o come all ye faithful!

joyful and triumphant,

o come ye, o come ye to bethlehem.

come and behold him,

born the king of angels;

o come, let us adore him;

o come, let us adore him;

o come, let us adore him,

christ the lord.

i do think christmas songs are the most beautiful, delightful melodies. i often hear folks proclaiming their eagerness to begin the season with their favorite songs. i too, await the day when it seems to be acceptable to begin the playlist. but why? can we not listen throughout the year? can we not be filled with the joy they bring always? do we ever really stop and meditate on the lyrics of these songs? they are quite powerful. provoking. stimulating. jubilant. perhaps they get overpowered by the stir of the season. be encouraged to listen with care. resonate with them. let them penetrate you deeply. let us come faithfully. let us be joyful. let us be triumphant. but mostly, let us adore him, as we enjoy all the delights of the season.

our family attended a public school winter fair last weekend at a school that is a half a mile away from what will soon be our new home. it is a charter school. it has a completely different philosophy + curriculum than any other public school i know. it was really the only public school i would've considered for isaak to attend. we went to be sure about our schooling choice for our son. we were glad we went. it solidified our decision. i'm sure many other families attended as well, and it solidified their decision too, in a completely different way. we just wanted to be absolutely sure we considered all options. that we were educated. that we were following the right path for our family. a few days later, we joined up with our homeschool friends. a group that gathers for nature days, collaboration, fellowship + good times. we feel certain that at this time, homeschooling is what is right for our family. we met up at seal beach. we went sand sledding on the berm! it was so much fun. pure joy. these are some of the things that we did: explored a berm, took risks, obeyed rules, shared with others, collaborated with others, discovered varied ways of achieving speed + motion, investigated paths, observed + identified shapes & colors, collected shells while observing differences + similarities, celebrated nature, gathered sticks + made creations with them, played, had fun, learned without even knowing it! the learning was all child led. i didn't have to point out the learning opportunities. they were there. waiting to be discovered. waiting to be celebrated. i was available to isaak and responded according to his interest. i simply elevated the conversation. after a day like this, i am overjoyed to know about the freedom to homeschool and am blessed with the opportunity. i look forward to many more learning adventures to come.

have a holly, jolly christmas.

pez. such sweet joy in every rise of the dispenser. fond memories from my childhood. i can hardly keep away from my child, despite the horrific intoxicating sugar rush and list of non organic ingredients. some things you just have to indulge in. and embrace every bit of goodness that comes from letting go. i am learning the fine art of living a balanced life. letting go of some things, holding fast to others. an important skill to acquire, as well as model for our children. be encouraged to seek + model balance this holiday season.

deck the halls.

i have always been fond of decorating. especially for the holidays. i delight in adding just the right details. my style has changed throughout the years. i'm sure it will continue to do so. although, i do feel myself becoming a bit more sure of the particulars i wish to include.

what are your favorite decorating elements to deck the halls for the season?

santa claus is coming to town.

is santa part of your christmas?

why?

or

why not?

i'd love to know.

come, let us adore him.

i love the focus that a nativity brings to the christmas season. i have wanted to incorporate a nativity tradition in our family for some time now. i have been on the hunt for two long years as to acquire the perfect nativity for our family. until now, i could not find the right one. the one that spoke to our family. that could last for many, many years. that could be passed down through generations. today i am glad. today, i have found the perfect nativity. now, how to go about actually obtaining it? it is handmade in germany. it is quite expensive. but look at how glorious it is! you can find it here.

how do you provide focus for your family during the christmas season?