Advent Calendar

  This year I am going to TRY to pull off an Advent calendar with activities. I started with a blank calendar,and added things that are already in our normal routine.  Stuff like church events, band concerts, cheer,and wrestling practice. Well the calendar was pretty full before I started adding the fun stuff. Do you know how hard it is to come up with 25 things to do? Well it wasn’t the easiest thing I have ever done. As you all know I do not have a crafty bone in my body so I went to the store looking for an Advent calendar with pockets or those pull out drawers. I needed something to stick pieces of paper in. I found one at Target, it’s ok and was a lot cheaper than the one at Christian Supply. I ended up getting it,but I hope my crafty friend, Leigh, can pull something off for me:) I will gladly pay someone to be crafty for me! So here is a rough draft of the things my family will try to do. It may change a little depending on other Christmas get togethers.

• new Christmas PJ’s
• Barnes and Noble to get a new Christmas book
• Miracle Hill to serve breakfast
• family game night
• watch Polar Express with hot cocoa/peppermint sticks
• Lake Bowen Christmas Light
• Camp out under Christmas tree
• make white chocolate pretzels
• homemade ice cream for Zoe’s birthday dinner
• Boiling Springs parade December 10th at 10am ( Kain is marching in it)
• carriage ride in Fountain Inn ( $7 for ages 10 and up, $ 5 for kids)
• Woodruff parade December 11 @ 3:00
• make a fire and roast marshmallows
• make/decorate Gingerbread house
• movie night- ELF with popcorn
• Roper Mountain Christmas Lights
• Lunch with mom
• Kidzmas  at Spartanburg library ( December 17 5:00-8:00 FREE)
• movie night- Miracle on 34th Street
• make chex mix recipe I got from Leigh
• Ice on Main ( $10 for adults, $8 for kids)
• bake Christmas cookies and deliver them to great grandparents
• swim center ( Friday or Saturday 3:30-5:30  $2.00 each)
• read Christmas Story
• bake Happy Birthday Jesus cake
• Mobile Meals ( waiting to see if we can deliver meals one day while the kids are out) 

Wow, that looks like a lot doesn’t it? Hopefully we will be able to do all of them. It’s just hard when wrestling practice is twice a week,and it isn’t over until 8pm. Plus throw in a few more days of photo sessions,3 birthdays,and our anniversary! With all of that stuff we sometimes forget to enjoy the season. I am hoping this will make us slow down,and enjoy family time. If anyone has any other suggestions for ways we can serve please share them with me. I did not come up with all of this on my own. I borrowed a couple from Summer M, and Leigh:)