All for the little ones, Christmas joys

These past few weeks have felt a bit gloomy for me. Maybe it's the cold, dark, and muggy weather and feeling like the walls are closing in. Maybe it's grieving the lost loved ones this Christmas. Maybe it's losing my homeschooling steam as we've been plagued with so much death and illness. Maybe it's the household things that all seem to be needing repair. I know my spiritual life needs some repair, that's for sure!

But Christmas is such a happy time for children, I can't help but smile as we belt Christmas carols in the car, as they sing each other quietly to sleep, and as they make the sweetest homemade gifts for each other! So many joys to be found in the expectation that keeps children's hearts alive this time of year!

We've been blessed with many fun activities the past few weeks, and are especially grateful for family visiting this week. My brother Brice is home from his deployment, so he is here to visit and then take his family back home to California. We're going to miss Allison and Addison so much! My aunt is visiting and another uncle and aunt visited over the weekend. We're enjoying this special week with family...

A few of our goings-on...

Art and Nature Club last week. Steven Joseph always joins in!

Mary Clare and Ellie copied the works of Van Gogh

They are starting a Jr Master Gardener program with Nature Club!
Doing a fun activity...where hamburgers come from!

The girls did a make-up ballet class this week, and NeNe and Aunt Marilyn got to watch Mary Clare's little mini-exhibition

Playing at NeNe's this week...

Singing away with the rattle-microphone

Introducing herself for the fashion show

The little fashionista!

Last night I put a few lights outside and we plan to do a little baking later this week as we prepare for some cookie exchanges. We've been taking care of dental appointments and starting to do some Christmas shopping (we're last minute shoppers!). We have abandoned the Alphabet Path until January, when we'll start with letter M and read all about one of our favorite storybook characters, Madeline! Today I spent an hour cleaning out my car, which is looking spiffy with the new wheels! I got out my guitar earlier this week, and listened to poor SJ sob when I put it away. Maybe Santa needs to bring him a baby guitar!

Oh, and I might actually get some Christmas cards ordered this week! Steven's cousin sent the proofs from our Thanksgiving pictures, and I was able to get a digital image of our favorite family photo for some cards. Can't wait to see how they turn out!

And now, off to bed, in hopes that some sugarplum visions will dance in my head (and not cemeteries like last night)...