Christmas Vacation Schedule

We've followed somewhat of a schedule during Christmas vacation because things run smoother for the littles if they know what to expect. We start with group devotions like we do on school days but at 8:30 or 9:00 instead of 5:45. Everyone has up until that time to be dressed and eat breakfast. We always go over the daily schedule at this time. We do that during the school week so everyone knows where they are supposed to be that evening--tumbling, dance, counseling, church choir etc.

We are actually reading through some devos that are for my next book this week. Then we have Bible quizzing and read a couple of Christmas books. We then listen to one Adventures in Odyssey episode but people with unmade beds or trashed rooms are excused to clean.

At around 10:00 Adam takes the little three out to run. There is a church 5K/1 mile run in January so that's motivation for them. He does exercises and tumbling with them after that. Then they play for an hour. They often play Wii with Tyler during this time.

After that we have lunch followed by a rest time where people who've earned extra privileges can watch a movie. The others can color or read books on their beds. The older ones often listen to iPods or go online with kindles, phones etc.

After that we do a little math and reading. Then it's job time (about 15 minutes at most), drum practice etc. Once everything is done, it's play time until supper.

After supper we do games together followed by a movie. The twins go to bed after that. The others may go back to playing Wii or split into groups to watch movies.

Jessica and Adam both work some hours during the week.


This is Kayla playing the Wii game Grandma Sims got us for Christmas.

Jasmine

Tyler

Jeff. The bigger kids are pretty good about playing with the little ones as long as they get time to themselves later.

Tyler and Jeff caught the trolley to the theater to watch Real Steel, and then came home and played with the littles.

Adam got stuck with the new pink remote cover : )

Jeff just looks so thrilled. I think his mind was on packing up. He flew back to TX this morning.

The guys watching a movie in Tyler's room (which is now Jessica's room when he's at college)

Tyler is 21, Jeff is 18 and Adam 16, and they have similar interest in movies. Today we had Chinese for lunch. I wanted to do this before Jeff left but we ran out of time. Jessica's favorites are sweet and sour chicken and orange chicken (spicy).

Jasmine's favorites are egg drop soup and sweet and sour chicken.

Tyler's favorite is orange chicken.

Kayla's favorite is egg drop soup.

Adam was at work and Kaleb had just peeled a large chunk of paint off his wall so he was sitting in his room during these pictures! His new thing is ripping covers off of books and peeling paint off of walls! The room was just painted a couple of years ago so in very good shape still.

Jessica, Jasmine and I went to "We Bought a Zoo." It was an excellent story, but I was disappointed at the language. Among other things, the dad and son swear at each other. The boy yells b--- s----. and they both use d--- at each other. Other characters swear also. If it weren't for that, it would be the perfect family movie. In the same category as Dolphin Tale.

I think we would all fit in well at the zoo! I was shooting in the dark so not even sure what I was taking pictures of!

So what has your family been doing this week?

And for those of you with adopted children, do holidays trigger behaviors for yours or not?