The Stricklers have been enjoying a great Christmas season celebrating old and new traditions.
Painting Class at CHHS
Lesly, our Marketing teacher at school who has an art degree from VCU, offered to hold three painting classes between late November and Christmas break. She sent out a list of supplies, and she has provided her inspiration and guidance to the 10 or so teachers who have participated. We've had such a wonderful time that we've decided to meet and complete one painting a month after school. We may even meet during the summer!
Project #1: Christmas Ornament
Four of us with our ornaments on our "finishing day." I still don't call mine finished yet, but will get around to it! Maybe I'll post the completely finished product when ready :-)
Project #3 (I missed Project #2): Snowman
My William and Mary-inspired snowman (finished!)
Ho! Ho! Ho! GO Tribe!
Second Annual "Christmas at Home" at Bermuda Hundred UMC
Christmas at Home was held on Saturday, November 30. Those who gathered participated in Advent workshops (making an Advent wreath, gumdrop tree, or children's crafts), a crock pot potluck dinner, Hanging of the Greens service, and a family Christmas movie. We had a very special time welcoming the Advent season in our hearts and homes.
Advent Family
We were honored to light the Advent wreath on December 1. The first candle represents HOPE.
Homemade Christmas Goodies for this year
Crock Pot Candy - "Christmas Crack" This is easy, so delicious, and makes a lot!
Peppermint Bark - Okay, mine (first time!) didn't turn out as beautiful as the one on the blog, BUT it just looks different but still tastes yummy nonetheless...
Friendship Tea -Yummy recipe below. Thanks to a co-worker, Amanda, for gifting us with this in October (along with the recipe!) to help us get through Parent-Teacher Conferences :-)
Christmas Countdown Books
I've seen this done before and thought it was wonderful, but I didn't think I'd ever be able to make it a reality at our house. Beginning December 1 the child can open a wrapped Christmas book every night leading up to Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve night. What made this do-able this year was the realization that (if timed well!) the books could be checked out of the library! Will and I have been loving this new tradition this year - he looks forward to unwrapping his book every night!
School Traditions
Our upstairs hallway (English and Foreign Language) decided to decorate our doors for the Christmas season. It was such a fun endeavor that REALLY created some holiday spirit! Other staff members judged with a variety of awards: Coziest Door, Happiest Door, Most Likely to Cause Permanent Damage, Most Original, Most Likely to be a Fire Hazard, and of course, First, Second, and Third Place Overall. We were very excited to be named Third Place Overall :-) Below is our prize-winning Gingerbread House Door.
A collage of all the decorated doors:
Every year the CHHS Seminar class leads a school-wide Food Drive that benefits the Colonial Heights Food Pantry, and my first period this year took great initiative and collected 78 items! We received donuts as a reward for Second Place in the entire school; I'm proud of them!! The school collected over 1400 items, more than doubling the results from last year. What a generous bunch of kids!!
This year we held a school-wide Tacky Christmas sweater day, which was a lot of fun.
Mark's festive shirt for the day
Some of my AP English - 1st block class
Some of my AP English - 2nd block class
Visit with Santa
We visited the Santa at Chesterfield Town Center this year after early church last Sunday. Will is in a transition period of sometimes taking a nap and sometimes not. He couldn't take it any longer on our trip to Midlothian, though, and conked out. :-)
Will was a little slow to warm up to Santa. He *did* tell Santa his name, but then clammed up when it came time to tell him what he wanted for Christmas. Fortunately, Mama intervened so Santa would know that Will wants a bicycle for Christmas!
