The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb

The seasoned historian and the newcomer to American history are bound to find this book both interesting and useful. The American Patriot's Almanac has a unique layout. Each day of the year, except February 29, is chronicled by a historical event. These entries are brief, seldom more than a few paragraphs. Then a timeline with 4-7 bullet points follows with just a sentence on more events that occurred on the same day. The format reminds me of a “history lesson a day” calendar, only more thorough and interesting.

The author reveals details uncommon to popular knowledge like the words President Lincoln spoke before signing the Emancipation Proclamation, the connection between Candlemas Day and Groundhog Day, or the original honor of the Purple Heart medal. In addition, each month is separated with more lengthy historical information that is not tied to a specific date, such as flag etiquette, poems, the lyrics to patriotic songs, and the Constitution of the United States.

The writing is clear and to the point. The historical topics are more than just battles and presidents. Indeed music, population censuses, and inventions are included. Females and minorities are not left out of America’s history in this book either. Occasionally, an entry includes a sketch or picture.

http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1595552677

Hot Dogs Made Easy

The other day while shopping in the grocery store my husband and I stumbled upon the epitome of meal laziness. Now, keep in mind that we can be pressed for time just as much as the next family. We have Morning Star Grillers at the ready and have been known to rely a little too much on nachos as a dinner option. However, Oscar Mayer Fast Franks go one step further by eliminating one of the overwhelming two steps involved in making a hot dog. These hot dogs come packaged individually nestled in their own bun. That's right, you can now save yourself 20 seconds of time by eliminating that pesky task of opening a package of hot dog buns. Whew! A time saver indeed.

On a serious note, this highlights a concept that I was reading about regarding the food industry's ability to make profits. The main point was that food companies make more money by providing a service than by actually selling foods. For example, cut lettuce or onions cost more than a head of lettuce or an individual onion. Likewise, when you buy Fast Franks, you are not just paying for a hot dog and bun, you are also paying for the service of having the hot dog already placed inside the bun. I'm impressed that Oscar Mayer could actually come up with a way to insert service into a meal that requires such little effort and, thus, has little room for service. Perhaps next they will be offering us individually wrapped slices of toast.

Review: My Little Girl by Tim McGraw and Tom Douglas

In this story. a father and daughter enjoy activities together which are refreshing for two reasons. First, they are not stereotypical “little girl” activities, like tea parties or playing with dolls. Instead the pair head off to see animals at the local co-op, play on a swing, watch clouds, and more. The activities could easily have been a part of a book entitled “My Little Boy.” Secondly, the activities are not based on expensive outings. Instead, the premise is to just spend time together. The daughter says it best when she tells her father that her favorite part of the day was, “Being with you!” While the storyline is choppy in places, the message is clear. The story would be excellent for bedtime as it ends with a bedtime routine: brushing teeth, story, prayers, and goodnight kiss.

The illustrations resemble water-color art and proponents of marriage will be pleased to see that the father wears a wedding ring in several pictures. The book also has a spot on the last page for a father to write down a special shared moment with his daughter. Having that special moment in writing will likely be a treasure to the daughter when she is no longer a little girl.

Publisher's Link:
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/custom/top20/My_Little_Girl_Tim_McGraw_Tom_Douglas.asp

Smiley

When we discovered I was pregnant for the first time, we nicknamed our growing baby Roswell. Later, of course, we named him Charlie. When we found out I was pregnant again we felt it only fair that the new baby would have a fun nickname, too. We chose Smiley. Perhaps it was because I liked to think of our baby being happy as he/she grew and hoped that upon being born, he/she would smile as much as baby Charlie does. Or, maybe Smiley felt right because of the smiles this new pregnancy brought to our faces. In any case, the name stuck.

We buried the remains of Smiley today. We decided upon a spot beneath a birch tree. I've always liked birth trees in part because they are unique with their white bark and in part because of Robert Frost's poem, Birches. I read this poem before we placed our Smiley into the ground and marked the spot with a large white quartz rock.

While I had no say in the loss of this pregnancy, I feel fortunate to have had a say in how we handled our lost baby's remains. I know many people who suffer miscarriages have procedures in hospitals where they never see the remains of their developing baby. Many times the embryo and surrounding tissue is compiled with other medical waste and incinerated. Something doesn't feel quite right about that to me. Of course, nothing seems quite right about a miscarriage. But, I like that we could decide to place Smiley under the birch and say a few words that give us comfort as well as closure.

Review: The Moon Shines Down by Margaret Wise Brown

The Moon Shines Down explores countries and regions around the world as well as the oceans that connect them all. Holland, Switzerland, Mexico, and Australia are just a few of the many countries included in the rhyming verse. A koala bear guide and the moon are the common threads in the large brightly-colored illustrations that complement the verse. The pictures contain popular cultural elements of each country or region. For example, the stanzas covering France are illustrated with the Eiffel Tower, vineyards, and an artist.

While the book unifies many countries of the world with the theme that they are all under the same celestial body, less westernized cultures receive less attention. Although not mentioned by name, the United States of America is alluded to with a focus on Christmas. While the rhyme is nice with a valuable message, the focus on the religious holiday seems out of place with the rest of the book.

In general, the book is educational, artfully illustrated, and carries a positive message of unity. Children will love the rhythm of the poem and the familiar refrain of, “I see the Moon and the Moon sees me. God bless the Moon and God bless me.”

Link to The Moon Shines Down: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=140031299X

Snow Day

Call me crazy, but I love snow! The three inches we received yesterday was a welcomed surprise. There are two main things that I like about snow: 1) The world seems a little brighter, literally and 2) the world gets a little more quiet. This morning I woke up to the the snow reflecting sunshine into my bed; it was beckoning me to get up and come outside. That is precisly what I did! Though it was after getting Charlie fed and changed, eating breakfast, dropping off big Charlie at work, finding my my snow pants, and bundling up Charlie in mobility-limiting snowsuit. Yes, then we hit the quiet street of Schuylkill Haven! It is a wonder that the snow was still there and hadn't melted.

I must say that I am impressed that a few of the usual park walkers were there at the park, commited to their health or perhaps, like me, just answering the call of the bright snow. So, there we were, Charlie and I, experienceing the snow together. I made him a snowball and in exchange he proudly handed me a few flakes in an attempt to give me what I imagine he thought was a snowball. His little feet, shuffling along as best as they could in his restrainment-suit, created tracks like cross-country skis. His little nose and cheeks were pink with cold, but he was too busy brushing snow from the picnic bench and watching it glitter as it settled to care. When it was time to go in, as indicated by wet gloves and a cold mommy, he, of course, did not want to leave.

Charlie's Extensive Vocabulary

Charlie has added three new words to his vocabulary in just 2 short days. Thus, bringing the total number of words he knows to... eight. If you ask me, he learned the most important word just yesterday: mama. If you ask his father, he will likely say that Charlie learned the most important word last week: dada. I suppose if we were to ask Charlie, he would say he learned the most important word several months ago: cracker.

I digress. Yesterday, he caught on to moo and baa. Well, when you ask him what a cow says, he will reply "mmmmm." But, I think that is close enough. As a recap, he also knows duck and quack. You can imagine the conversations we have!

Getting settled

Moving to a small town has its advantages but it requires a shift in pace. Life moves a little slower in a town of 5000, certainly slower than Houston. For example, the old-fashioned use of cash makes me pause to count and perhaps engage in a little conversation with the cashier at Bill's Market. Then there is that ever so slow form of transportation called walking. When a shop is less than 3/4 miles from my house I find it difficult to justify loading the baby into the car seat, finding my keys, and driving for 2 min. Instead, it is just less hastle to walk. Besides, everyone is doing it.

The main thing that requires patience in our new town is shopping. We do not have a Starbucks on every corner, in fact there is not a Starbucks for 30 miles. There is no craft store, Old Navy, Macy's, Nieman Marcus, or any other national chain store in Schuylkill Haven. If I want something a specific or out of the ordinary then it probably involves online shopping or at least a long ride down to Reading. Even there, there isn't too much.

In many ways this pace brings some charm with it. The extra chats, stopping to smell the flowers on a walk, and the added excitement of a special trip to the city have an aura that couldn't be found in Houston, a city that supposedly had everything.