Advent and Christmas Break

The few weeks before Christmas were quite busy and even hectic, with Daniel's choir practices and performances, Daniel's Cub Scout caroling, James' Sunday school Christmas performance, shopping, baking, decorating, plus a party or two.  Having a relatively relaxed Christmas break is truly a blessing.

Daniel's choir performance at a nursing home. He was a shepherd. 

Our Advent: something old, something new

Because I couldn't find the paper ornaments going with our Jesse tree ( I did find them later), I made the names of Jesus paper rings to put on the tree. We did daily devotion based on twenty-five names of Jesus, starting at December 1 and ending at December 25.

I'm gradually adding to our family's Christmas decoration. The Advent wreath is also a nativity display. The paper nativity scene is not as good as I expected, but it looks O.K. on the piano.  The holy family craft was made at our homeschool group's Christmas party by Daniel and me. Isn't that cute? I paid material fees for James, but all he wanted to do was playing with his friends. Oh well...

We didn't do as much Christmas reading this year. Here're the books we read during Advent. I didn't read much "Christmas in My Heart" with the kids. It's a collection of short stories. I have thoroughly enjoyed them.

Family and Gifts

My sister Min's family came to our house on Christmas Eve. James had hollered a couple of times the week before Christmas demanding for his presents. Since my nephew Richard would be opening his presents from us, we allowed our kids each to open one present. We went to a really nice Christmas Eve service at a nearby church before my sister's family went home.