some recent holiday pictures...

what could be more wonderful than Christmas?

the basher all ready for his first Christmas

Santa on his Signal Hill rounds on Christmas Eve.

We went to the Christmas Vigil at All Saints at 6pm--

which was absolutely beautiful!

and some pictures from Christmas Day...

Mimi and Daniel enjoying his first Christmas :-)

.....well you should see this guy smile!  

i wish we had captured one of his grins!

the gals enjoyed their dolls, bouncy balls and duck quackers

but most of all

the dress up sets from mimi

princess K

princess C (and quacker)

I am so sorry to have not gotten pictures of Ken, Laura, Mikey, Pat or Peter!

...that is a very good new year's resolution...

Otherwise, thanks be to God 

for a blessed Christmas!

and may we be all God's own

and do His Will

 in 2015!

a beautiful sunset at Chincoteague

silly

two sillies

thank you for the prayers,

the g-littles

are doing much better!!!

so it's a little grey and wet outside

and it's easy to feel like the

vultures on the lamp post in the picture above....

i guess they don't know enough to get out of the rain

what odd-bodies!

but it's also just 3 days til Christmas...

so

would you like a Christmas tour

of

this guy's bedroom?

he really loves the Christmas spirit!

His decor

is basically a tree

lights, of course,

(and yes, 

he does sleep in a box on the bunk bed....)

and 

ornaments

Merry Christmas!

there is a new love in my life!

this book was recommended by Becky's sister, who teaches piano, 

as a great way for an adult to learn the piano...

after relentless and merciless repetition

of simple songs

such as

jingle bells,

silent night

and 

oh when the saints go marching in

i am on 

 on page 27!

I have the best and most patient family in the world!!!!

how it feels!

copy cat :-)

Here is a link to the raspberry dessert mentioned earlier....it was scrumptious with gluten free chocolate chip cookies (good old Walmart!).....and we all know that those aren't the most inspiring cookies. :-)

Here is the link: Raspberry Gratin

So, basically, it is frozen berries (blueberries another option), topped with crumbled cookies (pecan sandies would be excellent) and some sugar, dotted with butter.  It is that easy, and a pretty dessert.

Enjoy!

O Virgin and Mother of God,

i surrender myself to thee as thy child,

and in honor of thy purity,

i offer thee 

my soul and body,

my mind and senses,

and i plead thy grace

to keep me from sin.

favorite prayer of st. anthony mary claret

Happy Feast Day!!!

Well, faithful reader(s), 

i stumbled upon this amazing chef,

Jacques Pepin,

this morning

while on the elliptical.

Oh,

really enjoyed the one episode i watched. :-)

He is an excellent teacher!

Basic cooking--interesting techniques!

He is on youtube!

Watch him!

You will not regret it!

(and please stop by some time soon 

for the raspberry dessert he featured, 

which was quick and amazing!)

this

year

simplicity!

But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!                         William Wordsworth

Do good in silence.

Love God and your neighbor in silence.

Accept the will of God in silence.

Be happy with others in silence.

Hide the defects of others in silence.

Long for great things in silence.

Embrace the cross of Christ in silence.

Be faithful to the end...in silence.

And so you will enjoy the Silence of Intimacy forever.

from: fatherpius.littleway.ca

i am far from living these thoughts, 

but they are Advent oriented, 

don't you agree?

here's a little idea for the nativity scene.....

the dollar store sells battery operated tiny strings of led lights

which can be strung through the stable...

and walmart sells, for $10,

lit "branches"

which can be duct taped in place behind the table :-)

(also battery operated)

i moved the stars from the little string to the branches

the exposure is not so balanced -- sorry!

it actually looks pretty!