Celebrating the Saints :: St. Andrew the Apostle
St. Andrew is a patron saint of one of our boys and we had so much fun celebrating his feast day in addition to our usual First Sunday of Advent family activities, stories, and prayers.
Our 2014 Advent Book Basket and Printable Labels
I finally gave up looking for purple wrapping paper and wrapped all the books for our Advent Book Basket in brown paper since I had plenty… It’s the first year I haven’t been able to find the purple paper locally and I couldn’t bring myself to order it online… I ended up making little tags for each and am loving how they are turning out! Almost done, just in time for Advent.
If you’d like to use them too, you can download my Advent Book Basket Labels for 2014 here.
This year the books in our basket are a mix of some of the children’s 35 Favorite Christmas Picture Books with a few new ones mixed in to surprise them… We’ll unwrap and read one book each night following our family rosary. The rest of our Advent & Christmas book collection is in additional baskets for the children to read whenever they’d like. The children will also each receive a new Christmas picture book on the feast of St. Nicholas. You can find this year’s picks here.
Here are the 25 picture books that ended up in our 2014 Advent Book Basket:
November 30 – 1st Sunday of Advent: Waiting for Christmas: A Story About the Advent Calendar*
December 1: The Christmas Cobwebs*
December 2: Marta and the Manger Straw: A Christmas Tradition from Poland
December 3: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey*
December 4: Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel*
December 5: The Miracle of Saint Nicholas (study guide in Catholic Mosaic)
December 6 – St. Nicholas: St. Nicholas: The Legend of St. Nicholas(NEW) GREAT new book for the feast!
December 7 – 2nd Sunday of Advent: The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree(NEW) details here
December 8 – Immaculate Conception: Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
December 9 – St. Juan Diego: The First Christmas Stocking*
December 10 – Our Lady of Loreto: A Small Miracle*
December 11 – Our Lady Queen of the Angels: The Donkey’s Dream
December 12 – Our Lady of Guadalupe: Our Lady of Guadalupe
December 13 – Santa Lucia Day: Nutcracker(NEW) Purchased on clearance last January. I also hope to take the girls to see the performance on either the 13th or 14th.
December 14 – 3rd Sunday of Advent/Gaudete Sunday: Bambinelli Sunday: A Christmas Blessing
December 15 – Rose’s Birthday: The Legend of the Christmas Rose
December 16: Katie’s London Christmas(NEW)Love all the Katie Books and look forward to reading this one too. They have been a great addition to our art course.
December 17 – O Sapientia: Christmas at Stony Creek
December 18 – O Adonai: The Doll’s Christmas
December 19 – O Radix Jesse – Bud’s Birthday: Christmas in the Barn
December 20 – O Clavis David: A Christmas Carol: A Pop-Up Book(NEW) This will wrap up our December Christmas Carol Literature Unit Study and we’ll be going to see the performance at a local theater.
December 21 – O Oriens: One Christmas Dawn*
December 22 – O Rex Gentium: Christmas in the Trenches
December 23 – O Emmanual: Bethlehem
December 24 – Vigil of Christmas: The Night Before Christmas(NEW) So excited to see this book back in print this year. It’s the version I remember from my own childhood.
* = Study Guide Available in Christmas Mosaic
I also purchased A Tree for Peter (and pre-ordered The Chestry Oak for Snuggles’ Easter Basket). I’ve had these book on my wish list for years and had been unable to find a reasonably priced secondhand copy. I’m so excited to see that it was re-released last week! It will end up in one of the children’s Stacks of Books on Christmas Morning.
I hope you all have a blessed First Sunday of Advent!
Instagram Recap
It’s time for another Instagram Recap in Seven Quick Takes. It was a very full week complete with special feast days, anniversaries, and Thanksgiving… My husband and five oldest are off watching the “Civil War” Football Game with friends and I’m home with the two little ones wrapping up some last minute Advent Preparations. Happy {Liturgical} New Year’s Eve!
November 26: We’re enjoying a yummy turkey dinner (yay for leftovers!!) and movie night at home with just our children and looking forward to seeing many of my siblings at my parents tomorrow afternoon! I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
November 27: Happy Thanksgiving! #cinnamonrollturkeysforbreakfast #madewithturkeybaconofcourse #thekidsgobbledthemup #inspiredbypillsbury
November 26: Almost ready!
November 29: Our five oldest had so much fun ice skating yesterday afternoon with their dad and some of their aunts and uncles! I’m so glad Sean sent me a picture!
One thing I’ve learned this month is that some of my kids have incredible self-control… I just peeked inside their “Ora Pro Nobis Candy Boxes” and was amazed that they (other than the two year old who is now down to five pieces) still have so much candy inside their boxes even though they have been saying their prayers for various souls each day! (The boxes originally contained one piece of candy for each day of the month. They could choose to take it out after praying for someone who has passed away or leave it there as an extra sacrifice for that person’s soul.) My oldest son hasn’t even taken one piece of candy out of his box. I’m impressed.
(As I type this post I hear the four year old helping the two year old say the St. Gertrude prayer, just because. LOVE.)
November 25: Happy Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria!
Heart cake baked in this pan and The Story of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Right now you can purchase this book, and ALL other books published by TAN Books at 40% off or more with coupon code BLK2014.
November 24: My beautiful “Christmas Rose” – she was a special gift from God (due on Christmas Day 2009, after praying the Christmas Rose novena in December of 2008) shortly after I miscarried Gabriel. November 24th and 25th are special days for a couple of my little ones in heaven and we’ll be visiting their graves at the cemetery either today or tomorrow. I know God has a plan but no matter how many years pass the tears always return on these two days… Could you please say a little prayer for our family?
November 25: One of my favorite moments yesterday was when this little guy asked if he could leave the stickers he was just given at Trader Joe’s as a birthday gift for his little brother. After placing them on the headstone he stood up and said “God BLESS him!”
From the archives: Love’s Delay (I didn’t realize until re-reading this post today that I miscarried Anthony this year on the anniversary of Gabriel’s original due date. ♥)
They completed it the next morning and I need to post a picture. It turned out great!
November 22: They asked if they could make Cranberry Bread again, since the last piece was eaten this morning. I told them to go ahead, even though I couldn’t help at the moment and their big sister wasn’t home yet… I was so impressed when I walked into the kitchen and snapped this picture. Then I realized that they had a tablespoon sitting next to the bowl instead of a teaspoon. Oops! I guess we’ll be modifying the recipe and making a triple batch! #CranberryThanksgiving
Triple batch of “Grandmother’s Famous Cranberry Bread” coming up… #CranberryThanksgiving
Bargain Priced Books :: The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree & Little House 9-Book Box Set
One of the new additions to our Advent & Christmas book collection this year, after having it recommended many times in the past, is The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree.
I purchased a secondhand copy of the hardcover edition earlier this year, but right now you can purchase the paperback at 42% off!
Amazon is also currently offering an extra 30% Off Any Book (up to $10) with promo code HOLIDAY30 at checkout.
My girls have been reading my old collection of Little House on the Prairie Books once again and they are literally falling apart. I used my code to save an additional $10 on a new Little House 9-Book Box Set (which is currently 44% off!) bringing the final cost down to just $2.84 per book!
Advent & Christmas Favorites from Catholic Child {plus Coupon Code & Infant Jesus Giveaway!}
Advent begins tomorrow and I’ve been pulling out all of our Advent decorations. As I set up our favorite Advent Calendar I was remembering back to those first few years of motherhood, with three babies age three and under. Back then I didn’t have access to the internet and I relied on a few books and catalogs, including the beautiful Catholic Child catalog, to help me establish our family traditions for Advent and Christmas.
One of the very first things I purchased from Catholic Child was our Advent Calendar which is still a family favorite. Catholic Child no longer carries that particular Advent Calendar (you can find an almost identical one at Amazon) but today I’d like to share some other Advent and Christmas favorites available from Catholic Child. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post. I have one last giveaway for this year and it’s one of my favorites!
Our Baby Jesus was purchased from Catholic Child and has been a beautiful addition to our Advent traditions as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. Our children love creating a soft place for the Infant Jesus to arrive on Christmas morning by placing a piece of straw (or raffia) in the manger for each of their extra prayers, good works, and sacrifices.
I’m so happy to see the Infant Jesus in the Manger available once again! Our family has the 12″ Infant Jesus but Catholic Child offers an 8″ Infant Jesus as well. Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one for your family!
You all know that I love to give our children books as gifts! Catholic Child has a great selection to choose from including Bambinelli Sunday, St. Francis Celebrates Christmas, and the Saints and Me books.
Our family enjoys spending time together during the Advent and Christmas season putting together jigsaw puzzles. Catholic Child has a lovely selection to choose from including the beautiful and challenging Our Lady of Guadalupe puzzle. You can see our children working on the Our Lady of Guadalupe puzzle here.
Another favorite in our home is our set of Nativity Cookie Cutters. The last couple years our Cookie Cutters tell the Story of Christmas and I’m sure will be using them this upcoming Christmas Season too!
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| Cookie Cutters Tell the Story of Christmas |
Keep Catholic Child in mind when your looking for stocking stuffer ideas! This little St. Nicholas and Angel Playmobil Set was one of our “Fun Finds” a few years back and would also make a great stocking stuffer. Catholic Child also carries those awesome Prayer Pillowcases!
Catholic Child is a great place to find gifts for all occasions!
Right now, through Tuesday, December 2, 2014 you can receive 1) FREE STANDARD SHIPPING (within contiguous U.S.) 2) $2 off Christmas DVDs and CDs and 3) FREE PERSONALIZATION on all Prayer Pillowcases with coupon code #199114!
Catholic Child has offered to send one of my visitors an 8″ Infant Jesus in Manger! The giveaway will be open through December 7th, and the winner will be chosen, contacted by email, and announced here in this post on December 8, 2014, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary!
Gail Girón Design {Sponsored Giveaway}
Gail is offering to give away the beautiful Ave Maria Crown Earrings, made with faceted clear aurora borealis Czech glass, pictured below! The giveaway will be open through December 7th, and the winner will be chosen, contacted by email, and announced here in this post on December 8th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary!
Saints 365 {Sponsored Giveaway}
Debbie Gaudino at Saints 365 is offering a Lighthouse Catholic Media Advent and Christmas bundle of CDs for a Shower of Roses reader. The bundle includes the following titles:
- God Made Man by Father Shannon Collins
- Prepare the Way of the King by Dr. Scott Hahn
- The True Meaning of Christmas by Archbishop Fulton J Sheen
- The Mystery of Christmas by Father Larry Richards
Lighthouse Catholic Media books, CD’s and subscriptions make great, reasonably priced, faith-building Christmas gifts for friends and family. Visit the Lighthouse Catholic Media store today.
Prayer Pillowcases {Sponsored Giveaway}
I love giving our children at least one faith based gift on Christmas morning. Last Christmas Snuggles and Rose each received Prayer Pillowcases!
The Prayer Pillowcases have held up well and my little ones are still using them every night!
Prayer Pillowcases has offered to send one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses a 4-pack of Prayer Pillowcases consisting of St. Michael, St. Joan, St. Kateri and St. Francis. The winner can have them personalized at no charge! (A retail value of $79.80!)
Lilla Rose Hair Accessories {and a Giveaway!}
In addition to all the great Black Friady sales, if you are a new Lilla Rose customer, when you buy 3 or more, you are eligible to get 1 free.
Christine has offered to send one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses a Lilla Rose Hair Accessory of their choice with a value up to $16.00. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents over the age of 18.
Logic 101 Course Now Available
This year I have started teaching our oldest two boys apologetics using Christ 101 by Dr. Scott Sullivan.
Dr. Sullivan, a homeschooling father of eight, has just released Logic 101 which looks like it will also be another great course for teens and adults.
The ability to reason properly, distinguish truth from error, make proper distinctions etc. is obviously a very important skill that is sadly missing from so many people today.
This is what the study of Logic does. It teaches us how to reason well and helps us arrive at conclusions with more facility and correctness.
You can check out the trailer here.
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