Charming the Birds from the Trees

Children's Simple Spring Wardrobes...

2012-01-27T21:38:00.006-05:00

I know this is early, but we have been having an unseasonably warm winter here! With some spring things starting to show up in the shops, I was inspired to work on our lists this evening.

We have been having great success with the pared down wardrobes that we have been using the past few seasons. Though we could probably eliminate one or two of the dresses/skirts/pants/shirts, I am comfortable with the amount that we have for each child... occasionally, we have days when laundry isn't done, and if we have a few extra things to wear that doesn't become a big deal. I think that babies need more, while big kids might need less. My children tend to like to wear the same things over and over, so this works for us!

Here is what our children's wardrobes will consist of this spring:

Sugar Plum

5 Dresses

2 Skirts

3 Tops

Little Man and Button

7 Bottoms (we really like roll up pants best)

7 Tops

Everyone Has:

1 Dressy Outfit (which we will get for Pascha [Easter]... will become our go-to Sunday outfit after Pascha)

Lots of leggings, tights, socks, undies, and undershirts (these are the hardest for me to keep up with!)

2 - 3 pairs of pajamas

2-3 sweaters and fleece jackets

1 rain coat

1 pair of rain boots

1 pair of sandals (we are going to try Salt-Water Sandals for everyone... I feel like they will eliminate the need for Sunday shoes and a casual sandal for everyday)

1 pair of slippers for chilly mornings and evenings

:::::

Are you planning your warm weather wardrobes yet?

Fun in the Playroom...

2012-01-26T11:12:00.002-05:00

Tired of my chores this morning, I decided to set up one of the walls in the playroom. I put up some wall cards I bought when I was expecting Sugar Plum. Next came favorite Christmas gifts: Button's little piano, a stack of bean bags handmade by my sister, a rolling pony, and our rocker board (so much fun for adults and children alike!). Then we played and played. Now it's back to the dishes!

The Playroom...

2012-01-25T22:39:00.004-05:00

When we moved in, we knew that this large, airy room would be perfect as a playroom. Originally, it was a game room complete with a bar and built in cabinets for liquor and sports jerseys. We ended up removing the bar and removing and dry-walling the cabinets.

Next on the list was priming the red and black paint and painting the whole room.

One of our parishioners did all of the painting. It was very time intensive... he worked for nearly 40 hours!

We really, really like it! I've been slow to return the toys and books. It is nice to have all this open space. We may even end up turning this into more of a family room than exclusively a playroom!

The Heart of the Matter...

2012-01-24T05:14:00.002-05:00

Frederica Mathewes-Green

Parenting, Dec 1991 - Jan 1992

In Edgar Allen Poe’s classic horror tale, "The Tell-Tale Heart", a murderer dismembers his victim and hides the pieces under the floorboards. When the police call to investigate, he prides himself on his cleverness—but gradually becomes unhinged, at last screaming out the location of the corpse. He was undone by the sound of his victim’s heartbeat, drumming in his ears.

Why, after so many years of legalization, does the abortion debate continue in America? Why haven’t we accepted it as matter-of-factly as we do any other surgical procedure? I believe that it has something to do with a tell-tale heart. Deep inside we know: someone dies in every abortion, a tiny growing child with hands and eyes and a face and a beating heart. Four thousand times a day that beating heart is stopped—but in our conscience it seems to go on.

I didn’t always feel this way. I was an abortion advocate in college, and before the Roe v. Wade decision my car sported a bumper sticker that read "Don’t Labor Under a Misconception—Legalize Abortion." But that was when I thought that abortion merely discarded a "glob of tissue". I didn’t know that that tissue was shaped remarkably like a baby, and that it was alive. I didn’t know that the crude process of abortion sucks the child out, piece by piece, through a narrow tube and into a bloody bag.

But once I learned, my stand against violence had to include abortion as well. I simply could do no other. For the tell-tale hearts are our own as well; we cannot deny the beat of compassion that wells from within, that urges us that something is terribly wrong in our land.

The abortion business makes at least $500 million dollars a year in this country, performing over a million and a half abortions. Only a tiny fraction of these are done for reasons of health, rape or incest. Half of all abortion customers were using no form of birth control; nearly half are coming back for a second (or third or fourth…) abortion.

Are these women callous, contemptuous of the lives they have begun? Yet who would choose abortion if she had any other choice? The procedure itself is ugly and degrading, a mechanical vacuuming of the womb’s interior; she must pay for this privilege several hundred dollars in cash, and knows, at some level, that its only purpose is to destroy her child. In the process she runs risks from puncture and infection to colostomy, paralysis, or death; abortion is an unnatural invasion to reverse a healthy process, so even legal abortion will always have its risks. Then there is the psychological trauma, sometimes delayed for years, which accounts for the number of grief-stricken post-abortion women flooding into the pro-life movement.

It seems clear that no woman would have an abortion if her alternatives did not appear even more forbidding. Like an animal caught in a trap, trying to gnaw off its own leg, the aborting woman can see no other escape except this route of violence and despair.

In defending the path of abortion, Supreme Court Justice Blackmun wrote, "Millions of women…have ordered their lives around [access to abortion], and…this right has become vital to the full participation of women in…American life." We recoil to think that something so hideous could have become necessary to our lives. How can it be that we must sacrifice our children to succeed? Is such a sacrifice laid on men? Is any other oppressed or marginalized group required to have surgery in order to participate in American life?

Abortion may not have helped women, but it has helped those who would be inconvenienced by her pregnancy and her child. It is easier for a sexually irresponsible man to pay for a woman’s abortion than to marry her, or to pay child support for eighteen years. It is not out of concern for women’s welfare and dignity that Playboy so enthusiastically supports abortion on demand.

The relentless demands of careerism also have little patience with parenting. It is easier for an employee to abort her child, than for management to worry about providing maternity leave, health insurance, child care, and time off for Mom to go to the school play. She is expected to conform to the male model of worker—never pregnant, with a wife at home to take care of the kids. It’s easier on everyone if the woman has an abortion—easier on everyone, that is, except her and her child. No wonder our hearts are uneasy. Abortion is cruel to children, and it is not much kinder to the women on whom it feeds.

For these reasons, many pro-lifers have turned their time, not toward politics, but to practical aid in the abortion dilemma. There are approximately 3000 pregnancy care centers in America, where a woman can receive many kinds of help ranging from housing, medical care, legal aid, food and clothing, to job and budget planning for the years ahead. All these services are offered free, donated by volunteers who are for the most part women just like her—mothers who care about other mothers in need. No matter how one feels about abortion laws, we can all consider lending our aid to these woman-helping agencies by volunteering time, or laundering donated baby clothes, or opening a guest room to a woman whose family has rejected her. Sometimes all a woman needs is the knowledge that someone cares, that they will stand by her as she tackles a challenging and courageous path.

I have faced this path myself—not as vast a crisis as some women must endure, but still daunting to me. My husband had just lost his job when we found I was pregnant; we knew we would have to move cross-country, but had no idea where. We already had two children under five. Gary and I walked around the block in the late afternoon, choked and fearful. I thought about the tiny, trusting heart already growing beneath my own. Our lives felt out of control; what could we offer this child?

But we did find a job, and we did move, and Stephen was born in our new home, a joyous day among midwife and friends. Nine years later he’s the portrait of boyhood, bold and busy, full of plans and projects. But for all his Ninja-Turtle posturing, Stephen has a tender streak that betrays him when he spots a stuffed animal or sees a sentimental show. Of all the hearts that love me, his is the one that loves me with the most unfettered, blind devotion; to him, Mom is perfection on earth.

I think of all the thousands of women today whose children will be pulled out of them bit by bit, children who are as much like them as any mother and child can be. At some point, that tiny, new heart will beat its last. Who can say whether that would have been the heart that, in all her lifetime, would have loved her best?

Stephen comes in, flushed and grimy from running in the afternoon sun. He interrupts me as I sit at my desk, impulsively flinging his arms around me in a baby-bear hug. My head rests against his slender chest. I can hear in there his tender heart, beating faster now than the wings of a bird.

Broadcast of the March for Life...

2012-01-23T05:08:00.000-05:00

The March for Life will be broadcast today on EWTN at 11:00 am EST. Metropolitan Jonah will be a speaker at the rally! You can view live streaming on the EWTN website if you don't have the channel on your television.

Quotable Sunday...

2012-01-22T21:14:00.005-05:00

The young people had put things in apple-pie order as far as they had gone. A fire was laid in the big stone fireplace, all ready for touching off, and gave a homelike, cleared-up look to the whole place as if it were getting ready for some event. On each side of the chimney stood a simple set of bookshelves filled with well-worn volumes that ha a look of being beloved and in daily intimate association with the family. On the top of the shelves Carol had placed some bits of bric-a-brac, and in the center of each a tall vase. Beside them were a few photographs in simple frames, a strong faced man with eyes that reminded one of Shirley and a brow like George's; a delicate-featured, refined woman with sweet, sensitive mouth and eye's like Carol's; a lovely little child with a cloud of fair curls.

The old couch was at one side of the fireplace, as a convenient angle to watch the firelight, and yet not hiding the bookshelves. On the other side, with its back toward the first landing of the rude staircase, stood an old upright piano with a pile of shabby music on the top and a book of songs open on the rack. On the floor in the space between was spread a worn and faded ingrain rug, its original colors and pattern long since blended into neutral grays and browns, which strangely harmonized with the rustic surroundings. A few comfortable but shabby chairs were scattered about in a homelike way, and a few pictures in plain frames were hung on the clean new partitions. Under one stood a small oak desk and a few writing materials. A little further on a plain library table held a few magazines and papers and a cherished book or two."

The Enchanted Barn
Grace Livingston Hill

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

Famous Rapper Sings About Abortion...

2012-01-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

Flipsyde is a group that has toured with Fort Minor, The Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg and on the Anger Management Tour. Two of their songs have been the theme songs for the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is good to see young and very talented artists standing up for the unborn.

Reposted from last January.

445 Babies Saved From Abortion...

2012-01-21T21:52:00.003-05:00

445 babies saved from abortion thanks to free ‘Bella’ movie, popcorn

By Peter Baklinski

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin, January 12, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A pro-life organization has a novel strategy to reach out to a woman who is thinking of aborting her baby. The plan consists in handing out a ‘night at the movies’ that includes free popcorn, candy, and yes, a free DVD. The strategy has already saved the lives of 445 babies, says the group.

Bella HERO, a non-profit organization, views it as their mission to provide for free what they call the “powerful life-changing” film Bella to any pregnancy care centre that wants it. The program, launched in 2008 by Jason Jones, the producer of the awarding winning film Bella, has as its goal to give the pro-life movie to any woman with an unplanned pregnancy so as to help her in making what the pro-life organization calls “the most important decision in her life.”

The film Bella, released in 2007, is a story about how reaching out in a loving way to someone in a difficult situation can give them hope.

“What the movie does is touch the women where we can’t,” said Tracy Reynolds, program director of Bella HERO in an interview today with LifeSiteNews. “It really shows her what her opportunity would be either to be a ‘mom’ or to ‘choose adoption’ and give that child a home.”

Reynolds compared the film to a “mega ultrasound” which allows a troubled pregnant mother to really see the possibilities in choosing life.

Over 700 pregnancy centres across the USA, Canada, and Australia are now using the Bella film strategy to change hearts and save lives.

Counselors receive training how to use the film with pregnant women who are undecided about the fate of their baby and even considering abortion. Some centres have found that the “movie night in a bag” concept, which includes the “DVD, popcorn, candy, and other creative items,” is practically impossible for someone to turn down.

Heartwarming success stories leave no doubt that the strategy is effective.

Abortion minded 16-year-old Anna (name changed) received counseling over the phone from one centre. She was sent a packet which included Bella. Soon afterwards, Anna called the centre back saying, “Bella is the best movie I have ever seen! It helped me decide to keep my baby.”

Another woman, Tina, and her boyfriend came into one centre and discovered that she was pregnant. Not only was Tina in college at that time, but she was also far away from home. She did not think that she was ready or able to bring a child into the world. The abortion-bound couple was given a copy of Bella.

The couple surprisingly returned to the centre for an ultrasound. The staff were delighted to learn that they had decided to keep their baby and parent the child themselves. The father wanted to name his child ‘Bella’ if she was a girl. The couple’s choice did not swerve when the ultrasound revealed twin daughters. They are now the proud parents of Bella and Millie.

Cindy (name changed) visited a pregnancy centre very “confused and scared.” The 25 year-old woman was already the mother of a young son. She did not want to abort, but felt she had no choice since she “felt she loved her boyfriend too much to interrupt his college plans”. She went home with the film Bella, but not before agreeing to return for an ultrasound.

A few days later, Cindy returned to the centre crying. The staff heard that she had not slept for the last few days. The counsellor learned that Cindy had watched Bella and not only decided to keep her baby, but had broken off her relationship with her boyfriend and turned her life over to God. Just like the star in the film, Cindy chose adoption for her baby.

Peggy Hartshorn, President of Heartbeat International, a pro-life organization that works to make “abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations,” endorsed the Bella HERO initiative, saying that many women who feel “pressured to abort an untimely pregnancy need someone to say that it is okay to have a baby.” She believes that the film is a lesson in “compassion, self-sacrifice and the unconditional love of family” and that it will give pregnant woman a “positive message.”

Cindy Collins, Director of a Crisis Pregnancy Center in Louisiana encourages pregnancy centres to put the film to use. “It has been received with enthusiasm at my center, and we already have 5 mothers who chose life after watching the movie,” she said.

Reynolds is convinced that all an abortion-minded woman needs to know so that they will cherish the life within them that there is that “there is hope, that they are not alone, and that somebody is out there who will help them”.

Many staff at pregnancy centres believe that the film captures the heart of their ministry. They look forward to more babies being saved as the story of Bella continues to reach troubled pregnant women with a powerful message of hope.

9:30...

2012-01-20T10:04:00.003-05:00

Every day at 9:30, we start brewing coffee for the men. Lessons are wrapping up, laundry is whirring in the machine, dishes are washed, and we are ready for a little break. The children help insert the coffee, add the water, dip the spoon into the sugar (twice!), and pour in the cream (or usually, milk). Once each cup is made, I tip it into travel mugs while the children put on their boots and coats. They happily deliver the warm mugs to the guys, who stop work for just a few minutes to rest. We go into our cozy house and settle down with some books, blankets, and mugs of tea, listening for the sound that work has begun again. I love this routine and the smell of coffee brewing. What will we do when the work is over?

Painting Mailboxes...

2012-01-19T23:32:00.001-05:00

Bathroom Window...

2012-01-18T23:03:00.000-05:00

Father John put window film into the master bathroom window tonight. We have had it in all but one of the bathrooms that we have lived in and really like it! We still have to paint the window frame and I have to iron the shade and trim the ties, but I love airy it looks!

Paperwhites...

2012-01-17T22:09:00.004-05:00

The Blessing of the Atlantic...

2012-01-16T13:16:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of joining the local Greek Orthodox Church for their annual blessing of the Atlantic Ocean. They decided to hold the service on the pier this year (last year's was on the beach), which was really quite perfect for getting to see the kids jumping into the freezing water to retrieve the cross. Our little ones had a wonderful time and especially loved seeing the two doves they released fly over the water!

Quotable Sunday...

2012-01-15T22:21:00.001-05:00

But I love snow," Irene insisted. She coaxed her mother into bed, covered her with two quilts, and added a blanket for her feet. Then she fixed her some tea with lemon and honey and put more wood in the stove.

With great care, Irene took the splendid gown down from the dummy and packed it in a big box with plenty of tissue paper.

Dress warmly, pudding," her mother called in a weak voice, "and don't forget to button up. It's cold out there, and windy."

Brave Irene
William Stieg

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

The Standard of Christian Stewardship...

2012-01-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

By The Very Reverend Thomas Hopko

The norm for non-monastic Christians is to be moderate in our possessions, to have only what is absolutely necessary, to give away more than we need in concrete acts of mercy, and thereby to be godly and spiritually free. The question, of course, is about what and how much are truly necessary. What do we really need? How much is enough? Each of us will have to decide for ourselves and our families, as well as our churches and nations. We can do this only by the Holy Spirit’s power, with the guidance of Scripture, participation in the Church’s liturgical and sacramental life, the reading of the lives of the saints, and the counsel of wise and loving pastors and elders in the faith.

A Door for Papa's Office...

2012-01-13T21:32:00.002-05:00

Father John needed a home office in our new house. The perfect room for a study is right off the foyer, but it had no door. After trying to do without for a few weeks, it became clear that a barrier was needed to keep noise to a minimum and little people out of mischief. Though we still need to add a handle, the door is helping Papa get some work accomplished during the day!

Tea Time...

2012-01-12T17:54:00.004-05:00

Tea, a bit of chocolate, Theophany roses, and the January issue of Britan's Country Living... a little

calm amid the chaos!

:::::

What little treats perk you up on a rough day?

Little Man and Button's Room...

2012-01-11T21:14:00.003-05:00

The boy's room was literally painted neon green!

We stayed with green, but toned it down a bit.

It is a little hard to see in the larger picture, but here is a tiny portion of the different greens before some nail holes were patched.

Sugar Plum's Room...

2012-01-10T20:58:00.003-05:00

Originally, Sugar Plum's room was painted a very vibrant pink! It was so bright that a pink glow could be seen from down the hall!

We toned it down to a lovely pale violet. I admit that this is shaping up to be my favorite room in the house.

Being Close to God by Going to Church - Why do We Stress Church Attendance?

2012-01-09T19:38:00.000-05:00

By Hieromonk John (Anderson)

The Church is literally the Body of Christ. This means that corporately, not individually, we are Christ Himself still incarnate in the world doing His work. If a person desires with their whole heart one can unite to Christ and become a member of His Body. Ideally, this is motivated by a simple desire to know God and to be where He is. Out of this love for God comes the desire to follow his commands and to worship Him. However, this happens in a context which is not our own.

Orthodoxy maintains the ancient Jewish belief that God is manifest in the temple. We believe that the same glorious presence of God, the Shekinah Glory, that dwelt on the Ark of the Covenant now resides on each altar in every Orthodoxy Temple. “God is with us, understand all ye nations.” Isaiah 8:10, as the hymn from Great Compline says. If we truly understood what this means -- that the God “who is a consuming fire” is literally present in the Church -- we would strive to worship before Him frequently.

Church attendance is not merely about obligation, guilt, or nostalgia. It is about being where the beloved is and worshipping Him simply because we love Him. It is about being the Body of Christ in oneness. By going to Church we learn to lay aside ego, we learn to love, we learn to live, and we learn how to be truly human. Christ Himself told us to make God the absolute center of our lives and to make all else secondary. Eternal life begins at the altar where we remain in His Presence without distractions, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt 6:21.

Quotable Sunday...

2012-01-08T21:16:00.004-05:00

Deep in the dark roots of Brambly Hedge tiny lights appeared as lamps were lit in the windows. More little lights could be seen leaving the Store Stump, moving hastily along the hedgerow, and disappearing into holes hidden in the twisty roots. The mice had smelled snow in the air, and were all hurrying home to a nice hot supper by the fire.

Mr Apple, warden of Store Stump, was the last to leave for home. By the time he reached Crabapple Cottage, the first flakes were beginning to fall.

"Is that you dear?" called Mrs. Apple as he left himself in through the front door. Delicious smells wafted down from the kitchen. Mrs. Apple had spent the afternoon baking pies, cakes, and pudding for the cold days to come. She drew two armchairs up to the fire, and brought in their supper on a tray."

Brambly Hedge
Winter Story
Jill Barklem

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

Revival of Orthodoxy in Russia...

2012-01-07T14:06:00.003-05:00

What happens when technology and big money work together for God's Glory? Just watch this great presentation of Moscow Exhibition Rebirth of Orthodoxy!

I think that it is especially important to view the images of the persecution that the Orthodox Church of Russia endured during Communism that are towards the middle of this video. I don't think that we can comprehend how horrific that time was for Christianity without seeing footage like that.

Spice Jars...

2012-01-06T22:33:00.003-05:00

I finally couldn't take of the multitude of different-sized plastic spice jars that littered our cabinet any more. I decided to use some jam jars that I have been collecting as a substitute. I love that the mouths are wide enough for my measuring spoons! The labels are from Martha Stewart's line at Michaels. This was a quick and extremely satisfying project yesterday afternoon. I keep getting a thrill every time I open my seasonings cupboard! Now to organize the art supplies!

Festal Learning Basket: Theophay...

2012-01-05T21:14:00.002-05:00

Books

The Theophany of Our Lord
The Baptism of Jesus (The Children's Bible Reader, Pages 178 - 179)

Activities
Schedule your house blessing

Clean your home to prepare for your home to be blessed

Decorate glass bottles with tight fitting lids to bring Holy Water home in

Wear white to Liturgy. If you don't have an entire white outfit (we don't!), don a white sweater, shirt, or even a hair bow!

Serve a special meal... perhaps a dinner like the one you had for Christmas?

Sing the Troparion of the Feast for the prayer before meals.

Display the Theophany Icon on your feastday shelf or table. If you don't have one, print a coloring page and color it in!

Downton Abbey: Season Two...

2012-01-04T23:43:00.001-05:00

Will you be watching on Sunday evening?

The Hand of God...

2012-01-03T22:10:00.006-05:00

Tonight we are celebrating the sale of our house. We had planned to rent it out because the housing market is so terrible right now, though we knew this would likely bring challenges (mainly the tightening of our belts). Despite this, we were at peace with our decision. God had other plans, though! One of our neighbors has a mother who wanted to move into the same development as her daughter and her daughter's family. She liked the model house that we owned and contacted our rental realtor to ask if we would accept an offer to buy. We took her offer, signed the contract, and handed her the keys today. It is not difficult to see the hand of God in the events of the past few months! I don't think that we could have orchestrated things more perfectly if we had done it ourselves.

Glory to God for All Things!

Living and Learning: January...

2012-01-02T23:16:00.003-05:00

Faith
The Twelve Days of Christmas
St. Basil’s Day
Theophany
Sanctity of Life Sunday
The New Martyrs of Russia

Homemaking
Take down Christmas décor (After Theophany)
Continue Moving In
Revamp winter menu plans
Clean car
Declutter and organize linens
Create a shopping list for needed linens
House Blessing
Research Steam Cleaner Mops
Update framed photographs around house
Update Button's baby book
Buy and fill out calendar/planner
Christmas Thank you notes
Wash all of the linens on each bed
Plan Housewarming Party
Paint Children's Rooms

Themes
12 Days of Christmas
The Nutcracker
Snowflakes and Snowmen
Red

Rituals
Plan meals around the children's current eating pattern: two small breakfasts, a hearty lunch, and a simple and light dinner

Special Days
+Grandma Joyce (7th)
Poppy Chick (9th)
Full Wolf Moon (9th)
Grandfather James(11th)
Auntie Juliana (15th)
AA Milne’s birthday (18th)
Popcorn Day (19th)

Learning
Learn to Sing "Beneath Thy Compassion"
The Blessing of the Atlantic for Theophany
Tidying up Toys after Play
Clearing the Table after Meals
Read Little House on the Prairie
Read A Bear Called Paddington
Nature Table Scene
Book Basket
Watercolor Pencils
Cut Snowflakes
Fold Window Stars
Make sculpty clay ornaments for gifts and decorations
Lacing Cards
Memory Game and Puzzles
Encourage imaginative play by not over-scheduling our days
Winter felt board
Inside hide and seek
Feed birds
Polish wooden toys together

Quotable Sunday...

2012-01-01T20:02:00.004-05:00

Ivy was happy in the market. She walked round and round the stalls, looking at all the things; sometimes a snowflake fell on her head, but she shook it off; sometimes one stuck to her cheek, but she put out her tongue and licked it away. She bought a bag of chestnuts from the chestnut man; they were hot in her hands and she ate them one by one. She had a white cup of tea from a tea stall on wheels, and from a sweet stall she bought a toffee apple. When her legs grew tired she sat down on a step and wrapped the ends of her coat round her knees. When she was cold she started to walk again.

Soon lights were lit all along the stalls; they looked like stars. The crowd grew thicker. People laughed and stamped in the snow to keep their feet warm; Ivy stamped too. The stall-keepers shouted and called for people to come and buy. Ivy bought a blue balloon.

The Story of Holly and Ivy
Rumer Godden

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

Saint Basil's Day 2012...

2012-01-01T19:51:00.003-05:00

The bread you do not use is the bread of the hungry. The garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of the person who is naked. The shoes you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot. The money you keep locked away is the money of the poor. The acts of charity you do not perform are the injustices you commit…

Yet, at the same time, God considers Himself constantly obligated to repay you for whatever charities you do to your fellow men.

-Saint Basil the Great

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-31T23:00:00.003-05:00

Wishing You a Happy and Healthy New Year!

The Twelve Days of Christmas...

2011-12-28T15:06:00.001-05:00

One of our parishioners called me a day or two before Christmas to ask me how our family celebrates the Twelve Days of Christmas. I told her that we really try to make the most of the feast by having a treat or doing something fun each day to make this time special. Since our children are small, I try to keep things as low key as I can. We took some time to bake cookies today, we've been reading our Christmas books (including two new ones I ordered thanks to a recommendation from Grace's annual Christmas book post) as well as a bit from Little Man's new Paddington book, done some special crafts, taken baths with special soap, played with our lovely new Christmas toys, and are eating lots of fun treats (look at that Goldfish bread that we found!).

That being said, I loved the post that Carrie wrote entitled Ideas to Celebrate Christmastide. I'd really like to use Carrie's post as a framework to plan for our own Christmastide. It would be nice to have our celebrations based on the Church Calender, rather than random activities.

What are your plans during the 12 Days of Christmas?

Again and Again in Peace...

2011-12-27T03:16:00.002-05:00

By VRev. Vladimir Berzonsky

“Again and again in peace, let us pray to the Lord” (Little Litany)

Again I was asked, “Why is there so much repetition in our prayers?” And again I responded the way I always had before - our worship includes certain themes and terms that bear repeating, because they remind us to pay attention to something significant on the way, or else to waft us upwards into the rarefied spiritual atmosphere of the Kingdom, lest we drift back down to the temporal and mundane area where we more normally spend our mental time.

Peace is among the most prominent; wisdom, another; and mercy, a third. Peace is the spiritual state that liberates us from the environment of distractions at minimum, angst, depression, hostility and self-destruction at worst. More than thirty times one hears the term “peace” through-out the Divine Liturgy, and at each hearing one should revive within oneself the aura of serenity. Think of it as an intake of mystical oxygen that clears the head and heart from lethargy and heaviness. Let it remind you of Who it is that is blessing you with peace, the price He paid to present it to you, and the moment par excellence when by the glorious mystical contact you have with the Apostles, you are there with them in the Upper Room of the dwelling of St. Mark’s gracious mother that traumatic evening when He appeared. He greeted you also with peace. You remember that He said: “My peace I give to you; My peace I leave with you – not as the world gives, do I give to you.” (Jn 14:27)

“Wisdom!” is another power-packed word you hear “again and again.” Snap out of your daydreams, it insists. This is not the time for reveries – mooning over something disturbing or planning your afternoon. You are here and now. Make the most of it. Something ponderous, wise and precious for your soul is about to be set forth. “Attend!” Pay attention. Focus your wandering thoughts and listen attentively. You may have heard it before, you may even know it by heart; nevertheless, even if the words of the gospel or prayer haven’t changed, you have. You are not the same person who listened in previous times of worship. Maybe then the phrases or parables didn’t mean much because it did not relate to your perceived needs at the time. Today you are another person from that stage of life. See now what you can make of it and apply it to your present situation.

The Divine Liturgy is in a sense much like classical music, an opera perhaps, a symphony – or better yet, a concert where one human “instrument,” the priest, is played against the response, the choir or congregation. It has modulated into its present form. A classic treatise on that development is called “The Shape of the Liturgy,” by Dom Gregory Dix. It has indeed taken shape from a time when the people of Christ gathered, the bishop entered and said, “Peace be with you,” and all responded, “And also with you.” They all sat or stood, heard and discussed the sacred scriptures, then continued with Eucharist. That basic outline has been enhanced through the centuries into its present form. Indeed, it is challenging to absorb and assimilate its divine beauty, then to apply it to oneself. More formidable a venture when offered in a foreign tongue, but even in English it remains a study in constant progress. One must first love it to be comfortable in prayer. It goes without saying, of course, one must first love God with all one’s heart, soul and mind even to make the effort to immerse one’s self into the Liturgy. Granted, it’s not a simple matter to develop an appreciation for the way we pray. We live at a time when people lack the ability to focus or concentrate. They expect instant gratification, entertainment, and quick responses to their felt “needs.” Orthodox Christianity challenges its children to grow in grace, develop a mind and soul able to comprehend the value of the treasures offered to us and expressed in our sacred worship, and to return and to return our affection to the Holy Trinity “again and again.”

Christmas Day...

2011-12-26T19:44:00.000-05:00

Christ is Born!

2011-12-25T20:59:00.003-05:00

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,

Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!

For by it, those who worshipped the stars,

Were taught by a Star to adore Thee,

The Sun of Righteousness,

And to know Thee, the Orient from on High.

O Lord, glory to Thee!

Quotable Sunday...

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

The turkey, which had been left to its own devices in the oven much to the concern of the two little girls, had assumed a luscious golden brown when Miriam returned to baste it.

She put on the vegetables and topped up the water in the steamer holding the Christmas pudding before going to set the table.

She had ransacked the airing cupboard and at last found a large white damask cloth, old and beautifully starched, with several darns executed, she guessed, by a long-dead hand. No one these days, surely, could be bothered to do such fine work.

Spread upon the dining room table and decorated with two candlesticks borrowed from the mantlepiece, it began to look like a festive board, although Miriam cursed herself for forgetting to buy crackers, those instant decorations. As it was, there was no time to search for flowers or ribbons, but she filched a few holly sprigs from above the pictures where the children had put them, and set them round the candlesticks.

"It's marvelous!" cried Hazel.

"Can we put some pretty things too?" queried Jenny.

"Yes, do," said Miriam, rushing to the kitchen to attend to an ominous hissing noise."

No Holly for Miss Quinn
Miss Read

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

Christmas Eve...

2011-12-24T18:29:00.003-05:00

All the little ones are tucked in to bed, dressed in their Christmas best. We'll wake them in a few hours to go to the midnight Divine Liturgy. There is a festal meal following and we are bringing submarine sandwiches!

This is the second year that we have had midnight Liturgy and I love it! It was something my father did in his church when I was a little girl. My mother would bring all of us home while my father finished up things at church and feed us subs at the dining room table. We would set out the tea tray and a plate of cookies for my father to nibble while he set out the gifts under the Christmas tree. Then, we would open stockings, have a breakfast feast, and presents in the morning before Vespers. Remembering all of that brings back such happy memories for me. I really like that we have carried that over into the traditions we have for our own little family.

What are your traditions on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Christmas Menu...

2011-12-23T18:51:00.001-05:00

Following Noon Vespers

Cheese and Cracker Tray
Ham Sandwiches
Chips and Dip

Dinner

Porkloin
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Christmas Cauliflower
Peas
Cranberry Sauce
Gravy

Dessert
Christmas Candy
Ice Cream Sundaes

Preparations...

2011-12-22T21:17:00.002-05:00

I have officially given up on unpacking and we are concentrating fully on the Christmas season! It will be fun to finish up the last minute preparations that make things special for us.

It was exciting to open the mail box today and find a box from Dandelion Summers inside. Nearly two months ago, I placed an order for a Saint Joseph figure hoping that he would be here for Saint Nicholas Day. He wasn't, but he arrived during the pre-feast of the Nativity! Perfect timing!

The Nativity...

2011-12-21T18:12:00.000-05:00

Jewels of Winter...

2011-12-20T09:36:00.002-05:00

It is so exciting that all of the citrus is coming into season now! We bought the sweetest clementines last week. The grapefruit seems pinker than I have ever seen! These will be the color in January when everything seems to turn gray-brown.

Tree Trimming...

2011-12-19T22:40:00.004-05:00

Once the tree was all decorated, Sugar Plum stated with wonder in her voice, "Oh Papa, it is just lovely!"

Quotable Sunday...

2011-12-18T19:56:00.005-05:00

In each stocking there was a pair of bright red mittens and there was a long flat stick of red-and-white-striped, pepper-mint candy, all beautifully notched along each side.

They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first. They just looked with shining eyes at those lovely Christmas presents. But Laura was the happiest of all. Laura had a rag doll."

Little House in the Big Woods
Laura Ingalls Wilder

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

Ding Dong Merrily On High...

2011-12-17T19:52:00.000-05:00

Gingerbread Day!

2011-12-16T14:59:00.001-05:00

When I found out that our little local bookstore was hosting a Gingerbread House party for the second year, I was thrilled! We began the afternoon with by reading our favorite gingerbread stories and enjoying some gingerbread boy and girl stickers that I found while out and about. After dinner, we headed out to the bookstore to have some fun! Miss Allison read the little ones a Jan Brett book and then passed out pre-made houses (so much easier!). Then the decorating began! There were many different snacks and sweets to decorate with (and sample!). Yum! Both Sugar Plum and Little Man's houses have found a place on our table to be admired by all who stop in!

The Door to the Kingdom...

2011-12-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

The door (with a lovely lock!) has been put up between the parsonage and what will eventually be the chapel! Hip, hip, hooray!

Getting in the Christmas Spirit...

2011-12-14T14:51:00.000-05:00

I was a little worried that I would feel like it was Christmas this year with all of the hubbub going on, but I was out getting some odds and ends at the hardware store and noticed some beautiful and simple wreaths for $7. I hung two and instantly felt that familiar Christmas excitement that I was hoping for!

Twilight...

2011-12-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

It is nice to be surrounded by woods and fields.

Happy Birthday, Little Man!

2011-12-12T22:04:00.003-05:00

Quotable Sunday...

2011-12-11T20:38:00.005-05:00

Mama was back from her errands and had brought the news that the Christmas tree Mr. Ryan had promised her would be there by Monday. It was exciting to think about, the fragrance of the spruce filling the house, trimming it with the chains of paper and popcorn, the stars and the candles. What a lovely light they would make. Lili could hardly wait."

The Lion in the Box
Marguerite De Angeli

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

Festal Learning Basket: Saint Lucy

2011-12-10T21:29:00.001-05:00

Commemorated December 13th

Books
Lucia, Saint of Light
Kirsten's Surprise: A Christmas Story
Hanna's Christmas

Activities
Make a Saint Lucy Crown
String Twinkle Lights Around the House
Collect non-perishable foods to give to a food pantry

:::::

Please note that December 13th is also one of the feastdays of Saint Herman of Alaska. The learning basket that I created for him is here.

Settling In...

2011-12-08T21:29:00.001-05:00

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

2011-12-06T21:14:00.000-05:00

Empty Spaces....

2011-12-05T05:48:00.000-05:00

Moving day is here!

Happy Namesday, Little Man!

2011-12-04T21:06:00.000-05:00

Closing on the New Church Property...

2011-12-03T05:24:00.000-05:00

Glory to God!

Matushka Anna...

2011-12-02T09:38:00.002-05:00

Please pray for Matushka Anna and her family. She has suffered a miscarriage and needs our prayers!

Christmas Inspiration...

2011-12-02T05:29:00.001-05:00

Christmas catalogs have been coming in the post for weeks now. I love leafing through them with a hot cup of tea each afternoon during naptime. While nearly all of them end up in the recycling bin, occasionally I rip pages out for inspiration in decorating. Here are some of the ones I like best:

Pottery Barn

Garnet Hill

Plow and Hearth

Christmas Tapestry...

2011-12-01T23:04:00.007-05:00

I have known what book I wanted to give the children for Saint Nicholas Day since I read Christmas Tapestry while sitting cross-legged on the floor of the library last year. What a beautiful book! If you have not had the chance to read it, run to borrow it! I am so excited about it arriving in the mail!

Do you get your children Christmas books each year? What are your favorites?

Preparing for Nativity...

2011-11-29T15:54:00.001-05:00

I know that this list is so late and I am sorry about that! I have wanted to have a list that reflects the fact that Orthodox Christians begin preparing for Nativity on November 15 (40 Days), and it took awhile to get my ideas down. I anticipate that things will change from year to year for us. This year is a prime example of the need for flexibility! Our move is tentatively scheduled for December 5th and because of that, many of the things that we like doing each year are going to have to be adjusted to our current reality. Later, I will work on making a Twelve Days of Christmas List for our family which I will post here, too!

:::::

November 15: Clean out the Refrigerator and Grocery Shop for Lenten Foods
November 16: Plant Paperwhites
November 17: Start Writing Out Christmas Lists
November 18: Go Through Books to Give Away
November 19: Go Through Toys to Give Away
November 20: Donate Money and/or Canned Goods to the Food Pantry for Thanksgiving
November 21: Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God
November 22: Plan Christmas Card
November 23: Make Beeswax Ornaments
November 24: Thanksgiving Day!
November 25: Plan Christmas Menu
November 26: Plan Christmas Outfits
November 27: Participate in Gift Giving for those Less Fortunate
November 29: Research Different Christmas Activities in the Area
November 30: Begin Listening to the Messiah
December 1: Put out the Nativity Books
December 2: The Christmas Parade
December 3: Purchase This Year's Ornament Frame
December 4: Little Man's Namesday
December 5: Bake Saint Nicholas Cookies and get Golden Chocolate Coins ready for the Shoes
December 6: Saint Nicholas Day
December 7: Begin Listening to Christmas Music
December 8: Purchase a new Christmas book for our family collection
December 9: Gingerbread House Party at the local bookstore
December 10: Hang winter wreath on front door
December 11: Hang snowflake decorations from dining room chandelier
December 12: Little Man's Birthday
December 13: Saint Lucia and Saint Herman
December 14: Winter Wonderland of Lights Festival
December 15: Decorate the Mantle and Hang Stockings
December 16: Living Nativity
December 17: Watch The Christmas Miracle of Johnathon Toomey/Put Out Nativity Scene
December 18: Hang Garland Around Front Door
December 19: Nutcracker Performance
December 20: Cut Paper Snowflakes for Windows
December 21: Put out Christmas and Winter Decorations
December 22: Bring home the Christmas tree and decorate it
December 23: Christmas Wrapping
December 24: Prepare Food for Parish Feast After Midnight Liturgy

Quotable Sunday...

2011-11-27T05:09:00.002-05:00

No matter how just your words may be, you ruin everything when you speak with anger."

-Saint John Chrysostom

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

The Parenting Vocation: Living the Life of Christ...

2011-11-26T22:26:00.004-05:00

by Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D.

Consider Our Lord’s words on the importance of how children are influenced: “And he said to his disciples, … woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin” (Lk. 17:1-2). Parents and any caretakers of children have one of the most important vocations in the Church, namely to teach their children about Our Lord Jesus Christ and His message. Teaching may take many forms.

The place to start is with those who care for children themselves. Parents are the primary teachers of children by the blessed marriage they possess. One of the blessing prayers said by
the priest in the Holy Mystery of Matrimony is: “Unite them in one mind and one flesh, and
grant them fair children for education in thy faith and fear” (acknowledging the awesome, transcendent God).

If parents and others who teach or care for children are not keeping a “life in Christ,” how can children be expected to follow Christ and His teachings? Psychologists have long emphasized the powerful effects of modeling on children (Bandura, 1986). Recently, news media have even reported that a gene for imitation has been discovered. Children have a propensity to make a neural copy of a behavior modeled and to repeat it (Milner and Goodale, 1996).

I remember when I was first in clinical-pastoral practice. Parents would come to me and present a behavioral problem. For example, their ten-year-old was smoking. Inside the shirt pocket or hanging out of the pocketbook of the parent would be a pack of cigarettes. This was and still is hypocrisy. It is nearly impossible to change the child’s behavior. Parents, guardians, and others who have children in their care are supremely powerful models. I have never met one child in my pastoral or clinical career who bought into the usual “lame” explanations: “Well I can do it, and when you get to be my age then you can make up your own mind,” or “You are not old enough yet.” Children are bright enough to see right through such explanations.

The Holy Spirit imparts grace in the sacraments. The parents have to bring their children to their parish church where the Holy Spirit is sacramentally imparted. If a child is not brought in to be baptized, the child is not an Orthodox Christian. If the parents do not bring their children to attend Divine Liturgy, they do not receive the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. If the parents bring the child to church but do not go themselves, children see right through such hypocrisy, just as in the cigarette example above. The message is: “Grown ups do not have to go to church.” So the child is no longer getting the grace of Christ. Often the greatest teaching, or, in this case, scandal, is teaching by what is not done

A child may hear a family conversation about a nasty neighbor or relative in which a parent says, “That no good for nothing @#$%^&,” yet in church the child hears preached from the altar our Lord’s words of love, forgiveness, and not holding anger against a brother. If they then see and hear their mothers or fathers doing just the opposite, does this add to the child’s faith and commitment to Christ? It destroys it! And we wonder why morality and values are breaking down in modern times?

On the other hand, no one is perfect — parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, bishops, priests, teachers. We all sin and fall short. What a beautiful lesson could be taught to a child we care for, when we do fall short, if we go to the child and say, for example: “You know, I lost my temper today. It was not right, I am sorry and I will try to do better. This is what Jesus would want me to do.” No one may speak exactly like this, using such words. However, using their own words parents will get across the substance of the message: I did wrong, I will try to do better and I want us all as a family to follow our Lord’s teachings. Thus, the first and most important lesson in Orthodox Christian parenting is to live the life in Christ as thoroughly as can be done. Despite our failings, we must remember the words of Jesus: “He said to them: The things that are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

What I Wore: Friday...

2011-11-25T22:20:00.000-05:00

White Tee Shirt
Walnut Colored Corduroy Trousers
Tall Black Boots
Gray Chickadee Scarf draped round my neck

What I Wore: Thursday...

2011-11-24T22:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!

White Tank Top
Black Draped Open Front Sweater
Black Jersey Knit Knee Length Skirt
Black Patterned Tights
Tall Black Boots

Gray Chickadee Scarf

What I Wore: Monday...

2011-11-21T21:15:00.003-05:00

White Tank Top
Black Draped Open Front Sweater
Blueish-Gray Jersey Knit Knee Length Skirt
Black Stretch Pants
Tall Black Boots
Violet Sequin Scarf (on my head for church but knotted simply round my neck afterward)

Quotable Sunday...

2011-11-20T18:05:00.002-05:00

It is all a question of weeding out what you yourself like best to do, so that you can live most agreeably in a world full of an increasing number of disagreeable surprises."

How to Cook a Wolf
MFK Fisher

:::::

More Quotable Sunday HERE

What I Wore: Sunday...

2011-11-20T15:59:00.007-05:00

Gray Long-Sleeve Tee Shirt
Black Jersey Knit Knee Length Skirt
Black Patterned Tights
Tall Black Boots
Oblong Chickadee Scarf (on my head for church but knotted simply round my neck afterward)

:::::

In the past week or two, several blog writers I admire have documented their clothing choices for a time... I was inspired to do it this week!

House Tour: Bedrooms...

2011-11-18T21:09:00.004-05:00

Master Bedroom

Sugar Plum and Little Man's Room

Guest Bedroom

House Tour: Learning Room and Bathrooms...

2011-11-17T22:56:00.006-05:00

Master Bathroom

Upstairs Bathroom

House Tour: Kitchen and Screened-In Porch...

2011-11-16T22:30:00.002-05:00

House Tour: Living Room, Dining Room, and Reading Room...

2011-11-15T17:05:00.001-05:00

House Tour: Office, Mud Room, and Laundry Room...

2011-11-14T16:50:00.004-05:00

House Tour: The Front and Entrance...

2011-11-13T16:29:00.000-05:00

With our move about two weeks away, I thought that I would take photos of how our home looks a little over two years after we moved in.

One Misty, Moisty, Morning...

2011-11-12T05:48:00.001-05:00

One misty, moisty, morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
There I met an old man
All clothed in leather

All clothed in leather,
With a cap under his chin.
How do you do?
And how do you do?

And how do you do again?

Happy Martinmas to You!

2011-11-11T17:36:00.003-05:00

Today didn't go as I had planned it, but somehow it was better. The little ones received new slippers and we had a friend from church come over with her two children. We served peanut butter and jam, chips, and apple crisp... perfect for the cold weather that blew in overnight. We were car-less today (it is in the shop), so we all snuggled down for a long nap this afternoon rather than getting out to Goodwill for the clothing donation. Is there anything cozier than sleeping with three little ones in the big bed? We are waiting for Papa to return with the car before I take the older two out for a quick lantern walk in the neighborhood. Then it is baths, a story, and bed. The perfect day.

Festal Learning Basket: Saint Martin...

2011-11-10T07:56:00.004-05:00

Commemorated November 11th

Books
The Life of Saint Martin

Activities
Give your little ones a gift of a warm item (mittens, slippers, sweater, etc.)

Offer your children a candy bar after reading or telling the story of Saint Martin...
if needed, help guide them into sharing it

Make muffins. Serve everyone one and break them in half, sharing one of
your halves with the person on your right

Gather clothing to donate to a charity in honor of Saint Martin's gift of
half of his cloak to a beggar

Create a lantern garland

Make lanterns and take a lantern walk once it gets dark
(watercolor lanterns, tin can lanterns, glass jar lanterns covered with tissue paper)

Quiet...

2011-11-09T21:29:00.002-05:00

Everyone is sound asleep here but me!

Sidebar...

2011-11-07T23:58:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to mention that the November Learning Baskets are now listed on my sidebar. I have also started a section for the monthly Festal Learning Baskets. I will be adding to these as the days progress... I'd like to have the basket for Saint Martin (November 11th) and The Entry of the Mother of God (November 21st) completed and posted before the week is out.

Autumn Feast...

2011-11-06T19:33:00.007-05:00

Every year we host an early Thanksgiving Feast for my husband's side of the family. This was the first year that my brother-in-law, Gregory, has been able to come. It was a wonderful day of visiting and family fun! We are already looking forward to gathering together for Christmas!

Menu

Sparkling Apple Cider
Sparkling Grape Juice

Cheese and Sausage Platter
Chili Cheese Dip
Olives
Pistachios

Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Squash Casserole
Peas
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce

Monica's Pumpkin Pie
Brownies
Ice Cream

Can You Sleep While the Wind Blows?

2011-11-06T19:26:00.003-05:00

Unknown Author

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.
Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

Moral of the Story

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God.

Grammys for the Parents...

2011-11-05T20:52:00.002-04:00

My father and mother were honored for 25 years of the priesthood today! My dad received a jeweled cross and both parents were given gramatas (decrees of blessing). My sister cracked us all up by saying that they got grammys! What an exciting day!!

The Firepit...

2011-11-04T19:07:00.003-04:00

Uncle Peter thrilled the little ones when he lit the firepit on Grandfather's patio this evening. When I was a little girl, I remember how much fun it was when my Poppy Chick lit the big outdoor stone fireplace at my great-grandmother's house. I hope that our children will remember these evenings with family when they are older!

Living and Learning: November...

2011-11-03T20:39:00.003-04:00

Faith
Archangel Michael
St Nectarios
Saint Martin
Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos
Kursk Root Icon

Homemaking
Purchase last bits of warm clothing for the cold weather
Host inlaws Thanksgiving dinner
Create costumes for the children to wear on Saint Michael's Day
Plan Cleaning List for Nativity Fast
Plan activities for the Nativity Fast and the Twelve Days of Christmas
Plant Bulbs and Pansies
Feather the nest with down blankets for the beds, warm throws for the living room, pajamas and slippers, candles, slippers and a stock of teas and cocoa
Plan Nativity activities
Plan for December's feastdays (Saint Nicholas Day, Saint Herman, Saint Lucia, Christmas) and Little Man's Namesday and Birthday
Knit two washcloths
Plan celebration for the feast of Saint Martin (Martinmas)
Stock the winter pantry

Sugar Plum
Learn how to finger knit or use a knitting tower
Work on identifying numbers 11-20

Little Man
Work on saying words that start with the /L/ sound
Work on listening better

Baby Button
Work on one nap each day and an early bedtime (especially on church days)
Nightly baths... his favorite time of day

Themes
Pilgrims
Native Americans
Turkeys
Thanksgiving

Rituals
Try to keep from over scheduling our days... especially keeping the shopping to a minimum

Special Days
2nd Auntie Heather's Birthday
9th Uncle Nick’s Namesday and Birthday
9th Jacob's Birthday
10th Full Beaver Moon
11th Veterans Day
17th National Bread Baking Day
20th Uncle Gregory’s Namesday
24th Thanksgiving

Learning
Practice being still and quiet during services and prayers
Singing – “O Heavenly King”
The Sign of the Cross for Button
Nature table scene
Seasonal book basket
Celebrate the feast of Saint Michael
Encourage imaginative play by not over-scheduling our days
Take the children to the nearby state park for nature walks
Polish wooden toys together
Lacing Cards
The Tree of Jesse - Christmas Preparation
Celebrate Martinmas

Keeping Warm...

2011-11-02T21:18:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking about keeping the little ones warm these past few days. I am particularly concerned about our littlest. Button is prone to sickness (he has been sick every other week since August due to neutropenia) and so we've been dressing him in layers: hat (even indoors), undershirt, long-sleeve shirt, sweater, pants, socks (look at the wooly socks my sister Kate knitted him!), and slippers or shoes.

Though our older children tend to be warm during the day, I am having trouble keeping them toasty through the night and first thing in the morning once they are up and about. They are now wearing undershirts under their pajamas and I will be getting them some slippers to wear with their socks once they get up. Now the trick will be to get them to not kick their blankets off at night!! Hopefully that will be enough to keep them warm.

:::::

Here's Some Food For Thought:

Kyrie had some beautiful posts on Warmth last Autumn
Auntie Leila had an excellent entry entitled How to Dress Your Child in Colder Weather

Habit...

2011-11-01T18:32:00.004-04:00

Habit is celebrating their 1,000th post this month! They are inviting Habit readers to to submit daily photographs to their flickr group for the month of November! It was such a fun challenge the last time I did this... their eighteen month anniversary coincided with Button's homecoming from the hospital. Let me know if you are joining in... I'll look for you there!

First Frost...

2011-10-31T14:53:00.003-04:00

Favorite Things: Real Dishes...

2011-10-30T22:16:00.005-04:00

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

-William Morris

Before I was married, I had the opportunity to babysit for a family that I admired very much. Both parents were very cultured and elegant and I soaked up as much as I could on the Mondays that I cared for their little girl. One of the things that I noticed was that they gave their child real food on real dishes with real silverware. She ate her grape tomatoes, slices of salami, and wedges of cheese very daintily. Grilled shrimp, olives, and soups were eaten with relish. There was not one chicken tender or noodle coated in butter in sight. This child even liked Bubble Water (mineral water) in her glass. I thing I loved most was that she could enjoy wholesome foods on the same plates that everyone used.

When it was time to start feeding Sugar Plum food, I was eager to avoid the ugly plastic dishes and utensils in our price range and so I looked for alternatives to the baby dishes one can find in the big box stores. I didn't have to look far! Many shops sell different kinds of tiny dishes for condiments, sauces, and tiny portions. Over the years, I have picked up a wide variety of little dishes for very little money. I have also found that many places sell tiny forks, spoons, and knives for appetizers and these are perfect for little ones learning to feed themselves.

Though I mainly sought to use real dishes and utensils for two reasons - practicality (children's things don't seem to work as well... especially the utensils) and beauty (children's things in our price range are ugly) - I have found that there are some other benefits as well. For one, our little ones are careful with breakable things. I also believe that avoiding plastic as much as possible is good for their health.

Mealtime can be one of the best times for a family and having a table set with pretty things can make it even more enjoyable!

Late October Nature Table...

2011-10-28T17:23:00.003-04:00

We have been slacking off on our nature tables these past few months... it is currently situated on a low chest of drawers and at just the right height for Button to reach. We had a few vases of flowers dumped onto the carpet before I decided to take a break. I saw this branch of red leaves on my way back from the market though and had to try again. It will probably need to find a new home in a few minutes!

We will be moving to the new house soon (probably before Christmas), so I want to document this house and all of it's dear little corners before we go. Based on past experience, I know that it will be nice to look back!

Festal Learning Basket: The Archangel Michael...

2011-10-28T00:13:00.003-04:00

Commemorated November 8th

Books
Tell Us About the Angels, Grandma

Activities
Host a Saint Michael's Party and dress up as Angels or Saints (We do this on the Sunday closest to the feast)
Serve Blackberries: Blackberry Tea, Blackberry Jam, Fresh Blackberries over Waffles, Blackberry Pie or Cobbler, or Add Blackberries to a Salad
Add a special candle to your table to eat dinner by during the autumn
Prepare a feastday shelf with an icon of the Archangel Michael or any other Angels
Purchase Pots of Michaelmas Daisies to Decorate With

The Ordinary Arts: The Creative Arts...

2011-10-25T21:54:00.005-04:00

Nantucket

Flowers through the window
lavender and yellow

changed by white curtains-
smell of cleanliness-

sunshine of late afternoon-
on the glass tray

A glass pitcher, the tumbler
turned down, by which

a key is lying- And the
immaculate white bed.

- William Carlos Williams

:::::

I am the first to admit that ordinary household chores can seem dreary and mundane. I mean, who really wants to scrub a potty? Homemaking is more than endless cleaning though. It is a creative art. It is rosy red apples in a bowl, the sheen of freshly polished wood, the smell of newly laundered sheets, a messy pile of books left on the couch, a jar of flowers from the garden, a mound of bath toys drip-drying on the side of the tub, coffee brewing, and curtains blowing in the breeze.

Someday, I will finally learn how to knit. I will take the photography course I have always wanted to take. I will learn how to bake and decorate a fancy cake. For now though, I will enjoy trying to create a home that is my husband and children's favorite place to be.

Join in with Kyrie this week!

On the Farm...

2011-10-24T22:10:00.000-04:00

Take the Kids to Church...

2011-10-23T23:27:00.003-04:00

George Strickland, Ph. D., DirectionsToOrthodoxy.org

Based on new studies conducted by Baylor University, children from more religious families and from families with higher rates of religious attendance are better behaved and more well adjusted at home and at school. Better educated people generally had parents who attended church services twice or more a month. Among people with graduate level educations, two-thirds had mothers who were from frequent church attendees, compared to just under half of people with only a high school education. The difference is just as significant when looking at the frequency of church attendance by both parents and even larger when looking at fathers' attendance. This evidence is highly correlated with other studies that show church attendance during adolescence helps reduce a number of the damaging long-term risk factors of disadvantaged children and leads to better education success overall.

There are a number of reasons why parents' religious attendance might improve children's educational and developmental outcomes. First, children may be more likely to learn wholesome values and moral commitment if they go to church. Second, a parish can provide an important sense of community that can help develop commitment to voluntarism, social responsibility and a sense of self-worth. Third, having children who attend church together can help as-sure that a child grows up in an intact family. The Baylor studies show:

• The average person is 50 percent less likely to be divorced or separated if he or she attends religious services at least twice a month.

• The divorce rate among those who never attend worship is close to double that of week-ly church goers.

If parents go to church—especially if they go together—children are likely to grow up in intact families. Having an intact family has numerous benefits, both financial and social-psychological: higher household income, better health care, more involvement by parents, result in children who are less likely to smoke, less likely to have sex early, and more likely to be happy. Any of these benefits could explain why children are more likely to get a good education when their parents attend church often.

Since the parents church attendance is highly correlated with educational outcomes, the Baylor studies indicate some fascinating observations. Among people with children, the more educated their occupational classification, the higher level of church attendance. But among the childless, things go in the opposite direction--the less educated is slightly more likely to attend church at least twice a month. What is really fascinating is that people in high and mid-range education dramatically increase their church attendance when they have children—while those in the less educated occupations do not.

The connection between family and church is quite strong. Despite the perennially announced decline in the church's importance--its announcement being greeted with cheers among the "cultured despisers of religion"--the church remains vital and intact. Often overlooked in various studies are the ways in which the values expressed by the church infiltrate and influence countless lives for the better. When parents go to church and take their children, the kids get more education, and have more satisfying and happy lives.

Once Upon a Time...

2011-10-22T17:17:00.003-04:00

Is anyone planning on watching Once Upon a Time? I think that it looks like a good show! It starts tomorrow night on ABC.

The Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of Hawaii...

2011-10-20T17:26:00.000-04:00

The Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of Hawaii visited the Greek Orthodox church in a nearby town yesterday evening. The faithful from the area packed the church for this special occasion, offering a supplicatory canon, venerating the icon, and then being anointed with the holy myrrh which miraculously streams forth from the icon bringing consolation and healing.

The Ordinary Arts: The Domestic Arts...

2011-10-19T21:50:00.002-04:00

While I made a pot of chili tonight, my little helper offered to rinse dishes at the sink. I put down my spoon and took up the camera to capture the moment. I love seeing her on tiptoe trying to reach the faucet. She chattered the whole time about whatever she was thinking about and what we had done during the day and about how much she liked washing dishes. Later, when we sat down to eat, both the older children thanked me for their dinner. It was perfect. I hope when it isn't a perfect day (like tomorrow), I can remember that we are works in progress and it will be perfect again.

:::::

Join in with Kyrie this week!

The Ordinary Arts: The Art of Nurturing...

2011-10-18T20:49:00.000-04:00

Be soft of voice
and gentle of bearing
be kind of heart
and tender of hands

Be bright as the morn
and still as the evening
within you they'll find

God's love reborn.

I was introduced to this poem by my friend Eva and this is exactly how I would like to be for my husband, my children, and myself.

:::::

Join in with Kyrie this week!

The Ordinary Arts: The Art of Self Care...

2011-10-16T22:37:00.009-04:00

Simple, everyday pleasures are where I find the most joy. Things can get awfully busy very quickly for our family, but I've found that beauty is almost everywhere I look and I can replenish my spirit in little bits throughout my day. Here are some of the ordinary things that bring be happiness:

Fresh Flowers
Visiting Sisters
Trees Blowing in the Breeze
Hot Baths
Down Filled Pillows
Confession
Warm Blankets
Porch Swings
Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream
Babies in Stripes
Prayer
Apples
Favorite Books
Sleeping Little Ones
Long Walks
Fairytales
Twinkle Lights
Wind
Wood in the Sunlight
White Linens
Good Blogs
A Clean House
Open Windows
Clotheslines
Candles Flickering
Swinging at the Playground

:::::

Join in with Kyrie this week!

On the Path to the Kingdom of Heaven...

2011-10-16T05:37:00.000-04:00

By St. Innocent of Alaska

Without faith in Jesus Christ no one can return to God and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. No one, even though he believe in Jesus Christ, can regard himself to be His disciple and share His glory in Heaven if he does not act as Jesus Christ did. And no one is able to follow Jesus Christ if he does not receive help from the Holy Spirit.

To receive the Holy Spirit, we must use the means granted us by God.

We should remember that the path into the Kingdom of Heaven that has been opened to us by Jesus Christ is the only one, and there never was and never will be another path that leads to salvation. At times this path may appear difficult, but, again, you should remind yourself that this is the only one that leads toward your objective. At other times the Christian will encounter such consolations and delights on this path as can-not be found in any worldly thing. The Lord Jesus Christ assists us on this path. He gives us the Holy Spirit, He sends His angel to protect us, He provides instructors and leaders, and even He Himself takes us by the hand and leads us to salvation.

If the path into the Kingdom of Heaven seems difficult, then consider how incomparably more dreadful are the eternal torments in fiery Gehenna. If the path toward heavenly bliss seems difficult, compare it with the path toward earthly happiness, and you will see that the path toward earthly happiness is not really easier at all. Just observe how much people toil to amass earthly things, how many disappointments, fights, sleepless nights and deprivations they bear. Or remind yourself of how much effort and expenses it takes to achieve some meaningless and fleeting pleasure! And for what? Instead of the expected happiness, you are left with disappointment and weariness. When you carefully examine the heart of the matter, it becomes evident that people stay away from the Heavenly Kingdom not because the path to it is more difficult than the other paths of this world, but because it appears that way to them. Besides, the devil, an experienced and crafty deceiver, misleads people into believing that the path to salvation is difficult and the paths to perdition are easy, and he often succeeds in this.

So, my brethren, in order to avoid eternal perdition, let us definitely concern ourselves with our future. We know that beyond the grave there awaits one of the following two outcomes: either the Heavenly Kingdom or everlasting perdition in hell. There is no middle state, only everlasting bliss or everlasting torment. As there exist only two conditions past the grave, so there exist only two paths in this life. The one that seems wide and easy is taken by the majority. The other that seems narrow and thorny is taken by few. Those who follow the narrow path will be a hundredfold more happy than those who do not.

Brethren, if any of you who walk the wide path should suddenly die, what will happen to you? To whom shall you turn? To the Lord? You refuse to listen to Him now, so you must expect He will refuse to listen to you then. Now He is your merciful Father; then He will be your righteous judge. Who will defend you against His righteous rage? Ah! How frightful it is to fall into the hands of the living God! Therefore, concern yourselves now with the salvation of your soul while you still have time!

Work for your salvation while it is still daylight, for the night will come in which there will be no chance to change anything. Strive for the Heavenly Kingdom while you can still walk. Walk even a little bit, even if by crawling, but do it in the right direction. Then in eternity you will truly rejoice for every step you have taken!

May the All-merciful Lord help us all in this! Glory and thanksgiving be to Him throughout the ages of ages. Amen.

The October Ocean...

2011-10-15T21:53:00.001-04:00

Feminine Friday: Add Classic Style to the Small Wardrobe...

2011-10-14T19:12:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week I read an article on Small Notebook entitled Add Classic Style to the Small Wardrobe. As I have written about before, I really like having a small wardrobe. Every few months, I try to inventory what I have and over the course of the season I try to save up for one or two items to add to my wardrobe. I really enjoyed reading about the clothing and accessories that Rachel brought on her trip to Italy (she was there for winter and spring). I thought that it would be fun to list the things that I have in my cold weather wardrobe.

Tops
4-5 Long sleeve Shirts
5 Tank Tops for Layering
3 Sweaters or Cardigans

Bottoms
Leggings
French Walnut Corduroy Trousers
Dark Mahogany Corduroy Trousers
Denim Skirt
Acorn Wool Skirt
Chocolate Wool Skirt

Outerwear
Rain Coat
Wool Car Coat
Wool Scarf, Hat, and Gloves

Footwear
Black Boots
Rain Boots
Stockings, Tights and Warm Socks

Accessories
2 Scarves: Violet and Chocolate
Handbag: Camel Leather handbag
Jewelery: Drop Earrings, Cross, Wedding Band and Engagement Ring

Things to Add:
Fleece Jacket for Chilly Mornings and Cold Evenings
Sheepskin Boots
Kitten-Heeled Mary Janes
Amber Necklace

Here are some blogs that I look to for fashion inspiration:

MaiTai's Picture Book
Cupcake Caramel
The Vivienne Files

Do you have any favorite fashion blogs? What is on your list of Autumn Must Haves?

Bathtime...

2011-10-13T22:48:00.004-04:00

One of the best times of our day is bathtime. We light a few candles, turn on the taps, and let the troubles of the day sink away in lovely warm water! The children spend as much time as I will let them soaking. They play with seashells and rocks, pour "tea" for one another, practice dunking their heads under water, and on and on! Once they are good and pruny, I love wrapping my warm sweetly-smelling babies up in their hooded towels.

Our days aren't always predictable, but making time to decompress with this little ritual really makes a difference in our bedtime. I think as the next few months unfold for our family these routines will become even more important to us then they are now. I hope that as we become busier, we can try to make the time to strengthen these moments in our day for our little ones so that they can count on something remaining the same in their life.