December

 I realized about 2 years ago that to try and keep up with a regular school schedule during the month of December was asking for nothing but extra gray hairs and a lot of unnecessary prayers for more patience! :)

 So I poked around a few other homeschool blogs/sites to see what everyone else did around this time of year and jotted down (or pinned) different ones that sounded fun and do-able.

Usually toward the end of November I'll pull out my binder and jot down a few ideas that I have found so that we can do them during the month of December.  :)

So here is what I had planned for this year...

I know it's hard to read anything that I have written, but some things we have done this month are
*finger knitting  {The girls made the garland to go around the tree this year}
* Baking {Cookies & Breads}
*Painting/Crafts
* Cross Stitching

The Pink post it on the paper was just a list of items that I would jot down while I was thinking of things to do this month so that I could just grab my already made up list on my way to the craft store. ;)
*I've also learned {the hard way} that if I'm going to actually plan something, then it works out better for me to be sure I have everything I need here! :))

Books that we read aloud have been:
* Winter Days in the Big Woods
*The Legend of the Candy Cane
*The Candy Makers Gift

We also did a small Unit Study to go with the Laura Ingalls "Winter Days in the Big Woods"
You can find that Here
It was a lot of fun! We made some bread and butter. As well as some paper dolls. You can grab some free ones that we used Here
I just printed them out on cardstock and helped the ones that needed some help to cut them out.  :)
Some of the girls grabbed a few boxes out of the recycle bin and made little houses to keep them in.
Here is where I copied and saved a cut out of Super Mario Bro. for my son since I knew he wouldn't enjoy the fancy little dress up girl ones. :)

On Cyber Monday I just happened to stumble across a post that someone put up onto FB about an Ebook that was marked down titled "My Christmas Prayer Journal"
So I grabbed it for a steal at $1.50 {It's only $2.99 regular} and have been doing that with the kids as well. It's such a neat journal and so much fun!  I printed one for each of the older 4 and then took them to Office Depot to have them spiral bound. You can read more about it and buy one for your family if you're interested at this site Here

                       One more fun thing we've been doing this year is the "You've Been RACKED"
                                               *Random Act of Christian Kindness

The kids made up and decorated some of our own little cards to hand out to people that we may do random acts of kindness for. As well as some that they can have here to leave for someone that they show kindness to. :)
It's been neat to see their little minds at work trying to think of things that they can do.
To make it more interesting, we let the older 5 draw names among each other {sort of like secret santa} Which ever name they drew they are to pray for that person, "secretly" surprise them by doing random acts of kindness for them, make them things {using crafts, knitting, painting, ect} and lastly...of course this is what they're most excited about..they get to buy their "secret person" a gift to put under the tree.  :)

So we're having a good time this December! It's been fun, busy, yet somehow pretty relaxing!! 
That makes for a Very Merry Christmas to Mom & Dad!! :)

There are a few other ideas that I have pinned that are mostly free or very cheap. You can follow me on pintrest on my "Christmas School Ideas" Here

I would love to know what neat traditions or ideas you and your family have during the month of December!  :)