Home

by | Dec 29, 2022

Instagram Recap

Nov 22, 2014 | , , | 6 Comments

I always hesitate before posting a picture to Instagram and wonder if I should “save” it for the blog… I love Instagram, but the blog has always been my favorite spot to record special moments and memories. I thought I’d share this week’s Instagram recap in 7 Quick Takes.

— 1 —

I love it when he wakes up in such a great mood, especially on Monday morning! 

“Look!! There’s the peacock!!!”


— 2 —


Over the weekend I had the children all choose “five favorite” ChristmasBooks to share! The list of all 35 favorites, along with a giveaway for an autographed copy of ChristmasMosaic by Cay Gibson can be found {here}.

There is still time to enter the giveaway! 


— 3 —


Lunch date with my husband! He says I look younger for some reason…

On Tuesday morning I had another appointment at the orthodontist, this time for braces on my top teeth. I had been stressing out over it for months and was fighting tears when they started making the impressions a couple weeks ago… If it wasn’t necessary I wouldn’t have even considered it (my five years in braces as a child was plenty, not to mention pretty traumatic!) but my top teeth are collapsing inwards and have been causing bite issues. My bottom teeth are fine, thanks to a permanent retainer, and I’ll only be wearing them for about six months. 

Thankfully we have great dental insurance right now that, combined with the family discount, covered about 75% of the cost. Invisalign was an option, but it was so much more expensive and I couldn’t justify the extra expense just for my pride and vanity… I actually joked about going into hibernation for the next six months, but decided to just “rip the bandaid off” and post a picture. So far they haven’t been nearly as bad as I remember.  And I picked “lavender” so I’m all ready for Advent! 😉 

Oh! When we were at the grocery store the other night Sean had to run and get one last thing so I was at the checkout by myself. When the cashier got to the bottles of wine she looked up and said, “Ummm… I’m going to need to see your ID.” I laughed and handed it to her. She looked at my driver’s license, back up at me (standing there with my hair in a pony tail and braces on my teeth), and back at my driver’s license before mumbling “I never would have guessed.” I’m not sure if that should make me feel young or really old! 😉 


— 4 —


It’s been such a full week, complete with new accessories for a couple of us girls… Apparently that trademark glare of hers is really just her squinting to focus and see! Glasses are on the way. So thankful that there was an easy explanation and fix for the headaches she has been getting lately during school and piano lessons.



— 5 —


I was reading the papers from this week and had to show this one to my husband-it had us both cracking up! It was a creative writing assignment for our 9 year old (who apparently has “many exciting activities”) using her “brain inventory.” Looks like she included all the required #iew dress-ups (“-ly” adverb, who/which clause, strong verb, quality adjective, because clause, and adverbial clause), the topic & clincher sentences repeat or reflect the same key words, and the title repeats key words from the final sentence. I’m going to have to show it to my brothers, her “uncles who came freely because they wanted to hang out near the motor home and sit by the fire.” I love it!

Chiquita just completed the final lesson of Student Writing Intensive Level A. She started it the second half of last school year, in 3rd grade, and completed it the first part of this school year. (Our older children are using the SWI Continuation Course Level A and Level B, combined with the Fix It! Grammar. The new revised versions of Fix It! are so great!) We are taking next week off of (most) school work and then in December we’re all focusing on a literature unit study and lap book. After our Christmas break she’ll either begin the Continuation Course for Level A or one of the Level A themed-based writing programs for the rest of the school year.


— 6 —


Ack! What made me think I could dust around these minifigs?! They are like dominoes! Every time I try to fix one that I’ve knocked over, even more fall down. I’m just going to stop now or the boys are going to come home from hockey and discover that their whole army has been taken out!

Yeah… I think I need to make them do their own dusting! ‪

The boys love their Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Lego sets! Lego just came out with a few new Hobbit sets (The Lonely Mountain, The Battle of the Five Armies, Attack on Lake-Town, and Witch-King Battle)  and I’m secretly hoping that will be the end of the series! 😉  You can see how the boys organize their mini figures (when there isn’t a war in progress) here. 


— 7 —


He has been sitting there playing for the last couple hours and every time he picks up the doll his Godmother painted for him he smiles and says “St. Andrew!!!” So cute!

This Medieval Castle was one of his gifts last Christmas.  Our girls have had the Princess Castle for about 6-7 years and they still play with it all the time.  The castles are such great toys!

Five Favorites for Thanksgiving

Nov 21, 2014 | | 13 Comments

The last couple years we have hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our home, but this year many of my siblings will be coming to town and we will be going Over the River and Through the Wood to my parent’s home!

I’ll be bringing the Raspberry Cranberry Jello Mold, Sweet Potatoes, and Apple Cider.  I still plan to bake a turkey at home (probably on Wednesday or Saturday so we will have our own leftovers) as well as some of our favorite turkey themed treats and appetizers!

For All the Saints Artist Trading Card Swap 2014

Nov 21, 2014 | | 1 Comment

Our days have been pretty full lately, especially now that hockey season has started, but when I asked the children last night if they wanted to participate in another Artist Trading Card Swap the answer was “YES!!!”

 I had originally planned to spend this afternoon completing the next lesson in our Meet the Masters art study, but I think we will focus on the saints instead!

 There is still time to join this year’s swap hosted by the amazing artists over at Pondered in My Heart.

Bargain Priced Books :: An Alphabet of Saints

Nov 21, 2014 | | 1 Comment

This week only TAN is offering An Alphabet of Saints by Msgr. Robert Hugh Benson at 40% off!

This beautiful book is a reproduction of the original 1905 edition. Each page is dedicated to a letter of the alphabet with a large illustration and story (told in rhyme) of a great saint. From Antony to Martin to Zita, this classic and beloved volume has been helping children master their letters and learn about the great saints of the Church for more than 100 years. Bring this beautifully illustrated book and its long and rich tradition to your home today.

It can also be found here at Amazon.

I love reading the sweet stories found in An Alphabet of Saints to our children and the book can usually be found in our monthly book baskets celebrating the saints.

Many of the Catholic Children’s Treasure Box Books are also on sale, marked down to just $3.00 each, including Book 2, Book 11, Book 12, Book 13, Book 14, Book 15, Book 16, Book 17, Book 18, Book 19, Book 20.

35 Favorite Christmas Picture Books for Children

Nov 17, 2014 | , , , | 0 Comments

Our Advent and Christmas Book collection has really grown over the past 14 years. I’ve been getting quite a few requests to share our favorites (not to mention the fact that I was having a hard time choosing which books to wrap up for our Advent Book Basket this year!) so over the weekend I asked each of the children to choose five favorites to share.  They all had such a hard time deciding, and I really thought we would end up with some duplicates, but in the end I was given this big stack of our children’s 35 Favorite Christmas Picture Books! 
.: Captain’s Favorites :.
(age 14) 
Note: Letters from Father Christmas was in the boys’ room on their bookshelf with the rest of their Tolkien books otherwise it would have been included in this list, for sure! 
Christmas at Stony Creek
Stephen’s Feast
.: Ranger’s Favorites :.
(age 12) 


The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

A Small Miracle tells a beautiful story using only illustrations. All the children love this book! 
.: Twinkle Toes’ Favorites :.
(age 11) 

 
.: Chiquita’s Favorites :.
(age 9)
(we have the hardcover but you can find an affordable paperback version of Lucia Morning in Sweden here)

Note: Hanna’s Christmas is out of print and hard to find at a reasonable price, especially this time of year, but you can watch the author read it aloud on Youtube!

You can also find an audio version of Lucia: Saint of Light online here. 

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
.: Snuggles’ Favorites :.
(age 7) 
Christmas Cobwebs? I’m not sure if I’d be smiling to wake up to our tree covered in cobwebs! 😉 

The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher is such a fun book to read!  And I love that I’m not in tears by the end, like I am after reading so many other Christmas picture books. 
In the Archives: 
.: Rose’s Favorites :.
(age 4) 

The Doll’s Christmas

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger
.: Bud’s Favorites :.
(age 2) 
Bethlehem (Catholic Edition)
My Wonderful Christmas Tree

The Donkey’s Dream

Bethlehem
I still need to pick up some purple paper so I can finish wrapping 25 of these books for this Advent (Nov 30th -Dec 24th), but at least I had a little help narrowing down my options! 

.: Giveaway :. 

Christmas Mosaic
(Note: My copy pictured above is the original spiral bound version. The winner of the giveaway will receive a new autographed copy directly from Cay Gibson.)

Study guides for many of our favorite Christmas picture books can be found in Christmas Mosaic. Cay Gibson, author of Catholic Mosaic and Christmas Mosaic, has generously offered to send one of my visitors an autographed copy of Christmas Mosaic! You can also click over to Cay’s blog to learn more about Christmas Mosaic!

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feasts & Seasons :: Advent & Christmas Collection

Nov 17, 2014 | , | 2 Comments

So… Our family has this little collection of Christmas books! 😉

As I’ve mentioned in the past, we started collecting Christmas picture books in 2000, following the birth of our oldest son, and we still love adding to our collection each year.  In 2007, following the release of Christmas Mosaic: An Illustrated Book Study for Children, we started reading a picture book as a family each day during Advent, incorporating some of Cay’s wonderful study guides and activities. That same year our public libraries were all closed due to a lack of funding (and stayed closed for a few years) so I was very thankful to have her booklists to use as a guide when searching for new books to purchase for my children.

In 2010 I started wrapping our books for Advent with purple and pink wrapping paper, coordinating with the liturgical color for each week. I wondered at first if it would be worth the effort (and all that paper!) but this is now one of my children’s favorite Advent traditions.  They love taking turns unwrapping the books and we all love the special time we spend together reading.

Here is the sample of the books featured in Christmas Mosaic:

Christmas Mosaic Theme: Decoration and Preparation

Waiting for Christmas: A Story about the Advent Calendar
The Christmas Cobwebs
Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel
The Cobweb Curtain: A Christmas Story
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey with CD: Gift Edition
Santa’s Favorite Story
A Christmas Memory (*This was a new purchase in 2013 and we decided not to keep it in our collection.)

Christmas Mosaic Theme: Giving 

The Christmas Candle
Shoemaker Martin (*using the guide for The Shoemaker’s Dream – same story but depicted by a different artist)
The Christmas Coat (local library)
The Gift of the Magi
The Bear’s Christmas Surprise
A Small Miracle

Christmas Mosaic Theme: Family (and Birthdays!)

An Orange for Frankie
Silent Night
The Christmas Promise
One Christmas Dawn
Night Tree

Christmas Mosaic Theme: Nativity, Angels and Epiphany

The Christmas Bird by Sallie Ketcham
The Christmas Bird by Bernadette Watts
Father and Son: A Nativity Story
Mortimer’s Christmas Manger
Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The rest of our collection: 

~ Advent and Christmas Chapter Books ~

Christmas at Stony Creek 
Destination: Bethlehem
Letters from Father Christmas (not pictured)
The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories by O. Henry
The Story of Holly and Ivy
The Thirteen Days of Christmas
The Trees Kneel at Christmas
Kersti and Saint Nicholas (not pictured)

A Christmas Chronicle
The Catholic Christmas Book of Cherished Christmas Customs
The Church Mouse of Saint Nicholas
The Eternal Babe (poetry)
The True Meaning of Christmas by Fulton Sheen

Samantha’s Surprise
Josefina’s Surprise
Kirsten’s Surprise
A Surprise for Caroline
Addy’s Surprise: A Christmas Story

~ Early Advent ~

Advent Storybook: 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas
The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, An Austin Family Story (more of a chapter book)
Waiting for Noel: An Advent Story
A Time to Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays

~ December 6th :: Feast of St. Nicholas ~

A Gift from St. Nicholas (we don’t love the illustrations in this one)
Saint Nicholas
St. Nicholas: A Closer Look at Christmas (coffee table style book)
The Baker’s Dozen: A St. Nicholas Tale (our “Baker’s Dozen” inspired cookies)
The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi (great book, definitely a favorite)
The Legend of St. Nicholas (not pictured)
The Miracle of Saint Nicholas (about a church named “Saint Nicholas” – definitely near the top of my list of favorites for Advent and Christmas)
The Real Santa Claus: Legends of Saint Nicholas (another favorite, most appropriate for older children, especially love the illustrations)
Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend (board book)
Kersti and Saint Nicholas (chapter book, not pictured)

~ December 9th and 12th :: Feasts of St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe ~

Saint Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe (not pictured)
Our Lady of Guadalupe by Father Lovasik
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Coloring Book)
Our Lady of Guadalupe  by Carmen t. Bernier-Grand
Our Lady of Guadalupe (pop-up)
The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas (*there are still a few copies available here at the old price, plus you can support the sisters with your purchase!)

~ December 13th :: Feast of St. Lucia ~

Bells of Santa Lucia
Hanna’s Christmas
Kirsten’s Surprise: A Christmas Story
Lucia Morning in Sweden
Lucia, Child of Light: The History And Traditions of Sweden’s Lucia Celebration
Lucia, Saint of Light

~ Christmas Around the World ~

Baboushka: A Christmas Folktale from Russia
Christmas Around the World
Marta and the Manger Straw: A Christmas Tradition form Poland
Miracle of the Poinsettia
Pablo’s Christmas
The Miraculous Child: A Christmas Folktale from Old Russia

~ Christmas Books Inspired by Music ~

All for the Newborn Baby
Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas
Mary Engelbreit’s Nutcracker
Nutcracker  (not pictured)
O Holy Night
Stephen’s Feast
The Huron Carol

~ Christmas Crafts and Baking ~

A Christmas Manger (Punch-out-and-play Books)
The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus’ Birth
The Baker’s Dozen: A St. Nicholas Tale
The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher
Cranberry Christmas

~ Historical Christmas Books ~

Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber (not pictured)
Christmas in the Trenches
War Game: Village Green to No-Man’s Land

~ Just for Fun ~

A Christmas Carol: A Pop-Up Book (not pictured) 
Golfer’s Night Before Christmas , A
Home for Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Katie’s London Christmas
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
Snowmen at Night
Snowmen at Work
The Dolls Christmas (not pictured)
The Night Before Christmas: Book & DVD
The Night Before Christmas (not pictured)
The Mitten 20th Anniversary Edition
Pinkalicious: Merry Pinkmas! (not pictured)

~ Legends, Inspirational Stories & Other Miscellaneous Books ~

Angela and the Baby Jesus
Bambinelli Sunday: A Christmas Blessing (not pictured)
On Christmas Eve
The Christmas Knight
The Legend of the Candy Cane
The Legend of the Christmas Rose
The Little Fir Tree
The Little Match Girl
The Three Gifts of Christmas: Book with Audio CD
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

~ Christmas ABC’s ~

ABC is for Christmas (A Little Golden Book)
S is for Star: A Christmas Alphabet (*also available in paperback for much less)
The Christmas ABC (A Little Golden Book – reprinted this year, not pictured)
The Angels Alphabet by Hilda Van Stockum (OOP – I found our copy on ebay)

~ The Christmas Story ~

Bethlehem
Christmas in the Barn
Christmas Night Fair and Bright
Little Star
On That Christmas Night (not pictured)
One Winter’s Night

Saint Francis and the Christmas Donkey
The Christmas Bell
The Christmas Story (A Little Golden Book)
The Donkey’s Dream
The First Christmas
The Nativity by Ruth Sanderson
The Stable Where Jesus Was Born
The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale (not pictured)
There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve

~ The Twelve Days of Christmas ~

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Gennady Spirin
The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Christmas Carol (A Little Golden Book)
The Twelve Days of Christmas: The Story Behind a Favorite Christmas Song
Twelve Days of Christmas Stained Glass Coloring Book

~ January 6 :: Feast of Epiphany ~ 

Babushka and the Three Kings
Small Camel Follows the Star
The Last Straw
The Third Gift
We Three Kings

~ Board Books for our Littlest Ones ~

A Christmas Carol
B Is for Bethlehem: A Christmas Alphabet Board Book
Christmas in the Manger
One Night in Bethlehem
Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend
Stable in Bethlehem: A Countdown to Christmas (not pictured)
That’s Not My Reindeer (not pictured)
The Christmas Story Board Book
The Legend Of The Three Trees – Board Book
The Saving Name of God the Son
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Touch and Feel Baby Jesus Is Born
Who’s Hiding: A Christmas Lift the Flap
Who Is Coming to Our House?

~ A Few More Out Of Print Finds  ~

A Child’s Story of the Nativity Illustrated by Masha
That Wonderful Night: The Story of the Very First Christmas
The Christmas Anna Angel 
The Little Juggler

I plan to add to this post as our collection continues to grow. Links to all of my book posts for the various feasts and seasons can be found here.

Note: I haven’t finished adding our new additions for 2014 to this list but you can find them listed in my post of New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas.

Advent & Christmas Favorites from Holy Heroes

Nov 16, 2014 | , | 0 Comments

Advent is right around the corner and I have been making plans! I am still working on this year’s Advent Book Baskets (you can find last year’s book basket here) and I have already posted my New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas. (Have you entered the giveaway yet?) Today I wanted to share some of our Advent and Christmas favorites available from Holy Heroes!

(Note: This post includes affiliate links. If you click any of the links in this post and make a purchase I will receive a percentage. Thank you for blessing our family in this way!) 

.: Advent Adventure :. 
Our children have really enjoyed the Advent Adventure in the past (sign up now, it’s free!) and I’m excited about the addition of the Advent Adventure Activity Book this year. Advent begins on November 30th, but there is still time to place an order if you do it soon! I purchased the three pack and now I need to decide which of my seven children will be the lucky ones who get to use them this year. 😉  
.: Advent Candle Kit :. 
I am still trying to find a new favorite alternative to the Advent Candles I always purchased and loved from Mt. Angel Abbey… I finally broke out my very last set (although they were square instead of round) and we lit them last Advent. This year I am still not sure what I’ll be using for our large Advent wreath in the family room, but I am looking forward to trying out the lovely beeswax candles I ordered last month from The Cloister Shoppe. I’ll be using these candles in our new Enesco Pillars Advent Wreath on the dining table to light during dinner each night.  (Note: The Cloister Shoppe has unfortunately sold out of Advent Candles for this year, but they have many other items that would make great gifts including St. Nick Soap and a couple darling picture books for children. Plus your purchase helps support the Dominican Nuns!)
We have enjoyed crafting our own candles for Christmas, Easter, and Along the Alphabet Path (Oh! Look how little they all were back during “H” week rolling candles!) and I’m excited to let them try out the Advent Candle Kit this year. These candles usually tend to burn really quickly so I’m not sure how long it will last but it will definitely be a fun activity for Advent. 
.: Jesse Tree DVD :.

Last year was our first year using the Jesse Tree DVD. It was so convenient for me and the children really enjoyed watching all the videos.  The were also excited when they saw the children in the video using the same Jesse Box that we pulled out last year! 
My one “complaint” is that the symbols for each day don’t perfectly match those that my children have grown up using (oh, why does each and every Jesse Tree have to be a little different) but I’m working on figuring out how to mesh them all together (Jesse Tree DVD/Advent Adventure + our original Jesse Tree + our Jesse Tree Treasures Ornaments + the Read-Aloud Book of Bible Stories below – it’s such a blessing to have so many great resources!) for this year and will probably end up creating a couple new ornament options to add to our felt set.  

.: Read-Aloud Book of Bible Stories :. 
Speaking of the Jesse Tree one of my plans for this year is to incorporate the stories from the Read-Aloud Book of Bible Stories. (You can also find this wonderful book on Amazon.) Even though we still love the using the New Catholic Picture Bible (you can find a free printable with the corresponding readings here) I’m ready for a little change and am really looking forward to reading this book aloud to the children this Advent! I have a couple ideas and I’ll try and share them as I figure it all out and finalize our plans. 
.: Gifts from the Magi :. 

I purchased our Gifts from the Magi from Amazon a few years ago and am so excited to see that Holy Heroes has them available! Our children love using these for the annual Christmas play they perform for Sean and I and I love including them in our Twelve Days of Christmas Dinner Party!  I think they are totally worth the investment. 
.: Glory Stories :. 
We LOVE Glory Stories and our children have grown up listening to these beautiful and inspiring stories about the lives of the saints. We already own the whole series and I’ve given many of them as gifts to friends and Godchildren over the years. I still cry every time I listed to the story of Saint Miguel de la Mora of the Knights of Columbus and my boys are especially inspired by the story of Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio. They are all excellent and make great stocking stuffers!

.: Free Coloring Book with Purchase :. 

Right now you can receive a free Childhood of Jesus Coloring Book with any purchase made now through November 30, 2014 with coupon code: Adv3nts4l3

(Note: Be sure to add the coloring book to your cart before applying the coupon code which will take the cost of the book off your order.)

.: Glory Stories Giveaway :. 
Holy Heroes has also offered to send one of my visitors their choice of a Glory Stories CD! 

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

A Merry Nest {Sponsored Giveaway}

Nov 15, 2014 | | 0 Comments

A Merry Nest is a Catholic-owned business specializing in personalized baby blankets. The idea stemmed from the desire to recognize each child as a precious, unique individual – whether that baby is the firstborn or the tenth in the family, every baby should be celebrated!

I’ve been trying to decide if my “babies” (who will be turning 3 and 5 next month!) are too old for one of her darling personalized blankets. . .  I’ll definitely be keeping them in mind if God decides to bless us with another baby. They would also make great gifts! 
Colleen also creates some great Catholic gifts including handmade felt saint dolls. I think I am going to tuck Our Lady of Guadalupe into Rose’s slipper on the feast of St. Nicholas (so she will be able to enjoy her on the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) and St. Kateri will be discovered peeking out of her stocking on Christmas morning. These soft and huggable dolls are approximately 10″ tall and perfect for little hands. They are only $20 each and custom orders are welcome! 

A Merry Nest carries a variety of Art Prints including downloadable options.  I just love the St. Therese quote. I’m planning to purchase the Anne of Green Gables Quote Art to create some greeting cards to slip in my oldest daughter’s stocking this year. The quote ties in so nicely to her birthday theme from earlier this year and the book she will receive on the feast of St. Nicholas! 

Right now you can use coupon code ROSES15 
for 15% off everything in the shop!
.: Giveaway :. 
A Merry Nest has generously offered to give away 1 blanket and 2 saint dolls of the winner’s choice. ($98 retail value!)


Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas

Nov 14, 2014 | , , , , , | 0 Comments

Every year on December 6th, the feast of St. Nicholas, our children wake up to find their shoes or slippers filled with treats and chocolate gold coins (sometimes they even find new shoes or slippers if they are needed), along with a new Christmas Picture Book to add to our ever growing collection. You can scroll through all our past St. Nicholas Day Celebrations in the archives.

Here’s the list of books my husband and I choose to give our children this year:

For Captain:

A Christmas Carol

  We will be reading A Christmas Carol (I purchased the unabridged kindle and audible versions) and completing a unit study on the story during the month of December. We are also planning to surprise the four oldest with theater tickets to see A Christmas Carol performed locally on December 20th! (Don’t you think tickets make a perfect treat for “O Key” during The Golden Nights?!) This version is illustrated by Irish artist P.J. Lynch, who also illustrated The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey and The Gift of the Magi, and will be a great addition to our unit study.

“Here the Christmas story that we all love is presented in its original language with artwork that captures the period and its ghostly theme. The beautiful language is once again a joy to read. Marley’s Ghost warns: “Oh! . . . Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness.” Unusual words of the period such as, negus, Cold Boiled, or bedight, may be looked up or understood in the context. The watercolor and gauche illustrations with smoky spirits and pages tinted with wash draw us into the surreal spirit world. The snowy village with hovering ghosts on the book jacket and the greenish moire book cover with the door knocker of Marley’s head, immediately set the tone. This is a jewel of a book for Christmas giving and family enjoyment.”

For Ranger: 

I love listening to my Dad play his guitar and sing Christmas 1915 (from Celtic Thunder Christmas) and so do the boys. Even though Captain received a version of this story (Christmas in the Trenches) a couple years ago I decided to purchase this new release for Ranger. 
“Shooting at the Stars is the moving story of a young British soldier on the front lines during World War I who experiences an unforgettable Christmas Eve. In a letter home to his mother, he describes how, despite fierce fighting earlier from both sides, Allied and German soldiers ceased firing and came together on the battlefield to celebrate the holiday. They sang carols, exchanged gifts, and even lit Christmas trees. But as the holiday came to a close, they returned to their separate trenches to await orders for the war to begin again. John Hendrix wonderfully brings this story to life, interweaving fact and fiction along with his detailed illustrations and hand-lettered text. His story celebrates the humanity and kindness that can persist even during the darkest periods of our history. Back matter includes a glossary, additional information about World War I and the Christmas Truce and its aftermath, and an archival photograph taken during the Truce.”


For Twinkle Toes: 

I still (!!!) haven’t posted the pictures from our oldest daughter’s birthday back in August, but we surprised her with an Anne of Green Gables theme! I think she is going to love this Anne of Green Gables Christmas Treasury to add to the collection of Anne books she received for her birthday including: the 8-book boxed set, this Illustrated Version, Anne of Green Gables Treasury, the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook, this darling pop-up,  and the Anne of Green Gables Birthday Book. 

“Share in the joy of an unforgettable Green Gables Christmas – with all the feasts and treats that Anne would have enjoyed. This book shows you how to make these holiday customs of days gone by part of your own Christmas tradition. First a feature of Green Gable novels and art work is described and then you get detailed color “how-to” photos to make Green Gables items used (or would have been used) in the books. Beautiful glossy paper stock..”

She also loves Tasha Tudor and will be receiving The Christmas Cat and The Night Before Christmas (both illustrated by Tasha Tudor) along with The Christmas Barn (American Girl) and Mr. Men and Little Miss Christmas Mad Libs in her stack of books on Christmas morning.

For Chiquita:
“At Helen’s home, there are no telephones or electric lights. Cars have not yet been invented, so she and her sister and brothers must walk a mile to school, even in freezing weather. Without refrigeration, they must harvest ice from the pond. But at night she and her family gather around the woodstove to hear stories of castles and princes in hiding. They take horse-drawn sleigh rides, snug under buffalo robes and wool blankets; skate in the moonlight; and on Christmas morning have real maple syrup for breakfast. With absorbing details of country life and elegant, hand-colored woodcuts, this book captures the strength of family, the magic of Christmas, and the love of place all year long..”

Chiquita will also be receiving Lucy’s Christmas in her stack of books on Christmas morning. I purchased the OOP Hardcover edition, but it is also available in paperback.
For Snuggles: 

I had a hard time deciding between Saint Francis Celebrates Christmas (pictured) and Saint Francis and the Nativity. I ended up ordering both and as soon as the other arrives we’ll compare and decide which one to give Snuggles on the feast of St. Nicholas. If any of you have both books I’d love to hear which you prefer.

“Recounts St. Francis of Assisi’s reenactment of the manger scene of the birth of Jesus, and how that led to the use of small nativity scenes in people’s homes at Christmas.”

For Rose: 

The Christmas Rose

I’ve been looking for this out-of-print book for a few years now and was finally able to purchase a copy at a reasonable price last March. I’m planning to give it to my little “Christmas Rose!”

“Fritz and Gretl’s father is very ill and can only be cured by a magical Christmas rose from the Winter King. With the help of some forest animals and a snow giant, Fritz and Gretl bravely make the difficult journey to the Winter King’s fortress. There they learn that they must get the blessing of the Christ Child, a Christmas angel, in order for the rose to bloom and cure their father. This rediscovered German story is full of classic Christmas charm. In mini-chapters, readers share the advent of Christmas from December 6th, Saint Nikolaus Day, to December 24th, when Germans celebrate Christmas.”

I had a hard time choosing between The Christmas Rose and Mary’s Song… But since The Christmas Rose’s mini chapters begin on December 6th, I decided to save Mary’s Song to include in her stack of books on Christmas morning along with this version of The Nutcracker. 


“On that first Christmas night, the earth bursts with praise at the Savior’s birth. Donkeys bray, sheep bleat, horses neigh, and shepherds come from nearby fields — but Mary simply wants to be alone with her sweet babe. When quiet finally falls, Mary cradles her son and sings her mother-song, leaving readers dreaming of that silent night so long ago. Mary’s Song, with its melodic language and rich illustrations, is a lovely reminder of the meaning of Christmas and a welcome pause in the midst of a bustling world.”

For Bud: 

I love all the poems and illustrations in this new Christmas picture book.
I’m looking forward to reading them to my little animal loving Bud!

“There is a legend that describes how, at midnight on Christmas Eve, all creatures are granted the power of speech for one hour. In this rich collection, Lee Bennett Hopkins and a dozen other poets imagine what responses they might offer. The poems represent a diverse group of animals, but all come together with one singular purpose: celebrating the joy of the miraculous event. This collection of graceful poems provides readers with a Nativity story unlike any other — at times gently humorous, at times profound, but always inviting readers to appreciate the wonder of Christmas. This book is a perfect gift for the holiday season.”

.: A Few New St. Nicholas Books for the December Book Basket :.

(Note: I’m still waiting for a couple of these to arrive so I haven’t had a chance to look closely at them yet.)

.: Giveaway :. 

My personal favorite St. Nicholas themed picture book is The Miracle of Saint Nicholas. I recently purchased an extra copy from Bethlehem Books to give one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses!

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m planning on wrapping the books for this year’s Advent Book Basket this weekend, and then sharing the list with you all along with a giveaway for another autographed copy of Christmas Mosaic!  In the meantime you can find the rest of our Christmas picture books listed in the archives!  

Bargain Priced Books :: Latsch Valley Farm Series

Nov 12, 2014 | | 6 Comments

Last year our children loved unwrapping their stacks of books on Christmas morning… well, at least most of them! 😉

I’m planning on giving them each another stack this Christmas and have been collecting books all year. I just ordered the recently published fifth and final book in the Latsch Valley Farm Series to give one of our girls to add to their book collection. It is such a sweet series from the Catholic collection at Bethlehem Books. 
The whole series is currently marked down (TODAY ONLY – NOV 12) to $5.80 per book with coupon code farm5 at checkout. This is a $35.75 savings on the entire set! 

Our Family

Sean & Jessica, Captain-24, Ranger-22, Twinkle Toes-21, Chiquita-19, Snuggles-17, Rose-14, Bud-12, Grace-7 and Joy-5 (blog nicknames)

A Little About Me

Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our nine children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.

My Other Blog: Catholic Cuisine

Please Visit My Sponsors…

This Week's Popular Posts

Shower of Roses Affiliate Links

All About Spelling
All About Reading
All About Reading Pre-reading
All About Reading Giveaways
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our Advent & Christmas Books

Shower of Roses Christmas Gift Guides

Looking for Something?

looking-back

  • ▼2024 (22)
  • ►2023 (30)
  • ►2022 (48)
  • ►2021 (48)
  • ►2020 (57)
  • ►2019 (61)
  • ►2018 (90)
  • ►2017 (128)
  • ►2016 (148)
  • ►2015 (172)
  • ►2014 (227)
  • ►2013 (238)
  • ►2012 (308)
  • ►2011 (297)
  • ►2010 (313)
  • ►2009 (486)
  • ►2008 (564)
  • ►2007 (148)

Posts About:

Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

A Papal Unit Study & Lap Book

Shower of Roses Easter Gift Guides



All Saints Party Printables

All original photographs and written material are ©2007-2025 Shower of Roses. I'd love for you to link back to me, but please do not copy or take content from this blog without permission. Click here for my Copyright Terms & Conditions. Thank you for visiting!

0 Comments

Prayer of Mothers

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.


Our Family

Sean & Jessica, Captain-24, Ranger-22, Twinkle Toes-21, Chiquita-19, Snuggles-17, Rose-14, Bud-12, Grace-7 and Joy-5 (blog nicknames)

A Little About Me

Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our nine children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.

My Other Blog: Catholic Cuisine

Please Visit My Sponsors…

This Week's Popular Posts

Shower of Roses Affiliate Links

All About Spelling
All About Reading
All About Reading Pre-reading
All About Reading Giveaways
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our Advent & Christmas Books

Shower of Roses Christmas Gift Guides

Looking for Something?

looking-back

  • ▼2024 (22)
  • ►2023 (30)
  • ►2022 (48)
  • ►2021 (48)
  • ►2020 (57)
  • ►2019 (61)
  • ►2018 (90)
  • ►2017 (128)
  • ►2016 (148)
  • ►2015 (172)
  • ►2014 (227)
  • ►2013 (238)
  • ►2012 (308)
  • ►2011 (297)
  • ►2010 (313)
  • ►2009 (486)
  • ►2008 (564)
  • ►2007 (148)

Posts About:

Shower of Roses Alphabet of Saints

A Papal Unit Study & Lap Book

Shower of Roses Easter Gift Guides



All Saints Party Printables

All original photographs and written material are ©2007-2025 Shower of Roses. I'd love for you to link back to me, but please do not copy or take content from this blog without permission. Click here for my Copyright Terms & Conditions. Thank you for visiting!