I hope no one will be horrified to know that I was thinking about it last night and started wondering, what IS Memorial Day really all about?

I really don't think I've ever known exactly the point of it.

When I looked it up this morning I felt a little less ridiculous once finding that I'm probably not the only one…

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

If you want to know what it's all about you can go read here.

I'll admit I'm one of those whose pretty much viewed it as just another day off.  How awful is that?

I have close friends that are serving in the military right now.  Someone's sons, brothers, husbands, fathers.  It makes me sad to think how casually I've disregarded the people who have given their lives for all of the freedom I have, just because I've never known them.  

How can I not just take a moment to stop and remember?

Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored. 
~Daniel Webster

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Things have still been super busy.  Someday I will be reliable at posting again…

As we're wrapping up with the year's "formal" schoolwork, we're finding time for some different projects that are just for fun.

Today we made mailboxes.

My girls think it's really fun to write little notes all the time and shove them in whatever crevices they can find in our furniture.  They say they're mailing it.  I decided it was time for an alternative.

I saw this idea on another blog several months ago, but I can't find it now, so….  Just know I'm not this creative I just borrow other people's cool ideas.

We started with two pieces of construction paper, and cut one a couple of inches shorter than the other (no need to be too technical!).

Then we put a good sized slot towards the top of the shorter piece of paper.

Next we put the two pieces together with some packing tape.

Just leave the bottom section untaped.

Next is the fun part.

Put three brads wrong side out across the bottom, so that they line up right above the longer piece of paper when it's folded up.

Now you can "check" your mail.  Super cool, huh?

We added a flag, and did some decorating, and our mailboxes were complete.

Now they can send and receive mail all day long as many times as they want.

Fun, super easy, and my girls think it's the greatest thing ever!

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