Frugal Advent Wreath

I just finished making my Advent wreath!  And other than the purchase of new candles, it's a freebie!  My budget is so tight this year that there just isn't money to spend on anything that isn't really a necessity.  But I'm thrilled with what I was able to put together from items I already have in the house, with the exception of the candles (which I need every year).   I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

I'll be deconstructing it in a few minutes so that I can take the candles with me to Mass this morning to have them blessed, but when I get home I'll put it right back together again AND I'll change out the table runner to an Advent-appropriate one.  Step-by-step photos of the wreath-making process later today!

Novena to the Immaculate Conception

Today may be Black Friday for some (oh, how I dreaded this day when I worked in retail!) but for me, it's the first day of the Novena to the Immaculate Conception.

Need the prayers?  Hop over to PRAY MORE NOVENAS and you'll find everything you need, including a convenient sign-up so that you can have the prayers emailed to you each day.  And no worry, they won't start spamming you if you sign up!

Day 28

I'm thankful for so much--but honestly, right now I'm thankful that I didn't overeat today!

Day 27

Today I'm thankful for "Friendsgiving".  Spent the day with my DH, and my dear friends Liz, Mike, and Connie.  We had a great lunch, and a great time visiting with each other.  It's such a treat to have some extra time to spend with them.

Day 26

Today I'm grateful that I could find this adjustable roasting rack!  It's almost exactly like the one my mother had (hers wasn't non-stick, of course) and it's just the thing I'll need when I try to make the bacon-wrapped turkey breast later this week!

Day 25

Today I'm thankful for all the cleaning/decluttering/organizing that I accomplished in my kitchen!  Just looking at it makes me smile!

Day 24

I'm thankful for a quiet and peaceful day spent with my husband...

Day 23

Today I'm grateful for seeing a new low when I stepped on the scale at my Weight Watchers meeting!  But what I'm really grateful for is the help and companionship of the 7:15 Saturday morning Weight Watchers bunch...I don't know that I would still be getting up, going to the meetings, and working the program without them!

Day 22

Today I am thankful for the start of a week-long vacation from work!  Time to get some housework done!

Day 21

I'm thankful that Paul and I were able to see "Mary of Nazareth" tonight!

Day 20

Today I'm thankful for the infectious joy of the little children that I am surrounded by each day!

Day 19

I'm grateful to have a job.  In today's economy so many people don't have work, so having a job I enjoy is truly a blessing!

Day 18

I'm thankful for this:

Thank you, Caden.  I'll always be thankful that you've come into my life.

Day 17

I'm thankful for the chance to go to the swimming pool and visit with my dear friend Liz.  We don't get to see each other or talk to each other as often as we once did, so these once-a-week visits are a real blessing in my life!

Day 16

I am thankful for a beautiful day spend with my husband and 600 our closest friends out walking to raise money for--and awareness of--the Women's New Life Center!

I survived the 5k!

Day 15

I'm thankful for Mr. Taco--no cooking tonight!  Seriously, I'm actually thankful that I have enough to eat when here are so many people going hungry tonight.

Day 14

I'm grateful for the wonderful teacher that I work with.  She's young and vibrant, and such a joy to be around!

Day 13

Today I'm grateful for my friends.  They truly are a gift from God, and were there to help me find my way back home after so many years away from the church.

Day 12

Today I am thankful for the house I live in.  It isn't large, or fancy, or particularly special--but it keeps us warm in the winter, dry when it's raining, and safe when we are inside its walls.  And I am enjoying the process of turning this house into a home!

Day 11

Today I am thankful for my students.  They make me laugh, they make me want to cry, they bring me such joy and happiness...

Day 10

I'm grateful for the quiet mornings--I'm always the first one up in the house so I have an hour or so each day to spend quietly reflecting on my life and the day ahead.  No television, no radio, just the quiet hum of the refrigerator, the sound of the birds waking up, and my thoughts to keep me company.

Day 9

I'm thankful for a productive day at home, reorganizing my china storage and freeing up storage space in my kitchen.

Day 8

Today I am thankful for the financial difficulties that we are currently experiencing.  I know that it might seem funny to many of you to read this, but honestly, I am.  While they are stressful (oh, am I stressed!) I have been blessed recently to see how much I have contributed to those difficulties in different ways--some of which are completely unexpected, and have nothing to do with spending!  I know that this insight will help me become a better person, a better wife, a better Catholic--and isn't that something to be thankful for?

Day 7

Today I'm thankful for Sr. Dulce Maria, especially for the peace and comfort she has brought to my cousin Nancy as she battles stage 4 cancer.

Day 6

Today I'm thankful for the early morning sunlight that illuminates my walk to work.  It's such a great way to start my day--walking in the sunshine, listening to the sounds of the birds and insects that are just waking up.

Day 5

I'm thankful for my job as a 1st grade teacher's aide.  I absolutely love it--love being around the kids, love the teacher I work with, love the school.

Day 4

I am thankful for my husband, who continues to love me even when I fall far short of the example of a good wife in Proverbs 31!

Day 3

For the big pot of vegetable soup simmering on the stove right now, which will provide my family with nourishment of both mind and spirit during the coming week.

Day 2

This morning I am thankful for the beautiful star-filled sky that I see while on my way to my weekly Weight Watchers meeting!

He numbers the stars, and gives to all of them their names.  Ps. 147:4

Day 1

Today I am thankful for my parents, who are no longer with me, but who passed on the incredible gift of the Catholic faith to me.  I was raised in a home that was openly Catholic, by parents who were committed, faithful, and open about practicing their faith in all aspects of their lives.  What a wonderful example they set for me!