There are still two doors left to open on our Advent calendar, but we’re winding down now, so I feel safe giving a final report on our Advent project. Last week was a little chaotic. The weather and illness at Christian’s office necessitated some rearranging of the contents of the boxes. We had to…
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Children in the Season
Christmas is not about kids, but I will admit that having a child has enriched my experience of the season. It seems odd to say this now, considering it’s my fourth Christmases as a parent. But, although little ones may like pretty lights and enjoy ripping packages (down with gift bags!), they don’t grow into…
Read MoreThe Gratitude List for Dec. 14th…
(incorporating the Advent Reclamation Project Report for Week 2) Julianna’s first, tottering steps, on Friday, which charged the air in the house with excitement as Gerti (her PT), Alex and I all clustered in the living room and Julianna’s face turned into one enormous, mouth-open smile. She knew it was a big deal, too. …
Read MoreAdvent Reclamation Project: Week One Report
Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and now that we have a few days under our belt, it seems like a good time to report on how our Advent Reclamation Project is going. Point One: the Advent Calendar Yes, it’s a Santa house. So sue me. We looked at everything available online,…
Read MoreReclaiming Advent
It was the day after Thanksgiving, so naturally everything should be about greed, fisticuffs and death. Greed and fisticuffs: Christian overheard a conversation about a fight that broke out between two women over a Barbie jeep. The store personnel had to come and physically pull them off each other. Death: A Long…
Read MoreChristmas and the mess we live in
There’s this really annoying pharmacy ad that plays at this time of year that starts, “It’s that special holiday feeling that happens every year.” Every time I hear it, I want to throttle whoever wrote it. Why do we set up these expectations? Why should we expect Christmas to be so much better than any…
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Kathleen M. Basi 