Day 20 - Elfina's Advent Adventure

Today is cookie baking day!  And Ella and Elfina got to help put it all together.... Ella did really well cracking the eggs all by herself and using the hand mixer for the first time (that made me a little nervous, as I pictured everything flying all over the kitchen).  We were also excited that Mim showed up unexpectedly and we could start sharing the cookies that we made.  

Day #20

Let’s put on an apron and make a mess

Making cookies together will be our success

We will make them for friends, neighbors and such

A few we will eat, but not very much

Enjoy the time in the kitchen with mom

Perfecting the recipe, it will be the bomb

Verse of the Day: Proverbs 31:31 

Love our Monster Cookies

Day 19 - Elfina's Advent Adventure

Today is a helpful Elf day.... today is all about helping out the people you love.... so why not start with Mom and Dad.... Ella's job today (with the "help" of Elfina) is to do three jobs around the house to be helpful.... she was also encouraged to help her Mim today but she slept in so she didn't get to find the Elf before going to Mim's house this morning.

Day #19

Today your job is to be a helper elf

Just like me, but really yourself

I need you to join me to do three jobs today

The jobs are your choice, but your mom and dad have a say

Also it would be nice if you help Mim as well

She loves you and your help would be swell

Verse of the Day: Matthew 19:19 

Though this day didn't go exactly as planned.... Ella was helpful and did so some things to help around the house... and she even helped our neighbor put salt on his driveway.  I also didn't get any pictures.  

Day 18 - Elfina's Advent Adventure

Today's Advent Adventure involved singing at a fundraising Coffee House.  Though it didn't go exactly as I would have planned.... it was pure Ella fashion.... we didn't get to have Elfina on the stage but she enjoyed the show.

Day #18

Let’s take the stage, and sing a song

Maybe we can even ask Mommy to sing along

Please don’t forget to take me tomorrow night

I want to meet your friends and I’ll be a sight

They won’t forget me, but better yet

We hope they remember Jesus who you have met

In your heart, he lives

So tonight let’s sing about the love He gives

Verse of the Day: Psalm 100

Ella and her friend Kaylee

Day 17 - Elfina's Advent Adventure

Today we are hunchering down and staying in for the morning.... yucky wintry mix outside makes the idea of staying inside all the more exciting.  So today is Gingerbread house making day!!!  Today's verse talks about building on a firm foundation - the rock!  Jesus Christ!  I thought that was fitting for our gingerbread making.

Day #17

Christmas time is coming soon

So let’s get busy and build a room

Or a house that is, made out of gingerbread

Let’s get out the candy, please don’t eat it instead.

We need to be sure the house has a good foundation

Because Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation

Verse of the Day: Matthew 7:24

We had a great time working on the house together.  She is really improving using the piping bag, and of course she is excellent at her tasting skills :)  

Day 16 - Elfina's Advent Adventures

So I was laying in bed around midnight last night trying to get ready for my day and getting the elf ready.... when I realized that the elf was still in the car.... it was really cold... and I was ready for bed... so what does every great mom do.... nope I didn't walk out to the car that is for sure... instead I incorporated it into the adventure for the day.... this is what the note said...

Day #16

Help, Help – I am a missing elf

If you find me, please put me inside my book shelf.

This house was built to keep me warm

But I think I must have been stuck in the cold storm

Please find me and bring me in

So we can read Christmas books, I want to begin

The pile of books gets bigger each year

So let’s start from the bottom, and when finished give a cheer. 

Verse of the Day: Luke 2:40 

It's book day... we have lots of Christmas books so today we built a house for the elf out of books and will take some time throughout today reading some of our Christmas books.  PS - my great husband went to the car this morning and got the elf once Ella realized that she had left it in there.  

Day 14 & 15 - Elfina's Advent Adventures

This was Ella's entrepreneur day.... in the summer and fall - Ella has a Veggie stand so she decided she wanted to make pretzels to give as gifts and sell at Cruisers.  She enjoyed our pretzel making event.  

Day #14

I have been practicing the spelling of your name

Decorating the counter was such a fun game

Today you can do a project with your mom

You can make chocolate covered pretzels that will be the bomb!

Quality time with your mom making snacks

Is good for the heart, and that is a fact.

So have fun making treats, and don’t make too big of a mess

I am sure they will look great, and be a success

Verse of the Day: Prov. 1:8

Today was mommy/daughter day.  We spent the day together, shopping not only for the gifts that I needed but also for Ella to learn the importance of giving.  So she was given money to get something for a friend as well as herself.  

Day #15

For today’s adventure we must leave for the car

No worries Ella we won’t be going too far

Let’s head to Selinsgrove, to have a girl’s day

I even have this gift card, for you to pay.

But don’t spend too much just on yourself,

Also buy a gift for a friend and share your wealth.

Verse of the Day: Prov. 17:17

Though I am pretty tired from being gone all day - it was a nice day of shopping and Ella did well looking and chosing gifts.  Now if we could just get through this I want everything stage :)  

Day 12 & 13 - Elfina's Advent Adventures

Since this was Joel's week off and our Anniversary we were on the road a little more than usual.  We left on Monday and headed to Lancaster for an overnight.  We knew it would be dark on our trip so looking for lights would be a fun highlight of our trip.  

Day #12

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

I love that song, and I love lights!

They shine so brightly, especially at night

I loved using lights to decorate this home

So let’s take a light tour tonight, to many places we’ll roam

As you drive tonight be sure to pick a favorite place

Whose lights bring you joy and a put a smile on your face

Verse of the Day: John 8:12

Taking pictures by request while riding in the car

This house had music with it.  

Day 13 - was a fun day for all of us.... as we celebrated out 8th Anniversary as a family by going to see Samson at Sight and Sound.  It was a bonus as well that we got tickets for half price.  Ella was so excited and did a great job!  She really wants to meet Samson but she was sad that he is dead... then she said, well I guess I will have to meet him in heaven.  

Day #13

Samson was a mighty man, whose strength was in his hair

I don’t really have much hair, but our strength you can compare

Okay actually I am not really that strong

But with today’s adventure, you won’t be wrong

Today we will go to a place called Sight and Sound

To see your first official Musical, I am sure it will astound

Verse of the Day: Judges 13:5

Ella made a friend within the first few minutes of walking in the door  

Lunch at Hershey Farms

Day 10 & 11 - Elfina's Advent Adventure

These two days were spent in DuBois Pa.  We spent some time at a hotel (thanks to Mandy!) And enjoyed meeting new family as well as time celebrated Christmas with some family members.  Ella had a sleepover at Nana's house and enjoyed Cousin day with Easton.  I didn't get lots of pictures, but here is an Elf picture of the set up - they enjoyed lots of fun activities together. 

Day #10

It’s Cousin Day – Let’s have some fun

We will laugh and sing and even run

Around the house, we’ll make some noise

We eat, hide out and play with toys

I have a few things to add to the joy

So open me up, and together enjoy!

Verse of the Day: Ecclesiastes 4:9

Day 11 - thankfully - the weather did work out as it was predicted because I had to plan everything ahead of time for the whole weekend... and it snowed as planned and Ella loved it!  

Day #11

Good morning Sunshine, Go and look to the sky

Will it be snowing, can you see it with your eyes?

If it is snowing I think you should go out

And throw a few snowballs, and give a big shout

If angels are possible, I would make one I would

Because playing in the snow is something you should

Do when it’s winter, it doesn’t snow much

So enjoy it and remember the meaning is such

Jesus died to help us to know

He washes our sins as white as snow

Verse of the Day: Isaiah 1:18

This was also a great opportunity to talk about the fact that Jesus washes our sins are white as snow!  What a great promise!  

Making Snowmen as we drive home.

Elfina's snow angel 

Snowball fight! 

Day 8 - 9 of Elfina's Advent Adventures

Sorry I haven't been great about the blogging lately.... we were away and I have been tired in the evening.  I will try to do two days at a time to catch up on my blogs.

On Day 8 - It was Daddy Daughter Day and one thing that Ella loves to do is be creative and make up songs and make videos.  She is very random as you will see.  But I think you will enjoy her video of the day.

 Day #8

Today is Daddy Daughter Day

We are off for an adventure we are off and away

While Mommy is working we will have some fun

Today we will make some videos of the things we have done.

Don’t forget to take me along

I want to be in all the videos and also your songs

 So put on your creative thinking cap

We are off to great adventures, be sure you take your map

Verse of the Day: Psalm 96:1

Day 9 - Was all about giving to others.  Ella loves stuffed animals and dolls and she finds it challenging to buy them and give them away when she really wants to keep them.... however this year we only got a few minutes of you can't keep it, which was an improvement from last year... which was a lot of tears!  Anyway - cool story - we weren't able to find a donation bin the day we got the gifts so we saw one at our hotel... and little did we know but we also earned some free hotel points for donating the gifts. 

  

 Day #9

You have been blessed with many toys and things

People who love you, these are the things they bring

But many kids around these towns

Don’t have many toys and that brings a frown

I think it would be fun to go shopping today

For a boy or a girl, who’s name we can’t say

We will find a box that is collecting the toys

For a special little child, a girl or a boy

Verse of the Day: Matthew 25:40

So proud of her for not crying this year when I told her she couldn't keep it.  

A Stocking for Kit - Ella & Elfina's Adventures Day 7

Today's Adventures had Ella and Elfina making a stocking for Kit (Ella's American Girl Doll).  Last year during Advent we made a stocking for Lucy (Ella's other doll) so we thought it would be fun to make one for Kit as well.  So Ella found Elfina in the closet with my stash of felt thrown all over the closet.  Kit and Lucy were right there as well watching Elfina make a mess.  Here was her note this morning....

Day #7

I am glad that you found me

I am not trying to hide

I was looking for some fabric

To help out a friend of mine. 

You see Lucy has a stocking from last year,

But Kit wasn’t around so let’s make one my dear.

I need some help because I am not good at sewing

But together we can work and figure out what we are doing

Verse of the Day: Ephesians 2:10 

In addition to making the stocking for Kit - we also spent some time talking about what it means to be God's creation and his workmanship.  It was a fun day of crafting together.