11 - Dress Fancy for dinner tonight (even mommy and daddy)
12 - Hot Chocolate Treat
13 - Coloring book fun
14 - Nativity Puzzle
15 - Happy Birthday Jesus activity book
16 - FMN - library again
17 - Bake something yummy for neighbors and deliver
18 - Christmas bookies in PJ's
19 - Legend of the candy cane with craft
20 - Legend of the Christmas Tree - decorate ice cream cone Christmas tree
21 - Legend of Saint Nicholas with Santa craft
22 - Nativity craft
23 - FMN - Small One (my favorite from childhood) and The Very First Noel
24 - Make Birthday Cake for Jesus - Christmas Eve church service
25 - Christmas Celebration!


I found so many great ideas this year when searching the web that I have a folder full of ideas for next year already! I really am grateful to so many online communities that provide such great resources for free. Someone else's hard work is making it easier to focus on what is most important and do it in a creative way. Blessings!