While having one of the most exhausting weeks I have had in a long time, the star path has remained a very bright spot on otherwise gloomy days.

We traveled through the mineral kingdom and are now celebrating the plant kingdom. We just made that kingdom switch today, but with the most vibrantly colored leaves falling right now, we couldn’t resist adding them all to Mary’s path.

I love watching this transformation. The sky getting so full of bright stars and the path Mary following getting more and more beautiful.

I also love this metaphor as a woman nears her time to give birth. Everything around her is unfolding, is transforming, is being born and is guiding her to her special place to bring this special child into the world. It is such a lovely re-enactment of the Christmas story.

Here are some photos of where we began and were we are now!

Sometimes it feels like changes happen overnight -one day life is so easy and then next I am so tired I have absolutely no energy. I am empty, full of despair and comletely strung out. Really though, this was weeks in the making. When life is good, my ego starts to grow and suddenly I am Superwoman. I forget about all the things I did to get myself to such a good place – taking very good care of myself – eating enough, drinking enough water, getting enough rest, taking breaks, having a plan, sticking to our rythm.

I get complacent. Suddenly because I am Superwoman, I can stay up late and still find the energy to be a good mama. I can drink water later. I can eat later. I can do anything because I have super powers! I focus on the future and start to make plans. And all the while, I am not living in the present and seeing how this new attitude is taking its toll on me. And when I finally realize I need sleep, Quinn begins having restless nights further complicating my recharge. New challenges are thrown at me that stretch me even thinner. Before you know it – I am in major need of a mental health day. This weekend I was a total zombie – pretty much a waste of space.

So I did the smart thing. I rested on a friend’s couch for 2 hours today getting my emotions out, crying some very necessary tears, and just listening and enjoying their conversation. From here I take each day a moment at at time and as I have had to do so many times before – get back to basics. Sleep, eat, drink water and breath a lot. I will get back to that good place before too long. And I have learned that even though some days I feel invinceable, even Superwoman needed food, water and rest.

Flat out exhausted.  Going to bed late is the only read culprit I think.  Not a good time for it though.  Virsuses are swirling around waiting for easy prey.   My kids have been uber cranky.  Hmmmm – are they cranky because I am cranky or vice versa?

Nevertheless, for the next three nights, I will be in bed by 9:30pm.  And I was just making fun of a friend the other night for her early bedtime.  She is bubble and happy and I am dragging my behind!  Shows what I know.

I have so much to share – thoughts, video, stories.  But it will have to wait. Sleep first, life second.

I have been looking forward to Advent for a few weeks now. I am taking a Winter Festivals class that has been discussing great ideas and crafts for celebrating Advent, Christmas, Soltice and Epiphany in our home. The focus has been on how to bring the beauty of these special days to our children. How to keep them simple and fun. I feel like the next few years I will be tweaking our traditions. So far though, I have found a few that I LOVE!

Our Advent Wreath

Tyler helped me with this one. We went out to the backyard and he clipped branches of various bushes, we went to a nature park and preserve and clipped just a few branches of an evergreen, we had some treasures from a recent hike in the Bastrop piney woods, and he and Daddy went on a walk and collected a few treasures.

Then Tyler and I sat down to create our masterpiece. He helped clip wire and trim branches and Mama weaved and secured the items into place. The special touches were then tucked in to the frame. The result was breathtaking. In our backyard and around us is such beauty!

Even Chris was impressed with the results. Next year, I will get the supplies necessary to place the appropriate pink and purple candles in with the wreath. For this year, this will do.

Mary’s Star Path

This has to be my favorite idea. On the ground lies a star for each day of Advent with large stars for Sundays. This celebrates Mary’s journey though the four natural kingdoms to find the place where she would give birth to the Baby Jesus.

We start off with a very plain scene. This morning we will advance Mary one star, and then the star on which she was standing will be placed in the “sky” using some double-sided tape.

This first week as we are out and about, we will look for rocks, pebbles, crystals and other mineral treasures and decorate her path with them. We will celebrate the firm earth on which we stand.

The second week, we will look for branches, seed pods, any flowering plants and decorate the path with those. We will celebrate the plants that nourish us. The third week, the animals will slowly be added to the nativity and we will celebrate the animals that share the earth with us. The last week a few things happen.

The day before Christmas Eve, Joseph appears in the stable ready for his wife. The shepherds make their appearance. All this time, the three kings are journeying through our house and will arrive on Epophany. Finally on Christmas morning, the Baby Jesus appears and the angle is laying over the nativity. The sky is now filled with stars as every day a star was added to it.

The scene has gone from very plain to very beautiful with so much goodness added to it. What a beautiful way to celebrate the season, Advent, the nativity and the beautiful story of Christmas.

The Christmas Calendar

..and of course, we have to have the Advent, really a Christmas, calendar. The kids will add ornaments to it slowly as the progress to the holiday. I like the calendar, but am thinking about doing this next year.

Well, the kids are up. Time to start Advent! I already heard Tyler say “ohhhh” when he walked out. Always so fun to hear the reaction our efforts to create something beautiful for them!

The seaon has begun!