Fright Night, Fun Night

Erik, Frey, Freya, and Faramir sorting
out the pumpkin seeds.

(There are several good links to articles and a podcast in this post for futher reading/listening.  I've also posted them at the end of the article. Enjoy!)

Our pumpkins are carved, the candy is purchased, the last feather has been hot-glued into place...it must be Halloween!

Of course, Halloween can be a bit of a minefield for Christians these days...with mines mostly laid by other Christians.  So, I understand if you feel some real apprehension about how to celebrate.  And if you are particularly sensitive to scary images or have issues with the occult, then it makes sense to find an alternative for your family.

Artemesia, Freya and Frey
working on their jack o-lantern
designs

But if you enjoy celebrating a day of imagination and fun, then let's frolic on Halloween!  It's like one big scary, fairy tale story...a great way to face our fears and laugh.

Most of you probably have your own Halloween traditions, and I'd love to hear them (comments!)!  Please share!  Here's what we enjoy:

• Selecting a pumpkin, creating a design and daddy cuts it out.  Then we turn out all the lights and light the candle.

• Toasting the pumpkin seeds.  This one takes some work!  
1. Seperate the seeds from the pumpkin pulp and give them a rinse.  Let them dry a bit (30 minutes or so) in a colander.  
2. Spread them on a cookie sheet and put in a 200 degree oven.  Leave for several hours (4 hours is about right).  Turn off the oven and leave overnight.  They may need more time, so check them in the morning.  They should be crunchy more than chewy.  
3. Once dry, coat in vegetable oil (olive or whatever you like) and season.  We use Old Bay, but even just salt will be good.
4. Cook again at 250 for about 30 minutes.

The final pumpkins!  Frey's drawing
was the inspiration for the one on the right.
Artemesia and Faramir did the Studio
Ghibli cat on the left.

• Trick or Treating, of course!  Then we come home and swap candy and enjoy a belly-full before bed.  My girls are pretty good at regulating and don't drive me crazy about the candy, but in the past when all the kids were little I had a three-day rule.  They had three days of unrestrained access (they had to have a good breakfast first) and then all leftover candy went in the trash.

• This year I'm adding a new tradition: pumpkin spice latte.  I do enjoy them, but only in small doses.  So, Halloween seems like an appropriate day to enjoy my ONE pumpkin spice latte for the year.

Artemesia and Friend
(Cheshire Cat and Katniss)

• This is a great day to talk about heroes of the faith - saints!  What are your beliefs, which saints might be appropriate to learn more about as a family?  Maybe choose a few to learn more about for the year ahead.  Some your kids might enjoy: St Francis, St Martin, St Nicholas, St Brigid, St David, St George, St Patrick.

All Saints and All Souls Days
Of course the next two days are for remembering our loved ones who have passed on.  If you have access to your loved ones' burial place, Nov 1st or 2nd is a good day to go visit and clean it up a bit.  Perhaps add pictures of loved ones to the mantle or in another place of honor and tell some fun stories and memories.  This year we'll be remembering my grandmother who passed away last year in October, the day before her 100th birthday.

Friend and Friend
(Malificent and Misty
Copeland's "Firebird")

Books your family might enjoy for Halloween:  
Gibbons, Halloween is...
Dr. Seuss, What Was I Afraid Of?
Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are
Willliams, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything


Links from above:

a podcast from the Anselm Society (for Christian Arts): Welcome, Great Pumpkin

a classic article from The Internet Monk: The Great Pumpkin Proposes a Toast

another article from Anglican Pastor: What is All Saints Day?

Freya as a princess; Frey as a
Stormtrooper

Time to go run and get my one and only pumpkin spice latte of the year!

Links for Advent Week 2

The parade coming down Main Street.

Good Sunday evening, friends!  Our little Kalliope is going to be in the county youth ballet's production of The Nutcracker...and today all the cast members got to participate in our small town Christmas Parade!  She was so excited to ride the float and feel like a "star".

There is something so comforting and lovely about a small town at Christmas, especially: walking the town today, seeing some familiar faces, hearing greetings of "Merry Christmas" yelled back and forth.  Love it!

Here's the float - I marked Kalliope with a yellow arrow.

On Saturday, we had a very low-key St. Nicholas feast day.  Shoes by the fireplace and gingerbread for breakfast.  The weather was awful, so we ditched some outdoor plans and opted instead to drive to a local house that does an amazing light show.  Then we came home and watched "Rudolph".


Here are some links from the last week:

Anne Kennedy at Preventing Grace with a funny and heart-rending post about Advent.

Faramir, Erik, and Artemisia

An Advent calendar from The Economist - not at all "Advent-y", but interesting!

This is an older post, but I just love the humility and grace she expresses as she shares with us her desire to incorporate Advent into her life.   (Becoming Peculiar)

Christmas Trivia Game - One is more secular, the other has more religious-oriented questions.  I'm going to combine the two to use with my classes for a fun game on their last day before break (Dec 4th)...and then again with my family!

More serious: Ferguson in the Shadow of Advent

Artemisia and I enjoying some Peppermint Mocha
from our awesome coffee shop.

This one isn't particularly Advent-ish, other than that I've put this book on my list to Santa...wonder if he'll bring it?  Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead" books, now a trilogy, are by far my most favorite pieces of contemporary literature.  Some people find them too slow...I adore them for their slow, careful pace.  I haven't read Lila, yet, but I can recommend it highly based on the previous books. And I think it would make exceptional, if un-orthodox, Advent reading. A good review by Amy Frykholm.

Saint Nicholas Feast is nearly upon us!

Jan Steen - The Feast of Saint Nicholas - 1663
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Today I had to run a couple of errands, and so that means, as is almost always the case, a child or two is with me.  This makes shopping for Christmas tricky.  But I'm good at distraction and subterfuge.  Which is good, because I had a couple more things to pick up for St. Nicholas' feast day.

Are you celebrating?  It doesn't have to be a fancy celebration...shoes by the fireplace with a bit of chocolate and maybe a very small gift is certainly in the spirit!  Sometimes we do a lot, sometimes we only do a little.

This year it will be a little feast as we have a busy Saturday.  Some goodies in the shoes and a breakfast of freshly made gingerbread.


Here are some posts to get you started:

• So why Saint Nicholas?

• Santa, santa everywhere....how to turn those Santas into a Saint!

• My own past posts about St Nicholas

• And, if you homeschool, perhaps a little Picture Study using Jan Steen's Feast of St Nicholas (that's the image above).  Here's a little background from the Rijksmuseum where this painting is housed.

I'd love to hear how you celebrate!  Please share in the comments - and link to your blog if you have a post about your celebration!  I'll update here!

Links for Advent Week 1

Welcome to Advent week 1!  

Here are some links I've collected in the last week for you.  Just a few this week to whet your appetite.

• Lent and Beyond is an amazing and extensive resource for Anglicans and other liturgical-minded Christians.  Loads of Advent links!

• Christmas Movies - I love to record them and have some to watch during the 12 Days.  This website has a very complete listing, and very easy to copy and paste into a document for printing. The bold ones are this blogger's top picks (classic movies and such).

Yesterday, I let the girls dig through the Christmas crafts box.
Oh, they had fun, which is obvious from the mess they made!

• The Celebration Project - my IRL friend Amy (and a friend of hers, Deb) are blogging their way through the Church Year - a project near and dear to my heart!  Be sure to subscribe to this blog if you also love the Church Year.  And don't miss her guest posts on St Nicholas from Anne Kennedy (of Preventing Grace) and yours truly.  (I'm so honored that she even asked!)

• Preparing for the New Church Year - from Internet Monk.  This is an exceptionally-complete introduction to the Church Year.  If you are new to this whole concept, this is a great place to start.  But even if you are quite familiar with the Church year, you can find some very helpful resources.  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

• A grown up's Advent calendar - Professor Carol puts out a fascinating email-based Advent calendar.  Lots of interesting historical and cultural tidbits!  

Daybook - Monday, Dec 1st

outside my window . . .  the leaves are falling as fast at I can pay my kids to clear them.  I'm torn between trying to keep a cleared driveway and yard and just waiting until they ALL FALL.

listening to . . . Kalliope's spoon scraping the bottom of the bowl of her favorite breakfast: Cream of Wheat.  She's the only child who really likes Cream of Wheat, which makes me quite satisfied.  I've passed on the love of creamy wheatiness to another generation, as well as the jingle my Dad always sang when he served it to me, "Cream of Wheat, Good to eat, Makes the Baby fat and sweet!"

wearing . . .  Oh, heavens - I'm still in my PJs.  At 9:45.

so grateful for . . .  really good friends.

pondering . . .  see below

reading . . .  finishing up the last couple of chapters of  The Litte Way of Ruthie Lemming by Rod Dreher, which has made me want to really put down some roots in this little town of mine, but also it has made me want to move home to Va Beach.  Dreher's writing about his sister's illness has helped me understand more clearly the purpose of suffering in this life.

creating . . . Russian Tea Mix for gifts this week.  I'm not sure this really counts as "creating" since it is really only mixing and dumping.

around the house . . . Plotting and planning rearranging my den and sun room.  Maybe pictures to follow!  We have a nice sized den, but with two full-sized couches (which we need with 6 of us - and four of them full-sized humans) it is cramped.  I'm thinking a slight rearrangement just might work.

from the kitchen . . . Ok - I posted this on Facebook, so disregard if you are a FB friend and have already seen this.  Made a most-delicious pie for Thanksgiving: Buttered-Maple Black Walnut Pie.  NO corn syrup!  Made the old-fashioned way with maple syrup and butter.  Really, really lovely - custardy and delectable!  That website is all "old" recipes - so a great resource.

real education in our home . . .  We always break for the holiday season.  This will be our last week of school.  Instead, we'll focus on Advent, puzzles, playing checkers (a new favorite thing), learning some kitchen skills, and preparing for Christmas.

My new-to-me teapot.

the church year in our home . . . Thanksgiving and Advent falling on the same weekend always means I don't quite get my Advent act together.

one of my favorite things . . .  Just bought this lovely little teapot at a local consignment store.  It is perfect for our school morning tea.

recent milestones . . . My eldest is just about to complete his first semester of college.  He's attending my (and my husband's) Alma Mater: James Madison University.

the week ahead . . . Last day of classes (I teach 2 classes on Thursdays to homeschoolers), last day of Classical Conversations, getting ready for Saint Nicholas Day (more posts about this very soon), and putting Advent up.

picture thoughts . . .

Girls and I spent a morning at a local park.  This heron, cautiously hunting
his breakfast, is a resident of the pond.  He is reamarkable.

A weekly feature hosted at The Simple Woman's Blog.

Advent 2011

Our Holiday Season started off with Saint Nicholas' Feast Day on December 6th!  We had goodies in our shoes (left by the fireplace, of course) and breakfast of Gingerbread Waffles, sausage and our traditional Peppermint Hot Cocoa.

L LOVES those waffles!

Girls got new slippers, and we all got Santa hats.

Girls enjoying their St Nick chocolate coins.

~~...~~...~~...~~

Our former youth director, Dave, came to stay with us for a few days.  Although he lives in Canada now (he's originally from Canada), he was being ordained here in NC.   We had a great time with him and hosted a small reception the day after his ordination.  The youth kids were so happy to spend some time with him again!

We have seating for 26 in our downstairs rooms (dining, kitchen, family), but the kids opt for the FLOOR!  They had quite the pow-wow.

Our former Youth Pastor, Dave.

Our friend Donna said, "He looks so cute in the collar."  Does the elf hat increase the cuteness?

~~...~~...~~...~~

Our Christmas decorations have begun to slowly find their places.

Our creche scene on the kitchen mantle.

Farmor (Erik's mom) made us three models of buildings from
her homeland (Aland Island, Sweden).  This one is "Christiansund" their family home.

 I made this crochet garland and then hung some traditional Swedish straw ornaments.  There is something sweetly old-fashioned about the look of this garland. 

I love the look of REAL pine roping.  And I love the scent, too.  We wait until it goes on sale a bit, of course.  Had sweet little white twinkle lights hung with the pine garland, but 1/3 of the strand was burned out.  The entire metro area seems to be out of all lights (except pink ), so had to opt for the larger bulbs.  Not my favorite, but they'll do.

 On our little plant hanger out front, I hung a small lantern (super cheap at Lowe's) and wrapped it in greenery (not real, sadly), lights and ribbon.  Do you like the jingle bells?  I put some of the lights in the lantern.  Looks pretty cute all lit up!

 Fresh greens on the door, too!  I think this bow is much prettier in person.

Our Advent "wreath" on our little family altar.

 The Playmobil nativity set is back on the windowsill.  I'm not sure why or how it ended up here last year, but it seems to work.  The girls love to play with these little people.

E has been keeping track of our "Days 'til Christmas"!  Do you see the little "Louie" figurine she made (at a local paint-your-own-pottery store) peeking out from behind the chalkboard?

Our Saint Nicholas collection on the family room mantle.

Our "Julbock" - or Yule Goat.  A delightful remnant from Sweden's pagan Viking past, but we love it!

~~...~~...~~...~~

Today we took the whole family out to drop S at the ice skating rink.  The rest of us hit the Wal-Mart to do some grocery shopping.

H is very animated in the frozen food section.

 The girls are hamming it up, too!

 All checked out and ready to load up the car.

Waiting for "D Brubbie" (S) to finish up at the skate rink.

These two found some old civil war army men in the back of the van.

Only 6 more days until Christmas!  

Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent -- Dec 18th

Welcome to the Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent

Each week, Advent through Epiphany, a new "Mr Linky" will be posted for you to share your Nativity Season-related ideas and thoughts from your blog.  (Just copy the link to your post and paste it into the Mr Linky box below.)  NOTE: next week's link will probably posted on Tuesday.

Also, please add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

My kitchen arrangement (hides the dishes in the sink) all decked out for
Advent (purple and silver additions).  I have Christmas additions ready to be added.

Christmas is only a week away!  I finally have all my gifts purchased, the house is modestly decorated, and I have purchased the ham for Christmas dinner, but that is about IT!

Faramir expressing his feelings about the frozen food section of Wal-Mart.
His face mirrors my feelings!

The tree is still sitting in three pieces waiting to be assembled, and I am PRAYING that all the lights work, because the entire metro area is completely OUT of lights.  Unless you want pink.  Or blue.

Our Saint Nicholas collection on the family room mantle.

Haven't done cards or even the photo to put on the cards...I'm afraid I'm going to have to do an "e-card" this year.  Which would be a step up from last year, but sadly won't be able to go to the many friends for whom we only have mailing addresses.  I keep tell myself that I do have until Jan 5th to get cards delivered, right?!?!

Found this cute little lantern for $5 at Lowe's.  Added the bow and jingle bells, then
stuffed the Christmas lights inside the lantern, too.   Sadly, no fresh pine garland here.

I still have friends' gifts to deliver (Fig Jam made from our fig tree), grocery shopping to do, and gifts to wrap.  And that doesn't include the fun stuff I want to do (go see lights, etc) or the cleaning we need to do for company.

Fresh pine garland - smells so good! We hung sweet little white lights in the garland
to begin with.  But 1/3 of the strand was out!  These were the ONLY white lights I could find.
They aren't wonderful, but they work!

But more importantly, my heart doesn't feel very prepared for Christmas which will be here regardless of my readiness, won't it?

The kitchen mantle: My crochet garland with traditional Swedish straw ornaments.
 I made one of these in white last year and love the way it looks on the tree. 

What was it the narrator of the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" says?

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” 

And by all means it does.  Lord, help me live into that meaning this year!

If you are reading in a feed reader, please click through to the blog for the Mr. Linky posts! 

For those submitting links: 

So that others might enjoy the carnival, don't forget to add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

Nativity Carnival : Keeping Advent -- Dec 13th

Welcome to the Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent

Each Sunday, Advent through Epiphany, a new "Mr Linky" will be posted for you to share your Nativity Season-related ideas and thoughts from your blog.  (Just copy the link to your post and paste it into the Mr Linky box below.)

Also, please add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

 Feast of Saint Lucy Daybook

outside my window . . . robin's egg blue sky, with wisps of pink, but not from my window.  I'm actually sitting in a small local coffee shop.

listening to . . . Christmas music, a quiet conversation from a couple sitting nearby, rustling of paper from behind the counter.

wearing . . . dark tan sweater with bright red top under, brown "swishy" skirt, bright red knee socks and ankle boots.

so grateful for . . . my husband's much needed vacation!  He's not had one all year (he traveled with us to Arkansas, but worked each day while we played), and he's been working VERY LONG hours for quite a few months.

reading . . . Winter Pascha by Fr Thomas Hopko

thinking . . . about how behind I am on Christmas preparations this year.  My house is still half decorated (we can't find the rest of our lights!), I had to be out this morning (taking Athos to driver's ed), so no St. Lucia delivery by the girls, a good bit of shopping left to do, and still haven't even taken a photo for our Christmas card.

creating . . . made Artemisia a hat (crochet) and now working on a matching one for Kalliope.

around the house . . . the upstairs sitting area has most of our Christmas decorations laying about waiting to find their home.  I do have a lovely Saint Nicholas mantle and the Julbock has found his home on the half wall between the dining room and the family room.  I've got the nativity on the mantle and made a pretty crochet garland to hang the Swedish straw ornaments on (at the mantle).

from the kitchen . . . Maybe Saint Lucy's Saffron Bread today, or at least this week sometime.

real education in our home . . . I'm counting driver's ed as school.  The kid spends 6 hours in class for 5 days this week.  He's learning...that's school, right?

rhythm and beauty in our home . . . regardless of how behind I am, the Christmas decorations I have out do make the house look so lovely.  I just love it!

one of my favorite things . . . crochet garland - so easy, and they have a sweet old-fashionedness to them that I love.

recent milestones . . . Athos started DRIVER'S ED this week.  I am very conflicted about this, of course.  :)

the week ahead . . . bible study Christmas party last night (with awesome opera singers, decorating contests and good food), making Saint Lucy bread today, another Christmas party tomorrow, a special lunch celebration Thursday, and a trip to a historic plantation for their Christmas event on Saturday.

picture thoughts . . . (coming soon) - I needed to get this post up and haven't downloaded photos, yet.  :)

If you are reading in a feed reader, please click through to the blog for the Mr. Linky posts! 

For those submitting links: So that others might enjoy the carnival, don't forget to add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Souffle

Last night we feasted for Saint Nicholas Day!  I'd planned on making a Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Souffle, but couldn't find the recipe, so I dug out Joy of Cooking and tweaked a basic souffle recipe there.  This isn't a traditional souffle...it is a little easier, but just as DELICIOUS!

Here's my recipe...



Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Souffle  

2 lg onions (get the sweetest ones you can find - the flatter the sweater), very thinly sliced
1 T olive oil (or so)
2 T butter
salt

In a large saute pan, drizzle the olive oil and drop in the  butter warm over med heat.  When the butter has melted and just starts to bubble, drop in the onions all at once.  Give them a good salting and lower the heat quickly to low.   (The salt, which "sweats" the onions, is essential to this, so be sure to use it!)  Let the onions cook very slowly, stirring regularly until very soft and almost "melty".  This will take 15 minutes, or so...maybe a bit longer?

You can then prepare the souffle (or set the onions aside and use later - I did this to save a little time at dinner.  Started the onions about an hour before and left them covered on the stove until I was ready to make the souffle.)  You want your souffle to be the last thing ready for the table.


Basic "Blender Cheese Souffle" from Joy of Cooking 
(Makes about 6 servings.  Firmer than a fancier souffle - but every bit as delicious!  I don't have a blender, so I used my food processor):

Prepare a souffle baking dish (something round and with fairly high sides...I use a 9in round baking dish with about 4" high sides) by buttering the bottom and sides well.  Dust the sides only with grated parmesan cheese (keeps the souffle from rising too high, and adds flavor, but otherwise not essential).

Preheat oven to 325.

You'll need:
6 oz sharp cheddar cheese (JoC recommends cubed, but I used grated)
1 1/2 c milk
2 T butter
6-8 pieces of crustless bread, torn into large pieces (I used day old french bread with the "crust"...pieces about 1" big)
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
4 egg yolks,
4 egg whites

Have the butter, bread, salt and pepper ready as you need to add them quickly and all at the same time.

Heat the milk just to boiling.  (I accidentally boiled mine, just let it cool a moment before using in the recipe).  Pour milk into blender (or processor) and quickly add the butter, bread, salt and pepper.  Blend (or process) until thickened.

Add the cheese and blend a bit more.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until lemon-colored.  Add the cheese mixture very slowly, beating constantly.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry.  Fold them into the cheese and egg yolk mixture, gently.  Add the onions.

Pour mixture into your prepared souffle dish and bake 50 minutes or until set.  (It should have a bit of golden amber color on the top and a nice "lift", but won't be way up over the top of the dish.)

Serve quickly for the most drama...but fallen is equally tasty!

Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent -- Dec 4th

Welcome to the Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent

Each Sunday, Advent through Epiphany, a new "Mr Linky" will be posted for you to share your Nativity Season-related ideas and thoughts from your blog.  (Just copy the link to your post and paste it into the Mr Linky box below.)

Also, please add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

(My computer is dead and with it my pictures and plans for this post - just a power cord issue.  So, I'm stuck begging time on my son's computer.  I hope you don't mind a post of links!)


Artemisia said to me yesterday, "I wonder if the animals understood what was going on when Jesus was born in the stable."  What a sweet thought to contemplate.   What do you think?

While you think about that...how about some Advent music? 




Did you read about our Saint Nicholas feast yesterday?  Next week, the 13th, is Saint Lucia Day (and this one).  We'll be celebrating that, too.  Maybe both girls will get to deliver early morning goodies to their brothers and dad this year!

What are you doing to observe Advent this week?


If you are reading in a feed reader, please click through to the blog for the Mr. Linky posts! 

For those submitting links: So that others might enjoy the carnival, don't forget to add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

Virtual Advent Tour - Saint Nicholas

Welcome, Virtual Advent Tourists! 

What is your first memory of Santa Claus?  Was it in the mall at a "Santa's Workshop"?  Was it in a book or a movie?  Was it setting out cookies or digging through your stocking on Christmas morning?  I'm not sure what my earliest memory of Santa is, but my most clear one is the year Santa actually stopped in for a visit on Christmas Eve.

I must have been around 4 years old...maybe 5 or maybe 3.  I just remember being at a neighbor's home enjoying Christmas Even festivities when the adults began to make a big commotion about something.

"Did you hear that?"
"What could that be?"
"Oh, there's someone on the roof!"
"Could that be Santa Claus?"

Just as it began to dawn on me what they were saying, in the front door walks this huge man in a red outfit...Santa Claus!  I remember feeling a little apprehensive, but after some coaxing I approached him and shared with him what I hoped to get on Christmas.  I have no idea what I asked for!  (Mom, do you remember?)  The magic of the moment melted over me slowly.  It is one of the crystalline childhood memories...something you are certain you'll never forget.

After I had kids, we continued the Santa tradition, but adapted it a bit for our family.  We hoped to take a little bit of the "Santa" hype off of Christmas morning by celebrating Saint Nicholas' Day on December 6th.  This is not a custom that either my husband or I grew up with, but our kids have really come to enjoy it.


So what is our Saint Nicholas celebration like?


Following an old European custom we set out shoes on the night of December 5th to be filled with small gifts by the good Saint during the night.  In the morning, we enjoy a special feast day breakfast (the menu varies, but we ALWAYS have hot cocoa with a candy cane in it).  During the day, the kids and I often make gingerbread cookies.  This is the day the first of our real Christmas decorations come out (before that we ONLY have the Advent wreath and a few other Advent items): a small collection of "Santas" displayed together on our mantle.  Christmas "blooms" in our home with little bits of decorations coming out during the Advent season.

As we've grown into this "new" tradition, we've discovered that getting one or two smallish gifts early in the season really has helped relieve a bit of the "wait" for Christmas.   We also enjoy that by celebrating Saint Nicholas rather than just Santa Claus, we get to celebrate a REAL person's life.  And, most importantly, it provides a little separation between Santa and CHRISTmas.  It isn't Santamas, after all!


Would you like to celebrate Saint Nicholas or just learn more?


Saint Nicholas Day is coming up this week on Tuesday, December 6th.  It doesn't take much to start a new tradition...just do a little research and then gather up your family's shoes (and a few small items to tuck inside them)!


Here are some resources:
:-: The Saint Nicholas Center has a huge website with online stories, book recommendations, crafts, and a catalog.

:-: There are some lovely children's books about Saint Nicholas.  My favorites are:  Saint Nicholas by Ann Tompert and Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki.

Happy Saint Nicholas Day to you!

  If you enjoy what you read here, poke around my blog a little bit and you'll find lots of other posts about Advent from the past few years: 

Church Year Page

(Advent is up currently, I plan to add more during

this upcoming year.  You'll find links to several Advent

Carnivals from past years.)

Nativity Carnival 2011 

(note this one began a couple of weeks ago 

and will run through Epiphany, January 6th.)

Daybook: Monday, Nov 28th

outside my window . . .  another gray day has broken.  But I think the gray will bring rain and a change in weather tomorrow - sunny and cool.  I'm ready for the chilly weather!  We had some in October, but November has been much warmer.  Nearly 80 degrees recently!

listening to . . . the train whistle in the far distance, tick tocking....and now "Curious George".  A little one just came to snuggle while I finish my morning preparations.

wearing . . . still in my pajamas!  But I'm planning to wear jeans, a black 3/4 sleeve top with a bright raspberry long sleeve top underneath...and a grey and pale raspberry scarf.

so grateful for . . . my grandmother coming to spend Thanksgiving with us!  I haven't had a REAL visit with her in years...just day trip visits.  I'm so thankful all my children have gotten to know her.

pondering . . . how to encourage Faramir to push on through the last bit of school work before Christmas break.  He's so ready to be DONE.

reading . . . Keeping House, On the Incarnation, still The Orthodox Church, and The Oresteia with my reading group.

thinking . . . about Christmas decorations...and Advent plans...and St. Nicholas Day, just around the corner!

on my iPod . . . loaded some new books:  War and Peace, Wicked, and In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

around the house . . . getting ready for more guests this weekend.  Missionary friends are staying with us while they visit our church.  Oh, and new curtains for the kitchen!  I'm hoping they'll help with the glare (it is a very sunny kitchen) and some noise reduction.

from the kitchen . . . maybe some batches of Spiced Pumpkin Bread for the freezer.

the church year in our home . . . the Advent wreath is up.  Today I'm going to print out some images for our little icon cards.  We plan on using Katherine's Jesse Tree devotions.

one of my favorite things . . . fresh cranberry relish!  I just love the sweet tartness of it.  Why do I only make it at Thanksgiving?

the week ahead . . . back to school for the kids, today Artemisia and I have to go check the lost and found for items she left at church yesterday, CC on Wednesday for the boys, missionary friends arrive Friday with a special dinner and dessert for them to share their work with our friends.

Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent -- Nov 20th

Welcome to the Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent

Each Sunday, Advent through Epiphany, a new "Mr Linky" will be posted for you to share your Nativity Season-related ideas and thoughts from your blog.  (Just copy the link to your post and paste it into the Mr Linky box below.)

Also, please add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

Christ the King Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Yesterday was Christ the King Sunday, also known as "Stir Up Sunday".

While I don't have any plans to make a Christmas Pudding, I thought perhaps a recipe that requires some good stirring, but could be made well ahead of Christmas might be in order.  So, I'd like to share with you a recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Bread.  I found this on Food.com, so I can take NO credit for it.  This also freezes up beautifully...and that is one thing I love to do this time of year, make easy sweet breads that can be frozen and then brought back out whenever we have company or I need to take a treat to share to a party, etc.  This would also make a nice baked good gift.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 loaves.

3 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
3 lg eggs
1 can or pumpkin (16 oz)
3 c all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c coarsely chopped nuts (recipe recommended walnuts, I've used pecans.  But I've also omitted these altogether.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour 2 9x5x3 loaf pans.  Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. (I didn't pull out my mixer for this, just used a spoon to mix energetically.)  Mix in eggs and pumpkin.  Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder into another large bowl.  Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions.  Mix in nuts, if desired.  Divide batter equally between two prepared pans. Bake until knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes.  Using a knife, gently release bread from side of pan.  Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.


Some feast days coming up in the next couple of weeks:

:-: Saint Clement's feast (November 23rd) - stock up and feast on clementine oranges!  (I wonder if that is why they got this name?  Anyone know?)  He's also the patron saint of blacksmiths and metal workers.  It is the day before Thanksgiving, so I'll be polishing silver.

:-: Saint Andrew's feast (November 30th) - Andrew is a patron of many localities and countries (Scotland, Greece, diocese of Constantinople, Germany), so you have your pick of foods to choose from.  Since we have Scottish roots, we'll probably have something from this tradition.  Might also make some felt "thistles" to pin to our lapels.

:-: And Saint Nicholas Day is only 2 weeks away (Dec 6th)!  Will you be celebrating?  This is a special feast day in our home!


***And finally, I want to point you to a lovely and simple Jesse Tree resource.  I love that these readings are only enough for us to have to do a few nights a week to keep up.  With four children, there was always someone going somewhere...or something coming up that kept us from staying caught up with other Jesse Tree readings.***

If you are reading in a feed reader, please click through to the blog for the Mr. Linky posts!

For those submitting links: So that others might enjoy the carnival, don't forget to add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

Advent pictures

Our artist.  Not a day goes by without a painting, a drawing, a sculpture or creation of some kind.

He got this silly hat (it sings and the bell shakes back and forth) from a friend at church.  Check out the YouTube video!  (you can see some of his other goofy videos - yes, we homeschool.)

E and I found this wasp next in the woods a couple of weeks ago.

Saint Nicholas Day (Dec 6th ) goodies!   My goodness, don't those two look sleepy?

And L discovering her St Nick goodies.  I think she is amazed we gave her candy before breakfast!

Yum - the goody jars!  So tempting...and almost gone now.  

A quiet late fall afternoon.  H and E spent the afternoon drawing and listening to some old Christmas radio shows.

S - still has some Christmas humor in him despite being a high schooler. 

Farmor arrived last night.  The girls enjoyed a snuggly Christmas book.