Togetherness for Christmas

It was a wonderful holiday. My best friend spent Christmas with us. John was home. The boys recieved a bounty of gifts, and everyone is healthy. But as we ate, drank, and danced around the house, I couldn't help noticing that among the medly of Christmas tunes in our house, I occasionally hear lines like-- "and Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again."

That is not the case here, though in all honesty, there is a lot of noise. Sometimes the noise is happy; sometimes less so. The living room is generally a wreck and the stuffing is coming out of the couch. The front door is set with land mines of little boys' shoes resting at odd angles near (but not in) their carefully designed shoe cubbies. Nevertheless, I cannot imagine ever wanting to send the boys off to school.

If there is one gift that homeschooling has given us it is time together. Unlike so many families who see each other only a few hours between work, school, homework, dinner, and bedtime; we are together most of each day. We know each other's moods. We know how to get along with one another-- though we don't always succeed. We learn to laugh with each other and support one another. The love and patience I see between us (most of the time!) is all I really wanted for Christmas. We are so blessed.

It's a balancing act.

Denver completes a new puzzle.

Denver enjoys his new medieval history game.




Spencer and Denver enjoy a frosty day of ice skating.

 

A math lesson with toothpicks turns into art class.
Spencer created an alien invasion.

John Robert sweeps leaves off the roof. 
He has become ever more helpful to the family.



Sometimes things fall apart.





My Best Friend.

Spencer and Shaw delight in the

Hurricane Simulator at Game Time.



Merry Christmas!