To Grandmother's House We Go.

As I said yesterday, we spent the last week visiting Andrew's parents and had a very good time.  We were cut short by a day due to driving conditions which was a bummer but better than getting into trouble driving home.  

Enjoying a graham cracker on the way up.

His cheeks were so pink. Happy to be eating.

Eyes on the road.

We had "Christmas day".

Which lead right into some relaxation for Daddy.

Playing in the tent.

Peaking out.

Hannah wanted to read ALL week.

Horsing around.  I'd say he caught a 26lb boy.

Hannah got up so very early in the morning.  So early I wasn't even up to take the picture.

Ethan and Hannah loved playing on Grandma's bed.

Andrew's Dad

Yes, I was there too.

Some "special" pudding for the car ride home.

Winter Play Activities

The kids have both had fun with some of our winter/Christmas activities.  What I have really enjoyed was how easy it is to pull these out when they both start asking to do an activity. 

 There is a tree matching game (I found this here).

I think Hannah enjoyed cleaning up the little trees into the pocket the most.

Ethan loves sticking the little gingerbread men and snowmen into the peg spots.

I briefly took the rice box and put some Christmas erasers in it for them to find.  However,  Ethan thought it would be fun to make it rain rice.

We switched from rice to cotton balls and it began to snow.

For the record it is my sister Teresa talking in the background not me.

From Little Tree to Big Tree

So we finally got around to putting up the Christmas Tree.  Andrew and I were both a little hesitant with Destructo boy on the loose.  It went up without a hitch and so far Ethan has been very gentle with it.  I have to say that Hannah is by far the most taken by the tree.  All day long she comments about how much she likes the tree and how pretty the ornaments are hanging on each of the branches.

Decorating her body with a string of beads.

Putting the star on top.

"Fixing" the ornaments.

Captivated.

Admiring the tree.

Our Jesse Tree

Last night, we lit our first advent candle (see the post here) and hung an ornament on our Jesse tree.  This is the first year we have done a Jesse tree, but I did them every year when I was in school and I LOVED it.  A Jesse Tree is a really fun and easy way to learn about the story of Jesus' lineage all the way through the Old Testament through to His birth.  The name Jesse tree come from Isaiah 11:1, A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 

Our Jesse tree.

We made our tree out of sticks from out yard held together with an elastic, put in a jar filled with river rocks.  I made our ornaments out of  wooden disks, a bead, and some twine. Some other Jesse trees I have seen are made out of felt, paper, or even a Christmas tree.  Here are several that I really liked: wooden Jesse tree, felt Jesse tree, Christmas Tree Jesse tree.

Each night, we read a story from the kids toddler bible and hang an ornament on the tree that corresponds to what we just read.  Then we sing a song and close in prayer.  Pretty simple and it takes less then five minutes.  We are following ebook "How to Celebrate Advent with a Jesse Tree" by Tara Ziegmont at Feels Like Home Blog.  It is wonderful.  It is well suited for young children, very straight forward, and its free.  Several other great resources include: The Jesse Tree resources found on RCA's site here.  They have a devotional series as well a really nice ornament printable, these are the ones I used. I really liked Ann Voskamp's (A Holy Experience) Jesse Advent devotional, this devotional is suited for an older audience, Finally, the book The Jesse Tree by Geraldine Mccaughrean.  I've ordered it but I'm still waiting.  This is a story about the Jesse tree.

  

Our first ornament, the earth (Creation)

To say that kids enjoyed it would be an understatent.  Bith Ethan and Hannah took a turn hanging the ornament and listened well.  They bounced during the song we sang.  It wonderful to sit together as a family, to reflect during this season on Advent, and to draw our hearts closer to God.

Advent

I have been busily preparing for the start of Advent which comes early this year.  The first week of Advent begins this Sunday.  Advent is a time of spiritual preparation leading up to Christmas.  The word Advent means "Coming".  We can ready ourselves for the coming Jesus as a baby, but also for a second advent as we patiently wait for Him to come again.  One of the things that I prepared for Advent is a set of Advent Candles.  Traditionally, there are 5 candles (3 purple, 1 pink, and 1 white).

THE CANDLE MEANINGS:
1st CANDLE – (purple) CANDLE OF HOPE – We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Our hope comes from God. “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:12-13)

2nd CANDLE – (purple) THE CANDLE OF PREPARATION – God kept his promise of a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem. Preparation means to “get ready”.  “As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.‘ (Luke 3:4-6)

3rd CANDLE – (pink) THE CANDLE OF JOY – The angels sang a message of JOY! “…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:7-10)
4th CANDLE – (purple) THE CANDLE OF LOVE – The angles announced the good news of a Savior. God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

5th CANDLE – (white) “CHRIST CANDLE” – The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth! “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!‘” (John 1:29)


Advent Candles. 

5 classes/jars, Epson salts, food coloring, and some tea lights.

First, I measured out the Epson salts into each glass. 

Then I colored the Epson salts with some food coloring in a Ziploc bag.
 I just mixed it until the color was even throughout.  Then I did the purple in a separate  bag.

The I poured the pink and purple Epson salts back into their glasses and added a tea light to each.

On the mantle waiting for Sunday.

Kid friendly Advent Candles. 
Obviously, the kids really can't be involved in anything with a flame.  So I thought I would make some candles just for them.

Colored felt (2 different yellows for the flame, purple, white and pink for the candle sticks).

Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the previous step.  What I did was cut two flame pieces for each candle and two inner flame pieces from the darker yellow.  See the picture below.  Leave a tab at the bottom of the flame to glue into the candle stick.  I hot glued the flame around the outside to create a little pouch which I then stuffed with a cotton ball and the glued shut.  The you can hot glue the darker yellow flame cutout onto each side.

Each candle stick is one piece of felt cut length wise.  Hot glue your  flame to the corner and fold over gluing along the edge.  Then roll up and glue the end to secure.  Repeat for each candle.

Kid friendly advent candles.

Linked to:
Sun Scholars
ABC and 123
The Imagination Tree
Link and Learn