In my efforts to simplify the Christmas season this year so that our family can focus more on Christ, I decided to forgo purchasing anymore decorations. (Well except for replacing lights. That really can't be helped every year for some reason!!) So instead the kids have been helping to make decorations. Right now they are cutting up lots of snowflakes to be hung around the house.

They are having a great time making them, and noticing how every time they end up different, no matter how hard you try to repeat what you did before. And on the plus side they are using up my stash of origami paper I purchased waaayyy back in high school, for what reason I can't remember since I only know how to make a crane. I thought that stuff would never be gone. And I don't know why I even saved it and moved it 7 times!! however it sure is coming in handy now to have lots of pre-cut squares of paper!

I however have been having a great time watching them (even if they do keep deciding to break out the scissors and start cutting @ 5:30pm when I'm trying to get dinner on the table.) John in particular has really improved the intricacy of his snowflakes. He has gone from this,

to this,

really in just a few snowflakes. And he is getting better all the time. Of course it does help that I let him use the adult scissors instead of the kid safety ones. And it also helps that I told him that when he is done cutting, he should have cut more away than he has left. Lots of fun!