Merry Christmas!

Christmas time is here again! Our tree , lights, stockings and garland are up. A Christmas Story village and a plethora of Christmas knickknacks are out. And the joy of all of my THINGS being out has already come and gone. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. Love it. In fact, my birthday is tomorrow. The wonderful memories I have of everyone being in a happy, friendly, charitable frame of mind all around my birthday are some I will never forget. But now, as a parent, it all falls a little flat. I desperately want my children to know WHY we celebrate Christmas. And they do. They know and will quote that "Christmas is about giving not getting." They only ask for 3 things to represent the three gifts given by the magi. They know inside and out that Christmas is about Jesus. And Milo no longer believes in Santa. A tradition that I never wanted to start but followed my husbands lead into. I was so relieved when Milo told me. Poor boy was afraid he wouldn't get any presents if we knew he didn't believe in Santa. But he told us anyway "because it was right." So, why am I so unsettled?
Then a thread came up on cmomb.com last week asking why some Christians don't celebrate Christmas at all. And for privacy reasons I won't go into detail but the whole discussion really pushed me over the edge. So, I don't know how much the appearance of my house will change at Christmas time but my heart is certainly changed. Worshipping God in the way He instructs us through His Word should be our only guide. I am now studying what that means. And I do it with JOY.

May your hearts be lifted in praise this Christmas for the wonderful gift of Jesus and all the joy He brings to our lives.
Have a wonder filled Christmas and a
Blessed New Year!

The Bennetts

Oh and...

Last night Matthew and the boys did this puzzle. "I want to go to there." ;)

Meet the teacher day!

My boys are nervous. And I'm anxious. Not about meeting the teacher but this whole new thing we're jumping into. I'm nervous about being away from my kids for almost 6 hours everyday. Everyone is telling me I'm going to have so much free time to do things with the little boys. And I do want that. That sounds like a great thing. But do my big boys have to be schooled elsewhere for half the day in order for that to happen? So I'll pick them up at 2:15 and then I get to hang out with them for just a little while before the evening rush. And bedtime will be earlier, too. So, I'm nervous. I know it's going to be good for us to have some time apart, right? Right?

Jack's Pond with new friends

This morning we met up with some new friends at one of our favorite parks. Lael and I have only met once before and are still just getting to know each other but over the last 2 weeks we've been texting everyday. I really love her obvious heart for the Lord and how attentively and gently she mothers their son. I barely remember a time when I could be right with Milo every step, before Autry was born. Watching her reminded me of that and I hadn't even realized how my parenting style has transformed over time. I'm so much calmer, more at ease and better able to enjoy each of them than I was when the big boys were tiny. But now I wonder how much I might be missing when I give them more freedom to roam and explore without me shadowing their every step. I'll be praying about how to regain that intensity while maintaining my new calm. I don't know if it's possible. But quitting IG and FB last week has definitely been so freeing that I will not be going back. Maybe just to print photos from IG but seriously, that's it. Anyway, we had a wonderful morning.

School is approaching

Long time no see! Well, since last time, the boys have grown by leaps and bounds, Matthew built a massive treehouse in the backyard, Declan is already standing up on his own and will take a single step before falling down, we've added 6 hens to our homestead and we've decided to give school a try for this coming year. Milo and Autry got into the Montessori Learning Center at our charter school and we're going to see how it goes. I'll be homeschooling Fin with Rod & Staff this year and I just signed up the 3 oldest for Awana. I'm so excited for them and I get to serve as a Cubbies leader. It's going to be an exciting year but good grief all this back to school shopping is expensive and stressful. I've personally decided to quit Facebook and Instagram which has been so freeing.

Long time no see

I swear, I didn't die. My life seems to be on fast forward. Autry just turned 6 two days ago! It got my mind spinning. I can't believe he's 6! And Milo is almost 8! And my 10 year reunion is this September. I wonder if I'll be the one with the most kids? I now have been married 10 yrs and and have four boys. How have I been so blessed?

New soaps and praise

"Hi Holly,
Wonderful to see you and the boys today. My hands smell AWESOME! BUT MOST OF ALL THEY SMELL CLEAN. I love it! I have tried the homemade soaps before and there just isn’t that clean smelling smell and feel you are incredible!!! " - Lisa
I am so humbled by this generous compliment sent to me via email today. I have two new batches of soap ready for sale on my etsy shop as of right now. I really enjoy making soap and am very excited about my new Chamomile Lavender Goat Milk soap. I hope you'll all check out my shop and enjoy the fruit of my hands. Link to my shop is to your left. 