Beginning tomorrow!

Yes, another back dated blog post!  Did not think of this one until December 17th and was perfect for November 30th.  SOOooo, the following text appears as if I actually wrote it on the last day of November.

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Years ago, we would buy the boys the inexpensive advent calendars where you open a numbered door and get an inexpensive piece of chocolate.  Tastes have changed and evolved.  We've wanted to up the anti on how we spend Advent and things have changed over the years.  We have done a traditional Advent Wreath, with the colored candles and found readings to go with each candle.  We have gone through the Jesse Tree Study as well.  This year, I wanted something different, again.

Pinterest to the rescue.  Type in "Advent" and many variations of Advent calendars and readings are going around.  Some with activities, others with just readings, some are coloring sheets for toddlers and the lower elementary school kids.  I settled in on the following readings, found the desired Advent Lego Calendars (whole other ordeal, maybe I'll back date that post too!), and bought a bag of Hershey Dark Kisses and Hershey Carmal Kisses.  We're set for Advent beginning tomorrow now.

The readings are as follows:

December 1  John 1:4 - 6
December 2 Isaiah 9:2 - 7
December 3 Isaiah 11:1 - 10
December 4 Jeremiah 33:14 - 16
December 5 Luke 1:5 - 10
December 6 Luke 1:11 - 17
December 7 Luke 1:18 - 25
December 8 Luke 1:26 - 38
December 9 Matthew 1:22-26
December 10 Matthew 1:22 - 26
December 11 Luke 1:39 - 45
December 12 Luke 1:46 - 56
December 13 Luke 2:1 - 5
December 14 Luke 2:6 - 7
December 15 Luke 2:8 - 12
December 16 Luke 2:13 - 14
December 17 Luke 2:15 - 18
December 18 Luke 2:19 - 20
December 19 Micah 5:2 - 5
December 20 Matthew 2:1 - 2
December 21 Matthew 2:3 - 6
December 22 Matthew 2:7 - 8
December 23 Matthew 2:9 - 12
December 24 John 1:14

It's my desire to blog each day with the scriptures listed, our take away on it and a picture of what the boys got in their Lego Advent Calendar.  Join us if you care to, skip a few days, or whatever.  These posts will be labeled Advent 2013, so you can look all of them up that way if you like!

Trimming the Tree

It is officially the Christmas season at our humble abode!  We got the tree up, light, decorated, and a number of other things done.  Outdoor lights will be dealt with tomorrow!  :)

Here's Thing Two putting the star on top.  If the year is odd, he does it.  If the year is even, his brother gets the priviledge.

Stocking Stuffers, Presents, Christmas 2014 is coming

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Brown cooper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
. . . . .

Yup, you probably know what is coming next, "These are a few of my favorite things!"

It is getting to be that time of year, the time to plan ahead for Christmas.  So here's some of my favorite things that will work for just about anyone:

• Autumn Hill Candles - we know the owners, Mike and Paula Kamorski.  Great friends and they make an awesome product.  I can not burn candles from anywhere else because of my allergies.  Theirs are soy wax and cotton wicks; totally natural and burn clean.  Scents the whole house wonderfully.  Check them out, great people, great product, great company!!
• Duct Tape - need I say more.  Great for crafting, filling a stocking, and good for repairs too.
• Water bottles - still trying to figure out which is the best bang for the buck, but makes for a great stocking "hog".
• Good Chocolate - this year it will be Dove or Cadbury most likely.
• Gift Cards - favorite stores and restaurantnts are always appreciated
• Cash - a universal gift
•  Pajamas - a family tradition for Christmas Eve (may even find some for myself this year)
• Legos - we are still buying them and probably will for many years to come!
• Minifigures
• Art Supplies
• Music Supplies - capos, tuners, strings, picks, etc.
• Chapstick
• school (or team) spirit sweatshirt
• home made anything (tweaking many things as gifts ~ knit, bread, vanilla extract)
• buy local from small business; see Autumn Hill Candles, or honey (can hook you up there too), check out Etsy (know a few folks over there too!)
• replacement things that are stocking stuffer size ~ I am gathering my list for my own family
• favorite movies that you'd love to have in your line up.  I'm thinking of "Elf", "White Christmas",  "It's A Wonderful Life" as a pre-season gift; the weekend of Thanksgiving to  get the season going.
• Look through the ABC Family Movie Line up to set up the DVR (okay, not a gift, more of a tradition)
• Some not so fun, but practical: new spinny tooth brush and hair brush for their stocking
• have had a request for a small jar of peanut butter and a chocolate bar
• favorite box of cereal that might be normally forbidden (if it isn't to unhealthy!)
• good quality kitchen gadgets

There you have it, a few of my favorite things.  What are yours for receiving or giving?