Thursday, December 29, 2011

Long time, no see

Poor Charlie.  
With Baby Chuck's arrival, he hasn't been starred in many posts.  
Here's a photo of him in his Christmas best: 

Can you believe he's 13 years old? He still looks like a puppy to me.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Yes Virginia letter

I recently got the chance to read that famous Christmas letter and response.  I enjoyed reading it so much that I posted it down below (with my favorite bits highlighted in green.)  Virginia's letter is just so sweet and the editor's response is so eloquent and touching.  Does anyone write like this anymore?


Virginia's letter:
DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in THE SUN it's so." Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.


Editor's response:
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.





Tuesday, December 27, 2011

When sharks attack

babies get eaten.

To see this hand knitted outfit and others, click here

Monday, December 26, 2011

Oh happy days

Here's hoping that Baby Chuck is finally emerging from his fussy period....

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Dear Santa

Our town published some children's letters to Santa in the local newspaper.  Here are two that I found particularly humorous:

Dear Santa,
Thank you for coming to my house last year and thank you for the presents.  I am glad that you did.  I hope you and the reindeer liked the cookies and the carrots.  This year I decided to make you a present.  I will leave a box on the top of the roof.  It will be waiting for you on the top of the roof.  It might look like something that you can eat, but it is not.  Travel safe!  
Your friend, Gavin S.  Age: 7


Dear Santa,
Can I have John Deere tractors?  And a John Deere Gator?  I love John Deere.  My daddy is a farmer.  He has tractors.  And spreads poop on fields.  Did you know I'm going to be a farmer?  I want a Happy Napper like my Sissy, Isabelle.  I love to eat her Chapstick. 
Bryce Mason S.  Age:  3

Friday, December 23, 2011

Windy City

This past weekend we visited Chicago.

We had to bundle up because it was very cold.

But, we braved the weather and saw lots of things.

Nanna also brought me a new friend. 

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas guests

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the lack of posts.  We're currently entertaining some guests from Down Under.  I'll remind mom to post as soon as she can.

Love,
Baby Chuck

Monday, December 19, 2011

Your love keeps them warm

When Baby Chuck was born, the nurses put a blue and white knitted hat on him.  (Seen here.)  Every baby born at our hospital receives one of these hand knit lovelies.  They're all donated by a group of kind and talented elderly ladies. 

Last week we visited a craft fair and found ourselves drawn to a display of colorful knitted hats.  The elderly lady behind the display was particularly keen to talk to us when she saw Baby Chuck snoozing in his carrier.  After a couple minutes of chatting, we found out that she was one of the ladies who knitted the hats!  I was so pleased to meet her that I asked for her photograph. 



I love that blue and white hat.  I love that these women cared enough to make and donate hats.  And I'm so happy that we got a chance to meet her and say "thank you."

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Tummy Times Comic- 5

(Click on image to enlarge)


To see previous comics, click here

Friday, December 16, 2011

My preeeeecious...

How funny is this t-shirt?

Don't you just love it when you find that lone onion ring amongst your french fries?

You can find this shirt here

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Disappearing chocolate

What can I say?  We received this little guy as a gift and kept eying it all week.  Yesterday night we finally gave in.  At first it was just one bite, then another, then another, and then... poof, he was all gone.  Yum.  Who can resist a Chocolate mousse moose?

Photobucket

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Oh zzzzzs, where art thou?

Lately Baby Chuck's been pretty fussy and not sleeping well.  The poor dear is suffering from some serious skin problems and allergic reactions.  So when he finally does sleep, I do a silent dance in my head.

Sleep, glorious sleep!

Can you spot sneaky Charlie in the background?

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Gingerbread community

This weekend a bunch of gals and I created a gingerbread neighborhood:  


We built a hotel,

a church,

a door-less cottage, (*Note how the naughty neighborhood kids pushed over the snowman)

and a ski lodge.
Would you want to live here? 
Perhaps they would.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Surprise ties

This weekend hubby received a surprise gift from a friend:

Don't you just want to run your hands through these beauties?

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Tummy Times Comic- 4

(Click on image to make it larger.)


To see previous comics, click here

Friday, December 9, 2011

Sunny days and pop of color

Even though it's well and truly winter, the weather is still relatively mild and sunny.  Hooray!  We're going to drink in as much sunshine as we can.

**Update:  Can you believe it just snowed this morning?
 
Sunny days celebrated with sunny clothes

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Calling all shoe people

 Kobi Levi's shoes make my Target Converses turn green with envy. 

Coffee, anyone?

Be careful not to slip on that banana peel!

Ma'am, please take off your weapons.  No boarding the plane with these babies. 

Wheeeeeee!  Wear these and you'll be the sexiest mama at the playground.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Four boys, four times the cuteness

I typically try to post one entry a day.  But I just couldn't wait to post this entry. 

Sadly, Baby Chuck won't be able to meet the other boys in our family this Christmas.  However, I'm hopeful that one day, all four little guys will meet and play together. 


Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Let's catch up


Monday, December 5, 2011

Here's looking at you, kid

What would you do with a bunch of Styrofoam eyeballs?
Let's see what German artist Timm Schneider did. 





Seeing faces on inanimate objects always cracks me up (as evidenced by this post, this post, this post, and this post.)


First seen on Foodiggity
To see these photos (and more) visit Timm Schneider's website

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Tummy Times Comic- 3

 (Just click on the image to enlarge it.)


To see previous comic strips, click here

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Healing math

I was having a rough day yesterday and feeling quite glum. Thankfully, a friend called and cheered me up with some kind words and a math question. (She's studying to be a teacher.) I'm not sure why, but working on her math question cheered me right up.

Here's the question:

We know that
A pair of suspenders and a pair of socks cost 18 dollars.
A tie and a pair of socks cost 22 dollars.
A tie and a pair of cufflinks cost 25 dollars.
A shirt and a belt cost 37 dollars.
A pair of cufflinks and a shirt cost 33 dollars.
A belt and a pair of socks cost 17 dollars.

Given all this, how much does each item (pair of suspenders, pair of socks, shirt, tie, pair of cufflinks, and belt) cost?

Have fun!