Happy Belated Birthday Benty!

(Above: picture of the cake Lorcan made for some homeless people,to help grant Benty's wish)

Happy Birthday!!! Wow! 9 years old! That's crazy! I hope you had a good day!


x-o-x-o-x

Anna

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day marks the Roman Catholic feast day for Ireland's patron saint, who died in the 5th century. St. Patrick (Patricius in Latin) was not born in Ireland, but in Britain.

• Irish brigands kidnapped St. Patrick at 16 and brought him to Ireland. He was sold as a slave in the county of Antrim and served in bondage for six years until he escaped to Gaul, in present-day France. He later returned to his parents' home in Britain, where he had a vision that he would preach to the Irish. After 14 years of study, Patrick returned to Ireland, where he built churches and spread the Christian faith for some 30 years.

• Many myths surround St. Patrick. One of the best known—and most inaccurate—is that Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland into the Irish Sea, where the serpents drowned. (Some still say that is why the sea is so rough.)

But snakes have never been native to the Emerald Isle. The serpents were likely a metaphor for druidic religions, which steadily disappeared from Ireland in the centuries after St. Patrick planted the seeds of Christianity on the island.

• In the United States, it's customary to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. But in Ireland the color was long considered to be unlucky, says Bridget Haggerty, author of The Traditional Irish Wedding and the Irish Culture and Customs Web site.

As Haggerty explains, Irish folklore holds that green is the favorite color of the Good People (the proper name for faeries). They are likely to steal people, especially children, who wear too much of the color.

• Colonial New York City hosted the first official St. Patrick's Day parade in 1762, when Irish immigrants in the British colonial army marched down city streets. In subsequent years Irish fraternal organizations also held processions to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The various groups merged sometime around 1850 to form a single, grand parade.

• Today New York's St. Patrick's Day parade is the longest running civilian parade in the world. This year nearly three million spectators are expected to watch the spectacle and some 150,000 participants plan to march.

• Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade is little more than 75 years old. This year festival organizers will launch 15,000 pounds (7 metric tons) of fireworks to cap their celebration, which is expected to draw 400,000 spectators.

Facts gathered here

Drawing and Personality Test

I have just finished taking a personality test! I drew this picture and answered some questions, and I appear to be,

• Driven and ambitious and tend to make radical moves to reach my goals.
• Am a thoughtful and cautious person. I like to think about my method, seeking to pursue my goal in the most effective way.
• I like following the rules and being objective. I am precise and meticulous, and like to evaluate decisions before making them.
• And I have a sunny, cheerful disposition!

The first three answers are completely oppisite! Although, I do like to think I have a "cheerful disposition"! =) Would you like to take the test? =)

Finally! Some More Interesting Facts!

What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.

Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!


Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs
has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.

Coca-Cola would be green if colouring weren’t added to it.

The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times!

Dolphins sleep with one eye open!

Queen Elizabeth I regarded herself as a paragon of cleanliness. She declared that she bathed once every three months, whether she needed it or not

For more, Read 50 Things Everyone Should Know!

Amazing Hand Art!

Here is some crazy, beautiful hand art! Isn't it awesome?

Check out some more here!

If Somebody There Chanced To Be

If somebody there chanced to be
Who loved me in a manner true,
My heart would point him out to me,
And I would point him out to you.
But here it says of those who point —
Their manners must be out of joint —
You may not point —
You must not point —
It's manners out of joint, to point!

Ah! Had I the love of such as he,
Some quiet spot he'd take me to,
Then he could whisper it to me,
And I could whisper it to you.
But whispering, I've somewhere met,
Is contrary to etiquette:
Where can it be
Now let me see
Yes, yes!
It's contrary to etiquette!

By W. S. Gilbert

A *tough* riddle...

I am holding something right now.
It is more precious than any gold,
more fantastic than any silver,
more beautiful than any diamonds,
more unbelievably sweet than any sugar,
and more cute than any rabbit,

That Ever Existed.

Stercoricolous, Euphonious, Saccharine, Anonalous???

Last night I found A Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms. Now, you may think this is a little strange, abnormal, queer, odd, eccentric, anomalous, and quaint, but I rather enjoy reading things like that. So I picked it up right away and started reading it. I would think of words and look them up quickily, swiftly, promptly, speedily, rapidly, and reptatorially...oh wait! that is an antonym! Anway, then I'd read all their synonyms and antonyms. But I ran into quite a few hard, arduous, difficult, tiolsome, obdurat, austere, pitilous, and even cruel words. Some were very long, lengthy, endless, elongated, and outstretched. Others were practically impossible, impervious, inconseivable, and unreadable. Phew!

Starting Back to School

Today we start school again! I'm planing on being very busy, because I have to finish up everything for this school year. I'm totally going to be schooling through summer too! I can't believe it! I'm going to be in tenth grade next school year! Three years till college! It's scary and super exciting at the same time.

Of course, three years it a pretty long time. But time goes so quickly! I've been seriously lacking in one all important thing lately. Praying. Praying that I'll be led in the right direction, and that I'll make the right choices, and things like that. Three years for playing about that isn't actually that much time! And saving up to pay for college! So far I only have two hundred dollars! Three years for saving up isn't not long either!

I am hoping that the year I graduate from highschool, I'll be able to join NET Ministries for a year. I really want to. It seems like the perfect thing for me to do! But for now I'll just have to try to get through highschool in one piece! =)

So my New Year Resolutions (though they are a bit late) are to pray more, save more, and study more!

Happy New Year's!!!!

Happy New Year's everyone! I hope you have had a wonderful year!

Jesus Christ, please fill us with peace and clear our minds to prepare for a new year. Help us enjoy our friends and families. Unite us with Your grace and love. Please, Jesus, make this year one we will not forget.

Amen.

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you all had a holly jolly, super merry Christmas!!!

I haven't posted much lately, and that is because we got sick and Gabriela, Bethany and I went on a "sleep-over" to our sister's house! We did baking and shopping and had a wonderful time! And then we all came home on Christmas Eve!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

xoxoxo

Anna

Our Advent Wreath

I just had to share a picture of our Advent Wreath! My mum made it! Now is it pretty or what?

As you can see, we only have white candles! But we didn't order any actual Advent candles in time! It's still really nice, though.

It only has one candle lit in this picture, but today we light the third candle!

Another Two Birthdays!!

Yesterday I made a cake for my friend Taylor, who is now 15! And for his twin, Tyler, and for a girl named Cassie, who will be 15 tomorrow!! HAPPY BRIDTHDAY!!!!

Cool things that happened this week:

• I went Christmas Caroling with a lot of friends last night! It was really fun.
• This makes my 13th post this month! Yay! I broke my record!
  
• I went Christmas shoping for my "person" (The person I'm Christmas angel to... some one who I give candy and secret, tiny presents to during Advent, and then give a BIG present to on Christmas day! I wish I could say who I'm Christmas Angle to and what I got them, but they just, just might see this!)
• I got a present finally for one of my best friends! (Kateri!)
• I had a just plain silly, good time! =)
• I cleaned my room finally!!
• We lit the 3rd Advent candle!
  
• We are only 7 days away from CHRISTMAS! Is that crazy or what?

Happy Birthday to One of the Best Sisters EVER!!!!

Happy Birthday Aimee! Have a piece of cake and a mug of hot-chocolate on me! =)

Love you!!!!!

Baking Day!

Yesterday I baked 68 mollases cookies! And I had Bethany Rose, my little sister, to help me. I looove baking with Benty, we always have such fun! But yesterday, as I think my mother would agree, we had a little too much fun...

Have you ever had a Flour Fight? If you have not, you have no idea how delightful it can be. If you have not, all I can say is, you should. A Flour Fight is when you throw flour at somebody. Benty and I always have flour fights when we bake. Yesterday though, we didn't just have a flour fight. We had a flour war! And you should have seen the house afterwards. We had be-floured the house. And you should have seen us! There was flour in our hair, all over our clothing. There was even flour covering poor defenseless bystanders who had been caught in the combat.

Of course when our mum saw that, we got in trouble. We then had to de-flour the house. We vacuumed up the kitchen tiles floor and (somehow the flour had wandered all over the house!) the dining room wood floor. We vacuumed up each other and we vacuumed up our clothes! And, thank heavens, our mum was there to help us.

She is always there to help us. Whenever we are in trouble, she is there to help. Whenever we are worried, she is there to help. No matter what, she will always be there to help.

Thank you God for my mum!

Feast of St. John ofthe Cross

I'm afraid I missed two feast days already (Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Lucia) So I decided I must not miss another one.

St. John of the Cross, pray for us!

Saint John of the Cross, in the darkness of your worst moments, when you were alone and persecuted, you found God.
Help me to have faith that God is there especially in the times when God seems absent and far away.
Amen

Being an older sister means....

Reading books ten times over to eager ears.
Making billions of sandwhiches for many little fellas.
Watching Chicken Run and other favorites...
huuuundreds of times.
Having your room torn apart by small hands.
Having your treats snacked on... and not by you.
Getting all kinds of cute pictures and scribbles and cards.
Dancing all sorts of silly, wiggly dances, just for fun.
Hearing little voices laugh and sing.
Being hugged more times than it is possible to count.
Being kissed till your face is wet.
Having "I love you more" contests all day long.
Being followed around by tiny little patting feet.
Cuddling whenever you want it.
Being loved.

Second Week of Advent

Baruch 5: 1 - 9 5:1 Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God. 2 Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting; 3 for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven. 4 For God will give you evermore the name, "Righteous Peace, Godly Glory." 5 Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height; look toward the east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them. 6 For they went out from you on foot, led away by their enemies; but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne. 7 For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God. 8 The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God's command. 9 For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

Christmas Facts!

Here are some very interesting facts about Christmas, and Christmasy things!

Holly
The sharply pointed leaves were to symbolize the thorns in Christ's crown and the red berries drops of his blood. Holly became a nativity tradition.

Presents
The tradition of gifts seems to have started with the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus. The exchanging of gifts between people started in about the 1800's.

Reindeer
The reindeer probably came from stories of the Norse God Woden who rode through the sky with reindeer and 42 ghostly huntsmen. Clement Moore's famous poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (T'was the Night Before Christmas) sealed the image of Santa Claus, his reindeer and the magical flying sleigh loaded with sacks of presents.

Santa Claus
The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, was born in Turkey in the 4th century. He was very pious from an early age, devoting his life to Christianity. He became widely known for his generosity for the poor. At the time, the Romans held him in contempt. He was imprisoned and tortured. When Constantine became emperor of Rome, he allowed Nicholas to go free. Constantine became a Christian and convened the Council of Nicaea in 325. Nicholas was delegate to the council. He is especially noted for his love of children and for his generosity. He is the patron saint of sailors. He is also of course, the patron saint of children. The Dutch kept the legend of St. Nicholas alive. In the 16th century Holland, Dutch children would place their wooden shoes by the hearth in hopes that they would be filled with a treat. The Dutch spelled St. Nicholas as Sint Nikolaas, which became corrupted to Sinterklaas, and finally, in Anglican, to Santa Claus. The image of Santa was originally a man in a long brown robe and furs carrying a cross and wine flask with a holly crown on his head. In 1885, a Boston printer, Louis Prang, first devised the red-suited Santa and this theme was later developed by the Coca Cola advertising artist Haddon Sundblom in the 1930'sThis produced the modern image of a jolly character in a red suit trimmed with white fur.

Stockings hanging on your mantel...
According to tradition, Saint Nicholas left his very first gifts of gold coins in the stockings of three poor girls who needed the money for their wedding dowries. The girls had hung their stockings by the fire to dry. The tradition has modified itself, from gag gifts , to small inexpensive but useful gifts.

The Candy Cane
In the late 1800's, a candy maker in Indiana wanted to express the meaning of Christmas through a symbol made of candy. He invented the idea of bending one of his white candy sticks into the shape of a Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols of Christ's love and sacrifice through the Candy Cane. First, he used a plain white peppermint stick. The color white symbolizes the purity and sinless nature of Jesus. Next, he added three small stripes to symbolize the pain inflicted upon Jesus before His death on the cross. There are three of them to represent the Holy Trinity. He added a bold stripe to represent the blood Jesus shed for mankind. When looked at with the crook on top, it looks like a shepherd's staff because Jesus is the shepherd of man. If you turn it upside down, it becomes the letter J symbolizing the first letter in Jesus' name. The candy maker made these Candy Canes for Christmas, so everyone would remember what Christmas is all about.

"Silent Night"
In 1818, an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr, was told the day before Christmas, that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music. He wanted to write a carol that could be sung by a choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night, the people in the little Austrian Church sang "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night) for the first time.

Lump of Coal
According to tradition, giving a lump of coal in the stockings of naughty children comes from Italy.

More Christmasy Facts!

Cookies, Books, Movies, and Advent

Lately I have been busy making Christmasy treats! Today I'm hoping to make sugar cookies, and lemon icing for the little ones to decorate them with! I might even make mollases cookies, with M&Ms! Yum...

Lately I have been reading some really great books! Here are some of them:

• The Count of Monte Cristo
• Julious Caeser
• A Man for All Seasons
• Plautus Four Comedies
• And of course, The Christmas Carrol!
  

And I've been reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to my little brother Tanny.

Of course, during the Advent season, we have been watching a LOT of Christmas movies! We don't have Cable, so we watched tapes! We have watched The Grinch (The one with people!) Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (The cartoon!) Blue Toes, The Nutcracker (The cartoon) The Christmas Carrol, and many, many more.

The best time of all, is when we all sit around the couch with our parent, eating candy-canes and sipping hot chocolate, and watch the merry movies together!