Christmas 2020

 

Lyra, did you like your Ribbon this year?  Did you like the candy or the toys?  Poppa and I miss our girls so much. We are always so happy to talk with you on the phone or watch you dance.  

Poppa and I know you like to dress up in Princess Dresses and that you love Disney princess movies.  We suspected that maybe it is hard to share dolls so thought maybe having extra dolls so everyone could play with their favorite might be fun.  We love seeing your smiling faces and miss you so very much. We are so happy that you live so close to Pops and Deedee.

Did you like the warm bathrobes that Auntie Suzy made you?  I thought she did a wonderful job.  I love that they have your name on them too.  They will help keep you warm after your baths or when you go swimming this summer in Pops and Deedee's pool.  I like the pretty colors.  I bet they are very soft too.

We know you had a really fun Christmas morning.  We miss your hugs and kisses.  We love you and pray for you every single day.

Your Diva

Advent Ribbons

 A Bennetch Christmas Tradition. 12 days of Christmas ribbon

 Years ago when our children were very young and had no sense of time they would get up every morning hoping it was Christmas.  They were so excited and would follow up with the next question such as......" Will it be Christmas tomorrow?"   

 So being a very poor pastor's wife we would make a paper chain with the exact number of links till it would be  Christmas. We would hang it by the table and every day we would cut off one link.  That way they could see how many sleeps till Christmas day.

As they grew older we would write an activity on each link to do for that day.  There were activities such as baking cookies, make Christmas cards, watch a Christmas movie, have a snowball fight, or sing a silly Christmas song.

As the children grew older each one wanted to make his or her own Christmas chain and write their own activity. Of course, they never wanted to do the same thing at the same time so that idea was quickly abandoned.

The next improvement was each child would tell me what colors they wanted their chain to be.  I would cut the strips and number them so one child got to be the leader in an activity, another got to be the one to pick out the book we would read together and the third child got a special message ( either a compliment or a  timed challenge with a reward ).  As you can easily see this led to hurt feelings with 3 preschoolers so this was quickly abandoned for our present-day solution.  

  

Now, Mom wraps candy with a  special note inside for each kid and glues it on a ribbon.   It used to be 25 notes times 3.  Each note had to be heartfelt, funny, or what I admired about them. And yes, they would compare them with each other to see who mom loved best.   

Our kids are grown now with kids of their own. I still make them ribbons every year as well as for each grandchild. The tradition is now the 12 days of Christmas. 

I also decorate and make some ribbons for extended family and friends.  Of course the older I get the more friends I've made.  So if you receive an Advent ribbon from me know that you are holding a special piece of my heart. 

Advent ribbon 2020

 

Lyra Jane,  you made the perfect Dorothy for Halloween.  I especially love your little dog and red shoes!  I love seeing your costumes every Halloween.  We miss you!  Diva and Poppa

 

 Lyra,  I love your enthusiasm for watching Superhero movies with your Daddy man!  Daddy-Daughter dates are the best.  Love your matching shirts.  Take care of him for me!  Diva

 

 
 

Lyra, I love that you were so excited about going to school.  Your Aunt Becky waited her whole life to go to kindergarten too!  She loved every minute of it.  I love your school uniform.  Miss my big girl.  Diva

 

 

 Lyra Jane...I love to see my ballerinas and hear that you and your sisters have dance parties frequently.  I am so glad you like to dance.  Diva does happy dances (when no one is watching!) Miss you! Diva

 

 

 

 

Lyra, what pretty finger polish you have!  I love it!!  What a wonderful mommy you have!  I think we should keep her,
don’t you?  Miss you more than hot chocolate on a cold day.  Your Diva

  

Lyra Jane,  I love this picture of all my Christmas elves with  Daddy Santa.  Do you get matching pajamas every year?  Diva and Poppa always look forward to seeing your pictures.  Miss you ...so much,  Diva and Poppa

 

Lyra, this is my favorite picture of you with your beautiful Momma, and your sisters.  I love that you have matching sister dresses.  I did too when we were growing up.  Love your bows.  Diva

 

 

 

 

Lyra Jane,  What a lucky girl you are to have a unicorn party.  I love this big unicorn blow-up.  Wish we could have been there to celebrate with you.  Five is Fun!  Diva and Poppa

 

 

 

 

Lyra Jane, thank you for sharing Lady with us.  She was such a sweet dog and brought us much joy.  She loved to cuddle and kept us active by walking her around the neighborhood.  We miss her.  Diva

 

 

 

Lyra Jane, what a lucky girl you are to have so many people that love you.  I am so glad your Dede and Pops live nearby so you can see them.    We miss you and your sisters but are happy you have a wonderful loving family nearby.  Diva and Poppa

 

 

Lyra, do you remember making handprints for Diva and Poppa?  I have them on my refrigerator so I see your little hand as well as your whole family.  Sometimes I put my hand on top of all of yours.  Miss you sweet girl.  Diva

 

 

 

Rub a dub dub, three girls in the tub.  Lyra when your daddy was little your Poppa used to help me by bathing all three of our kids in the bathtub at once.  There was always lots of giggling and lots of water on the bathroom floor.  Happy memories...Diva