The Christmas Story & Other Christmas fun

 We started our Christmas season with our school work focusing on The Christmas Story, we added in lots of other Christmas symbols and learning fun too!

We read the Christmas story from our Rhyme Bible, and used these other great books too.

We themed many of our day's work around a picked book, for example; J is for Jesus day, Rudolph day, Gingerbread day, Parable of the Pinetree day, etc.  Some days were just random tray days using things from all the days.  We had a lot of fun (I think)!  We took a break and didn't do work for 4 days and by the 3rd day GB was asking for her work please.  She does like her routine and learning fun, but more than that these days (when I was busy)  she was more than liking wanting the 1 on 1 time with me. :)  
 
I didn't do a great job with the camera.  Although there are several pictures, I would take pictures one day and not for the next week. So, I didn't get a good variety of pictures. 

number work and her little reader

Wall stickers nativity, another fun activity during reading about Christ's birth.

Luke thought the tree needed a star on top! :)

The magna doodle was out a lot (again)  GB used to love that thing, used it everyday several times (22 month- 3 years).  It hadn't been out in awhile.  I got it out for L and he loves it too!  

moving mini erasers into number cups

wrapping presents covers so many skills!!  She had a roll of paper, tape and scissors and would wrap anything.  The only rule was she had to hold the scissors right!

sorting festive macaroni (Kraft mac and cheese holiday)

counting candy canes from the sorted pasta

candy cane counting (really working on higher counting these days)

candy cane letters match file folder

tada!

dot letter

working those fine motor skills, pompom moving.

GB and I were playing the talking game in her room and L came in with these thongs, Christmas erasers and cups.  While we played, he very careful manipulated each one into the right cup.  He does his best work on his terms! :)

making candy molds

Oh what fun these two are in the kitchen!

She has become a very good coloring in her time! :)

Bubble wrap painting

We made & framed these handprint trees for all the Grands.  I didn't get a finished product pic.  They added a star and red fingerprint decorations.

Modge Podging ornaments for gifts

 

I thought about not posting anymore on this blog.  I had to answer the Why question.  Why am I doing this?  Is it for me, them, others?  Am I trying to show off?  What's my purpose?  It's good to ask yourself these things every once in awhile.  The answer is, I do want to remember things we did while we are home together, but the "formal" way I was doing it is for the birds! ;)  So, I will continue to post as we do things and I take pictures.  I'm not going to list our RRS stuff or even our letter or theme, just add some pictures with a few thoughts or stories about our week.  I think! :)

Thanksgiving & Turkeys

We did Thanksgiving for 2 weeks mixing in the Turkeys with a little Pilgrims and History lessons

Letters  Mm  Nn
Number 12
Verses Let us not love in word but in deeds and in truth. 1 John 3:18
No one can serve two masters. Matthew 6:24
I'm not sure how I started with Mm, but that's what I had printed. ??  I haven't been going in the order (1+1+1=1) suggests, but this wasn't what I thought I had planned. :))  Anyways, M and N back to back worked out fine, a little confusing at times. :)

Books we used:

Our favorite book was the one we made together.  I got the idea from "Blue's Clue's back in the day,  Everyone in the family makes a page (we made 2 each and included Nanny too) "Mama's thankful for.... Daddy's thankful for...."  I put it together simply with a ring.  No picture sorry, it got left at Nanny's house.

Highlights from our weeks:

There were several Thanksgiving tot packs.  I just printed 1 or 2 sheets from a couple for our week.  1+1+1=1 and over the big moon.com

Roll a Felt Turkey- "Let's play again"

sorting pasta, then glueing pasta for turkey feathers.

Finished product!

I left the marker on the table, so L used it to write! "I write, I write yellow."

We actually made these in SS, but it was too cute not to share.

We played the "Thankful game" almost everytime we got in the car for the last 3 weeks.  I said something I was thankful for and then GB, then L.  continues.  Lots of funny things and some really great things too.  I was very impressed and proud of some of the things GB came up with.  L was mostly thankful for the vehicles he saw or repeated one of us.  Cute stuff!

Thanksgiving Cards for Nanny and Papas

This is the best and most Gracie has colored without scribbling!! (I did the red)

Loves those counting games

Building with foam blocks! 

Notice GB's buildings are matching colors. 

Luke is in the far corner of the picture and he already claimed it as a train house

 (2 trains on top). :)

Turkey sandwich

Turkey snack- looks a little more like a spider (good thing my littles thought it was great)

Oh my!  What to say about this poor guy!  I had to post to show sometimes you just make due! ;)  After 2 days of turkey lunch and snack, they asked for a "turkey". 

This is all the pictures I have from 2 weeks.  We had a great Thanksgiving and learned a lot, played a lot of Pretend Thanksgivings and made mayflower voyages. :)   We moved on to our Christmas celebration and will continue through the whole month of Dec.  I'll probably post all together since we are already finished with week 1 and I took 2 pictures of "school stuff". :))

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed...

A Fly  and A Pie!!
We used both these books this week.  Starting with the traditional one for a couple days, then did the Pie for the last couple days.  I thought the Pie book would lead us right into our Thanksgiving theme!  Along with our books we did lots of repetition and sequencing this week.

Letter: Yy
Color:  White
Number:  11
Verse:  You are my friend if you do what I command of you.   Lots of good discuss with this verse and others this week, like "Honor your Father and Mother" is what God commands you. :))) 

Books we used: 

Highlights:

Magnet retelling

more magnets (we did a lot with magnets this week) Number correspondence

Well, Tuesday we did nothing "themed" so I took a picture of the trays for the day.  Hoping to refinish an old bookshelf and get new trays after Christmas.

This is the best and longest she has laced these things! Yay GB!

Acting out the story!  It's okay to laugh at our old lady! ;)) plastic jar,yard,felt and my apron!  It was great fun and you would be amazed at all the stuff that lady ate! ;)

About to eat a slinky dog. :)

lacing foam beads, and of course making it a pattern

Luke chose all the round ones. Hard at work!

This was her favorite and we repeated often and with the "pie" book pictures

Magnet pictures-find the letter it starts with, then write the letter on her glitter bag.

something new- (1+1+1=1) Letter mazes with magnet pompoms.  We printed several letters and it kept her busy for awhile!

Retelling cards and used here for beginning sounds

printable from..? Pinterest :)

Finally, making mini Pumpkin pies

Great way to share your pies; Minis

We used white bread sandwich and moz cheese with peeled apples for our white lunch.  We called our sweet potatos - Yams. :) Fun lunches were kinda boring this week, except for the reading and retelling of one of these books everytime we sat down at the table.  I introduced the book while they were eating on Monday.