Something New,

Something Borrowed,

Something Cute & Good!

 

Here is a fun idea for Valentine's Day,

Easter, or for an upcoming birthday!

Make a ribbon wreath

By Monica Ewing, Sunset senior designer

Step 1 Buy supplies
I bought just two things: A 12" metal ring and 24 yards of 1 1/2" wired ribbon (8 yards of each pattern). I found both items at Joann's.

Step 2 Tie bows36 of them to be exact. If you don't know how to tie a good bow, you'll be a pro at it by the time you're done. It took me about an hour and a half.

Tip #1 Tie each bow before cutting the ribbon. That way, you can cut the tail to exactly the right length.

Tip #2 Use one, three, or more different ribbons. Two ribbons looks a bit stripey.


Step 3
Shape, trim & hang
After evenly spacing the bows, I shaped each loop into a circle and pulled them to the front. Then I trimmed any over-long tails and loose threads. I hung the wreath using a command hook and arranged one of the bows to cover the hook.


Voilà—an easy project! You can choose any ribbons you want.

Had a beautiful time with my family this evening celebrating Christmas.  It was unusual for me doing it sitting in a chair with my "leg propped up higher than my nose," per the surgeons requests.  I'm not use to having others waiting on me in my house, but I have strict orders to stay off of it the next two weeks, and because Glenn is a military minded man, he insists on me following orders.

Yesterday I had surgery on my right foot.  One of the three bones I broke in my feet last summer, was fragmented, and causing me trouble walking.  So yesterday an orthopedic surgeon in LR took the fragmented bones out.  I'm in a cast...once again, :)  hoping for complete healing.

I loved seeing the children together this evening.  It reminded me that life can go on...in spite of it being different.  It was funny watching the little girls fighting over a doll.  They both have strong wills and were very determined. The boys were playing with their super hero toys, with lots of laughter and imagination. The house was filled with lots of noise.  I was feeling very grateful this Christmas, to hear all of their laughter, yelling, etc. The previous two years were spent by me shedding a lot of tears. 

I'm slowly coming to a place of acceptance, of Mike being in heaven.  Life is different now and Christmas has changed.  Not only is Mike gone, but I'm living in a completely different home and life.  But I'm accepting the beauty in the difference.  I'm learning to go on and fulfill God's purpose for my life.  I will always miss Mike, but I'm slowly learning life can be good again.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for sustaining me and staying close by my side.  Thank You for being born to be my Savior....forgiving me when I least deserved it, and keeping no record of my wrongs.  Thank You for Your unconditional love and for never deserting me.  I am undeserving, but SO blessed! 

"Wintersong"
by  Sarah McLachlan 

The lake is frozen over
The trees are white with snow
And all around
Reminders of you
Are everywhere I go

It's late and morning's in no hurry
But sleep won't set me free
I lie awake and try to recall
How your body felt beside me
When silence gets too hard to handle
And the night too long

And this is how I see you
In the snow on Christmas morning
Love and happiness surround you
As you throw your arms up to the sky
I keep this moment by and by

Oh I miss you now, my love
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas,
Merry Christmas, my love

Sense of joy fills the air
And I daydream and I stare
Up at the tree and I see
Your star up there

And this is how I see you
In the snow on Christmas morning
Love and happiness surround you
As you throw your arms up to the sky
I keep this moment by and by

 

 

Advent Calendar-  ThrivingFamily.com

 

Monday, December 19

 

Joseph and Mary's trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem was more complicated than a holiday road trip to see relatives. The total distance they traveled was only about 80 miles, but since Joseph was walking and Mary (pregnant with Jesus) was riding a donkey, it took them almost a week to make the trip.

Activity:
To help your kids better understand Joseph and Mary's journey, use an atlas or online program such as Google Maps to plot the way to a destination about 80 miles from your house. If your children were traveling on foot, what obstacles might they face along the way? Where would they sleep? What would they eat and drink?


Tuesday, December 20

Cut out the shape of an angel, no more than 5 inches high, in a piece of dark construction paper. Then help each childcut an angel shape in his own paper. Give everyone a flashlight and dim the room. Using your flashlight, read Luke 2:8-14. When you get to verse 9, shine the flashlight beam through your paper so that an angel appears on the wall. When you read verse 13, have the whole family project their own angels onto the wall.
Angels are God's messengers. Throughout history, they have delivered important messages to various people. But a "great company" of angels announced the most important event since the beginning of the world — Christ's birth! 


Wednesday, December 21

Encourage your children to dress up like shepherds. Help them put on a bathrobe or large towel secured with a belt. Place a smaller towel on their heads, and hold it in place with a bandana or headband.
Explain that shepherds were considered unimportant men. So it was a surprise that God chose them to be the very first to hear the message of Jesus' birth. This surprise announcement showed that baby Jesus was a gift for all people, not just for the rich and famous.


Thursday, December 22

The Magi were distinguished men from the Far East who traveled a great distance to honor Jesus after His birth. They followed a star that eventually
led them to the Christ child.

Activity:
Take your children on a journey throughout your home, searching for the hidden star in each room. These could be star ornaments, stickers or simply stars drawn on paper. Conclude your search in front of your Christmas tree, and consider allowing each child to place the star of his or her choice on the tree as a symbol of your (and the Magi's) journey.


Friday, December 23

Jesus was born in a stable and was laid in an animal's feeding trough. While this isn't the place you would expect a king to sleep, it was allJoseph and Mary had available on this miraculous night.

Activity:

Using bedsheets, create a "stable" big enough for the family to huddle in. Use a flashlight for a lantern, and choose stuffed animals for the animals that may have been present when Jesus was born. Talk with your children about the sights, sounds and smells of the stable. This humble dwelling was the birthplace of our Savior and King.
For more: Sing the classic Christmas carol "Silent Night" together.

Advent ends on Saturday, December 24, at midnight. The following is an activity you and your family can do to begin your Christmas Day celebration!
Scripture reading: Matthew 2:7-12; John 3:16
Activity:

On Christmas Eve, after your children are asleep, place the Jesus figurine from your Nativity scene in a beautifully wrapped box. Put this box in front of all the other presents under the tree. On Christmas morning, have your kids open this present first. Thank God for His perfect gift — His one and only Son — as you lay the figurine in the manger. Discuss the amazing truth that this gift is not for just a few select families, but for every family in the world — past, present and future.

 Celebrate Christ's birth as you light the white candle and sing your favorite carols. Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 18

by ThrivingFamily.com 

This week, light all three purple candles plus the rose-colored candle.
Scripture reading: Luke 1:26-33

Our names are a special part of who we are. Do your children realize that God knew their names even before they were born?

Activity:
Using a book of baby names or the Internet, look up the meaning of each family member's name. Now share why you chose that name for your child. When Mary was pregnant, an angel told her to name her child Jesus, which means "God saves." Discuss why Jesus is an especially fitting name for the Christ child.

For more: Continue this discussion while making and naming your own Popcorn Snowmen.

Monday  December 19
by ThrivingFamily.com

Scripture reading: Matthew 1:18-24

Just as Mary was chosen to be the mother of Christ, so Joseph was chosen to be Jesus' earthly father. God showed confidence in Joseph's character when He entrusted the humble carpenter with the raising of His Son. One of the ways Joseph nurtured Jesus was by teaching Him how to make things out of wood. Jesus probably worked as a carpenter until He was 30 years old.

Activity:

Give each child a small hammer, nails and some lightweight pieces of wood. Show them how to hammer a nail and, depending on their ability, nail pieces of wood together. Imagine Jesus and Joseph working side by side. What are some things Joseph might have taught Jesus to make?

For more: This week only, download and enjoy part three of "Back to Bethlehem," an Adventures in Odyssey audio drama about Jesus' birth.

by www.thrivingfamily.com

Ancient builders often completed construction of a building with a commemorative capstone placed at the peak. Provide…more

Jesus is sometimes referred to as the "Great Physician." Just as the prophet Isaiah foretold, Jesus healed people of a variety of sicknesses and injuries…more

The prophet Isaiah predicted that Jesus would take the punishment for our sin. With this in mind, imagine or role-play a courtroom setting…more

Hand each child a wrapped — but not yet decorated — present meant for a family member or friend. Encourage…more

What do your children want to be when they grow up? Ask each child to share a clue that represents his or her dream…more

The prophet Micah used the image of a shepherd to describe the coming Messiah. Jesus used the same imagery…more

Tell your kids that you're going to see who can "get ready first." Then ask, "What do you need to get ready for swimming?…more

 

Week 2 — Sunday, December 4

By Focus on the Family http://www.thrivingfamily.com

This week, light the first and second purple candles of your Advent wreath.

Scripture reading: Exodus 11:1-7; John 1:29
Activity:

Have your kids write a list of all the firstborn sons in the families they know. Include relatives, church friends and neighbors. Ask your children to imagine that those families would lose their eldest sons if they didn't follow certain instructions. That's exactly what happened during the first Passover in Egypt.

We often think of the Israelite homes as having escaped death. But really, death came to every home. For God's people, a lamb died in place of the firstborn son. This was a picture of how God would send His Son, Jesus, to be our Passover Lamb.

For more: This week only, download and enjoy part one of "Back to Bethlehem," an Adventures in Odyssey audio drama about Jewish customs in the days before the first Christmas.
Tell your kids that you are going to temporarily appoint their oldest sibling as a "go-between." Whenever you need to say something to the other…more


For Daily Activities Throughout the Week....... 

Put a washcloth in a bowl filled with water. Have your children take turns soaking the cloth and squeezing it into an empty glass. Who…more
Tie a small piece of red yarn or ribbon around each of your children's wrists. Ask them to think of one thing that the red string might remind them…more
Wrap your wedding ring in gift wrap. Then put a Christmas bow on a large empty box. Put both packages in different corners of the room…more
Cut a few crowns from thick paper covered with tinfoil. Encourage your children to wear the crowns, and discuss what decisions…more
Play hide-and-seek for a few minutes, allowing your kids to hide every time. After repeatedly finding your kids' hiding spots…more

Martha Stewart Kids, Holiday 2003
Craft Idea

 "The littler the better" is the philosophy of these presents -- and it's easy to make a bunch quickly. Kids can give them to friends and classmates, adding a small treat, such as a holiday note, candy, or trinket.
Matchboxes are available in bulk at grocery or discount stores. For a standard-size matchbox, cut a 33/4-by-2-inch band of decorative paper. Glue band around box; you can attach more paper to box ends. Embellish with string, stickers, or a thin strip of paper glued around box.

To make a card to go inside, cut a 2-by-21/2-inch piece of paper; trim edges with pinking shears, if desired, and fold in half.

"Blessed is the home where each puts the other's happiness first."

 

ADVENT

Week 1 — Day 1 — Sunday, November 27

by Focus on the Family

Begin with God's Word: Romans 1:20
Activity:

Lead your kids into a darkened room to read Genesis 1:1-26. (You may need a small flashlight.) When you arrive at verse 3, turn on the lights. As you read through the remaining verses, pass around items that offer glimpses of God's Creation — a leaf from a plant, magazine photos of fish and wildlife. You can challenge your older kids to research short videos online. Images of the planets and wildlife can be very inspirational. Explain that the Bible says we can see God's power and know He is real by all the things He has made.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. 

Peppermint Eggnog

Serve kids eggnog, jazzed up with peppermint extract, in candy-rimmed mugs.

Martha Stewart Kids

• Yield Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons more sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups whole milk
• 12 peppermint candy canes, broken into pieces
• 3 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Peppermint sticks, for garnish

Directions

1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and the extracts in large saucepan over medium-low heat until combined. Pour in milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking until fully incorporated. Raise heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Pour milk mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Set bowl in ice-water bath; let mixture cool completely. Transfer custard to an airtight container, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
3. Process candy canes in a food processor until finely crushed. Sift in a strainer to discard dust. Transfer to a shallow dish.
4. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let cool 5 minutes. Dip rim of each cup into melted chocolate, then crushed peppermint. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove custard from refrigerator; set aside. Put cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cold custard until combined. Fill cups with eggnog. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint, and garnish with peppermint sticks; serve.

"Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good and His love endures forever."

I Chronicles 16:34