Christmas Octave Day 4

On Sunday, we enjoyed some leisurely reading time in the morning. I began reading aloud the Latsch Valley Farm series to the children, which come from the absolutely wonderful Bethlehem Books publisher. The series appears to be similar to Laura Ingalls Wilder but about a little Polish village.

Two thumbs up from Mary

Also, Mary finished reading the Gospel Time Trekkers series, which she devoured in the last week. This series is very similar to the more well-known Imagination Station series, but is Catholic. In the Gospel Time Trekkers (which, admittedly, I have not read), children time travel back to Jesus' time and are always trying to meet him. Will they ever catch up to him? Mary tells me that they travel back to their own time each Saturday so they can attend Mass with their families on Sunday. And at the end of each book is a chapter "that explains it in the real way," meaning the Scriptural basis is given for the setting of that particular book. Mary enjoyed the humor and was excited to tell me how she learned that various parts of the Mass are based on Scripture.

Color Slap

After Chris and the kids attended Mass (Mama feeling too delicate), the family played Color Slap, a simple and raucous game just right for ages 6-8 (one does have to be able to read). For Christmas, the children received some new games for family game time: Connect Four, Zoo Logic, Skippety, Color Slap, and Crazy 8s. I see fun times ahead!

All ready to begin--not!

Then I tried to stick to my plan for Christmas festivities on Octave Day 4: decorate our gingerbread houses. I filled all the bowls with the candy decorations, settled all the children into their seats, then opened the box to read the directions.

Step 1. Be sure to set up the houses four hours in advance so that they will be hard enough for decorating.

Three cheers for me for not having a meltdown. Instead I told the children they would get to watch a movie while I built the houses and that we would decorate them in the morning. They were happy getting to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas for the first time.

My assistant builder

Ready for tomorrow morning