Happy Anniversary Mr Bailey!

Here's to the wonderful life we get to share!

Quick #197: Stories of song and camels

1. Life these days is as crazy of the weather! While part of me is in denial about everything that has to get done in the next week, another part of me is enjoying watching the kids being excited the Advent activities we and their schools are doing.
2. Liam's pageant was great fun with a couple of songs and the kids doing a great job with their lines and retelling the Nativity story.
3. Lisbeth's concert was also wonderful.  The music was beautiful as was the Nativity play. Adding to the fun playing the role of Baby Jesus was the one month old daughter of her teacher last year.
4. Unfortunately what is getting bumped this year is any sort of O'Antiphons activity with the kids. I'd love to but I also know my limits.
5. Shopping for the kids was a bit more tricky this year as Lisbeth's list include high price items such as x-box and power ranger weapons that were no-goes ~ and Caitie kept changing what she wanted.  Liam kept adding to his list but by this point I regard that as S.O.P.
6. Carols getting a lot of airtime in the car; Mary, did you know?, Emmanuel, and Jingle Bells.
7. Have a good weekend and have fun lighting all four candles!!

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Quick Takes #196: Advent Happenings

1. After a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family where good food was shared and the kids had a great time with their cousins; we headed home and are jumping on the Advent train.
2. Actually started letting the kids open windows on their calendar on Sunday when we lit the first candle on the Advent wreath.  We always forget a night here and there ~ and now we are already ahead a night or two.
3. We are again using the prayers from Welcome Baby Jesus by Sarah Reinhard when we light the Advent wreath candles. Except this year Lisbeth is reading the prayers!!!
4. Check these excellent posts on Advent observances in these 'in the trench' days: 
5. Have started the two books in the last two categories I need to read to complete the Modern Mrs Darcy reading challenge. Am not sure that I will be able to finish both this month but am proud of myself with sticking with and meeting the challenge. 
6. Liam is a camel in his school's Christmas Play; I'm a bit disappointed it not a lobster. Name the movie :)
7. Plans for the weekend includes a bit more decorating and getting together with friends and perhaps the first fire of the season.

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Daybook ~ Late November

Thinking about:
    Getting serious about Christmas shopping so as not to leave it all for the last minute. What additions I might make to how kid-wise we observe Advent.

Excited For:
   Thanksgiving and getting together with family and watching the kids play with their cousins. An Outer Banks trip my sisters and I are starting to plan for next summer. Haven't been in almost five years!

Wearing: Mostly jeans and clogs or skirts and boots; still in the 60's most days so have not really had to break into the sweaters much but as of this weekend that is about to change.

Planting:
   Bulbs are all planted. Most of the leaves from nearby trees are down so hopefully coming down the homestretch on raking/bagging.  Have already done a bit of pruning but want to do some more once all the leaves are down.
   
My View:

Reading:  All fall Charlie and I have been reading or rereading parts of the Vorkosian saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. A friend started us on the series a few years ago towards the end but enjoying it Charlie has since bought all the books and so having reread everything I have read before I thought I would read one I haven't yet.

Watching: Blindspot, and the North&South mini-series. I read the book earlier this year and recently borrowed the DVDs from my sister. I really enjoyed it; felt like it was well acted, faithful to the book and so fun to see Brendan Coyle in another role.

Cooking: Spinach Quiche and otherwise trying to eat down the freezer ahead of the holiday.

The Kids: Elisabeth is still crazy about dinosaurs! Becoming a stronger reader all the time, is going to find some chapter books featuring her favorite Fancy Nancy under the tree.

Liam continues to enjoy Pre-K and all that he is learning about letters and numbers.  He is by far the smallest in his group at gymnastics but seems content to keep trying despite a weekly bump or bruise.

Caitlin is as much if not more of a talker than Lisbeth was. Favorite show is currently Max and Ruby.
Still enjoys drawing everywhere but is slowly learning to resist the temptation walls provide.

Quick Takes #195 Life these days

1. Really enjoyed participating in the 31day posting challenge last month but clearly needed a break afterwards but now want to play a bit of catch-up.
2. Halloween went well in the end with Elisabeth happy with how her Elanor ( a superhero of her own creation) costume came together and I finally figured out that costumes frightened Caitlin and she wanted to wear her own clothes. So I put on her longest princess dress and added a pink cape for warmth ~ Lisbeth dubbed her 'little pink riding hood' and we were off without a hitch. 
3. November has stayed at the warmer end of the fall weather spectrum which I have appreciated as I raked and bagged ~ and I'm sure the kids appreciated as they pile jumped and we even managed a few more playground playdates with friends.
4. The All Saints Pageant at Lisbeth's school went well and it was nice to be able to follow-up this week by acknowledging the feast days of Saint Margaret of Scotland who her best friend had chosen to research and Saint Elizabeth of Hungary who Lisbeth had chosen.
5. After the attacks last week a few people have asked after my family and so I want allay any fears; nearly all of my family on my mom's side live in Belgium and so were not near the attacks. They are of course (as am I) heartsick about the perpetrators ties to Belgium. I think one of the hardest lessons we are learning as we hear of Americans radicalized and young women disappearing from good neighborhoods in London is that it can happen anywhere.
6. Weekend plans include meeting with a Pre-Cana couple and going to a birthday party for a friend's son. What ever yours includes, have a good one!
7. A Picture from Halloween; better later than never right?
   
   
   
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In remembrance and thanks!

In Flanders Field by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

WWRW: November 4th

Recently finished To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee which I read as part of the Modern Mrs Darcy reading challenge. I don't remember what I read instead of this in high school but better late than never, right? Anyway; I'm glad I have read it ~ the childhood recollections and reflections of Scout Finch a young girl growing up in rural Alabama are touching without being saccharine.  With only a couple of exceptions no character is all good or all bad but rather the full spectrum of neighbors are shown at their best and worse.

Currently reading Jesus Feminist which is a nice change of pace after reading 33 days to Morning Glory. Both excellent in their own way but after reading Michael Gaitley's preparation for Marian Consecration with it's deep questions and profound theology which raised as many questions for me as it answered I needed something a bit lighter. According to the introduction Sarah Bessey intend Jesus Feminist to be a 'sitting around the campfire', sharing of experiences and putting aside the hurts and misunderstandings, and for a bit focusing on the fact that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made.  I'm only about a third of the way through but so far really appreciate Bessey's pacing and easy prose.