Thursday, December 15, 2011

Advent - Days 13, 14 and 15

I'm a little behind, but 2 days ago we delivered our treats to all of the grandparents and great-grandparents.  Somehow I only got pictures at my dad's shop...




Dad made the kids paper airplanes and they had so much fun throwing them around the office!

Then last night we read Christmas books.  Or that was the plan at least, but since I had stayed up until 1:30 the night before and was exhuasted, my amazing husband did the advent activity and verses and bathtime and bedtime ALL BY HIMSELF!!!  Husband of the year, y'all.  I did get a quick picture of the books before snuggling under my slanket and snoozing...

We had such a big variety that I thought next year we should incorporate them in every other night or couple of nights with our activities.

Tonight we all went to Target so that Hunter and Charlotte could pick out gifts for each other.  We split up and J took C, while H and I looked around.  As soon as we finished picking out Char's gift, I realized that Hunter thought he was getting his present tonight.  So I figured we'd start a new tradition and they could give the gifts to each other right away.  H opted to not wrap the gifts, but just pull them straight out of the Target bags.  Shocking, I know. 

Hunter picked out a Tinkerbell jewelry box with jewerly for Charlotte...


And Charlotte picked a police car with sirens for Hunter...


It turned out to be a good opportunity for a lesson in thankfulness because as Hunter and I were walking to the register to pay he said, "I can't wait to get my nerf gun from Charlotte!!"  I told him that Charlotte may not have picked out a nerf gun, but that he needed to be thankful for the gift that she did get for him because she chose it just for him.  He seemed fine with that until we got in the car and Charlotte told him she got him a car (the element of surprise hasn't quite caught on with that one yet).  When he started complaining that he wanted a nerf gun, we went over thankfulness again, and by the time he opened the gift at home, Hunter was thrilled with the gift.  He kept saying, "I love my car, Charlotte!  Thank you so much!" in the sweetest voice.  They were both super excited about their new toys. 

After getting all of her new and old jewelry out, Char asked me to put her Snow White crown on and come watch her "dance like a princess" in the living room.  I have no idea why my brain didn't think to get a video camera at that point.  I did get some poses with the gifts, though...


Our verses over the past 3 nights have been Luke 2:15-20 "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

The kids have really enjoyed reading the story from their own Bibles after reading the verses from my Bible.  I actually really love reading the story in their Bible, too.  It often gives me insight into something that I hadn't noticed before in the verses. 

I'm super excited for tomorrow night!!  Stay tuned:)

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