Someone asked me a day or two ago if my kids were getting antsy during our school time, ready for Christmas.  I laughed out of frustration, admitted they were and questioned why in the world they should be.  I mean, we took a large chunk of time off in November, going to Florida earlier in the month, and then spending a week down south at Oma’s and Opa’s.  But it’s true.  When there is an impending holiday, it IS hard to keep your nose to the grind stone, regardless of how much time you have had off previously.

We are struggling to teach new concepts at this point, and are basically treading water.  My attempts at simplifying include possibly cutting grammar down to one more lesson until the new year (or possibly out altogether until after the new year).  This is both for their sanity’s sake as well as my own.  We are plodding through with math, happily continuing with volume four of Story of the World, and doing bits of reading and answering questions for science.  I hope the older two are enjoying our Christmas read alouds, as well as the novels they are reading on their own.

As for my five-year-old G, he drifts in and out of our read aloud, depending on the story.  He and I always read at bedtime.  Currently, we are making our way slowly through Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Sometimes he wants to read out loud to me, but will only do so if it is Honus and Me by Dan Gutman, a book series A enjoyed a few years ago.  The last week or so he is constantly trying to escape from me.  He wants to play by himself, or most often with S.  He has become increasingly more difficult to find in a compliant frame of mind for anything having to do with kindergarten curriculum.  I think he needs a break from me.  I am trying not to burden him with too many “have tos” this month.

Today after building with our citiblocs and our calendar time I let him play alone, collected paper and cookie cutters, and invited him back to make an advent calendar.

Don’t judge.  We are not a crafty bunch here, and this was a spur of the moment thing.  He chose the gingerbread man shape.  We’ll remove one figure from the stairway each night before going on up to bed.  Only two more weeks!  In the meantime, we wait…

We wait for cookies and friends, for outings about town and unwrapping presents.  We wait.  Just as so many people have waited throughout the years for an answer, a lightening of their loads, waiting with anticipation and trepidation and waiting in faith.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.  It teaches us to…live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..

Titus 2:11-13

Merry Christmas!