Craft and Baking Day at the Anderson Academy

As the head teacher of Anderson Academy, I decided Monday would be a craft and cookie baking day!

Of course, I always start out these project days with such great enthusiasm. Then, after the kids 20th sampling of cookie dough, the upside down placed cookie cutters, the flying sprinkles, the forgotten batch of burnt cookies, the horrible clean up mess after baking a triple butter cookie recipe, not to mention that my oven door handle fell off everytime I opened it, and finally paint everywhere from the gingerbread ornaments...I ended the day feeling like we needed another day off school. This time doing NOTHING!

Here is Annascott sampling her first homemade Christmas cookie!

Brittian hard at work!

At least we have something to show for our hard work! The kids had a great time helping and not doing any schoolwork! It WAS a successful day!

Can't wait to give our ornaments to Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles as gifts.

WOW! It sure was an exhausting day! However, I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to teach my children at home and create memories like these!

Girl's Christmas Party

On Sunday Adah and I hosted our third annual "Girl's Christmas PJ Party!" We invite a few of her fellow homeschooling friends over for a yummy candle lit dinner followed by ornament making and craft surprises. We wrap up the evening with the a cookie exchange and enjoy a few of them while watching a special movie.

Here is Adah and her friend Madeline putting the glitter on their ice cream cone ornaments!

Next, it was dinner time! The girls enjoyed Christmas tree PB&J sandwiches, chicken nuggets, grapes, chips, carrots and dip, and delicious fruit punch!

After dinner Jane Burns, Madeline's mom, led the girls in decorating their own gingerbread houses. How creative and unique each house turned out! Some girls worked on their house for almost an hour!

Finally, it was time to enjoy cookies and watch the American Girl movie "Felicity."

What a memorable night it was. I have to say, I was very impressed with the way the girls interacted with each other! It's not that often you see the fruits of the spirit portrayed so beautifully. Way to go parents in raising some special daughters. I am honored that Adah has them as friends! Merry Christmas ladies!

To have a big brother...or not?

"Ok, I just can't seem to figure out my big brother Brittian? Lately, I've been getting some mixed signals? One minute he is reading a story to me all snuggled up! He can be so sweet!"

"The next minute I find myself stuffed in the toy box with his Webkinz collection! Oh, I get it! We must be playing the Velveteen Rabbit or something?"

"Hey, Brittian...where are you? What are we playing? Hide and go seek? It's time to come find me!"

"It is at this point I realize that ONCE AGAIN I have gotten left behind! Does he think I'm just another one of their stuffed animals? Is this what happens when you are the fifth in the family? Wait until I tell Adah about this. She will tell Mommy for sure!"

"OK....HEY...this is not funny! Someone get me out of here! Did they leave and forget me or something? Maybe if I cry a little harder my sister will come rescue me because is seems like my mommy is always busy!"

Decorating the Tree

Well, about a week ago we had a family night and decorated our tree. What we thought would be a quiet peaceful night of celebrating the beauty and memory of each ornament turned into...well, I guess with 5 kids we might of had unrealistic expectations.

Of course, as soon the ornament boxes were opened we somehow could not locate any of Drew or Kurt's ornaments. This seems to happen to someone each year! Finally, after many tears of disappointment...we uncovered the lost treasures...underneath all my angel ornaments. What a relief!

Then came the tradition of playing with each of the collector Hallmark ornaments that my aunt gives the kids. The Noah's Ark series is a big hit with the boys. And let me tell you...each one had a BIG HIT on the floor. Once again I had to wipe away the tears and assure them that some super glue would make it all better. Thanks to my quick thinking, I decided to dispel the gloomy faces with a yummy snack. There is always some sort of treat for every celebration in the Anderson household. This year the kids voted to have sparkling grape juice and brownies. That sure did hit the spot. It was at this time I realized through all the commotion that I had not taken any pictures of my memorable night!

Quickly, I grabbed my camera and tried to capture some last min shots.

As soon as the boys realized they were "on camera" my perfect decorating the tree shots turned into some kind of underwear dance. Their dancing was perfectly choreographed to the jive Christmas music that SOMEONE had selected. Of course my instrumental selection was discarded. The boys got sillier and sillier. I'm afraid some of the pictures I was unable to post due to major embarrassment of the boys!

Notice, my sweet Adah is totally oblivious to the disco dancing around her. Just another day in the Anderson household with three brothers!

Christmas Tree Tradition

Last year we took the kids up to the mountains to cut down our tree for Christmas. We picked out the most beautiful tree we ever had and it never seemed to die...like all the others from Home Depot. Nothing against you Lowes and Home Depot tree buyers. We've done that for years. However, there is just something about being up on a mountain breathing in the smell of fresh pine trees and feeling the crisp cool weather of December. Last year the kids could play hide and seek among the trees. This year the selection was a bit smaller, however we still were able to find that perfect tree for the Anderson Family.

One of the special things about the tree farm that we visit is that they always take you on a hayride while they load up your tree. This year, since we went during the week, we were the only family there at that time. So, when it came time for the hayride...we had our own personal ride through the mountains. It was so beautiful to see the snow on the hills and trees.

After the hayride, we headed down the mountain to the Mast General Store for a candy treat!

The mountains are always such a powerful display of the Lord's creation. Each time we visit them the kids are always in awe their beauty and amazed by their size and strength. What a blessing it is to so easily visit both the mountains and the ocean with our family. They speak so clearly of the Lord's handiwork.