Christmas Ideas from Christmas past.

Past posts for Christmas ideas when I participated in the Online Christmas Party.

Online Christmas Party - all of my posts

The Ongoing, Never ending Online Christmas Party!

2007

2008

2009

Menu and other plans

Beef Stroganoff

Garlic/Herb Chicken

something chicken

Steak

Last night we had our Faithgirls party. We had chocolate fondue (yummy), and made fleece blankets instead of a gift exchange. I'll be taking the blankets down to Austin for the Children Blessing Children ministry.

Lindy's birthday is Sunday (12) so we will be celebrating it early, on Thursday (9) with steak and cookies.

The girls and I are leaving Friday(10) for Austin to visit my mom, and bring my gramma back home. Saturday (11) the girls and I will be serving cookies and goodies at Lone Star. We will be coming home on Wednesday(15), just in time for AWANA. Bella doesn't want to miss the AWANA store, she has been doing great with her memory work.

Thursday(16) and Friday(17) of next week will be Christmas School for Olivia and Bella. We will be reading about Christmas around the world, or Christmas Symbols and baking cookies and other yummies.

Bella and I are in the church Christmas program, which will be on the 19th.

Sometime soon I need to do some shopping!

Gifts in a Jar

Save money making gifts your family and friends will love!

Make all sorts of cool, yummy gifts that will save you money while
endearing you to your friends for life!

The Gifts In A Jar e-book features ideas to make wonderful jar
mixes like those in the expensive stores including cookie mixes,
brownie mixes, drink mixes, spice mixes and soup and dip mixes.
These gifts will make their holidays sparkle and won't add to the
clutter when it's all over!

I save the nice large candle jars with lid all year long. I melt and remove the wax, wash the jars and then fill with homemade bath salts, bath milk, or yummy goodies. The perfect gift for Sunday School teachers, AWANA Leaders, school teachers, music teachers, and scout leaders.

Get your copy of the Gifts In A Jar e-book today!

Snow!

Snow is a rare thing here in Texas. Flurries started around 9am. It didn't take long for the snow to thicken up. It's been snowing nonstop since 9:30ish. It has been hard to keep the girls on task for school, but they knew that tomorrow was scheduled as a free day, so they worked well today. They are all outside playing right now. The last "big" snow we had was on Olivia's 6th birthday. She turns 12 tomorrow!

I am thankful I have a cozy, snug home. I'm thankful for hot chocolate, chili, and a husband that went to the store for milk.

February Beginnings

It has been grey and gloomy here this past week. Lots of cold rain. Not a whole lot to report.

Last weeks menu:
Roast Chicken
Tacos
Chicken Chowder
Italian Beef Sandwiches
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Chili

Next Week menu:
Pork Chops
Chicken something
Hamburger something
Another chicken something
Steak on Friday for Olivia's birthday. She will be 12! Hard to believe how fast my babies grow.

My brother started Chemo and Radiation tx this week. Thanks for any prayers on his behalf.

Starting to think about next school year. We will be starting a new curriculum called Far Above Rubies. Both Emilie and Olivia will be doing it. Bella is really flourishing using a modified Sonlight schedule this year, so I plan on doing something similar next year. Which reminds me that I need to post her weekly schedule, but that is on the other computer so I'll get to it later this weekend.

My Illinois family heard me state that I'd rather have my feet cut off then exercise. It's true, I hate cardio, but I do like weight/strength training. I found a book called the Cardio Free Diet and have started the workout routines. I really like it. I've not gotten crazy about counting calories or points. I think this is something I can stick with, I really like it. It doesn't take forever to do, only about 20 minutes, 3-4 times a week.

Christmas School

Christmas School begins today!

We stop our regular curriculum during December and do a special Christmas study.

Check out these 3 Different Christmas unit studies. This year we are doing "Good Christian Men Rejoice" and reading The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry. I've not found any cool thingy to go with it, but will just be doing some worksheets I found online.

I've done Jesse Trees several times, the graphic with The Glorious Coming are so neat. This Jesse Tree devotional is free with "ornaments" for children to color. There are a lot of other free devotions and ornaments online.


Last year we did an Inductive Advent study.
The "sisters" read a Christmas Carol and did A Reading Record with it.
I *loved* the set up of the Reading Record. Isabella did this Christmas Lapbook last year, by Lilliput Station.

I'm a sucker for Christmas unit studies. I've got other Christmas studies this past weekend. One was A Christmas Adventure. I also bought Symbols of Christmas Lapbook, a couple years ago.
I have the Advent Calendar Lapbook but haven't used it yet. I've never met a Lilliput Station product that I've not liked.

Christmas just doesn't come around enough for me to use everything. I probably need to stop collecting Christmas studies now.

For more Christmas ideas to share with your family visit the On Line Christmas Party!

Menu

Turkey Roll Ups-chopped turkey, diced celery, onion, shredded cheese, dried cranberries, miracle whip-roll up in crescent roll dough, bake.
Beef Stew
Chicken soup-going to make this one up-I'm thinking white beans, chicken broth, diced chicken, green chilies, green enchilada sauce, onion, celery
Hamburgers
spaghetti
pizza
Jerk Chicken nachos

Olivia's Birthday! and a gift for you!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Celebrating Olivia!*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gramma gift.

A two piece outfit from Kohls that Olivia had picked out. It has sparkly pink skulls on the top and the leggings.

Top from mom and dad.


Her big gift! A Game Cube! Was she surprised?

Got to love cake!



A Gift for you!
Jesus the Ultimate Valentine bookmarks

A Christmas Gathering

A family picture. My Gramma, in the chair, with my girls in front. Standing behind from Left to Right are Lindy, Me, Maria, Doug, and my mom kneeling.

A Day with Gramma

Tuesday, December 30, I picked up my gramma and we spent the day together. First I put all her Christmas decorations in the attic. I took her to Kohls to take back a gift and since there were so many sales we took advantage and bought Emilie and Olivia's birthday presents. I helped gramma pick out a new purse and she found a new wallet. Since it was Tuesday, she also got an additional 10% (or maybe 15%)off the sale prices!

Then we went to Coldwater Creek so she could get blouse. By now it was lunch time so we went to Olive Garden for Salad and Soup. Super yummy, I love their lunch. Gramma had a hair appointment so I dropped her off at the beauty shop and spent an hour at Books A Million. I picked Gramma back up and we had a pitstop at her house.

She was feeling fine so we went on to Target. I had a gift card for Target and wanted another purse. I love purses like some women love shoes. My husband thinks I'm nuts. Well I thought I'd get a new pair of Merrell type shoes in black. Well drat! Target didn't have any, (and either does another other store I've looked at) so I got a purse instead. LOL I wanted red, but I didn't like the style of the one and only red purse there, got an olive green one.
Gramma got some scrapbooking items and Valentine socks for the girls.

We skipped over to Lifeway. I wanted the Early Reader Bible that was advertised for $9.99. They didn't have any, nor did they even know if any came in and no I can't have a raincheck. I'm a wee bit ticked off about that, seems like a "bait and switch" to me. I did get a $5 mom's journal. Gramma bought some clearance Christmas items.

We had a fun day!

A visit with St. Nick

Bella wanted to visit with Santa. He was a very good Santa, real beard and he took his time to talk and listen. He called me over to tell me what she had asked for, he was pleased that she didn't ask for a lot of toys, but felt that she should have something special. So if your family "does" Santa and you live in the Texarkana area, the Santa at the Mall is excellent.

Send a card!

We will be participating in Holiday Mail for Heros this year!

For other great traditions from families check out the Online Christmas Party!

Filling Shoeboxes

We filled our shoeboxes Sunday afternoon for Operation Christmas Child.
Each box was filled to the brim. We included a bandana, washcloth, bar of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, 1 pack of pencils, pencil sharpener, 3 ink pens, crayons, a small notebook, hair goodies, 1 book, 1 pair of socks, lip balm, stickers, gum and candy, tote bag, travel lotion, 1 small container of play-doh, 1 mini ball, comb, 1 small stuffed bunny, sunglasses.

We really enjoyed doing this project. For more great family traditions check out the Online Christmas Party!

Holiday Countdown Calendar

A Holiday pocket countdown calendar. Print 25 pockets onto colored paper, fold and glue to a poster board. On gingerbread boy cut outs write a holiday activity to do each day. Include the normal holiday prep that you need to do anyway, like signing cards, decorating the tree & home, and different baking days. Other things to include might be riding around looking at lights, going caroling, making gifts, wrapping gifts, reading Christmas books, watch Christmas movie(s), donate food to a food bank, “adopt” an angle tree child, participate in your church Christmas program, or attend a church Christmas program.

Since this is a daily calendar you can easily include daily advent readings, and/or Jesse tree reading/ornaments in each pocket as well.

I’ve not made mine yet, we started last year but I never got my poster made. For more great ideas to make your holiday special check out the Online Christmas Party.

Click here for PDF 2 small pockets per sheet of paper.

Christmas Craft Time

Using The Christmas Stencil Cards, card stock, colored pencils, hole punch and ribbon.

Trace the stencil of choice, color it in and cut it out to make gift tags. Other fun ideas for these cute festive cards include: Trace shapes onto Shrinky-Dink paper and make tree ornaments & holiday charms, create holiday bedroom door signs, or let your children make their own greeting cards.

Check out other great ideas at the Online Christmas Party.

Christmas School

Here are some FREE Christmas Unit Studies for your Christmas School.

A Blessed Christmas

The Names of Jesus

Good Christian Men Rejoice

A Christmas Unit Study

Amazing Grace- A Christmas Unit Study

Christmas Symbols

Be sure to check out Homeschool Share for Literature Based studies, many with Free lapbooking elements. Combine with the Christmas Book Basket idea and your all set to make many lasting memories

Christmas Book Basket

I collect all our Christmas and Winter themed books and read one each day, leading up to Christmas. Some years I would wrap the books and place in a basket under the tree, letting the girls pick one to open each day. That way the book is a surprise and they get to open something which is always exciting.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have plenty of Christmas and Winter books to use. If you need to supplement with library books, I wouldn't wrap them. Save on those overdue fine. :) Or I suppose you could just keep renewing them until they get picked.

Online Christmas Party 2008

Classic Christmas

A few links to get you started on your Christmas School...

Christmas Radio Programs
CInnamon Bear
Classic Christmas books

Christmas School

For the month of December we stop our normal curriculum and do what we like to call "Christmas School" There are several free online Christmas unit studies out there that we we rotate each year. We also include some sort of craft, or make a memory activity.

This year the girls have their own Holiday Journals, a combination of several different journals, including Our Christmas Journal by: Sheri Graham of Graham Family Ministries
www.school4jesus.com

This year we will do an Inductive Advent Study

Online Christmas Party 2008

Online Christmas Party

The second annual Online Christmas Party is gearing up for another fun and memorable year. So grab a cup of cocoa and your favorite fuzzy slippers and visit us at the Online Christmas Party 2008!