Advent!

Advent: (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

Today we started Advent! This is our first year and we are VERY excited!

Last night I sent my loving hub out to the bush to get me some willows so I could make something to hang our Activity Advent from.
Now, like a lot of people... hehehe... I spend a fair amount of time on Pinterest getting lots of super crafty ideas. So I was "inspired" to make a wreath to hang with Christmas lights as a chandelier! Yay! I'm very happy with it, although, as you will notice from the photos it's not a true pinterest wreath. Afterall, if I was a serious crafter, I'm sure I would have sewn tiny little envelopes from burlap to hang from my wreath, and also hand braided my own rope from dryer lint or something. I opted for the 'mommy' version with poorly curled ribbon and paper circles covered in glitter glue. Of course when our kids got up, they saw it and with great big eyes and open mouths stood under it and said "Wooooooooooooooooow Christmaaaaaaas".
Mission. Accomplished.



Before it was 'kidified"...



And after...




Today's activity was to go get our "Jesse Tree." Along with all our fun activities we wanted to do a Jesse Tree; each day we put an ornament on the tree that goes along with a Bible story that tells of the lineage of Jesus and the significance of it. Today was an "introduction" of sorts based on Isaiah 11:1-2
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."


Here are the kids with their 'pick' of a tree! A always loving being outside, and H thinking he's freezing to death!



and posing... if you can call it that!



God has a plan for everything. Long before Jesus was born lived a man named Jesse. Jesse had seven sons; the youngest was named David. When David grew up, he became a great king of Israel. God had a plan for Jesse and for his son David, even before they were born.

Jesus was also part of Jesse and David's family tree, born many, many years after David. People waited a long time for the birth of the savior. The season of Advent is a season of waiting for us, too. We wait for Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
(source)