Day Four

December 4th

Many people are hungry - not just for food, but for love, for acceptance, for support. Some are starving spiritually. Jesus knew how to feed every kind of hunger. In our small way, we can do the same.

Scripture
Matthew 14:15-19

Suggestion
Feed someone spiritually. Write your testimony in a Book of Mormon and give it away.

Song
Tell Me the Stories of Jesus, Children's Songbook pg. #57

Day Three

December 3rd

All that we have, the air we breathe, the light by which we see, are gifts from a loving Father and His Son. In this season of giving, let us give one of the greatest gifts we can offer; a grateful, humble heart.

Scripture
Luke 17:12, 14-15, 17

Suggestion
In one of your prayers today, give thanks for every blessing you can name, without asking anything.

Song
Count Your Many Blessings, Hymn #241

Day Two

December 2nd
At Christmas we celebrate much more than the birth of a baby. We celebrate who that child already was, and what He would yet become. Christmas is a time of looking - to the past, with its glimpses of premortal glory, and to the future, with its promise of eternity.

Scripture
Mosiah 3:5, 8-10

Suggestion
As you decorate for Christmas, choose or make a decoration that will remind you of the Savior and his mission.

Song
O Come All Ye Faithful, Hymn #202

Day One

I happen to love collecting and using Advent Calendar’s! They are a great way to take a few moments each day to get a yummy treat, or read a scripture, or do a kind deed for others as we count down the days until Christmas.

Here are some of the ways we count down the days and build the excitement for the day we celebrate our Savior's birth:

Candy Cane counter - take one candy cane each day (we rotate who gets the candy each day)

I happen to love the wooden blocks that I made last month at our Relief Society Craft Night

I love this pizza pie pan advent calendar that my good friends at Ellemenopea sale!

And my newest creation (well I copied the ideas from Blue Cricket Design and my friend Kim, but I still made them so that counts right?):

A Spiritual Advent calendar! I had fun using my new Cricut Expressions to make this new twist on an old tradition. Check out the link for Blue Cricket Design for the tutorial.

To make this advent a little more focused on the birth and life of Jesus I borrowed the Spiritual Advent Calendar that my friend Kim posted on her blog last year. So each night we plan to read the insert and hopefully take a few minutes to remember the whole reason for this wonderful celebration!

Here are the directions for the Spiritual Advent Calendar and what we did today:

Spiritual Advent Calendar
This is no ordinary advent calendar with little windows to open or snowmen to past on. You are the only moving part. This calendar reviews the Savior's entire mission from the premortal councils on through his future return as Lord of Lord and King of Kings.

Beginning on December 1st, each day you'll read one or more passages of scripture, moving from epoch to epoch across the vast span of the Redeemer's work.

Each day there will be a suggestion of something you can do to grow closer to the Savior. There will also be a hymn or carol to sing.


December 1st

Remember the Savior's promise!

Scripture:

Matthew 18:20

Suggestion:
Invite your family to join you in each day's reading and singing.

Song:
O Come all Ye Faithful
Hymn #202

Happy Counting To You, Megan

So Happy To Be Stuck With You

I love my new magnet board that I made last week! It was really a quick project and we love being able to display the artwork of our little ones!

What you need:

- Picture frame the size you would like (the frame measures about 2ft x 3.5ft)

- Sheet metal, cut to size

- Spray paint

- Adhesive (hot glue or another fast drying glue)

- Staple gun

- Picture hanger

I went to a thrift store and bought a large picture with a wood frame. I was more interested in the frame - could I paint it, was it in good shape, could I remove the picture that was in it, was it the size I wanted, etc...). I found one for $10 (sorry I don't have a before shot). It was brown with an off-white fabric band and a little bit of gold metal. I then went to my local Home Depot and bought a sheet of sheet metal for about $18 - the guy there was nice enough to cut it to the size I needed(I didn't include the exact sizes for this frame because yours would be different. Be sure that you measure the picture that you removed from the frame). I have about half a sheet of sheet metal left so I can make a few smaller magnet display frames. I then bought black spray paint for $2.

How To:

1. Remove the picture from the frame. Save the picture so that you can get your sheet metal measurement from it.

2. Lightly sand the frame and be sure to wipe it down after.

3. Spray paint the frame the color you would like it. Let dry.

4. After frame is dry place a small bead of glue to the frame lip where the sheet metal will rest (I used hot glue and it hardened too fast for me to do this. I had to do one side at a time. It was pretty tricky. Next time I would use a different type of glue, I was just too impatient and didn't want to wait for it to dry).

5. Use the staple gun to place loose staples into the side of the frame to act as an extra hold for the sheet metal.

6. Attach your picture hanger to the back of your frame

7. Hang it where you would like in your home and enjoy!!!!

Happy Displaying to you, Megan

Monster Mini Golf

Last weekend we went to check out this indoor, GLOW IN THE DARK, miniature golf place! It was AWESOME!!!! We had a great time seeing everything glow (the entire place was lighted with black lights), listening to some fun music that the DJ was playing, and had fun looking at all the cool monsterish decor! If you have one near you, I would highly recommend going!

Sorry for the fuzzy picture, but I wanted to show you what it looked like inside!

Carson pretending to be dead! Funny kids!

We had fun! Too bad we didn't get a shot of all of us (Ryan was taking this picture)!

New York, New York

Ryan and I had a wonderful time in Manhattan. It was an extended weekend spent walking, eating, watching, and taking in the wonderful sites! I would love to go back and spend some more time checking out the different areas and visiting a few more shops!!!!