The Story In The Carols Day 4

 Today the angels were holding a picture of a donkey.  

I think this carol reminds us that the journey to Bethlehem wasn't an easy one...and then there was being pregnant, due to give birth.  

Cedar opened today's book, Room for a Little One.  It is one of my favourite about the animals in the stable, one of whom is Tired Donkey. :)

Arrow was only happy to be in the photo like this today.  Good thing Cedar is usually compliant for his mummy!

Christmas Bead Story

Square Bead - Whey they arrive in Bethlehem there was no room in the inn so they slept in a stable.

Our Christmas themed cupcakes today.

The movie for today.

~Lorna

The Story In The Carols Day 3

Even the animals get some decorations!  Butterfly thinks of all the little details.

The lady bunnies with their babies

Mr Benjamin Bunny

Lilac and Cupcake Guineapig were much to shy to come out and pose.

Kelly loves to eat her lemon balm wreath.

Cedar and Arrow

 Today the angels were hiding in a pot plant.  You can't see it very well but there is a cross faintly in the sky on the left of the picture of Mary holding Jesus.

 The carol today is Mary Did You Know?  Questions that reflect for us on why Jesus was born at all.  This version on You Tube is wonderful - Pentatonix - Mary Did You Know?.

Today's book was opened by Blossom.  Cedar chose the unwrapped book.

Christmas Bead Story.

Brown Bead - Mary and Joseph rode a donkey to Bethlehem to be taxed.

 Movie for today, 2 actually.  

Our Christmas themed snack today.

~Lorna

The Story In The Carols Day 2

This is the book I have used for the last 15 years to gather ideas and form our own family traditions for Christmas.  It is full of ideas, devotionals, tips to survive the busyness, thoughts, and Christmas songs. 

Today the children found our Angels, Grace and Promise, in the linen cupboard holding a picture likeness of Mary.

The carol for today is Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) by Amy Grant.  

I really love the way Amy Grant and Chris Eaton have captured Mary's possible thoughts in this beautiful song.  Mary pondered things (Luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.).  She was so humble and trusting.  I think this song gives us a glimpse into the mind of a new mum-to-be who was carrying such a precious little load.  To listen to the song, which you should just once at least, click on this link  *Breath of Heaven*.

Crystal opened a book today and Blossom chose an unwrapped book.

Here we are listening to the girls read their chosen books.

Christmas Bead Story. Today we added the blue bead.

Blue Bead - The angel tells Mary she is going to have a baby boy and to name him Jesus

Today's movie was a Veggie Tales DVD. 

~Lorna

The Story In The Carols Day 1

Here we are in December again.  I am excited about our month leading up to Christmas Day.  

This year I decided to have the theme of Carols and the story they tell.  I hope you enjoy our little journey as we learn a little more about this time we celebrate together.

Today's devotional was the first of Advent - the Prophesy Candle representing Hope.  God's promises give us hope.  God promised he would send a messiah (Bethlehem...out of you shall come forth the One to be ruler in Israel. Micah 5:2) and he did; he sent Jesus.  And God promised that by sending Jesus a way would be made for us to be free from our sin (All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6).  

Advent - Prophesy Candle representing Hope

 This is our advent calendar.  We count down with a candy cane each per day.  They LOVE this...

And this is a new advent picture calendar for this year.  I do love Beatrix Potter.

Last year we wrapped Christmas books.  It was a huge hit.  So again this year!  
This year one child unwraps a book and a second child chooses from the unwrapped books.  I have over 50 Christmas books and I didn't want to wrap that many!

Today we had to unwrap 2 books as I had planned to begin yesterday but didn't get to everything.

Cedar and Arrow 

Crystal and Arrow

 Another tradition we began last year were the Christmas Angels.

This is the letter the children found in the mail box this morning.

The angels were hiding on the bookshelf.

I really like the words to this carol.  I don't know the tune, so I am using it as a poem which we will ponder on over the next 3 weeks as we steep in the story and it's meaning.

The first carol we have today is I Love To Tell The Story.  I love doing our activities in December with my children to help them learn the depths and beauty of the story.  And I look forward to that one day when I will sing with the angels the new, new song of the old, old story!

I stumbled upon a story bead idea for Thanksgiving, which lead me on a search for a Christmas one.  I couldn't find one that fit my ideal so I made my own up.  We will work our way through the story one day at a time.  I am hoping that by the end of the story the children will remember what each bead represents and be able to tell the Great Story of Redemption in their own words.

Christmas Bead Story

White Bead - An angel appears to Mary

 Eagerly anticipated are the movies I tuck away for December viewing only.  Here is a new one we added.  It isn't really a Christmas one, but there is snow and the story is really endearing.

For Advent, Angel, Blossom, and I made a themed dinner.

Chicken Wreath Pie
*Recipe Here*

Strawberry, Mint, Meringue wreath
*Recipe Here*

I do hope you are inspired!  Please leave a comment if you can, we would love to hear from you.

~Lorna

December Day #21

Our angels are sitting on Blossom and Crystal's window sill.  They are holding a picture of a shepherd staff.  Today is the fourth devotional in advent.

We lit the green candle, the shepherd's candle which represents joy.  The shepherds are a picture for us to see God's heart: God wants us to hear the good news of great joy so much.  That good news is of course that Jesus is the One who would make the way for us to be able to stand before a holy God covered in righteousness; not our own but Jesus's righteousness.  


We did open books today.  Butterfly and Blossom.

The books are:

• The Little Bird of Bethlehem.  A book about a pigeon who witnesses the stable events
• The Little Match Girl.  A Hans Christian Andersen story.  Sad.  Need a tissue while reading.

Another movie.  

I really can't tell you about this one yet, other than that my children really enjoy the VeggieTales stories.  I know they are not a favourite of some people.  My children have learned things from them and we have had great conversations from the stories...so they are staying here.  

We had some family and neighbours over today for a friendly gathering!  Butterfly decided to bake for the occasion.  

Beautiful, and delicious.  Well done my sweetie!

~Lorna

December Day #20

The third devotional in advent is about angels (a few days later than the schedule).  We lit the white candle, the angel's candle which represents Peace.
Angels are the messengers of God.  Whenever God had a message for someone He sent an angel.  At the announcement of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds a whole choir of angels sang praises!  They sang because now Peace had come to earth.  The Peace that God had promised to those who follow His ways.  Perfect Peace.


Our angels were sitting on my window sill holding some coloured ribbon.

The devotional today was about the colours of Christmas.  We usually associate Christmas with red and green, and also gold and white.
White (snow) reminds us that we can be washed clean, as white as snow.  
Isaiah 1:18 "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."
Red (holly berries, Pohutakawa flowers here in NZ) reminds us of our "scarlet" sins and the blood that was shed by Jesus on the cross.  He gave His life as a sacrifice in our place for the sins which separate us from God.
Green (evergreen trees) remind us of everlasting life.  When we are washed clean, God makes us like a green tree that lives forever before Him.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river.. [its} leaf will be green..nor will [it] cease from yielding fruit."
Gold (ornaments) remind us that when we believe in God we become children of the King.
Psalm 21:3 "For you meet him (us) with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head."

There is so much in the festivities and traditions that can remind us of the true meaning of Christmas!


We didn't open books today.  I blame the humidity.

And when it rained we employed the tv to entertain!

 This little movie came all the way from the Gold Coast Australia courtesy of the newspaper a number of years ago.  We thank Nanny for sending it!  
It is a story about 2 mouse children who go on a quest to find the meaning of Christmas.  They talk to the ornaments on the tree to discover the story.

 We were really in to Angelina ballerina some years back.  Watching it again revived a dancing want in the girls.  It isn't really about Christmas, it is just set at Christmas time.

~Lorna