Just some random thoughts!I haven't been on here in a long time, but I've had a few things I wanted to blog about... Like one was "The Joys of Snow" but since I can only come up with ONE thing (SOMETIMES it's pretty SOMETIMES!) I figured the blog wouldn't be very long. This week has just been a bit weird. But here are some things that have been on my mind and pieces of conversation...
First: Homeschooling. It seems to get harder each week. I didn't buy curriculum this year since he is really only 3, and I wanted to save the money... I just bought some workbooks and we work on the structure of things and the basics. However, I think Zech hates it, and I feel I fail after every session. It makes me think maybe he should go to school. Then I entertain that thought for a while and realize its just too important to give up. I must just improve my lessons and "way of things". So this week we had a cookie exchange on the scheduled school day. I had decided long ago that at this point I should take advantage of our homeschool flexibility so we moved our school day to the day before. Since I had to make cookies, and my kids ADORE making anything, I made it our lesson.
I labeled evey ingredient with the letter it started with and the word below in various sized bowls.
Then in order to get to pour the ingredients in, he had to "read" the labels. And tell me the letter and the sound it made (ie, Eggs... E eeee sound as in EGG)
We discussed the little vs big bowls and felt the difference between dry and wet... by adding the egg...
It was quite the fun lesson... 
And it is always a tastey lesson: 
However, if you plan on passing these cookies out, you have to MAKE sure the kids put the right ingredients in, and not on the floor... or you end up with flat (good tasting) cookies... ones I won't hand out!
Homeschooling gets to be fun, I guess! and I just have to try to find it within myself to make it that way. I mean, this lesson really got him to look at letters in a new way. In the everyday use of things.
Now the Second topic this week: SANTA
We choose not to do Santa. I look back on my experience with Santa. I remember thinking ("believing") in this idea that a jolly man brought me EXACTLY what I wanted. And I listened to trusted adults as they told me stories of how Santa brought them things when they were young and how they "saw" santa and talked to santa. And I remember the day I found out the real truth... There was no santa. I was devestated. I hated that all these adults who told me to always tell the truth had lied. I questioned it all in one sweep. Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, God! I knew that Santa wasn't real, but I believed that the stories the adult told must be true. the more questions I asked, the more I had lost faith in them in the way of truth.
This why I (again, why I) don't do Santa. Our mail purpose in this life is to point towards Jesus. The way the TRUTH the life! and where there is absolute truth, there is no room for anything but truth. I can not justify for any reason lieing to my children. When the world they live in is full of things that are lies (drugs will get you through your sorrows, alcohol will drown your troubles, sex is the best way to satisfy your urges, and so on) it is MY responsibility as a parent to be the one that points towards truth. If my children at any point feel I have lied to them, I risk them deciding they can't trust me. And was the lie of a jolly red giant (hehe) be worth it? No, it won't. I don't dismiss Santa in our holida tradition becuase I am Jehovah's Witness, I don't do it to spoil the fun, I don't do it to ruin other parents fun. I do it to promote truth in every situation. And my kids can only benefit. I just am shocked when I see all the trouble some parents go through to promote a lie. Its one thing if they know its a game, and you are playing a game... but these poor kids are puting their hope in this at a time that is set up for a hope in Christ. So, although this can upset MANY parents. I have talked with so many that are following the way of truth this season, and that makes it much easier for me. And like I said "this is the way I do it", and I am not out to ruin it for anyone else.
I am looking forward to Christmas having a pure focus on Jesus and the gift He gave us! I am looking forward to the kids being able to tell that story over and over to their children and not worry about their kids finding out its all a lie. Its the truth every year, and you can never out grow that magic!
Zech saw me making them. He is SUPER excited and may not be able to wait until Christmas!
