Counting down the days

I got the boys a new Advent Calendar two weeks ago which I love. As a child, I remember every year my Grandma H always sent us an advent calendar. They were always unique and fun and something I really looked forward to every year. I used to try to find ones as neat and different as the ones she used to get us for Lauren when she was little, but I never succeeded. I wanted ones that you could decorate a tree with an ornament a day, or build a scene, or an interesting shape or anything. Instead I always found just the paper ones with chocolate, which she LOVED, but I knew they could be way better. So, she had years of counting down with chocolate, which she looked forward to every year (she would remind me to get it every year), but I was always a little disappointed by how boring it was (she obviously was not).

But for the boys, being so young, they just didn't need any chocolate (plus at this point I would have to get three as if one of them gets food, all three of them want it - whatever it is... hmmmm do they make veggie advent calendars? I might be on to something! So, really, I have only had maybe one in the last couple years but it just wasn't all that interesting or engaging. I did, I guess, miss out on some really cool ones from Hallmark. Three years ago I got there too late, last year apparently they didn't have one and then this year they had different once which was also neat and it "flew out the week of the open house." Sigh...

Imagine my excitement when I was paging through the Fisher Price catalog (when I was able to get it away from Ethan and Oliver) and came across the page with a "new" Little People Advent calendar. Not that I am a huge Fisher Price or Little People fan, but was pretty neat looking. You build a nativity scene day by day with little stuffed people and animals and it plays music. Now that is fun and engaging for a young child right? I searched for FP coupons on the Internet, found one, and ordered it (it was an on-line exclusive of course), hoping to bring the love of advent calendars to the boys as well.
So far, they really like it. Keeping the twins from making the entire scene or not using them to play with Ethan's super heroes is another story though. But they do like it. As a matter of fact, last weekend Ethan grabbed the stool and ran to the family room. When I asked him what he was doing he said "Remember... the countdown to Jesus?!" (I assure you that is not what we call it, but it was kind of cute really).

I am happy we have one that excites all of them, that they look forward to doing daily, and that incorporates the real reason for Christmas. I hope Grandma H can see the kids and knows I am carrying on her tradition.