12 Days of Christmas Teacher Style

Our school staff is doing something different and fun this year.  We are doing the 12 days of Christmas (until Christmas break), and each day has a special event.  We are kicking off tomorrow with a cookie exchange.  We are each bringing a batch of cookies to share.  Here is a picture of the ones that I made.

They are easy and yummy!  It is just chocolate chip cookies with peanut butter cups.  Can you imagine life without peanut butter cups???
I'm looking forward to enjoying some delicious cookies tomorrow!

UIL

Today our district had the writing events for UIL. In second grade, students participate in creative writing, and in third and fourth grades it is ready writing. Each elementary has teams with a maximum of four kids on each team. I am so proud to share that both Caitlyn and Conner made the school teams and competed today! Caitlyn wrote about making cookies, and Conner wrote about kids and TV. Regardless of the outcome, I am glad that they had the opportunity to be part of UIL and am thankful for the wonderful teachers that coached them!

Wrapping It Up

Conner and Rook

For the next month, our church is hosting Wrapping It Up.  This is a totally free gift wrapping service for our community.  Families come in with their presents to be wrapped.  While waiting, we have delicious treats, coffee, hot chocolate, or soda for them to enjoy.  We also have a children's area where kids can sit and enjoy a snack while coloring a manger scene.  This is where I like to hangout-with the kids and their moms!  We also get to know people, pray with them, and as the Holy Spirit leads, share with them the greatest gift of all!  Romans 6:23 says, " For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

This is a wonderful opportunity for all of our family to be involved.  As you can see above, Conner and his friend Rook are working hard to advertise.  Below, Caitlyn and her best bud Molly are putting together boxes for gifts. 

Caitlyn and Molly

 

 

What a joy and privilege it is to serve others and share Christ!

Christmas Village

We set up our Christmas tree and village today.  Chad and I started this village when Kohl's first opened up in the area with a few pieces.  Each year it is added to as gifts for Christmas and his birthday, which is three days after Christmas.  His most recent piece is the Donut Shop.  The kids insisted on buying it for him upon his return from Israel.  He is always so sweet to bring us treats from his trips, so they wanted to surprise him this time.

We all enjoy spending time putting this up together while listening to Christmas songs.  Unfortunately, the cat enjoys it too, and we usually wake up each morning to village people knocked over!
I like the village because the dreamer in me can imagine living in a small town, where it actually snows in December, enjoying the simple things in life.  For now though, I'll take a cloudy, cool day in a constantly changing town, and I will definitely enjoy the simple things in life!

The Day After Thanksgiving

I just love Thanksgiving!  I love getting together with family we haven't seen in awhile, eating food that is reserved for this special day, and counting the many blessings God has showered us with.  This year, we did a Thankful Tree.  Each night one of us would share a verse or story from the Bible about thankfulness.  We would then each write down something we were thankful for on a leaf and add it to our tree.  Caitlyn and I had fun putting the tree together from on old vase and limbs from our backyard.  It was a sweet daily reminder of ALL that we have to be thankful for.

So now, we are at the day after.  I enjoy the day after Thanksgiving because that brings the anticipation of Christmas!  We can listen to Christmas music, start decorating the Christmas tree, and focus on the birth of our Lord and Savior!  Unfortunately, I have to do some cleaning before decorating, so off to work I go!