Whew! Has it been a busy December! I had better recap this month while I have a few moments to think!
We kicked off the season with our annual trip to Tractor Supply to pick out a tree “before all the good trees are gone,” complete with the subsequent quoting of favorite lines from A Christmas Story as we bring it home and decorate it. The quoting of A Christmas Story is, in fact, a tradition. (It’s been said that Aggies can make a tradition out of anything.) Thankfully, the boys know none of the bad words from that movie since we use Clearplay. Nevertheless, the boys did inform Gary and me that it was not a wholesome movie to watch with Ralphie lying to his parents and getting into fights and all. (Here’s where I say “doh!” and that “yes, they are right” and “what was I thinking?!?”)
Obviously, we don’t worry too much about the looks of our tree. (After all, this is for the boys.) Next year I plan to let them douse it in gaudy Christmas tinsel. (After all, this is for the boys.) Maybe we’ll even put all the ornaments on the tree instead of leaving some on the floor. (I doubt it.)
I hate to admit this, but with Gary getting home on Thanksgiving Day and Levi’s spy birthday party two days later, I’m afraid I forgot to order their annual Christmas ornaments for this particular decorating occasion. That was just one of several traditions gone awry this Christmas season. It’s a good thing that this season is about the Most Special Gift rather than all my silly made-up traditions.
Our homeschool group had our annual Christmas review party and nursing home visit.
Each subject was set up as a station: Nerf Gun Latin, Bowling for Math, History Sentence Ring Toss, English Grammar Ball-in-the-basket, Timeline Limbo, Science “Cake” Walk, and a Geography Relay. (I may have gotten a few of those confused, but that was the general gist.) We had tons of fun rotating through the stations as groups of 4 or 5 children. The Christmas party itself was a Chuck Wagon (and Civil War Era) supper, complete with time-period food, all except the ice cream, which was for our end-of-semester Ice Cream Party Incentive. After filling up with things like Chili, Journey Potatoes, Hopping John, and Hard Tack (and ice cream), we headed to our local senior assisted living center to sing Christmas carols. Let me just say, I love this. It’s my favorite.
The next day, we headed to The Frist Center for the Visual Arts. This is one art museum that is built for kids! We always take home a vast assortment of art projects before the day is done!
From there, we headed to our annual visit to Bass Pro Shops Santa Wonderland.
The place was nearly empty when we arrived, and it was just plain weird to walk up to each thing instead of waiting in line. By the way, Isaac didn’t even flinch at Santa Claus.
The boys joined several children from our church kids class to put together Stockings with Care.
It’s the second year we’ve attempted to reach out to our community in this way. I pray that God uses this small offering – that families will be blessed and somehow come to know Him and His Love through it, and that we will all grow and learn to love more as we give of ourselves.
Although the boys didn’t finish up our school goals in time to go to Dollywood this year, we took a trip on the General Jackson after they did finally finish up.
Other things we did included touring Wynnewood during their annual open house, driving through the bajillion-light display called Chad’s Winter Wonderland, performing a little Friendly Beasts puppet show with our church kid’s class, and all the other little things we do at home like writing our annual Christmas Wrap and building melting snowmen.
We celebrated Christmas about one week early because Gary was heading back to Brazil before Christmas Day. It was a delight to capture Isaac’s first Christmas (although I’m afraid one-size does not fit all when it comes to a “Baby’s 1st Christmas”). Every time he opened a gift, the wrapping paper went straight to his mouth. (I’m not sure about the other photo. In that one he’s helping me teach an IEW lesson to David, which has nothing to do with Christmas.)
When Gary packed his bags, the LEGO Ferrells hopped in to travel with him. From now on, LEGO Gary can take a photo with his family wherever he is…
Lego Gary and his family in Barra, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro at the TransAmerica hotel in Brazil.
And that about wraps up our not-quite-the-Griswolds December. I am so grateful for the blessed life I live, and I am even more thankful that God sent His only Son to this broken world to redeem us.
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15