Advent Calendar

So tonight we had another little photo shoot to try and get some Christmas pictures. They did turn out a little better than the other night, but still the quality was not as great as I'd hoped. I think it is because my lighting in the house, once it's dark outside, is probably the cause. So as you can see I used a couple of them and changed the blog header to make it more "festive" I should say. I think I like it, but I really liked the other one I had......I just loved those pictures of Mary Etta I took outside. They were just so sweet! So don't be surprised if I change back-ha!

Ok now onto advent. I have had several friends ask me about my calendar. And I forgot that my friend, Rebekah, who I got the idea from has currently made her blog private (as I linked my post to one from last year, which linked to her blog--sorry for anyone who tried to look at it.). She is in process of an adoption and wanted (for security purposes) to make her blog private for now. So anyways, here is the copied list of symbols and verses I got from her to use for our advent tree. Basically I just got a advent calendar last year at Joann's I believe. I then made cut out pictures of the below symbols from felt (mine are nothing fancy....I'm no artist so they are pretty simple and decorated with glitter for some sparkly!).

I then wrapped a box like a present (a top and bottom lid) and put each felt ornament inside. So each day we open the box and pull out the day's ornament.....then read from the below listed passages. I ended up typing up all of these last year, as some of them are really long and way too wordy for little ones. So I basically look at my sheet for my summarized version for the children. They love it! And can't wait to break open that box every day---Reed is especially so eager this year!

It's so fun to see them be so excited to hear more of story each day. All the symbols and passages take you all the way through redemptive history & point to Jesus' coming; I just love it! I already emailed one friend my sheet with summaries, so I'd be happy to do that for anyone else---as some of these are long and really you have to be prepared before sitting down with your kids. So I liked having it all prepared before we sat down. I should be using the longer ones for my own time in the word everyday! So let me know if you want me to email you my summaries, it did take me some time to do it.

1. Tree for Jesse: Isaiah 11:1-3, 10
2. World for Creation: Genesis 1:1-2
3. Fruit for Adam and Eve: Genesis 3:1-13
4. Ark for Noah: Genesis 6:9-22
5. Tent for Abraham: Genesis 12:1-7
6. Lamb for Isaac: Genesis 22:1-18
7. Ladder for Jacob: Genesis 28:10-15
8. Coat for Joseph: Genesis 37:1-36
9. Burning Bush for Moses: Exodus 3:1-10
10. Heart for Ruth: Ruth 1:15-18
11. Lamp for Samuel: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 v. 4 God's lamp was still burning
12. Harp for David: 1 Samuel 16:14-23
13. Crown for King Solomon: 1 Kings 3:3-14
14. Six-winged Angel for Isaiah: Isaiah 6:1-8
15. Bible {Word of God} for Jeremiah: Jeremiah 31:31-34
16. Church for Nehemiah: Nehemiah 13:10-22
17. Fiery Furnace: Daniel 3:13-28
18. Lion for Daniel: Daniel 6:1-24
19. Big Fish for Jonah: Jonah 1 and 2
20. Baptismal Font for John the Baptist: Mark 1:1-8
21. Mary, the Mother of Jesus: Luke 1:26-38
22. Saw for Joseph, the carpenter: Matthew 1:18-21, 13:55
23. Star for the wise men: Matthew 2:1-12
24. Manger for the Birth of Jesus: Luke 2:1-20
25. Alpha and Omega for Jesus: Revelation 21:5-7