Poor Man's Dip

I was thinking of how many people make black-eyed peas for prosperity on New Year's Day.  We normally eat them too, with cabbage and cornbread.  I think the tradition is for health, wealth, and happiness or something like that.  Tomorrow we will share the same with Mama.  We will take along this Poor Man's Dip with us when we go.  I think it will be a perfect addition for our New Years gathering.  It's so simple to put
together ~

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1/2 small purple onion, chopped

2 can's black eyed peas (drained)

1 can shoe peg corn

8 oz bottle of Italian dressing

Mix all together and chill overnight.  Serve with Frito Scoops.

This is really the perfect dish for tomorrow.  May we all be poor in spirit, as the first beatitude states, remembering we can do nothing without God.  A Blessed New Year to You All!

Christmas with Mama ~ 2010

Mama added a new tree to the house this year.  She said, "Daddy always wanted a tree with blue lights."  She covered it with silver angels and other "heavenly" ornaments.
I bought and wrapped the peace ornament "for daddy's tree."  I think this might just become a new tradition for us. 

We bought this ornament for him last year at the Christmas tree farm. It looks beautiful on his tree.

She also added this beautiful, sparkly hummingbird.  They have so many hummingbirds there in the summer.  Daddy told her whenever she was sad and saw a hummingbird come to the window it would be him telling her everything was going to be ok.  A day or so after his death she was about to leave my house when a hummingbird flew to our front window and fluttered for a few seconds.  I asked her if she saw that.  I had never had that happen here before.  She then shared with me what he had told her.  

We had a nice visit with mama and she was very generous in her gift giving.  Just like daddy was  :) It's still hard for me to comprehend that he is not here anymore.  My heart aches but, the prayer "Jesus, I Trust in You" is the best medicine for my soul.

  I came across this poem today.  Mama, if you read this I hope it comforts you, too.

Christmas in Heaven

'Tis Christmas in Heaven

What a beautiful sight!

It's my first one here;

Everything is all right.

The crib is adorned

With the brilliance of stars,

Wise men have come

From Venus and Mars.

I've met all our dear ones

Who preceded us here;

The reunion was lovely,

An event full of cheer.

And tonight we'll all gather,

In reverence we'll kneel,

For the Babe in the cradle

Up in Heaven is Real.

I think of my family

that I left behind

And I pray that your Christmas

Is as blessed as mine

Please shed no more tears,

For my soul is at rest,

Just love one another;

Live life to its best.

Yes, It's Christmas In Heaven,

So I've heard them say,

Yet, Christmas In Heaven

Happens every day.

by Unknown.

So, what's your secret in

getting your kids to take the yucky stuff in the middle?  These are some of the things we tried last week.  Yep, Buck and Honeybee both had the flu :(  even with the flu shots???
Hope you are all staying well!

Christ Candle of Hope

Light the Christ Candle of Hope at the main Christmas dinner and during the 12 days of Christmas. Repeat the lighting of the Christ Candle and the Prayer each day.

The Christ Candle of Hope Prayer

God Our loving Father, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ into this world to conquer all the forces of evil: sin, suffering and death. He came to overcome evil with the power of good; hatred with the strength of love, your own great love for us in Jesus. Help us never to curse the darkness, but to join with you in bringing your light into this world, the light that is your Son, born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem. Help us to be instruments of your light and love by doing one special act of kindness or being your special instrument of reconciliation this Christmas season. May the Christ Candle which we light symbolize our desire to bring light into a world of darkness and hope into a world of despair. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

We have our first ever!



Christmas Blessings ~

to you and yours

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Novena ~ Day Nine

December 24th ~

O Divine Savior, O King of Immortal glory, Who in Your great mercy came into the world to redeem us and make us holy; grant that, denying all ungodliness and love of this world, we may live soberly in ourselves, justly toward our neighbor, and piously before You, so that we may be happy with You for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Eight

December 23rd ~

O Divine Savior, O King of peace, Who was pleased to make Your appearance among us when the world was in peace; graciously send us your peace and be born anew in our souls this Christmas.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

O' Antiphons Lapbook

Snuggle Bug and I enjoyed putting this lapbook together. The O' Antiphons are so interesting to research! I was so excited last year when I figured out that the beautiful hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was actually the O' Antiphons being sung!
With the help of a pack of various sized and colored card stock, a printer, scissors and a glue stick, this lapbook was a cinch to assemble! We used a bright yellow gold file folder as our base crown, since these titles are often referred to as the seven jewels of our liturgy.

She used this list for her front flaps. 

Then our resident computer expert, The House Cat, saved these symbols in My Pictures folder on the computer, opened them with the Paint option, adjusted the sizes, and printed them.  Snuggle Bug mounted them on a piece of card stock with the corresponding date alongside. 

 We glued the top edge of this card to a larger card.

Then I printed out these scripture references.  We cut these in strips, divided by day, and folded them to where the outside edges met in the middle.  These were then glued under the top card and can be opened and read like this.

(Make sure you place these towards the bottom  so you can lift the top flap and read easily.)

I also printed and cut out the verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel for each O' Antiphon and she glue those right below the cards. 

Each card looks like this when completed.  Look toward the end of the post to see how they are all arranged.

I'm sure this will be a well used lapbook for years to come!

Christmas Novena ~ Day Seven

December 22nd ~

O Divine Word, Who for the love of all of us, Your poor creatures, was pleased to be born under the most lowly stable roof, to be wrapped in swaddling clothing, and to be laid in a manger; grant that we may also renounce all wordly vanities, and embrace poverty of spirit and mortification of the flesh so necessary for our perfection.  Grant that we may be thoroughly detached from creatures and poor in all things except Thy love and Thy grace.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Six

December 21st  ~

O Divine Infant, Who when excluded from Bethlehem, did inspire Your holy Mother to retire to a  poor and wretched stable, in which obscure and humble place it was Your will to be born, in order to confound our pride, and to teach us humility; grant that we may conform ourselves to Your will, renounce all pomp and pride, and become truly meek and humble of heart.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Five

December 20th

O most adorable Jesus, Who upon thy arrival at Bethlehem was rejected by all men; grant us to follow Your example in sufferings and contempt, that we may welcome you joyfully in our hearts, when You seek an entrance there whether by holy inspirations or by Your divine sacraments.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Four

December 19th

O Sweetest Jesus, Who went to Bethlehem in the womb of Mary to obey the commands of Caeser, who ordered all his subjects to be enrolled; grant us grace to obey with cheerful readiness the most difficult commands from those who hold place over us.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Three

December 18th

O Infant God, Who from the moment of Your conception in Holy Mary's womb did offer Yourself to Your Eternal Father for the salvation of our souls, graciously help us to labor zealously for others  and work out our own salvation in fear and trembling, yet with confidence in Thy love.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Two

December 17th

O merciful Redeemer, Who choose to remain in the chaste cloister of Mary's womb, hidden and unknown, even though You were the Eternal Word, and the wisdom of the Father; grant that we may learn from You to love solitude and silence, and escape the evils that are found in the distractions of this world; grant us greater purity of mind and heart; grant that we may glorify Thee, and that we may be uplifting to others by our purity and modesty.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, Be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day One

December 16th

O God and Savior of  our souls, sweet Infant Jesus, Whom the angels and shepherds adored in the stable of Bethlehem on that holy night when you were born of the Virgin Mary, we offer Thee our profound adoration and our most earnest thanksgiving for having become man for our redemption and salvation; grant that we may apply all our powers to fulfill Thy gracious designs, that we may become perfectly renewed in heart and inflamed with Thy holy love.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be....

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Our O'Antiphon Tree

Last year the kids made small O' Antiphon ornaments for a "very" mini Christmas tree we had.   I printed the images onto a piece of cardstock and they cut them out, colored them, and we taped the titles on the back.

The "O" Antiphons are the seven jewels of our liturgy, dating back to the fourth century, one for each day until Christmas Eve. These antiphons address Christ with seven magnificent Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ. The Church recalls the variety of the ills of man before the coming of the Redeemer.   (Taken from Catholic Culture)

 December 17th ~

O Sapientia ~Wisdom who came from the the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!

December 18th ~

O Adonai, Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law n Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!



December 19th ~

O Radix Jesse O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silent, and whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.

December 20th ~

O Clavis (Key of) David and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens, come to liberate the prisoner from his prison, and those that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

December 21st ~

O Oriens (Rising Dawn) of the east, brightness of the everlasting light, and Son of justice, come and enlighten those that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

December 22nd ~

O Rex Gentium, O King of the Gentiles and desired one, the corner-stone, that makes both one: come to save man, whom you made out of the dust of the earth!

December 23rd ~

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God!

Sweet & Simple on St. Lucy's Day

Honeybee asked me the other day, "Mommy, why don't you ever play with me?"  Lets see...laundry, cooking, cleaning, schooling..... Oh yeah, in a five year old's mind those are things that mom enjoys doing. Right?  So, yesterday afternoon I had a little spare time to stop and "play" with Honeybee.  Around 4:00pm I asked her if she'd like to make a crown for St. Lucia's Day.  I know this is traditionally worn in the morning to wake the family.  For those of you who know me, you know that I am NOT a morning person....  I was so excited to see this easy paper crown and we even had a paper plate with a pretty floral edge on it!  Yay, I thought this might actually come together!

Once the crown was made, she and Snuggle Bug, who was now in on the action, ran back to her closet and found her white "dress up" gown.  She added one of her brother's white undershirts and my red robe sash and looked just precious!  Now for the buns...  Thank goodness Jessica mentioned cinnamon rolls in one of her posts.  Thankfully, my honey calls on his way home from the dentist..., "Do you need me to pick up anything?", he asks. 

Cinnamon Rolls of course!

Honeybee was just thrilled to bring dessert to the table as I played Santa Lucia in the background. 

Later I asked her if this counted as me playing with her.  She looked at me with eyes that said, "What are you talking about?"  Oh well.....at least I tried :)

Saint Lucia ~ Pray for us

The Holy House of Loreto

Honey Trail Mix on the feast of St. Ambrose

The girls and I snacked on Honey Trail Mix this afternoon while we read aloud the story of Saint Ambrose from Once Upon A Time Saints.

Saint Ambrose's words were said to be sweeter than honey from the comb. 

To make this yummy snack you need ~

2 cups corn chex

2 cups rice chex

1 cup mini pretzels

Mix these together in a large microwaveable bowl.

In a measuring cup, mix together 1/4 cup honey and 3 Tlbs. oil. 

Pour over cereal/pretzel mixture.

Stir and microwave for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds.

Serve and enjoy!