Books, Movies, Music & My Life

Not necessarily in that order.

We've had a busy week around here! What about you? It's not like it's Christmas or anything.

Trying to keep the meaning of the season and the commercialism at bay has not been very easy. The weather has not helped..it's been super cold in the morning..hot in the afternoon and then cool again or windy. Just when you want to start singing "White Christmas" the yard starts turning green in weird patches. So much for feeling like winter.

We did accomplish our school work for the week. This makes me very happy and quite proud of myself. Last year we took an extended Christmas break and felt the backlash long into the new year. This year we worked until yesterday. Since Christmas falls on a Saturday this year, we I didn't really see a reason to have more than 2 days off.

Anyhow, it's done and I didn't even cave when Mr. Pinch only completed half of her History assignment. We worked on it at 5:30 pm last night. Ya know what!!!?? It's Done! Hallelujah. Score one for mom! Mr. Pinch almost cried. Almost. But she kept it together and we got through the discovery and establishment of Jamestown. Whew.

This morning I am letting the dough rise for cinnamon rolls and downloading some FREE music from Amazon.com..check it out here:Believe In Christmas - Holiday Sampler"..

Don't forget to check out the 25 days of Christmas free MP3's here:
25 Days of Christmas FREE MP3's

I also just finished reading C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold. I've carried this book around for years and have picked it up, dismissed it, picked it up again..and this time it stuck. Great Story. I loved it. It's the myth of Cupid & Psyche retold. Lewis brings an entirely new story and heroine to you. It's an amazing read and if you haven't yet, I highly recommend you add it to your winter book list.
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold

On the movie forefront, hubby and I picked up an old favorite The Toy, with Richard Pryor.

I really needed this laugh. It has it's oops, get the kids out, moment, but well worth the watch if you have the clearplay filters in place. A few cuss words, a few cleavage shots and one scene where a naked woman's body is displayed in a painting.

Overall a great story about love and friendship. Just close your eyes when you see Fancy. :)

The Toy

And of course, It wouldn't be right without Charlie Brown.
Love this one.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Remastered Deluxe Edition)

So, if you've done all your shopping, trimmed up your tree, baked a thousand cookies, given gifts to all your neighbors..treat yourself to a good book, some free music and a belly full of laughs.

Merry Christmas Ya'll!

Bless This House

My husband led the family in the traditional Epiphany house blessing this evening after dinner. It was quite touching for me. Mr. Big Boy read from Luke, about Zaccheus and Jesus' meeting. Z just wanted to catch a glimpse of Jesus and he got so much more.

Hubby marked the doors with the blessing "Peace be to this house and all who live here". Then wrote above each door 20+C+M+B+10. In searching for the blessing prayers I found this blog...Perpetual Priest You can click on it to go to the blessing and a quick explanation of what it means. I encourage you to check out the latest entries there, especially the latest homily on this years Epiphany. Wonderful stuff.

God is truly good and truly present in our world. He is here, in my home, tonight! I have just a inkling of what Z must have felt, way back when.

My Charlie Brown Christmas

We watched this wonderful little show last night as a family. I laughed like I had never seen it before. How fitting it is in this day and age. All the talk of commercialism..oh and get this! They mention Christ The Lord! In a rare moment of cynisism, I said to hubster, "I wonder how long it will be before they stop showing Charlie Brown on TV because he talks about the "true" meaning of Christmas."

Then, after the kiddos went to bed, I saw this:



I laughed for almost an hour. I couldn't stop..some weird laughing jag that happens to me sometimes.

The kids helped me get the house ready and cleaned up yesterday. Our First official day of Christmas break. They did a wonderful job with the decorations. I gave them free reign with setting up the nativities. Here are some pics of the trees and the nativity they set up. Pannini came up with the idea for "snow" on the tree.




The Nativity Tree

The present tree

Feast of St. Thomas Beckett

Check out EWTN for more info on this famous martyr.

The Feast of The Holy Family

Jesus, our most loving redeemer,
You came to enlighten the world
with your teaching and example.
You willed to spend the greater part of Your life
in humble obedience to Mary and Joseph
in the poor home of Nazareth.
In this way, You sanctified that family,
which was to be an example for all Christian families.

Graciously accept our family,
which we dedicate and consecrate to You this day.
Be pleased to protect, guard, and keep it
in holy fear, in peace,
and in the harmony of Christian charity.
By conforming ourselves to the Divine model
of Your family,
may we attain to eternal happiness.
- New St. Joseph People's Prayer Book

For more reflection on The Feast of The Holy Family check out http://www.salvationhistory.com/homily_helps

St. Stephen, Ora Pro Nobis!

First Christian martyr. Deacon. Preacher. All we know of him is related in the Acts of the Apostles. While preaching the Gospel in the streets, angry Jews who believed his message to be blasphemy dragged him outside the city, and stoned him to death. In the crowd, on the side of the mob, was a man who would later be known as Saint Paul the Apostle.

St. Stephen, Ora Pro Nobis.

Praise Be To God! Alleluia!

The little one is born! Our Savior, Our Lord! All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O Holy Night

We just came home from Mass. My littlest one was an angel. Seeing her all in white and singing for Christ..in May she'll receive her First Eucharist..O joy! I don't think I'll be able to handle that one without tears.
Speaking of angels and tears..Good ol' Josh Groban..a voice like an angle, sweet enough to bring tears to your eyes. His mother must be so proud!

Auld Lang Syne

A Soldier's Silent Night

Thank You for all you do!

The Marvelous Toy

The Chad Mitchell Trio sings this great little number..

Mary's Boy Child

Gotta Love those 70's videos! I love this song though. Please bear with the video :)

Margie's Moments

This will be a new feature on my blog. Margie has asked to be a contributor and I am glad to have her here. So enjoy another great reflection from Margie.

A mother knows the pain of childbirth.
But she also knows the reward.
I believe that Our Blessed Mother experienced childbirth the way we do. Which is to say that it was NOT a bad experience! Those of us with children have our stories to tell but we always end with "it was worth it". This leads into my meditation on the Nativity. I imagine myself in the stable watching the birth of Jesus. I know what Mary is experiencing. The anticipation, the pain, the anxiety, the joy...
I visualize all those emotions on her face. Joseph experiences the same emotions. Then...Jesus is Born. Mary is holding him - as we mothers held
our first child. She can't stop looking at Him, kissing His little hands, smelling His hair, thinking He is so small and helpless, thanking God for Him, all the things a new mother does.
The bond is intense - we have felt that bond and we know how life changing it is. Jesus was divine - and also human - I think Mary experienced his humanity in childbirth and then the full measure of divine love upon first setting her eyes on Him. All the while - she was humble and mindful of who He was and the loving gift given to her and Joseph.

The usual image in a Nativity is Jesus in a manger surrounded by Mary and Joseph. I prefer to visualize Mary holding Jesus and Joseph holding both of them. A family - together.

Merry Christmas

Ave Maria!

This is my favorite rendition of this beautiful Hymn to Our Lady. I'll be posting my fav Christmas songs today! (To listen please scroll down to pause the Christmas Canon video)

Tonight Is The Night!

Christmas Canon (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

Thoughts And Prayers

What if...

it were your brother on the street
it were your mother or father in the hospital
it were your friends who were hungry
it were your sister who is a drug addict
if was your neighbor, who could not feed their children
it was your best friend, whose marriage was on the rocks
it was a baby out in the cold all night
it was a family member in jail
it was you, whose husband lost his job
it was you, whose home was being foreclosed
it was you, whose children were in need
it was you, who was lonely
it was your family who sleeps in the car
it was your family who eats at the soup kitchen
it was your family who was in need
it was you, who was losing hope

Would it be easier to give? Would it be easier to understand the needs of others? Would it be easier to reach out? Would it be easier to love?

My heart is full of all that I cannot do for others, and I cry out to the Lord, "I am only one, weak and imperfect. Yet, because of your mercy, Lord, I am confident to call on You. O my Jesus, I seek not to fulfill my own wants and desires, but the desires of others, to glorify Your name. You have given to me all that I need. You have left for me the Bread of Life. You have hidden Yourself in a tiny white host and You nurture me with the incomprehensible mystery of it. I empty myself out before You. In Your great Mercy You lower Yourself to my littleness. O how I long to serve You Lord. My Jesus, I love you!"

I felt called to post this intimate prayer today. The birth of Our Lord is upon us. The excitement of this moment is overwhelming me. Thinking about receiving Our Lord on Christmas is causing me so much joy that I think my heart may explode. To hold Him within me for but a moment will be excruciating bliss.

Merry Christmas Darling!

My man likes Christmas. He likes Christmas all year long! He's got Richie Rich taste on a Good Times budget. But I love him and if Donna Summer could sing it "He works hard for the money." So...this year..he asked for something..something that gave me heart palpitations at the bank.

He asked for, and God has blessed us to be able to afford, this:

A Ford F-150 King Ranch Pick 'em up truck
Let me tell ya..he's smilin' from ear to ear!

Merry Christmas Darling! I love you.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

The snowflakes the kids made..my oldest did the gecko one..my middle son made most of these..he even did an R2D2 one..down front!

The Gecko Flake

The Snowflakes hanging in the front hall

One of our Nativities..we collect them and I am in the process of setting up the other ones..I think at last count we had 5..I love Nativities!

Our Christmas Tree..I took these pics after two cups a'joe..so they may be a bit blurry..:)

Operation Christmas Card

I found this over at SITSA, Please participate if you can..I have read Amy's blog and her story is very compelling. She is an extraordinary woman dealing with extraordinary suffering. Here's a bit about her story:
Amy

According to Jane at Jumpin' in the Jungle, "[Amy] is an amazing woman with a sick son who is now sick herself. She had surgery last week on 2 masses on her neck and the report is they are cancer. Her surgery was very extensive and will take months of recovery. My heart breaks for her yet at the same time I am in total awe of her and her strength. If you don't know her, please take some time to read about her...and her son, Philip....and her family."

Philip has had 15 brain operations, a stroke and over 20 Orthopedic operations. To find out more about Philip, go to his Caring Bridges site. To read more about Amy and keep updated on her status, go to her blog, Our Daily Blessing.

If you would like to participate in the "Amy's Card Drive", you can contact Amy's friends:

Sandy: Prudentiablog@aol.com
or
Grace: grace.slick91@yahoo.com for Amy's address.

The gingerbread men...



The oatmeal raisin cookies



My Tree on Monday...updates to come



I'll be posting more pics of the cookies soon as I can..today I made:

JOT's wedding cookies
Choc-Ful Chocolate Cookies
Coconut Macaroons