Advent, watching movies, Christmas present-making and surprises.

Well it seems that a lot of these post lately have been random updates on things. Frankly, I haven't had very much time to post at all. It's just been so busy!

Sunday was our anniversary of becoming Catholic seven years ago, and though I had started a blog post as you have probably observed, it didn't get published.

CONGRATS TO US!!!
Advent has been great so far, and I am really enjoying our Advent study. One problem though, we really need to catch up on Jothams Journey and find out what happens, though I am of the firm belief that Nathan is the best in Bartholomew's Passage (beside that being my favourite).

It was really funny starting to read it because I was mouthing stuff to Saxon and Mum like 'Decha's he's uncle,' and "It's Decha!" And "Nathan is in the next chapter!" If you have never read any of the Arnold Yeetride books, three being Jothams Journey, Bartholomew Passage, and Tabithas Travels which are all advent books leading up to all of them meeting back in the manger where the newborn Jesus is sleeping.
I've been working on Christmas presents though I am not feeling overly rushed, I've only got a few things left but I wanted to share what I am making for my sister, Eden. Eden, if you are reading this do NOT scroll down.









Hopefully she's gone. Anyway here is what it is!

I am very, very proud of this. If you are wondering what it's connected to, it's a prequel/novella of Alan 'a' Dale before he met Robin Hood and after. It's really fun to write and is sort of a break from Outlaw. I even wrote a summary of it and I must say, though it's my first, I'm rather proud of it.

Summary: The son of a count. A nobleman. The right-hand man to one of history's most famous outlaws. Find out what happened to Alan 'a' Dale before he joined Robin Hood's gang, how he ran away from his father's castle in southern France, how he came to England as a minstrel, how he was one night rudely thrown out of a inn, and that very same night, while wandering through Sherwood, and feeling rather faint from lack of food, was saved by Robin Hood, himself. And now, journey with him as he tells the stories of the many adventures he, his chief, and friends and outlaws, embarked upon in their fight against injustice and tyranny.

I must echo my previous statement, I'm very happy with it. :)

I've been listening to quite a few things lately. Soundtracks, Christmas music, and one particular song 'What Makes You Different (Makes you Beautiful)' By Backstreet Boys. Which by the way I haven;t heard properly in years. :)

I've watched a few new movies, and watched a few Christmas ones as well.

We got the Prestige out the other week and I saw it for the first time, luckily I wasn't the only one who hadn't seen it, my sister Autumn also hadn't seen it either. We also got 'Now You See Me' out just the other night. As you can see we are a bit into magicians at the moment. :D The twist with 'Now You See Me' was like, you felt so stupid! The Prestige's twist on the other hand was like 'What? And then, once again, I FEEL SO STUPID!!!' All us younger kids have also been walking around quoting 'The Lorax' which I finally saw all the way through and I thought it was really good. :)



Autumn surprised me the other day by coming home with a 'Man of Steel' poster for me. Needless to say it is hanging up already and I am very happy with it. :)

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug will be released here on Boxing Day and I am very excited! It is my number one Christmas present. Some people are saying it is good, and some saying that it is bad. Me? Well, I'll go with the positive rather then the negative. I also need to read or skim (probably skim) over the middle part of the book. (I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE SPIDERS!!!)But not be too pure-isty about it either.
And no matter what people say about Tauriel, anyone who can give Legolas a talking to is awesome! Plus, she's a girl elf, she got red hair, and looks awesome. :D

I've also been hearing really good reviews about 'Frozen' and I really want to see it in theaters, of course if it was a choice of it or DOS I'd choose DOS.

Hmm, what other things have I been doing? Well, we hosted a Homeschoolers Christmas Party at our house and it was great! Learning to get to know the older girls a bit better then before. And organising an all-nighter at our house on the 20th of January. I also lended some of my books to one of my friends as I'd told her about them, she was very interested in borrowing my Sherlock Files as I introduced her to the show, and she likes it. :)

Now, the biggest surprise of my life of the past week or so? Yep, wait for it, I'll tell you. It was just an ordinary day, and I walked outside to do my guinea pigs, I walked to the top of the stairs that descend a few short steps to the outside laundry, and totally freaked myself out. Can you guess why? A snake was swiftly crawling away into the garage, a BROWN SNAKE!

Very aggressive and very, very dangerous, so that ended any play outside as you can imagine, Dad got home later, checked the garage and found that the snake had gone. Thank goodness for that. Since then, the line everyone has been using when someone goes outside is 'Watch out for snakes!'

We've been Christmas cooking me and Myffwyn have been making Gingerbread.

And as a last note: Does anyone have any idea when Sherlock season 3 is released in Australia? I would assume that it would be the same as UK but not sure.
Anyway I'd better go.

God Bless
 

We went to Bethlehem!!!

On Saturday night after mass, we went to a real-life representation of what Bethlehem would have been like in Jesus' day and age.
The pictures are watermarked from my Mum's blog if anyone is wondering by the way.
Hopefully I'll be posting some more during the Holidays. :)
It was so cool! :D I really, really enjoyed it and everyone else did too.
It was called going to Bethlehem. Here's so pictures which we took while we were there.



This was the sign at the front where you had to take a census, just like how Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem.

This was where we payed to get inside. That's my Dad's head you can see there paying. It was great that they didn't have the whole 'two adults, two kids' thins which is the ONLY family card you can seem to get at some things. it would've been easier if we were Hebrews though. :P


As you came through the gate there were two Roman soldiers guarding the gate. The Roman's were one of my favourtie things, by far!




As you walked in they had a pen with a little lamb in it. Lambs are soooo cute! :)

They also had sheep in another pen. The only thing they didn't seem to have this year was goats.

I've never actually seen a camel before and let me just say, they are huge! Maybe the double hump camels are smaller but these were really big. as we were leaving they started to growl and Trahaearn grwoled back at them, with the encouragment of Saxon. ;)


You could get a wool bracelet here which was how they made rope and stuff like that. It was fascinating to see how it worked!



I love this sign.


This was were you could get sewn things and notice the loom in the background. I didn't really explore this place as much though, as there was a lot of other things to do.


That's me in the picture people, standing next to the peice of paper I had just made whuch was exactly like how they made it in Jewish times.








This was the carpenter shop. I got a little boat here. One fo the best things about going to Bethlehem was everything you could get in the time period tents (yes, tents/dwellings) were for free!






This was one of the wise men. They spent most of their time down at the manger.

This is King Herod's palace.













I LOVE this chariot






Another picture of the Romans. This was jsut before they finshed for the night. They did go around and accuse people a bit actually. :P







A jewish alphabet, I'm pretty sure.




That jewish alphabet was in the Jewish School place.


















This was also at the Jewish School.

See those little boats Autumn is holding in her hand? One of them is mine. :

A jewish home.


Watching how to make paper.

Glueing and cutting.


This was the carpenter who made my ship. I just walked straight up to him and he asked what I wanted. I said, 'boat please.' and he asked if I wanted to make it myself. I said no thanks, and he handed me a boat! :)

They had this room on the side which had lots of naitvety sets and other stuff like it. I didn't get to see much of it though as Corbyn wanted me to take him to see King Herod and his palace.
















The Donkeys! Arwen says the favourite thing which she saw was the donkeys. They were outside the manger.


And Ta-da! The manger.




Even though the manger scene is the most important part. It was one of my least favourtie things to see. You might also notice that one of the Wise Men went AWOL. They got a real baby for baby Jesus too, which I was very impessed with.

i love this sign! I didn't actually see it the night we went there but saw it in the pictures instead.





Here was where you could get unleavened bread and wine. Grape juice for kids! No need to add Trahaearn loved the grape juice. :)











THis is me and Arwen grinding wheat together. It was really fun and I liked trying it.

I think I'd be interested in volunteering next years as it runs for three nights including Christmas Eve and would be a great experience.

And last but not least, I'd like to wish you all a very late Christmas and a Happy New Year!
God Bless