Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
By Karen Foxlee
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Eleven year old Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard lost her mother exactly three months, seven days, and nine hours ago. Her father has brought Ophelia and her older sister Alice with him while he prepares an exhibit of swords in a museum in a town where it always snows.
There are only three days to prepare the exhibit for its opening on Christmas Eve.
Wandering through the museum, Ophelia finds The Marvelous Boy and finds out that she only has three days to save him, and the world!
This is a really fun read. It would be fun to read with your child, discussing as you go.
Did You Know? Milk
Did you know you can freeze milk?
Did you ever have to buy buttermilk for a recipe use only 2/3 of a cup and have the rest leftover? Sometimes you can make a couple of things that use buttermilk at the same time, but generally there’s some leftover. You hate to throw it out and waste it.
Well you can freeze it. I pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen you can pop them out and put them in a zipper bag and back into the freezer. Each compartment can hold at least an ounce (2 tablespoons) and maybe 2 ounces (4 tablespoons).
When you need some for a recipe, pull out the requisite number of buttermilk cubes and let them defrost in a bowl or a small mason jar. Then just stir or shake to reincorporate it (it separates into fats and waters).
You can do this with milk, cream, and half and half as well. You can also freeze butter. I buy a bunch when it’s on sale and freeze the entire package. Freezing butter before you make biscuits or pie crusts that call for cold butter results in a much flakier end product.
Not Her Turn
Madame Shreds-a-Lot
We got a new kitten in June. After a while we had to keep the bathroom door closed because she found the toilet paper and loved that she could pull it and shred it and… you get the picture.
So, she (I) went on Amazon to find a solution. And find one she (I) did.
This is great, and it’s really easy to put in a new roll. Love it!
Happy New Year!
Here’s to a better 2014 than 2013 was!
Living Wage
Learn or acquire the skills, and you’ll be worth more to the employer.
A Child is Born
Luke 2: 10-11
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
KJV
Merry Christmas to all!
The Real Meaning of Christmas!
Track Santa on His Journey
Track Santa –> Here.
For more than 50 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight.
The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline.” The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.
In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa.
Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world. In addition, we now track Santa using the internet. Millions of people who want to know Santa’s whereabouts now visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website.
Finally, media from all over the world rely on NORAD as a trusted source to provide updates on Santa’s journey.
In Memory of Retired Colonel Harry Shoup, NORAD’s First Santa Tracker
September 29, 1917 – March 14, 2009
Christmas Hymn of the Day – O Holy Night
O Holy Night
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appearedand the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need-to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
Previous:
The Little Drummer Boy – 12/1
I Saw Three Ships – 12/2
Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) – 12/3
White Christmas – 12/4
Angels We Have Heard on High (Gloria in Exelsis Deo) – 12/5
We Three Kings – 12/6
Joy to the World- 12/7
Christmas Eve – Sarajevo- 12/8
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – 12/9
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring – 12/10
Mary Did You Know>- 12/11
Twelve Days of Christmas – 12/12
Hark the Herald Angels Sing – 12/13
The Holly and the Ivy – 12/14
Away in a Manger – 12/15
Ding Dong Merrily on High – 12/16
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – 12/17
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – 12/18
Carol of the Bells – 12/19
Do You Hear What I Hear? – 12/20
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – 12/21
Silver Bells – 12/22
Silent Night – 12/23
Christmas Hymn of the Day – Silent Night
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth ”
Previous:
The Little Drummer Boy – 12/1
I Saw Three Ships – 12/2
Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) – 12/3
White Christmas – 12/4
Angels We Have Heard on High (Gloria in Exelsis Deo) – 12/5
We Three Kings – 12/6
Joy to the World- 12/7
Christmas Eve – Sarajevo- 12/8
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – 12/9
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring – 12/10
Mary Did You Know>- 12/11
Twelve Days of Christmas – 12/12
Hark the Herald Angels Sing – 12/13
The Holly and the Ivy – 12/14
Away in a Manger – 12/15
Ding Dong Merrily on High – 12/16
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – 12/17
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – 12/18
Carol of the Bells – 12/19
Do You Hear What I Hear? – 12/20
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – 12/21
Silver Bells – 12/22
