Christmas 2012

What a beautiful day we have had. It was a smaller Christmas, and very low key, just the way I have come to love it. In days gone by I would have spent a lot more, and gotten caught up in all the latest and greatest. I am glad that I have gotten past that in my old age. :) As our family has grown, I have found that we really don't need a lot of things. I am glad that I can say that for our family, less is best. Each of the kids got something that they were excited about, and they got some things that they needed. Everyone is happy with the day, and it feels so great to focus more on the real meaning of Christmas, rather than what all the companies want us to focus on. My father in law made the comment after all the gifts were open, "Well, Walmart didn't make any money on you guys this year, did they?" That is mostly true, although I did shop there a little bit, since I had gift cards. Mostly food type stuff though.  Here are a few highlights:

Ginga' received a Kindle Paper white.  He loves reading, and lately he, Rock, and I are all trying to read the same thing, so the Kindle has become a very useful item in our home.  He also got that bottle of green hot sauce that is sitting on the desk behind him.  He loved that.  If you notice, his pj's have hot chilies and hot sauce on them.  The more spice the better, in his book.

 Rock keep asking for night vision goggles.  Yes, he always seems to want things that are a bit off the beaten path.  Well, we looked at them, but decided that they cost WAY to much, and the long term usage of them would be rather short.  We figured that the novelty would wear off pretty quickly.  So, Mr. T (aka the Genius) found instructions on line on how to build your own night vision goggles.  So, for a fraction of the cost, we bought him the components to build his own.  Watching him open his gifts was hilarious, since he couldn't really figure out what all these strange looking parts were for.  It isn't easy to stump him, so it was pretty fun.  I'll have to check back after he makes them and let you all know how they worked out.  The upside to this is: when the night vision gets boring, he can take it apart and use the parts for other things.  At least that is what Mr. T tells me, don't ask me, I'm not the tech master. 

Last year Nutmeg got a violin for Christmas.  Then she grew, a lot.  So much so, that she needed to go up to the full size violin.  So for Christmas number 2: she got another violin.  That's okay though, she was excited for it to be more comfortable.  It already sounds so much better than the smaller one.  She just couldn't get her fingers in the right places anymore.  She also got another crochet book, this one: 

 and is already planning which animals to make first.  

This is a super fun project that I did for the girls for Christmas.  This is the process of dying play silks.  You use kool aid.  It smelled really good.  I felt so strange buying all the kool aid for it though, since we don't drink it here.  These two pictures are about all I have of the process, after I cleaned off my black hand, I wished I had gotten a picture of that too!  Oh well.  The silks start off white, then you mix different kool aid packets together to make different colors.  Here's a link to the one I used:  http://www.gerberadesigns.com/triedandtrue/?p=390

Here are the girls, loving their new play silks.  Seriously, hours of fun here.  I can't wait to see what else they will come up with.  I also made hankerchief sized ones for them to use to dress their dolls and stuffed animals and whatever else they can think of to do with them.  Say good bye to all those dress ups!  Woo hoo!! 

Apple didn't really need anything.  I mean really, baby number five.  With two older sisters.  She got a few teethers, like the one she's chewing on, and clothes.  Since I thought we were done after Squirrel, I had gotten rid of most of the baby stuff.  Oops.  :)  

 We also got a family pass to the zoo.  I couldn't decide how to 'wrap' that one up, so I put a bunch of their stuffed animals and animal figures around under the tree, and told them that they all had something in common.  They couldn't figure it out.  Some of the guesses were great though.  Here's a few I remember:  Rock guessed, "I know, they are all vertebrates!"  Well, yes, they were, however not the answer I was looking for.  Nutmeg guessed, "They are all God's creations!"  She is so sweet, true statement though.  We finally had to tell them.  They just couldn't get it.  But they are excited to go.  The first thing Ginga' said after that was, "We have to go with the Halls', they have a pass too."  Why, yes, they do.  I'm sure we will do that.  Their aunt has one as well, so I'm sure we will go with them as well.  So, if any of our other good homeschooling friends have passes, let us know.  It would be fun to meet up there.

I am so grateful for my family, the gospel and all that I have been given.  I am so blessed.  What a wonderful day.  Mr. T and I didn't do much for each other, we got shoes.  We both needed them.  He got rechargeable batteries, and I am a proud owner of a food steamer.  My old one broke a few years ago, and I am excited to have one again.  I received a wonderful Christmas email from my dear friend in Hungary, and it just finished my morning off wonderfully.  I am so blessed to have wonderful friends.  I am excited for the upcoming year to see the growth that will come from my children.  I love homeschooling for many reasons, but that is one of them.  I get to be with them so much that I see how they are growing and learning.  Fabulous.