We support Ron Paul for President 2012.  

I think the founding fathers would be very disappointed in what has become of the American government and its leaders; we now have a corrupt empire that largely ignores its own constitution and tramples on individuals' liberties.  The founding fathers would like Ron Paul, however.  Congressman Paul consistently votes no on issues that are unconstitutional. If elected Ron Paul will end our wars, close our hundreds of military bases across the globe and end our unsustainable, financially irresponsible empire.  Ron Paul has more support from US troops than all other presidential candidates combined!  Dr. Paul is critical of government corruption and believes in protecting whistleblowers.  As a congressman, Paul does not participate in the congressional pension, has never voted to raise congressional pay and as President he would draw a salary of just $39,336, which is the median salary of the American worker.  Paul believes the War on Drugs is not working, is a waste of money, and violates citizen's personal freedoms.  Congressman Paul has never voted for: raising taxes, an unbalanced budget, a federal restriction on gun ownership or an increase in the power of the executive branch.  Paul is the only presidential candidate proposing a viable balanced budget.  He voted against: the Patriot Act, the TARP bailouts, regulating the Internet and the Iraq war.  Search YouTube for " Ron Paul predicts " to see how Paul has predicted many of our current major problems and crises years or decades before they happened.  Please do not waste your vote on the status-quo; elect Ron Paul for US President in 2012.  - David & Joan Hall

Christmas Day

12-26-2011 ~ Blog #415

(David)

I don't know how people with small children travel or visit on Christmas; our day is typically very busy.  Yesterday we opened stockings, ate breakfast, opened gifts, ate lunch, the girls went caroling, played a bit, ate dinner, cleaned up, opened more gifts from out of town and concluded Christmas day by watching Peter Sellers in "The Party".  After the children went to bed I sorted through 550 photos and edited them down to the best 79, which are found below.  The big hit so far was a 1970's Japanese Pachinko machine.  Pachinko is essentially a vertical pinball without flippers; balls cascade down through a maze of pins and can land in plastic tulips that payoff more balls.  I bought one at a garage sale when I was in the third grade and had a couple in my college days.  Here's a 6.5 minute video of the children opening their stockings and discovering the Pachinko machine: Christmas Morning Video.  Here's a video of the girls and their friends caroling: Christmas Caroling Video.

Air Swimmer shark: essentially a radio control helium blimp.

Hermione Granger's wand!

Happy Napper!

Annika made Brigitta a glasses owl so that she has a safe place to store her glasses. 

No more spending 15 minutes on a school morning looking for your glasses Brigitta!

Svea knitted a hat and scarf for Joan.

Harriette testing out her new Tazzer.

Brigitta gave Annika a raccoon hat

Annika made Svea an earring butterfly so she will have a safe place to put her earrings.

The girls made Papa homemade KitKat bars

Brigitta got contact juggling balls; look contact juggling up on YouTube if you don't know what it is.

Annika loves to make things out of wood.  She's often found sawing, drilling, nailing, gluing and painting wooden things in the garage. 

She got a box of 15 wooden kits.  Yesterday she started building the seaplane.

132 colored pencils

Annika made Papa a "Papa" sign

Brigitta loves all forms of magic and has a collection of potion bottles. 

Svea and Joan cleaned up an old spice rack as a dispensary for her bottles.

Weird Al's latest!

It's about time I owned a pair of regular boots.

One of Nana's gifts to Joan had a tag that included the following poem:

"This gift is very special

Just like you!!

I hope you will cherish it

Your whole life through

It may bring some tears

To your lovely blue eyes

So open it carefully

And you'll get a big surprise!

From your

Loving Mom"

It was an old ski mask!

Carolling

(Yes, it can be spelled with two L's)

Gifts from Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Mark

Hats and scarves and puzzles from Grandma and Grandpa