Posted in Reading Rocks

I put off posting about this for quite a while.  I just wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the website, as at first I found it hard to navigate.  Well, not hard, per se, but unpleasant.  But as it turns out, I do like it!  So I will share.

Good Reads

When you set up your account, you will find virtual shelves, one for "to read", "currently reading," and "read."  There is a 5 star rating system and a place to put your comments.  Then you find links to books read by others that liked some of the books you like.  Or you can just browse around and find books with comments.  I know I do not have the time to read a bad book (although I have been doing it a lot lately).

If you are interested, check it out!

Posted in Reading Rocks

Now you can all rest easy as we've chosen My Father's Dragon as our next read-aloud.  What a great book!  We started it last night and already read half of it!  (It isn't very long.)  J didn't want me to stop but my voice was going.  I told him we can try to finish it tonight if I can handle it.  It's such a fun book and it's a crime I'd never even heard of it before diamondsintherough suggested it.  How have I missed it all these years?  We will probably read the whole series.

My kids are begging for school because they want to do Reader Rabbit.  I love bribery.  It's mother's secret weapon.  A shame it gets to that... But I told them once they do everything else, they can do their Reader Rabbit.  I try to only do it once a week or so.  They are so young and I really don't like them on the computer too much.  But these days, you really have to teach computer skills young, so it seems.  As long as they don't ask for a cell phone.  Did you know I saw the elementary kids getting out of school one day and little 3rd and 4th graders had cell phones?  Who are they talking to?  What are they talking about?  "Yeah, Hannah Montana is so, like, cool (or whatever they say now)."  "I'm eating pizza for dinner.  I have to go beat up my brother now."  Something like that...

I want you to know that the kids think I am the world's greatest mom today because I made orange jello and cut up canned apricots and put them in there.  I love how easy kids are sometimes.

Has anyone seen the remote to my Xbox?

I am off to wrap up school for the day.

Posted in Reading Rocks

Hello collective brain.
Can you suggest some read aloud chapter books for my lovely children?  K is 4 (almost 5) and J is 6.  We have already read and enjoyed The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and are currently reading James and the Giant Peach.  We read half of, and did not enjoy, Hank the Cowdog.

Posted in Reading Rocks

As I am incapable of doing anything remotely productive in my temporarily gimpy state, I read two books yesterday.  One was by Terri Blackstock (is that her name?) called Cape Refuge which was really good.  I had a hard time putting it down (obviously, perhaps).  The second was The Princess by Lori Wick.  Now this one, I started with some hesitation as it is about an arranged marriage and really, was altogether a little odd.  I just kept telling myself, "one more chapter.  Maybe he'll be nice to her."  Or "one more chapter.  Maybe they will fall in love."  It was annoying really.  Because I didn't really care but I HAD TO KNOW.  I am nosy like that.  So I read that whole book too, since it wasn't too long.  Today I started Expiration Date by Eric Wilson, which one of you lovelies recommended to me.  The author anyway.  So far so good.

Posted in Reading Rocks

I just read this really good book called Table for Eight.  It was about the joys and trials of having a large family.  The families profiled all had at least 4 kids, and some had more.  It had chapters on housing, feeding the family, affording vacations, how to spend time with each child, and more.  I enjoyed it and I think many of you have large families and might also like to read it.

Here's the link to Amazon.

Posted in Reading Rocks

Right now I am reading Jeffery Deaver's The Twelfth Card.  I love Deaver; he's creepy.  He wrote The Bone Collector, for those who know that movie with Denzel Washington.

I also picked up another Ted Dekker book at the library.

The kids and I have been finishing up The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (yes, we are slow as Mommy is tired...).  We've also started reading Christmas stories.  One of my favorites is by Eve Bunting.  I believe it is The Night Tree.  It's a beautiful story about a family who goes into the woods to decorate a tree for the forest animals.  I don't know what it is, but I love it.

I find it strange but it is very difficult to find Christmas books at our local library that actually mention Jesus.  I think I only found one.  So I think that we are going to buy one for the library and give it to the librarian as a Christmas gift.  It teaches the kids that we are thankful and giving at Christmas, and it'll help diversify the collection.  I can only read so much about snowmen.