Advent

When I was growing up, I remember going to summer camp.  The days seemed to last so very long, but in the blink of an eye the week was up.  I'm finding life in these busy days to be much like that--without the hikes and camp food, well except when we're actually camping...

 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: choir, shepherd, and angel choir

Gabby's turn to put the angel on top

Ellie is tickled with the tree.

 The AHG Christmas party began with a story time.

Mama got a night out to go look at the lights, with a few dozen ladies from church (not all pictured here)

Trail Life marched/rode in a parade.  If you squint, Justin is in the back ground, and Nate is in the back of the trailer, with a gray and black striped hat on.

We've had a swirl of activity the past few weeks as outside things wrap up before Christmas. We've had almost all our parties, parades, and play performances.  By the skin of our teeth, the decorations are up, the presents are (mostly) here, and we are almost ready to settle down for the prescribed long winter's nap rest.

But even in the midst of trying to slow down, as a mother there is the packing, the laundry, the double checking to be sure everyone has the same number of gifts, and that none of the important traditions are left out.  There are grades to send to our umbrella school, which means I have to actually tally all those grades I've been keeping and hunt for those mislaid papers that still need marks.

I still need to find the quiet and the waiting in the busyness, because just like camp and last October, the time will be gone.

Hoping that you (and I) find the joy and anticipation of Advent!

~Kristy

Friday Funnies

Katie: What did you see at Target?

Ellie: Christmas trees!

Katie: What color were they?

Ellie: (in a voice that says, "Really?!") Uh, green...

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Fun ways Ellie says words that I want to remember:

Uhd = Ugh

Dede = Katie

Dabby = Gabby

Got Shoeboxes?

 

Don't forget it is national collection week for Operation Christmas Child!

There are some beautiful stories and videos at their website.  If you've never taken the opportunity to watch videos, here is a short one.  To me though, the best are the stories of the kids who have grown up, who can still tell you exactly what was in their boxes.

If you can't pack a box, maybe you can pay shipping for one of the boxes that was returned without it's shipping payment (you can give online).  Seven dollars can get a box to a child somewhere, so they can see the love of God in a tangible way, plus they get the gospel in their own language.

Seven

 My little man is still growing up.  He refuses to stop for some reason.

He is funny, bright, and athletic.

He has been such a nice companion, always a great tag-a-long with his older sisters and a great friend to the younger one.  Truly a good big brother.

He loves to be outside.

His birthday wish for this year was a walking stick.  He and his dad have started on it over the weekend, but they plan to add a few more touches to it.

I am grateful I get to be his Mama.

Walk softly, and carry a big stick!

Unit Study and Friday Funny

We've made some great progress on our history/literature curriculum (Tapestry of Grace, year one) this fall.  I honestly meant to slow it down a bit as we got into the kids play practice, but we just kept trucking along.  So I was looking through the girls' AHG badge book and found one that would be helpful for Kate to have before she moved up--Survival, Search, and Rescue.  It is a badge that builds on lower levels, so even at the level the girls are currently in, we had to do some major foundational work from the lower level.  She wants to work on it at camp in the future--they have to build their own shelter and sleep in it one night, but it required all the lower level requirements (understandably when you're talking about something like staying out overnight with only what you packed).  We spent a chunk of the week talking about the 10 Essentials for survival, rescue teams, Ready Packs, what a Backcountry Trip Plan is (even made up a skit to show to younger girls), and talked about emergency plans.

Ellie found this very interesting.  Here is her plan, if she gets lost in the woods: "Go to the grocery store, pick up lunch, throw food in the woods, and eat it."

It was a nice little break in the fall before we get back into the ancients, here between the Assyrians and the Babylonian Captivity.  It gave us a great reason to be outside for a whole afternoon too, now that it is starting to cool down for the fall here in the South.  Before I turn around, it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas.  I'm glad we took a week to do something a little different, a great  unit study.

Kristy

Lately

I started to write an update on what life was like here in September, but I turned around and we're at the end of October!  We are in a busy season of life, but I'm not sure that it's going to become less busy anytime soon.

This fall has brought the return to our regular American Heritage Girl meetings.  I'm still treasurer, so handling the beginning of the year dues and the the fall fundraiser funds have filled up corners of our days.  We've been on a fall camp out with the troop, which was fun.  I'm helping with the Operation Christmas Child event again this year, but we are helping our charter church with a packing party this time, so it isn't our usual one night of busy.  I'm assisting one of the older girls plan the event as part of her level award project.

We also found a Trail Life troop for Nate to join.  This organization was formed with input from the founder of AHG, but the organizations are definitely different too.  Nate loves hanging out with the guys.  He's never had anything that was entirely his, so this is great for him.  I took him this past week, as Justin was out of town, and it was lots of motion, noise, and activity.  They had a nice lesson about character within their patrol time, that we were able to reinforce at home, met up with some fellows who were learning about how to behave around a camp stove, and joined in prayer with the rest of the troop.

Kate, somehow, has reached the age to join our church youth group.  I'm not sure when that happened!  She's been able to do a few activities with them so far--a trampoline center, a retreat, and soon a Halloween party.  She loves hanging out with the girls, especially a daughter of a friend of mine who passed away this summer.

The three older kids are working on a play again this fall, this time it is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  They love being out with their friends and working on the project to pull it all together.

Justin's been working on his tenure process.  He also took students to a chemistry conference to present their work.  His days are quite busy.

As for me, I've been up to my eyes in teaching three munchkins, driving them to and fro, and maintaining the house.  I even stripped the back deck and stained it this fall.  Who knows what project I'll get into next?  Maybe I'll tackle the railings on the front porch!

Hopefully it won't be so long between writings again, but no promises!

Kristy

9th Birthday

My second daughter is nine today.

She is bright and sweet.  Full of fire and fun.

She makes us smile and challenges us.

She's not so little any more.

She loves to read and dance.

She loves AHG.  And had the most service hours for her unit this summer!

She's a care giver.

 Happy Birthday!

 Love,
Mama