The Best Of PA

Christmas Festivities are upon us.  We have been busy, busy with new and old traditions, our caroling party, candy train making, reading "A Christmas Carol" as a family, visiting the Polar Express, watching the Christmas Specials ont tv, devouring kiddie Christmas books and plenty more simple joys to come.     Learning about our cournty United States of America! Learning about Saint Lucia At the Polar Express School has been fun involving dressing up, games, crafts and treats.  What a delightful time of the year December is.  We have learned about the many Christmas traditions around the world, such as Italy, Sweden, England and France.  This week we learn about Christmas in Mexico and Hanukuah.  I've introduced small Spanish lessons into our curriculum now about twice a week.  I figure we can slowly transition into more days and phrases as time passes.  Small and si...

Christmas Festivities are upon us.  We have been busy, busy with new and old traditions, our caroling party, candy train making, reading A Christmas Carol as a family, visiting the Polar Express, watching the Christmas Specials ont tv, devouring kiddie Christmas books and plenty more simple joys to come.  School has been fun involving dressing up, games, crafts and treats.  What a delightful time of the year December is.  We have learned about the many Christmas traditions around the world, such as Italy, Sweden, England and France.  This week we learn about Christmas in Mexico and Hanukuah.  I've introduced small Spanish lessons into our curriculum now about twice a week.  I figure we can slowly transition into more days and phrases as time passes.  Small and simple is the way to go-after all she is only five-I seriously forget this all too often.     

I certainly have a ways to go as far as simplifying my Christmas, but these are a few things which I intend to strive for: 1) Less Decorations: I have a small home just over 1200 square feet. Honestly, I used to think that the more decorations the better, but the result was more clutter and a home that felt cramped. So I tossed/gave away more than half of my Christmas decorations from last year. Now it feels clean, calm and pretty. I now have a simple, thin tree, a mini tree in the girls room, stockings and something for the mantle. 2) Toning it down on all the festivities: this is something I am still struggling with. But when it comes to Christmas activities, sometimes less is more. In truth, I should probably toss away some of these out of the home activities, I have planned. The goal should be to create simple, at home, Christ centered activities. Some activities I am canning this year: - 25 Books of Christmas (instead of making it all about gifts, we cuddle up and...