All we want for Christmas is.....

Ok, I can't get these pictures to cooperate.
We finally got our tree. A new fake one. This one has a huge space under the tree. Our other tree came right to the floor. So the girls have gone goo-goo over pretending they have a den in the back of the tree. They have been lions or wolves.

We had a busy weekend. It was fun and tiring. Poor Flannery has been making up lost sleep by sleeping in and taking long naps. We had a lot of shopping to do. It took 5 stores before we found a fake tree that wasn't pre-lit. Ugh. The girls were getting concerned that we wouldn't find one. We went to a couple of parties. One at our church and another with the homebirth meet-up group. We had fun at both. Well I need to get some pancakes for Flannery. Enjoy your day!

Some new Traditions

For the past few years we haven't had too many traditions. I have to say that the one thing I remember fondly of growing up is traditions. I always have the best intentions, with a ton of ideas swarming in my mind. I just have a problem with making them happen. So I tried starting early this year. For the first day of fall we painted a fall scene on our front windows. Now in time for winter (we are getting it done a couple of weeks early) we painted a winter scene on our back doors. Then sometime this week we will paint a nativity scene on our front windows. Plus I really wanted to do an Advent wreath this year. We bought a cheap wreath at Walmart and some candles. They are not the exact color I was hoping for, but hey, I was in no mood store hopping looking for the right purple color. Each night we have a scripture reading before dinner and then light the appropriate candle/s. Then we eat by candelight. It was pretty dark last week when only one candle was lit. This week has been a bit brighter with two candles lit. We can see what we are eating! Hee, hee.

Then after dinner we do the Jesse Tree. It's a large felt "tree" that represents the root of Jesse, Jesus' lineage. Each night there is a scripture reading and then a felt object that represents the reading to put up on the tree. Things like a rainbow for Noah, a burning bush for Moses.....We spent an afternoon making all the felt shapes.

Well we will be off to church tonight to hear some missionaries from Japan speak. The older two girls have made up a dance to preform for them. Although they are getting nervous about doing it. It will be interesting to see if they will back out. Which is totally fine. It has been cute to see them prepare for it. Trying to get a matching outfit and Isabella doing their hair. Putting a pink ribbon in their hair and then a pink ribbon around a pencil to wave around during their dance.

Here are some pics of our paintings and the Jesse tree. Please excuse Saoirse's lack of clothing. She had changed clothes three times that day already and then made a mess during dinner. You can click on a picture to make it bigger.