don't get me wrong, i LOVE christmas and am so excited to celebrate this special time of year with my family, but the christmas season has totally snuck up on me this year. it's kind of like when liza wakes up in the middle of the night and i get up with her. i change her and rock her, but as soon as i get her back to sleep, laney wakes up. so there's really no reprieve. basically thanksgiving was my liza and christmas is my laney. there wasn't much breathing room between the two. luckily, i love them both. (the girls and the holidays - ha!)
so even though we're a few days into december already, i'm excited to share the Reasons for the Seasons: A Jesse Tree Advent Journey eBook with y'all! Reasons for the Seasons is an eBook written by Leslie Anne - a mother to two(!) sets of twins! Leslie Anne wrote Reasons for the Seasons in order to help her family focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
and we get to reap the benefits from all her hard work! :)
i am so excited about Reasons for the Seasons because it is literally exactly what my family has been looking for. we love all the fun christmas traditions and even the cute little elf on the shelf shenanigans, but i definitely want my girls to know that christmas is SO much more than just "stuff." Reasons for the Seasons incorporates fun as well as the true meaning of Christmas, and the real reason we celebrate, Jesus Christ! Reasons for the Seasons starts in the very beginning when God created the heavens and the earth and finishes with the birth of baby Jesus.
"With each purchased edition of Reasons for the Season: a Jesse Tree Advent Journey, you will receive THREE items: The eBook, Craft Templates & the Coloring Book"
how cool is that?! you not only get the eBook, but you get crafts, recipes, printables, and more! Leslie Anne has it all mapped out on her site, so i thought i would share her take on it, since she is the expert ;)
so even though we're a few days into december already, i'm excited to share the Reasons for the Seasons: A Jesse Tree Advent Journey eBook with y'all! Reasons for the Seasons is an eBook written by Leslie Anne - a mother to two(!) sets of twins! Leslie Anne wrote Reasons for the Seasons in order to help her family focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
and we get to reap the benefits from all her hard work! :)
i am so excited about Reasons for the Seasons because it is literally exactly what my family has been looking for. we love all the fun christmas traditions and even the cute little elf on the shelf shenanigans, but i definitely want my girls to know that christmas is SO much more than just "stuff." Reasons for the Seasons incorporates fun as well as the true meaning of Christmas, and the real reason we celebrate, Jesus Christ! Reasons for the Seasons starts in the very beginning when God created the heavens and the earth and finishes with the birth of baby Jesus.
"With each purchased edition of Reasons for the Season: a Jesse Tree Advent Journey, you will receive THREE items: The eBook, Craft Templates & the Coloring Book"
how cool is that?! you not only get the eBook, but you get crafts, recipes, printables, and more! Leslie Anne has it all mapped out on her site, so i thought i would share her take on it, since she is the expert ;)
"Reason for the Season: a Jesse Tree Advent Journey includes:
Readings:
What I like about The Big Picture Story Bible by: David Helm and The Jesus Storybook Bible by: Sally Lloyd-Jones is that they tell scripture in a way that connects with my children. If you would like to read the scripture out of your favorite Bible translation, scripture references are also provided.
- Each day, read the specific page numbers (or scripture references) provided in the reading guide
- Each ornament, craft, activity, food, and coloring book page provide an opportunity to reinforce the main idea of each story as well as provide rich discussion with your family
Jesse Tree & Ornaments:
- A printable ornament is provided for each day with a picture symbol representing the story
- Ornaments can be hung on your Christmas tree or a separate small tree (either purchased or made)
- A step-by-step tutorial is provided to make a Jesse Tree to hang your ornaments
- This tree can be saved and used every year
Advent Calendar:
- My children absolutely love opening an advent calendar every day to reveal the story and ornament we will be discussing
- A step-by-step tutorial is provided to make an advent calendar using a mini muffin tin to store your ornaments
- You can also purchase an advent calendar; Make sure it is large enough to store your ornaments (approximately 1.5" diameter)
- This advent calendar can be saved and used every year
Crafts:
- Each day’s guide provides step-by-step craft picture tutorials
- The idea of the crafts are to provide an opportunity for discussion and further reinforcement of the day’s story; if your end product isn’t “perfect”, no worries
- Craft 1 is a quicker, easier craft that typically uses supplies such as construction paper, markers, crayons, paint, scissors, and glue
- Craft 2 is typically a more “advanced” craft using more specific/specialized materials such as a glass ornament
- Supplies needed for the crafts can be found at your local craft store, dollar store, and hardware store
- Materials can be substituted, so use what you have available – if it calls for ribbon and you have yarn – Perfect!
- These crafts make for great gifts – My children love wrapping them up and giving them to our loved ones, friends and neighbors
Activities:
- Each day’s guide provides an activity idea for your family to reinforce the concept of the day’s story
- These activities include everything from going on a family walk to playing board games
Food:
- Many of the food items use your favorite cookie recipe and cookie cutters - Wilton’s 101 Piece Cookie Cutter set provides all of the cookie cutters used in this eBook
- If you do not own a recipe for an item listed on a particular day, check out the Reason for the Seasons: a Jesse Tree Advent Journey Recipe Pinterest Board for a yummy recipe
Coloring Book Pages:
- The coloring book provides a coloring page for each day which is super helpful on days you do not have time to do a craft, activity or food"
source: http://www.reasonfortheseasons.com/p/faq.html
there's even directions on how to make this precious little tree:
and your very own advent calendar out of a muffin tin!!
like i said, even though we're already into the month of december, it's not too late to start! get your copy of Reasons for the Seasons today!! you can go to the Reasons for the Seasons website for more information on the eBook, sample pages, FAQ's, and details on how to order a copy for your family!
and guess what? in the spirit of Christmas, Leslie Anne has offered to give away a free copy to one of you!
this is going to be a quick giveaway so that you can get your eBook as soon as possible and start enjoying it with your family. follow the prompts below to enter and make sure to share it with your family and friends!
thanks leslie anne for your generosity and i am sure that your hard work will not only help families make memories, but it will also further His Kingdom! thank you!
disclaimer: i was provided with a free copy of the eBook in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts and opinions are mine. some text and photos are courtesy of www.reasonfortheseasons.com
disclaimer: i was provided with a free copy of the eBook in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts and opinions are mine. some text and photos are courtesy of www.reasonfortheseasons.com
