Since we've been married, Leif and I have celebrated advent in the month leading up to Christmas with candles, scripture readings and songs each evening. Now that we have Anneka and Ella we want to include them in tangible ways as we anticipate Christmas day and the coming of Christ! Martina had a great idea that I immediately stole. She made a calendar starting on December 1st made up of envelopes clipped to a ribbon. Each day we open the envelope and celebrate in some way. Some are more focused on Jesus and others are just silly or fun. For example, today's celebration was to have ice cream for breakfast.
Another part of our tradition is to have pregnant Mary and Joseph journey to Bethlehem. Each day they move a little bit closer to the nativity set, and Anneka LOVES moving them around the living room. Gotta love that morning hair!
Ella likes to watch her sister.
On this day our activity was to make Christmas cards for Anneka's grandparents. She loves cutting! We wanted to make more cards, but the main post office was out of stamps. So we did what we could. =)
And this day we put green ice cubes in the bath. They looked more blue after the water froze.
... but they turned the bath green when melted.
Ella chases after her sister and delights in her walker. She is so strong that she can move that thing over carpet, too. Yesterday, I caught her pulling on (and trying to eat) the advent calendar. Gotta watch that girl!
You probably noticed Anneka in her coat and Ella in her hat indoors. This morning I had her in her snowsuit in our living room because it's SO COLD! It's -33F outside and who-knows-how-cold inside. Brrr.
I haven't blogged much, as Leif has had the camera a lot this week and when he's been home he's needed the computer for various meetings (area counsel, working on getting "Sharing Christ in the Tibetan Buddhist World" translated into Russian, etc).
But Leif is gone with Dave today to hopefully find a van for us to co-own. We hope they find one! Anneka is hoping for a light pink van.
3 comments:
What a fun idea! I have been looking for more Christmas traditions to start. We are doing a Lego advent calendar that T bought and I also wrapped all the Christmas books so that K gets to unwrap one each night to read. We don't quite have 25 but with holiday traveling it should work out. What other kinds of things to you have in the envelopes?
What great pics and love to hear about your fun advent ideas. Sounds like a busy time for the family. I'm so glad you take time to do fun family things. Love and pray for you always, GrandMama Irene
Love seeing pictures and hearing about your creative ideas for advent and taking time each day to focus on the reason for the season. Were Leif and Dave able to find a light pink van?:-) Baba
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