Christmas Countdown, Days 1-7

Our Christmas countdown has begun.  Here's our advent countdown:

I bought this at Target on clearance 3 or 4 years ago.  Not much fits in the little doors, but I've found that mini Reese's cups do and so do small strips of paper!  I have activities planned for each day. Some of the days also include a Reese's cup.

Here's what we've done so far:

December 1

• Help Mom put up outdoor Christmas lights

I had been watching the weather and it was going to be a perfect day for putting the lights out.  It was in the 50's.  Abby and I worked on it for a few hours and had it done in time to surprise Dave when he got home.

I wanted to take a picture of the lights, but I never got around to it.

December 2

• Watch a Christmas movie and eat popcorn

That was the plan.  However, Thursday night we found Dave's doctor called to schedule an endoscopy on Friday morning.  I knew Abby and I would be sitting there and waiting, so I packed her school work and a gingerbread foam craft.

Thank goodness I did that.  She loved it.  It kept her busy for most of the waiting.  All of the old ladies walking by loved it too.  LOL!  Oh and Dave's test went well.  He has some inflammation in the stomach.  He is to continue with the Nexium.

Abby did so well while waiting.  It took a bit longer than we had thought it would, so afterwards we went to Burger King.  We got Abby a strawberry shake, since she was so good.  Nothing like a kids meal and a shake.  I had a nice Whopper Jr. meal with a Dr. Pepper.  YUM!

So, we ended up getting home later than we thought.  Abby was so funny, because Dave asked if she wanted to watch a Christmas movie and she said, "I'm too full to eat popcorn."  She thought she had to, since it was on her countdown.  LOL!  We did end up watching The Muppet Family Christmas.  It was Abby's first time seeing it and she loved it.

I almost forgot to mention that Abby also colored the cover page for an Advent Coloring Book.

December 3

• Winter Wonderland horse carriage ride

This is an event at a local park.  I've been before when I was a kid, but it was new for the kids.  My Mom and Dad's Christmas gift to us as a family each year is a wagon ride through Santa's Magical Kingdom.  This year, we decided to change it up and do Winter Wonderland.  We knew the kids would love the horse drawn carriage.  My Mom, Dad, younger sister Holly, older sister Heather and her husband and 2 boys all met there.  We had a 10 person carriage.  It was a nice ride and the weather was perfect.  We usually freeze, but not this year.

This isn't the best picture, but here's our horse:

We then all went back to my Mom and Dad's for a chili dinner.

December 4

• Bass Pro Christmas event

We did this last year and enjoyed it.  The weekends are starting to fill up, so I knew Sunday was the best day for it.  Luckily, Abby did not want to see Santa, because the line was throughout the whole store.  It was probably over an hour long.

Abby made a craft foam ornament, raced remote control cars, rode a wildlife carousel, and more!

December 5

• Play board games together by the fireplace

Abby loves to sit by the fireplace in the winter.  Dave and her set up a little village each year and play with it every night.

 

On this night, we played Strawberry Shortcake Memory and Candyland.

After school work, Abby colored week 1's Advent Coloring Book page.  Again, I forgot to get a pic.

I read the bible verse to her while she colored.

December 6

• Make gingerbread play dough

Who doesn't like yummy smelling play dough?   My sister, Holly was over and she helped us make the gingerbread play dough.  Abby and Holly enjoyed using the cookie cutters:



They wanted to save their creations, so I've left them out on the counter to dry.  They smell so good!  (Oh and sorry about Abby's crazy hair, she had just taken her bath and for some reason, I hadn't combed her hair yet.  LOL!)

December 7

• Read Mortimer's Christmas Manger and make a nativity craft

This is our favorite Christmas book.  After reading the book, we made a manger, using the instructions from We Talk Of Christ We Rejoice in Christ.



Seriously, isn't that cute?!  I didn't have moss, so I cut up pieces of sisal rope for the hay.

We also put up a clearance item from WM last year:

It's a wall decal set.  As you can see, Abby loved putting up the stars in the shape of a heart.  She made the heart have a smiley face as well. 

We've been having a great time with our Christmas countdown.  Abby looks forward to seeing what will come next.

To check out more fun Advent countdown activities and fun, head to:

Sugarplum Creations



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