The Jesse Tree: A Boat Full of Animals

The story of Noah

Advent: Day 2- Buy Gifts for a Needy Child

This evening we spent time at Kohl's and Crafts 2000 buying gifts for a needy child.  We enjoyed picking out the headphones that our child had requested.  We also enjoyed debating style and color for the sweaters, shirts and jackets we selected.  We included a few gift cards and a monogram necklace just because we thought they would be nice to receive.  When all was said and done we were within $1 of our budgeted amount.

Wrapping the gifts was part of our evening that I hadn't anticipated.  It was a joy to have help with this part of gift giving.

Even though giving to others won't be on our advent schedule every Sunday evening, I think adding a giving activity on Sunday might not be a bad idea.

The Jesse Tree: Paradise Garden

The story of the fall of man

The Jesse Tree: Sun and Moon

The story of Creation

The Jesse Tree

I learned about Jesse trees about two years ago.  Last year I looked on etsy.com for Jesse tree ornaments and just couldn't settle on anything.  I really wanted to make my own ornaments but it seemed like one more thing.  I did purchase The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean with the intention of using it this year.

The children are older now and craft projects are often a family fun filled time.  With a Thanksgiving tree that can easily transition to a Jesse tree, a yard full of branches, two teenage daughters, and a husband qualified to train previously mentioned daughters in the safe use of power tools, this seems like the perfect year for a Jesse tree.

We took the notes of thankfulness off the tree and replaced them with some plain gold ornaments. 

I selected several branches from our yard to be used for our Jesse ornaments.  K16 learned to cut discs using the circular saw.

H13 used the drill to create a hole for hanging each ornament.

One hundred twenty five ornaments ready for drying.  I placed them on the oven racks at 217 degrees for an hour to help dry the wood so we could use them right away.

The plan is for each child to paint an ornament each day as we read the selection from The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean.  We'll seal the ornaments with Modge Podge and hang them from the tree.  I anticipate the project will be worthwhile and challenging.  I look forward to sharing our progress with you.

Advent: Day 1 - Decorate Sugar Cookies

S10 opened the first door this morning and read the slip of paper, "Devour sugar cookies."  Not quite, but he had the right idea.  We will devour the cookies I'm sure but, first we will decorate them.



S10 is creating an army of sugar cookie orcs.



Advent 2012

I love the holiday season.  My holiday celebrations kick off with the Operation Christmas Child collection week and continue through Epiphany.  Some years I can even stretch things through Valentine's Day.  This year our family is older and I'm really excited about the opportunities and freedom that age bring.

A few years ago I purchased an advent calendar at Target.  In the past, I've put a few preplanned activities and a lot of candy in the little doors.  This year I decided I want advent to be all about family time.  I wrote a family-oriented activity on a piece of green paper and placed each activity in a door.   There's no peeking allowed.  Not even Rob knows what to expect each day.  I love a surprise so I'm thrilled with that aspect.  Of course, I'm counting on the fact that up until now no one in my immediate family is interested in my blog.

Here is the list of the activity behind each door:
1 Decorate sugar cookies
2 Buy gifts for a needy child
3 Make hot chocolate floats and read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
4 Game night
5 Make reindeer cookies Watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off
6 Make Grinch punch and watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas  Make reindeer cookies
7 Gaze at winter stars Make Grinch punch and watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas
8 Make gingerbread guys KERC Christmas Party
9 See a play - Sip eggnog and eat cookies Buy food for food pantry
10 Send post cards to cousins
11 Have dinner by candlelight
12 Share stories and a snack by the Christmas tree
13 Celebrate St. Lucia Day with a tea party - Deliver neighbor gifts

14 Cut out paper snowflakes

15 Read O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi

16 Take a long winter’s nap then make breakfast for dinner and eat in pajamas

17 Make candy cane milk shakes

18 Take a drive to look at Christmas lights

19 Holiday Dance Party!

20 Make a popcorn garland

21 Make ornaments for the birds

22 Take a moonlit walk

23 Give someone a gift anonymously

24 Dress up for a special holiday dinner at your own house - Watch "It's a Wonderful Life"

25 Read the Christmas story from The Bible

Many of these are activities that I consider to be traditions.  I love the idea of these traditions becoming part of a daily event that we can all anticipate.  I also love the idea that making a plan for daily family time will give us all a part and ownership of that time and that it might carry over beyond the holiday season.

In addition to these daily activities, we are making a Jesse tree.  I'll tell you more about that in another post.  My plan is to share pictures and commentary about our daily activities and about the Jesse tree.  I hope you enjoy sharing the advent season with us.

Note:  I am editing this list as we go through so you will be able to see what I planned and what we ended up with.  It's always good to be flexible.