Advent Calendar

This is the first year we are going to be doing an advent calendar and I can hardly wait! My mom picked this one up for us as a house warming gift...and it is the best gift... I am so excited!

So starting tomorrow we will be opening door #1 and doing what tje small tag inside says. Our month is planned with many fun activities such as: cookie baking, fort making, present wrapping, Bible story telling, and much more to get our hearts ready for Christmas day! I am wondering what fills up your advent calendar? If you don't have one check our here on all the neat ways to make one.

Christmas

Wow! Thanksgiving is just over and already time to start thinking about Christmas. This is a super busy time. We can easily get wrapped up in parties, presents, and food. The reason for this special season is Jesus. Don’t get wrapped up in too many traditions this year with-out remembering the real tradition. The tradition to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Over the next month I will try to help you in carrying out some simple fun family traditions!


If you have one or two that you would like to share I would love to hear about them....e-mail me at amandakapenga@yahoo.com
thanks
Enjoy!

table cloth thanks

Sorry this is posted a little late and you may not be able to get a table cloth in time, but I love this one. Place a table cloth on the table and allow all the guest to sign in and write or draw on the cloth as well as date it. Each year bring it back out for another fun year... I am looking forward to possibly starting this one .. now to find the right table cloth. Enjoy!

Being Thankful

This is such a great time to teach your child about being thankful. Start a thathnkful journal with your child and have you child tell you each night what they are thankful for. This is also a great time to express gratitude toward someone. Bake some cookies and write a thankful note and hand deliver them.

thankful list

Each november we take time as a family to compile a list of things we are thankful for. I type out the list and we post it in the house. This list reminds us of our blessings all year long. I also make an extra copy to put in our scrapbook for our thanksgiving page.

Christmas cards

It is that time of year to start thinking of Christmas cards!!! I have done them myself in the past and this year my plan is to keep it simple and order them up online at shutterfly. I have taken several picutes ( a few pictured above and know I am trying to decide which one to use). I am thinking I will combine a christmas card and we've moved into one...not sure? What about you do you make your own, buy them, do online? So far I have loved what shutterfly has to offer. I also love making their photo books (here), and have great ideas for christmas presents ...more on that later! Here are a few of my favorities (check more out here:
If you are a blogger and interested in getting 50 free holiday cards check it out here

cresent thanks

For thanksgiving dinner roll up a special thanks in each crescent roll. You could have each guest fill out the paper as they come in or have each guest write a prayer request. You could read aloud the thanks during dinner. Enjoy!

placemats or place settings

Each year the kids and I make place settings for family and friends that sit around our thanksgiving table. We usually do turkeys with their handprints and stand them up with closepins. On the back of each place setting we write why we are thankful for that person and sign it...love, your little turkey. You could also make placemats and have everyone around the table write why they are thankful for that particular person. Here is what we got so far:

TOO LONG

It has been far too long. If you follow my personal blog you know we just moved into our new home and are trying to get situated. I have a few fun ways to create some lasting memories during the thankful month so stay tuned....and thanks for hanging in there.