8 years is long enough to wait, right?

I finally have a Kitchanaid stand mixer. Last week I stumbled across a phenomenal deal online. And since I expected a check for almost the same amount only two days later, I bought it. :) Isn't it beautiful?



The boys were suitably enthralled.



(well, we were making St. Nicholas cookies, so perhaps that accounts for the interest.)



I'm in love. I'm so in love that I cleaned the kitchen so that it would match the beauty of the mixer.

Pretty, pretty, pretty!

Auntie Leila on Advent

We're finding ourselves in a very busy life season right now. This tends to leave me feeling rather frazzled, and that has only been heightened by the nagging worry that I "ought" to be doing more with the kids for Advent.

Today I read Auntie Leila's post on Advent, and I'm feeling a bit more peaceful now. Because you know what? As usual, she's right. ;)

The simple act of lighting a candle in the home, if done peacefully and attentively, can open the door to wonder. Wonder is at the heart of Advent.

We can get frazzled and feel that we're not doing enough, that our children don't understand enough. Really, their understanding will grow with each year that they experience the same beautiful, simple rituals at home and at Church. . . . What I think the children tire of, eventually, is our jangling attempts to elicit some response from them, which, in the end, comes to this: That we seek affirmation from them. When really, we should confidently offer them what we know to be good, and trust that the good will be accomplished.

I don't need to have a perfect advent craft or activity planned for every single day. What I do need to do is be mindful of the season myself, and then offer the basic reminders to my children as well. So we light the candles at dinner. We pray and we sing advent hymns. We read books about Jesus and St. Nicholas during our morning story time. We unwrap our creche with care and set the animals in their stable. Perhaps we bake cookies.

And that really is enough. I don't have to *make* Advent special; it already is. I just need to point the way toward Jesus in terms and symbols that little boys can start to understand.

Advent, popcorn strings

I wasn't sure if the boys were quite ready for stringing popcorn, but it is so much fun we had to try it anyway. :)



Thomas thought that eating the popcorn was awesome. Stringing it? Not so much!



But Jonathan surprised me. Not only is he quite dexterous enough to string it, he also stayed focused for a long time.



We only got one long string made, but it was a wonderful afternoon.

Advent, through Jonathan's eyes

Advent, Mary Sunday

Jonathan wanted to make a star for the top of the tree. He cut it out by himself and stapled it with minimal help. It turned out beautifully.



Decorating the tree...



This year Josiah is old enough to put ornaments on all by himself!



We turned on Christmas music - Welcome All Wonders by JAC Redford - and made Parisian Warm Chocolate.



I tell you, this is decadent!



1.5 cups organic whole milk
1/2 cup cream
3/8 cup evaporated cane juice
7 oz. Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate, chopped

Simmer the milk, cream and sugar together until just boiling. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Don't let it boil. Serve warm, with fresh whipped cream.



Gabe lit the advent candles while the boys waited impatiently for the "ok" to start on their chocolate.





Oh my, that is good chocolate.



It was a lovely Sunday evening.



God of love and mercy,
help us to follow the example of Mary,
always ready to do your will.
At the message of an angel
she welcomed your eternal Son
and, filled with the light of your Spirit,
she became the temple of your Word.

from Liturgy of the Hours

Advent, making gifts

Gifts for my family: hours in the kitchen resulting in these lovelies.



Gifts for the children's friends:







Gifts for me: humor in my day. Apparently Josiah thinks that it is Halloween.

Muppet Christmas Carol

Hey Dad, remember this?



We're continuing the tradition. Jonathan is inspired. :)

Advent, ongoing

Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Phillip came over last Saturday for an early Christmas. They brought a pre-baked gingerbread TRAIN.

Oh, the excitement!










Those things are more complicated than they look. :) It took an afternoon with grandparents, and another morning with me, but isn't the result pretty?



The boys really enjoyed it. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

Advent, St. Nicholas Day

Chocolate coins in their shoes!



Baking and icing St. Nicholas (and other) shaped cookies.









Pictures are worth lots and lots of words, right? I'm heading for bed. ;)

Advent, what day are we on again?

Every year I think I want to post about what we do for advent each day. And every year advent runs away and leaves me behind. :)

Today is St. Nicholas day, so we made St. Nicholas cookies. No pictures, because hey, we were too busy making cookies! If I'm feeling ambitious we might even frost them this afternoon.

Advent, day 4

This advent activity was entirely unplanned, but it turned out really well! Jonathan made Christmas ornaments out of Perler fusion beads. This is a new art medium for him and he's loving it.



Surprisingly, so is Thomas! I wasn't expecting him to be interested or capable, because it requires such careful fine motor movement. But my very focused little boy sat himself down and spent nearly an hour working on this for me.



Isn't it cute? I love all the different colors, I love that it is a turtle, and I love all that effort that went into making it for me.

Advent, day 3

Getting out the creche...



and St. Nicholas.



Aunt Sarah, Jonathan wanted to call you immediately and request more figures for our creche. :)

Advent, day 2

A tradition with fond memories from my growing-up years: the count-down-to-Christmas chain!



I have more pictures from the process, but I can't post most of them because one of the neighbor children came over to make her own chain with us. We've been inviting her over all fall for various "school" projects, so it was natural to invite her in for this one. It was neat to get the chance to talk about Advent and the coming of Jesus while she was here.

We're counting down the days to Jesus' birth!

Advent, day 1

Setting up the advent wreath:



Apparently Advent makes Jonathan think of angels, because that's what he wanted to be tonight. With wings, Mom! The wings were a joint effort between Gabe and I, since I am spatially challenged. :) I think they turned out pretty well!