Elsa's Big Girl Year

Our beautiful Elsa just turned six. Sounds awfully grown up to me. Six year olds are big kids. Quick-growing kids. Well-on-their-way kids. And, there's doubt about it. Elsa's on her way. She's looking the part, too...

For her birthday, we let her in on a little secret. She would soon be the proud owner of her very own fish. Unfortunately, it's been ridiculously cold since her birthday, so we haven't yet subjected her future fishies to a frigid transport. The aquarium is ready and waiting... 

Elsa's kindergarten year is going along well. Her teacher and classroom team are phenomenal - there's nothing they won't do or try for her. The biggest change of the past few months is that we're trialing two "talker" devices through Easter Seals to see which one will be the best fit for her. After filling out 37 pages of paperwork, obtaining physician prescription orders, and patiently waiting for insurance processing and order fulfillment, we're off and running...

Because Elsa's fine motor (hand coordination) is very delayed, she uses big buttons to navigate to what she wants to say via the tablet. The whole process takes an incredible amount of patience for Elsa, as it requires her to map the routes to her preferred phrases. This video shows how it works...

When Elsa gets in a rhythm of scan-scan-scan (hitting the red button repeatedly), her therapists say, "Not to worry." This is much like a baby saying, "Ba, ba, ba." Repetition and practice are how we learn language. While Elsa's style of speaking is different, "babbling" is expected and encouraged.

Since Elsa outgrew her stander, this poor West Elm chair has been getting a workout. It's at a good height for her to lean up against it, and if we stack things just-so, we can set up an activity/talker station for her to use, until she gets tired. When that happens, it's back to the chair.

The major reality in this talker-trial adventure isn't lost on us: We are incredibly blessed to live in a time and place where Elsa has access to these technologies and to therapists who've devoted their lives to helping kids express themselves in a verbal world.

We'll keep you posted on how the trials go, and how her talker use progresses. It's so exciting to see how engaged she is to use the device. I am certain that SHE knows that this is her communication tool. She's energized to figure it out (and her sisters are too). Yep, I think this is gonna be a big-girl year for our blue-eyed girl.

Holiday Sweetness in 3 Great Recipes

Christmas is just a few days away... Wow, that was fast! If you haven't been whipping up goodies in the kitchen yet, my guess is you're about to get very busy.

Do you have a friend who you turn to for recipes when you're in a pinch? Who - rain or shine... or snow and more snow - never fails to provide a fail-proof recommendation? My gal pals Victoria Whiting, Colleen Arturi and Lisa Barr are certified pros in the sweets department, and today they are sharing tried-and-true Christmas treats. 

So, no stressing. They have us covered.

I don't get to see these three ladies in person nearly as often as I'd like - and I even live in the same town as Lisa!! - but I have been spending time with their sweet families all December long via Christmas cards in my window...

So for fun, I'm introducing each lovely lady with her holiday card! Here are 3 favorite recipes to add a little sweetness to your Christmas celebrations:

Recipe #1: For the Dessert Table

From Victoria Whiting (and family)

The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Courtesy of Pinch of Yum)

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons of salted butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar (use raw cane sugar for a coarser texture)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus a little extra)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (try a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds to just barely melt it. It shouldn’t be hot – but it should be almost entirely in liquid form.

Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated – 10-15 seconds or so (if you beat the egg for too long, the cookies will be stiff).

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between “wet” dough and “dry” dough). Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.

Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGELY awesome cookies) and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. Warning, friends: DO NOT OVERBAKE. This advice is probably written on every cookie recipe everywhere, but this is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they’re not done yet (see picture in the post). They’ll be pale and puffy.

Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so (I mean, okay, eat four or five but then let the rest of them cool). They will sink down and turn into these dense, buttery, soft cookies that are the best in all the land. These should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. I also like to freeze them.

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Recipe #2: For the Snack Bowl

From Colleen Arturi (and family)

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

(Courtesy of Ina Garten, Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.

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Recipe #3: For Christmas Morning

From Lisa Barr (and family)

Butterscotch Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients

• About 20 frozen Rhodes Bake N Serve dinner rolls
• 1 (3 ounce) package of butterscotch cook and serve pudding mix
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, melted

Directions

Thoroughly butter or spray a bundt pan and add the frozen dinner rolls in the bottom. Sprinkle with the pudding mix. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of the frozen rolls. Sprinkle top with the pecans and pour melted butter all over the top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for about 7 hours, or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Loosen around the edges of the pan and the center tube and let rest a few minutes; turn out onto a large plate. Let cool slightly and serve warm.

* * *

If you try one of these recipes, please share how it fit into your holiday celebration!

And, most importantly... Merry Christmas! 

Connecting with you here has been one of my year's greatest blessings!

Finding Christmas Joy: A Holiday Post by Kate Twohig

Between swingy Michael Buble and poppy Kelly Clarkson, Sirius XM Holly often likes to drop in “Where Are You Christmas” by Faith Hill. It always puts me in a melancholy mood.

Christmas longing often lingers just below the surface of Christmas happiness. I’ve certainly had holidays guided by this feeling. And all it takes is a quiet, introspective song to take me back.

Yet, on the flipside, Christmas seems to only further amplify a child's unbridled joy.

When I was tucking in my middle child into bed last night, she whispered to me with wonderment in her sleepy eyes, "I'm dreaming of sweets!" 

I remember that Christmas feeling - the thrill, the anticipation. How can a grown-up Christmas compare? Maybe it requires a harder look. After all, what we long for isn’t happiness, which is circumstantial. We long for the deep, constant contentment and excitement that comes from knowing that Jesus came for us, is with us, and is for us. This is Christmas joy.

My friend Kate Twohig has been doing some Christmas reflection of her own and today shares a thoughtful piece on this very topic. Here's her crew! (You may recall Kate did a post earlier this year on family life, which can be found here.)

I hope reading Kate's piece helps you view Christmas joy in a new way!

In Kate's words...

Every time I think of Christmas past, two memories come to mind right away.

The first is an annual family tradition. Late on Christmas Eve, my family would arrive home from my grandma’s house. My three brothers, two sisters, parents and I would get cozy in our living room. Christmas music would be playing softly and the room would be dark, except for the soft, white lights of the Christmas tree. My dad would pop open a bottle of champagne, give everyone a glass (a teeny amount for the kids, of course), and he would give a lovely toast. It was such an intimate, special moment and one I always remember fondly, especially when I drink champagne.

The second memory is a kind deed my mom did every holiday. She’d receive a Christmas wish list from a local family who couldn’t afford to buy gifts. Each wish list had the ages of the children. When I was about ten, we received a list, in which the children requested gloves, mittens, hats and underwear. This may have been the first time I truly understood how fortunate my family was and how difficult life was for other families.

A few days before Christmas last year, I took some quiet time and forced myself to think about special Christmas moments throughout my life. I was completely stressed out trying to make my children’s Christmas “perfect,” and I wasn’t finding much joy in the season. I couldn’t find a certain gift one child wanted, I forgot to buy a couple of gifts, and I felt very overwhelmed with all the errands I still needed to complete.

When I was a child, Christmas was my favorite holiday. I loved everything about it—the baking, decorating, music, movies and all the special holiday events my family attended. Now, as an adult it ranked as my third favorite holiday behind Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. How did I lose my love for Christmas? How could I get some of that childhood magic back?

In thinking about memorable moments from the past, it became quite apparent: I was focusing on all the wrong things. 

The strongest, most enjoyable memories included themes of family, tradition and service. Years from now, my kids probably weren’t going to remember all the presents they received but they would hopefully remember the special things we did as a family.

I knew right away my holiday focus needed to change. Although my family had begun some of our own traditions like picking out fresh cut trees and attending Christmas plays and concerts, we hadn’t focused much of our attention on service projects or acts of kindness.

I can vividly remember how my mom and I shopped for that family in need. We did buy gloves, mittens, hats and underwear, but we also bought a lot of fun toys for each child. Even though I never enjoyed shopping, I can remember having fun picking out all those toys. That Christmas morning I felt very joyful as I imagined that family opening their gifts. I learned first-hand it was just as much fun to give as it was to receive.

Once I realized that I wanted my children to understand the joy of giving, I decided to start volunteering as a family right away. Luckily, our school district has so many opportunities to help our community. This past year, my family has volunteered for initiatives that have helped animal shelters, other local school districts, the homeless and our military troops. Volunteering along with my husband and my seven and four year olds has been a wonderful experience and one we plan to continue.

This holiday, my family sponsored a family in need, just like my family once did. My children were involved in purchasing and wrapping gifts so they can continue to learn the importance of giving. Perhaps this will become one of our family’s annual holiday traditions.

I realize there is no such thing as “perfect” Christmas, and I’m trying to worry less about the little stuff. By focusing more on others and less on material things, I’m already feeling much more joyful this holiday season. I hope some of these good deeds and acts of service will be memories that my son and daughter will look back upon and remember fondly throughout their lives. 

Thank you Kate! One more blog post remains in The Happy Holidays Series... stay tuned for a piece on yummy treats!

Delivery Day: Holiday Picture Book Drive

It was on my heart to do something this holiday season. At the outset, I wasn't sure what that meant. I prayed about it. Then I prayed some more. An idea started to crystalize... 

This year, I met and connected with lots of people through the blog and Twitter - loving supporters of literacy and authors of beautiful picture books. When hurricanes put many in our nation in great danger this year, I saw this amazing community step up in major ways - getting creative with fundraising ideas (like this effort by Clear Fork Publishing) and keeping the spotlight on regions' ongoing needs.

Might this love carry over to supporting Chicago kids? I had a hunch it might. So in November, National Picture Book Month, I put out a call for books for the phenomenal organization Leading with Literacy, based in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood.

Maybe we'll get 30 or 50. A month an a half later, 408 books were sitting in my family room. With every delivery, I was overwhelmed. Books arrived from New York and Massachusetts, from Missouri and Nebraska, from California and Washington. The whole country was loving on Chicago kids. All the wonderful titles donated can be viewed HERE. 

At long last, delivery day - Dec. 14 - arrived. It's a day I'll never forget. Pastor Michael Neal, founder of Leading with Literacy, put together a delivery day schedule for me and my dear friend Chaz, and we spent the entire morning and into the afternoon delivering books to fabulous kids in Bronzeville and beyond.

We were greeted with so. much. love. Hugs, smiles and energy. Tons of energy! Here's a carousel slideshow of our day (to scroll through, click on the right-most photo). Two Chicago news crews - ABC 7 and CBS 2 - even came out to cover the event. There was so much excitement in the air.

When we handed out the books, some of the children asked if the titles were theirs to keep. Yes! Write your name in it. Share it with your brother or sister or cousin. It's yours. 

I asked one child what her favorite book was, gesturing at the classroom's reading nook. "This one," she said, gripping the book we had just given her to her chest.  

And on and on it went, in classroom after classroom. My heart was overflowing. With love for the passionate kids I met, with respect for the phenomenal teachers leading them, with appreciation for the authors and publishers who gave their work, for friends and family who put together incredible, thoughtful donations. It was a beautiful Christmas moment. I mean... these giggles!!

But perhaps the thing that blew me away most of all was Pastor Neal's amazing ministry. He spends countless hours every week in the schools, connecting with kids and supporting teachers and principals. His passion is literacy, as well as trauma - helping people deal with traumatic life events. You can read my Q&A with Pastor Neal here.

Because of Pastor Neal, the amazing books you all helped me collect are now in the hands of children who are learning to love reading. Who may not have had a book of their very own until this week.

Thank you, Pastor Neal, for your tireless service to others. Looking forward to Holiday Picture Book Drive 2018!

The Joy of Giving: A Holiday Blog Hop

This weekend, my daughters helped me pick the winner of the Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome 2017 Halloween Costume Event for the www.wolfhirschhorn.org website. The only fair way to decide the winner of a cool Foamnasium tumble-form set? A good-ole-fashioned bowl draw!

For this installment of The Happy Holidays Series, take a blog hop to watch the video reveal, where you'll also find this year's WHS fundraising item, which makes giveaways like this one possible!

I'm so thankful that God has given me the chance to support other families of children with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome through service to the WHS website. In the comments section (below), I'd love to hear how you are putting on wings and serving as an ANGEL this holiday season!

Kidlit Spotlight: Red & Lulu

The Happy Holidays Series would be incomplete without a book review and giveaway! Like all the books that I feature, to me this book has that special something. But this one also happens to hit your heart at the same pitch as a holiday children's choir or the distant jingle of a bell.  

It says Christmas.

My affection for Red & Lulu, a new Christmas picture book written and illustrated by Matt Tavares (Candlewick Press), began long before I opened it. I spied the cover earlier this year on Twitter, and it triggered a completely emotional response. I knew this book would become a beloved title in our holiday book collection.

I mean, just feast your eyes on this beauty...

The cover of Red & Lulu is both iconic and novel. Through dreamy snowfall, we see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and meet two new characters - lovely red birds Red and Lulu. Without yet knowing their story, through the cover you can feel the birds' bond and glean the excitement of a shared adventure.

This book instantly worked its way into our family's everyday moments... 

We sing "O Christmas Tree, thy leaves are so unchanging" in the grocery store and all around the house.

When I asked my 4 year old what book she'd like to put on her Christmas list, she instantly said Red & Lulu. 

My fave: At our town's Christmas tree lighting, my 2 year old pointed to the freshly lit tree and screamed, "Lulu!!!"

If this praise isn't enough to encourage you to add Red & Lulu to your family's holiday collection, here's a list of five things that in my view make this book so special:

1. Companionship: "Red and Lulu were happy in their tree." From the start of the book, we read these words and see Red and Lulu moving through the seasons together. Red brings a twig to Lulu in the spring. They perch on a branch in the heat of summer. They seek each other out in the autumn wind. Red and Lulu are inseparable, and their joys are interwoven. Through gorgeous illustrations and gentle, poetic text, Tavares establishes the beauty and certainty of their partnership.

2. Sense of Home: Neighbors are drawn to the evergreen's picturesque side each year to sing carols. But first and foremost, the tree is Red & Lulu's home. Children will most certainly relate to the birds’ sense of safety and identity, rooted physically and emotionally in their tree - making the forthcoming change so effective...

3. Separation: We all fear separation from home and loved ones. So when Red and Lulu are distanced - as their tree is cut down and transported to NYC - we feel their panic and urgency. The juxtapositions created by Tavares in the spread below are powerful. With precision, he demonstrates the step-by-step process of removing and transporting such a large tree, and with a keen sense of scale, he shows Red and Lulu's powerlessness against the change.  

4. Postcard Moments: I've been to New York seven times (took me a minute to count that up...), and it’s undeniable - there is just something about that city. It's a constant sensory experience. The architecture, the density, the food, the soundtrack. Tavares' illustrations show the grandeur and the minutia, the brilliance and the everyday commotion - all softened with the dusting of snow. The palette is so expertly restrained, allowing rich reds to pop and the glow of the city lights to linger and illuminate out, up and all around. (It's no surprise that Tavares' Red & Lulu artwork also appears on greeting cards, found here.)

5. Iconic: After an exhaustive search for Lulu, Red happens upon a tree that looks an awful lot like their tree. Tavares captures this moment in an unforgettable image (below), which encapsulates what I imagine a New York City Christmas to be. The spread of wide-winged Red in front of this iconic scene is perfection. As a reader, you know you are getting close... to the tree's true purpose, to the end of Red's journey, to Lulu (we hope!), and to Christmas Day. It's a moment of arrival and joy. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? 

I soooooo want to share the next few pages of the book with you, but I can't. You don't want to first experience those moments here. You'll need to share them with someone you love.

The phrase "new classic" is often used to market books. While no one could possibly know if a book might reach a deep place in the hearts of many, when I hear that phrase attached to Red & Lulu, I don't doubt that it will come to pass. I do think it will be one of those books.

One lucky winner will receive an *autographed copy* of this beauty. (Thanks for sharing one with the blog, Matt!) Here's how to enter to win - and be sure to follow Matt on Twitter @tavaresbooks.

Happy Holidays, and good luck! 

*** WIN Red & Lulu ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 12/8/17 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

All the Trimmings: A Christmas Tree Tale by Johanna Patterson

Is it December yet? Ah, I can't wait! 

In the Schulte house, our stockings are hung by the chimney with care and my Nana's poinsettia mugs are in the morning coffee rotation. By and large, the decorations are up and the heirlooms are out. But not the centerpiece. Not the tree.

Our 2018 tree is out there somewhere. Well, not just anywhere. A very specific, very non-romantic somewhere. Namely: The Menards parking lot. Once the lights are on and twinkling, though, our tree's home improvement store roots will be a distant memory. Each Christmas tree's special glow has a way of reaching through time and connecting generations in a single luminous experience.

When choosing a person to shed a little light on familial Christmas tree decor tradition, the choice was easy: My friend Johanna Patterson, who you may recall shared a fab post on organizing in style earlier this year. I love this beautiful Christmas photo of Johanna's family of five:

Without further ado, here's Johanna's special TINSEL-filled tale of her family's Christmas tree tradition. Or should I say traditions? Enjoy!

In Johanna's words...

Christmas is my favorite holiday by far. Growing up, it was filled with special traditions that became pillars of my childhood. Decorating Christmas cookies with my grandma. Christmas Eve dinner with my cousins. Christmas morning with our family of four. Every year, my dad would neigh at the bottom of the stairs pretending Santa had left a pony... 

What I didn’t realize as a child is that part of the magic behind the most wonderful time of the year is fitting it all in. Why is it that planning the holidays can feel like assembling a 10,000 piece puzzle of snow? I hope that I am managing to give my kids a Christmas where they feel joy and love and not like they are over scheduled. I hope that they have enough time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and spend less time thinking about what must-have gadget to put at the top of their Christmas lists. 

One way that I try to make that happen is by focusing on Christmas traditions that hold special meaning and bridge to Christmas’ past. This is most apparent as we decorate our Christmas tree. Now, I love to decorate and the Christmas holiday is no exception. 

We decorate four trees in our house.First, we have an all-kids tree in the playroom that my kids decorate all on their own. This tree is filled with their handmade ornaments and big colorful baubles in their favorite colors. No lie - it’s pretty hideous, but if you’re under four feet tall, it’s dreamy. Pink and purple ribbons and blue and green sparkles pop off of this all white tree. It’s a little candyland-esque, but a big hit with my crew, all under eight. 

We also have a Christmas tree in the basement media room where we spend weekends relaxing watching football and hosting family movie nights. I didn’t have a tree in that space for a long time, but found that after I’d spent a week decorating my house for Christmas, when I actually sat down to enjoy it, I was in the only room without a tree. I can’t say that my husband was thrilled with the introduction of tree number four, but he knows by now that it just all comes with the Johanna territory. Our media room has a rustic feel with a lot of reclaimed wood and a concrete bar top. To fit with this feel, I decorate this tree with big antlers, wide burlap ribbon and just small touches of gold to make it a little more “rustic glam” than “hunting lodge."

One of my favorite trees is the Christmas card tree. I string a few pieces of garland and some ribbon and when the Christmas cards start rolling in, I hang them on the tree with small wooden clothes pins. The cards are so beautiful and filled with the people we love, so hanging them for display on the tree this way just seems perfect. Our kids especially love hanging their friends' cards on the tree and pointing them out all season long. 

Even with all of these fun trees, my most favorite tree by far, is the Christmas tree in our front living room. When it comes to this tree, I’m definitely reminiscent of Clark Griswold from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. We buy a real tree every year, and we love searching for just the right one. I love for it to be as big as my space can absolutely handle, and my husband usually has to remind me that the trees looks smaller on the lot than it will in a corner of our living room. 

We used to cut it down ourselves, but then some angel opened a lot right on the corner by our house with beautiful freshly cut trees, so we began walking to that lot with our wagon. After it is set up in the house, I load on tons and tons of Christmas lights to the tree. My secret is to not just wrap them along the outside of the tree, but rather really tuck them into the tree and then wrap them from the inside out. I usually blow a few fuses, but once all of the the lights are on, it's pretty enough to leave just as is, but what comes next is the best part. 

On this tree, we put family ornaments. These are ornaments that the kids have gotten each year as they have grown, an ornament that Jason and I got commemorating our first Christmas, or special ornaments given to us by loved ones. We also have an ornament from each trip that we have been on, and we have ornaments that were mine as a child. I keep these ornaments in specific bins, and opening them each year is like opening a gift. This tree is filled with memories. And glitter. So much glitter.

As we decorate the tree, we light a fire in the fireplace and listen to Christmas music, and we tell stories about each ornament. One of my favorites is an ornament hand crocheted by my great grandma, given to me by my grandma. When we hang it on the tree, we tell stories about both of these beautiful women. Often times the kids will remember the ornaments from year to year. We all have our favorites. “Oh! I remember this one, mommy!” they will say.  Or, “Tell me about this ornament.” 

A favorite of the girls and mine is of Raggedy Ann, one that my mom gave to me when I was their age, still hung by the same gold frilly string. And just as they remember the ornaments, they remember the stories and better yet, the people in the stories. “Remember the year the whole tree fell over, mom?” or “Tell us the story of you and daddy sitting under the Eiffel Tower!”

This process lasts for hours and I can’t say that the kids always hang in there for the whole time. We are far from perfect, and I try to get ahead of inevitable sibling squabbles by giving each child the same number of ornaments they get to hang on their own. There are very special ornaments that we always hang together - a tiny wooden crèche given to me by my mom, a small angel, a glass bone emblazoned with the name of our first family dog. 

When we are done, our tree tells a story. Of the time we spent together picking it out and the laughs shared while putting it up. (“I think just a touch to the left. Now the right. And maybe a half inch back, too.”) But also of all of the Christmases we have spent together and of the people we have spent them with. Our tree tells the story of us building our family. From the “First Christmas Together” heart to the pink baby carriage and then eventually another and finally a blue baby booty. It tells the story of people who are no longer in our lives.  Of the things they have made with their hands and the treasures that they have left us to remember them by. It tells the story of friendships - depicted in college logos, and “Geneva” ornaments - woven tightly throughout the many stages of our lives. 

Our tree tells these stories, and as we hang the ornaments each year, we share them. 

…And then sometimes when the kids aren’t looking, I rehang them in a better spot :) The point is that we had fun together and it didn’t require any scheduling or special outfit or really any effort at all other than just being present. And when it's all done, we sit back and read our advent book by the tree’s glow each night as a reminder that while Christmas is a time of great magic and anticipation of what Santa will put under the tree, the real magic began two thousand years ago in a manger in Bethlehem.

Thank you, Johanna! I especially LOVE your Christmas card tree. And I, too, am known to spread out the girls' ornaments later - particularly the cluster ring of ornaments hung at three feet high... Happy tree trimming everyone!

Giving Tuesday Q&A with Pastor Michael Neal

Happy almost advent! Today is Giving Tuesday, so I wanted to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of you who have given this month to the Holiday Picture Book Drive.

Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, we have collected more than 350 new picture books for Leading with Literacy, a read-aloud focused non-profit based in Bronzeville, a neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. (The books will be delivered mid-December... can't wait!!)

The Holiday Picture Book Drive has commemorated National Picture Book Month. November isn't over... so that means there is still time to spread CHEER by making a donation this Giving Tuesday - if you're able!

Would you like to learn a bit more about Leading with Literacy? Here's a touching Q&A with the organization's founder, Pastor Michael Neal:

Q&A with Pastor Michael Neal

Why is literacy, and building scholars, so near and dear to your heart?

Literacy is important to me because I see the connection between literacy and living an abundant and quality-filled life. While volunteering through Leading with Literacy, the systemic and generational challenges placed on those who don’t have a love for reading has become even more clear to me. Serving also has allowed me to tap into my childhood and my passion for reading as a child and a young adult. I want kids to develop that same passion as well. 

What are the unique benefits of male volunteers reading in the classroom?

Having males volunteer for the weekly read aloud often fills a void within the schools, as there are seldom any male teachers in the classroom. It also helps to indirectly fill a void in the life of some children who may not have a consistent male figure in their home.

How do you decide what book is read?

Volunteers often allow the teacher and/or students to pick the book. Sometimes the teacher may be working on a certain subject matter, and we never want to disrupt that. When the student selects the book, I often will do an interview with the student in front of the class, asking why the book was selected. Lastly, each male volunteer in the class can bring a book in to read, provided it is okay with the teacher. 

What are some of the books that the kids have loved?

Favorite titles have been Tar Beach, all Ezra Jack Keats books, and anything related to superheroes. 

What relationships have developed between volunteers and classrooms?

Wonderful relationships and partnerships have developed between teachers, readers and administration. Where there has been consistency, there has been a culture of literacy that has followed the children from early grades through middle school. 

Can you share a story of a rewarding moment you've experienced, since starting the program?

Boy there are so many… 1) One child saw me during the summer at a youth program, and when another child asked who I was, she said, “That's our reading coach." 2) A little boy saw me at Target and yelled out my name as if he saw a superstar athlete, then he spent the rest of the year reminding other kids that he saw me at Target. 3) A little boy brought a newspaper to school after I told him how I learned to read by reading the sports section.

What are your goals for Leading with Literacy?

Our goal is to Build Scholars One Book at a Time. We also have a goal to make our program sustainable and replicable. It is our desire to continue to see improvements in reading outcomes. Our research has shown that where a male reader was consistent in a classroom, reading scores were 20 to 40 percent higher than classrooms that did not have a male reader. 

What can others do to support your work?

There are various ways. 1) Sharing who we are and what we do. 2) Recruiting men with flexible work schedules, who are able to invest 15-30 minutes in a school once a week. 3) New or gently used book donations for distribution to children in class and in the community. 4) Financial contributions are welcome, as well. 

To make a donation to the Holiday Picture Book Drive for Leading with Literacy, visit my initial book drive post, for info. There, you'll also find the cover of every book donated so far. Thanks for spending your time here, this Giving Tuesday! 

The Happy Holidays Series: Kick Off with Betsy Callaghan

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I'll be hosting a series of posts and guest posts, as my friends and I share what the holidays look like for our families.

The first post is on CHEER - the joyful feeling that sweeps us up each holiday season, rooted in the celebration of Christ's birth and in time spent with loved ones. While advent doesn't start for a few more days, some of us have started our advent season plans.

There's no right or wrong place to sit on the "planning continuum." I'm somewhat coordinated and intentional in my advent plans and over the years have borrowed fabulous ideas from friends, including my sister Betsy Callaghan, one of the best planners I know.

Meet Betsy and her gorgeous family... my family!

Betsy's approach to advent is so thoughtful. Over the years, some of her friends have even started asking to see her advent calendar, to get ideas for jump starting their own family plans. In the spirit of sharing cheer, here's a beautiful idea-filled post from my beautiful sister!

In Betsy's words...

Many of my childhood friends ate a delicious chocolate from an advent calendar each day leading up to Christmas. Not at my house. My daily countdown to Christmas was so.much.better! 

My mom created the most highly anticipated advent calendar. She would hang it up every November 30th. It dangled in the kitchen from a hanging shelf. Upon it were 25 little rings, each representing the days leading up to Christmas Day.

On each ring hung a hand-written note that mom had Scotch-taped tightly shut, so that her sneaky little girls could not look ahead. There was a rotation in place for each day, which determined who got to open up the note. Haley, Anitra, Betsy, Haley, Anitra, Betsy, etc. On my morning, I would race into the kitchen to open the note and leave it on the counter for all to read as they woke that day.  

Examples of Rowe childhood advent activities:

• Go Christmas caroling
• Have a friend over to make Christmas cookies
• Deliver gifts to friends and neighbors
• Set out the nativity scene on the buffet
• Pick out a Christmas ornament

After leaving home for college, there were years when the advent calendar was lost on me. I thought about it often and missed it. I knew one day, when I had a family of my own, I would bring it back and create that same excitement. 

In December of 2007, after my first year of marriage, I created my own "husband and wife advent" for Dan and me. It was so much fun, and while it included lots of holiday cheer, my heart was waiting for an advent to share with children. I could hardly wait to see twinkling eyes, anticipation, joy and wonder that would surely come from sharing this tradition with kids of my own.

We have now had our own Callaghan family advent calendar in our home for 10 years. I would love to share my planning process with you!

The Look

The look of my advent calendar has evolved throughout the years and I finally have one that meets the design and function that I had hoped for. I created 25 red cards made from card stock and used a pretty font (and a good 'ole Sharpie) to draw the numbers 1-25 on each card.

Each card hangs from a long piece of twine in the entry to my kitchen. I use small wooden clothes pins to attach each red card to the twine. Each day in December, we unclip a number and read what's inside, until eventually there are no cards left.  

The Plan

Each November, I sit at the kitchen table with a blank December calendar and map out our activities for the upcoming month. I create my "master calendar," if you will. I was very creative the first two years and had to change activities to meet the needs of my growing boy to make sure they were age appropriate. As the years have passed, we have a collected a bunch of favorites that are our go-to Christmas activities, and I try to add and change a few activities each year to keep it fresh, fun and exciting.

Examples of our go-to activities:

• Put on pjs, grab hot cocoa and walk around our neighborhood to see Christmas lights
• Order a pizza and eat dinner picnic-style under the Christmas tree
• Watch The Polar Express in mom and dad's bed
• Have an indoor snowball fight (big white puffs from JoAnn Fabrics do the trick)
• Turn up Christmas music and have a dance party around the tree
• Invite a family over for dinner
• Build a gingerbread house with a friend

The Evolution

About two years ago, I decided that while our advent calendar achieved the anticipation and wonder that I had dreamed of, it was missing something. HELLO??? How about the CHRISTMAS STORY!? I researched and found verses about the story of Jesus's birth for each day of advent. Now, when we open the red advent card of the day, we first read the Bible verse, then read on to see how we will spending the day. 

Next, I needed to add some depth and love to some of our activities. Did I want my child/children to be selfish as they anxiously await Christmas? Of course not! I want them to complete activities that make their hearts feel the love that Christmas brings, and I want to them to share that love with others. Last year I added a few activities that helped us show Jesus' love through our actions.

Our Christ-focused activities:

• Choose three toys to donate to a day care center. Take the toys to the day care and physically give them to the children. My son LOVES this and the children were soooo excited to have new toys to play with.
• Buy someone in Starbucks a coffee and wish them a Merry Christmas.
• Make homemade Christmas cards for neighbors and invite them to Christmas Eve service.

If all of this is overwhelming, please don't be discouraged. You can start small. It will get easier as the years progress. Also, know that at least 10 of our 25 activities are simple and are consistent every year. Everyday doesn't have to be a show-stopper. 

Simple annual activities:

• Elf on a Shelf returns to our house for the season... now go find him!
• Go to Christmas Eve Service
• Christmas Party at school
• Dinner out and the Christmas Walk in downtown Geneva
• Put up the Christmas tree

There will be years when circumstances require you to keep it really simple, and other years when you can add in some more exciting and memorable experiences for your family. Whatever direction you take a personalized advent calendar, one thing will remain the same... you will bring an extra layer of love, joy, and cheer to the holiday season for those you love the most.

Thanks you, Betsy! I'll be busy in the following days getting my plans in order, with a few tips from you incorporated... for sure!

Reflection: Heading into the Holidays

Thanksgiving week is here! To all of you who are hosting, I'm sure your homes are getting a big mad. Guest room doors are flying open. Elaborate cooking schedules are being tweaked. Groceries are coming out of your ears. All as you try to move two tons of wet leaves to the curb...

In the midst of preparations for Thanksgiving, do you start to get Christmas butterflies? I sure do. There's no way around it - it just happens. Christmas is right there, on Thanksgiving's doorstep - jingling its mesmerizing bells, twinkling its brilliant lights, beckoning with its warm, familiar refrain. 

When beautiful memories of Christmases past come colliding with expectations of Christmas present, my heart goes out in a million directions to create magic and be a part of it... to make moments happen for my family and bring that Christmas feeling home again.

As this excitement and anticipation swell, I can feel that my center is off kilter. I often jump right into the thick of the shopping and decorating, and hot cocoa and holiday lattes, without first grounding my advent season in prayer. 

So this Christmas, I'm going to do my very best to make prayer my top priority, so that I can be fully present and open to receiving the gifts of the season, as they happen on their own - without lamentation or coordination.

The true beauty of the holidays is so very different from the splendid chaos that's front and center in our culture. It is quiet and powerful. It is the gift of GOD. If I'm spinning, it will still be there, but I'll miss it. This verse helps me to remember that Jesus is God's gift to us, and that God's love is something that I could never orchestrate or earn. But with prayer and reflection, I will understand and be changed.

1 John 5:20 - And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true.