Advent Begins...

I cannot believe it is already December 1st!   Each year we try to use the time leading up to Christmas to help ourselves and our children remember what Christmas is really all about.  It is so easy to get caught up in all the business of this season and miss the true reason for the season!

This year we have chosen to use a new e-book for our Advent Celebration...
Truth is in the Tinsel is an easy to follow guide that gives you a section of scripture to read each day and a simple ornament that can be made to go with that scripture. 

To kick off our celebration we had Christmas Soup (aka zucchini soup) while listening to Christmas music!  After dinner we worked together to put up the Christmas tree.
I will admit that it doesn't look exactly how it would if I would have done it on my own but I loved the excitement and thrill in the boys eyes as they hung the ornaments and beads on the tree.  Yes, there were a few ornaments  that broke and there were a few tears (let's just be real here :) but all together it was so fun to work together.

After we were finished with the Christmas Tree we did our first Advent activity. 

Kaden and I put together this count down tree using the printables made by mama Jenn.   Each circle has a clue that leads the kids to a place in the house were they find another clue about what we will study for the night. 

The boys loved finding tonight's clue...a candle, because we talked about light tonight.

After we finished our reading we worked together to make this ornament...

 It didn't take long and no, they did not sit perfectly still through the whole bible reading but I am hoping that they will remember that we were a people walking in great darkness until Jesus...the LIGHT was sent!!