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NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) Tracks Santa (St. Nicolas)

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Do you wonder what Santa is up to? The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has the military equipment and technology to find out if St. Nicholas is making tracks. For the past 60 years NORAD has tracked Santa progress on Christmas Eve and all because of a misprint. In 1955 a Sears and Roebuck, Inc advertisement ran a phone number for children to call and talk to Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the children called in the NORAD (former  Continental Air Defense Command- CONAD). Director of Operations Colonel Harry Shoup had his staff check for signs of Santa and children calling in were given periodic updates regarding St. Nick's location. Keep track of Santa!  In 1958 the Canadian and United States governments created a new bi-national air defense command for North American, renamed from CONAD to the current NORAD. The new organization continued the tradition of tracking Santa for youngsters. For anyone that is concerned about government funds being used

Yes, There is a Santa Claus, by Francis Pharcellus Church (The New York Sun)

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The New York Sun's newsman Francis Pharcellus Church's response to then eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial.  Is There A Santa Claus?   "We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of THE SUN: DEAR EDITOR:  I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? VIRGINIA O'HANLON. 115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.  

Craft: Get ready for Christmas with this Advent Calendar idea

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* All artwork and tutorials © Jenny B Harris, AllSorts From illustrator, designer and all around crafty lady,  Jenny B Harris of Allsorts  are these sweet and easy tutorials on how to make a "peppermint star," an advent calendar of pocket purses and even a little elf clog.  These were first loaded on her website in 2007 and we have used her tutorials to make  tiny purses for dolls, shoes and stars to hang from the sky.. because that is where stars come from (according to my daughter.) We even made elf shoes for "real" elves that would visit us at night.  We did find out that we didn't have elfin visitors but mice. My child was most disappointed to learn that in our world, at our house, mice do not wear clothes but eat shoes, felt and even the cupcakes we left on the counter.  Keep in mind that these are not my designs or artwork so if you copy or reuse, please give credit where credit it due...  (* All artwork and tutorials © Jenny B Harris, A

Craft: Electoral Voting Map - Color in Each State

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Remember to VOTE for President! Here is an Electoral Votes map. Help your children keep track of each state. Count the electoral votes and be able to explain the Presidential election process!

Apple Season - Make Your Own (DIY) Apple Chips and Apple Vinegar! What to do with leftover apple scraps, peels and cores

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I love those dried apple chips I find in the store. Those expensive, dried, apple chips that usually have only 4 slices of apple coated in sugar, oil and cinnamon jostling around in a mostly empty bag. For years now I've also been drinking  Apple Cider Vinegar  every day. All the health benefits, aside, making vinegar takes absolutely no time of effort. That is my type of cooking.   Our family usually composts our apple bits. Those peels and cores are usually designated to the bin, feeding our red wiggler worms.  After an overzealous bout of apple picking, I thought there had to be a way to reuse some or part of the apples in a different way. Now of course, I'm not the first person to think this way. Martha Stewart usually beats everyone to the punch. Since I'm a staff of one and she has a whole research team, I thought I could come up with an easier way of making homemade apple chips with less sugar and in less time. After you've peeled and cored the appl