Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

A friend recently told me about Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and recommended I sign up my kids.  Sydney is over 5 years so she has aged out of the program but Griffin will receive a new book each month until he is five.  All you have to do to start receiving books is register your child online.  I try to remember to give all my little patients a form to register.  I love to read and my kids love our time together with books.  We have lots of books at our house but it is so fun to get a new one in the mail each month.  So far we have received The Little Engine That Could and Bun Bun Button.  Check out the website and register your child today. 

Roxaboxen

We have a new favorite book, it is Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran.  This book and the story of the kids in the book building a city out of rocks and colorful glass reminds me of my childhood.  In the book the kids create their own little houses by outlining an area with rocks and colored glass.  Then they create a mini city complete with a bakery, cemetery and two ice cream shops. 

When I was little my neighbor and friend Pam and I would create houses using grass clippings.  We would also make barns and areas for our horses which we would pretend to ride.  I love the use of imagination.  Sydney and I enjoyed this book and it may need to added to our personal library. 
Do you have a favorite book that you read to your kids?  Any books that remind you of your childhood?

Movie Night

This week I signed the kids up for the summer reading program at our local library. I am a huge reader (Bill laughs at me because I read all the time, even while blow drying my hair) and I read to the kids daily.  When I signed the kids up they both received a brand new book (they have not seen them yet because they are a vacation surprise), Sydney got a big hardcover Disney princess book and Griffin got a hardback Sandra Boynton book.  The library also a schedule of events and one of them is movie night.  So this past Friday after feeding the kids dinner, and giving them tubbies we got in pjs and headed to the library to watch It's a Bugs Life.  Well our family made up 4 of the 6 people that were there.  Oh well the librarian served us drinks and we enjoyed the show.  Two years ago we went and I just remember the room was full and dark and Griffin was in the stroller and decided to have an acid reflux vomiting episode.  Yes it was lovely.

After the movie we played around the fountain for a bit then headed home to put some sleepy kids to bed.

Does your library have a summer reading program and if so have you signed up yet?

Maine Trip Part 2 Book Club and Library Tour

While in Maine I went to my sister's book club with her- it was Saturday morning at the Pittsfield Library.  Everyone brought a breakfast dish to share and we discussed The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. 

Before we started our discussion we were given a tour of the library (one of the club members is the librarian).  The dome mural was awesome- painted by a Maine humorist Tim Sample.

cool bench made from card catalogue

cozy area

kids area

We had a great discussion about the book and other books and various other topics.

I joked that I might have to join the next meeting via Skype- but I did enjoy the group and I wish they were closer.  I plan to read the next book that they are reading called The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. 

what we are reading

I just finished reading  The Help and loved it!  My friend Ellie and I went to the movie which was very good but as always the book was better than the movie.  Wow it makes me think about a lot of things.  I am young enough that I have never seen separate bathrooms and drinking fountains for blacks and whites.  I admired Skeeters character and the bravery that was displayed by all the women who told their stories.  Did you read The Help?  What did you think?
The kids and I have been reading Shel Silverstein Where the Sidewalk Ends and we have been giggling like crazy.  We are also reading some Eye Witness books from the library about Mammals and Butterflies.  What have you been reading with your kids lately?

Current Read

I am currently reading Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman.  I listened to Steven Curtis Chapman as a teen, through college and still to this day.  When I heard of the tragedy and death of their child Maria I was brought to tears and remember praying for their family.  The book Choosing to See is about the tragedy that occurred on May 21st, 2008 but it is also the story of Mary Beth Chapman and her faith and struggles.  It is a story that will make you weep and also laugh and at the same time will inspire you in your own faith.  I am half way through the book and I already want to share and encourage others to read it.  This past year has been tough, in my own life with the loss of Bill's mom and also at my office, several friends and coworkers have suffered great loss.  Last week a child in our community lost a three year battle with cancer.  So much weeping and feelings of being defeated, yet there is HOPE.  In the words of Steven Curtis "We are not home yet". 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you  hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

I am thankful that this world is not the end and that we can live eternally, reunited with our loved ones if they belong to Christ.

a favorite

My mom bought the kids a book titled "I'll Tell You a Story, I'll Sing You a Song" by Christine Allison and it is a favorite. The book is divided into Fairy Tales, Rhymes, Fables, Songs, Motion Songs and Finger Play, Lullabies, and Hymns and Prayers plus additional information. I am familiar with most of the fairy tales such as Cinderella, The Little Red Hen, The Tortoise and the Hare, some of the rhymes and very few of the fables. Sydney are I read some selections on Saturday while Griffin took a second nap. Our library has a copy of this book but I am glad we have our own, it is a book to enjoy for years.

The Answer

Did you guess The Secret Garden? If you did you are correct. Last week I started reading Sydney The Secret Garden. I got an edition from the library for young readers. The book is 61 pages long and broken up into 13 chapters. The pictures are beautiful. I am not sure if I ever actually read the book but I did see the movie. I get tired of reading the same books and short books so I decided we are going to start reading a few chapter books. Does anyone have any suggestions for an almost 4 year old? I found a book online called Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys M Hunt and I am using it as a reference. I do not actually have the book yet but when I looked it up on Amazon I was able to browse the index. Feel free to suggest a book and if you have never read The Secret Garden you should!