HSMJ It's A Wrap for 2013

In my life this week…

Feeling very blessed this week.  Paul has been creating a Jesse Tree for me.  I saw this amazing tree on Pinterest and he has graciously been spending time cutting wood, drilling holes and creating me a master piece.  All I need to do is paint it and he shall put it together.

This will be my final HSMJ for 2013.  I shall be spending next week focusing on being with Sir N and enjoying family.  I will be taking a two week vacation from my regular schedule.   The HSMJ will resume in the second week of January 2014.

In our home school this week…

• Sir N and I have been planting vegetables.  So far we have tomato plants, parsley, yellow capsicum and egg plant plants. So I'm on the hunt for good vegetable gardening advice.  I've been looking at POD easy edible gardening
  

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• This one is for fun 38 Test Answers That Are 100% Wrong But Totally Genius At The Same Time
• I think every book loving homeschool family needs one of these One families home library is made into an inspirational space

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

• A friend and I surprised our children with a trip into Melbourne to enjoy the Christmas displays.
• We attended a card making class on Tuesday.
• Thursday was the last tennis session for the year and it happened that Melbourne had a 40'C day!  Needless to say tennis was moved to 8:30 am.
• Friday evening was an evening of singing carols and enjoying supper together with friends.
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My favourite thing this week was…

• Was taking this photograph
  

What’s not working for us…

• The royal icing I made this evening to ice a gingerbread house I am making as a gift ...

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Things I’m working on…

• I've been working on a couple of posts to schedule over the next couple of weeks while I am away on holiday.  
• I shared some of our favourite Christmas books
• A guest post over at my Dad's blog ...
• Two review posts.

In Bloggy world I’m reading…

• 5 Ways to Distinguish Your Calling From Your Ego
• This is a great photo story and something to inspire your creative kids with It Looks Like A Box Of Junk At First.
• I know about wanting unique but some of these top the cake for me Unusual baby names of 2013
• Jimmie shares The Truth About Best Blog Contests
• One of the Best Hospitals in the Country Is Accused of Doing One of the Worst Things Imaginable to Families…Again 
• Father And Daughter Recreate Old Wedding Photos To Say Goodbye To Late Wife And Mother 
• 40 Must-See Photos From The Past  some of these were interesting.  Some shocking and some sad.  But over all a good look.
• In response to my thoughts in last weeks HSMJ a friend sent me this: Nelson Mandela: Inconvenient Truths
• As a review blogger I found this rather alarming Couple Fined $3,500 For Negative Review Fights Back With Lawsuit
• The 2013 Books That Kept Us Up All Night over at the Random House Books Australia blog
• This was quite funny CELL PHONE CRASHING at the AIRPORT!
• Couple Married 61 Years Ago Takes "Up" Inspired Anniversary Photos 

I’m cooking…

• I'm trying to get back into cooking Trim Healthy Mama style.

On Pinterest I found...

• Kids Bible Study

I’m grateful for…

• The Boys Brigade Australia who have started up a division near where I live :)  Happy dance here.
• Lists like this one 15 Ways to Bless Your Missionaries This Christmas without Paying Postage

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

For a few years now the children of St Paul's Church in Auckland New Zealand have given us a new perspective on the nativity story.  This year they look at what it would have been like had Jesus been born this year.  Star News Bethlehem was directed by 11 year old Oscar.


Blessings

Chareen

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor