100 Books-a-Month: May

I began this post earlier in the month so I could add as we read, between all the packing.  We didn't check out that many books this month but spent time re-reading our own, so you'll see some repeats from previous months.

1. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
2. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema
3. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman
4. I'm In Charge of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor
5. An Usborne Talkabout Book: Then and Now
6. Three's a Crowd by Gwendolyn Hooks
7. Hug and Make Up by Stan & Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain
8. The Magic Pear Tree retold by Cheryl Stroud
9. Rain Player by David Wisniewski
10. Baby Moses by Etta B. Degering
11. Baby Jesus by Etta B. Degering
12. Joseph's New Coat by Etta B. Degering
13. Joseph and His Brothers by Etta B. Degering
14. You're All My Favorites by Sam McBratney
15. The Opposites by Monique Felix
16. The Twelve Gifts of Birth by Charlene Costanzo
17. Jesus and the Storm by Etta B. Degering
18. Jesus and the Children by Etta B. Degering
19. Five Minutes' Peace by Jill Murphy
20. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
21. Meanwhile Back at the Ranch by Trinka Hakes Noble
22. For Everyone to Share by Gillian Lobel 
23. Samuel, the Little Priest by Etta B. Degering
24. David, the Youngest Boy by Etta B. Degering
25. Go Wash in the River by Etta B. Degering
26. If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
27. I Love You Because You're You by Liza Baker
28. Pocahontas by Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
29. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
30. Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst 
31. If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff
32. Show-and-Tell by Sharon Gordon
33. We Are A Rainbow by Nancy Maria Grande Tabor
34. The Time of No Rain by Etta B. Degering
35. A Room and a Boy by Etta B. Degering
36. Barley Loaves and Fishes by Etta B. Degering
37. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
38. I Want to Be by Thylias Moss
39. The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth by Margaret Musgrove
40. Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard
41. Joash, the Boy King by Etta B. Degering
42. Esther, the Brave Queen by Etta B. Degering
43. When God Washed the World by Etta B. Degering
44. The Borrowed Ax by Etta B. Degering
45. A Child's Good Night Prayer by Grace Maccarone
46. ABC's of Character for People Around the World by Delores Mitchell-Tulloss
47. Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
48. Daniel and His Friends by Etta B. Degering
49. Daniel and the Lions by Etta B. Degering
50. Zacchaeus the Cheater by Etta B. Degering
51. Jabel the Shepherd by Etta B. Degering
52. Oil Spill! by Melvin Berger 

The following stories are from the book Buddha at Bedtime by Dharmachari Nagaraja
53. The Brave Little Parrot
54. Two Ducks and a Turtle
55. The Prince and Sticky Hair
56. The Grateful Bull
57. The Elephant and the Dog
58. The Quails and the Hunter
59. The Princesses and the Kingshuk Tree
60. The Desert Spring
61. The Lazy Wood Gatherer
62. The Naughty Little Rabbit
63. The Small Bowl of Rice
64. The Prancing Peacock
65. The Dirty Old Goblet
66. The Golden Goose
67. The Kind and Wise Stag
68. The Mischievous Monkey
69. The Whatnot Fruit
70. The Lion and the Jackel
71. The Prince with a Lot to Learn
72. Goblin Island

Pretty Girl's List
73. I Can See by Adria Klein
74. A Bug, a Bear, and a Boy And the Bath by David McPhail
75. When I Grow Up by Jo S. Kittinger
76. My Family by Nora Gaydos
77. We Can Go! by Ellen Geist
78. I Am by Adria Klein
79. We Are Painting by Francie Alexander
80. Can You See It? by Cori M. Murray
81. I Like by Gay Su Pinnell
82. Lunch by Gay Su Pinnell
83. "Now Now!" Said the Cow by Joanne Oppenheim
84.  Bright Eyes, Brown Skin by Cheryl Willis Hudson
85. Pickle Things by Marc Brown
86. Rafi and Rosi by Lulu Delacre
87. Scat, Cats! by Joan Holub
88. The Clown-Arounds Go On Vacation by Joanna Cole
89. How Do You Make a Bubble? by William H. Hooks
90. The Goose Who Wrote a Book by Judy Delton
91. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
92. Cork & Fuzz: Short and Tall by Dori Chaconas
93. The Smallest Cow in the World by Katherine Patterson
94. Digby and Kate by Barbara Baker
95. Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time by James Howe

My Reading List
96. Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
97. Living Simply With Children by Marie Sherlock
98. Calm & Compassionate Children by Susan Usha Dermond
99. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
100. Easy Green Living by Renee Loux

How did you this month? Leave me a comment below with a link to your list.  Next month we'll play things by ear as we're scheduled to move in the next week and a half.  We will definitely get back in the swing of things for the month of July! :D

Weather

Today was very hot! It felt like we were already back in the South.  Got up to the 90s.  After spending some time inside we headed to the creek--our favorite spot.

After wading and exploring some, it started raining, just a bit.  So we loaded back up and headed home (it was almost dinner time, anyway).  By the time we reached our house, less than 10 minutes later, we were hit with hail.  That's right.  Hail.  Golf ball size ice falling from the sky. SMH  We made it to the porch just in time to miss the totally down pour.  All while the sun was shining brightly.  It was amazing.

I am glad to say that it cooled down, immensely! :D

Planting

Pretty Girl has gotten really good at re-potting our plants so this has become her job.  This afternoon she put our tomato plants in containers since we don't have a traditional garden again this year.  This is an activity that I enjoy immensely--just something about having my hands in the dirt!

Preserving

It was a project I've been wanting to do for awhile--canning & preserving, that is.  But last month when I read Gypsy Mama's post I just had to make us some!!  Today we did.  I've made 16 jars.  I'm very excited and hot (today was an extremely warm day besides standing in a hot kitchen)!  I cannot wait to make some bread and spread the love, I mean, jam! :D

We Picked @ U Pick!

STRAWBERRIES!!!! 

It was a lovely day spent with friends.  

I'll let the photos share the story of today....

I cannot tell you how good these strawberries are!!! 

I'm compiling my recipes now.  We picked nearly 10 pounds!!!  

Will share more pics of the rest of the day later.  

Hope your Tuesday was as good as ours! :D

Book Sharing Monday

Today we're sharing a book that we've been reading for a while now.  It's Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom for You to Read with Your Child to Enchant, Enlighten, and Inspire by Dharmachari Nagaraja.

We are really enjoying these stories that each teach a lesson and end with positive statements as to how we can live so we don't make the same mistakes as the story's character(s) made.  These stories are comparable to Aesop's Fables in that way.  We read them in the evening as part of our 'getting ready for bed' routine.  There are 20 stories in all--so we're almost finished.

What I also like about this book are the other sections that share information about Buddhism, the Buddha, and Meditation.  At the end of the book there are four meditations, one of which--Breathing Meditation--I learned about and discussed in my post for Momfulness Monday.

If you like good stories with a lesson we think you'll enjoy these!

Happy Reading!!

If you want to participate leave your link with Mr. Linky at Serendipity Home School.

Monday Mumbles

10 random thoughts on my mind this Monday...

1. It's yet another rainy Monday.  I'm striving to see past it! (lol)

2. Surprised one of my husband's classes with cake today after their final exam.  They're a great bunch of kids.  Each of them is uniquely her/his own person.  I've gotten to know over this year.  Great bunch of kids.  I will miss them.

3. Finally getting myself back in gear. I can see the floor again in my living room. lol  Yeah, it's been one of those weeks (last week, at least) but it's back to 'normal.'

4. It's gonna be another full week.  Full of goodbyes.  I'm excited to see my people one last time.  At the same time I'm also sad.  I've enjoyed this time with my folk.

5. My 7yo is going onto her crying stage again? I guess it's her turn....She's whining and complaining about everything.  She will cry at the drop of a hat, well, not real tears...I've been talking to her about how she's feeling about everything that's happening.  Hopefully with some understanding on my part and processing on hers we can get through this period.

6.  I have one of the most talented and insightful aunts around.  I spent some time with her again today.  It's been wonderful to be living near her and to have not only her advise, but her friendship.  Plus, it's always good to laugh!!

7. Music really does ease my nerves....gets me back in the flow of things.  I've filled up the cd player with all my favorite cds and we've been jammin', jazzin', rock & rollin' and of course, R&B-ing!

8. While folding clothes I asked my son to come and get his clothes to put them away.  He proceeds down the steps with one of his flying toys and says that his toy will be taking is clothes up to his room.  They're still 'flying' up and down the stairs with one article of clothing at a time.  SMH.  Whatever works, right?!

9. Want to clear off my table so I can get a few last sewing projects completed before I really have to pack things up.  There's always another thing that comes to mind that I want to get at.  I need to stop following links online to these cute little projects!  (fat chance!)

10. My children still want me to pick them up. I guess they truly believe that I'm strong enough or perhaps its that they don't really understand just how heavy they've become.  Well, I suggested that they climb into my bag so I could carry them that way.  I could only hold them long enough to snap a photo.  SMH.  I guess in a little bit they'll realize that I'm not the 'super hero' they think I am.  Here are two pictures of them in my bag!

Wanna play along? Leave a comment at Circling the Square Table.

One Small Change:: May Update

For those of you who haven't joined the One Small Change project I'd love to invite you to become a part!  Originally it was started at the beginning of the year and was to end on Earth Day this April. I had decided that we were still going to do something each month and was very happy to find out that there are plenty others who are doing the same.

This month we're tackling a rather large change.  Initially, I thought it'd be a small one, until I got started and realized just how big it was.  We are removing plastic from our lives.  Since plastic so such a part of our lives in the house as well as everywhere else, we are taking things in small chunks.  I started reading awhile bag that plastic is forever, even if it's recycled.  Plus there are chemicals that leach into our food when cook & contained in them.  Things that don't leave our bodies.

So far, I've changed out our cups, plates & bowls.  They were mainly the children's things.  I got a nice little matching set of 8 bowls & 6 saucers just the right size for kid portions at a local thrift shop--for about $3.  Just last week I made a run to IKEA to get some kid-sized glasses for $1.50 (6 of them!).  They kids LOVE having glasses instead of plastic (plus it cuts out all the fussing over who gets what color--a bonus for me!).  A month or so ago, I purchase two produce bags from Gypsy Forrest (which I LOVE, by the way!) and have been using them instead of the plastic bags offered at the store. I've also changed our water bottles to one without BPA--found some at a local health food store for under $2 a piece.

We've been asking for paper bags instead of plastic for awhile now.  I've been using re-usable cloth bags and am making a few more so I don't have to even use the paper ones.  I've even started getting wax paper bags to replace the plastic baggies that are easy to hold that last cookie or left over tomato.

Now, we're at the point of getting containers to hold leftovers.  SMH.  I am amazed at how hard it is to find substitutes.  I'm putting some money aside for some pyrex or corning wear.  I'm definitely hitting the thrift stores!  I've moved a lot of our storage to glass, you know, those big jars with airtight lids?  I'm purchasing jars with wide-mouths (salsa jars, peanut butter jars) and reusing them when we're finished. 

I've been thinking about how we even purchase our food.  Almost everything comes in a plastic container.  I am noticing that when I get things from the smaller health food spots here, there are some better options.  SMH.  I've just stumbled upon a blog, Life Less Plastic.  There are so many other things I haven't yet thought about....Yeah, this is a big one that we're taking in small steps.  One month at a time.

Granted, we may never be plastic-free.  At this point, I don't think that's where we're heading.  I do want to make better choices, especially with regards to how it comes in contact with our food.  As I continue to change, read and learn I'm open to letting it evolve into what it needs to be for my family!  I will definitely keep you posted on our progress.



If you're interested in reading more about the health related concerns about plastic click here, here, here, here, and/or here.  [Yeah, there are times I question myself as to why I read so much.  I won't ruin things for you if you'd rather not know.  But I will say that from what I have read, the way we live is not only killing us but our environment!  We've been given the responsibility of doing better by it all.]

For those who prefer to view:

Playing Football

The kids got some time on Monday, as well, to run around with some friends and play football (or their version of it) with the 'big boys.'  As you can see by the looks on their faces, they had fun.  It's always good to see kids just having fun!!