Straw for Jesus!

This idea is very similar to the one I added earlier today. You make or buy a manger that is big enough for a doll to be in it. Then you get a bag of straw and place it by the manger. Then either you let your child put a piece of straw in every time they do something good for another person, or my favorite at the end of the day you all do it together as a family and tell each other what you did that was nice. By the time Jesus is "born" there should be plenty of soft hay for him to lay in. Use your doll on Christmas day and place him in the manger. I also before my kids get to open presents (and so daddy can set up cameras and such) read them a short child version of the Nativity. It sets the right kind of mood for the day!

A Different Kind of Christmas!

One year someone gave us a really fun activity, that made Christmas more special and more focused on making others happy and not ourselves (which in turn made us happy). Anyway make a list with 25 activities and print it up using a white, red, and green piece of paper. The activities could include:

1. Do something nice for your mom today

2. Do something nice for your dad today

3. Write your grandma a note

4. Draw a picture of Jesus and give it to someone

5. Help sister make her bed today

6. Sing someone a Christmas song today

7. Call and talk to someone you love on the phone today

8. Read a story about Jesus and tell about it at dinner

9. Do 3 nice things today for your brother

Etc.

Then cut up the daily activities into strips and take each strip and make a paper chain, rotating each color. Each day rip one off until you get to the end and reach Christmas. Also at the top of your chain have your child color a picture of baby Jesus and then talk to them about the gift they are giving Jesus this year. Which is all the acts of service. This really gets the kids thinking about how and what is important in life and not so much of what Santa is going to bring them.

Adoption, Foster Care Style

My first child was biological, a honeymoon baby of sorts. We haven't ever conceive again. After 5 years of trying we turned to adoption. We certainly had no idea what we were doing, because we were pioneers in this on both sides of our families. I didn't know anyone who had been a birth mother, was adopted, or had adopted children. But we felt it was what we should do. We signed up with our church agency and tried to get a baby. Not long after someone called us about a little older boy. He was 18 months and he was black. We were so excited. We even got all ready to get this cute little boy. It fell through and we were crushed. But right after our sister-in-law called and told us of a little one that she used to babysit. She was in Foster care in California and was free for adoption. She had lots of physical and mental problems. Did we want to get more information and see pictures? We said yes, but really in our heads we were thinking, No! are you crazy! But something special happened when we saw the pictures. And below is the picture we saw.We knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was our child. Half a year later we finally got her to be our foster child. Three years later we FINALLY got her adopted. And now she is 9 years old and I love her so much. She is physically so healthy and mentally is only a little behind in school (they were wrong about her mental state). She is happy and she has a family and we love her so much. We would not be happy without her in our family. During the infertile stage of my life, my heart stopped beating, because of all the sadness of not becoming a mother again. I felt guilt to my daughter that I couldn't give her the sibling that she wanted so bad. I felt broken and alone. While everyone was pregnant, I was experiencing Hell. And as soon as this little one came into my life, my heart started beating again. Yes I missed out on Two years of her life, but it doesn't seem to matter anymore to me. I have got her now and that is what matters. I was happy and I could love again. Now I have 5 children and I love them all so much.

Recently we went to an adoption celebration put on by Utah Adoption Council. They had picture after picture of children that needed parents and families. Ages varied from 2 months old to 18 years old. I walked up and down the hall, holding my children's hands and explaining to them what this was. That some kids get to be 18 and never have had a parent or stable family. It affected me and it affected my children. It is not fair that these children are alone and don't have a good family that loves them.

I think back if we hadn't fallen in love with our daughters picture.....

All the times we would have missed out on.

And so I encourage you, to search out one of these lost souls and make a difference for them. They might have baggage, they might not look like you, and it might be scary and new territory for you, but I know you will be blessed and happy for saving a child and giving them wings to fly. And who knows you might even find a beautiful angel like our little girl is.

If you are interested you can go:

http://www.utahfostercare.org/ or

http://therhouse.blogspot.com/

Thanksgiving Fingerplays & Songs

Sung to: "If You're Happy and You Know It

"Hello, Mr. Turkey how are you?

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

With a gobble, gobble, gobble,

And a wobble, wobble, wobble.Hello,

Mr. Turkey, how are you?

Five Little Turkeys

Five little turkeys by the barn door ,

One waddled off, then there were four.

Four little turkeys out under the tree,

One waddled off, then there were three.

Three little turkeys with nothing to do.

One waddled off, then there were two.

Two little turkeys in the noonday sun,

One waddled off, then there was one.

One little turkey - better run away!

Soon will come Thanksgiving Day.

Indians and Pilgrims Sung to: "row, row, row your boat"

beat, beat, beat the drum,

beat it loud and clear.

to tell brave Indians everywhere

that hunting time is near
cut, cut ,cut the logs,

make them long and short

to help the pilgrims build a house

a warm and friendly fort

Bike Safety

A week ago my cute nephew was hurt on his bike on a bike trail that all the kids use. He was so bad he got life flighted and had surgery on his head the next day. Because his skull got dented into his brain. He is still recovering and..............

HE WAS WEARING HIS HELMET!

Yesterday I sat waiting for my kids at school and I counted all the kids riding bikes and scooters going home from school. They weave in and out of traffic and they don't watch, and.....

THEY ARE NOT WEARING A HELMET!

I stopped counting at 20. It makes me sick to think that my nephew had a helmet on and this is what could happen. He spent two days in ICU and spent 5 days in the hospital. So this post is all about remembering to get your kids wearing their helmets. I just never really thought about it before this cute nephew got hurt. Even my kids go around the neighborhood without putting one on every time. But that ends now.

GET YOUR KIDS TO WEAR HELMETS!

Being Thankful!

My daughter and I started a fun little experiment today. We got a journal and we are naming 10-15 things every night that we are thankful for. And we are not repeating. We will be going until Thanksgiving. She is only 6 and it was so cute to see her little list: mostly family members, but she didn't forget the Tramp, Turkeys, and of course her teacher). What a cutie!

So try your own experiment and see how many different things you (or your child) is thankful for!

In the past we have used turkey feathers, but they always get thrown away when we are done with them. This way I can keep them forever.