I’m updating my Christmas spirit status as improved. Since my bah-humbug post I have…
- Made cinnamon applesauce ornaments (largely without the help of children, which may earn me a bad mommy award)
- Made bags of stovetop simmering potpourri as gifts for tutors and friends
- Made bags of kettle corn for our book club goodie exchange (and enjoyed an evening with friends, celebrating 9 years of ChocLit Guild!)
- Made a loaf of cranberry orange bread
- Received a gorgeous greenery wreath from my most awesome best friend
- Received a lovely white poinsettia from another friend
- Bought a perfect, small noble Christmas tree
- Pulled many of our Christmas decorations out of the attic and put them up; decorated the tree
- Lit candles on the Advent wreath the boys made in Sunday school
- Read our favorite Advent book
- Sung Christmas songs at the piano with the boys
- Visited the Sea of Lights event at the Oregon Coast Aquarium
- Visited our local Christmas Storybook Land
- Attended my niece’s spectacular choir concert in a gorgeous church with intricate stained glass windows and a pipe organ
- Attended the Carols by Candlelight concert at a local church with my family
- Made frosted sugar cookie bars (that tasted funny, but we ate them all anyway)
- Celebrated St. Nicholas Day (belatedly) with our best friends (with our traditional marzipan making, pizza, chocolate coins, and a new story book)
- Watched cheesy yet delightful Christmas movies
- Bought a few Christmas gifts
I still have a bunch of homeschooling posts on the to-do list, including sharing about The Two Andrews in Portland, which was an incredible experience and like breath to my soul.
I also have some ideas percolating about a homeschool open house in January here at Mt. Hope for local friends/readers. Would anyone be interested in something like that? We could hang out in the studio and share homeschooling stories, ideas, and resources.
We had our carpets cleaned today, and now my house is torn apart. There’s nothing like having to clear the floors to be reminded just how little space we live in and how much junk we have and how disgustingly dirty it all is. Bleh. I’m trying to decide what to do with everything that is piled up in my front room. Throw it all out? Throw it in the attic? Go through a purging/organizing/deep cleaning spree in all my spare time? I’ll probably do what I always do. Stack it back up in every available corner. Ha!
My sister is having her baby by December 20th at the latest. I’m so stinkin’ excited!! Y’all are going to get sick of baby pictures again!
We still have a few Christmas events and activities to enjoy before Christmas Day arrives…
I'm really struggling this year. Your goodies and photos are beautiful. Feeling a twinge.... :)
ReplyDeleteYou could do what I do: select a few lovely totes, pile it all in, and forget about it for a long time. :) Your house seems cleaner instantly, but you usually do need to go digging after a while. Clear totes help.
ReplyDeleteAs for an open house, like, um, totally down with that!
I love the idea of a home school open house. I am always looking for new ideas!
ReplyDeleteI'm anxiously awaiting your recap of the two Andrews, as you're always so great at pulling out the most striking gems! (No pressure. ;)
ReplyDeleteAs for an open house, that's one party I'd definitely crash!
Stephanie