Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Christmas 2015 Highlights!
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Christmas isn't quite over just yet...in fact,the fun has just begun as we are in the middle of celebrating the 12 days of Christmas that started on Christmas Day! I really think celebrating Christmas as a season vs. a day makes sense as explained in this post from my archives.
Since it's still Christmas, I thought I would share just a few highlights of our family's 2015 Christmas! It was a blessed one and I'm so grateful no one was sick with fever like last Christmas.
Our family enjoyed The Christmas Star from Afar nativity set that I blogged about in an earlier post.
A few weeks before Christmas, my sister and her family came for a visit to celebrate Christmas a little early with us since they live out of town. We had a lovely visit and I was excited to set the lunch table with the silverware stockings I made several years ago. :)
I made a set of these simple stockings for myself, parents and friends and it's always so nice to decorate the Christmas table with them. In the center of our Advent wreath, I placed the St. Nicholas Shining Light Doll and a St. Nicholas peg doll from the Saint peg doll exchange I was involved in a few months ago.
One of our family's Christmas traditions is to make a gingerbread house (not from scratch, however!) Last week before Christmas Day we spent the evening decorating (and eating) the house with candy and icing. We never got around to making more sock Baby Jesus' as in year's past, but maybe next year!
Another fun tradition my children look forward to is adding on to our "Handy Tree Skirt" that we started in 2008. Our littlest one cried last year when we painted on her hand, but this year she proudly held up her green hand with no problem and with lots of smiles! My children always love comparing their hand sizes each year and taking note how much they have grown through the years. I love the expression on our 2 year old's face that I happened to capture as she watches her older sister get her hand painted first!
Speaking of hand prints, each year I try to give some sort of creative gift to my parents from my children. This year we went with a hand print theme thanks to Allison's inspiration at Reconciled to You. When I saw she posted her hand print wreath on her Facebook page, I knew this would be perfect to make since I love collecting previous years Christmas cards, but I don't always know what to do with them! With a stack of previous year's cards, my children traced their hand and cut it out. We then arranged all the hand prints in a wreath shape. My parents loved it!
Here is their wreath hanging in their living room against a mirror.
In November and December we saw several light displays and rode past some wonderfully decorated houses. We try to drive around town to look at all Christmas decorations/lights on or around December 13, which is St. Lucy's feast day. Lucy means "light", by the way.
We found a new house to visit thanks to a friend posting about it on her Facebook page and WOW! You can view the house from the outside AND walk inside to look at ALL their decorations! Yep, we walked through their living room, kitchen and hallways to admire their decorations. When we got to the kitchen, my kids were wondering how the owners ate since decorations were on the table and counters. The owner said she just moves things around, cooks and then puts things back in place. They start decorating on Sept. 1! These pictures don't do it justice, but here's a few I got with my cell phone.
On Christmas Eve, before the Christmas Eve children's mass where my
three older daughters sang in the choir and my son altar served, we went
to my parent's house for lunch. Here's our gang.
Here's our family after the 4 PM Christmas Eve children's Mass.
After Mass we drove around to see more Christmas lights and then I went to an 11:00 PM choral/orchestra concert at our parish with my 3 older children, then we stayed for the beautiful midnight mass. It was all so wonderful and beautiful!
Christmas morning brought much joy and smiles...
We decorated our annual birthday cake for Baby Jesus with the cousins. The kids love dumping sprinkles on the cake each year!
Here's my husband's side of the family with my mother and father-in-law sitting in front. My husband has a twin brother (far right in black t-shirt) and an older brother (standing behind my niece with the racoon hat) and they are each standing with their families.
We will soon welcome 2016 with the Solemnity of Mary on Jan. 1 and an Epiphany party our family will be hosting. (I don't think I can pull off another Nativity play for the Epiphany? But, miracles can happen right?)
Also, coming up on a near future blog post I'll update you on how one of my new year's resolutions is to do more jogging, maybe not so much blogging, but for exciting reasons! So stay tuned!
God bless your Christmas season! (which hasn't ended yet remember :) )
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Our Family's Christmas Cards...Past and Present and Parents Magazine Feature!
Last year, I wrote a post of all the photo Christmas cards that we have taken since the Smith family was established in 1997. This is an updated post with our current 2015 Christmas card added to the bottom of this post.
Our family has been sending out Christmas cards since the year my husband and I got married, 1997, and some years I have thought about not sending out a photo card, but I can't seem to stop the fun habit. :)
I love sending out our photo cards. (I don't write a Christmas letter, but sometimes I wish we started that tradition back in 1997 as a great way to document a year's worth of memories)
Our family also loves getting Christmas cards/letters in the mail. We display our cards around a kitchen door frame decorated with lights. (This is a door we don't use much.)
I also enjoy looking through our past Christmas photo cards and smile at how our family has changed and grown through the years.
I thought I would share the Christmas photo cards we have sent past and present so you can walk down memory lane with me :)
1997 Christmas Card
1998 Christmas Card
1999 Christmas Card
This was the last year that it would be just the two of us in our
Christmas photos. We were so blessed to conceive our first child in
1999.
2000 Christmas Card
In May of 2000 we welcomed our first daughter
into our hearts and home. What a fun Christmas it was to watch how our
daughter loved listening to all the Christmas music and playing with
the wrapping paper. :) This was the year our daughter played Baby
Jesus in a living nativity at a local parish. You know when you wrap a
baby girl up in warm blankets and have her wear lots of layers, no one
notices who is playing the Baby Jesus. :)
2001 Christmas Card
17 months after our daughter was born our son was born in October 2001. My
oldest daughter and son get along well as they are close in age and my
oldest never remembers life without her sweet little brother.
2002 Christmas Card
2003 Christmas Card
This photo card reads "We are EXPECTING you to have a merry and blessed
Christmas! That was our clever way of announcing our pregnancy with
Smith Baby #3. I was in the "yuck" phase of the pregnancy during this
photo shoot and when I look back at this card, I remember that I was so
happy to be pregnant again, yet I was trying so hard to smile through
the nausea, hence the somewhat forced grin :)
This Christmas card is special too because Parents Magazine contacted me and used this card in a post titled 17 Totally Adorable Holiday Pregnancy Announcements. If you click on the title link and scroll down to #16 of 18, you'll see this 2003 card and a small paragraph about the card. What a fun post to be a part of!
2004 Christmas Card
Baby #3 came in June 2004 with a head full of black hair! She found her hands fascinating as she looks down. :)
2005 Christmas Card
2006 Christmas Card
2007 Christmas Card
In November 2007, our 4th baby was born.
This picture was taken when we arrived home from the hospital. I
remember our older children couldn't come to the hospital to visit their
new sister because my oldest daughter was sick with a strep throat. :(
2008 Christmas Card
2009 Christmas Card
Yes, that is a wreath hanging from a tree limb in the middle of the woods. :) I
was trying to make the woods festive :) I laugh at this picture
though because of the Christmas wreath that seems to be hanging in mid
air coming from nowhere :)
2010 Christmas Card
2011 Christmas Card
2012 Christmas Card
This picture was taken just after my sister's wedding ceremony in October 2012.
My younger daughters handed out the programs and my oldest daughter did
a reading during the service. My son was an altar server, hence his
robe. This was another "We are EXPECTING" you to have a Merry Christmas" cards since we conceived Baby #5 in November 2012. She was born in July 2013.
2013 Christmas Card
This photo was taken in a Catholic church in PA when we went to visit my younger sister and her family for Thanksgiving in 2013.
2014 Christmas Card
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These pictures were taken in September 2014 when my family had a reunion with my parents, two brothers and my younger sister and their families.
And this is this year's Christmas card. This picture was taken in August 2015 when we had another great family vacation at the beach with my parents and siblings and their families.
2015 Christmas Card
I hope you have enjoyed looking at just how fast our family has changed
and grown through the years because it has been fun for me to think back
to the many memories and blessings from the past years since our
first Christmas card in 1997.
So do you send out Christmas cards and/or Christmas letters?
May you have a blessed and merry Christmas from our family to yours!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Advent Feast Days 2015: Feast of the Immaculate Conception, St. Juan Diego, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Lucy and "O" Antiphons!
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Last week was a big week for celebrating some fun and faith-filled feast days during this Advent season. We haven't always celebrated so many feast days during this time of year or other times, but for the past 15 years we have gradually added new liturgical feast day celebrations as our family learns about them or if I feel inspired to "copy" fun ideas. :) Sometimes we have celebrated with other families and friends, while many times it is just with our family.
On December 6, we celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas, which is always a fun tradition for our family.
On December 8, we celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This is the day in the liturgical calendar that we celebrate when Mary was conceived without original sin in Saint Anne's womb. Many are mistaken and think this is the day Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb, but that is not correct. It is 9 months from today, September 8, when we celebrate our Blessed Mother's birthday in the Church.
We had a "white" themed lunch in honor of Mary's purity. This is a tradition we just started last year. We ate our chicken alfredo (bought from Costco), salad with Ranch dressing and vanilla ice cream during my husband's lunch break so he could join us and because we had a busy evening with Mass and choir practice for my daughters. On our Advent Tree we hung the 3-D ornament of St. Anne holding Mary in her womb made by Lacy at Catholic Icing and Kristen at Drawn 2B Creative and we also hung our Advent ornament of the Immaculate Conception that I printed out and made from Jennifer at Catholic Inspired.
We also watched a favorite CCC of America DVD called Bernadette-The Princess of Lourdes.
See below for an explanation from the CCC of America website about the graces this beautiful young girl received from God and our Blessed Mother in 1858...
It’s February 11, 1858. Three girls from Lourdes, France, gather firewood in front of a grotto. Suddenly one of them, Bernadette Soubirous, 14, drops to her knees, gazes ecstatically at something beautiful only she can see, and starts to pray. Soon the town buzzes: Has Bernadette, poor, sickly, and always behind in school, really seen a Lady from Heaven? The police chief is angry, the pastor busy, and the crowd amused, but Bernadette is calm and brave. Then a spring bubbles up from nowhere and withered arms and sightless eyes are cured. At last, the Lady tells Bernadette her name: “I am The Immaculate Conception.”
BERNADETTE, THE PRINCESS OF LOURDES, is the exciting true story of a visit by the Queen of Heaven that left all the world a source of health for body and soul.
Here is a short video with Father Barron talking about Saint Bernadette and the Immaculate Conception while visiting Lourdes, France:
December 9 is Saint Juan Diego's feast day, the peasant man who received the miraculous image our Our Lady of Our Lady of Guadalupe on his tilma. More about him and St. Juan Diego resources on my post from 2014.
December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is another fun feast day we try to celebrate each year!
To learn more about this miraculous event that happened in December 1531, there are many resources to use. One DVD that I just discovered is Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message. Watching this DVD is a great way to start learning more about Our Lady of Guadalupe. Be sure to check out my review that I posted about the film.
On the evening before December 12, I set up an Our Lady of Guadalupe poster, candles, Our Lady of Guadalupe book, Our Lady of Guadalupe Shining Light Doll and our Wandering Wisemen and camel stopped in. We left this display up during the day on December 12 and enjoyed reading the Our Lady of Guadalupe book that my children got on St. Nicholas' feast day.
Then in the evening on December 12, we had a Mexican potluck dinner with friends at our friend's home.
We were able to see our parish decorated with the Our Lady of Guadalupe image, beautiful roses and lit candles on Sunday. We didn't get to the early morning Mass and procession on December 12, but maybe one year our family will take part in the festive occasion!
December 13 is the feast day of Saint Lucy and we hung our St. Lucy ornament on our Advent tree and cooked a pastry filled with cream cheese (that was a frozen bread) and we read Lucia: Saint of Light, which is a beautiful book!
Whew! It's been a whirlwind of feast days this past week and celebrating them in simple and fun ways is a great way to focus on the Advent season as we prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth!
December 17-23 are called the "O" Antiphon Days as explained by Jennifer at Family in Feast and Feria. A few years ago we made an "O" Antiphon Lapbook with my children to learn more about these special days leading up to Christmas Day. We'll be pulling out these lapbooks to use for this year.
May the rest of your Advent season be blessed!
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message DVD Review
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On December 9th, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Juan Diego, who was the first indigenous saint of the Western Hemisphere. St. Juan Diego was a lay person who lived a simple life in what is now Mexico City. On December 9, 1531, as he was walking to Mass one morning he passed Tepeyac Hill and heard music and a woman's voice. What followed was the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is celebrated on December 12th. This apparition 5 centuries ago has changed the course of history!
For several years now my children have grown up watching CCC of America's animated DVD titled Juan Diego: Messenger of Guadalupe which is a great DVD for children about St. Juan Diego's life and Our Lady of Guadalupe and I highly recommend it for all families.
But, as an adult I have been wanting to find a DVD that explained in greater detail the story and miracles surrounding this apparition since I have heard so many fascinating details about it through the years. I was pleased to find there is such a DVD and I received a copy of Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message in exchange for this review. I must say this is a must-see for children to adults!
This film was produced by Knights of Columbus and is narrated by Jim Caviezal (English version). On the menu, you can choose to watch it in English or Spanish. The English version does have Spanish speaking commentators, but there are subtitles in English. So I would recommend this DVD to children who can read subtitles well in order for them to be fully engaged in the film. It is an hour long full of fascinating and inspiring bits of history.
Here's the trailer to introduce you to it:
The documentary begins with an inside look at the beautiful St. Peter's Basilica on December 12, 2014 as Pope Francis celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and gives a homily about our beautiful Mother.
Then details are given of Saint Juan Diego's story and the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe that took place in 1531. It was interesting to learn in greater detail the symbolic meaning of the tilma and how the existence and preservation of the image has defied logic and science since it first appeared. I have always enjoyed hearing more about the miraculous image on the tilma and this film highlights the scientific research and experiments of the agave fiber cloth that continues to baffle the minds of scientists around the world.
The film continues with Mexico’s history through the Cristeros War to present day and what a significant impact this moment in history has had on the United States and the whole world. The apparition triggered the greatest conversion in the entire history of the Catholic Church as 9 million conversions took place in 7 years!
Several commentators keep your attention as they explain how Our Lady of Guadalupe has "united bitter enemies, endured as a symbol of hope and defied scientific explanation."
I enjoyed Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message and learned so much more about this beautiful apparition. I gained a greater appreciation for the devotion of Our Lady of Guadalupe as she came to show us the deep love she has for each one of us as our Mother. I highly recommend the film to "Guadalupanas". This was a term I never heard of before this film. Guadalupanas are those who are devoted to or curious about Our Lady of Guadalupe. This is a perfect film to watch on or around December 9, the feast day of St. Juan Diego, or on December 12, the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
For another review, be sure to visit a fellow Catholic blogger, Martianne, who also reviewed the DVD at Training Happy Hearts. She and her children rave about the film and Martianne also included some great hands-on learning ideas using Our Lady of Guadalupe as a theme.
For another review, be sure to visit a fellow Catholic blogger, Martianne, who also reviewed the DVD at Training Happy Hearts. She and her children rave about the film and Martianne also included some great hands-on learning ideas using Our Lady of Guadalupe as a theme.
For more information about Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message, you can visit the site. The DVD can be purchased through Amazon.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
Monday, December 7, 2015
Happy Feast Day of Saint Nicholas! 2015 Edition
This post contains affiliate links.
We celebrated the feast day of Saint Nicholas which is on Dec. 6 each year. The Advent season is full of great feast days of beloved saints and Saint Nicholas is a popular one for sure, though many may not realize that "Santa Claus' " name came from this real bishop of Myra.
For a great online resource about Saint Nicholas, be sure to visit Saint Nicholas Center. It is full of stories, games, activities, and crafts all about Saint Nicholas.
Here are some ways we celebrated this fun feast day...
We hung our Advent ornament of St. Nicholas on our Advent tree.
These were fun cookies to make. I saw the idea on my Facebook newsfeed
and decided to try them out. They didn't last long in our house
though!
photo credit: Audrey Eclectic
The Saint Nicholas peg doll was painted by Suzanne for our Saint peg doll swap.
This year we added Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bambinelli Sunday and Gingerbread Friends to our collection. We already had Saint Nicholas, The Real Story of the Christmas Legend from last year, but I like to set it out each year to read it again.
This year Saint Nicholas brought a Saint Nicholas Tiny Saint to add to our Tiny Saints collection. My children love clipping these cute Saints to their bags and necklaces.
Our Wandering Wisemen and Camel decided to stop in and check out the Saint Nicholas treats. The Wisemen have been traveling through
I caught our 8 year old reading Gingerbread Friends to her little sister.
Saint Nicholas' feast day on Dec. 6th is the beginning of many feast days this week.
Here our more Advent feast days coming up that we hope to celebrate again this year:
Dec. 8 - Advent Feast Days: Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception 2014
Dec. 9 - Advent Feast Days: Saint Juan Diego
Dec. 12 - Advent Feast Days: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Dec. 13 - Advent Feast Days: St. Lucy
Have a blessed week during this second week of Advent!
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I'm Tracy. I love my faith, family and on most days, homeschooling my 5 blessings. When I'm not busy baking cakes for my family or making memories in real life or dreaming I had a housekeeper or professional chef, I enjoy documenting a slice of Smith life in blog land.
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