Getting 'Em Interested In Books

I love books. I can't remember a time when I haven't thought that buying a book surpassed buying a bar of chocolate (which is saying a lot). So, as you can imagine, it's really important that my kids love books and eventually reading as well.

I remember when Gracie was my only little. She was about four and when I decided that it was time for me to include her in my Barnes & Noble routine. I'm not talking taking her with me in a stroller but actually having her sit and enjoy books along with me. She wasn't interested. I was devastated.

So, I devised a plan. I had always read to her so it wasn't that she didn't like books. She just didn't want to sit and look at them herself. So, I used food. I coaxed her to be a big girl and do what the big girls do....read a book while they sip "coffee". I bought a hot chocolate, had the cafe' person "milk" it down for me and served it up. It worked! She's been doing the Barnes & Noble thing with me ever since.

Now I have boys...

They are a whole 'nuther story. Thank goodness for the Thomas the Train set they have for the little kiddos in the children section. The road to getting those boys to sit with their books is going to be a bit further off then it was for Gracie.

Neither one of my tag-team wrestlers have started out with any interested in reading on their own. I literally had to MAKE them sit while I read Dr. Suess's ABC's to them. I put them in my arms and held the book, reading in as much of a sing-songy voice as I could muster to try and make it interesting to them. The more I read, the more they became familiar with the book and the more they were willing to sit on their own. Sumo, the 4yo is beginning to read small three letter words, and loves being read to. The struggle was worth it. Kano, the 2yo is, uh...another story. We are still reading Dr Suess's ABC's. It's the only one that he'll sit through. There is something about having to be still and follow along in the linear order of the pages. He loves to flip through books on his own. At this point I'll take whatever I can get.

Any book from Disney Pixar is a winner.

Last year, this was his favorite book. On one of our trips to the doc in Philly, it made about 45 minutes on the plane ride heaven. But he wouldn't let me read it to him. He just wanted to look all by himself...and all out of order :)










Reading is not Daddy's favorite thing to do. He'd much rather be wrestling with the boys or throwing a ball with them outside. However, when the boys give him a book and ask him to read to them, he just can't help himself. I run for the camera. Can't you just see how much Sumo is enjoying the story. He never looks like this when I read to him :)




There is a book basket that is a fixture in the boys room. They get a few minutes before naptime to lay in their beds with books. Sumo was around 3yo here. Oh...and I'm not stupid. The only books allowed in their room are the BOARD BOOKS. I'm afraid Kano has still figured out how to dismember those :(




Given how I've told you I love books and want my kids to love them, how do you think seeing this made me feel?

If you want your gets to be interested in books. Read to them. By them good books. Borrow great books from the library. Let them feel special by letting them pick their own books out and having special bag for their books. Start working on developing your own library of the books they just cannot get enough of. Run by Half Price Books every now and then or look on EBay for some good deals.

I have found memories of the books my mother read to me as a child. In fact, my sister and I have been fighting over who gets to take which books to their home now that we are adults. It's a wonderful thing to be reading to my children the same books (with scribble and all) that my Mommy read to me. Don't worry that your kids will grow out of them. Books make great gifts. They also are a great treasure for you to give your grandchildren one day. Now, the question is. Where do I put all of these little treasures. Hmmmm...organization and storage - that's a WHOLE 'NUTHER POST!

Sumo-ism #2

We take regular trips to Target. It's fun for me because I get to have a break, strolling the kids around and looking at all the cute stuff that Target has. It's kind of a no-brainer way to kill time. Because I have a great way for keeping the kids quiet, I can squeeze in some me-time.

With the Christmas season approaching, I am paying special attention to the things the boys are interested in. We stroll up and and down the aisles and I make a mental note of when they get loud.

Since Sumo knows that Christmas is coming, he's on "10" with his requests. We are talking alot about the fact that Christmas is Jesus' birthday, but truly that fact for a four year old pales in comparison to the fact that he knows he will get toys. (By the way, I'm open to any of you who have great tips for how to keep Jesus the center of attention for the Christmas season. Just post a comment. I'd love to hear from you!)

Everyday, multiple times a day, Sumo asks to go to Target. He's hoping that one of our trips will be "the one" where Mommy buys something and brings it home. He begs me to go to Target. He pesters me asking me to go to Target. He cries when I tell him we are not going to Target to today.

One day, in the mist of one of his fits about not being able to go to his favorite store, he said,

"Mommy, but I HAVE to go to Target!"

I gave him my usual, "Sumo, we are not going to Target today"

He put his hand straight up in the air, looked up in the air, and struck a superman pose.

"But Mommy, I HAVE to go to Target! I'm the TARGET MAN!"

I fell out of my chair. Kids say the darndest things.

This picture of Jessie (hubby) with Sumo is from our church's celebration/alternative to Halloween. Can you guess where his Spiderman outfit came from? Target, of course!



The night of this event, Sumo entered the children's ministry area and sat in the "Thankful Chair" to recite the things he was grateful for. We'll see how that spirit of thankfulness plays out during this holiday season.

If you missed Sumoism #1 click HERE

Sumo-ism #1

I'm sitting here missing Sumo and wishing that he could have come to Philly with us. You know that saying..."Kids say the darndest things?"...It's so true isn't it...especially when you are thinking of the things your own kids have said.

What I always say to Sumo...

"Sumo, do you know that you are the only first boy I have?"...

Most days, Sumo smiles sheepishly and says yes, but one day, he looked me square in the eyes and said,

"Mommy, do you know that you are the only first lady I have?"...

You know my heart just melted into a puddle on the floor. My sweet little Sumo, what am I gonna do with you? :)

Blog Pass Alongs...

I figure since my blogs have not been as meaty as I would like lately (all photos and fun), I would pass along some other blog reads that I've been enjoying recently. There are many blog friends that I have that consistently put out thoughtful posts. I just don't have it in me to be that deep all the time, but I do find myself reading and thinking..."man...I should pass this along".

So here are my bloggy "pass-alongs" for today. Be blessed, inspired, and encouraged!

Rachel over at Home Sanctuary never ceases to amaze me in how focused she is with her blog. The title and the theme is consistently addressed in her posts. I can count on going over to her spot and knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that I will be encouraged on my journey to making my home a sanctuary for my husband, my kids, and for myself. Recently, she has blessed my socks off by writing about Loving My Regular Guy and encouraging me to see my husband for who is his and to love him completely and unconditionally just the way he is. She has also made me think a little more about how I take care of myself and to think twice about getting lazy when I'm tempted to let things go. And how many times, as a wife and mother have I said this, "But what about me?". Rachel eloquently addresses the feeling I think everyone has asked at some point and time.

Lindsey at Enjoy the Journey is a favorite read of mine too. She is on the journey...literally, and her blog runs the gammut of subject matter paralleling the places she goes, the people she sees, and the things that she does. I love her randomness 'cuz you never know what you are going to read about. She makes me feel validated in sharing just whatever I happen to feel like sharing on any given day. Lindsey, unlike me however, has mastered the art of tackling an issue that she feels worthy of discussion and sticking with that topic until she's covered it in full. One of those issues has been food...what we eat, the way we eat, and how we should be eating. If you ever wondered, why we should make healthy choices and what kind of choices are the better ones, read the following posts from Lindsey to get a bird's eye few into what she has learned on her journey to better health. Much of what she posts, I concur with. In fact, I have been shocked at how similar her journey is to my own. So glad she has posted in detail...it means I don't have too!

Part I - Why I'm doing this
Part II - The COST of being CHEAP
Part 3a: Practical tips for saving money on GOOD food
Part 3b: Practical tips for saving money on GOOD food
Part 4: Let's talk about the milk, okay?
Part 5: Another reason to go local for your food
Part 6: Let's talk about HFCS

Lindsey has even added more parts than I am caught up on reading. You can click HERE and look at all of her posts in this category. I don't think she's finished yet....

OK...and here's my last "pass-along" for the day. I have Kendra of Preschooler's and Peace on my daily blog reads too. I've referenced her before. If you are a wife and mother in need a little bit of perspective about the responsibilities that come with your job description, first read THIS and then read THIS.

I hope one of these posts blesses you today. Enjoy your Sabbath! Be sure and rest and then make sure someone you love knows it....

Four Year Old Fun

OK...I'm awake and my first waking thought goes towards what are my children doing while I'm away. Seeing as how I am 7 hours ahead of them, they are ASLEEP :)

I'm hoping that my big girls are treating my little guys OK. They are the ones who really know what my preschooler and toddler enjoy doing around the house. I'm sure they are doing a good job.

My thoughts of my children drove me to my photo program to just look at them. I smiled at the photos below.

These are some shots that caught my Sumo having a good time just being four. Simple fun is the best! Lazy summer days mean time for lingering over those sheer joys that only belong to childhood. These were good times for Sumo' because I let him play until he told ME he was finished...

Our high chair is way too small for Sumo now, but it's been his spot for fingerpainting since around 18 mths. Although it is Kano's spot for eating now, Sumo still loves to sit her for some of his play, especially artsy stuff.

Today he told me he didn't want to be brown anymore. He was determined to be red...

all the way down to the toes...

Once he had gotten as dirty colorful as he possibly could, he was ready for me to clean him up and make him brown again.

On this day, little Sumo had been begging for playdough (for awhile) and I kept forgetting to grab some when I went to the store. Finally, I just looked up a recipe on the internet and made some.

Here's the recipe I used:

COOKED PLAYDOUGH

1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 c. water
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. food coloring

Combine 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt and 2 teaspoons cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in 1 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon food coloring. Cook over medium to high heat, stirring constantly until a ball forms. Remove from heat, cool and knead until smooth on wax paper. Store in an airtight container. Children will enjoy playing with the playdough!

Making pancakes from scratch one morning (using fresh ground flour) gave Sumo the idea of pretending his car (hidden under the flour) was speeding on the beach. At least, it sounded like he was pretending something along those lines. A little flour on a cookie sheet kept him busy while I made breakfast and cleaned up from cooking.


I hope this inspires some mommies to let your kiddos get dirty! They will love you for it. Take lots of pictures and then slap them in a photo album, or better yet scrapbook them (I'll get around to it one day). They love to look at themselves and reminisce.

Great Preschool Resources

After spending the evening finishing up the last of a three part series, I realized that it was time for Shannon's Works-For-Me Wednesday post. I couldn't be that creative that fast so I'm decided to use a post I wrote earlier this summer that I thought would be a nice addition to my WFMW files. I hope this helps someone!

I have yet to seriously blog about what we do for school at home in terms of schedule, curriculum, and philosophy. There is so much to blog about and so little time! But if you've been reading my blog for even a little while, you've probably picked up that I have a preschoolers and that I homeschool. I've mentioned Letter of the Week in a previous post about setting up a preschool environment. I have used this online curriculum as a guide for two years and love it - especially b/c it's free!

I have a few posts on preschool in our household. You can look at them by clicking HERE.

I've just stumbled upon another awesome resource for Mom's who would like to enjoy the learning journey with their little ones. This post was inspired by my find of Hubbard's Cupboard. Discovering it today has inspired me to start making plans for my littles for the year. Check it out and be sure to come back here to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

I was so excited today about getting ready for learning with my little ones, I decided to post some of my favorite online resources for enjoying these fleeting preschool years.

Paula's Archives

Preschoolers and Peace

Toddler Activities Page

Everything Preschool

Bible Story Coloring Pages

Preschool Coloring Pages

Starfall

First School Preschool Activities and Crafts

Suite 101

If you have favorite sites for ideas for young children feel free to leave a comment that includes the web address. I'm always up for hearing about new things.

As far as official curriculum that we use, below I have listed the ones that made it down to the final cut. I think I love all of them but, I can't do them all (maybe over time and with more babies I will). So for now, here is the list that I had "to-pick-from".

Little Hands to Heaven

My Father's World

Before Five in a Row

Sonlight

Winter Promise

For the upcoming year I plan to use Little Hands to Heaven for my boys along with Letter of the Week. That's the plan for NOW. The plan is always changing. As long as I don't stay stuck in the planning phase and get down on the floor and have fun with my little ones, the curriculum doesn't matter. They won't remember which curriculum was the best. They'll just remember that Mommy was with them, playing with them, reading to them, working alongside them, and snuggling them every chance that I get...

I hope this helps someone to come up with ideas and a plan for making good use of the years with your little ones. Remember, this season only lasts a little while! Make the most of it!

Be sure to check out Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.

Curiousity @ It's Finest

There is nothing like the raw curiosity that children seem to have an endless supply of. Everything is new and is something to be understood and experienced.

Sizing up the competition

Going in for the challenge

Oh "taste and see" ...


... that it's not all it was cracked up to be!

... and for my grandmother who is probably appalled at the idea that I'd let my son eat dog food - he really didn't eat any. He just wanted to play pretend. I am a good mother...really I am!

WFMW: Frugal Preschooling

Although preschool workbooks can be inexpensive, I still found myself cringing when my preschooler would be learning how to do something and "mess up" a page. Sometimes he just needed to "practice" a skill a couple of times, however once we wrote on the workbook page, that would be it.

Well, I took some of my thinner preschool workbooks, take out the staples holding the book together, and then cut that book into two with scissors (a scrapbook cutter could work too). This created a bunch of looseleaf pages. I then took each page and placed it in a sheet protector. These plastic covers are easily written on by wet or dry erase markers. VOILA! Now we can write on a page as many times as we want. My preschooler gets lots of practice and these pages will be around for his little brother if I would like them to be!

The side benefit is that my 4yo LOVES to help me clean his pages. We take baby wipes and wipe them clean (wet erase markers). If we want to write on them immediately following a cleanup up, we just wipe again with a dry paper towel. When we use dry erase markers, a paper towel works just fine.

BTW, this could work with thicker books too. You can always take a book down to the local office supply store and have them wack off the binding. You might not want to spend the "mula" to buy a million plastic sheets but you can buy a few and then just change out the pages as your kiddo progresses!

Be sure to check out Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.

Works-for-Me-Wednesdays: Teaching ABCs

I never cease to be amazed at what my young ones learn from EXPOSURE. I was insanely worried when my now 4yo was 2. I wondered how exactly I was going to teach the alphabet to him.

Fast forward a few years, he not only knows his ABCs but is reading.

Here is one thing that I did to expose him early on.



I figured since we were up and down the stairs all day, we could say the alphabet and point us various letters as we traveled. Now I take some of the work we do and tack it above the letter that the picture represents. Our elephant (made at the library) goes above "E" and the blueberry painting goes above "B".

We have gotten a little off track lately because "life" happens sometimes but we are following the well planned guidelines from Letter of the Week to help us make it through the alphabet. This Mom has great ideas on books to read and activities to do for each letter if you are creatively challenged like me!

Be sure to check out Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.

Amazed...again. by my 3 year old

I had a friend to stop by this morning. She's having a baby next week and I wanted to share some of my baby things with her. I had just set my son in front of the computer intending to sit there and play with him. As part of our "school" we have found some great educational sites online. Free is always good.

90 minutes later, he is still there and has navigated his way to the Cars website. My 3yo, Sumo, has figured out how to use the mouse correctly with his sweet little hands. He has figured out how to "paint" the cars, switch pages, and minimize the screen. We try to spend time on the computer every now and then looking at his favorite characters from PBS kids but I didn't know he knew enough to navigate his way around.

This is one of the reasons I love being home with my children. I don't miss stuff like this. I needed this little moment of joy too. This morning started with me thinking I needed a break and trying to figure out where I could send him!

School at the Arboretum - Part 2

OK...finally getting back to talking about our school day at the Arboretum.

At last update, the kids had just finished hanging out in the petting zoo. After watching the animals walk around in hay, the children wanted to play in hay too. What do ya' know? There was a hay maze for them to play in. Beginning Logic class began!

After the boys ran themselves out of steam, we rounded out our study of "large" animals with a hayride. Keeping everyone in their seat was a challenge but we laughed the whole time we were in the wagon.

The hayride ended with the petting of the horse so we began to head to the bathroom to wash our hands. But we got side tracked by an impromtu study of botany and ecological systems :)

Abstract Art Appreciation Centered Around Nature

Practicing Observation Skills and Research

Group Thinking Activities

Gaining First Hand Knowledge Through Experimentation

WHOO! Finally, a much needed lesson in cleanliness, mechanics of specialized equipment, and more team work!

I can't even tell you what the point was in washing our hands. These anxious students headed right back outside for more BUG FUN!

This day just kept getting better and better. Gracie DID get a break while we trapsed around with the little ones to get some of her book work done. What better way to get a job done is there than working on Biology homework, outside, in a pecan grove, and sipping on complimentary Starbucks Coffee. When the boys headed back in her direction she very willingly got involved again with a servant's heart in helping them to max out their trip to this awesome place.

One thing about being home with your children, it gives parents plenty of opportunity to work at cultivating children who are willing to serve others as opposed to being completely absorbed with their own needs.

Teaching Writing....already?

Yesterday, I mentioned that Sumo and I made a "D Book". Thought I'd give details today on what we did and how we did it.

There are three pages. The first page has the letter "D" and all of the figure to cut and paste.

The next two pages are the book. Sumo and I colored the "D" page together. Then Sumo did the cutting of the figures while I held the paper and turned it this way and that way so that his cuts would be on the line.

I cut out the book pages. Sumo glued on the figures on their respective pages and then I stapled the pages together and glued on the "binding".

Here are the pics of our finished project:

and no...my digital camera isn't fixed. I just remembered that I can use my digital cam to take photos. Technology is wonderful!

Parent of a rebel?...Parent of a genius?

It's amazing that I can feel so many emotions on the same day related to being a homeschooling mother.

I have one kid testing all the boundaries and another that does anything I ask willingly. Are they both my kids or what? How can they be so different today and then...why will they completely switch roles tomorrow and be just as different then?

My high schooler is great. I don't believe anymore that the teenager years have to be murder. I do believe they are years of accelerated growth and development....kind of like a two year old. We accept it at two but we get angry about teens. It requires the same amount of commitment. I think the main different is that the teenager uses words and the toddlers don't. Maybe we accept that since our sweet toddlers are still our "babies" and we know they are growing.

Well....my teenager is still growing too. So even as I discipline and direct. I must be patient with her. I'm typing this to remind myself b/c...I really wanted to SCREAM when the clothes were folded but not put away, the dishes were washed but not all clean, and the landing on the stairs held ALL the things I asked her to put AWAY.

UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!

Now on this same day, my 3yo BLEW me away by writing letters on his MagnaDoodle. I haven't taught him to write not one letter. He just decided today that he wanted to write an F and then he did it. Then he wanted to write an A and he did it again. My mouth was WIDE OPEN! He went on and wrote another 6 or 7 letters. How does he know how to do this? I dunno. I'm just glad I was with him to witness his moment of genius :) I don't have a picture of his letter but I do have a picture of his genuis moment before that....

My preschooler is a puzzle maniac. We just recently graduated from frame puzzles to this Cars puzzle with 24 pieces. He put it together by himself the first time he tried. This might be normal for a 3yo but I don't know that so...I'll just settle for thinking he's a genius. Here's a pic. I tried to crop out the Buzz Light Year undies but couldn't get it all :o

This was TODAY....tomorrow I'll be raving about my daughter and pulling my hair out with my son!

The important thing I'm learning as a Mom is to take the good with the not so great and just do the job knowing that it pays off in the end. Each day will look different. Some will be successful, some will be torture, and some will be mixed. Just do the job to the glory of God and ask HIM to direct your steps with HIS children on loan to YOU.

btw...

Sweet Baby K-No is still my precious toddler - he does no wrong :) & Bessie is on the A Honor Roll at school - no issues with them right now but their day for being blogged is coming...

Preschool Science - Our Nature Walk

It took me a second to get these photos loaded but this is actually from Wednesday, Oct 11th.

This day was STELLAR! This was one of the few days that everything went off without a hitch. During "outside" time, I took the boys to a park in our neighborhood. It had rained pretty heavily the day before so the playground equipment was all wet and icky. I figured swinging was a pretty safe activity!

The boys really had a good time :)

They could swing for a loooooooooonnnnnnnng time!

When were all done, we took a nature walk and looked at "big" leaves and "small" leaves. We observed sticks, rocks, and even found a gigantic spider web! The boys lingered at a bridge looking at the "river" as Sumo called it - basically it was only a dried up creek with remnants of the rain. Where did he learn about rivers? I have no idea :)

A couple of the leaves we observed got picked and made it home with us. I'm not a super crafty person but the idea struck me to make an arts and crafts project out of it. I taped the leaves, face-up to the back of a sheet of copy paper and during Sumo's school time had him color over the leaf, making an impression. We discussed "big" and "little". He was awestruck out how a leaf appeared out of nowhere. I felt like the greatest Mom ever.

Like I've said many times before...most of my days are far from perfect but this one was...well...very SWEET!

Thought I'd share...