'Tis the Season

Well, have moved forward now...ready to embrace the holiday with a happy heart. Today, we kind of took it easy, as Big Bro was not feeling all that well. But we did do some work...

Big Bro had a good time making PlayDoh cookies.
Little Bro enjoyed making PlayDoh cookies, too.
We also listened to Christmas music. Later in the afternoon, we watched a children's Christmas Special called 'Twas the Night by HBO Children.
This is a great DVD. It features interviews of children speaking about their family traditions related to Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.
This is In the Kitchen vocabulary. I had found an old picture dictionary that is out of print and as far as my research found, they did not renew a copyright to the work. So, we made a copy of the page, and transformed the page into Montessori inspired cards. Today, we just went over these words together. I have not set out In the Kitchen as a work on the shelf yet.
When I do, it will be accompanied with a nice illustration of kids in the kitchen as well as a tray for the cards.
This is part of our Town of Bethlehem display. We have other Nativity scenes, but this one is unique, in that it shows the whole village instead of just focusing in on the manger scene.
Both boys have loved village this every Christmas. They are free to move the animals, people, and accessories around in the town.
This is the rest of town of Bethlehem display. This year, we had to set it up a bit differently, as our pup now can reach his head to the items on the bottom shelf. We had to put the larger buildings on the lower shelf, but have to keep nearly all of the accessories, animals, and people on the top shelf with the smaller buildings and palm trees.
The boys don't seem to mind that their village looks a little different this year.
One other plan I have is to make cards for Big Bro to have this be really more educational for him.
Well, here's to a blessed and happy holiday season!