The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Is it just me, or does the rest of the year go into overdrive once Thanksgiving is over?

While the holidays are magical, and fun, and all that other good stuff, sometimes it just seems like a pressure cooker of activity.  Decorating must be done, school projects become due; school concerts and plays require preparation and practice sessions.  It’s all go Go GO!!!

My fifth grader had to build a catapult capable of throwing a ping-pong ball 15 feet (with reasonable accuracy) and my eighth grader has designed and must now make a dress for theater arts.  While I really do let the kids tackle their own projects,  a good amount of parental involvement is still required. 

Now this might sound like I’m blaming the school for forcing me to spend quality time with my children.  Not so.  I appreciate the way these activities ignite their creativity, expand their capabilities and enhance their problem solving skills.  Projects of this caliber which require lumber and textiles can be pricey, but spending time with your little ones and surviving the creative process – priceless.

I completely divested myself of all catapult building responsibility.  I told Hubby to take the boy and go build a catapult.  They went to Home Depot and spent some quality time bonding over building materials.  They used the “saw it yourself center”.  Only one of them came back slightly injured and it wasn’t the boy, so I would say that went pretty well.

These are the supplies. 

 

This is the finished catapult.  Believe it or not, it actually works.

 

This is the dress making project.

 

 

This is her sketch.

 

This is the finished dress.  True it’s not Dulce & Gabbana, but for a first attempt – we’re fine with it.

What’s your holiday schedule look like?