Remembrance Press Giveaway!

Remembrance Press is having a giving away two shopping sprees!  Just share a family tradition.  We love traditions at this time of year.  We would love to know what you do as well.

Advent Season

We have been busy with Christmas preparations.  I am trying something a little different this year for our Christmas study.  In the past we've studied the Names of Christ, the Christmas symbols, the Jesse Tree - but this year I decided to try my own hand at it.  It is very much student-led.

Every Sunday in our house is family day and this past Sunday we decorated the tree.  We tried to go cut one down but the place we went didn't have anything we felt was worth the price we were asking.  I really would have liked to have had that as part of our lesson.  Oh well.  Then through the week we've discussed where the tradition of the tree came from, what does it mean, what kind of tree is usually used - which leads to a botany lesson.  That sort of thing.

Next Sunday we are making cookies.  I plan on us talking about different food traditions for Christmas around the world (we are studying world geography this year).

I also plan on a week as Christ is Light of the World.  We are going to make candles, discuss the meaning of the phrase, how other countries view the Christ Child/Nativity.  This week's studying will combine this week's and next week's craft project.

The last Sunday I plan on us making a Nativity, but I haven't worked that one out all the way yet.

I pray that your Christmas season is full of His joy and Light!

The Advent Season

We started a few years ago reading Bartholomew's Passage.  We had obtained it from a small bookstore not knowing it was part of a wonderful series.  When we went looking for the other two books in the series, we were dismayed to discover that the entire series was out of print.

Much to our joy they began printing them again last year, starting with Jotham's Journey.  This year the second book in the series has been re-released - Bartholomew's Passage.  These are wonderful stories that intertwine with each other.  Each character makes a brief appearance in the other books, exciting the children that they meet again someone they know.  They meet up with a man who helps them connect to their families, and to the Christ child.  There are questions and thoughts to ponder as you read each day.  My children were disappointed at the end of each days reading, as it usually ended in a cliff-hanger :)

I must warn you that there is some violence involved, so if your children are sensitive you may want to read through the day's reading prior to reading aloud.  I can't wait until next year's release of Tabitha's Travels.  I hope you enjoy these journeys as much as my family has.

School and sickness

We've been taking it easy the last couple of weeks as the flu goes through the house.  As I teach everyone together regardless of ages, it makes it hard to teach if one is absent.  As the flue is slowly moving through the house we've decided to just ease up on school and wait until all is well.  Just curious how the rest of you respond when sickness hits your house.

The Crafty Classroom is giving away a pop-up Christmas book and a talking Jesus.  Head over to her blog to sign up.  What a great Christmas gift!

Knowledge Box Central

Knowledge Box Central   We have been homeschooling for 12 years.  I have used many different curriculum and educational resources throughout the years.  But I have so enjoyed using the Exploring God's Creation Sciences the last 3 years along with the Lapbooks and Lapbook Journals that Knowledge Box Central has created to go along with them.  I have many different types of learners (as can be imagined with 6 kids) and the Journals especially let all of them enjoy.  I have some who like to be creative so we use the Lapbook portion.  Others like to just get it done, so we use the journal portion.  I like that the questions are written out so they can turn in their books without have to keep turning back to the page to re-read the questions.  I have really enjoyed these products and hope you do to.