Monday, November 23, 2009
My Daybook ~ November 23rd
Outside my window... it is very cold but also so beautifully sunny! I sure wish I felt up to going outside...
I am thinking... about how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends, both in real life and online!
I am thankful for... kind, thoughtful, and way too generous friends, including Marci, who gave me the most lovely baby shower this past Saturday. I can't wait to upload some pictures to share with you all!
I am wearing... a big warm fuzzy sweater and thick socks. I came down with an awful cold late Saturday night and, even after spending most of yesterday in bed, I am still feeling really sick...
I am remembering... my post from November 23rd of last year, the day before I miscarried our little Gabriel on the birthday of my other little saint. It is hard to believe it has been a year.
I am going... to work on a grocery list for hubby to pick up at the store tonight. I still haven't gone shopping since my fridge broke down, a week ago... If it wasn't for Thanksgiving in a few days, I'd be tempted to see just how long I can stretch what is in our cupboards! ;)
I am reading... not much at the moment, though I am hoping to have a chance to catch up on my emails and the 500+ posts in Google Reader soon!
I am hoping... that my ultrasound (and intuition) was right. Wouldn't I be in shock if this baby turned out to be a boy!!!
On my mind... I am really trying to focus on creating a grocery list... It's hard when you need to make it for someone else!
From the learning rooms... This will be a short week, so I was hoping that we would get a lot accomplished today and tomorrow. So far it isn't happening...
Living the Liturgical Year at Home... This week we will celebrate the feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria on Wednesday. Each year we make a Heart Shaped Cake and this year I will also include a Wheel Shaped Pasta Dish with dinner.
Noticing that... it is really really hard to keep my children on track with their school work when I am not feeling well.
Pondering these words... It's a BOY!!! Head on over and tell Erica congratulations!
From the kitchen... lots of herbal tea and fluids for me. Leftover Hearty Beef Stew and Rolls for everyone else. I was so thankful this weekend for those freezer meals I made for "after" the baby was born! ;)
Around the house... signs that we will be welcoming a baby soon. Where on earth am I going to put everything?!
A few plans for the rest of the week:
- Get better!
- Start writing Thank You cards
- Work on creating an address database for our Christmas Cards/Birth Announcements (Can you believe I've been hand addressing about 150 cards every year?! It will be nice to have it all in the computer for once, if I can find the time to actually input them all.)
- Weekly OB Check-Up
- Celebrate the Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria
- Celebrate Thanksgiving!
- Compile a post of all the recipes for December over at Catholic Cuisine
- Yikes! I have a lot to do this week...
A Picture thought I am sharing:
Thank you to ALL of you that contributed to this surprise project!
I absolutely LOVE it!!!!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Making a list...
I've been making Christmas lists for awhile now, ever since I found out this baby was due on Christmas. Most of them have just been in a notebook on my nightstand, so I haven't blogged much about them. I was asked by a few of you to share my lists this year, and perhaps if I actually blog about it, it will help me "check them twice" and finish up any details I am more than likely forgetting!
Even though I keep telling myself I am "almost ready" for Advent and Christmas, I still feel completely unprepared! I guess it is just because I really have no idea when this little one will arrive... Our other children have been born anywhere from 3 weeks early (Chiquita) to 3 days early (Snuggles), which (if that is any indication) would put her arrival at anytime in December...
Anyhow, one of the lists I've been working on, was gifts for St. Nicholas Day. In our home, we have a family tradition of giving our children new slippers, gold coins, and a new Christmas Picture Book (to add to our collection) from St. Nicholas on December 6th.
Here's a peek at the picture books I purchased for this year:
For the Family: St. Nicholas: A Closer Look at Christmas
*If you check out the used/like new copies available on Amazon, it is MUCH more affordable!
For Captain: Christmas at Stony Creek
For Twinkle Toes: The Princess and the Kiss: The Three Gifts of Christmas
"Frank McCourt's first Christmas book is by turns tender and heartwarming, and wholly unforgettable. Angela is six years old and worries for the Baby Jesus on the altar of St. Joseph's Church near School House Lane in Limerick, Ireland, where she lives. December nights are damp and cold, and the church is dark. The Baby Jesus' mother doesn't even have a blanket to cover him. The Baby is sure to need Angela's help, even if she is not allowed to step near the altar, especially by herself. Filled with the character and incident that have made Pulitzer Prize recipient Frank McCourt internationally renowned and beloved, Angela and the Baby Jesus is a timeless story of family--and all of its joy, tradition, love, and incongruity--and a book for the generations to cherish."
For Rose: All for the Newborn Baby
(I also just ordered a used copy of this book
I've already purchased this years slippers for everyone, including a darling little pair for the baby! I was so excited when I saw them at the store last week shortly after receiving a darling little outfit, from a very thoughtful friend, which I think I'll be taking to the hospital for our little rose to wear home. The slippers look like they were MADE to match and there was only one pair and they were size Newborn-6 weeks! I was SO excited!!
I have always wanted to order St. Nicholas Chocolate Coins for his feast day, but every year just end up sticking with the little bags from the local store. We usually repackage them though and attach a little note from St. Nicholas.
Breakfast, after Mass, will include a Candy Cane Coffee Cake and St. Nicholas Hot Cocoa. (We always make this to give away to friends as well!) Oh, and since it was such a hit with my children, I'll probably make St. Nicholas Pizza once again for dinner. (Very easy and cute!)
This year, I also purchased a Playmobil Nativity Set
Ok.. that's all for now. I'll try and post a bit more about our plans later!
35 Weeks...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Holy Heroes Advent Adventure
Have you signed up yet for this year's Advent Adventure at Holy Heroes?
It is offered for free and nearly every day, 22 times during Advent, they will send you an email with a link to that day's activities including: Short videos and audio selections, coloring pages, word searches, crossword puzzles and more!
This year it is going to be based on the Jesse Tree, one of our favorite Advent traditions!
OH! And after signing up, you'll even recieve a coupon code (good through Epiphany) for 20% savings on nearly all of the products offered on their site!
Small Successes :: November 19, 2009
Our refrigerator/freezer stopped working Monday. It isn't that old! At least I didn't think it was... I was thinking it had to be around 3 years old, hubby thought it hadn't even been that long. Turns out we bought it in January of 2004, nearly 6 years ago... Wow!
Anyhow, it
I assembled one of Twinkle Toes Christmas gifts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
My Daybook ~ November 17th
I am thinking... of our friends, Dan and Stacey, and their family. Yesterday I tried posting a few different times, to ask you all to keep them in your prayers, and I just couldn't complete the post... My heart is just aching for them, as it has for so many other friends this past year. Sunday afternoon, one of Dan's sisters let us know that late Saturday night Dan and Stacey lost one of their nine young children, their adorable 2 1/2 year old daughter Rachel, unexpectedly to meningitis. It all happened so quickly and within just a couple hours of showing symptoms, Rachel went to Heaven. Could you all please remember their family, and their extended family, in your prayers?
I am thankful for... the reassurance given to us, though our Faith and infant baptism, that little Rachel is now perfectly happy in Heaven, even if it is so very hard for those still here, especially the families of these little ones. St. Rachel, pray for us!
I am wearing... a long-sleeved lavender maternity shirt, black fleece maternity sweat pants, and warm fuzzy socks. It is really cold this morning.
I am going... to miss Rachel's funeral... I wanted so badly to go. But, with all the contractions I've been having, as well as the 4 hour drive each way, my midwife doesn't think I should be making the trip. :'(
I am reading... A Life of Our Lord for Children
On my mind... Father's sermon from Sunday morning Mass. He was reminding us that we never know when our life is going to end and that each and every second here is a gift from God.
From the learning rooms... as I mentioned in my "K" week post, we are continuing "L" week for a few days this week as the girls finish up a Ladybug Lapbook/Unit Study. Now that a few other things have come up as well, it looks like we won't even begin "M" until next week. As for the boys, they are working on finishing up a few of their projects before our Christmas break.
Living the Liturgical Year at Home... I had wanted to make St. Elizabeth's Crown for her feast day today. Doesn't it look both beautiful and delicious!?! However, with the state of my kitchen right now, it is not looking like it is going to happen... Perhaps I can make it on Thursday, which is her traditional feast day. She is one of the two patrons I choose at my Confirmation!
Noticing that... the days are quickly ticking by and Christmas will be here very, very soon... Only 37 days to go! I've been quite nervous about labor and delivery this pregnancy, and trying not to think about it too much...
Pondering these words... "It is so consoling to think that Jesus, the strong God, experienced all our weaknesses, that He trembled at the sight of the bitter chalice - the cup that He had longed for so ardently." ~ St. Therese of Lisieux
From the kitchen... Do you really want to know? Yesterday, after lunch, I noticed (or rather Snuggles pointed out) that the floor in front of the fridge was covered in water. At first I had the boys just dry it up for me, thinking that Snuggles had pushed on the water dispenser... Then, a few minutes later, it was wet again. I opened the freezer to find that all the ice had melted and everything had defrosted. Needless to say I spent the rest of the day sorting through thawed food, baking a Berry Cobbler with 2 1/2 pounds of thawed berries, making Chicken in the Crock pot for dinner, and juice popsicles with all the juice concentrates which were on the verge of falling apart. What a day! Thankfully a couple of my sisters stopped by on their way home from school and took a couple bags of food/condiments home with them, since my mom has an extra fridge... The rest is on our front porch in a cooler. The appliance repair man will be out in a couple hours.
Around the house... So much to do, and so little energy with which to do it... It's amazing how quickly it can totally fall apart when something breaks!
One of my favorite things... the looks on my kids faces when they notice or feel the baby rolling around inside my tummy! She has been quite active lately.
A few plans for the rest of the week:
- Wednesday ~ Blue Knights Meeting for the Boys
- Thursday ~ Evening Open House/Party at at Friends
- Saturday ~ A Baby Shower for our little "Rose!" I have been so blessed with such kind and generous friends!
A Picture thought I am sharing:
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Highlights from "K" Week
We didn't get to the Picture Book Science or the Picture Study... In fact, Rascal said he "wouldn't do anything that had had to do with Kiiissssessss... Ewwww!" Well, that changed pretty quickly when I said, "oh... that's too bad, I thought you might like to help the girls make some Hershey Kiss Kritters!" ;) lol!
Here are a few of the things we did do during "K" week, in addition to reading Elizabeth's lovely story about Michael and the Kingcup Fairy, creating Modelling Wax
(50% off for Home Schoolers)
Copywork from An Alphabet of Catholic Saints
We also listened listened to I want to be a Christian! The Story of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha,
Supplies:
I knew I wasn't going to have much time this week, so when we made cupcakes on the Feast of St. Martin, I kept half aside for the girls to decorate for K week!


































































