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Friday, December 30, 2011

Rocking around the Clock

Ok so this was the theme we came up with for our New Years Eve slumber party. Julia helped me make the invites and we decided attire would consist of pjs all day long. I love thinking of themes for parties but I struggle with what to feed them? My mom suggested Fridays potato skins so we are going to try them. I also am letting kids experiment with ice cream and hot cocoa, egg nog, pop, and juice. I never let the kids drink this stuff so when I bought it you should have seen Emerson's eyes bug out! Good thing this is a once a year deal. We are buying a confetti cake as my baking pans are on vacation after the Christmas rush. For games we are playing find the alarm clock, and an hour by hour present hidden in bags. Each bag contains: party hats, balloons, blowers, silly string...all the necessary new years eve celebratory stuff. I also am having a fireworks stomp. It consists of bubble wrap placed all over floor. You basically let the kids go crazy jumping and popping and it sounds like fireworks. I haven't mentioned this one yet to Tony! Happy New Year Dear!
To wrap it up the girls are camping out until midnight watching A Dolphins Tale and waiting for the ball to drop. I am hoping to make it until midnight I never have as of so far but there is a first time for everything right?

Feast of the Holy Family

Today I awoke with the anxiety and magnitude of what the kids and I needed to accomplish. Then a little whisper reminded me that today the kids and I were making home altars for feast of the Holy Family. It settled my heart to reflect in that as opposed to the four stores we needed to stop at, the numerous things on my to do list ect. Focus on the positive that is my new mantra right? Once a year girls have made little prayer altars in their rooms and this year Blaise gets to join them. We centrally have always met at the dining room table for prayers but it is nice for them to have that quiet spot in their rooms they can flee to. I try to teach them one character quality about Mary and Joseph they can imitate and it isn't hard to come up with a long list of choices. Currently Julia has become fascinated by the lives of the saints and saint Joseph is one of them. I am giving her a book today called Practical Devotion to St. Joseph, which I believe was Tony's in college. My MIL may have sent it I can not recall but regardless I stumbled upon it and have secretly been hiding it for her. This year I plan on turning my grandmothers buffet server in to a year round home altar. The kids have been helpful in collecting prayer cards, vase for flowers, tea lights, and scripture books. I am on the hunt for some runners to match the colors of the liturgical season and we should be set. Today we will busily set up the altars and there is where I will find my daily peace.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, be the Heartbeat of our family; bless us and be with us always.

"Be still and know that I am God."
Luke 10:41-42