Wordless Wednesday

Just STOP!

My mind is reeling with thoughts from the events in CT yesterday. As I process the information, and deal with my own very small (in comparison) feelings of rage and sadness, it occurs to me that for some reason this event has caused a dramatic change in my way of thinking about gun control laws. Growing up in the "wild west" I think I have always had a pretty open view about people owning guns. I do not "own" a gun myself, but with that said, there are multiple rifles in my home. All of my life, people I know have had and use guns. In fact, if pressed, it would be more difficult for me to name people who do NOT own guns than it would for me to name people who do own them. I have always thought I was a strong supporter of our right to bear arms, and would have agreed to vote to keep that right. Yesterday however, gave me pause. I don't know why yesterday's events were more traumatic than the events of Columbine, or events at Trolley Square, or even the events at the movie theater. In all cases, some crazy person found a gun, and went crazy with it. In all cases, innocent people died at the hands of a person with a gun, and I felt sad, and enraged, but not enough to change my attitude. Like I said, yesterday was different. For some reason, I realized that as long as crazies have access to weapons, this is going to continue to happen. END OF SENTENCE. I don't know all the facts, and I am not going to research them, but it sure appears that most of the time, the guns that are used in these attacks are stolen from honest permit toting gun owners.  It is not the honest permit toting gun owners that are causing the damage. It is caused by their crazy _________ (fill in the blank with neighbor, kid, co-worker, niece  nephew.... etc.) who stole their gun and wreaked havoc with it. I decided yesterday that my view on gun control laws has been completely and totally reversed. I know we have the right to bear arms in order to defend ourselves from tyranny. I am not afraid of the government taking over my home by force. I do not feel like I have to protect myself from tyranny. If  by my giving up my right to bear arms and turning into the government ALL of the guns that are in my home today...if it means that no more little people will be slaughtered at their desks, and that no longer will I be afraid to send my child to school, or alone to a mall, or to sit in a movie theater, then I'll do it. Down to the very last grain of gunpowder.

Wordless Wednesday

Guess what? I can read, too!

For those of you don't know, I have some sisters who are CRAZY readers. I truly don't have any idea when these chicks sleep. Sister SS reads so much she has developed her own ranking system for recommendations. You should check it out here: SS Reads.  She also has 4 kids and a full time job. I have NO IDEA how she does it. I mean, seriously? But, with that said, I just read the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. According to the SS recommendation scale, I would gladly give this series 5 stars.

The synopsis of the books, alla wiki states:

The Bartimaeus Sequence^[1] is a fantasy series by Jonathan Stroud consisting of a trilogy published from 2003 to 2005 and a prequel novel published in 2010. The titular character,Bartimaeus, is a five-thousand-year-old djinni, a spirit of approximately mid-level power (fourteenth-level). The story follows the career of a teenage magician Nathaniel (later known as John Mandrake), and the alternative history of the peak of London's power as a magical oligarchy, through the eyes of the djinni Nathaniel first summons.

The series is mostly told from the perspective of Bartimaeus, although the Bartimaeus Trilogy also makes use of the perspectives of the magician Nathaniel and the commoner Kitty Jones.


Originally, I didn't care much for Nathaniel, but grew to understand him better as the series progressed. Bartimaeus, however, won me over immediately with his wit and down right sarcastic personality. He would be pleased to know that I really liked his style. So, there you have it, proof that I can read, too!

Daisy Super Science

Another Daisy Badge can be found here:

Daisy Super Science

Brownie Home Scientist worksheet

Please remember this is NOT AUTHORIZED by GSUSA, and technically these badges must be worn on the back of the vest as they are not USGSA approved and should be treated as "fun patches."

Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas Frankie

This will go in the mail tomorrow so Santa can fill it for you. Love you guys!