Advent Activities

Each year we try to do Advent activities with the kids.  Because Catherine will not eat anything, even chocolate, it would not be fair to get a chocolate advent calendar.  So, we were so excited when we found an advent calendar of "the girl Legos" while we were at LEGOLAND.  Like the chocolate advent calendars I got when I was a child, there are little cardboard windows for each day.

Behind each mini door, there is a tiny little kit of LEGOs for the kids to do.  So far two of them have been girls (one brunette, one blonde), one was a bag of accessories for the girls, a jet ski, a lamp post, a tray with drinks, a basket with money, and some little tiny vendor stands.

The girls alternate opening the windows.  They love doing this every day ... there is so much suspense involved!

We also have resumed our "Advent Activities" project.  Last year we could not do this because I could not find the enveloped.  The kids asked about it several times last year, so I was thrilled when I found the envelopes over the summer.  Robby hung a string up in our foyer and clipped 24 envelopes, in order, up.  Each day the kids alternate pulling an envelope down and opening it, finding a card with an activity on it inside.

 I made all the cards & decorated the envelopes with card stock, stickers, and notes I made on paper. 

This is one of my favorite activities, because I don't think we have ever done it.  I am wondering if we just skipped it two years ago or if I changed some of the activities when I located the cards over the summer.  This project started out neatly:

 Sabrina used a lot of bird seed:

 Part way through the project Catherine switched from using her plastic knife to using her hands:

 Sabrina tasted the birdseed:

We placed all the pine cones, as well as some leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving, on a plastic tray in our bird bath.  I sure hope the birds like it:

 Another activity is "make paper chains:"

I had envisioned a paper chain made out of red and green, but the girls insisted on pink and purple:

 Another activity is "color Christmas pictures"

All of the activities are supposed to cost very little money and only take about 10-15 minutes.  We do all of them as a family, so it is a great way to make some great memories!

Christmas Packages

Each year our church, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, hosts a fun event for children & families called "Christmas Packages."  The entire church is turned into a festival and you wander all around, participating in different activities.  This year we could only stay for about thirty minutes (after Sabrina's kindergarten choir performance) because we had to leave to go to our next Christmas event of that day.  So, we missed a lot of the events this year.

But, while we were there we did have a fun time.  We saw a puppet show:

 And played dodge ball in formal party dresses:

So much fun!

Sabrina's Kindergarten Choir Perfornance

The Christmas season is so busy that we originally thought we would not be able to make it to Sabrina's kindergarten choir concert.  It was in the middle of three other Christmas parties we were invited to that day.  But, our schedule opened up a bit and we were able to make it.  I am so glad because it was fabulous to see Sabrina sing her heart out!

 As with all preschool music concerts, every song has adorable hand motions:

 Cute, cute, cute!

 The baby Jesus ...

 Is in my heart ...

 This song was about Emmanuel ... "God is above us, below us, sideways, all around ..."

Such a treat!

BTFC Christmas Party

One of our favorite events every year is the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children Christmas Party.  It is a huge, fun event with so much to do.   Meeting Santa is always one of the first things they like to do:

 Because Santa means ... gifts!

Sabrina squealed with delight when she got a Princess Sofia & Family figurine set:

Catherine was disappointed (and actually cried) when she opened her Shrinky Dink maker.  But, the next day, when we showed her how it worked, she decided she loves it.  She wants to make more shrink dinks every day & now we will have to buy some more replacement cartridges.

 Catherine, with a tiara, feather boa and parasol, taking pictures with some foxes:

 The girls taking silly pictures, including an inflatable saxophone:

 Sabrina and Elmo:

 The girls & princesses:

 There are tons of games for the kids to play:

 My kids do not care for these characters, but they are a hit:

 They also made a bunch of crafts:

 This party is a lot of fun and a wonderful way to celebrate the season.  Thank you BTFC!!

Chatting With Santa

Recently we went to "Milk and Cookies with Santa," hosted by the Rally Foundation (which raises money to fun research for a cure for pediatric cancer).  It was a fabulous event.  I love that it is small enough that the girls got to chat, I mean really chat, with Santa:

 They talked for a LONG time on his lap:

Catherine told me that Santa assured her that she was on the Nice List.  I wondered why I was not consulted about that determination.  But, Catherine did seem quite relieved.

 I love these shots so much more than the posed ones we normally get!

 Catherine's folded arms ... which we see all the time:

 No surprise, but Sabrina was her smily, giggly self:

I think they were chatting about how dirty Sabrina's arm was from the crafts she had been doing:

 Sabrina is so excited!  I have no idea why, but it is great to see the joy on her face:

 Santa brought a special treat ... his dog!

 It was an eight week old Poodle - Labrador mix:

 Sabrina worked up the courage to actually pet the dog:

And then freaked out when the dog stood up:

 Santa's wife, Mrs. Claus, also came.  Catherine had lots of questions for her:

The event had several stations for making crafts.  In addition, there was a wrapping station.  So, the kids made crafts, had them wrapped, and gave them to Santa:

 This was our fourth party of the day, so Catherine decided to lay down in her party dress:

Thank you Rally for a fabulous time!