Merry and Bright Wishes

Counting Down

Our Advent this year was so much fun for our family and worked really well for where the kiddos are at right now in their understanding of the importance of Christmas.  It was simple, just consisting of a Bible verse or teaching leading up to the birth of Christ and also a fun little activity, craft, or treat each day.  I had little bags and wassabi tape on hand, so after planning each day's mini-lesson and Christmas activity, it was so inexpensive, easy, and quick to assemble.

Here is a list of some of the activities, crafts, treats, etc. that I included in our Advent:

*Big reveal of Christmas trees in bedrooms
*A visit with Santa
*Dove Promises chocolates
*Reading a special Christmas story
*Decorating Christmas Cone Trees (see pic below)
*New Play-doh and tools
*Extra 15 minutes to play before bed
*Family movie night to see Frozen
*Marionette show
*New Christmas CDs to fall asleep to
*Playing in the Gingerbread House (see pic below)
*Christmas stickers
*Glow-in-the-dark bracelets
*Christmas crafts
*Stay up late to watch a Christmas special on t.v.
*A visit to a Living Nativity (see pic below)
*Hershey's Kisses
*Christmas carol sing-a-long
*Christmas tree brownies
*Family drive to see Christmas lights (see pic below)

Little Trees

As part of our Advent activities, the kids decorated mini-trees (upside-down sugar cones).  I'm not sure if they had more fun decorating or eating them.  I'm fairly sure Ellery would say that eating hers was the best part...

Concerts, Parties, and More

The week before Christmas was busy.  Very busy.  Between a full week of work, school parties and church concert performances, mama was busy buying last minute presents, sending cards, baking cookies, and wrapping gifts.  Here is a combo post of concerts, parties, and the arrival of Liam's first Christmas card ever--courtesy of Baylor.

Bushwar Christmasing

Since this year, we're in Minnesota for Christmas, we had a lovely Christmas party at Nana and Papa's a week or so early.  

Sparkle!

We went to Sparkle, the Christmas celebration at the Hilton Anatole, on Saturday morning.  It was a fun morning that included a marionette performance of The Little Drummer Boy, meeting Santa's reindeer and other helpers, a light tour, and watching an outdoor hockey game.

 And, then it was time to dash off to this little sweet cousin's birthday party.  Happy 7th Birthday, Gracyn!