1) Storytime at the library. Mrs. Long leads a 30 minute story hour session at our local library. She is absolutely wonderful. We *heart* Mrs. Long. Its a class for kids newborn-3. She does a perfect blend of familiar songs/rhymes we do each week, along with some new books, short puppet stories, etc. Benny loves it. We sing our storytime songs all the time at home. This fall's favorites? A peek-a-book song, the hello song, a rhyme about a scarecrow, and an African song that means 'when we get together.' Benny loves that Mrs. Long gives every kid in storytime a stamp on their hand at the very end. Of course, Benny always asks Mrs. Long to give him a stamp on both hands. Makes one happy Benny.
2) We joined a Bible study group called BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). Its an international, nondenominational organization. All around the world, people are doing the same Bible study each week. My study includes a small group discussion and then a lecture on the same material. The following week's lesson includes sort of a review of last week's lesson and readings/questions for each day of the next week. Best part----they have classes for newborns-pre-K. They are actually classes, not just daycare. They teach them Bible songs, teach them to pray, and teach them a Bible lesson based on what the adults are learning. They are there for 2 hours. Kudos to the teachers (Mrs. Julie and Mrs. Lynne) who do a fabulous job keeping all the children in Benny's age 1-2 class productively engaged for 2 hours! I would highly recommend the program to moms with young children. You can go to the BSF website and find the class sight that is closest to your house, no matter where you live! Its a wonderfully supportive group of women who seek to follow Christ.
Its hard to believe, but tonight Benny and I went to the Hanging of the Greens/Jinglefest at our church. My children's choir sang for the occasion. We celebrate Thanksgiving/Christ the King Sunday in the morning service but don't have a mid-week Thanksgiving service. So---next Sunday is Advent already. They had lots of fun crafts for the kids. Plus, they had a pizza potluck dinner complete with Christmas carols and lots of kids dancing to their favorite holiday tunes. Benny found the evening to be quite terrific. On the way home he was shouting "It fun! It fun!" Here is a pic of Benny and I when we got home with his first ever homemade Christmas crafts.
A Christmas tree, an angel made from a toilet paper tube and Benny's cut out hands, and a wooden star that we glittered.
