Until We Meet Again...

Today is the first day of Christmas break for Michael. THE perk of teaching (and being a teacher's wife) is the lengthy break at Christmas and over the summer. During the next two weeks we will celebrate, visit family, and just enjoy some much needed down time.

I am signing off until 2010. Before I do, let me leave you with some of the highlights of 2009.

In January I published my 100th post, shared how you can make Math Time Story Time, and encouraged you not to Skidoo when homeschooling gets tough but instead to put on Christ and find your fulfillment in Him.

February brought home remodeling and a lot of prayer requests. By God's grace, in the midst of the chaos, we managed to complete a project for our homeschool association's International Festival.

The remodeling ended in March... Drum Roll, Please!

In April, I found myself in the middle of a teaching experience that was Not Exactly What I Had in Mind when I wrote my OLIVE goals. I also revealed more of our remodeling efforts in The Cubby Hole. Most exciting of all, we received our copy of Crayola's Youth Art Exhibition book in which Wilbur's painting was published! Praise the Lord for blessing my sweet boy!

I found myself reminiscing in May. Michael and I celebrated Fourteen Years as husband and wife, and I recalled a science experiment the boys enjoyed as preschoolers in If All of the Raindrops. My boys competed in the Youth Birding Competition and shared how they created their birding journals.

I posted my very first Not Me Monday in June. I did NOT know what I was getting myself into with that! I also began my journey on the TOS Homeschool Crew. I did not know what a BIG adventure that would be, too.

In July, I began the Plan-It School Series and wrote three articles about our goals for education, Compartmentalized Education, Debugging, and Developing a Strong Work Ethic.

Plan-It School was finally completed in August. The series was born from the love I have for homeschoolers and desire to see them succeed. I have links to the entire series in my side bar.

Orville placed second in our local run-off for the National Bible Bee in September. What a great time we had meditating on God's Word!

Orville turned ten in October. I made a big whoop-dee-doo of that. He is my baby, and I'm his momma. Couldn't help myself. ;)

In November, I posted two of my most popular articles to date, Preschool Peace and Poor Wally Is Dead.

I ended the year with a Freezer Cooking Plan and by sharing a neat technique for teaching your child to Read Music.

Thank you all for joining me in 2009. I have loved having you around and getting to "know" many of you. It has been an exciting year in which the Lord has prospered Olive Plants by bringing you here and making you a part of our lives. I value you and with God's continued blessing hope to bring you an even better year of school ideas and encouragement in 2010.

May the Lord bless you all! Have a very Merry Christmas!!

Blessing!
Dawn