Advent Time Again

Each year (at least for the past four or five years I guess) I’ve been getting the kids an advent calendar. Not just any advent calendar with nasty chocolates in them that have been there since last year, but cool ones with toys from Playmobil.

It’s been fun and the kids are always excited to see each morning to see what might be behind the doors. Having put them together, I already knew but was excited for them. And then they would show each other what the other got.

However sadly it might be, the kids are getting older – Felix especially. The joy of toys in a paper calendar is not exactly what it used to be.

Sad for me since this is one of the very reasons I didn’t want kids; I HATE to see them grow older and lose that child “thing” – whatever that might be.

So while Daddy was here visiting last week, we happened to be walking down the streets of Mt. Vernon (because Robee was still thinking he might want a toy calendar) and came across a thrift store (my ultimate favorite places to shop) and lo and behold, but what to my wondering eyes should appear!! But an unfinished wooden advent calendar, just begging to be bought for a mere three dollars. So I did, never THINKING it would become such a great hit with the kids.

This is how it turned out. I even freaking SHADED the beard. I found gold sparkly paint and did the doors. Felix LOVED it ……. and so did the boy child. He started thinking that he would like one of those too and then I could put in whatever sort of thing be it candy or prize or toy I choose for them to discover.

The only problem with that plan is that this calendar was the 2008 model and the 2011 models were crap. The doors were tiny and mostly all broken.

New plan – drive all over, call all over, surf all over looking for a comparable advent calendar.

Thank you Fred Meyer!!

Yeah, I didn’t paint it … nor sparkle it … nor personalize it. But it was the best I could find. The big doors open to 24 little drawers to hide the surprises. Robee was so happy to have his own calendar. I told him that next year, I can repaint parts of it so that it’s really his.

Tomorrow starts the countdown! Christmas here we come!!