A Colonial Christmas

We have to drive past 3 or 4 Christmas Tree lots on our way to the rehab center where Blaze has therapy, or to get to the school where I work, so for the past couple days Blaze has been asking if we can stop and buy a tree. I had been telling him that we would wait until Sunday, the day after his birthday.
DH and I had been discussing what we should do for Blaze's birthday and we really had no ideas, except baking a chocolate cake (Blaze has actually asked for chocolate cake and chocolate cupcakes, both). Last night, Blaze came up with the solution. He wants a "Christmas Tree Birthday". So, I guess we are going out to get a tree on Saturday and combining tree trimming and birthday.

We are planning to go to Williamsburg, Virginia over the Christmas break, so we have started learning about colonial life and the American Revolution.
My 17 year old is being the ultimate Scrooge this year (please tell me this is just a phase) and says that she doesn't DO holidays anymore and that she hates living history museums, so she's staying home.

We decided that the theme of "a Colonial Christmas" went very nicely with all of the handmade ornaments we're working on.
Last night we made ornaments out of Popsicle sticks and glitter glue.








We've been reading books about the start of the revolution:











George the Drummer Boy is told from the point of view of a young man with the British army, which I really liked because it gave some balance to our lesson.



Yesterday we also watched the little music videos from "Schoolhouse Rock" about "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" and "No More King".