{From our House to yours...}

Merry Christmas!

 May you reflect today on the HOPE of the new born Savior!

 

This morning the kids were up early excited to open packages...

 Looking for the pickle...

 found it! Loving celebrating his first Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!!

{This Mama's Daybook}

From the last week 

Outside my window... patches of snow left in the yard from Sunday's storm, the remnants of the kids snow forts that brought hours of play and good times. Snow is falling again today but it's not that wet and won't stay around long. It's still beautiful though...

I am hearing... a Mercy Me Christmas Album playing and Clara reading to Wesley.

I am thinking about... a friend who traveled home from Korea yesterday with their new son. I can't wait to meet him!

I am praying for... several friends and family members battling cancer. This season if JOY also has sadness for many.

I am thankful for...

From the learning rooms... Finishing up before Christmas Break. Reading Christmas books from our baskets.

Clara has really taken off reading lately, Eli is figuring out fractions with Abigayl and Nate is doing long division while Lenna works on percentages and decimal places.

We am creating... this past weekend we made all sorts of Christmas goodies, Lenna made these fancy sugar cookies, we also made cinnamon rolls, banana bread and other yummy treats!

I am pondering these words... 

One of my favorite things... making hot chocolate for giggling kids when they come in from playing in the snow! Monday we had 11 kids here at one point which just makes my heart smile!

We are reading... Ishtar's Odyssey for Advent as a family and I am working my way through The Promises this Advent season, by Kari over at Stone Soup for Five.

From the kitchen... we are really enjoying Ishtar's Odyssey this Advent and have been trying many of the Persians foods mentioned. We had Lentils the other night. We have also made Jalebi, Torshi Liteh and this weekend we will be having a Persian feast with stuffed peppers, fish, baklava and many other wonderful treats and foods to try!

A peek into my world...

I love doing arts & crafts projects with the kids. With our schedule this fall, we haven't taken the time to be very creative and I miss it. The last week, I have tried to plan some fun projects into days...

Vintage Christmas Cards- Deep Space Sparkle Project

{Winter recital}

The kids had their winter recital last Sunday afternoon. They each played a solo, Lenna and Abigayl had a duet and the 4 older kiddos played in the mini orchastra.

Clara was the first of the kids to play. She did well and is starting to get the hang of playing but can't wait to get her bow arm from ICC FabLab as it is much easier for her to use and her sound is much better with it!

All the pictures were taken by Mr. Gordon, he did a great job! Thank you!

It has been fun to see each of the kids improve this fall and then get to play together!

{First meet of the season...}

This past weekend was the first gymnastics meet of the season for Abigayl & Lenna. Clara is competing this season for the first time too, but her meets start in January.

Saturday morning came early after a long drive to the meet.

Abigayl's level started at 8am, right now, there are only 2 girls on our team in her level.

She had a great morning, hard work pays off!

Beam has become one of her favorite events this year.

This year, she got to pick her own floor music and is loving it!

Her routine is to Heart of Courage from one the Narnia Movie.

Abigayl finished well and was pleased with how she placed.

After her meet was over, we headed back to our friends' place who let us stay the weekend with them.

Lenna's level was the last group of the day...

She also started her season off with a great evening.

Beam continues to her favorite event this year.

It was really late by the time awards started and all the girls were getting pretty silly by then!

Both Abigayl and Lenna won there groups on beam, though Lenna is the only one I got a picture of during awards for it!

It was a great start to a new season!

{Thanksgiving Break...}

I am slowly trying to catch up here...Thanksgiving break was filled with food, family and fun, even with the ice storm!

My sister and her family came for a few days. Though the weather outside was icy, we had made candles, played board games and just enjoyed being together!

Our neighbors took the kids sledding "flatlander style," on a car hood!

It was slick enough to even get the sleds going on your own down flat streets...

We celebrated Abigayl's birthday with cake (she chose to celebrate early with friends a month ago at a concert.) I can't believe how fast this sweet girl of ours is growing up! 

Happy 11 Years Abigayl!

The kids got really creative on the ice and started playing "hockey"with whatever sticks they could find...

It led to hours of entertainment!

Advent started...

This year we are reading Ishtar's Odyssey by Arnold Ytreeide
. We love this book series and the kids were so excited that there is a new one this year.

One of the things I am loving about it is that it is a journey through food as well as Ishtar's story! It has ideas for meals, snacks, etc. that might have been similar to what would have been eaten by the the Wise Men and their caravan.

We started our journey with a feast...

Rizeh Koofteh - Persian Meatballs served with Saffron Potatoes...

and enjoyed it all on a blanket on the floor with Na an, pomegranates and more..

I can't wait for more treats and foods to come!

Our world remained icy for several days after Thanksgiving, even cancelling school the following Monday. This was my view at sunset one evening!