It's a New Year!

Hey Everybody! We hope you had a happy and holy Christmas. We certainly did. Here are a few photos from our Christmas.

This was the crèche at St. Andrews (that's where we go at Christmas so that we can go with our Granny!) Isn't it beautiful.

We went on lots of great walks.

And sometimes we would go pick up our friend Bones to come with us.

Cloë managed to find a small patch of snow and make a snow angel.

Here I am watching Timothy play soccer with our cousin Ripley. I really wanted to play too :(

 

And here I am with some of the toys I got. Those are pretty spooky eyes I've got going!

Actually Tallulah, one of those birds was for me.

I know Cloë but I just can't decide which one I want.

Today, January 1st is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.

Wow that is a mouthful Cloë, but I think it's all about Mary right?!

That's right Tallulah, celebrating Mary is the perfect way to start the New Year.

Click here to see some different paintings of Mary! This one is by Katherine Marsella of Massachusetts, who is in grade 2.

What do you think Mary looks like? Why not start the new year by drawing a picture of her and asking her to help you during this coming year.

Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah

 

Christmas Day! The Saviour is Born

Merry Christmas Everybody!!

We hope that you are having a very Happy Christmas. We certainly are!

Wasn't Mass wonderful Cloë?! I could see all the beautiful lights and flowers.

And all that wonderful singing.

It was Tallulah, it's one of the ways that you know this is an important day.

So are we going to talk about anybody special today Cloë?

We are Tallulah - the shepherds.

The shepherds, why them?

Well, they were the very first people, other than Mary and Joseph, to find out that Jesus had been born. The Jewish people had been waiting for 100s and 100s of years for the Messiah, a.k.a. the King who would free them and give them their land back.

And the shepherds were the first people that God told?!

Yup! It was God's way of showing the world that he loved all of us and had come to save all of us, not just the rich and the powerful.

You see Tallulah, in those days shepherds were one of the lowest class of people. They lived with their sheep and they were pretty dirty and smelly. But God considered them just as important as everyone else.

God really is good isn't He Cloë!

He sure is Tallulah.

As our gift to you we found two fun videos for you. The first is one of our favourite Christmas Carols called Joy to the World

(youtube link: http://youtu.be/7mz65L2R9fU)

and the second is the story of Jesus' birth.

 

(youtube link: http://youtu.be/yAdr_K1OcrY)

Woof & Happy Birthday Jesus!

Cloë and Tallulah

Last Day of Advent

Well Tallulah the waiting is just about over! Tonight we celebrate Christmas Eve.

The waiting has definitely been hard but it's worth it! So who are we talking about today?

Since we are just hours away from the big night I thought we could talk about Joseph. Sometimes he gets forgotten.

Hey I could teach him a thing or two. The trick is to come no matter who is being called and then you don't miss out on anything!

Yeah ok Tallulah. So what do you know about Joseph.

Well I know he was married to Mary and that he was Jesus' dad here on earth.

Those were definitely the important things Tallulah. But remember when we talked about Mary and how the people were talking about her because she was not yet married.

I sure do Cloë.

Well despite that people would talk about him, Joseph also trusted in God and took Mary as his wife. And don't forget that God chose him to look after Mary and Jesus, not only on the long trip to Bethlehem

but to be Jesus' dad while he was growing up.

He sounds like another awesome person! A role model for all father's.

Absolutely Tallulah!

(These are the Fathers and Dads posing with the statue of Saint Joseph while on our master's trip to the Holy Land earlier this year. Hey Cloë there is Father Timothy in the back row!)

Here is a cool idea for something to do during the Christmas season! Why not visit the Oratory in Montreal dedicated to Saint Joseph. And while you are there you can visit their exhibit of crèches.

Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah

Day 22 of Advent - Mary the Mom

Today we continue our cast of the Christmas Story with Mary!

 

This Sunday's Gospel told the story of the Angel Gabriel telling Mary that God was asking her to be Jesus' Mom.

 

(Learn more about the Annunciation and download this picture to colour)

 

That is pretty awesome Cloë!

 

It is indeed Tallulah. One of the reasons that Mary's decision to say yes was so awesome is that she wasn't actually married yet and this meant that many people would talk about her and probably not be very nice to her.

 

YES!

 

That must be because they didn't understand who her baby was going to be, right Cloë?

 

 

Exactly Tallulah. They did not know that Jesus was the King they had been waiting for. The first part of this video tells the story of the angel talking to Mary. (The second half is the rest of the Christmas Story!)



 

(youtube link: http://youtu.be/JSGNJnAGCOc)

Cloë I have been checking out the Internet to find Christmas cookie recipes.

Are you thinking about your stomach again!!

Yes, I am a growing dog after all! And I found some neat ones that kids can make with their parents or grandparents or aunts or babysitters. Click here to find out how to make these reindeer cookies.

 

The other day we talked about the Angels, as you can see we found our own angel!

 

 

Well that's it for today! Woof!

 

Cloë and Tallulah

Day 19 of Advent - The Angels

Hey everybody! 

We are now in the home stretch of Advent.

I can't believe that one week from today is Christmas Cloë, I'm pretty excited. But don't worry I know we still have some waiting time to go. 

So who are we talking about today?

A few days ago we talked about how John the Baptist was the messenger sent to announce that the Messiah was coming.

Right, he was the herald! See I remember the big words too Cloë.

Good for you Tallulah. Today we are talking about another type of messenger - angels. Many of the Gospel stories this week tell us about some of these angels.

We have talked about angels a few times in our blog. Angels play an especially important role in the Christmas story. God often sends his angels to deliver really important messages.

Tallulah can you think of any angels in the Christmas story.

Well Cloë I know that the Angel Gabriel is the one who told Mary that she would become Jesus' mom.

That's right Tallulah. Gabriel was also the angel who told Zechariah that he and Elizabeth would have a son...

I know, I know you are talking about John the Baptist.

And I'm pretty sure that in today's Gospel an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him that he should trust in God and that the baby Mary was going to have was Jesus.

I'm very pleased to hear that you are listening so well Tallulah. 

And of course it was the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds!

Wow those angels sure had some important messages to deliver didn't they Cloë.

They sure did Tallulah! Why not make an angel to hang on your Christmas tree. Click here for 27 different ideas!!

By the way we want to wish Pope Francis a belated birthday. He turned 78 on the 17th! Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah

Day 15 of Advent - The Herald

Hi Everybody,

While at Mass today we came up with what we think is a neat idea for our next few blogs. We are going to tell you about the various people who are part of the Christmas story but who we sometimes forget about.

Our first person is the main character in today's Gospel - John the Baptist. So what do you know about him Tallulah?

 

Well I think that his mom and dad were Elizabeth and Zechariah. And since Elizabeth was Mary's cousin it must make John the Baptist and Jesus cousins!

 

That's right Cloë. What else do you know?

I know that when Mary went to visit Elizabeth, when they were both pregnant, that John moved inside his mommy's tummy because he could sense that Jesus was near.

(download this picture.)

 

And when John and Jesus were grown men, he told the people about God. And oh yeah, isn't he the guy who baptized people including Jesus?!

Very good Cloë. One of the most important things that John the Baptist did was to tell the people that Jesus was the king that they had been waiting for. That was Sunday's Gospel and what we see in this video.

(youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzggEopHteU)

So is a herald a messenger?

Before we go forgot to write about Saint Lucy, whose feast day was on Saturday, December 13th. That day holds a special place in our heart since our master's niece is named Lucy!

This is a picture of us with Lucy and her brother Cormac. I don't think she was really trying to strangle us I think we were just tired of all that picture taking!

Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah

Day 13 of Advent - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Hi Everybody,

Today is the second feast that we spoke about on Tuesday. Today we remember in a special way Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Hey that's part of the story I told when I talked about Saint Juan Diego.

That's right Tallulah. And did you know that after Mary appeared to Juan that many of the people who lived in Mexico and who up to that point believed in many gods became Christians!

Wow that's amazing Cloë, God does indeed work in mysterious ways.

If you visit Paper Dali you can download pictures to colour of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint Juan Diego and the Tilma. Click here.

 

And Cloë don't forget today's cookie! Mexican Wedding Cookies are a tradition on this feast day. Click here for the recipe.

 

 

To learn even more about Our Lady of Guadalupe check out last year's blog.

Finally, click here to see pictures from just one of the celebrations.

Adios - Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah

Day 11 of Advent - Just Checking In!

We hope that during this second week of Advent that all is going well!

 

 

These are some of our buddies from Saint Anthony’s Parish in Apple Hill

lighting the second candle of the parish’s Advent Wreath.

 

Clockwise: Isaac Quinn, Abby Nussbaumer, Johnny Nussbaumer (lighting the cande), Calla Vanderwielen, Anna Maria Nussbaumer, Claire Nussbaumer, Brook MacDermid and Silas Quinn.

 

Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah

Day 10 of Advent: the Feast of Saint Juan Diego

This is one of my very favourite stories Cloë.

Which one is that Tallulah?

The story of Saint Juan Diego meeting Mary.
 

I agree with you Tallulah, it is a wonderful story. Can you tell us about it.

I sure can. Juan lived in the 1500s and was from Mexico.

 

 

Every day he walked 15 miles to go to Mass. On December 9, 1531, he was going to Mass as usual, when all of a sudden he saw a beautiful lady that was dressed like an Aztec princess.

 

 

 

She told him that she was Mary (Our Lady of Guadalupe) and that she wanted Juan to go to the local bishop and tell him that she wanted him to build a church on this very site.

 

Of course the bishop did not believe Juan and asked him to bring proof.

So the next time Juan saw the beautiful lady, she had him pick roses to take to the bishop. The miracle was that it was winter and it was too cold for roses to grow!

He brought them to the bishop in his tilma (cloak). When he dropped the roses at the bishop's feet, a picture of Mary was on the tilma. 

 

The church got built and the Catholic Church began to grow in Mexico.

Did you know Tallulah that this church is the most visited of all the Marian shrines in the world! and that almost 500 years later you can still go to see Juan's tilma.

On Friday we will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Here are crafts you can make to recognize both days. Go to Catholic Icing.
 

Don't forget the food Cloë! We found two recipes to help celebrate: Mexician Sopapias for today's feast (December 9th)

and Mexican Wedding Cookies for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday.

To end today's post here is a little video recap. Woof!

(youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnSqEALs3a0)

Cloë and Tallulah