Memorial Day–We Remember

On Memorial Day we take time to remember, we remember those who fought for us but we also remember those who have gone before us. This year Memorial Day happens to fall on my Dad’s Birthday.
He was the first born in his family. His own Dad passed away when he was just 14. At the age of 16 my father dropped out of school to help support his mother, brother and two younger sisters. He was making a good wage in construction at the time thanks to a nice Hurricane over the summer.

He was a hard working man, a man who would become the 2nd hand man to several business owners, running their daily operations. Without the benefit of a college or even a high school degree.  He later went on to build his own successful business and his dream home.

Even though he was busy building a house, working for other, and then building his own business he always made time for family. Whether it was his nieces and nephews or his own baby who needed him, he made time for Brownie Fly-ups, soccer games, dance recitals, and Boy Scout Trips. He never missed an important event. He was often there to help, whether drive the bus on a boys scout trip or lay sod for the High School Soccer field (even when none of his kids were playing for them.)  As much as he loved his kids, it is possible he loved his grandchildren even more.


In August of  2007 my Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer, he had a particularly aggressive form. Yet what what was still most important to him was spending time with his family.

Dad, Pop, we will miss you.and light a candle for you on this Memorial Day – Birthday.

Happy Mother’s Day

What is a Mother/?


A mother is a soft place to land, a meal a bed, a shoulder to cry on

.
A mother is where we are from, our history and heritage.
A mother is someone who lets you go to go out into the world, but is there for you to come home to.


A mother is your biggest fan, your oldest friend.

She never asks for anything in return. A mother is your cheerleader, counselor and teacher. 


Our mother’s shape who we are.  Our children change who we are.

Finding Meaningful Gifts for Mother’s Day

it is a question that comes up every year. What to get Mom for Mother’s Day? I am asked this question by my husband and I ask this question of my mom, Not really,  my mom is easy, she likes plants for the garden, no flowers for her unless they go in the ground.
But most years my response to the Mother’s Day gift is question is “ I don’t Know”. Perhaps that it because I am not a Receiving Gifts Love Language Personality. However  I know that as  a mom one thoughtful gift means more to me than 10 “as seen on TV gifts” I also like to give gifts with meaning behind them too.  Some years it is more difficult than others to find that right gift. I am a huge fan of
How do you decide what is the right gift to give mom? You need to know what mom likes. Using the 5 Love Languages, figure out if mom is a Quality Time, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation  Receiving Gifts or Physical Touch person. (You can take the quizzes here if you want) Most people have a primary Love Language and a secondary. In my case I am an Quality Time and Acts of Service .  Last year for Mother’s Day dh cleaned the kitchen, so much more important than making me breakfast and then after church we went to a nearby botanical garden where I got to take hundreds of photos of the kids. My choice of gift. We also stopped by and visited Fr. Kirby for tea and a family blessing. This all worked for me because I am someone who likes to receive Acts of Service (cleaning the kitchen) and Quality Time(spending the afternoon with the family, when he was asked last minute to do a First Communion Mass).
How to pick out a Mother’s Day Gift that is Meaningful
If the mom is an Acts of Service Love Language Person then a gift like a coupon book would be a good choice, but then again so would doing the laundry or planting a garden or making her breakfast or cleaning the house, these things can be done on Mother’s Day or at a later date. An Acts of Service Love Language person would also appreciate a gift made in their name to one of their causes. They are someone who is apt to do Acts of Service for others and appreciate that sort of gesture. Donate to their charities if you are not sure if they would appreciate a gift.
If mom is a Quality Time Love Language Person than make sure to make time for her, take her out for something special lunch, mass, a theater performance, a baseball game. It doesn’t matter, what matters is that it is something she wants to do and you spend time doing it with her.  If you can’t be there in person make a phone call at least or plan a special day for a later time and date.
If Mom is an Words of Affirmation  Love Language Person than a book or a journal filled with photos would be a good choice, or how about a mug with an inscription on it.
If Mom is Receiving Gifts Love Language Person than perhaps a special gift like something monogrammed, or personalized would be a good choice, perhaps something handmade? Try to get a gift that is something she is involved in.
If Mom is a Physical Touch Love Language Person this she will probably enjoy gift certificates for things like massages, or manicures or pedicures, but a hug works well. Physical Touch  people thrive on, nay require a touch from someone, just a hand to hold.

How about you. Moms  what sort of Love Language personality are you? Let your family know what your Love Languages are so they can figure out what to get for Mother’s Day. Don’t leave them wondering what to get you if you are not a Receiving Gifts personality.

The Green Thing–Celebrating Earth Day

I haven’t given much thought to Earth Day this year. I know, gasp. I me I am supposed to be green, right? When I mention many of the green things  we do around our house my husband’s grandmother who is going to celebrating her 80th  birthday in May, says “Oh we used to do that growing up” My own father would have been 74 this May grew up in the same generation as my husband’s grandmother. Their generation lived by the motto Use it Up, Wear it out, or Do Without.
To their geneeration recycling was just plain thrifty and finding a way to reuse something instead of wasting it. My farther regularly used coffee tins to store his nails, screws and other small parts in his shop. I guess my parents passed on this way of living to me,
My mother practiced organic gardening not because it was trendy but because chemicals were expensive. She will tell you stories of the older immigrant ladies in her neighborhood growing up who would pick “ditch weeds” to make salads and teas in the spring,
We used a push mower to mow more than an acre of yard because it was what people did, no gas powered weed eater or edging tool either, we used a hand sheers and kid power.
My parents would find ways to fix things or use things until it could no longer be fixed. My husband and I learned these skill from our parents and grandparents, we do not go out and replace a TV because it is broken we may not replace it all.  If an appliance is not working properly we fix it ourselves, just like our parents did.
Now we recycle because if we don’t who will? We buy less because we don’t really need to keep up with the Joneses, we find ways to reuse or repurpose or upcyle clothes and old furniture because it is fun not because we have to.
I buy old furniture to save money but truth be told it is of a better quality – NO particle board, sold wood construction. The bonus is I have furnished my living room over the years for about $350, less than the price of one cheap couch.
Earth Day is not about planting one tree or making a craft with your kids one day then going back to “normal”. What if we made EVERYDAY Earth Day, and consumed less and recycled more?
Earth Day is a good time to reaffirm all those Green Lifestyle choices we make, and make new resolutions. I know that will be getting back to using my own bags and again and hanging clothes out to dry. What Earth Day Resolutions will you be making this yea?



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Getting the Most out of Easter

When I say Easter do you think of this ?
(Peanut at 9 months)

or do you think of this?

So often in our culture we put the emphasis on the worldly, the material. In the case of Easter it would be the basket, the bunny the new clothes and the food.  There is nothing inherently wrong with these traditions but how do we shift the focus and celebrate Easter the HOLY Day instead of Easter the Holiday?

• Make attending mass or church together as a family the priority. That means the whole family, not just mom while the kids stay home because they are hyped up on candy. 
• Mass comes before the baskets, many families wake up to the Easter baskets. We started right from the beginning with Mass first. While we were at mass the Easter Bunny would drop off the baskets for the kids to find.  At our house the Easter Bunny drops off the goodies and Mom (me) reuses the baskets filling them and hiding them.
• Keep the TV off on Easter, send the kids outside to play, weather permitting.
• Make Resurrection Cookies – best done on Holy Saturday before.
• Take the Bunny out of the basket. Some churches have the tradition of Blessing Easter Baskets, this does not refer to the the candy baskets but rather a basket of food preparing Easter Dinner. Instead of chocolate bunnies in the basket include a lamb or crosses.

Now it is your turn. How do YOU put the emphasis on Christ in Easter and not the bunny?

The Jelly Bean Prayer

 (I am not a fan of Jelly Beans, never liked them but I know many of you do thought this would be cute to use with kids for Easter)
RED is for the blood He gave.
GREEN is for the grass He made.
YELLOW is for the sun so bright.
ORANGE is for the edge of night.
BLACK is for the sins we made.
WHITE is for the grace He gave.
PURPLE is for HIS hour of sorrow.
PINK is for our new tomorrow.
A bag full of Jelly Beans, colorful and sweet. is a prayer, is a promise, is a friend's small treat.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

(image credit)
How will you be celebrating the day? For us it will be a day to remember my Irish Roots and enjoy some time spent visiting with family friends.. There will be Corn Beef and Cabbage to eat and Wearing of the Green. How ever you spend it please take a moment to remember the reason we celebrate this day with green beer. St. Patrick was a Saint first and a bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland. (Not green beer)  He is also attributed with driving the snakes out of Ireland. 

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Green and Thrifty Easter Basket Ideas

(my son’s idea is that they make good Easter Hats)
It is not too soon to think about Easter Baskets. I know Lent just barely started but I like to have a plan so here we go. Just like Christmas I want to keep Easter meaningful. After all there probably is no more important holiday in the Catholic Liturgical Year. As my great grandmother(a midwife by the way) used to say, “Millions of babies are born but only ONE rose from the dead.” How can we keep our Easter Baskets meaningful while keeping them green and not have it cost us a ton of money?

• This first one is an easy one. We reuse Easter Baskets. Now how does that work you may be wondering? Well The Easter Bunny delivers the goods while we are at mass and mom puts it in the basket and hides them with a trail of clues.
• If you don’t find the idea of reusing your baskets your cup of tea, you can find and use  unusual containers or Easter Baskets at thrift stores or Yard Sales
• Be selective in the candy. I like to include one medium size piece of chocolate, picking one that is bound to be a favorite of my children. For Peanut that will be a white chocolate, and for Pi something more sophisticated like chocolate with salted caramel.
• Remember less is more. Be selective in your items. In keeping the candy to a minimum you not only don’t have hyper kids but you make that candy all the more special and more meaningful.
• I like to include an outside toy such as chalk or jump ropes or a kite, you can often get these at discount stores or dollar stores
• Include some useful things all of us are in need of new water bottles. thanks to a certain lab who will remain nameless, that chews the lids when she finds them.
• Do away with the plastic grass, if you must use “grass” try some excelsior, or grow some wheat grass
• If baskets are available before Church you might want to include something  to wear for Easter, like gloves or a pocketbook for girls, or Easter socks for a boy.
• Since Easter is a religious Holy Day first and foremost and not just a secular holiday it is always good to include something of a religious vein.  you can find some great ideas at Catholic Icing, and Shower of Roses. I especially love the idea of giving your kids something from their Patron Saint, or for an older child St. Christopher Medals in their sport.

Perhaps the best thing you can do to make Easter more green, more meaningful and not break the bank is give less for Easter. A smaller basket with 3 meaningful things in it says more than a big one full of cheap plastic toys and bad tasting/bad for you candy.
Tell us how do you plan on keeping the meaning in Easter Baskets this year?


this post is linked up to Works for me Wednesday, Green and Natural Mamas, Seasonal Celebration Sunday

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Merry CHRISTmass

 

From Our Family to Yours

 

A very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa, Deacon G, Pi, Peanut and Pumpkin.

 

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How to Make Christmas Morning Last All Day

In so many households Christmas morning is over in a blink of an eye. The kids wake up early and race Mom and Dad to the tree and stockings. While Mom and Dad are still trying to fully wake up the kids begin tearing into the gifts and wrapping paper going every where. 10 minutes later Christmas morning is over, well at least for the kids it is. Mom and Dad have a mess to clean up.
So how can you make Christmas Morning Last?
Some families have Christmas Morning traditions that help Christmas last a little longer than 10 minutes.

1. Establish a stockings only rule before Breakfast.  Kids and adults may only open their stockings before breakfast. Be sure to have a really special breakfast for the kids to enjoy.
2. Save the majority of the presents for after Mass or Church. Let the kids get their stockings and Santa Clause gifts if time allows before Mass. Save the gifts from family, grandma, grandpa for after mass.
3. Pass out only one gift at a time from under the tree and take turns opening the gifts.
4. Pass out all the gifts and have everyone sit in a circle, take turns going around the circle opening gifts.
5. Have a scavenger hunt for the gifts or just on special one.
6. Save some gifts for after dinner, Grandparents gifts make a good choice for this especially if Grandparents are not there in the morning but are there for dinner
7. If you visit other relatives over the holidays save their presents for when you visit them. 
8. Exchange some of the gifts on New Years Eve or Day. This is something I have done with my brothers and their families since we were kids.
9. If you really want to make Christmas last save a few gifts for the kids for the Feast of the Epiphany, We all have those gifts we bought real early and hid and forgot where we put them.

How Do You Make Christmas Morning Last All Day?

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The Life Cycle of a Christmas Tree

We enjoy a Real Christmas Tree at our house.  I have many reasons for loving my live tree chief above them is that I grew up with real trees.  Recently I was wondering if having a real tree was best for the environment. I got some good news. It is (source) While is true that the greenest Christmas Tree is the live tree in many parts of the country it just is not feasible to use a live tree because you can not plant them  when the ground is covered in snow or frozen.
If you have a Real Tree Christmas tree what to can you do with it once Christmas is over?
Depending on where you live you have multiple options.
Now I understand you may not have these options available to you but many towns and cities do have options for recycling your Christmas trees

• Many cities have Tree Recycling Programs
• Make a Bird Tree
• Use it for a fish habitat in a lake or pond
• If you live near the shore or a lake check to see if the local beaches use Christmas trees for soil erosion prevention.
• Check to see if your city has a Burning of the Greens. Some cities collect the Christmas trees and burn them in a great bonfire, not only is this a safe way to have a bonfire, the local fire department gets some practice. 

As tempting as it may be do NOT use your Christmas tree as firewood. Christmas trees are evergreens, they have a lot of pitch and will burn hot, but they are still green and will smoke and worse still may start a chimney fire.  When I say we may use it as kindling the tree has been seasoning for almost a year before we cut it up.
At our house our has it’s usefulness after Christmas.   Since we get a real tree we wait until Gaudette Sunday to put it up.  Our tree will stay up until New Years Day, another family tradition.  When the tree has been stripped of all its glory it still lives on. We  decorate the tree for the birds, making bird seed ornaments, and popcorn garlands.  Now the tree can only last so long even outside. By the time the first signs of spring start coming around it is time to take down the birdseed tree. At that point our tree joins a brush pile, benefits of having 5 acres. While in the brush pile it becomes an important part of our little eco system here. The brush pile provides a safe haven for little animals and birds in the winter. The birds that winter over will nest and perch in the brush pile.  Now what do you do with a brush pile you ask? Well at some point in time it either gets cut up for kindling or burned in a brush fire.  Setting fires in pastures is a time honored practice here in Oklahoma and other parts of the Midwest.  Ranchers and before them, local Indian Tribes practiced control periodic burns as a means to to rejuvenate the soil.


This post is linked up to Your Green Resource at Sorta Crunchy

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Our Nativity Story

Growing up My mother had a Fontini Nativity set that she would add to each year. At our house it was definitely a hands on activity. Whenever my mother set it up we would help and even play with it from time to time. Over the years figurines were added some from Fontinin others not necessarily, such as the Muppets and a t-rex.
When I married Deacon G I knew that I wanted a nativity set for our Christmas. So for our first Christmas I asked for a nativity set. It seemed like everyone and their uncle got me a little nativity. They were not exactly what I grew up with but they were nativity sets. So what does one do with all these nativity sets?  I have given each one of my children one for their rooms and have placed one in each and every room of the house. Along with our Advent wreath our nativity sets are the first Advent decorations to come out. We take Christmas slow around here but we do get ready for Advent.
Our Fontinini Nativity set is an interactive one here. Those of you who follow me on Facebook may remember these pictures.  The kids enjoy setting up and playing scenarios with all the different characters.






Our three Wise Men take a journey each year starting in the room furthest from the Crèche and make their way to the Nativity. When I when looking for them this morning they were on the stairs. The wise men will arrive on the Feast of the Ephinany.  Did I mention we take Christmas slow around here? We keep some of our decorations up until the Christmas season is liturgically over.  If you are wondering, why yes I would be happy to get more figurines and perhaps some buildings for my nativity set. You see when my children grow up and flee the nest they will get to take “their pieces with them to carry on the tradition.

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Stocking Stuffers that Make Sense

Christmas comes with so much stuff.  I like to keep our presents meaningful. But what about the the stocking stuffers. How do you keep it from being so much cheap plastic crap? I will tell you how, ready? Don’t buy it! But wait what about all those aisles of stuff just clamoring Christmas Stocking Stuffers? Sometimes the aisles in big stores are even labeled that.
I don’t know when I started this family tradition but it seems like it has been going on forever. For us stocking stuffers are limited. It does not matter how large the stockings are. We do the 5 Senses for our stockings.
The Five Senses Stockings
This is an easy way to do your stockings and you can set any budget you want. (The glory of this system). You simply get one gift for each of the 5 senses and put them in the stocking. Still not sure? Here are some examples of how to adapt this method for you.
Sight

• books – appropriate for all ages
• a camera whether disposable for a young kid or a digital for an older recipient
• puzzles
• video
• video camera
• eye makeup for an older girl

Touch

• soft socks
• mittens/gloves
• a pretty scarf
• a kooky hat
• a t-shirt
• a small stuffed animal – while most parents think their kids have enough, most kids want to add to their family

Taste

• the recipient’s favorite candy
• coffee or tea for an older person (non kid)
• hot cocoa mix
• fruit
• a favorite food item
• gift card to a favorite restaurant
• a gift card to a coffee shop
• a mug to drink tea/coffee with
• travel mugs for all ages
• new water bottle – my kids seem to loose their lids – or is it the lab who eats them?

Hear

• musical instrument – small
• I-Tunes gift card
• CD of music
• A movie
• ear buds

Smell

• cologne
• deodorant
• toiletries
• candles
• incense

While some of these stocking stuffers may seem more expensive than what you may normally find in a stocking remember Santa only brings three gifts and adults in a household only buy three gifts each. There is no BIG  gift for kiddos each year or a blizzard of gifts under the tree. Each and every present whether it costs just $2 or $200 has meaning.

What are some of your favorite thoughtful stocking stuffers to give?

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas

The Christmas season is going on all around us. Technically speaking it is not the Christmas Season but rather Advent. But it sure does seem like Christmas. We still don’t have our tree up, or a tree yet for that matter but we have been busy elves.
Making Treats for Teachers

Putting out shoes for a visit from St. Nick – my kids have decided to put out their boots several years ago. Apparently the bigger the shoe the more you get in it.

Want to know how to get the kids up on a cold dark winter morning for 6;30am? Have St. Nick visit them and leave goodies, and gold and silver coins (chocolates)




Standing room only Christmas Program put on by the pre-k and 2nd graders. Pumpkin would be the tallest head in the back row. He takes after his Dad in the height department

After the Christmas performance Santa Claus came to visit. Pumpkin would not sit on his lap, much to the chagrin of his Dad, but I consider it a victory. This is the first Santa we would talk to. Secretly I think it was just to get the candy cane.

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How to Choose Meaningful Christmas Gifts

these guidelines work year round for all gift giving reasons and seasons
What is a Gift?
A gift is a present that is given freely to show favor towards someone or to honor an occasion,  The gift is for the giver to acknowledge the receiver. Gifts should not be bought off a list at Christmas. Gifts should be thoughtful and meaningful and the receiver should reply with a gracious response. When a gift is purchased with the purpose of crossing that person of the list to fulfill an obligation there is no joy behind it and it shows. Gifts even to children are chosen to make the child squeal with delight. More is not necessarily better when it come to gifts either.
Meaningful Gifts for the Kids
At our house Christmas Gifts are important. But more important than the volume of gifts is the meaning of the gifts. You see our children each receive just three gifts from Santa under the tree and five more from Santa in their Stocking. Because they do not get a boat load of present each one is designed to be more meaningful. I don’t remember when I started it but somewhere along the line the three gifts became one gift for Mind, one gift for the Body and one gift for the Soul.  In doing so I have been able to focus on what makes my kids glow. I work hard to get into their minds and hearts to find out their true desires, not just what their friends want or they happen to see on TV.
So how do you pick gifts for Body Mind and Soul?
To give you an idea of a body gift one year my son got a bike for Christmas, while his teenage sister got a pair of boots, and another sister got a basketball with gym clothes to go with it.  The body gift is a gift that is intended to benefit the body.
A Mind gift is one that encourages the development of the mind. In the past my children have received easels with paint sets, Legos,  and a small sewing machine. The mind gift is one that encourages them to develop the gift of their minds, as they get older the gift changes and is developmentally appropriate.
The Soul gift can be the hardest one for me to identify each year. It is that secret desire that only Santa can know, even without the kid telling Santa. This is the gift that really touches them. The soul gift is one that might just touch on their spiritual side.
Why Meaningful Gifts?
I am not sure when we decided to limit ourselves to three gifts each. I certainly know it was not our first Christmas married. I went a little overboard that year. Having our own place I bought gifts for the the town house. I am sure I over bought for our families too. My husband came from a family where it was the quantity of gifts that counted, and count they did. All presents were passed out from under the tree to each person and placed in a pile next to them. Then each person would take their turn opening one gift each while holding it up so everyone could admire the gift and thank the giver. As someone who sat on the floor at these family Christmas events I remember the piles being taller than I was (in a seated position).  In my husband’s family each gift was wrapped separately, so an outfit would have its socks. shirt and pants each wrapped separately.
Why Three Gifts?
Because of the experience at my husband’s Christmas gatherings, we made the decision to limit ourselves to three gifts. Why you ask? Well there is a simple answer to that. Christ himself received just three presents.
Meaningful Gifts for Adults
When it comes to picking gifts for my husband I follow the same guidelines. We limit ourselves to three gifts each and I do my best to find one his Body, Mind, and Soul.  This year he has asked for black socks. It seems Deacons go through a lot of black socks. This would be a body gift. As for a mind gift in the past I have gotten him books to compliment his growing library. Soul gifts are sometimes something spiritual and sometimes something that just makes him smile and know that I do listen to him.
Meaningful Gifts for Others
The concept of the meaningful gift can go beyond the immediate family. Each year I take care to get a meaningful family gift for our brother’s families. Buying a family gift allows me to stretch the budget and save my sanity all at the same time. While choosing a family gift for our in-laws I take care to choose something that will be used or is relevant. One year I did family arts and craft kids, another year was a ‘Green Christmas””.
Meaningful gifts for others can also translate to all those people that touch our lives in so many ways, teachers, priests, clergy, secretaries, babysitters, hairdressers. Before you give them another mug take a moment and think about what they may like to receive.  Some years we do bake or make something for our teachers but we try to make something they can use in their classroom. If we bake we keep in mind that most teachers are receiving lots of homemade goodies at this time of year and try to make something really worthwhile for them.
What about Stocking Stuffers?
As you can imagine I am not a fan of the dollar store generic stocking stuffers. But since this is getting long you will have to come back for stocking stuffer ideas later.

In order to give a meaningful gift you need to know the recipient. While you might enjoy nothing better than to go to the big game and see the local team win, does your recipient prefer sitting in a coffee shop and reading a good book? If so, then tickets to the big game may not be a good fit for them, but a new mug with the latest best seller and a gift card to their favorite coffee shop would be a great gift. Giving meaningful gifts does not mean giving gifts that you would like to receive or gifts that can be found at the corner store. A meaningful gift is a thoughtful gift. Remember what you mom told you it is the Thought that counts.
What are some of your favorite meaningful gifts to give and receive?

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Celebrating Advent

Why do we celebrate Advent?
Advent is the four weeks prior to Christmas that is often not given much attention in our race from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Black Friday to Cyber Monday to the big gift giving/receiving day otherwise known as Christmas.
Advent is  a time of preparation of waiting. One of my favorite readings is that of the women staying up to wait for the bridegroom. Christ is that Bridegroom. (Matthew 25:1)We are waiting for him to come. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin words, ad-venio or adventus, which both signify a coming. We are remembering Christ’s coming when he was born as a baby in a manger, and preparing ourselves for his second coming.
For four weeks we prepare ourselves, our hearts and homes for Christ to arrive. Advent while a time of joy is also a time of repentance. We know and understand that we are not perfect and most try to be ready for Christ to come, lest we are one the ones without enough oil and falling asleep.
How Can we Celebrate Advent?
Celebrating Advent helps make the Christmas Season more relevant and with kids it is actually quite fun to do.

• Make an advent wreath and use it with your family. This year my sweet son (7) made our wreath. Other years I use fresh greens from the yard. Light the candles in your wreath at dinner . Read the the advent prayers each night as you light the candles at dinner, or you may choose to only light the candles on Sunday, as we do.
• Use an Advent Calendar. We have two, one with candies one without.  Advent calendars can be found for very little, a couple of dollars or upwards of $25.  They can be made of paper or wood or cloth. Some have candies others have drawers to put little gifts, or scripture sayings in.
• Have a Jesse Tree- this custom represents the family tree of Jesus Christ. Each day of Advent an ornament, usually homemade is added to the the Jesse Tree. The tree is typically made from Evergreen Branches but I have seen them made from tree branches. The ornaments represent a prophesy or the ancestors of Christ.
• Have a Sock and Mitten Tree – organize a collection for the Homeless. Advent is typically a time for almsgiving.
• Read the birth story of Jesus with your Children.

Do you celebrate Advent ? What is your favorite way to Celebrate Advent?

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Butternut Squash and Apple Stuffing

This year I am trying something new for Thanksgiving. Last year I wanted to do this but my family did not want change. So this year I am making the Traditional Stuffing and a Grain-free version too. This stuffing is based on one of my all time favorite winter dishes. Stuffed Butternut Squash. This recipe can be adapted to be vegetarian if you like.
Ingredients

• 1 lb. Apple Sausage – I am using a locally made one but you can find Apple Sausage at Whole Foods and other supermarkets.
• 1 small to medium butternut squash
• 2 medium apples
• 1 onion
• allspice –to season
• cinnamon – to season
• maple syrup 1/4 cup (real maple syrup)
• butter about 2 tbs.

1. Cut butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds
2. Score the butternut squash and season with all spice, cinnamon and maple syrup.
3. Place butternut squash in a baking pan and cook at 350 degrees until a fork easily passes through it. (the length of time depends on how big your squash is)
4. Finely dice the onion and sauté in the skillet with the sausage. Cook the sausage until browned. Remove sausage and onion mixture from skillet
5. Peel and dice the apples, sauté in skillet with a little butter the any remaining maple syrup and cinnamon and allspice
6. When butternut squash is fork tender remove scrap it away from the skin. Add the butternut squash to the apples, and add back the chicken sausage.
7. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together. Add more allspice and cinnamon if you feel it is necessary. (This would be a time to add poultry seasoning too if you like)

For a vegetarian version I like to use black beans instead of the sausage.

Technorati Tags: gluten Free Recipe,holiday recipe,butternut squash,stuffing recipe

Black Friday Alternatives

 

While many are preparing for Black Friday- (my girls among them) I am thinking of many other things I would love to do instead of standing in line in the dark cold night only to run into a store to pushing people down to get that bargain or great deal. Black Friday shopping is not my idea of fun. Not to mention I like to have my shopping done by Thanksgiving so I can enjoy Advent.
While there are many reasons that you don’t need to go out bargain shopping on Black Friday I will not go into those here. But you can read some of those reasons here and here.
Instead I am going to offer some alternatives to Black Friday Shopping

• Go out to Breakfast with your Family
• Many cities have runs the day after Thanksgiving – go burn off those calories from Thanksgiving Dinner
• Go to a Museum or Zoo
• Clean out your closet and purge 20 items – Load it up in the car and drop off at a local Charity
• Get your Car ready for the Winter – clean out the trunk and put your “winter” stuff in the trunk – boots hats, gloves, blanket
• Finish up those last few outside yard chores and winterize the house
• Have a family game tournament
• Start a neighborhood football/soccer game
• Get out your Advent Wreath and Nativity Set – Set them up
• Go to see a family friendly movie
• Have a Homemade Black Friday – get together with some friends or the kids and make gifts, enjoy leftovers.

What will you be doing this Black Friday? I will for one will be getting out my Advent Wreaths (yes I have more than one) and Nativity Sets (I have several of these as well). Did I mention that Advent is my favorite season?

Technorati Tags: black friday,anti-black friday,advent

Choosing Your Thanksgiving Focus

I have been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving. What is our focus on Thanksgiving? We all talk about it being about Giving Thanks, but for so many it is about eating and gorging ourselves, watching football and preparing for Black Friday sales. For me football and Black Friday are not big Mostly about the amount of food that is prepared and wasted. Yes wasted. It seems that That’s right – how much food is wasted. I have been thinking about how much food is eaten too. It seems that Thanksgiving has become more a holiday of gluttony and less about giving Thanks. We normally eat a turkey a week this time of year, so by Thanksgiving turkey has been done a couple of times. In some families, Thanksgiving means not not only turkey but ham and sometimes lasagna. It seems the bigger the gathering the more food there is . I know that when I am going to a potluck I bring enough food for my family to make an entrée out of and a dessert.
So what can we do to make Thanksgiving less about feasting and gorging ourselves?

• Eliminate dishes you do not need to make. Only make your family’s favorite dishes. If your family does not like sweet potato casserole don’t make it. Just because it looks good in the magazine does not mean you need to make it.
• Stick to the basics – at  bigger Thanksgiving gatherings, make what people expect. Most people want to see stuffing, turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans. My family used to make more dishes but not everyone liked all the vegetable dishes. It had just become a tradition.
• Make Less Food –Consider the portion size, do you really need a 20 lb. turkey when a 12 will do? Do you need to cook 10 lbs. of mashed potatoes? I know if you are the hostess you want to make sure that no one goes away hungry or that everyone gets their favorite dish. One question – Have you ever seen anyone walk away from the Thanksgiving dinner hungry?
• Change the emphasis – If Thanksgiving is about giving Thanks, find ways to do that with your family and in your community. Go help out with a food outreach, Invite the lonely to Thanksgiving. If you live in a college town ask your local college if there are any students who can’t go home for Thanksgiving. Visit those who have to work for Thanksgiving, firemen, policemen, take them some pie or other dessert.
• Help out Those Less Fortunate than You – Go work at a soup kitchen for a few hours on Thanksgiving. Help hand out turkeys the day before at a Food Bank. 

Technorati Tags: simple Thanksgiving,Thankful Thanksgving

What you need to know before you go–Memorial Day

Many of us are heading out to celebrate with friends and family today, lots of food, swimming and fun . But before you go here are some things you should know.

1. Drowning does not look like what you think

2. Bacteria does not take a Holiday.
Any food you transport needs to transported at the right temperature. For uncooked meats that is under 40 degrees. Use a separate cooler with plenty of ice. For fully cooked meat it needs to be chilled before transporting.


3. The Sun Does not take a Holiday and you can still get a Sunburn even if it is Cloudy
Even if it is cloudy you need sunscreen for your family.  There has been quite a discussion lately over on Growing a Green Family about which sunscreen gives you the most bang for your buck. But the best sunscreen in my opinion is a physical one. Use clothing as a sunblock. Hat, SPF cover up. Even a light weight long sleeve shirt.

Technorati Tags: Summer vacation,Summer holiday,summer fun,Memorial day