Advent Candles and Christmas Scriptures

I am really behind in my blogging but wanted to get in a post on Advent candles.  I have been so inspired by all of the different ways people celebrate Advent, some simple, some elaborate.  I made this one last year and think I will use it again this year.  The pedestal is from Pottery Barn, the candles and candle holder and moss are from Hobby Lobby, the pinecones are from my Kmart Martha Stewart stash that I have had for years.  I am thinking of changing it up a bit this year and maybe adding some twigs or twine or burlap or something to make it a little more rustic…not sure yet.  We light the candles each Sunday night in December.  I have a little printout that has a scripture and a description of each candle that I read before lighting.  The middle candle is the Christmas Eve candle.

I found these cute printable verses here and printed them on cream colored card stock.  I love that there is a verse for each day in December.  I found a handy little container to put them.  I keep them on the kitchen table in front of the advent and my oldest daughter reads one every night.

Teaching Tool Tuesday

A great tool I found online was this laminated folder clock to help teach "time."  I like how it looks and that it doesn't take up too much room.   Could I make this myself, yes, did I -- no, -- I ordered it but now I can't recall where I purchased it from.  I also use worksheets that I find online to help reinforce our time telling skills

Monday Mommy Quotes

I am late on my Monday post so here it is instead on Wednesday!!

I hope that I am giving credit to the right person for this quote.  I copied it several years ago so here's hoping I am right.  I believe it was by L. Elizabeth Krueger from Raising Godly Tomatoes:

"Life is often "hectic" around here, but my kids come first so I just have to practice saying 'no" to outside activities and anything optional that would prevent me from staying "connected" with my kids.

On a daily basis though, I work to maintain the habit of always being "available" to my children.  That means, that if they come to me for just about anything at just about anytime, I STOP WHAT I AM DOING AND GIVE THEM THE TIME AND ATTENTION THEY WANT AND NEED.  I make a conscious effort to never brush them off, whether it's a 5 year old who wants to show me his latest Lego creation, or a 20 year old who wants to chat about this day at work."

Monday Mommy Quotes…

Today's quote is one I discovered when reading a blog years ago and I don't remember the blog now but she got it from a little book called Gold Dust (and it is free for your kindle!) it was translated from French to English in 1880.  There is a word in the first sentence that I had never heard before and had to look up, it is the word importunities which means "making repeated or annoying requests or demands".  This pretty much describes what a mom hears all day from her little flock.  That is why I love this nugget (pun intended) of wisdom.  I have it typed and framed and hung above my computer desk as a daily, sometimes hourly, reminder.

Few positions in life are so full importunities as that of the mother of a family, or a mistress of a house.  She may have a dozen interruptions while writing one letter, or settling an account.  What holiness, what self-control, is needed to be always calm and unruffled amid these little vexations and never to manifest the slightest impatience!

Leaving the work without apparent annoyance, replying with a smile upon the lips, awaiting patiently the end of a long conversation, and finally returning calmly to the yet unfinished work - all this is a sign of a recollected soul, and one that waits upon God.

Oh! What blessings are shed around them by such patient souls…but alas! How rarely they are to be met with.

Monday Mommy Quotes...

To keep one's voice sweet, one's face bright, one's will steady, one's patience unperturbed, in the arena of the home, in the light of one's own family, is no light task --- Margaret Sangster.

Our upcoming week….

This week on the Homeschool docket...we are going to be learning about Paul Revere because that is who Tony will be dressing up as for Halloween.  Those of you who know me very well know that------I hate, despise, deplore, Halloween.  I don't believe as a Christian I should celebrate it and I feel very guilty when I do...BUT, my husband isn't there yet with me so I try to at least make the kids dress up in something non offensive. So historical characters seemed like a good compromise and give us an excuse to research and learn about the person they are dressing up as!  Mikayla is going as a Colonial Girl.


Editor's note:   The word "damn" is said by a soldier to Paul Revere but there are no pages numbers so I can't tell you what page it is on.

Mikayla is continuing her Apologia studies on the Solar System and in particular, the Sun.  As an addition to Apologia we are reading The Sun by Elaine Landau.  Of course we will be working on the usual copy work, math, reading, etc.

Editor's note:  This is NOT written from a Christian perspective so beware, most of the facts seem accurate and overall I really like this book except for the whole 500 billion years, blah blah blah….

We have a busy week starting tonight with my Acorn Garden Club meeting, Tuesday is Horse and Reader, Wednesday is AWANA which will be at the local Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, Thursday is well, you know…Friday I have the Grout Doctor coming over to give us an estimate for cleaning and sealing our floor tile and later that day we will be taking our daughter up to a local campground to stay with my in-laws overnight.

Countdown Calendar

From a blog that I subscribe to, I saw this adorable little countdown calendar that can be used for Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas and it is on sale!!  Countdown Calendar