Mama-luia

So, Lent. (I need to remember to take these sorts of pictures before it gets dark.  The shadows make it look unintentionally somber and extra Lent-y.) I am embracing a "gentle Lent" again this year. My spiritual director says, "We choose our penance, but God chooses our Lent." You know what God chose for me this week? A (rather funny) doozy. Please be forewarned:  if you have a weak stomach, or are otherwise squeamish,  scroll down to the photos of my kids.  I took the kids to the dentist, an hour away from here. It involved lots of driving and complaining from kids about the length of the car trip. Then a dentist visit-tantrum from one child resulted in only one getting his teeth checked. After we ate lunch at the nearby McDonald's, I realized I had forgotten water bottles. So I took them to Shopper's to buy new water bottles, then drove home. I was already exhausted when we walked in the door. Then the power went out just whe...

I know, I know, how pathetic to post about Advent and Christmas in Lent! But I forgot I had this post in queue and I couldn't let our Christmas go unnoticed. I check my blog every year just to see what (the heck) we did last Christmas! So, go read something Lent-y if that's your thing. I am posting this firstly for my own enjoyment. :) The beautiful season of waiting. Without the loudness of the malls, or the busy-ness of readying for cookie swaps and kids' Christmas concerts, our Christmas prep is decidedly quiet in comparison to so many families. A few nights scrolling Amazon to order a few carefully chosen toys for our children, and everything else picked up at the Madonna House gift shop. (A wonderful place to shop during Advent. It's so quiet, reverent and simple. I selfishly want to shop there because it's like a little pilgrimage to Bethelehem every time we go.) So we make our Advent traditions.  Now we are in a wonderful stage where the ...