No doubt some of our Southern friends and family are already in the thick of spring, but up here we still have at least one more month to go (most likely two). Often it's too cold to go out of doors, which can get tiring after a few weeks. This has provided me ample oppurtunity to be creative as I battle boredom with this quest: how do I keep three active little boys busy?
Here's some of the highlights:
-Liam has been discovering both the joys of mobility and teething
-doing art every Thursday supplies Jason and I with an abundance of masterpieces with which to plaster the walls
-library storytime every week is a sanity saver
-when in doubt, build a fort
-baking is a fun adventure with all my keen helpers
-keep a few toys stashed away to bring out when things get hairy, novelty is your friend
-so is play-doh, construction paper, tape and glitter glue
-we've all become avid Kinect players (thank-you Darrin!)
-building a something massive will keep the kids entertained for some time (use marble tracks, blocks, Duplo, whatever. They're all great)
-reading books together will always help to smooth any ruffled feathers
Stay warm and stay sane everybody!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Welcome to Oz!
Given the Ozness of my blog, I feel compelled to share a new fantastic read that I've discovered this month. It turns out that "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" makes for a spectacular graphic novel. Reading it, I fell in love with the story all over again. For those of you poor souls who only now the Judy Garland movie, do yourselves a favour and treat yourself to this book faster than everyone else.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Another Poetry Pickle
Jason is at teacher's convention for the next few days, so here at home the boys and I all miss him terribly. I'd say that what Ben and Brigham miss the most are the tickle fights which so often ensue whenever Daddy is home. So today's offering is the poem Jason inspired. Love you sweetie.
The Tickleosaurus
The Tickleosaurus is coming!
The Tickleosaurus is here!
The Tickleosaurus will get you,
So run and hide my dear!
He’ll chase you around the table!
He’ll chase you around the chair!
He’ll chase you around the entire house,
Right into his lair!
You can run as fast as you’re able!
You can run with all of your might!
You can run, but soon he will catch you
For a great big Tickle-o-fight!
And then he’ll tickle your tummy!
And then he’ll tickle your toes!
And then he’ll tickle so very much,
You’re up and off you goes!
The Tickleosaurus will catch you, and from
The Tickleosaurus why hide?
The Tickleosaurus will tickle and tickle,
And you’ll laugh ‘till it hurts inside.
But here, I will tell you a secret,
But here, I will tell what to do.
But here-about Tickleosaurus…
Well he is ticklish too!
The Tickleosaurus
The Tickleosaurus is coming!
The Tickleosaurus is here!
The Tickleosaurus will get you,
So run and hide my dear!
He’ll chase you around the table!
He’ll chase you around the chair!
He’ll chase you around the entire house,
Right into his lair!
You can run as fast as you’re able!
You can run with all of your might!
You can run, but soon he will catch you
For a great big Tickle-o-fight!
And then he’ll tickle your tummy!
And then he’ll tickle your toes!
And then he’ll tickle so very much,
You’re up and off you goes!
The Tickleosaurus will catch you, and from
The Tickleosaurus why hide?
The Tickleosaurus will tickle and tickle,
And you’ll laugh ‘till it hurts inside.
But here, I will tell you a secret,
But here, I will tell what to do.
But here-about Tickleosaurus…
Well he is ticklish too!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Balm for the Wound
Last week I took myself and my three little munchkins to Calgary for a family and city fix. Although we had a wonderful time at Nana's the one event of our stay that I'll never forget was the funeral.
My cousin Byron and his wife Rosie had their first baby just a few days before we headed to town. Amelia Mercedes only lived for seven hours. Living so far away as we do, my heart ached for them and yearned to help, but with something like this you can only do so much. I was very grateful that we were able to attend the funeral at least.
It was a bittersweet time, seeing loved ones and saying goodbye to this little cousin I shall now have to wait to meet. She is a beautiful little girl. I know that Amelia is safe in heaven, and that Byron and Rosie will not only see her again-but thanks to the temple-still get to raise their daughter, yet my heart is heavy nonetheless.
How grateful I am that families truly can be together forever! Over the past ten days I have been hugging my own precious little ones harder and longer than usual.I know that this is not the usual fare for my blog, but my mind has been churning ever since we were first told the news. I have yet to meet Amelia, but she has already taught me of two things. I suppose I knew them before in a way, but they're strongly reinforced now.
First of all that death is not the end, and what a glorious thing the gospel really is. The second thing is how precious children are. They're on loan to us from Heaven.
Anyhow, love to you all, and especial prayers for the Redd family right now.
My cousin Byron and his wife Rosie had their first baby just a few days before we headed to town. Amelia Mercedes only lived for seven hours. Living so far away as we do, my heart ached for them and yearned to help, but with something like this you can only do so much. I was very grateful that we were able to attend the funeral at least.
It was a bittersweet time, seeing loved ones and saying goodbye to this little cousin I shall now have to wait to meet. She is a beautiful little girl. I know that Amelia is safe in heaven, and that Byron and Rosie will not only see her again-but thanks to the temple-still get to raise their daughter, yet my heart is heavy nonetheless.
How grateful I am that families truly can be together forever! Over the past ten days I have been hugging my own precious little ones harder and longer than usual.I know that this is not the usual fare for my blog, but my mind has been churning ever since we were first told the news. I have yet to meet Amelia, but she has already taught me of two things. I suppose I knew them before in a way, but they're strongly reinforced now.
First of all that death is not the end, and what a glorious thing the gospel really is. The second thing is how precious children are. They're on loan to us from Heaven.
Anyhow, love to you all, and especial prayers for the Redd family right now.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Kid Picks
As promised, here's my favourite kid books from 2010. Some are picture books. some are novels, but all are enjoyable.
1. "The Dragons are Singing Tonight"-without a doubt one of the best collections of poetry I've ever found. Great fun poems about dragons, what's not to love?
2."A Necklace of Raindrops"-last year I discovered Joan Aiken as a writer and I've become a big fan. She's especially talented at writing new fariytales, which this is a collection of. Wonderful.
3."Pumpkin Soup"-is the first in a series of three terrific tales about the cat, squirrel, and the duck who all live in the old white cabin and make pumpkin soup every night for dinner. Delicious reading.
4."Click, Clack, Moo"- what happens down at the farm when the cows get a hold of the old typewriter? Mayhem and hilarity ensue, of course.
5."Among the Hidden"-first in a novel series where Luke, as a forbidden third child who must spend his life in hiding, life changes forever when he discovers yet another forbidden child living next door. This one made me cry.
6."Princess of the Midnight Ball"-Remember the old fairytale of the twelve dancing princesses? Here's the story in greater detail and good characters to boot.
7."Hana's Suitcase"-this is one I'll certainly read with my children, once they're old enough. The story jumps back and forth between a museum curator unraveling the mystery of the most popular item in their exhibit on the holocaust-a suitcase with the name Hana on it- and the story of the girl Hana herself.
8."Something BIG Has Been Here"-funny, lyrical, and just plain enjoyable to read aloud, here's a collection of poems by Jack Prelutsky.
9."Ghosts in the House"-my thanks to Jaima for recommending this one, it became a fast family favourite around here. A good guide should you ever move into a haunted house, but great fun even if you never do.
10."Daddy Long-legs"-my love of epistolary novels continues! A good one for Anne Shirley fans; the book has an orphan, an unknown benefactor, school adventures and just a hint of romance thrown in for good measure.
Happy reading all!
1. "The Dragons are Singing Tonight"-without a doubt one of the best collections of poetry I've ever found. Great fun poems about dragons, what's not to love?
2."A Necklace of Raindrops"-last year I discovered Joan Aiken as a writer and I've become a big fan. She's especially talented at writing new fariytales, which this is a collection of. Wonderful.
3."Pumpkin Soup"-is the first in a series of three terrific tales about the cat, squirrel, and the duck who all live in the old white cabin and make pumpkin soup every night for dinner. Delicious reading.
4."Click, Clack, Moo"- what happens down at the farm when the cows get a hold of the old typewriter? Mayhem and hilarity ensue, of course.
5."Among the Hidden"-first in a novel series where Luke, as a forbidden third child who must spend his life in hiding, life changes forever when he discovers yet another forbidden child living next door. This one made me cry.
6."Princess of the Midnight Ball"-Remember the old fairytale of the twelve dancing princesses? Here's the story in greater detail and good characters to boot.
7."Hana's Suitcase"-this is one I'll certainly read with my children, once they're old enough. The story jumps back and forth between a museum curator unraveling the mystery of the most popular item in their exhibit on the holocaust-a suitcase with the name Hana on it- and the story of the girl Hana herself.
8."Something BIG Has Been Here"-funny, lyrical, and just plain enjoyable to read aloud, here's a collection of poems by Jack Prelutsky.
9."Ghosts in the House"-my thanks to Jaima for recommending this one, it became a fast family favourite around here. A good guide should you ever move into a haunted house, but great fun even if you never do.
10."Daddy Long-legs"-my love of epistolary novels continues! A good one for Anne Shirley fans; the book has an orphan, an unknown benefactor, school adventures and just a hint of romance thrown in for good measure.
Happy reading all!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Books of the Year
Going over my reading log (yes, I AM that dorky!) from 2010 there were some fabulous books that I discovered. There are too good to keep to myself, so here are my top ten of adult reads from the year just past:
1. "The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society"- I originally got this book because the title was such a mouthful and tickled my funny bone,but it has become a firm favourite of mine. Here's a read that will make you laugh, cry, has a plethora of delightful characters, and even weaves the love of books into a superb plot.
2."Griffin and Sabine"- In keeping with my love of epistolary novels here is a unique winner. My teacher Mr.Murdock read this to us as a class when I was young, but rediscovering this was sheer delight. You get to read the correspondence between the two title characters, even taking their beautifully illustrated letters from the envelopes as their mysterious romance unfolds. Read all three of the books in this series, they're well worth it.
3."Cod: The Biography of the Fish That Changed the World"- Who would have thought that a humble fish would wield such power over world events throughout time? Fascinating.
4."The Host"-Arguably Stephanie Meyer's best novel yet. Forget those sparkly vampires and enjoy this one. I came into this book determined to hate the main character only to fall in love with her. Full of surprises, the book made me cry it was that good.
5."One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies"- Don't you just love the title of this one? Brilliantly told in a series of poems of all things, our teenage heroine must move to California after her mother dies of cancer to live with the moviestar father she has never met.
6."All New Square-Foot Gardening"- A practical guide to growing a successful garden without investing vast swatches of time. This one even explained the wonderful mysteries of effective composting to me.
7."Salt: A World History"- Written by the same author as "Cod" here is another great tale of humankind's pursuit of the most precious resource throughout our entire history. Now commonplace and easily accessible, this now humble element once shaped mighty empires and sparked wars.
8."Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery"-Finally a well-written and compelling biography of a forgotten historical figure that has fascinated me for years!
9."The Happy Hooker"-This is not what you think, it's a book about crochet! Clear instructions, funny writing and with cool projects that range from purses, bunny slippers and cowboy hats it has convinced even a die-hard knitter like me to learn this craft.
10."Stich'n Bitch Superstar Knitting"- You didn't think that there wouldn't be at least ONE knitting book on my list now did you? Superb with great instructions, funny quips and fantastic projects that make me eager to tackle such daunting techniques as fair isle, beading or cables with confidence.
Happy reading all and stay tuned for my kid picks from 2010!
1. "The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society"- I originally got this book because the title was such a mouthful and tickled my funny bone,but it has become a firm favourite of mine. Here's a read that will make you laugh, cry, has a plethora of delightful characters, and even weaves the love of books into a superb plot.
2."Griffin and Sabine"- In keeping with my love of epistolary novels here is a unique winner. My teacher Mr.Murdock read this to us as a class when I was young, but rediscovering this was sheer delight. You get to read the correspondence between the two title characters, even taking their beautifully illustrated letters from the envelopes as their mysterious romance unfolds. Read all three of the books in this series, they're well worth it.
3."Cod: The Biography of the Fish That Changed the World"- Who would have thought that a humble fish would wield such power over world events throughout time? Fascinating.
4."The Host"-Arguably Stephanie Meyer's best novel yet. Forget those sparkly vampires and enjoy this one. I came into this book determined to hate the main character only to fall in love with her. Full of surprises, the book made me cry it was that good.
5."One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies"- Don't you just love the title of this one? Brilliantly told in a series of poems of all things, our teenage heroine must move to California after her mother dies of cancer to live with the moviestar father she has never met.
6."All New Square-Foot Gardening"- A practical guide to growing a successful garden without investing vast swatches of time. This one even explained the wonderful mysteries of effective composting to me.
7."Salt: A World History"- Written by the same author as "Cod" here is another great tale of humankind's pursuit of the most precious resource throughout our entire history. Now commonplace and easily accessible, this now humble element once shaped mighty empires and sparked wars.
8."Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery"-Finally a well-written and compelling biography of a forgotten historical figure that has fascinated me for years!
9."The Happy Hooker"-This is not what you think, it's a book about crochet! Clear instructions, funny writing and with cool projects that range from purses, bunny slippers and cowboy hats it has convinced even a die-hard knitter like me to learn this craft.
10."Stich'n Bitch Superstar Knitting"- You didn't think that there wouldn't be at least ONE knitting book on my list now did you? Superb with great instructions, funny quips and fantastic projects that make me eager to tackle such daunting techniques as fair isle, beading or cables with confidence.
Happy reading all and stay tuned for my kid picks from 2010!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
C is for Cookie
I've always had a fondness for Cookie Monster. And although we had more than our fair share of cookie baking fun last month (Christmas seems like the ultimate excuse to whip up a batch for me)today we made some more- Ben, Briggy and I.
Briggy loves helping out in the kitchen so much that I've dubbed him "My Little Sous Chef". And with Ben getting some marvelous new cookie cutters in the shape of a race car, train and (his favourite) an airplane it was only a matter of time before we made some dough together so that they could make cookies to their hearts content. Ben has been pestering me to do so since he opened that present Christmas morning, so he was very excited about today's activity!
We had a grand time together. I do love the whimsy of cookie cutters, and as such, am slowly acquiring a rather fun collection. While Ben loves his airplane, Briggy favours the pterodactal while I love the tyrannosaurus rex. Even though I'm working hard to loss the remaining baby weight, a certain satisfaction is derived from biting a dinosaurs head off!
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