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December Daybook {delights}



outdoors… 
The most ideal fall weather has convinced me that November is my new favorite weather month of the year.  The daytime temps are in the 60s, sunny and calm.  Plenty of time for children to explore in the woods while I sip coffee on the deck, soaking in the gentle sunshine and listening to birds twittering.  This is where I do all my meal planning, recipe reading and Christmas daydreaming.  

thinking…
About the magic of this particular holiday season.  I said to my sons yesterday that this year has been my favorite holiday time since my own childhood.  Nine, eight and three year old boys are SO WONDERFUL. I adore their ages.  They still love all that Christmas has to offer from the Angel Gabriel to Santa's elves. This is my bliss.

wearing...
Capri exercise pants and a soft green tee shirt and I am barefoot.  The window by my computer is open and I love the cool morning breeze on my skin.

 hearing…
KC watching a Thomas the Train movie in the next room and Tony Bennett singing Winter Wonderland on Pandora (my favorite stations are the Bing Crosby Holiday, Frank Sinatra Holiday or the Michael Buble Holiday.)  All Christmas all the time.

thankful for…
Precious children, great girlfriends, my huggable husband, Christmas, family time to come.

going…
No where today.  The past several days have been full of basketball games, birthday parties, Mass, and lots of errands and shopping outings.  I want to slow down and regroup at home today.

praying for...
Three people we know who have been struck with brain cancer. Mark(37)  who is recovering from brain surgery last week, Bradley(11) who is also recovering from brain surgery last week, and my husband who lost his uncle to brain cancer last week. Now I feel a twinge of concern when my sons complain of a headache that won't go away.  Then I count our blessings and pray again for those in need.

reading…
all my December magazines.  This is my favorite magazine time of the year! Also getting some baking ideas from this gluten-free cookbook.

creating…
so many ideas in my head but not as much with my hands.  Today I will make time for some of my Christmas crafts.   I am participating in my first on-line art journaling class (Doodle 12-31) and have spent the past days preparing my journal with gesso and red, green and winter blue acrylic paints.  Today I get to start doodling!  We also have a pre-fab gingerbread house kit the boys want to do asap.  

cooking…
Dinners in the next three weeks will include:
Swiss Chicken, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Lentil Soup, Roasted turkey breast, Bacon-wrapped fillets, and Christmas Ham with Val's famous ham sauce.  
Baking to do:
Soft sugar cookies with butter-cream frosting, gingerbread boys, coconut macaroons, banana bread, sunflower seed tassies, apple pie, and ...


homekeeping… 
We had a family cleaning meltdown day on Saturday and now the house finally feels picked up and cozy again.  The lights are twinkling and we have been watching Christmas shows every night before bed.  So far my favorite is the Hallmark Jingle All The Way movie.  It's a  new family classic and I highly recommend giving the interactive stuffed dog and book to a young child you love.  My three year old takes him everywhere and sleeps with him all night long.  Absolutely adorable!



anticipating...
date night with hubby on Thursday to attend Amy Grant/Vince Gill Christmas concert (my birthday gift), school Christmas play on Friday followed by Bunco, basketball game on Saturday, school Christmas parties next week

pondering… 
Advent.  The word means "coming" and clearly we are preparing for the coming of "Giftmas"  but the church asks us to prepare for the coming of Christ to our own hearts and lives.  Our  family's Advent candles are still in their box, unlit.  The Advent wreath is a practice that,  as a convert to Catholicism, I still cannot quite figure out how to incorporate into our daily lives.  
Going to have to think about this some more...

favorite things…
Matching Christmas flannel jammies and school Christmas plays.





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Comments

  1. SusanDecember 6, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    Love the Christmas pics of you and your family!

    I know what you mean about the advent wreath. I'm a cradle catholic but we never had one while growing up. Some years, we light it daily and read the day's mass readings and say a prayer. This year, all I've managed to do is light the candles while we eat supper. IF we are home for supper! I do like watching the flames on the candles though. It always seems to put me in a more reflective mood and I often find myself saying a silent prayer while watching them. I know the kids enjoy having the candles lit too, although I'm not sure that it makes them more prayerful. It's better than nothing I guess.

    There's a book from wau.org on family traditions to celebrate advent that you might find useful. Not sure of the title at the moment but you should be able to find it at the website's storefront fairly easily if you're interested.

    Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Happy MotherDecember 6, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    We also do the Advent Wreath at dinner time. We light the candle(s) and say the corresponding prayer right before we say grace. If you don't have family dinner, you could easily do it at breakfast. You can probably find dozens of versions of the prayers on Google. It seems that we use a different form every year. The big deal in our house is WHO gets to blow them out? (The kids all take turns- youngest to oldest, which is the opposite of who gets to do the Advent Calendar each day- that one is oldest to youngest.)
    This year, starting December 17th I hope to also start to O Antiphons. This is new to me, but I keep reading about them on different Catholic blogs so I thought we'd try.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RosanneDecember 6, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    Hello from western Canada and thanks SO much for sharing from your warm locale!
    You family is precious. LOVE the pj shot!
    Enjoy every moment with them as the years fly bye at break-neck speed.
    I will be visiting our oldest son, his wife and 8 month old baby girl this weekend. I shake my head when I remember him when he was the ages of yours but am thankful that He knows our days & keeps us under Hs wings!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lisa notes...December 6, 2011 at 1:03 PM

    November is usually nice around my neck of the woods too, with back and forth cold/hot weather.

    Enjoy your day at home today. I had one of those yesterday and loved it. (I'm a homebody at heart.)

    You have a beautiful family. Thanks for sharing your Daybook.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ♥ my diary♥December 24, 2011 at 12:48 AM

    nice post! thanks for sharing...happy holidays...blessings soraya

    ReplyDelete

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~Grace and peace to you~

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