Christmas Count-down calendar

I'm not calling this an Advent calendar, although that's where I got the idea, because I'm not following all of the Advent rules.  So, the original idea for this came from my crafty blogging friend Kendra, from this post she did last year.  Yes, I've been thinking about doing this for a year.  So a few weeks ago, I started collecting our finished toilet paper rolls and asked that Maw Maw and Paw Paw do the same...and then I kept our paper towel rolls as well.

And today, I started and completed the project.  In my opinion, it's not nearly as cute as Kendra's, but hey...I happen to like it!  (And by the way, if you agree that it isn't as cute, you don't have to post a comment to that effect...but you're welcome to tell me if you like mine or make additional suggestions about activities to include, even though I've filled out the days...I can always add activities and scripture to days throughout the month!!).

So here is a photo journal of the project!

Phase one...wrapping the individual rolls...3 per color of wrapping paper.

Laying them out in the pattern....

Beginning the assembly.  My first attempt was failed and this was actually the back-up, which worked much better.  Ribbon was used to tie the rolls together, with the edges of the ribbon sticking out on alternating sides.

Assembly is complete, and it's now hanging, with the use of a zip-tie.  (Matt's gonna wonder where all of his long zip ties have gone, because they're coming in handy for a variety of projects now-a-days).

Close up so that you can see the ties and wrapping paper.

Dates are now on the individual rolls.  Thank GOODNESS for sticker numbers!  And an even bigger thank GOODNESS for ones that I already had in my existing supply!!!

Now there are "to-do" items in each of the dates, corresponding with things that already exist on our calendar and I tried to think ahead (i.e., the Christmas farm we want to go to is ONLY open on the weekends, etc...).

So there it is...our Christmas count-down.  And yes, we do have another one that you move the numbers along and we'll be using that one, too.  You know, once I get it out of the Christmas decoration box.  I can't remember which day I put "put out Christmas decorations" on....

Long time, no update

Such is life...it's been crazy around here.  The kind of crazy that you wake up every day and pray for the strength to get through the day, but hey, God is good.  He's still the same God He was yesterday and will be tomorrow, despite the craziness that's going on today.  The question is really, "What will I learn and allow God to show me in the midst of and from the craziness?"

That's a million dollar question, now isn't it?

At any rate, I have a lot to be thankful for, and have been blessed by those around me who love and are caring for me, and am creating a detailed list JUST SO THAT I DON'T FORGET IT!  And I'm choosing to thank God for all of the ways that I'm seeing Him move in my life.

Today the kids and I went out to purchase the gifts for the child we adopted for Christmas from the Angel Tree from church and the two kids we chose to buy from from the office adoption list (their mom was killed in a car accident about a week and a half ago in a car accident and her older daughter is one of my students).  We talked about why we choose to give gifts at Christmas - it's to show God's love to others, just like God showed His love to us by sending Jesus to earth for us.  They had a good time picking out the presents for the children and, for the most part, didn't ask for things for themselves!