Ona's Advent Calendar.

Happy Aaron Rodgers Day 12.12.12.  Although I missed both 12:12AM and 12:12PM, I am feeling rather giddy about the date.  Heck, we are twelve days until Christmas.  Twelve days of Christmas.  Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.  Christmas, advent.  Advent, Jesus.  Christmas, presents.  Christmas season, advent calendar.  Hallelujah, a baby boy is born.  Amen.

This Christmas has put me in a funny mood.  I think I am just overly excited for a long break with the family and celebrating together.  Plus, I feel as if this was my best year ever for gift giving.  Giving gifts is way more fun to me than receiving gifts.  Is it just me?  You bet I've lovingly taunted Kerry with, "You are going to lurve the gifts I got you." type rants since Thanksgiving.  Ha.

One of my goals of the season was to make my first advent calendar.  It ended up being a bit last minute, but I loved how it turned out.  The theme?  "When the last bell is hung, a babe is to be born."

I simply used an old IKEA organizer that I have had hanging in my closet not organizing anything in particular and a box of silver bells from Joann's.  I hung twenty-four silver bells and topped the organizer with lace and red ribbon.  Like I said, super simple.  Ona loved the calendar bells the moment she saw them.

Each night, we talk about how many bells are left and what the countdown to Christmas is truly about.  Initially Ona took the bells and ran around jingling them instead of hanging them on her little Christmas tree.  She has gotten so much better about handling them and takes the job very seriously now.  I snagged this silly little video of her last night.

The clapping at the end kills me.

Here's to twelve more days of cookies, cocoa, presents, and counting down a little babe born in a manger.