"A Tasty Surprise!"

Just bear with me for a second....
I get annoyed when people use facebook, blogs, etc...just to brag or push an agenda but I'm about to make a big exception and do some bragging myself. I'm just so darn proud of my idea. My good ideas don't come too often these days so I'm super excited about this one.

Last year, Ava got a book called "You Can Do It Sam" and we have read it numerous times throughout the year. Here it is...


In it, Sam and his Mommy bake Christmas cakes and deliver them to their friends on Christmas Eve. They are bagged in red bags and his Mommy drives him to the houses and makes him go by himself to put them on their front door steps. At first he is scared but then is confident that he can do it by himself.
You know where I'm going with this now.
I purchased a book for everyone and Ava and I baked cakes and cookies together, packed them in red bags (complete with the "A Tasty Surprise" white tag) and set out today to deliver them to friends and neighbors. When she would do it, she would come back clapping and say, "I did it Mommy!" It was so precious and such a special memory. I've been really trying to focus on teachable moments with Ava and doing activities with her that centers around that. I didn't intend for this to be such an incredible teachable moment but it quickly became one. I didn't know how much she understood the point until she started making up a song (she does this constantly) and sang, "Christmas is about you and me, Daddy, Sister and doing things for others. Christmas is about Jesus's birthday...." I'm really hoping she remembers that even if we can't do much, it is important to show love to friends and family and to celebrate Jesus's birthday. I was able to explain the gifts of the Three Wise Men in a way that she could understand as we prepared our "Tasty Surprise."







If you received our Tasty Surprise, I hope you enjoyed it and can use the book for some sweet cuddle time with your children. Is there anything better than that??? If you didn't, check your front porch. :)