Vera Archives - Page 30 of 93 - Feathers in Our Nest

Cookies & Carols

December 24, 2012 by Aliesha

I have three favorite Christmas season memories with Vera this year, so far. One of them I posted about yesterday. Another one was getting to make cookies with her last Friday!

She “got it” this year, for the most part, and was able to help roll the dough and cut out the cookies (kind of).

Of course she thought the cookies tasted delicious!

My #1 favorite memory of Vera this Christmas season was when we went caroling last Thursday. She did really great as we went room to room, singing to various residents. In one room, she made a beeline for an older woman sitting in a recliner. She climbed up on her lap and cuddled with her while we sang our songs!

I had tears in my eyes as I watched her show love and spread Christmas joy. It was so precious!

My heart is overflowing with joy this season, and I am so thankful for my sweet family!

Whose Child Is This?

December 23, 2012 by Aliesha

That’s not my child trying to climb into the choir loft during the Christmas play at church.

That’s also not my child screaming, “I want to open it!” while holding a present in the middle of the play.

Of course it’s not my child who threw her jingle bells across the stage.

It’s definitely not my child who decided to lay down on stage in the middle of the solo…

…and who then decided to roll over on her back to get a better view of the ceiling.

That’s not my child attempting to run off the stage!

Actually, it totally is my child. 🙂 And she made me laugh so hard during the play tonight I was crying. I love that she is a big bundle of energy… I wouldn’t have her any other way!!

Keeping Christmas Simple & Jesus-Centered

December 13, 2012 by Aliesha

Tad and I knew even before we had children that we wanted Christmas to be Jesus-centered and we wanted our children to have an understanding at a young age that Christmas is about giving.

We don’t do Santa (that’s a topic for another time) or Elf on the Shelf. We don’t want anything like that to distract from celebrating Jesus’ birth! We still make the Christmas season a joyous, special time.

Our family does simple gifts, too. We give the girls three gifts: something to read, something to wear, and something to play with (as well as pajamas on Christmas eve and stockings on Christmas morning).

We are teaching the girls traditional Christmas carols, like Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Away in a Manger, Silent Night, and O Little Town of Bethlehem. We are planning on going caroling at a nursing home and to shut-ins from our church closer to Christmas.

When we talk about Christmas, I ask Vera what we are celebrating. She responds with either, “Baby Jesus!” or “Jesus’ birthday!” She’s learning to say “Merry Christmas!” (Right now it’s coming out, “Merry Chris-chris!”)

We have been doing Advent using a kit that my mom made for us. It’s a set of magnetic nativity figures (a new one to open every day) and portions of Luke 2 to read each day. Vera looks forward to “Avend,” as she says it, every day. Vera loves all of the animals and playing with the magnets on the fridge. She knows what a stable is and she’ll tell you that a manger is a place where the donkey eats.

We have a plastic nativity set that the girls love to play with. Vera carries the pieces throughout the house and can identify many of them.

Vera and Cordelia have a little tree in their room with lights and small jingle bell ornaments. Vera has also been bringing home lots of ornaments from church that she made in Sunday School and AWANA.

The chalkboard in the kitchen reminds us of the reason for the season.

A stack of red and green towels adds color to a corner of the kitchen.

Our tree is simply decorated with meaningful ornaments.

Our mantle is simple this year, with the focus being a ceramic nativity set my grandmother gave me. Vera was excited to see it when I first put it up.