Merry Christmas!!

Well, Merry Christmas everyone! Can you believe this year is almost over? It is almost 2017!!!!!
I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas,, remembering the importance of this day!
Advent

Our family has a kind-of out of the ordinary Christmas tradition, involving Advent. A little less then 20 years ago, my parents decided to start Advent. My dad did lots of research, and finally came up with a unique Advent tradition. There is a tree, but it's not your usual Christmas tree. It's completely bare, and flat. There are sticks tied and nailed to larger stick, the 'trunk' of the tree. There are 25 ornaments representing Bible stories that we put on it, one for every day up to Christmas. My mom lights the first candle, and, every week, adding another. My dad reads a passage of Scripture, and the Bible story about that ornament, and then we hang it on the tree. 

Now since I've told you about our Advent tradition, I'll tell you what Advent means. Advent means 'The Coming'. Which coming? Well, there are three. First, the coming of Jesus into the world that night in Bethlehem. Second, the coming of Jesus into your heart, and third, the coming of Jesus in the end times, when He comes to take us to heaven. Those are the comings that we celebrate in this Christmas season. There is only one coming that is still I personally have not experienced. That is the third coming, When Jesus will take me to Heaven.

Rane
My brother has the cutest puppy ever! She is a blue tick hound, and pretty much the most adorable dog on earth! We are dog-sitting her over Christmas, and we all love her!

What have you been doing over the holidays?

(This is my adorable little sister!)

Mary

10 seasonal facts about me

Hi there, I know I haven't posted in a while, but good news, you happen to be reading one. So, read on.

I've been thinking, and I really don't have a lot of facts about me on this blog. So today is a 'get-to-know-me' post. 

10 of my favorite things in winter

i. Drinking tea.

ii. Being lazy and reading a book rather than doing laundry.

iii. Watching snowflakes falling in the evening, and then going to bed, waking up to a 'winter wonderland'.

( I'm getting into the Christmas spirit.)

iv. Going to ballet, and even if the day is cold, coming home warm.

v. Seeing the trees branches laden with snow, and then watching it drop off.

vi. Building a snowman, or a huge igloo with my family.

vii. Listening to my sisters' Christmas album on Pandora.

viii. Starting Advent with my family.

ix. Putting up our Christmas decorations, like our Dicken houses, and our little stable for the manger.

x. Putting together pretty outfits with all my cute sweaters, although I do need to get some more wintry shoes.

So, tell me a couple of your favorite things!

Mary