Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real: Advent 2012

I really had to force myself this morning to grab my camera, walk around the house, and take a good look around.  There is beauty in the mundane, and I have a tendency to miss it.  I find myself wishing for more peace and serenity in my days.  Days that are filled with children, appointments, basketball practices and games, classes outside the home are so very full that I feel more like a machine than a mother at times.  But I do manage to make time for tea in the evenings, knitting, and reviewing all the Downton Abbey episodes in anticipation of the third season!!!  I'm so excited for that.  I do make time to pray, too, and read to the kids.  It's amazing how much you can stretch an almost-winter evening.  I'm making sure I'm stocked up with tea for this weekend since snow is in the forecast.

Pretty....Advent Wreath waiting for larger Advent candles.

Happy....that I have realistic expectations with my decorating and catechesis!

I can't imagine or at least bring myself to ask the kids to make Jesse Tree ornaments.  I am happy that I bought these paper punch out ornaments at an after Christmas sale two years ago.  I figure there's no harm in having them get damaged.  Whereas I'd be annoyed if the kids ruined handmade ornaments that took us time to make.

Funny

No matter what I do to pretty up the dining room table, someone always has to put more stuff on it instead of putting things away.  That someone just happens to be me this time.:(  I have no one to blame but myself for not moving the everyday fruit bowl back to the kitchen table, the fake holly decorations to the front porch for the Christmas pots, and the lone pink Advent candle back to the Christmas closet.

Real

Yes, that's the basketball practice and game schedule for December.  The highlighted green is Monica, and the highlighted pink is Maria.  Yes, there seems to be at least one if not two highlighted times on every day!  That is Jane's finger painted Christmas tree she made in her preschool class and a letter from her little friend, Andrew.  Along with that letter, he sent her a string of hot pink beads.  Smiles all around!  That paper at the bottom of the bulletin board is Molly's Schoenstatt Advent calendar.  Diligent Molly is trying to keep up with all of her Advent commitments.  Way to go, Molly!

I'm finally linking up with the ladies over at Like Mother, Like Daughter after weeks of not participating.  In case, I don't link up again for a while have a Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas!