Slow Season

This past week we have had a major winter storm blow through that left us with a foot of snow, ice, and super cold temps. It has resulted in no school for almost a week (when it will all be said and done), minimal travel, no work for Jason (thus no games or practices), and lots of time together. I was initially bummed about this because Jason's parents had planned to take all the kids for a few days last week, while Jason and I got time to ourselves to celebrate my birthday. But this past week has proven to be, in some ways, better than our previous plans.
 I was chatting with one of my cell group girl's moms the other day and she said something that really rung true:
"All this nasty weather has really slowed down the Christmas season this year!"

How true is that?! I hadn't thought of it that way, but in a time of total business (especially for us since basketball season is in full swing), we have been forced - on the heels of a Thanksgiving break, mind you - to relax and enjoy this season. I started thinking about all of the fun things we have been able to do together, that every other season, are just not possible.

1. Make/decorate cookies
2. Watch "Polar Express" and eat homemade hot chocolate
3. Sled
4. Build snowman
5. Snowball fights
6. Sled
7. Go to a Razorback basketball game (we never get to do that in season!)
8. Go out to eat - twice!
9. Sled
10. Do advent dinners by candlelight
11. Sleep in
12. Have fun breakfast's  - all together!
13. Bake brownies & cookies
14. Sled
15. Wrap presents together
16. In-home date night with Jason
17. Actually get my real camera out and take pictures
18. Watch all the Christmas movies that have been DVR'd that we haven't had time to do yet!

It really has been a great little week of slowing down and enjoying each other. I am thankful for it!

ADVENT:

This year we started doing advent with the kids. I kind of have my own way. I know some people pre-make activities and have readings every single day for the first 25 days of the month, usually with a "project" or activity to go along with it (every single day). But I know if I set out to do that, I would fail - miserably -  and it would frustrate me and take the joy out of celebrating our coming KING!

So this is how we do it and it has been incredible thus far:
1. I have our little advent centerpiece with the center "Jesus" candle, and the surrounding three candles in the middle of our kitchen table.
2. We "do advent" every Sunday night at dinner time. I make a meal, and we light the corresponding candle for that Sunday's advent. Then the following Sunday, we light the previous one, and the new one...we add a little light each Sunday, anticipating lighting "the big one" (as the boys call it) on the day Jesus will be born and we will eat by "all of the light".
3. Each Sunday, I "storytell" (something a group of friends and I have been learning over the course of this year) parts of the Christmas story while we eat.
4. The first Sunday was storytellling the prophecy part of Jesus being born from Isaiah - as we ate by the light of the prophecy candle.
5. We also sing a Christmas song together (with motions, of course) and we all take turns praying for things we learned from the story.

Each Sunday, we end up spending about an hour doing this at the table because the boys are so into it and have tons of questions. The wide-eyed wonder in Noah's eyes as I tell the story is a picture I will never forget. It's priceless. Jason and I agree this is the best "tradition" we've ever done. I look forward to it every week!
Probably the neatest part was last week when Lincoln was able to piece together himself how their anticipation back then of the King being born, was the same as what we feel about the King coming back - it was awesome. Which of course always leads to talks about Tucker, whose third birthday was yesterday. I love love love our conversations about Jesus coming back. Nothing grounds me more than talking about these things with a 3 & 5 year old - child like faith.

Another highlight was seeing the boys grasp the concept of how Jesus was born in a stable, not a palace - and how He continued to live on earth.; not in luxury, but in simplicity and humble circumstances. This has been soooo hard to teach the boys - especially at this time of year. Sometimes they "get it" and other times they fail (just like me!) but I pray our kids (along with Jason and I) can always remember the way our Savior led the example in the midst of a consumer-driven world where we're told we "deserve" everything. What a hard perspective to attain on our own merit.