{PHFR}

Pretty:

We had a nice St. Lucia celebration on the 13th. I made sweet rolls (from a can) in a circle for breakfast and print out a paper St. Lucia from Paper Dali for Little E. She loves blowing out candles and saying, "Pray for us!"

Happy:

Last week I made homemade beeswax votive candles to have blessed on Candlemas. This was my second attempt at making candles. The first attempt I couldn't get out of the mold, so this time I just put them in a water bath and they popped right out. The plan is to light these when we pray the rosary.

 Funny:

This past Saturday we made cookies with DH's family and Little E had flour head to toe. She loved rolling, cutting and putting flour out to making the rolling easier. We probably made over 15 dozen cookies. Most of them are in the freezer because I have no self control. ;)

Real:

DH has a soft heart for animals. One of the litter from this past spring had 4 more kittens. As of today I have given away 2, so 2 more to go. DH made a nice sign out of cardboard and sharpie that is in the front yard for free kittens. It isn't pretty, but at least it works!

Head on over to Like Mother, Like Daughter for more Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real.

The Advent Post

Advent is upon us. Preparing our hearts for the Christ Child is the goal.

So this year, we have a few traditions that we are celebrating-new and old.

First, before having little E, we said the prayers and lit the candles of our lovely Advent Wreath given to us by my mom. It is a nod to my Irish heritage.

Next, I really think Little E will enjoy putting this nativity together each day (if she can wait!) also bought for us by my mom.

Here is yet another Advent calendar given to us by a good college friend of mine and it has little door for each day of December. Before Little E, I would fill each day with candy for DH, but now it is little toys or candy for her. She adores Winnie the Pooh and I was lucky enough to find some little figurines at the dollar store.



St. Nicholas will bring the gold coins and playmobil nativity set for Little E. 

We are going to strive to say a family rosary each day (which we do most days) and also recite the St. Andrew Christmas anticipatory prayer each day in hopes of a miracle baby for us. 

Some other activites we have planned are a trip to a Carmelite monastery for a St. Nicholas celebration, mass at our cathedral and a get together on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and family cookie day with my in-laws.

We bought this crucifix at the Carthusian monastery gift shop this summer.

I had thoughts of doing a Jesse Tree, but I think that it will be too much for us this year. I will continue to read and pray my Divine Intimacy and I hope to start to say Night Prayer each night. I would love to say the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day as time allows or even the Little Office, but I need to start somewhere.