Christmas Countdown — Dec. 11

I'm building Christmas excitement and family memories with a book and a craft throughout December.

Owl Moon

by Jane Yolen

A quiet and touching story about a child looking for owls in the winter night with Pa.

I especially wanted Starboy and Techman to have this story, since they enjoy evening walks together, and since Owl is Starboy's totem. So, of course, Starboy ripped the book out of Techman's hands, wanting me to read it. Of all the days.

I blew it on today's activity. We had to bring Snack to school, which is almost a light lunch for 9 kids and 10 adults, and I over-thought it, made too much stuff and ended up killing myself in the kitchen all morning and late into last night. At least one of the salads was great, and the cookies were a big hit. 

But I ended up feeling "cooked" on crafting or dreaming up another bonding activity (unless you count a dramatic emotional meltdown in the craft store as I tried to explain why we're not taking home a random new thing, two weeks before Christmas, when we're doing all kinds of (better) great things nearly every day. Took about thirty minutes to calm him down. Serves me right for trying to fit in "one more stop" before dinner...)

Anyway, something with owls would have been better. Like flying with our wings. Or making felt ornaments like these or this one. But, alas.

So, at least we had snowflake eggs this morning, like birds-in-a-nest, but with a snowflake cutter, rather than round. Starboy liked them fine, even though you barely could see the shape. It barely counts as an activity, more of a bonus round. But that's all I've got today.