More Christmas 'Traveling'...

I love 'traveling' at Christmastime...usually from the comfort of my own home. Grin. We've 'visited' Ireland (and in books here), Morocco, Europe at large, Mexico, Sweden (and in books here), and Germany. (Check out my Christmas Around the World book selections here!)

This year our celebrations haven't (and won't) be as detailed or elaborate as last year (due to general life stuff and other activities), but we added a couple books and lands to the line-up.

The Legend of the Poinsettia was added to The Night of Las Posadas as we learned about Mexican Christmas celebrations.

We visited Japan through Tree of Cranes (and The Paper Crane) before trying our hand at folding paper cranes for decorating our Christmas tree and giving as gifts. This was one of my favorite activities this year! We cut white and red wrapping paper into 6"x6" squares and followed the directions at this wonderful Origami site.
The night before doing the paper crane activity with the boys, I cut up the paper squares (the inexpensive wrapping paper worked well, standard weight paper is harder to work with) and went through the instructions on my own. The first time I thought I would never get it, but the second try went much more smoothly, and by the third I could fold it quickly without the instructions.

I'm so glad I learned how to fold them before teaching the boys. I was able to help them (a lot) without getting frustrated myself. In fact, I've found it addicting and therapeutic. Looks like I may be taking up Origami folding as a hobby!

If we ever manage to get a Christmas tree, I will certainly show you how lovely they look on it! Next year, I hope to have (mostly) handmade tree decor: popcorn and cranberry garlands, pine cones spray painted silver, paper cranes, dried orange slices tied with ribbon, and such.

The Clouds His Chariot

Psalm 104

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

O LORD my God, you are very great;

you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He wraps himself in light as with a garment;

he stretches out the heavens like a tent

and lays the beams of his upper chambers

on their waters.

He makes the clouds his chariot

and rides on the wings of the wind.

He makes winds his messengers,

flames of fire his servants.

He set the earth on its foundations;

it can never be moved.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.
But at your rebuke the waters fled,

at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,

they went down into the valleys,

to the place you assigned for them.
You set a boundary they cannot cross;

never again will they cover the earth.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;

it flows between the mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds of the air nest by the waters;

they sing among the branches.
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;

the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

He makes grass grow for the cattle,

and plants for man to cultivate—

bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine,

and bread that sustains his heart.

The trees of the LORD are well watered,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
There the birds make their nests;

the stork has its home in the pine trees.
The high mountains belong to the wild goats;

the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

The moon marks off the seasons,

and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night,

and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
The lions roar for their prey

and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they steal away;

they return and lie down in their dens.
Then man goes out to his work,

to his labor until evening.

How many are your works, O LORD!

In wisdom you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,

teeming with creatures beyond number—

living things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro,

and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

These all look to you

to give them their food at the proper time.
When you give it to them,

they gather it up;

when you open your hand,

they are satisfied with good things.
When you hide your face,

they are terrified;

when you take away their breath,

they die and return to the dust.
When you send your Spirit,

they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;

may the LORD rejoice in his works-

he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,

who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the LORD all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,

as I rejoice in the LORD.

But may sinners vanish from the earth

and the wicked be no more.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Praise the LORD.

Three Things...

1.) Would any of you be so kind as to pray for my mother as she goes in for back surgery tomorrow? It would be really appreciated!

2.) I've exceeded my quota for storing images. I've purchased an upgrade, but it is somehow not registering and I can't upload photos! It is really frustrating. It has been almost 48 hours... How am I supposed to post without images?!

3.) I know that all of you need to spend much more time on the computer just like myself (ha!!), so here is a perfect wasting time activity: The Eyeballing Game. (Funny title for an interesting test.) What is your overall score?

Science, History, and Mathematics

I have an affection for books that are a mix of entertaining story, biography, history, science, and math. When done well, these books introduce children (and adults) to these subjects in an engaging way.

One of my first favorites in this category is The Librarian Who Measured the Earth. I had no idea that so much information could be presented in a fascinating picture book. With rich, attractive illustrations, this book tells the life story of Eratosthenes, famous scientist and philosopher, in ancient Greece.

A slightly more simple picture book What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? teaches the Pythagorean Theorem from the view of Pythagoras as a young boy (also in ancient Greece).

Archimedes and the Door of Science admittedly didn't look like much from the cover, but I was more than pleasantly surprised by the story. Short chapters, many simple but amusing illustrations and diagrams, and complex concepts presented as uncomplicated as possible make this book a real winner. Some of the mathematical information (okay, a lot of it) went over Levi's head (and mine, for that matter), but we read and enjoyed every page.

The Story of Science series is a fabulous resource for integrating science, history, and math in middle and high school grades, or for an overview as an adult. From the inside cover:

"A science book unlike any other, Aristotle Leads the Way pairs a gripping narrative style with quirky sidebars; hundreds of charts, maps, and diagrams; experiments to do at home; suggestions for further reading; and excerpts from the writings of great scientists."

Now that's the way I like to learn science!

I am part way through A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, and I am still floored by the talent the author displays for making an overwhelming amount of knowledge accessible and humorous. Science was never a favorite subject of mine, but I am truly absorbed by the story Bill Bryson weaves in this incredible book. (Even if you are coming from a Christian and/or Young-Earth perspective, which Bryson does not appear to be, it is still informative to hear of the history and scientific reasoning behind other theories of the Earth's origins and purpose.)

Welcoming to the World

A beautiful tea party for a beautiful new mother,

welcoming her baby boy.

The moment a child is born,

the mother is also born.

She never existed before.

The woman existed,

but the mother, never.

A mother is something

absolutely new.

~Rajneesh

Jameson Ramsay

I had the distinct pleasure of photographing one of the most beautiful baby boys that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, the light did not cooperate (there was none), and I am not as talented a photographer as I would like to be.

The following photograph was my favorite of the set (and one of the very few that turned out decently), so I decided to play around with it. Oh, how I love photoshop actions (Pioneer Woman and Totally Rad Actions, specifically).

In the Real World

Just in case a few of you secretly thought that I didn't live in the real world and pondered over the fact that I had breakable decorations and three crazy little boys....


See the pedestal bowl above? Yes, that most excellent decorating essential. Do you remember the rule of three? Yes, I originally had three beautiful ornaments in that pedestal bowl. And apples are particularly festive with bites taken out of them. Absolutely. Thank you, Luke and Leif, respectively.


How about the table this arrangement sat upon? It seems to be on its last leg. Okay, on its last three legs, but for some reason it won't stay upright with only three legs. I've added item #263 to Russ's to-do list. Until then, we'll eat on the floor. Whom shall I blame for that one? (Hanging head in shame.) What kind of mother lets her boys do this? Apparently tables don't stand up (ha!) to that kind of abuse.

Do you see the beautiful silver bird below? It is now a very lonely bird, having very recently watched its mate fall to its demise. (Again, hanging head in shame.) What kind of mother lets her boys play with their new stomp rocket in doors?

So, for those wondering, yes, I do live in the real world. I wouldn't have it any other way. Things are just things. My little people are beyond priceless.

A Magic Wand

Christmas waves a

magic wand over this world,

and behold,

everything is softer

and more beautiful.

~Norman Vincent Peale

Marzipan (And St. Nicholas, Too)

Auntie Char, my best friend (of twenty years!!), and her children, McKinnon and Monet, joined us once again for our fourth annual celebration of St. Nicholas Feast Day. We again made Bishops' hats mini pizzas, drank hot cider, found gold coins in our shoes, and talked about the real St. Nicholas, but the kids' favorite tradition is making marzipan fruits and veggies.

Our artistic expectations have drastically changed over the last couple years. Now, we just let the kids 'have at it' and make their own creations. Leif joined us for the first time and had no trouble getting into the spirit of things.

Aunt Lori (Char's sister) was able to join us for the festivities this year, along with her adorable baby boy (you'll be seeing pictures of him in a few days...).

Auntie Char wins mega 'awesome auntie' points for taking Levi (and McKinnon) to the children's museum for an Ancient Civilizations workshop later in the afternoon where they learned about Ancient Greece, Rome, and China, and made ice cream, a lyre, and paper. Talk about excellent timing! Not only did she take Levi off my hands, but she also took Luke (and Monet) for free play time at the museum. Yep. Awesome Auntie!

Joy in the Unexpected

Levi and Luke were outside enjoying the cold, beautiful, sunny day.


Levi comes to the front door and yells for me. I rush to find out who is hurt. Levi looks up at me with pure delight on his face. He holds his hands up so that I can see his treasure.


A fistful of grubby carrots discovered in our little veggie garden, they survived the past months of cold and rain. Carrots in December. Levi says, 'They're stranglers." He so rarely misuses words. I have to laugh at his stragglers. Actually, they do look a little strangled.


Luke and Levi follow me into the house to watch me clean them up. Levi asks to pick one from 'the crop.' Both boys eat the fresh carrots for a pre-lunch snack with smiles on their faces.

Truly, it is the little things that bring joy to life,

especially the unexpected little things.

On the Armoir

Give-Away at Simple Mom

You Are My Sushine Necklace

by Vintage Pearl

Simple Mom is one of my favorite sites. She always has excellent ideas for simplifying life, productivity in the home, getting finances in shape, enjoying the beauty in the every day, and so much more.

Simple Mom currently has a give-away. A really great one. Gorgeous family-inspired jewelry. And I want me some. Grin. Go check it out!

A Beginning

I had a chance to dig in to my Christmas decorating on Saturday. There are a few odds and ends that need to be finished up by Thursday, but I thought maybe you would enjoy a little peek at the top of my piano. More pictures later this week...

Christmas at the Irish Pub

I am very sorry I mislead a few of you into thinking we lucky people were headed to Ireland. In reality we were 'headed' to...our first Christmas party of the season. My sister, Shannon, and her husband, Ben, chose an Irish theme for their annual Christmas party. (Last year we 'visited' Morocco.) (I do wish we were truly on our way to Ireland, but the party was a blast!)

Many of the guests arrived in green, and Shannon had appropriately dyed her hair red. Shan and Ben again removed all the furniture in their living/dining room to allow space for a sit-down dinner for twenty-three.

On the Menu:

Ale (Ginger)

Beer (Root)

Irish Cream (Soda)

Cheese and Crackers

Dublin Hash

Twice Baked Potatoes

Guinness Beef with Veggies

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Cream Bundt Cake

Coffee (with Irish Cream)

Shannon had thoughtfully draped two of the tables with brown craft paper and provided an assortment of green crayons. These, along with the Irish Blessings and comical Irish sayings provided much entertainment.

For the guests who hadn't gotten the doodling out of their system, we topped the evening off with a rousing game of Pictionary (on two large dry-erase boards). Do I have the most awesome family (and friends), or what?!