The Dancing Baby Jesus...

We were so touched this year when our church asked us to be one of the families to do the advent reading during December. It was a great way to start of the holiday season! Reagan read the last line and did a great job! He is such a sweet boy!

We took a couple of family pictures after church that morning.

Another fun thing we were asked to be a part of this year was our church's annual "Follow The Star".  It's a walk through story of Jesus' birth.  Nick, Harper and I were the the Holy Family at the end of the journey.  It was so special.  Each tour ended in front of us.  Bible versus were read, the children's choir sang, and all of the viewers joined in to sing Silent Night. Harper did awesome.  She LOVED all of the people staring at her and danced and sang along (in her baby coos) as they all sang.  It was so funny!  There were a few tours where I actually had to wipe away the tears from laughing so hard. (Pretty sure Mary wasn't laughing hysterically after Jesus' birth!) People were taking pictures and video-taping us... It was sort of awkward but we felt great being able to serve the church and community in this way! I loved when Harper would wave to the kids watching and you could hear them turn to their parents and say "Baby Jesus just waved at me!". Such a wonderful memory.

Advent Activities at Our House

Each December we have multiple advent activities going on at our house.

(1)

You've seen our "Counting Down to Christmas with Books" here.

(2)

We also do the cotton balls on Santa's Beard (Found from Pinterest here).

(3)

We love doing our advent tree that Nick's Mom made many years ago.

(4)

But my favorite is our advent house.

(one of my favorite pics ever- last year)

I got this house from Pottery Barn a few years ago.

I found the idea of a doing an advent with ornaments from a blog (I can't recall which one- it's been so long ago). I searched online and through the Bible for verses I thought would be good ones for each door. I typed them up and bought little ornaments that would match the verse.  Each night Reagan gets to open a door.  I read the verse to him and we talk about it.  He then gets to add the ornament to the tree. It takes a bit of prep work getting all the ornaments initially, but once you've done it- you're good.

In case you want to add this advent activity to your house,

I thought I'd save you a few steps by giving you the verses we use! 

1. Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given. (Baby Jesus ornament)

2. Matthew 5 : 14-16 You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Christmas light ornaments)

3.Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Peace ornament)

4.Psalm 126:3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. (Joy ornament)

5. Psalm 150:3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre. (Trumpet and Harp ornaments)

6.Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. ( Candy cane ornaments)

7. Psalm 147:4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. ( Star ornaments)

8. Psalm 150:4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute. (Musical instrument ornaments)

9. Psalm 100:3 Know that the Lord is good. It is he who made us, and we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Sheep ornament)

10.Psalm 122:1 Let us go to the house of the Lord. (Gingerbread house)

11. Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Believe ornament) 

12. Deuteronomy 15: 10 Give generously to him and without a grudging heart then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. (heart ornament)

13. Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. (candy cane ornament)

14. Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, in which you shine like stars. (star ornaments)

15. Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (key ornament)

16. Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn away from it. (train ornament)

17. Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Hope ornament)

18. Mark 9:23 Everything is possible for him who believes. (Faith ornament)

19. Matthew 2:2 We saw the star in the East and we have come to worship him. (Star tree topper)

20. Matthew 2:11 When they saw the star they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, and they bowed down and worshiped him (3 Wise Men ornaments)

21. Matthew 2:11 Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and incense and of myrrh. (treasure chest ornament)

22. 1 John 4:7-12 Let us love one another, for love comes from God.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Since God loved us, we also out to love one another. (Love ornament)

23. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (present ornaments)

24. Luke 2:9-10 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people". (angel ornament)

25.Luke 2:11-12 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ornament)

Counting down to Christmas with Books!

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you may remember that last year we started the tradition of counting down to Christmas with books.

Here are some of the pictures from last year:

I've had a few people ask me about it on InstaGram, so I thought I'd write a little bit more about it and share what books we have included.

1. Buy 25 Christmas books (one for each day/night in December that leads up to Christmas).

2. Wrap them each and number them. (You probably don't have to number if you don't want to, but I like to have certain ones that tie in with certain activities or other traditions. Does that make sense? So on the night we are making gingerbread houses, I have a gingerbread man book planned.  I also keep the "night before Christmas" books for the end.)

3. Have a basket or bucket for the books to be held.  I usually keep the wrapped books next to the Christmas tree with the basket beside it.  After we have unwrapped the books and read them, we keep them in the basket for Reagan to read whenever he chooses.

4. Each night before bed have your child unwrap a book to read! 

Here is a list of the books we are using this year:

It's Christmas David, Ilama Ilama Holiday Drama, The Night Before Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, The Christmas Baby, Christmas in the Manger, Who will Guide my Sleigh?, A Pirates Night Before Christmas, Toy Story Woody's White Christmas, The Gingerbread Girl, The Gingerbread Man, If you Take a Mouse to the Movies, Little Critter's The Night Before Christmas, The Polar Express, The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, Fancy Nancy Christmas, Silent Night, We wish you a Merry Christmas, Curious George Christmas, The Three Bears Christmas, Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus, A Cars a Very Mater Christmas, The Little Engine that Could and the Snowy Blowy Christmas, Oh What a Christmas, Biscuit's Pet and Play Christmas

Here are some of the Christmas books on my wishlist to add for future Christmases:

(Can you tell I love children's books?)

I hope you consider adding the Christmas countdown with books to your Christmas traditions!

Christmas Traditions

It's Tuesday, so I am linking up with Becky and Aly for their weekly Christmas post.

Here are links to my week 1 post and week 2 post!

This week are supposed to blog about our Christmas traditions.

Pre-Christmas

(1)
Each year Reagan gets to pick out a new ornament for the tree.
Here is this year's:

(Cars 2)
(2)
I host a cookie exchange for my friends.

(3)
We make gingerbread houses with my family.

(4)
We visit the railroad park and see it covered in lights. We also see Santa there.

(5)
We do our nightly advent activities.

(6)
We visit Zoo Lights.

Christmas Eve

(1)
We attend church with my family.

(2)
My dad reads "Twas The Night Before Christmas" to everyone.

(3)
We open Christmas jammies to sleep in that night.

(4)
We leave out cookies and milk for Santa.

What are your Christmas traditions?

Christmas advents in our home

If you know me .... you know I'm really big on traditions.

Christmas is a perfect time for traditions.

This year we continued two advent traditions and started a new one.

(1)

Nick's mom passed along an advent calendar she made for her boys when they were small. I think it is so neat that the tradition is now passed on to Reagan.

(Reagan- 6 months old)

Each night in December, Reagan adds an ornament to the tree. The last ornament to the tree is Santa.

(2)

This is our second year doing an advent house and tree.

I absolutely love it.

I got the idea from a blog 3 years ago and got everything put together last year.

I ordered a house from Pottery Barn and filled each door with a Bible verse and an ornament that had something to do with the verse. Each night in December Reagan gets to open the appropriate door.  As a family we read the Bible verse and "talk" (as much as we really can with a 2 year old) about what it means.  Reagan then gets to hang the ornament on the little tree.

December 1st , I picked Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given.

The ornament I bought was a baby Jesus.

I know this is kind of a weird one to start the month off with but I think it's a good opener to remember the reason for the season.

If you are interested, I can do a post about each day's ornament and verse. Just let me know!

(3)

This year we started a tradition that I spotted on Pinterest.

First I wrapped up 25 Christmas books.

Then each night in December Reagan gets to open up and read a Christmas book.

What advent activities do you at your house?

Christmas Traditions

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas

so of course I decided to participate in Aly and Molly's 12 Days of Christmas. Are you playing along?

Day 1 is all about Christmas traditions.Here are some of ours:

Cookie Party:

This year will be my 4th year hosting a cookie exchange. It has become a really fun tradition with my friends! These girls really know how to bake and I love eating their treats! ;)

Zoo Lights:

As kids we went to Zoo Lights with friends, girl scouts, and family. Now we get to take little Reagan to watch the lights and listen to the music. Such fun!

Christmas Train Ride at the Railroad Park:

Every year we go to the railroad park to ride the train through their lit village. They also have local high school kids volunteer as various characters for the kids to meet.... my little sister used to be one!

Here is Reagan with Santa on the train last year.

My family at the train park.

Choo Choo!
Gingerbread Houses:

My older sister hosts a gingerbread house making party. Last year Sadie and Sawyer assigned us each a part of a town to make. My school house was pretty ugly, but we had fun! After the party we exchange gifts with them.

Christmas Eve:

We always have appetizers before attending the candlelight service at church. After church we go back to my parents house and open 1 gift each (new jammies). I am so excited to have started this tradition with Reagan as well! Growing up, after we all got into our jammies we would sit in the living room as my dad read to us "The Night Before Christmas". Last year was Reagan's first Christmas and Nick started this tradition with him as well. Lastly, my family would always watch Christmas Vacation together before going to bed. Nick and I still watch it on Christmas Eve too.
This advent calendar is one that Nick's Mom made.

It is so cute and it's so fun to know that Nick did it each morning as a child and Reagan is too!

Christmas Morning:

We wake up early and our little fam (Reagan, Nick and I) open up gifts under the tree. Last year we gave Reagan his gifts from us and he got to open his big gift from Santa. (Nick and I packed our gifts to bring to my parents house). Then we opened the stockings Santa left at our house. Then we get dressed and drove over to my parent's house. This year will be so awesome since we literally moved in down the street. We can just hop down the road! Reagan is further spoiled by my family and we all exchange gifts together. (We still do the same tradition since we were kids... we go youngest to oldest, one gift at a time.) During presents we drink hot cocoa. After presents we eat rolls for breakfast and then open stockings from Santa.

Christmas afternoon used to be spent napping and playing with new toys before we all went to a movie at the theater. (I sooo miss this tradition. Now because of Reagan, they go without us! I can't wait till he is old enough to enjoy a movie.)

Day After Christmas

We spend the day after Christmas with Nick's parents. Last year we had lunch and exchanged gifts with his Mom and StepDad and Grandma and had dinner and exchanged gifts with his Dad and StepMom and baby brother.
Reagan with his stocking at his Grandma Sylvia's.

Reagan and his uncle Cooper.