The Hunnicutt Homestead

News from the Snow Front

For anyone keeping up with the Hunnicutts, we'd like you to know we have been having a blast with the Ohio snow!  We've had 2 snow storms this month, both resulting in multiple inches of snow.  The boys (Shane included) have been sledding down the hill to the west side of the barn for afternoons at a time.  It is always amusing to watch N struggle with all of his snow gear to finally get suited up and ready for hours of fun outside.  He could barely see out from under his hat and hood, and his little fingers don't quite reach the fullness of his gloves.

The girls and I have mainly preferred to stay indoors by the fire, reading stories, or preparing hot chocolate.  We also sing Christmas songs A LOT.  What would Christmas be without the songs?  I also took the girls out for about 30 minutes while we made a snowbaby for the Mama and Daddy snowmen already in the yard.  Mia and I also made snow angels.

Along with singing songs, we've read several Christmas children's books that all have really enjoyed.  One we particularly enjoyed is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, about a man who is the best wood carver in town, but he is extremely gruff and unsmiling because of losing his wife and baby to illness years before.  After a widow and her son come to request his services to carve a nativity set for them, Mr. Toomey's heart reluctantly begins to soften.  This book has beautiful pictures and many great talking points of how Jesus would have us spend our time demonstrating Christmas to others who need His love the most.

The second book we read was called The Keeper of the Flame, a book about how the town of Noel has an annual lighting of the "Christmas Flame", performed by the person the keeper chooses based on who gives the truest and best gift.  The moral in this story being that it is ourselves, our hearts, that are the most important gift we can give.

We've also been enjoying our 'Adornaments', an ornament with scripture for each of the twelve days of Christmas, as well as a small Advent treat.  We have had fun with the Advent this year, as we have turned it into a treasure hunt for candy based on the scriptures we read and the clues that come from it.  For example, we talked about Isaiah 7:14 which says: "Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel."  We discuss how the Lord provided a star to guide the magi as a sign; how the sign that Jesus was Messiah was the virgin birth and fulfillment of many prophecies.  We then talk about some signs that we observe today that the Christmas season is here (tree, lights, nativity, etc).  The children are given a clue such as ''your candy is hidden under a sign that Christmas is near..."  The kids search and love it when they find candy under the tree, or near some other "sign" of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!