advent calendar 2009...

We're doing another version of this advent calendar this year. Admittedly, I do not have my bags filled yet, mainly because I'm trying to plan the best distribution of all the goodies, projects and plans. I think we'll start pulling bags on Sunday or Monday since we'll be putting our shoes out for Saint Nick on Saturday night. Rest assured, the children have been keeping me on my toes for the first four days of Advent even without the bags there to remind them.

On the 1st we gave each of the kids a festive new mug for hot cocoa or milk or whatever they want to drink out of it. As we were testing them out with some Swiss Miss I mentioned that the mugs were their Advent calendar treat for the day and with that they were reminded of the wonder and excitement that is the Advent calendar.

For the 2nd we mixed up a big batch of homemade hot cocoa mix and for the 3rd everyone played with polymer clay and the boys made lion ornaments.

Here they are with a black base coat:



Super cute just like this, if I do say so myself. Then today the boys painted their ornaments. I suggested they do red noses and ribbon scarves for a little Christmas kitsch and we ended up with one glittery and one flocked and no ribbon scarves (yet):





Also? Caleb's is a "talking" lion: