I'll just sit here

and look precious!

Wordless Wednesday

I can't help it.  Clare loves holding Maria, and I love taking pictures of the 2 beauties together.

Gregory's Moment

 Gregory got a moment with Maria

He also tried to get a moment with Thomas's Christmas tree.

It's not happening.  Thomas isn't sharing today!

Thomas and the Christmas Tree - 2011

Last year Thomas had some love for our plush Christmas tree in this post. This year he's still attracted to it.

"Hmm, I wonder if my Christmas tree is still huggable?"

"Let's try it out!"

"It is!  O how I've missed hugging this tree."

"Let's hug it again...

 ....and again"

 "Would anyone else like to hug my tree?"



Book #1 - Destiny of the Republic

I know it's not 2012 yet, but  I decided to start on my reading list now, especially since these 52 books aren't exactly thin.

I wasn't sure where to start, but the library's ebook selection solved that for me. This book was available immediately and I didn't have to drive to the library to get it.  I love that our library has kindle books that you can check out.   Getting a good book to read is easy when you don't want to take all the kids to the library.

 Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President

This is basically a biography of James. A Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, and focuses mainly on his presidency, shooting and how he died.

I found this book captivating.  I know nothing about most of our presidents, or politics throughout our country's past.  Having followed our current republican primary debates, gearing up for our next election, the coverage of the 1880 election's republican campaigning and convention was very interesting.  The author presents the history in an easy to read fashion, which makes it come alive and isn't at all dry or boring.  Garfield was an amazing man who didn't personally desire the presidency.  He had come to the Republican Convention to campaign for someone else, and instead found himself nominated, chosen, and then elected.

Without too much fuss, the writer explains the political situation at the time, the continuing tensions between the North and South, and within the Republican party, as well as the difficulties presented by the "Spoils system."   At that time many appointments in the government were based on personal relationships solely, merit didn't have much weight.  All of these things would affect the President and even bring Charles Guiteau, his shooter, into contact with the main political players of the time.

Amazingly, the author ties in the medical practices of the time, and the inventions of Alexander Graham Bell seamlessly.  Putting them together made the context fuller, helped me to imagine what Washington was like in the homes, hospitals, universities, and government.  I found it especially interesting to know how much Washington has changed since then.  It's hard to believe that in 1880 the Washington Monument wasn't finished and the White House was rat infested and in serious disrepair.

The book brought to life the personal realtionships of the President.  One of my favorite characters was Lucretia, Garfield's wife.  She seemed so steadfast.  One could almost feel the affection between the President and his wife. as well as the love they had for their children. 

Overall, the book makes one feel very blessed to live when we do, having medical advances (like washing hands) which save so many lives.  What a tragedy when a man's death could have been avoided with something so simple! 

I think this is one of the most enjoyable historical non-fiction books I have ever read and highly recommend it.  I really wish I had had more books like this to read for my history classes.



For more information one can click on the Amazon link above, or the Wikipedia article below

Art Credit:  Wikepedia.

Princess Power!

That is what Thomas shouted as he brought this princess toy over to show me.

 He then continued to play with her for the next 20 minutes or so, much to my amusement.

Quick Takes - Lots of Baby Pictures Edition

1)One of my favorite bloggers has started blogging again. She used to blog at Muddy Bathwater and since has moved and is now blogging at Cold Anchor Farm.

I love her writing style, the warmth in her posts, and feeling like you've been invited into share a cup of tea and chat. Go check out Anchor Mama if you get a chance.

2) Nothing like getting home and relaxing on the couch.

3)I want to know why...Why does Thomas act like a boa constrictor when Gregory is sick and has a fever.  As in, why does he have to basically sit in Gregory's lap, and touch as much of his body as possible.

It must be because he's cold and Gregory's so toasty warm.

4)Maria's one month!

5)Our homemade train track.  Nothing like an old moving box and some aluminum tape and various other toys to make our own island of Sodor.

We also have a geotrax train set which gets regular use.

6)Each of our babies have preferred either the swing or a bouncer.  Well, not really Clare, she wanted to be held.  Gregory loved the bouncer, Thomas loved the swing.

Maria is a bouncer girl.

7)Another gratuitous picture of Maria!  This one with Clare.

Have a great weekend!

John, the baby, and the sling

It's a family tradition.

To his credit, the sling was a gift.  John doesn't generally tend to wear those colors, especially not in public.

He's got a black sling for that.

Contentment for Clare

...at least until Maria starts fussing.

Bibliophilism

On Sunday The Washington Post put out their list of the best books of 2011.

There were the top 10- 5 fiction and 5 nonfiction
There were also the 50 notable works of nonfiction and 50 notable works of fiction.

Skimming the lists I was hooked. I probably read to the point that I ignore my children, and will read just about anything. I consider myself almost a goat when I'm at the library...if something looks good, I'll give it a chance, and usually end up devouring it.

So one of my goals for 2012 is to read 52 books from these lists. That's one a week - which I hope will be doable. I'm looking forward to delving into some nonfiction, and learning about things in the real world. Generally, I stick to fiction. I'm also looking forward to discovering new authors.

I plan to post on each book read, but we'll see if that's realistic. My posts have become more of a photo journal of our lives which is fine, but I'd like to add something more to my blog.

Of course, after I looked at the lists I tried to pull up the library's catalogue to begin reserving books. The site down today until at least 1....and it's pure torture for me.

Resigned

Maria's resigned to looking like a cute little pink bear, until she outgrows this suit.  But it doesn't mean that she's thrilled about it.

We'll have to find one for her to wear as a teenager. ;)

Cookie Day

One of our favorite days of the year is heading over to my friend Stephanie's parents' house for cookie day.

The kids love decorating cookies

And eating them

 They also have an assortment of toys that the kids (big and little) love.  

Marble towers

Christmas villages and trains

Here's Stephanie's dad getting his baby fix.

 My nativity cookie

Stephanie's mom decorating some beautiful cookies.

 Working in the kitchen

Even Stephanie sat down and decorated some cookies

Clare loves helping to decorate their house for Christmas.

Practicing for Christmas

I need to get a picture for our Christmas cards.

This was a good spontaneous effort, but I'm think it might be almost impossible to get all the kids smiling in the same direction at the same time.

Still they're all pretty cute to me. ;)

Watch Out!

You've heard of the green berets, but are you ready for a little pink beret?

5!

Happy Birthday to our Gregory!  5 seems so big!

 Cupcakes for his school tomorrow

 Enjoying our cake

 And someone slept through the whole celebration!

Turkey Cookies

All of our children (yes even little Maria) ended up with colds on Thanksgiving day, and we decided to stay home, rather than share our germs with family.

It turned out to be a very peaceful day.  We even had a turkey dinner, thanks to John braving the grocery store crowds Wednesday night.

To entertain the older children, we made turkey cookies

Here is my template:

 Here are their creations.  I'm not sure these are all turkeys.

The one in the middle looks more like a reindeer.

They got odder and odder as the children were left to their own devices.

 And then there are Thomas' modern art turkeys.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From the most rambunctious Indian

 to the smallest Pilgrim

we wish you a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!