Blogmas Day 7: First Week of Advent

Happy Sunday everyone! My family has had some porridge this morning with bacon and some fruit and we are ready for our Sabbath day. We are starting our second week of Advent today and the first one was amazing. The kids were supposed to use a new book this year, but they voted to do the tried and true favorite which I will link below.

Therefore, Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive, have a son and name him Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14

 This year is very special to me because this year I am doing She Reads Truth's A Thrill of Hope, their advent study book for the year. I've always admired these books with their gorgeous pictures, and crafts inside. This year I took the leap, but I didn't take that leap alone. My best friend joined me! It's different from our usual family advent book.

One, of the reasons this is so special to me, is that I'm helping my best friend learn scripture. I'm not talking about her reading it for the first time, I'm saying she is memorizing it! It's so much fun for a pop quiz. We have talked about it so much. We have turned it into something that we really treasure.

Another reason is that I love the crafts and the recipes included. It gives it something extra to me. My best friend and I are also doing the cross-stitch. Well, she is a lot farther than me. I have about 10 stitches at the most right now. There are a few things that I really want to do out of this book. The book recommends making a copper wreath. I made a Minnie Wreath. Regardless, I still made a wreath!

As for the family Advent we do together, we lit the first candle. The first candle is that of hope. We made Christmas cards, signed our family Christmas letter, sponsored several different children, and many of the kids participated in our church's Serve program, Giving Hope. They sorted toys for this and they all talked about how much fun it was for them.

As mentioned there are two books the kids were giving the choice of doing this year for Advent. First, the returning favorites A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season. This book has been part of the Christmas tradition since I started dating Vinny six years ago. But this year, I introduced a new book, The Way to the Manger: A Family Advent Devotional. The kids chose the old faithful one, but with a promise that we would do a hybrid next year. All whistles and bells for next year!

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”