December 16, 2011 If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! 
During the busy days of the Christmas season, do you ever think longingly of that peaceful night in Bethlehem so long ago? Don’t we usually picture that first Christmas as a quiet, star-lit night filled with beautiful angel songs and a radiant new mother cradling a tiny Baby?
It seems, though, that the days leading up to the very first Christmas were quite hectic in their own right. Mary and Joseph were making a major trip, paying their taxes, and preparing for the birth of a very special Baby! In modern terms: packing for an extended trip, dealing with the IRS, and delivering a baby without the conveniences of a hospital.
Suddenly sounds a little less idealistic, doesn’t it? And yet, peace and joy surrounded that night long ago. Why? Because in the midst of those busy days, their hearts were focused on Jesus.
In the midst of all the decorating, shopping, and baking, we can find that peace and joy in the same way that Mary and Joseph did. We just have to keep our minds and hearts focused on the real Reason for the Christmas season.
Here are some of the ways we have kept Christ in Christmas over the years:
- Children’s program at church–Every year our children recite and sing in the children’s program at our church. This is an excellent way to make Christmas meaningful to them, even when they are quite young. It also offers them an opportunity to give of themselves to others at Christmas.
- Christmas caroling–Yes, people really do still Christmas carol! It is such a fun way to spread joy during the Christmas season. We have caroled door-to-door and also in nursing homes, and it is always an enjoyable experience.
- Candlelight sevice–Each year we have a beautiful candlelight service on the last Sunday evening before Christmas. It is truly one of the most meaningful celebrations of the season, giving time to reflect quietly on the Light of the world.
- Displaying a nativity scene–We have a small nativity in our living room and also a beautiful window nativity that we look forward to displaying each year.
- Playing Christmas carols that reflect the true meaning of the season–”Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” and “Away in a Manger” speak volumes about the real meaning of Christmas.
- Reading the Christmas story aloud on Christmas Day–There are several different passages in the Bible that tell parts of the Christmas story. My favorite is Luke 2.
- Singing carols together when our extended family gathers to celebrate Christmas–When my extended family gets together shortly after Christmas, there is likely to be singing (yes, by all 30 or so of us!). Beautiful memories with beautiful meaning!
- Search for Peace–One of the highlights of our Christmas season is attending Search for Peace, a local Christmas pageant detailing the entire Christmas story. This performance seems to literally bring Christmas to life; if you are within driving distance of Curwensville, PA, I highly recommend this annual event.
What about you? How do you keep Christ in Christmas?
Take a minute to read about Christmas activities that these three families enjoy!
Joanna @ The LaVans
Jessica @ It’s the Little Things
Jennifer@ Joy Ever After
This post also contributes to Thought-Provoking Thursday.
December 2, 2011 As soon as Thanksgiving Day is over, the excitement of Christmas begins! At our house, we are just beginning our Christmas decorating. Want to take a peek?
Each year Kaylee asks to arrange the nativity scene on our large schoolroom window. This year Weston was anxious to help, too! Adding some white lights around this window makes it look like a beautiful star-lit night in Bethlehem.
We add a mauve-and-gold wreath to the front door. And the cute little snow couple? They have a special place on our kitchen table.
Our children love to hang stockings for small gifts during the last week before Christmas Day. Our peg rack holds five stockings, and the other two hang on a shelf in the living room. Weston, being only three, doesn’t remember Christmas last year. He is so excited about his little stocking!
We have to wait until next week to put up our tree, since we are having new carpet installed first. Ho-hum. In the meantime, we are enjoying looking through all the special things we hang on our tree. Our Christmas tree is decorated “family-style”–no custom theme or expensive ornaments, just hand-stitched ornaments and special crafts the kids have made over the years. Our tree is truly loaded with memories . . . and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
And now I’d love to hear about how YOU decorate for Christmas! What things are especially meaningful to you?
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Take a minute to find out how these three families decorate for Christmas!
Joanna @ The LaVans
Jessica @ It’s the Little Things
Jennifer@ Joy Ever After
This post also contributes to TheNorthForty Christmas Link-Up and Holy Spirit-Led Homeschooling Christmas Link-Up.
November 25, 2011 
For most of us, Thanksgiving Day is one of the most highly anticipated days of the year. Family, food, fun, and laughter–it’s the stuff of which memories are made.
Between homeschooling the oldest five children, and caring for a three-year-old and a teething baby, I found I had very little time left for preparing for our Thanksgiving celebration this year.
Beautiful tablecloth and elegant place settings? Nope.
Gorgeous fall decorations to enjoy? Not this year.
But family, food, fun, and laughter–those we had in abundance. And really, those are the things that really matter. . . the things that really create memories to treasure.
Family . . .
In addition to the nine of us, my mom and dad were able to visit for several days. Three generations of family, all together under one roof, means lots of reminiscing (among the older ones) and plenty of “showing Grammy and PapPap” (from the younger set). It’s memory-making at its finest.
Food . . .
Oh, the food! We may not have used the fine china and crystal, but we enjoyed a bountiful meal in spite of the styrofoam plates and plastic cups. Family traditions really shine through in the Thanksgiving dinner, I think. We feasted on turkey (almost 23 pounds of turkey!), mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, cranberry jello salad (recipe handed down from my first dad’s mother), pistachio whip, fresh applesauce, and pumpkin and apple pies.
Fun and laughter . . .
Plenty of enjoyable conversation, echoing from many rooms of the house. A variety of games played, with the winners proudly announcing their success. “Window-shopping” for new furniture from the comfort of the living room couch. Reading jokes aloud from out-dated Reader’s Digests. Yes, our house was full of fun and laughter!
Giving thanks . . .
In the midst of all the family traditions and special memories that we hold dear, however, Thanksgiving Day wouldn’t be complete without truly giving thanks. My heart was touched to hear my little three-year-old listing some of the things he was thankful for: Mom, windows, trees, beds. May our hearts always be as truly grateful as the simple heart of a little child.
Have a minute? I know you will enjoy reading about how these three families celebrate Thanksgiving!
Joanna @ The LaVans
Jessica @ It’s the Little Things
Jennifer@ Joy Ever After
November 16, 2011 
Laundry. It’s a never-ending chore, isn’t it? Especially in larger-than-average households, it seems that dirty clothes can pile up in the blink of an eye.
In an effort to save time and my sanity, I’ve found a few ways to streamline the laundry process in our home:
Eliminate laundry sorting. I know . . . it’s just not proper. But really, since my kids live in jeans (denim skirts for the girls) and pullover shirts, sorting laundry isn’t absolutely essential. Only “dress-up” clothes, such as white shirts or light-colored dresses, really need to be separated. Training the kiddos to put these special items directly in a designated basket eliminates the need for sorting later.
Keep a laundry basket or hamper in each bedroom. When a hamper gets full, it’s simple to wash that load of laundry and return the clean clothes to the same room–no sorting required.
Teach older children to do their own laundry. I can’t tell you how much easier it is when the older ones are responsible for their own laundry–my older kids do a great job of making sure that their clothing is washed and ready to wear. (No more frustration when that favorite pair of jeans isn’t washed on time!)
Train younger children to help with their own laundry. Younger children can easily fold and put away their own laundry. If you have several little ones close in size, labeling clothing will make it easier for them to find their own clothes.
How do you spend less time doing laundry? I’d love to hear your ideas!
I’m sharing this post at LFO @ Raising Arrows, Works for Me Wednesday, and Weekend Reflections.
November 10, 2011 
Family. Just a single word, but it expresses so much. Love, laughter, memories, tears . . . it’s all wrapped up in that one word.
I am abundantly blessed to have a house filled with noise and laughter. I have a family. Thank you, Lord!
Time for introductions:
Wes–Otherwise known as “Dad” around our house, Wes is a truck driver who puts in long hours to provide for our family. He is totally supportive of my homeschooling efforts, and he has even been known to brag on us once in a while. 
Judy–That’s me! If you haven’t met me yet, I’ll let you in on a few random things about me. (I hope you’ll stick around so we can get better acquainted!)
Brandon–Brandon, sixteen years old, is in tenth grade. He is our resident handyman, repairing just about anything around the house. He recently acquired his learner’s permit and has since been my personal chauffeur.
Devin–Devin, fourteen, is in eighth grade. He is very interested in aviation and reads voraciously about flight and airplanes. He enjoys being a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
Kaylee–Kaylee is twelve and in seventh grade. She is a natural “mother’s helper” and helps in caring for the two little ones. She carries on an extensive correspondence with her lengthy list of pen pals.
Keaton–Keaton, ten years old, is in fifth grade. He loves to read and often stays up late to fit in a few extra chapters. He enjoys riding his bike and scooter.
Collin–Collin is eight years old and is in second/third grade. He is very interested in fixing and building things, and just recently purchased his own starter set of tools. He also enjoys riding his bike and scooter.
Weston–Weston is three years old and enjoys “doing school” like the older ones. He loves to do anything that his older siblings are doing, whether it is swinging a hammer, riding bikes, or raking leaves.
Kendra–Kendra is eight months old, and she is such a doll baby! She loves to be carried around by one or another of the family, and generally rules the house like a princess. Love having a baby girl!
Yes, I am truly blessed!
November 2, 2011
We have a couple dozen assorted cups and glasses, enough to fill an entire shelf. Plenty for our entire family, and then some. All too often, though, I would reach into the cabinet for a water glass . . . and find none. At the same time, the dishwasher was constantly overflowing with used cups and glasses. Something had to change!
I know some families who use a lot of disposable cups to reduce the amount of dirty dishes, but that isn’t practical for a larger family. I opted instead to label a set of Tupperware cups with a Sharpie marker, so that each child has his own cup. I have no idea why it took me so long to think of this!
Now each child can be responsible for his own cup–putting it back on the counter after meal-time, making sure it is rinsed when necessary, keeping it in its proper place. Of course, all the cups need to go through the dishwasher regularly; I like to aim for washing them once each day.
I have noticed that, on some of the smoother surfaces of newer cups, the marker tends to wash off. That isn’t a huge problem–just keep that Sharpie handy in a kitchen drawer!
How do you keep cups and glasses from disappearing?
I’m sharing my solution at LFO @ Raising Arrows and Works for Me Wednesday.
October 25, 2011
Socks. Just that one word could cause nightmares for moms of larger families.
With nine people in our family, we have plenty of feet that require socks (preferably matching socks) on a daily basis. Unfortunately, sorting and matching socks has never been one of my favorite things to do. A few years ago, I got so frustrated with the never-ending pile of socks waiting to be matched, that I decided it was time to try a new method.
Here’s what works for me:
Buy only one kind of socks for each child. Pick a brand, style, and color–and stick with it! When all the socks are identical, no matching is necessary. Bonus: no “orphan” socks!
Buy socks with different colored stitching for each size. Color-coding makes it a cinch to separate the different sizes of socks: blue stitching for the older boys, green stitching for the younger ones, and so on.
Use a sock basket. Don’t want to take time to sort and distribute all those socks? Keep a laundry basket designated for clean socks, and toss ‘em all in! When all the socks in each size are exactly the same, even younger children can grab their own set of matching socks from the basket.
What works for you?
I’m sharing my solution at LFO @ Raising Arrows and Works for Me Wednesday.
October 21, 2011 
In our family, there are two sets of boys that are not twins, but are close in ages and sizes. This naturally presents a few challenges, one of which is making sure that each boy’s clothing ends up in the right dresser drawers. Maybe you’re thinking that this isn’t a big deal, but to me, sorting clothes was becoming a time-consuming and frustrating chore.
Sometimes the simplest solutions seem to make the biggest differences. All it took was a Sharpie in the laundry room, and a few minutes of my time. I marked one dot (on the tag or inside of the collar) for Boy #1, two dots for Boy #2, and on down the line. Everyone in the family understands the system, and knows how many dots will be marked on his clothing. And the best part is that when I pass the clothing down to the next child, I just have to add another dot!
Much better than adding scratchy labels to my boys’ clothing, or spending precious minutes sorting out clothes–it really works for me!
Find more tips and time-savers at Large-Family Organization @ RaisingArrows.net.
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