Advent week one

We started our advent calendar on the 1st of December. Basically each day we have a bible story from a list I found online. Most of the time I read it from my daughters kid bible which helps her stay interested. We then make an ornament that correlates to that days story. I also have added fun Christmas activities. So far the ornaments we have made are clay earth for creation, and apple with a snake for Adam and Eve. These were our first and have yet to harden. The clay melts when it gets hot and so I assume it shouldn't be cooked. If anyone has any ideas on this let me know. Then we made a rainbow out of foam for Noah, a star for Gods promise to Abraham, a ram (foam and cotton) for Issac, A burning bush (foam and glitter) for Moses, a n for Joseph helping Pharaoh understand his dream.
As far as activities we have talked about the animals in the nativity and why they are there. On that day we got to go visit a friend who raises cows so she got to see them live. We made sugar cookie ginger bread men (because I didn't know what to use for molasses which I do not thanks to Leslie). We kept some and gave some to the store owners across the street who in return gave Alana a bag of peanuts she was asking me for. We also made a bird feeder which when it rained is not just a pine cone hanging outside. ;) This week was also about the letter C so we made Candles and wrote Candle on them with a big glittery letter C. We also made a Christmas colage where she got to pick clip art off of the computer and we talked about why each item is used around Christmas time. Yesterday we discussed Saint Nicholas the real one and where Santa came from. We plan to pretend about Santa until she asks about him and then I will tell her hes pretend. Anyway 'Im actually going to post pictures of some of our adventures. We are still using the box calendar and hopefully I get the felt one done soon because I have to continue on the scrap book I started for Issacs mom by next week or I wont get it done before Christmas. Im trying to fit everything in this year because I will hopefully be working by next Christmas and we will have to tone down the calendar a bit.

Oh and yesterday we got to go to a traditional celebration for a small town around here. We are not Catholic but honestly I was curious to what goes on at these things and we were invited so we went. It ended up being almost and hour from our house but we were glad we went. Three of the english speaking couples we know were there so it was a nice change. Basically for nine nights the statue of Mother Mary is brought to a new house each night and they say prayers and sing to her. Like I said Im not Catholic but I don't see anything wrong in giving Mary respect. I cant even imagine what her life was like. I do plan to teach my daughter that while they say there prayers to Mary we can pray to Jesus. I know growing up here she will end up attending many masses and Catholic type celebrations. And like we did last night we will stand quietly and respectfully during the prayers. Actually last night Alana said, "Can we pray mommy." And I said of course. And we prayed to Jesus and thanked him for coming as a baby, we also thanked him for giving women such an honor of raising his son.