This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I may be compensated for purchases made through these links, but all opinions are my own. It's been a couple of years since I wrote about picture books for Advent and Christmas and we have acquired so many more good ones to share with you! This year I'm going to wrap each book with wrapping paper so that the kids can unwrap one each morning of Advent. … [Read more...]
Our Book! It’s Here! It’s Finally Here!
At long last and just in time for Advent, our ebook, Feast! Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year, is here! Thank you so much, Carrots readers, for all of your encouragement and excitement about this project. I can't believe that we FINALLY get to share it with you! I'm thrilled and a little nervous to finally send this book out into the world. We're having a special … [Read more...]
Want 100% Beeswax Advent Candles? GIVEAWAY with Toadily Handmade Beeswax Candles
Did it just hit you that Advent is almost here? OK, good, because it just hit me, too. Haven't ordered Advent candles yet? Well, you're in luck. Because Toadily Handmade Beeswax Advent Candles is sponsoring a giveaway and offering one Make Your Own Advent Candle Kit to the lucky winner! For the past four years, I've bought my Advent candles from them because they are not only prettier than … [Read more...]
Christmas Tree Joy: A Photo Post
It's been quiet at Carrots this week, friends. I got hit by another bout of serious morning sickness and have been out of commission for a couple of days. Thank heavens for my mom and my in-laws who took care of the kids almost all day yesterday so that I could rest and recover from some fun pregnancy vomiting. I spent the whole day in bed with ginger ale and Harry Potter audiobooks. Anyhow, … [Read more...]
Little Holydays: Third Week of Advent
Yesterday was Gaudete Sunday when we are reminded to wait with joy for the coming of Our Lord. In light of the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday, it was difficult to do anything but grieve this weekend. I did find joy in the presence of my sweet family and savored each moment with them with a grateful heart. On Saturday I posted this reflection on the darkness of Advent and … [Read more...]
First Advent
Something from the archives today. I wrote this little reflection soon after Benjamin was born. I was huge. Not just big—gigantic. Even before I entered my third trimester, well-intentioned old ladies would pat my shoulder and say, “Any day now!” encouragingly as I waddled my way through the grocery store. Considering the raging pregnancy hormones running through my system, I’m impressed that … [Read more...]
Sleepers, Wake! An Advent Music Guide and Playlist
After explaining how we fast from Christmas music during Advent (and then turn up the jams during the Twelve Days of Christmas until Epiphany!), I get a variety of reactions including “Are you insane?” Well, probably. And “so, what DO you listen to during Advent?” To be honest I am just now discovering “Advent music” instead of just abstaining from Christmas music and I have completely fallen in … [Read more...]
Little HolyDays: The Feast of St. Nicholas
Welcome to our first Little HolyDays link up and Happy New Year! No, I haven’t gotten the months confused, it’s the beginning of a new liturgical year. Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. Let’s hope you were more organized than I and didn’t spend part of your Sunday scrambling around looking for your Advent wreath (don’t worry! I found it!). Anyhow, for our very first Little HolyDays … [Read more...]
How We Celebrate Advent
After writing about observing Advent instead of fighting Santa, I promised to tell you a little bit about what our family does to celebrate Advent. It's actually very simple and I think the difficulty lies in having to say no to a lot of festivities in order to spend Advent waiting, reflecting, and anticipating. What We Do: We bring out our Nativity Scene. My sweet mother-in-law gave us this … [Read more...]
Little Holydays: A New Link Up!
As you noticed from my recent posts on The Gift of the Liturgical Year and the season of Advent, I've been doing a lot of thinking about holy days. Partly because I'm so excited about our new link up: Little HolyDays: Redeeming Time with Feasts, Fasts, Holidays, and Everyday! It’s being hosted by over here at Carrots for Michaelmas and with Tammy and Hannah of Dualing Moms and Molly of Molly Makes … [Read more...]
