Today, we had Christmas at my aunt's house. It was a good day to hang out with family while the kids around together, being crazy.
The weather has been so mild this winter so far - we're supposed to get into the 50s on Christmas, which is unheard of in Illinois, but I will take it!
The kids are on Christmas break for the next two weeks and I'm hoping to make this time meaningful since we don't get this type of uninterrupted, unplanned chunk of time together. So, here's the beginning of a list I'm putting together of the things we're planning to do:
1. Have a couple play dates with some friends we haven't seen in a while
2. Read at least two books together every day, including at least one that Jo can read to me.
3. Have free play time
4. Do a couple of science experiments using the kit and the book that Benji received/will be receiving for Christmas this year
5. Visit the Joliet Area Historical Museum
6. Send Benji and hubs off on a father-son day when he's home from work
7. Play a family board game
8. Play dress-up as a family
9. Play Uno
10. Do some art projects (Jo's new favorite activity)
And obviously, I have some organizing projects in mind during my down time when the kids are playing by themselves.
We've been reading the advent book every night before bed. The advent book is a really cool hardcover book in which each page has a door and a small snippet of the Christmas story, when Jesus was born. So each night in December, leading up to Christmas, we get to open the next door and on Christmas eve, we get to read the whole story. The kids love opening the doors and the boys are taking turns reading the pages this year. It's a lot of fun and helps them memorize the story and even some scripture.
I have always wanted to start some new traditions with my family during Christmas and the advent book was our first one. I'd love to hear what you do with your family every year to help get some new ideas!
Hi Erin. Just catching up on your return to blogging. Please tell me you took pix of the family dress up day. You probably saw my confession of the pity party I threw for my failed Christmas plans. Oh well, at least, we get a do-over each year. With that, I'm starting some family traditions too. I hope to do Christmas pj's. I even got Levi to agree. Probably because I was having such a pity party this year and he would do anything to make me feel better. We already try to watch The Nativity movie each year. I like that movie as it tells the Christmas story from Mary's perspective. Glad you're back to writing again.
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