Preparing to Prepare
You can read it here.
Like all of the loveliness fairs, it is just lovely! I wanted to participate, but honestly, I have just been too preoccupied with life lately… It seems that there is always so much to do and so very little time. It feels like lately I am just not getting much accomplished.
Part of this is due to my lack of sleep. Peanut is not sleeping well at night and this makes for very challenging days. The rest is due to my lack of organization. Getting organized is my goal this week as we “Prepare to Prepare”. I want to be able to give my children a peaceful and enjoyable Advent as we prepare for Christmas. But, in order for this to happen, I need to be organized. At least, it would be a HUGE plus!
So… This is the kickoff of my major housecleaning and organizing project, which is long overdue, and hopefully will be finished by this next weekend, the beginning of Advent. And, hopefully, it will also be a thorough purging of all the clutter that seems to take over my
As Flylady says, “You cannot organize clutter – you can only organize the things you love!”
Stay tune for my progress, and say a prayer me if you can! I’m sure this is not the most interesting topic, but I need some motivation! 🙂
A Saint Day Celebration!
Today, November 25th, is the feast of Christ the King.
It is ALSO the feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria… And, since she is one of Twinkle Toes’ patron Saints, it is an extra special day at our home.
I love the story of St. Catherine. She is known as the patron saint of young girls. You can read more about her here.
One of our favorite books about her, which we read today, is called A Story of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. It was originally published in 1965, and had been out of print. However, it has been reprinted by Newman Press. I just love how all these wonderful old books are now being made available once again! I highly recommend it.
The book is described as follows:
This is a magnificent story of another of God’s great saints, an example to young girls and Catholics of all ages and times. Catherine was born a pagan princess of Egypt, the land of the Sphinx and Pyramids. In her thirst for knowledge and wisdom she soon grew into a wise and very lovely young woman. This is an account of Catherine’s conversion to Christianity, her ascension to the throne as Queen of Alexandria, the persecution of her Christian subjects by the Romans and her own suffering at the hands of the Emperor for her love of Christ. Beautifully illustrated.
This past summer, Daddy missed Twinkle Toes birthday, since he was out fighting forest fires… So, I decided we would have cake for her “Saints Day” this year as well.
There is an old custom that originated in France, that on St. Catherine’s Day, heart-shaped cakes are given to young women who have reached the age of twenty-five and are still single. This is to encourage them in their search for love.
Now, as you know… my girls are no where NEAR the age of 25 and I’m not going to “encourage them in their search for love” 🙂 I just thought it would be fun to make, just the same. It must be my Inner French coming out!
Any ways, I found these directions on how to make a Heart Cake which were quite easy. And, even though it looked a little out of balance, Twinkle Toes LOVED it!
(My hands are now indefinitely blotched with red from the food coloring that I used to make the frosting pink… I’m still not sure how it got all over my hands!)
As a gift, she received The Little Match Girl. This is another great title featured in our Catholic Mosaic book study. It is so nice to have these extra excuses feast days to add books to our collection!
Well, It has been a very busy week… I am off to finish preparing for this coming week… Getting back into the “school” routine after a holiday is always a challenge for me! I will leave you with a beautiful prayer to St. Catherine. Goodnight and God Bless!
Glorious Saint Catherine, virgin and martyr,
Help me to imitate your love of purity.
Give me strength and courage
In fighting off the temptations of the world and evil desires.
Help me to love God with my whole heart
And serve Him faithfully.
O Saint Catherine,
Through your glorious martyrdom for the love of Christ,
Help me to be loyal to my faith and my God
As long as I live.
Our Thanksgiving
We had a great time at Tug & Regina’s for Thanksgiving! Thank you so much for having us over! We had so much fun, that I never even got my camera out! Can you believe that?
Tug deep fried the turkey and it was delicious, just like last year! Regina’s sweet potatoes were super yummy! And I ate WAY too many rolls!
The adults had fun playing euchre and sequence. Regina & I winning each round!! I’m not competitive, by the way. 😉
The kids each made oreo and pine cone turkeys that turned out so cute! Regina & I ended up helping the kids with the pine cone turkeys since the feathers needed a bit of hot glue to stay put…
The pine cones came from our very own backyard. I had bought some at Michael’s while forgetting the fact that we live amidst many pine trees… Silly me. I came home and hubby said, “You didn’t actually BUY pine cones did you!” I replied, “Uuuummmm…. Ooopppss! Yep, I did… I’ll take them back!”
After all the pokes from the pine cones, I am now wondering if store bought pine cones are less poky than the wild ones? 🙂
Wishing you…
To all my visitors, friends and family… May God shower each and every one of you with many blessings! And may you all have a very Happy and Peaceful Thanksgiving!
Thank you for all the graces and blessings. You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage. Our food and shelter, our health, the loves we have for one another, our family and friends.
Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessing throughout the coming year.
This we ask in the name of Jesus, your son and our brother. Amen.
Gobble, Gobble…
Last night after dinner we made the cutest little Turkey snacks out of Double Stuf Oreo cookies, malt balls, and candy corn!
My mom would die if she knew I fed this kind of stuff to my kids… In fact I recently ran into her at the grocery store and started covering up the yummy treats junk in my cart so she wouldn’t see it!
In case one of my many siblings shows you this post… Don’t worry mom, I only let them have one each…
So get ready Sugar & Boo, we are bringing all the leftover junk ingredients with us tomorrow!
They are SO easy to make. And only took a total of maybe 5 minutes!
Directions:
– Take 1 oreo apart. This will be the base.
– Place the whole oreo on its side on the base, so that it sticks to white of the oreo.
– In front of the oreo on its side, place a malted-milk ball for the turkeys head.
– Place candy corn, points down, in between the oreo cookie that is standing on it’s side.
– We added a piece of twizzler (left over from the All Saints Party) as well.
Now, I am off to make this yummy treat for tomorrow!
This is what happens…
…by 6 o’clock pm, if someone plays instead of actually napping.
Yum… I can’t wait!
| You Are Mashed Potatoes |
 Ordinary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You’re the glue that holds everyone together. |
| You Are Apple Pie |
 You’re the perfect combo of comforting and traditional. You prefer things the way you’ve always known them. You’ll admit that you’re old fashioned, and you don’t see anything wrong with that. Your tastes and preferences are classic. And classic never goes out of style. Those who like you crave security. |
Our Tree of Thanksgiving
Making our Thankful Tree yesterday was such fun! First the boys headed outside to find a few branches to use and while the girls gathered rocks to fill the vase with. In the meantime I printed off this leaf template and set out the watercolors and paintbrushes. The kids didn’t waste any time getting started! 🙂
They were all very focused on painting the leaves.
Captain was especially concerned with making sure he used fall colors, and lots of them.
After the leaves had dried, they all told me the different things they are thankful for, while I wrote them down. We didn’t have enough leaves for all the things for which we are thankful!! Then we taped hung the leaves on our “tree”. It turned out great!
Thank you again Meredith for the idea!
Poem to St. Elizabeth
Enthroned amid the heavenly throng,
Be gracious to accept the praises
We offer you in cheerful song.
As you from home and hearth were driven
And forced in direst want to roam,
So now direct us lonely exiles
And help us reach our heavenly home.
You practiced poverty: enrich us
With heaven’s choicest gifts secure;
You daily mortified your body:
Help us to keep our bodies pure.
The luring world and wily Satan
You overcame by watchful prayers;
Teach us with steadfast heart to conquer
Our enemies’ deceitful snares.
To God the Father highest glory
And to his only Son, our Lord.
Together with the Holy Spirit,
As years and ages endless run.
The Spirit of Christmas Award!
I have been awarded “The Spirit of Christmas Award” by Amy over at Knit Together in Love. Thank you Amy, your so sweet!
What is the Spirit of Christmas you ask?
Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the “Spirit of Christmas”.
Oh my! What an honor… Since the Christmas Season is still a couple weeks away, I’d like to pass the award to three sweet ladies who, unlike me, truly deserve this award:
Trina at Merry Menagerie
Mededith at Sweetness and Light
Heather at These Thy Gifts
Explanation of this award can be found here.
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