In a Quiet Stable in Bethlehem Town

Every year it's our family goal to quietly reflect on the true significance of Christmas during the preparation time of Advent. We have a few traditions to make more of an impact on the children of what a momentous event Christ's birth meant for all of history. Some of the favorite activities we did were so simple, though already Emily asks when we can do them again. For example, a simple countdown paper chain made of purple and pink strips added to our evening Advent prayer time. We have a small advent calendar, light our advent wreath candles, say a prayer, and sing "Oh Come oh Come Emmanuel". The kids get a bell and ring their little hearts out when singing the words REJOICE! They love it. We also have a stocking hung for Jesus in which the kids can give him presents--little love notes or treasures or mommy will write one of their sacrifices down and stuff it inside.

This year we were invited to do something a bit different for Christmas. We drove out to the tiny Texan to attend "Main Street Bethlehem" with a couple family friends. The town sets up a beautiful model of what Bethlehem looked like the day Christ was born. Volunteers from the city (of all different faiths!) dress up and reinact the town. It truly felt as if you walked into a time warp. As we moved through the small town, we saw how the people 2000 years ago lived. There were people in costume gathered around the fire cooking their dinner. Many praying and studying in the synagogue. Kids running around announcing the Messiah had been born. Tax collectors making a scene and dragging people off to jail. Jewlery makers, candle makers, market workers, and even a couple of camels. No one last-minute shopping for presents or stressing about decorations or complaining about visiting inlaws. Although it was packed, the crowd was so peaceful and respectful. They were there to see our the true meaning of Christmas.

There was quite a line. We were freezing and snuggling.
Emily loves her Nana!

We played games and ate popcorn to pass the time. (Leo loves the big boys!)


We finally made it inside to the first room and were taught how to make candles by alternating dipping a long cord into hot wax and water. Such patience and grace these ladies presented!

The townspeople were bursting with excitement that the Messiah had been born.

When we asked this carpenter if he had known Joseph, he replied in a thick Texan accent "y'all just mosey on 'round the corner and take a gander at 'there star." We had a good laugh.

We followed the star, saw the manger, and were blown away. There were thousands of people here, but it was silent. We had found the diamond in the ruff. Jesus, born in muck, next to stinky and loud donkeys, in scratchy hay, was beautiful.

Waiting for St. Nick

Ho Ho Ho

Santa: "Oh, hello little girl. What would you like for Christmas?"
Emily: "A Princess Castle!!!!!!!!!!"
Santa: "Wonderful. And what would you like little boy?"
Leo: "A bird."
Santa: "A book?"
Leo: "No. A red bird."
Santa: "hmmmmm. ok"

Strange kid. He also requested twin birds. This might just be a tricky year for Santa!

Top 10

I'm back!! Long story short, my technologically impaired brain finally figured out how to blog on my phone.
Top ten in no particular order:
1. My little chunker can balance all those rolls into a sitting position!
2. My little rascal made her way into a big girl bed. This only came after climbing out of the crib and about 10,000 sleep protests. I'll tell you this: that determination is going to take her FAR in life. Or make her mommy a little nuts:)
3. We unpacked all the boxes in our new house. It is beyond wonderful and we enjoy every minute we are here (even though we've traveled more than we've stayed).
4. The kids survived their first trip to Mississippi. All 18 long hours in the car, but totally worth it to see the pure joy on emily's face while playing with her cousins. Leo met MY newest cousin, Mae Rose, born on exactly the same day.
5. Advent season has a whole new meaning. Singing happy birthday to Jesus and getting a "m" (M&M) after our prayer service is the highlight of the day. We've also decorated a gingerbread house and cookies, and read some fabulous Christmas stories.
6. I've found another amazing thing to love about my husband. He's pretty darn handy. And not afraid to try, and try again. When he's not working, he's either improving the house or playing with the kids.
7. Potty training is still a work in progress, thanks to a busy mommy who forgets about tiny bladders. Emily's "just-tinkled-the-potty" dance makes me wish we could stay home all day.
8. Leo moved to a big crib and sleeps like a champ. He still eats 'round the clock to keep up his chubby figure (size 9 mo. and just turned 5) and I'm relishing the snuggles and giggles he so freely gives. Oh how my heart gushes!
9. I sent out Christmas cards and ordered all gifts online. It's so nice to be on a strict budget and not spend my thoughts absorbed in materialistic ways.
10. My devotion to Mary gets stronger each year around Christmas, especially after giving birth. She rode for days on a donkey, 9 months pregnant. She birthed in hay. She recovered surrounded by field animals. And here I thought my hospital bed was too stiff.
Now that I have the most recent updates out of the way, I can go back to blogging more often. (before some new project steals me away!)
If I can figure it out, I'll start posting adorable pictures of my tiny little loves.
Love and peace this Christmas season!

Christmas Festivities

By Christmas we were settled and anxious to celebrate, and oh did we celebrate!! We kicked off the season with the annual family Christmas party at my parents house, complete with cookie decorating, moon bouncing, and christmas caroling. Highlights included my dad standing on the coffee table to direct 100+ people in singing the 12 days of Christmas, and a very competitive ping pong match between the Flemings and the Mitts.
The next day was my Dad's birthday, so we followed our tradition of going to confession and mass at St. Joseph's downtown, which was so beautifully decorated. That night Will and Jacquie threw a party for Nona (whose birthday was a few days before) and Dad in their beautiful newly remodeled historical house.
Christmas Eve came next as we celebrated mass at Blessed Sacrament with the Pattersons. Our whole family was complete--Paul came in from New York, Lauren and Mary from Dallas. We ate our traditional buffet meal accompanied with games and our annual viewing of the Muppet Christmas Carol. Readings from the Bible and The Night Before Christmas followed by singing under the tree ended the night for a long winter's sleep.
Christmas morning was so fun!! Emily (after having a hard week trying to adjust to her new world) was happy practically the whole day and was thrilled about her new pooh bear bike. Later on in the afternoon my mom's side of the family came over to visit. At the end of the night we had a Wii Fit Tournament going with about 15 people. We were all exhausted by that point and I can remember my mom saying "let's have a wii clean up tournament".
Early the next morning we drove to Austin to be with the Danzes and McConnells and had a really great day with a beautiful brunch. The weather was perfect so the kids could play outside while we sat on the porch to chat. In lieu of a present exchange, we read scripture and exchanged keys with personal reflections of how to maintain Christ's presence in our daily lives. Later on we played a traditional boys vs. girls Taboo game and watched football. The following day Eli and I met his parents out at the Rock (family ranch). Emily really enjoys feeding the donkeys and cows and Eli loves to beat Fred at darts. In the morning we went to mass in Fredricksburg after a mini fiasco with the carseat. We couldn't get the straps assembled correctly since we washed the cover because Emily and I got sick in the car. After we took the family out to breakfast, we headed back to San Antonio.

Our Christmas outing with Nona to the musical The Christmas Carol was that afternoon. The performance was at San Pedro Playhouse, and it was really well done. The costumes and set were fabulous! (as well as the actors!) We went over to Nona's for ice cream with the Brian-Fagans so Emily could play with Caroline and Natalie.
Over New Years I took a trip alone--first time in nearly 2 years not to sleep right next to Emily--to go visit my friend Karen in Chicago. We had such a great time together. On New Year's Eve we went to a really cool jazz bar in the Lincoln Park Zoo area with some friends of hers. The next day we went downtown to the Water Tower for lunch and shopping and John Hancock and saw where she works, which is next door to the Sears Tower. We of course had some Chicago-style deep dish pizza...delicious!! Wicker Park is the area where she lives--the up and coming, trendy and young part of the city with lots of cool shops, restaurants and bars. The weather was pretty chilly with snow on the ground, but no new snow while I was there. I had a short trip and came back to Eli and Emily with a bad case of the flu and just felt horrible about leaving them! (although they were just fine without me! :)

For Epiphany we started a new tradition (in case you haven't noticed, my family loves traditions!). There is an old Irish tradition which honors the women of the family on Epiphany--a mother's day of sorts. So all the females of the family (about 16 in town) were invited to Tia's house for a special dinner and blessing of her house.
Soon afterwards we said good bye to my siblings from out of town and were sad to take down the Christmas tree and decorations. Before it was all over, Eli and I had a nice date on the riverwalk to see the lights downtown.