A post in which Amber expresses her insecurities about Christmas card preparation, and then meanders off into Advent, Nativity scenes, and other fun Christmas stuff.

I am beginning to wonder about this whole Christmas card thing this year… I was hoping to take a picture last week, but then Gregory and Emma came down with colds. It was just a minor one, but whenever Emma gets a cold she licks her upper lip so much that it gets red and chapped. She’s completely better now, but that lip is only about 50% healed. I think I should really wait until after that is better before I try to take their picture… and then there’s the fact that Gregory looks like he has a Beatles haircut. It really needs to be trimmed, but I’m afraid I’m going to butcher it, and then how will that look in the Christmas picture?? Humph. Do you think it would be acceptable for me to do a Christmas picture of the kids with bags over their heads? Or maybe I could just spend some time fixing things up in post-production. Hmm. I did so well last year - I had Emma’s photo professionally taken at the beginning of November and everything was ready to go before the beginning of December. This year? Well, it just doesn’t seem very important.

However, we’ve started doing a Jesse Tree, which has lead to some really neat discussions already. We had a 2.5 - 3 ft. fake tree my grandmother gave us a couple years ago, and that is now being used as our Jesse Tree. We *ahem* started a little late (I was thinking it started on the first day of Advent, which I guess some do, and some start on Dec. 1st, just to confuse things) but since it is only December 4th, I think we can catch up. And if not? Well, we’ll just continue for a few days after Christmas. :-D But anyways, I think it is a really neat way to do an overview of the main theme of the Bible - God’s relationship with his people - and the progression of that theme. It also gives us a way to look at how it all comes together to point to Jesus. This ties in really well with the Bible reading we’ve been doing, because we are just about done with the Old Testament and now is a great time for some review. We’ll try and finish up the Old Testament this month (we have 10 more short sections) as well as do the Jesse Tree and I think we’ll be in good shape to start it again at the beginning of the new year. I also like this because it is giving Emma some exposure to the real Bible (other than what she hears at Mass, of course), rather than just the story Bible. I’m reading from my Bible first (which she was very excited about) and then reading the corresponding section in her story Bible. It is a really wonderful activity, and when we get some more ornaments on the tree I’ll post a picture. I’m thinking this is going to be a great Advent tradition, and I hope to continue to do it in future years!

And since I’m talking about Advent, I might as well mention the other things we’re doing… Emma is putting up ornaments on the beautiful Advent calendar that my Mom made for us last year. We also have a small Advent calendar with Bible verses that I got at RCIA and we’re doing as well. I opted not to get a chocolate Advent calendar as we still have a stash of Halloween candy we’re working through, but maybe we’ll do that again next year. Emma doesn’t remember the one we had last year at least. :-) We’ve also started making a Nativity scene, because I would love to have one and I can’t really afford to shell out the money for one I would really like. So we’re making one, and I’m hoping for the best. At least it won’t be boring or generic looking! I’m taking my cues from Wee Felt Folks for the people (because Emma and I are quite enamored with this woman’s work, and her directions really are quite good), and we’re using a stable Matt and Emma made for her plastic farm animals. I’m not sure if the plastic farm animals will end up in the Nativity scene or not, but odds are they will be present. After all, it is their stable, right? No matter how it turns out, it certainly will be unique… and I promise to post a picture. Even if it is just so you all can laugh, I’ll still post a picture. :-)

Wow, it is 11:30. So much for going to bed a little earlier tonight! But at least the mom’s club newsletter is out the door, my menus and week are planned, and I’ve even done a blog post. Yay me.