10 Steps to Multiplication Memorization

Emily is working on her multiplication tables this summer in preparation for school next year. Here is the plan we are using... (We are already up to the 3's and have skipped ahead and done the 11's)

10 Steps to Multiplication Memorization

1. Learn the 0’s

Any # times 0 is 0.

2. Learn the 1’s

Any # times 1 says itself.

3. Learn the 10’s

Count by 10’s - say aloud and write

10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80, 90,100, 110, 120

Practice the 10’s with a partner, and point to the answer on the paper.

4. Learn the 5’s

Count by 5’s - say aloud and write

5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60

Practice the 5’s with a partner, and point to the answer on the paper.

5. Learn the 2’s

Count by 2’s - say aloud and write

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,

Practice the 2’s with a partner, and point to the answer on the paper.

6. Learn the 3’s

Count by 3’s - say aloud and write

3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36

Practice the 3’s with a partner, and point to the answer on the paper.

7. Learn the 11’s

Learn the trick - a # times 11 says itself twice.

For example: 5×11=55(This works up to 9×11)

11×11 is 11 with a 2 in the middle (121)

11×12 is 13 plus a 2 (132)- 11, 12, 13 plus a 2

8. Learn the Double Rhymes and 7×8

4×4 isn’t mean, 4×4 is sweet 16

6×6 pick up sticks, 6×6 is 36

7×7 feeling fine, 7×7 is 49

8×8 fell on the floor, 8×8 is 64

9×9 ate a ton, 9×9 is 81

12 x 12 give 4 more, 12×12 is 144

5, 6, 7, 8 - 56 is 7×8

9. Learn the 9’s

Learn the trick - 9×7 starts with 6 (it is 1 less than 7) 6+3 more = 9

The Answer is 63. (6 and 3, The # less than 7 and the # added to get to 9)

Kids can hold up 7 fingers, take 1 away to have 6. Then, count up 3 fingers to get 9.

10. This Leaves Only 8 Left to Memorize

Learn the remaining 8 by making flashcards.

4×6, 4×7, 4×8, 6×7, 6×12, 7×12, 8×12, 9×12

You may want to concentrate on 4×8, 6×7, 6×12 at the same time.

All the answers end in 2. (32, 42, 72)

Summer Plans

I'm so happy it is summer!!! This is the way I want to spend my days!!! :-)

I have begun my summer plans today, little bits at a time. No more rushing, no hurrying. (and yes Artie I do hurry some times) Okay, maybe I don't hurry; but I'm stressed just from the fact that I should be hurrying!! No more stress!! Says the mama with seven children!!! :-)

Looking ahead to the summer plans.

My favorite summer activity is SUMMER READING!!! The little children are having a reading contest. We will be using the AR reading list and everyone reading on their grade level. I know there are lots of wrong things about being rewarded to read, but there are a lot of good things about reading, so I will handle the fact that they are reading for a contest and believe when they grow up they will still love to read. Just as my older children have. In fact, my older children are wanting in on the contest too. Maybe one just for them?

Tomorrow we will go to the library and get the first round of books. I still need a good summer book for myself. Any ideas? I will probably begin a new Grace Livingston Hill soon. I'm finishing up a book called A Place Called Sweet Apple about a woman who fell in love with an old abandoned house and took it and restored it with love.

We will also be updating chores. The little boys will be taught by Troy to take over the trash duties. Troy is going to have a big house project each day - lots of scrubbing and washing and some outside yard work. Emily is going to have something to cook each day. I want to have a "foods available to cook" list for Emily. Then she can cook when she wants to instead of being tied to a meal - desserts, breads, muffins, breakfast to cook ahead for the frig, casseroles. We will also be moving over to our summer meals - lots of salads and tomatoes!! Then there are always lots of new recipes waiting to be tried and tested!! Brenda will be working - some with Basketcase and some babysitting, so she will probably keep her usual chore schedule.

The calendar is quickly filling up more than I realized with weekly church activities for the little children, Bible school, beach camp, boy scout day camp, Jerusalem Project, parties

Then to fill in the blank days there is camping, swimming, cookouts, sprinklers, bowling, ice cream, Popsicles, watermelon, lemonade, strawberry slushies from Sonic and birthdays.

There will still be a little school for extra practice - mostly handwriting and multiplication tables. Maybe a couple of unit studies just to keep boredom at bay. Troy is thinking of summer school. ??

I'm hoping to get some good yard sale-ing in!! Saturday mornings usually seems so busy, but now that I'm not hurrying.... :-)

Life After Homeschool

Artie asked me to post this writing I did a couple of days ago, so here it is...

Today is May 27, 2008. There are seven school days left in this school year. (okay, now there is only 1/2 a day left in school...)

There are 85 days until the new school year begins. (79 days!)

Now, I know, most mothers aren't already counting down until the next school year starts; but this is going to be an amazing year for me.

We have been a homeschooling family (on & off w/ different children on different years), but always someone for the past 16 years.

August 18, 2008 will be the first time in 16 years I've been alone in my house with no children (aside from a very rare day - that off the top of my head - I can't even recall). All my children will be entering public school. It is a long time coming family decision, today I am just going to be focusing on the results in my life and not all the whys we have wrestled with.

I am going to be alone 5 days a week from 7:00 to 2:30. Again, let me state the fact - I haven't been alone in 16 years!!!

It is like this incredible gift of time I've been given and now it's up to me to decide how I am going to spend it. My mind is racing with the possibilities.

I will have time to invest in my homemaking. It has come along way, but still have such a long way to go. With six children in the house, there is more work to be done than with the average family. Add to that, our house turned 100 years old last year - there are too many needed projects to list, especially those concerning painting.

There is also cooking to think about. I cook a lot, but most of the time it is a rushed meal, not served with beauty. I love the idea of a beautifully prepared table and hot dinner waiting on Artie when he gets home from a long day at work. With all the practice I've had, I've learned to make it very tasty. I'm just looking forward to serving it as nice as it taste.

There is going to be time for longer Bible study and prayer. When I was in college, I studied so much - deep and long. When I began having babies, that all changed. A woman in my church explained seasons of life to me. There would be time again for deep study of God's Word, but now was time to put into practice all that He had been storing up inside of me.

You know it's pretty funny I thought I was such a good person until I had children. That is when I realized just how sinful I was. Selfish, lazy, spoiled. I had to learn how to share my time (time awake and time I was suppose to be asleep), share my drinks and food off my plate, share my solitary moments during the day that I had always taken for granted. I needed God more than ever.

My deep study time was replaced with hymns sung while rocking babies. There Is Just Something About That Name by the Gaithers was my all time favorite. We also rocked to The Old Rugged Cross and Amazing Grace (with a little of You Are My Sunshine thrown in for good memories of my Papa Troy). It was also replaced with tears, realizing my own inadequacies and total dependence on Jesus. There were talks with God at the clothesline (guess that one will still be a keeper for many years to come) and at the kitchen sink (even though I never enjoyed the sink as much as I did the clothesline).

There has been much learning as the girls have gotten older and we've been studying of God's purposes and plans for women. Why did I never study that in college or hear it preached in church?

There will be time to pray and plan - alone in the quiet. Will the quiet be deafening or will I be able to soak in God's voice?

I'm looking forward to having some private time with Artie. The first day of school he is taking off work. After all the children get on the bus, we are getting back under the cover to snuggle and sleep as long as we want. When we get up, we are taking a picnic and spending the day at the lake. It has been YEARS since we've been alone and in a quiet place. We've had date night where we've been to the movies or out to dinner, but never a day alone without children. There will be days where I can ride to Charlotte and have a lunch with Artie. I think in the eight years he's been working in Charlotte - the girls and I went up for lunch once! There will also be a special day here and there where he can go in a couple of hours late, and give us some nice time alone and I think everyone couple of months he will be able to take a personal day or afternoon off.

There are some other people I'm looking forward to spending time with. Both Mimi & Granddaddy and Bobbie I get to see now, but don't get to help them like I would like. I miss Gwyn who will have a couple of weeks in town before thy set out for the DR. I might have to ride out to the mall and visit my friend Sandy. But, the two ladies I've missed the most over the years are my Aunt Bonnie (my mama's cousin, close like her sister) and my papa's Carolyn (the woman he dated the last 10 years of his life). I NEVER see them, but love them so. Maybe my house will be presentable enough that I can have them over for lunch or drive to Spartanburg and visit with them there.

So, when I've cleaned my house, cooked dinner, read my Bible and done a little visiting - then what am I going to do?

This is when my mind begins to wander. I keep telling Artie "you know I'm having issues don't you?" Nothing bad, just dealing with big change!!

Last night we were watching a movie an I explained it to him like this...

Our money has always been stretched tightly (just like my time). Now imagine on August 18 from 7:00 until 2:30 - you had all the money you wanted - to do the best with it for the whole school year. I want to be a good steward and not waste a single minute.

The opportunities just seem huge to me.

There sill still be exercising and gardening and then all the normal trips to the doctor, dentist, field days and award days at school just as now.

Shopping will be able to be done in the day time instead of rushing around during out home school time or after dinners and Saturdays - when there is always something going on.

Christmas shopping sounds more fun and less of a hassle to find time. It's stressful to Christmas shop at midnight!!! :-)

Life will continue to run as usual, I just might have more moments to stop and appreciate the beauty of it all.

God has been so good to me over these past 16 years. I have been blessed to have a husband who values a wife and mother's place in the home. I got to be here with my children as they were growing up. I was the one when they skint a knee or had a boo-boo. I was the one who got to see their first steps, hear their first words and watch them experience each new food. I believe all my children with Artie have grown up confident in our love for them. They have been secure and provided for. God has always been faithful!!

So after all this long writing, I opened up my Bible to today's Proverb - 27:1.

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."

Am I boasting? I don't think so, but I will do my best to live in today. To get the most we can out of these last 7 days of home school. And to enjoy each and every day of summer break when I have six of the children here with me every day - all day!! :-)

We've got lots of fun plans...

~ day trips with the church

hiking

swimming

Linville Falls/Caverns

fishing

~movies and popcorn

~swimming lessons

~boys' birthday party

~Carowinds

~summer jobs

~beach trips

~trips to the lake for more swimming and fishing

~bowling

~playing in the new alligator pool (which is on back order - they are really messing with me now!! It's almost birthday time!! )

~riding bikes and jumping ramps

~wrestling practices

~gymnastics

~Popsicles

~tomato sandwiches from our garden

Here I am off in the future again.

Seven more days of school - extra work on handwriting and math, preparing for next year's schooling!!!

Carolina Wrens

Easter afternoon during our Easter egg hunt, the children found a bird's nest in our old grill. Daily the kids would peek in and see how the baby birds were doing. There were five.


One day it looked as if the babies were dying. We kept a watch out and the mama bird didn't come back. We weren't sure what had happened to her and looked up online what to do with abandoned birds. It said to feed them bread soaked in sugar water. So, every 2-3 hours Brenda and Emily fed the tiny birds and they seemed to come back around. Three died, but 2 thrived.


They loved when the girls feed them. Finally they were up strong enough to begin learning how to flap around.
This little birdie flew from Brenda's hand up to her shirt. SCARED BRENDA TO DEATH!! :-) (the ugly scratch on Brenda's face was from her doggie - Elmo - it looks much better now!)
Emily even held one of them.

Here they are up close.

After days of no birdie mama, the mama (below) reappeared (or another mama adopted them?? does that happen?) She began coming and feeding them for the afternoon and then they all flew off by nightfall.

The girls had so much fun with them all. It was sweet of God to help them save 2 of the 5 and allow the girls to learn even more about the Carolina Wrens. (Emily's bird from last semester in school)

Moses the Kitten

Here is a wonderful living book for Nature Study. (I think Charlotte Mason would love this one!!) Emily is just beginning reading the James Herriott's books (the stories from the Treasury series - our library has each story as it's own book - but not the whole treasury). Moses the Kitten was the first in her readings. It's a lovely and warm book - with lots of good farm knowledge and beautiful pictures passed on.

Peter Pan

Peter and Wendy

Since Emily finished her free reading book - Charlotte's Web - today we started a new one - Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie.

Here's a paragraph I loved in our reading...

"Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can't) you would see your own mother doing this, and you would find it very interesting to watch her. It is quite like tidying up drawers. You would see her on her knees, I expect, lingering humorously over some of your contents, wondering where on earth you had picked this thing up, making discoveries sweet and not so sweet, pressing this to her cheek as if it were as nice as a kitten, and hurriedly stowing that out of sight. When you wake in the morning, the naughtiness and evil passions with which you went to bed have been folded up small and placed at the bottom of your mind; and on the top, beautifully aired, are spread out your prettier thoughts, ready for you to put on."

Makes me miss my mama.... :-) Things were always put just so for me when she was alive... she was definitely one of those mama's who made everything right and good.

WWJD

Today Emily started her first devotional book. We are reading What Would Jesus Do by Helen Haidle. It is based on the classic book In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon. The actual book she is reading is older than she is. Artie and I gave it to Brian and Troy in 1997 for Christmas; back when we lived in a trailer in Spartanburg - our first real home of our own.

I hope Emily enjoys it and learns how look at life's situations and respond as Jesus would.

The Taming of the Shrew

It must be theater weekend at the Quinn home. Tonight Brenda, Emily and I went to the University of SC - Spartanburg - USCS - and watched the Taming of the Shrew. It was a wonderful performance.


Brenda has been reading through Shakespeare's comedies as part of her literature studies - Emily has joined us this year too. This was the first play by Shakespeare that either of the girls had seen. The language was beautiful and I was very happy that Emily was able to follow along without any problem. There were some jokes that sorta went over her head - which was a good thing after hearing them. Brenda gave me a couple of looks - like did Emily hear that? :-) She's such a good big sister. So, we're all a bit wiser after our first of his famous plays, and I think we are all looking forward to finding more locally to attend.

Alice in Wonderland

Thursday night Terry went to his very first play!! Brenda, Emily, Terry and I went to see Alice in Wonderland at the Gaffney Little Theater. It was a musical based on the Disney Version of the story. Emily enjoyed seeing a couple of friends from church in the play and Brenda saw a friend from school last year. Terry said he loved it. I think Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb were the best in the show. The white rabbit was cute too.

Today's Garden Shopping Day

I had such a fun shopping trip today for the garden and yard. I spent all our school money for the week. I bought a peach tree, 2 grape vines, 2 blueberry vines, 2 strawberry plants, a pack of garlic to plant, seed packets of peas and broccoli, a new rake, a trellis and some turf builder for the yard. I can't wait until the girls and I get out and plant everything on Monday. I have wanted to have fruit trees for years - so this is a nice start. What else would you start with in South Carolina but a peach tree. There are peach fields all over our area, but I've never known anyone to have one it their yard??? I am still hoping to get some apple trees as well. I still need to go back and get some more trellis, but they will be okay to wait for a week or two.

Beyond the Chariots

We had such a fun school day yesterday. First Brenda and I (and Troy slipped in as well) watched Chariots of Fire. I hadn't seen the movie since college and Brenda had never even heard of it??? (It won best picture in the Acadamy Awards in 1981)

For those others of you who have been in the dark like Brenda - here is the discription from Wikipedia...

The movie is based on the true story of two British athletes competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Englishman Harold Abrahams, who is Jewish, overcomes anti-Semitism and class prejudice in order to compete against the "Flying Scotsman", Eric Liddell, in the 100 metre race.

Liddell sees running as a way of glorifying God before traveling to China to work as a missionary. He preaches a sermon on "Life as a race" afterwards.

Eric's sister Jenny worries he is too busy running to concern himself with their mission, but Eric tells her he feels inspired: "I believe that God made me for a purpose... (the mission), but He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure."

Liddell refuses to run a heat of the 100 metres at the Olympics because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on Sunday. Liddell is allowed to compete in the 400 metre race instead. Liddell at church on Sunday is seen quoting Isaiah 40, verse 31:
'But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and be not weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.'

Last night we went to Limestone College (which is just at the end of our road) to a one man play - Beyond the Chariots. It was wonderful!!!

It was performed by Rich Swingle and picks up where the film left off, showing Eric in his greatest race, as a missionary to war-torn China.

Rich was wonderful!! So talented. Funny, intertaining, thought provoking. Eric's life continued to be amazing. Rich finished the play with a salvation prayer. Wonderful!!

There are many plans ahead - to perform the play at the upcoming Olympics in China, and documentary and even a full feature film. I can't wait to hear more of his progress with the story.

I'm sure he would appreciate your prayers as he ventures out more and more to tell of the salvation through Jesus.


Today I believe we will look more into the story and see what is fictional from the film and play, some geography lessons, and the poem by William Blake that the title is taken from.

Ash Wednesday

We had a wonderful beginning today to Lent. During school, Troy, Brenda, Emily, Terry and I had a great time learning together of the meaning behind Lent. As I wrote earlier, this is a totally new observance for us. I believe it is going to make Easter so much more meaningful for us this year as we take these 40 days to prepare.

I read a good article that explains a beginning knowledge of Lent tonight, but my favorite I think was by spirithome.com - which explained Giving Something Up For Lent and Adding Something For Lent.

We all talked about the meaning behind everything - and then had some quiet time to decide what (if anything) we wanted to give up and add. Some kept things secret and some shared. Some are still deciding if they are going to participate. It is definitely an individual choice. We'll see how the 40 days progress.

I'm still hoping to hear of some personal connections with Lent - anyone?

Counting the Cost

Brenda and I have been enjoying her devotional - Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I thought I would share a paragraph.

This is taken from Chapter 9 of Book 4 - Counting the Cost.

"That is why we moust not be surprised if we are in for a rough time. When a man turns to Christ and seems to be getting on pretty well (in the sense that some of his bad habits are now corrected) he often feels that it would now be natural if things went faitly smoothly. When troubles come along - illnesses, money troubles, new kinds of temptation - he is disappointed. These things, he feels, might have been necessary to rouse him and make him repent in his bad old days, but why now? Because God is forcing him on, or up, to a higher lever: putting him into situations where he will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, than he ever dreamed of being before. It seems to us all unnecessary: but that is because we have not yet had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us."

Friday's Stamping Class

Here is a picture from the girls' stamping class on Friday night. I tried to get a good picture of Susan - the group's teacher/leader, but she kept running from the camera. I am hoping next time that we can get a good picture of the girls with her!!

Susan is so great to open her home every month and teach the ladies. They have so much fun. This counts towards the girls' art in school. (cause, their mama sure isn't a very good teacher in that subject!!!)

Here are two of the cards they made (uploaded from Susan's blog)...

Emily's Rachael Ray - American All Star Burgers

Emily's cooking turned out great last week. Here she is with her Rachael Ray burgers.

Teaching My Children to Read

This is the 13th year I've been a homeschooling mama. We've gone in lots of different directions over the years with all children at home and then some children at home and some in public schools. We've always had someone home except the one year Brian and Troy were both in public school - 4th grade and Kindergarten - and I volunteered at school that year with Brenda a baby in tow.

Currently we have the two girls at home and all the boys (except Terry who is only 4) in public schools. Artie and I feel that it's a man's place to be out in the world and a woman's to be home - so we might as well start them on their way. I would rather my boys learn to handle school in elementary years rather than be thrown in at high school or college age. My girls are already learning to be Keepers at Home. That still might change. Maybe as Troy gets older, he might have the opportunity to work with his daddy and then homeschool in the evenings or down time at work? Who knows, it seems to be different every year here!!

One of the things that has always scared me is teaching the children to read. Brian went to a Christian public school after a very hard first year Kindergarten homeschool program (that was wayyyy to hard for him). We went into debt to get him in this school. What were we thinking? We soon transferred him to public school and still took a couple more months to pay his back tuition. So, I didn't really teach him to read.

Troy went to public school for Kindergarten and first grade and then to homeschool. So, I didn't teach him to read either.

Brenda homeschooled Kindergarten - and didn't learn to read that year. Then she went to public school and the first grade class already knew how to read. The teacher made me feel very lousy and behind. So, I didn't teach Brenda how to read either!!!

Stephen and Bobby went to public school for Kindergarten and currently for first grade. They are reading well, but I didn't teach them.

Emily went to public school for first grade and didn't learn how to read - many in her class were - she just wasn't ready. Each child really moves at their own pace. (one of the great advantages to homeschooling) So, when school started this year, we started at the beginning with her reading. She has reviewed her letters and is doing great learning. Just today she finished her second box in Hooked on Phonics. She has learned her single letters and now her blends. Tomorrow we start on Box 3 with the ending blends - st, mp... We've enjoyed it so much. Finally I'm getting to see my child learn to read - WITH ME!!! God's so good. It isn't as near as hard as I thought it was going to be!!! We're really liking reading!!! Both of us!!!

(She's finished the yellow box and now the orange. We start the red tomorrow)



My friend Gwyn is beginning to reteach her son - who didn't learn in his public school either. Please pray for her that this time will be a joy for them.





He's such a doll!!

And FULL OF LIFE!!!! :-)

Grandma Moses

I finally decided on Emily's Artist Study for this semester. We are gonna study Grandma Moses. I don't really know much about her - other than she didn't start painting until she was in her 70's. I like that - shows me I have lots of time to still learn new things!! I guess I will learn along with Emily. We will get some books from the library to study over. I do like the feel of her paints - kinda feels like the Amish to me.

So, anyone know any good study ideas for Grandma Moses?

Planning Day - Brenda's School

Brenda's school will pretty much stay the same as far as her books.




I have just ordered The Days Gone By by Ted Jacobs. It is poetry set to music. Emily used A Child's Garden of Song and loved it. I hope Brenda will enjoy this one as much. It has poetry by Eugene Fields (Wynken, Blyken and Nod), Emily Dickinson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Whitcomb and some others.





We are hoping to pick up more of Trial and Triumph - somehow it didn't make it in the rotation much last semester. It's a great book of the history of Christian martyrs.





Brenda's main change this semester is an apprenticeship with a man from church called "Stick" - that's "Mr. Stick" to you Brenda. :-) Stick trains labs for hunting and show. She is going this week for the first time with her Daddy and they will set her training schedule. We've been looking for a while for someone to teach her - so hopefully this will work great. She will be able to learn a lot about raising and training dogs. Hopefully Elmo (our new puppy who still loves to potty in the house) will learn lots too. The goal is eventually for Brenda to raise her own dogs to sell for her spending money. We are training her to find ways at home to make money so she doesn't have to go out in the work force - continuing with her training to be a Keeper at Home.








Here is a picture of the kennels. They have a 10 acres area to train. Brenda is so excited to learn it all.

Planning Day - Emily's School

I have spent most of the afternoon (around a wonderful nap!!) working on school plans for the upcoming semester. Most will stay the same. We are changing Emily's history. Troy is our history buff - so he is going to work on history with Emily. We decided to just start with the beginning of our country. They will read Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret B. Pumphrey. We read this when Brian and Troy were younger and we lived in Gastonia. They enjoyed it very much.










The next book we will be adding to Emily's school is James Herriot's Treasury for Children. This is a beautiful story of animal/nature study. Brenda read this when she was younger. Maybe a story a week from this book.












We will finish up A Child's Garden of Verses and then begin When We Were Very Young by A. A. Milne (author of Winnie the Pooh). She is very excited about this one. Jan 18 is Milne's birthday, so we might have to have a little party to kick it all off?? :-)








We will continue with The Blue Fairy Book - (we read Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella last semester). Our new fairy tale will be Little Red Riding Hood. That should be very fun too.







I am very pleased with the way school progressed through the fall. We learned much and have lots still to go!! We are hoping to go much farther with sewing with Granny and then gardening this summer in our Keepers Series. (Emily's cooking is coming along wonderfully!!) We are also hoping to add in some swimming lessons and then maybe joining the swim team for some good exercise????

Tackle It Tuesday - Decorating Time

Susan and Janice at 5 Minutes for Mom host a Tackle It Tuesday challenge. Today they tackled Christmas Decorations.

We did too. Here are a couple of little pictures of our day.

We finally got the stocking hung... Yes, anyone new whose reading there are seven stockings for seven children!! :-)

For my friends, you will be happy to see Brian's stocking is hanging with the other children. He says he's planning on being here Christmas eve with us again this year as usual!! :-) God is so good.

We began our "real" Christmas study today (as apposed to our previous Christmas tree and candy cane study). We studied Angels - mainly Gabriel. We looked at how God sent him to proclaim to Mary of Jesus birth. We also looked ahead (which is a great thing to do during this time of Advent) as how the angels play a role in announcing the second coming of Christ. Here are our little angles hanging over our hallway door.

Our Christmas tree has been sitting in the living room for over a week now with no lights and no decorations. Artie is usually in charge of the lights, but has been so busy that he hasn't gotten them up yet. The girls and I decided to help him. Now, the tree is all lit and ready to be decorated this evening when he comes home. He will be relieved to have that crossed off his list and the girls loved it.

We also started One Wintery Night by Ruth Bell Graham today. We are reading one chapter a day - planning on finishing the day after Christmas. (The book goes from Jesus birth all the way to His death on the cross) They wanted to read more than the first chapter, but I think it is always good to leave them wanting more. They are looking forward to see what happens to Zeb tomorrow.