A Prayer

A prayer from the Book of Common Prayer (shared tonight by a friend of a friend on FB):

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work,
or watch, or weep this night, and
give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick, Lord Christ;
give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering,
pity the afflicted, shield the joyous;
and all for your love's sake.
Amen.

(images from the web)

Info: household plants that are poisonous to children

direct excerpt from this article at planningfamily.com

Plants and Flowers

Did you know that many common house and garden plants could be poisonous to your little one if they are ingested? Since your infant is at an age when he is apt to put anything and everything in his mouth, you may want to consider removing certain plants from your home entirely, or at the very least, placing them far out of reach from your exploring baby. If you hang plants up high to be out of reach, be sure that no leaves or flowers can fall into an area that your baby could reach. If you do keep poisonous plants in your home, be sure to label them clearly. Even if you know all the names of your plants, chances are most of your babysitters won't and if your child accidentally ingests a leaf or two, labeling the plant will help expedite communication with their doctor or poison control.

Some poisonous plants include:

• Iris
• Lily of the Valley
• English Ivy
• Hyacinth bulbs
• Azalea
• Daffodil bulbs
• Rhododendron
• Rhubarb leaves
• Tomato plant leaves
• Holly and Mistletoe

Though you may have heard that the Poinsettia is poisonous, Holly and Mistletoe are the real culprits. Poinsettias are not poisonous, but they can be irritating, so you should still be cautious and keep this plant out of baby's reach.

Lucy's Picks - January

Some of our recent favorites from the Concord Library: check 'em out!


Bibs and Boots, by Alison Lester

All of Baby, Nose to Toes, by Victoria Adler


Tubby, by Leslie Patricelli:
We loved this book about a little baby having his bath. It reminded me totally of Lucy, who loves her tubby time, and the pictures are both hysterical and endearing.


Good Morning, Toucan, by Dwell Studio:
This beautiful open-the-flap book will delight you with its brightly colored world that unfolds page by page.


Lemons Are Not Red, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger


Say Hello to Zorro!, by Carter Goodrich:
One of Mama's favorites...another book probably written for dear Judy the Cat who is still feeling displaced (and cranky about it). This book is about a wonderful fussy old dog who loves his daily schedule, "and everybody stuck to the schedule," whose routine is sorely interrupted by an inavder, a new dog, who turns out to be a great companion.


The Tightrope Walker, by Bernadette Gervais and Francisco Pittau:
This is a beautiful book, reminiscent of "Harold and the Purple Crayon," that takes us on a magical nighttime journey in the imagination of one little boy, a tightrope walker.


Perfect Square, by Michael Hall:
This author shows such a vivid imagination and the story urges us to take any adversity and make something beautiful from it. Lucy LOVES the images in the book, and I love the meaning.


Imagine a Night, by Sarah L. Thomson with paintings by Rob Gonsalves:
Apparently the author wrote this book on inspiration from the paintings within, and it is easy to see why - they are beautiful and mysterious, evoking great wonder and delight. Such imagination and inspiration within these pages - do give it a read. Both writers and artists will especially love this one.


We could go on and on. But that's a snippet of what Miss Lucy's been reading. We are off to the library again today to see what other trouble we can get into.

Love, Ally