showeredwithgrace

 

 

This is our tree.  We picked it out on Christmas Eve and purchased it for under six dollars!

 

All the kids helped set it up!

 

This is our favorite Christmas book this year.  The First Christmas by Tomie DePaola. 

 

The pages pop up into little dioramas when the book is opened.  Rose Red was playing with it today with her little nativity figures.   I heard her singing "Glory to God" again so  I peeked into her room to see what she was up to and surprised to see her using her pop up book as a diorama I asked her where Mary and Joseph were (looking for the figures) and she picked up the baby Jesus from the carpet and placed him next to Mary and Joseph and the donkey in the pop up page!  "They are here", she said. 

 It's amazing what they come up with to do when you are cleaning the house!

 

 

Feast of the Holy Family today.

We took Rose Red up to the snow (two hour drive) on Christmas day.  She planned to make footprints in the snow, throw snow balls, make a snow man and eat snow ~ and she did all of it.  She was thrilled!

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Ours was wonderful.  Will post pics later.  No internet or phone at new house yet.  House in chaos.

High point of Christmas Day:

(After Christmas breakfast and dinner prayer)

Rose Red spontaneously sings:  "Glory to God in the highest!  Sing glory to God!  Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth!"  (all by herself)

Perfectly beautiful!

No time to post on this sadly neglected blog.  Internet still not hooked up at the new house.  Looking forward to the new year ~ settled and unpacked (hopefully!).

Too busy for fun. We're finally moving into our new house!

This is the first time Rose Red has had a room of her own (she has been sharing with mommy and daddy).  She LOVES her room.  I've wrapped her in covenant ~ (rainbows)!  Perhaps I"ll post pictures later.  She has slept two nights in a row now in her new little toddler bed in her room.  Of course she insists she wear her crown with the veil to sleep in ~ she's a princess after all!  I must take a picture of this some night.

I had a great post for this with lots of pictures to share but lost it so I'm just posting this short post  now on our last trip to our botanical gardens.  We learned about the prickley pear cactus and the cochineal bug that is found on the cacti and harvested for it's red juice which is used in dyes and food coloring (FDA approved). 

We learned that there are many different species of prickley pear with some even growing into trees ~ their green pads actually morphing into a bark!

 

 

   

 

We participated in a fun interactive flipbook about the prickley pear and the cochineal bug, lots of arts and crafts and a nature walk to view the different species and examine the cochineal bugs ~ smashing a few to release their red juices.

 

 

I have a particular devotion to the Rosa Mystica . Rose Red's middle name is Rose after Our Lady the Rosa Mystica.  For years I have kept her Hour of Grace and my petitions ~ beyond counting ~ have been graciously answered.  From births of friends babies, to marriages, to the healing of severe addictions . . . it has all been truly miraculous.  If you have a church who celebrates this Hour of Grace ~ be sure to attend at noon on this feast of the Immaculate Conception.  You will never stop this devotion when you experience the shower of graces she will attain for you.

 

We created a winter garden ~ pure and enclosed ~ for tomorrow's feast in honor of Our Lady Immaculate.

"O Mary! Ark of the covenant, built of an incorruptible wood, and covered over with the purest gold! help us to correspond with those wonderful designs of our God, who, after having found His glory in thine incomparable purity, wills now to seek His glory in our unworthiness, by making us, from being slaves of the devil, His temples and His abode, where He may find His delight. Help us to this, O thou that by the mercy of thy Son hast never known sin! and receive this day our devoutest praise."

 

We are loving our Just So Stories on CD.  I discovered that playing them in the car was the best way to catch Rose Red's interest (and mine) in them.  Now she's always asking to "listen to her stories please".  We particularly like How the Camel Got His Hhmpf!

We had a visit from Saint Nicholas at our parish church today.  Our fearless Rose Red was frightened of St. Nick and wouldn't go anywhere near him but she had lots of fun with the crafts and yummy treats!

 

 

   

   

 

 

 

Happy St. Nicholas feast!

 

Tomorrow we'll be celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas with a cup of hot chocolate and warm gingerbread with homemade whipped cream for breakfast.  Everyone will receive a small purple stocking with a candy cane and the name of their secret santa (delivered by St. Nick of course!).  Their secret santa is the one they will do little special secret kindnesses for during our Advent season this year.  Just as Saint Nicholas anonymously did compassionate and generous acts towards others when he was here on earth.  When Christmas Eve arrives we shall offer our acts of kindness and compassion for our secret santa to the baby Jesus.

Rose Red and her cousins will each receive one of these hollow chocolate St. Nicholas treats too!

Prayer for the day:

"God of joy and cheer, we thank you for your servant, the good bishop Nicholas.  In loving the poor, he showed us your kindness; in caring for children, he revealed your love.  Make us thoughtful without need of reward so that we, too, may be good followers of Jesus."

Be sure to read:    A Russian Folktale Retold

 

We've been watching the lighting of the Advent candles at Mass this year and have this simple reminder of the season here at home.  We will be moving into our new home next weekend so all our Advent things stayed packed up this year.  Simplicity can be lovely though, don't you think?

Tonight's Soup ~ Beef Short-Rib Soup .  Smells fantastic!

 

Simple and humble are calling to our hearts this advent season.  We are beginning by simplifying our evening meals during Advent this year to soup and bread (except for Sundays, of course).  Tonight, clam chowder. 

Contemplating this beautiful, simple image of Our Lady and the journey she was called to make,  as the Christ child dwelt within her ~  growing within her ~ receiving his life from her life.   Just as she received her life from Him ~  eucharistic.  It's all there.  It's always there ~ if we have eyes to see and ears to hear . . .  his whisperings.