Baking, Movies, Study and Holiday Magic

In years past, we have used this holiday season as a time to be "keepers of the magic".

We use this time to focus on the people whose lives touch us. Meals are cooked, cookies and breads are baked, gifts are often made and wrapped. Miraculously, secret elves manage to leave treasures to be found in and around the community.

In years past we have taken a break from academics during this time. We see this as a season of service.

This year seems to be a little different. Co-op took a month long break just before Thanksgiving. So..now the kids are continuing to study through the holidays.

Austen is busy (in general) with math, reading, an odyssey of the mind costume and numerous art projects.

Cody has been offered a merit scholarship from Full Sail and is now motivated to bring his writing to another level...in addition to continuing his study of Business, Trig and Chemistry. He also needs to update his knowledge of U.S. History just a tad before the year ends.

Cody hopes to start taking classes in Internet Marketing in the Fall. He will start these classes online so we will call it his senior/freshman year. He is choosing to study online so he can continue playing soccer in S.Texas, try to build his transmission repair business and still be a minor at home:) In order to start classes next Fall, he really does have a lot of studying to do between now August.

So today, we listen to a George Straight C.D. I personally am finishing a couple papers for this pastoral ministry training program and doing some reading from Homer today. Need to plan some spontaneous problems for my Odyssey(no..not Homer's Odyssey) teams this evening.

This morning, Austen and I are reviewing statistics. Cody and I are both reading and responding (writing) to Why War? by Freud. Cody is then leaving to SA for a couple days for soccer games and co-op. He will stay with my parents. He likes being with grandparents..it is quieter.

We planned a movie/baking marathon (lots of those lately) for late morning/early afternoon with the Van Bibber family. We are watching Angels and Demons, Julie and Julia (again) and the second Night at the Museum. Today is breads..lots of breads!

Austen continues on an art project and it's his turn to cook tonight. We switched him to Thursdays because he says he has "more time to cook properly" on Thursdays.

Tonight's menu? Sweet and sour chicken and rice. He is thinking of experimenting with sweet and sour tofu as well.

Guess it's time to get off the computer and enjoy the day.