Okay so that title would be awesome if it played nicely off the 12 days of Christmas but anywho....
This week we completed
our first Advent-en activity. Filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. E understood that the stuff was going to kids who would not have a Christmas so A+ for that one.
However when we dropped the shoeboxes off a lady asked and what's the best Christmas present of all? E - Candy? Okay so maybe we need a little tuning up in the Jesus is the most important gift department but hey one of two is not bad...
We had a good time packing the boxes. E is now after a calculator for her birthday but I have a funny feeling John the Baptist might drop one in her stocking come January 6. : )
R did not really get it but PROUDLY carried her box to be dropped off. It was majorly cute.
We have made it through the English verse of O Come Emmanuel on our sheet (I think we have 5 printed but I believe the is actually 7 verses to the song). Next up... Latin. Now time to really confuse the girls. Though E randomly shouts 'Kyrie Eleison' (Lord Have Mercy ~ in Greek) around the house some time so I have high hopes.
I was recently asked what Advent is... A. I love getting asked questions like this (ehem.... Nani) because it makes me have an insightful, sum-it-all-up-in-a-sentence-or-two answers OR B. I'll stumble through the answer because clearly I know the answer but maybe I just cannot explain it well - SO I'll be forced to dig a bit for a concise answer...
This is what I got (from the CCC) Advent...
makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. Check out 522-524 for more deets : )
Advent is about preparing our hearts, minds, homes for the birth of Christ.
It is the getting ready period. The world did not rejoice before the Nativity of the Son of God; it rejoiced when it happened which is why we won't light our tree until December 25. The world was in darkness before the Son of God came so our house will remain dark and we will celebrate on the feast and in the days and weeks after (as opposed to the days and weeks before : )
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| Still looking for a few things |
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| M was helping too... |
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| Hanging the presents in the car |
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| Telling R about it... She went shopping with Papa in a different cart |
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| Finally starting to get this party started (Papa had JUST pulled in the driveway from Ohio when we first tried to start) |
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| Okay... I could not find that soap! Now I think E slipped it into her box and my plan was to put one in R's too - glad I'm not going crazy! |
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| Choosing some wrapping paper |
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| Loving on the baby |
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| R losing interest |
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| TAPE TAPE TAPE! |
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| E's neatly packed box |
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| Never using a box that does not have a pull off lid... AGAIN. R with the Scotch tape. This box required some seriously packing tape : ) |
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| When R gets bored, she goes for her cup |
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| M listening to the pre-dinner time packing madness |
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| Coloring a picture |
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| And putting them in the boxes |
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| Because a 3 yr old with a Sharpie is a BRILLIANT idea |
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| Stickers = check |
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| Making sure they won't fall off |
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| Box stack |
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| In the van, to be dropped off after school |
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| Big boxes... |
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| And she did not even drop it : ) |
And now for a slice of my favorite song of the season...
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!
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