sporks

You know it's "Christmas Break" and your kids have been watching way too much WALL E

when you hear a conversation about sporks:

      Sam:"I really want a spork, don't you, Mom?"

      Patrick: "If I had a spork, I'd put it in the fork section (of the drawer)."

      Paul:"If I had a spork, I'd put it where the spoons go." 

 I guess twins just have to assert their differences.

What we woke up to this morning

There are limbs down all over our street, but thankfully we haven't lost power. Unfortunately, several thousand people in our county alone are without electricity.
We're spending the afternoon watching holiday movies, and attempting to bake cookies in our toaster oven!

Beautiful Advent Reflection

My friend Nancy had this beautiful reflection on her blog:

Reflections on Mary's Advent
"It must have been a season of joy, and she must have longed for His birth, but at the same time she knew that every step that she took, took her little son nearer to the grave.
Each work of her hands prepared His hands a little more for the nails; each breath that she drew counted one more to His last.
In giving life to Him she was giving Him death.....But Christ is life: death did not belong to Him....That is what it meant to Mary to give human nature to God.
He was invulnerable; He asked her for a body to be wounded.
He was joy itself; He asked her to give Him tears.
He was God; He asked her to make Him man.
He asked for hands and feet to be nailed.
He asked for flesh to be scourged
He asked for blood to be shed
He asked for a heart to be broken.
The stable at Bethlehem was the first Calvary.
The wooden Manger was the first Cross.
The swaddling bands were the first burial bands
The Passion had begun
Christ was man........"

The REED of God by Caryll Houselander

Concert Time

Last night we went to Sam's first chimes concert. He is the fourth from the right.  It was Sam's

first experience with performing since he was four years old, so he was excited.  After the concert,

big brother Sam had the opportunity to show little brother Paul how to ring the chimes. Paul's

looking forward to next year, when he can be in the chimes group, too.

Something great for Advent!

Thanks to my friend Jenn, I've signed us up for Advent Adventures, a free internet program from 

Holy Heroes.  We'll receive an email for each day of Advent with a lesson plan, a short video, 

coloring pages, puzzles, and other great helps for Advent. 

More Advent Traditions

We put the first two ornaments on the Jesse Tree this morning! The readings we used were Genesis 1:1-31 (Creation) and Genesis
2:1-4 (Adam and Eve). I also read from Geraldine McCaughrean's book, The Jesse Tree.

Here is our Advent calendar for this year. Each night before bed, one of the kids opens the appropriate door, and they each get
a small piece of chocolate.

First week of Advent