Getting Ready

This morning's homily was about being in the "ready" position. (I actually heard the homily since the kids were all at home coughing, Steven and I switched off for mass and I even sat in the front row without having to take a child to the potty!)

I hope this past week of rest and fun and "nesting" has helped to prepare me for the Advent season! I know I need to ready my heart some more...with consistent morning prayer, better attempts at weekday mass, and more frequent confession. I'll be readying the children's hearts by reading lots of good Advent and Christmas stories and starting our Charlotte Mason approach this week with "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Jan Brett and "Country Angel Christmas" by Tomie dePaola, and doing lots of St. Nicholas activities as we get ready for St. Nick's Feast Day on Saturday! They are getting a bit too Santa-obsessed for my liking, so hopefully this focus on St. Nick will help us turn their hearts more towards Christ and Christmas.

Here's how we've been "readying" our house!

We put up the tree while Daddy was on his hunting trip Friday night

And today I decided to follow The Nester's garland tutorial...

Started with a measly garland strand,
then added 2 more at $1.50 each from Michael's!

Bought a few poinsetta stems and
"shopped" around the house for some more greenery...
and VOILA!

I changed around the mantle
and added the new Christmas portrait!


Put all the good Christmas books on the fireplace
and the nativity on the kid table

Bought a new wreath at Michael's ($1.99),
so it will fit on our kitchen table
Put the old purple ribbon around it
and found the old Advent candles from last year
they melted a bit in the Texas attic heat...
oh well, they've got personality!



And readying my tummy...
OH, that's not part of Advent.
The last helping of the apple pie I made for Thanksgiving
Midnight snack for me!


Night night.