Advent Box Activities

As is our typical family tradition, throughout the month of December, Jason and I filled our kids' Advent calendar with special treats and activities. This is a way we can make sure the month is filled with fun memories and doesn't just get carried away by the busy-ness. Here are a few special things we did.

Fro-Yo Treat

This place is just delicious. Enough said. :)

Ice Skating

Jason took the boys out ice skating (for only their third time ever). Cody and Jaden were thrilled to go since they had good memories of our most recent time skating in Moody Gardens last year. This experience, however, was a bit more difficult and required some hard, cold work and determination. Even though it wasn't as smooth as they expected, the boys returned home with an overall positive review. 

German Festival

Visiting this biannual event in our little suburb is always a family favorite. We allowed our kids to select a few carnival rides to go on, and then we encouraged a family ferris wheel ride.

We ended the evening by sampling fair food while listening to some live German music. I especially loved the accordian player and listening to the singers yodel.

Light Displays

One evening, our family drove around and looked at neighborhood Christmas lights. The boys always enjoy crossing items off a Christmas lights scavenger hunt list. On a different night, we drove to two separate light displays. The first was called Trail of Lights, an event sponsored by a Methodist church. We walked along a self-guided pathway of lights on the church's property and ended with hot chocolate and cookies. I'm sure you can guess what the kids' favorite part was!

We continued on to what is likely the most amazing privately-owned light display I've ever seen. The guy who sets up this display owns 5 acres of property and decorates his land to the hilt! He allows people to park and walk around his property to see all the displays up close. It is unbelievable!

Yes, that is a real fire engine on this guy's lawn. :)

Our kids were pretty wowed by this home as well. So fun to see!

What a wonderful time of year!

2nd Grade Adventures

Cody and Jaden's 2nd grade teachers have done a fabulous job of taking and sharing pictures in their classrooms this year. We have loved seeing some of the boys' classroom adventures. Here are photos from the first half of the school year.

Cody's teacher says that Cody chooses this activity often in his free time!

making constellations in science

learning about the moon's phases with Oreos

Cody with his 2 chapel buddies

Jaden's recycling project-- a car garage

Cody's checkerboard recycling project

Cody's teacher asked Cody to keep his project at school. His class
loves playing checkers during indoor recess and at free time.

Jaden's class visited our church's pumpkin patch in October.

Cody's class learning about erosion

Jaden's class led their school's chapel service in October. The class
acted out the story from the children's book "Flight School" by Lita Judge.

The story involves a penguin who is so determined to fly that he joins other birds at a flight shcool. Jaden dressed as a green bird and primarily did actions while other classmates narrated the story. 

At the end of the story, Jaden had one speaking line. We were proud of him for his clear speaking!

Jaden's class after their chapel service

Both of the boys' classes made pancakes in order to learn about
following recipes, measuring ingredients, and reading fractions.

Chocolate chip pancakes-- YUM!

making fossil imprints in science

constructing Christmas trees with gumdrops and toothpicks

Cody wrote The Story of the Gingerbread Star and shared it with his class.

Jaden's class read Luke 2 together before Christmas break.

Cody's class decorated "gingerbread" (graham cracker) houses.
Cody came home with a house barely decorated and a bag full of candy.
He said he was more excited to just eat the candy! Ha!

Silly photos at Cody's class Christmas party

making Christmas ornaments

Daddy led games at Cody's class Christmas party. This was
one of the boys' favorites-- Head Down, Head Up.

They also played a snowball catching minute-to-win-it game.

Jaden's class at their Christmas party.

Jaden's teacher did the gingerbread house decorating
as part of their class Christmas party. She welcomed
parents (and younger siblings) into the classroom too,
so Adley and I joined Jaden that afternoon.

We have loved our boys' teachers this year and are so thankful for this window into their classrooms. They are having a great year!