Post re-run ... So much to be thankful for

This post was originally published on January 12, 2013. We kept a Jesus Stocking all through Advent last year (and will again this year). Each evening after dinner, we would all write down one thing we were thankful for and place it in the stocking. Then, we read all of the bits of paper aloud on Christmas morning. A quick aside ~ I mention at the bottom of the post that I could have kept it going all year long. Well this actually is something we do all year long now. The girls and I write in our Gratitude Journals most mornings. There's no better way to start the day than with gratitude for all that God has blessed you with!

Enjoy ...

 

You may have heard me mention the Jesus Stocking we kept this year for Advent. I'd been meaning to share what was inside.

I will tell you that when we read them all on Christmas day, the Hippie cried more than once because she felt bad that she "didn't write all the good stuff" that we did. The poor girl felt so guilty that she had only said "family" and not listed us individually. I assured her that we are all different and that we just thought of different things to write at dinner each night, but I know her heart and have no doubt how thankful she is for everything. That girl truly has a heart of GOLD. Anyway, I thought you might like to see what was written. (As expected, Momma's were mostly "novels" compared to the one word entries by the others. Forgive me. I like to write. :)

These are in no particular order ~ just stuffed in the stocking. And, yes, there are a few repeats. Hey, it's hard to remember what you've already written after 24 days!

The Princess:
Kindness
Mommy and Daddy to make the food
Going to Germany
Faith and Trust
Joy
Mommy and Daddy to make everything happy
Seeing my cousins, B*** and S*** (sorry, safety and all)
Money
Mommy and Daddy
Happiness, not madness
Jesus
Everything
Christmas
Pets
Food
Water
Family
God
Friends
Love
Judah (our cat)
W**** (the Hippie)
Saint Nicholas
Not washing the dishes (the Hippie had to wash ALL of the dishes for a week as a punishment ... turned out to be a great thing for the Princess, lol).

The Hippie:
Education
Decorating
No dishes or chores on my birthday
Furniture
Crafts
Nativity scene
Advent
Family needs
Water heater
Friends
The Christmas Tree
Health
I am thankful for my wonderful family.
Books
Cars
Gifts and Daddy being off on December 23rd
Trees
I am thankful for my shelter.
I am thankful for food and water.
Jesus ... Merry Christmas
Friends
Food
Toys
Table and chairs

Daddy:
Jesus
Chaos
Dark Chocolate
Jah
Vehicles
Hot Shower
Plants
Love
W* (The Hippie)
Music
Being a Daddy
Herbal remedies
Patience
Buddha
Family Pets
Boards (surf)
M* (The Princess)
Momma
Friends and Family
Days off
Dinner time with the family
the Ocean
S* (our best friend/brother)
Days off work


Momma:
I'm thankful to have a roof, a floor and a warm, cozy bed.
I'm thankful that God gave us Jesus so that he could show us how to be loving and kind.
Blue skies and sunshine
I'm thankful to be married to my best friend and soul mate.
To live close to the beach
Hot tea, Hot showers ... and Ice Cold Beer
Easy access to clean water and fresh, local produce
The chance to spend each and every day with my children
Family Dinner Time ~ listening to the girls' prayers, our conversations and the laughter
Two healthy children
Nanu (my Momma)
I'm thankful that God gave us B* and S* (my nieces) before taking Uncle W* (my little brother) back to Heaven.
God's Love
The time I got to spend with Papa (my dad) and Uncle W* (my little brother)
That Homeschooling is legal
Aunt C* (family friend for 32 years)
For my Babies
Access to books
Music and my ability to hear it
Animals ~ all of them, but especially our pets
Daddy
W* (the Hippie)
M* (the Princess)
Books
Cuddling
I'm so very thankful to have found my one and only soul mate and to be sharing my life with my very best friend in the world!
My eyesight ~ so that I can see God's beautiful creation, my beautiful family and so that I can read books.

*********
Almost a 100 things to be thankful for ... and I could have kept this going all year long.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next time,

~ Irie Momma

Post re-run ... Wise Words for a Peaceful Holiday

This post was originally published on November 19, 2012. The beginning of the post talks about Thanksgiving, but the wisdom is just as applicable to the coming Christmas holidays.

Enjoy ...

The girls at Thanksgiving 2010 ~ My two daughters and my brother's two daughters

Thanksgiving is just a few days away. From what I understand, it is one of the most traveled holidays of the year, if not THE most traveled holiday. That tells me that there will be a lot of people sharing space with family ~ with siblings and parents and in-laws.

Now, that can mean one of two things.

It can be a beautiful thing. A time of love and kindness and peace. A time of memory-making and joy.

Or, in many cases, I'm afraid, it can be a stressful thing. A time of dealing with family members that get under your skin. A time of biting your tongue as comments are made.

Even the most amazing and beautiful families on the block have conflict. It is a normal part of life and family culture.

But, that doesn't mean you can't have a beautiful holiday celebration with your family. The holidays can still be a time of love and peace and kindness. Memories can still be made with all of those perfect little children. Joy can still be at the center of your celebrations.

Cousins ... PURE JOY!

Here are a few thoughts to get you through the upcoming holiday season.

"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless." ~ James 1:26

I said, “I will watch my ways
    and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
    while in the presence of the wicked.”  ~ Psalm 39:1

No sinful word, nor deed of wrong,
  Nor thoughts that idly rove;
But simple truth be on our tongue,
  And in our hearts be love.  ~ St. Ambrose

Let us all resolve, - First, to attain the grace of silence; Second, to deem all FAULT-FINDING that does no good a SIN, and to resolve, when we are happy ourselves, not to poison the atmosphere for our neighbours by calling on them to remark every painful and disagreeable feature of their daily life; Third, to practise the grace and virtue of PRAISE.  ~ Harriet B. Stowe

Surrounded by those who constantly exhibit defects of character and conduct, if we yield to a complaining and impatient spirit, we shall mar our own peace without having the satisfaction of benefiting others.  ~ T.C. Upham

***

In a nutshell, the message is to keep LOVE in our hearts and on our tongues, even and especially for those who trouble us the most.

Jesus taught us to LOVE our neighbors. He taught us to "turn the other cheek". Let us apply that same philosophy to our words. If someone in your family gets under your skin this week, simply smile. Love them and pray that God will give them the peace and happiness that they deserve.

If there is someone in your family that gives you particular difficulty in this area, start praying for them now. Each and every morning in your quiet time with God, pray for the person who tests your righteous behavior the most. Pray that they are blessed. Pray for peace and happiness to find its way into his or her heart. Pray for that person to find whatever it is that they need in order to become a shining light for the glory of God.

And, then pray for your own resolve to maintain what you know to be right and good, even in the face of adversity.

These simple steps along with some great food, the laughter of children and an attitude of THANKFULNESS will get you on your way to a beautiful holiday. Remember to GIVE THANKS for all that He has blessed you with, including that amazing family that can drive you a little bonkers sometimes.

The girls GIVING THANKS

Until next time, 

~ Irie Momma

Post re-run ... So what DOES a Vegetarian family eat for Thanksgiving?

This post was originally published on November 26, 2011. I realize it is a bit late for your Thanksgiving dinner, but you can always make this stuff for Christmas.

Enjoy ...

People often wonder what in the world we eat for Thanksgiving.

It's such a silly question to me ... we eat what you eat, just not the turkey.

And, we LOVE it.

Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year.

D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

What do we have?

Whole wheat crackers and gourmet cheese spreads

Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed redskin potatoes
Gravy
Green beans
Squash casserole
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Bread
Olives, sweet gerkins
Shirley Temples for the kiddos

Interested in recipes?

Mashed Potatoes
1 bag of redskin potatoes
sea salt
butter
sour cream
milk
Chop potatoes and boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and mash with the remaining ingredients. Keep taste-testing and adjusting seasonings until it is perfect.

Amazing Vegetarian "Turkey" Gravy

I got raves and raves on this one, especially from my meat-eating friends. They couldn't believe I made it without any drippings. :-)

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 cups vegetarian vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon "chicken seasoning"
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Melt butter in a small sauce pan. Saute onion and garlic in melted butter. Add flour, nutritional yeast and Bragg's and combine with the butter. Slowly whisk in the broth, combining with the flour mixture to avoid clumps. Add seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes. YUM.O.

Squash Casserole

6 yellow squash, diced
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 onion,chopped
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Saute squash in the EVOO in a deep skillet for about 15 to 20 minutes. At the same time, melt the butter in another skillet and saute the onion in that butter. Add the onion, butter, sour cream and cheese to a big mixing bowl. When squash is finished, place a clean towel in a colander, add squash to towel and squeeze as much liquid out of the squash as you can. Add the drained squash to the mixing bowl. Mix your 3 seasonings together in a separate bowl or cup. Now, measure out 1 teaspoon of that and add it to your bowl of goodies (throw the remaining seasoning into your mashed potatoes). Combine all of the ingredients well and then add to a square baking dish. Top with crushed crackers and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. ENJOY.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 8 oz package of cream cheese (or Tofutti if you are vegan)
12 oz light firm tofu
1/2 cup sugar (organic evaporated cane juice, no white stuff)
2 tbsp corn starch (non GMO)
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 graham cracker crust
Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Place the first set of ingredients (six) into a food processor with the s-blade. Process until smooth, scraping the sides and processing some more. Spread 1 cup of this mixture into the bottom of the pie crust. Now, add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth, scraping the sides again. Smooth the pumpkin mixture over the white layer in the crust, leaving a slight heap in the center. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving with people you love, food that was delicious and more to be thankful for than you can even list.

I know I did!

Until next time,

~ Irie Momma

Post re-run ... Memories

This post was originally published on December 10, 2011. A couple of years ago, yes. But, still so very true.

Enjoy ...

 

Please forgive the quality of the pictures. These are from the 80s. Even if I were to try to give you some more recent pictures of these amazing people, the pictures would still be fuzzy. Why, you ask? Well, two of them went to be with their Heavenly Father before the "digital age".

Here we are. December 10th. Smack in the middle of my favorite time of year.

Really. It is. Always has been.

I loved the Holidays as a child.

Thanksgiving in Louisville. The longest day ever, but oh so worth it. I didn't watch football back then, so it bored me to tears to have an entire day of waiting to eat the food that was smelling up the house so wonderfully. Football in the background. Smells swirling through my Nana's home. W.A.I.T.I.N.G.

Then, finally the fellowship of family. My aunt and uncles. My cousins. My near 100 year old GrandMomma. My dad. My mom. My little brother. My Nana & Grandpa. Stuffing balls (hehe), olives, sweet gerkins and SHIRLEY TEMPLES. Oh the SHIRLEY TEMPLES.

Christmas at home. The earliest day ever, but I'd venture to say it was also oh so worth it for my parents. It was the one day we could wake them up before dawn. Now that I am a parent, I have a whole new respect for their willingness to get out of bed SO VERY EARLY, just for us. I remember trying to wake my dad up at 4:30 a.m. once. He just nicely told me it was a bit too early. I waited patiently until about 6:00.

We woke them up EARLY. They made us W.A.I.T. while they got their coffee (Of course, I TOTALLY get that now). They wanted to see our faces as we came into the living room. Beautiful, amazing, wonderful memories.

I simply L.O.V.E.D. the holidays.

I still do. Now, I'm the one making them wait while I get my tea.

The only problem with this time of year is how it brings my childhood memories to the surface. They are wonderful. But, they are bitter sweet.

You see, those memories include four people ~ my mom, my dad, my brother and me.

As I sit here today, only two of us remain ~ my mom and me.

I can't help but get a little weepy this time of year. I turn into a big baby. I miss my Daddy. I miss my little brother. I want to wake my Daddy up at 4 in the morning again and have him tell me ever so sweetly that it is just a little bit too early. I want to wait for my Daddy to make his coffee. I want to squeal in anticipation with my little brother as we are both about to climb out of our skin. I want to hug my Daddy and feel his rough fingers as they squeeze me back. I want to see that joy in his eyes as he spends Christmas morning with the greatest thing he's ever done ~ his family. I want to joke with my Daddy and my brother in Louisville as we wait for dinner at Thanksgiving (my immediate family were the only ones who didn't watch football in those days). I want to watch as my brother makes jokes that no one gets but us. I want to watch as my Daddy shows my almost 100 year old Grandmomma the most attention she's seen in a while, as he patiently listens to all of her stories of "way back when", simply because he loves the elderly as much as he loves children and animals.

I want to step back. Just for a minute, please. I want to smell them. I want to hug them. I want to feel their arms around me.

But, I can't.

I just have to accept that and move on.

And, thankfully, God has blessed me with a beautiful distraction.

He has given me the gift of a family of my own. He has given me the opportunity to make those same memories for my own children. I must look forward. Always remember and appreciate the past, but move forward, making memories for my own children.

So, here we are.

I'm making memories for my girls. We are decorating our tree. We are making them Shirley Temples and watching football on Thanksgiving. We are making them wait just a bit longer on Christmas morning as we fix our hot tea.

And, we're making new memories for them.

We're taking them to The Nutcracker Ballet. A real ballet. But, we're reading the book first and listening to Tchaikovsky first, so that they know what they are seeing and making connections on their own.

We're taking them scootering around the Friendship Fountain while listening to Christmas music on the loudspeakers (maybe that's Florida's version of Ice Skating in New York???).

We're taking them to Bethlehem. To see the Roman Soldiers and listen to them demand your taxes. To see the people of Bethlehem, selling their wares. To see and smell and pet all of the animals, goats, sheep, chickens, ponies, horses, donkeys and of course the camel. To see the little children of Bethlehem cooking over their fires, weaving on their looms. To hear the shofar as the Rabbi calls people to the temple. And, to the inn that had no more room. To the stable to see the live baby Jesus.

We're taking them to friends' to celebrate the season with a beautiful Advent Spiral.

We're taking them on Christmas bike parades and Christmas hay rides.

We're helping them make and wrap gifts and making hot cocoa and Organic Egg Nog with nutmeg.

I will forever cherish the sights and sounds and smells of my own childhood memories.

My Daddy.

My Brother.

My Momma.

And, I can only pray that my girls will forever cherish the sights and sounds and smells of their childhood. All I can do is move forward and give them the same LOVE that I always felt from my family.

It's a beautiful time to have a family!

Until next time,

~ Irie Momma

Post re-run ... Books we read aloud this Christmas {2011}

This post was originally published on January 4, 2012. Here are a few books to get your Advent season started.

Enjoy ...

 

 

 

Until next time,

Irie Momma

Post re-run ... On Keeping Christ in Christmas

This post was originally published on January 1, 2013. This is an excellent read as you begin to celebrate Advent with your family this year!

Enjoy ...

******* 

I wrote this post on December 10th. I got busy with some sort of child-rearing or home-making task and decided to leave it for a bit and come back to it to edit and revise if needed. Then, a couple of days of Christmas gift-making got in the way. And then the national tragedy that split my heart in two. And, then I just didn't have it in me. Somehow, we got busy living this thing called Christmas and almost a month went by before I had time to revisit this post. So, although Christmas has passed, here are my original thoughts from three weeks ago. I hope they bless you and your family in some way.

******
I read a blog post recently about how Christians should stop whining about the secularization of Christmas. It did a great job of putting into words many of my own thoughts, so I shared it on Facebook. Along with the "share", I said something along the lines of how keeping Christ in Christmas is up to the individual family and home, not the media or the stores. I also might have mentioned that my own home has been "all about Christ" for two weeks now.

About an hour later, I got a private message from an old friend of mine (whom I love, by the way) wanting to know what I meant. I thought I'd share some of what I meant here.

I could start by giving you the actual, physical examples of how we're keeping Christ in Christmas. I mean, there are things we're doing that are setting the tone. As I said in this post, we have several rituals going ...

As I type this, my seasonal candle is burning. Whenever I pass it and notice the flame, I try to remember to say a small prayer for peace ... in my heart, in my home and in the world.

As I write this, I am listening to Christmas hymns and carols on Pandora. Now, I'm not going to try to tell you that my children don't also like songs like Frosty, the Snowman or ... well, would you look at that. I can't think of another title. Haha. Not to say that we're not also listening to the traditional ones, but as soon as I tried to make that statement for you, the only stuff that came to mind was about Jesus. I just proved my own point ~ we are listening to Christmas music all the time, but we are not just listening to the silly, secular songs. We are mixing it up ~ beautiful songs about the birth of a baby, classical songs from a certain ballet we love, country songs about Christmas and the silly, secular songs. The girls know and love a variety ... and I know their hearts are focused on the right things.

We have lit the Advent candles on the wreath every day since December 1st. And, the girls are tickled pink about the Christ candle, which doesn't come until the 25th.

We have each written something we are thankful for each and every day and placed it into our Jesus stocking. Although these are secret and are to be read on Christmas day, I've accidentally seen things like "Jesus" and "God" and "food" and "family" written on their cards. That makes my heart smile! My children really get it.

The girls have opened the next door on their Advent calendar each day and we've read the next story in our Advent book each night.

We visited Bethlehem. That in and of itself is a totally indescribable experience.

We are reading books every day. We are reading about the story in the Bible, but we're also reading books about animals and inspiring individuals. While not directly Biblical, each book is inspired by Christ and His message. We're reading such a beautiful array of inspirational stuff right now. Again, it centers the focus each and every day.

The girls can't wait to make a birthday cake and birthday cards for Jesus.

They're excited to bake for the neighbors.

They're excited to bake for the homeless and go out and deliver the goodies on Christmas eve, something we've done for the past two years.

I mean, really, there has literally been something every. single. day. to celebrating this season. I think that has a lot to do with our family's keeping Christ in Christmas. Christmas is not just this day at the end of the month that everyone is impatiently awaiting so that they may rip open the presents under the tree. It's a month-long celebration of something beautiful.

So, I think that keeping Christ in Christmas has a little bit to do with what we spend our time doing and just as importantly, what we aren't spending our time doing. But, I think it is much more than that.

Keeping Christ in Christmas has more to do with the spirit of your home. It has to do with what Christ was all about and truly honoring that with everything we do and say. It has to do with a focus on family and traditions and love and fun and relationships and giving, rather than a focus on shopping and me, me, me and stress.

We live in a secular world. Whether we want to or not, we cannot shield our children completely from what the world has to offer. What we can do, however, is to lead them happily in the other direction, down the Narrow Path, you might say (you like that plug?).

The world is all about me, me, me.

You have to work hard to make your home about Him, Him, Him.

The world wants to make money off of this special time and so the commercialism is at its best right now. I don't know exactly how we've done it, but I'm proud to say that my children have grown to be a little bit immune to it. When we discussed what they would want for Christmas, the Princess only wanted one thing and the Hippie said, "I'm really satisfied with what I have. Of course, I always want books and craft supplies. Oh, and some of those silks and scarves for dress up would be nice." (For the record, the Hippie's birthday is two days before Christmas, so she hasn't gotten a gift in a year. I think she's entitled to wanting 3 things. And, she melts my heart when what she wants is more books).

I don't know about you, but I'm proud. They both said that their favorite part of Christmas was the giving. I kid you not. They LOVE to make things for each other and for everyone else in the family. They can hardly wait for Christmas morning, but because they are jumping to GIVE what they've made, not because they are chomping at the bit to receive.

The Princess will tell you that she loves Christmas time because of the "JOY" ~ her words. "It's such a JOYFUL time".

So, how does one keep the focus of this JOYFUL time on Jesus?

Live your life as He would have. Do what He would have done.

  Give ... and get your kids excited about the giving, rather than the receiving.
  Love ... love your family and love those around you, your "neighbors".
  Feed ... feed your family and feed your neighbors and most importantly, feed the hungry.
  Honor ... honor God in all that you do and say, each and every day, but especially now.

For tips on the more practical side of things, especially with children:

Intercept the catalogs when they come in the mail ... before your children get their hands on them. We are all human. We can know that we are satisfied with what we have, but when we see the marketing, we are all susceptible (especially children) to falling for it.

Skip the television. Find some way to ensure that you're not watching the commercials at this time of year. Again, they will work on you and your children, telling you that you need something you don't. But, more than that, all of that "noise" will take away from the quiet and peace that you are cultivating at home.

While you're at it, stay away from the malls and shopping centers. The focus there is all wrong. I realize we have to give some gifts, but there's just no reason to go to those places. Make your gifts or buy them from someone else who made them on Etsy. Or, if it must be a toy or book or gadget, you can shop online, from the comfort of your home ... with those Christmas hymns playing and that candle burning and the Nativity Set a few feet away. Keeps you in a much better place than the feeling you'll get if you venture out!

Start and keep traditions with your family. And, start them early in the season. Enjoy the entire season, not just the day.

Choose quality ~ quality books, quality music, quality decorations. You don't have to be a Santa nazi, but make sure the balance is leaning in the right direction.

Really think about your gift philosophy and talk to your kids about what they have and what they do or don't need. Talk to them about how others live around the world so that they learn to appreciate what they have. Some good gift philosophies for your children might be giving only three gifts (hey, if it was good enough for the birthday boy, it should be good enough for us, right? The Princess still doesn't understand why WE get gifts on HIS birthday anyway). Another possibility that I've used in the past (and I got it from Kara at RockinGranola) is the want * wear * need * read mantra.

Remember, as irritating as it is to watch the world reduce something so special and sacred to nothing but spending and stress and tackiness, it is up to you to keep it special and sacred in your family and home.

As an anonymous speaker once said, "The best thing to spend on a child is your time."

Okay, I know I could just keep going like the Energizer bunny, but I must tend to my own family's enjoyment of the season. And, I'm sure you have things to do as well. Go forth and make JOY.

I think that is the key: Keep God in EVERYTHING. Make it a season about JOY. That is how we keep Christ in Christmas!

In the end, all we can really do is to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [our] God. (part of Micah 6:8).

Until next time,

~ Irie Momma

Post re-run ... Books we read aloud this Christmas Season {2012}

This post was originally published on December 31, 2012. I hope this blesses your family in time for you to reserve some of these from your library! We really do love our Christmas picture books all December long!

Enjoy ...

The Birds' Christmas Carol ~ My great-grandmother's hardback copy that she got when she was 8 years old ... in 1908.

 The Advent Storybook by Antonie Schneider

This book was just lovely. The stories are super short and all have a beautiful message to hear about God and His love for us. I'll be purchasing this one, for sure!

The Festival of Stones by Reg Down ~ this was a perfect read straight from October through Christmas. It included all of the holidays and seasonal festivals.

Dewey's Magical Sleigh by Brahm Wenger and Alan Green ~ this is a great story about feeding those who are hungry!

All for the Newborn Baby by Phillis Root.

We sang this one and it put the dog to sleep.

There was No Snow on Christmas Eve by Pameal Ryan

The Christmas Donkey by Gillian McClure ~ beautiful story!

B is for Bethlehem by Isabel Wilner ~ Although this is a "Christmas Alphabet", it was just as lovely for my 8 and 9 year olds as it would have been for a kindergartner!

Country Angel Christmas by Tomie dePaola ~ you really can't go wrong with a Tomie dePaola book!

Who is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate ~ The Princess read this one several times. Perfect for the animal lover and Jesus lover!

The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard

This is the Star by Joyce Dunbar ~ the girls love these types of stories, the rhythm and the poetry. And, of course, the message.

A Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith ~ I just love including all of these stories that are based on the Nativity story, but are creatively told from other points of view.

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola ~ again withe Tomie dePaola! A beautiful story of generosity.

 The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg ~ there is also a DVD. This was our "candy cane day" ~ we read the book, made peppermint bark and watched the movie.

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell ~ a favorite around these parts.

The Donkey's Dream by Barbara Berger ~ so beautiful!

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojcieghowski ~ another one that had a DVD as well. We enjoyed reading this story aloud and then the girls watched the movie.

Winter's Gift by Jane Monroe Donovan ~ a favorite of the Princess all throughout the year.

The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving by Dandi Mackall

***
The Christmas Carol retold by Mark A. Taylor (can't find a picture)

***
The First Christmas retold by Mark A. Taylor (can't find a picture)

***
The Christmas Story Audio CD with the story, verses from the Bible and Christmas Carols (can't find a picture)

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, Illustrated by Douglas Gorsline ~ we read this every Christmas eve.

******

And, the books in the book baskets that the girls read themselves, but we didn't quite get to as far as Family Reading Aloud:

DK Children Just Like Me: Celebrations ~ this one was a favorite around here!

The Little Drummer Boy by Carolyn Quattrocki (we did read this one aloud last year)

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rock Osborne

The Christmas Story from the King James Bible with paintings by Gennady Spirin

Hanna's Christmas by Melissa Peterson

The Legend of the Christmas Rose by William H. Hooks

A Small Miracle by Peter Collington (we did this one last year and it's really special)

Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck (we did read this one aloud last year)

The Tale of the Three Trees: A traditional Folktale retold by Angela Elwell Hunt

The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden (we did read this one aloud last year)

Strega Nona's Gift by Tomie dePaola

Jacob's Gift by Max Lucado

The Story of Christmas words from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, pictures by Jane Ray

The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola (we did read this one aloud last year)

The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry Lisbeth Zwerger (we did read this one aloud last year and we listened to this on audio this  year)

Silent Night illustrated by Susan Jeffers (we did read this one aloud last year)

Good King Wenceslas by John M. Neale (we did read this one aloud last year)

Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers by Andrew Clements (we did read this one last year)

Until next time,

~ Irie Momma

Post re-run ... Plans for Advent

This post was originally published on November 28, 2012. I pray that these ideas bless your family in some way. Most of these ideas have already begun in our home this year as well.

Enjoy ...

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I don't know about you, but I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation.

We had an AMAZING Thanksgiving holiday.

Truly.

I could not have asked for ANYTHING more (other than for my Daddy and brother to have been with us in more than just spirit).

The family and friends were perfect.
  The food was delicious.
    The laughter was beautiful.
      The joy was contagious.
        The traffic was bearable.
          Everyone made it home safely.

But, now it is back to reality.

Of course, this new reality is an Advent reality, which is SO much better than the usual reality you come back to after a vacation!

Yes, there is laundry to do and there are suitcases to unpack and groceries to buy.

    But, there is also CHRISTMAS to get ready for.

That makes everything better.

I thought I'd share some of our plans for this Advent season in case you need inspiration for your own home. We've already begun to celebrate a few of these around here and the rest will be in full swing come this weekend when we can get all of our decorations out. This list is all that we have planned this month with ideas for how you can do it, too. Read it, enjoy it, make it your own. Whatever you do, do not get stressed out by the list. Just do what YOUR family enjoys doing. This is what WE have going on ...

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The first thing you should do is begin (if you don't already do this) lighting a seasonal smelly candle each morning and as you enter each room. I have candles in "mulled cider" and "gingerbread cookies" and "baking spices" and "pumpkin spice" and things of that nature. As soon as I get my tea in the morning, I light the one closest to me for my quiet time. When I leave that room and enter the kitchen, I blow that one out and light the one in the kitchen. It keeps the home smelling lovely and makes it cozy, warm and inviting. And, whenever you notice the flicker, say a small prayer for PEACE ... peace in your home, peace in your heart and peace in the world.

Next, go ahead and get that Christmas music playing in your home and car. Will it make you crazy after an entire month of it? Maybe. But, your kids will love it and it will get you in the right spirit, even if it IS 75 degrees and sunny where you live. If you don't have any Christmas CDs, borrow some from the library or play one of the Christmas stations on Pandora or the like.

We have already started reading from our massive list of Christmas books (I will do my best to share some of our favorites later in the season, but you can look in the archives for what we read last year). We have not yet gotten out our Christmas boxes (where all the books we OWN are), but I made sure to request about 20 of our favorites from the library before we went out of town for Thanksgiving, so they were waiting on us when we returned. Then, when we got back, I requested about 20 more that are slowly trickling in at the library. Simply place them in a basket in the living room and GET TO READING ALOUD to your children. Morning couch time is perfect for this. Sleep still in the children's eyes, bedhead and pjs make for good listeners. Get them to cuddle up on the couch under a blanket right away (with that seasonal candle burning on the table next to you) and read a few books to them before chores and breakfast. Then, even if the day gets away from you, you've done this one special thing already. Read about the Nativity story, read inspiring stories about love and generosity and peace. Stick to the GOOD stuff and keep your eyes on the "reason for the season" here.

Listen to some Christmas stories on audio at places like www.thestoryhome.com. We've already been listening to them.

Devote your morning Quiet time to Jesus. I mean, that's basically what you do anyway, but I mean REALLY put your focus on Him and His message this season.

Have a meeting with your children to figure out exactly what all you plan to make for gifts for family and make a list of supplies needed. Then, get to the craft store and GET TO MAKING those gifts! The time to ship them is right around the corner! I don't know about your homeschool, but making gifts and reading Christmas books and baking Christmas goodies and listening to Christmas music and doing all the things of the season is our "school" during this time. So, during that block of time you would normally be doing school, MAKE GIFTS.

Get four candles, some greenery and a larger pillar candle for the Christ candle and set up an Advent wreath or similar for your kitchen/dining room table. Make this with your children (if they are old enough and able) and begin to light the candle(s) at dinner each night. Light one candle this week, two candles next week, three the week after and four candles the final week. Save the center candle for Christmas, in honor of Christ.

Get a special stocking and some scrap pieces of paper and pens. Hang this "Jesus stocking" on the mantle (or whatever you have in your home) all alone so that it is special (save the other family stockings for Christmas eve). Each day, write something you are thankful for and place it in the stocking. Then, on Christmas eve or Christmas day, take the stocking down and read what all the family members placed inside all month.

Get to baking. Bake Christmas cookies and yummy bread and other sweet treats and give them to your elderly (or not) neighbors. The children will love the baking itself and the neighbors will feel loved when your children's smiling faces bring them goodies!

Get your tree and your decorations and get to decorating. Play that Christmas music as you and your children bring life to the home. Drink eggnog with freshly grated nutmeg while you decorate. Drink hot cocoa (add some Bailey's for the grown ups if you're into that sort of thing). Go ahead and bake some goodies just for the family.

Don't forget to do your oranges with cloves! The activity is fun for the family and the results are beautiful and smell amazing.

Read books about the real Saint Nicholas. Have your children set their shoes out on the eve of St. Nicholas Day (December 6th, so set them out on the night of the 5th) and then fill their shoes with treats while they sleep.

Get your hands on a catalog from Samaritan's Purse or something similar. Give your children a "budget" and allow them to pick out a gift (or more if you are financially able) for a family or child around the world. If they want to, they can pool their money together to get something "bigger" for someone, or they can use their own amounts to get smaller gifts. Either way, they are learning that Christmas is about GIVING, not about receiving. And, they are learning to appreciate all that they have ~ they can ask for the latest gadget for Christmas instead of a mosquito net to protect them from malaria or for a pair of shoes because they don't have any.

Find a production of The Nutcracker Ballet in your area and go. We are going to see the Nutcracker ballet with our homeschool group for the second year in a row and we are super excited about it. While you're at it, make Tchaikovsky your "composer" this month and listen to him and the Nutcracker at home. The ballet is much more enjoyable for little ones when they recognize all of the songs.

Find out when your town's Christmas Tree Lighting celebration is and go. Ours includes a bike parade, music and dance performances, hayrides, train rides, face painting, craft tables and more. Unfortunately, Daddy has to work that day, but we will hopefully make it over in time for Santa and Mrs. Claus to arrive via sleigh and watch as the community tree is lit. We went to the entire celebration last year and it was lots of fun. We'll be heading out to get our own tree after Santa's arrival and the community tree lighting this year.

Find a live Nativity or a live walk through Bethlehem in your area and go. We have the coolest live Bethlehem nearby that we went to last year and look forward to going to again this year. We get to go to an 8,000 square foot village with merchants, townspeople, artisans, beggars and live animals. There are over 200 costumed cast members that re-create the city of Bethlehem as it might have been on the night of Jesus' birth. There are authentic sights, sounds and smells and we get to walk through and make our way to the manger to see the Christ Child. Seriously awesome! We can't wait.

We will also be attending an Advent Spiral with friends. In this busy season, the Advent spiral is a time to slow down and reconnect with our souls and our inner selves. We will be sharing a meal with friends and the children will be lighting candles around the spiral, reminding us to be a light in the world. The oldest girl will get to be St. Lucia. It is a fun evening, full of both laughter and a quiet reverence. We really enjoyed it last year and look forward to it again.

Don't forget to take a night and go out and enjoy all of the Christmas lights! We love driving around and seeing what all people have done to make their homes beautiful during this time of year.

The last few years we have baked cookies and went out on Christmas eve searching for homeless people to bless. Two years ago we brought along several warm blankets and sweatshirts and socks and delivered all kinds of warmth (of the physical kind as well as the spiritual) to those in need. Last year, we did not have any blankets or clothes, but we still baked the cookies and took them out and delivered them wherever we could find people in need. I cannot tell you the joy on these people's faces to know that someone thought of them during this busy season. And, sharing this with our children is priceless. We will be doing this again this year, but we may get some more blankets and sweatshirts at the thrift store before we head out. We love this tradition.

Bake a birthday cake for Jesus and let your children make Him birthday cards to set out on Christmas eve. The card idea comes from the Princess. She wants to make Jesus a card and leave it out for the Angels to take it to Him (her words).

Of course, in OUR family, these celebrations also include a day devoted to the Hippie. Her birthday is two days before Christmas, so we'll be honoring her as well this season. Decorations will greet her when she wakes up, gifts, family breakfast, a family outing (whatever she wants to do) and a family dinner out.

And, finally .... Christmas morning.

Until next time,

~ Irie Momma