Prayer Day for Life

Maybe you can't march today. I can't. When all my children are older, I'll be able to do that again--but today, I'll have to be content with other works.

I've gone to Mass and participated in the Monday Novena to the Blessed Mother. The prayers of the faithful today focused on the protection of life from conception to natural death.

I will spend time today making a dent in my overdue correspondence: letters to corporations that fund Planned Parenthood.

The Minor Friar has a suitably Franciscan-flavored post on all that we should keep in our prayers today:

let's take some kind of moment today to pray for forgiveness for all of our complicity in this culture's sins and offenses against the life God gives: abortions, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism, capital punishment, suicides (and all suicides are assisted somehow), child abuse, spousal abuse, racism, the violence induced by drug criminalization, prostitution, pornography, factory farming, and the pollution of our sisters the water and the air.

May God have mercy on us for our part in any of these, and may the Holy Spirit inspire our words and deeds that we may work for a better world in which life is revered.

To a Child, the Most Important Job

I am lucky, living where I do, to have two neighbors who are at home with their children. We've shared babysitting during emergencies, given rides to auto mechanics and emergency rooms, and are a "community pantry" when someone needs an ingredient in a hurry. It's been great, and we moms have benefited as well as the 7 children between the 3 of us.

One day last year I needed my Next-Door Neighbor to watch Little Brother. It was a "playschool day" for him, and I would be able to pick him up but not drop him off. She was happy to drop him off at playschool, and he was thrilled to ride in her truck. He's talked about it ever since.

Now that playschool has started up again, he's been looking forward to the day when I will need Next-Door Neighbor to give him a ride.

Then Next-Door Neighbor got a part-time job in the cafeteria of the primary school here in town. Both her kids are in school, and this works for her.

But it doesn't work for Little Brother. He asked me yesterday when he could ride to school in the truck again. I had to tell him that Next-Door Neighbor has a job at her daughter's school now, and she's working at the time when he goes to playschool.

He was outraged. "A JOB! She already GOTS a job! In her HOUSE!"

It's Snowing!!!!

I should have suspected something was up when there was a rush on the bird feeder this morning. Every sparrow, junco and mourning dove in the neighborhood was fighting for a spot.

Now I can look out the window and see the white, fluffy flakes that even look like they're STICKING to the grass!

Somebody around here has to start jumping up and down, and calling the relatives who live in the "Great White North" and think that we are much too close to the equator here in the Philly area to know about Real Snow. And that somebody has to be me, because the Big Kids are still at school and Little Brother is playing at the neighbor's house.

Yes, a few snowflakes can turn me into a little kid. Although I do have my limits. Just because I like to look at snow doesn't mean I want to get all damp and chilly. I think I'll make a nice cup of tea, and grab one of the scones I baked this morning, and curl up under a thick blanket with a good book. I'll be thankful for the tea, and the scone, and the blanket, and the book, and the SNOW!

UPDATE: It just gets prettier and prettier! Now there's a cardinal on the bird feeder.

Overheard at the Dinner Table

From the "you didn't really want to know" department....

After Middle Sister told us that she learned about the finding of "Lucy" by archaeologists, and that "Lucy" was 40 years old and 3 feet tall (I'm not sure of this, but it's what Middle Sister thinks), Big Brother responded: "There is no way a hominid of that era lived to 40 years."

Enough of the scholarly banter. The conversation then devolved to include:

"Cloning sheep is genius! Think about it. You could have infinite lamb chops."

"If you bought 4 hot pretzels at the school lunch and covered them in mustard, you've got a great lunch for $1.00! It's got bread AND a vegetable!"

"Pepper comes from a special kind of corn called peppercorns."

(I was given permission to write this only if I did not embarrass the owner(s) of the various quotes by identifying them.)

Groceries

Milehimama has started a discussion at her blog about grocery spending.

She wants to know: How much does your family spend on groceries? How do you stay on budget?

This is one of my FAVORITE subjects!

I used to be able to feed us all on much less, before Big Brother became a distance-running teenager and Middle Sister hit a growth spurt. In fact, last January's figures aren't even a good comparison! Also, the Big Kids are bringing lunch to school more than they did last year, when they could buy a FULL MEAL for $2.00 a day, so I'm also spending on lunch stuff like hoagie rolls, tuna and lunch meat.

Right now I am feeding 2 adults and 3 kids ages 15, 11 and almost 5. I just went over the past 3 months and including cleaning and laundry supplies, paper goods, greeting cards and a biweekly bag of birdseed to fill the feeder, I've been spending just under $130 each week. We eat meat for dinner 6 out of 7 nights. You can see my dinner menus here. I think we eat pretty well. Generally, there are no complaints from anyone else, except last night when Middle Sister wondered why I don't serve lamb chops (At $10 a pound, kid, that's a $20 dinner!!!!)

My theory is that, as the homemaker in the house, I should be a good steward of our family's money. TheDad works hard to earn it, and I should work hard to use it wisely. I'm fortunate to have a lot of pantry space in the basement, as well as an upright freezer and extra fridge. Last week my favorite supermarket held a big canned-goods sale. I have enough canned tomato puree and crushed tomatoes to keep us in spaghetti sauce for the next year, and I got it at half price.

I try not to pay full price for anything. I won't buy boneless chicken for more than $2.19 a pound. Same for boneless pork loin. I can get roast beef for $3 a pound on sale, and ground beef for $2 a pound. I had been trying not to spend more than 10 cents an ounce on breakfast cereal, but the prices have gone so high and the coupon values dropped so low that this is nearly an impossible dream. I refuse to buy deodorant, hair care products, "feminine necessities," toothbrushes and toothpaste without a sale and coupon.

I do use coupons and combine them with sales whenever possible. My favorite store doubles coupons up to $1 total value. (I got 12 free cans of Goya beans last week with coupons. That's 3 batches of chili!) My neighbor and I each buy two Sunday newspapers. We clip all the coupons and give each other the ones we don't want for ourselves.

I am guessing that with the kids in their "bottomless pit years" I won't be able to cut the food budget much more than I already have. I'd like to keep it fairly stable if I can, though.

UPDATE: To answer some questions from the combox:
We live in the Philadelphia area, and we have found that food prices are generally a little lower than where we grew up (in the New York area). I know that prices vary around the country.

Do I use dried beans, pasta and rice? No dried beans. I've never had success with those. I make chili, etc. with canned beans (got those freebies the other day!!) I buy pasta when it goes on sale, as much at a time as the store will let me buy (usually 12 or 16 boxes). I buy rice in 20-pound sacks and store it in pretzel containers with tight lids (freebies from my neighbor The Utz Guy. All my rice, flour and sugar are stored in Utz bins.)

Where do I buy meat at such low prices? The supermarket. The local butcher closed a couple of years ago. I used to get ground beef there at $1.69 a pound for 90% and it was fantastic.

I Hate Sudoku

I just can't figure out the attraction of the diabolical cube full of numbers.

People who know me, and my Congenital Lack of Math Brain, have assured me that I do not need any Math Talent whatsoever to complete a Sudoku. I have seen other English Majors like myself handily work their way through the things, so I know it can be done.

It's all logic, they say.

I cleaned up on the logic portion of the GRE when I took it 20 years ago. So I should be able to handle the "light and easy" puzzle, the first one in the puzzle book I found in my Christmas stocking and didn't open until tonight.

I only opened it tonight because TheDad was thumbing through it, looking at puzzle #47 or something (arranged in order of difficulty--the higher the number, the more hair you tear out trying to solve the thing, and the more creative you must become in order not to swear in front of the kids). Anyway, there he was, and I could see the gears turning in his Math Brain, and he didn't have a pencil or pen but I knew he could tell just by looking where the numbers would go.

Have I ever mentioned that I have a very competitive nature?

I cracked the spine on that book and got to work. I was moving along nicely (using the dot trick to help my caffeine-deprived-because-it's-after-dinner mind), when I came to a screeching halt because one column has two 4s and another would have two 9s if I filled in that last blank.

Someone pass me a crossword puzzle. Numbers just aren't my thing.

Anniversaries

Yesterday was our 16th wedding anniversary.

It was also the 17th anniversary of the day we met.

We were "set up" on a blind date thanks to Miss B, who was TheDad's neighbor and who worked with my father. A year later, she and her husband gave us a ride from the church to the reception after EVERYONE ELSE left us behind at church! Being inexperienced at the whole Plan-A-Wedding thing, we forgot to arrange that important bit of transportation....

In honor of our special day, we enlisted the help of Big Brother to babysit for a couple of hours so we could dine in style at a fancy but local restaurant. TheDad didn't care for the uncomfortable chairs or our proximity to other diners. I have to give him credit for indulging my taste for restaurants that don't have paper napkins or children's menus, even though we have determined through our customary Anniversary Research Expeditions that price in restaurants is inversely proportionate to the portion size. (One year we ate at a place that was so expensive, I left hungry. And I'm usually full by the end of the soup course!)

TheDad is the nostalgia specialist in our relationship. I'm not good at that stuff, so it's good that he is! He works hard. He loves me, and he loves the kids. He's terrific Tech Support for the family's computers. Who could ask for anything more?

So, to TheDad, I love you! I hope we have many more happy & healthy years! Thanks for putting up with my quirks and even sitting in uncomfortable restaurant chairs. Next year, YOU get to pick the restaurant.

Post-Holiday Distress Syndrome

Middle Sister evidently has a lot in common with one of Danielle's daughters.

Yesterday as I took the last ornaments off our Christmas tree, Middle Sister was very sad. She is the family's Assistant Videographer when TheDad is not at home, and she grabbed the camera, panning my containers full of ornaments, candles and other decorations. Narrating her film, she began: "This is the Saddest Day of the Year. Mom is taking the Christmas tree down."

Weaseling His Way Out Of It

Little Brother had a friend over for a couple of hours this afternoon. It was lots of Little Boy Fun including swordplay, toy cars, Tinker Toys and just about every dinosaur they could find. For a snack they each had a bowl of mini pretzels (that I served them) and they later supplemented that with handfuls of sugar (they served that to themselves!!)

Before the other little boy went home I did have them work on picking up the toys since it looked like a Testosterone Typhoon had hit the family room. They made a significant dent in the mess, but it's still kind of scary in there.

Just now Little Brother asked if he could play on the computer. I told him that he should pick up his knight costumes, swords and other gear first. He did not like that idea.

"My friend made that mess! He took everything out! He should put it back! Can't you just call him and make him put it back?"

Excuses, Excuses

Everyone's a victim. That's not news.

But this item in my local paper is a new one on me:

[Interim Superintendent] Brennan told the audience of about 200 that the students of the affluent district have the disposable income that lures drug dealers.

“Our kids have disposable income. (The drug dealers) target us and we have to take action to protect our kids,” Brennan said.

Some parents expressed concern that there are not enough resources in the district committed to addressing the substance-abuse problem. One wondered if policy changes being proposed by the school board would really change or affect student behavior.

“To the community, I say "what are we doing?' This is an affluent community and hundreds and hundreds of students are victims of their financial state, of divorce and of death and so many things. I'm talking about accountability,” she said. (emphasis mine)

So there you have it. Teenagers living in a town where the median household income tops $90,000, and where the average home sells for way more than $300,000, are victims of their financial state. Scary.

I don't normally mix my blogs, BUT

Head over to my other place and try this recipe for Marinara Sauce. You will not regret it. Remember, Lent's coming....it'll be great over some cheese ravioli!

Morning Madness

For some reason, the Big Kids were wide awake and very chatty this morning at breakfast. Usually they grunt their way through the meal.

Big Brother made himself some egg and cheese sandwiches.

Middle Sister: "How do they know there aren't chickens in those eggs?"

Big Brother: "Because they scan them before they put them in the package."

Me: "Grandpa has found chickens in eggs more than once."

Kids: "REALLY?"

Me: "Yes. They used to have a chicken coop in their yard when he was growing up. It was his job to gather the eggs every day."

Middle Sister: "That's so MEAN! Taking a chicken's eggs...."

Big Brother: "I smell a future member of PETA here."

Middle Sister: "What's that?"

Big Brother: "People Eating Tasty Animals."

Going for the Gusto

There's nothing like the kind of enthusiasm a four-year-old can display.

Today we went to the mall to return a defective toy that he'd received for Christmas. After using the resulting store credit to purchase a new light sabre and Knight "costoon," we had a long walk back to the car. But he was so thrilled to have his new armor and weapons, and to know that I had a pocketful of pennies to pitch into the mall fountain, that he ran and jumped and zigzagged all the way.

He's been busy all afternoon, and after I finished helping him build a wall for his family-room fortress, I noticed that it was getting pretty icky under the couch there, and I took out the vacuum with the long attachment. I dragged out the Legos and little cannonballs and vacuumed up the pieces of pretzels and stray twisty-ties from Christmas packages.

He stayed out of the way for a few minutes and then started jumping up and down all over again. "Can I vacuum? Can I help?"

I told him that it would be a big help if he'd do the front stairs (all 5 of them) from the foyer to the living room. He plugged in the little vacuum and got to work, periodically stopping to inspect the job. He told me not to walk down the stairs or he would vacuum my feet. And he showed me how, if the vacuum wouldn't pick up some little bit on its first pass, he could pick it up in his hand and "feed" it to the vacuum. It exasperates me when I have to do that--but he thought it was fun.

I'm glad I have Little Brother around to remind me that it's OK to enjoy the work I do, even though it's pretty mundane stuff. It's a gift--and I should appreciate that gift.

It Never Works the Way You Planned

Yesterday was like a comedy of errors. I had thought that I would do the grocery shopping during Little Brother's school yesterday and go to Adoration on Thursday during schooltime. There's an Adoration Chapel in a nearby church--not our parish, but I figure I can take advantage of the opportunity.

Then I found Big Brother's lunchbox by the front door. I don't usually "rescue" my kids, but I also noticed that TheDad's lunchbox, which he had not put in the kitchen the night before & which contained nothing but a dirty container and silverware, was MISSING from the bench by the door where I'd seen it in the morning. I felt all sorry for Big Brother, thinking he grabbed the wrong lunchbox, so I delivered his lunch to school. Then I took Little Brother shopping since we were already out, took him to school, and headed to the church for Adoration. I figured obviously I was SUPPOSED to be there since all the events were putting me there.

I've been in that church less than 8 times in the 8 years we've lived here. There was a funeral going on, and the sound system pipes everything through the whole building. I found the little chapel and was very confused. Only one little dim light, no Tabernacle, no Jesus, and no other people! There was a statue of Mary and one of the Infant of Prague, and 2 confessionals. Even with my MP3 player on, I couldn't stop hearing the funeral and when they started to wind up I figured I'd better get out or I'd be stuck in the procession and late for Little Brother.

On my way out the door I found the actual Adoration Chapel.

Then later I discovered that Big Brother did not have TheDad's's lunchbox after all--TheDad took it back to work with him!! But Big Brother had money in his pocket so when he discovered that he had no lunch he figured he'd just buy. He got his lunchbox in time to eat that instead.

All was not lost, however, since in the supermarket Little Brother was in rare form. He wasn't being bad, but he was talking and singing nonstop....while I was getting applesauce he was trying to talk me into buying Sesame Street applesauce for Big Brother's lunchbox....then he wanted a flavor of Jello (lemon) that I am quite sure he doesn't like....then he had to spell out every name of every flavor of Ramen noodles....and for several aisles it was "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells on the way!" I kept running into this one lady who was quite entertained by him. Maybe all this happened so we'd wind up meeing her. She had a good laugh, courtesy of Little Brother.

Why 14-Year-Old Boys Should Not Be Parents

Big Brother has a friend visiting. This friend has a younger brother a little older than Little Brother, so he's used to being around small children.

Teenage boys who are used to being around little boys develop interesting strategies for dealing with them.

Friend: "Hey Little Brother, do you want $1.00?"

Little Brother: "Yes!"

Friend: "Go bother Big Brother."

Big Brother: "Little Brother, do you want $2.00?"

Friend: "A bribable child is a controllable child."

Home Improvement for the Soul in 2007

Father J.C. Maximilian has tomorrow's homily up.

A highlight:

Our example, our words, our actions should reflect Christ. Where can you be more like Christ? Which relationship, which habit, which activity in your life needs to be enhanced right now, so you can be more like Him? You know, and the Holy Spirit knows. Ask Him now, during this Mass, when you receive Holy Communion, ask Him to show you what project of home improvement for your soul you should take up, and ask Him to give you the courage to do it. I know that my “soul improvement” list is pretty full. How is yours?

We should be billboards for Jesus' Kingdom. Each of us should be like that star that guided the Magi to Jesus - more people than we realize, people who live right beside us, are searching, and if we let our lives shine in Christ, we will give them true joy.

Read the whole thing!

The Catholic Alphabet

Are you ready for the Catholic alphabet meme? I was tagged by Jean at Catholic Fire.

[A is for apparitions - your favorite]: Fatima & Lourdes are tied.

[B is for Bible - the one you read most often]: Jerusalem Bible

[C is for Charism - the one you would most like to have]: love

[D is for Doctor of the Church - your favorite]: It's a tie: St. Bonaventure and St. Anthony of Padua

[E is for Essential Prayer - What's yours?]: Liturgy of the Hours

[F is for Favorite Hymn]: Regular: How Great Thou Art; Marian: Hail Holy Queen; Franciscan: Canticle of the Sun; Christmas: O Holy Night (no one who knows me thinks I can answer this question with only ONE hymn!)

[G is for Gospel - your favorite author?]: Luke

[H is for Holy Communion - How would you describe it, using one word?]: Gift

[I is for Inspiration - When do you feel most inspired by God?]: When I'm singing

[J is for Jesus - When did you first meet Him?]: In Baptism when I was an infant.

[K is for Kindness - Which saint or person has most inspired you by their kindness?] Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta; St. Maximilian Kolbe

[L is for liturgical year - your favorite time in the liturgical cycle?]: Easter

[M is for Mary, the Mother of God - Your favorite term of endearment for her]: Blessed Mother

[N is for New Testament - Your favorite passage]: The Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55)

[O is for Old Testament - Your favorite Book here]: Psalms

[P is for Psalms - your favorite] Psalm 150

[Q is for quote - saint quote]: "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary." Francis of Assisi

[R is for rosary - your favorite mysteries] the Joyful mysteries

[S is for Saint - the one you turn to in time of need - not including the Blessed Virgin Mary]: St. Anthony

[T is for Tradition - your favorite Catholic tradition]: Devotion to the Saints.

[U is for university - Which Catholic University have you attended or are currently attending?] Marywood University for undergrad; University of Notre Dame for graduate school

[V is for Virtue - the one you wish you had]: Gentleness

[W is for Way of the Cross - Which station can you most relate to?]: 6th Station--Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus.

[X is for Xaverian Brothers - Do you know who they are?]: No.

[Y is for your favorite Catholic musician]: John Michael Talbot

[Z is for Zeal for the faith]: You definitely have a lot of zeal for the faith if you have made it this far.

TAG! YOU'RE IT!
Laura
Amy the RC Mommy
Aimee

Inquiring Moms Want to Know...

...is there a way to make your own Lite Brite refill papers? $4 for an 8-pack is way too much to pay for these little things. Little Brother's Lite Brite came with 2 "blanks" with just some dots on the page, so I hijacked one of those and thought about making some copies. I'm just afraid the paper might scorch.

Little Brother really is enjoying his Lite Brite, which I think is great in many ways: it promotes small-motor muscle use, encourages him to see patterns, to name just two. I'd love to encourage him to use it more if I could figure out how to make the refills affordable.

That's VERY Lady to You, thankyouverymuch

Just for fun!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Very Lady Sfo Mom the Vehement of Wallop upon Deane Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

And yeah, I tried my full first name, and my nickname, before going to my blog name to find one I REALLY liked (I admit it--it's the "Vehement" part that got me here!)

While I was at it, I had to do the whole family, using our pseudonyms, of course:
LITTLE BROTHER:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Milord Earl Little Brother the Portable of Deepest Throcking Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

MIDDLE SISTER:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Empress Middle Sister the Elegant of Lower Wombleshire Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

BIG BROTHER:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Sir Big Brother in the Middle of Hopton Goosnargh Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

THEDAD:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: His Highness Thedad the Brobdingnagian of Longer Interval Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Via Countess-Palatine Amy Caroline the Blossoming of Menzies on the Minges, otherwise known as Another Catholic Mom.

Catholic Carnival 100

I can't claim any of the posts in this Catholic Carnival--but there's plenty there for you to read and ponder. Great job, Sarah!

Sugar Bowl Pregame Show, Brought to you by SFO Mom

I'm ready for the game! I'm wearing my Official Game Day T-Shirt from the October 28 ND/Navy game--the first ND game in over 10 years that I'd been able to attend. So I'll help in Middle Sister's school lunchroom dressed like the Obnoxious Alumni Fan that I proudly claim to be.

I have to say, I like bowl games that are named after actual dinnerware. Some of these other bowls have such silly names (Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl.) Who heard of such things?! I'd suggest that we get some corporate sponsors to line up and support the Kellogg's CEREAL BOWL, the Campbell's SOUP BOWL, the Corning Ware SERVING BOWL, the Kitchen Aid MIXING BOWL, the Tupperware STORAGE BOWL and maybe even the American Standard TOILET BOWL for the two teams with the worst records in the country.

A Fashion Statement Like No Other

Little Brother is wandering around here sporting not one, but TWO light sabres (one red, one blue). He has figured out how to hook them into the waistband of his sweatpants, which are just barely managing to stay up under the weight of the two weapons.

He's also tooting a recorder formerly belonging to Middle Sister, and singing the song from the movie "Madagascar"--"I like to move it, move it."

First Memes for 2007

I found myself tagged for TWO of these yesterday....so here goes.

The Catholic Devotions Meme: I was tagged by Jean at Catholic Fire.

1. Favorite devotion or prayer to Jesus?
Liturgy of the Hours

2. Favorite Marian devotion or prayer?
The Memorare

3. Do you wear a scapular or medal?
No. I have a Miraculous Medal on my key ring. But I wear my Tau around my neck, not a medal or scapular. As a Secular Franciscan, this is considered my "habit."

4. Do you have holy water in your home?
No.

5. Do you 'offer up' your sufferings?
Sometimes.

6. Do you observe First Fridays and First Saturdays?
Not as well as I'd like to--but I'll be taking advantage of the opportunity to attend Daily Mass on Mondays and Fridays, so I'll get to participate in the First Friday devotion.

7. Do you go to Eucharistic Adoration?
Hardly at all. But I think I can find a way to do so.

8. Are you a Saturday evening Mass person or Sunday morning Mass person?
Sunday. No question about it.

9. Do you say prayers at mealtime?
We always say grace as a family before a meal.

10. Favorite Saint(s)? St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Gianna, and of course the Blessed Mother.

11. Can you recite the Apostles Creed by heart?
No, I always confuse it with the Nicene Creed.

12. Do you usually say short prayers (aspirations) during the course of the day?
Not out loud.

13. Bonus Question: When you pass by a automobile accident or other serious mishap, do you say a quick prayer for the folks involved?
Always.


The Catholic Movie Meme: I was tagged by Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii.

Your Favorite Film?
It has to be "The Blues Brothers." I never get tired of that movie. I know all the lyrics and half the dialogue--it's just a lot of fun.

Your Favorite Film with a Religious theme?
I guess "The Blues Brothers" doesn't count? ("We're on a mission from God.")
I'd have to say "It's a Wonderful Life." Not overtly religious, but it's in the background, and the sacrificial love displayed by George Bailey is inspiring.

Your Favorite Film Priest?
I really liked Jack Lemmon's character in "Mass Appeal." He was stuck in politics and pragmatism, but was able to let in the grace to risk offending someone at the end, in order to stand up for the struggling seminarian. I didn't agree with some of the issues presented in the movie, but this character really did come off as very real, very human, and in his own way, devoted.

Your Favorite Film Nun?
There aren't any that aren't very stereotypical....so I'll have to go for the humor angle here. I like the choir director in "Sister Act"--the one who can't sing or direct the choir. She's played by Mary Wickes, and is a real hoot.

Tag: if you want to play, you're tagged--tell me in the combox.

Resolutions for 2007

I'm always reluctant to make resolutions that barely last a week....but it never fails--I go ahead and resolve anyway. (And who knows--maybe one will stick, one of these days.)

1. Get to Daily Mass a couple of times a week. I purposely chose the "afternoon" session of playschool for Little Brother (11:15 to 12:30) so I could take advantage of our parish's 11:45 Mass. Two days a week, this will work. I'd usually use Little Brother's school time to run errands, but this will do me much more good.

2. Get in a little exercise (as opposed to no exercise, which is what I usually get). Unfortunately, hauling laundry up and down the stairs to the basement hasn't undone that extra belly weight I've been hauling around since Little Brother was born. And he'll be 5 soon. Middle Sister has a new basketball hoop for her birthday, and if I spend a little time out there with her, it would be a fun way to get some exercise.

3. Be a little more organized regarding household stuff. Routines and schedules have gone out the window in the past few weeks. A new year gives me a new opportunity to come up with some new routines. I can be perfectionistic to the point that I abandon a system that doesn't fit "exactly right" instead of just getting in there and getting something done.

4. I would also like to treat everyone in my family better. So often our families get the short end of the stick, and we treat strangers better. I'd like to improve on that score, this year.

So there you have it....exciting, hm?

Happy New Year!!

It's so late...or is it so early...and I'm still up!

We went to a friend's house where they had a small party (2 other families besides us and them). There was plenty of food and laughing, especially when the game "Balderdash" was started up. I've never played that one before, and it's lots of fun! After watching the ball drop, we headed outside to watch some fireworks.

Little Brother made it until after 12:30 when he finally curled up in my lap and conked out. He fought sleep for a few hours, like a champ, and was in a remarkably good mood despite how visibly tired he was. I wonder how late he'll sleep this morning....even the Big Kids went right to bed as soon as we got home.

Did anyone else notice that Dick Clark now sounds more like Yakov Smirnoff? I have to give the man a lot of credit for his post-stroke comeback. But the rest of the show? I could have done without it all.

At any rate, it was a nice, low-key night with good people and good conversation. Little Brother was the youngest child by 6 years but he held his own; the Big Kids enjoyed the games and the sparklers; a good time was had by everyone.

May God grant you and your family good health, much happiness and many blessings in this New Year, and may he bring peace to the world. (I know, that last one is a lot to wish for, but if you don't ask, you don't get!)

Books Read in 2007

Books Read in 2007

* READING WEEKLY: Lynn Bowen Walker, Queen of the Castle
* READING SLOWLY: St. Francis de Sales, An Introduction to the Devout Life
* Jan Karon, Home to Holly Springs
* Marian Keyes, Rachel's Holiday
* Richard M. Barry, The Shepherds' Prayer
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling
* Marian Keyes, The Other Side of the Story
* Alice Sebold, The Almost Moon
* Cynthia Lord, Rules
* Marilyn Harris, Lost and Found
* Irene Dische, The Empress of Weehauken
* Jane Porter, Odd Mom Out
* Alice Kuipers, Life on the Refrigerator Door
* Marsha Moyer, Heartbreak Town
* Julie Kenner, California Demon
* Julie Kenner, Demons are Forever
* Marian Keyes, Watermelon
* Virginia Ironside, No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club: Diary of a 60th Year
* Marian Keyes, Angels
* Jeffrey Kluger, Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio
* Elizabeth Flock, Me and Emma
* Elizabeth Flock, Everything Must Go
* Brian Moore, Catholics
* Gwendolen Gross, The Other Mother
* Jon Hassler, The New Woman
* Anne D. LeClaire, Leaving Eden
* Anne D. LeClaire, Entering Normal
* Kristin Hannah, If You Believe
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down
* Elise Juska, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy
* Anita Diamant, Good Harbor
* Maeve Binchy, Whitethorn Woods
* Karen Quinn, The Ivy Chronicles
* Neta Jackson, The Yada Yada Prayer Group
* Dorothea Benton Frank, Pawleys Island
* Dorothea Benton Frank, Shem Creek
* Marian Keyes, Anybody Out There?
* Melanie Lynne Hauser, Super Mom Saves the World
* Billie Letts, Shoot the Moon
* Judith Levine, Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping
* Angela Huth, Land Girls
* Steve & Annette Economides, America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money
* Elizabeth Berg, Dream When You're Feeling Blue
* Sarah Bilston, Bed Rest
* Patricia Gaffney, The Saving Graces
* Dina Matos McGreevey, Silent Partner
* Maribeth Fischer, The Life You Longed For
* Amanda Eyre Ward, How to be Lost
* Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes
* Jill Conner Browne, God Save the Sweet Potato Queens
* Haven Kimmel, She Got Up Off the Couch
* Haven Kimmel, A Girl Named Zippy
* Anne D. LeClaire, The Lavender Hour
* Jennifer Traig, Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
* Nora Ephron, I Feel Bad About My Neck
* Michael D'Antonio, The State Boys Rebellion
* Terri Blackwell, Covenant Child
* Mary Hunt, Live Your Life for Half the Price
* Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper's Daughter
* Charles Martin, Wrapped in Rain
* Bob Newhart, I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This!
* John Grogan, Marley and Me
* Danielle Bean, Mom to Mom, Day to Day
* Annie Jones, The Sisterhood of the Queen Mamas
* Genevieve Kineke, The Authentic Catholic Woman
* John E. Miller, Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder
* Ellie Kay, Shop, Save and Share
* Charles Martin, The Dead Don't Dance
* Barbara Delinsky, Family Tree
* Benedicte Newland & Pascale Smets, And God Invented the Au Pair
* Brian Wansink, Ph.D., Mindless Eating
* Katherine Valentine, Grace Will Lead Me Home
* Mitch Albom, For One More Day
* Charles Martin, When Crickets Cry
* Nancy Moser, The Good Nearby
* Adriana Trigiani, Big Cherry Holler
* Chris Gardiner, The Pursuit of Happyness

Wishing We Didn't Have to Have These Conversations...

Middle Sister to TheDad, as she walked up behind him as he sat at the computer: "Can I come over there, or is that something about Saddam Hussein that I'm not allowed to see?"

Really. Do we need all these pictures of the Swinging Dead Dictator? I had to read the newspaper very carefully this morning--I'm thankful for the warning they put on Page One that on Page Eleven there would be "graphic photos." Then I made sure TheDad folded the paper back up after he read it, so there would be no chance that squeamish ME or impressionable children would have to see that.

Father Martin has a good link in his post about the reasons behind the execution, though I don't think killing anyone is ever a good idea. There are also very important points made in Song of November, especially the part about Saddam now becoming a martyr for his twisted causes.

I have to just give up. I'll never understand all this or even begin to. May God have mercy on Saddam's soul; may the families of all who were hurt by his actions and policies be comforted; and may all who work toward evil come to a change of heart.

Pajama Day

Can you hear the sigh of relief?

I got up, had some "prayers & coffee," got a shower and put on a fresh pair of pajamas.

Little Brother thinks it's cool, though he can't understand why I made HIM get dressed if I am not (he doesn't realize that these are not the pajamas I slept in). Plus, he's fairly likely to spend time outside this afternoon.

The Big Kids think I'm nuts. I know that this is going to keep me sane.

Scientific? Not quite. Poetic? Definitely.

Little Brother was mourning the lack of wintry whiteness last night as we drove under a cloudy sky to a party. It's too warm for snow, but the sky did have that look.

He looked out the window and observed the clouds, lit from below by the city lights and a nearby power plant. And he commented, "Clouds are snow! They fall down. Then you play in them."

He's not too far off--even Dad The Meteorologist would have to agree with that one.

Opposites Attract...and Clash

TheDad is an extrovert. Holidays bring out the best in him. He's always ready to invite guests over, or attend one gathering after another. Even on weekends, it drives him crazy to have to stay home.

I'm an introvert. Holidays bring out the worst in me. By the Third Day of Christmas (that would be the second Road Trip out of at least 3) I am ready to lose it, if I haven't already. And by this point in the year all I want to do is spend a day in my pajamas and Never Leave The House For Any Reason. This morning I was wound up so tight I was ready to burst into tears with no provocation. I had to escape to the supermarket where I could be alone.

TheDad also likes to drop all routine and do something different, whereas I thrive on familiarity--except for furniture arrangement and trying new recipes.

Parties, even family gatherings, can sap my mental strength in a way that even arguing with a four-year-old doesn't. I feel like it costs me a great deal, some days, to put on a smile and socialize, whether it's with family members or near-strangers. And parties become something I dread; I almost never look forward to them. Right about now, I'm just plain exhausted--and I look it.

We've got 2 more parties and one more visit scheduled in the next four days. After that, people in this house will start going back to school and work, and I will stop feeling like I need to go and hide.

Like Christmas Songs? Like Word Games?

Ron's got a fun game you can play with your family.

The first one stumped me for a while, but I did eventually get all of them. Of course, some credit must be given to Sister Anne from my high school, who made it her personal business to ensure that all of us developed our vocabularies to the fullest extent required by the SAT.

And allow me to give a little plug for XM Radio here: they have honored listener requests and kept one of their "All-Christmas-Music" stations playing through New Year's Day. Around here, the Christmas music on regular radio stops at noon on Christmas Day, so this move is MUCH appreciated.

Happy Birthday to Middle Sister!

11 years ago Middle Sister was born, very early in the morning on this day.

Now that she is 11 we know just how sweet, funny, caring, athletic, creative and dramatic she can be, and we love every bit of all that makes her....Middle Sister!

On birthdays, the celebrating one gets to choose what's for dinner and what kind of cake to have. Middle Sister wanted pizza from her favorite place, and an apple pie. And she wanted to invite someone.

In true Middle Sister form, one "someone" has evolved into two whole families of "someones" so we've got 10 people on their way over here to enjoy pizza, apple pie, and brownies (I only had enough apples for one pie).

I hope I have birthday candles!

Happy birthday and much love to Middle Sister!

O Holy Night

May you and your families be blessed this Christmas--but wait, you already are!
Merry Christmas!

Done.

Middle Sister posted this sign on the basement door this morning after I sequestered myself in there with a large cup of coffee, the phone, and a scary amount of laundry, wrapping paper and tape. My sister and I talked our way through our respective Gift-Wrap Hells. I also did most of the wash.

I didn't have the heart to remind her that the child who most needed to stay away from the basement is also the one who can't read the sign.

As for her inability to spell "warning" and "wrapping" while correctly spelling "consequences," I have been informed that TheDad helped with that one. I was kind of impressed that she knows how to use that word.

The wrapping is done, and I have helpfully left TheDad a nice setup on top of the dryer (yes, I wrap gifts on top of my washer and dryer). There are several kinds of wrapping paper, scissors, tape, and gift tags--all ready for him to use. And I have it on good authority that he did not get me a new mop or anything like that.

The Goofy Reindeer Are The Best Reindeer

I don't remember all the places where I saw the idea to make these reindeer cookies. They seem to be everywhere this year.

I used our regular rolled-sugar-cookie recipe for these. I rolled out an interminable number of cookies and Middle Sister gamely decorated most of them. (Not all were reindeer. They're cute, but they take up a lot of cookie-sheet real estate, and as the person who must scrub the cookie sheets between batches, I wasn't willing to do too many of them).

Big Brother made ONE mutant reindeer with two different-colored eyes, and a green nose (ewwww!)

And Little Brother made a few as well. I thought that this googly-eyed one had the most charm of all the reindeer created today.

Suspense

Middle Sister put together a gift for me a while ago. She put it in a big pink gift bag and warned me not to look in it.

Later she got a different gift bag for the gift and put it under the Christmas tree. The tree is right behind my desk I was warned not to look in it, and so far I've been good. It's been there at least a week now.

Tonight, when Big Brother was wondering if participating in a conspiracy qualified as being bad or good, I told him that being in a conspiracy to get his mother a nice gift and do double chores for the next year would be a good one.

Middle Sister reminded him that she had made me a gift. I told him that I even knew where it was. He wanted to know if I had peeked, and I promised that I had not.

Middle Sister said that Big Brother could look in the bag--but that he probably wouldn't know what the gift was.

Then she laughed hysterically.

But I'll have to wait until Christmas morning to find out if I know what the gift is....

Advent in My House: They're On Fire

Too much Boy Scout. Not enough reverence.

For example:

...they start the meal by musing, "I wonder if I can sneeze the candles out tonight."

...Big Brother is running out of clever ways to light the match. (Tomorrow we may have to do the Boy Scout flint thing. That could keep him busy for a while).

...they have been picking the wax drippings off the sides of the candles and stacking them around the wick, campfire-style. (Note to self: next year, buy the dripless kind.)

...they are begging to light the fourth candle because "we won't be eating dinner at home on Sunday night, and we need to use it sometime."

Here's where I am seriously glad that Advent is as short as it possibly can be this year!

Catholic Carnival for this week

Visit this week's Catholic Carnival!

There are 17 participants in this week's carnival--something for everyone! Check it out. That should be enough to keep you busy for the rest of the week.

I'd Love to See THIS Classroom Moment

Middle Sister just hopped out of bed and ran downstairs to ask, "Mom, can I borrow your sombrero? I need it for school tomorrow."

Me: "You'll have to find it, but if you can find it you can borrow it." (And yeah, I ranted a little about letting that one wait until after bedtime....)

She quickly found and retrieved my giant sombrero and put it with her school things. As she ran back to bed she called, "Thanks! We're acting out the birth of Jesus, and I get to be a Spanish person."

Between that and the scheduled science experiment involving Diet Coke and Mentos, I'm guessing tomorrow will be a day to remember.

At least her teacher got a good laugh

Today Middle Sister brought home a religion test she had taken. The subject of the test was "Baptism."

One of the questions was:

The _________________ is placed on the person being baptized as a sign of new life in Christ.

Her answer: The lighted candle is placed on the person being baptized as a sign of new life in Christ.

The teacher had circled the words "lighted" and "on" and put a big exclamation point there.

Logical Consequences

Logical to me, anyway.

Since the child who typically occupies the "way back seat" in the van has the habit of leaving her clothing, jewelry, books, pencils, and other paraphernalia all over the seat and floor in her general area (not to mention a good deal of trash), and

Since said child insisted that she did not have any clothing in my van as recently as yesterday, and

Since I went out to the van this morning and removed one denim jacket, one hoodie sweatshirt and one pair of pajamas, all belonging to her,

MIDDLE SISTER gets to vacuum the van today!

Who Gives Us Freedom?

Sometimes trying to explain things to a young child in an age-appropriate way can leave them more confused.

Other times, it leaves them expressing a truth that you never thought someone so young could know.

Yesterday in the car, we heard one of those "Christmas greetings from deployed soldiers" that the stations play between songs. When it was over, the announcer said, "That was a Christmas Greeting from one of America's heroes."

Little Brother said, "Why are they heroes?"

I told him, "They are protecting our country so we can have freedom."

He considered this for a minute and then said, "I thought GOD does that."

I Didn't Sing in the Choir Today

Today I sat in the pew with my family. Normally we attend the noon Mass and Middle Sister and I are in the choir. But today at noon, my fellow Franciscans and I (and the kids) will be working to prepare for the Greccio celebration at 1 PM. Noon Mass was out of the question today.

Much as I love singing in the choir (and I know my husband loves that Middle Sister and I do this), it's a rare gift to sit all together. I like watching Little Brother clumsily genuflect, and hearing him say all the responses just a little too late, and being able to share the sign of peace with my family.

I could also see what was happening in the Mass a good bit better than I can from my usual seat in the choir area. I could see our only priest. He is a brilliant, devoted man who is obviously on fire with his faith. He's also beginning to show his age. I imagine that the schedule he must keep, as the only priest in the parish, is exhausting.

He laid it on the line after Communion that when Christmas is on a Monday, he's got 9 Masses to celebrate in a 48-hour period--and that he just can't do it. So next Sunday, there will be no noon Mass.

More and more, we will be seeing this happen as there are fewer priests to go around. More and more, we will see situations like Catholic Mom and Catholic Pillow Fight are discussing right now: the pros and cons of requiring tickets for Christmas and Easter Masses.

Churches in my diocese are closing; they're looking at my local deanery now. Once all that takes place, our Christmas and Easter Masses are going to be even more packed than they are right now.

I will say that it is very hard to be generous to the "C&E" Catholics; it is easy to complain that because of them there is no parking, there are no seats and no hymnals to be had, that we need three Communion songs to handle the procession. It is hard to remember that it's WONDERFUL that there are so many people in church that there is no parking, no seats, no hymnals, and a long Communion line. It's a gift to us all that so many are in church.

And those of us who regularly go to church need to keep our complaints to ourselves. We need to extend our best hospitality to our twice-a-year guests. We in the pews need to put our best face forward. Our parish needs to see to it that these Masses are the best of the best. Get the best lectors, the best cantors. Prepare the best homily. Make the "C&E" Catholics want to come back.

I believe that this would be a wonderful gift that we could give to Baby Jesus this Christmas: our hospitality to all our fellow Catholics, no matter how often or seldom they attend Mass. Shouldn't our goal be to follow the example of the early Christians: "See how they love one another!"

Is it just me...

Ever since I moved my blog to "the new and improved BETA" yesterday, I've been getting an amazing amount of spam in my comments. Oddly enough, it's all been Italian spam. (Spamoni?) What's up with that? Are these 2 events connected?

Hence the comments moderation has been turned on. Pardon the inconvenience.

And no, I don't read Italian, but I read Spanish well enough to figure out what's going on in these spam comments. At least they're not "adult" spam. Thank God for that.

Any other Beta Bloggers having this problem, or am I just lucky?

And while I'm discussing (dissing) Beta, how afraid (scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being very, very afraid) should I be about clicking that "upgrade my template" button?

I like the "label" feature though....but I'm going to have to really, really resist my obsessive need to label each and every post I've ever posted.

My Saint for the Year

I think Saint Nicholas must have been flattered by Little Brother's mistaking him for God.

How else to explain the fact that he'll be my patron for the year in Moneybags' Patron Saint for 2007 Devotion?

I love this image of Saint Nicholas leading the children to the Christ-child in the manger.

How to Have a Catholic Christmas

According to our new pastor, here's what to celebrate. It's not just one special day--but eight! He's published this information on the front of this week's bulletin.


A TRULY CATHOLIC CHRISTMAS
Christmas is not the only holyday of our Christmas Season. There are seven others that, collectively, comprise our Christmas Celebration.
The birth of Jesus is not the only event we celebrate. It ends with our observance of his Baptism and the beginning of His ministry. Here are the other holydays of our Christmas Season.

Christmas Day, Monday, December 25
The Church began celebrating this day over 1,500 years ago. The day was first kept as a day which proclaimed faith in a Savior born to be the hope of our future fulfillment.

St. Stephen the Martyr, Tuesday, December 26
On the day after Christmas we hear about the death of the first martyr. We are jolted from the “peace” of Christmas to the awareness that faith in the Babe in the manger could involve death.

St. John, Wednesday, December 27
The Gospel takes us to the empty tomb of Jesus.
The mystery of the birth and death of Jesus are intermixed.

Holy Innocents Day, Thursday, December 28
We hear the story of the death of innocent children. The song of the angels is replaced by the weeping of grieving mothers. The reading of the day says: ‘GOD IS LIGHT. IN GOD THERE IS NO DARKNESS!’ We are left to ponder God and the mystery of evil.

Holy Family, Sunday, December 31
On this Sunday after Christmas, we are not shown a holy-card-perfect family.
We see a real family, united in obedience to the Word of God.

Mary, Mother of God, Monday, January 1
The day speaks to us about the full and faithful cooperation of Mary with the plan of God for her life.

Epiphany, Sunday, January 7
We celebrate the first showing of Jesus to the world.
The Gospel contrasts Herod who wishes to kill the child and the Magi who wish to adore Him.

The Baptism of Jesus, Monday, January 8
The last day of our Christmas Season. We focus on the voice from heaven which tells us who Jesus is.
He is the One-Sent-to-Save. He is the Messiah. He is anointed with the Spirit as he begins His ministry.

Great Saints Think Alike

The passage of 400 years does nothing to minimize the wisdom:

Saint John of the Cross, 16th century:
The Lord measures our perfection neither by the multitude nor the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them.

Mother Theresa, 20th century:
I am not sure exactly what Heaven will be like. But I know that when we die and it comes the time for God to judge us, He will not ask, "How many good things have you done in your life?" Rather He will ask, "How much love did you put into what you did?"

The Ultimate Swiss Army Knife

Image Credit

Kathryn Judson has a link to this article about the new Swiss Army Knife that appears to have everything but the kitchen sink in it.

I have a Swiss Army Knife myself, that's come in quite handy on many occasions, but it doesn't have nearly the tools this one does. I can't remember what the name of the model is, but it does pack a corkscrew and tweezers.

It got me thinking, though--if they were to market a Swiss Army Knife for moms, what tools would they include?

In my hypothetical knife, considerations such as refillability wouldn't be a factor. Hence my list of tools for the Ultimate SFO Mommy Knife:

Sharpie
Scissors
Nail clippers
Nail file
Flat screwdriver
Phillips screwdriver
Special tool for undoing the diabolical twistie-ties that bind toys to packaging
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Wire cutters
Magnifying glass
Tweezers
Candle Snuffer
Sewing needle
Finger Rosary

Did I miss anything?

If there was ever a prayer to put in your kitchen, THIS IS IT

I'm printing this prayer and hanging it on one of my cabinet doors.

A big Thank You to the Kitchen Madonna for posting this prayer.

All right, that came out quite tiny and I'm not sure how to fix the image without blurring it. Big Brother will have to help later. Here's the text of the prayer:

Lord of all pots and pans and things,
Since I've no time to be a great saint by doing lovely things,
Or watching late with Thee,
Or dreaming in the dawnlight,
Or storming heaven's gates,
Make me a saint by getting meals,
And washing up the plates.

Warm all the kitchen with Thy Love,
And light it with Thy peace;
Forgive me all my worrying,
And make my grumbling cease.

Thou who didst love to give men food,
In room, or by the sea,
Accept the service that I do—I do it unto Thee."

- St. Teresa of Avila

Up Close

I saw this beautiful image this morning at Blessed Among Men.

I think everyone's seen pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I know I've seen countless ones. But they're always slightly blurry full-body images, so you can't see too much detail anywhere.

This one is different. It's been on my mind all day because of how different it is. You actually get to see the features of the face. You see the beautiful serenity that is displayed there. You see her face and hands--and how young they appear. And you see humility.

Mary was the Mother of God, but she did nothing to glorify herself because of that role. There was nothing like, "Look what my son can do! He can change water into wine! He can heal paralyzed and blind people! He can raise his friends from the dead! I bet your son can't do that!" Instead, she said, "I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to His word."

I think it's partly Mary's humility that leads to her apparitions to very humble people, such as Juan Diego, Bernadette, and the three children in Fatima. They were not going to try to glorify themselves because they had seen the Mother of God. They were only going to try to carry out God's will.

May Our Lady of Guadalupe show us the way to humility.

With a Little Help From Our Friends

Yesterday's Gospel was the story of how Jesus healed the paralyzed man whose friends had to lower him through a hole in the roof to get to Jesus through the crowd.

In his homily, Father H. reflected on the faith of the man's friends, and the lengths they were willing to go on behalf of their friend--carrying a grown man on a mat, climbing up to the roof, making a hole, and lowering the man down to Jesus. They did all this because of their faith.

What do we do for our friends because of our faith? Are we willing to employ our Power Tools--not drills or chain saws, but the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy?

Catholic Carnival

The Catholic Carnival: Eggnog Edition is up!

I'm no fan of eggnog, but I always love the Catholic Carnival. Every week, it's like a new treasure chest of terrific posts. Check it out!

A Little Heart Breaks

I spent some time with a few other Secular Franciscans this afternoon as we fitted children for their costumes in preparation for Sunday's "Greccio" (living Nativity) celebration.

Little groups of primary-school children approached us wanting to be angels and shepherds. They walked away proudly carrying their robes and wings and halos.

And then there was one little girl. She's a beautiful child, and would be a perfect angel in her white robe and gold halo and shiny wings. Except for one little detail.

She said to me, with tears in her eyes, "I don't know if I can be here Sunday....my mommy and daddy are splitting up."

There was no way I was going to do anything to make this little girl any sadder than she already was. I told her that she could try on her costume, and we would hold it here in a special place. If she could come Sunday, the costume would be here for her to wear.

And then the teenagers helping us got this little girl outfitted in our most beautiful angel robe. We put it away in a safe place so we'll be sure to have it for her.

I hope we see this child on Sunday. I hope she gets to wear that robe. She's got enough heartbreak on her plate, at Christmastime. She should at least get to be an angel for an afternoon.

More on Saint Nick

I just followd a link or two back to this fabulous piece by Paul, the Regular Guy.

It's the result of what happens when you think about the Communion of Saints and the idea of Santa at the same time. What do you get? Not a culture clash--but a wonderful way to view many traditions and customs that are common during this holy season.

Saint Nicholas and the Mitre

Little Brother just asked me what Saint Nicholas looks like.

I have no idea what brought on that question, but I decided to show him the picture of Saint Nicholas that I posted here last week.

I told him, "Nobody took Saint Nicholas's picture so we don't know what he really looked like, but here's a picture somebody drew of what he might look like."

He studied it carefully and then said, "That's not Saint Nicholas. It's GOD! See, he has a cross on his hat."

The Year Without a Santa Claus

My husband's favorite children's Christmas special is "The Year Without a Santa Claus." It's probably because as a meteorologist, he gets a kick out of the Heat Miser and the Cold Miser.

One thing I find myself dreading as the kids get older is our first year without a Santa Claus. A bonus of having children as spread-out in age as ours are is that this sad event is delayed for a while.

My children have been taught to believe in Santa Claus.

I only have one "believer" left and I hope he believes for a good long time. The Christmas Eve tradition we celebrate with my husband's family depends on the kids' belief in Santa.

I've always loved the fact that the Big Kids in the extended family work very hard to make sure that the magical experience of the visit from Santa is preserved for the little ones, year after year. One of my favorite Christmas Eve memories centers on the length some of the teenagers would go to in this regard. A certain Boy Cousin was about 11 or 12, and smugly began to broadcast the fact that it was really Uncle K in that Santa suit. Fortunately Boy Cousin wasn't too close to any of the little ones, and Teen Girl Cousin grabbed him none-too-gently and informed him that he was not going to ruin Christmas for the Little Kids or there would be consequences. He kept it up for a while anyway, despite her warnings, but I was one of the few people who even noticed. Well, Teen Girl Cousin took her place as one of Santa's Helpers that year. Sometimes Santa needs help reaching packages and reading gift tags, and the Teenage Cousins stand by to assist him. Boy Cousin's name was never called to go to Santa's lap and receive his gifts. It is a trademark of this party that every guest, even the ones who show up unexpectedly, and no matter what their age or size, must sit on Santa's lap and receive a gift. Boy Cousin didn't get any gifts. Finally Santa was finished handing out gifts, the last songs were sung, and Santa collected his jingle bells from the littlest child and went on his way. After Santa was gone and dessert had been served, Teen Girl Cousin pulled out a Hefty bag with Boy Cousin's gifts and said to him, "Merry Christmas."

I was so impressed with the way this girl handled the situation. She did not tattle to any adults. She did not let anyone know what she was doing. I'm sure she was aware that if she had done that, the Little Kids would find out. She kept things close to the vest. None of the other adults in the family even remembers this happening--I must have been standing in just the right spot to notice it all.

A couple of years ago it became obvious that the Santa costume was not going to be available to the family. Phone calls were made--it was 2 days before Christmas Eve. Every branch of the family offered to chip in toward the purchase of a new costume, someone found one, and the tradition was able to go on.

The Visit From Santa is a magical part of my husband's family's tradition. Children and adults alike look forward to the event. Once the children are old enough to stop "believing" they are told that they are now Santa's Helpers and they need to make sure they don't ruin things for the little ones. Remembering the fun they have had, they usually don't have a problem graduating to this new role. The Santa tradition brings out the best in all the members of the family.

It looks like ours is not the only family to enjoy this magic: a fire truck has just pulled up across the street, and Santa and several elves are knocking on the door of one of the houses. I'm on my way outside to wave to Santa--I'll see him in 2 more weeks!

Overheard in my house

Little Brother: "I want to be bigger."

Middle Sister: "You only get to get bigger once a month."

Her science teacher has her work cut out for her, that's for sure.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

I love the artistic license employed here, that puts Saints Francis and Anthony in company with the Blessed Mother.

At Mass today, the priest related the story of St. Francis informing one of the brothers that on feasts such as today, "there is no Friday." So HAPPY FEAST to one and all!

My Mom Would Expect Nothing Less

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz

My mother was my Language Arts teacher from sixth through eighth grades. I was afraid to get less than an A in her class--and it was a challenge in the beginning, because the school I attended before sixth grade never introduced grammar in any form. She taught me well, though; I went on to major in English in college and graduate school. To this day I am unable to keep myself from proofreading the newspaper as I read it.

H/T to Christine for this quiz!

Got Cookies?

Not yet?

Need recipes? No problem. Just visit Danielle's Advent Baking Carnival. There's a wealth of mom-tested recipes for cookies and treats of all kinds. Your only problem will be deciding which ones to bake first.

Time to bring out the pants with the elastic waist, I think...

Twenty-five Thousand

That's how many lights are on the National Christmas Tree this year, according to my local TV news.

I'm impressed--and trying to figure out if I can manage to get 1/10 that amount on my own tree here. I think that would double my current inventory. Unfortunately it would also double the megawattage....it sure would be pretty, though. You could probably see it from another zip code, at that point!

Persona Christi

This morning as I was cleaning up the kitchen, Little Brother wandered in and said, "Remember when Jesus said 'Hi, Buddy'?"

"No, I don't. When did Jesus do that?"

"In church, last time!"

"Did Jesus sing by himself in church last time?" (Father had sung a prayer after the Lamb of God this past Sunday, instead of reciting it).

"Yes, Jesus singed all by himself and then everybody singed a song together."

Obviously Little Brother still thinks that Father is Jesus. It was a different priest this time, but that didn't matter to Little Brother.

We've never explained the concept of persona Christi to our children, but Little Brother apparently gets it. As Pope John Paul the Great said, "The priest is a living and transparent image of Christ the priest."

And Little Brother is his buddy.

Little Saint Nick

Catholic Mom has a few reminders about special December saints. She's got great pictures AND great links, so don't miss it.

On our Advent Paper Chain, today's link reminded the children to place their shoes outside their bedroom doors tonight so St. Nicholas could leave them a surprise.

Little Brother was a little confused about this. Apparently he doesn't remember this tradition from last year. First he wanted to know if he should leave ALL his shoes by his door. Then, after I explained how many shoes should be left, and who St. Nicholas was, he thought about it for a while. He came back and said, "I'm going to put my shoes by my door, and Santa Claus's Brother will give me a surprise tonight!"

UPDATE: Little Brother has everything all ready. He put one rain boot and one sneaker by his door. At least he got a right and a left shoe....
And Middle Sister had put a pair of old church shoes outside her door yesterday because she has outgrown them. I hadn't gotten around to taking them to the basement to box up with her other outgrown things. She decided that since these are Very Nice Looking Shoes, St. Nicholas can leave her surprise there.
Big Brother has put out ONE of his snow boots--the biggest shoes he owns.

I Need a Do-Over

Did you ever have one of those days when you wished you could just start the whole thing over?

I think that so far (and I've only been up 2 hours) the only thing I've gotten RIGHT today was Morning Prayer.

I woke up crabby because Little Brother invaded my side of the bed at about 2 AM. The rest of the night I hung off the edge in odd positions, because that child can hog an entire queen-size bed.

I snapped at just about everyone who got in my way this morning and had no patience for Little Brother who put in an appearance about an hour earlier than normal, even though by that time he had the WHOLE bed to himself.

I came down pretty hard on Big Brother for missing some homework assignments (wait, I did that RIGHT, although maybe next time I won't make him start his day on that note).

I was not looking forward to an errand I had to do today that was made more inconvenient and would now involve a 20-minute sidetrip in the other direction, OR to defrosting my freezer, which is what I have to do today or the food won't ever come out again.

Then Big Brother missed his bus. And it got really ugly. And I went outside to start the van so it wouldn't be SO chilly, and Big Brother and Casanova shepherded Little Brother out the door and shut the door. Did I mention that Little Brother was wearing only his pajamas and rain boots at the time, and it's below 30 degrees?

And it got uglier.

I apologized once I got Little Brother a coat, and got everyone in the van, which did not warm up until I got back into the driveway at home. But I don't think Big Brother wanted to hear it.

Yes, if I had a chance for a do-over today, I hope I'd do better.

The Christmas Meme

I've been tagged by Jennifer at The Catholic Path. I think she's figured out that I'm a sucker for a meme....

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Coffee!! I can't stomach Egg Nog!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? They are all coordinated and wrapped. Each child has his own wrapping paper and Santa's gifts always have Santa paper on them.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on the house, colored on the tree. LOTS of colored lights on the tree. My husband thinks that the amount of lights I insist on putting on the tree borders on the insane--but the result is FABOO!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually we do a little on each Sunday of Advent, doing the tree on the Third Sunday. This year, with such a short Advent, we'll accelerate things a little.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Pierogi and mashed rutabagas (really! But not necessarily together....) I like cranberry sauce too--the canned kind, with the "can marks."

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Sitting at the top of the staircase with my sister and brother, yelling, "Did Santa come? Can we come down now?"--and listening to my parents tell us that we had to wait until my grandmother got there (AFTER 7 AM MASS)--and then racing down the stairs to see the tree for the first time. "Santa" always decorated the Christmas tree in our house when we were kids.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Only the ones we receive at the family reunion/Wigilia. Everything else waits until the morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Most of our ornaments were given to us or made by the kids. I can remember a lot of the stories behind the ornaments--I should make a little journal about them. No tinsel or garland, just lots of lights and lots of ornaments.

11. Snow? Love it or Dread it? It's great if we don't have to go anywhere!

12. Can you ice skate? I can stay upright, but I can't do any tricks.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My favorite childhood gift was a pretty doll cradle with a big baby doll inside. My favorite adult gift was my digital camera 2 years ago.

14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you? Decorating the tree.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Christmas cookies, of course! They're also my favorite Holiday Breakfast.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Watching the kids put the ornaments on the tree, and baking the Christmas cookies.

17. What tops your tree? We have an electric star that lights up--BUT if one of the kids makes a tree top (usually an angel, on a toilet paper tube base) at school, we use that instead.

18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving? Giving. I especially enjoy wrapping up the presents, and imagining the recipients as they unwrap them. And then it drives me crazy to have to wait until Christmas to give the gift.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? "O Holy Night." I'm unable to sing it or even hear it without tearing up.

20. Candy Canes? Bring 'em on!

He Sees You When You're Sleeping...

That must be because some of kids' cutest moments happen when they're asleep. You really can see their resemblance to angels when they're so quiet and peaceful.

Early this morning when I got up, I stopped in Little Brother's room. As usual, he was out of the blankets, curled up into a tiny fuzzy-pajama ball. I untangled his blankets and covered him back up. A little smile appeared on his face as he stretched out his legs and relaxed.

I'm a sucker for moments like that. And if Christmas gifts were entirely dependent on the look on Little Brother's face at that moment, we'd need a bigger house to hold them all.

Overheard at the Advent Table

In keeping with the theme that around here, it's not all sweetness and light. No, we're a "warts and all" family and more often than not, that means that somebody will be around with a magnifying glass to inspect those warts and comment on the grossness thereof...

...here's what was said at the dinner table tonight:

Big Brother, upon finding out that it was his turn to light the Advent candle: "Where are the matches? These candle lighters are for WIMPS."

Me, to Little Brother: "Finish chewing your food before blowing out the candle."

Yes, we're definitely pretty rough around the edges in this house.

The Damage Is Done

Little Brother has been enjoying his very own Nativity Scene all morning. He's traded around the capes, crowns and other props (right now the shepherd is wearing a royal purple cape.)

He showed Daddy the shepherd's staff. Daddy observed to Big Brother, "Look--this is just like a bazooka."

That was all Little Brother needed to hear. Now he's showing off all the little tiny weapons to everyone.

I'm going to spend my entire Advent doing damage control.

Prepare Ye

Today is the First Sunday of Advent.



In our family we use the season of Advent to gradually get ready for Christmas. We don't go whole hog and put up our Christmas tree on Black Friday. We like to start slower, and enjoy the Advent season. This year, since Advent is so short, we will be "speeding up" our preparations a bit. We try, though, to emphasize with the kids that this is a liturgical season and link our preparations and customs to that.

When the Big Kids were younger, I used to make an Advent paper chain. On each day there would be an activity or prayer or special treat listed. Then Little Brother got into the act, and would tear up the chain, and I started listing things on a calendar I'd print out. But who knew--the kids missed the paper chain! Middle Sister asked for it last week. So this year, we're back to the chain.

I've also taken Milehimama's suggestion and purchased a toy Nativity scene. Little Brother (and Middle Sister) can arrange and rearrange the figures to their hearts' content. And rumor has it that Little Brother wants to bring all the stuffed animals he can find to round out the selection of animals at the stable. (Is this a Nativity scene, or Noah's ark?) I'll bring that out today, as soon as I get the coffee table cleaned off.

Today's link says, "Put the empty manger on the shelf. Place the Advent wreath on the table. Begin decorating the house." The manger will remain completely empty until we put in the animals, during the week before Christmas.

H/T to Jeff at The Curt Jester for the Advent wreath and countdown that he's generously provided to all bloggers for their sidebars!

A Sweet Christmas Read

I just reacquainted myself with a book I hadn't thought of since my childhood:

Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden.

What a sweet Christmas story for a young girl to enjoy. Unlike many of Godden's other books, it is not religious in nature, but the spirit of giving, sharing and love that should fill all our hearts at Christmas is abundant in this book. I handed it to Middle Sister after I finished rereading it, and Miss Reluctant Reader Herself devoured and enjoyed it as well.

I am such a fan of this author that I also reread The Kitchen Madonna yesterday. Apparently this one's out of print--but search your library! This is not a Christmas book, but what a lovely story of, again, giving, sharing and love--and how love brings a child to do what is very out of character, so that another person will have happiness.

If these books don't put you in the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will.

I Like This Idea

Michelle's posted her New Month's Resolution for December.

I like it.

So much so, in fact, that I'm trying it too. A little peace in the day is definitely a Good Thing. I've got my MP3 player loaded with appropriate music (today it'll be Beth Nielsen Chapman's Hymns) and the coffee's brewing as I type.

Let me tell you, it sure beats muttering through gritted teeth, "We're going to have a peaceful Christmas if it kills me!" Wouldn't it be nice to get all the way through Christmas without gritting my teeth at all?

Carnival of Cookies

Danielle's hosting an Advent Cookie Carnival! I can hardly wait. We love cookies (who doesn't?)

I'm not going to submit my usual sugar cookie recipe here, because I'm sure everyone has a "roll, cut, decorate and bake" recipe they already like. Plus, I posted it last year, along with the story behind the recipe.

Instead, here's an easy family favorite that looks really nice on a cookie platter, and tastes fabulous. Plus, it's chocolate. What more could you want in a cookie?

CHOCOLATE EARTHQUAKE COOKIES (3 dozen)

1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips and/or nuts (any combination you like)
Powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugars. Add in egg and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients, then stir in chips and nuts.
Roll into balls about the size of a walnut. Roll balls in powdered sugar and place on ungreased pan.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375.