Tag Archive | Baby Jesus

Recounting the Final Days Before Christmas

Working my way to THE day… next entry… I promise!

December 23-24

Two days until Christmas and the excitement is high! We recorded our yearly Christmas concert which I posted on Facebook (I am on there as Lisa Reinsch-Johnson if you wish to see it. Just request that I friend you due to my blog!). We did a single song this time – an extended version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. I added in the Phrase 1 between each of the following and at the end to really get us singing and dancing. You can find the words we used HERE. Thanks to Noella Designs.

We had more classic movies and drawings to do…101_5669

101_5668What a reading list we have had this year and almost all of them from our own shelves!!!101_5670

The kids ALL volunteered to clean  the bathroom for Christmas and did a wonderful job!101_5671

The kids spent some time baking with daddy to round off our pre Christmas preparation. So much happy holiday vibes in the house!101_5672

Our Christmas Eve ended up much quieter than anticipated. Ken’s uncle and his family usually come over for a traditional Ukrainian style food dinner. Sadly his uncle was released from the hospital the morning of Christmas Eve with strict instructions to stay off his feet post surgery. We are praying for his fast recovery and that this is the end of surgery for him. But it did mean a lack of company with a table full of food!101_5678

The table looked amazing.101_5677

As did the brand new Christmas pj’s.101_5686

We had a gift for the bigger 4 to open from Nana and Baba – Wikki Sticks! what a fun activity!101_5680

101_5688And Echo opened one too… a frog that moves its mouth and makes noise. Surprised her a little!!101_5687

Of course we left cookies and milk for Santa and carrots and special reindeer food outside for the reindeer. The kids were so excited! And a night at home was perfect for a restful and quick settle down to bed in the evening.101_5689

101_5691101_5692Definitely necessary as Ken had a kitchen set to build (thanks to Holly and James) and we had presents to sort out and place under the tree.photo (82)

101_5695Earlier in the day I made Echo a baby Jesus out of a sock. You can make this super simple baby as well using the instructions found HERE. Thanks to Catholic Icing for this super simple sweety!photo (82a)

Sunday School Christmas Program

Here I go jumping ahead again… but last year we were not settled in a church and missed out on this most fundamental Sunday School experience so we were doubly excited to be involved this year. Anyway… The program was in place of the sermon this Sunday (15th) and was a play about the stars deciding who would light the way in the front for Baby Jesus’ birth.

All these close ups are from practice before service

All these close ups are from practice before service

101_5584101_5580The twins each had a speaking part and all 4 learned the music… in the end, Emanuel had behaved so well during practice that he got to be Joseph!!! I totally wish I had known how to zoom in on the cell phone to take better pictures but Ken got a whole bunch of video and I took some pictures with the camera when he was done with it as well.20131215_11060920131215_111929

20131215_112222101_5588We had to have them dressed in the same colour top and bottom so it was black all the way. With Echo in her pretty white dress thanks to Grandma when she and Grandpa Mike came through over Easter I figured a nice group picture in front of our amazing tree was in order.

101_5577101_5578I am seriously overwhelmed by how wonderful people are to SEND our kids so many presents this year. It has made our lack of extra funds for presents a non issue for the Canadian Christmas (which is what we call our morning present opening with anything mailed to us and from Ken and myself directly as the rest is done in the afternoon once Joe and Faithe and their kids are here… so basically what we would do at our own home before heading to the grandparents’ for Christmas day).

I finally got to wear my LBD. I absolutely love it. My mother in law has some eye for pretty outfits because she was the one that spotted this one!101_5590

101_5591Baba had a friend ask him to go to the football game so we had Nana as our visitor. She brought Echo at service time so we didn’t have to chase her around while we ran through practice.20131215_105655

20131215_105821_120131215_114503There is nothing more Christmas-y to me than a church pageant and this one was cute! I was glad I was able to help out a bit… I was in charge of changing Mary and Joseph out of their star costumes and into their manger outfits and send them up the aisle at the end. Fun!20131215_102502

Of course we wore our Echo out in the end. But she majorly loved the dress! 20131215_180037

This entry was posted on 16/12/2013, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Gingerbread Men

December 17-18

What can be better on a Monday than videos… and one of them a CRAFT video? My loyal fellow crafter Gavin and I were right on top of that! I like this project as it gave him a start at braiding with something that holds the shape. He got a little frustrated but did a GREAT job! And the supplies – pipe cleaners, SIMPLE! then I folded two he twisted together to make our bow and attach it and BANG tree ornament and proud crafter!

My crafting buddy

Our second video was a Trinity favourite and I think another that Activity Village (both of our videos are from the site) posted LAST year. It really is short but soooo cute!

Gavin continued his artistic trend with the newest Art for Kids instructions – BABY JESUS! Absolutely ADORABLE!

A beautiful Baby Jesus with artist (Gavin)

The close up

Trinity and Emanuel channeled some artistic talent as they worked on what we are calling our “gingerbread house” since we started our gingerbread man unit with the traditional story and some workbooks. We figured foam would be easier (though this kit not much!).

Working on the house

With gingerbread men comes many many printable pictures… Trinity was all over that!

Colour by numbers thanks to Activity Village – link on right for the site

We also read the boardbook we have for gingerbread men… coloured our Advent stuff, worked on finishing any unfinished previous week sheets and of course practiced our songs. I am hoping to do up the video by Friday and post it on youTube!

The Gingerbread Man

I had a special evening OUT of the house. We had all miss remembered Joe and Faith’s flight return (thinking it Tuesday when it was Monday) so Nana and Baba and cousins headed to the airport after I left leaving Ken solo. But yours truly was out for the evening with Shandai (a besty from my high school days in Canada) and her roommate Emily. Both of them are SUPER crafty ladies and an inspiration.

We went to Applebee’s for dinner (thanks again Shandai) and the 5.00 burger and sat and chatted forever. Then we went to JoAnn’s and shopped for ages, just trolling the aisles talking craft and seeing what there is to see. I picked up some super soft purple yarn for a special project and since I had coupons got a couple dollar Christmas items for the kids to craft with and TRACING paper for a project for later this week.

New yarn!!

Poor Ken finally succumbed to the cold that has been kicking ALL our bottoms on Tuesday. Sore throat, sore body, you name it… so our errands consisted of the two of us heading out late afternoon with Ken driving and me doing the rest. I think I am finally done sending what packages I can before Christmas. Oh and a run to Target to ALMOST finish the random items. I REALLY need to find that Christmas dress for Echo…

So much to do we are tired out!

I had that new package of pipe cleaners so Gavin and I created wreaths of many shiny colours. I love the braiding practice. Gavin even got EXTRA fancy with his bow piece!

More wreaths

The tracing paper has come in handy AGAIN… a method learned from their cousin Gabriella of tracing pictures is VERY popular around here. Gavin decided to go with a page out of our Christmas colouring book. With the Pringles I picked up at Target we can make our pin hole cameras this week as well… Probably by Thursday since we still have a tube to eat.

Tracing paper!

The gingerbread men pages continue as does our book reading. We had an advanced copy of the Christmas themed Scaredy Squirrel book – Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas… you can find our family review HERE. We absolutely adore this series and are so blessed to have a signed copy of one of the books thanks to Karyn. Our binder is filling up.

Hard at work