First Children’s Christmas Party at the White House

by Sandra Merville Hart President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Adams didn’t have the warmest of homes at the White House in 1800. Their Pennsylvania Avenue home, built near a swamp, was drafty and cold. Large fires crackled in thirteen fireplaces to warm their home. In 1800, as Christmas approached the President and First Lady decided to host a children’s Christmas party. Their four-year-old granddaughter, Susanna Boylston Adams, lived with them and they wanted to honor her. Greenery was hung to decorate the East Room. Government officials and their children were invited to the party. A small orchestra played while guests munched on cakes and drank punch. They sang Christmas carols and played games. The party was a great success with one exception. One of...

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Twelve Days of Christmas

Twelve Days of Christmas Crossword Puzzle Puzzle Words The answers are: Partridge doves hens pipers geese swans maids birds ladies lords rings drummers Hints: Across 2. one 6. nine 7. six 9. four 10. eight 11. ten Down 1. three 3. five 4. two 5. eleven 8. twelve 12. seven More Hints: Twelve lords leaping Eleven ladies dancing Ten pipers piping Nine durmmers drumming Eight maids milking Seven swans swimming Six geese laying Five gold rings Four colly birds Three french hens Two turles doves A partridge in a pear tree Twelve Days of Christmas Number Puzzle Try to fill in the missing numbers. The missing numbers are integers between 2 and 10. The numbers in each row add up to totals to the right. The numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom. The...

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Pepe the Parrot’s Predicament

Hundreds of birds lived in the trees, and they all worked together to help each other. They huddled together in the trees to stay dry when it rained. When there was little food because of the flooding in the valley, they all shared their gatherings of seeds and grain from the fields. But not Pepe. He didn’t share the bananas that were put on his plate daily; neither did he use his ability to speak for them when they needed help. One day, the birds heard a bang and then a thump; a bird fell to the ground. Quickly, the birds in the trees swooped down to see if the little bird survived the fall. Was he breathing? They couldn’t tell as they gathered around him. “Quick, Pepe, go to the window and call for the boy, Ben. He will know what to do.”  Pepe mumbled...

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Autumn Snack Attack

On seeds I’ll feed to meet my need; then share some seed for those in need. That’s my good deed. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:29 NIV What you will need: Small packages or 1 cup each of unsalted Sunflower seeds Pumpkin seeds Cashew nuts Almond slivers or any other unsalted nut of your choice 1 packet of Taco seasoning mix (Note: a great place to find varieties of nuts is at Whole Foods or similar markets and stores.)   Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Place nuts and seeds in large mixing bowl Sprinkle Taco seasoning mix over nuts Stir to coat Spread nuts in a thin layer on a cookie sheet   Watch carefully so...

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The Last Supper

The Last Supper: On the first day of a celebration called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples asked Jesus, “Where would you like to eat the Passover feast?” Jesus told his followers to go into the city and find a man. He instructed his disciples to tell the man He would like to come to his house for Passover. The Jews celebrated Passover, also known as the feast of unleavened bread, since the time of Moses, when the Lord saved all the Israelite babies— including Moses. The celebration is called Passover because God “passed over” their houses, and they were kept safe. During Passover celebrations people didn’t eat or have any bread in their homes with yeast in it. Yeast is what makes the bread rise. Without yeast the bread is flat, and that is...

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Staying Connected

“Those who know your name will trust in you,  for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10) Over the Thanksgiving holiday I visited my parents. They live out in the country where there is no cable, no internet, and the cell phone reception is kind of spotty. For four days I couldn’t check my e-mail or work on the internet. I lost touch with all my Facebook friends and wasn’t able to answer my e-mail. I was disconnected. I began thinking about how not seeing or talking to friends regularly can cause them to become disconnected. Disconnection often causes friendships to fall apart. As I thought about my friendship with God, it made me think how important it is to stay connected to Him through regular prayer and reading His...

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