Christmas Advent

On December 1 we start our families Christmas countdown. The kids were all giddy with excitement when I brought out the advent box. This was also the first year that Spencer got into the whole advent activity and understood what the box means. Of course Christmas is just around the corner and I haven't posted about our activities, life around here has been busy and I find myself living in my car or at the school with Madeline. It has been a juggling act to do our activities every night with getting the kids fed and ready for bed for school, but we have made it work and I am glad. There has been such a feeling of excitement in our family and it isn't the greedy kind of joy of what am I getting. Instead, it is the pure excitement that this season brings. I have enjoyed all the family time too; spending time with the kids enjoying things that they enjoy always brings us closer as a family. There are times that doing an activity every night is hard, but the magic that fills are home is worth all the time and effort it takes. I love how our focus isn't on the material aspect Christmas brings out, but our focus instead is on the true meaning of Christmas- family, love, time, and our Savior Jesus Christ. Having this focus is the greatest gift I as a parent could give my children. Who knew so much magic could be held in a little advent box.

So far this year we have done:

1. Lego Christmas trees

2. Smores in the fireplace

3. Decorate the Christmas Tree

4. First Presidency Christmas Devotional with Pumpkin Pie

5. Christmas Stories and Hot Chocolate

6. Play around of Monopoly

7. Watch Charlie Brown Christmas with Christmas Cookies

8. Sleep Under the Christmas Tree

9. Decorate the outside of the house with lights

10. Homemade Christmas ornament with paper mache

11. Eating dinner at I-hop

12. Foam ornaments

13. Popsicle tree ornaments

14. Popsicle snowflake ornaments

All of these activities have been fun and has shown me that it is the simple things in life that bring us joy and bond us together as a family.