Our Advent Wreath

I ADORE this time of year! I adore Advent, and preparing. My soul and spirit needs this so deeply - to prepare for my Lord.

This includes preparing my home, which seems to become a greater challenge each year in getting my symbols of the season out and about to help my mind and heart quiet. This year, while I had my wreath out and ready, it took a few days to light it and bless it. But, we got our home prepared this weekend, and I can tell my spirit and soul feel a difference! I am focusing better! Less noise!

Last week was our first year participating in Snoring Scholar's Advent Wreath Link-Up.  Here was my post last year, as it helps explain the deep meaning behind our particular wreath base.

So, without any further adieu, here is 2012's edition of the Advent Wreath Link-Up!!

As usual, we have it placed on our dinning table. This year, we are excited to have won a copy of Sarah Reinhard's Welcome Baby Jesus  and LOVE using the "Think/Pray/Act" prompts as we reflect on each week's candle. It is a WONDERFUL Advent resource for the whole family. This year, I took a wider angled picture to capture its daily companion - our Jesse Tree. We love these two traditions in our home. We do an ornament a day with the kids over at Advent Adventures!

I so love our wreath. I miss our traditional (my childhood) one...lost in storage from last year's move and illness....BUT, I have fallen in love with its simplicity, the color white - purifying my life, and the etchings on it with the themes of each week. I felt it was made for our home and hearts.

This year, we added new wreath - one for the kids. Lovely made this SO BRILLIANTLY simple homemade green play-dough wreath with votive candles in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. How cool is this? We light it at night time prayers in their room (and blow it out and put it up high!). What a great, hands on, step by step way to learn about the Advent Wreath?

I hope you are having a blessed Advent 2012. Much love and prayers to you, and THANK YOU for your prayers for us. They are working, day by day. Healing is a blessing!!!

Comfort and Joy

                               

                                                                  Sometimes...it's the little things that bring added comfort and joy.

The treasured doesn't seem so far away after all...

                     ...and they shine just a bit brighter...

                                                                                                                   ...and glows from the inside out.


                                                            Comfort and Joy. I'll take it!

What I Wore Sunday, Vol. 2

Well, I'm humbled by the picture. Not my favorite - but it's the real me! Broom and all (my 2 year old son was pushing leaves off the porch as my husband took the picture).

It's a lovely 2nd week of Advent!!!! Blessed times to you all!!!

I'm a little tired as I write this, so it will be short and sweet. We had a LOVELY Mass, great homily, and wonderful community time afterward. I feel so blessed by my parish.

Today, I threw on a top I've had for over 4 years. It was the top I bought post partum for my now 4 yo's baptism. I'm still working on my weight post partum from my last baby....the 2 year old LOL! The jeans are some of the newest jeans I've gotten on my WW journey. With battling some emotional eating too...I've been up and down on this journey to get more healthy. I'll get there. Thanks for the prayers!

Top - Lerner New York, circa 2008
Jeans - Value Village (thrift...no label survived)
Shoes - black Naturalizer ballet pumps.
Jewelry:  pearl earrings from my 19th birthday, leather and metal cross bracelet

Oh - and I washed and brushed my hair. That's a big deal ;)

Happy Sunday! Can'y wait to be inspired traveling around all those participating at: Fine Linen and Purple.

Blessings!!

Blessed Advent to you!! Week 2!

May you have a blessed, second week of Advent. And, to my dear friends who celebrate Hanukkah - Happy Festival of Lights!

Much love!

Ooops!!

It's not a totally PJ day like I thought, ooops....it's a MAJOR feast day too!!  And, haha, this is totally me on more occasions than I can count:

So, while I was looking forward to a day in my PJs, I think getting a chance to give some praise to the God who gives me my PJ days and gratitude for our Mama Mary would probably be in order!

Blessed Feast Day to you!!!

Blessed Advent!

It's Advent!!! May this be a blessed time of preparation for us all!!!!

Art

Ok, I fell in a hole. I'm so sorry. I was on an upswing where blogging didn't feel like work, and then it felt like work, and I was a bit burdened and stressed...and well....blah blah blah. Hey G - you still checking? HAA!

I have noticed so many bloggers taking a break, posting less, or jumping in with renewed energy after feeling their blog had become "work". I'm shocked I haven't even done an Advent post yet. I LOVE Advent.

Yep...funky town.

But, I'll report some good things real fast I hope to follow with pictures - A great Thanksgiving holiday, fun at the park, fun in the leaves, a KID FREE weekend getaway for my husband and I, a Santa Brunch, A Family Christmas Work Party, and more. I also restarted my WW meeting journey after missing months of meetings when my husband was in another state for months, and then I just fell out of the habit after that...and made excuses...humph. So, we've been living life - just not here, and I'm getting annoyed I'm not recording it, because I LOVE my past blog entries. A bygone, care free era.

I have so much to blog, I feel overwhelmed, so we'll just start with some recent art projects by my girls:


"Mommy" (apparently on a contacts wearing day), by Valiant.

"Pounce" by Lovely.

"My family" by Valiant

I love our happy smiles. Can you see us all crowding like this at your door? HA!

A study on Van Gogh, by Lovely

Much love....blessings!!!!