Outside my window... we replaced our fall wreath with an evergreen wreath for Advent and Christmas.
I am thinking... about this year's Christmas gifts for our children. I had hoped to have all the gifts purchased and wrapped before Advent began, but I wasn't able to pull that off this year.
I am thankful... that we were given permission from our local pastor for Twinkle Toes to receive her First Holy Communion from one of her uncles, during a Traditional Latin Mass, if one of them is able to come out to baptize our new little one in January. I just need to take her in to be tested to make sure she is ready. He may meet with Chiquita as well, and we may end up having two First Communions, in addition to the Baptism! We'll just have to see!
From the kitchen... leftovers! Since we went to my parents on Thanksgiving, I knew we wouldn't end up with any leftovers, so I planned to make our own turkey dinner on Saturday. I ended up spending much more time in the kitchen than I would have liked, but everything turned out great. Here is a list of what we made, with links to some of the recipes:
To take to my Parents:
Cranberry Orange Bread
(tripled for a 9x13 casserole)
Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
(also tripled for a 9x13 casserole)
Hot Apple Cider
Sparkling Apple Cider
Country Potato Dinner Rolls (store bought)
Crackers and Harry & David Pepper & Onion Relish Dip
For our Meal at Home:
Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Rolls
Jellied Cranberries
Black Olives
Pumpkin Pie & Veggie Tray (both from Costco)
We never did get a chance to make the Oreo Turkeys or Pilgrim Hat Cookies that we had planned, and the ingredients are all still sitting on the counter... :/
Learning all the time... we are back to school after a couple days off last week for Thanksgiving. My hope is to wrap up our Colonial Unit Study this week and have the children assemble their lap books. I've had to cut back on a lot of the activities we began at the beginning of the year, since I just haven't been able to keep up with everything. Mainly we have had to cut out the girls' weekly state-by-state recipe - we've decided to catch up with a States Dinner/Party sometime in the next couple months - though they are still studying a state each week. I also haven't been able to spend much one on one time with Snuggles, though he has really enjoyed a few new workbooks and participating in the big kids projects. This afternoon we will be heading out on a field trip that will tie in nicely to our Colonial studies!
Living the Liturgical Year at Home... Last night, before our family rosary, Hubby blessed our Advent Wreath and we lit the first candle. The
pillar candles from the Monastery Candle Shop arrived a little lighter in color than I expected, but they are very pretty and will work out nicely this year!
After the rosary we read the story of creation and added ornaments to both our traditional felt Jesse Tree
(which I started to worry we weren't going to be able to find, since it wasn't with the rest of our Advent decorations), as well as a new beautiful wooden ornament to place on a little artificial tree. The kids unwrapped the first book from
this year's Advent Book Basket and cuddled up on the couch with their Daddy to listen to a story before bed. It was a very nice and peaceful evening at home, even if the kids didn't get to bed until really late!
I am creating... (or will be just as soon as I can!) a Notebook page for this week's Little Flowers meeting, in addition to preparing for the craft. I really wish I would have been able to finish my plans for this year this past summer. Hopefully it won't take too long!
I am wearing... my hair a little shorter and darker. I originally was just planning on getting it cut and layered last week, but the hair stylist convinced me to color it to match my roots, covering up the old highlights from a couple years ago. It has taken a little getting use to, but I think I am starting to like having it
all dark once again. Captain cracked me up when he told me that he liked it "but wasn't sure if it made me look older or younger!"
Noticing that... now that the baby isn't breech, he is
really low. It is getting very hard to stand for long and walking through a store is next to impossible, without starting to contract. (Thank goodness for online shopping!) I am so glad that Hubby is coming home early to go on our field trip with us this afternoon. I don't think I could manage it, without his help!
I am listening... to our Advent/Christmas station on Pandora, while I work on folding tons of laundry.
Around the house... after spending most of Friday and Saturday organizing and de-cluttering the kids bedrooms, they are finally
almost done. I still just need to go through their clothing drawers. Hubby assembled the drawers for the closet organizer in the babies room on Saturday, so I finally have a place to put his clothes, once I get around to washing them. Maybe this week, once I catch up on the mountain that appeared after cleaning the bedrooms? I am running out of time!
I am hoping... that I can move on to cleaning my bedroom and the schoolroom, now that the kids rooms are almost done. The piles have gotten out of control. I just haven't been able to keep up with everything lately.
I am praying... this prayer to my little ones, who I remembered especially this past week, on the anniversary of when they were
born too early and
miscarried, which happened to fall on Thanksgiving Day this year:
To an Infant in Heaven
My darling (mention the child’s name) you are now in joy in the presence of our God; and in your spotless innocence, which he loves, you can speak to him with a voice that he will heed. You are still my little baby and will surely regard the prayers of your mother, who bore you. So with confidence, then, I speak to you. Intercede for me to obtain the favor that I here ask as a mother through her child who stands before the throne of God (here mention petition). But if what I ask is not according to the wisdom and loving designs of almighty God for me and others, then ask Him to grant what is best according to His good pleasure and to give me the wisdom and faith to conform my will to His.
One of my favorite things... celebrating the seasons of
Advent & Christmas at home with my family!
A few plans for the rest of the week:
- Hubby went back to work today, after a very quick 4 days off. I had hoped he'd be able to take a little more time off. Maybe later this week...
- Colonial Themed Field Trip, followed by Hockey Practice this afternoon
- Tutor from 9-1 and Piano Lessons from 2-4 on Wednesday
- Final Little Flowers Meeting (until March) on Thursday (which I haven't even begun to prepare for!)
- Team Hockey Practice on Thursday
- Boys' Hockey Game on Saturday Morning
- Parish Anniversary Dinner on Sunday
A Picture thought I am sharing:
Family picture on Thanksgiving Day 2011
P.S. Charlotte has convinced me to host a "
Favorite Advent/Christmas Book Link-Up" here at Shower of Roses! I will try and post the link-up either late tonight or tomorrow, so start working on a post with your favorites to share!
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