72 Hours of A Christmas Story

I'm convinced if Jesus had in laws to celebrate with, he would have waited another full day to magically emerge from that tomb to give his family a little more time to get everywhere.



When did Christmas get so stressful, people? NY to NJ back to NY again. The kids had a great holiday and the parents worked their asses off to make it happen. And my goodness, I was in bed by 8 p.m. last night. I would have gone to bed at 7:30, but I had to wait to put the kids down first!

We spent Friday night with my mom in New Jersey, where the kids had Christmas, Round 1 with grandma. Which was awesome, because we remembered to pack everything but toys for them. So their gifts were amazing since they were both new and the only things they had to play with for a full 24 hours. On Friday we spent the day in PJ's before heading over to my aunt's house for the Christmas Eve festivities. 

{ this may be the only year that I'm cooler than Santa... }

Santa came and Reese and Ryan were really excited to see him. They greeted him warmly and sat on his lap :) Seriously though, they eventually came around. For Reese it took two gifts. For Ryan it took the realization that Santa was wearing glasses (he loves glasses. Glasses and hats.)

Reese became a gift opening expert by the time the night was through. And she was so distracted by the boxes and the wrapping paper and the noise, that several times she stood unassisted or took steps. Since then she's been standing on her own quite a bit, and looking at me proudly as she does! Ryan was content to let Reese open his gifts too. As long as he got the toys inside them when she was done.

We spent the night at my aunt's house. It was so nice to catch up with her and my cousins after the kids went to bed and everyone else left. Not that Christmas wasn't awesome too. But sometimes it's nice to just unwind and catch up. We woke up to an amazing breakfast of pancakes (the kids ate two whole pancakes each!) and hit the road.

{ my little red nosed reindeer }

We got home shortly after 1 p.m. to do Christmas, Round 3 with Joe's parents. Halfway through their gift opening, the kids had a small meltdown that was cured by bottles. And then we resumed operation open as many things as possible. Among the favorites were a tooth brush, an alligator and Chuck the truck.

After the gift opening was completed the kids took a well deserved nap and I set about unpacking from our trip and putting all of their new toys away. The kids slept for over two hours, which was almost enough time for me to get everything done. Before leaving for New Jersey, I made a pot of sauce and when the kids woke up I threw it on the stove and cooked up some ravioli. Christmas dinner was a huge hit among two tiny humans. 

{ this little guy at NINE ravioli and one meatball! }

{ and junior miss consumed at least seven, by my count }

After dinner we had baths with our new bath toys and Mr. Bubble. The kids were pretty confused by the bubbles at first, but decided that they weren't so bad after a bit. Christmas Mass was at 7:30 p.m. so we put on our Sunday best and headed back out the door. 

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{ the only picture I got of the kids in their holiday outfits in front of the tree :( }

{ with her new lovey }

Ryan did great in church, but Puffle was not happy to be held for an hour. She did a lot of walking up and down our pew and eventually she and I both ended up walking laps in the back of the church. For 11.5 months old, I think they did phenomenal. No major meltdowns, just a whole lot of squirming. We finally got home around 9 p.m. and all went to bed shortly thereafter. 

I think we're all still recovering from the weekend. What a Christmas.

The 2011 Christmas Day Blessing Urbi et Orbi of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Translation.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Rome and throughout the world!

Christ is born for us!
Glory to God in the highest
and peace on earth to the men and women whom he loves.
May all people hear an echo of the message of Bethlehem
which the Catholic Church repeats in every continent,
beyond the confines of every nation, language and culture.
The Son of the Virgin Mary is born for everyone;
he is the Saviour of all.

This is how Christ is invoked in an ancient liturgical antiphon:
“O Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver,
hope and salvation of the peoples:
come to save us, O Lord our God”.
Veni ad salvandum nos! Come to save us!
This is the cry raised by men and women in every age,
who sense that by themselves they cannot prevail
over difficulties and dangers.
They need to put their hands in a greater and stronger hand,
a hand which reaches out to them from on high.
Dear brothers and sisters, this hand is Christ,
born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary.
He is the hand that God extends to humanity,
to draw us out of the mire of sin and to set us firmly on rock,
the secure rock of his Truth and his Love (cf. Ps 40:2).

This is the meaning of the Child’s name, the name which, by God’s will, Mary and Joseph gave him: he is named Jesus, which means “Saviour” (cf. Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31). He was sent by God the Father to save us above all from the evil deeply rooted in man and in history: the evil of separation from God, the prideful presumption of being self-sufficient, of trying to compete with God and to take his place, to decide what is good and evil, to be the master of life and death (cf. Gen 3:1-7). This is the great evil, the great sin, from which we human beings cannot save ourselves unless we rely on God’s help, unless we cry out to him: “Veni ad salvandum nos! – Come to save us!”

The very fact that we cry to heaven in this way already sets us aright; it makes us true to ourselves: we are in fact those who cried out to God and were saved (cf. Esth [LXX] 10:3ff.). God is the Saviour; we are those who are in peril. He is the physician; we are the infirm. To realize this is the first step towards salvation, towards emerging from the maze in which we have been locked by our pride. To lift our eyes to heaven, to stretch out our hands and call for help is our means of escape, provided that there is Someone who hears us and can come to our assistance.

Jesus Christ is the proof that God has heard our cry. And not only this! God’s love for us is so strong that he cannot remain aloof; he comes out of himself to enter into our midst and to share fully in our human condition (cf. Ex 3:7-12). The answer to our cry which God gave in Jesus infinitely transcends our expectations, achieving a solidarity which cannot be human alone, but divine. Only the God who is love, and the love which is God, could choose to save us in this way, which is certainly the lengthiest way, yet the way which respects the truth about him and about us: the way of reconciliation, dialogue and cooperation.

Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, on this Christmas 2011, let us then turn to the Child of Bethlehem, to the Son of the Virgin Mary, and say: “Come to save us!” Let us repeat these words in spiritual union with the many people who experience particularly difficult situations; let us speak out for those who have no voice.

Together let us ask God’s help for the peoples of the Horn of Africa, who suffer from hunger and food shortages, aggravated at times by a persistent state of insecurity. May the international community not fail to offer assistance to the many displaced persons coming from that region and whose dignity has been sorely tried.

May the Lord grant comfort to the peoples of South-East Asia, particularly Thailand and the Philippines, who are still enduring grave hardships as a result of the recent floods.

May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood. May the Prince of Peace grant peace and stability to that Land where he chose to come into the world, and encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. May he bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed. May he foster full reconciliation and stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. May he grant renewed vigour to all elements of society in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the common good.

May the birth of the Saviour support the prospects of dialogue and cooperation in Myanmar, in the pursuit of shared solutions. May the Nativity of the Redeemer ensure political stability to the countries of the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and assist the people of South Sudan in their commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizens.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us turn our gaze anew to the grotto of Bethlehem. The Child whom we contemplate is our salvation! He has brought to the world a universal message of reconciliation and peace. Let us open our hearts to him; let us receive him into our lives. Once more let us say to him, with joy and confidence: “Veni ad salvandum nos!”

Christmas in a Storm

We have been graced this year with a great storm over Christmas. While the wind raged outside, we were treated to a wonderful candlelight Midnight Mass.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

After Mass was over each of us venerated the baby Jesus.

We wish you all a very happy and holy Christmas!

The Royal Christmas Broadcast of Her Majesty the Queen.

Lord, save our Queen Elizabeth,
and graciously hear us in the day when we call upon Thee.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, we pray that Thy servant our Queen Elizabeth,
who by Thy mercy has undertaken the government of this realm,
may receive increase of all the virtues;
so fittingly adorned,
may she be enabled to avoid all foul temptations,
(overcome her enemies),
and with her prince consort and the Royal family,
may she at the last be welcomed by Thee,
who art the way, the truth, and the life.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


DOMINE, SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM ELISABETH,
ET EXAUDI NOS IN DIE, QUA INVOCAVERIMUS TE.

OREMUS.
QUAESUMUS, OMNIPOTENS DEUS,
UT FAMULA TUA ELISABETH, REGINA NOSTRA,
QUI TUA MISERATIONE SUSCEPIT
REGNI GUBERNACULA,
VIRTUTUM ETIAM OMNIUM PERCIPIAT INCREMENTA;
QUIBUS DECENTE ORNATA,
ET VITIORUM MONSTRA DEVITARE,
(HOSTES SUPERARE)
ET AD TE QUI VIA, VERITAS, ET VITA ES,
CUM [PRINCIPE CONSORTE ET PROLE REGIA,
GRATIOSA VALEAT PERVENIRE.
PER CHRISTUM DOMINUM NOSTRUM.
AMEN.