Names are Important~

Today our friend Nicole from 314 Productions was here filming our family

and wanting us just going about our daily life (school).

I decided to use a book we've read before~

Such a sweet book and lots of new comments from the kids this time. :)

We talked about God finding them all the way in China and allowing US to be their family.

We got their China books out and told their stories including the specialness of their name~

{Great activity for bitty girls to name letters in everyone's names}

 I wrote their name on art paper and they were to trace over and over with crayon.

Next we watercolored over the crayon filling the page creating beautiful crayon resist art for our wall~

 Nicole was able to film our everyday life as well interview every person in our family~

And yes, it was a warm sunny afternoon so the kids grabbed suits and jumped in!

Now we're enjoying tons and tons of rain. :)

A final farewell to summer and hello to October!!!

Gifts, Gifts, Gifts {Fun Friday}~

Our Gift lesson yesterday was just a warm up for today.

We completed all of our ornaments for Truth in the Tinsel and read all about the gifts given to Jesus.

We also decided Jesus is the Greatest Gift ever given to us!

As we read, talked, and prayed, I had the same small gift box sitting out for them to see.

 

My sil Amy suggested we read God Gave Us Christmas and when it came I remembered I had ordered God Found Us You for Christmas so I grabbed it too!

As we read God Gave Us Christmas, we talked about the many gifts God has given us with Christmas and Jesus being the best.

"Jesus is a present for everyone, grumpy or happy, mean or kind. God gave us all Christmas."

 

Then we read God Found Us You and we had more discussion about the bigs growing in my tummy, them growing in their China mommy's tummy, and the amazing gifts they are to our family.

This comes up often in our home and we feel the more we talk, the more comfortable they feel about their story.

When we finished the story, I had the gift box sitting on the floor and asked what they thought was in the box...

SJ said, "I sure hope NOT nothing again!" haha

Nope! Not today!!!

I told them ONE of the most beautiful gifts I had ever been given was in that box and I would show them IF they promised to keep it a secret.

Each one came up, peeked inside, had a puzzled look on their face, and then a HUGE smile appeared as they figured out what was going on.

As they looked inside, I had a mirror for them to see themselves.

THEY are ONE of the greatest gifts to me!

Under the mirror, I had cut circles from foil and they each glued a piece in their journal to write about The Gift of Them!

 When they finished I snapped a photo of them and declared 2013 School Year COMPLETE! DONE!! GO PLAY!!!

 When they came back to the table later, they found themselves on the little mirror. Big smiles again!

You will also notice School is gone from the center of our sun room... off to the side in order for Christmas to take front and center. :)

Yesterday while I was gone to get my hair done, I came home to find two girls had worked the whole time to make and wrap Gifts for me and Dad~

 They have talked about them ever since and can barely wait for us to open them but insist it will be Christmas Day!

I know it is going to be a great holiday break and we are SO ready for it!!!

Merry Christmas from Ankerich Academy!!!

We will see you next year!