Christmastide video.

Untitled from Allison Eddyblouin on Vimeo.

Pre-School Christmas Party

We made tamales, ate perogies, read a book about the Donkey carrying Mary and the Baby, sang the song "The Friendly Beasts," decorated gingerbread houses, and had a wonderful visit with the Hanleys.

O Adonai!!!

Second night of the O Antiphons. It has been a full day. In an effort to have my adolescent exposed to OTHER PEOPLE teaching her about time management etc I have driven over 200 miles today. Here's hoping that Leadership training has some pay off soon!

We all (including Birthday Boy Godson Jack) went to see Mary Catherine Christmas Concert. It is absolutely impossible for me to gaze upon my talented daughter, shining so brightly among the other radiant and hopeful teens, without crying. The music was beautiful, reverent, hear felt, and just perfect for the season. They began with "Veni Emmanuel" which itself is inspired by the O Antiphons--though I did wonder if anyone knew that. . .

And today I have reconnected with another birthday person who has been absent from my life for almost 2 years. I am so full of thanks!! I feel like the hours are full, the time draws near, sonething is about to happen! I am waiting, expectant, hopeful, and yearning for the Word made flesh!

St Lucy Comes to Visit

AWAKE!! The Light of Christ Approaches!!

So far. . .

so good. We had our first annual Eddyblouin carol sing tonight. Last summer I scored a Tasha Tudor Christmas anthology book at a yard sale for 25 cents. It has such beautiful drawings, sweet stories, and beautiful carols. Just as I was getting all choked up, looking at a lovely drawing of Mary and Baby Jesus, which reminded me of my own first Christmas with a sweet newborn 15 years ago, John sang, "Glories streamed from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluiar."

He keeps me in the present moment so gracefully!

My favorites tonight were "I saw 3 ships" and "lo! How a Rose."
Also having 3 boys wrestling and spinning and running around for 3/4 of the hour long sing was quite enlivening, and a bit annoying. They eventually settled down, John settled down enough to fall asleep. He woke up during prayers when Thaddeus was praying for Dad. "Wha?" the sleepy man grunted.
Just saying prayers dear, go back to sleep.

Ginger Bread Surprise!!

Dick and Cathy are parish members and erstwhile surrogate grandparents to our brood. They came over today with a to scale ginger bread replica of a local restaurant that is made up partly of train cars: Reunion Station.

They said it probably wasn't edible. . .but all the gumdrops and licorice are gone! Boys will gnaw at anything!

We have had so much fun with it all afternoon--it has really added to the holiday atmosphere. How grateful I am to all the people around us who help my children have these wonderful experiences! From Goats, to gingerbread, I would not be able to do this alone!!!

400+ Christmas Cookies

The 4 youngers and I went to a Christmas Party today. Mary Catherine was left home with ingredients. Voila! The Blouin family bake-off has begun. As I do not have the cookie baking gene, and am too pregnant to do much of anything but dream of baby flesh, Mary Catherine is on her own this year. She is doing an admirable job.

Last heard--Babci was over 700, and Hannah hadn't begun yet. I know nothing about Mary or Anne. . .

Not that I'm competitive. . .

The New Digs!

So We are here--we are settled, and I am nesting.

We have unplugged the children, with the exception of a netflix movie 2 or 3 times a month. We have to take the DVD player out of a closet, and detach the screen from the computer, and set it all up in the livingroom. A good amount of work when one is avoiding easy media exposure!

The lego's stay upstairs.

Weggie is potty trained (he also had a small case of pinworms--but we took care of that. I love modern medicine!)

The roast is in the oven.
(so is the bun. . .hahaha)

The fire is going.

But the best result of a more comfortable life is I feel more able to be mindful. In my speech, prayers, interactions. Not that it's always perfect or easy, but with lowered stress in general, I have more energy in my will to fight for what I want.
Holiness, Jesus, Scripture Reading, high quality child care and education, same for husband care.

We call all this "The Oregon Effect"--and we are feeling it and enjoying it. The small discomforts of late pregnancy at my advanced age are so easy to bear in this new environment.

But I am tired at the end of the day. Good Tired.

Here's the Situation. . .

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I want to make 4-8 of these sweet dollies, some with clothing. . .some with scented filling. . .some bigger, some for stockings. . .

The pressure is mounting.

Can I do It?

Will I be able to get out of bed after nursing the baby down?

Will the sewing machine jam?

Will I start crying and give-up?

Will I lay my success as a loving mother at the mercy of my crafting ability in the wee hours before Christmas--or will I just get another breast infection?

Stay tuned. . .(though I did buy myself more time by announcing at breakfast that homemade gifts may show up an ANY TIME during the 12 days of Christmas.)

Where is Jesus?

He's still in Mary you silly! He only comes out after Mass on Christmas Eve! That's also when the wise men appear--they spend 12 days travelling closer and closer to Jesus. You have to find them every day somewhere in the house.