The 6th Day of Christmas -- journaling...

It is the 6th Day of Christmas and everyone is rising in a leisurely manner. I am absolutely loving awakening to a quiet home, and it staying that way for a good, long while. It was 35 degrees here, when I let the dogs out around 7am. I puffed out the smoky-looking air and perused the woods behind us -- beautiful and quiet and dimly lit. We are heading downtown to IKEA today, later. Looking back to the 5th Day of Christmas: Yesterday my friend Lisa picked up Little Man to go for a playdate with her daughter and new puppies. The girls and I left Dad alone with his woodchip pile to go to the Mall (...I am thinking of writing, at some point, about "Mallschooling" -- catchy, no?). It was clear and a bit brisk, perfect for shoveling and Dad did shovel and spread lots of mulch over our muddy backyard. The Mall Foodcourt was crowded with happy moms and tweens and teens -- very nice to see others enjoying what I get to enjoy often. Maybe I am a starry-eyed optimist, but I see so much goodness around me. We live in a very safe and, for lack of a better way to put it, a well-educated area of American Suburbia. As a southerner, I feel the South here in Georgia, even though North Atlanta is mostly transplants from everywhere. It is so much cheaper to live here than any other metro area in the U.S., or the planet, for that matter, that it is very amenable to family life. You can enjoy big city perks and still afford a nice house with a good-sized yard...well, anyway: the girls talked me in to a new outfit, at a rock bottom price...then, we picked up Little Man, saw our friends' new puppies, chatted with their family, Mom (yours truly) sipped a half glass of good red wine, and then back home to change clothes, drink tea, leave the boys at home and then off to AMC Cinemas to use Dad's gift card from work to see Twilight. M read all four books since T-giving and I read about a quarter of the first book last nite. I like it. I like it alot. More on that, later. So many hunger and thirst for the truths of the Old Faith which is also known as Catholicism...more later, very important topic and do not want to botch it...Adios for now, dear Christmas journal.

Faith's great adventure -- Becket!

Today is the 5th Day of Christmas and a most interesting saint's feast day. Here is a quote from Catholic Culture about Becket: "Given the tempo of the liturgical season with its feasts it is easy to overlook that one saint who for many centuries was, after Mary and Joseph, the most venerated person in European Christendom." Read the rest here. I want to see this film about the venerated man. Looking back to the 4th Day of Christmas: Yesterday was one of my favorite feasts of the whole year, the Feast of the Holy Family. For years now, I have dedicated the most intimate part of my life to the Holy Family. I love them and everything for which they stand. So, Mass yesterday was particularly moving for me. We went for our regular Sunday drive up to Cumming to snap some pics of the house. We ate at Cici's Pizza and looked at leather couches, came home, had some hot tea and watched loads of t.v. M made us pasta with red sauce for dinner. We talk alot while we watch t.v. Much playing with our grateful pets. Our evening family prayer was almost midnight. We are really staying up late and sleeping late.

More Christmas 2008 diary...

JMJ, pray for us! Yesterday was the 3rd Day of Christmas and I finally cooked up a feast (...as an aside, I plan to boil a fresh turkey today or tomorrow, since I tend to rubberize roasted poultry...). I made pork tenderloin in the Crockpot with creamy wine mushroom sauce, egg noodles, simmered apples (yum!), green peas and a delicious baked sweet potato casserole. We placed our Nativity on the breakfast room table and Dad and I sang our best "Away in a Manger," which was weak, but a good start. Earlier in the day, Dad and I watched a replay of Carl Sagan's Cosmos, Dad took the girls to the pet store and Little Man played with his new toys. I did alot of de-cluttering and got our learning room almost ready. Began St. Therese Novena again, as I stopped at day 4 or 5 when we came back from BGKY. Did laundry. Talked with girls. Stared at all the stuff I need to either pack up or get rid of soon. Read ultra-inspiring article in the Dec./Jan. American Spectator by Michael Novak recounting the death of his brother, a priest, Fr. Richard Novak, in 1964, in Pakistan. Enjoyed husband being off work. Day-dreamed of painting. Plans: Going to see Tale of Despereaux up in Dawsonville with another hschooling family, toasting in 2009 with friends, continuing house/yard cleaning while we have help from Dad, hoping to have some lunch and/or coffee date with my mom friends (sans kiddos) and gearing up for Winter academic quarter.

2nd Day of Christmas

2nd Day of Christmas: I am really trying to savor every moment. We are so glad to have Dad home for two weeks with no work! He took us to his favorite lunch spot, where he usually goes with all his fellow software engineers. Then, we joined the swarm at Target, and, believe it or not, THE MALL! Oh, my goodness, it was waves and waves of people. The general feeling was very happy and laid back with lots of extended families walking in groups. This area is so new that lots of folks must have grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc...in town to stay. It reminded me of when I lived in Madrid, which, when I lived there, was such a laid back city full of families strolling and shopping and eating. I learned to love strong coffee in Madrid's cafes. (...okay, the cheap, good red table wine was good too...) Well, back to yesterday. M and Dad walked the whole Mall and J, JB and I made a small circle, bought frosty Orange Juluii and plopped right on the floor in front of Waldenbooks and had such a good time watching people and looking at JB's half price calendars (...she has a calendar collection...). I am writing and delivering a few Christmas cards every day, hopefully to have them all out by Epiphany. The girls are helping with delivery of local cards/gifts and helping cook and clean. Little Man does dishes, sweeping and family room pick up. Some seasonal greeting cards are going through email this year. The girls and I went to Publix, and we all settled in to watch a very strange and funny movie called The Bee Movie. Earlier in the day, we recorded a bunch of the show Myth Busters, which we've heard alot about but never seen, and watched a few of those episodes here and there. The dogs and cats were in heaven having us all piled in the family room so much. Dad was playing lots of guitar. Looking ahead: We want to try some new recipes: sausage balls and a chocolate cake and more. And, I'm trying to talk Dad into roasting a fresh turkey, while they are available. M and I are looking at studying the works of George MacDonald this coming quarter. I am getting the planning itch and want to go solo to the library next week while Dad holds down the fort.

Story of St. Wenceslaus

Go here to read about good King Wenceslaus. This is one of my favorite Christmas carols. Enjoy the carol here. Wow! I just found a picture book jackpot. Go here for a blog post chock full of books and info on this inspiring saint. Yesterday, the 1st Day of Christmas: While it was a good thing to get up to Kentucky from last Saturday to Tuesday, we were all a bit sluggish yesterday. The 10:30 Christmas Day Mass was so quiet and lovely. We went for a little drive, ate a late lunch at one of the few places open in the metro area, had some hot cider and visited with friends and came home to settle in to watch movies and eat frozen lasagna from COSTCO, which I did heat in the oven! Oops; rewind to Christmas morn -- we always make a home movie of the children coming down the stairs to see what ole St. Nick brought (his presents are unwrapped or in the stockings) and then they tore into a few wrapped gifts, most of which the girls bought for their little brother. The tree is beautifully lit as I write this on a cloudy, and not so cold -- around 53 degrees -- morning. I love winter and have loved it all my life. The short days take the pressure off my extroverted temperament. I get outside, but the quiet and low light soothes my easily agitated self. Growing up in Kentucky, I never remember the ice or snow keeping me inside too much. As a younger person, I spent hours taking long walks. I love being able to see the shape and contours of the land. Now I see it largely from my van, yet, the views here in our North Georgia suburban neighborhoods are breathtakingly beautiful, surrounded by winter's spartan landscape. Instead of 5 mile hikes, now I putter around my little plot of the American pie like a good rheumatic. Part of the reason I keep this little diary is to remind myself of things I want to do, places and books to explore...well, again, I'll write that I want very much to get back to taking pictures and learn how to put them on this blog. So far, I am dependent on my hubby and my firstborn to help me with the photos. While I'm at it, I want to learn to paint. Our new house has a room on the terrace level to use as a playroom/art studio. Art and architecture have become quite the passion around here, for years, as all the children love to color, draw, paint and build. Being a stay-at-home mom has been for me the greatest ongoing Christmas gift a woman could ever hope to have.