100 Books-a-Month: October

So how did you do this month?  Were you able to reach the 100 mark?  I did a better job at keeping track of what we've been reading, even when others have come to read do the kids (aren't relatives great?)!  Anyway, here's our list.  I was even able to get in a few more for me.  Doing my best to take advantage of this transition time.

1. Tricycle by Elisa Amado
2. Happy Birthday Jessie Bear by Nancy White Carlstrom
3. Five Little Monkeys with Nothing to Do by Eileen Christelow
4. What Are You Doing, Maisy? by Lucy Cousins
5. The Twin Princes by Tedd Arnold
6. Grandfather's Work: A Traditional Healer in Nigeria by Ifeoma Onyefulu
7. Trouble at the Dinosaur Cafe by Brian Moses
8. Rainbow Fish A, B, C by Marcus Pfister
9. The Boy Who Painted Dragons by Demi
10. Fancy Nancy the Dazzling Book Report by Jane O'Connor
11. Jackie and the Shadow Snatcher by Larry Di Fiori
12. Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat: A Chanukah Story by Naomi Howland
13. Two Left Feet by Adam Stower
14. Backbeard and the Birthday Suit by Matthew McElligott
15. Albert Goes Hollywood by Henry Schwartz
16. Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen by Lisa Campbell Ernst
17. If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff
18. Red Sings from Treetops, a Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman
19. God's Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu & Douglas Carlton Abrams
20. Curious George by H. A. Rey
21. Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby? by Carney Saltzberb
22. Sophie's Masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli
23. Curious George Makes Pancakes by Margret & H.A. Rey
24. Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
25.  I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
26. How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
27. Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler
28. The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie dePaola
29. Herbert Fieldmouse Secret Agent by Kevin O'Malley
30. Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows
31. Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals
32. Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Steven Kroll
33. My Dadima Wears a Sari by Kashmira Sheth
34. Playful Little Penguins by Tony Mitton
35. Angelina and the Royal Wedding by Katharine Holabird
36. Flower Girl Butterflies by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard
37. Fancy Nancy Ooh La La! It's Beauty Day by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
38. Dinner with Olivia adapted by Emily Sollinger
39. I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
40. Mama's Saris by Pooja Makhijani
41. Come to the Fairies' Ball by Jane Yolen
42. Babar and His Children by Jean de Brunhoff
43. Mermaids on Parade by Melanie Hope Greenberg
44. How Does Your Garden Grow? based on Toot & Puddle by Holly Hobbie
45. A Cow for Jaya by Eva Grant
46. Where to Sleep by Kandy Radzinski
47. Curious George Goes to the Beach by Margret & H.A. Rey
48. Crocs! by David T. Greenberg
49. Hello Baby! by Mem Fox
50. Jubal's Wish by Audrey Wood
51. A Mother's Song by Janet Lawler
52. Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique by Jane O'Conner
53. The Sweet and Sour Animal Book by Langston Hughes
54. The Marshmallow Incident by Judi Barrett
55. The Magic Hat by Mem Fox
56. That's What Friends Are For by Valeri Gorbachev
57. Love Is... adapted from the Bible by Wendy Anderson Halperin
58. A Second Is a Hiccup: A Child's Book of Time by Hazel Hutchins
59. Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schmur
60. Sleep Tight, Little Bear by Martin Waddell
61. The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story by Ellen Weiss
62. The Goblin and the Empty Chair by Mem Fox
63. Race you to Bed by Bob Shea
64. What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla
65. Fancy Nancy and the Late, Late, Late Night by Jane O'Connor
66. Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White
67. Dino-Baseball by Lisa Wheeler
68. Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton
69. Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor
70. Fancy Nancy Explorer Extraordinaire! by Jane O'Connor
71. A Balloon for Isabel by Deborah Underwood
72. A Song for Jamela by Niki Daly
73. Grandma's Gloves by Cecil Castellucci

Read to Pretty Girl
74. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
75. Watch Your Whiskers, Stilton! by Geronimo Stilton
76. Little Sister, Big Sister by Pat Brisson
77. Geromima Stilton, Secret Agent by Geronimo Stilton
78. My Name is Stilton, Geromino Stilton by Geronimo Stilton
79. Harriet Spies Again by Helen Ericson

Read to Sweetie Pie
80. Madeline in London by Ludwig Bemelmans
81. Peter Pan retold by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
82. The Wild Little Horse by Rita Gray
83. Angelina Loves... by Katharine Holabird
84. Presenting Tanya the Ugly Duckling by Patricia Lee Gauch
85. Mousie Love by Dori Chaconas
86. Angelina's Birthday by Katharine Holabird

Read to The Boy
87. Ironman Armored Adventures adapted by D.R. Shealy
88. T. Rex Trick-or-Treats by Lois G. Grambling
89. The Pirate and other Adventures of Sam & Alice by Akemi Gutierrez
90. Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton
91. Oscar: The Big Adventure of a Little Sock Monkey by Amy Schwartz & Leonard S. Marcus
92. Shark and Lobster's Amazing Undersea Adventure by Viviane Schwarz
93. Monster Hug by David Ezra Stein
94. Peasant Pig and the Terrible Dragon by Richard Scarry
95. You Can Do Anything, Daddy! by Michael Rex
96. Diego Saves a Butterfly adapted by Lara Bergen
97. Super Duck by Jaz Alborough
98. Lift the Flap Book: Animals Around the World by Kingfisher

Read by Pretty Girl
99. The Funny Baby by Margaret Hillert
100. Going to the Beach by Jo S. Kittinger
101. Max Goes to the Recycling Center by Adria F. Klein
102. A Book of Hugs by Dave Ross
103. Going to Grandma's Farm by Betsy Franco
104. The Sky is Falling! by Betty Miles
105. Fancy Nancy the Dazzling Book Report by Jane O'Connor
106. The Snowball by Jennifer Armstrong
107. A New Home by Tim Bowers
108. Biscuit Takes a Walk by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
109. Chicken said, "Cluck!" by Judyann Ackerman Grant
110. Wake Up, Sun! by David L. Harrison
111. Peanut and Pearl's Picnic Adventure by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
112. Next to an Ant by Mara Rockliff
113. So Many Houses by Hester Thompson Bass
114. I Love Trees by Cari Meister
115. Bathtime for Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
116. Biscuit's Big Friend by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
117. Dinosaur Hunt by David Catrow

Books I Read
118. Cooking Green: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen by Kate Heyhoe
119. Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats by Jerry Belanger
120. Living with Chickens by Jay Rossier
121. The Container Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessayon
122. Grow Your Own Organic Fruit & Vegetables by Christine & Michael Lavelle
123. Keeping Chickens with Ashley English
124. The Urban Homestead by Kelly Coyne & Erik Knutzen
125. Resurrection in May by Lisa Samson

Books/Stories on CD/Tape
126. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (their all time favorite to date)
127. Flossie and the Fox by Patricia C. McKissack
128. Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
129. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
130. Brave Irene by William Steig
131. The Life of Christ by
132. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen
133. How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yolen
134. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
135. Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner
136. T is for Terrible by Peter McCarty

So, as you can see, we got more than our fair share in this month! LOL!  We've made up for the past few months, anyway.

Please add your link (to the specific post) below so we can see what books you've read this month! If you'd like to join in please leave me a comment and I'll add you to the list of participants on the left.

Happy Reading!!

My 5 for 5 Challenge Gift!!!

I have been wanting to share this for the past few days!!  My access to the internet has been limited (fortunately or unfortunately!).  At any rate...I'm here now and just have to share my JOY!!!

I joined in the 5 for 5 through Debbie's blog.  I posted it here and on my other blog.  We had the entire year to create something handmade and then share it with those who joined in. (Here's what I made.)  Well, my package arrive on Monday and here is what was inside.

Felted Nesting Bowls

Individually--lovely colors!

Another view

YUMMY!!!

I love, Love, LOVE them!!! They are perfect!  I was just thinking about making myself some a few weeks ago.  Wanting something more...tactile (I guess that's what I mean?) for holding my special things.  I think what makes them so special is that they were handmade just for me....AND made by one of my newly made friends who has been such a wonderful addition to my life!!!!  Debbie also shared a jar of her homemade strawberry syrup!  Can you say YUM?!  I've decided that it will be used on my first breakfast of waffles in our new place.

Thank you so much Debbie.  'Thanks' seems such an inadequate word at this moment.  But I know you understand.  The time you put into them and your thoughtfulness is seem in each little bowl.  The colors are some of my favorite--Autumn! And they go perfectly with my bedroom colors.  One of my favorite gifts to date.  I am truly grateful!!

xoxo!

Book Sharing Monday

We've been reading a lot of books this month, I'm proud to say.  It was another tough choice for today's book but I let The Boy pick it and here's the one he chose:  I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll.

This story uses reverse psychology in telling a story about Ethan, a little boy whose monster has gone on vacation for a week.  He's looking for another monster so he'll be able to remain in bed and go to sleep.  It's full of humor as well as a little bit of scare.  We enjoyed it and think you might as well.

Happy Reading!!

Book Sharing Monday

Today's book is Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals.  I LOVE it!!  It's an alphabet book as well as chalked full of information for those who may not know much about composting.

We know a great deal.  I checked it out to show my kids that we aren't the only ones who compost and care about our earth.  The illustrations by Ashley Wolff are in collage style and use several recyclable items.  All in all, a great book.  We think you'll like it too!

Thankful Thursday

Rain
Children playing nicely
lunch date with my brother
books from the library
cooler weather
homemade bread
homemade butter (yum!)
whispered 'i love yous'
friends online
beans & rice
learning to work together (children)
Pretty Girl initiating reading to her sibs
Sweetie-pie's loud voice singing
watching The Boy draw dinosaurs
realization that I have so many things to be thankful for today!!!

how about you?

found image on Living Life in Europe

Monday Mumbles

I've been wanting to get back to this.  My life has been full of surprises lately.  Here's a few things that are on my mind (or have been on my mind recently) this morning.  I am joining Tooje @ Circling the Square Table, if you're interested in joining in with us. :D

1. What is with kids and complaining???  Can I get through ONE activity without somebody falling apart???  I mean, really?!  SMH.  I guess this is just something that goes along with being a child.

2. It has gone back to being HOT here.  We had about a week and a half of VERY COLD weather.  Although I was surprised at how fast it came (like a day or two after Autumn began) I was getting excited about wearing my boots, jackets, scarves, hats.  But alas, we're not there for good.  At least not yet anyway.  I'll have to wait a bit more.

3. I realized that other day that I haven't been in a mall in FOREVER!!  Ok, besides that time I walked through one to get to a restaurant where I was meeting some friends.  I was talking to my mom the other day and we were just remembering how years ago, that was the 'thing to do.'  I'm sure there are plenty of folk who still find it a wonderful past time.  I have to say I don't miss it!

4. Been reading up on homesteading lately.  Like almost every book I've checked out from the library (for myself) has been along those lines.  It's funny how things come full circle.  My mother was sharing with me how her mother did the same things I'm interested in doing.  How my grandparents bought a farm in upstate New York and read books to figure out how to raise chickens, cows, goats, etc.  It's like everything we (western society) started out with, ran from, even despised (for all sorts of reasons) are now becoming the things we're looking into to live more sustainably.  The irony of this is amazing!

5. We spent the weekend with our dogs.  They've been with my husband and as we await housing to open up we haven't been together.  I didn't realize just how much I've missed them until he pulled up in the driveway and they all got out of the car.  The kids were overjoyed!!  It was nice just to sit on the deck with them laying down next to us.  The simply joys in life are really that--simply.  It was sad to see them leave.

6. In my quest to reorder/reorganize my time, I took a break from the internet/computer/blogging a month ago.  Now that I'm back, it's been difficult to find my rhythm again.  There is so much I've been doing with the kids that trying to find what time works best has been a bit of a challenge.  This morning after breakfast I decided to just TAKE the time. lol

7.  I've missed reading all the blogs I follow, many of them (you) are regular bloggers so I'm way behind on things.  I've decided that I won't be able to play catch up.  That I'll just have to start wherever you are now and more forward from there.  When I look at my blog roll (on the Blogger Dashboard) and see all the great things everyone is doing I'm glad to know that everyone, too, has been busy!

8. My children are in the stage of telling jokes.  Pretty girl, who will be 8 next month, can actually tell a joke that 1) makes sense, 2) is funny and 3) she gets why it's funny.  The other two do their best with what they've got.  They are all funny in their own ways.  I find it hilarious that they try so hard with their little jokes.  They'll take a 'real' joke (like a "Knock, Knock Joke" or a 'Why Did the Chicken...'joke) and put their own spin on it.  To add to all of this, my brother, who lives in the area, is a comedian.  No, really.  He's hilarious!!  So the kids do their best to tell him jokes. A little backround on this version of a joke my son told.  My kids are vegeterians and know that other people, including their father, eat meat.  We were eating dinner with my brother, who had just eating some chicken. 

The Boy, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" 
My brother, "I don't know, to get to the other side?"
The Boy, "No, To get to your plate so you could eat it!"

HAHAHA!!!  You gotta love kids' jokes!

9. I am really diggin' the library that we've been frequenting here.  At first I found it a bit eery that we are usually the ONLY ones in the children's section in the middle of the day.  No, like it's just the four of us plus the librarian for that section.  Now we look forward to it.  We got about twice a week.  One day a week I allow the kids to play a few computer games.  We sit and read.  I'll have to bring my camera and snap a few pictures.  The picture books are in bins not shelves so it makes it easy for kids to get them and put them back.  They are sorted alphabetically so there's an "a" section, "b" section, etc. but it would make it a challenge if you were looking for a particular author as you'd have to search through several bins.  Besides that, I think it's a great idea.  They also have an easy reader section--which makes it a breeze to find books for Pretty Girl.  There are also fiction and non-fiction sections which are on standard shelves.  I love libraries in general.  Glad to have access to this one while we're here.

10. I celebrated a birthday this weekend.  It was a simple event.  My kids gave me some of the best gifts to date.  I was amazed at just how well they know me and what I like.  Each of them gave me VERY thoughtful gifts.  The Boy gave me a windchime, some incense and a basket (to hold my treasures, as he said).  Sweetie Pie gave me some sunflowers (my favorite flower) in a little vase.  Pretty girl gave me an eye pillow and some scented lavendar beads.  They also handmade all their cards.  Each item came with a reason why they gave it.  My mother, who took them shopping for these things, told me how she had tried to talk them out of a couple of the items for various reasons but how they insisted that I would like it.  That made my heart full--to know that in everything I'm doing with them, they've taken time to know me too!  Granted I probably wouldn't have picked any of these items myself.  But knowing the thought and the love that was used in picking each thing makes each of them even more beautiful to me.

Well, there you have it?  Got something to mumble about?  Join us!  Link up here.

Have a great Monday!

Book Sharing Monday

I found this beautiful at the library last week.  It's God's Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams.  Beautiful illustrations by LeUyen Pham. 

It's simple.  Just want you'd expect it to be--for us to love each other and show that love in tangile ways.  I think these are great messages to put into our children's heads early.

Happy Reading! :D

p.s. For those who don't know, Book Sharing Monday is hosted by Alex at Canadian Home Learning.  You can join in as well as find others participating weekly.

Wednesday Update

I know, I know.
I haven't been here in awhile.
Since taking the break back in August (I believe) I haven't gotten back into the rhythm of blogging.  I gotten so involved in the day to day life--homeschooling, being present, savoring the moment--that by the time I get them in bed all I want to do is read.  (I've found some really interesting and good reads.)
But I miss it and you (and reading all the blogs that I follow).

However, I'm not going to guilt myself into blogging, since that was NEVER my point in doing so.
Just wanted to take a moment on this chilly Wednesday morning to let you know (those of you who care, lol!) that we are well.  We've been reading a lot, playing outside, siteseeing, baking, making lists, laughing & talking.  I so enjoy this time of year!

I pray each of you are well and promise to eventually stop by your blog (if you have one) and leave you a comment.  Until I find a different rhythm I'm going to be ok with this one and go with the flow! :D

Peace & blessings!