December | 2013 | For my children

Merry Christmas!

We have celebrated all month.

Excited to be a part of all of the activities.

Posing for photos

Isabela was excited about having her picture taken today.

Abigail holding baby doll “Abby”

Photographer Isabela

‘Twas the night before Christmas and we were super excited to open a gift from cousins Saxton and Synclair.

What could be better than play dough?

Especially if you get to pretend you are making ice cream cones with sprinkles!

Sleepy eyed…good morning my three sunshines!

“Exactly what I asked for!”

He loves his work trucks.

Daisy kitty. Funny story…due to the purring and meowing sounds, my daddy thought there was a real cat in the house after they purchased it.

Good morning cousins.

Papaw’s favorite girls!

Nana’s wild boys!

We love our Nana!

Sweet baby girl.

Me with my great “little” brother.

Merry Christmas boys!

We had a very special family Christmas morning.

Playing with our fun Clip Clop Stables

This toy has princesses riding on horses. We added Mike the Knight on a horse for Sir Jackson!

We received many puzzles. We LOVE working puzzles!

Jackson lost his fifth tooth on Christmas night!

He lost his sixth tooth a few days later!

Animal puppets provide tons of fun.

Isabela especially likes to “talk them” as she says.

Our Calico Critters added a new vehicle and RV set.

We like to park the RV outside the Calico house for camping. I love to see their excitement when playing!

Although not pictured, Jackson enjoys this toy as much as the girls!

He LOVES his logging vehicles!

Baby dolls for the girls is always sweet.

We have enjoyed almost every second of this season!

Our gift to Mamaw Judy

Our gift to Nana and Papaw

December 30, 2013
Categories: Memories, Photos . . Author: Julie M Hall . Comments: Leave a comment

December Fun

Sweet smiles from two very special daughters, two happy sisters.

Ready for the cold!

The importance of this photo to me was the process of what I caught her doing. She was taking our Christmas books and lining them up in the floor. She sat and did this for several minutes being so precise with the edges of the books when I asked her if I could take a picture.

Christmas party at Carmen’s barn.

Our good friend Debbie

Jackson Sawyer Hall with his good friend Gracie (hard to see)

Pretending to be at the beach

Warm enough afternoon for getting in wood and for taking a ride in the wagon.

Searching for the sight of snow…we landed in Gatlinburg!

The slopes of Ober were white and full of people.

On our way back home, on a whim, we decided to check out the lights of Dollywood!

They were amazing.

It was FREEZING!

We bundled up and braved the cold.

Although sleepy from the missed nap, we managed to keep a little warm.

Warm enough to enjoy our favorite rides under the dark winter sky!

Fun evening before Christmas.

Nana and Papaw’s Christmas card

Hand me down pj’s! Blue snowmen of Jackson’s, pink ones of Abigail’s.

Family holiday moments with cousins Jayden, Elijah, Jenna, and Jackie

December 23, 2013
Categories: Excursions, Photos . . Author: Julie M Hall . Comments: Leave a comment

Our Santa Meeting

Papaw invited us to Bush’s for the annual Children’s Christmas party. We were so excited to see Santa!

Another opportunity for us to be with our two favorite “friends” Jayden and Elijah

They were very excited that their daddy was able to join us.

The gingerbread cookies were the best.

Jayden and Elijah agreed.

Yummy cookies and punch

Papaw was able to take a break from work to visit with us.

Two of my favorite people…

Finally, we sat with Santa! This was the first year that a Hall child did not cry!

We were super proud of Jackson for not only writing his entire letter on his own, but he also read it to Santa while he was on his lap for the second year. (My photo cut off a couple of the letters.)

Abigail’s Santa letter…she said Santa could just read it later!
(She told me what to write and then she copied it just as we do in our morning writing lesson.)

Isabela told Santa hello and that she wanted a baby doll. She took him a picture of her circles and Christmas stickers on.

Nana with her favorite things!

Santa’s nice list…most of the time!

My girl with her new crafty bell necklace.

The crafts were so fun!

I’ve been taking this sweet man of mine since he was a little over six months. Glad to see him actually enjoying himself around Santa and strangers.

A great Pre-Christmas afternoon for a party. We are feeling festive and blessed!

December 20, 2013
Categories: Abigail's Work, Jackson's Work, Memories, Photos . . Author: Julie M Hall . Comments: Leave a comment

Writing/Work Samples

I’ve enjoyed tracking their ever changing writing styles. Sometimes I have been so excited to capture their growth in sharpening proper letter formation. Other times I have had to witness their lazy and rushed attitude for just completing the assignment. Either way, I am happy that technology allows me to capture these moments.

After completing our lesson on letter writing, Jackson had to address and send a thank you letter in the mail.

Our topic was to write about “Girls”

Topic, “write about a time when someone helped you”

By Jackson, simple yet priceless with the conversation between “Jackson and Elijah”

This was what Jackson made for Debbie’s birthday.
He used the lesson of Dogs in our “Draw Write Now” Art activities.

Morning writing assignments for Abigail was to make thank you notes for her birthday gifts.

We also sent letters to Aunt Brooke, Uncle Mikey, Jaydie and Elijah, and Nana and Papaw.
Hopefully hand written thank you’s will be a skill they use forever!

Abigail’s angel

By Abigail, this is her with Jackson and Isabela pretending to be angels

Abigail’s three treasures…her puppy, her bunny, and her blankie

For the past month Jackson has started reading “The Magic Tree House” books by Mary Pope Osborne. He has completed books 1-4. These four books are about the mystery of the tree house where the characters travel to the time of dinosaurs, medieval times with a knight, ancient Egypt with a mummy, and with pirates searching for a buried treasure.

At the end of each book he takes a written test.
We look forward to reading all 28 books in “The Magic Tree House” series.

A sample of Social Studies assessment chapter 4

A recent Spelling test of Jackson’s

Abigail is very proud of herself…me too!

Isabela “plays” school with her circles, letter I and X, and a triangle.

School time is a blessed time! The moments are full of sweat, tears, frustrations, and zapped energies…however we are a little more educated, a little more prepared, and a whole lot stronger for it. I love being the teacher of my three!