St. James Kindergarten

There’s just nothing cuter than the pure & honest answers that come straight from the mouths of children.

Here are a few answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me.  He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men’s bones.  Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We’re related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background.  Like is he a crook?  Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year?  Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world.  And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.

Who’s the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof ball..
2. Mom..  You can tell by room inspection.  She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What’s the difference between moms and dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power ’cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don’t do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long..

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside she’s already perfect.  Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet.  You know, her hair.  I’d diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean.  I’d get rid of that.
2. I’d make my mom smarter.  Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

These 5000+ wreaths are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He’s done this since 1992. A wonderful guy.

Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

We constantly hear about all of the bad in the world (I suppose bad news in the media get’s higher ratings), but I think it’s far past time that we hear of the good nature of the human heart.

Arlington Cemetery

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell…

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.  What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.  It has two levels of meaning:

The surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

	The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
	Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
	Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
	The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
	The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
	The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
	Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit   Prophesy Serving Teaching Exhortation Contribution Leadership Mercy
	The eight maids a milking were the eight beatitudes.
	Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit   Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self Control.
	The ten lords a leaping were the ten commandments.
	The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
	The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.

The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the ‘Pathway of Peace’ represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world’s largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy’s Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the ‘tree’ is a modern marvel for an ancient city.

A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo’s nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague’s Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

Venice’s Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost’s arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal. Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

‘Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree’: Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany’s Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Check out the Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic in their grandeur. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it’s no surprise this show-stopping department store draws
more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

In addition to the Vatican’s heavenly evergreen, St. Peter’s Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid’s two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world’s biggest lottery.

A token of gratitude for Britain’s aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London’s Trafalgar Square has been
the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

Starting with Bunn coffee does not ensure perfect java but it is a smart decision. Brewing a respectable container of joe is pretty easy. Making superb coffee isn’t. Frequently, going into a brand-name coffee stand stimulates eagerness in being gifted enough to remake your drink selection anywhere. A lot of these emporiums set up opportunities to test their concoctions. They could put forward samples of individual recipes. Capitalize on this to learn what types of blends you may possibly love. Some customers appreciate the darker flavors. Many see them as sour and prefer a mellower flavor. Many like a more restrained roast. Each category of brand has its own distinct taste. So it really does help you to savor as many styles as you may. Experiment with combining your own drinks. Lots of the stores vend coffee dicers and trial-sized packs of coffee beans. You can crush as few or as much as you could desire. By testing store several sorts, you can begin your java obsession just as countless groups have. Just look at a joe savoring to realize just how powerful brewers get about their own exclusive concoctions. With the slurping know-how of a wine enthusiast, they immerse clean spoons in minute mugs of perfectly made coffee. They spin the brew in their mouths akin to thestandard wine taster. They spew. Down fresh, filtered water. Gobble an unsalted cracker or some other tidbit to clear out the palette. Craft a introspective face. Then, twist the table to the trailing. While you don’t have to go through so much of that to stumble on the coffee you like, it’s still wonderful to be exceedingly familiar with the diverse coffees presented. Many internet sites present perceptions of the coffee klatch and one of my choices is the Bunnomatic website. Bunn creates Bunn coffee makers and Bunn coffee developed some useful suggestions on its web pages.

As well as its product line of Bunn coffee makers and extras, Bunn also proffers some good dos and don’ts for preparinga acceptable mug of joe. They also discuss dark roast coffeeand proffer unforeseen truths about it. They have insider looks at java addict and the coffee trade. There are a lot of techniques to becoming more Earth-responsible with your cup of coffee. An item about the milk use argument divulges discernments of one joe fanatic’s affection for cream. Others offer sensible hints on washing out your coffee maker or coffee grinder and measuring that special cup of joe. There is even sustenance data on a cup of joe. But, my most enjoyed piece lists simple utilizations for the coffee sieve. You will be shocked. So if you make your mind up to become more well-versed about the joe you lap up or desire to compose your personal gourmet java, figures is as close by as the internet or your home beverage house. Stop by and see why coffee is among one of the world’s preferred drinks and worth the endeavor to of concocting your own brews.

There are more special needs children out there than people probably realize, and if you’re the parent of a special needs child, you want that child to get the best education possible. Depending on what area of the country you live in, public schooling may not provide that.

If it doesn’t, you can consider putting your special needs child into a school with a Christian education curriculum where he or she has the potential to excel. If you want to chart and detail your child’s progress, you could consider getting a Cricut Expression and starting scrapbooking.

It can be a wonderful way to show friends and family members how a child is doing and how far he or she has come with the right education. Plus, it’s something that you and your special needs child can do together, making it even more valuable.

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