Outside my window… It’s raining on and off, and looks like it is going to continue raining all week. It’s not that cold (30-50 degrees all week), but my children keep hoping it will snow again!
I am listening to… Celtic Woman’s Christmas Celebration
I am thinking… about Christmas gifts for my girls. Unlike last year, when I had everything purchased and wrapped months before Christmas, I am still working on my list this year and quickly running out of time. Last year Twinkle Toes received an adorable Forest Fairy Lodge. I just noticed that there are a number of new “furniture” pieces to go along with it including: Fairy Forest Harp, Enchantmints-Fairy Forest Lodge-Bathroom Set
While I was at amazon, I noticed that the girls FAVORITE dollhouse castle, the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Folding Princess Castle
. I just LOVE all the little animal families. We have the Fisher Cat Family
and the Norwood Mouse Family
. My girls love the Kitchen Set
that they have, but I don’t think I will be purchasing any more tiny pieces anytime soon. (Perhaps when the baby is a little bit older, or my girls are better about keeping the little pieces off the floor.) I am thinking about getting the little Carriage
for Twinkle Toes and maybe another family of critters for Chiquita. Decisions, decisions…
. I am thankful for… so very, very, very, very THANKFUL that Rose’s heart is all better! I keep giving her a big squeeze and smile every chance I get and she just giggles. So cute!
I am praying… The Christmas Rose Novena. I am also praying for an online friend who miscarried her baby girl today. May our dear Lord comfort her and her family!
From the kitchen… After seeing so many pretty things above everyone’s kitchen sinks this week, I am trying to decide what to add to mine! Here are a couple pictures I snapped the other night:
From the learning rooms… we are all very much looking forward to our “little” Christmas break this year, and having a hard time adjusting to schooling this month, since we usually take most of the month off. Nevertheless, we are making progress, just not as much as I would like. . .
Living the Liturgical Year at Home… I just love this time of year. There are so many wonderful traditions to incorporate into living the liturgical year at home! Yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. Lucy, and later this week we will begin praying the O Antiphons. We have always had special gifts or activities to go with each of the O Antiphons and I suppose it is time for me to decide what those are going to be this year! Here is the link to all of my old posts on Celebrating the O Antiphons.
I am creating… Christmas Creches, Chocolates, Cookies for Little Flowers, and a simple birthday Cake for Rose!
I am wearing… my slippers! It is so cold in our house right now. I really should go and try to light a fire…
I am reading… Large Family Logistics
On my iTouch… Where is that thing anyways? I think I conveniently “lost” it for a few days after getting creamed by my sister-in-law one too many times playing “Words With Friends!” 😉 And what do you know, I actually have had a little more time for blogging this week! lol! OHHH!! It’s not lost! As I was typing that the Angelus Bells just started going off… Ok, I am off to find it and pray the Angelus with the kids, I’ll be back to finish up this post soon! 🙂
Pondering these words… from Mother Teresa.
Our little Rose… will be one years old TOMORROW!! It seems like just yesterday when Captain snapped this picture as I was headed out the door to my scheduled 5pm doctors appointment. I had a feeling that I might be in the early stages of labor and sure enough I was. Rose arrived at 11:49 that night!
Noticing that… my baby won’t be a “baby” much longer. 🙁
Towards personal care… Let me just say… “That time of the month” really stinks! I am not used to this! 😉
Around the house… I just bought a beautiful new 8×10 wool rug for the new family room. What a difference just having a rug has made! It has made the room quieter, cozier, and now the kids have someplace to lie down and read books or play games other than in the bedrooms. The noise (with hardwood floors and hardly any furniture everything seems o echo) was driving me crazy!!! I actually wasn’t suppose to be spending charging anything else right now, but when I saw it at Costco – and that their was an extra $60 off bringing it down to just over $200 – I couldn’t resist. When I got home and asked Hubby if he could carry something in from the car for me he said “Oh NO! What did you buy?!?” I just smiled and then Captain said “Uh, oh! That’s what she looks like after she buys something from Costco!!” (Seriously, they didn’t even know where I had gone since it was after the baby’s echo. lol!) They know me well! Anyhow, everyone (including Hubby) loves the rug! Now if only the couch would arrive…
On keeping home… Setting the goal of “4 loads by 4pm” (washed AND put away) really helps one keep up with the Laundry and makes sure sure that there aren’t piles of laundry everywhere when Hubby gets home! It is also nice knowing that when those loads are completed it is “done” for the day. (Thank you Kim
One of my favorite things.. seeing all our children gathered around Hubby each evening as he reads the Christmas Picture Books each night before bed! This has been working out really well for our family this year, and having their Dad read the stories this year makes our collection of books seem new all over again!
A few plans for the rest of the week:
We have a fun week ahead of us including a visit from some friends, Rose’s 1st Birthday, and a Little Flower’s meeting! I am also hoping to find the time to finish updating my address book (I am finally inputting the addressed into the computer, so I can print labels) and start working on our Christmas Cards.
A Picture thought I am sharing:
I can't believe that your little Rose will be a big one year old tomorrow! How time flies! But then again, I can't believe that our Little Man will be turning one in just a little over two weeks.
I, too, am behind on our childrens' Christmas gifts. I just don't have my act together this year. I swear it seems like last year I was so much more on top of things. Maybe it was the whole being on bedreast thing that made me so much more focused? 😉
Thanks for the toy links! You've definitely given me some ideas.
Oh, and I've added the book Large Family Logistics to my Amazon wish list. Maybe hubby will get it for me for Christmas. I need all the help logistically I can get! lol! 🙂
I found Large Family Logistics a few years ago, and I only have one little one (so far, sigh), but I really enjoyed a number of her suggestions. In fact, that's where my inspiration for my (sadly neglected) home management binder came from. Good stuff!
Happy Birthday litte Rose!!
Jessica – Enjoy your blog so much!
Do you have an app for the "Angelus Bells" you referred to on the section about your iTouch or do you simply set an alarm yourself?
Thanks!
oh -and Birthday Blessings to your youngest Sweet Treasure!
kristina
Oh I am going to have to look at that book!
Happy Birthday to Rose! I can't believe she's a year already. Where does time go??? I love hoe the girls set up the Mass adorentum with the saints in attendance. Too cute 🙂
I had read and had been told few times that the american girl supports planned parenthood. I am not sure if they are continuing to do so but it would be worth looking into before investing in them.
Kelly ~ I think it is much harder to find the time for everything with a nursing 1 year old than it is being pregnant! 🙂 Plus, this year we have to add Birthday to the chck list! :/
Lenetta ~ This book was just released in September and I was very excited to run across it! It seems like just what I've been needing.
Kristina ~ I don't have an App for the Angelus Bells, I just set an Alarm using the bell setting. I love it!!
Kelly ~ I loved that too! I wish we had more access to the Latin Mass, but at this point it is only when the "Uncle Fathers" come out to baptize a baby… It's been nearly a year!
Julie ~ I had heard that many years ago too, and you can be sure that I looked into it before placing an order. They were on the pro-life boycott list for a short time, and the boycott worked. 🙂 Here is an interesting article from Life News if you are interested.
Happy Birthday to sweet Rose! How is she 1??? Holy smokes! Have a wonderful day with her!
Happy birthday, little Rose! When
I found your momma's blog, you were still in her tummy! May God bless you with many, many more healthy, happy years! +JMJ+
Oh. the Large Family Logistics looks like a good read! Happy birthday LIttle Rose!
Hi Jessica,
I can't remember if I have posted here or not (in the middle of putting our house on the market!) but wanted to tell you I recently found your blog (while doing a search for Jesse tree!) and am SO enjoying it!
Thank you for posting the M&D castle, I am a big M&D fan! And the Mother Theresa quotes are wonderful and just what I needed to read! Your new rug is gorgeous!
I grew up Catholic and strayed away to a non-denominational church for years, recently we have been attending Lutheran services and realized how much I missed the Lirturgy and church calendar.
I really enjoy reading your blog and about your Catholic faith! 🙂
Kristi