lately :: Christmas remnants ::


Catching up on just a few little memories over Christmas and up through Epiphany...

A trip to the five and dime - where nothing is either five or a dime.




I was so excited to take the kids to a local cafe just down the street that features table-made s'mores. Alas, they were 'all out,' my surprise for the kids a bust, and I left feeling dejected. (But seriously, how can you be all out of s'more ingredients over Christmas break when that's your thing advertised everywhere? Especially when there's a grocery store like 1/2 a mile away? But I digress.)
We decided to just go home and do it on our own with stuff we already had! I guessed that saved a chunk of change and let the baby get his nap in so we won.



New Year's Eve was celebrate with kids in bed, Benedict Cumberbatch jonesing on my homemade wings, and the husband and me in bed by ten. Party ANIMALS.

There was (mediocre) fondue. The boys loved it.


And we did our now traditional dinner out and trip to the shrine to see the light show.

Possibly the only light display in existence that portrays a giant monstrance?


True story: I have a crippling fear of heights but challenged myself to climb to the top of the shrine. But this is as near to the edge as I would get. The pond below is surrounded by a giant light rosary.


Another night was ice cream for dinner.

I got a better picture of the peg family David made for Ben for Christmas. I love it so much! (Despite the fact that my cumulative postpartum hair losses are clearly as evident as I feared.)

Christmas is good but real life still. The van died and the man of the house figured out how to fix it spending his whole Saturday off doing just that. We will need a new van very very soon but are trying to put it off as long as possible. This van is rusted and "quirky" and I still have to hit it in the right spot in order to get it to start BUT it has been paid for for a long time and every day we can eke out of it is means one less day before we have figure out something new and shell out the moolah. 

The boys served at the cathedral again for Epiphany.
Humility.

On a whim, I decided to hide the boys' Epiphany gifts and sent them on a search to find them which they loved. I normally buy them a schoolbook or something educational to help them grow in "wisdom." (Get it?)







And we blessed the house at night. We got some new incense from the cathedral and now the whole house smells divine.


Even (especially) the basement gets blessed!


There are so many moments I didn't capture: dinner parties, precious time with friends, cookies, serving, game nights, snuggling, candlelit evenings, finding lights in the car, evenings of prayer, and time for rest. There were overflowing heart moments, heavy moments, fun moments and bitter ones, too. God is good and the moments and time He gives us so important. May the graces He provided this Christmas bear good fruit in all of us.

Today I'm beginning the deChristmasing process and as usual, it feels time. Another Christmas is passed and these moments and years are so fleeting. We are so blessed to have these times and seasons and I feel like our little family is getting a little bit better at being thankful and allowing Him to fill our hearts with the graces of each and every moment. 

5 comments

  1. Oh my goodness! Where did you get the little thurible and the star pole? They are awesome.

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    1. That's from the Mass kit through Our Father's House. http://www.ourfathershouse.biz/shopsite_sc/store/html/page29.html
      I bought it 9ish years ago and I think the price is higher now! It's in pretty rough shape...it was actually on my list to replace it this year but I didn't get around to it. The star is just a tree topper that the boys wound onto a dowel. Usually we just hold the star but it does look cute with the handle!

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  2. Positively love it all....looks like Christmas and all events surrounding were wonderful and truly memorable! Thx for sharing!

    Now, I have to ask....WHAT is that amazing bowl/pot/burner that the boys are roasting marshmallows over for the smores? We have an outside fire pit and we often roast hot dogs and make smores out there..... we've even, on some desperate ( ! ) winter nghts, when we SO miss the campfires of summer, shoveled to the pit and sat around on mats, roasting.......but I love that indoor smore idea! Fill me in Mary!!

    Also, cannot believe how big the baby is getting! They're all growing up!

    Have a great day Mary!!
    ~Chris

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    Replies
    1. Haha, it's nothing fancy! There's probably a specific name and purpose for this type of dish but it's just a pewter dish on a stand, only about 6 inches across or so. We put a few old candle stubs in it and used barbecue skewers and it worked perfectly!

      I know! I appreciate you calling him the baby - I still think of him that way!

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    2. Sounds like a great idea for the dish!! And your boys are showing great restraint! I think mine would be toppling the dish...a "campfire" indoors is such a novelty!

      Thanks Mary ......

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