The Jesse tree.

The first thing "TO DO" in our advent calendar is to make a JESSE TREE, a symbolic tree honouring the geneology of Jesus. It works much like an Advent calendar, everyday a story of verse is read about someone in Jesus' lineage and then you hang up a new piece on the tree, wall ,or wherever.

I really like this idea because it is not just for the kids but can benefit all in our family! I still learn so much from the "same old stories" when I really listen and stop assuming that I am familiar with it. The great thing about children is that they ask great questions that make us think about things from a different perspective.

Oh, to be a child again, but second best is to be with one.

Two sites for the devotions that go with each day.

https://www.rca.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=1628

http://www.jesse-tree.com/jesse_tree.html

Countdown to Jesus' birth.

I have a super inspirational friend who continues to keep me hopeful that Jesus can be part of any home. It takes some forethought , but it can be done, whether in teachable moments or in traditions that we establish as parents.

One idea is an advent calendar....(I know..not that new.) I was thinking to go beyond the chocolate.

My friend made one out of felt, and has a special activity for every day. Some are just fun and some are centered on Jesus, to help kids understand that Jesus is first this season, and all the other stuff is just fun. I will post a more detailed one with our own ideas.

Here are some ideas from a blog site:

http://jordanferney.blogspot.com/2009/11/advent-calendar.html

It doesn't have to be something big every night--it could just be making hot cocoa. But just doing something everyday get us excited for the holidays.

Go Ice Skating
Watch It's a Wonderful Life, make spiced cider.
Exchange gifts
Make Christmas Cookies for friends.
Find Mistletoe, hang it in our house and kiss under it.
Address and Mail Christmas Cards
Go to Borders and Pick out one new Christmas CD.
Go to The Nutcracker
Listen to Handel's Messiah
Leave out wooden shoes on December 5 (This could pay homage to our Dutch heritage)
Drive around the city for a Nativity hunt.
Make Thick Hot Chocolate and Homemade Marshmallows
Host a Christmas Sweater Party
Put up a ribbon sash for Christmas cards
Donate canned goods
Give neighbors a present
Put up a wreath
Make a Gingerbread house
Make a popcorn garland
Make hot chocolate and read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Sing (or listen) to favorite Christmas songs
Drive around to see neighborhood lights
Go out and see public light display
Read Christmas story from the Bible and the Book of Mormon
Open a gift (new stocking or pajamas or pillowcase)
Make a family traditional dessert
Eat out at a festive restaurant
Go to a seasonal movie
Tell stories of childhood Christmas around the fire
Have a romantic candlelit dinner by the Christmas tree
Make decorative sugar cookies
Sign up to purchase gifts for a needy child
Host a Christmas dessert party
Write out a Christ-centered goal to start early for the New Year
Have a movie party (classic Christmas clips)
Go to a Christmas Concert
Attend City tree lighting event
Have a full traditional breakfast while listening to Christmas music

Here are some great ideas for the calendar:

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/advent-calendar-roundup-132023

Around the corner.

Christmas. Yes, it really is just around the corner. This is usually where i make all kinds of lists, start thinking about all he presents I have to buy, start digging up the decorations...

This year, we already have our tree up...sick early... I know...I felt a bit bullied by our 5 year old, but now I am happy it is up, despite the horrified looks i get from Dec 1 traditionalists.

Over the last two years, I have been trying to figure out how to bring Jesus into this season and edge out Santa a bit. How do you work both, or just one into a home.

Option 1: Just do Jesus, never say the S word, keep them from school, malls, no traditional stuff since it all "distracts" for Jesus. I thought that Santa would never even be mentioned in our home...good luck, even my own mother ix-nayed that on day two of Matty's life. I always think that if we ignore culture there will be push-back later. My mom grew up not celebrating Christmas because it was based on "heathen traditions" and when she had her own house it was rebelliously FULL of decorations .

Option 2: Just do Santa....i don't think so. Other than the threat, "Santa is making a list...", it is not that appealing to me.

Option 2: Work with both: Can the two live in harmony? Can kids distinguish them both? I always worry that they will think that Jesus drives a sleigh with twelve little disciples, delivering candy and toys, maybe they could make a delivery to baby Santa who was born in a manger...I dunno, weird, but in the back of my head that's what will happen.

We have friends who do a St Nicholas celebration earlier in December and then put everything away and start doing Jesus stuff. I have a friend who said that would never work unless it was opposite. But I want Jesus to be associated with he "good stuff" not Santa. I guess it is the same tension with Easter Bunny and Jesus' resurrection. It really feels like a competition, and I need to soup up the Nativity team...

So these next few weeks, I am going to hunt for some cool ways to celebrate Jesus' birth. Hopefully my kids will understand the gift that He is, no matter what happens in our home.

In closing , at least I know Jesus will show himself to those who seek, so pressure is off.

chat.

Just got off chat with an old friend, a girl who grew up under the teachings of Christ, knows all the right answers, lived a righteous life . After years of misery, she has 'had it" with living the good Christian life, obeying, abstaining, etc for the sake of God.

She has had a hard life. Abused as a child in a Christian home, suffering from health problems due to it, unemployed, lost her fiance because of health problems, frustrated with not having a child of her own yet, a dream which she has had for her whole life.

She said

......i can't bank on heavenly rewards if that's what you mean. I'm not sure God even loves me IF he's even there

likely he'll send me to hell cause after all the crap he put me through I wasn't able to believe or trust him anymore

....or maybe God's a sadistic prick who hated me since I was born... or a figment of devout imaginations we've held since childhood... to be honest I sometimes think it would be easier to accept that there's no good deity in control than it is to believe there's a god in control who enjoys lavishing pain on select people and blessing select others with favourtism and good things

It broke my heart to see all hope lost. I have no specific answers to much of the stuff she has gone through, and i know that. I have no similar situations to compare to hers, my life is a garden in comparison,.

I told her that God loves her, cares for her, has hope for her. But, I can't make her believe, trust,or hope again.

God, come and find your child, hold her, love her, open her eyes to see you again. I am am leaving her in your hands, I am at a loss for words.

Once a month Cooking

Here is a dream....I REALLY want to have a deep freeze. I think I will even put it on my Christmas wish list...along with 1700 other things. The reason...so I can just excuse myself downstairs to get already prepared whatever and bring it up..stress free.

Since watching Food Inc, I have been more conscious about what I eat, but it is hard when living on a budget, living with 3 small kids, and having barely anytime to plan anything but 'what can I use in my cupboard' meals. This would be a great way to buy local meat, local grown produce in an economical way, and not have everything freezer burnt by the time you are ready to use it!

I have been talking to a few of my friends about this Once a month cooking idea or as they say on the web OAMC recipes. It is not filling my freezer, but will definitely be great back-ups for those days when I don't have time to shop, prepare,or be creative.

I have wanted to do this for so long, but this has stayed on my TO DO list.

So this month, I will organize a group that will get together (mostly moms? I dunno) to exchange meals. I figure it goes like this, one night of insane cooking in exchange for a few nights of peace.

The idea is that everyone cooks ONE meal that can be frozen, with minimal things to add so that one can take it out of the freezer in the morning and be ready by dinner.

The rules are it can be over rice or noodles, but needs to be family friendly, but not to basic.

It has to be stored in a ziplock or tupperware, have recipe and instructions attached.

Everyone has to bring 2 other recipes, just to inspire the rest of us, because when stress happens, inspiration is hard to come by!

Let's see how it goes!

Loni

Heat.

What a week....one of those weeks where nothing got done as gar as housework, but a lot of running around, errands, busy-ness, and if I may, stress.

The whole week started out with a possibility of my dad coming to fix our radiators, which were moved last spring during a floor renovation. So last spring we had no heat, and with every chilly morning when I saw our breath while sitting in the living room, I would say,

'It WILL get warmer. Summer is almost here.'

Now that a sweltering summer has passed, one that made us forget about those 10 foot snow banks and wet-hair-freezing days are over, it started to get chilly again.

A little panic over came us, we needed our heat back.

I am especially fond of heat. I often say that I am living in the wrong country, as I love the look of snow but hate being cold...I mean REALLY hate it.

So when it started to get cold, I called my dad everyday, hoping he could get on a bus to remedy the situation. This is a big feat since my dad does not answer the phone, and does not drive.

He finally came, with my bro, with all their tools, fixing pipes, me, running around Montreal finding rare pieces to plug and finish the sequences of plumbing...

and finally...HEAT!!!

It is great to have heat, but after this week of stress and running, I realized that this male-side of my 'almost never seen' family are not good communicators and their love language is service. My dad was saying that 'he is not one to sit and chat' which is true, but I realized that if it were not for this old house, it would probably be another half year before I heard from my dad or brother.

As I waved goodbye, and packed up their last tools, it was bittersweet. Yes, it was a finished repair, but may be a while until I see them again even though there were promises of coming back to finish one last thing....

so.......maybe I will have to start another 'reno' at Christmas so that Granpa & Uncle J can come back to Montreal. :)

http://www.mygazines.com/issue/17113/7

http://www.mygazines.com/issue/17113/7

Found a really cute wreath via another blog....Looks super easy, and would look great in my house!

Furious.

It was Sporty's first day of school. I have been thinking about it sinec he was born, since he is from and Anglophone home, his french is definitely lacking. Not an easy start when you are in a french only public school. I am not like other families who have disciplined themselves to only speak french and the other english. I am filled with regret as he looked a bit stunned the entire time, not having a clue what was going on, immersed in french with peers and adults he cannot communicate with.

Since now, I have had the idealistic idea that by Christmas he will be fluent or at least at ease in french, but it a lot harder than I thought. Tomorrow is the first day without me and I just want to hold his hand the whole time.

His teacher came to greet him after explaining the schedules, rules to parents. I was furious that the teacher just wrote him off as 'shy' and continued to speak as if he were not there. I was so sad when he almost cried after she spoke to him, and he asked many times if he could leave.

I am passionate about 'changing the world', about being where real people are, being open to new people and helping where I can, but I admit that today I feel overwhelmed and not up for battle at all.

I am struggling with being a 'bad parent' for not seeking out 'the best school', or even a private school instead of the local public school. Change seems impossible when I am frustrated.

Another parent, confided in me that she is not sure that she made the right decision, that she is not impressed with the school, the teacher, or the welcome.

Great, I thought. My one friend who thinks like I do, thinks like I do.

Day one, I am furious. My heart wants to yell at this teacher for such a poor try. But deep down, I still know that God can change anything with prayer, with action, with faith.

Watch out school, you are being prayed for. Sporty, you can do it, you can learn and be a great man of God as you grow and mature. Heart, lets start the roller coaster of watching your first born start the education system. Jesus, you are in control, take the reins, cause I will be homeschooling in a cave in two seconds if you don't.

What can I make with stuff in my fridge.

Tried a new recipe that I loved. I had one of those moments where I hadn't planned dinner and scoured the bottom of the freezer for some inspiration.

Google rescued me with this idea, which I modified to suit the ingredients. Sporty would not touch it, but Blue Eyes inhaled it. Go figure, they are complete opposites in taste and personality. I recommend making 'too much' sauce, but definitely a keeper.

I love breaking down a recipe to how much it would cost. The trouble is I buy almost everything I eat on sale and then freeze it or store it. It would get pricey if you had to buy everything, but when it is already in the house, it seems like a steal.

Garlic and White Wine Pasta Toss

Enough pasta for 4 1/4 cup butter about 1/2 cup white wine 3 cloves garlic, minced One Chopped red pepper Spinach, I used frozen, thawed, drained. 1/2 bunch chopped fresh parsley salt and pepper to taste 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined +couple big spoonfuls grated Parmesan cheese Instructions. Get your pasta going...You want to take a big handful, to feed about 4. Get teh chopped garlic and butter, heating up in the pan. Add peppers and shrimp, and then after they have cooked, add spinach. Add the drained pasta oce ready and add to the pan with the parmesan. Serve.

$1-2 dollars for a bag 3 - 4$ per 2 cups $8 dollars for a cheap bottle $o.50 guess for a head $ 2 per pepper? frozen spinach bag is about 3$ fresh parsley is abou1.50 per bunch 7$ Shrimp, no idea..this was a special and frozen. 5$ for a jar.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Made a new pizza last night. I had a craving for pizza and I almost always have Hawaiian. Hey, I know what I like. Unfortunately, Andy made the face that said, 'Really? Again with the same old pizza?' We found this recipe, and we had almost everything in the house!

I thought this was comparable to some restaurant pizzas I have had.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Crusts: 1 1/2 cups white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp salt, and 2 TBsps Olive oil.

2 1/2 tsps yeast dissolved in 1 cup warm water and a spoon of sugar.

mix it all together and let it sit for 30 minutes, punch it down, then shape it into 2 thin crusts.

2- 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (cooked and cubed) 1 bottle hot sauce (we used Frank's Buffalo Chicken sauce) 1 bottle blue cheese dressing or ranch (we used triple cheese ranch from Kraft) 1 (8 ounce) bag shredded mozzarella cheese (use a good one... it does make a difference.)

Cook your pizza crust so it is firm, @425 degrees.

Cook your chicken cubes in the sauce,

spread with the dressing, add toppings of choice and cheese.

Bake for 10-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.

Great for a Super bowl gathering or just a night when you want a chance!

even more...yes, it was a good day!

Seriously, not a normal day to get so much 'created'.

This is for a friend that lent me 6 boxes of clothes for my daughter.

I will use this one for the next move away.

Cards are not customary for trips, but maybe a mission trip?

And, of course, you can never have enough of these..

More cards...

Here are some more cards that happened today...

Matt cut this one out and was excited to craft. He practiced a lot to get the legs and eyes just right.

I made this one from Dahlia's request..I think it needs more black or some sequins...

Of course, after making some of these cards, I realized that i forgot about the envelope.

Making this style worked great since it is customized to the size of the card.

Tuck all the ends, like you would a cardboard box and voila! Done!