Tag: family

A Few Favorites for National Children’s Book Day

A Few Favorites for National Children’s Book Day

Saturday was National Children’s Book Day and since my son and I love to finish our day with a good book (or two), I thought I would share a few of our current kid-approved favorites. Of course the go-to books on my five-year old’s shelf have changed throughout the years, but this list today highlights a few that we keep going back to as well as some new fun choices (in no particular order). 

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First on the list is the How Do Dinosaurs. . . series by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. We have owned How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten since my son was a baby and it has always been one of our favorites, but we’ve added to our personal collection through the years and anything in this series always seems to be a winner for a little one who loves dinosaurs.

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Speaking of dinosaurs, one of our newest favorites is When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach. I judged this book by its cover and purchased it through the Scholastic order form from my son’s preschool last year, and we’ve read it so many times the staples are starting to give way. I really like the mom in this story, because she makes the most of a crazy situation.

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Another Scholastic favorite is Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier. My son chose this book as one of his rewards during the library’s summer reading program a couple of years ago, and the older he gets the more he likes it. It’s a tale of a cow who likes to scare the mailman until one day it gets all out of control.

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Since cows seem to make for good reading, it’s no surprise that Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin is another long-time favorite for the whole family. These zany, take charge cows make for quite the tale in this Caldecott Medal winning book. It might just make you take a closer look at your pets.

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The next book on the list is The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone. This Little Golden Book holds a special place in my heart, because it was one of my own childhood favorites. Although I knew how it ended, I enjoyed this story over and over again, and I’m sure it is still floating around Mom’s house somewhere. I bought this one for my son early last year, just knowing he would enjoy it; and of course, it was a winner for both the reader and receiver.

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The Bear. . . series by Karma Wilson is next on our list, because who doesn’t like to read about a big loveable bear, all his antics and every sweet fuzzy or feathered friend appearing in these books. From Bear Feels Sick to Bear Stays Up for Christmas, I think we own about every one of these fun, feel good books.

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Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss makes our list (although I’m not a big D.S. fan), but my son enjoys this one more than I. I will say this is one of my favorites of the Dr. Seuss books, because it actually has a point and sends the message of, “Try it. You might like it.”

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Another silly book making the list is Underpants Thunderpants by Peter Bently. I picked up this book on a lark one day and we have enjoyed it ever since. You’ll have a fun time discovering what happens to dog’s underpants when a storm scatters them “Over the ocean, the jungle and town. . .”

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The next book on the list is I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt. While the title originally turned me off, a quick read through made it a worthy choice for my little one. My son loves this book and the storyline makes it a winner for me too. There’s apparently a whole series of Stinky Face books, but this is the only one we have read.

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Nightsong by Ari Berk is one of our newest favorites. I have to admit that while my son enjoys this book, it probably speaks a bit more clearly to me. It’s a story of a mother who let’s her little one find his way, and the illustrations are slightly haunting and sweet.

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Rounding out our list of favorite children’s books is the Little Blue Truck series by Alice Schertle. We have three of the books, including the Christmas one complete with flashing lights, and we have been enjoying this series for several years now. Even as my son grows older, Little Blue Truck holds a special place in our bedtime reading routine. If you don’t have Little Blue Truck, you really need to get it!

All the cover graphics came from Goodreads. If you click on an image, it will take you to that site for more information.

You, Who Rock the Minivan

You, Who Rock the Minivan

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Sorry Ladies, He’s Taken — Hubs is Rockin’ the Minivan

To all of you who completely rock the minivan, (because I am so not one of them) goes my utmost mom respect and awe. . .

If you recall, we finally purchased a Town & Country last fall and I was all about eating the crow that came out of my mouth for so many years, such as, “I’ll never drive a minivan,” “If I drive a minivan, it means I’ve given up on living,” blah, blah, blah and blah. But let me tell you, for the price, the size, all the gizmos, and the thought of one day filling up that third-row seating with car seats and boosters, I couldn’t help but tap into my practical mothering side (and yes, I do have one. . . way back up in there somewhere), finally give up all my years of driving Jeeps and go for a brand new momma mobile.

I embraced the sliding doors, drop-down DVD player, Bluetooth headphones, decent gas mileage, and all that storage space (come on all you DIYers, it will hold a whole sheet of flat plywood). I embraced the leather seats, the touch-screen radio and the dirt-hiding exterior. I embraced all that my big ol’ minivan had to offer. . . for about a month.

Then slowly (okay, kind of quickly) the doubts started flooding in. I kept seeing this man in a van near my neighborhood with a bumper sticker that said, “I used to be cool.” I started convincing myself that a van really was a good vehicle for someone “my age.” I tried to drive like an adult. I almost bought a cute superhero t-shirt that said, “To the minivan.” I tried to rock it; I really did. Then the snow fell, and with it came the realization that I missed my bouncy, rugged, no-frills four-wheel drive Jeep.

But what was a girl to do (other than complain, stress out her husband and bemoan the fact that she would have to learn to like her very practical minivan)? It was not my finest hour. I felt selfish, petty, superficial and down right rotten. I knew how blessed I was to have a brand new minivan to drive about town, but it still wasn’t pretty as that crow kept trying to creep its way up from whence it came.

Then, as life would have it, my husband completely out of the blue decided to change jobs. With the change he lost his company truck, but he gained a vehicle reimbursement. What?? Yes, this meant we were suddenly in the market for yet another new car. Now this is where the story gets really good. . . my husband, who claims he has always wanted a minivan, decided he would drive the Town & Country and let me pick out the Jeep I had been bemoaning for months. Yes ladies, that’s just how much my man loves me. Suddenly I went from being a minivan mom back to being a Jeep girl.

No, I didn’t have the chutzpah to rock the minivan, and I can admit that. I didn’t have enough class, courage, mom-embracing practicality or van-loving attitude to pull the whole thing off, but I did give it a try. I love all my fun-loving friends who embrace and enjoy their minivans. To you, I bow. As for me, I’ll be driving a Jeep. . . of course I might break a hip falling out of the darn thing at my age, but until that day I’ll enjoy the wind in my hair and the silly grin on my face.

By the way, hubs, I love you too!

Animal Photos and Spring at the Zoo

Animal Photos and Spring at the Zoo

With a preschooler in the house, we’re finally getting a taste of spring break. Monday morning our son asked his dad if it was a school day. My husband told him it would normally be a school day, but it was spring break. To this our little one let out a resounding cheer, followed by a pause and a, “What is spring break?” I found this rather funny, because even though he didn’t have a clue what the term meant, he knew it was something special. My how it starts early. . .

So in celebration of spring break, we have spent several days venturing out to do all things fun (okay, so that first day I did do our taxes, but after that nothing but fun). Today we went to Rainbow Play Systems in the rain and snow to partake of free play on their massive showroom floor, but yesterday we enjoyed the warmer than normal temps at the Kansas City Zoo. I think the wildlife was enjoying the barely spring weather as much as the people, so I just couldn’t help but share a few animal photos with you.

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A Taveta Weaver was building a nest in one of the walk-through aviaries.

 

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I’m not sure what this is, but those antlers certainly are impressive.

 

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 Look at those crazy hippo teeth.

 

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The kangaroos were taking an early afternoon nap in the sun.

 

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. . . as were the lions.

 

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