1. I might not be able to retrieve the mortgage papers or tax forms easily (yes, our two filing cabinets are still filled with who-knows-what, Mom), but I have a hook for my car keys right inside the family room.garage and I use it! baby steps...
2. I promise, promise, promise to stop harping on poor China and Christmas. Why not this idea? China has 25% of the world's population- so we can buy 25% of our needed products from them. More than 25% is not quite fair to the rest of the world's industry...and there is their forced abortion policies and bishops in prison and unsafe work conditions...etc.etc...just click on the 'China' label to your right for more information.
3. The Nativity Fast (Advent) has started for us. We will be doing our level best to abstain from meat during this time except I reserve Thanksgiving Thursday as a feast day. This is one of those cultural aspects that separate us from Orthodox who are vegan during the fasting periods. Maybe we will attempt that during Great Lent, but for health reasons, it is not that feasible.
4. I made bell peppers stuffed with rice and beans for dinner. They were good! Using garlic and onions and baking in the oven makes nearly anything delicious. I normally would add cheese to the top, but since it was the first day of the fast, I omitted that.
5. At the top of my Christmas list is a digital camera. These camera phone photos on my bog are painful to look at- especially since some of my favorite blogs- Soulemama, Small Things, Posie Gets Cozy- are stellar with their photography. Maybe St. Nicholas will leave me a camera in my shoe...
6. It has been very strange to not be in Nutcracker for my girls. I would have been year #6. We are so busy that it will be a challenge to even see a performance. On the upside, this will be the first time they have ever seen a live performance of the ballet.
7. Dear readers,
What is some random wisdom that you would like to share with the other readers? Perhaps a kitchen or child rearing tip or maybe a spiritual insight or perhaps you can help me remember how to tune my violin or cast on my knitting needles- I am a forgetful sort when I stop doing something...
or
What is on your Christmas list (cue Amy Grant)?
What is some random wisdom that you would like to share with the other readers? Perhaps a kitchen or child rearing tip or maybe a spiritual insight or perhaps you can help me remember how to tune my violin or cast on my knitting needles- I am a forgetful sort when I stop doing something...
or
What is on your Christmas list (cue Amy Grant)?
uh-oh...according to old country old lady wisdom, hair will grow on your backside if you sing Christmas songs before Christmastime....my apologies
In any case, the comment box takes anonymous comments with no captcha code (you can thank my bad eyesight for that- I don't ask more from you than I can do)! 
On my Christmas list is a cast iron dutch oven...of course I want Le Creuset...maybe off ebay if I'm lucky?
ReplyDeleteTip for readers....the library has great vegetarian and vegan cook books! You can take home a dozen, flip through them all and get inspired and excited to cook during fasting times :)
I LOVE my cast iron frying pan- my advice, save your pennies for what you really want and the best quality- it will last forever
DeleteHave you read 'Love Soup'- great meatless and vegan recipes
come on Kim (Byzymom) blog at least once a month- the internet misses you ';)
DeleteAlright....I will try and blog a little more..I have a post about Advent calendars that I have been working on...maybe I will post it tonight after the kids go down :)
DeleteThanks for the encouragement!
yippee! and I am working on a calendar that starts November 15th (maybe next year I'll finally put it on-line)
DeleteLOL I have a coworker that is more xmas crazy than me...she was listening to christmas music at work today :) I've been watching christmas movies but I TRY to not listen to music till thanksgiving at least ;)
ReplyDeleteat least Christmas is beautiful (unlike halloweeen) just keep celebrating after the new year
Deletethere's an external disk drive to back up files on my christmas list. my piece of wisdom: back up your photos and documents regularly so you don't face losing all of them when your hard disk fails.
ReplyDelete:( sorry...that's lousy
DeleteMy cousin's wife (cousin-in-law?) was quoted in this article about the Nutcracker and it made me think of you when I read it!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.star-telegram.com/2012/11/12/4401703/how-to-prepare-newbies-for-the.html?storylink=addthis#.UKMiamtntOw.facebook
We saw our school's Nutcracker this weekend- it was painful for my girls...
DeleteI also start listening to Christmas music AFTER Thanksgiving too!
ReplyDeleteThere's a book I enjoyed last year titled "A Catholic Christmas" by Kathleen Carroll. It begins with Advent until the New Year with feast days during the season plus a history of the holiday. More here:
www.catholiccompany.com/catholic-christmas-p3011032/?
very cool- I'll have to check it out
DeleteI think I'm going to echo a comment above, I hope to take time to enjoy the seasons we're in. I don't want to spend the next 37 days getting burned out with Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at your comment about wanting a digital camera so you can take better pictures for your blog! I laugh because I have a digital camera and I want an upgraded iPod Touch with a camera in it so I can put up pictures faster. I do like the pictures I (eventually) get up on my blog, but it takes me forever to do it because I'm lazy about getting them off the camera. LOL! I also never have it with me, whereas I know I am more likely to have my iPod with me because it is usually with me. Funny how that works, isn't it. So my Christmas list: a new iPod Touch.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have no advise on anything. I need all the help I can get. :)
I just noticed your "Praying for ..." section of your blog over on the right. Love that idea! I may have to steal that for my own blog.
ReplyDeleteI need to update it!
DeleteSomething I've noticed recently: Sometimes it just takes doing the same thing that you care about regularly for people to eventually notice it and find it charming.
ReplyDeleteI'm Jewish, so there's no Christmas list- but I'm actually looking forward to working on Christmas, so that my Christian colleagues don't have to worry about who'll cover things at work over their holiday.
I'm loving these comments- but I am running to the vigil and then to Nutcracker....will answer tomorrow :)
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to stop harping on the ethical shopping for Christmas! You've inspired me, and we're going to be trying it as a family. I'm working on a blog post about it, so that I can share my finds of brands of toys that are made in Europe and North America but are affordable.
ReplyDeleteHow do you deal with Thanksgiving leftovers if you're avoiding meat every other day? Do you abstain from meat on Sundays too?
We eat meat on Sundays and then the kids might finish leftover meat on Monday and Tuesday for lunch when dad isn't home- so we have reserved Thanksgiving as a feast day and will eat leftovers on Sunday and then the kids will finish (trying to be balanced...)
DeleteI heard some people do turkey pot pie with leftovers and then wrap and freeze- that would be a great way not to waste leftovers
Our local Byzantine Catholic priest told us that his bishop gave everyone a dispensation to eat meat on the day after Thanksgiving, but only if they had attended Divine Liturgy for Thanksgiving! I know a few who took advantage of that.
Deleteyou can't feast if you don't fast! (or go to Mass) ;)
DeleteI have to admit, I have listened to Christmas music ALL YEAR this year. I just like Christmas. I like the music. And I don't get burned out on it. My kids and I have already been singing "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" for the last week. I did get sad to see people turning on their Christmas lights already (I have no problem with them putting them up early to take advantage of nice weather though, just wish they wouldn't turn them on just yet).
ReplyDeleteOn my Christmas list this year? Just that we can all have a quiet and happy one in spite of the fact that this will be our first Christmas without my husband. A day with peace, harmony, and joy would be very welcome to me!
RW- you deserve to listen to Christmas music! You are in my daily prayers
DeleteMy only problem with starting Christmas early is that people stop celebrating on December 26th! I say we should be celebrating at the bare minimum until January 2nd (but really until after Epiphany/Theophany)
Ugh! Just cannot listen to Christmas music yet. I think I'd actually be fine to wait until Christmas but the rest of the world doesn't wait for the liturgical season to catch up to them. If you wait you miss out. :-( I'm sure I'll listen at some point before Christmas, but if I hear it on the radio station in the car, I change stations. Just no desire yet this year.
ReplyDeleteOn my Christmas list. A new rug for the Kitchen. One that doesn't get junk trapped in it - that I can shake or vacuum or wash in the machine and actually get clean. Not too much to ask for, right?
Racheal (you've "known" me as "deacon's wife" :-) )
hmmm....I can't say that will be an easy rug to find...my sister has one of those restaurant rugs that are plastic and gel-filled (?) that are easy to clean but not machine washable- but in case buy something 'commercial' anyone who has more than 2 people in the household should buy only commercial grade
DeleteThanksgiving has its own propers and readings (including, depending whom you ask, a special irmos and magnification) in my jurisdiction :)
ReplyDelete