Getting Ready for Christmas

School is over for 2016, Christmas activities have begun, and almost all of the presents are wrapped.

Wrapping presents for his stuffed animals kept him very busy.

Lining up with the Christmas animals.  He's part of the reindeer family.

I am very pleased with how well the boys are doing in school.  We are officially halfway done with the school year.  Nicholas still excels in his schoolwork.  He enjoys history a lot.  He also loves writing, especially creative writing (Sounds like someone else I know).  Most subjects come easy to him.  We are evaluating the future though for next year.  We are looking to mix things up a bit.  Our routine works too well sometimes.  I think we need to make some changes.  So, that is something I am evaluating.

Daniel also is doing very well in school.  He does so well that he tells me he will do it himself.  We compromise in that area.  I give him directions and if it is something he knows how to do, I let him do it himself. 

He has also started reading.  This is an area I am taking slow.  I don’t want to push him too hard, so we just do a little a couple of times a week.  Well, two weeks ago, he was having trouble blending the sounds in the words.  I thought we may have to put the reading program away.  Something must have clicked recently because he’s reading most words without a problem.  I’m trying to see if he’s memorized a lot of the words, or he just gets it.  The jury is still out, but for now we’ll say he has improved a lot.

My sister made the boys these great advent calendars.  Each year she outdoes herself.  They each have 24 pouches that are hanging from the wall.  Each day we read from our devotional and then, they see what is in the pouch.  They usually get a few pieces of candy.   But, some days there has been money or small toys.  It is safe to say it is one of their favorite times of the day.

Daniel's side

Nicholas' side

As part of our last week of school, we also baked some cookies.  I made up the dough.  The boys unwrapped all of the chocolate kisses and rolled the dough in sugar.  They also were quality control to make sure they tasted okay.

Unwrapping the kisses

Rolling the sugar

Time to taste them

We’re looking forward to our first family Christmas party tomorrow.  Also, Daniel will be singing at both services at church with his class.  His teachers told me he knows the song very well when they practice.  We’ll see what he does when he gets in front of the sanctuary. 

I'm sure this week will fly by.  Christmas Day will be here before we know it!