A Pleasant Week

Our homeschool is on December break. We are only doing school on Tuesdays. This week was busy and pleasant. We are almost ready for Christmas. As usual, the budget was tight this year; but thanks to lots of great coupons, shopping carefully and making homemade gifts, we have been able to keep to our goals. This Advent season, we have kept to the home more than in other years. We really needed the rest and have focused on the wonderment of the season from a quieter perspective. We only did one out and about Christmas activity this week. We went to the National Gingerbread Display at the Grove Park Inn. We always delight in the amazing creativity of the gingerbread builders. Here are a few of our favorites.

What we did for Tuesday school ~

• Art ~ Painted our wooden snowman and gave him a new hat. Now he is ready to grace our front yard.
• History ~ Reviewed the Berlin Airlift and watched our Mormon Tabernacle Choir DVD about the "candy bomber". We looked at our authentic piece of the Berlin wall.
• Science ~ Made borax crystals and rock candy. We learned about heterogeneous and homogeneous solutions. 
• English ~ Did lesson 8 in Cover Story.

Dean spent several hours at Miss Laura's house this week, working on painting a portrait. He has also been drawing a great deal this week. Below is one of his creations.

Anne needed a new pair of pointe shoes. Over the last five months, she saved up the entire $101 needed to purchase them. She saved all of her allowance, earned money doing chores at Grandma's house and worked a few extra jobs around here as well. She showed real dedication and was very pleased to be able to purchase them all by herself. I am so happy to see the lovely young lady she is turning into.

Lastly, my favorite picture of the week ~ 

Blessings, Dawn