tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22127413998571103132024-03-11T11:13:12.653-05:00Homeschool and Etc.Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.comBlogger3432125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-42214658625839738462024-03-07T07:53:00.002-06:002024-03-07T07:53:49.999-06:00Bringing Garbage Home<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOdC91-2eVvWvqSYDZmXWqfY-CaMibFzp0bDNAq4s8uVeAVM2P7PoLP9cqcJpwwQjpC7KomVv6RHXUIYtJcUll8AdHSLwktxWkSs0eWkSK1p-bjG7pZSQf4zLIYBFMmnktPSGy3Gm1Sd0S9e6ASKJtAnRIU8jgfNL7KymCxfF4bduW1XwaoM3glVbHZuj/s4080/Liberty%20Table%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOdC91-2eVvWvqSYDZmXWqfY-CaMibFzp0bDNAq4s8uVeAVM2P7PoLP9cqcJpwwQjpC7KomVv6RHXUIYtJcUll8AdHSLwktxWkSs0eWkSK1p-bjG7pZSQf4zLIYBFMmnktPSGy3Gm1Sd0S9e6ASKJtAnRIU8jgfNL7KymCxfF4bduW1XwaoM3glVbHZuj/w400-h225/Liberty%20Table%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back on, stripped it, sanded it, and stained it. It is still not any sort of heirloom quality but free is free... and I have several "children" here at home who are (hopefully) thinking of leaving the nest one by one again soon. So this will work as one of several pieces of first furniture.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-E3LmhLjEUq2Eb8Hznsty1DzWbOmONuWZMfpn_7SSjMMm_nHyAh1pC6494Xk-kggGrQc54ZQdYVj2QMs9puMvB2aqEKKRL_9k6PIjuv1ae-_RaPuWhv8JAuBuWeqDMc9UrjYFwGy-69U0-uBwq8GUEHasZFkgajhJ8jaEYHWc_xsToq-yg0CSR7EDzyE7/s4080/Liberty%20Table%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-E3LmhLjEUq2Eb8Hznsty1DzWbOmONuWZMfpn_7SSjMMm_nHyAh1pC6494Xk-kggGrQc54ZQdYVj2QMs9puMvB2aqEKKRL_9k6PIjuv1ae-_RaPuWhv8JAuBuWeqDMc9UrjYFwGy-69U0-uBwq8GUEHasZFkgajhJ8jaEYHWc_xsToq-yg0CSR7EDzyE7/s320/Liberty%20Table%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Ignore the trash on the floor. Right now the table is dry enough to be taken out of the high traffic areas of the house, but not dry enough to put things on just yet. I still have all my sanding/ stripping supplies nearby too.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /> <p></p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-91637804859680175652023-06-10T22:28:00.000-05:002023-06-10T22:28:08.107-05:00What A MESS.<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVnk04DE3AgMZgjy4Sg8TZgALET61NcvGRB-NgiORrgR_7Cm8AZxsbKV-24pN6iFoFKQRFzTDBttMfllGSbAG2o0SVZCWF0rUEHntrBoiVYWktNCmjZ23DhV0TDvPTVs40SGVxSg5cu9HASy1WJKvqIyF1oh1LzYBJudzbrYCDVa23G9agLAp3DC2SA/s4080/initials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVnk04DE3AgMZgjy4Sg8TZgALET61NcvGRB-NgiORrgR_7Cm8AZxsbKV-24pN6iFoFKQRFzTDBttMfllGSbAG2o0SVZCWF0rUEHntrBoiVYWktNCmjZ23DhV0TDvPTVs40SGVxSg5cu9HASy1WJKvqIyF1oh1LzYBJudzbrYCDVa23G9agLAp3DC2SA/s320/initials.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe my bloggy friend Virginia has seen a six and a half-foot tall curly-top kid driving about in a grey car with Missouri license plates since last November, because Emperor and Elf now live in the suburbs of Firebird City. Patrick joined them in April. I'm going through the stuff they left (everything but one suitcase each, thanks guys) and boxing it up. And finding graffiti from ages past.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHrBo1J5Fi7np8kalq6zKI9vMnA_TgsrGXaXMDXMyV6vR0XzHcIYMhSO-oiOpjS-IJk-2NMxB-3xb8K2Zj-M40yTm5_a0VSrnHCLrLwfqQy78m7ecC4NAB68VWpP7KgGaeBwd3ia4VkvcgYjcIi_-ZNLVglHe7Nc8BtEtubj2DvNMdQvEyEriz5Yh_Q/s4080/room%20boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHrBo1J5Fi7np8kalq6zKI9vMnA_TgsrGXaXMDXMyV6vR0XzHcIYMhSO-oiOpjS-IJk-2NMxB-3xb8K2Zj-M40yTm5_a0VSrnHCLrLwfqQy78m7ecC4NAB68VWpP7KgGaeBwd3ia4VkvcgYjcIi_-ZNLVglHe7Nc8BtEtubj2DvNMdQvEyEriz5Yh_Q/s320/room%20boxes.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I am left with. You would think packing up all the stuff they had would mean I had MORE room but apparently not! Packing things into boxes makes the items inside expand by about 60 percent. Scientific fact.</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jF_KtnmVDWP7-rwx3A_YH_-AfZJFUsTaRCYncZyDR7OYSV2m5BIXhE0H-nLg8bjG1QwniLDq7Uy-EgJpiJgvF4F-Kw3NPP6X0GxFZVAI-vlYRTm0lrkufce4uK1XLhU90aAz6uYIDhPbG165snDTmt9RFeHZvIyrZN2xtaf38bBhS_RghWdgno-MBw/s4080/room%20paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jF_KtnmVDWP7-rwx3A_YH_-AfZJFUsTaRCYncZyDR7OYSV2m5BIXhE0H-nLg8bjG1QwniLDq7Uy-EgJpiJgvF4F-Kw3NPP6X0GxFZVAI-vlYRTm0lrkufce4uK1XLhU90aAz6uYIDhPbG165snDTmt9RFeHZvIyrZN2xtaf38bBhS_RghWdgno-MBw/s320/room%20paint.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure why I am trying to paint a room full of boxes, but since I no longer do laundry and flip the dishes about in the dishwasher so much I don't have much else to do... Well, there is the poison ivy in the rock garden but I am pretending not to notice that... the house seems veryyy empty with only two children in it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-54015013170932857612023-05-15T17:04:00.001-05:002023-05-15T17:04:33.314-05:00Polish Festival in Weston, Missouri!<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzURPiCMXXSLmCnjgHmfbsGqd0nxxVsmTFntxtTWaq0MgguaWqqTo7omyQzxTLQvC6AHCYeVEyTl1hRe9vn_gidYVxjaB3PQjbcpxUvLGjk4droZqEuyCOjUieDRYCIa2YR5D2fkqg7PfL1-n0Fg6-RfrsFs62Rs19OzGM7Hsn8N3gACyL430lEj9Aw/s4080/20230513_103027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzURPiCMXXSLmCnjgHmfbsGqd0nxxVsmTFntxtTWaq0MgguaWqqTo7omyQzxTLQvC6AHCYeVEyTl1hRe9vn_gidYVxjaB3PQjbcpxUvLGjk4droZqEuyCOjUieDRYCIa2YR5D2fkqg7PfL1-n0Fg6-RfrsFs62Rs19OzGM7Hsn8N3gACyL430lEj9Aw/s320/20230513_103027.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went with a friend last weekend to the festival in Weston, Missouri. There was a band playing Polish music, lots of Polish food for sale, Polish outfits and almost every sort of trinket from Poland you could imagine. These bunnies are Polish pottery cookie jars.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8_xy-jA00ym0vm8VGlg3UicM6Ki8s_9OZa7hERv4bc8vvzRx-QsaDStbPL7JbX89fE0mzbkCYXSwh-Zis3mpFQNlO4K9kOfi-SMh-Q9Wri9Jy1c3HtoLvwhR2MkwHH3dl6_XmMCJ3xnGUEqI0dNtmb9PcWu7R-mZIs9Q_9EsnpKpwoXFxO86pyqYrw/s4080/20230513_103153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8_xy-jA00ym0vm8VGlg3UicM6Ki8s_9OZa7hERv4bc8vvzRx-QsaDStbPL7JbX89fE0mzbkCYXSwh-Zis3mpFQNlO4K9kOfi-SMh-Q9Wri9Jy1c3HtoLvwhR2MkwHH3dl6_XmMCJ3xnGUEqI0dNtmb9PcWu7R-mZIs9Q_9EsnpKpwoXFxO86pyqYrw/s320/20230513_103153.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey pots with little drizzlers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReyDucTXEp0iGRGbu2ZIQSp_E7GnvtBrMjwjjv5391R_MxcxsczWZoax-1rtetkx4J_1kuWcMIXCkbIdiCW2qu1BzVHEqPl3AoECSDtZD4b8b5SYABvOXLvhZxKtOknlgDa-s-syLJ50CU6Pb9APFZLfa-jtPM8Xhsthb1QUcnoUdoZO_kocIEgnyAw/s4080/IMG_20230513_103357_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReyDucTXEp0iGRGbu2ZIQSp_E7GnvtBrMjwjjv5391R_MxcxsczWZoax-1rtetkx4J_1kuWcMIXCkbIdiCW2qu1BzVHEqPl3AoECSDtZD4b8b5SYABvOXLvhZxKtOknlgDa-s-syLJ50CU6Pb9APFZLfa-jtPM8Xhsthb1QUcnoUdoZO_kocIEgnyAw/s320/IMG_20230513_103357_01.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dwmne1wRRDjY825V1jUoQGP7WHqimgb2iJfJ6OaSWj1AhjHpoOpUo8dwhhPh9CN981F0Bh37UVTDhJkBaXg47CrdnQFmkzHAvVLLU2p17VDsmSrXQewW7iNhonaDkAuPHod-CuDIkEcFQe-hTIY6SWKSDiMzL1z_EhKgl5y0kbZCVDrAJl1btMa6Mw/s4080/20230513_115847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dwmne1wRRDjY825V1jUoQGP7WHqimgb2iJfJ6OaSWj1AhjHpoOpUo8dwhhPh9CN981F0Bh37UVTDhJkBaXg47CrdnQFmkzHAvVLLU2p17VDsmSrXQewW7iNhonaDkAuPHod-CuDIkEcFQe-hTIY6SWKSDiMzL1z_EhKgl5y0kbZCVDrAJl1btMa6Mw/s320/20230513_115847.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Um... can you tell that Kansas City has a bit of an unhealthy obsession with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintheSzZ0T8DgyjQ1Rd1q_0GgXiEibYxGnGH8sVkRv5cHiKgoC_4Gnji52c_Mhfa1M0F5yl2NfbomK-x6IYG0bPHu0QtjZxdbk4yRnp4OEIyLhqXkDoksS6rwQkH5PRq_KuZTAODrwlHYupHDWkCXcQT_fRsPsa1JFIBK-XlGFMf8HiqJuiPA3Ox_zvQ/s4080/IMG_20230513_111900_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintheSzZ0T8DgyjQ1Rd1q_0GgXiEibYxGnGH8sVkRv5cHiKgoC_4Gnji52c_Mhfa1M0F5yl2NfbomK-x6IYG0bPHu0QtjZxdbk4yRnp4OEIyLhqXkDoksS6rwQkH5PRq_KuZTAODrwlHYupHDWkCXcQT_fRsPsa1JFIBK-XlGFMf8HiqJuiPA3Ox_zvQ/s320/IMG_20230513_111900_01.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the shops downtown had works from several metalworking artists as well as some stained glass. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpSg8Ho0xGp10GHyWf9ZJHZU0Nq279KoMDgMUoMMfJOFehBJOcJgAsK0c4Z0lvjcoGWZzw8AwB5bRY3ZRgqCzm2coVWJFvpcKJiWEkwxAG9QOqyv5npabQQ4laGck8e4ym4-IYuYljgtSQWj38659_MCXCCeRuB-apkhrHQIgWZ7YhPX0dFvXr2UxTw/s4080/IMG_20230513_112048_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpSg8Ho0xGp10GHyWf9ZJHZU0Nq279KoMDgMUoMMfJOFehBJOcJgAsK0c4Z0lvjcoGWZzw8AwB5bRY3ZRgqCzm2coVWJFvpcKJiWEkwxAG9QOqyv5npabQQ4laGck8e4ym4-IYuYljgtSQWj38659_MCXCCeRuB-apkhrHQIgWZ7YhPX0dFvXr2UxTw/s320/IMG_20230513_112048_01.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZbu29pkfSoF7j5h0lh2jHsTJiZcHG-R6ySoRFBYeUIvL7gH-5GlYkIhk6oElGJDWUZWM9PTDLEIb4o3gXVG-xgbj5-S5OpLBMPQHiqWnsZzK3dXi0ZMILQC9Ws0Tdbv7Tu0_X7SElJ7dFhfRmVLf_1jri2O1txXhNmvmfb2iyvkFPWw1R1vjnm08_w/s4080/IMG_20230513_145823_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZbu29pkfSoF7j5h0lh2jHsTJiZcHG-R6ySoRFBYeUIvL7gH-5GlYkIhk6oElGJDWUZWM9PTDLEIb4o3gXVG-xgbj5-S5OpLBMPQHiqWnsZzK3dXi0ZMILQC9Ws0Tdbv7Tu0_X7SElJ7dFhfRmVLf_1jri2O1txXhNmvmfb2iyvkFPWw1R1vjnm08_w/s320/IMG_20230513_145823_01.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what I bought. A giant bowl with bunnies. I love bunnies!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SD8QpTFn2fti2MOsjrnglgQzJzpe-zqfjKNtqCQUNkoENyOWUWkJVLLG6etijTd2KZoDjXdHQjheuRicpv4XvWlgg1zapaQ39qv5bXXl1lCAbycfgnbJay0TTup55wsYJT7wpSO-HM9LlzOGitsA_UOCAwAgZNxqGFewhzbwFCoDddzs-ezskdlDzw/s4080/IMG_20230513_145533_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SD8QpTFn2fti2MOsjrnglgQzJzpe-zqfjKNtqCQUNkoENyOWUWkJVLLG6etijTd2KZoDjXdHQjheuRicpv4XvWlgg1zapaQ39qv5bXXl1lCAbycfgnbJay0TTup55wsYJT7wpSO-HM9LlzOGitsA_UOCAwAgZNxqGFewhzbwFCoDddzs-ezskdlDzw/s320/IMG_20230513_145533_01.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And my mug. It was a great day!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-75306637962363517612022-07-02T02:52:00.000-05:002022-07-02T02:52:37.674-05:00First Same-Sex Marriage in US, 1834<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTN--RfiJBzJ_AUyInCfpoTxTdvGFba8nYyPRKJTzQHHV20fZjnc4flvWxYsZFM2FOO4N-T3mFqzkDS1-nAOEq93i_5nsICx_mKKfnS34-FkrfeatycpCVanqnXfAfA74uyJFtxM_l4ZKLVH_osXdQRnK0pOP4wWQAQgl10yr-AzwZn482R36WFYAZA/s583/extraordinary%20%282%29.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="583" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTN--RfiJBzJ_AUyInCfpoTxTdvGFba8nYyPRKJTzQHHV20fZjnc4flvWxYsZFM2FOO4N-T3mFqzkDS1-nAOEq93i_5nsICx_mKKfnS34-FkrfeatycpCVanqnXfAfA74uyJFtxM_l4ZKLVH_osXdQRnK0pOP4wWQAQgl10yr-AzwZn482R36WFYAZA/s320/extraordinary%20%282%29.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Published in the 5 April 1834 Christian Intelligencer.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It took me a few readings before I realized that the other "man" who was dressed as a "woman" was actually woman all along! She had run away from home because her father didn't approve of the marriage. This marriage would have been performed in the Dutch Reformed Church, hardly a bastion of liberal crazy ideas. Would you like to read about how to preach a sermon in that denomination around that time? So happens my fifth great-grandfather James Spencer Cannon (1776-1852) wrote an <a href="https://archive.org/details/lecturesonpasto00campgoog" target="_blank">entire book</a> on the subject for your edification. <div><br /></div><div>He was a professor of Metaphysics at Rutgers College and a professor of Theology and Ecclesiastical History at their seminary. He was born on a ship in Curacoa, Dutch West Indies, because his dad was a ship captain who brought his family on his adventures. I am sure Dad was transporting nothing but Bible tracts in that cargo hold because that is exactly what people usually did in the Golden Triangle during that era. It paid enough for him to send several children to private school and maintain a home in New York City.</div><div><br /></div><div>But James was orphaned at a young age, and some wealthy fella named Elias Brevoort would have met him at the school and supported him after his inheritance ran out (hence the fancy degrees and job). Later he married Elias's daughter Catherine but there was some sort of disagreement between them. Elias specifically wrote that James was not to touch a penny of his money in his will; his daughters were capable of managing his estate and handling their own money, thanks.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45dIkcGx-eyWteRj_l2nPxiN3jjgBjzC1BIqGYtvohkkWCsdDC3RSypS8rXBmRzv69nntLuKJeDnqmf7EalODgNFYVvkuw3S5jptCZ3MtF4oEtZG7RjwGU3GbYxOh5fz1Sc_ydx-d7WdmO4tOV6hYKe7H61YcEWUXQD529g0uLUp2T56vmwaFD-16rg/s899/JSpencerCannon%20image%20244%20film%20007549034%20(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="743" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45dIkcGx-eyWteRj_l2nPxiN3jjgBjzC1BIqGYtvohkkWCsdDC3RSypS8rXBmRzv69nntLuKJeDnqmf7EalODgNFYVvkuw3S5jptCZ3MtF4oEtZG7RjwGU3GbYxOh5fz1Sc_ydx-d7WdmO4tOV6hYKe7H61YcEWUXQD529g0uLUp2T56vmwaFD-16rg/w165-h200/JSpencerCannon%20image%20244%20film%20007549034%20(4).jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here is a photo of James Spencer Cannon, complete with his little top hat and signature in the corner. Snazzy.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-56637744006670183672022-05-20T20:13:00.000-05:002022-05-20T20:13:33.923-05:00Go Away, Greitens.<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73OHzAnj2mcDOkNRzlZwMOHs9iQ5eqNZgUBr69KbmfLDgMHtPw2sQAUsuXmi9TvCYhjDaPrgeLT6qODzK33bwHkFezO3iKUE9Qv5qRHLLMHamo0C6fYJLnGlxzeebBUU2PT4vvggu3pNfAo8MwIbO_ReuFU5KmHpgsUcSrrWcWzZwr_vJ2PeoRqdBRw/s2753/political%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2753" data-original-width="2486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73OHzAnj2mcDOkNRzlZwMOHs9iQ5eqNZgUBr69KbmfLDgMHtPw2sQAUsuXmi9TvCYhjDaPrgeLT6qODzK33bwHkFezO3iKUE9Qv5qRHLLMHamo0C6fYJLnGlxzeebBUU2PT4vvggu3pNfAo8MwIbO_ReuFU5KmHpgsUcSrrWcWzZwr_vJ2PeoRqdBRw/w361-h400/political%20(2).JPG" width="361" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junk mail from <a href="https://www.missourifirstaction.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Missouri First Action</a>, top clipped to remove my address.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The "establishment thugs in the D.C. swamp" attack former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens for his "America First" values? Ew. Let's see... he cheated on his wife, left office in shame and even got indicted by a grand jury. If you're feeling brave, google "50 Shades of Greitens" sometime and see what this guy got up to. Ages ago I thought he was just <a href="https://homeschoolnetc.blogspot.com/2016/09/guns-explosions-politics.html#comment-form" target="_blank">not conservative enough</a>... no... now I know it's way more than that.</p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-9000996782343985822022-05-14T00:25:00.000-05:002022-05-14T00:25:16.344-05:00The Robinson Family Photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14-aITrK1tRVfUzeHuBMxHKT66oj3VGwU594eVktPD7SUSJxpRq-riqJBIyKNJgGY3XhfftgbJmO0pP8beD3TS7aymbjOi8QEVkuDNKl6miBXDn48Y2Hihlbq5zv2xtr65PodgvS0XyC4c9FQpVChk2QqMjF73Vozfg3pv81dQXXalv83y2x46mJ_-A/s1415/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%206%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1415" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14-aITrK1tRVfUzeHuBMxHKT66oj3VGwU594eVktPD7SUSJxpRq-riqJBIyKNJgGY3XhfftgbJmO0pP8beD3TS7aymbjOi8QEVkuDNKl6miBXDn48Y2Hihlbq5zv2xtr65PodgvS0XyC4c9FQpVChk2QqMjF73Vozfg3pv81dQXXalv83y2x46mJ_-A/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%206%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My great-grandmother Ruth Ida Robinson (1889-1970) is tending a cow on her farm in Weedsport, Cayuga County, New York. Here are a few pictures from her photo album.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMnEHiJX2GjLg6TM1G8pb2aq46rlYs8A0xecG7i6tY97tDvCsoDtXlpx-QirucXqrLgL6nzYrYzjmVoaaLAekyI4KqyBNajTy_6T_VzqkpkbRo_kRtH8yVe-N_y6mUCZ6_58hZ3RkUCDijsl5tMVHV_aXysnlTTlK0Jfo3AKcxkx-myy5QWMD_91ClA/s1472/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%2015%20RR%20Monroe%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMnEHiJX2GjLg6TM1G8pb2aq46rlYs8A0xecG7i6tY97tDvCsoDtXlpx-QirucXqrLgL6nzYrYzjmVoaaLAekyI4KqyBNajTy_6T_VzqkpkbRo_kRtH8yVe-N_y6mUCZ6_58hZ3RkUCDijsl5tMVHV_aXysnlTTlK0Jfo3AKcxkx-myy5QWMD_91ClA/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%2015%20RR%20Monroe%20(2).JPG" width="211" /></a><br />Here's her son! I knew him as Granddaddy, but his name was Ross Robinson Monroe. He was born in Cayuga County but grew up in Toronto, Canada. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZoNmGBxjZnO8e3SJXjjHhgCOnKiRY0PpqmogaT52aTKQeRDuv6DQJqmnk5RPOnhAQ0zJRcwlZkg3UKasN-wt00QSvqrnTDxmU_6gRx5-EtPjZ4AlbciPXfxQOOluGc71pXHA9AyRNluz-MYVjRFDV_O5A3mjXxuxJ0YKaMrrMhpLb1yR2EXQUo7fLw/s305/George%20Gates%20Robinson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="220" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZoNmGBxjZnO8e3SJXjjHhgCOnKiRY0PpqmogaT52aTKQeRDuv6DQJqmnk5RPOnhAQ0zJRcwlZkg3UKasN-wt00QSvqrnTDxmU_6gRx5-EtPjZ4AlbciPXfxQOOluGc71pXHA9AyRNluz-MYVjRFDV_O5A3mjXxuxJ0YKaMrrMhpLb1yR2EXQUo7fLw/s1600/George%20Gates%20Robinson.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>This is Ruth's brother/ Granddaddy's uncle, George Gates Robinson. During this time, it was almost mandatory to give the oldest son the mother's maiden name as a middle name.</td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tsUTxm3PmL_tuwGay3R66-nn83ObxINMOcwAuPCzp5lVS6nNFacoMCxLuM0RuNysUDXOspgovgio__ID3OZRYqf2FfTDnNscYXG0DfgHDj2oTJjA3Y4r-cBoLyFdhgAmCNrHO4hud8cOGoeYvRhbX4rvB3fK8E-C9Woq23AZfsVNGsX_8zmEq3EB_Q/s1302/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1302" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tsUTxm3PmL_tuwGay3R66-nn83ObxINMOcwAuPCzp5lVS6nNFacoMCxLuM0RuNysUDXOspgovgio__ID3OZRYqf2FfTDnNscYXG0DfgHDj2oTJjA3Y4r-cBoLyFdhgAmCNrHO4hud8cOGoeYvRhbX4rvB3fK8E-C9Woq23AZfsVNGsX_8zmEq3EB_Q/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%2010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a fun bunch of people! I would not have ever thought any Robinsons to have been informal, having met some of the older folks myself, but the album had a few surprises...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzLar_XKRKVGhAcNvHya1sZpZo-LIDgMIfDMZffID3gX7Ul8Pk-2vw95e9DDRdwm1D3ZqctF5b7TGk8bp6RkGJv2oS4PBjU5aesf8GdBqkEO_lKSlamcR-o9vn6-H6-iJEsqlUgi4xhlcudbbgh-LKXd7hq34oaDqCqO3Jq-u6Mo2Mz5LK9CFaN3LpA/s1368/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%2011%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1368" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzLar_XKRKVGhAcNvHya1sZpZo-LIDgMIfDMZffID3gX7Ul8Pk-2vw95e9DDRdwm1D3ZqctF5b7TGk8bp6RkGJv2oS4PBjU5aesf8GdBqkEO_lKSlamcR-o9vn6-H6-iJEsqlUgi4xhlcudbbgh-LKXd7hq34oaDqCqO3Jq-u6Mo2Mz5LK9CFaN3LpA/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%2011%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picnic!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsZzx9VsnIgQbHFu1OYUz-VjVENXOUCE_eZaw_4J2S65cdMpE2Lpmh2E6uv45u92NnDG9hKReExSd-W3ZHAi18ibFWdkHFy_nbOMOXBPP-qdND7cbWRrfELqo0Dbs7JzRImX8I_cKjWfREvX8MYMXmm6B0rqlPEyiYbFEUknUrtWVIBKKhULVcLztFw/s1484/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%209%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1484" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsZzx9VsnIgQbHFu1OYUz-VjVENXOUCE_eZaw_4J2S65cdMpE2Lpmh2E6uv45u92NnDG9hKReExSd-W3ZHAi18ibFWdkHFy_nbOMOXBPP-qdND7cbWRrfELqo0Dbs7JzRImX8I_cKjWfREvX8MYMXmm6B0rqlPEyiYbFEUknUrtWVIBKKhULVcLztFw/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%209%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When going out on the town, hats and gloves are a must!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRO9WsfrFe83Wrv3xqd8E3QdO4sbQSMW_ZquY-peinAS_JHS9RdIDW9ZtoTJyeUT2p47VGgeBdi6nh1VxBteXNzZgnb0Gru3cNEFtxVioMh6R9Q2435sUXqzkHrF5P96A3FywPoG8oP5JE4adU-RiSIa-7Exka0MOQGXlY9CgIKZYq6pxCqo61n1_8Q/s1094/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%203%20(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1094" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRO9WsfrFe83Wrv3xqd8E3QdO4sbQSMW_ZquY-peinAS_JHS9RdIDW9ZtoTJyeUT2p47VGgeBdi6nh1VxBteXNzZgnb0Gru3cNEFtxVioMh6R9Q2435sUXqzkHrF5P96A3FywPoG8oP5JE4adU-RiSIa-7Exka0MOQGXlY9CgIKZYq6pxCqo61n1_8Q/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%203%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granddaddy with his aunt Jo and dog, Sport.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZjFGa46fru7WECgkMnTUxN8ujUiERwmdVhU6aeFlqxk03knGpYMgF0Gzrl1ozH2xSNFp7jb3WnQfHOJrmEZOiiH7vZl7YAUKWI0smp4ShkThDb3WR8sLdFyhoRriP56dtqqp1uaZU--gWyrhOo-dIRvIomXpjFztJmhAdNd0e0y4h4BjRekxhJmEsA/s1076/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%203%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1076" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZjFGa46fru7WECgkMnTUxN8ujUiERwmdVhU6aeFlqxk03knGpYMgF0Gzrl1ozH2xSNFp7jb3WnQfHOJrmEZOiiH7vZl7YAUKWI0smp4ShkThDb3WR8sLdFyhoRriP56dtqqp1uaZU--gWyrhOo-dIRvIomXpjFztJmhAdNd0e0y4h4BjRekxhJmEsA/s320/Ruth%20Ida's%20Album%20page%203%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granddaddy again in the same outfit riding a horse. He may actually be quite young in the photos because he was just under 6ft 5 as an adult.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-1847568910108405072022-01-25T10:58:00.000-06:002022-01-25T10:58:25.254-06:00Sorry. Not Outraged.<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdVrVwlGvRGTc2uxzZyKRIx2FLMStKvRxGBxTYeDhky4TPlTo0IehPryC8QJiJGXNJyP-_I_QHi8EP-zZ3-om_m3yNLWCMETuztdnZkYCBwmygf0nUwUIlIeTbRvsmgnteJ7GKOcY5VC2XxmYlSBOcaxMXAGsJIvSPjtyciKBczuiu-0j819vT6BRqWA=s730" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdVrVwlGvRGTc2uxzZyKRIx2FLMStKvRxGBxTYeDhky4TPlTo0IehPryC8QJiJGXNJyP-_I_QHi8EP-zZ3-om_m3yNLWCMETuztdnZkYCBwmygf0nUwUIlIeTbRvsmgnteJ7GKOcY5VC2XxmYlSBOcaxMXAGsJIvSPjtyciKBczuiu-0j819vT6BRqWA=s320" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: center;">Hello! Some of the more conservative websites have been letting me know I'm supposed to be triggered because Biden called a reporter an SOB. Nope. Biden can say whatever he wants. Would be nice if he left Americans the hell alone, tho'. If you'd like to get vaccinated, or not, or breathe all over the grocery store like a free unmuzzled person with no mask, or wear five masks, you go make that choice! Just don't expect me to do what you do, or pass laws mandating that I must. </span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">And I'd sure appreciate if my local school district quit using MY tax dollars to fight Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. He has the common sense to tell schools that last he checked, they aren't health officials and <b>simply lack the authorities they have been exercising</b>. They cannot tell children they must wear masks or quarantine or do anything but stay home when they're sick. "Stay home when you're sick" or have a fever is a very reasonable request. </span></p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-8660058735781811172021-12-04T18:33:00.000-06:002021-12-04T18:33:04.202-06:00Only in Kansas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizv1W8zZ_A4ols3SFHK8GeyzLWhH2GRcVahFmNsO5u36e4uaXcMW_NqpmyB6NQAfqfcUThR-O4UHtIPtmhIX2ymDhgN_R2aQ4RguM-JLh_TvWqZDv90-SDQcGngwBXdAOGIm3DgJfFCsO0/s1489/kansas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1489" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizv1W8zZ_A4ols3SFHK8GeyzLWhH2GRcVahFmNsO5u36e4uaXcMW_NqpmyB6NQAfqfcUThR-O4UHtIPtmhIX2ymDhgN_R2aQ4RguM-JLh_TvWqZDv90-SDQcGngwBXdAOGIm3DgJfFCsO0/s320/kansas.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Dear Family Genealogists, </p><p>As you know, the only way to do things properly is to do them yourself. What makes the state of Kansas unique is that it allows you to order your own death certificate a bit early. This way, you can walk to the courthouse yourself and file probate and save your oldest boy the trouble.</p><p>This is SERIOUSLY NOT A SNARK POST. This is REALLY a real and true copy of part of the application for a copy of a Kansas death certificate. It is absolutely unaltered except for the oval I put around "self". What I will clarify, however, is that if the dates you put down on your application don't exactly match what the state has on file, the bureaucrats get to pocket the money and give you a slip of paper that says "no record" and laugh at you.</p><p>I sort of like the idea walking into probate court early and cashing out toward the end of things though. </p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-29206534248587915922021-11-05T12:24:00.000-05:002021-11-05T12:24:04.001-05:00True Story: My Mother, the Ex-KGB Agent<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQC1_LFAHRF5mLpRusUOO1eKudb1RCyAqn9AZglLvPfBhauHkzDDiKSL6vmVQMe0Zpz-Lzg0axu_046rSKr-5EaovaorZDYU7XEM5H0l1QLo0KkhENzLbnpojdZjKGmlgdWsDL-hrgTiDh/s2048/20201128_071056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQC1_LFAHRF5mLpRusUOO1eKudb1RCyAqn9AZglLvPfBhauHkzDDiKSL6vmVQMe0Zpz-Lzg0axu_046rSKr-5EaovaorZDYU7XEM5H0l1QLo0KkhENzLbnpojdZjKGmlgdWsDL-hrgTiDh/s320/20201128_071056.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unrelated photo of a "car phone" at the gas station about a mile from my house.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My mother's cover has been blown and my parents have since moved, so the story can be told now...
</span></h4><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div>Al had a new Cadillac. Every now and then, he'd hobble into his garage to find the trunk of his car had been popped open and the interior lights on. Sometimes the garage door would be wide open! This occurred regularly, and he knew why.<br /><br />
What would happen was that my mom would use her KGB spy brainwaves to do this, rather like a remote control. This is just what Russian operatives do. I think it is their primary mission, actually. Popping elderly Americans' trunks open, as well as leaving interior lights on and garage doors open, are huge priorities under the Putin administration. Every Russian espionage specialist knows that it leaves the victims vulnerable to theft and/or dead car batteries. </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm not sure how Al acquired this special knowledge, but he saw right through this whole scheme and what's more, he had had enough! He courageously shuffled over to my parents' house, armed with his broom. Al shouted several statements about how he knew what was going on, and shattered a brand new window.
<br /><br />
Admitting that my mother was a spy at this point would be the rational course of action. But my parents called the police! Al made a daring but feeble grab for an officer's weapon, vowing to "take care" of my mom and her spying ways. But the police were younger, way faster, and in on the whole spy ring themselves. They even turned Al's family against him! His adult son showed up and arrangements were made to take the old fella away for an involuntary evaluation. This nefarious way of dealing with people who see truths others don't is called "The Baker Act" in Florida.
<br /><br />
Years later, Al died and all of his estate went up for auction. There, amongst the bric-a-brac of his life up for sale, was his broom.
<br /><br /><br /></span></div>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-84174645445039272162021-10-09T12:23:00.001-05:002021-10-09T12:30:39.951-05:00Kittinger Buffalo Spanish Renaissance Table Makeover!<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzh0OcN4BsQY7jQWuqFzCNvjoCqcd-lUYa37M8bOTOsNFPJTeW-_FxZfh8F8WK4tLNQUifJchBvRSlg6BCT7vgyyB0vdqWTtXsxLFpsKMQEikzwrw3NR4svTHFQwax3K0IfUBcZ2vb-Q6B/s1684/table6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1684" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzh0OcN4BsQY7jQWuqFzCNvjoCqcd-lUYa37M8bOTOsNFPJTeW-_FxZfh8F8WK4tLNQUifJchBvRSlg6BCT7vgyyB0vdqWTtXsxLFpsKMQEikzwrw3NR4svTHFQwax3K0IfUBcZ2vb-Q6B/s320/table6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't it gorgeous?? It's even better than the picture. So soft, so pretty... and there are nuances in the stain and the woodgrain you don't see here. It's a good sturdy size too.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-q7eccYpTFBwHadWrRY5LHroz4BDJn8PfTG_UsuL2-7mcxaT1TLIwqV_cnsCAlUYPQBV09vuI9iwYIfDu2hFktkFfhMfCrRchli9YO6zwYoAKPNtiSY6PCOcJ-rBA8bhcMcGRLgBRoUhL/s2048/table7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-q7eccYpTFBwHadWrRY5LHroz4BDJn8PfTG_UsuL2-7mcxaT1TLIwqV_cnsCAlUYPQBV09vuI9iwYIfDu2hFktkFfhMfCrRchli9YO6zwYoAKPNtiSY6PCOcJ-rBA8bhcMcGRLgBRoUhL/s320/table7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A detail to show you how intricate it is.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8vb5QnYPxES-Hm8OgjbYkujOscUPKWzVWCsIZXk8K9FlOmKbKhhkL_KVkfSG8G0kUL2STg3bPeBvOJfRu-xioum6S9pde4n6lFjk43hF0WssyYrWXWMZ7GvEwd6y-8UQmeC5edRUe8vw/s2048/Table1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8vb5QnYPxES-Hm8OgjbYkujOscUPKWzVWCsIZXk8K9FlOmKbKhhkL_KVkfSG8G0kUL2STg3bPeBvOJfRu-xioum6S9pde4n6lFjk43hF0WssyYrWXWMZ7GvEwd6y-8UQmeC5edRUe8vw/s320/Table1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But when I got it? I paid $20 and felt I might be overspending a bit, but I was inspired by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUIZ8xjtd6W6uzB7n0V5Qdg">this YouTube channel</a> to go ahead and give refinishing a go. Someone decided they were going to make this their arts and crafts project and went absolutely nuts with the paint. That's not brown stain... that's PAINT. And it's painted over with garish red and silver and...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcAVbIxZgwsQEaw0bWciecHzgKe_WYsxNj9imLqzdlV24VePaSMPLvr6UFJSvjTrp3RcIqsytAgCIZ3ZBmK429jqKiY7mXxbLCUlfFGwjgpkBLjN8DZlv5SWd1crj3MDjvKeeu6lnz2Ca/s2048/table2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcAVbIxZgwsQEaw0bWciecHzgKe_WYsxNj9imLqzdlV24VePaSMPLvr6UFJSvjTrp3RcIqsytAgCIZ3ZBmK429jqKiY7mXxbLCUlfFGwjgpkBLjN8DZlv5SWd1crj3MDjvKeeu6lnz2Ca/s320/table2.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some crazy Christmas pointsettia design. Nope, nope nope nope. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQC1NouZupOLKrN3XIxvqdHS3XEjDQhoNXIEQ8veOmM6FEpwThR1mAdIbt_stFqFsvaWU1_uNI7ux55yuXQUsxn6o3JXkzqYN8Id3QOnlFfM7jwCv0ggtLI8iGHrQm-q1vGi80mEMihzj/s2048/table3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQC1NouZupOLKrN3XIxvqdHS3XEjDQhoNXIEQ8veOmM6FEpwThR1mAdIbt_stFqFsvaWU1_uNI7ux55yuXQUsxn6o3JXkzqYN8Id3QOnlFfM7jwCv0ggtLI8iGHrQm-q1vGi80mEMihzj/s320/table3.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used Citristrip and some Saran wrap. After it settled in a bit, I'd wipe off the paint with cloth I never would use again, wipe again with mineral spirits, use a bit of 0000 steel wool and some more Citristrip... repeat repeat repeat.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bPKWjB68nr4XBiHOoK5htrMtZwLbpFoKo03ifVJtyPYbqRE00HHr-FAKy6n65RmjKS3FqMyme7K5BAhPzDEDLOP7gw6yVLmW-Yg3tAVnpa7Dc5YnJ0EPkyOHxYJKyElgCHmOMsWvNdrZ/s2048/table4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bPKWjB68nr4XBiHOoK5htrMtZwLbpFoKo03ifVJtyPYbqRE00HHr-FAKy6n65RmjKS3FqMyme7K5BAhPzDEDLOP7gw6yVLmW-Yg3tAVnpa7Dc5YnJ0EPkyOHxYJKyElgCHmOMsWvNdrZ/s320/table4.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of work and bunches of sanding later, the walnut table looks like this.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFT6PTWIjHuLIvhtuPd26T8DXCs8bUAsKxSNA0W3q-IH6CXYAkigyGE3SWIxht7oaqqb1A7h1UBzAY0W_mfO-0uJU1iCQQ_rz2dYWynrwI2rlg4bH8b5R39JhOVLebomJqAQV-cK27dwb6/s2048/table5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFT6PTWIjHuLIvhtuPd26T8DXCs8bUAsKxSNA0W3q-IH6CXYAkigyGE3SWIxht7oaqqb1A7h1UBzAY0W_mfO-0uJU1iCQQ_rz2dYWynrwI2rlg4bH8b5R39JhOVLebomJqAQV-cK27dwb6/s320/table5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final thing to do before wiping the table down and applying an "espresso" stain is to get tiny bits of sanding paper and a seam ripper and really get in those grooves to remove junk and clean the table up. I'm very happy with the result, although it was a LOT more work than I thought it would be. If you want a pretty much identical table of your own, they're actually for sale <a href="https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/tables/side-tables/kittinger-buffalo-spanish-renaissance-walnut-triangle-occasional-side-table/id-f_22947862/">here</a> with the original stain.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-59508274703848371572021-09-29T01:06:00.002-05:002021-09-29T01:06:47.541-05:00Bathroom Freshen-Up<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZVYG0InVZfDLuUYTKoQrWcmWxJiT8EmN3g-nVK7tX0u3YacaC4gKZ2Ap2yVtHcGBXl5uKHqLF2pC_Tc5NYqZ_R6sh1j-w6PHuzaTpgJ3WMzsrOaO0USh1ewEzHRD2e2vQGeiCBppWgkr/s1080/bathbefore1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZVYG0InVZfDLuUYTKoQrWcmWxJiT8EmN3g-nVK7tX0u3YacaC4gKZ2Ap2yVtHcGBXl5uKHqLF2pC_Tc5NYqZ_R6sh1j-w6PHuzaTpgJ3WMzsrOaO0USh1ewEzHRD2e2vQGeiCBppWgkr/s320/bathbefore1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I worked on my bathroom and freshened it up. This is the "before" picture featuring the mirror with that globby water stain in the corner. Old 1980s wooden towel rack. Plastic toilet paper dispenser. Chipped off-cream cabinet that has yellowed a bit....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3U6VwaXqQd0eOKpATXkQTX9fRGAKm166TgBroc5amOuujwEpZ1xW1dmQ8Ho3OCxsnBnyiXVrwuWAG14ae4pjLnMuj7jfRU2kmcorDyKjy7LGDHp_HYPAyF5bQm3wtr6XC-ks-bcttDJZ/s1080/bathbefore3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3U6VwaXqQd0eOKpATXkQTX9fRGAKm166TgBroc5amOuujwEpZ1xW1dmQ8Ho3OCxsnBnyiXVrwuWAG14ae4pjLnMuj7jfRU2kmcorDyKjy7LGDHp_HYPAyF5bQm3wtr6XC-ks-bcttDJZ/s320/bathbefore3.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soooo much sanding.to get the old paint off and rough up the cabinets. Soooo much sanding. Many days of work wearing a respirator, sweeping, more sweeping and then just taking a bath in the bathroom. No one could really use the bathroom for about four weeks because I couldn't possibly get it all done in a weekend.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMaXI_oBOAe7gL4Ey_ilU-Kh1cG7UBH79z4XwhU7DWpWCkZPx0HfdffwAlu1YTmiFH05BUSVcYLZEEI_qUuOUgfYCX3mlyu0tXiIMLOpiaLxk0a6hCK5kI0eef4BkG19AcDj22ZjhqHs-/s1080/bathafter5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMaXI_oBOAe7gL4Ey_ilU-Kh1cG7UBH79z4XwhU7DWpWCkZPx0HfdffwAlu1YTmiFH05BUSVcYLZEEI_qUuOUgfYCX3mlyu0tXiIMLOpiaLxk0a6hCK5kI0eef4BkG19AcDj22ZjhqHs-/s320/bathafter5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After: Here's a view looking toward the door. The walls are no longer beige and I hung about a million of those Dutch Royal Copenhagen plates old ladies like to collect in the bathroom because... I like them.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U8p6Gr7lZvC-dORL8trDN03KdtV0R3QvX9ZT7ZEiOljSZfulPHfYUJ5DLUbl4Wo7nW_DOCHumbi6TgeRvLDQrqXKoPgnX-mAMrpqfyXk25bJr8IJIAcla_lTP3rP6UlHGa8WRFxHRBl5/s881/bathafter6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="881" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U8p6Gr7lZvC-dORL8trDN03KdtV0R3QvX9ZT7ZEiOljSZfulPHfYUJ5DLUbl4Wo7nW_DOCHumbi6TgeRvLDQrqXKoPgnX-mAMrpqfyXk25bJr8IJIAcla_lTP3rP6UlHGa8WRFxHRBl5/s320/bathafter6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mirror doesn't look so crummy now! This is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QGCDSNN/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_1?smid=ACW0CQTW67TND&psc=1">sticky tile from Amazon</a>. It's sort of like a textured Contact paper, but much more sticky and much better for this project.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASCIs4VoGtVyd-Ux0pZKaPeb5sVWlusns3apb7ReC4PhHJ-Wsl2BWM338TEMJKXnsA3LLnhFqVlRbd9IImb0v0AG1uqZOs57IbhOeFuhky-Cv3Ov9AwyoNZVOLJ-s53wP3AZEk8WhdG9L/s1080/bathafter9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASCIs4VoGtVyd-Ux0pZKaPeb5sVWlusns3apb7ReC4PhHJ-Wsl2BWM338TEMJKXnsA3LLnhFqVlRbd9IImb0v0AG1uqZOs57IbhOeFuhky-Cv3Ov9AwyoNZVOLJ-s53wP3AZEk8WhdG9L/s320/bathafter9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I used cabinet paint and added new knobs! I also cleaned the floor after I took the picture... oops. Sometimes you get so involved in a project and there are so many steps you miss little things. It's all finished now and I'm enjoying the results very much - it's a much more updated look.<p></p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-1475528415542838632021-08-22T19:51:00.002-05:002023-05-28T10:47:40.157-05:00Revolutionaries: the Original SopranosThe original gangstas of New Jersey were not Italian. They were Dutch! This is the story of my sixth great-grandfather, Elias Brevoort. Elias was born in Manhattan to Hendrik Brevoort, whose Dutch ancestors had been here for generations. Hendrik was actually a farmer if you can believe that. There are not too many farmers in New York City today.<div><br /><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcfOLDCyZaLC-iu03amonXp8WK_H5VogXArtfn4jujvGKh7MRFOkNWJpH6gN8TrlnAUyhCRBCpfMLruYbfUrrAAjr2_5_FubqnQqg1xh2dSIcZaVmddsPng4w4ba4Tf9K5TPDjjJkLrUG/s236/Elias+Brevoort+Sells+NYC+Land.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="227" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcfOLDCyZaLC-iu03amonXp8WK_H5VogXArtfn4jujvGKh7MRFOkNWJpH6gN8TrlnAUyhCRBCpfMLruYbfUrrAAjr2_5_FubqnQqg1xh2dSIcZaVmddsPng4w4ba4Tf9K5TPDjjJkLrUG/s0/Elias+Brevoort+Sells+NYC+Land.png" width="227" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias selling his land in 1762 and taking off for the wilds of New Jersey... article from 1911</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>During most of the Revolutionary War, the tyrannical British had control of New York City, but the area around it was full of heroic Patriots like Elias. Every now and then, when he wasn't busy with his official duties as Quarter Master for the New Jersey State Militia, Elias would round up some Army buddies jump people and rob them as they left the city to go places. These Dutch fellas would drag their captives and all their stuff over to a certain judge in Hackensack, New Jersey. The judge would <b>always</b> rule that the stuff was "Lawfull Plunder". I am sure that the judge did this without receiving kickbacks of any kind whatsoever, aren't you?</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcw-bAxmFYwjfkhCBOUq8-qnkP28Hj92pa4dGT1bnndabCi8ZF12K04lgD8t9WWPq3SdtkLfRBE_ddX2OL_posjKeF-cVV_o5EX-vx-FegFduMZaSK2qs-k3yLBRvoLft1JLsNVV552Fu/s1011/closeup.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1011" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcw-bAxmFYwjfkhCBOUq8-qnkP28Hj92pa4dGT1bnndabCi8ZF12K04lgD8t9WWPq3SdtkLfRBE_ddX2OL_posjKeF-cVV_o5EX-vx-FegFduMZaSK2qs-k3yLBRvoLft1JLsNVV552Fu/s320/closeup.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abraham Van der Beck and his friend Elias jump a bunch of people wandering outside of New York City. They take six horses, an ox, a bunch of Honey Butter and mutton, and a slave. This is a closeup of testimony from Abraham's pension application.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1n0C411rF7miVDQv03jFvdUf7RiNwK04jsRDFGk0EW4k48q04TuhjgPJvwcY9a18hX85lRo2ytpQlNM5YjVGUFFNuD_PAwBZenwKLYOo8rM7GUr66Z7DmgoG15r-O1_6Zbct71JkuZqA/s1600/Gen+9+Brevoort+Elias+Fold3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="751" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1n0C411rF7miVDQv03jFvdUf7RiNwK04jsRDFGk0EW4k48q04TuhjgPJvwcY9a18hX85lRo2ytpQlNM5YjVGUFFNuD_PAwBZenwKLYOo8rM7GUr66Z7DmgoG15r-O1_6Zbct71JkuZqA/s320/Gen+9+Brevoort+Elias+Fold3.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Several people used Elias as a reference when applying for their pensions from the US government. The whole "kidnapping people and taking their stuff" aspect of wartime behaviour didn't seem to count against them. The QM in this photo stands for "Quarter Master".</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Elias is a bit of a complicated person. He seems to have performed his duties as Quarter Master well, and the stuff he did during the war seems to be a point of nostalgia with his fellow soldiers. He became a bigwig judge and the chairman of the Bergen County Republicans. He had three little girls and seemed a very loving and devoted father, but he also kept a slave between the ages of 50 and 55 according to the 1830 census. Maybe it's the same slave he took on that raid. This is not what I would have expected from a guy from New Jersey, or from a Republican... but there we are.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFLhK2url_5RHotZFP7dVjLI2115ORF820Jqv67AYPN6SQYHgCTna17PGatWq5neymKqUX4_kpEWuLpK0uAmt_MNMyr3Ksub9iJV2cTgrUnVCw8fe02OQgPzr1kWLPlWOro9qnTm0y-NL/s282/Brevoort+Elias+Chair+of+Republican+Committee.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="282" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFLhK2url_5RHotZFP7dVjLI2115ORF820Jqv67AYPN6SQYHgCTna17PGatWq5neymKqUX4_kpEWuLpK0uAmt_MNMyr3Ksub9iJV2cTgrUnVCw8fe02OQgPzr1kWLPlWOro9qnTm0y-NL/s0/Brevoort+Elias+Chair+of+Republican+Committee.png" width="282" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/bhs/arms_1977_285_brevoort/bioghist.html" target="_blank">His brother, Henry</a>, never sold his land near Fifth Avenue and he became quite wealthy. His descendants hobnobbed with famous people and one of them, James Renwick Brevoort, studied with his cousin who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Smithsonian before deciding that meh, he didn't really feel like working. He wandered about the globe and painted for the rest of his life. Today there really aren't any Brevoort men, because the fellows tended to have daughters. I descend from Elias's daughter, Catherine.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLGv6ZlS-KxEoMod0ri8hD-9_w0DDDLY7PGNx0Yk91RDAIHG1r8JWTOuQPtu-Ho45tYM0cfBpPFqIlik13rfan916OWmANiLGt0S__Qzth1xOo20DGmoJVerkRes4vPe9071eeORBdbpt/s640/xx+Brevoort_Half-Moon-In-A-Cove-At-Gloucester-Bay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="640" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLGv6ZlS-KxEoMod0ri8hD-9_w0DDDLY7PGNx0Yk91RDAIHG1r8JWTOuQPtu-Ho45tYM0cfBpPFqIlik13rfan916OWmANiLGt0S__Qzth1xOo20DGmoJVerkRes4vPe9071eeORBdbpt/s320/xx+Brevoort_Half-Moon-In-A-Cove-At-Gloucester-Bay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-75997155803591214542021-08-15T16:42:00.001-05:002021-08-15T16:42:30.676-05:00National Roller Dance Competition!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9zMEZKCVxz2-Lw0RkeGD6bLltvpvVwp_6kdvcC4xHjbozwBOLWoeENekXkGFl3kf-7AWyhzx5NPmjDAk0KN3ubol8okqUm-6JZ8AjkErEzNFsFRCoDhQTAIQsfL2-In22u7cvQ3MAPOi/s3465/National+Championship+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3465" data-original-width="908" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9zMEZKCVxz2-Lw0RkeGD6bLltvpvVwp_6kdvcC4xHjbozwBOLWoeENekXkGFl3kf-7AWyhzx5NPmjDAk0KN3ubol8okqUm-6JZ8AjkErEzNFsFRCoDhQTAIQsfL2-In22u7cvQ3MAPOi/w105-h400/National+Championship+%25282%2529.jpg" width="105" /></a></div><br />Woodjie went to nationals in Cedar Rapids this year. If you're interested in seeing some of the outfits and various events in the competition, you'll see Woodjie roll into the camera view at about the 4 hour 51 minute mark at <a href="https://boxcast.tv/channel/txygv8awv5g8bwbgccot?b=kxdbj0b07nuad4oar7vm" target="_blank">this link</a>. The USARS event went on for several days. Many skaters were actually well above 55 and some in their 70s and 80s, all sparkly and still dancing.<p></p>Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-46441207620144164342020-07-17T04:19:00.001-05:002020-07-17T04:19:13.359-05:00Fun Summer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Pickles! This is a photo from when we first got our sweet bunny from the animal shelter in Independence. She was almost three months old in this picture. Her mom was a domestic rabbit and Poppa was a wild bunny. That's the only explanation they can come up with because Mom was kept outdoors in a cage. Pickles has tiny white mittens for paws and a wiggly white nose, and a little spot on her forehead. Otherwise, she's a patchy mix of wild brown rabbit and black fluff. Oh, the back fluff end of her tail is white, too. I love her more every day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodjie recently lost $20 to the wind because he can't keep track of money in his pockets. I have introduced him to "New York Style" method of carrying cash. A friend from upstate New York has texted me, insulted: "I have never done this!" lol</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmrS3GEE7oTEuAYgrd5L2wrY5gRW92o_GttS_JuWN9S454I6S80pLLAAFoMXgAGeI6Txvfm1w-6E_Eh7isyW1XECn_P_Z6-7Kf5BkNCa1p2nUw7cQr_VvaJCCom74J1q9IPB4qnvskNed/s1600/17+July.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmrS3GEE7oTEuAYgrd5L2wrY5gRW92o_GttS_JuWN9S454I6S80pLLAAFoMXgAGeI6Txvfm1w-6E_Eh7isyW1XECn_P_Z6-7Kf5BkNCa1p2nUw7cQr_VvaJCCom74J1q9IPB4qnvskNed/s320/17+July.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've been making batches of masks from leggings that were stained or torn at the thrift store where I volunteer. I send them out in batches to people who need them. This batch is for a school in Florida.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Miss Rose has a best friend now. Recently I bought them both little matching "Best Friend" mugs from the thrift store. No, she won't drink tea. That's chocolate milk. :)<br /></td></tr>
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<br />Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-82471807122990513762020-04-16T19:55:00.000-05:002020-04-16T19:55:54.676-05:00Homeschooling 2019-2020<br />
What a weird month! Well, I've gotten caught up on a tiny home project or two and upended everything in the process. I have stacks and piles and tools strewn about and no intention of cleaning it all up because I want to get other things done and why put the tools away? Not yet. Maybe I'll blog later on that one. <br />
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So I'm taking a break and uploading a few pictures. This one is of our exciting science experiments - finding whether things are acid or base using litmus paper. Can you tell that some young people are no longer enamoured of having their photos taken? Oh well. It's a package I bought a few years ago at a homeschool convention and have finally opened! I'm finding all sorts of useful and fun things in my homeschooling boxes and piles, and I might as well use everything up. The children will (barring pandemic and such... ya know) go to school full-time next year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's their guess as to where everything will fall on the litmus scale. I went to go look up the curriculum provider so I could give you a link and sure enough, they're out of business. It's a shame because they had quite a number of everything included science kits and little games or things like element playing cards.</td></tr>
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And here's our history curriculum! We're continuing with the <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Story-World-Vol-Bundle-Classical/dp/1945841753/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=story+of+the+world+book+4&qid=1587084481&sr=8-4" target="_blank">Story of the World</a> series. This one is the last in the series, covering the Victorian Era through the end of the USSR. As you can see, the reading level is pretty much as you would expect in a sixth or seventh grade textbook. It can get quite detailed. I lived through some of the stuff in the latter bit of the book and I don't remember many of the events!<br />
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The textbook can be purchased with a very thick activity workbook with maps, questions, and rather involved activities. This year, we haven't done many activities. But if you wanted, this book could double as an art and home economics curriculum because there are projects at the end of each of the 42 chapters. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlG_uJZnbY1f8AQI2lotN8AszwNGD1PHXZ64Jh4ZL3Or38EjQXcMNsg172pr69Z28ZxuM_eOqDTGkG89nzzBtEsMG0OoTdqwq_rXTr-DfL3q0d3jf3Ysj2S1FA9dnwNgmkt_g7-wed3PY/s1600/History2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlG_uJZnbY1f8AQI2lotN8AszwNGD1PHXZ64Jh4ZL3Or38EjQXcMNsg172pr69Z28ZxuM_eOqDTGkG89nzzBtEsMG0OoTdqwq_rXTr-DfL3q0d3jf3Ysj2S1FA9dnwNgmkt_g7-wed3PY/s320/History2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At this point, I'm not even caring about spelling as much as I have in the past. I'm getting lax. Only a few more weeks in the school year here anyway!</td></tr>
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Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-39239120768638015132020-04-02T14:57:00.000-05:002020-04-02T14:57:03.996-05:00Recent Homeschool Happenings.School is out for the forseeable future. I don't believe anything they're telling us at this point. At first, notices read something like, "YES! We're coming right back after spring break!"...and then... well, the school will do online learning for a week and THEN have all the germy kids back within inches of one another... and then... well, now they say school will begin at the end of the month! Nope, I don't believe them. Even today, I got a "Senior Parent Note" telling me that sure, Prom is just gonna be pushed back a month. I wish they'd stop jerking these kids around and just close the school for the year already. <br />
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Anyyyway. The title of the post is "Recent Homeschool Happenings," so here we go:<br />
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Previously, the children would pop up at six, get the bus by seven, come home at 11 and then have lunch and do schoolwork or go skating or whatever because they homeschool <b>half</b> days. Right now, we're on stay at home type orders and my two college students are back home all day as well as my high school senior. My husband is also working from home downstairs. It's just more crowded and we're working out ways not to get on one another's nerves. Maintaining at least a good framework of a schedule is key to doing this!<br />
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Now, we get up around 7 or 7:30, have breakfast and start public school stuff on the computer around 8. It's a joke, really. Woodjie and Rose are popping 'round looking for more stuff to do well before 11 when we have lunch. I don't fault the school for just assigning a bit of busywork and calling it good enough. So many families have NOT been homeschooling for years on end and this is a huge change for them. The school seems to aim to make the work simple and ease that transition to staying at home all day. Some families are losing jobs, working from home, and just plain old stressed out. Simple is just fine for now. If this continues through next fall, I'll have to consider homeschooling full-time as I want my children consistently learning as much as they can. A little break for now - I'll allow that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnOyEoG8NJNyh4abFu9tiDROzwzIsvgbH06x04-grJG8xEqqh_jxSRVmVp7cKeZQDKUnr8Xwz1kHPPlh-EeSG34hxRFd-iIhZkfBPiIzgoN5EGBq9kbrFfmREo_Oyhtg7AxQgIfW1DKE9/s1600/RoseReading.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="433" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnOyEoG8NJNyh4abFu9tiDROzwzIsvgbH06x04-grJG8xEqqh_jxSRVmVp7cKeZQDKUnr8Xwz1kHPPlh-EeSG34hxRFd-iIhZkfBPiIzgoN5EGBq9kbrFfmREo_Oyhtg7AxQgIfW1DKE9/s320/RoseReading.png" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By chance, this is what I had my sixth-grader Rose begin reading last year. How apropos.</td></tr>
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Everyone finishes lunch at a slightly different time (Rose is a very slow eater and Woodjie is known to eat quite a fair bit!). After about a 15 minute break that the children think is only 10 minutes, I call them back down to the dining room table to read Kindle books aloud for 20 minutes each or do a history lesson. We'll work on something less intense such as playing chesskid.com or watching Horrible Histories on Amazon Prime for a bit. Then back to the Kindle book or history lesson. Occasionally I'll pop some science in, but at this point in the year I have done all of my "required" hours by law and so I've sorta sluffed off on that.<br />
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Things have changed so much and the children can't see their friends or go skating or do the things they used to for the most part. So we're taking things a bit easy for the rest of the school year. We have gone to the park and walked about the trails. Some other visit, I will bring our Missouri Bird or Missouri Tree identification books and we'll find black walnuts and chickadees and so on.Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-54873852256381543152019-12-11T19:23:00.000-06:002019-12-11T19:23:37.921-06:00So Much Has Happened...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAztZYnE0zlbHd_Xj6rQF-oglZQlLctYBqvGHulNNQJfZ025kclERGOHF2WR7cYUaViHLHtEF_6cF9kK8pCUrZ6YMoACQJT_XlPgp05u-J4YzkouWLF3V9qIYDmQpeG8Unz0dSawG_DSn/s1600/lunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAztZYnE0zlbHd_Xj6rQF-oglZQlLctYBqvGHulNNQJfZ025kclERGOHF2WR7cYUaViHLHtEF_6cF9kK8pCUrZ6YMoACQJT_XlPgp05u-J4YzkouWLF3V9qIYDmQpeG8Unz0dSawG_DSn/s320/lunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The smaller children and I always took our neighbour Karola out for the day about every other week, as well as needed appointments and so on. Elf would bring her trash out each week and spend an hour or so speaking German with her in her living room. She was a war bride whose first home after Germany was Hiroshima! Eventually they settled in Missouri and built a house here. She died this April and we miss her very much. I have scanned some of her photos on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Karola-Peters-Photography-Fan-Club-326720941369921/" target="_blank">this website</a> if you're interested in looking through them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8ScWf3ytCqSpdEy-AKywOjBUq6oUBMJhMEKRGWjvvOy_eZgUQqz7vHCJ9eUkmmyGNW8wjpPjJiGMwyjV8NjLmoAhvYtZdT98XoI3UxyoxKNA1dnJ_dIpzUjcGODXgyMLLLAq8sfy_3mD/s1600/7+Sep+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8ScWf3ytCqSpdEy-AKywOjBUq6oUBMJhMEKRGWjvvOy_eZgUQqz7vHCJ9eUkmmyGNW8wjpPjJiGMwyjV8NjLmoAhvYtZdT98XoI3UxyoxKNA1dnJ_dIpzUjcGODXgyMLLLAq8sfy_3mD/s320/7+Sep+%25282%2529.jpg" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also finally got all my paperwork together and have been inducted into the Daughters of the American Revolution. To join, you'd just have to be a woman over 18 and be able to prove you're descended from a revolutionary patriot. Not all patriots were soldiers or signers of the Declaration and so on - some were women! The DAR focuses on education, patriotism and preservation of history. I've been volunteering at a local thrift store that benefits the homeless about twice a week and logging my hours under "patriotism". (I don't think I'm educating anyone or preserving history when I hang clothes or sort through shoes and what-not, and it counts for something, right?) If you can see any detail in the photo, you'll see that my patriot's name is Rudolph Litz and he was from New York. He is my sixth great-grandfather.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I grew some tomatoes this year which looked pitiful but weren't bad, really.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVvwS0LA285gYqg5xX6pg4OryaiAjIn66YnwOBZ48qAotyKDfbEuzBJg80LSBkvledLqpA7ewVmMFW6gwLxDRt8dbJQ4MiLzcWJaCF4fO0CkbJWAJI4eKcMwPdX8r2L0NmANRRdGtt9SN/s1600/sk+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1108" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVvwS0LA285gYqg5xX6pg4OryaiAjIn66YnwOBZ48qAotyKDfbEuzBJg80LSBkvledLqpA7ewVmMFW6gwLxDRt8dbJQ4MiLzcWJaCF4fO0CkbJWAJI4eKcMwPdX8r2L0NmANRRdGtt9SN/s320/sk+%25282%2529.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course the children are still skating. They're pictured here with their coach, Bernie Gilliam. </td></tr>
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<br />Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-3441810435669789462019-01-14T23:15:00.000-06:002019-01-14T23:15:20.262-06:00Woodjie's Roller Dance Routine!<iframe width="500" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zabYFsuX__g" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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Only a few people were selected to perform their routines at a recent club fundraiser. I went to upload this video and was pretty shocked that I've been away quite this long! Hopefully you'll see that he has improved immensely! <br />
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PS - I swear those pants were actually a bit long when I made them a few months ago! Proper skating pants are meant to rest about halfway down the top of the foot. Ehmmm... nope.Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-42458384427138180732018-08-08T19:39:00.001-05:002018-08-08T19:39:21.828-05:00Star Trek Roller Skating!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodjie LOVES the audience.</td></tr>
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I made these little outfits for the children and they danced to the Star Trek: Next Generation theme song together at a recent skating competition in Union, Missouri! They came in second for the regional pairs dance in their division. <br />
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Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-43202844483052338162018-05-02T00:40:00.001-05:002018-05-02T00:40:23.755-05:00My Scottish Family, the Jacks.<br />
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Here's my great-great grandfather William Jack. He was born in 1857 in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, and sailed with 74th Highlanders in HMS Troopship Jamar to Singapore in 1879. I played with the filters on this one as the original copy was rather browning.<br />
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This is my third great-uncle, or if you'd rather, William Jack's big brother. His name was Thomas Jack and he was born in August 1839. According to census documents, throughout his life he was both a cotton weaver and an "Ingine Keeper at Coal Pit."Happy Elf Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01667229356119236492noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-35934881393256698712018-04-20T00:12:00.001-05:002018-04-20T00:12:07.262-05:00"Tornado Watch" vs. "Tornado Warning" Explained<br />Have you ever gotten confused about the difference between a "tornado watch" and a "tornado warning"?<br /><br />
<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fclaycountymosheriffem%2Fposts%2F1363240190488762&width=480" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="480"></iframe>Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-3479071562350650292018-04-11T01:23:00.000-05:002018-04-11T01:23:07.622-05:00My 1941 Singer!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblKmQf7hMX-baSFQS8Tb3AEval0qZczizNJnDEJ1KzqdxAduhi8qCwqPdzAZPTzqnDhmDstYaDqy8-AMMQ4LS1ntQ4nH30E2BHq548XqtA7nXvpPMuLlERHBIC3PxCmVkbKiSpCzfIRU/s1600/20180411_002207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblKmQf7hMX-baSFQS8Tb3AEval0qZczizNJnDEJ1KzqdxAduhi8qCwqPdzAZPTzqnDhmDstYaDqy8-AMMQ4LS1ntQ4nH30E2BHq548XqtA7nXvpPMuLlERHBIC3PxCmVkbKiSpCzfIRU/s320/20180411_002207.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was my grandmother's. This machine does everything the modern machines do... if you like to sew in a straight line. It's a bit harder to thread than the new machines and the needle is placed in sidewise. Not sure how I'll replace this one when it breaks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC2-VuMidZldWgy9BCtTuvWS1ao01HLPuH2jFoNiJX7SZsbHTjgWzmbd7Ioy7md9s1V_VqDYdGR5iP56Ju3W9pbqCPrU3ZI2DusC7-c1yD_WJqrL4aT20JSp-Aw1DimgasDtr1qFL5O8/s1600/20180411_002320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC2-VuMidZldWgy9BCtTuvWS1ao01HLPuH2jFoNiJX7SZsbHTjgWzmbd7Ioy7md9s1V_VqDYdGR5iP56Ju3W9pbqCPrU3ZI2DusC7-c1yD_WJqrL4aT20JSp-Aw1DimgasDtr1qFL5O8/s320/20180411_002320.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It came with a carrying case, some extra bobbins, bunches of special attachments, and an instruction booklet. The instructions tell you to call your Electric Light Company to enquire about the specific voltage and cycles of your local electricity. Yeah, I skipped that step. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEH0iIJ1xI3wjb4scjmO8hooCR6jeZgMaec6b0WeLZczWy_LlemmvaYONwsqiFad0RJJP4oiMQ6EiwajARiNBvhsDpMJslGt5U1HvF4icID41TNusaoxriz3-ABjqDIm0Ei5QwdW74LXI/s1600/20180410_215352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEH0iIJ1xI3wjb4scjmO8hooCR6jeZgMaec6b0WeLZczWy_LlemmvaYONwsqiFad0RJJP4oiMQ6EiwajARiNBvhsDpMJslGt5U1HvF4icID41TNusaoxriz3-ABjqDIm0Ei5QwdW74LXI/s320/20180410_215352.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose is not sure she wants to try to thread this machine. It really isn't that hard, kiddo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymv8vLas4PsN_90Kd-lMmR4-KnJhDuc2h4bXheXbcIs-Wu1ol_RdcJlHCYMfwwqjsQVmcnv8vX-8IWWtZtM8MiQ3CNnGxlHTSRIYLp0NIEasFAT_wjw-yCMDmaUAJr0wDa9_wP5tTuwk/s1600/20180410_215525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymv8vLas4PsN_90Kd-lMmR4-KnJhDuc2h4bXheXbcIs-Wu1ol_RdcJlHCYMfwwqjsQVmcnv8vX-8IWWtZtM8MiQ3CNnGxlHTSRIYLp0NIEasFAT_wjw-yCMDmaUAJr0wDa9_wP5tTuwk/s320/20180410_215525.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodjie wanted his photo taken, too! Isn't he cute? </td></tr>
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<br />Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-52935145465831863212018-04-08T00:56:00.002-05:002018-04-08T00:56:13.568-05:00$4 Thrift Store Dress Makeover!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8MV-A0PSZqx8Hy_kMqxsH8QFvgo3zPJmnFSpNqwWGRGDtiJIkq5rdEh5m4hOKSLpaFuqYlCQ71pr9zzSBaHFvB8qjqZ7isNJOuAmSnxwKQ33DJCIC5nV5MM-dRP2lHrkR5kVYGZ3bpw/s1600/20180407_195254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8MV-A0PSZqx8Hy_kMqxsH8QFvgo3zPJmnFSpNqwWGRGDtiJIkq5rdEh5m4hOKSLpaFuqYlCQ71pr9zzSBaHFvB8qjqZ7isNJOuAmSnxwKQ33DJCIC5nV5MM-dRP2lHrkR5kVYGZ3bpw/s400/20180407_195254.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got a cute velour dress for Rose at the local thrift shop, but the "bling" parts were missing. I think someone pulled them off before making their donation. So I'm gluing little craft gems for a bit of sparkle!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAN3YKnvUfXJFub9uk5x0765TT40yrcknPxgx11FO4HqNKDLu4Eg7uH_7e4IL_rQwyMTPqpwKMXjkml7VqS5xRNmng6GBfKl5yz937yjh068EebLZi6vzHt2hkr9ipSdPLMC6SYeSUdE/s1600/20180407_195118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAN3YKnvUfXJFub9uk5x0765TT40yrcknPxgx11FO4HqNKDLu4Eg7uH_7e4IL_rQwyMTPqpwKMXjkml7VqS5xRNmng6GBfKl5yz937yjh068EebLZi6vzHt2hkr9ipSdPLMC6SYeSUdE/s320/20180407_195118.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I rolled a bit of dental wax onto the end of this thumbtack. See how it sticks to the little gem? That saves my fingers from getting glue-y. "Dental wax" is the stuff people put on the brackets of their braces when they first get them or when they've gotten a sharp edge and are waiting for an appointment. If you don't have occasion to get it for "free" with your $5000 purchase as we did, it's available at your local drugstore.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwDy_OWuXzERCx8u3uQ1jz3pZQDeHlUi8UzJYHXSF0EDCZcKAbli22gf7eILnXwZCnaj7E9jPCp52-g38z4toZkqK_iAujfy0gxhLDeu09geFDrKsr7jA4k5wrgjuzuHZ9Npx1S4Ewxg/s1600/20180407_195217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwDy_OWuXzERCx8u3uQ1jz3pZQDeHlUi8UzJYHXSF0EDCZcKAbli22gf7eILnXwZCnaj7E9jPCp52-g38z4toZkqK_iAujfy0gxhLDeu09geFDrKsr7jA4k5wrgjuzuHZ9Npx1S4Ewxg/s320/20180407_195217.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For this project, I used Gem-Tac glue, but I think next time I'll use the trusty E6000. It is far more messy, hard to accurately dispense and has smelly/ bad for you fumes, but it holds better.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwd-C3Wr3SO_BL1qVJdeuP2Ul2vYKrFi_8q04aeRqBE-F8w1pMP1f_ABUtbcPzOqYPpJ8d40lHDND3UYJuF8WFsDtchicYARW8TpFdN_y54M27RfJSEj-rwrCd4C98QcQBGegFqUWqP8/s1600/20180407_194908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwd-C3Wr3SO_BL1qVJdeuP2Ul2vYKrFi_8q04aeRqBE-F8w1pMP1f_ABUtbcPzOqYPpJ8d40lHDND3UYJuF8WFsDtchicYARW8TpFdN_y54M27RfJSEj-rwrCd4C98QcQBGegFqUWqP8/s320/20180407_194908.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up of the pattern on Rose's "new" dress.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukHs0Ei7QnLVH_NPkXR-4zS8qNfnX0yk0DRMCIHZZF-rShhXDQONU9tePREmnaORXBjGqMP8DMqNbz71d1318aKM32RcPLXtzzrMYqjMmWvJgfBkCtkqg2yfqNRa-bVrpWy1mtAwI2gI/s1600/20180407_194852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukHs0Ei7QnLVH_NPkXR-4zS8qNfnX0yk0DRMCIHZZF-rShhXDQONU9tePREmnaORXBjGqMP8DMqNbz71d1318aKM32RcPLXtzzrMYqjMmWvJgfBkCtkqg2yfqNRa-bVrpWy1mtAwI2gI/s400/20180407_194852.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pretty! Rose chose pink and clear gems for this project. </td></tr>
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Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-38086945116589822552018-04-03T21:30:00.001-05:002018-04-03T21:30:26.162-05:00Need Help With Meal Planning?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAc2lToGiMfe4UzzZMDEP-VTvdlKpil16KEgGiYTsbhaAbX2uc9qZ7eO6aUHf50IQE4Z8QsnlLG5O-yxAx7o7aEaaf1-lqHXWyBbsfDcxcyT6fvyvBkeG0r2bMkZr3BbQ_Z5JosQg632c/s1600/Message_1522778134132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAc2lToGiMfe4UzzZMDEP-VTvdlKpil16KEgGiYTsbhaAbX2uc9qZ7eO6aUHf50IQE4Z8QsnlLG5O-yxAx7o7aEaaf1-lqHXWyBbsfDcxcyT6fvyvBkeG0r2bMkZr3BbQ_Z5JosQg632c/s400/Message_1522778134132.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Let Hy-Vee grocery's licensed nutritionist help you select just the right candy for dinner today!Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-6505773007536835902018-04-03T15:16:00.000-05:002018-04-03T15:16:33.489-05:00Sewing Dance Costumes!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qeuLHfcUXTebwzkI6dUjSC2mP1Z5ariLS8toE58U4bqOibSfTKnHqaxZzKrpbVIl-6gEYqtZB0Jn_wjun5SZOPCt0zwI6fyHuH-fQRt0M_wgHGvCiI5hUaX9-gwtawEml-RJqam7KUY/s1600/20180318_175255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qeuLHfcUXTebwzkI6dUjSC2mP1Z5ariLS8toE58U4bqOibSfTKnHqaxZzKrpbVIl-6gEYqtZB0Jn_wjun5SZOPCt0zwI6fyHuH-fQRt0M_wgHGvCiI5hUaX9-gwtawEml-RJqam7KUY/s320/20180318_175255.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had the outfit itself done in this photo, but I was playing around a bit with the accessories to see what would look best. I decided to go with just one pink stripe as you see below.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyNLrkTrmhuEmqCD_anmfRJ0sPC3pvZSvnsK0xIkjKH2ggouAVGL_ssbsLUj6UPZ_OoSmjdg9zVpHj5lrIgCkIUb9KYI6EFyLGJy2ArOV8X0iyObGKntAMlUxAYQ73hWlpIszlz_RMnM/s1600/20180330_163546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyNLrkTrmhuEmqCD_anmfRJ0sPC3pvZSvnsK0xIkjKH2ggouAVGL_ssbsLUj6UPZ_OoSmjdg9zVpHj5lrIgCkIUb9KYI6EFyLGJy2ArOV8X0iyObGKntAMlUxAYQ73hWlpIszlz_RMnM/s320/20180330_163546.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made everything you see in this photo except the pants and Rose's stockings. I actually have made a pair of matching blue pants, but they're longer than these and Woodjie should wear the shorter ones out first, yes?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxbvC45jNCfGwAf9choMjPzvHKxFlqhJ3Iwn21pv9ehc5Q_TG-pL0vQti9KN6F1V3Fnx_HR5nd8b-WjS8_Jnh7wjofjbuSwtXEBqRzeiTEB5VzZsq6S1tMdvDvEyjl53i0qNXQy6OoG4/s1600/20180324_095840-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxbvC45jNCfGwAf9choMjPzvHKxFlqhJ3Iwn21pv9ehc5Q_TG-pL0vQti9KN6F1V3Fnx_HR5nd8b-WjS8_Jnh7wjofjbuSwtXEBqRzeiTEB5VzZsq6S1tMdvDvEyjl53i0qNXQy6OoG4/s320/20180324_095840-1.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plushy stretch velour flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8Ed5poBTsdCUNEEXZgDq0Va0_JVlJWhdHm24HKy0VpNXd2FPW_3Jo_u5zLlv2MmSQDSG675uDwFu4Htsiiwir2gCUYav-182hjEUDcEb63YDB44yZDnREPssS9OwHH-NUoZIhxQUSTg/s1600/20180323_122452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8Ed5poBTsdCUNEEXZgDq0Va0_JVlJWhdHm24HKy0VpNXd2FPW_3Jo_u5zLlv2MmSQDSG675uDwFu4Htsiiwir2gCUYav-182hjEUDcEb63YDB44yZDnREPssS9OwHH-NUoZIhxQUSTg/s320/20180323_122452.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose embellishes her summer shorts. She doesn't want to spend more than a few minutes sewing at this age.</td></tr>
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<br />Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.com6