Advent Activities

A few of our advent calendar activities we have opened this past week include:

Listening to Christmas hymns, talking about why we like particular ones, describing what the Holy Ghost feels like when he is testifying and revealing  truths to us,  singing and dancing as a family.

Visiting a light and music show at our local shopping area.  This was not the best experience but that's okay because that's not what Christmas is about.  We got there entirely too early because the website had the schedule posted incorrectly, it was COLD and I forgot Neal's gloves (he was meeting us after work), Rhys dirtied his diaper and we had no diapering supplies because I thought we'd be home by the time the actual show started (given the incorrect schedule on the website) so he went cammando for a short time.  Then when it did get started is lasted less than five minutes!  Kooky times equal funny memories.

We also made hot cocoa and watched A Charlie Brown Christmas together as a family.  This is one of Neal's favorite holiday shows.

One night we made a holiday craft together.  We used a little kit and made holiday door knob hangers for the kids.  They each have one hanging on their bedroom door.

On Friday we went to a children's Christmas party in the morning provided by Early Childhood Intervention, the agency that provides services to Rhys and our family for his development.  They did an awesome job and we got to hang out with a good variety of kids and parents.  They got to decorate and eat their own sugar cookie,

make Christmas posters, go artic fishing for prizes, take photo opts with Sesame Street pals and Santa,

go through a wintry maze with tons of sensory experiences (roll on huge "snow"balls, bounce white balloons and step all over bubble wrap, toss "snow"balls into jingle bells, dig in "snow" (rice or cotton) for prizes, and "sled" on a rolling board). 

They also got to say hi to all our amazing service providers, left to right: Ashley (Speech-Language Pathologist-SLP), holding kids, Carrie (Developmental Specialist), above, Cassie (past SLP that went part-time after having a very cute baby), and Shawna (Case Worker).  All awesome at what they do!

Tonight, Saturday, we attended our church's Christmas party.  We helped with and enjoyed a yummy dinner, chatted with friends, and watched the children (ages 3-11) preform.  Sophie had a special part.  They sang the 12 Days of Christmas and she had to sing her part "and a partridge in a pear tree," well, 12 times.  She did great!  Rhys was pretty excited to see his sister up on stage and "sang" along off and on.

We look forward to having more good times together as we open more advent boxes this coming week.