Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is my little Indian boy at his Kindergarten's Thanksgiving party last week. He's about to say grace for the yummy snacks. :)

One of his recent class assignments was to decorate an "Albuquerque" turkey. The kids were given a paper turkey which they needed to disguise (in any way they choose) so it wouldn't be eaten for Thanksgiving. My son loves mice, so his, of course, is a mouse! :) I have to admit that I helped in the making of this project.

A lot. :)Here are some done by his classmates.I think it was a fantastic project for Kindergarteners and even older kids would enjoy it. My 2nd grader enjoyed seeing all the turkeys up on the wall near his classroom.

I found this cute pilgrim couple at a local craft fair. I love handmade decorations!
We are very thankful to have friends who invited us to join them for Thanksgiving. We don't have any family close by and the price of travelling to visit my parents is pretty high due to the rising costs of the ferries (my parents live on an island).

Today, I'm thankful for many other things. Here's a short, very random list:
1. My husband has a job that he enjoys and he is compensated fairly.
2. My children are doing well in school (we just had report cards and parent teacher interviews).
3. I am healthy and happy.
4. We didn't lose power in the recent snowstorm.
5. There are so many interesting and inspiring blogs to read out there. Check out my sidebars!Pin It

I want to win a Silhouette!

You know those nifty die cut machines that cut stuff out of paper for you? The Silhouette Craft Cutter is the ultimate because you don't need to spend big bucks on cartridges. You just need fonts! There are so many cool project using this machine, including home decor, scrapbooking, card making, etc.

Thrifty Decor Chick is giving one away - click here for the details. Pick me, pick me! :)Pin It

Keep your hands away from my children!

photo credit: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

I'm on the "no fly" list. I put myself on it today. I'm not going to be flying anywhere until the TSA's (Transportation Security Administration) policies change. I was planning on visiting some family friends during Spring Break but no more. I'm not going to subject my children to s#xual assault. Yes, I know those are strong words. Supposedly travelers have a choice - go through the Advanced Imaging Technology machines (which emit high levels of radiation and the naked images amount to child p*rnography), get "patted down" or, if you refuse the enhanced pat down, get escorted out of the airport and risk fines, arrest, etc. I have a hard time believing this is happening in the freedom-loving USA.

Read the story of a mommy blogger who traveled through the Tulsa airport on November 12th and was touched without warning or explanation and is now charging the TSA agent with s*xual assault.

Did you hear about the three year old girl who was terrorized and screamed "don't touch me" as the TSA agent groped her and her mother restrained her? How is that protecting our children? What message does that sent to a child? Will she trust her mother 100% after that?

Whenever my boys' pediatrician examines either boy's private area, he gives the same talk,"This is your private area. The only people who can touch you here are your mom or your dad or your doctor and its only OK for me to touch you because your mom is here." My job as a mother is (among other things) to protect the innocence of my children. I'm not letting any stranger see naked photos of my children OR touch their genitals. I also don't want my children to see me get groped by a stranger. It doesn't matter if they are wearing a TSA badge.

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty
to purchase a little Temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
- Benjamin Franklin

Pin It

A day to remember and be thankful

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran's Day in the US.

In Canada (and the UK) we wear red poppies on our lapels to honour those who fought to give us freedom. Why a poppy? Well, they grow in Flanders (southern Belgium and north-west France) the site of WWI battles and burials. The poem "In Flanders Field" is recited today all across Canada at Remembrance Day ceremonies. It was written by a Canadian doctor.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

...Lt. Col. John Macrae

Why is Remembrance Day on November 11th? The armistice (end of fighting) agreement between Germany and the Allies took effect at the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. A moment of silence is observed at 11 am. I wonder if I could get my kids to agree to that this morning? (They have the day off from school.)

Canada's national newspaper has a sobering graphic on the front page today. Each dot represents one of the 107,156 Canadians killed in both World Wars, the Korean War, peacekeeping operations, and the conflict in Afghanistan. Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/11/11/we-remember/#ixzz14zsjDozq

Who knew reading my blog could be educational? :)Pin It

Reading, listening to ....

Do you ever finish a book and feel a little sad that it is over? I did when I finished Katherine by Anya Seton. It is historical fiction and a romance but don't let that scare you. It is set in 14th Century England and even includes Wycliffe and Geoffrey Chaucer, who were contemporaries of the Duke of Lancaster and Katherine Swynford - the main characters. It is *very* well written and not trashy like Philippa Gregory's stuff* (she only wrote the introduction to the book. It's a bit confusing on the Amazon page.) I'm waiting to get more of Seyton's books from the library. I'm not watching much TV these days so I need exciting books to read. :)

My boys are hooked on Adventures in Odyssey. We've been borrowing the CDs from the library and they are listening to them ALL THE TIME! I recommend them for children ages 7 and up (even though my youngest is 5.) The topics are a bit mature (such as drug use) even though there is a clear moral lesson in each episode. I think it's great that my boys listen to these CDs more than anything else.

Here is some music that I've been enjoying.

First, The Lower Lights - hymn revival band.

Listen to more of their music here. Does anyone remember the song Sunshine in my Soul? That's a fond memory from my Baptist background.

A new song from Brooke Fraser that is soooo cheery!
What have you been reading? Listening to?

*I don't recommend any Phillipa Gregory books. They are gratuitous and don't leave anything to the imagination.Pin It

Happy Trick or Treaters

My oldest son (on the left) was a "road trip." He had matchbox cars stuck all over him. I found the idea on the Family Fun website. It claims to be a last minute costume but it wasn't. I was sewing on velcro right up until last night. My youngest was an astronaut. We went trick or treating with friends in a nearby neighbourhood.

Here's my costume
In case it isn't clear, I'm supposed to be Heidi from Switzerland. :) I put it together using Value Village (for the black top and skirt), an antique store (for the apron) and WalMart (for the wig.) Very frugal!

I guess all that outdoor activity was too much for my little astronaut. He's home sick today. :(Pin It