Favourite Kids Books

Just thought I'd do a quick post (since I never do any!!) and share what our kids favourite books are at the moment.

Jackson is a huge fan of simple board books. His all-time-smile-guaranteed favourite is What Do You Say? which is a book I bought from Sonlight.com last year when they were having a sale on some items for under 3s. Very simple mostly animal noises. And even Shelby likes to read it coz of the cute "punch-line".

And Shelby has many favourites. But The Faraway Tree collection has been a breakfast, lunch and dinner-time book lately. (What I mean by that is whenever Shelby can pin Matt or I down she begs for another chapter or two!) We are 1/2 way through the 3rd book and she is loving it. She has also been really enjoying hearing all the books included in the P3/4 Core from Sonlight.com.

What books are your kids enjoying at the moment? Or if you don't have kids what were your favourites as a child?

Advent 2009

I'm slowly getting over my feeling of being totally under-prepared for Christmas and starting to instead get excited! It's fun having a 3 yo in the house who has a better understanding of what Christmas entails! :-) So, with this next Sunday marking the first Sunday of Advent I've started to think about what we'll do to celebrate and count-down the days until Christmas. I have just printed off the readings we used last year to put in our new-to-us Advent hanging along with a chocolate and also we'll be making a Christmas Booklet with these colouring in pages that illustrate the Christmas story so nicely (well actually a few are a bit goofy but the idea is great).

I'm also excited to try out some new Christmasy cookie recipes I downloaded from SavingDinner.com and picked up the ingredients for today. Next Tuesday we'll set up the Christmas tree and other decorations, dig out the Christmas DVDs & CDs. I'm also going to give the Christmas Dinner for the Freezer meal plan a go to save time and sanity on Christmas Day for our meal since we're staying here this year and will be celebrating with just our little family.

What are you all doing in the next month as you seek to enjoy the season and focus on the reason for the season?

Daybook

Outside my window... it's dark and I can see the lights of other units. If I look closely I might see a man on his balcony doing Tai-Chi.

I am thinking... The Water Is Wide is a beautiful tune.

I am thankful for... good food, a snug home, and a wonderful family.

From the kitchen... we had a really nice warm cous-cous salad with thai marinated tofu and veggies for dinner. YUM!

I am wearing... my one and only maxi dress, favourite matching glass blown and hand-painted earrings with ugg boots and a grey jumper over the top...VERY classy. ;-)

I am reading... nothing! I finished off In Defense of Food, A Charlotte Mason Companion and Baby-Led Weaning: Helping your Baby to Love Good Food in the past week and haven't actually picked any other books up yet. Still listening to the audio book Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen though which is good! The other books pictured in my last post are books Matt & I are reading together so whilst I am TECHNICALLY reading them I'm not personally reading them by myself. :)

I am hoping... that tomorrow will hold some fruitful and helpful conversations.

I am creating... a cross-stitch bookmark of a kangaroo. I've been working on it so long that I want to finish it and start a handmade miniature quilt.

I am praying... for peace and clarity about decisions that we are making.

Around the house... Matt's taken Jackson for a walk and Shelby's going to sleep whilst dishes langour in the sink and washing waits to be folded.

One of my favorite things... is our little suburb and the many people that make up this little corner of the world.

A few plans for the rest of the week... breakfast out, mum's group at church, friends over for breakfast on Saturday morning.

A picture thought I'm sharing with you... (two for the price of one actually!) Shelby and her assorted "bed companions"....

Books, Books, Books

The book to read is not the one which thinks for you,
but the one which makes you think.
~ Mccosh ~

Come home, Quark!

I just got off the phone with the Lost and Found section of the Powerhouse Museum. It appears that we have a missing person...a little over 10 years ago I bought for a mere $2 a cute little dog...he sat on my bed with Bromley for a couple of years and then when Matt & I met he discovered a voice. A cute squeaky little voice. He balanced out the very rude and obnoxious Bromley bear as a very ditzy-headed (no offense, Quark!) and innocent character. However, it seems that Quark has decided to go off on an adventure all by himself. Perhaps it was the exciting Space section of the Powerhouse Museum that ignited a desire to see the world. If anyone sees a little black and white dog in any NASA footage please tell him his family misses him sorely but hopes he has a wonderful adventure.

Little Luxuries

Tonight I sat and watched my 3 year old fall asleep. It's one of those little luxuries a parent can indulge in sometimes. Usually when it's bedtime that means one of two things either 1) Yay, computer time! or 2) Clean up the house time. Tonight I chose neither. Shelby asked me to play with her hair so I did and it was precious to watch her body relax, her eyes close and her body surrender to the much needed sleep. There is something relaxing about watching someone else fully relax like that. Sounds weird but trust me if you're a parent or ever become one you'll know what I mean. :) These are what memories are made of.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Outside my window... I can see blue sky with that beautiful cotton candy white clouds over the top of rooftops.

I am thinking... it's harder to parent 2 kiddos when alone...I'm outnumbered! :-)

I am thankful for... a patient and caring hubby who listens, supports and even sometimes rebukes me when I'm feeling overwhelmed before sending me off for a coffee and book-reading time while taking over kid-wrangling for an hour or so.

From the kitchen... I am hoping to make Heinz' Thai Soup in a Packet soon!

I am wearing... J in the Hug-a-Bub. He's very peaceful and snuggly!

I am reading... Glenbrooke Series by Robin Jones Gunn, Mommy Teach Me to Read by Barbara Curtis

I am hoping... to find creative ways to store things or be brave enough to declutter....

I am creating... an action plan (in my head) about how to handle a full week with Matt overseas soon....

I am praying... for patience, wisdom and most of all lots of love.

Around the house... Shelby's watching Songs to Make You Smile and I'm enjoying some quiet time until it's time to leave for church.

One of my favorite things... Gloria Jeans' Caramelatte with a drizzle of caramel syrup on top. :)

A few plans for the rest of the week... hopefully it will be relatively quiet with maybe a trip to visit Matt for lunch.

A picture thought I'm sharing with you... waiting patiently for the long anticipated birthday Play School Concert to start!