First Snow Day of the Season, 2nd Week of Advent, Let It Snow!

St. Michael the Archangel Advent wreath in the sanctuary.

We went to an earlier Mass than usual this second week of Advent since it had already started snowing.  We stopped at Kroger beforehand for some fresh produce (neither of us drink regular milk or eat regular bread) and got out unscathed.

We played Scrabble while listening to Christmas music and sipping hot chocolate.  Kevin makes his with a coffee base while mine is a peppermint tea/hot cocoa masterpiece.

The little Christmas tree our friend John gave us is lit up, though, bare of decorations as of yet.  Our homemade Advent wreath and the wooden nativity set from Uganda are both still in our closet.

This past Friday evening we went to the Advent Concert at our parish.  They've had it along with a spaghetti dinner put on by the Knights of Columbus for the past 15 years, but this was our first time going.  It was wonderful!  If only we hadn't sat right behind a disruptive boy in the children's choir, we could have enjoyed it even more.  The kid would not stop talking, and it was driving Kevin and me nuts.  Ironically, the song I got on video was "Let There Be Peace on Earth (and Let It Begin with Me)." 

Saturday we went to Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (when the Blessed Mother was conceived without sin) and got to sit with the Baab family.  People commented on how happy Kevin and I are when they're around. It's true.  More than one person assumed they are our nieces.  I explained how I used to nanny for the girls and that we've been adopted by the Baab clan.

It was snowing enough I didn't think we'd be heading over to my mom's to decorate the family tree Sunday afternoon like we'd originally planned.  We'll have to do that tradition and the one of making and decorating Christmas cookies together some other time. 

Today is our first snow day of the season.  I'm fine with that.  I just finished reading a good book and have two more from the library. There are plenty of Christmas movies old and new for us to watch.  We're stocked up on soup, hot chocolate, tea, and paper products, so let it snow.

If you're interested in reading more about our family's Christmas traditions or could use a laugh if your events with family and friends are less than Hallmark perfect, check out my series on Christmas Merrymaking Mishaps featuring: Caroling, Cookie Decorating, Tree Selection, Nativity Sets.