Impatience

I had 3 impatient days.  Impatience that was transmitted to the kids.

I was truly impatient with the whole family!  I realised today, that all this is stemming from a simple reason: I want Christmas to be ready now so I can move on to the next thing in my life.

It saddened me when I saw what was happening and today while still impatient I managed to keep it low and enjoy some quality time with family.

Yes I am excited to have my children's birthday and give them the presents that have been in the closet for nearly a month now.  I am excited to have my new home schooling corner set up.  I am excited to continue the work I had to stop due to Christmas holidays from various people and I am excited to add more to my work in breastfeeding.

But these 12 days of Christmas are 12 days of reflection and I should use them wisely.

Christmassy thoughts

It's been so far one of the best Christmases ever.

I am already finding ways of improving our celebration of Christ being born.

We need it even simpler then this year.  The food this year is stuck in my throat.  Why are we eating so much food like there is no tomorrow?  We do not even fast any more before Christmas.

One of the things that glared out at me this year is too much food and so next year it will be a very simple normal affair of food.

The presents have still been the centre of attention by the kids.  Would love that to change....because ultimately they do not show much appreciation for them- just a matter of OK I want the next one- especially my big boy.

This year it was lovely having our small family at Christmas Eve starting a tradition and would be so happy to expand that.

I am looking forward to continuing the celebration with the 12 days of Christmastide this year.  Normally the day after Christmas usually feels empty.  Christmas celebrations stop with the birth but this season carries on longer and it is nice to make sure we celebrate it to the max.

WE finished the crib and did more...

Our 3 and 4 Advent day activities were to finish off the crib and we did.  I only did the shaping of the initial stage the rest was all the children; and I think its lovely!

Our next activity was to take a family photo.  Here is one of the many we took!

6th Dec, being the feast of St Nick, we read a short story on St Nick as well as the poem Twas the night before Christmas by Clement Moore.  We also bought a nice Christmas sack and the kids chose a book and a toy each plus they chose some food for the kids that live in the creche and took it to them.  We did not see the children there but my babes could see how life is completely different and how thankful we should be.

for the feast of the Immaculate Conception, we learnt that the Lord had us on our minds from a long long time and so we did some crafts as presents to our grandparents as we have them on our minds often.

This is actually Maya's present to her teacher.  She loves her way too much :)

We've also written our Christmas cards and did one for the teachers to show our appreciation.

Maya's card

Greg's card

Christmas is in the air

This year I feel like I am late with my preperations but then I realised most of the stuff is done from last year so there are only a few tweaks that needs to be arranged and now I can say I am ready and happy.

Here is how our Advent and Christmas will look like and these are the books we will be reading more or less daily.

26 November do an Advent wreath with the kids to start lighting 30^th Nov

Advent activities

 Mon - Put on the decorations

 Tues - Start contructing the crib

Wed - Finish off the crib

  Thurs - Put in the statues of the crib

 Fri - Take a family photo

 Sat - Celebrate St Nick by reading story, poem, activities: gift giving to crèche a big nice stocking; as well as do the Christmas grass

 Sun - See film – Home Alone + light second candle

 Mon - Celebrate the Immaculate Conception by reading story, drawing, explaining that God always had us on his mind even before birth, activity: do a small present for the grandparents because we have them our minds

 Tues – Visit the toy shops for gift ideas

 Wed – Do Christmas cards for teachers /family

 Thurs - Buy food for the needy & give it to parish priest to pass it on

 Fri - Celebrate St Lucia by reading story, drawing & doing St Lucia buns

 Sat - Go to Valletta enjoy the Christmas lights, train ride & dinner together + visit Christmas fair in Phoenicia till 6 pm

 Sun - Visit crib in Zejtun + light third candle

 Mon - See film- The Polar Express

 Tues - Send money to a charity

 Wed – Bake Christmas pudding together

 Thurs – Leave a small gift to our rubbish picker

 Fri - Do Advent Kindness Tree

 Sat -  Go to Gozo visit live crib in Ghajnsielem (4.30 pm)

 Sun – Sing Christmas Carols together + light last candle

 Mon - Write a letter to Jesus and burn it

 Tues - Write a family letter and affix it in the living room

  Wed - Put baby Jesus in the crib

12 days of Christmas activities

 Sun - Christmas day Mass and spend with family

 Mon - St Stephen day celebrate by reading story, drawing

  Tues – see the film curious George a very monkey Christtmas

 Wed - Read the poem 12 days of Christmas and explain meaning

 Thurs - Go to the aquarium

 Fri -  invite a few mummies & kiddies for tea

 Sat - Do Qaghaq tal-ghasel

 Sun – New Year Day family time

 Mon - Feast of Mary Mother of God read story of St Mary, activity: do a rosary (http://www.ehow.com/how_4856821_make-rosary-kids.html)

 Tues - Go to Buskett for a picnic

 Wed – Do candles (http://www.kidspot.com.au)

 Thurs – story of Epiphany; end of Christmas season we take down decorations

Living Lent

Lent, the time to grow spiritually, the time to give, the time to mend starts today.  The following explains Lent much better than I can do:

Taken from Karen Emisten's Blog: During Lent, we are called to "pray, fast and give." (See this document for more info.) In taking on additional prayer time, or attending daily Mass more often, or praying the Stations of the Cross, or other devotions such as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in fasting from festive food and drink, or from various entertainments or areas of excess, and in freely giving of our time and money, we see that it's not a matter of "either/or." We don't ask, "Should I pray more? Or should I fast from something? Or should I give of my time? Give away a few more dollars?"
To pray, to fast and to give are all intimately connected. Progress and growth in one area fuels further progress in the others.
Pray.Fast.Give.
This trinity is the foundation of a meaningful Lent. When I start there, good things happen.

The first time Lent came into my mind this year was while I was taking down the Christmas decorations.  It is probably strange actually but there I was taking everything down and thinking how much we celebrate Advent & Christmas but Lent and Easter - the biggest feast in Christendom - not really.

So that really got me thinking, because I wish to give it the importance due.  And as always I scoured the internet for ideas because outside Malta they get all these beautiful ideas and have come up with a plan for this year which if successful will be carried on for years to come.

The first thing I wanted to do was decorate the house just like we do for Christmas.  So I have put up purple drapes and on it there is a lovely Crucifix and 14 candles.  We will soon be adding to that a Lenten calendar (a picture of a lamb done in 40 squares and every day we glue some cotton wool to count down the days to Easter).  Also a Jesus Tree; this was an interesting concept really.  You either draw a tree without leaves or get a piece of wood with lots of branches and glue or hang paper ornaments which symbolise a story from the Bible you wish to share.  Other decorations will also be on the way during our 40 days activities to remember that Jesus will be dying and resurrecting for the love of us.  There will of course be additional daily praying at this time to help us grow and to strengthen our family.

Lent after all is a wonderful time to prepare ourselves, to go within ourselves, before the bursting of love and light into the resurrection and Spring.

Here are our 40 activities

decorate the house in Lenten symbols
do a crown of thorns
do a Lenten caterpillar
Make a sacrifice bin were everyone puts something in it only to be returned on Easter Sunday
bury the Hallelujah - explaining that during this season we do not sing it at Mass because it is considered an Easter word and that we come to appreciate  more just how joyful this acclamation is after 40 days.
Temptation cookies - you bake some cookies while explaining the story of temptation of Jesus in the desert and teach them how we can be strong in face of temptation.  Once cooked leave on the table but they must not touch them before the following day
memorise the Act of Contrition
say the Rosary
create an almsgiving box and put all change during Lent in it to give to a charity of our choice
light a candle in Church and dedicate it to someone
fill a bag with stuff from home to donate
learn an Easter song
learn about St Joseph on his feast day
Palm weaving
Easter colouring page
make a kidney bean jar  for acts of kindness
make a prayer chain including intentions/people to pray for and every day strip one out and pray on it
colour eggs and explain why they are part of Easter
go for an Adoration
do a cross with pics the children wish
plant Easter grass
do pretzels and explain their significance in Lent
visit a Church
browse in a Catholic book store
go for a daily Mass
cook a meatless meal and explain why we do so
watch an Easter film
do Karamelli tal Harrub
make a tomb scene
visit a cemetery
resurrection eggs (bought through ebay)
make figolli
make an Easter basket
read the story of the last supper
visit petting farm and explain why Jesus is considered the sacrificial lamb
do resurrection cookies
go on a garden walk and explain the story of Gethsemane
go for a Good Friday procession
Visit an exhibition on Easter

for more information on these activities you can go here and here

I wish you all a wonderful Lenten experience

December thoughts

We are more than half way through Advent and in my enthusiasm in the beginning of it, I had lost sight of a few important things I had really hoped to do this year like giving just small insignificant presents.

Why you might ask?

Because I'd rather my kids remember Christmas as the day the Lord was born than a day were they will get loads of presents which will over whelm them.  So I bought our presents small- things I know they will like but nothing spectacular, however, when our parents asked us to buy the kids presents on their behalf I forgot all about this and got them some big stuff.  I feel bummed about it and frustrated with myself.  I thought to exchange them as birthday presents but the kids saw the presents under the tree and both can read their names so its not like I can somehow find an excuse like these are not yours.... so for this year my original intention went slightly out of the window.  Even Advent didn't go exactly as per programme because while doing our Advent activities I realised some things are not what my kids actually would love to do and had to cross them of the list.

So anyway while this was the first "programmed" Advent & Christmas, I have already learned loads of stuff and look forward to implement them next year :)

On a different note, I continue to see so many new things in my son.  When we read the ABC Bible Verses and do the activities related to them, there are quite a few moments where he is uncomfortable or when I remind him of them and it shows me that he does understand right from wrong but still isn't much in control of himself (neither am I so well I can't blame him!).  There are also those moments where he doesn't see me and he asks for help from other people whom he doesn't know or when asked questions which he answers without any qualms on a microphone which shows me how much he is becoming more social, vocal and confident and I can't give credit to me - apart for the fact that I never forced him into these things.  But I do give credit to his current school teacher and his sports teacher and sports in itself which is something he enjoys without any strings attached.

These last 8 days of Advent we have some thought provoking activities in store and I wonder how he will react to them.

As for me I have my new year resolution ready.  Its a resolution that will benefit my family and look forward to the challenge.  Its a challenge I've been struggling with since Gregory turned 1 and demanding while I was preggo with Maya and it bugged me always did and while I see how much things are improving I finally decided to take the bull by the horns and I made a vow that as of 1 January I will not shout to my kids or anyone else for a year and if I do it for a year well I will just carry on into the next and next and next.  It is going to be very difficult I know because its not the first time I see me going in that dark place but am incapable of stopping myself but I've already started practising and sometimes when I know I can not not shout I got shout at the Christmas tree or whatever is near at hand :)  I look forward to give you updates on this challenge of mine because I know I can do it and I have decided I will definitely do it!

Towards Advent

Advent and Christmas are practically round the corner and I honestly have no idea how another year has passed!

As always I am thrilled to get to this season.  And seeing that the kids are finally tuning in to the meaning of it all and the beauty of it all, I am even more excited and I have been planning a lot of stuff for this lovely season.

Advent, starting Sunday 1 December is the new year of the liturgical calendar.  Most importantly, Advent is the preparation for the coming and birth of the Lord. Christians observe this season as a season of prayer, fasting & repentance followed by anticipation, hope & joy.

Each year I do an Advent wreath.  Every Sunday we light a candle in remembrance of hope, preparation, joy and love.

We also do an Advent calendar.  however, we do not use the traditional sweet calendar because I want to teach and give to my kids the real meaning of this lovely season.  This year, our Advent calendar was bought from a local crafter and I love it.

Than what I did was put little papers in each pocket with scripture readings which I got from here but I translated them in Maltese.

Than I added little family things we are to do together for every Advent day.
The list:

putting up the Christmas decorations
having a family photo in front of the Christmas tree
watching a Christmas film together
doing cookies together
going out to Valletta to see the lights and go around the train
visit a crib
visit the live crib in Xaghra, Gozo
do a kindness Advent tree
go out to eat
write a letter to Jesus  to give thanks for all he has given us during this year
write a family letter
do a Christmas craft
do a snow globe
plant Christmas wheat grass
read the book of the first Christmas
read the book 'Twas the night before Christmas
singing Christmas carols
Buying food for those in need and giving them to the Paris Priest to pass them on
donate a toy
searching for little gifts around the house
go ice-skating
write Christmas cards

In addition, I bought the kids Advent colouring books to help understand more the meaning of this season of preparation.

And in preparation myself, I will be reading more scripture, contemplating more on my role in this beautiful house and doing a small fast.

Lent and very young children

Lent started also at our house this week.

I had been wondering how to make Lent meaningful for my kids and just a few weeks ago I only had a drawing book on how to teach the kids about Lent.  Than, while trying to come up with a lovely Lent article for the school newsletter I came across this and it sent me into a whirlwind of exciting activities for the kids for which I am ever so grateful.

• To start with I did a lamb poster and divided it into 40 boxes.  Everyday of Lent we glue a piece of cotton wool into a box.  This gives a concrete feel to the length of Lent to my young kids and at the same time just like the Advent calendar an excitement in knowing that Easter is getting nearer each day.
• Lent of course is the season to pray, fast and give.  We are learning a new prayer during Lent - all of us.  The kids are abstaining from sweets for the whole Lental season.  It might seem daunting at first you think but it isn't really because Sundays (and I didn't know this before) is not considered part of Lent as it is always the celebration of Christ's Resurrection.  therefore we all eat sweets if we feel like on a Sunday but abstain from it Monday through Saturday.
• The good deeds jar: In a symbolic way to teach kids how God showers us with good will whenever we walk along His path of grace, I did this jar.  Whenever one of them does a good deed - sharing toys, food, helping out etc - I put a chick pea in the jar.  At the end of the Lent season, we will count the chick peas and give the children the double amount in sweets (I'd prefer to give them something else but haven't thought of something healthier!)
• The Lent caterpillar is as the name implies.  You do a caterpillar out of carton in the beginning of Lent.  Put it in a cocoon half way through.  Than replace it with a butterfly Easter Sunday.  The meaning is the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus and the new life He gave us when He came back to life.
• And the famous drawing book.  You can buy that in Catholic bookstores locally.  Under each picture to paint there is a short note on the meaning of Lent and it is an interesting way to learn about this season.

Sometimes teaching children about our faith can seem difficult.  The difficulty normally though stems from the fact that we are not quite sure of our faith and we do not quite live our life according to The Liturgical Year.  It could be for many reasons but in deciding to reach out and teach our children I have seen that I am learning just as much and loving and appreciating my faith that much more.

Advent

Because I want my kids to learn and appreciate our Roman Catholic Church more than I have ever done so far, I try and incorporate traditions in our daily lives that include the Church.  So at the moment we are observing Advent - the coming of Christ.

We are doing this by having an Advent Wreath which we are lighting every week, an advent calendar which tells the story of Jesus rather than having sweets and stuff not essential for this feast and by drawing on our
Advent colouring book.

I am enjoying these just as much as the kids as I really am learning and appreciating our religion more.  However, I woke up this week to the fact that I am teaching the kids about it but I am not observing it myself.  This is an omission I decided to rectify not only for me but also for my babes who learn by copying.

You might be wondering what I haven't been doing..... well Advent should be a small Lent and so I will start fasting as from tomorrow.  It is also a time where we should pray more and that has been unfortunately lacking recently.  It is also a time of almsgiving - helping out those in need.

May this post inspire you to do the same.

Many blessings!