Fight Night

The kids had their first Karate Fight Night. Will had decided that he wasn't going to fight that night.  Collin & Faith were so excited about it.

There were kids all ages and all degrees of belts.  The idea

is to get use to fighting people that you don't know.  Not to be

nervous or afraid.

Faith & Collin got to fight together a good bit.

 Faith gets this guy.  I don't think that she is afraid of anyone.

This guy was so gentle with her.  Very proud of this young man.

But she thought she was David taking down Goliath. 

Then Collin got his chance to fight him.

 

 After a while, Will decided to fight.  He was paired up with a black belt.

:Will:

Brothers fighting.  It was interesting to see the difference between 

the kids fighting someone they know vs. someone they didn't.  

Faith loved this girl that she is fighting with, Savannah.  

Savannah was very good with Faith & tried to teach

her while they were fighting.

Will is on the right fighting.

Our Christmas Season part 2

We have really enjoyed going to the Lowe's Kid's workshop this year.  For December, they have been making a 3 part train.










 Before leaving the store, Collin & Faith wanted to get a picture in front of  Lowe's Christmas tree with Jacob. 

 After the 2nd  train workshop, we went with Jacob & his mom, Karen, to a train museum.  The kids really enjoyed this.


My Ladies Sunday School Christmas party was so much fun.  We have a bunch of crazy  fun ladies in our class. 

 Me & Zelle after the party.

This year, I am making a few things for the kids.  I crochet the boys a scarf & then decided to make a stuffed animal scarf for Faith.  I saw a tutorial online.  {I'm sorry, but I didn't save the site & now I can't find it to give them the credit.}  I was going to use one of her many stuffed animals, but then I didn't have the heart to cut it up.  So I bought a new one.

 Poor puppy, he has no idea what is about to happen to him.

It was so funny, it took me about 4 attempts before I actually could perform the surgery.  I'd start & then I had to wait to get my nerve up. 

 Faith can never see these pictures. No one tell her how the scarf was made.

The final product.  

(For some reason, blogger turned my picture sideways & I don't know how to fix it.)

Orange Belt

:Collin testing for his Orange Belt:

:Collin has really enjoyed karate:

 

:Mr. Gerald presenting Collin with his Orange Belt:

Normally, we have a children's Christmas play at our church.  We didn't have it this year.  All of the choir kids were so disappointed.  I hate to dis-appointing kids.  So this year, we decided to let them participate in a neighboring town's Christmas parade.  It was so much fun.  I was so thankful that the Lord warmed it up to 40 degrees for us.

:Collin riding the train:

: Will is just above the black stripe:

:Faith is in the back car on the right:

The back car was designated for me.  

Collin said, "look at the big caboose."  Didn't find that funny.

Caroling & the Manger

Our children's choir also "went" caroling at our church.  

The idea was to sing out on the front lawn of the church as the congregation came in for the night service.

It was so stinkin cold, rainy & windy that we brought the kids inside to sing.  (Since I was directing, I wasn't able to take pictures.  I'm waiting on some from the parents.)

I felt so sorry for Mary & Joseph.  They still wanted to endure the weather.

Thank you Alex & McKayla for enduring the pain for the Nativity scene.

21 Questions ~ or more

Question Jar

Money is always tight.  I was so excited when I came across this blog that had a very inexpensive gift.  At first I really wasn't sure about making it.  I didn't know if the friend that I had in mind would really like it or just think it was cheesy.  It was a huge hit.  Next time I make the flower, I'm going to make it a little smaller.

If you are interested in making one, click above on the  Question Jar to go to the site.  They even have all the questions typed up for you.  It's a great way to get to know each other, conversation starters, etc.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

What a beautiful group of kids~inside & out. 

I am so blessed & honored to be able to work with these children.

They did such a wonderful job singing It's About The Cross.

It's About the Cross ~ Our childen's choir sang this in church. I love this song.

Who oo oooo ooo,   ooo   ooo,    Whoo ooo ooo whooo,   dodoo doooo

Verse 1:
                        It's not just about the manger

Where the baby lay
It's not all about the angels
Who sang for him that day

It's not just about the shepherds
Or the bright and shining star
Oh, it’s not all about the wise men
Who traveled from afar

                          Chorus:

It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again

                                    It's about the stone

That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday

                                    It's about the cross

It's about the cross

Verse 2:

It's not just about the presents
Underneath the tree
It's not all about the feeling
That the season brings to me

It's not just about coming home
To be with those you love
Oh, It's not all about the beauty
In the snow I'm dreaming of

Chorus:

It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again

Duet:                            It's about the stone

That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday

Choir:                           It’s about the cross

Bridge:

                                    The beginning of the story is wonderful and great
But it's the ending that can save you and that's why we celebrate

                                    It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again

It's about God's love
Nailed to a tree

                                 It's about every drop of blood that flowed from Him when it should have been me

                                    It's about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday
So that you and I could have real life someday

It's about the cross
It's about the cross

Our Christmas Season part 1

We have been so busy this month.  I am so thankful that we finished school on Dec. 3rd.  Other than reading & math, we won't be doing school until Jan. Woo Hoo!

Our main craft/present this year was making scarves for everyone.  It has been a lot of fun.  Since I was pretty much making them the night before we met up with our friends, I didn't have time to take pictures.  UGH!!!  Only a few more to go.  :)

We always put up the decorations the day after Thanksgiving.  This year, we decided to string popcorn for our tree.  This was the first time we had done this.  It was a lot of  fun.

This was the first year that the boys put the lights up outside.    Collin came up with a very inventive way to carry the ladder.

 Will was the only one that had the nerve to go up the ladder. (Including me)  He did a great job.

This ladder was very heavy.  I'm sure the neighbors had a funny show watching us try to move it. Collin called Papa to come over to help us move the ladder.  Then Papa, Collin & Faith started blowing the leaves.  When they were 1/3 way into it, Tony was able to join them & finish the leaves with the lawn mower.

 

 November 29th was my Nanny's birthday.  We went to her new grave to see the head stone.  It was nice to see, but I'm not big on visiting graves.   We stayed a few minutes.

Then we went to her house.  That is where I could feel her presences.  I could see her working in her garden, meeting us at the door with so much joy, hugging her hello as well as goodbye.  While walking around in her yard, I found a perfect single white rose.  She was so proud of her rose garden.  It was such a wonderful reminder of her.

Our co-op Christmas Party

 

Several of the girls decided to sing for us.  Faith (on the left in pink) decided that she wanted to sing with them.

 After this song, the kids & I sang "It's About the Cross".  I love that song.

The preschool co-op class was able to join us for the party.  This was the first time that they made marshmallow atoms.  So cute to watch them.  Faith with her favorite friend in co-op, Eli.

Will

It's fun to watch the older children verses the younger children when they are working on a project.  The older children are very serious as to where things go.

 Collin - in camo.

The younger children really just don't care ~ as long as they can eat the marshmallows.

Toy Soldiers

 We went to our friend, Jacob's Christmas play for his school.  Faith was so excited to see him.  She wanted to know why she couldn't be in the play. :)

Faith & Jacob ~ 

He was the best Toy Soldier that we've ever seen.

Karen, you did a great job on his costume.

First Christmas In Heaven

Wow!  This month has flown by.  We have been so busy.  I realized that I haven't posted anything since Dec. 1 & that was a re-post.  I have many wonderful things to post from the last few weeks.  Hopefully, when things slow down a bit, I'll be able to sit down & write about them.  There was one thing that was on my mind & I just had to put it down on paper computer.

On the way to church today, I started missing my Nanny.  God reminded me that this was her first Christmas in Heaven.  I had been so wrapped up in my sorrow, that I had forgotten to think about what my Nanny is doing right now.  What a Christmas I am sure she is having.  To see Jesus, to walk along side of Him ~ to be in the presence of The King.  What a wonderful peace to know that when she asked Jesus to be her Savior, at the age of 84, she then became a child of the King. 

A sweet dear man from our church gave me something & told me to read it later.  When I got home & opened it up it was perfect for what God had reminded me about.  If you've had a loved one that has gone on to be with the Lord, I hope this will help you. 

First Christmas In Heaven

I've had my first Christmas in Heaven,

A glorious wonderful day!

I stood with saints of the ages,

Who found Christ, the truth, the way.

I sang with the heavenly choir, 

Just think!  I, who longd to sing,

And oh, what celestial music

We brought to our Savior the King.

We sang the glad songs of redemption,

How Jesus to Bethlehem came,

And how they had called His name Jesus,

That all might be saved through that name.

We sang once again with the angels,

The song that they sang that blest morn,

When shepherds first heard the glad story

That Jesus, the Savior, was born.

O, Darling, I wish you had been here,

No Christmas on earth could compare

With all the rapture and glory

We witnessed in Heaven so fair.

You know how I always loved Christmas,

It semed such a wonderful day,

With all my loved ones around me,

The children so happy that day.

Yes, now I can see why I loved it,

And oh, what a joy it will be,

When you and my loved ones are with me,

To share in the glories I see.

So, dear ones on earth, here's my greeting,

Look up till the day dawn appears, 

And oh, what a Christmas awaits us,

Beyond all our partings and tears!

~ Author Unknown

Jude 22

 Ireland

I wanted to teach my children to help others ~ mainly missionaries.  Will & I came up with Project Jude 22. "And of some have compassion, making a difference:" We wanted to crochet scarves & send them to a missionary so that they could use them in their ministry.  (Jude 22 is the Murray's Missionary verse.  Since they live in the Philippines & we couldn't send scarves to them, we decided to use their verse for the title since they mean so much to us.)  Our church supports the Snode family in Ireland.  I sent her a letter asking her if they would be interested.  She was delighted about our project.

We decided to ask some ladies in our church if they wanted to be a part of our mission project.  We were blessed to have 3 ladies in our church: Mrs. Donna, Mrs. Helen & Miss Kim to donate their talents.  We were also privileged to have the Boyle family from our co-op to lend their talents.  36 scarves are about to be sent on their way to Ireland.

I am so honored to be able to help "the real heroes".  We've been praying for the Snodes and for the hearts of the people that God will be putting in their life.


I am so sad to say that I didn't get a picture of all the scarves before boxing them up.  They were so beautiful. 

Love Traditions

I wanted to re-post our Christmas Tradition list from last year.

I love holiday traditions. Here is a list of our Christmas Traditions. Some are silly, some are small, but they are all done with love.

1. We start our Christmas off by watching the Nutcracker, which Tony plays the trumpet for.
2. Paint Ceramic ornaments
3. Make (or buy if it's cheap) an ornament with each child's picture in it.
   
4. 25 gingerbread men. We have 25 foam gingerbread men that we string up along the stairs. We have names of friends and families on them. For 25 days of Christmas, we take one gingerbread man family & pray for them through out the day.
5. Wrap 24 Christmas Books. I wrap them up. The kids get to pick one book and unwrap it then we read it each night.
6. When Christmas cards come in, we pray for that family. We also do this when we are addressing our Christmas cards to send out.
   
7. We (try) make crafts for our teachers and some family members. For a homeschool family, we sure do have a lot of teachers. (Church and extra curricular activities) Many people don't give a little gift anymore to their teachers. I feel that it is important to do this as well as send a card of encouragement along with it. There have been many times when I've wanted to quit because I thought I wasn't getting through to the kids. Then someone sends a little gift and or a card & that was the encouragement I needed to keep serving the Lord.
8. Look at the Christmas lights while singing Christmas carols.
9. Dance crazy to Christmas music.
   
10. Having a family Christmas tea with all the trimmings.
11. Write a letter to Jesus.
12. Watch Christmas movies with popcorn with just the TV and Christmas tree lights on.
13. Christmas scented bubble bath. (I can't smell, but the kids really enjoy this.)
14. We make a Christmas paper chain with parts of the Christmas story & the count down on it. We take one down each night and read it. Then we imagine what it would be like to have actually done the part that we just read.
15. The last 3 years, we've taken the 23rd as a day of celebrating Jesus' birth- a birthday cake, read the whole story, act it out, and sing only Christmas carols through out the day. I've tried and tried to do it on Christmas day, but it is so crazy. When I wake up on the 26th, I felt guilty because we really didn't celebrate. No one really knows when Jesus' birthday was.
16. We started this last year & will continue it each year.  On the 23rd, we do The Adornment Tree.  Mrs. Ann our pastor's wife does this every year with the Sparks.  I asked her for a copy.  It is ornaments of: Baby- name Emmanuel, The Door, The True Vine, Living Water, The Light of the World, Bright Morning Star, The Lion from the tribe of Judah, The Lamb of God, The Good Shepherd, Crown - The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The Bread of Life, & Cross- Savior.  A small story goes with each.
17. We put out sheep food for the shepherd's sheep on Christmas Eve.
18. We have a Christmas breakfast on Christmas Morning.
19. We go to the grandparents house and meet up with the cousins.

I do love Christmas. For me, it is really important to instill into my children what Christmas is all about. I like to spread it all through out the month.

I would love to hear about your Christmas traditions.