Children's Book Specials

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Last Birthday?

So They Say It's Your Birthday!!
Happy Birthday to Me!!
 Well, I am 39 now.  
Hmmm....so maybe I will be 39 forever?  
Isn't that what a lot of women do?  
I'm not really sure if I will be like that.  
So far, I feel pretty good about 39.  
I don't really feel too old....yet!  
Maybe next year will be different!  
The big 4-0 might affect me differently. 
Right now I'm enjoying life!
I'm alive & healthy.
(with a few extra pounds I need to work on!)
I have an awesome husband who loves me!
 Beautiful, fun children.
I have a trendy haircut. 
Some fun piercings.  
A new tattoo soon!!  yippee!
A fulfilling social life.
Books.
Pink things.
Jewelry.
And most of all, lots of LOVE in my life!
I think I can handle more days in this life.
And lots more birthdays!







Tuesday, March 22, 2011

"Elbert's Bad Word" Review

Author: Audrey Woods
Illustrator: Audrey & Don Woods
The illustrations in this book were first drawn in pencil 
by Audrey Wood and then rendered in color by Don wood in 
watercolor, gouache and colored pencils on coquille board.
 Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
Copyright: 1988
 ISBN:0-15-225320-3
Summary: After shocking the elegant garden party by 
using a bad word, Elbert learns some acceptable substitutes 
from a helpful wizard. 
Accelerated Reader Book, reading level 3.6


Elbert was at a fancy dinner party with his parents when he heard an adult say a bad word.  In this book you can actually "see" the naughty word.   

"With a swift flick of his wrist, Elbert snatched the word from the air and stuffed it in his pocket ."  Later, the word became so small it "flew" into Elbert's mouth.  After a series of crazy events a croquet mallet lands with a "thud" on Elbert's toe!  When Elbert opened his mouth to scream a bad word came out instead!  The bad word continued to g r o w, it even perched upon Elbert's shoulder. 
 
Elbert goes to visit a wizard gardener who bakes him a special cake.  Elbert learns about "strong" words and the need to sometimes use them. Later through another series of mishaps, Elbert is again in a position of pain.  Everyone stops to observe him to see what he will say.  Will he say the bad word again???

My children enjoyed this book, it was easy for them to understand how Elbert learned the bad word and they were a little surprised when he used it.  After reading the book we were able to discuss other things to say instead of bad words.   I love books that you can use to teach something. 

The book is fun to read, and has interesting illustrations.  The expressions on Elbert's face are great.  And I love that you can "see" the bad word.  You can't go wrong with an Audrey or Don Woods book.  I don't think I've read one yet that I don't like.

Review by Christy F. @ PrincessPinkk's Ponderings.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Was it Wrong?

Last night, we went to visit friends after 8pm.  They have a boy and a girl that are older than our kids....so they had a lot of fun playing together.  We let the kids play mostly unsupervised, and let them stay up very, very late.  They eventually fell asleep.  Many hours later we carried them to the car and brought them home.


Are we horrible for doing this?  we feel pretty bad.  Normally we closely supervise our kids.  Never let them fall asleep at someone else's house...unless it was a planned overnight and we aren't there.  (Like at grandparents or aunts).  Never take the kids out that late at night or have to put them in the car in the middle of the night to go home.


Have you ever done this?  do you think it's okay? 

Friday, March 4, 2011

Misadventures and Fits


My crazy little angels!

Okay, so if you are a parent, you will totally understand how frustrating some of these types of scenarios can be.  If you aren't a parent and you read this....you may rethink if you want children, lol!

I am told, at least once a week, sometimes more often how w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l my children behave at daycare.  They are said to be polite, well mannered, sweet, etc.

Sometimes when I am home with my children, I wonder....are these really the same children that the daycare raves about??  And don't get me wrong...I would prefer it to be this way....behave in public/misbehave at home.  As much as it sucks sometimes at home dealing with them, it gives me great pleasure to hear others rave about how well behaved my children are.  :)

But, I just want to share some of the fits and misadventures that I recently had with the kids.  Saturday morning, while Lee was at work and I was alone with the kids, I had stepped into the bathroom.  Jake (4 1/2) comes to tell me that he spilled a little water.  Well, it turned out that he had knocked over a huge cup of water on the end table...which had lots of magazines and newspapers that were now sopping wet.  Our tables are glass top with wood around the edges.  So the glass sits down into the wood.  Well, anytime a drink is spilled....it runs under the glass and gets everywhere down below.  So I had to move the lamp, candles, picture frames, Scentsy burner, etc. to clean up all the water. Ugh.

A little later, while I was ironing clothes Julz had gone into the bathroom....I thought to brush her teeth.  Jake comes in and says, "Julz has nail polish".  Oh! Yes! She! Did!!  It was on her face, on her hands, on her shirt, on the sink and in the bathtub.  Mind you this happened in just a matter of three minutes tops that she was out of my eyesight!  So, I did get it off of her, but not so much the shirt.  And I did manage to save the sink and tub as well.

Then Jake had a small fit after that because he didn't want to put on clean underwear!  (boys!)  When I picked a gift bag for his friend's birthday present (I have to climb up in the attic to get this, since that is where I store all my gift wrapping items) he cried for I know 20 minutes because the bag was "too pretty" and he didn't want to give it away! (me=rolling my eyes)

Later in the day after being at a birthday party and visiting Mimi & Gramps we were almost ready to head out.  I needed to go to the grocery store to pick up some items for Julz's birthday party.  After the behavior they exhibited at Mimi's house (running, being loud, not listening), I told them they wouldn't be allowed to go to the grocery store with me.  So, they were both upset, crying and pouting.  On the way out of the house walking through the garage, Jake stopped beside my mom's (very nice, shiny, well taken care of, immaculately clean) Dodge Nitro and proceeded to kick it t.h.r.e.e times!!!!  aaaarrrrgghhhh!!!!  So then, Gramps spanked Jake (very unusual) and Jake was crying and mad and then Julz hopped in between Jake and Gramps and says loudly and sternly, "don't you be mean to my Jakey!!!  (gotta love the sibling love!) so, then Gramps told her that she needed to be quiet that he wasn't talking to her.  Crying, more crying.  Both crying.  Crying all the way home!!

So I hope you just enjoyed a day in my life with children, lol!!  I still love them even though they drive me crazy!!

How many of you can relate to this craziness???