Christmas Blessings!

We are entering into this last week of Advent and retreating from the hustle and bustle around us.

Many prayers for you and your families this Christmas Season!!

Mary Christ-Mass!!

Small Successes

1. I've been menu planning like crazy. Instead of our normal three week rotating menu, I needed to devise a Christmas Week menu. Check. Also have been brainstorming the week after Christmas. We are hosting several groups of people throughout that week. The FOCUS conference is taking place that week, and a group of attendees will be staying with us the night before they check in. I'm coming up with menu plans to reflect feeding a larger group than I'm used to. We will also see DH's sister for a few days and then friends that have recently moved away will be visiting us. Exciting!

2. Along those same lines, I am trying to streamline as much as I can before Christmas to make it easier to prepare for those groups after. So I have stacks of towels, sheets, and blankets ready to go. Tidying as much as I can so that way all I'll have to do is clean right before they get here.

3. Finally used up my 50 free prints at CVS! Yesterday we went to pick them up and they turned out great. Now out photo album is up to date and I have a few extra to put into a Christmas gift for DH's grandfather.

Babies

H/T American Papist

Giving Up

caffeine that is.

The last few days, I have been feeling very jittery, lightheaded and unsettled after I finish my morning coffee. That in combination with a glass of sweet tea later in the day or a soda....yuck.

So yesterday, I decided I wasn't going to turn on the coffee maker. Had a cup of decaf tea instead. Yesterday was a little of a sluggish day and I felt exceedingly crabby, but I know that I'll feel better the day after tomorrow. Always takes three days for me to see a difference.

In the meantime, I hope that the crabby's leave our house. Everybody will appreciate that!

Mind-Blowing

The tilma, that is.

This completely and utterly fascinates me. I hope at some point we will be able to make a pilgrimmage to Mexico City.

Live Nativity

Last night, our family traveled to Bethlehem via our neighborhood Lutheran Church.

They offered a (free) Live Nativity and invited all to come and take a journey to Bethlehem to see the Christmas Story.

I must say that they put A LOT of effort and time into this endeavor. While you waited for your group to set off on this walking tour, you were treated to several choirs within their sanctuary. Very lovely.

Once the tour commenced, you journeyed first to John the Baptist who set the stage and told you where we would be starting: the promise of his birth to Zechariah. From there, we also saw the angel Gabriel appear to Mary, followed Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem. We also were counted by the census takers and walked through a jewish marketplace. Very loud! Pearl was a little taken aback and the people yelling trying to get you to buy their wares.

We left Mary and Joseph to settle into the manger, while we visited the shepherds in the fields surrounded by a multitude of angels. There were live sheep and goats being tended to.

The manger scene was beautifully done and we were invited to sing Silent Night together as a group for the Baby Jesus.

The last two stops on our journey were to the palace of King Herod when he commands the Magi to bring him news of the Christ Child and the house where the Magi meet the Holy Family and share with them their dream to go home another way.

The tour was completed by the Church inviting the participates to worship with them for Christmas services and an offering of refreshments.

So much hard work went into this endeavor and it was just lovely. We all had a great time and hope to go again next year.

One of our favorite Advent Traditions growing up was going to a Live Nativity in my hometown so it was wonderful to find one where we currently live.

You may have heard the story of St. Francis and the Christmas Creche; if not, it is indeed worth sharing with our children as we show them our own Nativity scenes at Church and in our homes.

Giveaways Days

Faith and Family Live is on Day 4 of their "Giveaway Days." Some really cute prizes and a fantastic way to spread the word how great they are!!

Small Successes

1. Yesterday got me through 2/3 of my Advent Cleaning. Have the oven, small appliances, and back countertops left.

2. We've been really good at sticking to our menu plans this week. I'm liking my rotating menus!

3. Got all our Christmas letters sent out. The snail mail ones, that is. Still need to post the letter on our family's website and send a few email versions.

Wordless Wednesday

Regression

After a bout of illness, a trip away from home, and canines coming in, Pearl is regressing in her sleeping habits.

Last night definitely was a little overwhelming. I think we are going to have to start at square one to get us back to where we were.

I'll be hitting up the coffee pot this morning. Make it High Test!