advent day #24 - shop, JESUS' cupcakes, cards/books & SANTA!!!

Today turned into a busy day!

Daddy took the day off from work to give himself and us a very nice 3-day weekend together!

We started the day out by doing some last-minute Christmas shopping - more specifically the kids buying presents for each other and then Ivy buying some gifts for her Daddy and her Mommy. (BIG NOTE to self: Definitely plan this day for any day BUT the day before Christmas! :-) )

As a side story, because our lives seem to be SO CRAZY with still adjusting to job changes, our Christmas activities, small group nights, and what not before Christmas AND still needing to set aside a day to shop for the kids AND because it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get ANYTHING done let alone Christmas shopping for Nate done while caring for 3 little kids (and being able to keep Nate's gifts a surprise without him prying what he's getting out of Ivy), Nathan and I decided many weeks ago to postpone our shopping and gift exchange for each other until some time in January. (ANOTHER BIG NOTE to self: Start Christmas shopping for Nathan in the Fall!) Well, Ivy heard her Daddy teasing Mommy that because she was bad this year, she wasn't going to get ANYTHING for Christmas. SO, what does Ivy do? Ivy decided that she was going to get her piggy bank, take it with her shopping, and buy her Mommy and Daddy some Christmas presents. So sweet and so caring!


BUT, do you see whose piggy bank she got?!?! :0)

Early in the afternoon, we mixed up the batter for Jesus' birthday cupcakes.





We made reindeer cupcakes this year.



Letty was our "supervisor!"

Because we were running out of time in the afternoon, Daddy ended up taking Ivy and Owen shopping in the afternoon to pick out gifts for both Mommy and Daddy. (We were suppose to trade turns with the kids but that didn't happen!) Apparently, Ivy knew just what she wanted to get for both of us. AND, when she went to the store for Daddy's gift, she got help from a store clerk and had Daddy go off to some other place in the store so that she could shop...the clerk told Daddy that she knew just what she wanted to get! AND, the store even wrapped the gift for her too so Daddy didn't know what he was getting AT ALL! A true surprise for Daddy - I love it! :-)

Later, we got the kids bathed and ready for bed because YOU KNOW WHO might be stopping by later!

As we were looking at all of the Christmas cards we got from everyone this Christmas season, getting our bedtime snacks and drinks ready, and picking out some Christmas books to read before bed, we heard a bell jingling and a voice getting closer and closer and closer. Here that voice was saying, "Ho Ho Ho! Merrrrrry Christmas!" and that bell and voice was coming right to our front door. Who could it be????

IT'S SANTA!!!!!!

And he came to give this good girl a present...


...a pink rabbit (so that her other pink bunny could have a friend)! Ivy named this pink rabbit "Emily")!

"Emily" even SMELLS like Santa! In case you were wondering, yes, Ivy is SMELLING her new pink rabbit from Santa. (She is just like her Daddy - they have to smell EVERYTHING!) :o)

AND, he came to give this good boy a gift...

...a Curious George Christmas movie!

AND, he gave this good girl a gift...pajamas!

Of course, Santa needed to see how Betsy the Fox (Ivy's present that she got from Santa last year) was doing before he left!


Merry Christmas, Santa! Thanks for stopping by!

Once Santa left, Mommy and Daddy helped Ivy and Owen wrap the gifts they picked out for one another.

Then, they were allowed to exchange and open those gifts. Ivy got to open her gift from Owen first.



Owen picked out this pinkish hat that actually fits Ivy's head and it has a picture of an ice cream cone with sprinkles on it! Perfect!

"Thank you, Owen, for my present!"

Then, it was Owen's turn to unwrap his gift from Ivy.

Ivy got him a "boooooo" (a cow)...

...and a baby horse.

Immediately after opening his gifts and without ANY hesitation, Owen ran to the toy room and brought out the box that has all of the plastic animals and people the kids have to play with...


...to get that weird-looking guy. Why? So that the guy could ride on the backs of the cow and horse. :-)

"Thank you, Ivy, for my presents - they're the BEST!"


Letty was saying, "Hey, what about me?" (Sorry, Letty, we left you out this year since you really wouldn't know what was going on anyways! Next year though!)

After our gift exchange, it was time for the kids to get all snug in their beds. BUT FIRST, we had to leave the cookies and milk out for Santa. This year, Ivy thought that Santa needed to eat his cookies and drink his milk in front of the TV, in case he wanted to watch it; by the books, in case he wanted to read them; and by the nativity scene, in case he wanted to look at it.

And, of course, Ivy had to leave a note for Santa.

Enjoy, Santa!

Before bed, we re-read the beginning of the Christmas story found in Luke 1:26-56 and reviewed our memory verse found at John 3:16.

For nothing is impossible with God. ~Luke 1:37

advent day #23 - Grinch movie / sleepover

Before I start blogging about our Advent activity, I wanted to show you Owen's napkin...


...HIS HAIR!!! :-)


Okay, on to our Advent activity...

Today, we were to wrap Christmas presents, BUT since all we had were Christmas presents for the kids, we couldn't very well do that as a family. (Note to self: next year, if the kids haven't already gotten presents for each other by December, plan a day to take a shopping trip with the kids so that they can buy presents for each other or a day for the kids to make something for each other BEFORE planning the activity to wrap presents so that we have something to wrap!)

Nathan and I also planned to finish our Christmas shopping up for the kids as our pastor, Pastor Brian, and his wife, Sherry, graciously came over to watch our kids. We were so appreciative for them to be willing and able to babysit, and Ivy sure had fun with Miss Sherry.

Then, we decided to watch the Grinch movie that was on TV tonight as our activity to do as a family. It turned out that our activity also included having another "impromptu" sleepover in the living room since we ALL fell asleep before the movie was even over!

Even Paisan joined the sleepover! (Do you see him lying on the couch with Daddy?)

Letty joined us when she woke up in the morning. Don't you just love the bedhead?!?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. ~John 3:16

advent day #22 - Christmas lights drive / visits

Tonight's activities included driving around the area to look at the Christmas lights/decorations on the houses around town and to stop at Farmer Webby's, Miss Mary's, Grammy Lou and Papa George's, and Papa Roger and Nana's houses to visit with them and deliver our cookies we made for them.

Nathan and Ivy stopped down at Farmer Webby's house, while Owen and Letty were napping, and I got supper together. Then, after supper, we were off on our adventures!

We decided to drive down to our dear friend Miss Mary's house first but to look at the Christmas lights on the houses along the way.

This was our favorite. (Sorry, it's not a good picture, but I didn't want try to get the perfect picture and cause alarm to the people having a strange vehicle drive by their house taking pictures.) The ENTIRE house was lit up (I wouldn't want to see their electric bill!); there were lighted reindeer that moved their head and Santa's sleigh lit up in the yard along with lots of other stuff; and Nathan and I enjoyed seeing the little nativity scene there as well.

Also among Ivy and Owen's favorites were the blown-up Christmas decorations, especially the blown-up snowmen and a blown-up Santa Clause waving hello.

This was also a fun house for us to see.

We then stopped by Miss Mary's nice, toasty-warm house and visited with her. (Sorry, I forgot to take the camera out of my pocket again - why do I seem to always do that?) Then, we drove down a scenic road thinking that we would see A LOT of houses with Christmas lights on them, to which, we did not! Ivy summed up the scenic road adventure quite well as she continued to inform us along the 10-mile stretch, "All I see is darkness!" :-) SO, it was time to stop at the kids' "local, adopted" grandparents' houses. It just so happened that Papa Roger and Nana were at Grammy Lou and Papa George's house so we were able to visit with everyone there. (Again, I totally forgot to take some pictures! Oops!) It was great to visit with everyone that night. Going visiting is something that we just need to plan to do more often!

After returning home and getting ready for bed, we practiced our memory verse and read about the 3 wise men coming to visit baby Jesus from the book of Matthew.

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ~Matthew 2:9b-11

advent day #21 - picnic / watch engagement video

Tonight, we had a picnic in the living room with only the Christmas lights and a couple of candles as our light to see what we're eating. Ivy carefully spread out blankets on the floor for us to sit on, and we ate chicken tenders/nuggets and french fries. Yummy!


After supper, we then watched the video of the night Daddy and Mommy got engaged. 9 years ago yesterday, Daddy got down on one knee and asked Mommy THAT question that he had "been waiting years... months... weeks... days... hours... minutes... and seconds to ask... WILL YOU MARRY ME?"



Tonight was a special time not only for Nathan and I to share together and to look back and see how far the Lord has brought and led us together as a couple thus far but also to share it with our kids.

Ivy practiced her memory verse before bed again tonight, and then we read the last little passage of the account of Jesus' birth according to Luke.

And there was a prophetess, Anna,...and coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem." ~Luke 2:36a, 38