December Daily 12

This will be the last one I complete before leaving for Mexico.  I had hoped to keep up these last two days, but alas packing and planning is overtaking my life.

Look for me tomorrow when I'll be sharing a bit about where we are going and why and some pictures from our last trip!

I have to admit that it hasn't seemed terribly Christmasy around here lately.  Since I didn't manage to get my Christmas tree up before we left that was a big part of it.   I have had to enjoy other people's decorations and feel warm and fuzzy with them instead.

On this day, I decided that even though I haven't decorated, I can really spend time thinking about what Christmas is about.  The advent tradition really does help with that.  In Church, we've been lighting the advent candles for the last three Sundays.  Since I didn't grow up with this tradition I haven't been terribly educated about it.

This year, I did a little research and learned that there is much too it that we don't even celebrate anymore.  I feel like there is a lot more to learn.

I kept the focus on the photos and the story for day twelve.



We had two days of rain, which is pretty unusual around here so that is why the photo out my rainy window.  I would have liked to journal about that but couldn't fit it in today. Maybe I'll add that to the story for the 13th.

I am really enjoying finding new ways to use photography to tell my stories.  I would have never thought to take this photo before and certainly not to print it.  But I love how it looks.



I am enjoying popping up some of my stickers with pop dots from American Crafts.





I set this photo up to illustrate what I was thinking about. I figure it's ok to improvise right.  And since I forgot to photograph the real thing at church on Sunday I just used what I had at home.



Do you celebrate advent in the traditional way?  I'd love to hear how you've incorporated this tradition into your Christmas seasons if you do.

Have a wonderful Thursday!