From the Cradle to the Cross

Last year I posted THIS entry on my blog.  Its that time of year again when we unwrap the "magic box" and let the fun count down to Christmas begin.  I found this amaing advent wreath that I'd love to have a part of our family traditions. 

Called From the Cradle to the Cross



I will post my advent plan for the year tomorrow but in the mean time ive added new sources to my list of advent fun, here they are..hope they inspire your family to get out and do some fun activities together this season.

The nitty gritty- there are days if i am not organized and ready where weather, sleep schedules, fussy girls, spilt milk, lack of supplies and exhaustion mess with our plans for briliance and sometimes (SOMETIMES) we don't do an activity that was planned.  But for the sake of my little ones wonder and belief in the "magic box" and to keep our hearts right in a time that is easily distracted...I do my best to make sure there's a little bit of magic in every day.  So don't freak or get down if the plans dont work out like you planned...sometimes those are the days to throw in a "hot chocolate, look at albums of past christmas' and chill in pjs" , and that's totally okay! 

Sources:
**VilliageChurch

printables for advent lovers AND learners: http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/Nativity_Printable_Pack_Update_2011-1.pdf

http://go.tipjunkie.com/pr/7281/www.walkingbytheway.com/blog/?p=715450

advent calendars:
http://teachmama.com/2010/11/our-2010-advent-activity-calendar.html

http://www.somewhatsimple.com/2009/11/magnetic-advent-calendar

http://printable.tipjunkie.com/31-things-to-do/

http://kimmccrary.blogspot.com/2010/12/activities-advent.html

last years sources:
http://www.familyfun.go.com/ or http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/homemade-christmas-gifts/


http://www.bhg.com/

Book called New Noel

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/christmas/

http://holidays.kaboose.com/christmas/

http://christiancrafters.com/Journey-to-the-Manger-cvr.gif


All these lists are great and have good ideas, however, some of them really don't have a central focus on Christ in this season...SO what I do is think of ways to bring it back around to Him and really some ways I do that is through scripture or having an activity even as simple as watching frosty and the things that the kids believed in that movie (like that hat bringing him to life) and taking time to talk about what we believe to be true about Jesus and how we can share that with others by word and deed.  OR looking at lights as a family and talking about what it means for US to be lights, why do we have christmas lights? *

*side note* its good to know when you have a child like mine who asks why we do certain things to have a better answer than "well, we just always have"  or "well, great aunt Bertha always did it that way"  (i dont have a great aunt Bertha, do you? lol)  this is a good resource (a long read i know) but good for the meaning behind our "Christmas" traditions. 
and for adventing a different way I LOVE this EBook: Truth in Tinsle

Most importantly, make your own traditions.  A lot of these things we do for advent or around this time of year havent been in my family forever---some have--- but most I decided what I wanted to be a part of our family, and that's one of the few perks to being the parents! :)

I know I posted this verse last year but it really is, for us, the words behind our advent and hopefully every day of every month as we await His return....

 "The people who are now living in darkness will see a great light. They are now living in a very dark land. But a light will shine on them. " Isaiah 9:2 NIRV