Advent - Week 1 {HOPE} - Sunday 12/2/2018

I especially love this time of year. 🎄🌟 It is the season of giving, the season of gratitude, and the birth of our Lord, Jesus. There are so many wonderful blessings to reflect on this year and I've found doing to with our children makes the season so much more meaningful - for all of us. This is our second year doing Advent activities and I'm grateful to tell you that I am overjoyed and our children are too!! In a 1-subject notebook both myself and three of our children are journaling through Advent, writing a verse each day, as well as what we are thankful for. It's something we do before bed each night until the 24th.

If you want/ need more information about Avent, here is a GREAT resource I found a year ago for adults that explains Advent symbology as well as what is celebrated week by week is: https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/the-advent-wreath-tradition-meaning/

To celebrate the 1st week of Advent we light the candle of HOPE, which is also known as the "Prophet's Candle", reminding us that Jesus is coming...

here are the resources I found, that helped me explain and foster the meaning of Advent with our Littles.

With this I have the kids write the words HOPE - FAITH - JOY - PEACE and write the bible verses above, and draw an illustration for what that scripture means to them. I'll post pictures of our kids' journals soon!

Then, the kids colored and cut/pasted their own Advent Calendar Tree (below) in their Bible Journals as well, each night we color the corresponding "day" and say a prayer together.
I got the Tree from: http://www.zephyrhillblog.com/2014/11/free-printables-and-coloring-pages-for-advent/