house-warming

There is really nothing better than walking into a home that smells warm. You know, like something wonderful has been baking. . . the smell of cinnamon and cloves. Well I love to bake, but it doesn't happen everyday. But that doesn't mean that my house can't smell that way! My mother-in-law showed me this wonderfully easy way to warm up my home, and I have used it every year since. :) You can use any large pot and fill it 3/4 up with warm water. Add orange or apple slices, a handful of whole cloves, whole allspice and a couple of cinnamon sticks. Then just turn the range on low and soon your house will smell and feel fantastic.

The other awesome benefit to this is that it will add some moisture to the air, which is really nice when the air gets so dry.

And this is December 2nd, 23 more days until Christmas! Our little activity today is to re-read Luke 1:26-32 and then talk about how Mary might have felt after the angel told her what was going to happen. And we didn't work on the lyrics to O Holy Night, last night, but I am hopeful that we will today. :)

Have a great day!

~Larissa

countdown. . .

"December the first to Christmas
Is the longest day of the year.
Santa dear old Santa
Never will appear.

How many days 'till Christmas?
It's mighty hard to count
So this little candy ribbon
Will tell you the exact amount.

Untie a candy every night
While the sandman casts his spell
And Christmas Eve will be here
By the time you reach the bell!"

This little countdown calendar is something that my grandmother gave to me when I was a small child. I don't know if she made or bought it, but it is something that I've always cherished. Of course when I was little, I loved the idea of getting a candy every day and thinking about Christmas day getting closer. . . but I had no idea of what I was missing.
As an adult, and a lover of tradition, I really would like to hang this treasure up and have my boys "countdown" the days. . . but I just can't. It is very important to us that the boys really understand why Christmas is so exciting. And, even though it's sometimes hard for me to grasp, we want to dwell on what really happened that night. So this year we are using a little Advent Calendar that they brought home from Sunday School last week. I'll be sharing what we are doing each day to show you how easy it is, and to keep us accountable the following this through with our boys. Tonight is simply to read Luke 1:26-32 of Mary's encounter with the angel. :) I'm also hoping to teach them the words to O Holy Night so that we can sing it together. .
I would love to hear what you all are doing with your families to count down the to birth of Christ this year!

First verse of O Holy Night (so powerful!!!!)

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night, Of our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world, in sin and error pining.
'Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Oh, night divine! Oh, night when Christ was born!
Oh, night divine! Oh, night, Oh night divine!