December Wrap Up! :D {Christmas Joy}; December Project; Grinch Pictures; Christmas Trees

I work in a small town in California that sometimes gets a bad wrap in TV & movies, and by other folks in California.  I love Barstow {I live just a bit outside of town} and I am glad to be a part of a community of very special people...I am a part of a Facebook group called Barstow Good News Express...it is a place where people can share good & great things in our town...I had read a wonderful post by a mother on December 19th that I was really touched by and then on Christmas Day she did Part 2...as I read Part 2 to my husband I was so touched I was in tears...I received permission from the mother to share her posts with you here...I hope you will take the time to read this...

A BIG SHOUT TO ALL THE PPL THAT HAS MADE BARSTOW SHINE OF CHRISTMAS JOY...
I took my 5yr old out to see some lights..I went to the first house on Frances. My son got so excited to see so many lights & things, he just kept yelling things out that he saw ( I think he even repeated a few things). I was driving really slow but he rolls down his window & says"Stop mom, Christmas Joy is here". At that moment, I didn't understand what he was saying. So, I asked him. He says, "Mom, The Joy of Christmas, is when the lights shine on you & it makes you happy". At that moment I realized, that my 5yr old made me feel stupid, that he had to explain, What Christmas Joy is...
My son didn't want to leave, but I told him there's more to see..& of course I had to promise that we would return to that house..We went around town & saw many lights, & his reaction, was the same..We drove around for about 2 hours. Then I tell him its time to go home..My son says, Mom, There's a lot of Christmas Joy here, some big & some small, but I don't care, It's all Christmas Joy..
So, I would like to give a big shout out to all that put up lights, big or small you made my 5yr old smile...
(My son says Thank you for the Christmas Joy, Can we have more Christmas Joy.)

Part 2

CHRISTMAS JOY (part 2)

I took my 5 yr old out again to see what he calls Christmas Joy..We made it a long adventure thru streets & places we have never been before, so we stopped at Starbucks & got some holiday drinks & treats..We drove around town for 3 hours, not really caring about the price of gas, just enjoy the Christmas Joy, with my son..
As we were driving around & listening to him yell" Christmas Joy" over & over again..I tell him that soon the Christmas Joy will be all gone, cause they will start taking the Christmas Joy down..My son was shocked that I told him the Christmas Joy would be gone..We stopped at a house with many beautiful lights on their lawn & we got out of the car to really see all it's beauty & my son lays down in the middle of the lawn.( I was freaking out, worried the home owner would come out). I am telling him to get off the lawn. He's says, "Mom, can you give me, 5 mins, I want to get as much Christmas Joy, I can get, with all the lights shining on me & making me happy". So, I stood there, watching my son, get as much Christmas Joy as he could get..
We finally left & I was so glad, the home owner didn't come out..As we were driving away, I asked him if he got enough Christmas Joy..He says mom, sometimes, I get sad & I get mad at you & I am not happy, but now, I have a lots of Christmas Joy that will help me, keep me happy..
The Christmas Joy in Barstow thru the eyes of a child..If we all could take in all the beauty that a child does..
Merry Christmas to all.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE CHRISTMAS JOY..

Part of the reason I love being a teacher is being able to see the world & life through the eyes of a child...their view sometimes helps us adjust our view!  I will remember to soak in that 'Christmas Joy' like a child!

Each year I have my 'December Project' in which the students choose to either give Santa a new suit or disguise a gingerbread man so he/she can make it through the holidays.  Each one has a speech bubble for the student to fill out.  Above are some from my class.

I had shared before some of the Grinches that last year's class made; these are drawn by this year's class.  Click here for the directions to make them.

For the last few years our class has made these Christmas trees from sugar cones during our class party.  The kids love making them...the mini M&Ms worked great...if you look at the upper left those are Starbursts shaped into stars to top the trees!

Happy New Year's Eve...I plan to be back tomorrow for January Currently!