I Love You Because...

Girl's Movie Night

Girl's Night. We're painting nails and watching Secret Garden in our Garden . I swear, Summer nights just can't get cuter then this!

Changes, or not.

March 19, 2007- Lorali and her Cinderella Book headed to the front porch to read....

March 14, 2012- Lorali and her American Girl Book perched on the back porch for the afternoon. 

Surprisingly not very much changes in 5 years.  

Have a good Monday!
J 

Read

I love it when she reads to him..... LOVE IT. 

 Never, EVER Shout in A Zoo   By Karma Wilson  

 

She has always been my little reader. 

 

Energy Levels

With the first week of summer officially behind me I'm realizing I'm going to need a lot more energy to keep up with all three kids if we're going to get through the next 2 months! Not only is stamina a problem but I'm going to have to find a way to find time for myself, to do the things I want to do and still do the things I need to get done and not have that take away from the kids time and summer excitement. So in an effort to maintain our individual personalities and energy while still spending all of our time together we have a few summer lists...

1. Reading- gI've started reading again- it's something I can do while the kids jump on the trampoline or watch movies cuddled on the couch and it's healthy for the kids to see my love for reading as well. Today's reading list includes Water for Elephants for me, Samantha book 1 for Lorali, and Ethan is reading My First Book of Mormon. 

2. Sleep- The kids have been taking daily quiet/nap time and I really, really need to get to bed earlier so I'm ready for their bright eyes, bright and early (unfortunately they aren't the sleep-in type.)  The quiet time helps Ethan to have his own down time and if Ethan's happy the rest of us are more relaxed!

3. Chores- Every day I have the kids help me with housework or packing or a project. Nothing huge or extensive just enough that they feel like they're contributing to the upkeep of the house and I'm not overwhelmed.

4. Projects- so many fun projects and crafts in store that I'm positive the kids will love! Yesterday was homemade play dough projects. Tomorrow I think we'll be getting creative with communication. 

5. Eating- this one has been the hardest on me. Husbandface has been on a diet for the last 2 months so hasn't been eating with us as a family which means I'm cooking just for me and the kids... which means a lot more mac and cheese and a lot less of my gourmet recipes. I'm trying to still have us all eat healthy and stay on a regular eating schedule but snack time creeps up on me and we end up filling up on chips or making brownies. This is definitely something I need to fix because I'm sure it will help my energy levels! 

 

So what are your tips on entertaining the kids for the summer and keeping the energy levels as high as the temperatures? 

Robot Report

Last week Ethan's teacher decided to take a little different approach to teaching him and assigned him a book to read and learn all about then present a little book report to the class about the book.... she knew the subject matter was perfect for him.

In the story it talks about all the different things a robot can do. He can cook, clean, mow, sing, dance, bake and the very best thing he can do is be a friend. So all the little orange buttons on the bottom Ethan wrote what to do and then the kids took turns pushing buttons and making Ethan do various different activities. When they pushed the friend button he would give them a hug! It was adorable! Since one of the buttons was bake he wanted to make something special for his class and while I was looking up cookie recipes he found Bakerella's Cake Pop Cookbook. There was no talking him into anything else.

He was super happy to share such a fun thing with everyone and so proud of himself for knowing everything about the book. I was proud of how far he's come! This little man works so hard on everything he accomplishes in his life and to see him do something like this at eight was something we didn't think we'd see. He is amazing.

 

 

Halloween Books.

I've written about our Christmas tradition of getting a new book every year... this Halloween tradition kinds stems from that, it just overflowed a bit. Seasonal books are so fun and it's a special treat to pull out books that have been put away in the decoration box all year long. It renews a love for reading every season and as long as the books are good, I see no harm in it! This year, they're all on display on the piano for the kids to grab anytime they want... and they do!

Witch, Witch come to my Party... we got this one a few years ago because my big sister had it and I loved hearing her son read it when he was four... (Man, I miss that Rhode Island days.) The pictures are beautiful and the story is adorable but, I'm warning you.... you have to read it with different voices for each character. Trust me, it makes it way better!

Every year we have the kids got trick or treating at our house and put in a present in their bags instead of a treat (they already get too many candy as it is!) Sometimes it's a new DVD, or a new shirt, just something little but something just for them, Last year we added Pumpkin Hill and Go Away, Big Green Monster to Lorali's and Owen's bags. Pumpkin Hill is a cute silly fall story, great for reading at story time to the Kindergartners. Go Away Big Green Monster is Owen's favorite book right now. He loves reading it to himself and I love that Ethan can sit down and actually read it to him and not even realize he's just read an entire book! 

Goodnight Goon is new this year and my favorite, I couldn't wait until Halloween to give it because it was just too fun to save. It's a Halloween Parody on the classic Goodnight Moon book, it's witty and the illustrations are so cute.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You - Scary Stories is part of a series we're slowly buying for Ethan to help his reading and is confidence, I read one line in Blue, He reads the next line in Red, the correlate and rhyme and match up telling little stories that are silly and fun. The Illustrations are perfect. They show just enough to keep kids interested but not enough to give away the entire story. (which really encourages Ethan's reading) 

I have a few picked out for this years treat bags... but I'm open for suggestions before I finish off my amazon order so speak up! What are your favorite Halloween books? 

Reading Parade at BES

we *heart* reading

I love that our little family loves books so much and now that Ethan and Lorali are learning to read in full-force Doug and I have really intentionally added reading time into everyone's schedule each day. I try to make sure they see me reading everyday. While overall it's a positive thing, every once in a while the books pull me in and the 15 mins I have scheduled to read in front of them turns into 2 hours and I-guess-cereal-is-for-dinner-beacuse-Mommy-won't-put-down-her-book days. 

A few of my summer reads---

Girl in Translation - (iBook) I really liked this one. It's a quick read but very insightful and endearing. The ending was a little too much for me but, I don't want to give anything away so go grab a copy and then we can chat. I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Tuesdays with Morrie - (kindle) I've read this before but re-read it for book club last month. Of course I loved it but I really liked re-reading it because different parts stuck out to me. I think I've changed my perspective of death a little since reading it last time. I read it last time and Doug was still a member and this time I read it knowing that the two of us feel differently about death and the afterlife... it just made me more aware of others throughout the book and I liked that aspect. For me, 4 out of 5. (although I think the first time I read it I rated it 5 out of 5)

Sisters By Danielle Steel - (kindle) Super quick read. This was another book club read and while I didn't like Steel's over the top, drama, flaky, conversation style of writing (which, ironically, Doug says is how I write so... sorry about that!) I loved the premise and why it was chosen for book club. There are some great belly laugh moment and certainly a few tear jerking ones so it wasn't a waste of time. I give this a 3 out of 5. 

eat, pray, love - (iBook) Another one I read because of someone else. The movie was coming out and I had a Girl's Night Out planned with all the Wallace Women to see it so I figured I'd read it first. I liked it, I was drawn to the fact that the Author really puts herself out there and writes about so much, personally. She's willing to share it all in an effort of self-discovery. I also liked her thoughts about God. Specifically God within You. For me it resonates with my thoughts on eternal life/progression and The King Follett Discourses, Man (and Woman) as God. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5. 

The Help by Katheryn Stockett - (iBook) This one was so muh fun for me to read. I read it on my Ipad and could pull up archived articles that were mentioned in the book, or see pictures of riots and neighborhoods where it was all taking place, turning it into a multi-media experience that had me engaged and hooked on page one. I loved the way it was written from the three women's point of view. I loved the history in it and the lessons learned and think it is COMPLETELY relevant to today's world. Since I read it, my book club has added it to their fall schedule so I won't get into my thoughts fully so the everyone can develop their own conclusions but I loved it. I'll be re-reading it next month so it's fresh in my mind. I give it 5 out of 5. 

Chasing Harry Winston - (iBook) A fun summer read that wasn't very memorable or substantial. Fun and flirty but definitely not my favorite. I give it 2 out of 5.

Have a Little Faith - (iBook) I'm reading this one in a response to Tuesdays with Morrie and Eat, Pray, Love. I really like Albom's writing style so it wasn't too much of a stretch to pick up. I'm drawn to those who are open enough to talk about their religious journey's and find it appealing when it's done without coming across as preachy. It's taken me the longest to read out of all of them, even though it's probably the shortest. I think it's because I'm reading it, then digesting it and I have to be in a certain frame of mind to take it in. A lot of the time I was reading it I found myself sad that I couldn't discuss my feelings about it with Doug. Not because he doesn't want to but because it hurts me and reminds me that we are so far away from seeing eye-to-eye. So I just finished it and I really did enjoy it and I'm sure I'll be re-reading it and referencing it in the future. (another reason iBook comes in handy. The notes and files and highlights are too easy to use and reference) I give it a 4 out of 5. 

Story time

 

Callie Tate

Last week the kids and I finished reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate.  I was sad it was over because I have loved reading it to them. This is such a cute story. At the end of it the main character gives a list of things she'd like to do before she dies... As soon as we were done reading for the night Ethan started sharing his list... 

Ethan-before I die I want to....

... go scuba diving and see fish and whales around the world. (Kerstin, I'll be shipping him to you for the summer as soon as he's old enough!) 

... learn how waterfalls are made.

... learn sign language and maybe other languages too.

Then Lorali got in on the action.

Lorali- before I die I want to...

... go to DisneyWorld. (The TinkerBell and Princess part this time.)

... go to Waterton, lots and lots.

... be a school teacher.