In an extremely rare moment at our house, I caught the boys holding hands...willfully! "Take a picture mom, we're holding hands and being kind!"
Christmas this year at our house was different. Different in a good way. Well, not entirely different, but in some ways I guess. We always strive to do "less" as far as gifts go. The kids typically get 3 gifts to represent the gifts from the 3 wiseman to baby Jesus. This year, we gave just one gift. Every year, we read the bible, light candles, and talk about the meaning of Advent. This year, we started a new study by Ann Voskamp, The Jesse Tree. We read scripture every night and hung an ornament on the tree to remember the words. Each night, we had a "project" or a challenge...do something kind for someone without words, tell a neighbor about Jesus, sing, etc. Our favorite I think, was planting seeds of kindness. Each time the kids caught eachother doing something kind, they were to plant a wheat seed. On Christmas, just before Tom read the Christmas story, they cut the grass and spread it around baby Jesus as his straw. It's January now, and every once in awhile I'll hear one of them explain, "You just planted a seed!" :)Love it.
Thomas dressed up as the "Innkeeper" for the 3 year old Nativity scene at church.
The purpose of this project was to help the kids focus on all the many gifts we already have. Not the packages under the tree, but rather the experiences that make Christmas what we love. It was titled, "The Gifts of Christmas" and we brainstormed throughout the month what we loved about Christmas. ... decorating the house, grandmas noodles, kid art, parties, nativity sets, skiing, rosettes, krum kaka, cutting the tree, snowmachining, spending time with family, going on a cruise, the story of Mortimer the Mouse, going on the snowmachine, outside activities, the pickle game, Christmas dinner, caramel rolls, homemade gifts, Joy to the World, listening to Christmas music, spending time with family, remembering Jesus, Christmas lights, caramels...
This day was Christmas to me. We had a great time of worship at church. Came home and decided to let Owen skip his nap and play outside instead. We skated on the lake and warmed up by the fire in the gazebo as I read Christmas stories to them. We capped off the evening with games in the house. Sweet together time a week before Christmas that filled this mommas heart to the top.
In an extremely rare moment at our house, I caught the boys holding hands...willfully! "Take a picture mom, we're holding hands and being kind!"
Christmas this year at our house was different. Different in a good way. Well, not entirely different, but in some ways I guess. We always strive to do "less" as far as gifts go. The kids typically get 3 gifts to represent the gifts from the 3 wiseman to baby Jesus. This year, we gave just one gift. Every year, we read the bible, light candles, and talk about the meaning of Advent. This year, we started a new study by Ann Voskamp, The Jesse Tree. We read scripture every night and hung an ornament on the tree to remember the words. Each night, we had a "project" or a challenge...do something kind for someone without words, tell a neighbor about Jesus, sing, etc. Our favorite I think, was planting seeds of kindness. Each time the kids caught eachother doing something kind, they were to plant a wheat seed. On Christmas, just before Tom read the Christmas story, they cut the grass and spread it around baby Jesus as his straw. It's January now, and every once in awhile I'll hear one of them explain, "You just planted a seed!" :)Love it.
Thomas dressed up as the "Innkeeper" for the 3 year old Nativity scene at church.
The purpose of this project was to help the kids focus on all the many gifts we already have. Not the packages under the tree, but rather the experiences that make Christmas what we love. It was titled, "The Gifts of Christmas" and we brainstormed throughout the month what we loved about Christmas. ... decorating the house, grandmas noodles, kid art, parties, nativity sets, skiing, rosettes, krum kaka, cutting the tree, snowmachining, spending time with family, going on a cruise, the story of Mortimer the Mouse, going on the snowmachine, outside activities, the pickle game, Christmas dinner, caramel rolls, homemade gifts, Joy to the World, listening to Christmas music, spending time with family, remembering Jesus, Christmas lights, caramels...
This day was Christmas to me. We had a great time of worship at church. Came home and decided to let Owen skip his nap and play outside instead. We skated on the lake and warmed up by the fire in the gazebo as I read Christmas stories to them. We capped off the evening with games in the house. Sweet together time a week before Christmas that filled this mommas heart to the top.
1 comment:
Can't even thank you enough for posting all about this, Pam. Tony and I were talking after Christmas about "doing Christmas differently" next year...and I gleaned so many ideas from you. THANKS! Looks like it was a wonderful season for you all. :)
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