If you have a little girl...

You have got to check out the Fancy Nancy books. Aunt E introduced them to us, and G is hooked. Fancy Nancy and Angelina Ballerina are the IT books in our home. I believe I am raising a little reader because G loves books! The Fancy Nancy's below are the hardback books, and are G's favorites. There are some paperbacks and a few reader books.

The American History Museum

Today the family went to the renovated American History Museum, which is part of the Smithsonian. It has been closed for two years and re-opened November 21st. Well, we thought with it being Thanksgiving weekend no one would be there. WRONG! Not only was it extremely crowded, but half of the museum is still closed. Several of the exhibits don't reopen until January 2009. I will wait until February or March to go back in the freezing cold when all the tourists are GONE!!

The one good exhbit we did wait in line to see was the American Flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore and inspired the Star Spangled Banner. There are pics from Fort McHenry in an earlier post. When we visited Fort McHenry we bought Georgia a book about Mary Pickersgill, the lady who made the Star Spangled Banner flag. A picture of the book is below. Mary came to the museum to talk to the kids about the flag and had the kids help her put the flag together. It was neat to bring history to life for G. I hope that while we are here, she remembers all the wonderful things we show her about our American history.

My only comlaint...I wish it had details on how their

TLC show came to be. Otherwise...great read!

I love that it is full of scripture!

First Big Girl Puzzle

Georgia completed her first Big Girl Puzzle tonight with no help!

Just Finished Reading...

Nice book on taking advantage of every day, but sad because who knows if he knew Jesus Christ has his personal Lord & Savior.

Finally Finished Reading...

This book took me a while, simply because I don't always have time to read. I wish life could be more like this book. Even if it means not having all of our modern conveniences. I have also read two other of Elisabeth Elliott's books, Passion and Purity and Shadow Of the Almighty. I loved these books, and if you haven't read any of these - do it!!

Fall In Maryland

One of the things I love about Maryland is having actual seasons with temps coinciding with the season. I can remember Thankgsivings in Mississippi wearing shorts to the dinner table. We always went to Kentucky for Christmas, so I don't know what it was like in Mississippi for Christmas. In Maryland, it's long sleeves and coats every year. In Mississippi, Georgia had a couple of heavy sweaters to wear when it was cold. Here, she has five or six coats of varying degrees of warmth, a pair of snow pants, and snow boots.

Anyway, I meant to take pictures of the trees this Fall, but never got around to it. While I was in Mississippi, Rick took these pictures for me. It is late in the season and most of the leaves have fallen, but it gives you an idea of the beautiful Fall trees outside our door. My favorites have already turned and lost their leaves, but I hope you enjoy!

Larriland Farm

Aunt E came to vist for the weekend since she will be in Argentina over Thanksgiving. While she was here we went apple picking at Larriland Farms. The drive over was absolutely gorgeous. We picked apples, bought home-made goodies, and G went through the maze. It was a lovely family adventure, and one that will have to be an annual tradition!

Different views across the farm

Aunt E took these, and I thought she was going to get G

in the maze. However, I am sure G was not cooperating!

Georgia picking apples!

I still don't know what we are going to do with all of our apples.

We only picked the sour ones, ugh!!

http://www.pickyourown.com/