This post is sponsored by Toadily Handmade Beeswax Candles. It's been a stressful year for our family. Job changes, selling a house, moving our three kids across the country, and transitioning to a new town. I still feel like my head is spinning from the move even though we've been in TX a whole month. And I find myself longing for Advent--my favorite time of year. Advent (this year it … [Read more...]
O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Our Only Hope in the Darkness
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel has always been my favorite carol. I love the ancient chant-like melody and the images it conjures: monks singing by candlelight and waiting to celebrate the coming of the Light of the World while a cold, dark winter lingers on. It has many beautiful verses but the first and most familiar is: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That … [Read more...]
Liturgical Living at a Glance: December
It's HERE! It's finally here! Our new ebook, More Feasts! Celebrating Saints and Seasons with Simple Real Food Recipes is available for purchase this Advent season. 10 new recipes! Reflections on Advent and Holy Week and a few activities to do with children to bring the liturgical year into the home. We are so excited to share it with you! And just for Advent, our first ebook … [Read more...]
Talking About Advent Today…
Today I'm over at Kitchen Stewardship chatting about Advent and some simple ways to observe the season: "Thanksgiving is right around the corner and then the whirlwind to Christmas Day begins–parties, concerts, family engagements, travel. Did you know that traditionally, the holiday cheer didn’t begin until Christmas Day? December the 25th is just Day One of a twelve day season of … [Read more...]
Ready for Advent?! (100% Beeswax Advent Candle Giveaway!)
This giveaway is sponsored by Toadily Handmade Beeswax Candles. As soon as Halloween, All Saints, and All Souls Day are over, my mind turns to Advent. It's like I suddenly realize it's just around the corner (it starts November 30th). And it's time for one of my favorite giveaways of the year! Yay! My favorite Advent tradition is the Advent wreath (and it's the simplest one to start with if … [Read more...]
Advent Unplugged Wrap Up (Link Up)
This year I tried to do some intentional social media unplugging during Advent and lots of other folks joined me. You can read about it in the original post and the updates for Week 1 and Week 2. Advent is coming to a close and Christmas is almost here! Take a few moments before Wednesday and reflect on this season of Advent. Here's a few things I'm taking away from this season and I can't wait … [Read more...]
Advent Unplugged: Week 2
I am so enjoying reading all of your Advent Unplugged posts. The insights you are sharing are so motivating to me and the accountability is really helping me strive to stay on course (or get back on course when I get wrapped up in my laptop again!) Here's some insights I'm having as I struggle to be/stay unplugged: The distraction of social media was becoming such a focus in my life that it … [Read more...]
Why Advent Should Terrify You
You can find me over at Catholic Exchange today talking about the scary side of Advent--something I've been thinking about since I went on an Advent retreat last year. "We’ve made a huge mistake. We’ve made the Incarnation safe and comfortable. We like it warm and fuzzy with soft lambs bleating as they rest on clean hay. And, yes, it is beautiful and joyful and splendid. But we’ve sanitized it … [Read more...]
Advent Unplugged (A Link Up!)
I have a confession to make: I need to unplug during this Advent season. I need to stop distracting myself and focus on preparing my heart for Jesus. I find myself less and less able to just live life and BE. Instead I keep reaching for my phone, filling the minutes between one activity and the next with social media and it needs to stop. NOW. This quiet, reflective time of Advent is coming at … [Read more...]
27 Picture Books for Advent and Christmas
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...]
