Anna's Unabridged Dictionary

Faff: n. (faf) That long-necked yellow creature with brown spots, four legs, and two weird fur-covered horn-things.

Wa: v. (Wah, rhymes with bah as in humbug) "Let me down, I don't want to be held, and I want to get around on my own", also "walk"

Boop: n. (buup, rhymes with look, took, etc.) any variety of printed, bound material, meant to be read at the instance of the spoken word, unless the back-up-and-sit-down has not yet occurred.

Heard and Seen at the McDonaldSpot

Anna learned to slide on her own this week. We have a little Kangaroo Climber from Nanny and Dandy (it's for toddlers), and she can get herself up on the little platform, swing around to a sitting position, and then push herself down the slide. She LOVES it! She giggles at the end every time. The hilarious part is that, due to a song we learned with laughing in the chorus, when she does so, it's a deep sounding literal "Ha ha ha" instead of tee-hees or silly little giggles. Imagine a sweet little girl sliding and ending with a HA!

Heard at the McDonaldSpot

Caleb came home from school Thursday to tell me they had learned about the Ten Commandments in chapel. He said that one of the people on stage was saying silly ones instead of the real commandments, which made it really funny.

I asked him if he learned any of the real ones. Here was his response.

C: No adults up in trees.
Me: (pausing) That was one of the silly ones right?
C: No, that's a real one. No adults in trees because they might fall down and get hurt.
Me: (pausing for quite a while, all while a friend nearby was trying not to laugh)

I figured it out pretty quickly. Have you?



No adultery

After a laugh, he wanted to know what adultery was. I answered in a child friendly way, but I'm curious to know how each of you would have answered a very curious four year old. I'll post my response to him in a comment after you guys give your two cents.

Congratulations are in order!

Several of my friends have great news to report! We celebrate the arrivals of new precious babies to the Hoovers, the Bryces, and the Watts(es)!

McDonaldSpot version 2.008 with readme.txt

Happy New Year to you and yours!

The dawn of the year of our Lord 2008 finds us blogging in the home of First Monday Trade Days as we wrap up our visit with Scott's family. We missed First Monday by a week (the event is held on the weekend that precedes the first Monday of each new month), and while I was slightly disappointed, the trip has been wonderful and relaxing.

Have you made any new resolutions to accompany the new year? Some avoid them because they seem cliche or lack the seriousness required for change. Others show their willpower by keeping them all year long. Regardless, many people would like to change things or introduce new behaviors (workouts, anyone?)

Was reading on your list? Scott and I have compiled a favorite authors list, along with a few specific books that you might be interested in. The nerd in me wants to organize them by genre, then author, then title. The efficient side of me knows that I don't have a lot of time (football is on, the kids are wanting to play games, and the New Years queso dip and snacks are beckoning). So, here goes, and hopefully it's more organized than chaotic:

Favorite Christian Authors and some book titles (with genres included where possible)

a non-exhaustive list

the book titles listed are not necessarily the only books we recommend by that author

• CS Lewis
• AW Tozer Knowledge of the Holy, and others
• Dallas Willard Spirit of the Disciplines, I'm wanting to read The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship
• Oswald Sanders Spiritual Leadership
• Os Guinness Dining with the Devil
• Wayne Grudem Christian Beliefs:20 Basics every Christian should know, Systematic Theology (mainly theology)
• Richard Foster Celebration of the Disciplines
• DA Carson (mainly theology, I think)
• John Piper Don't waste your Life, Sex and the Supremacy of God, Brothers We Are Not Professionals (many genres)
• JI Packer Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, Knowing God
• Mark Dever Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
• John MacArthur
• Ravi Zacharias The Grand Weaver, and many others
• CJ Mahaney Humility
• Elisabeth Elliot
• The Jesus Storybook Bible
• Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo (parenting)

Now, there are probably many that we missed, and I know that I've received good suggestions and guidance from these places also.

The Discerning Reader

GirlTalk search for entries categorized "books" or "reading"

Al Mohler's website Mr. Mohler often discusses good books and critiques others.

Be wise as you select reading material! As a believer, it would sadly be unwise to assume that any book you find in the Christianity section of a bookstore (or a christian bookstore, for that matter) is Biblically accurate and reflects Truth.