Tercets

Book Signing, Readings, and a Link up

2012-02-22T22:31:00.000-06:00

My publisher and I have scheduled my first book signing event for Entre la claridad! I’ll be signing copies Thursday, March 1 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. during the AWP Conference Bookfair in Chicago. If you are attending this conference, look for me at the PALABRA/Con Tinta table (Southeast Hall, Table K17). Thanks to Elena and PALABRA Literary Magazine for sharing their table space.

If you want to buy Entre la claridad, but won’t be at the conference, it is available for $7.00 from Mouthfeel Press. You can listen to some of the poems from this book through the links on my “Audio” page above. For future updates about my signing and reading events, check my “Upcoming Events” page above or like the Entre la claridad page on Facebook.

On Saturday, March 3, you can also hear me read as part of the panel Border Bodies — Womanhood In Verse. Our presentation is from 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. in Private Dining Room 2, at the Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor. This is a panel of poets all associated with Mouthfeel Press, including Katherine Hoerth, Laura Cesarco Eglin, and Maria Miranda Maloney. Read more about my presentation here.

This Saturday, February 25, at 2 p.m., you can hear a large group of poets published in the Mutabilis Press anthology Improbable Worlds read at Brazos Bookstore in Houston. I will read my poem “Bat Bridge” and mingle with the other poets. I hope you will join us.

Also, I am announcing the next link up in the Liturgical Calendar Link up Party coordinated by Xhonané at Familia Católica. The Link up for Saint Joseph is hosted by Beatriz at Conócete a tí mismo y sé lo que eres. Go see what other bloggers are posting about Saint Joseph’s feast day, or to link your own post. I’m hoping to post an activity that highlights Saint Joseph’s role as protector and patron of the church. I won’t have time to pull it all together until after I return from the conference, but I hope you will check back the second week of March!

First Fridays for Food Security and a Link up

2012-02-18T21:50:00.002-06:00

In the most recent edition of the newspaper for our archdiocese, among the suggested actions for this year’s Lenten season, I found information about the U.S. Bishops First Fridays for Food Security program. This fasting program has actually been going on for ten months already. Here are some details:

“On every first Friday for a year, eat meals that cost only as much as is allotted for a family of your size by the USDA Modified Thrifty Food Plan. This plan is used as the basis for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly called food stamps). The ‘cutting back’ that will likely be required in order to stay ‘in budget’ can be considered a form of fasting.”

I have been thinking about ways to teach my children to be grateful for the food they eat, and to have compassion for those people who do not always have enough food. For children who never go without a meal or a snack and whom are often surrounded by an abundance of food, this is not an easy concept to grasp. I was intrigued by the idea of voluntary fasting on a regular basis.

Courtesy of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

You can find the Food plan here. If you want to participate, or are curious about how much money is allotted per day, divide the amount for your family size (you may need to make adjustments, as the chart assumes a family of four, but the footnotes explain how to calculate for larger or smaller families) by seven from the weekly cost or by thirty from the monthly cost. Be sure to use the numbers from the “Thrifty Plan” columns.

I wondered if we could stay within budget, so I’ve been doing the math. For our family size and ages (two adults and two children), we are allotted $132.10 per week, or $18.87 per day. I have looked at our grocery receipt from this past week to determine prices for various foods as I consider what we could eat. Since the next two First Fridays fall during Lent, I have developed a sample meal plan that is vegetarian to illustrate how to do this. We will not be able to participate on March 2^nd because my husband and I will be in Chicago for my conference presentation, but we are going to definitely participate on other Fridays and for April 6^th.

This plan is actually very similar to how we eat on a regular basis, with the exception that my husband usually eats lunch at a restaurant near his office on Fridays, and my older daughter usually buys lunch at school (she likes the mini cheeseburgers, but won’t be buying those during lent). While we do eat all of these meals, we don’t usually eat all of these reduced portions on the same day (more about this below). I also factored in two snacks to account for the smaller meals.

Breakfast: three eggs scrambled with corn (either fresh or canned), four tortillas, four bananas, and sixteen ounces of orange juice diluted with water.

Morning snack: three large apples, sliced, spread with natural peanut butter.

Lunch: grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches, fruit salad made with three oranges, two kiwis, and two ounces of raisins.

Afternoon snack: four ounces of vanilla yogurt each.

Dinner: dried pinto beans soaked all day then cooked and served with one chopped tomato, one chopped avocado, Mexican crema, shredded cheddar cheese, and eight ounces of apple juice diluted with water for the children.

What I did not list above or include in the calculations below, but are needed for flavor are salt and salsa, because we did not buy either last week and I do not have the prices. Butter is included for scrambling and grilling. Notice that the plan includes fresh fruit, but is lean on vegetables. For families that have to eat on a low budget, usually one or both of these are lacking, which can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies in the long run.

The total equals $13.99, leaving nearly five dollars in the thrifty budget plan for our family size. We plan to donate this to Operation Rice Bowl, as part of our almsgiving this season. As a family, we make a donation to our local food bank before lent every year, so this is one way we can continue to donate, and to help families around the world.

While we do regularly eat each of the meals or snacks above, we tend to eat larger meals during the day to compensate for a reduced portion. Also, these meals are streamlined in order to cut costs so we can make the donation described above. For example, I have cut added cheese from the breakfast tacos, grilled mushrooms and soup from the cheese sandwich meal, tortillas or bread with the bean meal, coffee, milk, and desserts. The adults drink water all day after breakfast, and the children drink water with their snacks and lunch.

We are going to try out this meal plan and fasting lesson soon, so look for a later post about my attempts to get both husband and daughter to take cheese sandwiches for lunch on the same day. My husband has already switched to drinking water at lunch as part of his Lenten sacrifice, so a cheese sandwich should be easy, right?

I am also planning to try out other dishes that might fit into this thrifty budget for other Fridays during lent. I’m hoping I can fit some fish in at least once, or a salad loaded with veggies, so check back. I definitely plan to try some of the recipes posted at Operation Rice Bowl, such as this rice and greens dish.

I have attached this post to the What are you doing for Lent? Link up hosted by Monica at Equipping Catholic Families. Go visit to see what other bloggers are sharing about Lent, or to attach your own post. This link up is part of the Liturgical Calendar Link up Party organized by Xhonané at Familia Católica.

I have also added this post to the Catholic Bloggers Round Up at the new Catholic Bloggers Network. Go see this month’s posts, conveniently divided by category. You will also find pages linking to Catholic Blogs, Events, a Store, and much more.

And, I am connecting with the Lenten Link up hosted by Lacy at Catholic Icing. You will find even more ideas for celebrating the Lenten season at this link up.

Finally, I will connect this post to the inaugural Catholic Blog Day Link up. Here are the details: “The theme for February 22 is: penance. Possible points of departure for writing your blog post include the three traditional methods of penance (prayer, fasting, and almsgiving); a memorable experience in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation; or how accepting the call to repentance has made a difference in your life.” Go see what other bloggers are posting about penance or link your post; the link up opens on February 21^st.

Liebster Award and Sharing Favorite Blogs

2012-02-15T22:06:00.002-06:00

Over the weekend, my friend Xhonané at Familia Católica gave this blog its first award, The Liebster for a favorite blog with less than 200 followers. ¡Gracias Xhonané!

"Liebster is a German word, meaning dearest or beloved, but it can also mean favorite. The idea behind the Liebster Blog Award is that it is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers in order to create new connections and bring attention to those wonderful blogs!"

Now it's my turn to pass it on with these simple rules:

* Add the award to your blog.

* Thank the giver with a link back to them.

* List your top 5 picks and let them know they've been given an award by leaving a comment on their blog.

* Hope that your followers will spread the love to the blogs you've spotlighted.

Here are my awardees. Among them, you will find three Catholic moms (including two who homeschool), four women working on big writing projects, two women who work at universities, and at least five great blogs!

Sylvia at Sylvie’s Passagen-Werk

Sylvia is a graduate student working diligently on her dissertation about representations of the “femme fatale” in Spanish language literature. She is also my colleague at the university and runs the language lab at another university. She blogs about academic life, literature, culture, the esoteric, feminist theory, philosophy, and everything in between. She keeps me connected to literature in so many ways.

Katie at Katie’s Blog

Katie is also employed by a university, and is a poet like me. Unlike me, she will publish two books this year; read about them on her publications page. She blogs about her writing life, including posts about working as a reading event organizer, an editor and a reviewer, and she recently posted some wonderful advice about how to organize a poetry manuscript.

Vee at Sometimes Bailey

Vee works as a senior content writer and editor for MarketingProfs, including as editor of the Daily Fix, the company blog. You are probably familiar with Paper Dali, her awesome blog where she shares her drawings, paper dolls, and podcasts about Catholic saints. In addition, she is a monthly contributor to CatholicMom. But, did you know that Vee also has yet another blog about her writing life, Sometimes Bailey? Here she offers tips for writing amidst a busy life as mother and worker, something I can definitely identify with, so I award this one, out of her many blogs.

Jennifer at Mommy Y

Jennifer is a homeschooler and daycare provider. In addition to writing about these topics, she writes posts that are part of an on-going memoir that she regularly works on. Jennifer posts every day, some days more than once! What I like about her blog, is that like me, Jennifer writes about things that cross her mind, her life, and her desk. She is currently hosting her first link up, for posts that make you smile.

Martianne at Training Happy Hearts

Martianne shares the joys and challenges of her homeschooling endeavors at her blog, using a Montessori inspired sensory approach. She provides original worksheets and printables on her site for free, and hosts a weekly link up on Sundays for sharing posts about Faith Formation for children. She and I have many insights about this in common.

If you want to learn about even more Liebster Award winning blogs, visit Xhonané’s post awarding mine and four others.

Not Your Ordinary Bean Dinners

2012-02-10T22:15:00.003-06:00

I have several recipes for those of you who are ready to dress up a bean dinner with unusual flavors. Below, you will find ways to prepare pinto beans, lentils, and chickpeas with flare. These meals are perfect for a Friday Lenten dinner, or any night. And, they are all quick and easy to prepare.

For an easy twist on enchiladas, make Enfrijoladas with cooked whole pinto beans. These cheese enchiladas use a bean sauce instead of the traditional chili pepper sauce. The recipe, by Marcela Valladolid, was featured on her Food Network Show “Mexican Made Easy” last year. It does call for chicken broth, but vegetable broth would work for a vegetarian version. As several of the reviews on the site report, the sauce that results from the recipe is more than needed for eight cheese filled enchiladas, so you can double the number of enchildas to feed more than four people. Or, freeze half the sauce for another meal. Read the recipe here.

My friend Karen created the following recipe for lentils. I wrote about how Karen’s natural living lifestyle has influenced me at this post. She has graciously agreed to let me post her recipe. And, because she is such a generous person, she has offered to my blog her prepared information about feeding babies and toddlers a whole food, diary free diet while entirely avoiding processed food. This comes from the advice she offers her brother’s patients (a Christian natural living chiropractic practice). Look for that post in the near future. This lentil recipe makes a lot, so you can feed a large family, or freeze half for later.

KAREN’S CURRY LENTILS

by Karen Townsend

one pound dried lentils

water for soaking + 6 cups for cooking

Optional: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 – 2 tablespoons sea salt (less for regular table salt)

1 cup brown rice or quinoa

1 – 2 onions

3 – 4 cloves garlic

olive oil for sautéing

4 large leaves of kale or spinach, leaves frozen whole or fresh

2 teaspoons curry powder

Optional: 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, avocado to garnish

Soak lentils overnight with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and plenty of water (they soak up the water). This step is optional, but will enhance the nutritional value of the lentils. In the morning, combine the following in a slow cooker on low (all day): lentils (drained and rinsed), 6 cups water, sea salt.

About one and a half hours before serving, put 1 cup of brown rice to boil. Chop and sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil. When the rice and vegetables are ready, add them to the slow cooker along with: the frozen, crumpled kale or spinach leaves (fresh works too), 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder or extra onion above, 1 teaspoon garlic powder or extra garlic above.

*For some reason it is also REALLY good served with sliced avocado on top!

**If cutting lentils back to 1 ½ cups, use only ½ - 1 tablespoon salt and 4 cups water, keeping everything else the same.

One more recipe to try: a delicious, tangy yummy Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad. I am quite impressed with the intense flavor of the dressing, and I plan to try it with other beans. Serve this dish with leftover brown rice for a quick lunch or dinner. Also, make sure you check out the links on the recipe page to the original recipe (by Heather at Heather’s Dish), which is slightly different and makes a larger quantity. By the way, I just took another peek at Heather’s Dish and I’ve found more good stuff to try!

And, I am connecting with the Lenten Link up hosted by Lacy at Catholic Icing. You will find even more ideas for celebrating the Lenten season at this link up.

Upcoming Readings

2012-02-07T22:05:00.000-06:00

If you live in Houston, you can hear a large group of poets published in the Mutabilis Press anthology Improbable Worlds read at Brazos Bookstore on Saturday, February 25, at 2 p.m. I will read my poem “Bat Bridge” and mingle with the other poets. I hope you will join us.

On Saturday, March 3, you can hear me read in Chicago at the AWP Conference as part of the panel Border Bodies — Womanhood In Verse. Our presentation is from 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. in Private Dining Room 2, at the Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor. This is a panel of poets all associated with Mouthfeel Press, including Katherine Hoerth, Laura Cesarco Eglin, and Maria Miranda Maloney.

My talk at AWP is not open to the public, but I hope to see you there if you are already registered for the conference. For the rest of you, here is a preview:

I will discuss how the narratives of women’s bodily processes, such as lactation, are considered natural instead of cultural, which means they are not valued as important enough for literature. I will read my poem about Hurricane Ike, which is about nursing my newborn during the storm.

I will discuss how a woman’s body can metaphorically represent her path in life, and read from my poem “Soy Chicana.”

Lastly, I will discuss how poems about women and their bodies offer a much needed counterpoint to the dominant narrative about border culture that is militaristic and hyper-masculine. I plan to read from poems in process about the women murdered in Juarez.

I have other reading and writing events in the works, and will post information here, and on the “Upcoming Events” page when they are finalized.

If you want to buy my latest book, Entre la claridad, it is available for $7.00 from Mouthfeel Press. My poem “Soy Chicana” is included. You can listen to some of the poems from this book through the links on my “Audio” page above.

Have you liked the Entre la claridad page on Facebook? I post notices about writing, the giveaways, and literary events there also.

Go Red for Women in February

2012-02-03T22:35:00.000-06:00

This month, the American Heart Association asks us to tell other women about a serious threat to their health: heart disease. Many women are not aware that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. When I discuss this with my students, they are often surprised, believing that breast cancer is the top health threat they face. Certainly breast cancer is a serious concern, but heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined. The top cancer killer for women is actually lung cancer.

In fact, more women die from heart disease each year than men. Why? Lack of awareness is a factor. Also, women often experience heart attack symptoms that are different from the intense chest pain most people associate with a heart attack. Common symptoms include pain in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back, abdomen or stomach. The pain may come and go. Other symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, lightheadedness, sweating, nausea, or vomiting. Diabetics, who experience many of these symptoms on a regular basis, may not notice these problems have become more serious. Because women, their families, and even health professionals don’t always consider these symptoms indicative of a heart attack, many women die before they are properly diagnosed.

Other factors that adversely affect women include parental history. Women whose parents had heart disease or heart attacks have a higher risk for these conditions than their brothers.

Spreading awareness to women about their risk for heart disease is key to ensuring that women try to prevent heart disease and receive proper treatment should they become ill. Now that I have told you, I ask you to tell at least one woman about her risk for heart disease. You can find more information about the signs of heart attack and stroke at the American Heart Association page here. Learn more about risk factors and prevention at the Mayo Clinic page here.

At the AHA site, you can also quickly tell five women about heart disease using their fill in form. Or go ahead and have a serious conversation with a woman today; it could save her life. What better gift can you give a woman you care about for Valentine’s Day, or any day?

Even better, make a pact with a friend or relative to help each other with prevention: healthy eating, exercise, and monitoring chronic conditions. Or, revisit your New Year’s resolutions. I resolved to climb the stairs at work instead of using the elevator; yesterday, I climbed twelve flights (not all at once). My goal is to climb the six flights to my office without losing my breath or taking a break before the semester is over. I hope one of you will remind me later to report back about that. Now that I’ve mentioned my goal, I’m less likely to slack off. Feel free to mention your own health goal in the comments; the rest of us will hold you to it.

Stocking the Pantry for Lent and a Link up

2012-01-31T22:58:00.004-06:00

Lent is a mere three weeks away… have you started thinking about meatless meals yet? Are you looking for some variety in your usual Lenten dinners? Considering eating meatless more often than just Fridays? We already eat meatless dinners about twice a week. My daughters and I eat meatless breakfasts and lunches about as often as we eat meat at these meals. Even so, I’m hoping to incorporate even more meatless meals into our schedule during Lent.

You can start planning for Lent now, by stocking your pantry. Once you have what you need, you can prepare a meatless meal any night of the week; no need to wait for Lent. And, a meatless meal gives you the opportunity to eat several vegetables in one sitting, including some raw ones. Read about the benefits of eating raw plant foods here.

There are plenty of reasons to go meatless besides the Lenten sacrifice. Conventional animal meat production uses grain, land, and water that could feed many more people than the resulting meat. Large animal raising operations also pollute the environment, as do the large grain production operations that provide their feed. Many food animals are confined in small spaces for their entire lives and forced to eat inappropriate diets for their species. Also, protein from animal foods takes more time, energy, and resources to digest than plant proteins. So, a vegetarian dinner can give your conscience and your digestive system a slight rest.

With food prices constantly rising, even fresh foods are less expensive than meat, especially if you eat what is in season. Focusing on meatless meals and taking advantage of sales on staples to stock up the pantry will also save you money. My suggestions focus on using staples to make quick meals that also incorporate whole grains and fresh ingredients. Read about why I cook this way, from scratch, here.

Obviously, you can’t stock too many raw vegetables in your pantry, especially this far ahead, but there are a few that will keep: potatoes and onions. We use these two every week, so keeping them in the pantry gives us more space in the refrigerator for the fresh stuff.

Look for some of the basic meal builders for Lent (or any time) to go on sale in the next few weeks, and stock up:

canned tuna and salmon
whole wheat pasta and marinara sauce
whole wheat crackers
dried or canned beans
brown rice.

You probably already have favorite meals using these ingredients, but if you are looking for new twists, check back for posts about Not So Ordinary Bean Dinners, No-Mayo Tuna Pasta Salad, Salmon Burgers, and Rice Pilaf.

Here are other ideas for simple meatless meals using the pantry items listed above.

You can make a quick three course pasta meal if you have access to fresh herbs.
Pasta + marinara + cheese + bread + salad.
Rice + beans + salsa + cheese + tortillas.
Tuna + crackers + cheese + fruit.
Baked potato + butter + vegetable + salsa.

If you want to try something new, consider buying:

vegetable broth in boxes
jarred olives
tahini (ground sesame seed paste in the International foods aisle)
old fashioned rolled oats
raw nuts and seeds.

You can make a quick soup with vegetable broth, steamed vegetables, and cooked beans, rice, or pasta. Or, cook the vegetables or rice in the broth slowly to add more flavor. Stir in your favorite seasonings and you have an easy soup to serve with cheese or cream on top and bread or crackers on the side.

What can you do with jarred olives? Add them to a big salad, along with the nuts and seeds for a light, but filling meal. Or, eat them with bread and cheese for another light meal or snack. Use the tahini to make hummus or Sesame Noodles. Oatmeal is not just for breakfast; try it for lunch or dinner, topped with fruit, raw nuts, and seeds.

Fresh fruit can be pricey this time of year, except for citrus, which is currently in season. Look for frozen or fruit canned in juice (not syrup) to round out your meals and salads without hiking up your grocery bill. Natural applesauce without added sugar is another good choice.

I’m planning to write more posts with Lenten recipes soon, so come back to the blog, or to this page to find the links (Not Your Ordinary Bean Dinners). Earlier this month, I wrote about preparing basic meals from dried beans. Happy eating! If you have recipes you want to share, send them my way. I’m always looking for new meals to try.

I have also added this post to the Catholic Bloggers Weekly Round Up at the new Catholic Bloggers Network. Go see this week’s posts, conveniently divided by category. You will also find pages linking to Catholic Blogs, Events, a Store, and much more.

And, I am linking up with the February First Friday Link up hosted by Lacy at Catholic Icing. There you will find posts about St. Valentine’s Day and other February events.

Second Chance Giveaway Winner

2012-01-28T20:36:00.001-06:00

The winner of this drawing is my friend Heather! Contact me to collect your autographed copy of Entre la claridad. Thank you to all the giveaway participants. If there is enough interest in another giveaway, I will host also host one in February.

If you have already won or purchased a copy of Entre la claridad, please send me your thoughts, reactions, reviews. Good or bad, I’m willing to read them.

I have changed the look of the blog a little: moved some things around, added a few gadgets, and posted some new affiliations at the very bottom. I think the sidebars look a little more organized and cleaner, even if they are a bit crowded.

I’ve added a blog roll, listing those that include Tercets on their blog rolls. If you want to participate in a blog roll mutual exchange, let me know. Or, if you already list Tercets, but I have not listed your blog, tell me so.

I have been making plans for future posts. In the works are “Stocking the Pantry for Lent,” “Not Your Ordinary Bean Dinners,” and if I can find the supplies I need, a craft for St. Valentine’s Day. If there is anything you want to read about here, let me know.

If you want to buy Entre la claridad, it is available for $7.00 from Mouthfeel Press. Take a look at the other books from the press while you are there; you’ll see a selection of books by innovative and talented poets in English and Spanish.

Also, my poem “Bat Bridge” is included in the new collection of poems about the sacred by Mutabilis Press, Improbable Worlds. Reading an anthology is a good way to familiarize yourself with poetry. If you live in Houston, you can hear a large group of poets published in the anthology read at Brazos Bookstore on Saturday, February 25, at 2 p.m. See the current list of future readings on my Upcoming Events page (blue bar above).

Have you liked the Entre la claridad page on Facebook? I post notices about writing, the giveaways, and literary events there also. Maybe I’ll make a Facebook page for Tercets one of these days.

Round-up: What Women’s Studies Students are Thinking About

2012-01-24T22:48:00.001-06:00

Today, I asked students in my two Introduction to Women’s Studies classes to tell me what areas of our society, in their opinion, could use change or improvement in order to promote equal opportunity and to change our society for the better. You might be surprised by some of their answers. During our next class, I will introduce the semester long Advocacy/Activism Project, an assignment that asks them to educate others about a women’s studies related topic; today’s discussion is a pre-cursor, a way to show them that they have a wealth of topics to choose from.

If you are interested in my thoughts as a Catholic about Women’s Studies, you can read about how I see some common goals between Feminism and Catholicism, or read my thoughts about Feminism and Respect Life Month (click on the titles to link over to those posts).

Here is a list of issues and topics my students mentioned today. Each class also chose a topic for in-depth discussion of possible solutions. I have listed those choices two first.

Time to be a good parent and the negative stereotypes about the men and women who choose to parent full time.
Gender roles and stereotypes about women and men in the workplace, especially regarding promotions, supervisors, and workers with families.
The difficulties merging reproductive work (pregnancy, lactation, child rearing) with paid work in our current business climate.
A culture that encourages both women and men to objectify their bodies and those of others in order to “get ahead,” make money, or for entertainment.
Educational opportunities for women and girls, especially in math and science, and basic education and beyond for women and girls in other parts of the world.
Access to medical treatment, especially for women, girls, and the poor.
Lack of respect for women candidates and leaders in business and government.

Several topics came up in both classes, and for the two we discussed in depth, they choose to combine some of the topics that were related to each other. I think they did a good job of analyzing some of the major problems of our society, especially from a social justice perspective. Keep in mind that I have not yet mentioned the phrase “social justice” or suggested that women’s studies work is similar to social justice work; they are determining that themselves.

This particular class period is very motivational for the students, as they see how real concerns from their own lives are relevant to the course. It is also motivating for me to see that students recognize serious problems in our society. The next step is for them to educate others about these issues for their semester project. Here is a round-up some of the projects my students created last semester.

One of the most innovative projects encouraged college students to object to the graphic portrayal of violence against women on television by turning the program off and writing letters of complaint to broadcasters. This student created a website that educates about the issue, and includes a page to sign a pledge to turn off such programming. She even created a flyer with a QRC code that links to her website when scanned by a smart phone. Read the website here.

Another student created a Facebook page to encourage debate among rap music fans about whether the lyrics in certain rap music degrade women and to educate about rap music with positive lyrics. See the page here.

One student created a video about societal attitudes toward “Supermoms,” encouraging viewers to show gratitude toward their mothers for all they do. This video also addresses stereotypes and recognizes the roles filled by both working and non-working mothers. Watch it here.

Another student chose to educate Hispanic women about their high risk for heart disease by writing information, statistics, and pointers in chalk on the walkways of a park in her neighborhood. She also passed out flyers and talked to some of the women who were walking at the park. See a slideshow of the project here.

Every semester, students create distinctive projects like these, and other students choose more common topics like domestic violence, human trafficking, and objectification in the media or advertising. What I enjoy about this assignment is seeing how students develop the confidence to educate others about something they feel is important; this skill will enable them to successfully convince others to take action in the future on other issues they think are important, whatever those might be.

The Healthier Glass of Juice

2012-01-19T21:56:00.000-06:00

Last week’s announcement that orange juice imported from Brazil may contain a fungicide not approved for use in the U.S., and several recent reports about the type and quantity of arsenic in apple and grape juices have me asking: Is juice safe for my children to drink?

If you haven’t heard about this issue, you can read about Dr. Oz’s tests on apple juice here, and read an article about the Consumer Reports test results on apple and grape juice here. While most interpretations of the test results suggest the levels of contamination are below the levels of concern, as a parent, I want to know what my children might be drinking. This is particularly important to me, since I purchase 100% juices in order to avoid the additives in “juice drinks.” Arsenic is a known carcinogen, and the lead found in some of the tested samples can affect brain development. The fungicide found in orange juice, carbendazim, affects reproduction in animals.


Courtesy of Consumer Reports

How are these chemicals getting into our juice? According to Consumer Reports, in the past, arsenic was used in agricultural pesticides and as a wood preservative for decks and playground structures. It is also released into the air during smelting and coal burning. Lead was also used as an agricultural pesticide. Soils, air, and water remain contaminated from previous and current practices.

I have always been concerned about the amount of juice my children drink, mostly because of its high sugar content. Yes, juice has nutrients like vitamin C and fiber, but the sugars from the fruit are concentrated, making it sweet enough for children (and adults) to drink a lot more of it than they should. Aside from the concerns about ingesting lots of sugar, given a choice, most children would prefer to drink juice instead of water.

My children are no exception, even though I dilute the juice they drink with water. Doing this ensures that they are drinking water in addition to juice and that they don’t grow accustomed to sweet tasting drinks. While my children also drink undiluted juice when others serve it to them, they are in the habit of adding water to their juice themselves when we are at home. They take their cups to the water dispenser and top them off.

If you want to try diluting juice for your children, start off with mostly juice and a little water, then increase the water content little by little. Stronger tasting juices, like grape, are palatable with a lot more water than juice. Thicker juices, like orange, are the other way around.

Another way I limit their juice consumption is by serving only water with lunch. I don’t even ask them what they want to drink when serving lunch; they get a cup of water, and they will often refill it themselves. My older daughter takes a water bottle to school in her lunch box, and can also choose bottled water from the cafeteria line when she buys her lunch. While she doesn’t always drink the whole bottle, she is learning that water is the drink that goes with lunch.

If you can afford to buy organic juice, that may be the best way to avoid contamination, although fields may still retain pesticide residue from many years ago. We don’t have that many organic juice options where we shop, so for now, we have stopped buying juice made from fruit or concentrate from China, where arsenic based pesticides are still used. We have also learned to check the packaging, as the store brand that we usually buy is sometimes sourced in China and sometimes not. The FDA has stopped shipments of orange juice from Brazil for now, but it is worth keeping track of what happens with the tests they are conducting. I will try to update you with another post if there is more news about this topic.

January Giveaway Winner

2012-01-16T22:02:00.000-06:00

The winner of this drawing is my friend, Jen V., who has been reading the blog since the beginning. Thank you, Jen for reading the blog and for participating in the drawing! You win an autographed copy of Entre la claridad.

The next drawing, later this month, will be a second chance drawing for those who did not win this or any of the previous drawings. Here are the entrants who have not previously won a drawing.

Vee Xhonané Lauran Martha Michelle Erika Mento Moisés Heather Maria V. Sylvia Elena Alicia W. Yolanda

Each of you will receive one entry in the second chance drawing! If you wanted to participate in a previous drawing, but don’t see your name, you may have forgotten to tell me that you wanted to participate after completing the entry task. It is a second chance for you too, if you have recently started following or subscribing, have liked the Entre la claridad page on Facebook, or have promoted the book on social media. Let me know that you want to enter!

If you have already read Entre la claridad, send me a short review or some reactions; I would like to post a round-up of comments in the future.

Also, my poem “Bat Bridge” is included in the new collection of poems about the sacred by Mutabilis Press, Improbable Worlds. Reading an anthology is a good way to familiarize yourself with poetry. You can read about and buy that book here.

First Communion Preparation at Home

2012-01-13T22:16:00.001-06:00

Yes, that is a picture of my First Communion Veil; my mother saved both my veil and my dress all these years. Recently, I showed them to my daughter, as part of our home preparation for her First Communion, which she will receive this weekend. I washed the veil and dress and my daughter even tried them on. I offered to let her wear them, but she preferred the excitement of shopping for a new dress and veil. Now that it is time for her to receive the Eucharist, I will put mine away again for several years until my next daughter is studying to receive communion.

You are probably wondering: why is my daughter receiving her First Communion in January? Our parish is blessed to have over two hundred children preparing to receive First Communion this year. In order to make sure they each get proper instruction, experience a blessed retreat, and have a shorter wait during the reconciliation service, half of the students will receive First Communion in January and half at the more traditional time, in May. Having two groups also allows plenty of time for parents to ask questions at the required meetings and parent sacramental sessions.

At home, we have been studying the Eucharist intentionally since the summer, when we made small lapbooks for the Feast of Corpus Christi, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. We also started attending a children’s adoration hour once per month, in addition to attending weekly adoration during the summer. You can read my post about making the lapbook and attending children’s hour here.

During adoration, I remind my children that Jesus is there with us in the chapel, inside the monstrance. I take them to the altar to kneel and pray to him before we leave.

I have also been instructing my daughter during mass, explaining the parts of the mass to her, and asking her to watch while the priest consecrates the bread and wine. Both of my daughters enjoy watching the priest and deacon hold up the large host and the chalice while the bells ring, signifying the transformation into Christ’s body and blood.

We bought the new Sunday Missal before the liturgical year began, so we could practice the changes to the prayers that went into effect this year, and so she could follow along during the mass. As I child, I liked reading the prayers and songs in the missal, and my daughter enjoys this also. This missal also has a picture illustrating the main message of the gospel for each mass, which helps her comprehend the gospel reading. She has asked to take the missal with her during her First Communion mass, so I know it helps her pay attention (the children receiving First Communion will sit together in the front of the church).

All of these instructional moments have been in addition to the lessons she studies in her CCE class each week. Just last week, I found a wonderful craft that teaches about Christ’s presence in the Eucharist at the blog Crafolic. Here is how it turned out; note how in the first picture, you see the host, and in the second you see Jesus.

You can see more images and download the coloring page and the picture of Jesus from Crafolic here. We did add one thing to the craft; my daughter wrote “Jesús es en el eucharisto,” (a mistake that should say “la eucaristía”) which means “Jesus is in the Eucharist” inside the circle that covers the picture.

Crafolic is Jennifer’s blog, and she has designed a number of wonderful crafts and art projects; you can see some of them in her picture gallery, which also includes our second image from above.

We have kept the Eucharist on our minds all week. While eating grapefruit the day after doing the craft, my daughter said the fruit looked like the Eucharist from her picture, with the host in the center and the membranes like the rays of light shining out.

Maybe you had to be there. We are also going to color pictures that show images of Jesus inside the Eucharist from the Eucharistic Youth Movement website: you can find their entire selection of coloring pages here. I found pictures of Jesus inside the Eucharist in the sections labeled “Jesus” and “Eucharist.” El sitio del Movimiento Eucarístico Juvenil en español está aquí.

We are looking forward to my daughter’s big day; we will celebrate with family after mass on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, I will take her to mass again to see a friend receive First Communion. The children receiving this sacrament are assigned to five different masses; I think the opportunity to receive First Communion on Saturday and then to receive communion again on Sunday is a wonderful way for my daughter to start her relationship with the Eucharist.

If you have ideas or suggestions for how to keep the Eucharist in our hearts and on our minds, let me know. I plan to continue our home education about receiving communion, so I welcome your thoughts.

Reminder: I’m giving away a copy of my new book, Entre la claridad, this week. See this post for details on how to enter the drawing.

I am attaching this post to a link up hosted by Monica at Equipping Catholic Families titled Cele-Linky thru the Sacraments. I found the Crafolic project there last week, so be sure to go see how other bloggers are celebrating, crafting, and teaching about the Sacraments.

Beans: Super Nutrition for a Low Price

2012-01-10T22:55:00.005-06:00

Several months ago, in my post about weekly meal planning, I promised to write more about the nutritional benefits of beans, and to include some detailed recipes. I appreciate your patience these last few months while I have been busy teaching, promoting my new book, and writing about my faith during some important liturgical seasons: Advent and Christmas.

So, beans are some of the most nutrient dense foods per calorie. They are high in protein, calcium, folate, and fiber. The beans with the most color, especially pinto, black, kidney, and lentils, also have the most anti-oxidants. A diet high in beans can help prevent cancer (especially of the breast, prostate, and colon), constipation, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. All those nutrients and the fiber, along with the fact that beans absorb water, make you feel full, so they can help you with weight loss, too.

To combat the gas that many people experience after eating beans, soak them before cooking (directions below), skim off the foam that rises to the top of the water while cooking, and eat beans slowly, chewing them well. If you are eating canned beans, this last one is your only option. Make sure you rinse canned beans to remove excess salt.

Beans are the only plant protein that contains the amino acid lysine, so they make a great complement to other plant proteins and wonderful vegetarian meals. Also, beans contain calcium, which is lost during protein digestion, so they can prevent calcium deficiency. More calcium is lost digesting animal proteins than plant proteins, so eating more vegetarian meals based around beans can help maintain calcium in the body.

In addition, beans are inexpensive, compared to meat and seafood. Meals centered on beans can save you money, and cooking a large pot of beans gives you the flexibility to create several meals at low cost.

Still not convinced? Basing meals around beans makes meal preparation and planning easier. What could be better than that, especially when your schedule is full with so many tasks?

If you are not in the habit of basing your meals around beans, I urge you to try it. My family loves eating beans at any meal and as a snack. My children ask me to cook beans and prepare tostadas regularly. They even like reading books about beans! We especially like Sopa de frijoles/Bean Soup by Jorge Argueta, which is actually a poem about cooking beans for your family. The recipe in the book is nearly the same as what I will outline below, and it is a fun read. Plus, the book is a poem!

HOW TO PRE-SOAK BEANS

Start with dried beans that are not too old. How can you tell? Beans sold in bags that have powder inside the bag have been stored too long. Some brands print a “packaged on” date on the bag, so look for the most recent one. If you buy your beans in bulk from bins, get them from a store that has a high turnover for their bean bins.

Sort your beans before you rinse them, removing those that have been cut, broken, bitten, or discolored. Take out any pebbles or round balls of dirt, too. I usually fill my two cup measuring cup to the brim, which gives us enough cooked beans for at least three meals. After rinsing, place the beans in water to cover. You can leave them to soak at room temperature overnight and/or all day before cooking, or bring them to a boil for about ten minutes and then turn them off to soak for at least three or four hours. You can combine these soaking methods if needed, and be sure to add more water if it gets soaked up or boils off. Here is what pinto beans look like after soaking, first in the water, and then after they have been rinsed.

HOW TO COOK BEANS

Place the soaked beans in fresh water, add salt to taste, and bring to boil. Skim off the foam that rises to the top and reduce heat. Cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours, depending on how long the beans have been stored and how long they were soaked. Add more water if needed.

HOW TO EAT BEANS

You can add additional seasonings to your beans during or after cooking, but they will taste wonderful just as they are. We always eat them hot, in bowls with toppings, or on a plate with fresh bread or tortillas the first night. We usually have the makings for toppings on hand: chopped tomatoes, chopped avocadoes, chopped onions, salsa, Mexican crema (or sour cream), cilantro, or shredded cheese. Try any or all of these for a satisfying and nutritious meal.

HOW TO REFRY BEANS

Use the beans that are left to make tostadas another night. Place beans in a sauté pan with a little oil. Smash with your potato smasher, or whirl them in the blender before placing them in the pan. Once they are warmed, spread them on flat tostadas (crispy baked corn tortillas) and top with any or all of the following: lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, shredded cheese, salsa, crema. Sometimes, we even make faces on the tostada, just for fun.

I have cooked pinto, black, and red beans, as well as black eyed peas, using this method, and have refried both pinto and black beans. Lentils and black eyed peas do not need soaking, but will cook just fine after soaking if you want to prepare them this way. You can find my suggestions for using leftover cooked and refried beans here. I’ll write more posts with bean recipes in the future, I promise.

Reminder: I’m giving away a copy of my new book, Entre la claridad this week. See my last post for details on how to enter the drawing. FYI: If you are reading this post after January, this giveaway has already happened.

Sources:

Disease-Proof Your Child by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Super Foods Rx by Steven Pratt, M.D.

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

I’m linking this post to the Lenten Meal Plan Monday Link up for the First Week of Lent hosted by Beth Anne at The Catholic Couponer. Go see the recipes posted for this week, and don’t forget to check back during other weeks; Beth Anne is hosting a new Lenten Meal Plan Link up every week during Lent. You can link your own post and find some great meal ideas, too.

January Giveaway

2012-01-07T21:25:00.001-06:00

Yes, it is time for another giveaway of my new book, Entre la claridad. For those of you who missed the announcements last month, this a chapbook (a small book) of poems mostly about the women in my family and their experiences in two cultures, across several generations. The poems are written in English, with some Spanish words and phrases.

The link highlighted above includes an excerpt, and there you will find links to two additional excerpts. Also, you can listen to recordings of some poems from the book at the Audio Page above, by clicking on the links to radio broadcasts I recorded last year. Be sure to let me know what you think of the poem excerpts or the radio programs!

I know several of you missed the opportunity to enter the last drawing during the busy Advent and Christmas seasons, so the entry requirements will be the same. There are multiple ways to enter, which means you can have multiple entries. Someone in my family will draw the winning name on the evening of Sunday, January 15^th.

The key to each entry requirement is to let me know after you have completed the action(s) requested below that you wish to enter the drawing. Just leave a comment, or send an e-mail.

Follow this blog using the blue button in the left sidebar, or by subscribing via e-mail at the top of the right sidebar. New followers or subscribers get two entries!
Announce the book on the social media platform of your choice. The easiest way to do this is to use the Facebook, twitter, or Google Plus One buttons at the bottom of this post or in the right sidebar. Or, get creative. My publisher quoted from the end of this blog post when she posted a link to the blog with a picture of the book on Facebook.
Like the Entre la claridad page on Facebook.

If you already follow or subscribe to this blog, have announced the book on social media, or have liked the FB page, all you have to do to enter is tell me you want to participate in the drawing! If you wish to announce the book on social media a second time, that can get you another entry also.

The next drawing, later this month, will be a second chance drawing for those who did not win this or any of the previous drawings, so you either win this time, or you get another chance to win.

Star of Bethlehem

2012-01-03T21:56:00.001-06:00

In order to complete our home representation of The Nativity that includes our statues of The Holy Family and The Three Wise Men, we made a large star to hang over the scene. It is easy to do and is a great way to recycle Christmas cards.

I saw this star making idea on Christy’s blog, Eclectic Momma, when we both participated in an Advent Link up. I really liked her easy idea, but did not have time to make these stars during Advent. I think they are also perfect for Epiphany, the Day of the Three Kings.

FYI: If you need more ideas for recycling your Christmas cards this year, I have some links for you. Martianne at Training Happy Hearts has designed prayer flip cards for her activity that uses the Christmas cards; you can pray for a family who sent you a card each day, using her suggestions. Read the full post here. And, Erika at Raising Little Saints explains how to send your cards to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for their St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program. Read more here. We’ll be sending our leftover cards to St. Jude’s when the Christmas season is over. (They also accept greeting cards for all other occasions.)

I started by making my own star pattern because we need a rather large one; our star uses the full length of a yellow poster board. I made the pattern using a manila folder; to make it even, I folded it in half and cut both sides together. Since the folder was smaller than I needed for the pattern, I left the points unfinished and used a ruler to draw them out when I traced the pattern on the poster board.

After cutting out the star and sorting through the old Christmas cards for pictures of The Holy Family, The Three Wise Men, bells, stars, wreaths, and pretty borders, my children starting cutting the cards into pieces they wanted to use. Some pictures they pasted directly where they wanted them.

Others overlap the edges of the star, as Christy suggests.

Here is our unfinished star, with all the pieces of cards glued on. We will cut the edges and add glitter in a few days, in time for The Visit of the Three Kings, usually celebrated on January 6^th. This year, Catholics will celebrate this event at Sunday mass on January 8^th. I wanted to post in time for you to make your own star for this weekend, so I will update this entry with more photos of our completed star and our Nativity scene soon.

Here is our completed star, hanging above The Holy Family.

And, here is our Nativity, with the Kings arriving to visit.

I hope you will visit the Epiphany Link Up hosted by Martha at una vida en construcción. Visit the link up by clicking on the button below to see how other bloggers are celebrating. This link up is also part of the Liturgical Calendar Link up Party organized by Xhonané at Familia Católica.

I’m also linking up with the January First Friday Link up hosted by Lacy at Catholic Icing. There you will find more New Year, Calendar, and Epiphany posts.

The Most Holy Name of Jesus & Epiphany Link Up

2011-12-30T21:10:00.002-06:00

Celebrated on January 3, this feast is a new addition to the Liturgical Calendar. This celebration reminds us that the name Jesus means Savior. We rejoice at his birth because he is God’s son, because through him God is with us here on earth (Emmanuel, another of his names), and because he redeems us from sin through his sacrificial death.

One way that adults and older children can celebrate this day is to promise never to misuse or abuse the name of God or Jesus. Children notice when others use language they have been asked to avoid; this celebration can help them remember that God asks us to respect his name and that of his son.

I found a fun activity that reinforces the special attention we should pay to Jesus’ name at the advent post from Michelle at Hubbard’s Cupboard. On her Advent page, you will find a whole calendar of Advent activities, some of which I wrote about in my first Advent post. Her craft for December 11 (scroll down to where it says “Jesus is Named and Presented in the Temple”), is perfect for The Most Holy Name of Jesus. She includes two links to pages you can print with “Jesus” in broad block letters. Para cambiar el nombre al español, dibuja un acento encima de la "U".

I printed both pages, but my children have so far only completed the page from the second link. We will decorate the other page, which includes the words from Luke 2:21, on January 3^rd. I gave my children glitter and sparkly things to glue onto the letters as she suggests, but they also decided to color, paste objects, and add their own embellishments.

We may even attach our pages to poster board or cardboard for durability and hang them on the wall as a reminder throughout the year.

We decorated the second page on January 3^rd. I think these would work well as interior pages for January lapbooks dedicated to The Most Holy Name. Hmmmnnn… we may have to make some of those.

Here is the updated photo from our completed stable and manger scenes that now include the baby Jesus. You can see the empty ones at this post.

The next major event of the Christmas season is the Epiphany of the Lord, celebrated on January 8^th, when we commemorate the Visit of the Magi. The link up for this event is hosted by Martha at una vida en construcción. Visit the link up by clicking on the button below to see how other bloggers are celebrating.

My post for Epiphany will explain how we will construct a special Star of Bethlehem to hang over our nativity so it can guide the Magi to Jesus. We have a statue of the Holy Family that we actually keep out year round, and this year we received a statue of the Magi that is nearly equal in size as a gift. We need a large ornamental star to complement this scene. Check back soon to see how it turns out.

I am linking this post to the Christmas Link Up hosted by Beatriz at De FAMILIA, dos puntos, part of the Liturgical Calendar Link up Party organized by Xhonané at Familia Católica. I hope you will go and see the activities other bloggers are presenting this Christmas season.

I’m also linking up with the January First Friday Link up hosted by Lacy at Catholic Icing. There you will find more posts for the New Year, Calendars, and Epiphany.

Giveaway Winner

2011-12-28T21:45:00.001-06:00

My friend from high school, Tracy, wins an autographed copy of Entre la claridad. I’ll be giving away another copy next week, so check back to learn the details on how to enter.

Thank you to those who have participated in the drawings; I will also have a second chance drawing for those who did not win any of the previous giveaways.

I am looking for fresh ideas about how to increase participation in these giveaways. I know that the holidays keep people busy and away from blogs and Facebook and even e-mail, but if you have suggestions, please let me know.

While I’m taking suggestions, if you have ideas or topics you would like to read about in the coming year, I’d like to hear about them. Soon, I will write more posts about healthy living, food, and healthier choices for specific foods. Planned topics include nutritional benefits and recipes for beans, reviews of the My Plate recipes, and recent studies of the arsenic content in apple juice. I did not have time to post about the healthier Thanksgiving Dinner in November, but we have two turkeys in the freezer, so the next time we prepare one, I will make a point to write about that.

I hope to post about my upcoming presentation and reading at the AWP Conference, before and after. I want to write reviews of other books published by Mouthfeel Press. I may give you a round-up of some of the interesting topics my students chose for their advocacy presentations this past semester. And, there will be more posts that are part of the Liturgical Calendar Link Up Party organized by Familia Católica. My next post is part of the Christmas link up, an activity for The Most Holy Name of Jesus, celebrated on January 3.

In the meantime, if you want to buy Entre la claridad rather than waiting for a giveaway, it is available for $7.00 from Mouthfeel Press. Don’t forget to explore the other books from the press while you are there; you’ll see a selection of books by innovative and talented poets.

Reading an anthology is a good way to familiarize yourself with poetry. My poem “Bat Bridge” is included in the new collection of poems about the sacred by Mutabilis Press, Improbable Worlds. You can read about and buy that book here.

Mary Spoon Puppets for Dramatizing

2011-12-23T20:40:00.005-06:00

On January 1, Catholics will celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God. This is one of the many days we honor Mary throughout the liturgical year, and I wanted my children to make something that we could use each time we learn about Mary.

A few weeks ago, I found really easy instructions for making spoon puppets of Mary posted by Martianne at Training Happy Hearts. I thought they were a really fun idea that we could use to dramatize the events of Mary’s life throughout the year, but especially for this day, when we remember that Mary answered God’s call by naming her son Jesus, as the angel Gabriel instructed her. You can find Martianne’s instructions here, along with details about making Mary Garden Baskets (both actual ones and paper ones to send in the mail). While winter isn’t the best season for planting flowers, I think the paper Mary Garden Baskets would be another great activity to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary. This is how our puppets turned out.

We did not make our clothing exactly the same way as Martinane and her children, mainly because we did not have bowls big enough to trace a circle for a dress large enough to cover the spoon. I already had some blue fabric scraps that were about 18 x 22 inches, so I just folded them over, folded them again, and rounded off the corners with scissors. I cut one slit in the folded corner to thread the spoon through. My oldest daughter decided Mary needed a cloak instead of a veil, so I cut a white rectangle about 12 x 15 inches, folded it to the inside around the head and tied it with yarn. This activity was super easy, really quick, and inexpensive; if you don’t have fabric scraps, you can look for inexpensive remnants wherever you buy fabric.

We made spoon saints last year using construction paper for the clothing; read how here. What I like about this version with fabric clothing is the durability; Mary can participate in many play scenarios without much wear and tear. And, I think we may try to make other saints the same way in the future; the possibilities are endless. My children have already asked to make Joseph, so I’ll have to look for dark fabric scraps next.

Mary’s first dramatization was to ride a “donkey” on her trip to Bethlehem. Here she is in our hallway on her way to the stable in our living room.

My oldest daughter decided her puppet could also represent Elizabeth, but Mary was still busy on the road to Bethlehem, so we will have to dramatize the Visitation later.

We already have some wonderful plaques that my children made for the Assumption of Mary in August. I wrote about how to do this for the Feast Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe; see the post here. If you don’t have something like this to pray or say the rosary with, you could make one for this feast using an image of Mary with the Christ child, or any image of Mary. My friend Jen said her boys, who usually don’t enjoy doing crafts, really enjoyed making their plaques for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Here is one they made.

We are trying to stay focused on the wait for Jesus. A few days ago, we read Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9: 6-7 and prepared a cradle for Jesus, as I suggest in my first advent post. This year, we made mangers for Jesus based on this craft from Lacy at Catholic Icing. My youngest preferred to make the stable instead, so I’ll help her draw in the manger on Christmas day, when we place baby Jesus into the pictures. Here are one stable and one manger waiting for Jesus to be born.

See the finished pictures here. Wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas season.

Reminder: I am hosting a giveaway for my new chapbook of poems. See my last post for details. If you already follow or subscribe to this blog, have announced the book on social media, or have liked the FB page, all you have to do to enter is tell me you want to participate in the drawing!

I am linking this post to the Christmas Link Up hosted by Beatriz at De FAMILIA, dos puntos, part of the Liturgical Calendar Link up Party organized by Xhonané at Familia Católica. The Christmas season extends beyond Christmas Day, so go see the other ideas for celebrating and learning.

I have also attached this post to a Celelinky with the Saints hosted by Monica at Equipping Catholic Families. Her link up includes posts about individual saints and for celebrating all the saints. Go check it out.

And, since our Mary spoon puppet is making her journey to Bethlehem, I have also attached this post to Erika’s link up for advent, Preparing for Baby Jesus. You will find even more Advent ideas by clicking on the button below.