Comment from Sherilyn -Dominee Huisvrouw
Time: December 18, 2009, 9:18 am

Oh, AB, I’m so excited for all the mommy moments you get to have! Are you going to take them to the grocery store just to you can push them around in the cart?

Comment from nancy kennedy
Time: December 18, 2009, 9:20 am

One year, then-8-year-old Laura came home from school with her face dragging on the ground. She had to write an essay about “Our Family’s Holiday Traditions.”
Um…we are the only family in the history of the world that has zero traditions. So, my mommy-guiltridden heart came up with a spectacular idea: This would be our fresh start and begin the Kennedy family Christmas tradition of building a gingerbread house from scratch.
Oh my.
It was a disaster, but so much fun! And it was the one and only time we tried it, but it’s a story we still tell.
I think the girls would love to construct a house, but use graham crackers and make sure the frosting is royal icing, not buttercream! (I didn’t know that.) Royal icing is like cement.
You could even build it around cardboard to keep it from falling apart.
Have fun!
Oh, the Voices of Lee were great! (But I like the Beelzebubs too)

Comment from Lindsey
Time: December 18, 2009, 9:21 am

Not that I have kids but I do have an army of nieces and nephews.

1. Hobby Lobby and Michael’s have cute and cheap little Christmas crafts that come in packages that are fairly simple to make together.

2. Baking cookies together…yum

3. There is always playing with dolls or playing “house.” That kept me for hours and hours when I was a kid.

4. Your adorable picture time!

All I can think of right now. Have fun with the cute little girls!

Comment from Michelle
Time: December 18, 2009, 9:27 am

Just wanted to say hi, because I miss doing that on here.
Also I think you are amazing. That is all xox

Comment from Airlie
Time: December 18, 2009, 10:02 am

1. Watch all of the Christmas movies you can get your hands on. Miracle on 34th St. and All I Want for Christmas are my personal favorites.

2. Decorate cookies! I like using the sugar cookie dough that comes in the roll and you just have to slice and bake. That way you can spend more time decorating and less time actually cooking.

3. Drink hot chocolate!

4. Do you have a fireplace? Curling up in front of it and reading books to them would be so fun.

5. Read Night Before Christmas!

Have so much fun!!!!

Comment from Julie
Time: December 18, 2009, 10:17 am

Fun and easy: make a reindeer. Trace their foot – this becomes the face. Trace their hands with fingers spread open – these make the antlers. Decorate!

Comment from juliana
Time: December 18, 2009, 10:59 am

Hi, Amy Beth! I don’t know if you remember me but I sent you an email a couple of months ago. I am 11 and wanted to tell you that I do not watch the Sing-Off but a friend of minewent on and on about Lee and says she wants them to win! Oh, also, every year with my mama and brother and sister we make homeade chex mix and we dip long pretzals in chocalate! This year we are also planning on making homeade cookies on Christmas Eve, too. Have fun with Mackenzie and Avi!

Comment from BC
Time: December 18, 2009, 11:00 am

Baking cookies then enjoying them while watching Christmas movies sipping hot chocolate with extra marshmallows with rollers in hair sounds like a good start

Comment from Katie
Time: December 18, 2009, 11:19 am

What about teaching them some Christmas songs and putting on a Christmas show with dress-up costumes? (Even if it is just for yourselves) Trying to come up with something different since people have metioned cookies and the like. I don’t know, but my ham of a niece thinks that’s a pretty good time!

Comment from Mocha with Linda
Time: December 18, 2009, 11:35 am

Yay! Comments are open!! Cookies are obvious. My kids have always loved when we turn off all the lights except the Christmas tree and sing. My dad and I would do that only we listened to Christmas music instead of singing. No one else in the family enjoyed that as much as we did, and I still smile thinking of it 40+ years later!

Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Read Christmas books in bed or by the tree. Watch Christmas movies (the American Girl movies are just about all set around Christmas – I love them, especially Samantha. But that does have orphans in it.

Be spontaneous – I know that is SO hard for you to do! LOL

Does a nearby town have carriage rides or something like that?

I know you will make lots of fun memories with them!

Love reading your blog, sweet friend!

Comment from Ali
Time: December 18, 2009, 11:43 am

One of my favorite holiday traditions has always been to take a thermos of hot chocolate & drive around looking at Christmas lights.

Another favorite from my childhood was making and/or decorating Chrismtas ornamens. Either buy plain ornaments & use glitter, markers, etc. to decorate. Or I have a recipe for a microwave dough that you use cookie cutters to cut out to make ornaments. After they dry, you can decorate with paint & glitter.

Comment from Melissa
Time: December 18, 2009, 12:07 pm

See if there is a live nativity in your area that you can take them to. The ones where you get out and are allowed to touch the animals are the best. One tradition I have made with my girls is to buy them a new set of jammies to open on Christmas Eve. Maybe you could do that for their last night with you.
Love that you opened comments!

Comment from Bethany
Time: December 18, 2009, 12:17 pm

Cinnamon ornaments. They smell fabulous (and your whole house will too!) and they’re easy to make for all ages. NOT edible though. =)

You need:
*cookie cutters
*drinking straw
*narrow ribbon or yarn

For sparkle, mix in glitter or decorate with glitter glue after ornaments are baked.

Make cookies or fudge…

Or peppermint candy ornaments (http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/peppermintcandy_syiu.htm).

Drive around and look at lights.

Take them to a store and have each of them pick out a toy to give to Toys 4 Tots (or something like that)… have them help pick out some non-perishables to donate to a foodbank.

Tell and re-tell the Christmas story as often as you can fit it in. And tell those precious girls that Jesus left heaven and came to earth as a little baby for THEM.

Comment from Kali
Time: December 18, 2009, 12:32 pm

I don’t have kids but I had my cousin every weekend from when she was 2 until I moved to Australia. She’s 11 now. And every year at Christmas I get her and we do lots of Christmas stuff – here is some stuff we do.

1. Make a gingerbread house. Wal*Mart sells premade ones for 10 dollars. All you have to do is put them together and they lots of different kinds. Trains, trees, houses, villages, etc.

2. Drive around looking at Christmas lights. In your pajamas.

3. Cookies. Make them and then pack them up and drive around and give them to homeless people.

4. Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas – and really every other Christmas movie too.

5. Ice skating.

6. Get some friends and go caroling.

7. And then something I saw on the Pioneer Woman’s blog yesterday – making nativities out of wooden blocks and felt pieces. http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2009/12/wooden-block-nativity/

Have so much fun with them! They are going to remember these times forever.

Comment from Cassie
Time: December 18, 2009, 12:41 pm

My husband and I have made a yearly tradition of seeing Polar Express 3D at the IMAX in Chatt. Here’s a link to the showtimes. We have a blast as adults so I can only imagine how much fun the kiddos would have.

http://www.tnaqua.org/IMAX/IMAXShowtimes.aspx

I think there’s also a house here in town (near Peerless Road COGOP) that’s decorated with lights and it’s synched up to a radio station. There should be a sign in front of the house to let you know which station to tune in to.

Also, tonight at the Chattanooga Zoo they are having a Holiday Lights: Pet Night event where you can bring your pets. So if the rain stops you can bundle everyone up and head over there.

Don’t forget to check out http://www.chattanoogahasfun.com for a list of other events going on.

Comment from Jennifer
Time: December 18, 2009, 12:50 pm

I got gingerbread house kits for $4.20 at our local WalMart the other day. My girls, almost 3 and 6 had the best time making them!
We also have checked out a lot of Christmas books from the library.
Another idea is the interactive nativity set called “What God Wants for Christmas” Starting today, you can do one part each night till Christmas! I found it @ Lifeway for about $10 and you can use it year after year!!!

Comment from Krista
Time: December 18, 2009, 12:57 pm

Pretty much all the ideas given are awesome! The one other thing I remember doing when I was little is that my mom always used to make a birthday cake and we would have it either on Christmas or sometime around Christmas and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. Just to remember that you know, it’s HIS birthday!
Good luck with all the cooking ideas!
And Merry Christmas!

Comment from Meredith
Time: December 18, 2009, 1:05 pm

I happen to have little boys, but I am carrying on the traditions my Mom and Dad had for us. And adding a few of our own as well! It was not until I was an adult that I fully realized how amazing my Mom made Christmas for us–all winter actually. She always had those large electric things plugged in (you know the ones that serve coffee after church)–one with hot cider, one with hot water and cocoa packets available, so as soon as we walked in the door we could enjoy a cup. She always made sugar cookies. (When we were young, she would make the dough when we were asleep and let it rest in the fridge)then we would wake up and she would roll out endless sheets of it and let us do the cookie cutters–she never minded if they weren’t perfect looking which as a mom I realize is difficult to do. Then we would frost and decorate them. We each got a small special Christmas tree in our room and we got to pick a them and she helped us decorate it. Of course we always played Christmas music really loudly and decorated the family tree too. We always shopped for a toy to donate to a charity–like Toys for Tots or the like. One of my favorite things we are doing with our family starting this year is to go to the Nutcracker ballet. Although my 5 year old is a boy, I am sure he will LOVE the music and the sword fight the mice have! An advent calendar is always good. We always watch lots of Christmas movies and eat lots of popcorn! Fun to get a group of friends together and go caroling! Church pageants were fun to go to… Driving around to see all the town’s Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music… Making gingerbread men and reading all the umpteen versions of gingerbread books out there! and on and on and on!!! They will have such a great time with you!

Comment from Miriam
Time: December 18, 2009, 1:07 pm

Amy Beth, I read your blog pretty much everyday. I’m glad we get to comment today!

When I was little, we did the gingerbread house (or fort, castle, cabin) several times and it was so much FUN! If you aren’t up to making the gingerbread and icing, you can find kits for about $10.

Are there any parks in the area that decorate big for Christmas? We have a local “Locomotive park” complete with lighted trees, train, music, dance pad, etc. I plan on taking my girl there today for her birthday (2 years!).

I’m sure you girls will have the best time ever no matter what you do!

Comment from Amanda M
Time: December 18, 2009, 1:12 pm

YAY!! Have so much fun with them.
1. Bake or buy cookies or cupcakes and some decorations – it will be fun to decorate and even more fun to eat!!
2. Get in PJ’s as the sun goes down and drive around and look at Christmas lights together – how ever long their attention will allow….15 minutes or an hour…it will be fun!!
3. Make a christmas ornament or present for them. Maybe in the spirit of giving, let them give it to someone else…they’ll be so proud of their gift!
There are some great suggestions in the above comments, so just HAVE FUN!!

Comment from Amanda
Time: December 18, 2009, 1:34 pm

Just wanting to say hi… I’m so happy you get to have both girls for a week! That is AWESOME! Read a lot of Christmas books, lay UNDER the tree and look up at the lights and ornaments, and most of all, LOVE each other.

Have FUN!

Comment from Emily
Time: December 18, 2009, 1:34 pm

How fun for you! I saw some people suggested making ornaments and I just wanted to tell you, in case you are like me and can really mess stuff like that up that I got a pack of 6 ceramic ornaments from Wal-Mart for $3.50. They even came with the paint!

Hope you make lots of great memories!

Comment from Jennifer
Time: December 18, 2009, 1:56 pm

Cookie Baking…I know you probably got a ton of comments saying that already, but it is soo fun. My sisters, Mom, Grandma, Aunt, and I used to bake literally hundreds of dozens of cookies at Christmas time and then divide them up between us – needless to say we always had a ton of cookies at Chirstmas ranging from your normal Chocolate Chip to Nighty-Nights (I don’t know how to describe the other than delicious) these are the last cookies you put in the oven (which is off, but is still hot because you’ve been baking all day) and you say “Nighty-Night!” and go off to bed, in the morning you have these wonderful cookies! (Which I have now caused myself to have a craving for…hmmm) Anyways that’s something I alway thought was fun.
Also another thing we always used to do – we had Giant Christmas Coloring Books – think they still make them – but we always used to color in them whilst sprawled out on the floor by the Christmas Tree.
Just a few idea’s.

Comment from Ashli
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:00 pm

So I’m no mommy, but here are a few of the things I remember doing during the days before Christmas (& and have even done in the past few days with friends!)

- Making & decorating Christmas cookies (& later eating while we drank hot chocolate)
- Listening to Christmas music and driving and looking at all of the Christmas lights
- Watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
- Reading a different Christmas book each night before bed

I hope y’all have fun!!!!

Comment from Kim
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:10 pm

Try to be a little spontaneous: Wake them up about 2 hours after they go to bed, jumping and cheering. Then, every pile in the car and go to McD’s for hot chocolate… in your pjs. Then come home and go to bed. I probably wouldn’t do this on Christmas eve, but another night it would work.

Another thing my niece and nephew loved to do when they were younger was to go sing Christmas carols at a local nursing home, particular if they are seniors from your church living there. Hand out homemade Christmas ornaments as gifts. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t very pretty. For these often neglected people, it is seeing those young smiling faces that really counts.

Comment from Alicia
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:11 pm

While you’re driving around looking at lights, right off Peerless Rd. a block away from Rader is Key Street (across street from CHS). 2nd or 3rd house on the right is a house that has TONS of lights that twinkle to Christmas music, of which you find on the posted radio station. My family of five made lots of hot chocolate, took cookies, parked across the street (a church parking lot), then unbuckled and watched the lights and listened to music and enjoyed our goodies. A great (free!) fun time.

Comment from katharine
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:26 pm

I highly recommend an outside party for Jesus, so he can see of course. Complete with balloons to let go for him to get, bubbles for him to admire and side walk chalk decorations. Much fun indeed. As for a ‘mothering’ tip- set the girls up to succeed, know their limitations and don’t over do it! Have fun! And Merry Christmas!

Comment from rachel
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:32 pm

a few of my favs are…most zoo’s have “zoo lights” at night, making presents for parents and family members, cookies (of course), folding up tin foil in a fan shape and putting behind the light bulbs on the christmas tree (fun colors) …and of course just enjoy the moment…dont get too busy trying to “make the memories” that the simple pleasures pass you by…deep breathe and enjoy your gift of fun time with “your girls”

Comment from Amber
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:49 pm

Of course, making cookies is a great tradition. You can also make paper snow flakes or paper chains to “decorate”. I always make cinnamon ornaments with my kids. You just mix an entire bottle of cinnamon with a teaspoon (or two) of applesauce. Play with it until you get a dough-like consistancy. Then roll it out and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake it in the oven on 275 or 300 degrees for an hour or until they are hard. Make sure you use a toothpick to make a hole before you bake them though. Then let them cool and put pretty ribbon through the hole. They make beautiful ornaments that keep forever and your house will smell yummy!

Comment from Amy
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:55 pm

Hey, there! Are are one lucky duck this week, Amy Beth!! Two beautiful little girls….

OK, when my boys were little, we loved to take a coloring book, color the people, etc and then cut them out, glue them to a popsicle stick and have a puppet show! Cheap entertainment! Another fun thing to do is bake things together….

Have just so much fun this week!!

xo Amy

Comment from Jenn
Time: December 18, 2009, 2:57 pm

These comments make me smille.

My favorite ideas (AKA things I can’t wait to try with my own kids one day)…
1. Family slumber party – Skip the bedtime traditions (and the bed), and set up a slumber party in front of the Christmas tree and TV. Let them stay up late and watch Christmas movies and fall asleep under the tree lights.
2. Birthday party (for Jesus, of course) – When I was really little, my family always made a birthday cake to have with dinner one night in December, and we would each make a “gift” for Jesus’s birthday. Baking and cooking seems to be a running theme in the comments so far…
3. Ice-Skating…just for the fun of it.
4. If you have them on Christmas Eve – Reindeer food and reindeer poop. My mom always let us put hay out in the yard for Santa’s reindeer to eat (and would then take it up after we went to bed so that it had been eaten) and she would leave big marshmallows all over the place and tell us that it was reindeer poop (it’s white because it was from the North Pole and everything is snowy there)…evidence that Santa had definitely been there. I LOVED that kind of stuff.

Have fun with them this week!

Comment from amykay
Time: December 18, 2009, 3:46 pm

COMMENTS! yay!! we are going to have to work on the Christmas tradition thing and make them a little more ‘set’ now that we have our own little girl coming (in 5 weeks!!) i don’t know if you will have them on Christmas eve, but i just heard of about the cutest thing ever… when it’s bedtime, sneakily ring the doorbell (or have somebody else do it) and when the girls answer the door, they find wrapped packages from Santa’s elves — pajamas with a note that says ‘you’d better get to bed! Santa’s almost here!’ from what i hear, it works like a charm. lucky you getting to spend time with two sweet little girls! have SO much fun!!!

Comment from Kelly @ Love Well
Time: December 18, 2009, 3:52 pm

My kids LOVE to decorate cookies. We just make some sugar cookie dough, cut out shapes with cookie cutters and use powdered sugar icing and decorations to make one-of-a-kind creations. (Witness the pink Christmas tree coming in a post very soon for proof.)

(So gleeful to leave a comment. Hee, hee.)

Comment from Corrie
Time: December 18, 2009, 4:05 pm

Make aprons…I made Andrew one last year with his hands (facing fingers down) creating a Christmas tree. Also, Andrew and I make little crafts to take to the local retirement home. They will put things on their dinner trays Christmas day!

Have fun…. and be blessed!

Comment from Aurezalia
Time: December 18, 2009, 4:41 pm

Christmas fun! Bake + decorate cookies, build + decorate gingerbread houses. Take the girls to see Santa? “Zoo Lights,” if the local zoo is doing it, is also a hit. And lots and lots of Christmas book reading by the tree!

Comment from Christine
Time: December 18, 2009, 4:54 pm

Well, the cookie baking suggestion has been thrown around a bit already. In the event that either doesn’t happen OR you’ve decorated 312 cookies and still have 4 days to fill here are a few others to try.
1. Stringing popcorn. If you have an air popper, great. Or you can even buy it already popped in big bags. Get large-ish needles (tapestry needles work great and they aren’t super sharp) and quilting or button thread. You could probably get all that, including an enormo bag of popped popped corn at the Walmart.
2. Paper chains! Nothing made me happier as a wee girl, and my girlies love them too! JoAnn’s and the other hobby stores have all the Christmas scrapbook paper on sale right now or you could go old school and just use straight up red and green construction paper. You cut the strips and they can glue the ends to make chains.

If you do them both you can garland the house with popcorn and paper chains and have a ball doing it!

Have a blast with them AB…they’re so lucky to have you in their lives!

Comment from Larissa
Time: December 18, 2009, 5:09 pm

Mine isn’t so much Christmas-y things to do as little girl things to do, which you may know all of them already.

1. Let them fix your hair.
2. Fix their hair.
3. Cook cookies, even better if it’s with cookie cutters, following with icing and sprinkles.
4. Make hot chocolate on the stovetop (recipe on Hershey’s cocoa can)
5. Blow bubbles
6. Sidewalk chalk (hopscotch?)
7. Read books
8. Go to a park
9. Let them use food coloring in vanilla yogurt and make any color they want.
10. Invite them to ask you questions and try and really answer and see what conversations you have. You might be surprised.

One bit of advice, little kids can’t appreciate (or handle well) late-nighters. Get them in bed at a decent time and your days will be lots more fun.

Comment from becky jo
Time: December 18, 2009, 5:39 pm

I am soooo excited for you .. and for THEM, because, HELLO! THEY GET TO HANG WITH AMY BETH FOR A WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The thing to remember is bigger is not always better. You do not have to do, do, do, do to make them happy. Even if they ASK for it! Really they just want YOU. Simple things – bed time stories, dancing in the kitchen, bouncing on the bed, making cookies, living room picniks and slumber parties – are the best memory makers in the world. Just simply love on them.

My fave tradition and now my fave to share with my girls, is on Christmas Eve, before church, we all bake a cake and decorate it. After church and before bed we put one candle on the cake, turn down the lights and sing Happy Birthday Baby Jesus. We also read the Christmas story and talk about each person and how they must have felt and or been thinking.

I know you are going to give them BEAUTIFUL memories.

Love you and have a stinkin ball!!!

Comment from Brandy T.
Time: December 18, 2009, 5:41 pm

Find a local Christmas Tree farm and let them each pick out their own “Charlie Brown” Christmas Tree. The farm near us has a hay ride, farmyard petting zoo, and Santa Clause. Then spend the rest of the day drinking hot chocolate and making Christmas ornaments. Just google “Kid Christmas Crafts.”

Picking out my own tree was always my favorite part of Christmas.

(I think you can get them for $7-10 or even free.)

Have fun!

Comment from Jenifer L Higgins
Time: December 18, 2009, 6:04 pm

My daughter (who is 6) and I have made paper snowflakes for the past few years. We taped them on our windows and they look really good! Here’s a link if you don’t know how to make snowflakes: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/christmas/snowflake/

This year we’re going to make gingerbread houses, like the real thing, I’m going to bake them myself, but you can buy kits ready to assemble at Walmart.

A trip to play in the snow is always nice too, if it’s feasible. I live in So. California so it’s not always possible here. It’s mid 70′s today!

Of course, making hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows, popping popcorn, and watching the Christmas classic movies such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Charlie Brown Christmas are always fun.

You could do a trip to visit Santa. Even if they’ve already done it this year, kids often like to see him more than once.

Crafts are always fun. Here’s a few links:
http://cathiefilian.blogspot.com/2008/12/make-it-kids-holiday-wreath.html
http://just4funwithsandy.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html
http://mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com/2008/12/sugar-cone-trees.html
http://gingerbreadsnowflakes.com/node/21

Don’t forget to take lots of pictures! You could even print them and put them in mini photo albums for the girls to take home!

I’m sure you’ll have a fun (and exhausting) week!

Comment from Regina
Time: December 18, 2009, 8:03 pm

Have a Christmas sing-a-long. Fun!

Make a gift and take it to someone who would appreciate it. Maybe an older person.

Make some Christmas cards for others.

So happy to be able to say hello and to tell you how much I enjoy your blog!

Comment from Amanda
Time: December 18, 2009, 8:22 pm

Every idea I had has already been shared, but I hope you have a fabulous time with the girls – let us know what you settle on!
I just wanted to pop in and say hello, I miss being able to rave about how much I love your blog!
(oh, and I saw the Sing Off before you mentioned it here and the entire time I was wondering WHY Voices of Lee should be familiar to me, since I’ve never been to TN! Well, I “go to TN” everytime I read your blog!)

Happy holidays Amy Beth!

Comment from Texas Holdem
Time: December 18, 2009, 8:52 pm

absolutely fabulous. You definitely Zeigerwhatsernamed me! Will definitely check out your site.

Comment from emilymarion
Time: December 18, 2009, 11:19 pm

•Toss Santa in the chimney. Use a plush Santa and toss it into a box decorated like a chimney.
•We have a Christmas Day- Day. We wear red and green, eat red and green things and we do all things Christmas-sy, like our own Christmas play, watch the grinch, make a paper chain, make cookies, eat cookies, drink hot chocolate, write letters to Santa etc.

Comment from Ina
Time: December 18, 2009, 11:38 pm

Lots of great Christmas ideas already mentioned! I am not a Mom but have 2 nieces and some of the best times when they were younger were so simple (at 11 and 13 they are way too cool for these now, so enjoy it while you can!!). Things like playing office or bank or restaurant or hair salon. They also always wanted to dress up in my clothes (skirts as dresses with pins or hair clips to hold them up, lots of jewelry) and of course “clip-clop” shoes were a must! Anytime you are willing to enter into their make believe world, it’s a success to them.
Another was to move the table in the dining room, crank up a Nicole C Mullen CD and dance in the dining room, many times to routines they created and directed.
Often these were even more fun to them than the “fun events” I would plan or shell out $$ for. So don’t feel like you have to plan big stuff all the time. They really do just want your time and full attention. And you will need a long nap and a week to get your house back in order while you savor the memories!
Although I am years ahead of you in my singleness journey, I find your writing on those dreams and desires and conversations with God to be so amazingly accurate! So thanks for sharing.

Comment from Judy S. @ Just Enough Light
Time: December 19, 2009, 1:06 am

I had fun making a birthday for Jesus with my kids. I would let them do all the frosting, sprinkles, and put candles on. It was so fun and the cakes were so fun. We would even sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Comment from adri_u
Time: December 19, 2009, 1:50 am

One of my favorite Christmas memories was making candy and cookies with my mother. You can use any old cookie dough, but sugar cookie works well. Divide the dough into two chunks and dye one red. Roll into “snakes” and wrap together to be cut into smaller lengths then shaped into candy canes. They were my favorite and easy to make especially with two young girls under foot.

Comment from Knittinchick
Time: December 19, 2009, 2:15 am

Yes, yes, yes. For the cookies twist: have the girls decorate ziploc bags or plates to give as gifts. Then go to your neighbors or a seniors home to spread some cheer. They’ll love being elves and some people will be SO blessed to have them show up.

Also, lots of Christmas music on as you do it.

Comment from Erin Ramsey
Time: December 19, 2009, 2:41 am

What a treat!! You’re going to have so much fun and you’re also going to wonder why it went by so fast ..when it’s over. SO.. make sure you take time each morning to Pray over the girls. I try hard to pray Over my girls(I have 3 ages 5,3,&2) before they wake up, if not then I find some time during the day/night to pray w/ them.
Fun stuff to do:
-Watch The Polar Express, make hot chocolate(or chocolate milk) w/ whip cream(from the can and shoot some straight into their mouths!! it’s super fun)..let them stir it w/ a candy cane. wear comfy pj’s and get them a pair of Christmas-sy socks from the Target Dollar spot.
-Family Fun website has Tons of great ideas for activities and crafts. I get a lot of great ideas from there.
-make your own playdough!! (google for a recipe)
Those girls will be happy no matter what you do or where you go… as long as they have you and your attention Quality time is what counts.
Have a blast girlfriend. You’re awesome.

Comment from Christy
Time: December 19, 2009, 7:03 am

Help them pick out gifts for the special people in their lives.
Take them to get pedicures-ok-not exactly Christmas tradition but my girls love it none the less.
Let them plan birthday party for Jesus for some of your friends-
Our Christian book store had happy birthday Jesus plates and napkins.
Buy them their own nativity sets and let them set them up-but don’t put Jesus in until Christmas day.

Hope you girls have a great week!

Comment from SarahRuth
Time: December 19, 2009, 11:18 am

HELLLOOOO!!!!

1. Bring them to me and Anna’s every day!

2. Let’s go caroling at a nursing home…the elderly will love the girls and it will be a good lesson in benevolence.

3. Candlelight service is a MUST.

4. You could do some Advent stuff. I have been honoring the Advent season this year and their are tons of lessons, prayers, games, etc. for kids which correspond with not only sweet baby Jesus, but also the second coming of our King!

AB, I hope I can join you guys some, these girls are darling!!!!

Comment from Megan
Time: December 19, 2009, 6:14 pm

I just wanted to say thank you for this post! I’m also single and in the process of adopting two incredible little boys. This will be our first Christmas together so these ideas are great! So far, our favorite thing has been dance parties with loud Christmas music. Merry Christmas!

Comment from Bethany
Time: December 20, 2009, 1:17 am

Hi, AB! So happy to see the comments open- I have no other ideas that haven’t been shared, but have a GREAT Christmas with the little girls!!

Comment from heather
Time: December 20, 2009, 2:16 pm

Oh AmyBeth, I am just so happy to say hi. You have gotten some great ideas so I know you’ll have a great time. Build a tent in the living you or just have a campout with blankets, etc. Fun times!

Comment from trs
Time: December 20, 2009, 2:52 pm

Read them the Christmas story from the bible.

Take them to a nursing home and ask to visit those with the least amount of visitors. I’m sure some old folks would love to play dollies with them, read stories, watch them dance, or help decorate cookies together.

Comment from Kim
Time: December 20, 2009, 5:41 pm

I don’t have time to read through the comments right now, but I’m guessing somebody has already said Bake Cookies! I know that might sound intimidating so I’d like to suggest the handy-dandy cookie-dough-in-a-tube deals at the grocery store you just slice and bake, then decorate! Frosting is super easy — simply mix powdered sugar with a wee little bit of milk or cream to the right consistency for spreading, add sprinkles or candy beads and you’re done! Something even the 4-year-old can help with.

Simple ornaments to make…maybe felt ones you just glue together. You can find TONS of easy patterns online. Q-tips are great tools for adding a small amount of glue to something.

Read various Christmas stories (your library will have some if you don’t), watch fun Christmas movies (Miracle on 34th Street is a must!) and drive around looking at the pretty houses all decorated with lots of lights.

Let the girls choose an item to give for the Angel Tree program or some other worthy charity. They’ll have as much fun choosing something for someone else as if they’d received it themselves.

Comment from Cara Maggie
Time: December 20, 2009, 10:29 pm

I think baking and getting crafty with those darling girls is an excellent idea! And then up the ante by letting your leading ladies pack them up sweetly and deliver them to special someones….your nursing home friends, perhaps? Or…policemen? Firefighters? I’m sure you know just who could use some love.

I second the vote on reading classic Christmas books around the tree (and the nativity story!). And I sure hope you girls are doing lots of Christmas-song singing! No matter what activities you do, they get the message: they are loved. And that’s the greatest gift of all.

Comment from Happy Geek
Time: December 20, 2009, 10:46 pm

I’m much too lazy to check the rest of your comments, so if this has been repeated, my deepest apologies, but
1. my kids love making christmas t- shirts. Buy the cheapest t-shirts you can find, some fabric paint and let them go to town. My babies made christmas tree t- shirts that they love to wear.
2. Looking at lights while listening to carols in the car is a favorite.
3. We always have a sleepover in the living room by the lighted tree.
4. IF you actually have snow but don’t want to go outside to play in it, bring it in in big tubs, give them mitts and let them go to town at the table.
5. Popcorn and movies a little past bedtime always earn me mom of the year points.
6. My favorite kids craft site is http://www.kaboose.com TONS of great ideas.