We took JDaniel to a drive thru living nativity on Friday. He loved the camels at the beginning. He really loved the sheep and donkeys that surrounded Mary and Joseph. JDaniel also like the huge horses the Roman Centurions were riding. Although we read him all the signs that were posted on the route, talked about the people in each setting, and pointed out the large star over the manger all he seemed to notice were the animals. Yesterday we asked him about what he saw and according to him animals were there. Maybe next year he will get the Bible story too.
Bouncing Place Visit- One Was Too Young and the Other Too Weak
JDaniel and I went to Monkey Joe’s a local bouncy house place on Wednesday. He had a great time circling the arcade games and getting to dunk a basket ball another child let him use. He had fun bouncing and going down the slides too. It was the games that he really liked to watch light up. I guess he wasn’t really ready for the bouncy activities yet. I may not have been ready yet either. I think it will be more fun for me when I don’t have to carry or shove up ramps a thirty one pound toddler.
I glad it was half price day!
Socks or Polar Bear Claws?
The day before yesterday JDaniel and I went to Toddler Time at our local Chik Fil-A. They had a Kindermusik program this week. He had the best time dancing around with bells, drums, scarves and socks. JDaniel was great about putting all the items away until the teacher told the children to put their polar bear claws. JDaniel had had a great time marching around like a polar. He just didn’t understand that the socks were supposed to be claws. When I reminded him to put his polar bear claws away, he looked up at me and said, “Socks?” “Yes, put in the socks. The teacher thinks they are polar bear claws,” I told him.
Oaks Ministries- Give a Gift to Others for Others
Oakseed Ministries was started by a man at my former church in Virginia. For years I have ordered Christmas gifts for my family and friends from the catalog. You can select a part of the world you would like to impact. Click on a ministry Oakseed supports and get a gift for as little as $10.
What can you get for $10?
· School fees for a child in India
· Medicine for a child in Kenya
· School supplies for a child in Russia
· Chickens for a family in Brazil
· Diapers, formula and whole milk for a child in Bolivia
· Vitamins and Medicine for a child in Peru
Click here to check out the gifts in their online catalog.
Chistmas Painting with Bingo Markers
JDaniel and I stamped circles using bingo markers on these holiday coloring pages. Can you tell he gained more and more control over the bingo markers as we progressed from the Christmas tree to the stocking?
Christmas Breakfast- Muffin Tin Monday
This week’s theme is Christmas breakfast. I decided to read JDaniel the book Cock-A-Doodle Christmas by Will Hillenbrand and base most of his breakfast on the book. Before I describe his tin, let me tell you about this great book. The main character in the book is a rooster named Harold who lives in Bethlehem. Harold is given the job of waking up the animals in the morning by Old Rooster when Old Rooster retires and moves down the road to his sister’s farm. Harold doesn’t feel up to the job. He, in fact, doesn’t cock-a-doodle-do loud enough for several days he is on the job and all the animals are late getting their work done. One evening a young woman expecting a baby and her husband come to rest in the stable. That night Harold sees a bright star, he hears voices in the distance rejoicing in song, and shepherds come to worship the baby. Harold wonders what is going on. He hears a shepherd say that Good News is here. He hears that that is hope for a new day. He doesn’t understand. He turns to a baby and sees love and understanding. Harold feels a special joy and understands that his life will never be the same again. He next day he can’t wait to share it. Harold says, “Cock-A- Doodle Doo! Good News for You!” He says it aloud as he can.

Daniel had a mixed tin. He had chocolate chip muffins that represent the sweetness of Harold’s message. He had Golden Grahams to represent the rough cloth the baby would be wrapped in. He had the boiled egg to represent the bright shining star. He had apple and butternut squash yogurt to represent the vegetables the animals would have eaten. He had the reindeer pear because I thought it would be cute. It doesn’t fit in the story in any way.

Trusting Someone Else’s Plan through Prayer
We just got back from visiting my in-laws in Georgia. They are such an amazing couple. My father in-law’s health has been failing and he had to move to a hospital area in their retirement community until he gets stronger. He really wants to come home. JDaniel2 works hard every day to walk more, eat better, and rest. He has had heart problems for a long time and we don’t know how long we will have him. It doesn’t seem to faze him. He is motivated to gain strength. It was amazing watch my mother in-law interact with him. She just loves on him. She told me today she knows God has his own timeline for her JDaniel2. I pray that God gives JDaniel4 and I more time to get to know him. We are late comers to the family and JDaniel isn’t old enough to have memories of his own of his grandfather yet.
This week I have heard about two babies dying (one in utro and one less than a month old), visited a very special man I don’t want to die yet, and struggled to understand God’s hand in all of it. I know he has a plan. I know I can’t control his plan. I know I have to trust in his plan.
If you get a chance, please pray for my friends C and H who lost babies and JDaniel2 this week.
Holiday House Decorating- Pressure and Envy
JDaniel and I went shopping for some Christmas decorations for the outside of our house yesterday. I was really feeling the need to keep up with the other people with in the neighborhood. Really not to keep up with them just to do something more than we did last year. We usually hang a wreath on the door, put lights on one tree, and place ribbons on our railing. It looks nice. With the expectation of the house next store that has a lot of lights the other five around us have wreaths with red bows on all the lower windows, garlands under windows, and some lights. It is all tastefully done. With the bad weather , lateness my husband gets home, and my inability to climb a ladder to decorate with a toddler our house doesn’t even have up what we had last year. The plan is to work on it this weekend so; JDaniel and I got four wreaths with ribbons yesterday at A.C. Moore. They were a great deal. All four wreaths were $21. Now I just have to hope the weather stays nice!
Do you have the only undecorated house on your block? Do you deal with house envy?
Meditating on God’s Word with Eyes Closed
JDaniel has had a cold since last Sunday. My husband has just started coming down with one.I left my husband and JDaniel home today and went off the church.
When I got home, the house was really quiet. I rushed to get changed into jeans and put away my church clothes before I started looking for them.
Where did I find them? JDaniel was lying in my husband’s arms on the couch. They both had fallen asleep.
I guess they chose to meditate on God’s Word with their eyes closed today.
Thankfulness Turkey Craft for Kids

JDaniel made this lovely turkey. He had a little help with it. Okay! He had a lot of help with it.
The turkey now lives on our refrigerator. I love displaying his work! JDaniel is so proud of his work being displayed.






