Advent

Christmas is my favorite holiday. In fact, it's the only holiday I enjoy more than birthdays. I love celebrating the birth of Christ with my family and the fact that there is an entire month of celebrating makes it all the more special. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, I fill the house with Christmas music, decorations, hot cocoa, and the smell of cookies baking. We cut out paper snowflakes, make window clings, make all sorts of ornaments and gifts to give, set up the Nativity, and read Christmas books that are only out during the month of December. Some years we've done a Jesse Tree, and others we've done a chocolate Advent calendar (they were only $1 at ALDI this year!).

The one thing that we have done to prepare for Christmas every year since JA was 1, has been to read from the Advent Storybook each night leading up to Christmas. It's the story of a little bear, who's mama tells a story each night from December 1st through the 24th. The stories are about another little bear and his journey to Bethlehem to see Baby Jesus. I love this book! Each little story has a message about God's love for us or how we can share God's love with others. The kids enjoy reading the stories about little Benjamin bear as well, and remind me each night to read it before bedtime.

This year, we are incorporating Advent into our school day and studying Christmas around the world. So far, we have learned about the traditions in Argentina and Australia, and will study 8 more countries between now and Christmas. JT is listening to the stories and doing the crafts with us, and JA is also making a lapbook with a page about the traditions in each country.  This is a fun way to keep learning while acknowledging the fact that I just want to think about Christmas. We're also continuing with math, writing, and science, but this unit study covers social studies and literature for us for the month. (Though we're big readers around here and have still been keeping up with our normal Ambleside literature this week; we'll be taking a break from that for a couple of weeks to allow extra time for all of the gift making and cookie baking.)

Busy Busy

JT has been constructing bridges & towers & train tracks.

JA has been cross-stitching and beading.

Papi has been knitting & crocheting.

 Mami has been knitting hats & crocheting sweaters.

(no picture - I'm usually the photographer around here.)

JMC likes to deconstruct, undo, and knot up.

Thanksgiving

Mmmm the turkey leg!

Our Christmas tree - shelves worked into the brick. Thanks, Papi!

Helping Hands (or "how to rescue toys from toy jail")

The toys were getting out of control, so we instituted Toy Jail. Any toys that are away from their "home" at bedtime go directly to jail. Within the first 3 nights, we had 3 laundry baskets full of abandoned toys. Now, the kids are more careful about their things and the apartment is easier to walk through.

In order to rescue a toy from jail, you need to help out with an extra chore - putting away JMC's folded clothes, unloading the dishwasher, folding socks (I hate to fold socks!), etc.  It's been interesting to see which toys the kids are willing to do extra work for.  And it's incredibly gratifying to have 2 children begging for extra chores, and come running when I announce I need help with something. :)

Here's JMC helping JA unload the dishwasher. (Don't worry, I unload the sharp knives before any child is allowed nearby.)

At the end of the month, they'll have one last chance to rescue toys, and then all remaining abandoned toys will be donated. The kids already know this, and are ok with the plan.

Whole Foods

cucumber

bell pepper

tomato

Hats

JMC has begun to show his interests and make his thoughts known. One of those interests happens to include hats. He likes them so much, he has learned to make his desire known in 2 ways to make sure we understand him completely. He pats his head (Baby Sign Language) and says "go" (for "gorra" in Spanish.) I think he pats his head so we can distinguish this "go" from the "go" he says to the dog. (I really don't know where he got that from...)

Yes, he is wearing 2 hats. He insisted.

Dia de los Muertos

by JA, Mami, & JT

We aren't big on Halloween around here. I mean, the kids like to dress up and receive candy (JT says that's the only thing about Halloween he likes), but we don't enjoy the scary parts at all, and even trick-or-treating has proven too scary for the kids in the past. This year, we went to Hy-Vee and the kids had a great time - nothing scary, and healthy treats in their bags.

Dia de los Muertos, however, is something completely different. It's not scary at all, despite the skull and skeleton decorations. It's all about remembering your ancestors and loved ones who have died. So, today we colored calaveras in bright colors like the sugar skull candies.  We will probably make pan de muertos (if we get our school lessons done first), and we'll talk throughout the day about our loved ones whom the kids never had the opportunity to meet or were so young they don't remember. People like Grandpa Fred, Nana Irene, Papa Art, and Grandpa Ray on Mami's side; and Mamita Lina, Grandpa Pablo, and Grandpa Julio on Papi's side. We'll talk about how their ancestors come from Guatemala and Italy, but also from Spain and Sweden; and how very blessed they are to have been born here in the US.  

by JA & Mami. We saw a calavera with blue teeth and thought it looked cool. :)

We did end up making the pan de muertos; we can always do more math tomorrow, right? Besides, we had to measure ingredients, follow the recipe, and watch the time while baking, and that all counts as school, too.