Burning the Candle at Both Ends

Another Contest

Over at  O Night Divine Mary Ellen is having another lapbook giveaway. This one is on The Twelve Days of Christmas. Since I posted on my blog about it, I get to be entered twice!  Yippee! I never win anything, so I need all the help I can get!

Hope everyone had a joyous Christmas!  We had a wonderful couple of days with just the children on Christmas Eve; my brother, sister and their families on Christmas Day; and friends over on Christmas Night. Actually our celebration begins early on Christmas Eve morning when we all go to IHOP for breakfast to mark Ben's birthday. We were there by 8:00 and stuffed ourselves on pancakes, omelettes and hash browns! Up until this year Ben would always order something like chicken tenders and fries for breakfast, but this year he went with the more traditional pancakes and bacon. I guess now that he is sixteen, no more kiddy food for his birthday breakfast. That was sad to me!

 Hannah was an angel in our Christmas Eve children's pageant and she was absolutely adorable. Over forty children particiapted this year, so you can imagine the potential for chaos. But it all went off without a hitch. After Mass we came home to birthday dinner... Ben's choice. This year he chose bacon cheeseburgers and twice-baked potaotes. I felt like the Iron Chef "today's secret ingredient is..... BACON!" (the Iron Chef is a cooking competition show on the Food Network) Well this wouldn't have been my preference for Christmas Eve dinner, but the birthday person traditionally chooses the dinner menu on their special day.  On my birthday the choice is the menu at the cafe down the road from our house!

Well, today I am off to a baby shower for a cousin and it will be nice to visit with some family we don't normally see at the holidays for a change. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Sixteen Candles

It's hard to believe it's been sixteen years already, but it has! On Christmas Eve sixteen years ago, my husband and I received the best gift ever (well, second only to the birth of our Lord!), Benjamin John. Mary Ellen at O NIght DIvine  posted a reflection I wrote on this. Just wanted to post a picture of him taken this past Sunday as he was leaving for our parish youth ministry's annual Christmas dance. Isn't he handsome?

Almost Wordless Wednesday

I crack myself up sometimes!

Santa vs. Jesus

(I can't claim credit for writing this, it came to me as a forward in an email. I wish I had written it, though.. it is an important message for us all!)       Jesus is Better than Santa Santa lives at the North Pole. JESUS is everywhere. Santa rides in a sleigh JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water. Santa comes but once a year JESUS is an ever present help. Santa fills your stockings with goodies JESUS supplies all your needs. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart. You have to stand in line to see Santa JESUS is as close as the mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap JESUS lets you rest in His arms. Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?" JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads. Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly JESUS has a heart full of love. All Santa can offer is HO HO HO JESUS offers health, help and hope. Santa says "You better not cry" JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you. Santa's little helpers make toys JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions. Santa may make you chuckle but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength. While Santa puts gifts under your tree JESUS became our gift and died on the tree. It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in Christmas. Jesus is still the reason for the season. May the Lord Bless and Watch over you and your loved ones this Christmas 2008 And may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New Year. God bless you all

Christmas Tour

Welcome to a Christmas tour of our home. Come on in and take a peek at some of our family's favorite decorating traditions!

I made a simple centerpiece for the dining room table by filling a basket with potpourri, pinecones and various greens I snipped from around the yard. I like this because I can change out the filling in the baskets with the seasons.  I love décor that multitasks!

 

 

 

 

I decorated a small tree for a space between the dining room and kitchen. It stands opposite our woodburning stove. I keep this tree very simply decorated with strung popcorn and cranberries, a string of candle lights, and homemade gingerbread.

 The back of our fireplace mantle is lined with greens cut from our backyard and the centerpiece of it it is a painting by Bougereau called Innocence. I found Hannah singing Mary had a Little Lamb in front of the painting one day and thought this was a neat connection she’d made!

I picked up this rustic- looking woodland Nativity set after Christmas last year. I used holly and juniper from the yard to set a woodsy backdrop for it.

The China cabinet has been in my family for many years. On it are some woodcarvings my Dad made many years ago. He was a very talented craftsman who joined my mom in heaven this past April. He is really going to be missed on this first Christmas without him!  He hand painted the Santa with such detail. I wish I was a better photographer so I could capture the loving care that went into it.

Since I spend so much time at my kitchen sink, especially at the holidays, I had to include a shot of how I decorated the window there! The garlands lining the tops of the kitchen cabinets have white lights and pine cones and red berries to make them look festive  for the season.

I hope you enjoyed this stroll through our Christmas home.  I should be posting  a picture of our big tree decorated in the living room sometime in the next week, so do stop by for another look! And don’t forget to check out the other Christmas tours here.

Third Sunday of Advent

  Traditionally known as Gaudette Sunday, from the Latin word for rejoice. We rejoice this Sunday because we are getting ever closer to the light of Christ entering the world. Hence, we burn the lighter, rose-colored candle on our Advent wreath to symbolize our hope and joy. Or, since cake is a staple for most liturgical observances in our home, we lit the rose colored candle on our Gaudette Sunday cake! Becky baked and decorated tonight's dessert.  I know it will taste as yummy as it looks.  Everything tastes better to me when I don't have to make it! We spent today finishing up our Christmas decorating. I love how homey and old-fashioned the house feels at Christmastime. Check back tomorrow for more pictures since I will be participating in the Christmas Tour of Homes  which begins tomorrow.

FYI...

My dear friend who has a popular  Christmas blog was asked by Relevant Radio, to be a guest on their live morning  talk show this Thursday morning, Dec. 11, 2008, at 8:30(ET) . Relevant Radio is a Catholic, mostly talk, radio station available on many stations throughout the country and also streaming online at their homepage, for those who don't get it on their radio.  This station carries programs featuring many top people such as Fr. John Corapi, Dr. Ray Guerendi, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Raymond Arroyo and others. And now, my friend and sister in Christ, Mary Ellen Barrett. She will be talking about Advent Observances in the Catholic home. I am looking forward to hearing what she has to share. Don't miss it!

St. Nicholas responds

St. Thomas’ Day

You put out your shoes in hopes of a treat

Maybe a present or two

You know who I work for, the Lord above

Who is filled with love for you

The treats I bring, you can hold in your fist

But their goodness is not here to stay.

I know you’ll never forget the best gift – the Eucharist.

I think there will be a St. Thomas’ day!

Eve of St. Nicholas

Today Thomas was learning about rhyming patterns in poetry. He came up with this ditty, in addition to a few too silly for public consumption!

Tonight's the night we put out our shoes;

Will I get candy or coal?

When I wake up I'll be looking for clues;

Did St. Nicholas visit from the North Pole?

Happy St. Nicholas Day Eve! Here's hoping everyone gets candy!

 

 

Take Peace

Anyone reading this who also has an affection for the late Tasha Tudor may recognize the title of this post. A few years back a dear friend introduced me to a video called Take Peace which chronicled the home and hearth of Tasha Tudor during Christmastime.  I always thought the title was appropriate because every year now, I take time out of the busy-ness of the season and find some peace and serenity while  watching  this film.  We see Tasha preparing  traditional foods; chopping down her own tree from her property ; the simple and natural way in which she decorated Corgi Cottage; the many traditions she raised her own children on. It is a pleasure to peek inside her world and pine for a simpler time. And maybe, just maybe, try and bring some of that simplicity into our own hectic lives. So in honor of Tasha Tudor, and as a gift for my dear friend who introduced me to one of the best parts of my Christmas preparations (watching Take Peace with a nice cup of tea), I  attempted to create something to remind us to grab a bit of peace where we can. I reluctantly share a picture, because I am not a "sewer". I have been seeing lots of felt crafts on some of the blogs and in some craft books I have, and I thought some of them looked like projects I could actually make.  I experimented with felt and simple stitches because I am going to set Hannah up with her very first sewing project and I think something along these lines would be perfect for her (and my ) level of ability.  Take Peace can be purchased from the Tudor family website and I believe many libraries carry it. I recommend fixing yourself a hot cup of tea one night soon and curling up on the sofa with this in the DVD player or VCR... you won't regret a minute of it! I promise!