Merry Christmas

I'm taking a moment to stop in at my lonely blog to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas.  I realize I haven't posted anything in December but Christmas preparations, homeschooling and vacations have literally taken every minute of my time.  Here are a couple views of our tree with presents sprawling out from underneath.








This is a good time to share a couple of our gift giving and wrapping traditions.  I really can't remember where these ideas came from.  I suppose we could've come up with them on our own, I just don't know.  Each year we get the kids three gifts:  something to read, something to wear and something for fun.  We use these categories loosely and use our creativity to the fullest.  Last year a shotgun with a sling became something to wear.  We also wrap the gifts as we buy them and put them under the tree as soon as we have it up and decorated.  The kicker is the gifts are not labeled.  In advance I choose 5 different papers and then decide which child will get which paper and wrap all three of their gifts in that paper.  So when we place the gifts under the tree they do not know whose gifts are whose.  There's always lots of guessing throughout the weeks and hoping that the paper with the largest presents is for them.  Then on Christmas Eve we hide scraps of each paper with their name on the back and as they find the squares of paper the mystery is revealed.  It's great fun to be a part of this tradition and this family.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ~ MAY YOU HAVE A PEACEFUL HOLIDAY