Advent Calendar Part II

 We made the "calendar" last night-- here's what I decided to do--

I also added scripture to each day-- we read the scripture first and then read what the "activity" of the day is.  :)

Here's my scripture list-- one passage each day:
(Also added in were Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 7:14, Exodus 13:2, Hosea 11:1, Jeremiah 31:15)

John 1:1-5

Isaiah 9:2-7

Isaiah 11:1-10

Jeremiah 33:14-16

Luke 1:5-10

Luke 1:11-16

Luke 1:17-22

Luke 1:23-28

Luke 1:33-38

Matthew 1:18-21

Matthew 1:22-26

Luke 1:39-45

Luke 1:46-51

Luke 1:52-26

Luke 2:1-5

Luke 2:6-7

Luke 2:8-12

Luke2:13-14

Luke 2:15-18

Luke 2:19-20

Micah 5:2-5

Matthew 2:1-2

Matthew 2:3-6

Matthew 2:7-8

Matthew 2:9-12

John 1:14

Advent Activity Calendar

I have been noticing an "Advent Activity Calendar" a couple times on Pinterest-- and I thought it looked like a GREAT idea.  Of course December is right around the corner and I hadn't actually sat down to write out the activities until today.  Now if I can find a minute or two to MAKE this calendar or make something cute for it before Saturday, I'll be doing good!  :) 

The idea behind this calendar is to count down to Christmas-- but to fill it with activities or experiences instead of STUFF.  Here is my plan for the countdown days and activities.  When I finish the actual calendar, I'll post it!  There are a few things that will be dependent on weather-- and there are also a couple things that didn't make the list that I hope to stick in there-- so may have to adjust some days, etc....  (One of the things that I don't know what day it happens-- a Live Nativity in town to see-- when I find out when it is, I'll adjust other things to make it work out!  Also, we sometimes go Christmas Caroling with church, and I'm not sure which date it is (probably the 19th)-- so I will add it in if necessary, but we'll wait and see.)  Hopefully we can do all the things I have written down & make it a memorable Christmas season!

Here's the Plan!

Dec 1  Holidazzle 6:30 pm
Dec 2  Holiday Stroll in town-- free hotdogs, pop, etc…. Wagon rides 12-4
Dec 3  Open new Christmas book
Dec 4  Read favorite Christmas books w/ hot cocoa & music
Dec 5  Make bird feeder ornament
Dec 6  Learn about Christmas traditions around the world
Dec 7  Make Christmas cookies
Dec 8  Snowflake making party
Dec 9  Go for a drive to see Christmas Lights -- stop for Hot cocoa or treat afterwards
Dec 10 Dad brings kids to buy gift for Mom ($5 ea or $15 total)
Dec 11 Decorate the tree
Dec 12 Donate food to food pantry
Dec 13 Christmas Party at School
Dec 14 Craft- Decoration
Dec 15 Salt-dough Ornaments
Dec 16 Christmas movie @theater (1st time the kids have ever been to theater!)
Dec 17 Make Christmas cards for teachers
Dec 18 Christmas Game
Dec 19 Mall Of America-- my niece plays in a handbell choir at 2 pm that day
Dec 20 Mom brings kids to buy gift for Dad ($5 ea or $15 total)
Dec 21 Sledding at Golf Course
Dec 22 Watch some Christmas Movies
Dec 23 Pick out present for baby cousin, Michael
Dec 24 Make a snowman??
Dec 25 Read story about birth of Jesus

K-I-S-N-G

The last month or so Addison has learned the song "_____ & Addison kissing in a tree" but this is the part that makes me crazy-- she sings "K-I-S-N-G".  I told her that not really how it goes and have been trying to teach her to spell "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" but she insists that since I'm from Wisconsin, but she's from Minnesota that they do it differently.  And in MN-- or at least MN people sing the song "K-I-S-N-G" 

Friends!

Levi was excited when I picked him up from school today.  He told me he found himself a friend today. 

When I asked about it on the way home he was explaining that during stations he and Ethan K. were working together and doing some number or letter puzzle.  Ethan had done it all himself but then Ms Donahue suggested that Levi get a try-- and Ethan let him do one.  So Levi asked Ethan "Do you want to be friends?"  and Ethan said yes!!! 

Next Levi told me when they sat on the floor Levi sat next to Ethan-- and then Levi asked him "Can we be friends forever?" and Ethan said yes to that too.  So, they will be friends forever. 

He also found a friend at recess today, but he doesn't know her name (she's not in Ms Donahue's room).  So since he has these 2 friends if he's pretending to be a monster, he won't scare those two friends. Only the other people.  :)

Quiet...

Yesterday Addison was sick.  She woke up at 6:30-- was acting normal.  When Isaac went downstairs to play she said she'd meet him there and then she went to her bed instead.  I thought she was just trying to be a stinker to Isaac, but after a couple hours she was still sleeping.  I checked to see if she was sick and she wasn't warm...  A couple hours after that I checked on her and she was HOT!  I checked her temp and she was around 102 or 103.  She slept till noon.  Got up but didn't really do anything the rest of the day. 

The funny part was at 11, Levi asked me if it was nap time.  I told him no, it's not nap time, he said "but it's just SO quiet today".  He's right-- it was quiet.  Addison kind of runs the show around here-- she talks all day long and tells her brothers what to play, when to play and how to play.  I think they were at a loss as to what to do without her telling him! 

By 6 last night her fever (under her armpit) was 103.7....  that's when I finally gave her a fever-reducer.  Within an hour of medicine she was down to 99.8 and ready to eat some cereal.

She woke up at midnight-- temp was 103.5.... more medicine.  Now she just got up at 8:30 this morning and seems to be feeling normal-- she's talking and sitting up and complaining.  Temp of 99.1 today........ 

Hopefully that's the end of this fever.  Poor girl!

We went to Duluth on August 14th-- just for a day of fun with the kids.  The kids loved chasing sea gulls around...  We also saw a ship leave the harbor, went mini-golfing and let the kids swim in Lake Superior for awhile.  It was a great day.  At one point Isaac and I were watching the sea gulls for awhile... a man walked by us and Isaac looked at me and said "That guy is AWESOME!"  He wasn't anything interesting, so I'm not sure what Isaac was seeing, but it was funny.

Also, Isaac keeps telling us to call him "Ice".  :)

Random nothingness....

I bought a bag of cheetos for us to eat with sandwiches at lunch.  Levi refers to them as "Cappuccinos". So funny.

Levi's speech concerns me, I hope that he starts to find all the sounds he needs without speech therapy, but we'll see.  He went to summer preschool last week, and one day was singing a dinosaur song for me: "the stegosauruses tail goes spike, spike, spike..... all around the swamp (which is pronounced by Levi as huwamp).

Isaac is starting to wear some clothes bigger than Levi.  Specifically underwear-- Isaac wears size 6, Levi size 4.  BUT, Isaac is 100% potty trained-- even at night!!!  (Unlike Levi....)

Yesterday the kids played outside for HOURS playing with frogs.  Very sad this morning when they found that the frogs escaped (thanks to dad, but we won't tell the kids that!)

Lots of good stuff around here, just normal everyday life.  :)

Heaven

Heaven has been the topic of many, many, many discussions at our house lately.  Matt & I both read the book "Heaven Is For Real"-- I really enjoyed it.  To be honest I don't know if I've ever thought so much about how heaven will actually be, etc....  But now I find it very exciting.  I got the book "Heaven is for Real-- Kids" and have been reading it over and over to the kids.  So many questions get asked and so much discussion.  The other day Addison asked me about our soul-- I'm really not sure how to explain the concept of our SOUL to a 6 year old..... but we're learning!

Levi has been real concerned about heaven, but would always get caught up in the "I don't want to go to heaven, I want to stay here with you forever" issue.....  Even during church yesterday, Pastor Dan was explaining very clearly how to get to heaven, etc... and Levi looked at me and said "But I want to stay on this planet FOREVER!"  Hard to talk a 4 year old into understanding death, timing, etc....

Anyway-- last night when I was getting in the car with the kids Levi said "Mom, I want to go to heaven."  So I talked a little bit more with him and prayed with him.  This morning when he got up and was eating breakfast  he was being a little evangelist to Isaac.  "You need to ask Jesus to live in your heart and ask Him to forgive your sins."  After that, Levi led the prayer and Isaac repeated it.  :)  So cute to listen to them.  And Levi has announced to me today-- that today he is ready to go to heaven-- right now!