Christmas time, December, the most wonderful time of the year: for kids. I have a tendency to feel very rushed and chaotic. To feel overwhelmed. But my days and evenings at home with the kids, or quiet evenings with just one or a few friends always help remind me of the joy and gratitude of this season. I wish I was better at making phone calls, or just talking on the phone in general with friends scattered to the four winds. Time is hard. And I have a hard time literally hearing a lot of times (good eyes, bad ears)--so if I do call and don't make any sense I am sorry. But know that I think of all of you quite often throughout the year.
So this holiday season doesn't just wear me out...we wore the dog out so much that she laid down on the steps yesterday afternoon and just waited for us to go upstairs to bed. Too funny. She was nodding off and I was afraid she would roll right off the step.
It has been caramels week. This is definitely one of the kids' favorite things to do with Jeff. I tried for five minutes to capture these two talking and finally just made them pose looking at each other. So sweet, the things they said to each other and to me for the pose. Kinda killed the moment. Oh well.
We needed to catch up on science experiments so yesterday while Tanner went to a playdate we got started on the solids, liquids, and gases kit. It turned into a full day crayon melting, beading, Christmas party extravaganza. The kitchen was quite a mess! So much for mopping the day before (at least the crayon couldn't stick to dog tracks anymore). But I kind of like these big craft days. We get a lot done and then the mess can be recontained and doesn't stretch on for days on end.
Saw this on a blog (of course). Bake rocks and then color on them with crayon and it melts as you go. Pretty cool stuff, the kids thought it was very interesting so we had to go back out and get more rocks.
The kit had us make candles. It said to use crayons, but I forgot to add in the wax included in the kit. Not sure if that made the difference, but our candles would not burn. They crackled enough to make me worry and get out the baking soda though.
Grandma had included some fake snow in our Advent gifts. A powder that you just add water and then it expands, and then as the water evaporates it dries out later. They really liked this stuff, but it did not replace the real stuff. Annika especially is
devastated that we do not have snow and that Iowa had a blizzard.
Tanner had his Christmas preschool program this week. He knew his words and actions, and he was loud. I was not surprised. This kid has theater written all over him. I love the tie and cowboy boots.
He is such a hoot.
We also had a pageant for church and Phoebe got to be Mary. I forgot my camera in the rush, so no pics on here unless I can figure out how to move them from facebook from my friends at church. She did a great job. Again, another good little singer.
I hope you are all able to enjoy your busy season and find the God moments in each day. Enjoy Christmas!
