Hey there - I'm Jess! I'm an giggling freak and an organizing geek - yes, I'm thirteen and I absolutely love to organize! I'm putting together the JOB blog for kids like us to gather up some tips when it comes to organizing and cleaning - just like anyone else, we all have responsibilities to perform 'around'. I hope this will help you as much as I enjoy to do them!
With the new year coming in 15-odd days, not to mention Christmas and maybe holidays (or vacations, as you Americans call it!), you might have concocted this wonderful idea tto get ‘everything’ done by the 31st of December.I have!How realistic is it?Not too bad, actually!*Really?Wow!*What has helped me this year in getting things done, is (drumroll please) a list!
Wow. You don’t say.
No really, this list is great!And you don’t even need the computer for it!you only need three things:
An index card – I’m not using a super-big one, but it’s not itty-bitty tiny either.Also, I chose a green one for a little bit of individuality!I’m using an index card instead of just paper because it’s small and compacted, which doesn’t make it look over-whelming and even inviting, can be carried around easily and also can be used on both sides if necessary.
A pen – to write things with!
Stuff to do!- Ok, so maybe I’m stating the obvious, but it is true that you need something to do to write on a ‘to-do’ list!
Give it a go – write down everything you need to do, and then just do it! Did you know that ticking off a list releases an endorphin which gives you an adrenalin rush? So go go go and tick tick tick!
PS: My apologies for not writing very frequently this year, especially in the last month.I am signing off for the year; although I am not promising that I won’t write.Merry Christmas and enjoy your family this coming year organized!
So sorry this is so late for the next Christmas minus Trauma and Drama activity’!
Have you finished all your presents? I will be honest with you… I haven’t! Next year, I’ll make room for five weeks instead of four.
The next two weeks are all about Advent Calendars. I am going to show you a few other ideas for family Advent Calendars, if you are in need of some ideas, that we I have made in the past.
2005 we tried the wreath with candles idea. We used live leaves pushed into those foam-flower thingy’s, which you can see in the picture. They lasted for ages; over the whole of December, I only had to change the leaves once in the middle of December. It was also really easy to make!
In 2006, I made a small Christmas tree with about eight different flaps for throughout Christmas. That didn’t work so well, I think mainly because there wasn’t one for every day. The next year, I made a more colourful board, with a flap for every day. I think this worked better because of that – there was one for every day. Under each flap was a scripture to read.
I think it’s important to have a purpose for an advent calendar. If all you do is stuff a lolly under there each day, or simply rip off a chain link, then what is the point? Advent means, ‘coming’. Jesus is coming for Christmas! I think an Advent calendar is a great way to get our minds churning and pondering about Christmas from Jesus' point of view. Some ideas...
Research how much the promised Messiah meant to the Jews
Master all the weird words in the Christmas carols.
If you run out of scriptures to read and ponder…
Try watching some movies, reading some books, or listening to audios.
Memorize some Bible verses.
Learn about the time period of the Jesus’ birth; how Israel was under the rule of the Romans.
Investigate the Jew’ history and culture.
Are there any records, separate to the Bible, about Augustus’ census?
What about the star?
Mark out important to the Christmas story, or Jew’s History, such as Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Nazareth.
What’s the big deal about Faith, Hope, Love and Joy?
Why is the candle a symbol for Christmas?
Use those mathematical skills of yours to find out how hard Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem really was!
Can you give something, somehow, other than under the Christmas tree? Christmas is about God giving to us… Salvation Army, Churhes, Carols by Candlelight, or even just at home.
Look at how the Candy Cane is related to Jesus; look at other traditions too.
Make a Jesus Family Tree – the Bible has it all there!
Read the entire Christmas story by yourself on Christmas day.
How slow does a donkey walk?!
Just writing all this is getting me thinking and excited! These are only 18 ideas… you need to come up with some yourself here! I’ve inspired myself… hey, we could all use some inspiration, right? I hope I’ve inspired you to think about SQEEEEEZING out all you can about Jesus’ Christmas!
I have a lo-ong way to go on my Christmas presents!How about you?
I have done seven of my presents, am half way through seven and haven’t really started at least two!However, I will get there.A large applaud to you if you have already completed all of your presents!(((Clap)))
While we are on the topic of Christmas presents, a blog-friend of mine has started this awesome meme on homemade Christmases: A Homemade Christmas, hosted at simplyvintagegirl.com.You can go visit Emily Rose’s blog and participate by checking out here introductory post: A Homemade Christmas.Also, you can see her first Christmas craft: Practical Perpetual Calendar.
My Homemade Christmas this week is these coasters I made last year for my Mum, both my Grandparents, and a dear neighbour.You can make a set of four in a day or two without a problem.Check out the instructions!
Presents: you have to admit it; you’re kinda attracted to the subject. Why wouldn’t you like to get more stuff?In our family, Christmas presents are something very special.Although some families we know have something like an ‘open floor’ time where everybody opens up all there presents in one shot, we don’t do it that way.Actually we do quite the opposite.On Christmas day, we are allowed to look into our stockings at our own pleasure, but we open presents one at a time – in an orderly fashion. Before Church, Mum and Dad give us our presents from them and to each other. After Church, each of us kids will give all of our presents to everybody. We enjoy everybody's gifts. When Daniel received a Pirate Ship a few years back, we all helped and watched it be assembled. We shared Joshua's excitement when he was given a real model railroad. If we leave some gifts until Boxing Day, it doesn't matter. It’s not about getting, it’s about giving.
Personally, I find it quite strange to write a want list for Christmas. Actually, we are drowned in the busyness of giving gifts and giving lists.I love to give gifts.
I am very thankful to Mum and Dad who have made the quote It is better to give than to receive come to life... from the heart.True, we still love to receive our presents, but giving is what makes our Christmas so special.
What makes things even more special is when I try to make them. Obviously, my C.M.T.D (Christmas Minus Trauma and Drama) list focuses on that; I have provided four weeks to make them – are you up for the challenge? ;)
You should have all of your supplies at hand because you bought them a few weeks back. Let's go!
Tip of the week:
Take every opportunity to work on family and friend’s presents when they are out of site.Try working on little brothers’ present at friends’ house and Mum’s when she’s out shopping.
Shopping – don’t you just love it?When I turned ten, Mum took me up to Darwin, where we spent a whole morning shopping!We investigated Spotlight, Toyworld and a shopping ‘mall’; something I am not used to!Afterwards though, when we arrived back at the motel, we learnt to never, ever, no matter what, go shopping for four hours, in clogs!Bad choice!
This week’s assignment was to shop for all your supplies you will need.This list presumes that you are intending to make your gifts, so have a rummage around town for any supplies you might need.Check the instructions first.If you need some supplies that you don’t have or aren’t available in town, go online for supplies.If you are an Aussie, check out Spotlight:
Check email and mail addresses – have a rummage through your Mum’s address or contact book for addresses, if you don’t have them.Now would be a good time to update or make your own address book, because if you are making cards for them they are special to you and so it makes sense to have them in there!
Make Cards – I have always tried to make cards; when I was a little younger Mum had this box of assorted scrap paper of different textures I was able to use; as time went on however I have tried to make more ‘professional’ cards, and have tried several different techniques, such as paper tearing, paper piecing, gluing/sewing 3D objects… you get the idea. Most things connected to scrapbooking, including idea books, paper and stickers, work well on cards too!
Wrapping paper – I don’t do this every year, but it is great fun and you can be creative and out-going as you like, or as detailed and conservative as you want.Not to mention younger siblings normally want to join in and keeps them out of Mum’s hair for a while!I, being a very conservative kinda girl, paint round balls of assorted colours over larger-than-A3 paper (try your local newspaper if they have any spare… ours had heaps!) and when dry, paint patterns, such as stripes or poka dots, with another colour over top.When that is dry, I outline the balls and patterns with a permanent black texta, and draw lines going up in one direction to make baubles!Pretty clever huh?Or you could do hand prints – that is fun work!You know what I say, if you are going to do it, you might as well have fun!
If you are not finished cards or wrapping paper by the end of the week, buy some cards! Again, if you are from Australia, check out www.koorong.com.au for some Christian cards ('Aussie' because it will take Americans longer to order from here, and they can probably find Christian Cards somewhere else!)
Well, that should keep you very busy!If you refer to your sheet, THIS week (14-20th Sept.) we were to find a Christmas Carol to start learning, if you play an instrument! This year, I am learning ‘Mary’s Boy Child’, using music from Colin Buchanan’s bonus material on his wacky and totally awesome CD, “King of Christmas”.Check it out!You’ll have so much listening to this CD!
If you don’t play an instrument, but can sing, why not see if there is a Christmas choir you could join?Nomi and I love to sing (and aren’t too bad at it, if I may say so myself!) and have enjoyed joining the CombinedChurch’s Carols by Candlelight carols in the past!
Whew, Christmas is coming up fast! In four months time, you will be hanging up Christmas decorations, sending off cards, shopping for all you're worth, and altogether running around like a chicken with her head chopped off, right?
Not any more! Not since the Christmas minus Trauma and Drama list has been released!
Unfortunately, I am a tad late in getting this out, so you may have to improvise to catch up a little. Basically this list will give you an 'activity' to do weekly, all those things that make a home-made Christmas: making Christmas cards, presents, wrapping paper, decoration and an advent calendar! AND, all this finishes by the 6th of December, so you will have plenty of time to bake and relax!
Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? To download the file, simply click on this link: Christmas minus Trauma and Drama! and you will go directly to the PDF file for you to dowload!
I am going to go bob my head to the Beach Boys, which my sister has so lovingly put on, and is also bobbing her head to the pretty cool music!
Tip of the week: