13 days left - Christmas Stories and Fondue

Through the years I have purchased many, Christmas books, I love each one but it's hard to find time to read all of them every year, some years it is hard to find time to read even one but I love a good Christmas story.  They almost always make me cry, they are so touching and express so perfectly how I feel about the season.  So tonight each one of us picked our favorite book and read it to the group.  And to make the night even sweeter we made fondue, YUMM!  Plus to make the day even better we celebrated cute Cambelle's birthday.  

In Luke 2:19 we are reminded that we are to keep things sacred in our hearts and that when we have Christ in our hearts we can remain close to the Lord.  Mary is a beautiful symbol of the love we share at Christmas time.

                  

14 days left - thank you notes and Yahtzee

Expressing gratitude at Christmas is like adding the lights to the Christmas tree.  The decorations are beautiful and festive but then you turn the lights on and there is the soft glow that really makes it feel like Christmas.  Every year I try to help my kids acknowledge the people in their life that have helped them, teachers, primary teachers, and scout leaders.  It's fun to watch who they write to and what they say thank you for.  I am so grateful for people who help me raise my children and who share their talents to bless the lives of my children.  They make such a difference and I couldn't do it without them.

Yahtzee....I found this holiday version a few years ago, cute huh??

Gloves or mittens, reminders us of the work Christ did while on the earth and that now we are His "hands" to do His work today.

15 days left - Gingerbread houses

T

In 1998 when Sara was just tiny and I was the advisor in the Beehive class, I agreed to make a gingerbread house for each girl in the class for a Tuesday night activity, if I remember right there were eight of them.  Let's just say I jumped into this hobby with both feet not knowing the depth of the pool.  The first time I ever made a gingerbread house was when I was eleven at the home of my Merri Miss teacher, and for some reason I guess I felt like that qualified me to teach, (the Internet can be a dangerous tool in the hands of the inexperienced)  but it worked out and it began a tradition of a gingerbread house at Christmas, there have been a couple of Christmas' that I couldn't pull it off but I do my best to get one done, but even if I don't get to do one, my kids usually do.  They love it and I love listening to them as they decorate and plan and create something that they love.  Today we also went to a breakfast with Santa and the play The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, overall a very festive Christmas filled day.

Ornaments symbolize the fruits of the Tree of Life.  The beauty of the ornaments and lights declare the beauty of eternal life.

16 days left - Elf and cake in a mug

This has to be one of the top favorite movies at our house.  When Cambelle was little she would go to Crystal's house and ask to watch Elf no matter what time of the year.  We tried to make a cake in a mug.  I love nights like this, just my family doing something we love.

J.T. ended up going to the game with Crystal to watch Ridge,  Cambelle had her birthday party today and J.T. didn't think that 9 eight year old girls sounded to fantastic.  So we went the evening just us girls.  We missed him.

The kids were convinced that the "magic" cocoa was hot chocolate, and couldn't figure out why there was oil in the directions.  Then we mixed it all together and Sara realized that some chocolaty goodness would be coming out of the microwave.  It was fun, we topped it off with some ice cream, it was quite tasty.

Another name that we know Christ as, is the Lamb of God.

17 days left - Dipping Pretzels

There is not a lot of explaining to go into this one, just a long loved tradition.  I remember my mom dipping mountains of pretzels and storing them in ice cream containers.  Every so often through the month of December my mom would bring out the containers that held pretzels, almond joys and peanut clusters.  We would each get to pick two or three and then munch happily on our shared little treat.  I love the memory of sitting in my living room as she would get up and go to her hiding place, always somewhere different because believe you me her kids were crafty but she was always craftier, oh how I miss her. :)

J.T. wasn't super thrilled about this picture, but seriously
he is just about the best big brother I have ever seen.

Green symbolizes everlasting life.  Through the blood of Christ man can receive everlasting or eternal life.

18 days left - Christmas lollipops to share

Today the kids opened a box of lolipops.  They are each to take some to school and find someone who they think needs a reminder that someone one is thinking of them.  Cambelle took enough for her whole class because all second graders need to know they are special.  It will be fun to hear what Sara and J.T. experienced with this.

They loved it, they were sneaky and were full of stories when they got home from school, I think this one might have to be a keeper.  

Seriously, at one point surprise was spelled right, then I talked myself right into
the reminder of the B I earned in 7th grade  spelling.

Frosty the snowman symbolizes the miraculous Christ.  Frosty is made of snow which is white symbolizing Christs purity.  Frosty was magic which is synonymous with miracle therefore symbolic of the miracle of Christs atonement.  The children believed in Frosty and it was for them that frosty came to life.  And so it is with Christ...we must all humble ourselves as little children and believe in the miraculous power of Christ and his atonement.