almost advent

My days have been so full with the twins now walking (and climbing! more on that later), that I haven't had a spare moment to blog, read other blogs, do laundry or dust (ok who really dusts anyways??).



I've felt inspired by the imminence of advent which starts tomorrow to come back to my blog. There are so many wonderful resources on the web for celebrating advent. So many ideas, inspirations, templates, files and pictures. All you have to do is spend some time with google looking through all the wonderful pages.



Here is what we are going to be doing this advent. I was drawn to the simplicity of this idea from Jordan at Cheerios and Fingerpaints to make a simple paper chain. One link for each day of advent, with a simple sentence detailing an activity we are going to do to get ready for christmas.



Here's our list:



1. Turn on Christmas lights, set up outdoor nativity
2. Light First Advent candle, sing an advent song
3. Set up nativity scene inside, with mary and Joseph on the other side of the house
4. Make a crib for baby Jesus and set aside straw for good deeds.
5. Read story of St. Nicholas, make st. nick cookies, set out shoes at bedtime.
6. Watch the St. Nicholas movie, Color a picture of St. Nick to hang up for decoration.
7. Make beeswax candles in honor of St. Ambrose feast day.
8. Make Christmas ornament of Mary for Feast of Immaculate Conception
9. Light Second candle on Advent wreath, sing advent song
10. Get out Playmobil Nativity scene to play with
11. Go to mass and pray for someone special, send them a christmas card
12. Read Our Lady of Guadalupe book, make OLG xmas ornaments with shrink plastic
13. Bake St. Lucy buns, and make a crown of candles. Read about St. Lucy
14. Make Playdough xmas ornaments
15. Set up Christmas Tree!
16. Light third candle on Advent wreath. Light Christmas Tree!
17. Bake Christmas Cookies
18. Decorate Christmas Cookies, have Tea Time
19. Wrap cookies up for parish priests, make cards for them.
20. Bring cookies to neighbour's house.
21. Color baby Jesus picture to use as a cake topper on his birthday
22. Make pinecone bird feeders, decorate spruce tree with popcorn chains.
23. Light fourth candle on Advent wreath, eat cookies, Decorate tree
24. Make a cake for Baby Jesus, go to Mass, sing Happy birthday and eat cake, read the christmas story.