Archive for November, 2008
November 28, 2008 at 1:08 pm · Filed under book reviews, books
We have a cache of holiday books that come out every Christmas, but one in particular is worth a mention: Harvey Slumfenburger’s Christmas Present by John Burningham (Candlewick Press). The story begins as Santa Claus arrives home after a long night’s work on Christmas Eve. After tucking the reindeer into bed and slipping into his pajamas, an exhausted Santa discovers that there’s one present in his sack that somehow didn’t get delivered. It’s for Harvey Slumfenburger, and “Harvey Slumfenburger only ever got one present, and that was the present that Santa Claus brought him”. The remainder of the book chronicles Santa’s heroic efforts to get that all-important gift to its intended recipient. Still wearing his pajama bottoms, he uses every method of transportation imaginable to reach Harvey’s house on top of Roly Poly Mountain. This is a book about Christmas, but it’s also a book about going to great lengths to do the right thing.
November 25, 2008 at 5:29 am · Filed under home education
If you’ve missed Helen and Margaret over the last year or so, you’ve missed out on some good laughs (and debates about whether or not they’re really two old ladies…). Today, Margaret has posted her family Thanksgiving letter which includes these brilliant and oh so true requests:
#1 If you put it on your plate, it better end up in your mouth. Last year I threw away enough food to feed the population of Wasilla. That is just wasteful.
#2 If you pop a top on a can of soda, please drink the entire can before popping another top. Last year after you left I found 32 half empty cans of soda around the house and my drink refrigerator out back was almost empty. What idiot really thinks that is appropriate? Besides being such a waste, I can’t just throw those cans into the recycle bin. I have to empty each one of them down the drain before I can throw them out. And while I am on the subject, I put coasters out for a reason.
#3 Our trash pick up is the day before Thanksgiving. If you bring a kid in diapers, leave with the kid and the diapers. I don’t need used diapers stinking up my garage until the trash men come the following week.
#5 Speaking of dogs. Yours has a home. Leave it there.
#6 I don’t own a trampoline. It’s called a sofa. Your feet have no business being on it.
November 23, 2008 at 2:10 pm · Filed under crafts
Remember way back when the year was young and I was lamenting our use of Ziploc bags, vowing (well, I guess there was more vowing than lamenting) to use fewer ? Gads, what a struggle. Hubby packs a lunch every day and though he tries to use reusable containers as I have nagged politely asked, finding lids and containers that match at 4 a.m. taxes his patience, and he ultimately gives in to convenience.
Yesterday it occurred to me that there’s another option: fabric! Today we have four prototype eco-friendly snack bags made from my scrap pile:
The bags have a square bottom so they will sit flat and stay open, and they’re (clearly) wider at the top (velcro closure still to come). I modified a lunch bag pattern at Skip to my Lou to make it work. Hubby’s concerned that the moisture in his lunch box will be a problem, so I’m going to try to treat them with flax oil to turn them into old fashioned oilcloth bags (I don’t want to use modern oilcloth for close contact with food, and I don’t think it would hold up as well).
November 18, 2008 at 6:01 pm · Filed under Writing
My friend Jody (and hey, now that I’ve actually met her, that doesn’t sound so weird!) is writing an article for a national magazine and is looking for anecdotes:
Has your kids’ dad done anything truly out of the ordinary to make himself a great dad? I’m looking for specific stories. For instance, one dad dug through a dumpster looking for presents that got accidentally thrown away. The stories can be sweet, heroic, or just funny. The catch is that I’m looking for stories that involve kids 6 or under. I’m trying to clear a little wiggle room with my editor so I can use stories about kids who are a little older. If you have a story you’d like to share, can you please email me at jodymace@live.com?
If I’m able to use your story, the article would be a really neat surprise gift for Father’s Day!
Thanks,
Jody Mace
November 17, 2008 at 3:18 pm · Filed under home education
This month, a good number of bloggers were asking folks to delurk, but my schedule kind of kept me from participating. But. I did want to give a shout out to some of the blogs I read, and thought you might, too. I have 50 or so blogs on my bloglines feed reader. There’s no way I can read through everything, every day. Sometimes I’ll read a blog twice a week, sometimes weekly.
There are a few, though, that I read faithfully, and if the author writes regularly, daily. As soon as I see a new post on bloglines, I click through. Here are the five blogs that I read every time they’re updated:
What five blogs do YOU read regularly?? If you participate, leave me a link to your post. Maybe I can bump my bloglines list up to 100…
November 17, 2008 at 8:18 am · Filed under Events
Debra over at SkilledHands has been working as a volunteer on a project called Cups of Kindness, an art show and sale to benefit her local food bank. NE Ohio has been particularly hard hit by the recent economic downturn. Haven’t we all, you ask? Sure. But I’d bet that most of us will still be doing some holiday shopping. Why not visit the Cups of Kindness website to see what they have. You might find just the thing for your hard-to-buy-for mother-in-law, and help the food bank at the same time. Items can be shipped, which will also save on your gas bill. Here’s what Debra has to say:
Over 50 artists are donating pieces of art for sale; all proceeds from the sale of the artwork will go to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. A professional photographer has donated his time and skills to photograph the art [for the website]. Pieces will be available for sale after our opening celebration, which is Dec 6. So people will be be able to purchase online on Dec 7, 2008.
Debra tells me that the food bank is able to provide 7 nutritious meals for each dollar that is donated. It’s certainly worth a look, don’t you think?
November 9, 2008 at 6:57 pm · Filed under My Musings
Civilian - the one I call Mom - on the phone: Yes, we just heard three gunshots down on the highway. My daughter saw a flash as a car turned the corner.
911 Operator: What kind of car?
Civilian: We couldn’t tell; we’re about 650 yards from the highway and it’s dark.
911 Operator: Well, you know, it’s not illegal to fire a gun in Sonoma County.
November 5, 2008 at 7:41 am · Filed under My Musings
And it’s recorded. The Newseum site features 700 front pages of newspapers from 66 different countries. Amazing, awe-inspiring, uplifting, historic. May the next four years be long enough for our new president to dig us out of the mess we’re in and make a positive change.
November 3, 2008 at 11:12 am · Filed under My Musings
Anyone else feel like their life is on hold until this election is over? I keep catching myself holding my breath as if I can control what happens between now and tomorrow.
I can say that this election has served as a great education for my kids. We’ve discussed equal rights, racism, honesty, taxes, electoral votes, optimism, the separation of church and state, the legislative process, Roe v. Wade….the list goes on. I’ve even had the chance to set the example of becoming involved in an election - something I’ve never felt compelled to do before. Not only have I made monetary contributions, but I spent part of yesterday phone banking for Barack Obama. I was nervous, but mostly, people were very nice. I think I will do more calling today.
Heartwarming moment: my kids arguing over who got to post the “No on 8” sign in our yard. I am raising tolerant kids! Yay!
Of note: Check out the roundup of Blog the Vote at Chasing Ray.
Random thought: I cannot believe that there are still people who are undecided! Are they just saying that, or are they truly undecided?
This is an historic election. Historic. Regardless of how you plan to vote, I implore you to get out and do so. It’s our duty to participate in this democracy. I mean really? Can you imagine NOT voting in this election and having to explain that to your grandchildren someday? Let your voice be heard.
