December Homeschool

 We have had a great month of homeschooling. I always love December because there are so many magical things going on, but this year we did a better job of keeping our regular rhythm which helped us all enjoy the season even a little bit more. 

Austin and Caleb are both doing so well and I've loved doing homeschool with both of them this year. I am typically able to homeschool them both at the same time, just moving back and forth between them. We do science together, but they are both in their own levels of math and LA. Even so, it's been a good thing to have them both doing full homeschool this year. I've loved it. 

Lydia is doing much more independent work, but I still help and guide her as needed. She has a lot more going on (coops, sewing class, art class, etc...) but here are a few things she's been working on this month. (In addition to making almost every person that she knows a custom, hand-made Christmas present.) 

Sewing matching Christmas pajama pants for her and Lucy. 

Her final project for her art class: Rugby (her "best friend") 

Making a gingerbread house from scratch (including melted hard-candy stained glass window). 


Lydia's Gingerbread house inspired all the kids to want to make gingerbread houses. I was helping Cal and Sue go through their storage room and they had a bunch of expired food, so we brought it home and used hot glue to create out own gingerbread houses. (It made me laugh, and it certainly wasn't the most glamourous gingerbread village ever, but it was a good use of expired food and the kids had a lot of fun with it.) 




We had a "Christmas around the World" homeschool celebration. Everyone brought something to teach and to share about a Christmas/winter holidays around the world. We ate yummy food. Did some Christmas traditional dances, played with candles in the dark, and enjoyed a fun Christmas celebration.  
(See Matt and Brooklyn here? They were in town for Christmas and we loved having them join us!) 

We always love going to the Christkindlemarkt. Songs, Food, Festive Gnomes. What more could you ask for? 






Jenna invited us to come to a movie in perry with her and we did without knowing much about it. It was Rise of the Guardians and it has turned into one of our favorite holiday movies! So darling and we loved seeing it at the theater with the Haderlies. 

This winter has been especially fun because of how much we've been able to get out into the mountains. We joined a Nature Group that meets on Wednesdays and we've started going with them to some fun spots. The snow has been incredible and it's been a winter adventure wonderland. 
All of these pictures were at the Roadhouse Picnic Area close to Tibble Fork. We loved it so much that we had to go back! 

First adventure:

And then Part 2. It felt so magical! 






We've had a great homeschool month and are looking forward to Christmas Break! 

Rugby Game

Shantel surprised her dad for his birthday with tickets to the Utah Warriors rugby game. Scott loves rugby and it was great because we were able to get tickets for everyone who lives in the state. It was really fun and the kids had fun as well. 

Blog takeover from Shantel: I found a coupon code for really really really cheap tickets for the last Rugby game of the season and so I bought them without even asking anyone if they would be able to come. Then I sent out a text to my family telling them to save the date for June 1st, without telling them what for. I figured that those who could come, would come, and if they couldn't - then hopefully at least my dad would be able to come! It was awesome because both Melissa and Blake AND Jacob were able to make it, and even my mom was able to come, too. I've never seen a Rugby game before and it was really interesting and fun! 

The kids did a great job of sitting and watching (and eating candy and playing with Melissa and Blake) but toward the end when they started to get restless my dad got up with them and walked with each of them individually around the field, telling them about what was going on, etc.. One of the times he ended up coming back with a big snowcone for the kids to share. (He's a softie.)  

I'm grateful for my dad and all the things that he does for me and for my family and I'm so glad that we got to celebrate him and his birthday by going to this Rugby game together. I love spending time with my family - and I love how they always come together to support and show love, too. 

Go Warriors!