Taking care of two little active boys is quite a challenge on a normal basis and this hectic situation hasn’t helped but we manage from day to day. Last night, my three-year old found nothing better than jumping up on the bed and hit his brother’s head with his own forehead. His elder brother fared better than him and had no apparent swelling, but the little one ended up with a nice round bump on his forehead. We have ice packs in the freezer just for that. And in my opinion, we use them way too much.

Gosh, is he struggling to get some attention or what? I swear the kid is as reckless as his dad. He’s not even four yet so I guess he has an excuse to explain his poor judgement. I just hope he gets to grow out of it sooner than his father.

In the meantime, I think we probably should get this book at the library. What do you think?

Mr Bump by Roger Hargreaves

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Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Simple

But then on Friday afternoon I got one of those calls  that changes it all. The call that makes the world collapse like a deck of cards around you. My husband went skiing over two hours away from our house that day. He had a very bad fall and suffered a traumatic brain injury (thank god for his helmet). He was airlifted to the nearest hospital and stabilized. We spent half the day Saturday in the car to go see him, although the kids had to stay in the waiting room as kids weren’t allowed in the intensive care unit. I quickly realized he wasn’t well physically and mentally. I requested him to be transferred to our hospital close to home and got my request fulfilled on Sunday night. He’ll hopefully get all the physical and cognitive therapy he needs over the next weeks (or months) to recover. Fingers crossed.

The hospital wanted me to take some of his belongings so I left with his cut-up clothes, his watch and his wedding ring. A simple wedding ring, in a simple plastic bag. Yet a constant reminder that my husband is in the hospital instead of at home with us.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Simple

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My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. If you’re a fan of this book and the others that follow I apologize in advance if my comments shock you. I’m about a third into it and I’m finding this book a real drag. Sooooo slow, with such long, overdone descriptions of everything and barely a plot to grab my interest. And the writing style is extremely outdated. I doubt this book would get picked up by any publisher today without some serious editing. And on top of it all, Anne can’t shut up, as she rambles on and on for half of every chapter, following or preceding a temper tantrum. Gosh I hope it gets better…

- What I recently finished reading
Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. Fun and entertaining. As usual the good guys catch the bad guys and there’s plenty of suspense in between.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. A mix of drama, sci-fi, autobiography and humor, all wrapped up in an absurd tale. This is not specifically my type of novels, but I enjoyed the writing style. So it goes.

- What they’re currently reading
Mr Putter & Tabby Ring the Bell by Cynthia Rylant. I’m so glad there’s finally a new Mr Putter & Tabby because we’ve read all the other ones. This new adventure is as hilarious and sweet as the rest.
All about Sam by Lois Lowry. My five year old read this book with his kindergarten teacher and he asked that we read it at home too. This is the story of Sam, his parents, and his sister Anastasia, from the first day he was born into his toddler years. Right now, we’re in the middle of the Terrible Twos…
My friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann. Rabbit’s got a lot of ideas and things tend to go wrong every time, but Mouse still lets him play with his airplane because they are friends. A great lesson about friendship and forgiveness.

- What they recently finished reading
One by Kathryn Otoshi. Probably one of the BEST books on bullying, showing how it just takes one to make everyone count. It’s also a fun book on colors and shapes. I really like this book a lot, and my kids do too. I highly recommend it for kids from age 2 to 6.
Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld. Cloudette, the littlest cloud of them all, finds a way to do something big and important like the other clouds. A great message for little kids to find a purpose and make a difference, no matter their size.

- What I think they’ll read next
I picked up a very large bag of books at the library this afternoon. I had requested some of them ahead of time. As for the rest, my three year old and I picked them right off the shelves, so I hope we have some good ones in the pile.

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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Today I read a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. that made me think about this very question, and now I know how King would have answered it himself.

“Never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
― Martin Luther King Jr

Such timeless advice, still relevant today.

My husband and I happened to watch the movie The Help this weekend. We didn’t time it to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day. It just happened to show up at the library late last week and it gave us the opportunity to watch a movie together this weekend. I read the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett several months ago and I loved it. I thought it was especially good as a first time novel, with an interesting way to tell a fascinating story. As always, I found the book  much better than the movie since many parts had to be cut, but the scenes still flowed well.

I just can’t imagine these events happened barely 60 years ago. Of course, we’ve come a long way since then (at least compared to how things used to be) but it’s still hard for me to remember how bad things were not so long ago.  And so, if I could change my answer to the question Would you break the law to save a loved one?, I’d refine it with this answer. “To do what’s right, absolutely.”

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This week’s theme is “peaceful”. The first thought that came to my mind is when I go tuck in my kids at night while they’re sleeping. They look so peaceful and carefree (and quiet!) - what a wonderful sight.

The second thought that occurred to me is when my kids are at school in the morning and I sit at my desk to work in front of my computer with a hot cup of tea. I get to enjoy the very quiet house and when I need a mental break, all I have to do is look out the window of my office and enjoy the scenery.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: peaceful

Right now the trees look bare because it’s winter but most of the year I see a lot of green. It may not seem like a big deal to you but when you live in reclaimed-desert San Diego County like me, most people see rocks, cactus, dirt and dry brush when they look at their windows. I live right by the San Diego River, which lets me enjoy plenty of greenery and birds year round. And beautiful sunrises like this one, which are oh so peaceful (and with lots of green in this shot).

My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. It’s the prequel to The Christmas Thief, which I read a couple of months ago. I’m enjoying this guilty pleasure of light reading in between some heavier reading.

- What I recently finished reading
The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson. This was quite an interesting book to read, with lots of materials and research data in less than 300 pages. But I think rather than using the subtitle “How finding your passion changes everything”, it should have been ” how some people found them passion and changed their lives.” This book is full of examples of famous (and less famous) people who found their passion early on or later in life, and what factors can affect someone finding their passion, or not. As a parent, I find it helpful as an observer to identify areas of interest in my children I may want to encourage rather than smother. But for myself, it doesn’t really tell me how to discover my own passions and find “my element.” I still recommend this book for the information it contains overall but the quest shouldn’t stop at the end of it.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. A little long but I didn’t guess who the real murderer was, so I liked the surprise ending.

- What they’re currently reading
- I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen. A bear searches for his missing hat until he remembers where he last saw it. The large font size makes it easy for young readers to read on their own and the story is very funny. I just can’t believe my kids haven’t figured out what happened to the lying rabbit at the end…
- Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. This is a Caldecott Medal Book winner and it really deserves the award, both for the story and the beautiful illustrations. On a very cold winter’s night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl. My kids couldn’t wait to see if the owl would show, and the wait was worth it.
- The Berenstain Bears Say Please and Thank You by Jan & Mike Berenstain. Sister, Brother, and Honey Bear practice using their very best manners in many different situations. A great book to teach or remind kids about good manners (saying please, thank you, you’re welcome, sorry, etc).

- What they recently finished reading
Hippo and Rabbit in Three Short Tales by Jeff Mack. Jeff Mack is a genius and really knows what makes little kids laugh. These three very short, super easy to read stories are just hilarious and my kids loved this book. Can you imagine what happens when a rabbit pushes a hippo on a swing? Not much, right? Now, just imagine what happens when a hippo pushes a rabbit on a swing. Wheeeeeeeeeee!
- The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship : a Russian Tale retold by Arthur Ransome. Another Caldecott Medal Book winner, this is the story of the Fool of the World who, when the Czar announces he’ll marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, sets out to try his luck. On the way hemeets some unusual but also very useful companions. This book is pretty long so I recommend for kids over four years, but it’s very interesting.

- What I think they’ll read next
We just picked up a whole bunch of books at the library today, including some Richard Scarry’s and the brand new Mr Putter & Tabby Ring the Bell by Cynthia Rylant!

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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1.How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
As I answer this question, I’m 41 but I think most people who don’t know me would think I’m in my upper 30s. I like to be 40 something actually so I don’t feel I have to lie about my age.

2.Which is worse, failing or never trying?
Never trying. Well, unless failing involves death. That would be a lot worse.

3.If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
Because of fear, laziness, and procrastination. Mostly fear.

4.When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
Probably not. When I say something, I usually do it. I’m more of a doer than a talker.

5.What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
I wish everyone in this world would actually give a crap about our planet and take better care of it. Hopefully this would lead to more respect for other people’s lives too. What can I say, I’m an idealist.

6.If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
Anything creative. Writing, taking photos, drawing, painting, …

7.Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
At this stage of my life, I’m mostly doing what I believe in. I’ve never had a settling personality and try to do what I really want to do.

8.If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
Well, since I’m 41, I’d be dead by now and wouldn’t be able to answer this question. I can’t change the past and I hate looking back.

9.To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
I believe I’ve made most of the course of my life happen because of my actions. I believe I’m 90% in control of what happens to me. As for the remaining 10%, I’m still in control of how I react to it.

10.Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
Doing the right things. Perfection is great, but opting for good enough assures that more things will get done.

11.You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?
Quickly switch the subject. Gossip bugs me.

12.If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
What Sting sang so simply in An Englishman in New York, “be yourself, no matter what they say.”

13.Would you break the law to save a loved one?
Absolutely.

14.Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
I have a very narrow definition of “insanity” so I don’t think it would be associated with creativity. But I see how some people can view some forms of art as so different from the norm, they just can’t understand it.

15.What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
I eat ketchup with many foods, including all sorts of vegetables, pasta, rice, etc. I alsoeat Nutella by the spoonful. And I never put ice in my drinks. If you’re European, you understand me but this is a rarity in the US.

16.How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
What a boring world we’d live in if the same things made everyone happy.

17.What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?
Write a few books I already have subjects picked out for. Making time for it is my biggest struggle. There are so many things on my wish-to-do list, I just can’t get to them all.

18.Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
Probably not, since I’m the opposite of a hoarder. I get rid of stuff all the time, mentally and physically.

19.If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
The U.S. North East, close to Boston, or closeto Washington D.C. because I just love these two areas. But I hate the snow and the mosquitoes, so I would need a lot of convincing to move back East.

20.Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
Of course!!! Doesn’t it?

21.Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
I’m a worry worm. Does that make me a genius?

22.Why are you, you?
Because there’s only one me (I don’t think I have a twin). I’ve gone through my own life experiences, and it makes me who I am (good, bad and ugly).

23.Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
I try. Most of the time.

24.Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
Losing touch with a friend who lives close by. It can make for awkward moments during unexpected encounters.

25.What are you most grateful for?
My beautiful boys.

26.Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
Lose the old ones since I don’t look back and live in the past. I have very few old memories anyway, so it wouldn’t be a great loss.

27.Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
No. I always challenge everything I see and hear. Well, almost everything. But know it can drive other people nuts.

28.Has your greatest fear ever come true?
Since my greatest fear is dying, I’ll answer no.

29.Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?
Actually it does. Every action has a reaction and its consequences and can affect relationships positively or negatively.

30.What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?
This has to be the toughest question for me to answer on this list. I actually have very few childhood memories and I can’t think of any I would qualify as the “happiest.” Even though I’ve been thinking about my answer for a week now. Sad but true.

31.At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
When I gave birth to each of my boys, and then breastfed them for the first year of their lives. My body gave life to two human beings. How cool is that?

32.If not now, then when?
I’ll let Mark Twain answer this one: “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow just as well.” Funny guy.

33.If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
I have nothing to lose, except sleep to do everything I want to accomplish every day. Did I say I was tired?

34.Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
Yes, but it’s been very rare.

35.Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
Because religions are used to exerce power and control over people. We don’t want to learn from history, especially when power is involved.

36.Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
No. It’s all relative, and there’s a lot of grey in between.

37.If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
Come on, not for a million dollars, especially when half of it goes to taxes! $10 million, maybe. $100 million, absolutely! Maybe I should start buying lottery tickets to find out.

38.Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
I really enjoy my work so I can’t complain. But I could use more free time.

39.Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
Every day is different and I never know how things will go. Quoting Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” It’s OK, I like chocolate and I do eat some every day.

40.When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
Often, actually. I like trying out my ideas, even if they fail. How else would I be able to find out for sure?

41.If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
My boys and my husband for sure.

42.Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
Now, this question implies I’m not extremely attractive or famous, how rude. OK, let me think this through. If I’m going to live a long time, I probably won’t be very attractive by the end, so I’m not sure how much attractiveness I’d really be buying myself. As for fame, it’s never been a turn-on. So I choose to live long, live well.

43.What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
Two words: carpe diem.

44.When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
Every time. Just do it.

45.If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
Because schools, our parents and society in general has made us doubtful and fearful.

46.What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
I’d take more photos, draw and paint more and would actually put the results for sale. And hope some people would buy them.

47.When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
Every day, at least for a few seconds. But I wish it was for a few minutes.

48.What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
I love my creative side but it’s been choking inside me for too long. I need to make the time in my everyday life to let it out.

49.In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?
If it’s something worth remembering, I’ll remember it. Otherwise I don’t have room for it in my memory. If it involves something fun with my kids, I’ll have plenty of room for that.

50.Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
It’s been a very long time since I’ve let someone make a decision for me, at least for something important. I don’t expect other people to decide my fate and I don’t let them.

Feel free to answer some of the questions for yourself below or link to your blog post if you already have answered them.

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So if you’d like to see what books we’ve been reading this past week, you can view my WWW Wednesdays update here.

I’m also working on a post to finally answer the ”50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind.” I’ve been wanting to do this exercise  for a while and the beginning of the new year seems like the right opportunity to do so.

Happy new year!

Happy new year, everyone! I wish you and your close ones plenty of good things for 2012.

My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff, chosen by my book club for January and a previous New York Times Bestseller. I’ve been reading it for almost two weeks and finally getting close to the end. This book is very long because it’s actually two stories in one. The first one is of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th “official” wife of Brigham Young. She eventually divorced him and campaigned to make polygamy illegal in the U.S., as well as wrote a book about her experience called… Wife No. 19. The second story is that of Jordan Scott, a reject from a Mormon like cult in Arizona, whose mom is accused of killing her husband.

- What I recently finished reading
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. You can read my review here.

- What they’re currently reading
Several books in the Bunnicula & Friends series by James Howe, describing the adventures of Harold the dog, Chester the cat and Bunnicula, a potential vampire bunny who sleeps during the day and makes vegetables turn white by sucking out their juices at night. So far we have read these books and we’re looking forward to reading more if they are available at our library:
- Bunnicula & Friends – the Vampire Bunny
- Bunnicula & Friends – Rabbit-cadabra!
- Bunnicula & Friends – The Fright Before Christmas
- Bunnicula & Friends –  Creepy Crawly Birthday

- What they recently finished reading
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. Hilarious versions of common fairy tales, including the Gingerbread Man who happens to be a Stinky Cheese Man that nobody wants to chase and eat…
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig. Sylvester the donkey who finds a magic pebble that can make any wish come true. Unfortunately, in a moment of fright, Sylvester requests to be turned into a rock but then can’t hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again. A great ending happens to this tender story.

- What I think they’ll read next
I just ordered some Richard Scarry books so I hope we get to read a few of them soon.

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I started the year by learning that my estranged father had passed away. The event brought back painful memories but also ignited some curiosity about someone I never knew. I see some good things coming out of it, eventually. Then I had to get another dental crown because an old filling was expanding and cracking my tooth. My back pain reached excruciating levels and lasted for months until I stumbled upon an Indian herb (Holy Basil) that seems to work wonders. My freelance business did better than I expected and I had the chance to define the types of projects I really want to work on in the future. My husband had to work some demons of his own and it made things difficult for all of us for a while. My youngest started preschool and was great at the transition, while my oldest started kindergarten and had a rough start. He now behaves well 95% of the time and as of this Christmas, he can mostly read on his own. He also had hernia surgery in the fall, which was super stressful for me. My garden was under constant attack for half the year and my crops weren’t as plentiful as expected. And of course, we all got sick with the nastiest stomach bug just before Christmas. As I said, I can’t wait to wish 2011 goodbye and welcome 2012.

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a 101 in 1001 challenge update and I thought, what better time than today, as my last post of the year? This update includes what I completed in October, November and December 2011, so there was quite a lot of time to catch up with, and unfortunately, I didn’t complete as many projects as expected. As I said, better luck in 2012!

Home & Organization
15) Install microwave oven over the stove or repair the current oven (1/1) - DONE
16) Get our gas stove burners fixed (1/1) - DONE
18) Sell or donate the baby toys and clothes in the closet and garage by end of summer 2011 (1/1) – DONE
32) Print memorable photos of my oldest child for the large photo collage frame I bought and put it on the staircase wall (1/1) - DONE
33) Print memorable photos of my youngest child for the large photo collage frame I bought and put it on the staircase wall (1/1) - DONE

I got so pumped up about getting 32) and 33) done that I bought more photo collage frames to document the first couple of years for each kid. I won’t add this new project to my 101 in 1001 list but I’m looking forward to taking care of it eventually.

Writing / Creating (I’ve nowadded Creating to this project list title)
34) Spend 3 hours a day on writing activities (paid or not) during the week, 2 hours a day on weekends (138/1001)
36) Post once a week to my Perfecting Motherhood blog (61/143)
38) Post once a day to my Every Day I See a Cow blog until December 31, 2011 (243/244)

I’ve decided to scrap item #39) (Post 2 to 4 times a month to my Buy Products From France website) . I’m not motivated to maintain this website and the revenue generation is not enough to motivate me further. So I’m rewriting this item with a new project. I’ve been wanting to sell my photographs and other art for a while and I’ve found a few websites I could try out. Putting it on this list will hopefully make me take action.

NEW – 39) Post photographs and other art for sale on Zazzle.com and a few other similar websites (0/1)

Reading
44) Read one book a week (44/143)
47) Read 5 to 7 new books with my kids every week (33/143)
48) Learn 3 to 5 new words every week and keep a log of them (20/143)

Career
I haven’t done any of these two items yet and 2011 is over. Can you see how screwed I am?
52) Create an Excel spreadsheet for my business expenses and income for 2011 (0/1)
53) Track and document my business deductions and receipts for 2011 (0/1)

Family & Leisure
I’ve done pretty well in this category and was able to make some numbers move up a bit.
54) Spend one-on-one quality time once a week with my oldest (26/143)
55) Spend one-on-one quality time once a week with my youngest (28/143)
57) Cook one large family dish every week (18/143)
58) Make/bake one family dessert every week (13/143)
59) Try 10 new recipes (3/10) (Halloween cookies)
60) Bake Christmas cookies and share with friends and family (1/3)
This is the first time I’ve done this. My chocolate chip cookies didn’t come out as planned but I still managed to put some goodies together and mail them to friends and family. At this time, this is quite an accomplishment for me.

62) Try 10 new restaurants (5/10)
72) Watch one new movie with my husband every other week (12/72)
74) Email or call my sister at least once a month (5/33)

Health & Personal Growth
There’s definitely room for improvement here in 2012…
87) Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night (105/1001)
88) Take my vitamins every day (165/1001)
89) Eat at least one good source of protein every day (156/1001)
90) Drink Diet Coke only twice a week (12/143)
91) Exercise (strenuously) at least 2 times a week (35/246)
92) Check my blood pressure twice a week (10/246)
93) Get 2 mammograms (1 a year) (1/2) – one down!
101) Develop 3 new friendships (0/3)
I almost want to mark 2/3 for this last item because I made friends with two great ladies in my town this year, but I’ll wait a little while longer before I go ahead and make it official.

I found out today from Sarsm that we got lots of new 101 in 1001 challengers (look in my left sidebar for the complete list (please give me a couple of days to add them). If you’d like to join us in this challenge, it’s not too late and the start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to take on new challenges. If you want to sign up, just visit Sarsm and let her know. We’d love to have you join us.

You may have noticed I didn’t post a WWW Wednesdays update yesterday. I simply ran out of time. It was my mom’s last vacation day with us and I couldn’t find enough time in front of the computer to write up my weekly update.

Between shades of gray by Ruta Sepetys

I did want to share with you a wonderful book I just finished a few days ago called Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. What an amazing book to learn about this less often told part of history, i.e. Stalin’s own ethnic cleansing of large parts of Eastern Europe that killed 20 million people (he sure got bragging rights over Hitler in the genocide category). Sepetys based her book on her own family’s experiences as well as testimonies from many Lithuanian families. This gives her story a very real feeling when you understand this type of events really happened to millions of uprooted families sent to Siberian forced labor camps. This is a poignant, personal first novel I highly recommend.

Now, instead of doing my weekly WWW Wednesdays update, I thought I’d make a list of our favorite books we read in 2011 and I encourage you to read them too.

My best adult literature book picks of 2011

A dog's purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. By far the best book I’ve read this year. It made me laugh, it made me cry and made me enjoy a story about dogs when I’m a cat person. Great storytelling.

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard. Such a great premise and angle for this murder mystery book. I couldn’t put it down and went on to read book #2 in the series, Never Have I Ever. Read it, you won’t regret it.

Room by Emma Donoghue. The first third of this book (the captivity part) kept me on the edge. The rest of it sucked me right in and surprised me several times on the way. This is a wonderful book on a very painful subject.

My best children’s book picks of 2011

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson. Rhyming stories of a tiny mouse outsmarting a terrifying larger than life gruffalo.

 The Mr Putter & Tabby book series by Cynthia Rylant. These are wonderful, funny, kind and sweet stories about Mr Putter, his cat Tabby, his neighbor Mrs Teaberry and her dog Zeke. Our very favorite are Mr Putter & Tabby Paint the Porch, Mr Putter & Tabby Pick the Pears (zing!) and Mr Putter & Tabby Feed the Fish (bat bat bat…).

There Are Cats in This Book and its sequel There Are No Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz. These are interactive, hilarious books to read over and over with the kids, even if you’re not a cat person. Kids love to memorize all the lines and read the story on their own, laughing out loud.

What are your favorite book picks for 2011?

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Merry Christmas cat in a Santa hat

Last night I read one of the most wonderful Christmas stories of all times. It’s so wonderful I thought I’d share it with you and I’m sure you’ll want to share it too. I read this story on the San Diego KPBS website .

Take a minute to read this story about a cat named Merry Christmas (no, I’m not making this up) and just in case you were doubting, you’ll truly believe there is a Santa Claus.

*****************************************

San Diego, CA, December 22, 2011

Typical cat, quite ungrateful by nature.

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Did you notice I revamped my blog yesterday? What do you think of the new look?

I was going to work on my “101 in 1001″ update late last week when, one by one, each member of our family got attacked by the nastiest stomach bug. It looked like we had an exorcist visiting our home and working its anti-demon moves on all of us for several days. As a parent, there’s nothing worse than being sick as a dog when you have to take care of your kids (whether they’re sick or not themselves). We’re now recovering and finding the energy to get out of the house for fresh air. My advice to you: use hand sanitizer everywhere you go! That bug is NASTY.

My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. A fascinating novel written by the descendant of Lithuanian refugees. In 1941, 15-year old Lina and her family are deported to a forced-labor camp in Siberia. I’m a third into the book and even though it’s definitely not a book to put me in the Christmas spirit (interesting to note it arrived at the library right after I finished Man’s Search for Meaning), I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next to Lina and her family.

- What they’re currently reading
Lots of books with a Christmas theme!
- The Berenstain Bears Save Christmas by Stan & Jan Berenstain and Michael Berenstain. A great story to remind our little ones what the true spirit of Christmas really. The Berenstain Bears help Santa Bear find it amongst the Christmas gone-crazy lights, shopping and overall holiday extravagance.
- Mr. Willowby’s Christmas tree by Robert Barry. My kids LOVE reading this story. They’re amazed to see how one Christmas treetop that gets chopped because Mr Willowby’s tree is too tall can keep on giving a Christmas tree to so many families. A lovely Christmas story to read all together.
- Mooseltoe by Margie Palatini. Papa Moose is taking care of all the Christmas decorations and preparations on his “check” list but his family makes him realize he forgot one crucial item: the Christmas tree. But Papa Moose is here to save Christmas!

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My bookshelf

Man's search for meaning by Viktor Frankl

- What I’m currently reading
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Frankl’s vivid memories of his life in the Nazi concentration camps don’t really put me in the mood for Christmas but this book has been on my to-read list for a while and I finally got it from the library, so it was time. An interesting read so far.

- What I recently finished reading
The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson.I had to read this book for my upcoming book club meeting and it was entertaining but nothing more. It has a very predictable plot and is definitely more about weddings than about Christmas. I didn’t find the book well written, more like a lazy writing by a famous author to make some quick bucks on popular themes. Disappointing.

The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. This was a fun read, like any other Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark’s novels. Interesting characters, a plot that keeps unraveling throughout the book with a few unexpected twists. And as always the good guys win, the bad guys get caught and my nails are shorter by the time I’m done with the book.

- What I think I’ll read next
Good question. I’m not sure yet but I do have some books on my own shelf I could pick from and I’ve ordered more from the library. It will all depend what comes up by the time I’m done with Frankl’s book.

My kids’ bookshelf

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

- What they’re currently reading

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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My bookshelf

- What I think I’ll read next
The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. I impulsively grabbed it off the shelf at the library since I’m a Mary Higgins Clark fan. It’s supposed to be funny and mysterious, so we’ll see. I love reading books about Christmas this time of year.

My kids’ bookshelf

- What they’re currently reading

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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Apple juice can contain high levels of arsenic and leads, new Consumers Report says

Most of us heard Dr Oz’s cry for concern a few months ago regarding potentially dangerous levels of arsenic in apple juice. The U.S. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) promptly dismissed Dr Oz’s accusations, slapping him on the hand for scaring consumers and explaining that low levels of arsenic naturally occur in foods we eat.

Well, it looks like Dr Oz may have been right all along (I want to know who tipped him off!), and now the Consumers Union, which publishes the famous Consumer Reports, has now made official the result of their tests on many brands of apple juice and grape juice (88 to be exact) found in stores around the country. The results are quite alarming. Not only did most fruit juices show arsenic levels higher than the federal standard, but the same applied to levels of lead. Yes, there may also be lead in your apple juice. And we thought we just had to worry about that red paint from China… And the tainted pet food. And… I’ll stop there.

A concerning fact about this contamination is, many kids drink a large amount of juice every day, so the arsenic and lead levels they swallow could quickly add up. Another scary fact? Even organic fruit juice doesn’t seem to be completely spared for these high levels of arsenic and lead. Just when we thought we were safe if we stuck to organically grown foods.

It looks like this Consumer Report is shaking up the FDA (at least a little) and the agency announced it  is considering collecting additional data on fruit juice samples to see if there is reason for concern. You can read the full article from NPR on this new fruit juice survey and the concerns it’s raising for consumers in the US (and possibly in other parts of the world).

You can also see how the apple juice or grape juice you buy for your family stacked up in this Consumer Reports test survey.

This report is not too worrisome for my family as I rarely buy fruit juice. I don’t drink it, my husband doesn’t either. My youngest refuses to drink any juice (and now I won’t push him). My five year old would drink fruit juice by the gallon if I let him. But I don’t, because as it goes in one end, it usually comes out right the other, so he just can’t have it. I’ve always pushed my kids to eat real fruit instead and now I’ve got another good reason to do so.

Are you planning to make any changes to your fruit juice buying habits after reading this Consumer Report and survey? Do you think there should be a reason for concern or are we overreacting?

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I’m working on a “101 in 1001 challenge” update about the past two months and I hope to display my “accomplishments” by the end of this week. I would have loved to do an update for October alone, but just didn’t get the time to do much. Not that I accomplished a lot in November either… Oh well, life works that way sometimes. At least we’re getting to have some good reading, and since it’s part of my 101 in 1001 challenge, I’m getting a few things done! 

My bookshelf

- What I think I’ll read next
I recently read The Lying Game by Sara Shepard for my book club and I LOVED it! What a suspenseful murder story, but when I started the book, I had no idea it was the first of a series. This means I had no idea what really happened to one of the two main characters at the end of it. But now I’ve got book #2 called Never Have I Ever so I can’t wait to read it. Unfortunately there’s a book #3 and it’s not coming out until… Spring 2012!

My kids’ bookshelf

- What they’re currently reading

- What I think they’ll read next
I picked up a whole bunch of books at the library today, so I’m sure there are a few good ones in there.

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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I wish everyone a happy Turkey Day tomorrow. I hope you have many kind people and good things to be thankful for, and get to enjoy a great time with friends and family.

My bookshelf

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

- What I’m currently reading
The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I’m a little behind on the bandwagon since everybody I know has already read this book but it took me a while to put it on my to-read list and then get it from the library. A great follow-up book to The Secret Life of Bees I read recently, carrying a similar theme set in the Deep South during the Civil Rights Movement. I’m really enjoying this book so far, especially for a first-time author novel.

- What I think I’ll read next
Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative by Sir Ken Robinson, after being inspired by Robinson’s speech in a recent post of mine on ADHD and divergent thinking in schools.

My kids’ bookshelf

- What they’re currently reading
A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting. A very timely and hilarious story about Mr and Mrs Moose looking for a turkey at the very last minute to have for their Thanksgiving dinner. When Mr Moose finds him, the poor turkey panics as he doesn’t realize that his hosts want him AT their table, not ON it.

- What I think they’ll read next
My husband just picked up new books at the library this afternoon and I don’t know what they are, so it will be a surprise for everyone tonight! 

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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I love the part where Robinson explains that most five-year-olds use divergent thinking (asking questions such as, what if?, why?, why not? ) but by the time they reach their teens, the education system has crushed their divergent thinking and replaced it with the very uninspired, non-critical convergent thinking. Perfect to create quiet, docile plant workers who will follow their leader without questioning, but not much else. And the increase in standardized testing will only reinforce the use of convergent thinking, as divergent thinkers have a hard time answering standardized tests. That’s because every answer has to be either A or B. There’s no more room for creativity, and imagination is being shunned in our schools. As if it was a bad thing to “think out of the box.”

Out of our minds: Learning to be creative by Sir Ken Robinson

After working almost 15 years in the corporate world, I can tell you most workers can’t even conceive thinking out of the box. You may think I’m stretching the truth, but spend just one hour in a meeting room with middle to upper management people and you’ll understand what I mean. Quite a shame, since our evolving world and its economic challenges will require just that. New ideas, new concepts, new technologies. And our schools are doing nothing to ensure getting our kids will be ready for this new world.

I’m not sure how we can get it so wrong and why we’re not turning things around quickly enough. I’m afraid it’s our responsibility as parents to make sure our kids preserve their divergent thinking skills, knowing how hard the school system will try to crush them. I’ve ordered Ken Robinson’s book “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative” to find out more about Robinson’s ideas and what I can do for my kids (and a little bit for myself too) to keep in touch with their creative side. I’ll make sure to let you know what I got out of it in an upcoming WWW Wednesdays update.

What do you think about where our educational system is going? Do you think it’s preparing our kids for tomorrow’s world? What do you think can be done to make things right again?

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My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
I’m still reading The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Why? It’s easy and fun to read, so this is not the issue. It’s rather the pain killers I’ve had to take every few hours for almost two weeks that make me sleepy and are stealing me of my reading time. You see, I’m suffering from a nerve injury in my shoulder from a recent flu shot I got (of all things!). I think I’ll blog about it when I’m feeling better because there’s a good warning for everyone out there who needs a shot in their arm. Don’t learn the hard and painful way.

- What I think I’ll read next
I think I’ll return One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez to the library, as I don’t feel in the mood to read it right now. But I have a lot of GREAT books in transit at the library and I’ll let you know what my next reading choice is next week’s WWW Wednesdays update. I have high hopes to be done with The Princess Bride by then!

My kids’ bookshelf

Binky the space cat by Ashley Spires

- What they’re currently reading
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins. This Caldecott Honor book shows you a different part of the body of several animals on each page spread. You have to guess which animal they belong to and how the animal uses that body part. Did you know the horned lizard can squirt blood out of its eyes to surprise its attacker? Or that the archer fish sprays water out of its mouth to knock out insects close to the surface of the water? My kids can’t get enough of this book and I’ve learned a lot from it too!

- What they recently finished reading

We have discovered several books from the very talented and funny writer/illustrator Ashley Spires. My boys are starting to show interest in comic strips and these books are the perfect introduction to the genre. They’re funny, easy to understand (with or without the words) and full of exciting and ridiculous adventures. Great for kids from 4 to 8.

Binky the space cat. This is the first of the series. Binky, a beloved house cat, tries to prepare a rocket ship so that he can explore outer space (=outside the house), but he has second thoughts about taking off as he wonders how his owners would protect themselves against aliens (=bugs) if he weren’t there to help them. What’s not to like about that?

Binky to the rescue. Binky, while in hot pursuit of an alien wanderer (=a bug), falls out of the space station porthole (=the bathroom window), and finds himself in outer space (=outside the house). After he manages to get back in the house, he realizes the aliens have taken his lovey hostage. Yikes!

Binky under pressure. Binky’s owners bring a new kitten into his home. Certified space cat Binky is determined to get rid of the intruder, but he’s in for a surprise after he finds out she’s actually his boss and is in charge of testing his skills.

- What I think they’ll read next
We just got some great books about art made specifically for young children and I’m getting more of the same theme. So I hope I have some good recommendations for you next week if your little ones are interested in art. I believe most kids have a lot of artistic talent to uncover.

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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Last week I took my three-year old to see his pediatrician for a possible sinus infection from his nasty cold. The pediatrician examined him and gave me a prescription to fill a few days later if he didn’t get any better. I’m happy to report that after almost three weeks of nasty discharge, his nose is starting to clear up. Now, don’t get too excited, I said “starting”. But I think he may clear this one up on his own, eventually.

As we were leaving the exam room, I suddenly heard my son scream his lungs out. I quickly realized he managed to his fingers stuck between the exam door and its frame (on the hinge side) while I was packing up some papers in my purse.

Fact: medical exam doors are very heavy and close on their own. Not a good thing when you stick your little fingers in there.

The first thing coming out of my mouth after I freed my son’s hand was:

“Damn it, again? Why???”

You’re right, I didn’t say, “are you OK?” I felt I had a lot of frustration to vent. Why, you ask? Because the little guy gets his fingers stuck in doors all the time. And I mean, all the time. And he doesn’t seem to be learning his lesson, even when it hurts. Should I remind you he’s three and a half?

But this time, his middle finger had a HUGE dent on the top (it looked like the dent went all the way down to the bone) and a big cruise on the bottom on his finger. I mean, it looked awful. The good news is, we were in the doctor’s office when this happened! So a nurse gave me an ice pack right away and went to get our pediatrician. She quickly glanced at the finger, thought it wasn’t broken but ordered an X-ray just to be sure.

So off we went, down the elevator to the first floor and on to radiology. We waited there a while and by then our stomachs were growling and begging us for lunch. My son got his first body part X-rayed (besides the usual dental X-rays). Three images later, we got to look at his hand X-ray on the computer screen. You know me, I wouldn’t miss a teaching opportunity about radiology when I see one. Actually, my son is the one who requested to see “pictures of his skeleton.”

The radiologist said everything looked fine but we still went back upstairs to see our pediatrician as she’d requested, and she gave us clearance to leave. By then, the ice pack had worked miracles and the dent was almost completely gone. All that was left was the bruise on the bruising of the finger. It was gone the next day.

As we were leaving the parking lot, I told my son I’d have to tell his dad about the incident. His response?

“No, I don’t want him to know.” (Sorry buddy, too late)

Then I said we’d have to tell his brother. And to that he replied:

“Don’t tell him or he’ll be furious.”

That’s when I realized the little guy was embarrassed of his painful mistake. But in a way, I really hope he learned this time, unfornately the hard way. Ah, the joys of motherhood…

Moral of the story: Always have an ice pack ready to go! It can work wonders on bumps, bruises and, as tested by yours truly, finger dents.

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I read two great books this past week (yeah!) and I also happened to read two hilarious Chritmas-themed books with my kids.

My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
The Princess Bride by William Goldman. I’ve seen the movie several times and it’s one of my favorites. I had no idea the movie was inspired by a book originally published in 1973. I hope it’s as good as the movie!

- What I recently finished reading
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I loved reading this book and I couldn’t help rooting for Lily and Rosaleen to find a happy ending to their ordeal. I loved how each chapter started with a quote about bees and how each plays a role in the hive, and how relevant the quote was to each particular chapter. A great way to keep things flowing and tight together, especially since bees and honey play such a central part in this story. This book is well written and I had a hard time putting it down for wanting to find closure and relief. Great list of well-developed characters, which all have an interesting story to tell. I highly recommend this book.

The Lying Game by Sarah Shepard. I read this book for my November book club meeting and I’m not sure I would have picked it up if it were not for this reason. Boy, I would have missed out on a great mystery and thriller! Even though this is a Young Adult novel I really enjoyed it and got sucked right into it. I loved the premise and how the story focuses on both Sutton and Emma as main characters, telling the story through each other’s eyes. I like how the characters were developed, even though most of them are despicable by nature. After figuring out Sutton was dead, I so wanted to follow Emma and find out who the killer is. Boy, I had no idea this book was the first of a series so the end is actually a cliffhanger but now I’m determined to read the next books in this series. An easy read and a nail biter for sure, and hard to put down.

- What I think I’ll read next
So I have One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez sitting on my bookshelf, but I’m not sure I’m in the mood for it right now. What do you find?

My kids’ bookshelf

I found two books with a Christmas theme this past week and my boys and I have laughed so much reading them, I want to spotlight them in this post. If you’re looking for fun, memorable books about Christmas to read with your kids, I highly recommend these two.

Silent Night by Sandy Turner

If you read this book out loud, be ready to bark, yap and grrr the whole length of the book, while your kids giggle the whole way through. A yappy little dog feels Santa is about to come on Christmas night and tries to alert his owners of the intruder, over and over.

By the time Santa leaves, this poor dog has gone bezerk! And yes, all the text says on the page spread below is BARK BARK BARK YAP YAP BARK YAP YAP YAP… How fun is that to read?!

Fortunately the cat manages to shut him up so that everyone can enjoy the rest of a silent night. There’s a great surprise for kids at the very end of the book but I won’t spoil it. Just this part is worth getting the book.

The second book is called Bah! Humbug? by Lorna & Lecia Balian.

This girl’s brother tells her they need to stay up all night to catch Santa coming down the chimney. The funny thing is, the girl stays awake but her brother falls asleep, and Santa doesn’t set off any of the traps the boy prepared. Santa is the one who looks quite surprised!

This girl is so lucky she gets to eat cookies on Santa’s lap while her brother is STILL sleeping. If you’re looking for a story to put you and your kids in the mood for Christmas, this is it!

- What I think they’ll read next
I have so many books on order at the library, and I’m not sure what’s coming soon. Next week I’ll cover some great books we’ve been recently reading I didn’t include in today’s post.

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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Say what??? As parents, we keep hearing of more and more cases of ADHD being diagnosed (and prescribed to) every year. Just like autism is being better diagnosed, ADHD is becoming more “common”. Or is it? Are kids suffering more from ADHD today than 30 years ago? Are doctors better at diagnosing it? Or is it easier to stick a label on children who may behave on the edge of the norm rather than the quieter middle?

Here’s what bugs me about the uphill trend of ADHD diagnoses in the USA. Pediatricians are starting to make the diagnosis on their own, without the help of a trained psychologist. Ask people who got diagnosed 20 years ago how many questions they had to answer and you’ll find out it took hours, even days. Today, a pediatrician may ask just about 10 questions and label your child with ADHD. As if it were that easy. And now it seems some pediatricians want to make it even easier by labeling kids as early as four years of age.

Now, don’t misunderstand me. I completely agree that ADHD can be a debilitating condition that affects many aspects of a person’s life. If that person can’t function without psychological and/or medicinal help on a daily basis, of course they should seek help so they can have a “normal” life.

But here’s what irks me the most about this recent idea of diagnosing four-year-old children with ADHD. According to the pediatrician-led Healthy Children website (linked from the NPR article), here are the main symptoms of ADHD:

 
Now, let me think about this. I want to guess at least 80% of four-year olds display most of these behaviors on a regular, even daily, basis. Let me share a few examples:

- Often has a hard time paying attention, daydreams? Well, that was me throughout my whole school experience. Most teachers left me alone because my grades were fine, but I was bored to death at school. My favorite activities were doodling and staring at the window, coming up with wild stories in my head. Oh wait, I still do that today!

- Often does not seem to listen? Yeah, my kids consistently don’t listen when I ask them to do things they don’t want to do. That’s definitely a problem. I think most husbands are guilty of that too…

- Is easily distracted from work or play? I’m guilty as charged, especially when working. So are about 90% of the people I have worked with so far in my career. Give them something better/more interesting to do with their time and they’ll jump on the opportunity.

- Is in constant motion, as if “driven by a motor”? Hmm, isn’t that what young kids do with their excess energy? And then doctors complain kids are getting fat from sitting down for too long, go figure!

- Talks too much? I have two chattering boxes competing at home. “Argh, stop cutting my words, I was talking first!”

- Cannot play quietly? I think that’s called imaginary play. I sometimes join my kids on the spaceship ride, and yes, it’s quite loud during take-off.

- Cannot wait for things? “Are we there yet?” “I want a cookie now!” “Is it Sunday/Halloween/Christmas already?”

- Frequently interrupts others? Wait, I know lots of adults like that. They must all have ADHD.

You get my point. If you let a pediatrician diagnose a child using this list, the Ritalin manufacturers would be ecstatic. Who knows what effects Ritalin and other ADHD drugs have on a brain that’s still developing? No studies have been led on this subject. And what happened to using behavior modification before popping pills down a child’s throat?

What do I read through this article? I read that our society wants children to sit down and be quiet. Listen to us and do as we tell them. Not think for themselves and just agree with us. It makes them good little students in school and compliants workers later in life.

What is society missing when it trains children to become quiet peons? No more creativity, no more imagination. This means no more design engineers, architects, artists, graphic and web designers, people thinking outside the box, you name it. There’s a creative drain in the US, which is great for foreigners willing to fill the void, but it can make for quite a boring society and no ideas to create new jobs.

What is your take of such an early diagnosis for ADHD? Would you let doctors label your child at such a young age or use behavior modification and see if things get better or worse down the road?

As a follow-up to this post, I wrote Follow-up thoughts on ADHD and divergent thinking a couple of weeks later, with a very interesting video speech from Sir Ken Robinson discussing how school systems around the world are really getting it wrong with our kids when it comes to preparing them for the 21th century. A very inspiring, yet depressing speech, well worth listening to!
 
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I’m so behind on writing posts and it’s not because I’m out of ideas. I want to write one review on a great book It think all parents should read, one commentary on a recent NPR article that made me angry, and my “101 in 1001″ update for October 2011. But I’m not the most productive person at this time. Being tired really can impact your daily performance in many ways… Unfortunately all I found the time for today is my WWW Wednesdays and I’ve read some great books this past week, so I’m happy to share them with you.

By the way, something really cool happened last week. Deborah Diesen, author of the Pout-Pout Fish books, stopped by my blog and commented on my WWW Wednesdays – October 12, 2011 update, where I mentioned we were reading her latest book, The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark. How nice is that? I’m still waiting for Mo Willems to stop by, say hi and thank me for all the nice things I’ve said about his very entertaining books. Just saying, Mo.

My bookshelf

The secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kidd

- What I’m currently reading
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I’m about two thirds into it and I can’t put it down. I so want it to have a happy ending for Lily and Rosaleen but I know they still have a lot of obstacles to overcome.

- What I recently finished reading
Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School by Lucy Jo Palladino. If you have a smart, active child who is having a hard time in school, this book is for you. Palladino covers the three (sometimes overlapping) types of Edison-trait personalities: the dreamers, the discoverers and the dynamos. These children exhibit divergent thinking (always thinking what if?) while most school systems cater to and encourage convergent thinkers. However you’ll quickly notice most people who have helped improve the human condition were Edison-trait personalities, so the key is to help your child develop his/her talents while finding ways to cope with an inflexible educational structure. And if you wonder if your child may have ADD or ADHD, there are a few chapters on that subject and how to find the information you need to get your child properly diagnosed. A great read!

- What I think I’ll read next
The Lying Game by Sarah Shepard. It’s for my November book club meeting and it looks like an interesting read.

My kids’ bookshelf

Rude Mule by Pamela Duncan Edwards

- What they’re currently reading
Oops and Hogwash by Arthur Geisert. Two wordless books that let your child describe the events page by page on his/her own. Great for kids who can’t read on their own since they can narrate the story themselves. Great for kids who can read as they make up their own narrative.
Jack and the Night Visitors by Pat Schories (the lady who illustrated the Biscuit books). A boy and his dog Jack get to see some uninvited guests in their house during the night. We also have Breakfast for Jack and my kids really like both wordless books.

- What they recently finished reading
We’ve had a few issues with bad manners recently so I stocked up on books to teach the proper way to do things. These are the books my kids really enjoyed and seemed to have learned something from.
Rude Mule by Pamela Duncan Edwards. A fun lesson on good manners and how behaving poorly never helps you get what you want.  
The Bad Good Manners Book by Babette Cole. An hilarious book illustrating the bad things you shouldn’t do and what happens if you dare to.
Look Mom! I Have Good Manners! This one is actually a DVD but it works well at showing several behaviors and ask your child which one is the most appropriate in a quiz show format.

- What I think they’ll read next
More wordless books and easy readers are in order…

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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After the disappointment of Me Talk Pretty One Day, I read a wonderfully entertaining book this past week and borrowed a bunch of great books for the kids too. Good reading times!

My bookshelf

- What I’m currently reading
Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School by Lucy Jo Palladino. I’m reading this book to help my five year old, who is a discoverer / dynamo child and has a hard time fitting into a rigid, same-for-everyone education system. There are many steps you can follow as a parent of an Edison-trait child to help him or her take advantage or their wonderful talents without getting in trouble with the people who just don’t understand how they think and function. So far, I’m enjoying the read and learning a lot. 

- What I recently finished reading
Gone With a Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West. I’d never would have picked this book was it not for my book club, but I’m glad I read it because I loved it! How to describe it is the hardest part. Mix a murder mystery (add a few murders as you go), romance, deceit, humor and a whole lot of cake baking, all with a large dose of Southern flair, and it barely gives the book justice. I’m usually good at guessing mysteries but I never saw this one coming and I loved how things unwrapped, up to the very last sentence. Michael Lee West clearly doesn’t take herself too seriously and this allows her to write freely and in a fun way, giving a lot of depth to her many characters. How fun is the writing? One of the chapters start with “Here in Charleston, you can’t swing a squirrel without hitting a professional chef, but I was determined to find a cooking job.” And yes, the whole book is like that. If you’re looking for a book that has a little bit of everything, this is it!

- What I think I’ll read next
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. It’s still waiting on my bookshelf, along with other books but I’m worried I’ll have to return some before I even start reading them, just because I got all of them at the same time and the library won’t let me renew because of their popularity.

My kids’ bookshelf

- What they’re currently reading
Irving and Muktuk : Two Bad Bears by Daniel Pinkwater. We’ve read the various adventures of Irving and Muktuk in the past but they never fail to entertain and make us laugh. Who doesn’t like to see two polar bears goof around, unable to resist eating blueberry muffins? We’ll get more of the series in the near future.
Splat the Cat and the duck with no quack by Rob Scotton. This one is not as funny as the other Splat the Cat books but it’s still a great story to read with the kids. As a Level 2 book, it’s also great for emerging readers.
Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. This book contains two very funny stories and two more touching/reflective. This is another Level 2 book, great for new readers.

- What they recently finished reading
Llama Llama Home With Mama by Anna Dewdney. The newest book in the Llama Llama series, and it’s as cute as the others. Find out what happens when Llama Llama gets sick and has to stay home with Mama.
Into the Forest by Anthony Browne. A book that will remind readers of The Little Riding Hood but with a great twist at the end. A great read to confront fears and worries and make kids understand that sometimes, there’s no need to be afraid.

- What I think they’ll read next
As usual, this is quite unpredictable but more books are on order at the library!

What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?

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