Snapshots of the Past Week

Last weekend while my gang was away, I kept busy working on this and that. One thing on my mind was/is Advent and Christmas. I have the urge to get all my planning done NOW. I think my hubby might be of the same mind. He told me today he's thinking of hanging the Christmas lights on the garage now instead of waiting. Yes, something tells me that we'll be pretty darn occupied in December. Yet, I think we both want to savor the season. I mean how unique is this year? We are expecting a baby boy right around the same time that very special little boy was born over 200 years ago. A special year for all of us.

So I did a little playing with cinnamon.

I came up with a plan for the kids that I am super excited about. I wanted to try something new this year but also wanted it to be low effort for myself. Something that could involve sitting on the couch. :) The top paper is a list of Advent and Christmas books for every day of Advent and every day of the Christmas season. We either own these books or they can be borrowed from our local library system. We will wrap up the books, label them with the date, and lay them under the Advent/Christmas tree. The envelopes on the left are dated with each day of Advent and Christmas. Inside are tiny pictures for the kids to color. Each day's picture coordinates with the theme from the book of the day. I also made a calendar for each child. The calendars go until January 6th, Epiphany. 

Starting December 1st (the first day of Advent this year) we will unwrap a book each morning. The kids and I will read the book together. Then we will open the day's envelope. The kids will color the picture and then glue or tape the picture onto their calendars. I can't wait! If you want a copy of the documents I created to get ideas for your own family, write me an email or comment and I'll send them to you. I can also point you to the couple websites I used for book lists.  

In the evenings, we will read as a family "Destination Bethlehem." It's a read-a-chapter-a-day Advent adventure. Two boys travel through Palestine and eventually find themselves in the Nativity story. 

Doug and I as a couple will be reading "The Infancy Narratives: Jesus of Nazareth."

And a peek outside our window . . .

  

What? You don't clean in your swimsuit?

Delivery from our neighbor today.