Pinewood Castle

Just Before Christmas Daybook

Outside my window:: Chances are, we will have a brown Christmas in Minnesota, and actually, that's ok with me.

I am hearing:: The little ones playing inside and the big kids outside.

I am wearing:: My old glasses. Guess who got his little hands on my current pair and twisted them beyond repair?

I am thankful for:: My husband, my family, and for all the wonderful Christmas cards from family and friends. I am so thankful for people who include a little notes that say things like, "Enjoyed your Christmas card - you have darling children who are all so happy and accomplished."  Because - you know how it is with family newsletters - you want to share the joys of raising a family without bragging and it's nice to know that some people really do appreciate what you are doing and how hard it can be to raise a good family.

I Miss:: The share feature on google reader that instantly listed links to great posts on my left side bar. I am not sure if any readers miss this, but I sure miss the fun of sharing good posts I read.

I am Thinking:: How are we ever going to get back to a full school routine when it takes all day just to practice music, do some math, read aloud, and keep up with housework?

I am Pondering:: Unschooling the rest of the year. Just kidding.

I am Praying for:: Our family and what the future holds. Will we ever be able to move back to the metro? Will we still want to by the time we can? Is it better in some ways to be away from city life even if we miss out on so many educational opportunities?

Books on my Nightstand:: My Name is Mary Sutter - historical fiction about a midwife/nurse on the Northern front of the Civil War.

Taking Care of Myself:: So very disappointed that the Wheat Belly diet has not turned me into the incredible shrinking woman that I had rightfully hoped after reading the book, but I am feeling worlds  better on a wheat-free, sugar-free, low-carb diet along with some extra vitamin D. If I do cheat and have something with wheat, milk, and sugar (like, perhaps, Coldstone's mint chocolate chip ice cream with brownie bits) I pay for it with a massively painful headache the next day. If you are losing weight on this diet, please don't tell me about it or I will be insanely jealous.

From the Kitchen:: Meat and veggies, grapefruit, clementines and pomegranates. Three kinds of Christmas cookies: traditional, egg-free, and almond flour/truvia versions for Joe and me. Good thing the hunger pangs and carb cravings go away on a grain-free diet.

Around the House:: Busy!

Repairs & Replacements - replaced the bottom oven fan that finally quit working after months of rattling. While we had Kenmore on the brain we also ordered replacements for the broken veggie drawer in the fridge, broken ice bin in the freezer, and crusted-over drip tray under the water dispenser.

Updating - Joe decided it was time to replace our old tube tellies with re-certified HD Vizios that he found at a great price. Now I have to learn how to use them, but at least the baby no longer has access to the power button.

Deep Cleaning - cleaned the inside of the fridge with the help of two kids. Wow, was that yucky! We also spent a morning cleaning underneath, between and behind the washer and dryer. Even yuckier!

I am Creating:: The kids and I are sewing these super-cute ornament kits for Christmas presents. Don't look if you are on our gift list!

Good Flicks:: Nothing lately, other than reviewing Masterpiece Theater's Downton Abbey before Season 2 airs in January.

The Children:: They are so excited that Christmas is almost here they have butterflies in their stomachs. We have enjoyed several local events the last week - the ballet academy's Nutcracker, the figure skating club's Christmas show and skate with Santa, and a Hanukkah party for homeschoolers. They learned how to play the dreidel game and love it.

The Little Prince:: Still not talking, still into everything, and constantly removing his favorite felt gingerbread boy ornaments from the Christmas tree. We really have to be careful where we lay down our sewing projects. Good thing he's so incredibly cute and well-loved.

The Little Princess:: She and Choir Boy assembled the annual gingerbread house with Grandma this year while the girls and I were at violin. Precious times!

She says all sorts of funny things like:

"Aren't you going to say Goodness Golly'?" when I am exasperated.

Onion = yun-yon

Step Stool = step-o-stool

Choking Hazards = choking haz-rits

If we are actually on time for Mass, "What? Why aren't we late?"

A Few of My Favorite Things:: A new pillow, afternoon tea, staying up until midnight wrapping presents, sewing by the Christmas tree in the quiet evenings after the kids go to bed, birth announcements, peppermint mochas, the strong winter sun through the south facing windows at lunchtime, everytime we eat lunch and Sunshine notices that the time is 12:34, my baby's hugs and kisses.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:: Bake, sew, decorate, read, pray, prepare, and celebrate the birth of our savior.

Thankful Thursday

For my husband who, for the first time in . . . a long time, brought me flowers after a trying day.

 

For the short periods in time when I can see my son look, sing, and behave like an angel. Thank you, boy's choir.

 

Black belts two for $10 at Target. For choir, not karate.

 

For allergy meds that allow me to once again enjoy a real Frasier Fir.

And for close proximity to a real tree farm.

 

For strong daddies who lift up their littlest girl so she can be the one to place the angel on top.

 

For eyes (and hands) full of wonder and delight.

 

For the photo ornaments my sister sends every Christmas to each of the children.

 

For candle light and colored light, Jesse Tree and Star Path, advent wreaths and advent calendars that help us mark the days and prepare our hearts for Christmas.

Amazon Prime.

For the chance to get out of the house and resume book club after a very long baby break.

For the chance to see the December Full Cold Moon rise over Lake of the Isles.

 For kitties who curl up in the darndest places.

 

For the ability to drink coffee and own a smart phone without having to constantly hold one or the other like a fashion accessory.

For the completion of at least some of our hand made Christmas gifts ~ phone cases for teachers made by the children and the knitted gingerbread boy I made for the Little Princess (from Kid's Knitting).

 

For this beautiful dresser scarf one of my oldest and dearest friends sent me years ago. I try not to think of how long it took her to embroider this:

When it takes me four hours just to do this:

 

 For the upcoming reprieve from running to choir and ballet and karate and violin and piano.

For the decision to switch Sunshine from ballet to theater beginning in January. This better fits her passion and personality - and I won't have to make that extra trip back to ballet to pick her up at 7:30 pm.

For friends who call or write to catch up. Some relationships are best nurtured off-line.

And best of all - thankful that we are not yet knee deep in snow! Winter in Minnesota lasts long enough!

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Updates and Quotes for a Monday

We survived a weekend including two Nutcracker performances and one rescheduled boy's choir concert. Finally the Christmas concerts and reception cookie baking is over! Time to be at home, finish Christmas cards, gifts and crafts and do a little baking for ourselves and our neighbors. There are a half dozen craft projects I would like to do myself but will most likely spend the week helping the children make things for one another.

The Nutcracker, bty, was the premier production given by our new ballet academy (in their second year) way out in this corner of the outer metro. I was amazed at how well all the little details were thought out and planned for, on and off stage. Really amazing for an academy's first production. Chaperoning a roomful of three and four years old angels was an equally memorable experience.

(backstage)

I only signed up one of my girls for the show - the one requiring the least amount of rehearsal time. Our Little Princess was an adorable angel for the 2:00 show - by 7:00 she was sleeping in heavenly peace on the floor of the backstage dressing room, not to be roused. I had chaperoning duties so I called Joe to come and pick her up. Oh well.

My little prep choir boy sang with a group of eleven choristers. Their performance was noted to be the quietest in history and their group the best behaved, translated = the least entertaining! Kind of an odd compliment. The packed house enjoyed each of the five choirs and recorder consort. Hearing the top internationally acclaimed choir was a real treat. This has to be what the angels in heaven sound like.

(older photo - not from yesterday)

 

One more fun photo - the saxophonist's wife roped random shoppers into singing at the grocery store -

I promised two quotes in my post title so here they are:

"Charity begins at home, but should not end there." ~ Thomas Fuller

It is all too easy to wrap ourselves up in our own little families. Christmastime provides wonderful opportunities to reach out.

"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." ~ Jane Austen

No explanation needed here. I would be perfectly content ot stay in by the hearth for days and days in the winter. I must have a bit of Mr. Woodhouse in me!

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

A Work in Progress

Four years ago we bought a pre-lit tree due to my allergies. The trouble is each year it loses more and more of it's pre-lit magic. This year so many light strands had failed we decided to pack it back up and return to the real thing. My husband ventured out in sub-zero weather to pick out a frasier fir and a box of Claritin.

He picked a lovely one. The smell is so fragrant, the shape pleasing, the needles so soft.

 

The kids want to decorate it right away of course, without realizing how long it takes my dh to pack it with lights.

 

The baby doesn't care much about the lights yet, he just wants to sample the needles.Good thing my husband is experienced in pine needle extraction.

 

Swedish for a Day

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Even though it's now Thursday ~

Wordless Wednesday

In the CD Player

 I only have one good Christmas CD left, folks - Christmas at Ephesus by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. I have no idea where it came from, but this CD is a unique collection of superbly sung carols and chant. Come to think of it, this CD may have come free in the mail! Everyone seems to like the music fine, but what is even more fun are the photographs in the liner notes: nuns sledding and ice skating with faces absolutely brimming over with joy. Nuns always look so radiant.

I actually do have three other Christmas CDs in the drawer, but I am not in the mood this year to hear them. One is Amy Grant, the second Charlotte Church and the other Jars of Clay. Oh well, we are still not yet tired of L'Angelus or Katie McMahon. The Relaxing Christmas Piano and Relaxing Christmas String Quartet have been moved to the children's rooms for a calming effect as they fall asleep, excited little ones that they are this week.

We are still singing Advent hymns (Download Advent Songbook) in Circle time and at least one of my children claims that she likes them even more than Christmas songs. For the first time ever, we are singing the appropriate verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel after we pray the O Antiphon for the day, now that we finally have an O Antiphon house. Sometime I will have to use Sarah's idea of downloading recordings of Advent songs. 

*** Oh, one more thing - a disclaimer. I have noticed lately that some bloggers disclose when they do or do not receive any kickback from their recommendations. I read this and feel a little guilty for not having been upfront before. As many bloggers do, I have signed up for something called Amazon Associates which means that if a reader clicks on a link to Amazon and adds that item to their shopping cart, then the blogger gets a tiny tiny percentage of that item as well as whatever else they add to their cart. Usually this(for me and my blog) takes three or four months to accumulate into a small amount that is credited towards my Amazon account. I'm talking like $20-$50. So, not much, but every little bit helps with the book budget. (a BIG thank you to anyone who has ever made these purchases!) Really, though, even if this program did not exist I would still love posting about books and music we love. And it keeps me from being lazy about providing links for your perusal.

That's all. I will try to post one more time before taking a holiday break. Christmas blessings to you and your family!

Wordless Wednesday

This Week in the CD Player

These week we are cracking open the cases of some of my real favorites! 

Catholic Christmas Classics Vol. VIII - The Cathedral Singers

I am not sure which cathedral these singers are from, but this chorus and orchestra are certainly CD worthy. I love that the selections include some lesser known favorites such as Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella, Fum, Fum, Fum and the Sleep Holy Babe with such rich harmonies.

Sing We Christmas - Chanticleer

My grad school friends turned me on to Chanticleer and I have had a new appreciation of small choral ensembles ever since. The fact that a fellow grad student in the vocal department was a member made a huge difference as this was the first time I had ever heard the unforgettable quality of a male countertenor. If you like the haunting mood of Praetorius, Victoria and Desprez you will love this album. In the Bleak Midwinter is my favorite track.

Noel - Josh Groban

If you like Josh Groban you will love his Christmas CD. His voice is soaring, yet intimate, sounding as if he is singing especially to you, with love. My only regret in buying this album is that O Holy Night is suspiciously missing. My heart fell when I realized this! The inclusion of Panis Angelicus almost makes up for it.

Celtic Christmas - Katie McMahon

This vocalist used to be in Riverdance and used to live in St. Paul. I am not sure where she is now, but am glad to have discovered her albums. This CD includes all the great U.K. tunes such as The Boar's Head Carol, The Wexford Carol, The Holly and the Ivy and What Child is This. I love her version of In the Bleak Midwinter almost as much as Chanticleer's.

O Night Divine - L'Angelus

If this Catholic family Cajun band hasn't made a fan out of you I would encourage you to give them a listen! This Christmas album was produced just last year so you won't be too far behind the curve. Every track on this CD is a warm bath of familiarity sung with unforgettable voices and a Cajun twist.

Now you know what I like. Your turn now - what are your favorite Christmas albums? If I were to add a few albums to our collection this year, what would you recommend?

Wordless Wednesday

More Advent Adventures

A friend of mine asked me other day about the book Destination: Bethlehem that was was published last fall. I just learned of it myself, after seeing so many bloggers' recommendations as well as the excellent review in the latest issue of Mater et Magistra.

After considering Jotham's Journey, Tabitha's Travels and Bartholomew's Passage I decided to order Destination: Bethlehem to see if we would like to add this book to our ever-growing advent traditions after hearing that the other books might be a bit on the scary side for young children.

 A book that we have read several years in a row that I can recommend is Mary's Little Donkey and the Flight to Egypt. This sweet twenty-one chapter book was first published in Swedish and translated to English in 1979. The Nativity story is told through the eyes of Mary's donkey, from the time he first joined the holy family, through the birth of Jesus, the Epiphany, the Flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth. Our children have enjoyed this story from the time they were about four or five. They were all looking forward to reading it again until I told them we would be giving Destination: Bethlehem a try.

The next few days here at Pinewood Castle will be enjoyed with a field trip to Cabela's, grocery shopping, crafts, baking, Enchanted Learning pages, hosting Thanksgiving dinner for grandparents, a visit to the new Benjamin Franklin exhibit at the MHS, a turkey class at the nature center, the putting away of autumn decorations, setting our advent displays and deciding just when to set up our Christmas tree. This will actually be a nice change of pace from last week's activities consisting of one piano recital, two violin lessons, three play rehearsals, two performances of the play Rescue in the Night (Daniel and the Lion's Den) and one First Mass (in the U.S.A) and reception for a friend's brother who was recently ordained for a Benedictine order in Norcia, Italy. Can you tell I am happy to be feeling better and able to get out & about?

Happy Advent planning to you all and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings to you!

Jesse Tree Ornament Ideas

I can't believe it's been a whole two years since we made Jesse Tree ornaments after the inspiration from a Faith & Family article. (not having many creative bones in my body, I pretty much copied every photo the magazine had to offer!)

Original or not, the children enjoyed this advent activity even more last year and look forward to doing it again!

This explanation of the Jesse Tree comes from Catholic Culture:

THE STORY OF THE JESSE TREE Jesse was the father of the great King David of the Old Testament. He is often looked upon as the first person in the genealogy of Jesus.

In Church art a design developed showing the relationship of Jesus with Jesse and other biblical personages. This design showed a branched tree growing from a reclining figure of Jesse. The various branches had pictures of other Old and New Testament figures who were ancestors of Jesus. At the top of the tree were figures of Mary and Jesus. This design was used mostly in stained glass windows in some of the great medieval cathedrals of Europe. The Cathedral of Chartres (which was dedicated in 1260) has a particularly beautiful Jesse Tree window.

Another development in religious art during the Middle Ages was that of Mystery Plays--drama that depicted various Bible stories or lives of Saints and Martyrs. These plays were performed in churches as part of the liturgical celebrations. One such play was based on the Bible account of the fall of Adam and Eve. The "Tree of Life" used during the play was decorated with apples. (Quite possibly this is also the forerunner of our own Christmas tree.)

Combining the two ideas of the stained glass Jesse Tree window and the Tree of Life from the Mystery Play we come up with our Jesse Tree Advent project. This custom has been used for years to help Christians to prepare for Christmas.

The subject of the Jesse Tree tradition came up the other night when I joined some homeschoolers in the area for dinner and a meeting. Many of these moms were intrigued and wanted to know more so I posted some links on our message board and thought I would share them here too.

• A felt ornament kit
• examples of homemade felt ornaments with scripture references
• A paper ornament kit
• the McCaughrean story book
• the Anderson book with scripture verse reference and devotion

Two years ago when we made the ornaments I did post photographs as we went along, but thought it might be helpful to see them all in one post:

1. In the Beginning (Earth) - Genesis 1:1-3, 27, 31; John 1:1-5, 14

2. The Fall (apple and serpent) - Genesis 3:3-6, 9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

3. Mother of all Living (Mary) - Genesis 3:14a, 15, 20; Luke 1:26, 28, 31, 38; Revelation 12:1-2, 17a

4. Noah and the Ark (rainbow) - Genesis 6:5-8; 7:15-18; 9:8, 15-16

5. Blessing to Abraham (camel) - Genesis 12:1-3; 17:5; Hebrews 11:8, 12

6. Sacrifice of the son (lamb) - Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13

7. Joseph in Egypt (colorful coat) - Genesis 37:3-5, 8a, 18-19, 23, 28

8. Passover (doorway and blood) - Exodus 12: 3, 5a, 6b-8, 11-13

9. The Ten Commandments - Exodus 20:1-4a, 7a, 8, 12-17

10. The Promised Land (cluster of grapes) - Genesis 17:7-8; Numbers 13:1-2a, 17-18a, 20, 23,27

11. The Bronze Serpent - Numbers 21:6-9; John 3:13-15

12. Jonah (whale) - Jonah: 1:15-17, 2:1-3, 7-10, 3:2-3a, 5

13. Ruth and Boaz (sheaf of wheat) - Ruth 1:16; 2:2, 8, 10-12; 4:13-14

14. David and Goliath (slingshot) - 1 Samuel 16:1, 13a; 17:3-4, 8-9, 45, 47-49

15. God's Forgotten Scroll is Found (scroll) - 2 Kings 22:2, 23:1-3

16. Stump of Jesse - Isaiah 11:1-5, 10; Acts 13:16, 22-23

17. The New Creation (lion and lamb) - Isaiah 11:6-10

18. Prince of Peace (dove and crown) - Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

19. Good Shepherd (staff) - Ezekiel 34:2b, 4-5, 10-12, 15a, 16a, 23-24

20. Suffering Servant (cross) - Isaiah 53:4-7, 9, 12b

21. The New Covenant (heart and writing) - Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews 9:13-15

 

22. Bethlehem - Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7

23. Exile and Persecution (fiery furnace) - 2 Kings 17:23; Daniel 3:19, 21, (Az 1,26,) 28

24. Return to Jerusalem (brick wall) - Nehemiah 1:3; 2:18; 6:15-16; Revelation 21:10-14

25. Christmas Star - Numbers 24:17-19a; Matthew 2:1-6, 9-11

26. Light of the World - Psalm 27:1-3; John 1:9, 8:12

27. Angels Proclaim the Miraculous Birth 

28. The Birth of Jesus - Luke 2:8-14

Note: versions of the Jesse Tree readings and symbols vary. I based ours off of these. If you check out the Faith & Family link, be sure to click on the links to other fantastic ornament ideas!

Wordless Wednesday - Scenes from Advent

In-Home Theater

Someone who knew my daughter loved paper dolls gave Sunshine this Nutcracker Paper Doll book last year for her birthday. She loved it then, but I believe that the little paper dancers are getting a more rigorous workout this year.

Maybe it has something to do with our field trip to see The Nutcracker planned for Friday?!

This book comes with 35 characters, 3 fold-out stages, a read-a-long storybook and storage envelopes. Wow, I feel as though I don't need to see the ballet live after the girls treated us to a show!

Santa Lucia Day at Pinewood Castle

Prayer To Saint Lucy
(Feast – December 13)
SAINT LUCY,
Whose beautiful name
Signifies light, By the light of Faith
Which God bestowed upon you,
Increase and preserve
His light in my soul,
So that I may avoid evil,
Be zealous in the performance
Of good works,
And abhor nothing
So much as the blindness
And the darkness
Of evil and sin.

Obtain for me,
By your intercession
With God,
Perfect vision
For my bodily eyes
And the grace to use them
For God’s greater honor
And glory
And the salvation of souls.

St. Lucy,
Virgin and martyr,
Hear my prayers
And obtain my petitions.

Amen.

Tea Time

Today we are enjoying Alice's Tea in Honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe! I honestly don't know how she comes up with such clever ideas - she has a gift for thinking a of clever ways to incorporate so many foods (some of which I have never before purchased) into tools for faith formation and education.

And I just have to say that this is all a lot easier than it looks. Alice even made a shopping list for convenience and my 5-8 year old children helped prepare pretty much every single item!

Here is our plate of symbolic food. Clockwise from noon are:

• tortilla tilma filled with ham slice roses
• gummy worm "crushed serpent"
• an apple slice for a crescent
• cheese slice bishop's mitre
• toddler puffs for the 47 stars
• pringle sombrero in the middle
• praying hands sandwich on pumpernickel
• the Mexican hot chocolate is on the right, but got cut off
• and we just used some Vruit juice for "Roses from Heaven" punch

The Sun for "Woman Clothed with the Sun"

Tepayac Hill (guacamole)

Sadly, our store did not carry the Stella D'oro cookies for the angel wings! And I won't even photograph the cookie church. I tried to cheat by using RediWhip and it just didn't hold up.Next year I will know to use real whipping cream!

Dancer answering my quiz questions while she eats

Sunshine's Beeswax rendition

Our lunch of course followed the annual reading of DePaola's Lady of Guadalupe.

This afternoon we'll be onto the Guadalupe Grotto kit while the Lucia bread dough is rising!

The Bell

I received this first as an email - thanks Sheri!

THE  BELL 
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John  1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John  15:15)
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor.  6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor  6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ.  (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt  5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor   12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom.  8:1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil  3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom.  8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor  5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph.  2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom  8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God  (2 Cor  1:21-22)
I am assu red all things work together for good  (Rom.  8:28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John  15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph.  3:12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil.  4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor.  3: 16).     I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph.  2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?


Keep this bell ringing...pass it on  
'The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace...
Numbers 6:24-26

On the Star Path

After seeing this idea last year in All Year Round and variations on several blogs I knew we had to try it ourselves. While the children loved the new tradition last year, they love it even more this year. I know it's a little late in Advent to be presenting this, but perhaps it's an idea to file away for next year if it's something you like.

A pathway of stars leads the holy couple to a stable with animals and an empty manger.

• First I arranged some play silks and purple cloth on the sideboard and placed the stable on one end.
• We used a star punch on gold cardstock for the stars representing each day of advent with three purple stars (and one pink) for Sundays. We counted out the days and placed them in a curvy path.
• Four votive candles were placed along the path, one for each week.
• Along the path for each week we placed natural objects representing the four kingdoms of nature. Some see this as a reminder that in the coming kingdom, even nature is to be redeemed. For others it draws awareness to the created world around us and to deepen our appreciation of what it means to be human and how each kingdom contributes to our existence.
• I copied the lovely song from All Year Round and placed it in a picture holder near the pentatonic glockenspiel.
• Mary and Joseph began their journey to Bethlehem.
• The stars on which they traveled are then placed up on the wall with sticky-tack to make a starry sky.

1st Week - mineral , stones, shells

2nd Week - plants

3rd Week - animals

4th Week - people

I also find it helpful to place our picture books (see sidebar) for the week on the sideboard as a reminder of what our literature, craft, baking and music/circle time focus is each week. The plan for this year is:

Week 1 - Pine Tree Fairy, gingerbread, candy canes, St. Nicholas

Week 2 - Holly Fairy, Sweden, Tomten, St. Lucy, Our Lady of Guadalupe and poinsettias

Week 3 - Christmas Tree Fairy, Christmas Trees, The Nutcracker

Week 4 - Reindeer, Winter Solstice and remaining books are read before and after Christmas day.

So many borrowed ideas all meshed together. While I was planning all this out I kept feeling that homeschool mom inner tug-of-war - we're doing to much, we're not doing enough, we're doing to much, we're not doing enough! Well, we are doing what we are doing and most of our normal seat work is on hold until January!

An Advent Visitor

St. Lucy is Coming Too

On Saturday December 13th. Be sure to check out:

Happy Santa Lucia Day

Hemslojd Swedish gifts

St. Lucy peg dolls

American Swedish Institute gift shop

And a post I did last year about Santa Lucia Day

We found old-fashioned gowns to wear this year (because I don't sew) at the Vision Forum. We will basically be celebrating the same way we did last year, only with real gowns instead of cut-up pillow cases!

St. Nick is Coming!

One last week for the kids to be extra good!

Time to print out these mitre treat cups that we always give to the boys next door (one of whom is named Nicholas). My children are never so eager to bundle up and go outside at 7:00 am to deliver these as they are on December 6th. Amazing.

Be sure to check out the rest of the St. Nicholas Center for virtually everything you need to celebrate this Saturday!

Back to Beading

Advent napkin rings ~

These are so easy! Here's what you need:

• needle nose pliers
• side cutters
• bracelet sized memory wire
• beads

Directions:

1. Cut the memory wire in an overlapping circle.
2. Use the needle nosed pliers to curl one end. 
3. Thread on beads. Make a pattern, or just place on randomly.
4. Save enough room at the end to curl the wire.
5. Insert cloth napkin!

That's it! We have saved soooo many paper napkins since I first made these. A set of six would make a great homeade Christmas gift!