I know the picture says peace. We don't know why. Peace is the last Sunday.

We have completed the first week of Advent, and it was a little easier because of the feasts of Saints Barbara and Nicholas, which was a blessing. We are also finished with the first weekend of Nutcracker, and have one more to go. All of us are fighting a cold, my back seized up on Friday from turning the wrong way to grab the girls' costumes to steam them, and we are all sleep deprived and exhausted. We will try to rest a bit more this week, while I wish that electric lights hadn't shifted the world to working through all manner of darkness, instead of living with the seasons.

The kids and I couldn't find the walleye in the freezer last week, so we had a tuna pasta instead, which was delicious, but I'm sending Rich to the freezer to see if he can find it so we can try again this week. We had a ton of our muffins leftover from Saturday, so we are eating them this week, too. Also, we had so much leftover of the tuna pasta dish (I made what said was enough for 12, but it was enough for 20), that we ate that for dinner on Wednesday, too. The sweet and sour shrimp I made more like hot and sour, and we liked it that way.

Since we do have another Nutcracker weekend, we are going for fairly simple meals this week, again. Next week is Gaudete Sunday, and ballet will be over, so we can get our Christmas tree and put our lights up, and relax. We save decorating the tree and the rest of the house for Christmas Eve. I am looking forward to the more fun work and rest to follow.

May your fast be fruitful, so you may welcome the Christ Child in your heart and home, and prepare for His coming in glory!

• Sunday - Second Sunday of Advent
  Breakfast: Leftovers Fried Rice, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Tomato Sauce and Shrimp, Salad, French Bread, Chickpeas with Green Beans, Mandarin Oranges, Apple Raisin Muffins, Cookies
• Monday
  Breakfast: Leftover Lenten Tropical Muffins, Sliced Oranges and Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Mejeddarah, Cabbage Salad with Cilantro-Citrus Dressing, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  Breakfast: Sourdough Crumpets, Peanut Butter and Honey, Apple and Apricot Sauce, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Pan Fried Walleye, Mount Athos Rice, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Wednesday - Feast of Saint Lucy
  Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Raisins, Cinnamon Sugar and Coconut Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Croatian Roux Soup with Croutons, Salad, Sliced Oranges
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Home Fries, Sliced Cucumbers, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pad Thai, Marinated Cucumbers and Onions, Mandarin Oranges
• Friday
  Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash Burritos with Salsa, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Easy Avocado Pasta, Sliced Oranges
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Olive and Roasted Vegetable Tray with Sourdough Bread to break the fast after Liturgy
  Dinner: Slow Cooker North African Vegetables, Spiced Cous Cous, Sliced Pears

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Advent, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen