Well this Christmas season has really been great. I didn't get to the gingerbread house show I wanted to but I did buy the kids gingerbread houses to make. I've been letting Jackie and her friend Kelsey paint on our back glass windows, Jackie drew the Grinch and also Cindy Lou Who and they look so cute!
I've also really been working hard to get the house completely organized so we can really enjoy the Christmas break with clean spaces and no clutter.
Steve has really been trying hard to come home for advent at night too. Last night we started reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and the kids are LOVING it!!!! It's about some naughty kids that join a Christmas play for the free snacks at the church and of course it has a positive ending. The kids almost fight over who gets to do what for advent, there are 3 main jobs and I really need to create a written schedule, they love it! (light the candles, punch out the new date, blow the candles out...seems simple, but they rush to do the jobs!!!! Even Candy loves it!!) Steve reads the Bible passage and then either we've watched a Christmas movie or we read a Christmas story or something fun too. This book will take us through Christmas Eve with our advent.
The kids big gifts are bought. Candy gets a heart tag bracelet direct from Tiffany's. Steve gets his much salivated after XBox 360 Ultra and we bought the Modern Warfare edition because he'll like the games that came with the package but it was the only package where the system has twice the memory. And Jackie gets her Rebecca American Girl Doll. They all three got a bunch of accessories and stuff, but those were the main gifts. They'll love it.
Tonight Jackie and I went on our annual date to see The Nutcracker ballet. She loved it! She wants to go see Cinderella now...and so we will.
I love emptying the house for Christmas. When Steve is off and the house is clean and organized (and decluttered!) we will really be able to enjoy each other....
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Day 3 of Christmas Season
Ok I'm not exactly thrilled with the Advent scripture passages. When the theme says "waiting" the day 1 and day 2 passages referred to the second coming of Jesus. Um, how is that preparation for the birth of Christ? Not exactly what I was looking for, so I'll look to find some more. I'm trying to do devotionals myself every morning so this will be my focus for now.
I also read The Legend of the Christmas Tree to the kids and they loved it. Jackie blew out the candle, Steve punched out day 2 on the calendar. All's well that ends well! We missed Daddy last night, he wasn't able to make it home for Advent.
Ok in my morning devotional I worked on a list I started a year or so ago and it's near complete:
http://carverchristmas.blogspot.com/2008/09/advent-passages.html
These make much more sense to me at Christmastime. That's just me of course. There's a permanent link on the right sidebar.
I also read The Legend of the Christmas Tree to the kids and they loved it. Jackie blew out the candle, Steve punched out day 2 on the calendar. All's well that ends well! We missed Daddy last night, he wasn't able to make it home for Advent.
Ok in my morning devotional I worked on a list I started a year or so ago and it's near complete:
http://carverchristmas.blogspot.com/2008/09/advent-passages.html
These make much more sense to me at Christmastime. That's just me of course. There's a permanent link on the right sidebar.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day 2
Ok today is Day 2 of the Christmas season. We moved Trim The Tree night to Saturday to better accommodate Daddy's schedule but he did come home last night in time to eat dinner and we watched a DVD, The Tale of the Three Trees. A book adaptation, it was great! Then we read Malachi 3:1 (and cross referenced it too, Daddy gets into Sunday School Teacher mode when we do this...). I'm switching to this however
http://www.catholic.org/advent/advent.php?id=18
Daily Scripture Readings for Advent
The weeks of Advent remind us to set aside some of the hectic business of the holiday season, and to quietly reflect on the promise of the baby born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. The Bible readings listed below relate to the Advent themes of waiting, preparation, light in the darkness, and the coming of the promised Messiah.
First Week of Advent
Sunday Romans 13:11-14
Monday 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Tuesday Mark 13:33-37
Wednesday John 1:1-5
Thursday John 1:6-9
Friday Jeremiah 33:14-16
Saturday Isaiah 60:19-22
Second Week of Advent
Sunday Romans 15:4-13
Monday Psalms 43:3-6
Tuesday Psalms 27:1-4
Wednesday Psalms 119:105-106
Thursday John 12:35-36
Friday Ephesians 5:6-14
Saturday 1 Peter 2:5-9
Third Week of Advent
Sunday Isaiah 60:1-3
Monday 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Tuesday 1 John 1:4-7
Wednesday John 3:16-21
Thursday Isaiah 40:1-11
Friday John 9:1-7
Saturday Luke 3:1-6
Fourth Week of Advent
Sunday Isaiah 11:1-10
Monday Zephaniah 3:14-17
Tuesday Matthew 1:18-25
Wednesday Luke 2:8-20
Thursday Matthew 4:14-16
Friday Isaiah 2:1-5
Saturday Luke 2:25-33
http://www.catholic.org/advent/advent.php?id=18
Daily Scripture Readings for Advent
The weeks of Advent remind us to set aside some of the hectic business of the holiday season, and to quietly reflect on the promise of the baby born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. The Bible readings listed below relate to the Advent themes of waiting, preparation, light in the darkness, and the coming of the promised Messiah.
First Week of Advent
Sunday Romans 13:11-14
Monday 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Tuesday Mark 13:33-37
Wednesday John 1:1-5
Thursday John 1:6-9
Friday Jeremiah 33:14-16
Saturday Isaiah 60:19-22
Second Week of Advent
Sunday Romans 15:4-13
Monday Psalms 43:3-6
Tuesday Psalms 27:1-4
Wednesday Psalms 119:105-106
Thursday John 12:35-36
Friday Ephesians 5:6-14
Saturday 1 Peter 2:5-9
Third Week of Advent
Sunday Isaiah 60:1-3
Monday 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Tuesday 1 John 1:4-7
Wednesday John 3:16-21
Thursday Isaiah 40:1-11
Friday John 9:1-7
Saturday Luke 3:1-6
Fourth Week of Advent
Sunday Isaiah 11:1-10
Monday Zephaniah 3:14-17
Tuesday Matthew 1:18-25
Wednesday Luke 2:8-20
Thursday Matthew 4:14-16
Friday Isaiah 2:1-5
Saturday Luke 2:25-33
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thanksgiving For Family Night!
Ok so I always mean to journalize about the holidays and I don't get to it. That's what the blog is supposed to be, photos and memories of our Christmas together as a family. So this year I'm going to try a little harder to reminisce along the way.
Our Christmas really begins tonight, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Several years ago we were in a situation of going for 2 Thanksgiving meals in 1 day to see my side of the family as well as Steve's on Thursday. When our kids came along and they grew a little bit we realized that we were so rushed preparing sides to share for 2 families in one day and then of course enjoying dinner hopping, that we really weren't relishing in the holiday as a family. Since my husband had every Tuesday off at the time (now it's every other Tuesday but it still ends up being the right one) we decided, why not? We have Family Night every Tuesday night so lets turn this one into a Thanksgiving meal!
And the first year I did this some of the recipes tanked (never try out new recipes on the holiday) and I worked so hard to prepared everything from scratch and prep the house that I was exhausted by dinner...but still it was so worth it. The kids absolutely loved it, still do. Only one recipe survived that first Thanksgiving, Root Beer Carrots. And there is nothing special about the way they taste, but in the kids' minds there definitely is because they ask for them every year. I know they just love thinking about their favorite soda pop in their vegetables. Well and my turkey turned out well if I remember correctly, but I just follow the instructions on the Butterball website so how can I go wrong? :)
Oh and tonight we kick off the holiday movie extravaganza with The Christmas Story. The kids are not allowed to see Christmas movies at all through the year, and the ones we watch are only watched 1 time during the Christmas season. When I was a girl I looked forward to The Wizard of Oz coming on TV all year long and I am passing that same anticipation along to my kids through Christmas movies. Last year we went up to the empty showroom and projected it on the huge wall!
On this year's menu and this will be adjusted all day long as I add to it. And I do love to cook from scratch but this is a tremendously busy week of the year for me so rather than be frazzled, I cut corners:
3 different kinds of half pies from Kroger's: Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Blackberry Cobbler
Ready Whip extra creamy whipped topping
***need to buy vanilla ice cream for the cobbler
6 1/2 pound turkey breast, the whole turkey is just too much
Stove Top cornbread stuffing
root beer carrots
succotash (corn and lima beans, mom's recipe, it's actually delicious!)
green beans with bacon
Martha Stewart macaroni and cheese
New this year: corn pudding (the kids had it Sunday and RAVED so I'll find a recipe to try)
canned cranberries
rolls (the kind from a refrigerator tube, not premade)
That's probably it but I'll be back as the day goes on.
Root Beer Carrots:
28 oz root beer
(1) 16oz package of baby carrots
2 T butter
Put all in a crock pot on high for about 5 hours at least. Mine will be in the crock pot about 7 hours, I want the carrots nice and soft.
Grandma's Succotash:
(2) 12oz bags of corn
(2) 10oz boxes of lima beans
1T sea salt
4T (1/2 stick) butter
4 cups of water
Dump all in a crock pot on high for at least 5 hours. Mine's in now (11:43am) and we're not eating until 6:30pm
Corn Pudding:
3 small eggs
2 T + 2 t. buter, melted
2 T white sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 T cornstarch
1 (15.25oz) can whole kernel corn
1 (14.75oz) can cream-style corn
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease 1 quart casserole dish
In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add melted butter, sugar and milk. Whisk in cornstarch. Stir in corn and creamed corn. Blend well. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 1 hour.
Our Christmas really begins tonight, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Several years ago we were in a situation of going for 2 Thanksgiving meals in 1 day to see my side of the family as well as Steve's on Thursday. When our kids came along and they grew a little bit we realized that we were so rushed preparing sides to share for 2 families in one day and then of course enjoying dinner hopping, that we really weren't relishing in the holiday as a family. Since my husband had every Tuesday off at the time (now it's every other Tuesday but it still ends up being the right one) we decided, why not? We have Family Night every Tuesday night so lets turn this one into a Thanksgiving meal!
And the first year I did this some of the recipes tanked (never try out new recipes on the holiday) and I worked so hard to prepared everything from scratch and prep the house that I was exhausted by dinner...but still it was so worth it. The kids absolutely loved it, still do. Only one recipe survived that first Thanksgiving, Root Beer Carrots. And there is nothing special about the way they taste, but in the kids' minds there definitely is because they ask for them every year. I know they just love thinking about their favorite soda pop in their vegetables. Well and my turkey turned out well if I remember correctly, but I just follow the instructions on the Butterball website so how can I go wrong? :)
Oh and tonight we kick off the holiday movie extravaganza with The Christmas Story. The kids are not allowed to see Christmas movies at all through the year, and the ones we watch are only watched 1 time during the Christmas season. When I was a girl I looked forward to The Wizard of Oz coming on TV all year long and I am passing that same anticipation along to my kids through Christmas movies. Last year we went up to the empty showroom and projected it on the huge wall!
On this year's menu and this will be adjusted all day long as I add to it. And I do love to cook from scratch but this is a tremendously busy week of the year for me so rather than be frazzled, I cut corners:
3 different kinds of half pies from Kroger's: Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Blackberry Cobbler
Ready Whip extra creamy whipped topping
***need to buy vanilla ice cream for the cobbler
6 1/2 pound turkey breast, the whole turkey is just too much
Stove Top cornbread stuffing
root beer carrots
succotash (corn and lima beans, mom's recipe, it's actually delicious!)
green beans with bacon
Martha Stewart macaroni and cheese
New this year: corn pudding (the kids had it Sunday and RAVED so I'll find a recipe to try)
canned cranberries
rolls (the kind from a refrigerator tube, not premade)
That's probably it but I'll be back as the day goes on.
Root Beer Carrots:
28 oz root beer
(1) 16oz package of baby carrots
2 T butter
Put all in a crock pot on high for about 5 hours at least. Mine will be in the crock pot about 7 hours, I want the carrots nice and soft.
Grandma's Succotash:
(2) 12oz bags of corn
(2) 10oz boxes of lima beans
1T sea salt
4T (1/2 stick) butter
4 cups of water
Dump all in a crock pot on high for at least 5 hours. Mine's in now (11:43am) and we're not eating until 6:30pm
Corn Pudding:
3 small eggs
2 T + 2 t. buter, melted
2 T white sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 T cornstarch
1 (15.25oz) can whole kernel corn
1 (14.75oz) can cream-style corn
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease 1 quart casserole dish
In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add melted butter, sugar and milk. Whisk in cornstarch. Stir in corn and creamed corn. Blend well. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 1 hour.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
BooHoo!
This is the last year I have a child in the home who still believes in Santa! :(
This is only partially sad of course. As a Christian mother I am SO THRILLED that now all of my children are old enough to really take responsibility for their spirituality. They're plenty old enough to learn how to hear God for themselves. To become baptized. To consider less toys, more service and enjoy the rewards that come through giving rather than receiving.
This is when we can begin to make memories at Christmas time that are LASTING. The children never remember sitting on Santa's lap. But they are plenty old enough now to remember the acts of service we make extra time to do during the month of December to make this season a little brighter for those less fortunate.
It's not that you shouldn't serve year-round. And believe me we do. It's that this is a painful time of year for many people. Because it's Christmas and things aren't exactly always right in the world. And I intend on begging God to help me find those experiences for the kids that will help them really learn the power of giving over receiving.
And frankly this will enable me to make one of my own Christmas dreams come true. I want to wake up on a Disney Cruise ship on Christmas morning JUST ONCE in my life. But there isn't a chimney in the family stateroom. LOL And I want to be in front of Cinderella's castle when the clock strikes 12:00am and we ring in a New Year as only Disney Imagineers can conjure up! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!! hehe
Hey! There's no wavy red line under imagineers! LOL THAT is a word in the Blogger dictionary and homeschooled isn't? ROFL!!!!!!
This is only partially sad of course. As a Christian mother I am SO THRILLED that now all of my children are old enough to really take responsibility for their spirituality. They're plenty old enough to learn how to hear God for themselves. To become baptized. To consider less toys, more service and enjoy the rewards that come through giving rather than receiving.
This is when we can begin to make memories at Christmas time that are LASTING. The children never remember sitting on Santa's lap. But they are plenty old enough now to remember the acts of service we make extra time to do during the month of December to make this season a little brighter for those less fortunate.
It's not that you shouldn't serve year-round. And believe me we do. It's that this is a painful time of year for many people. Because it's Christmas and things aren't exactly always right in the world. And I intend on begging God to help me find those experiences for the kids that will help them really learn the power of giving over receiving.
And frankly this will enable me to make one of my own Christmas dreams come true. I want to wake up on a Disney Cruise ship on Christmas morning JUST ONCE in my life. But there isn't a chimney in the family stateroom. LOL And I want to be in front of Cinderella's castle when the clock strikes 12:00am and we ring in a New Year as only Disney Imagineers can conjure up! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!! hehe
Hey! There's no wavy red line under imagineers! LOL THAT is a word in the Blogger dictionary and homeschooled isn't? ROFL!!!!!!
New Tradition!!!
I went to a women's retreat with my church ladies this past weekend and had a blast getting to know the women better and spending time alone with God as well. One of the things God blessed me with was a great new tradition for our family for Christmas and it's reported to be a German tradition which is part of my family heritage as well which makes that doubly awesome.
http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm
In researching it for my children I discovered it to be a myth that it is an actual German custom, but it is a fun custom never-the-less. Basically on Christmas Eve a pickle is the last ornament hung on the tree by mom or dad. In the morning the child who finds it gets an extra gift from St. Nick. It's also supposed to bring good luck. My friend Betsy said the child who found it got to open the first present in her home. That is until her son Tanner flushed the pickle down the toilet (and they've had plumbing problems every since! LOL).
I'm definitely going to use the Christmas Pickle tradition in my home. What exactly the child will get upon finding the pickle is yet to be determined. The kids open their presents together. An extra gift wouldn't be good unless we save it for last. And I don't want the rest of the kids to find Christmas morning a time to be jealous. We'll see, I'll give this some thought. But it's going to be fun that's for sure and fits the bill perfectly in finding a new tradition this year!
http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm
In researching it for my children I discovered it to be a myth that it is an actual German custom, but it is a fun custom never-the-less. Basically on Christmas Eve a pickle is the last ornament hung on the tree by mom or dad. In the morning the child who finds it gets an extra gift from St. Nick. It's also supposed to bring good luck. My friend Betsy said the child who found it got to open the first present in her home. That is until her son Tanner flushed the pickle down the toilet (and they've had plumbing problems every since! LOL).
I'm definitely going to use the Christmas Pickle tradition in my home. What exactly the child will get upon finding the pickle is yet to be determined. The kids open their presents together. An extra gift wouldn't be good unless we save it for last. And I don't want the rest of the kids to find Christmas morning a time to be jealous. We'll see, I'll give this some thought. But it's going to be fun that's for sure and fits the bill perfectly in finding a new tradition this year!
Friday, October 2, 2009
To Do 2009
This post will be updated periodically.
* A new tradition for the kids and I: Gingerbread House Contest This year we might just go see it, next year we can enter it. Or maybe this year enter it...I'll give it some thought....
* Have Santa send letters to the kids from the North Pole
* Check the Travel Channel for special shows about Christmas
* Create a new yearly tradition
* Find ways to help the kids reach out to those less fortunate this season
* Study Christmas traditions from other countries with the kids
* Figure out Skype so I can see my nieces who live far away!!!!
* Get Jenni and Sharon into Skype too so we can share the Christmas Morning Mayhem
* Try recipes for "The Carver Family Christmas Morning Breakfast" (hehe!)
* Make a scale replica of our house in gingerbread and research ways to store it permanently (the bigger plans are if this works out I'll do our neighbor's houses too and I'll have my own village! LOL)
* Find out when the gingerbread house walk is (and where) and make plans to attend
* Pray about something special God might have us do as a family
* Talk about possibly getting a live tree this year...I want the kids to have the experience...and I want my pictures...at least once....
Kids Gifts:
Jackie
Rebekkah American Girl doll
Baby Book of pictures from her first year
???
Steve
XBox 360 Elite
Baby Book of pictures from his first year
???
Candy
Tiffany & Co tag bracelet
Throw quilt made from the culinary uniform t-shirts I saved from Grant Vocational School
???
Steve
Lump of coal if he doesn't watch it...what do you get the guy who has everything? Frankly there have been years we haven't bothered to buy each other gifts, or we've bought things we were buying anyway and that was our gift...I'll give it some thought. I can't remember what I bought him last year but I did give him some homemade coupons for fun things and he never remembered to redeem them. Maybe I'll buy him a frame for them since he's not getting any more. LOL!
If there's a new iPod out I'll get him that, that's always a welcome gift
Christmas Movies To Watch....this is last year's list, I'll remove this note when the list is current for this year:
November 25 - Family Thanksgiving - The Christmas Story
November 26 - White Christmas
November 27 - Thanksgiving - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
November 28 - No movie night, Carver family Thanksgiving
November 29 - No movie night, we go to The Rockette's
November 30 - No movie night, date night for mom & dad
December 1 - No movie night, Girl Scout Leader's Dinner
December 2 - Trim The Tree Night: The Polar Express
December 3 - No movie night, Cub Scouts / Pioneer Club
December 4 - Frosty the Snowman
December 5 - Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park Lights Display
(car movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, National Lampoon's
Christmas Vacation)
December 6 - Four Christmases in theaters
December 7 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey)
December 8 - Frosty Returns
December 9 - It's a Wonderful Life - Family Night
December 10 - No movie night, Pioneer Club
December 11 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
December 12 - Babes in Toyland
December 13 - Scrooged
December 14 - Miracle on 34th Street
December 15 - 23: Going To Walt Disney World!
December 24 - The Nativity
December 25 - A Charlie Brown Christmas
* A new tradition for the kids and I: Gingerbread House Contest This year we might just go see it, next year we can enter it. Or maybe this year enter it...I'll give it some thought....
* Have Santa send letters to the kids from the North Pole
* Check the Travel Channel for special shows about Christmas
* Create a new yearly tradition
* Find ways to help the kids reach out to those less fortunate this season
* Study Christmas traditions from other countries with the kids
* Figure out Skype so I can see my nieces who live far away!!!!
* Get Jenni and Sharon into Skype too so we can share the Christmas Morning Mayhem
* Try recipes for "The Carver Family Christmas Morning Breakfast" (hehe!)
* Make a scale replica of our house in gingerbread and research ways to store it permanently (the bigger plans are if this works out I'll do our neighbor's houses too and I'll have my own village! LOL)
* Find out when the gingerbread house walk is (and where) and make plans to attend
* Pray about something special God might have us do as a family
* Talk about possibly getting a live tree this year...I want the kids to have the experience...and I want my pictures...at least once....
Kids Gifts:
Jackie
Rebekkah American Girl doll
Baby Book of pictures from her first year
???
Steve
XBox 360 Elite
Baby Book of pictures from his first year
???
Candy
Tiffany & Co tag bracelet
Throw quilt made from the culinary uniform t-shirts I saved from Grant Vocational School
???
Steve
Lump of coal if he doesn't watch it...what do you get the guy who has everything? Frankly there have been years we haven't bothered to buy each other gifts, or we've bought things we were buying anyway and that was our gift...I'll give it some thought. I can't remember what I bought him last year but I did give him some homemade coupons for fun things and he never remembered to redeem them. Maybe I'll buy him a frame for them since he's not getting any more. LOL!
If there's a new iPod out I'll get him that, that's always a welcome gift
Christmas Movies To Watch....this is last year's list, I'll remove this note when the list is current for this year:
November 25 - Family Thanksgiving - The Christmas Story
November 26 - White Christmas
November 27 - Thanksgiving - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
November 28 - No movie night, Carver family Thanksgiving
November 29 - No movie night, we go to The Rockette's
November 30 - No movie night, date night for mom & dad
December 1 - No movie night, Girl Scout Leader's Dinner
December 2 - Trim The Tree Night: The Polar Express
December 3 - No movie night, Cub Scouts / Pioneer Club
December 4 - Frosty the Snowman
December 5 - Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park Lights Display
(car movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, National Lampoon's
Christmas Vacation)
December 6 - Four Christmases in theaters
December 7 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey)
December 8 - Frosty Returns
December 9 - It's a Wonderful Life - Family Night
December 10 - No movie night, Pioneer Club
December 11 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
December 12 - Babes in Toyland
December 13 - Scrooged
December 14 - Miracle on 34th Street
December 15 - 23: Going To Walt Disney World!
December 24 - The Nativity
December 25 - A Charlie Brown Christmas
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