A Few Scenes from the Past Two Weeks

Our first big snow of the year on December 12.

Buttery sugar cookies ready for the oven.

Espresso cutouts drizzled in white chcolate.

Finally a chance to go out and play in the snow.

Snowflakes made by Dad (the one at the very top and third from bottom), Uncle B. (the one at the bottom) and Angelboy (the rest of them).

Got some presents wrapped!

Simple Woman Day Book

FOR TODAY... December 21, 2009

Outside my window...Gray sky with snow on the ground

I am thinking... I am thinking about what to have for Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day

I am thankful for... being done with writing Christmas Cards

I am wearing...jeans and a green sweatshirt that says Iowa Computer Science

I am remembering...playing in the snow yesterday with Pumpkin girl. This was really her first time out playing in the snow. It was fun.

I am going...to make time for prayer despite the business of the season.

I am currently reading...Frequent Confession by Baur. Have read snippets of Bob Artley's Country Christmas: As remembered by a former kid

I am hoping...to buy everything I need for Christmas today. This includes food for dinner and a few more presents. There is supposed to be a snow storm beginning Wednesday so I am also hoping my sister will be able to make it up for Christmas Eve. Nevertheless I want to have everything we need so I can stay inside and relax.

On my mind...I need to talk with my husband about whether he wants to try and fix the dryer or if we want to hire a repair man and pay $129 flat fee for labor charges plus parts. I think even with trial and error it could possibly be less than this.

Noticing that...even though I somewhat dread making out Christmas cards, once I get started it goes smoothly and I am glad to have sent season's greetings to family and friends.

Pondering the words...O antiphon for today: "O dayspring, brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death."

From the kitchen...made gooey chcolate chip cookies last night. Ate more than enough and also set some aside to be part of the Christmas cookie stash.

Around the house...Need Spic and Span so I the kitchn and bathroom floors can be mopped.

One of my favorite things...Christmas lights up through January.

From my picture journal...

Pumpkingirl bundled up to go out and play in the snow.

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 7

1. Last night we went to a free Christmas Show downtown at our local theater. Carolers sang outside as people were coming in. There was free cookies and hot chocolate. We had gone to this two years ago when Pumpkingirl was a baby and really liked it. We had decided to go at the spur of the moment. It is always a little uncertain how things will go when a toddler and an infant are in the mix so I was a little hesitant about dragging everybody out into the cold and trying to find a parkng place but it turned out to be really nice. That change of routine was a Godsend!

2. I have been baking cookies this week and intend to make some today and over the weekend. I have always baked cut out sugar cookies for the past few years but this is the first year that I will be baking more of a variety. I am going to try and get in at least four different kinds. I know this isn't a lot to some people but for me it is a good start. I have really been enjoying it. I have to remember to include my oldest Angelboy though. I enjoy it so much that I tend to leave him out and want to do everything myself. He did bake a whole batch of his own sugar cookies though. We should strive for more togetherness.

3. I feel God has really been blessing our Advent. I feel our Advent devotions, though simple, have been bringing us closer to God and to each other while keeping the true meaning of Christmas in mind. This doesn't mean I haven't strayed and let myself become stressed out and grouchy but it has been a good foundation for our Christmas preparations.

4. Speaking of the true meaning of Christmas, I only need to buy a gift for hubby and then I am pretty much done. We really don't have that much Christmas shopping to do. We buy a few things for each other and I buy a few things for my sister, brother and 3 nephews. That's pretty much it. We haven't been buying for our parents. They usually get a picture of the kids. We have a little more time for this since we ususally don't see them until New Year's Day. Gosh, writing all that down makes me think I have more to do than I thought. Better get hoppin'. I'm sure others put a lot more on themselves than this though.

5. I am always hesitant to make cookies because I am worried that I will eat a lot of them myself. This hasn't happened so far. I think it is because I am rather proud of them and want to save them to show off on Christmas Eve when my brother and sister are coming over. My vanity is keeping me in line.

6. We haven't gotten our Christmas Tree yet but will get it next week when hubby takes the week off. We are going to get a live tree this year I guess. We are going to go and pick one out and chop it down ourselves. We had done this three years ago on the day before Christmas Eve. We thought it was cool to get our tree just a few days before Christmas like stories you read or see on t.v. More traditional? There wasn't quite the selection of trees by then of course, and they still charge you the same for the tree but we didn't care. We were caught up in the joyful spirit of the day.

7. It looks like we will be having a white Christmas for the third year in a row. You never know what the weather is going to do in Iowa so all the snow could melt before Christmas:) Merry Christmas!

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Names for the Kids

I've decided to give my kids online names. I will give my oldest son the name Angelboy, my two year old daughter I will name Pumpkingirl and baby will get the name of Smileyboy. How's that?

Advent Devotions

I am really happy with our nightly Advent Devotions this year. We are doing the Jesse Tree and the Advent tree as was posted about here. After supper (and sometimes after dishes too) we read the Jesse Tree reading in the kitchen. The two year old then puts the new Jesse Tree Symbol on the tree as we move out to the living room. Before lighting the Advent Wreath Dad reads a special prayer which changes for each week of Advent. Usually my son lights the Advent Wreath and I read the mass readings for that day. After the mass readings we sing Marian Advent Songs which I found on the Love2Learn Blog. They are The Angel Gabriel and Maria Walks Amid the Thorn. That's it. Pretty simple.

The thing we especially enjoy is singing the hymns together. It took a little practice but we finally learned them. Maybe we'll add a few more next year. These two will do for now though. Maria walks Amid the Thorn is especially beautiful since it talks of the pregnant Maria bearing the child Jesus under her heart. Here are the words of the second verse:

What 'neath her heart doth Mary bear?

Kyrie eleison

A little child doth Mary bear,

Beneath her heart He nestles there.

Jesus and Maria

Isn't that beautiful?

Simple Woman Day Book

FOR TODAY...December 14, 2009

Outside my window...It was a little foggy outside when I took my husband to work around 7:00. It is warm and gray. The snow is turning to slush. Good snowman making snow.

I am thinking... that I need to do a little bill paying today to finish what I did not get done on Friday.

I am thankful for...being able to pay all my bills and then some.

From the learning rooms...I don't know what I'm going to do. I really need to get a plan in place and order books and things for when our next trimester starts in January. It's really difficult getting schooling done with all that goes on in the morning and then my son isn't here in the afternoon because he is taking classes at the Jr. High. I'm thinking about sending him to the public high school next year. Any encouragement and/ or ideas for homeschooling highschool?

From the kitchen...I made a rumproast last night with potatoes and carrots. My brother came over, ate with us, and played many games of chess with his nephew.

I am wearing...Jeans and a navy blue t-shirt with my black coat. I haven't taken it off yet since I got back from taking my husband to work

I am creating...a happy home for my children I hope.

I am going...to try and create a place for Jesus in my heart on Christmas by working to get rid of anger and impatience; and of course, I need to remember to pray.

I am reading...I have started reading Frequent Confession: Its Place in the Spiritual Life by Benedict Baur and Guiding Your Catholic Preschooler by Kathy Pierce & Lori Rowland. I went to do some Christmas shopping at our local Catholic bookstore this weekend and ended up buying these two books for myself.

I am hoping...for a simple Christmas. I am thinking about making clam chowder this year instead of our usual feast with Turkey and the fixings. I don't know if this will make things simpler or not. I have never made clam chowder before. The meal would probably include bread and some other sides like a salad and a dessert. We usually have our get together on Christmas Eve.

I am hearing...the hum of my compter and the refrigerator running.

Around the house...I bought a wooden drying wrack for drying laundry inside. It added a good amount of drying space. I recently wrote a post about how my dryer needed repair and how excited I was ( perhaps inordinately so) about the prospect of hanging laundry to air dry inside. I guess I have had visions of a clothesline in my back yard for some time, but I never thought about air drying laundry inside in the winter. It's really not that hard.

One of my favorite things...is getting enough exercise which usually means going out for a walk at least four or five days a week.

A few plans for the rest of the week: -making cookies, finishing shopping, plan Christmas Eve menu, continue family Advent devotions, practice my bass and play Christmas duets with my son.

Here is picture I am sharing...

Snowy trees in our front yard

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 6

1. I am looking for a sewing machine. The only sewing machine I have ever used was my mother's White M77 series. This was made in the late 1940s and was made of cast iron. Oh how I wish I had it now. My sister got rid of it when she had moved out of my mother's house after she died but I had no place for it back then and it probably didn't hold as much interest for me then as it does now. I have been looking on ebay. There are lots of old sewing machines to be found there. These old machines are so heavy that many people will not send them out but require them to be picked up locally. I'm going to keep researching and see what I can find.

2. I have not sewed since high school (or was it Jr. High?). My mother taught me how to sew because it was something that I was interested in learning how to do. I would like to pick it up again and when I see something in the store that is simple yet expensive I can say, "I'll make one myself." Some things I have in mind to start off with are: an apron, a cloth, stuffed ball for a baby, baby and kid clothes. That should be enough for starters.

3. I think some of these simple things can be made easily enough with hand sewing too. I have a little pillow that I haven't finished yet. This project was out of a sewing book for kids that I checked out at the library to help teach my son how to sew. He finished his pillow.

4. I am pretty much done with the crocheted scarf that I am making for my sister for Christmas. I need to weave in the ends from where I started a new skein of yarn and figure out how to finish.

5. I have been hurrying my 14 year old son to bed so I will have the living area of the house all to myself. Everyone else is in bed and sleeping. Ahhhh peace.

6. My husband wants a saw and miter for Christmas. He is interested in learning wood working. I think he will be good at this as this is something that requires a lot of precision and attention to detail. He is a detail oriented person.

7. We are at the end of the second week of Advent and it is time to make a few cookies. This is what I may be doing for the rest of the evening. But first I am going to go to Conversion Diary and read other people's quick takes.

Dryer Isn't Working and That's O.K.

Yesterday for the feast of the Immaculate Conception I made Blueberry Muffins from this receipe at Catholic Cuisine. They were very good and rather decadent with the crumble on top even though I made the muffins with half whole wheat flour. I may leave the crumble off next time and see how that works for a somewhat healthier version as they seemed plenty sweet enough. I know--I'm no fun.

We had a busy day after mass and muffins. I went shopping for boots for the kids and bought some pants for my husband. I wanted to get this done before it got snowing too hard.

In the evening I found that my dryer wasn't working. When the towels didn't get dry the first time I thought my husband forgot to turn on the dryer; when they didn't get done the second time I knew something was up. The dryer was spinning but there was no heat.

At first I was a little bit distraught by this as I had a fair amount of laundry, but then I rememered a post I read by Heather at A Quiet Place of Rest where she talked about hanging up her laundry inside because the weather was overcast that day and how this also helpped with the dry air inside. So... I have been doing laundry and hanging things up to dry whereever I can find a place to hang them. I hung diapers last night and I couldn't believe how quickly they dried. It is the dry air I am sure. I love the fact that we are getting by (for now) without our dryer.

This seems like such a small thing to get excited about; but my excitement may be due in large part that doing without a dryer (even temporarily) can be counted as one of the many small steps that are leading us to live a more homemade, do-it-yourself, thrifty kind of life. I may try to find a place to hang a clothesline and try to do this on a more permanent basis. We'll see.

On another note...
Here are pictures my husband took of our back yard this morning. Yes, it snowed, and I think many people will have similar pictures on their blogs today.

Simple Woman Day Book

For today December 7, The Feast of St. Ambrose



Outside my window...There is a dusting of snow on the ground with a snow storm expected beginning Tuesday night.



I am thinking...about what to do for an Advent devotion tonight.



I am thankful for...being able to spend time on my blog.



I am wearing...Jeans and a gold sweater with colored flecks. It keeps me warm.



I am remembering...That my son will be home soon.



I am going...to be more patient and loving with the help of God.



I am reading...Bible readings for Advent.



I am hoping...to get out this evening and buy some necessary clothes for the kids (like boots, jeans, long underwear, sweat pants, long sleeves and sweaters) in order to prepare for the coming snow.



On my mind... I want to purchase on-line presents this week and figure out what to do about Christmas cards or whether or not to send Christmas cards. I want to stay calm about this and not worry so Advent can be a time of reflection and peace...



From the learning room...I am procrastinating.



Noticing that...my sons jeans have holes in both knees and are too short.



Pondering these words..."Children are crosses of the most embraceable kind." I got this from Nadja at Patch O' Dirt Farm.



From the kitchen...Trying new recipes from Catholic Cuisine: honey-curry chicken for supper tonight on the feast of St. Ambrose "the honey-tongued saint" and blueberry muffins for tomorrow morning for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. I have never really cooked special meals for saints' days but these recipes are relatively simple.



Around the house...There is a teenager, a toddler, and an infant.



From my picture journal...



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Some Special New Touches for Advent

We are doing a few new things for Advent this year. We have done the usual Advent Wreath for a few years where we light the candle(s) on the wreath and then read the daily mass readings or another appropriate reading. We have a brass ring with candle holders for the candles and in past years I had put an artificial garland around it with a purple ribbon. This year, however, due to the inspiration derived from reading blogs such as this one , showing off homemade Advent wreaths, my husband went and cut some branches from one of our pine trees outside and used these to put around the brass ring along with pine cones (also collected from my husband outside). I haven't actually attached the pine branches to the ring but it seems to work just fine like that as it is mostly likely to stay in one spot for the whole of Advent. Adding in some purple ribbon or some wire to fix things a little more securely would be simple enough though.

Something else we are doing for Advent is a continuation of a Jesse Tree that ds1 and I have been working on the past few years. We started drawing Jesse Tree Ornaments two years ago and it is our goal to finish them this year. There are different events and persons that may be used that lead up to the birth of Christ for the Jesse Tree but we chose to use this version which starts December 1 as opposed to the very beginning of Advent and includes the O Antiphons beginning December 17. In previous years we taped the ornaments on our fire place mantle but this year we are using a branch that my husband cut when he was trimming the tree in our front yard.
It feels good to be able to do these easy, little homemade things that don't require purchase from a store.

Seven Quick Takes Friday Vol. 6

1. This weekend is another concert weekend. The program is the Dvorak Cello Concert and Shostakovich Symphony No. 5. When we get new music I have been looking for performances of it on You Tube for a free way to listen to the music. Lately I have viewed performances of such old greats as Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, and Mislav Rostropovich. I am so grateful that access to these historic performances as well as newer ones are so readily available right in our own homes. This is the internet (and You Tube) at its best!

2. I have had a sick toddler this week. She has a really bad cold and the runniest nose I have ever seen. She wakes up with her hair stuck to her face with snot. Her hands always need to be washed because she is always wiping her nose with them. Her little nose is chapped and she has some gunk coming from both of her eyes. She is one messy little girl. She has actually gotten better in the past few days in that she doesn't wake up crying like she did the first two days and she is sleeping better. She was still pretty messy yesterday though. If her eyes don't clear up soon I'll probably take her to the doctor.

3. I think I may have this breastpumping-when-I'm-away-playing-in-rehearsals-and-concerts thing down now. I arrive to rehearsal an hour early, bring my bass in and pump in the bathroom downstairs. I have learned to put a sticky note outside the door saying "done in 20 minutes" so that people know that there will be a wait and they can go find another bathroom if they like. For rehearsal breaks I feel self conscious using this restroom because I will be in it for the whole break so I use the multiple stall restroom in the lobby. I also feel self conscious about the noise of the breast pump but I gotta do what I gotta do, and once the bathroom gets busy the noise of the toilets flushing, and the people talking, and coming in and out covers up the sound of the pump. I didn't want to pump during break before because I didn't want to get back late, but I realized that I don't need to wash out the pump until after I get home and this saves a lot of time. I wasn't pumping as often as I wanted to last concert set and I was worried about milk supply decreasing so now I am pumping about as often as I think necessary. Ahh, the things shared on blogs.

4. So now that I think I have the where and when of pumping milk I decided not to play in the next two concerts in February and March. But that's o.k. because I am happy that I can forego the anxiety of going some place an hour away from home in the worst of the winter weather. On the other hand, once I do get to rehearsal I am usually as happy as a clam to be playing and I will probably miss it though I will have the last concert of the season to look forward to in April.

5. The baby has been taking his binky regularly, and boy has this been a help in getting him to take longer naps. Thank you to my husband for getting him to this point.

6. It is as cold as it has been in a while today. It is not supposed to rise above freezing for a while and it is flurrying off and on. It was peaceful lying in bed and nursing the baby while watching the snow fall gently from the sky.

7. I am finding that if I make writing my blog a priority over reading blogs I feel a much better sense of accomplishment. It is really tempting to spend a lot of time reading blogs and then feeling like you have no time to do all the other things you wanted to do leaving you resentful about not having enough time to yourself. So making use of the time that I have given me is what I am working on.

For more Quick Takes click on the link above.