Children's Choir Outing

 Our children's choir had an outing to see A Christmas Carol at the Overture Center.  It was a most fabulous time.

 We started with a visit at a Perpetual Adoration Chapel. 

 From there all 16 of us walked over to the Overture Center.

 We had absolutely splendid seats right near the front.

This picture of the old organ didn't show up real well but it was at this moment that an usher approached me and said I"m not allowed to take pictures inside the theater.  Oh.

That said, the performance was spectacular, the costuming was splendid and the acting was really good.  IT was fun to see Scrooge was an actor we have seen at the local Shakespeare Theater a couple times.

Following the program we went to Hometown Buffet  where we pigged-out had dinner.  I don't know why I forgot to take pictures there.  We spent 2 hours eating and chatting. It was really a very enjoyable way to spend Gaudete Sunday!

St. Lucy Day

 I tried to find out why we eat cinnamon (or saffron) buns on St. Lucy day. But I didn't find an answer.  I think it is just an excuse to eat something sweet during Advent haha.

 In the meantime since we have so much to do these days we decided to sand and re-finish our floor. Lots of traffic here.  So we have been doing that for forever now.  Since Poppy sleeps on the couch (yes she has a bed she just sleeps on the couch and if she doesn't bother my much needed beauty rest, I don't complain, but we didn't want her sleeping on the couch that is in the hallway or off to the side due to the varnish she slept on a mat in our room.  She is one noisy sleeper.  One night she woke up screaming for Pippin to stop looking at her "like that".  We let the girls enjoy her in their room one night and they complained the entire next day that they didn't get any sleep at all. :D

 Frodo's Rosary Style....

I don't know but blurry picture or not, I think she's so doggone cute.  She's by far the cuddliest baby we've ever had. 

My Odd Life

So I walk out to get the mail and what do I find... a deer leg.... on the porch.  No kidding.  It's just our way of making you feel welcome..... and surprised.... and grossed out.

Happy Birthday Bilbo

 We celebrated Bilbo's 5th Birthday.  Costco cake strikes again!  This begins  the next round of our birthday celebrations for every month (two in March, May and September, no one in October or November).  Next month I'll have 4 teenagers. In case you were wondering how *I* am doing! haha

We took him out to eat at Denny's over the weekend to enjoy a Hobbit Meal. It was our "lucky day" as kids eat free on Tuesdays and Saturdays.    That nifty cup he got to bring home.  And so you ask what is that thing on Biblo's thumb?  Sam was working on getting Bilbo to stop sucking his thumb and he came up with a brilliant idea to put an old bullet shell... perfect fit afterall.  I don't know why he keeps it there but he isn't sucking his thumb so that's all that matters.  You don't want to know what kinds of collections the boys have, obviously one collects "shells". I have heard that there is a collection of cream cheese boxes somewhere.  Really?  

One of these days I'll catch up on the birage of "what have we been doing?" pictures.

Holiday Giveaway

http://www.lifewithgq.com/2012/12/life-with-gq-holiday-giveaway/

Now, normally I don't post commercials but today I am because this comes from Lady Modesty and I adore her... let me count the ways....

Anyway, she is hosting a Holy Day :) give and receive giveaway. This benefits those who are looking for a place to give a little something extra for someone this Christmas in an opportunity of generosity. And doubles as an opportunity for needy souls to get a chance to receive something that might be helpful to them in some way.  Part of our lessons in humility includes both giving when God blesses us with extra and accepting when it is our turn to receive.  Sometimes a sudden job loss or tragedy in life warrants our chance to allow someone to just do something nice for us.  Accept that, it is part of the circumstances of our lives to help us grow more deeply in love with God.  And let me tell you from experience, although I prefer to be on the giving end, God has blessed me with opportunities to allow someone to be generous torwards us.  And it is a very touching thing to see truly generous hearts. And you may be pleasantly surprised at who has some hidden gift to bring you some little joy.... and... perhaps.... you have some hidden joy you could bring to someone else.  So... join in the fun and spread the joy and check out Lady Modesty's Give-away!

Little Pathetic Funny

I was sitting here working on a little program booklet for our Midnight Mass when apparently the evil one is not happy that "The Word was made flesh" as at that precise moment the program I was using to cut the beautiful Proclamation to insert into said booklet decided to crash and just sit there.  No control-alt-delete or anything is helping (can't wait to see what happens when I start to print!)  So I decided to take a break from the evil one's irritations and answer a couple quick emails when I received an article from someone entitled:

Man Angry That Only Women Can Become Female Priests

I have not ceased to laugh for the last 5 minutes.  Nevermind "Who am I?"  the real question is "What am I?"  Good Lord, deliver us!

Gaudete Sunday

Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice...... And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4,7
The mark of every true Christian, every soldier of Christ is joy.... the joy that is only found in the Lord. And how do we express that joy?  First in how we treat our family. There is no surer way to know the true depths of where our souls lie than in how we treat our family.   Our spouse, our children, our father, our mother, our brothers and sisters.... The family God gave to us to help form our souls.  It isn't so difficult to be joyful "out there".  It isn't so difficult to put on a smile or laugh "out there".  It isn't so difficult to put out a kind word "out there".  But unless we treat our family with great love, great charity and be the source of great joy.... we only too easily show who we really are.  It is easy to find excuse to send a nasty word or make an unkind jesture to our family.... afterall they deserve it is our thought.  And yet, God Himself, as a God-made-Man came down to live in a family, to form his human character that He might be one with us.  For 30 years He, God, remained submissive to His Mother and foster-father.  He submitted Himself in all his Infinite Greatness to mere human creatures.... just because He loves us. I don't know, I've been pondering why God's great love for us all Advent as I slowly make my way through St. Alphonsus' Incarnation book. We are so wretched!  Yet, that is the fact.  No greater fact could be revealed to us that He, God, became Man just for the very sake of love.  Perfect Love.  So we, too must treat everyone, see everyone through the Eyes of God... most especially our families.... with great love.  It is only in that, when we die to ourselves that we will find that Perfect Joy.

And so we say Rejoice!  For, as St. John the Baptist said, we prepare for One so Great to come into our midst of whose sandal strap we are unworthy to loosen!  We are not even worthy to stoop to the ground and remove His shoes.  So let's make ourselves as worthy as we are able... by the Grace of God.... by stooping to treat our family with great love.  And how do we do that.... by serving, by a kind word, by a little smile....  Have we said, "I love you" lately?  If there is no love... find it.  Beg God for it. Beg Our Lady.  Ask for nothing else this Christmas but to be filled with the Love of God.... and then Rejoice!