Ornaments and Decorations

          Roland decided to put up the lights and bringing out the tree and decorate the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  We had actually done that one other year when we were living in the West Valley House.  We had put the tree up right after Thanksgiving, and I think I took it down before New Years - which is unusual.  I'm always disappointed about having to take the tree down - except for that year.  Our house was tiny as it was.  Having the tree out made it less spacious.  That house actually does not have a lot of positive memories for me.

          We had a lot of space with our first house in Oregon.  I thought I would miss it - but haven't thought about it really.  And that is a blessing.  I took this photo of Jenna and our decorated house  this morning. 

          I think our house looks smaller from the outside than it actually is.  Our West Valley House looked bigger than it felt.  It felt smaller than this house.  Our Tri-City house is certainly better ventilated.

          In my last post, I made the comment on how much I miss games and visiting with family members.  On the plus side, I was able to put up a bunch of fragile ornaments that my tree hasn't seen for some time.

Santa Clause - U.S.

Father Christmas - England

Papa Noel - Belguim

Pere Noel - France

St Lucia - Sweden

St Nicholas - Netherlands

          I don't know how many years it's been since I purchased the Franklin Mint's "Faces of Christmas Around the World" ornament collection, one ornament at a time.  I had also purchased Grolier's Disney Collection but did not continue.  I don't think they are well-made.  But I do like these ones from Franklin Mint.

Kolyada - Russia

 

Christlkindll- Germany

Christmas Angel - Hungary

Le Befana - Italy

sinterklaas nethlands

Julenisse - Denmark

I find it interesting that there are two figures represented with the Netherlands, and no Three Kings associated with many Latin  countries

         In my family, my mom and dad always purchased new ornaments every year - which has resulted in a Hodge assortment throughout the years.  That's what I grew up with.  That's what I know.

 

          I think Roland would rather just have candy canes and baubles.  We had a silver tree one year to appease him.  All of us thought it was boring.  But perhaps we can buy several colored baubles when they go on sale and try for his tree again next year?

          Last year each of our boys had one daughter, and we did too.  I thought it was interesting that each household had Mommy*Daddy*daughter.  I made these ornaments for last year:

          This year I purchased four ornaments and let Jenna choose from the assortment which ornament should go where

          She decided to keep the deer for our tree.  She picked the snowflake for Tony's family. The nativity is for her oldest brother, Biff.  And that left the holly for Randy's family.

My classes seem intertwined this week.

          I have been pretty good about figuring out the topic for the class discussions and have usually done by initial post on Monday.  I usually look at the assignment before the lecture, but seemed to have failed on looking at my history assignment in detail.  We are required to do a power point which usually wouldn't be a big deal, but Jenna is off from school this week and I hate leaving her alone, but I am required to have references.  Searching for articles, and creating cites is always so time consuming.  It steals away time, not just from me, but from my family.

          Lectures are on Monday, which has also taken away from family time - though I don't have to be at the live session.  I can always watch or rewatch the recordings.  My history instructor, thus far, has taken two hours to present the material - though the first hour is generally review on what I think I already understand.  At least she presents the material with passion, and I enjoy listening to her.  I have enjoyed most all of the required lectures I have watched (or listened to) with the exception of my professor from MAN103 - that was tough.  And there was a lot of review and less focus about what was to be expected of that particular week.

          I decided I would do my power point on immigration and transportation, specifically the steamboat and the train - show the evolution of product made in textile mills and other factories could use transportation for their materials, but new inventions for transportation created new jobs as well.

          Everyday this week I have opened five management files with the intention of reading, and each day I forget that they're there.  Tuesday I worked on my power point for history and did not give my management class a second thought.  Yesterday I made comments to both discussion posts.  In the history discussion we are to post on conditions now and then.  One of my peers left a comment about communication.  I think if I had not already turned in my power point focusing on transportation, I might have changed it to communication - which would have created more unnecessary work on my part.  I really do like history.  Roland enjoys it too and actually stayed for part of the lecture.

           The topic in MAN104 is on marketing shoes.   I have made it no secret that I don't like business nor am I interested in learning business techniques or marketing skills.  I do enjoy MAN104 better than I did MAN103.  The instructor holds my attention and answers my questions.  She also grades my discussion after I have made the initial post and two comments.  That is nice. 

          I have finished my assignment but have not turned it in as I am looking for Roland's input on my concluding thoughts - which feel like they're in limbo right now.  But perhaps if I can look at it again it will make more sense to me.  Right now I just want to focus on this day and not worry about my classes.  I plan to take the assessments tomorrow. 

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

 

Presidential Trivia

(this post is about presidents past and NOT the current election)

         

        Jenna and a classmate are going to give an assigned PowerPoint this week.  I haven't seen any of it as it was a project they worked on it at school.  The first PowerPoint that I remember Jenna doing for her current school was a presentation on one of our former presidents.

        Before she had been assigned this task, I had told her that if ever she was to do a report on an American President, to pick either William Henry Harrison or Gerald Ford as William Henry Harrison was Pres. for only one month and Gerald Ford is the only President that hadn't been voted to be president (or vice-president) by the public.  I just like interesting facts that set apart from others.  But I suppose they all have something interesting about them.

        She did get an opportunity to do a power-point on a president, but not totally of her choosing.  Presidents' names were written on a paper and placed in a hat or box.  Students could draw two and make a choice between the two names drawn. 

        She came home one day and asked what I knew about  Martin Van Buren.  Not much.  I know that he was president during the time when the members of the church were being harassed in Missouri and Joseph Smith went to the white house to talk to the president and was not impressed with Martin Van Buren and decided that he, himself, would run for president.

        Jenna thought that was a cool story and wanted to use it, but the story has more to do with the Prophet Joseph Smith rather than the  Van Buren - except to say that Van Buren was arrogant and did not want to interfere with Boggs order of extermination as elections were coming up and he did not wish to lose the vote in Missouri. (Stevenson, 2013)

        Though there are some names that stand out for us more than others, there is tons of information about each of our past presidents if we but look.

Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president while James Monroe was the shortest. (Fun Facts, 2003)

Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest President to take office (at age 42) while Ronald Reagan was the oldest (age 69) Taft was the largest president and had to have a custom made tub.

Franklin D. Roosevelt served more terms than any other president.  Grover Cleveland was President twice (#22 and #24)

James Buchanan was the only president to be single throughout his term.  According to the History Channel, Cleveland is the only president to have his wedding ceremony in the White House (Siese, 2015)

though John Tyler was the first to marry while in office

For more fun facts and scandal, you can visit the following (or click on cite dates in post)

AMERICAN HISTORY: Presidential Trivia, Fun Facts and Firsts. (2003). Retrieved from Legends of America: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-presidenttrivia.html

Siese, A. (2015, June 3). These 2 Single U.S. Presidents In History Prove There's Precedent For Candidate Lindsey Graham's Bachelor Status. Retrieved from Bustle: https://www.bustle.com/articles/87904-these-2-single-us-presidents-in-history-prove-theres-precedent-for-candidate-lindsey-grahams-bachelor-status

Stevenson, F. (2013, May 20). Top scandals and controversies of each United States president. Retrieved from Deseret News: http://www.deseretnews.com/top/1512/8/Top-scandals-and-controversies-of-each-United-States-president.html