Advent Week 3

Dearest Reader,

Joy- this week's Advent theme and it also is usually my birthday, anniversary, and last week of school till winter break all rolled in there for good measure (also Jane Austen's birthday but that is just an aside that I love plugging in).  This week was unpredictable but good.

Day 15
Sunday, December 15, 2019 aka Guadete Sunday

"Cling to joy, audacious joy, that looks for light in everything, even your waiting." -Morgan Harper Nicholas, artist and singer

Today I teach my Sunday school class on the joy of Christmas with searching for candy canes and decorating our class tree and making more ornaments.  Unfortunately most of my class was absent or sick and it was just my kids in class.  Still, joy remains.  We prayed for those who were sick and I hope my girls learned that joy is not the same as happiness.  The photo prompt for the day was rejoice and we rejoiced in putting up the tree and decorating it.

   

This was a good day to relax and write while the Youth Group had a Christmas party.

Day 16
Monday, December 16, 2019- my 37th birthday and 13th wedding anniversary!

"There's room for everyone on the Nice List!" -Buddy the Elf

Not gonna lie- I didn't really get to do anything I wanted to do.  I didn't even really rest and it was my birthday!  But I have learned to be okay with that- finally.  Normally I would probably get a little more whiny about it.  I spent more time on the phone than I wanted to and I had to hang out at the pharmacy AND I had to grocery shop.  PLUS two of my kids said they were "sick".  I put sick in quotation marks because it was just mild sore throats, runny nose, and very mild coughs.  They were running around the house and fighting- they were not REALLY sick.  They might have been extra tired though and I was not in a mood to fight with them so I let them stay home.  Also I felt a little nervous that it COULD turn into something worse.  FYI- it didn't!  But I talked them into letting me watch Little House "A Christmas They Never Forgot" so that was nice.  I did get some sweet presents and bought myself doughnuts to share.  I got Harry Potter socks from a friend, a fluffy blanket from my husband and kids, a book (Northanger Abbey) from a friend, and bunch of leggings also from my husband.  I also got a pizza because after all this time pizza is still my favorite dinner.  My husband and I got to go out in late November so it is all good.  Tired, but good.

The picture prompt for the day was Advent art and Lucy painted this beautiful picture.

Day 17

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

"It is now, at Advent, that I am given the chance to suspend all expectation...and instead to reveal in the mystery." -Jerusalem Jackson Greer, author and blogger

I am pretty sure this was the day I took a very long nap after dropping the girls off at school.  I do remember watching all three movies from A Christmas Prince back to back!

It helped that the cousins came over to play.  I got a lot of dishes done!  We lit the 3rd candle which is pink in case you were wondering. 

The photo prompt for the day was angel.  I took a picture of some of our seasonal reads that have angels in them B is for Bethlehem, Country Angel Christmas, and December.  

Day 18

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

"Patience can't be acquired overnight.  It is just like building up a muscle.  Every day you need to work on it." -Eknath Easwaran, Spiritual teacher and author

I think I spent a lot of time reading and listening to the O Antiphons which I will just link my actual Catholic friend to explain it.  I actually grew up with her in real life in a homeschool group in Hawaii and she has taught me so much about the Catholic faith!  Her blog is called Barefoot Abbey and here she is explaining The Christmas Novena

I found some great Youtube video playlists as well.  

I would probably take the time to link them properly and in order but I just wanted to give you a taste and I want to remember them for next Advent.

Christmas cookies was the picture prompt of the day and while I thought about making some I wasn't in the mood to mess up and clean up the kitchen plus little did I know that Lucy was on a mission to find matching pajamas for everyone.  It was a little too late for that as most of the pajamas were sold out and if I knew this was such a big deal I would have done it much earlier.  Instead she decided to get some Christmas presents for her teachers.  We picked up some cookie kits for later next week too.

Day 19
Thursday, December 19, 2019- Opening of Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker

"Christmas is a baby shower that went overboard." -Andy Borowitz, TV Writer

Laundry was backed up so bad that I spent all day folding and rotating the clothes from the washer to the dryer. I know I should do a better job at this, but oh well.  It was nice to have a lot of extra leggings now, though.  We were going to the movies!

The picture of the day was warmth and I thought about trying to tie it in to Star Wars but I ultimately didn't.  I didn't want to be distracted trying to think about that while watching the movie.  I really enjoyed it!  There was only one really weird thing, but there were so many great things that I think it out weighs the one odd thing.  See? I am not spoiling it.  I ended up taking a picture of Hermione making a last minute present for some one at school.  It was one of those sweater cookies and she looked so warm in her sweats. 

Day 20
Friday, December 20, 2019

 "Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart." -The Polar Express

This is the day I took the mission to find matching pajamas seriously.  I went to both the Targets in my area (and might I add the traffic was crazy especially because the shopping area just opened an In-N-Out Burger place) and ended up pretty much achieving the goal.  But next time if this is a thing it definitely needs to be done first.  I wished I had had time to go to the Dollar Tree or grocery shopping because I still should round out the stockings but I am mostly done.  One of the big reasons I was wanting to complete this goal was the picture of the day was Christmas jammies and I knew exactly what I wanted the photo to look like.  Goal achieved!

I spent the evening with a friend so that one my daughters could have someone to play with.  We played Hallmark Bingo with Christmas At Grand Valley.  We never made a Bingo but I got VERY close.  It was a fun night!

Day 21- First Day of Winter
Saturday, December 21, 2019

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul--and sings the tunes without the words--and never stops at all." -Emily Dickinson

We usually spend the weekend cleaning up so this wasn't really an exception.  My husband's twin sister and her husband and my mother-in-law stopped by for a quick visit before our official Christmas get together.  I wasn't really sure what to do about the prompt community as I REALLY didn't want to go out and I was having trouble coming up with an idea.  The family watched Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Noelle on Disney+ last night. 

I still hadn't come up with an idea for the picture of the day until I remembered that I had been at our church's clothing closet to see if there were any Christmas sweaters.  I found a great one that seemed great for my middle child- Ariana.  She loved it!  I thought as long as I take a picture of her in the sweater and mark it as using a community service clothing closet that would be perfect! 

Ended the day prepping for my Sunday school lesson.  What a joyful week even without a cake!

Joy to you,

Larissa Langsather

PS I can't remember if I have talked about our Harry Potter Lego Advent!  We have been having fun as you can see!