My Heart's at Home for the New Year Daybook

***

Outside My Window ...
it's still very dark.

***

I am listening to...
the wind howl outside. I don't think it's going to be very cold today but it is certainly windy! Sarah is snoring on my chest and Karoline is talking to her little wooden figures on the floor behind me. It's 5:30 AM. Going to be a long day, I think.
***

Towards rhythm and beauty ...
Mike is home all week.He's been sick with a nasty virus,so many of our plans for this week have been skirted. The rhythm of our household seems to have given way to endless Wii contests. It's still Christmas:-)

***

I am thankful for ...
a slower pace of life than the past few months have held.

***

From the kitchen ...
Split Pea soup and beer bread. We've used every last bit of that Christmas ham. And more fresh cranberry orange salad while the cranberries last.

***

To live the liturgy...
I'm doing some revising of the daily prayer plan as the new calendar year approaches. First, I'm ordering a booklight. All my prayer books and such are in a basket by the rocking chair in my bedroom. Mike is always still asleep when I awaken. I can't turn on the light in my room. With the booklight, I can still keep my notebook of prayers, my current Magnificat, my copy of Divine Intimacy and the Patmos books all together in one place, so I'm all set no matter what time of day. As I set out into the new year, I recognize how important it is to set times. I also recognize how simply I can do this. I am a nursing mother who must stop everything to feed my baby very often throughout the day. Those are my "set times" for prayer as well.
***

I am wearing ...
a plaid flannel nightgown and fuzzy Christmas socks.

***

I am creating ...
a new menu plan and shopping list. I'm going to think about it once and then just repeat for the rest of the winter.

***
To be fit and happy:-)
I'm going to join Barbara Curtis on the Fat Flush Plan. I've used this before with great results. Barbara articulates beautifully why Weight Watchers just doesn't work for me. Fat Flush helps me with total detachment. Also, it eliminates those food categories that I know are problematic for me personally. It's easily adapted for nursing moms and it dovetails nicely with Jen's Saint Diet.
***
Towards a real education ...
time to bring fresh life to the learning room! We're going to do a deep cleaning and we're writing new ideas for Serendipity! I promise to finish the last two Alphabet Path posts before January 5th.
***

Bringing beauty to my home ...
I love the way my home looks for Christmas. This year, I'm ready to box it all up earlier than usual. I'm looking forward to clean, uncluttered spaces.

***

I am reading  ...
The Purpose Driven Life and A Catholic Perspective on The Purpose Driven Life.

***

I am hoping ...
to make time for T-Tapp and Wii Fit every day.Fortunately both are right here at home and very kid-friendly.

***

Around the house ...
The laundry is nearly all caught up!
***
One of my favorite things ...
the morning after a good night's sleep. 

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
a "Mommy date" with Nicholas, an overnight getaway with Mike (and Sarah) if he feels better soon, New Year's Eve fondue and casino games here at home.

***

Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
   

 

After years of being a "boy house," I think it's safe to say we're a girl house now!

My Heart's at Home for Christmas Daybook

***

Outside My Window ...
The sun is rising and there's a heavy frost on the ground.Morning has broken after the longest night of the year.

***

I am listening to...
Sarah breathing. Is that wheezing?
***

Towards rhythm and beauty ...
This week's rhythm will be to the carols playing unceasingly. There is so much beauty in this season! I'm planning on soaking in the sights and sounds and smells of Christmas right here in my domestic church.

***

I am thankful for ...
a baby who "knew" I was wondering and worried and answered me with a smile.

***

From the kitchen ...
we had dinner for 22 last night. That's really not that many when you consider that 11 of those 22 are here every day.

THE MENU
antipasto with prosciuttio and salami, roasted peppers, artichokes, olives, provolone, tapenade and bruschetta
artichoke and spinach dip with tortillas
~
lasagna
spaghetti with bolognese sauce
Caesar salad
green beans
rosemary and olive bread
~
Texas sheet cake
pear pie with freshly whipped cream
Nicholas' birthday cake

Today, we eat leftovers. Yippee!
***

To live the liturgy...
Nicholas and I are going to meet Fr. Peter this morning for confession. At midnight Mass, Nick will receive Our Lord for the first time (and you can watch if you like. It will be televised on EWTN.) Nick's first Communion was delayed because of bedrest. And now that Sarah can't go to Mass until after flu season, it looked like he was going to have to wait until spring or I'd miss it. But...Mike is directing the production of midnight Mass from the Shrine. If Nicky receives then, Mike will be sure it's on TV and I can watch. Pretty cool, huh?
***

I am wearing ...
a flannel nightgown, fleece bathrobe and happy socks.

***

I am creating ...
18 boxes of fudge for Mike to take to the office tomorrow.

And I still need to blog Gingerbread Day and Peppermint Day and Nicky's Birthday and the extended family party. More retro-blogging.

***
Towards a real education ...
would you believe me if I told you my brain keeps going to the place where I've filed educational philosophy? I have some ideas for freshening things up in January.
***

Bringing beauty to my home ...
I love the way my home looks for Christmas. Michael has a nasty virus. When he's feeling better, I'll ask him to take photos for a bloggy tour of the decor.

***

I am reading  ...
(still)
The Gift of Faith, recommended on Faith and Family Live! This book very well may be the best book on faith I've ever read (I'm not finished yet).It's written simply enough to be readable even in translation. It incorporates Scripture,sacrament, Tradition, and the wisdom of the saints to offer a fresh perspective on the spiritual life.I'm reading it slowly and I know I'll return to it again and again. It also made my Christmas gift-giving list.
~
I spent a few hours in the van this weekend while my kids played games and went to Mass. Sarah and I hung out where the germs couldn't get her. I read Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas. It was a quick read--lots of white space and clear language. It was a nice reminder of the reason for the season and I think it will be a really good book to pass on to the young teens in my life.

***

I am hoping ...
everyone feels well by Wednesday.

***

Around the house ...
laundry is still my nemesis. Michael tells me that he can get into the dorms all during the winter break. There are 14 washers and dryers in his dorm. It's free. Do you know how tempted I am to load every last stitch of laundry into the van and go hang out in a college dorm for a couple of hours and then be
all caught up?  
Very. I'm very tempted.

***
One of my favorite things ...
Sarah's smile. I wonder how many times she will smile before it won't make me cry?

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
driving around to look at lights (tonight I think), a little more bustle tomorrow, Christmas Eve seafood feast, midnight Mass, a quiet Christmas day at home. Well, as quiet as it can be with nine children.

***

Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
    

Three little girls after a big party.

Advent Daybook

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Outside My Window ...
The neighborhood glows with Christmas lights.

***

I am listening to...
The new Amy Grant Christmas album. I love Amy Grant!

***

Towards rhythm and beauty ...
We are thoroughly immersed in the feasts and traditions of Advent. This year, it's all coming together without too much stress. We're doing what we've done in years' past (with a few additions provided by creative friends), and reading what we've always read. It's still awfully busy though!

***

I am thankful for ...
a season of reconciliation, peace, and joy.

***

From the kitchen ...
we'll have Peppermint  Day this week (not sure which day yet). We'll read peppermint stories and make peppermint bark and peppermint marshmallows. And it's time to finalize a menu for the extended family Christmas gathering.
oh and...
did you know that pomegranates have long been associated with fertility? And did you notice that they are only an early winter fruit? Perhaps that's why I have six babies born between September 29th and October 31st. I love pomegranates.
***

To live the liturgy...
I am enjoying having Magnificat magazine around once again. The Advent supplement is good food for thought and prayer and I'm finding myself drawn into the daily rhythm of the Church's prayer after getting out of the habit recently.
***

I am wearing ...
jeans, a button down flannel shirt of Mike's and Christmas socks. I have no plans to leave the house today and these are good clothes for nesting.

***

I am creating ...
a picture post with our Advent doings so far. Maybe tomorrow...

***
Towards a real education ...
I don't know why I thought that I could recover from surgery, feed an infant who still forgets the suck-swallow-breathe sequence sometimes, put my house back in order after bedrest, do all the Advent cooking and crafting,AND resume academics. I can't. And for the next 18 days, I'm not even going to try. We own everyone of the Christmas books on the sidebar. I'm just going to read aloud for the forseeable future.
***

Bringing beauty to my home ...
I love the way my home looks for Christmas. Perhaps when Michael returns home, I'll ask him to take photos for a bloggy tour of the decor.

***

I am reading  ...
The Gift of Faith, recommended on Faith and Family Live! This book very well may be the best book on faith I've ever read (I'm not finished yet).It's written simply enough to be readable even in translation. It incorporates Scripture,sacrament, Tradition, and the wisdom of the saints to offer a fresh perspective on the spiritual life.I'm reading it slowly and I know I'll return to it again and again. It also made my Christmas gift-giving list.
~
I spent a few hours in the van this weekend while my kids played games and went to Mass. Sarah and I hung out where the germs couldn't get her. I read Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas. It was a quick read--lots of white space and clear language. It was a nice reminder of the reason for the season and I think it will be a really good book to pass on to the young teens in my life.

***

I am hoping ...
to reconnect with some dear friends.

***

Around the house ...
There's an awful lot to do! The children have been busier than they usually are in December with sports.Laundry is challenging Mt. Everest both in height and unsurmountability.  The house never really recovered from bedrest and time away when Sarah was in the NICU.The clutter situation is really out of hand. But I'm resisting the urge to have it all done by Christmas. Better, I think, to make it a January project.  

***
One of my favorite things ...
the morning after Michael arrives home for Christmas break. It's so nice to wake up knowing all my children are under the same roof again. And that has become our new tradition for St. Lucy's day. We can't do it without him!

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
driving around to look at lights, Peppermint Day,and an evening out with Mike and Sarah .

***

Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
 
All set for Gaudete Sunday dinner.

Thanksgiving Daybook

***

Outside My Window ...
I am grateful to know that next spring, we can Lasagna Garden all over again. The front beds were sorely neglected when the seasons changed. The pansies never got planted. New bulbs never went in. And weeds have staked their claim. But I have plans for some bright annuals in the spring and the roses...the roses still bloom despite the unseasonal cold. In the spring, more compost and many more roses. I'm thankful for gardening catalogs to read in the bathtub during the winter.

***

I am listening to...
Sarah's quiet breathing. And I am so grateful to have her here, strapped tightly against my chest, breathing on her own, warm and content to be home .

***

Towards rhythm and beauty ...
I am grateful for the rhythm of the liturgical year, for the new year that begins this weekend. I'm ready for a new beginning, ready to embrace the waiting and watching for the Holy Infant. I'm not so ready for the feasts and the crafts, but I trust that the Blessed Mother knows my heart and she will show me how to keep advent holy in my home this year.

***

I am thankful for ...
life itself.Really. And I am thankful for the opportunity to look at life through focused lenses and determine anew to live it for Him. The day that Sarah was born, I was asked by several medical people several times exactly what my wishes were should the emergency escalate. And again and again I told them I wanted to be well enough to care for my family. It still amazes me how well I functioned physically in the days Sarah was in the NICU. God heard me every time I reiterated my "wishes" and He knew they were prayers. And I am grateful for the clarity of knowing that this is His will for me, too.

***

From the kitchen ...
I am grateful for a freezer stocked with meat, for a pantry full of staples (and for my friend Barbara who cleaned and organized that pantry after the pantry moths had a party when I was on bedrest). I am grateful for all the people who fed my family when I couldn't. I am grateful for the inspiration of those cookbooks that are calling to me and beckoning now--it's time to be Queen of the Kitchen again. And I'm grateful for Food Network:-).
***

To live the liturgy...
I had a baby on the vigil of All Saint's Day. Time stood still. And now, Mother Church rouses me and bids me to begin anew. She calls me to look East, to make my house fair. She promises me that Love, the Guest is on His way.
***

I am wearing ...
my bathrobe. Again. Later, I will change into a black knit skirt and a button down shirt. I am grateful for my post-partum wardrobe. Knit skirt, button down shirt, flat black boots. The thing about a knit skirt is that it doesn't taunt you the way the waistband and zipper of jeans taunt. It just pulls on and promises to look better and better as time goes on. I have four black knit skirts. They are old as the hills. I'm grateful for every one of them.

***

I am creating ...
a Christmas letter, to send out early --with my birth announcements which are now late. I'm grateful for the friends far and wide who will share our joy this year and whose cards and letters will cheer us in the coming month.

***
Towards a real education ...
I am grateful for the women who create lessons and share them on Serendipity. These are sisters of the heart. Truly, I count them among my dearest friends and certainly they are among God's greatest gifts to our family.
***

Bringing beauty to my home ...
I am grateful that Michael will be home this weekend and he will answer my every little puttering request as we decorate for Christmas. Three big boys will do my bidding and indulge my every decorating whim. And they will like it.

***

I am reading  ...
Simple Gifts.What a treasure! Nissa sent me a copy to read on my babymoon. This is utterly beautiful. I mean that both visually and in terms of content. And I admit to printing the e-version just so I could hold its loveliness.  Do indulge yourself. I'm thankful I did.

***

I am hoping ...
that I never forget how grateful I am for the lessons learned this year.

***

Around the house ...
I am grateful for a new sense of appreciation for the process of keeping house. It's amazing how much I am enjoying putting things in order. I vacuumed for the first time since July the other day. How fun to suck up all those little things that make the house untidy. I'm quite sure I was as gleeful as a toddler at discovering this machine. Perhaps the novelty will wear off, but for now it's fun to play house again. And I'm very thankful for the house itself.   

***
One of my favorite things ...
Marriage. I am so thankful for the man, for the sacrament, for the growth, for the gift.

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
I hesitate to put this in writing, lest someone suggest I am insane but...if Michael's team wins tonight and the draw is such that most of those boys can't go home for Thanskgiving, I think we might just have a bunch of boys to eat turkey. We'd have to keep Sarah upstairs because she can't be in a crowd, but that's okay, Christian would be happy to have an excuse to escape the crush;-).

***

Here is a picture thought I am sharing~

Big boys, little girls. Can't quite get enough of that.

Babymoon Daybook

***

Outside My Window ...
I missed a season. It was summer when bedrest began and now the fall is waning outside my window. Before long, it will truly be winter. I noticed that the leaves were just past peak on my drive home from the hospital. Mike tells me they were beautiful during the week we were in the hospital.

***

I am listening to...
The rhythm of the humidifier and Sarah's quiet breathing..

***

Towards rhythm and beauty ...
I am so glad to have traded the schedule of the NICU for the rhythm of home We're nursing happily around the clock, as often as this sweet baby wants.

***

I am thankful for ...
life itself.

***

From the kitchen ...
My kitchen is beginning to come to life again. Patrick made bolognese sauce this afternoon.
***

To live the liturgy...
I had a baby on the vigil of All Saint's Day. Time stood still.
***

I am wearing ...
my bathrobe. I need to get dressed but I have a feeling my wardrobe choices will be very limited this morning. Maternity clothes are too big. Regular clothes are too small.

***

I am creating ...
back posts. I'm writing all out of order, trying to go back and journal the last few weeks.

***
Towards a real education ...
Everyone who is old enough is reading the Dr. Sears Premature Baby Book.
***

Bringing beauty to my home ...
In October, the letters on the mantel spelled "PATIENCE." For November, we will spell "GRATEFUL." All of this was planned many, many months ago. But it sure takes on a whole new meaning now.

***

I am reading  ...
When I was eighteen weeks pregnant and I first learned I had placenta previa, I asked God to show me what He wanted for a fast. Since I was already sticking very closely to a super healthy diet, I wasn't looking for food or drink. God pointed me to my google reader. I cut out several blogs and drastically reduced my reading time. Yesterday, I poked around a bit and caught up on what I'd been missing. Also, after spending the post-election week completely away from the computer, I had 700+ entries under my "political blogs" tab. I read very few of those before deleting the whole bunch of them. Sometimes, when I fast, I find out I've actually formed a good habit. Fewer blogs to read is a good habit, I think.

***

I am hoping ...
for a peaceful babymoon.

***

Around the house ...
it's well past time to put in order many of the things I never even saw when I was on bedrest.

***
One of my favorite things ...
the smell of a newborn.
And
a perpetually grumpy fourteen-year-old boy who appreciates the smell of a newborn and says he wants to bottle it.

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
The pediatrician for Sarah today and the midwife for me on Friday. Other than that, it's all cuddling, all the time.

***

Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
 
We took Karoline's doll out of her toy bed and put Sarah in it. Sarah is smaller than the doll. And so much sweeter...