Christmas Countdown

As I mentioned in this post, we are celebrating the advent season with learning more about the Names and God and also having some fun family activities!  Yesterday was fun, but I am going to revamp how I present the information to my boys.  They were so excited to get to the activity that it took longer than I thought to discuss the name of God and read in the Bible.  I will keep trying to do it a little differently until I see what works best for my 3 and 5 year old!

I also made a paper chain countdown for each of my boys...which inspired my sons to make paper chains of their own!  Their creations are hanging above our front door!  I found the paper chain countdown idea that I made here on Make and Takes.

Can you tell that it is a Christmas tree?

I probably will make the loops a little shorter and wider next time.  I would suggest a 1 1/2 in width...and maybe play with the length a little bit.  I am not sure about that!  I thought that it came out cute! I added the numbers on each loop, because I thought it would be a great way to determine which chain to tear off.  My 3 year old did NOT want to tear off the first chain!  I had to help him.  I think that he is upset that we will be taking it apart...at least that is the way it was last night!  I am sure that he will have fun with it as the month continues!

I need to finish prepping for tonight's activities!  More on that later!

Our Advent Plans for 2011

Today marks the first day of the beginning of our Advent season.  As we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus, Dawson and I wanted our family to learn more about God and also have some family fun.  As I prayed about it and searched the Internet, I came up with the following ideas that we will do each day:

1. The Names and/or Attributes of God.  Each day, the boys will open up a box and will find an ornament (made from chipboard - real simple) with a name or attribute of God.  We will read scriptures from the Bible that mentions that attribute and then we will do a craft or activity that surrounds the meaning of that name.  The information that I used, I found here, however I did change some of the crafts a little bit.

Today, we will focus on "Almighty" God, we will read Gen 17:1-3; Gen. 15:5; Gen. 35:11 and Ps. 90:1-2.  For our craft, I glued yellow popsicle sticks together to form a star - and the kids will decorate it with glitter glue.

2. Fun Family Activities.  After we learn about a name or attribute of God, the boys will then take out a slip of paper that lists a fun family activity that we will do together.  I first found this idea on Simple Mom's blog.  She posted a Christmas Countdown, and I thought it was a great idea.  I have changed the activities a little bit to suit what we will be doing this month, but her list was a great place to begin thinking about what I wanted our family to do!

So what will our family be doing today?  We will be decorating the Christmas tree (which the boys have been looking forward to doing) while listening to Christmas music!  It will be followed by sipping some hot chocolate!

I will be sharing more of what we are going to be doing this month in another post!  I hope that you are having a wonderful time with your family!

Preparing for the Advent Season

Advent is almost upon us...in fact, it starts tomorrow for us.  I know that for some, advent has already begun (November 27th), but here in our house, we will begin tomorrow...December 1st!

So, I am busy trying to get everything together!  I am planning to do something each day to focus on God, we have a countdown that I have made for the boys, and then we will do a fun activity too!  I will be sharing what I am doing soon!

What do you do to celebrate the advent season?  Are you ready for it?  Are you still preparing?  Please share what you plan to do with your family this year!

Carmex Healing Lotion and Cream: Review and Giveaway

Have you ever had dry, cracking skin on your hands during the winter months?  I have, and I really do not enjoy it!  I was pretty excited when Carmex contacted me to sample and review their Healing Lotion and Healing Cream!  I was REALLY excited when I received my package in the mail to find a full size and a travel size of each type!  That meant that I could keep the full size in my bedroom and bring the travel size tubes with me wherever I go!

I have used the products for a few weeks.  They have a light scent and go on smoothly without leaving a greasy feeling behind.  They worked great when I needed a little bit of moisture added to my hands.  However, when my hands became really dry, I do not feel like the healing cream was rich enough to give my knuckles the moisture that they needed...I felt like I needed to add some of the other lotions that I regularly use on my knuckles in order to give them the moisture that they needed.

So, would I use the lotion and cream again?  Yes, I would.  However, if my hands and knuckles became really dry, I would have to reach for another type of lotion.

This lotion may work differently for each person - would you like to try it out for yourself?  You do?  Great!  You can win the exact package of goodies that I received - one full size and one travel size of the Carmex Healing Lotion and Healing Cream!

Enter the Giveaway Now:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post for one entry - tell me what your favorite lotion is!
2. Facebook about this giveaway, and then leave another comment telling me that you did it!
3. Be sure that there is a way that I am able to contact you, in case you are chosen as the winner!
4. This giveaway will close on Saturday, December 3rd at 9pm EST.
5. This giveaway is only open to residents of the USA.

Note:  Although I was given a free sample of the Carmex healing lotion and healing cream, all thoughts are completely my own!

Broken Nails

When I came home from shopping the other day, I noticed that one of my fingernails had broken off!  Do you know what thoughts came to my mind???  Well, I will let you in on how my mind processes things:

1. How did I not realize that happened? (Because all of the white broke off!)  My nails were looking so nice...now, not so much!

2. My DNA is somewhere!  What if someone commits a crime at the store that I was in...they could find my fingernail and place me there...not that it matters for me - but it is just weird to think that my DNA is laying around somewhere!  I guess it is the biologist in me...and/or I have watched many CSI shows...or both - take your pick!

Winner: Freschetta Pizza Giveaway

And the winner is.....

#8 commenter: The Gang's Momma!  Congratulations!!!

You still have a few days to purchase a  Freschetta pizza and enter the code on their website Freschetta Proud to Support Pink Program!  For each entry,  Freschetta pizza will donate $1 to help fund breast cancer research.  I am going to enter my code tonight!

Eat Pizza, Support Breast Cancer, and a Giveaway!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Many companies are doing their part to raise money to support breast cancer research.  The Freschetta company is presenting the Freschetta Proud to Support Pink Program.  They have a goal of making a $50,000 donation to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Of course, you, the consumer play a part in Freschetta reaching their goal.  How can you help?  From now until October 31st, purchase a specially marked package of Freschetta Pizzas and Artisan Pizza Crusts (use the $1 coupon found on their site) and enter your code on the Proud to Support Pink website.  For every code that is entered, Freschetta will donate $1, and you will be entered to win a pink iPOD shuffle - they are giving away 50 each week to those who enter a code...and each week 50 pink iPOD shuffles will be donated to four cancer centers around America for breast cancer patients to use during their treatments.  I think that this is a great and easy way to help and support breast cancer research!  Even if you only purchase one pizza and enter your code online, you will make a difference in someone's life.

the GIVEAWAY!
One of my readers will receive a coupon for a FREE Freschetta pizza PLUS two free pairs of Freschetta Proud to Support Pink earphones - one to keep and one to share with a friend as a reminder of proactive health.

One winner will receive this gift pack!

The Rules to Enter the Giveaway:
1. Leave a comment on my blog telling me what your favorite pizza topping is!  (entry #1)
2. Gain a second entry by sharing this giveaway on facebook - be sure to come back and leave a comment telling me that you "facebooked it"
3. Please be sure that I have a way to contact you, if you are the winner
4. All comments will be closed at 10pm EST on Saturday, October 29th!

Be proactive and be sure to do your monthly self breast exam - it could save your life!

Note: The makers of Freschetta Pizza contacted me and provided a free coupon and earphones for me to review and keep!  However, all opinions and thoughts are strictly my own!