Tag Archives: books

Halloween Hangover

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Almost a week later, my family and I are still recovering from a Halloween Hangover, a weekend filled with Halloween hoopla and a sugar high.

 

Last Friday, the girls had their Literacy Parade at school.  All the schools in our area prefer to promote reading in lieu of celebrating Halloween and therefore ask the kids to dress as literary characters.  The kids are then asked to carry a book which accompanies their costume.

 

In past years, the girls have had two costumes: one for the literary parade and one for Halloween.  Feeling lazy and frugal, I told the girls they could only wear one costume this year unless they chose to wear a costume already in their closet.  Fortunately, they seemed all right with that idea, but then Allana spotted the Double Trouble costume (half devil/half angel) at Target and really wanted to wear it.  I explained to her that if she could think of a book related to the costume, I would buy it for her.

 

A couple of weeks later, we thought of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (an absolutely brilliant book).  In the story, Gladys Herdman plays the angel in the Christmas pageant, but she has a reputation for being an evil child.  Get it?  Gladys Herdman is half angel and half devil.

 

 

Emmalynn’s costume required less thought.  She wanted to be “Heather, the Violet Fairy” from Rainbow Magic: The Rainbow Fairies.

 

 

On Saturday, we attended our Moms on the Go Halloween party, which is always a lot of fun and this year, the weather was perfect too.

 

 

Sunday, we took the girls to a local pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins for jack-o-laterns.

 

 

 

 

Carving pumpkins is an activity we plan to do every year, but this is the first time we actually managed to find time to do it and the girls loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards, we went trick-or-treating and the girls collected a mountain of candy.  In keeping with our 30-Day Giving Challenge, we donated 3 pounds to the dentist for Operation Gratitude and we still have a huge pile.

 

 

Now, you may understand why I call it Halloween Hangover.  We indulge in way too much fun and candy every Halloween.  Thankfully, the clocks go back this weekend so we can get an extra hour of sleep to help recover from our Halloween Hangover.

How I Made Summer Reading Hot

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At the start of summer, I hooked the girls into books by having them apply for their own library cards.  They loved the grown-up responsibility of caring for their cards and selecting their own books.  Their faces beamed with pride as they handed over their cards to the librarian to check-out their books for the first time.  Since then, we’ve arranged bi-weekly visits to the library to make good use of those library cards.

 

In our area, the local libraries and retailers have made it easy to encourage my girls to read throughout the summer by offering prizes and rewards.  We started with Barnes and Nobles Summer Reading Passport because my oldest, Allana, was very excited to win a free copy of 39 Clues and last week for Wordless Wednesday, I shared a photo of Allana enjoying some hot cocoa and her new book.    Once she got the sweet taste of success by completing the Barnes and Nobles passport, it was easy to keep her motivated with other programs such as Borders and Taco Bell, especially when she learned the Taco Bell reward would be a free taco and burrito.

 

 

However, we have found the summer reading programs a bit more challenging for my youngest, Emmalynn.  Although she loves books and reading, she reads at an emergent level (very basic).  Most of the books added to her reading logs were books Allana and I read to her.  When Allana reads a book to her sister, I allow her to list the book on her summer reading form.  Of course, this was another way to encourage Allana to keep reading as well as way for her to model good reading to Emmalynn.

 

This summer, I made it my goal to teach Emmalynn to read.  As a former elementary school teacher, I have several samples of emergent books from a variety of publishers.  The simple, repetitive text and picture cues in the books build word recognition as well as success.  Using sight words and some basic phonics, my daughter has developed the ability to recognize the words in print as well as in her environment around our house.  When she successfully reads one of these emergent readers, we added it to a summer reading form.  In fact, she finally completed her Barnes and Nobles summer reading passport and earned her first free book too.

 

 

Years ago when teaching Allana to read, I stumbled upon a wonderful resource: Mrs. Jones Free Printable Mini Books and decided to use the mini books once again teach Emmalynn to read.  Each week, I print out a book related to a field trip we took or a topic we’ve discussed.  We assemble the book and read it together.  Then I’ll ask Emmalynn to read the book, pointing to the words as she reads.  If she struggles with a word, I’ll ask her to use the picture cues to drawing meaning or use the beginning sound of a word to help her.  After she successful reads the book independently, she colors the book as a reward.

 

Recently, I found another website that offered free emergent printable books: Making Learning Fun.  Some of the books listed are simple versions of your children’s favorite stories.  I know my Emmalynn will enjoy learning to read these books!

 

For other tips, tricks and strategies to get your kids to embrace summer reading, visit the discussion at TwitterMoms.

 

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an “I Can Read!” book. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

The Taste of Sweet Success

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30 Things I Vow to Do This Summer

#19 – Participate in the various summer reading programs through our local library, Barnes & Nobles and Borders.

 

Allana and Emmalynn finished their Barnes & Nobles Summer Reading Passports so we visited the bookstore for them to claim their free books. To celebrate their accomplishments, I treated the girls to hot cocoa and cookies. They truly loved their sweet rewards.

 

Next, we take on the Borders summer reading program.

 

 

View the rest of the items I vow to do this summer here.

 

Black Bear, Black Bear, What Do You Read?

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Stumbling upon quaint mom and pop shops makes visiting small towns a real treat and Black Bear Books in Boone, North Carolina is no exception.

 

After freezing our snowballs off snow tubing, Allan and I decided to warm up in a bookstore that touted “FIREPLACE” on its marquis.  Sipping hot chocolate next to a fierce fire while reading a local newspaper seemed like a delightful way to defrost.

 

Upon entering the bookstore, we were surprised by its large stature.  At the back of the store, the girls quickly located the children’s section complete with stacks of award winning literature, a train table and wooden puzzles.

 

In such a cozy atmosphere, we found it all too easy to settle into this homey bookstore.  Once we found the regional children’s literature section and a collection of the owner’s son’s favorite books, the girls and I swayed in wooden rocking chairs as we read books from each collection.

 

The owner, Karen Walker, welcomed us into her second home with free hot chocolate for the girls and coffee for Allan.  Her hospitality warmed us better than the fireplace.

 

Ms Walker shared some of her favorite children’s books with the girls and her own life’s story with Allan and me.  We enjoyed a brief history lesson of her family and the remarkable journey that brought her to settle in Boone.

 

Allana curled up in the corner of the children’s stacks reading book after book while Emmalynn played with the puzzles and I snuck away for a few minutes to explore the adult fictional regional section since I prefer bringing books home as souvenirs rather than t-shirts or trinkets.

 

 

While exploring the store, I discovered the employee’s favorite picks, which included some of my favorite reads, such as Pillars of the Earth and Wicked.  Meghan, a young sale associate, offered a brief description of some of the other books spotlighted on the shelves and explained that Ms. Walker holds a contesteach month to see which employee’s picks sell the most books. By choosing Tom Robbins Jitterburg Perfume, we helped one associate get a little closer to winning the prize.

 

 

I returned to the regional fictional literature to continue my hunt for a book set in the Appalachians.  After reading the titles and their summaries over several times, I found one that offered just the scenery I craved: Cataloochee.

 

 

For the girls, I grabbed the Appalachian ABCs and coincidentally, Emmalynn and Allana both selected regional books as well.  Allana chose Jack and the Dragon, which tells the adventure of an Appalachian folk hero.  Emmalynn picked Blue Bowl Down.  Its lovely sing-song pattern deserves a banjo accompaniment.

 

 

Ms. Walker continued to pour the hospitality along with the coffee and our visit at Black Bear Books lasted nearly two hours.  So taken with Allana’s love for reading, Ms. Walker offered her a free copy of one of her many Magic Tree House Books and Allana chose Magic Tree House #17: Tonight on the Titanic.

 

 

As we wrapped up our visit at the register, Allana noticed Ms. Walker’s collection of gems.  Allana expressed her love for rocks and Ms. Walker insisted that we pay her friend, Doc, a visit at his gem mine before we left Boone as most of the gems proudly displayed in her case came from Doc’s Rocks Gem Mine.  Excited about the prospects she would find there, we promised to take Allana the next day upon Ms. Walker’s recommendation.  To hold them over until then, Ms. Walker gave each girl a gem, however, Ms. Walker and our experience at Black Bear Books was the most precious gem we uncovered that day.

 

 

***Photo of Karen and Chris Walker and their son, Caleb, was borrowed from The Mountain Times.***

30 Days of Giving

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The other day, a friend on Facebook shared in her status update how she would be spending the month of November.  For the next 30 days, she and her family would demonstrate acts of giving, which had been inspired by the book 29 Gifts by Cami Walker.

 

In her memoir, Ms. Walker shares how simple acts of giving helped heal her body, mind and spirit.  With the popularity of her book, she founded 29-Day Giving Challenge, a website which encourages others to do the same.

 

Admiring my friend’s quest and yet moved by everyone’s compassion for one other on the 29-Day Giving Challenge website, I decided to spend the month of November doing the same.  With simple random acts of kindness (RAK) over the next 30 days, I would be teaching my two girls how to do their part to make the world a better place.   With our small gestures of giving, we would let other know we care.  Even the simplest of gestures can mean the world to a friend or a fellow human being.

 

If you would like to join us in our 30 Days of Giving Challenge, here are some ideas to help get you started.

 

  • Participate in Operation Christmas Child by either filling a box or donating money.
  • Donate canned goods to a food drive.
  • Donate toiletry items to a homeless shelter.
  • Donate items to Goodwill or Salvation Army.
  • Donate items to an animal rescue shelter.
  • At Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts drive thru, treat the person behind you to a cup of coffee.
  • Pass along your unwanted coupons to a friend.
  • Leave unwanted coupons on the shelves at the supermarket.
  • Give your supermarket receipt coupons to the next person in line at the checkout.
  • Recycle old running shoes your local store. (The Running Center in Tampa collects old shoes.)
  • Send an e-card, card or a care package to our troops overseas.
  • Donate $1 to Miracle Children’s Network at the checkout.
  • Recycle old cell phones.
  • Purchase a Scholastic Gift Certificate in the book order form for your child’s teacher.
  • Donate old books/magazines/videos/CDs to the library.
  • Drop some coins in the tip jar at any food service place.
  • Send a love note in your children’s and spouse’s lunch box.
  • Purchase a car wash for the person in line behind you.
  • Pay for a toll for the driver behind you on the parkway.
  • Call an old friend to catch up to give the gift of time.
  • Take a friend to lunch.
  • Take some baked goods to a neighbor.
  • Babysit for a friend so she/he can enjoy a pedicure or a date night with her/his spouse.
  • Volunteer at your child’s school.
  • Print out some of your favorite photos and share then with a friend.
  • Visit a retirement home.
  • Give blood (if you physically can).
  • Drop a friend’s business card in a drawing to win free lunch at a local restaurant.
  • Serve a meal at a soup kitchen.
  • Let another driver merge into traffic in front of you.
  • Let the shopper in line behind you check out before you. (An idea from Nicole)

 

More than a simple list of RAK, I will be taking our 30 Days of Giving Challenge one step further with my girls to make our month of giving a bit more meaningful and colorful.  Since my girls and I love crafts as much as random acts of kindness, we will create a Thanksgiving craft to display their accomplishments and a cornucopia (the symbol of a bountiful harvest) seems to be the best representation for our bountiful supply of gifts!

 

For our cornucopia craft, the girls will cut out a cornucopia shape printed on a sheet of brown construction paper.  (We’ll use this one from DLTK as a template.)  Then, using the smaller templates, they’ll cut and color the leaves, fruits and vegetables to fill their cornucopias.  After completing a random act of kindness, we’ll record what each girl gave on one of the shapes and paste it to their cornucopias.  By the end of November, their horn should be plenty full.  Then, as a reward for their kindness, I’ll laminate their cornucopias so they can use them as placemats and cherish their gifts of giving every day.


Musical Monday: The Time Traveler’s Wife

Posted on by Run DMT
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I’ve booked my sitter ages ago to ensure I could see The Time Traveler’s Wife on opening night on August 14.  I absolutely loved the novel, which has since become my favorite read of all time. 

 

When I saw the trailer on TV the other night, I thought Carolina Liar’s Show Me What I’m Looking For was a perfect match to this amazing story.  When I first heard this song on the radio, I instantly loved it, but when, I heard it as the music accompaniment to the Time Traveler’s Wife trailer, I got goose bumps.

 

 

 Since I love soundtracks, I searched Amazon to purchase an advance copy of the album only to discover that Carolina Liar it is not included on the soundtrack even though it has been featured in the TV spots.  Instead, the soundtrack is full of music scores by Mychael Danna and one lonely track by Lifehouse, which has been featured in many of the trailers for the film as well.

 

Therefore, for this Musical Monday, I made my own small Time Traveler’s Wife soundtrack featuring Carolina Liar and Lifehouse.

 

 

 

 

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