Preparing for Christmas

This year I wanted to make sure that we were prepared and organised for Christmas.  More than that I wanted to ensure that my children had their hearts and minds turned to the real meaning of Christmas, to the wonder of God becoming man.  And so, I decided we would use an advent calendar, with little pockets into which I would put little pieces of paper with daily activities and bible stories to read.

It was a lot of fun, but, I won't lie, hard work coming up with a different activity each day and then actually following through with it.  A few days I wished I hadn't started it!  Holly in particular loved the idea of it, and made sure that we pulled out a piece of paper every day (even if Zac might have let me forget some days!).  I'm glad we pushed through though, I do think it helped the kids focus on the real meaning of Christmas, and also helped me to be organised with Christmas-y things that needed to get done.  Here are some photos of the highlights.

Acting out the nativity scene for our Christmas card

Nativity cookies (we gave sets to preschool teachers)

Making wrapping paper

Making mini Christmas puddings (recipe from Colin Christmas DVD)

The nativity scene we coloured in

Bike crazy

A few months ago, Holly learnt to ride her bike without training wheels.  She was doing so well, she was happy, we were proud... and then she crashed into a pole.  She refused to ride again, just would not give it a go, no matter what we said or did.  And over the months it turned into a big fear.  In the meantime, Zac learnt to ride his two wheeler bike without training wheels.  I thought that have been a bit of an incentive for her to learn, but it seemed to go the other way, and add to the fear.

 

Just over a week ago, I took her on her own down to the netball courts, talked through with her a bit what she was afraid about, and suggested - "Let's give it one go, and if you want to go home after that we will."  Finally she agreed to try it... and she was perfect!  Straight off she was riding as if she'd done it her whole life (thankfully no poles got in the way this time).  It was one of those beautiful parenting moments to witness this massive accomplishment, watch her overcoming her fear and see just how proud she was of herself.

 

And since then, all she's wanted to do is ride her bike!  Our house has gone bike crazy.  Every spare moment we're out there, riding to the shops, to preschool, around the park, down the driveway... I've been getting quite a workout, cause I tell you what, those kids are FAST!  I think I need to get a bike to keep up with them!

 

Here are some photos from our lovely ride at the park yesterday.

 

 We did stop briefly for a bite to eat, a little play, and then a milkshake at the café at the end :)

Helping daddy

These are not brilliant photos, but you get the idea.

Claudia and the dishwasher

She just loves it.  Any time it's open, she makes a beeline for it.

Which is usually quite annoying, cause you don't really want your baby crawling around in the drips of old food that fall on the door as you load it up.  Yesterday after we unloaded it, and it was clean and empty, we let her have a little play.  She proceeded to take out the bottom tray, and get right inside.  Stefan was very proud, thinking it demonstrated some sort of indicator of engineering ability.  I tend to think it's just baby curiosity.  :)

more party photos

Some more photos from Holly's party.

Opening presents 

Heading outside for the coin hunt 

Finding coins 

Kara did some face painting for the kids 

Entertaining Claudia 

Ready for cake 

She was so happy, and (a little surprisingly) so well behaved! 

After the party

Conversation with Holly

This is a conversation I had with Holly on the way home from a friend's house (Lisa, who has 4 daughters) yesterday.

Holly: When can it happen?
Me: When can what happen?
Holly: When can I be in Lisa's family?
Me: Um never.  You can't change families.  You have to stay in the family you're born into.
Holly: I wish I was born out of Lisa's tummy.
Me: (Hmmmm...) Sorry, that's impossible, you can't change that.
Holly: But God can, God can do anything.

I was then at a loss as to what to say!

It has begun.  The "everyone else's family is so much cooler" stage. :(

Before and after

Before

...and after