Cyber Monday Giveaway

Cyber Monday is Giveaway Monday on Melissa & Doug's Facebook Fan Page!

“LIKE” us on Facebook to be eligible to win! Answer the active giveaway’s question, to enter that giveaway. At least one random entrant will be chosen to win each giveaway.

JOIN US BEGINNING at 8am EST for the FIRST GIVEAWAY…OUR TRAIN TABLE!

We’ll be giving away terrific educational toys from 8am EST, right up until midnight!

Check out Melissa & Doug's Terrific Twenty Holiday Toys to see some of the great prizes we’ll be giving away!

Giveaway event ends midnight EST 11/28/11.


They also have great deals I have seen some things I want... If only I did not have to go to work!!
Tell them I sent you!!

Advent 2011- Week 1

Growing up, we did something called advent. I thought it was normal, and that everyone did it.  Little did I know that it is not common.

Advent is celebrated the four weeks before Christmas. This year it begins today on November 27th.   There are 5 candles: one for each week and the last is to represent Christ. The purpose of Advent is to celebrate the 1st coming of Christ all while preparing for his 2nd coming.  Each Candle has it's own meaning: Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds, and Angel.

When it came to our family, I knew this was a tradition I wanted to carry on. It would look different then what I did.  My father actually wrote his own reading list for advent. I searched and looked for something that would fit our family, only to in the end combine several plans to create ours.   Here is what our family is doing for advent:


Here are a  few sites that I have found that are great.  They are for past years, but still have a great plan.  They both have calendars that give not only devotionals for the day, but also crafts, topics to talk to your kids with, hands on activities, and even how Christmas is celebrated around the world.

Teaching Mom-  Click on the calendar for the activities for the day.
Annies-  A bit outdated, but has some great links

We are trying to make this interesting to Jeshu and even Janasa.  One thing we are doing this year is making a color through Christmas book. 

DLTK- Offers an Advent Coloring pages.  There are 24 pages to color. The idea is to color one December 1st- 24th and then read the whole story on the 25th morning.  Since there are four days before December 1st, I have found my own to add to this:  November 27, 28, 29, 30

The Readings

Sunday-  Genesis 3:1-15   Galatians 4:4       The need for Jesus and from a seed of Woman      
Monday-  Numbers 24:14-16                       From the tribe of Judah
Tuesday-  Isaiah 9:6-7                                  Unto us a Child is born...
Wednesday-  Isaiah 7:10-14                         From a Virgin
Thursday-   Isaiah 11:1-5                             From David
Friday-      Jeremiah 33:14-16                     From David and Judah
Saturday-   Micah 5:2                                 From Bethlehem

The last thing I have done to get ready is a Advent Calendar.  (I will post a link to this later)  It has 28 pockets where there will be our Bible readings and activities for the day.  It is a great way to count down to Christmas.  The suggestion I have, is to wait to fill the activities until the same day.  You never know what may come you way, and it would be hard to disappoint your kids with activities you cannot fulfill.

Some of our activities are:

• Decorate the house-  Starting December 1st we take one item and decorate every day. It normally takes a week.
• Get a Christmas Tree
• Festival of Lights- A big light show in a local park
• Journey Through Christmas- A drive through Christmas Nativity that my parent's church does
• Bake Cookies for the neighbors.
• Various crafts

The rest we will add to as we know what our week holds. 

Do you want to join us on our advent journey?  Comment below and let me know what you do!!

Cute Thanksgiving Napkin Rings

I am sure you are like me and in the middle of Thanksgiving preparations, unless you are one of our Indian or Canadian friends (Love you Paige)

Jeshu has asked me to do a craft.  We normally do a Friday craft night, but I threw another one in for this week. 

Credit

I googled looking for a cute craft we could use on our table. I was thinking of name cards, when I came across this tutorial for Thumbprint Turkey's.  These also double as a name card. 

They were quick to make.  My camera is in the charger, so I will post some Thanksgiving pictures tomorrow.

Christmas is coming!!- Christmas Cards

Yes I know that it seems like the leaves have just started to change, but now is the time to get ready for Christmas.  There are many great deals out there, if you start early.  My one big project this weekend has been Christmas cards.  There has been several good deal on free or next to free cards out there.  I am ALWAYS late on sending out my Christmas Cards.  We normally combine our family cards with our cards from Real Hope Ministries, so it is really important to get going on these things.  Last year we never got cards out because we were in the middle of moving.  I am planning to have my cards out the beginning of December.

That brings me to my point.  I am excited to be able to review the photo cards from Tiny Prints.  They have a great selection.  There are various kinds and shapes in there vast selection.  I have ordered items in the past from Tiny Prints, and have found there items to be of the highest quality.  My favorite one is Christmas Glory. To me it is not Christmas without a Christian Message!!  I love the simplicity of this card and the message.  I have made several Christmas cards this weekend, and honestly Tiny Prints is by far the easiest to use.  Christmas Photo Cards have really taken over in place of traditional cards.  Christmas cards are tapped to our door and then thrown away after Christmas (except for the exceptional ones that are saved for scrapbooking supplies), BUT Photo Cards are kept on our fridge all year long.

Are you looking for a good place to purchase Christmas Cards from, so check them out.

Are you a blogger and want to review some Christmas Cards from Tiny Prints?  Head over to this link and fill out the quick form and you too can receive free cards in return for your review!  If you do, please leave a comment and let me know that you too were chosen to review Tiny Prints!!

Tiny Prints is also having a Talent Contest Search. You can enter pictures in the following categories:  Baby, Kid, Family, Couple, and Pet.  I entered both of my cute kids in the contest. They are winners in my book. 

Menu Plan Monday- Thank God for Breakfast For Dinner

Menu planning is great.  It is nice to know what to cook, but what do you do when an unexpected thing comes up and changes your plan?  Do you run to the nearest pizza or burger joint?  I contemplated that today.  I remembered an appointment that the kids and I had to go to this afternoon.  We did not get home till 6, and dinner was not even started.  I thought for a second to pick us some food, but resisted the unwanted cost and calories.  What is a good substitute:  Breakfast for Dinner.  It was quick and easy.  It is good to have a plan on what you are going to cook, but life is unexpected.  I have a few back-up plans just in case my best laid plans go astray.

Here is my menu for the week reflecting the change I made.

Breakfast-
Cereal
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Poppy Seed muffins

Lunch:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi  with green ranch and carrot stick chop sticks
Tuna Sandwiches
Pizza
Lunch out


Dinner

Sunday: 
Church Potluck  We brought Lemon Rice  (the link is to give you an idea, I will have to share our recipe later)

Monday:
Breakfast for Dinner

Tuesday:
Garlic Chicken and Ratatouille with Salad

Wednesday:
Leftovers

Thursday
Tuna Burger, homemade fries, carrots

Friday:   Ravi's Birthday
Ribs    Salad    Mushroom Risotto  Cake

Saturday:
Dinner out-  We have our nephew's Birthday Party 3 hours away to attend, going to be a long day.

I am getting into a funk.  I am to tired from a long day at work, that I do not want to fight Jeshu to eat.  What are some quick kid friendly dishes?  I am also looking here, for more great ideas.  You should check it out!