Advent Conspiracy and such

Blessed Advent to you all!


Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus.  Behold, the Lord the Ruler is come.

If I were better at time management, this post would have surfaced a week or so ago, but alas, I am not.

I know..... you were impressed with me up until this point, right?  (hmmm... it’s oddly quiet on your end..)

ANYHOO.. since there are FAR more talented folks out there than me, this is mostly a link (linky?) post.  There is lots of information out there, neat ideas, traditions and such.  So much so, that most of the time, it can be difficult to choose what to do.  I’m sharing with you my five top links/blogs that have inspired me and helped us to create a more meaningful Advent.

And now, in no particular order......

In the Heart of My Home:Advent and Christmas Clicking by Elizabeth

The Paper Dali: Advent: Ideas, Celebrations and Links by Vee

Waltzing Matilda: Advent Archives and A Note one Jesse Trees by Charlotte

Catholic Icing by Lacy

O Night Divine by Mary Ellen  (This blog is really Advent Central)

I also came across this and I thought I’d share it with you all



More information and well-done videos can be found HERE.
 

Just because...

Not a {This Moment} post, not an update, not a Wordless Wednesday, not an Advent one either (but that’s in the works--at least in my head it is..)

Nope, this is a just because post.

Just because the light was just right.

Just because in this picture he’s not a teenager filled with angst.  (although, truth be told, most of the time he’s not)

Just because he’s growing so crazy fast it sometimes makes my head spin and my momma heart ache.

Just because he really is a good kid with a heart for Our Lord.

Just because I love him, and this is, quite possibly, my most favorite picture of him.....  ever.

 

Themed Halloween

For us, it’s most of the fun-- picking a theme, coming up with costume ideas and pulling it all together by All Hallows Eve.  The biggest challenge is coming up with a theme everyone agrees on.  I even admit, right here on the blogosphere, to manipulating to gently suggesting ideas.  The year the Princess was three, I found the cutest indian girl costume at Old Navy.  When the monkeys balked at dressing up as indians, I told them I’d let them have mohawk haircuts if they complied.  All but one jumped at the chance to sport a mohawk, so the rebel went as a cowboy that year.  Cowboy and indians.  Loads of fun... until their costumes came apart.  I don’t sew, I glue gun.  Apparently hot glue, while wonderful for a multitude of uses, isn’t so great for holding together burlap pants.  Just a little tip...

Then there was the time a couple of years ago they all went as characters from The Wizard of OZ.  I figured we should try and squeeze that one in while we could, before the boys got too old and would think it silly.  I had some trouble with the lion.  I told him he could be scary and not cowardly.  Score.

 Last Halloween was quite easy and fun:  Things 1-7.

And this year... story book characters. (click to enlarge)

Kind of hard to tell from this photo, but can you name them?
(l. to r. Sherlock Holmes, Red Riding Hood, Robin Hood, Jack -- from Jack and the Beanstalk, Mad Hatter, Tom Sawyer and one very disgruntled cow that was sold for silly magic beans)