Thankful for time with family....

This Thanksgiving, we traveled to Connecticut to visit with my husband's family.  We had such a great time.  Although the drive was LONG, I must say that we have the best traveler's in the world.  Even our dog Lucy was a champ.  It is amazing how you can pick up right where you left off with family.  It had been a few years since we visited New England.  The hustle and bustle of the busy northeast.  Of course, the family was warm and welcoming as always.  They sure do miss my hubby a great deal.  But I think he likes the warm weather too much to live up north again.

K-Doodle with her Daddy making stuffing for the turkey.

The girl's "Grangan" took us to see the broadway performance of Peter Pan with Cathy Rigbey.  All I can say is...Wow!  What a spectacular show.  And that gal is 59 years old!  She was flying across the stage, doing acrobatics and her acting was amazing.  We had great seats and the girls had so much fun!  Grangan has going to the theater down to a science.  She knows exactly what time to arrive, have a snack and exit so that you don't miss a beat or run into traffic on your way out!  Thanks Grangan!

Grangan's beautiful table for our Thanksgiving meal.

Patrick and I had a chance to sneak off for a movie alone.  We saw what we thought was a "new" movie, MoneyBall.  We loved it.  We later found out that it has been out for a while.  Oh well, it was new to us and we had some uninterrupted couple time.  That is all that matter's right?

The bird.  What a Thanksgiving post without that!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with the whole gang.  Complete with the Pappa tradition of poppers after the meal.  This is a tradition that I try to continue in our home too.  I think it is important to incorporate both parent's family traditions. 

C-Sunshine with her Popper Prize!

Playing games with cousin Ally.

The trip was great, but long, and I am ever so grateful to be home.  Home sweet home.  And you know what?  I think it might just be - beginning to feel like "home" to me.

I have more pictures to post from our trip.  Want to make sure I get the Thanksgiving post in during November.  (grin)  Have a great week!

Someone got it right!

 Yesterday, while out doing some coupon shopping with C-Sunshine (our weekly time together while K-Doodle is in Faith Formation) we found these tucked in amongst a lot of Santa's and Snowmen.  Whitman's got it right!

These are 2 oz. milk chocolate bars with the image of our Lord.  What better Christmas Gift for those people who bless our children all during the year with co-op classes, faith formation and the like!  I bought up about fifteen of these to pass out during Advent.  We purchased ours at Rite-Aid.  I plan to email Whitman's and thank them for the beautiful images.

Blessings!

Advent Seasonal Plans 2011 - Take One

I have been busy trying to jot down a few plans for the upcoming Advent season.  They are not done.  The guilt of sitting and thinking is pouring in as well as preparations that need to be done for our Thanksgiving travel to see family.  

So, here is a glimpse of what I have so far.  I will present a final the first week after Thanksgiving.  

Wishing you all a very blessed Thanksgiving!

11/27/11 –    First Sunday of Advent            

• Blessing of the Advent wreath, lighting the first candle and readings.

• The girls begin their advent calenders which are full of chocolate yummyness.

11/28/11 -    Jesse Tree*

Begin Jesse Tree daily devotion with the girls and putting on the special ornaments we exchange with our homeschool family friends last year.  We are using The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas.

*Daily thereafter

12/01/11      Christmas Party with our homeschool group

12/03/11      Saint Nicholas pancake breakfast at St. James

                   9:30  a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Our Community Christmas Parade – 5:30 p.m.

12/04/11     Second Sunday of Advent

                Lighting of the second candle and readings.

12/06/11 -   Feast of Saint Nicholas  

• Read the story of Saint Nicholas 

• Make Candy Cane Coffee Cake & Hot Cocoa 
• Make St. Nicholas stick ornaments and votive candles 
• and St. Nicholas beaded ornaments 
• St. Nicholas coloring pages 
•  Eat a german feast of sausage, potatoes and kraut.
• Adorn the table with the votive candles and Santa’s turned into the real St. Nicholas!   
• Put out those shoes that will be filled with golden coins and these adorable Playmobil St. Nicholas and Angel figures. 
• We will also be trimming the tree on this evening

  12/08/11 -   Feast of the Immaculate Conception 

• Immaculate Conception Coloring page
• A Garden Enclosed - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Craft Idea

HOME Christmas Choir Concert @ 6:15 

12/09/11 -   HOME Choir Concert at Fine Arts Class

12/11/11       Third Sunday of Advent

                Lighting of the third candle

12/13/11 -    Feast of Saint Lucia (Lucy) 

• Easy out of the can Cinnamon Wreath 
  
• make a St. Lucia crown 
• do a unit study on St. Lucia which includes a Saint Lucia Paper Doll. 
  

                   AHG Christmas Party & Awards – 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

12/18/11      Fourth Sunday of Advent

                Lighting of the fourth candle

12/22/11 -    Amber (big sis!) arrives at our house!

12/23/11 -    Gingerbread Houses

•  Decorating of the gingerbread houses (family tradition) and some Christmas baking. – Deliver to neighbors!

12/24/11 -    Christmas Eve 

• Evening Mass at St. James - 5:00 p.m. 
• Children’s Christmas Choir Concert and Play

12/25/11 -    Christmas Day – Christ is Born! 

• Traditional unveiling of the stockings & beginning of the gifting to others.
• Christmas Brunch – ongoing from about 9-11 a.m.
• Christmas Feast – Midday @ 4pm

01/01/12 -  Feast of Mary the Mother of God

                Happy New Year!


 01/06/12 -   Feast of the Epiphany

                  

                  

Fall Frolic and Planning Ahead

I always seem to get stressed out during the fall. Fall is so full of activity and the anticipation of the upcoming holidays that I can feel my jaw cinched shut. Which is odd because, Fall is my favorite time of year. For some reason lately, I always feel in a rush. I often feel unprepared. Yet in the thick of all the confusion, I am excited and enjoying the change of seasons.

After stopping to think about my state of confusion, I have come to the conclusion that it is the lack of a plan that has me in a tizzy. I am a planner at heart. I like things on paper and knowing what is 'planned' to happen next. Whether it actually happens or not.

We have a lot going on in the next month and I have not stopped long enough (or should I say taken the time)to just sit and plan. I always feel like I should actually be doing sometime like schooling, cleaning or organizing. We all know that things run much better when Mom has taken the time to think things through and write on that plan.

Why it is that I always feel guilty when I take a few hours to just sit, think and plan?

Maybe it is because I actually enjoy planning.  Yes, that's right.  I love it.

I love paper.  I love writing in notebooks and on calendars.  I love to see what is on the agenda for our every day.  And I think that because it is something that I enjoy, I feel guilty when I take the needed time to do it.   When in reality, my family always benefits when I am well prepared.

So, I am going to forge ahead and plan, plan, plan!  And without the guilt!

I have been perusing blogs and have found  OrganizedChristmas.com.  I have signed up for the Christmas Countdown.  It provides a six week countdown of things to do to prepare for the holidays.  There is a free downloadable planner.  You can pick and choose what to place in your book.  I find the countdown is a good pace for our family.

I also came across this free Christmas Excel Budget Document.  This site also sells a planner, but I just grabbed the free budget for now. Some really neat planning stuff there.

So, come on...grab those planners and get rid of the guilt!  Happy Planning!