Daybook: Edited

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week...

Nurse myself and my children through this stomach bug.

Happy New Year.

:P

Daybook: Christmas Week Edition

Shamefully stealing my title from Elizabeth. It's almost Thursday and I'm just getting around to this corner of my world. What a busy week!

Outside my window...

It's late. About 10pm, ,actually. The night sky is clear and cold. I can see the planes lining up for landing. Sometimes, I count as many as 14 of them blinking their patterns throughout the sky.



I am listening to...

My peanuts... getting settled into bed. Yes, they are still awake. Yes, I know that is terrible. But the pay-off comes in the morning when we get to sleep in until 9am. We are die-hard vacationers.
:)


I am wearing...

My favorite jeans and Lil Sis' brown fitted sweater, comfy crocs, pearl earrings and a pony tail. We just had some very fun friends over for dinner and DH and I went into clean up mode. Only took 15 minutes!



I am thankful for...

Fun friends to invite over for dinner. Specifically, older siblings who show me that maybe 15 won't be so scary when we get there, and quite possibly, we will be able to parent in a way to ensure that.



I am pondering...

What it is going to take to get Little Love to get to bed and stay there. Surely my blogging at this hour is not helping the situation.
;)



I am reading...

Of Human Bondage for bookclub, of course.



From the kitchen...

We had tortilla soup, homemade salsa, lots of toppings and chocolate cake. Easy crowd-pleasers. I love cooking hearty meals and serving them up to hungry mobs. It's that Mama instinct kicking in. We know what's good and we enjoy providing it in abundance.



I am thinking...

About many diverse things. Hard to put my finger on them all. Like Elizabeth, I think the majority of my ponderings these days will remain locked within my own mind. No need to put it out for common fodder. I need to remain still.



I am creating...

Nothing. Other than maybe my 3rd sinus infection of the season? Thanks to the wacky weather and high pollen counts, my voice is almost gone, and my sinus' are on fire. Love. It. Lots of hot tea and nasal sprays....



Towards rhythm and beauty...

Mostly order is on tap this week. We start schooling again on Monday, and the home school room looks anything but. I had hoped to get a few sewing projects done... we'll see.



To Live the Liturgy...

Still working on that. I'm researching saints' books, and planning on a lot of reading around here for awhile. I'd like the kids to find some favorites so that whatever we do celebrate makes sense and has a purpose in their eyes. We'll also be heading to mass on Fridays again.



I'm hoping and praying...

That whatever hard decisions we need to make in the next 6 months are filled with peace and firm resolve.



In the Garden...

Pansies in the front bed, thriving nicely, even in the snow! I'm hoping for some chard for the back pots, but need to wait on my generous neighbor. No rush!



Around the house...

Lots of projects, not a lot of capital. So, most of it is on hold. Not a big inconvenience, but definitely a lesson in patience. And a lesson in counting your blessings. We are blessed, even without a master bathroom shower!
:)



One of my favorite things...

Chatting with DH over a cup of coffee by the Christmas tree. So cozy and quiet... until the kids realize where we are!



A few plans for the rest of the week...

DH surprised me with a ticket to the hockey game on Sat. So, we will both take the older 3 kids, and a dear saintly friend has agreed to watch the two littlest for the afternoon. Then, that evening, DH and I will go to a Christmas party at another dear friend's home. I love this time of year!


Picture thought...

Sorry, I'm on DH's laptop. No pictures here....

:P

Concerning My "Oh-So-NOT-Very-Holy-Family"

Our Holy Mother Church is so so so very wise.

We all know this.

But the celebration of today's Feast of the Holy Family could not be better timed.

Wrung out physically and emotionally from the past two days of merry-making and happy-face-making, I made my way to mass feeling very UN-like the Holy Family. I was not looking forward to the inevitable exhortation of "we must look to the Holy Family as an example for our families today" hogwash as I discipline Little Love for the umpteenth time and remove Action Man's fingers from his ears... my eyebrows raised at Little Dear to leave her locket be, and folding my hands properly while trying catch Sports Fan's eye as he serves at the altar. (erm... DH always has Little Boo all to himself.)

:)

No. I thought. I just cannot do this today. We are so very much unlike the Holy Family, and it's probably all my fault since I was not born sinless! (I am very rational when I'm annoyed... can you tell?)

So, what to do?

Enter the readings.

From Sirach:

God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.

I needed this confirmation today like no other. Not an "in your face, kiddos" kind of way, but just a very real and very comforting and firm encouragement that we have the backing of the Almighty in our day to day struggle.

From Colossians:

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.

And be thankful.

Yes.... and be thankful.

Thank you, Lord, for my beautiful family. For my children, who are so unique and somewhat tiresome. Thank you for the daily struggle... since by this alone will come my redemption. Thank you for my strong husband. Ever supportive, ever understanding. My earthly rock to which I cling.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Yes... I need to ask more. To beg Him to show me. To pray before teaching and correcting... and above all, to be a better example. Lord, what a mighty work still needs to be done in me.

The pictures painted in the readings today are ones of hope, not a misplaced ideal of something we will not be able to attain. There is a path here, clearly labeled. And it is not a foreign one.

And yet, in the wake of the hustle and bustle of the season... how apropos. Somehow, She knew. Our Mother knew that we earthly mothers would be strung out and left high and dry. Our nerves and patience would be shot. We would view our children with a wearied eye.

Akin to a gentle kiss on the forehead and a firm pat on the back, The Church sends us out once again. Ready to take up our tasks with a renewed vigor.

Heartened and grateful.

:)


cross-posted to DFW Catholic

Wowza

These are for my parents, and Lil Sis, who is totally missing this!!!



































We've lived here 13 years, and have never had an entire day of snow!





















And it hadn't stopped yet!!
















This is what we saw when we returned from mass...

































Merry Christmas y'all!!


:)

Tomorrow is Christmas...It's Practically Here!

That's how Little Boo greeted us this morning. (Remember, she was the Grinch for Halloween this year.)

:)

In keeping with the theme "Nut House" and in wishing you and yours a very Merry and Holy Christmas... here are some keeping it real moments for your enjoyment:

1. I always make Peanut Butter Bon Bons for the Christmas season. They are saved for this time of year, and no other. It's hugely anticipated by the kids, and dreaded by me. Sticky peanut butter, hot chocolate coating, and many little hands can send me over the edge. I decided to let go of the perfection and let the kids take over.

The end result? Sticky balls of chocolate that look like huge armadillo droppings. Or, to be less eloquent, cow doo doo. I kid you not. Little Boo was in charge of the "coating" part, and when she deemed it sufficiently coated, she scooped up the bon bon and flung it, mess-hall style, onto the tray... and there it hardened.




















heh heh

2. Very awesome friends of ours came by last night and dropped off a cute package of Christmas goodies and a cd of Christmas music. The Christmas music is eclectic, just like our fun friends, and our kids favorites? "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" and Bruce Springsteen's rendition of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town." I am going insane.
:)

3. The goodies they dropped off were super cute!!
















See how amazingly decorated that little mitten is? (Her 15 year old must have done that one.) Let's contrast it to the Nut House sugar cookies... (what's left of them, anyway)















oh, dear.

4. To keep my inner Martha at bay, our friends made sure to include a few cookies that had markings like... a single swipe of icing in the middle of a gingerbread boy, complete with sprinkles and stars and such oozing out. We think they are the "guts"...
:)

5. When the Dad came to drop the goodies off, I handed him a plate of our Armadillo droppings, and wished them a Merry Christmas.

I know they will enjoy them.

Because they have 5 kids too. And completely understand.

:P

A Quiet Christmas

We have had many busy rambunctious Christmases in the past.

There was this one... where we braved the insane blizzards and set out on our first (of many) 12 hour treks to the snowy mountains of Colorado to spend the holidays with my family.

And then the latest one, complete with our move, wherein we were "homeless" for the holidays, and spent weeks at my parents' home (surprised we are still on speaking terms!) caught the stomach flu, and landed on the doorstep of our new home after the New Year.

Last year, we opted to stay put... for two reasons. First, it would be our first Christmas in our new home, and we wanted to take full advantage. Secondly, our kids were tired of never seeing their friends over the break. Family is loads of fun, but when you return just in time for all of your school friends to go back to school... it's a bummer. So, we regaled the holidays in true Nut House style. We decorated every blessed inch of our new digs, had another family over for Christmas dinner, and visited with many of our friends. It was lovely.

This year is an "off" year for the extended family. Y'all know what that means, right? When the married siblings are off at their in-laws for Christmas, since it is "their" turn to see the kids and grandkids. So, much to the dismay of my kids, we will not be traveling this year either. We will be waiting until next year to fill my parents' home to the bursting, in order that all the siblings and grandkids can drive my parents crazy be under one roof again.

It is a bit surreal, in these last days before Christmas, to be wandering outside in short sleeves and jeans, cleaning up the yard, calling to the kids to put their bikes away... sweating in the kitchen with the fans on, and not packing or driving, or planning outings in the snow. We do have plans for a Christmas morning fire in the fireplace... lows in the 20s... brrr!

Our Christmas dinner will be just us. DH is concerned, his eyes searching mine, to make sure I will not melt on Christmas Day, with the lack of busy-ness and bustle. He knows me well. We shall see. (If you get a last-minute invitation, don't be too surprised! LOL) But I have a feeling I will be just fine. We can do our own bustling pretty well.

:)

We chose this life. And I do love it dearly. I love my family and I miss them. I love my friends and am so grateful to be traveling this journey with them.

I feel so very blessed.

Merry Merry Christmas to you all!

Filed Under: The Less-Than-Stellar Moments of Nutmeg

It's the evening of the first day of Winter Break! Do you know where your liquor cabinet is??


Lessee how Nutmeg fared today. Here are some snippets:

1. The cat scarfed down his breakfast this morning, and then promptly parked himself in the formal living room and began howling and heaving. I came flying in, grabbed the cat, wrestled with the lock on the back door, threw the cat down and yanked on the lock with both hands thus effectively freeing it...

And looked down in time to see the cat vomit all over the hardwood floor at my feet.

My kids learned a new word today.

It shall not be repeated here.

2. The thrifty homemaker version of Nutmeg decided to make yummy! homemade! bread! I dumped all the contents into the bread maker and turned it on. The stuff isn't spinning, even though the machine is making all the obligatory noises. I looked around in time to see Sports Fan spinning the paddle to the bread machine in his hand.

The kids learned another new word.

I turned off the bread machine, grabbed the paddle and proceeded to fish my hand into the globs of dough, egg and oil. As I attempted to match up the sides of the paddle hole onto the attachment, I tried not to think how similar this feeling of gloppy wet flour is to the mess I had to handle earlier in the day...

*cringe*

3. Skip on to dinner time. Little Boo is thrilled with the evening's fare of pasta. Without a word, she shovels her food and steps over Little Dear to spoon herself a second helping. DH and I exchanged surprised looks as Little Dear scoots back in her chair to accommodate the contortions of Little Boo as she also decides to ladle a hearty scoop of sauce over her pasta, her rear end deftly placed in front of Little Dear's chattering mouth.

Neither one skips a beat.

I hide behind my glass of wine.

After all, we have a whole 2 weeks of this to go.

:P

Stretching an Empty Womb

Have you ever read Ann? Never? Oh, you are missing out. Go!

She is my salve, my focus, at the beginnings of my days. She truly helps me to see the extraordinary in the everyday. She is a poet, a ponderer, and a farmer's wife. And while I am a newbie to her world and have not participated in any of her online gatherings, I am a humble beneficiary of her thoughts.

Specifically the ones she has been tapping out on the meaning of being a womb for Christ this Christmas.

A dear friend of mine, due with her eighth child in the beginning of February, is living this out in a very real way this Holiday Season. Her limbs are sore, her body aches. She is exhausted and spent. Yet she keeps giving. Her arms reach for the 2 year old, her hands serve up their meals, her feet take her through her day, and her face smiles. When speaking on the phone, I sense the fatigue, but never an ounce of complaint. She is living out her vocation and it edifies all those around her. Her love surrounds. What an inspiration.

God has asked me to stretch in other ways this year.

And I find it comforting, in an odd sort of way, to see Him seeking me out with such a vehemence, to feel His tug and push. It is not easy. At times it is downright painful, and I kick and scream in agony as my will is stretched and my wants are ignored. My focus is shifted, and my time is no longer my own. My thoughts are being challenged, and my generosity is being tested. This labor of love, it's not easy. And I can choose to walk away. But then? Then I will not be what I should. This rebirth will be stunted in me.

The "newborn" I am to birth is not the kind that coos and feeds and smiles with luscious dimples. But it is a birth. There will be joy when I emerge on the other side. Maturity, too, I hope.

And peace.

Peace that this is where God wants me to be. This is what I am to be about. And that is truly a comfort. To rest in the knowledge that no matter what happens, no matter who says what, no matter what anyone in the entire universe may think... I am right with God. I am fulfilling what He set out for me to do.

I have a feeling that it will take longer than just this last week of Advent.
:)

That journey to Bethlehem long ago is symbolic of our short visit here on this earth. We are ever seeking, ever searching. The rooms are full, and we must rely on God. If there are not pains along the way, then we have lost our focus.

And if there is not joy along the way, we have strayed from our path.

But the promise of that newborn, the Most Precious Infant Christ, and Redeemer of mankind, is what helps us persevere.

Here's to a joyous, wondrous Christmas!

:)

The Definition of a Joyous Christmas

Go here.

Bring tissues.

Having followed Michelle through this long wait for her husband, I can barely see the keyboard.

:`)

Convicted

From Danielle's links:

Comes this.


It's always rewarding when I step away from the virtual and immerse myself in the real.

Most days, it's a beautiful place to be.


:)