do you recall....

...the most famous reindeer of all?
I have a few things to say about Rudolph.
1. If you even have to ask "Do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?", how can that be true? If he's the most famous reindeer then of course people should recall him. And if no one remembers him than he isn't the most famous. Think critically here, people.
2. That future-dentist elf is creepy.
3. One time at church when I was a little girl, a little boy made fun of me for not knowing the silly call-backs to the Rudolph song (like a lightbulb! like pinnochio! like monopoly! like George Washington!). He obviously missed the whole point of the song.
4. I think some girls at Miss Porter's boarding school for rich upper-class girls (Jackie Kennedy Onassis is an alumna) somehow missed the message of Rudolph - a group of students created this clique called "Oprichniki" after the 16th century Russian torture squad and the parents of one girl are suing the school for damages to their daughter's emotions and future college plans because of the emotional stress caused by the taunts of her bullying classmates. Girls can be so mean. It just makes me sick to read about that kind of a thing.

..stays in Iowa

this is why we are a little aloof when people ask what life is like in Iowa: we don't want people to know how we are partying it up in the greatest corn state of the midwest.

thanksgiving, into advent

Thanksgiving was amazing. We visited our families in Michigan - I marvel at how much we packed into those few days. My side of the family took a little higher priority in our time scheduling because of all the out-of-town family visiting, but we managed to enjoy dinner and fun times with both families and even some friends. Perhaps one of the best parts for me was watching Aaron with my little cousins. I loved watching them all interact and play and wrestle and laugh. So fun.

I ran the 5k! This picture is blurry because I was running so fast, obviously. Actually it wasn't that fast but I accomplished my goal, which was ...to finish the whole thing without walking.



And now that thanksgiving is over, I am so excited about christmas! Probably because I don't have any finals to interfere with the unfettered joy that should accompany this season celebrating the word made flesh and the perfect baby being born so man no more may die. Also, our tree is up and it looks amazing.