While reading through some of my favorite blogs this morning, I came across this post from Elizabeth Foss: What are you giving up for Advent?
Advent is time of preparation....just like Lent. When thinking about this, I am reminded of the song lyrics..."Prepare ye the way of the Lord". The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio which means "to come to" which refers to the coming of Christ. In Advent as in Lent, we should be preparing our souls to receive Jesus Christ.
So, I'm curious, what are you doing to prepare? I mean, I know what most of us do physically to prepare for Advent. But, what are you doing Spiritually?
More to come on this subject.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Monday Montage
Happy Monday!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! We spent Thanksgiving Day with Dan's brother and his family in St. Augustine! We don't often get together with them on holidays but it was a really nice change and we really enjoyed it. I didn't take many pictures...but here are a few:
Enjoy your week!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! We spent Thanksgiving Day with Dan's brother and his family in St. Augustine! We don't often get together with them on holidays but it was a really nice change and we really enjoyed it. I didn't take many pictures...but here are a few:
In addition to the turkey, my nephews marinated and grilled (and wrapped in bacon!) some venison. It was delicious!
Later in our weekend, we were able to attend a Thanksgiving Family Retreat offered at our parish! The adults were treated to 4 great talks related to the Year of Faith by 2 incredibly holy priests! During the talks, the kids played games with the sisters. We were also able to take advantage of confession, Holy Hour with Benediction, Holy Mass, and the best fellowship we've had in a long time.
And lastly, I was able to sneak away early Friday morning to go to the Christmas Made in the South annual holiday craft show at the convention center. I buy a family ornament every year. This is the one I chose for 2012:
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday Fun Links - Week 5
Catholic Culture
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
From Catholic Cuisine: Food Fit for a King, Cookie Crown Cake, Simple Cupcake Crowns
Crafts: Christ the King Crown, Christ the King Coloring Page, Christ the King Word search, Christ the King Pinterest Board
This is only a sampling of all the information, foods, crafts, fun and games that is out there! Do a Google search and you'll find tons more! Visit all your favorite Catholic Websites! Whatever you do, saturate yourself with the culture of Catholicism! Be holy! Fill yourselves and your family with the holiness of our faith. Be a sponge and soak up the very essence of who we are! Be ready to defend your faith! Know why the Church teaches what she does! Put on your FULL ARMOUR OF GOD!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Quick Note
Happy Saturday after Thanksgiving! We are still in the midst of a wonderful holiday but I wanted to pop in to say hello!
We spent a great Thanksgiving Day with Dan's brother and his family! It was a nice change from our regular routine. Although I missed the smell of a roasting turkey wafting through my house, it was nice not to have to worry about making sure everything was done at the same time...or facing a huge mess in my small kitchen!
Yesterday morning, Nathan and I (mom and son time) went to the Christmas Made in the South craft show that comes to Jacksonville every year! It's always the weekend after Thanksgiving and I've managed to make it every year since I've been in Jax (15 years now!)...even during chemotherapy!
In addition to that, we are finally able to attend our parishes Thanksgiving Retreat sponsored by the Sisters and Brothers of the Home of the Mother! We attended yesterday afternoon's festivities which included an adult formation talk on the writings of Pope Benedict XVI "Year of Faith", mass/confessions, a rosary walk, a pizza dinner and a family movie (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). The kids had a ball. The retreat continues today and I will have pictures to share with you when we come home!
Tomorrow I will tackle the laundry that has been piling up since Tuesday! Nathan serves mass at 6pm so we will have the entire day to get back to our routine.
I hope you all are enjoying your Thanksgiving weekend! See you soon!
We spent a great Thanksgiving Day with Dan's brother and his family! It was a nice change from our regular routine. Although I missed the smell of a roasting turkey wafting through my house, it was nice not to have to worry about making sure everything was done at the same time...or facing a huge mess in my small kitchen!
Yesterday morning, Nathan and I (mom and son time) went to the Christmas Made in the South craft show that comes to Jacksonville every year! It's always the weekend after Thanksgiving and I've managed to make it every year since I've been in Jax (15 years now!)...even during chemotherapy!
In addition to that, we are finally able to attend our parishes Thanksgiving Retreat sponsored by the Sisters and Brothers of the Home of the Mother! We attended yesterday afternoon's festivities which included an adult formation talk on the writings of Pope Benedict XVI "Year of Faith", mass/confessions, a rosary walk, a pizza dinner and a family movie (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). The kids had a ball. The retreat continues today and I will have pictures to share with you when we come home!
Tomorrow I will tackle the laundry that has been piling up since Tuesday! Nathan serves mass at 6pm so we will have the entire day to get back to our routine.
I hope you all are enjoying your Thanksgiving weekend! See you soon!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Captivity and Liberation
"We must know first our captivity, then our liberation: we must know Babylon and Jerusalem. These were two cities recorded in the Bible. They were founded to symbolize those two "cities" that began in the far past and will continue to the end of time".
St. Augustine Commentary on Psalm 64, 1-2
Prayer: Lord, while I move and bear this body, I pray that I may be pure, generous, just, and prudent. May I be a perfect lover and knower of Your Wisdom. Finally, may I be worthy of Your Dwelling Place and live in Your most blessed Kingdom.
St. Augustine Soliloquies 1,1
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday Fun Links - Week 4
Sorry that I'm late with my links post today....we had a ton of errands to run after mass today! The link list is short this week...I didn't have as much time to peruse as I usually do. Here you go:
1. 137 inexpensive, handmade holiday gift ideas!!! These are awesome! I LOVE the idea of "tea cup" candles!!
2. Catholic Inspired Homeschool! Wonderful homeschooling website!
3. 10 Ways to use and decorate with Saint medals! There are some great ideas here!
4. Say the Rosary online, anytime of the day or night. You are NEVER alone!
Have a great week!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Plans!
This is the time of year when there is a whole lot of planning going on in our house! I feel like I'm behind a little in this department though. So much has been going on that I haven't really had a chance to think. For me, if I write things down, I can plan and organize better. So, here's my list....
Thanksgiving: We have been invited to spend Thanksgiving with Dan's brother and his family. While the kids are very excited and looking forward to spending time with their cousins, I'm a little ambivalent. Over the years, some relationships in Dan's family have been strained. Things don't always go smoothly in the "let's all just get along" department. As an observer for the past 15 years, it seems there is always an elephant in the room when we are together. I'm not sure exactly what this elephant is, but it has been in this room for a long time...well before I appeared! These relationships have gone through rough periods and times of relative peace. This year, I'm hoping for peace...the keeping-your-mouth-shut-and-smiling kind of peace. The bottom line is, we are family. We are called to love and support each other. ***We've been asked to bring a dish of our choosing! You know, something our kids like and will eat. I'm still trying to decide what to bring. My kids are too darn picky! Olivia doesn't like mashed potatoes....Amelia doesn't like stuffing...and Nathan doesn't like turkey! None of them like sweet potatoes or green beans! About the only thing they all can agree on is the dinner rolls! Perhaps that's what we'll end up bringing.*****
Christmas Cards: This year, I'm making our Christmas cards! I'm excited yet, nervous. This is a big undertaking and I don't want to mess it up. My goal is to get them done in the next two weeks so I can have them in the mail early! I've got to make time for this instead of playing Candy Cane Saga on Facebook!
Facebook: I need to finish up cleaning out my friends list. My Facebook account and I had a "come to Jesus" meeting the other day. I deactivated my account with the full intention of it being permanent. Then, however, I realized that I needed my Facebook account to log into Pinterest. I NEED Pinterest! So, after a week long hiatus, I'm back on....but with several changes. For one thing, I've learned that not every relationship I've ever had was meant to be kept active and current. God sends some people into our lives for a short time...and some are meant to be with us for a lifetime. Facebook made those lines very cloudy and I realized that some relationships were better left in the past. I let go of well over 30 people and to tell you the truth, I feel much relief. And I do mean RELIEF...physical relief. This election was a stressful one and the political lines were drawn. I don't believe there has ever been an election as important as this one, and therefore the stakes were very high. I've since seen some Facebook threads addressing me and my "judgemental and hateful" attitude. It was eye opening and humbling to read what others think about me. Because they did not know that I would read those posts, they were honest and open about how they felt. I can't lie and say that some of those words weren't hurtful, but I suppose I deserved it...at least in their eyes. I'm sure they felt justified. I really don't mind anger, as a matter of fact, I prefer it over the "pity" many of them expressed. Apparently, they feel badly for me...for my poor, misguided, intolerant and undeserved disdain for our current president and for my lack of filter in expressing myself. They all agree that their world is much better without having to endure my endless political posts and judgements. Perhaps they are correct. In any case, I think everyone benefits from my decision to remove myself from the situation for awhile, get my bearings and clean house (so to speak). They are happier and I am happier. All in all, this is a win-win situation. I can't promise that I will not offend someone with my posts in the future. I can't guarantee that my ideas and opinions won't be perceived as judgemental or hateful at some point. I can only promise that I will be honest with how I think and how I feel. I will not beat around the bush or tiptoe through the tulips. No one will ever have to wonder how I feel about something. It is unlikely that anyone will call me "wishy-washy". We will all have to stand before God someday to explain how and why we lived our lives the way we did. We will all have to account for the things we did...the things we said, and maybe more importantly...the things we didn't do or didn't say. While I have MUCH sin in my life and will be judged justly by God for EVERY.SINGLE.ONE.OF.THEM...I will also be able to stand before Him and know that I defended my faith, defended my Church and defended the lives and souls of unborn babies to the best of my ability.
Gift Giving: We've decided to scale way back in this area. Dan and I always have a discussion about how we are going to be very frugal and how we will keep things to the very minimum for Christmas. We rarely stick to our decision. Keeping in mind that our budget is VERY limited, we still end up doing too much and I always feel guilty for over doing it. I recently saw something on Pinterest about being better stewards of the resources that God has given us and helping our kids to not focus so much on the amount of gifts but on the quality. I found this "Wish List For Santa" on Pinterest and I love it!
Thanksgiving: We have been invited to spend Thanksgiving with Dan's brother and his family. While the kids are very excited and looking forward to spending time with their cousins, I'm a little ambivalent. Over the years, some relationships in Dan's family have been strained. Things don't always go smoothly in the "let's all just get along" department. As an observer for the past 15 years, it seems there is always an elephant in the room when we are together. I'm not sure exactly what this elephant is, but it has been in this room for a long time...well before I appeared! These relationships have gone through rough periods and times of relative peace. This year, I'm hoping for peace...the keeping-your-mouth-shut-and-smiling kind of peace. The bottom line is, we are family. We are called to love and support each other. ***We've been asked to bring a dish of our choosing! You know, something our kids like and will eat. I'm still trying to decide what to bring. My kids are too darn picky! Olivia doesn't like mashed potatoes....Amelia doesn't like stuffing...and Nathan doesn't like turkey! None of them like sweet potatoes or green beans! About the only thing they all can agree on is the dinner rolls! Perhaps that's what we'll end up bringing.*****
Christmas Cards: This year, I'm making our Christmas cards! I'm excited yet, nervous. This is a big undertaking and I don't want to mess it up. My goal is to get them done in the next two weeks so I can have them in the mail early! I've got to make time for this instead of playing Candy Cane Saga on Facebook!
Facebook: I need to finish up cleaning out my friends list. My Facebook account and I had a "come to Jesus" meeting the other day. I deactivated my account with the full intention of it being permanent. Then, however, I realized that I needed my Facebook account to log into Pinterest. I NEED Pinterest! So, after a week long hiatus, I'm back on....but with several changes. For one thing, I've learned that not every relationship I've ever had was meant to be kept active and current. God sends some people into our lives for a short time...and some are meant to be with us for a lifetime. Facebook made those lines very cloudy and I realized that some relationships were better left in the past. I let go of well over 30 people and to tell you the truth, I feel much relief. And I do mean RELIEF...physical relief. This election was a stressful one and the political lines were drawn. I don't believe there has ever been an election as important as this one, and therefore the stakes were very high. I've since seen some Facebook threads addressing me and my "judgemental and hateful" attitude. It was eye opening and humbling to read what others think about me. Because they did not know that I would read those posts, they were honest and open about how they felt. I can't lie and say that some of those words weren't hurtful, but I suppose I deserved it...at least in their eyes. I'm sure they felt justified. I really don't mind anger, as a matter of fact, I prefer it over the "pity" many of them expressed. Apparently, they feel badly for me...for my poor, misguided, intolerant and undeserved disdain for our current president and for my lack of filter in expressing myself. They all agree that their world is much better without having to endure my endless political posts and judgements. Perhaps they are correct. In any case, I think everyone benefits from my decision to remove myself from the situation for awhile, get my bearings and clean house (so to speak). They are happier and I am happier. All in all, this is a win-win situation. I can't promise that I will not offend someone with my posts in the future. I can't guarantee that my ideas and opinions won't be perceived as judgemental or hateful at some point. I can only promise that I will be honest with how I think and how I feel. I will not beat around the bush or tiptoe through the tulips. No one will ever have to wonder how I feel about something. It is unlikely that anyone will call me "wishy-washy". We will all have to stand before God someday to explain how and why we lived our lives the way we did. We will all have to account for the things we did...the things we said, and maybe more importantly...the things we didn't do or didn't say. While I have MUCH sin in my life and will be judged justly by God for EVERY.SINGLE.ONE.OF.THEM...I will also be able to stand before Him and know that I defended my faith, defended my Church and defended the lives and souls of unborn babies to the best of my ability.
Gift Giving: We've decided to scale way back in this area. Dan and I always have a discussion about how we are going to be very frugal and how we will keep things to the very minimum for Christmas. We rarely stick to our decision. Keeping in mind that our budget is VERY limited, we still end up doing too much and I always feel guilty for over doing it. I recently saw something on Pinterest about being better stewards of the resources that God has given us and helping our kids to not focus so much on the amount of gifts but on the quality. I found this "Wish List For Santa" on Pinterest and I love it!
On Thanksgiving morning, I will give each of the kids one of these for them to fill out. Then we'll pop it into the mail so Santa is well aware of how we're going to roll this year! I feel really good about this and I'm looking forward to implementing this! I just don't feel comfortable anymore with letting them make this endless list of material nonsense that is a waste of money, a waste of time and is not in the best interest of their souls. I'm hoping this change doesn't backfire on me!
Well, I think this post is long enough.....plus, it's 11:56pm and I can hardly keep my eyes open. I keep having to use the backspace button because almost every word I type is spelled wrong! It's definitely time to go to bed.
I will share more plans as the days go on! Please feel free to share what your plans are!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Sunday Fun Links - Week 3
Since the holidays are approaching...I thought I would share some of my favorite places to visit at this time of year. Some are new and some I've shared before. Either way, enjoy your holiday preparations!
Stocking Stuffer ideas....by age group! Great ideas!
Art Journaling for Kids....what a cool way to begin journaling! This is something I will begin on January 1st!! More on this later!
You've Been Jingled!!! Start a new holiday tradition in your neighborhood! This is such a great idea! I think, hands down, this is my favorite!
Paper Christmas Tree craft! I think these are awesome! Wouldn't these look lovely on a mantel with varying sizes! Oh, the things I could do if I had MORE TIME!!!
Children's Advent Wreath! When your kids are too little for real candles....this is awesome!!
Rustic Snowflake ornament! I think this is a great craft! It's so beautiful and would make a wonderful gift!
I'm challenging you to start a new tradition this holiday season! It may be that it's time to take a step out of your comfort zone and try something different. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you are making special memories for your kids! Remember, these are the things that they will pass on to their own children!
Enjoy!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
WOW! Just WOW!
Has it really been over a month since I've posted? So much has happened since then. So much has changed.
Things with Amelia are not going very well at school. It seems there is just issue after issue. Since we called Duval County and requested a formal evaluation, things have gotten worse. Apparently, this has ruffled some feathers and some of the teachers are a little "miffed" at me for doing this and are now trying to make me regret my decision to call the county for help. I'm being bombarded with notes, emails and calls notifying me of EVERY.SINGLE.THING that they think points to Amelia needing to be put on medication! This is another issue...I've refused to put my daughter on medication until we've exhausted all other possibilities...and this REALLY gets their panties in a wad. It seems that putting an active, imaginative, child that "does not fit in the traditional school box" on medication is what they prefer.
Some of her "problems" include, going to the bathroom often, daydreaming, fidgeting, not being able to focus or to take notes from a video (IN THIRD GRADE!!!). Yesterday, I got a call from the Vice Principal informing me that Amelia told a little boy that she would "stab him with her pencil" if he didn't quit teasing her! She was simply singing a math song that they had just learned and, apparently, this annoyed the little boy. Of course, Amelia got in trouble! I agree this was not a very nice thing for her to say, but in the grand scheme of things....so what? However, the school thinks this is a deeper issue and perhaps Amelia has trouble dealing with "anger". It seems as though they consider this a "serious" threat to the other students and she was given an "NOC"...or...Notice of Concern. Apparently has become a national security issue and they are sending her to the school counselor to discuss it. In the meantime, She needs to read the story of the Good Samaritan and write a paragraph about what she learned from the story and then meet with the Vice Principal next week.
Meanwhile, last week, Nathan got an upper cut to the jaw from another 6th grader....and the NOTHING happened. I even spoke to the dean of the school about it. She spoke to Nathan and this other student..and that was it. Nathan's jaw is still sore.....but apparently this didn't pose any national security threat!
I'm so tired of all of this. I just want to bring them home. Why won't God allow me to homeschool them? Why does it always come down to money? Each day I find myself more and more concerned about their learning experience. I know that Assumption is a good school. I know the teachers there to be good people.....but the things of this world have taken such a turn for the worse that for me....this just isn't enough.
Because the "Liar-in-Chief" was re elected...I fear things will only become more difficult. Our liberties will be chipped away...little by little, day by day. Soon, the option for homeschooling may just go away altogether. If you have never been introduced to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child....you need to read it! And since our dear ruler, Barack Hussein Obama, is such a fan of the UN, we really don't know what this could mean for school choice or homeschooling.
Which brings me to yet another thing that has seriously hampered my mood over the last few days....the election. I have never been more disgusted, disturbed and shocked about anything in my entire life. The fact that 50% of this country CHOSE this for another 4 years is just beyond my comprehension. I've been nauseated (literally) for several days. I will admit to feeling despair. Deep despair. It makes me want to retreat to a bubble with my family.
As Catholics (the real ones....not the "CINO's"--Catholics in Name Only), we need to be ready! We need to be prepared for what's coming. The assault on our faith is only just beginning. Put on your Armour of God! Wear it everyday! Keep your eyes WIDE open and LISTEN to what is going on around you. Don't be taken off-guard! Keep your family and your rosary CLOSE! Fill your home with sacramentals. Read the bible and the catechism together! Commit it to memory! Pray for your pastor...your bishop and our Holy Father! We KNOW who wins in the end, but that does not mean the battle will be easy!
Take a few minutes to view the latest from "The Vortex".
Things with Amelia are not going very well at school. It seems there is just issue after issue. Since we called Duval County and requested a formal evaluation, things have gotten worse. Apparently, this has ruffled some feathers and some of the teachers are a little "miffed" at me for doing this and are now trying to make me regret my decision to call the county for help. I'm being bombarded with notes, emails and calls notifying me of EVERY.SINGLE.THING that they think points to Amelia needing to be put on medication! This is another issue...I've refused to put my daughter on medication until we've exhausted all other possibilities...and this REALLY gets their panties in a wad. It seems that putting an active, imaginative, child that "does not fit in the traditional school box" on medication is what they prefer.
Some of her "problems" include, going to the bathroom often, daydreaming, fidgeting, not being able to focus or to take notes from a video (IN THIRD GRADE!!!). Yesterday, I got a call from the Vice Principal informing me that Amelia told a little boy that she would "stab him with her pencil" if he didn't quit teasing her! She was simply singing a math song that they had just learned and, apparently, this annoyed the little boy. Of course, Amelia got in trouble! I agree this was not a very nice thing for her to say, but in the grand scheme of things....so what? However, the school thinks this is a deeper issue and perhaps Amelia has trouble dealing with "anger". It seems as though they consider this a "serious" threat to the other students and she was given an "NOC"...or...Notice of Concern. Apparently has become a national security issue and they are sending her to the school counselor to discuss it. In the meantime, She needs to read the story of the Good Samaritan and write a paragraph about what she learned from the story and then meet with the Vice Principal next week.
Meanwhile, last week, Nathan got an upper cut to the jaw from another 6th grader....and the NOTHING happened. I even spoke to the dean of the school about it. She spoke to Nathan and this other student..and that was it. Nathan's jaw is still sore.....but apparently this didn't pose any national security threat!
I'm so tired of all of this. I just want to bring them home. Why won't God allow me to homeschool them? Why does it always come down to money? Each day I find myself more and more concerned about their learning experience. I know that Assumption is a good school. I know the teachers there to be good people.....but the things of this world have taken such a turn for the worse that for me....this just isn't enough.
Because the "Liar-in-Chief" was re elected...I fear things will only become more difficult. Our liberties will be chipped away...little by little, day by day. Soon, the option for homeschooling may just go away altogether. If you have never been introduced to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child....you need to read it! And since our dear ruler, Barack Hussein Obama, is such a fan of the UN, we really don't know what this could mean for school choice or homeschooling.
Which brings me to yet another thing that has seriously hampered my mood over the last few days....the election. I have never been more disgusted, disturbed and shocked about anything in my entire life. The fact that 50% of this country CHOSE this for another 4 years is just beyond my comprehension. I've been nauseated (literally) for several days. I will admit to feeling despair. Deep despair. It makes me want to retreat to a bubble with my family.
As Catholics (the real ones....not the "CINO's"--Catholics in Name Only), we need to be ready! We need to be prepared for what's coming. The assault on our faith is only just beginning. Put on your Armour of God! Wear it everyday! Keep your eyes WIDE open and LISTEN to what is going on around you. Don't be taken off-guard! Keep your family and your rosary CLOSE! Fill your home with sacramentals. Read the bible and the catechism together! Commit it to memory! Pray for your pastor...your bishop and our Holy Father! We KNOW who wins in the end, but that does not mean the battle will be easy!
Take a few minutes to view the latest from "The Vortex".
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