December 1st: I've always admired the pictures of the hanging Advent wreaths I've seen shared by friends each year and have wished I could figure out how to hang one above our dining table. (We also set up another Advent wreath on our coffee table in the family...
Santa Lucia (St. Lucy) was a young Italian girl who was martyred for her faith in 304 AD. During Advent in Sweden, one of the biggest celebrations is Santa Lucia's Day originating from the stories told by the holy Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden....
Advent begins three weeks from today! Advent varies in length from 22-28 days, beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30th) and embracing four Sundays. The first day of Advent can fall as early as November 27th or as...
The feast of St. Nicholas is just a month away! On December 6th our children wake up to find that the letters they wrote to the Holy Child and/or St. Nicholas have been taken and their (sometimes new/replaced) slippers have been filled with little...
On Christmas Eve we had a fun surprise for the kids and our extended family who came over for the evening before we all headed to Midnight Mass! Last Wednesday afternoon I called the doctors office for the results on some blood work they did a couple weeks ago,...
... from our family to yours! From Instagram on Christmas Eve: Boy or girl? I've had a little secret for the past few days and the answer is in the box! 💙💗 #whatisyourguessI'll share the rest of the pictures of the box getting opened as soon as we have a...
Santa Luciaby Katherine Hydebased on traditional Swedish lyricsfound in Lucia, Saint of LightNight treads with heavy stepRound yard and hearthWoods brood in darkness nowSun's gone from earthBut through the darkness comes, With brightness glowing, Saint of...
Today my little ones helped bake a Honey Bun Coffee Cake in our Honeycomb Pull Apart Cake Pan for after dinner in honor of the St. Ambrose, the honey-tongued doctor. Legend says that when St. Ambrose was a baby, a swarm of bees flew in the window and...
Ever since our oldest children were very little, we have been implementing an old monastic custom in our home by providing special treats, representing each of the "O Antiphons" on the days leading up to Christmas. The O Antiphon prayers begin on December 17th and end...
Today is the feast of St. Andrew! We had a very full day today, between co-op classes for all the big kids and an afternoon at the office for the three little ones and I, but we had another nameday to celebrate! On the way home this evening we stopped at our local...
Father in heaven, grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege—to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary I ask your continued blessings on my family. Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen.
