Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Thursday, February 12, 2009

It's a rainy day

Today we've had rain, snow, sun, and now hail. It is cold and wet and grey outside. Why do we need the rain anyway? 




It is the perfect day to spend in pajamas on the couch reading. Which is exactly what I did today, in between 4 loads of laundry and making lunch. Now it's 2:30 in the afternoon and I still need to do dishes, put away the rest of the laundry, and get dressed. I love being a stay-at-home Mom. I did work until 12:30 AM last night, so don't judge me too harshly. I read Coraline. It was a quick read; creepy, quirky, and clever. I think I'm going to read it to my girls before they see the movie. It looks like it might be good, but the book leaves so much to interpretation and the imagination and the movie just won't.

Postscript:
I just had to pick up Bethany from school and like I just pointed out, I wasn't exactly ready to be seen in public. I did change from pajama pants to jeans, but I was still wearing my husband's grey sweatshirt, Crocs (which are really only acceptable to wear in the garden or at a hospital right?), and my hair that needed to be washed was pulled back in a messy ponytail. I should have know better, but I wasn't going to get out of the car. Well, when I got to Bethany's school, she wasn't waiting for me. I waited about ten minutes; she still didn't show up. So, I ran inside & checked her classroom, hoping to run into her before I ran into her totally put-together teacher. No such luck. I met her teacher, the principle, the librarian and the secretaries, before I found Bethany waiting for me in the office. (She had been watching for me at the other parking lot.) Everyone thinks so highly of Matthew at work, that I felt bed for tarnishing his reputation by showing up at his place of employment looking like a refugee. They must wonder how I managed to snag such a handsome, responsible man, when I'm such a mess. Hopefully, I didn't stay long enough for them to wonder anything though. I just grabbed Bethany's hand & we ran back to van.

Pictures of the weather in TQ:

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Reading

The other night Gwen pulled out a stack of books at bedtime and instead of asking me to read them all to her, sat down and read them to her little sister. I love watching my girls learn to read. It is fascinating. I love the independence and discovery that comes as the letters on the page become words and the words become stories. I have loved watching Bethany read to Gwen, becuase it is such a sweet little act of kindness & because then I don't have to put down my book! Now, Gwen is reading to Cate. It fills my heart with love and gratitude for my little readers. I am excited for them to see worlds open up through books. I anticipate with joy the discussions we'll have about my favorites and the books that they'll introduce me to. The ability to read is a blessing of infinite worth and opportunity. I love seeing it sprout and grow in my children.


That night, her stack included:
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

I don't think she finished Sylvester, but she read the rest of them. (Sylvester is a great book by the way, very silly & sweet, all of William Steig's books are.) I have a low tolerance for bad children's book and I'll vouch for that list. Each one will hold up to multiple readings without making you want to stick a fork in your eye. Other picture books that make the cut:

I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean
The Witch's Broom
Fanny's Dream
Where the Wild Things Are
Olivia
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

What are your favorites?