Preschool Read Aloud of the Week: Sneaky Sheep

I can't tell you how many times I had to read this book to Tom Thumb over the last month.  He loves those Sneaky Sheep!  The plot is Rocky and Blossom (AKA The Sneaky Sheep) are intent on finding there way to a remote, yet luscious, looking meadow located on the side of a mountain above the valley in which they live.  They try many times to get there, but are each time foiled by Murphy the sheepdog.  On their final attempt (in this story at least), they are cornered by a sly fox on a precipice when Murphy saves the day once again.  At the end of the book, however, Rocky and Blossom are back to their sneaky ways and are plotting to escape to the other meadow once again.


The overall story in this book is pretty straight forward, but the illustrations are hilarious!  On one page the caption reads "Murphy knew a few things about Rocky and Blossom.  They had been known to make some bad decisions over the years."  The accompanying illustrations are of Rocky and Blossom cliff diving, skateboarding without helmets, launching a rocket, running with the bulls, juggling fire, lying on a railroad track sunbathing, and playing poker with a pack of dogs.  Other pages have similar smile inducing drawings.


We'll be looking for more Chris Monroe books next time we hit the library!

I finally finished A Tale of Two Cities!

Yes, my friends.  It happened.  An event so unlikely, so far fetched most (including me) thought it would never come to fruition.  And yet----IT DID! 


Believe it or not, I have been working at reading that book on and off since March!  It was my book club's pick for our April meeting.  I tried to finish.  I really did, but I just couldn't wade through all the archaic language.  I actually sat on the hostess's front porch for a spell with my glass of wine so I wouldn't hear any spoilers.  I tried until about June when I had to give the book back to the library, but I was undeterred.  


I checked it out again in late August, determined to try again.  Why did I do this?  I don't know.  I just didn't want to be defeated by a classic.  Yes, I have stopped reading books before, but only because they were pieces of garbage.  This one wasn't garbage so I had no excuse.  I wasn't going to be beaten.  I finally got on a roll at Tom Thumb's karate class Monday night.  The end was in the sight! The plot was ragingly good!  I kept thinking---why haven't they made this into a movie recently?!??!  There is a 1950s movie and a miniseries from 1989, but really it deserves a new take.  Maybe with Orlando Bloom as Charles and Ian Somerhalder as Sydney.  I don't know who as Lucie---Amanda Seyfried?  Rachel McAdams?  Penny from The Big Bang Theory?  Seriously now, the end was that good.  


Maybe that was my difficulty with the book.  There was all the plot building and all the character development to reach that awesome ending.  I guess I am truly impatient. 


So if you haven't read this book before --- give it a shot.  Go into it armed with a dictionary, several bottles of wine (not all at once people!) and low expectations for finishing it quickly.  You'll be glad you did!

Teaching Commandment #4: Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep It Holy

This cartoon cracked me up.  Apparently in Red's friend's car on the way to school the other day, her friend's mom overheard Red say, "You need to go to church on Sunday.  That's part of the ten comments."  I guess comments are better than suggestions.  Maybe I need to clarify that a bit...


On Sunday, I was in charge of teaching about commandment #4---remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.  What a can of worms that opened!  One kid's dad has to work on Sunday.  Another kid's mom wasn't in church because she needed to rest.  Luckily, I had it in my back pocket that Jesus once worked on Sunday (i.e. healing) and part of the purpose of the Sabbath is to rest so I averted disaster.


Our craft project was to make a Sabbath Box.  I found the craft on this Latter Day Saints website.  While we are not LDS, I thought the idea was a good one.  You make a box, fill it with suggestions on how to keep the Sabbath day holy, and then draw out an idea as a family each Sunday.  They had a link to a list of ideas, but a lot of them were Mormon specific so I amended them to suit any Christian family.  Making the box was a little too labor intensive for our age group (I ended up doing a lot of the work) so I think having the boxes either made in advance or having a plain pre-made box or paper bag for the kids to decorate would have worked out much better.  Here's a list of the Sabbath suggestions I had the kids cut out.  Again, I want to give credit where it is due and acknowledge Rachel Bruner who wrote the original list from the above link.  This is her list revised for use for Christian families who are not LDS.

Use crock pot recipes to cut down on extra cooking. 

Visit those you know who are in the hospital. 

 Invite someone who may be unable to cook for themselves such as an elderly person or shut-in, to share dinner with your family, or take dinner to them. 

Make a list of members who may need a ride to church.  Invite them to ride with you. 

Surprise someone in need with a visit. 

Have family scripture study. Younger children may want to draw representational pictures beside their favorite scriptures. This will enable them to find the same scripture and remember what it was about in the future. 

Give time to a nursing home or to others who may need help reading letters from loved ones or writing them. 

Utilize time together in the car or at dinner to discuss what each family member learned at Church that day. 

Rest and reflect on what was taught in Church classes. 

Listen to scripture tapes/cd's or view scripture videos. 

Read material that is Church-oriented or uplifting. 

Read children's scripture story books.  See what you can check out of the Sunday School library or church library.

Make a family photo album.

Have a simple and short music lesson. Familiarize children with music symbols and words. Teach them how to lead music. 

Prepare stories about your children to tell them. 

Tell children stories of when you were their age. 

Have grandma or grandpa tell stories about themselves or the lives of other relatives. 

Record family memories in a journal.

Decorate special jars for tithing or mission funds.

Take a walk as a family. Discuss the blessing Heavenly Father has given us through nature. 

Invite family members home for a visit or go visit them. 

Plan and rehearse a family musical recital. 

Perform at a nursing home or children's hospital. 

Make shadow portraits or silhouettes of family members or of the prophets. Include them in scrap books or use to decorate cards. 

Tape a special program for a missionary or loved one far away. Include talks, stories and songs. 

 Make phone calls or write letters to those special friends and loved ones to let them know you're thinking of them. 

 Compose an original song expressing a lovely thought or deed. Encourage children to express themselves also. 

Develop greater love and appreciation for music by listening to great works. 

As a family, invent a design, crest, emblem or logo to display on a family banner. When it is complete, unfurl it during family home evenings or other special family occasions. 

Practice a skill such as knitting, etc. Make a gift for a friend. 

 "Adopt" a friend. Select someone special. 

Produce a puppet show depicting a historical Church event. 

Dramatize events from the Bible with family members. Be sure to dress for your parts. 

Construct an "I'm Grateful For..." mobile to hang up. 

Take turns role playing and acting out stories. 

Make paper dolls representing the members of your family. Use them in flannel board to show proper reverence, church behavior, manners and attitudes. 

Make gifts such as sachets from cloves, oranges and ribbon to give away to "adopted friends." 

Have each family member make a personal scrap book. Include pictures, important letters, certificates, and school papers. 

 Make some kind of book. Write a story inside with a good moral. Illustrate it and then make a tape recording, complete with sound effects and music.

Make a tape or letter. Have children set goals for the year and share feelings or testimonies. Save the tapes and letters for a year and then listen and/or read them. 

Compose some poetry or write a story. 

Write letters, thank-you cards, get-well and thinking-of-you notes. 

Use salt dough or clay or construct a nativity scene or other scene from the Bible. Use your imagination. 

Make puzzles from pictures magazines. 

Make personalized, handmade cards for birthdays, I love you, thinking-of-you or get-well cards. 

Remember birthdays for the upcoming week of church members, relatives, etc. Mark them on a calendar as a reminder to call or mail a personalized card. 

Make a scroll story with butcher paper and two sticks. 

Plan a family service project. Ask friends from church for ideas. 

Invent a Church-related game or play one you may already have. 

Study religious history. 

Make dot-to-dot pictures of objects like the star of Bethlehem or other easy shapes from Bible stories.

Memorize scriptures, hymns, stories , or poems. 

Read a good play as a family. Have each member assume one or more parts. 

Have a story swap. Each member of the family must have a story of courage or valor to swap about a relative, Church leader or famous person. 

Practice playing or singing hymns. 

 Look at books containing great works of art with children. Discuss each painting with them. 

Invite a family from church you would like to know better to your home to your house for a meal or other activity.

Make a family tree. 

Have personal family interviews. 

Write a family song or cheer. 

Write a family newsletter to send to friends and relatives. 

Write letters to missionaries. 

Plan family outings, picnics, camp outs, vacations, and holidays. 

Make a picture book for each family member. Include pictures of themselves at different ages, other family members, and special events. 

 Take a few minutes to plan next Sunday's activities. Decide what must be done during the week to prepare for it. 

Plan a day where the family cleans the house and garage in search of items to donate. 

Practice reverence by sitting quietly for a short period of time.

Play Hang Man or word scramble.  Use church related words. 

Have a memory jolt (quiz) contest. See what everyone remembers from church last Sunday. 

Select a talent you would like to develop.  Set some goals to help you achieve the talent and then work toward developing it. 

Each Sunday, feature a different family member in a "Why I Love You" spotlight. Display a picture and a hobby or craft of that person in a prominent place for a week. Write a brief history of the member and list all of their qualities and strengths. 

Memorize a Bible verse. 

Bake cookies for some people at church you don’t know very well.  Leave them on a pretty plate on their doorstep, ring the doorbell and run.

What suggestions would you add to your Sabbath Box?

Hay, Hay and more HAY at the Annual Hayride!

For many years now, one of my high school friends Cherie and her husband Hass have hosted an annual hayride at a campground about an hour from our house.  They met there while camping with their parents during the summer when we were freshmen in high school---awwwwwww....  It has been an adults only affair in the past, but when they had to cancel last year because folks couldn't get a babysitter, they decided that this year they would include the kids.  The shelter they rented was close to the playground so the kids played until the pizza arrived.  Then after dinner, it was hayride time!

 It may look reasonably tame in the photos, but by the end I had a bra stuffed with hay just from Tom Thumb throwing it at me and it falling down my shirt!  I even found hay in my underwear when we got home!  Red said the hayride was "the most awesome time ever!"  

When we got back to the shelter, it was time for the Pass the Pumpkin (i.e. hot potato with a pumpkin) for kids and adults.  I won the women's round and the Cobbler was runner up for the men's round.  There was also a cupcake eating contest.  I participated, but had no hope of winning against the guys.  Hass actually wins every year (that man has some mad cupcake eating and whistling skills!), but since he's the host the runner up is always named the official winner.

Then, it was time for the pumpkin carving contest.  I thought Red and I rocked it with our entry above.  Unfortunately, we didn't have the lungs to be the winners (the winner was determined by cheering volume.  The winning family had a few more members than ours. :-), but we still had a great time!


Can't wait for next year!

Yo! Math Raps, Singing and Beat Boxing

Red told me today that singing her math, or in this case rapping it, helps her do her work.  She also said her teacher doesn't allow her to do it in class (surprise) so I suggested that she do it in her head today while taking her math test.  Her kindergarten teacher last year told me Red sang while doing all her work.  I guess that's more acceptable in a class of 3, 4 and 5 year olds than first and second graders.

Singing your math---a new technique for everyone to try!  Ha ha! :-)

Making learning math facts fun!

While I'm still working with Red's teacher to figure out where to place her in math, I'm also working on getting math facts solid in her head without making her miserable.  She has a weekly math test on Friday and is supposed to be doing one fact worksheet per day at home to help with review.


I remember the afternoons I spent as a kid with my parents drilling flashcards over and over and over.  While I believe there is a place for memorization in math study, I'm hoping to find a better way.  We've been supplementing her math from school with Singapore 1A Standards, which so far has worked out swimmingly.  We do 1-3 pages  from the workbook with me using the HIG (Home Instructor's Guide) to help her work out anything that she doesn't understand.  We try to do it daily, but often don't get to it depending on her homework load that day.  It usually takes about 10 minutes to do.  Red is also a big fan of "gum".

No, it's not real gum but that's what she calls it.  They are colored tiles that I got in the Rightstart manipulative set I purchased a couple years ago.  They are excellent for illustrating word problems (e.g. There are ten green birds on the branch.  Two fly away.  How many birds are left?) or helping show things like multiplication.  We had ten rows of sets of three tiles to help her with her math homework about the 3 times table a few evenings ago.  And when you're done doing your math stuff, you can make fun designs with them on the floor or the table.  Out of all the manipulatives we own, we use these most often.


Another game that Red seems to enjoy is tossing a ball while saying math facts.  For example, I'll say, "Three times two is?" and throw her the ball.  When she catches it, she says, "Six!"  Red then comes up with her own problem and says it and throws it back to me so I can answer.  Tom Thumb even likes to get in on the action.  A couple of days ago we were playing and whenever we'd throw it to him he'd shout out a crazy answer, like three times one equals eleven.  We all had a good laugh.  Then, we'd go around the circle throwing it and saying, "Three times one equals three!" a few times before switching back to doing different problems each time.


After working on the three times table so hard, it turns out that Red's math test is on subtraction anyway!  We had a bit of a communication problem with her teacher.  Oh well.  For the next few years, math memorization is going to be a way of life so I'd love to find more ways to make it enjoyable.  


How do you make learning math facts fun at your house?

The wedding is OVER!!!!

Vel and Christy (wearing the veil I made her!)

My little sister is finally married!  Despite the groom apparently gritting his teeth in this shot (I think they were just sick to death of photos at this point), a good time was had by all.  On my end, I had such a busy weekend I still feel like I could take a nap for a week!

It all began when the Cobbler got home from Europe on Thursday afternoon.  He had a productive trip and a good flight, but it took us an hour to collect him at the airport because of a Serendipity moment.  Just like in that movie, we missed each other.  As Tom Thumb and I walked into the international arrivals area, The Cobbler walked to the curb.  He called me repeatedly on my cell, but I didn't have service inside the terminal.  After 20 minutes of that nonsense, we finally had the same idea---he came back in as I was going out.  Luckily, we sort of saw each other through the revolving doors as it happened and finally connected.

We went from there to the fast food drive thru, then to pick up Red at her friend's house, and on to the first rehearsal at the hall.  That one was only for the bride, groom, and the kids because no one else was in town to practice yet.  They just wanted the kids to get a feel for the place since we wouldn't be able to see the venue the night before because the wedding was on a Sunday.  Four of our eight house guests moved in that night.  The other four arrived the next day.

On Friday, my sister Andrea and I started working on the cake.  My mother had baked all the tiers, but we had to level them, stack them, and do all the decorating.  I spent three hours making butter cream frosting and then we started the work.  I did all the decorating that covered most of the cake (i.e. the scallops, lace looking frosting inside the scallops, etc.) while Andrea focused on making dozens of butter cream roses.  Here are some of the shots:

Ultimately, we had about 15 hours of decorating into it.  

Then, we had a debacle with the cake topper.  All along my sister had planned to use a Lladro bride and groom figurine that belongs to my parents as the cake topper.  At the last minute, we realized that it was too tall.  The only solutions were to either take off the top tier of the cake or get something else.  Here's what they ended up with:

 The groom is very into sci fi and Star Trek so here we have Mr. Spock (he's a Hallmark ornament.  I ripped the communicator out of his hands) presenting a La La Loopsy doll (meant to represent my sister since she's an elementary school teacher) with his heart.  Thank goodness for hot glue.  Everyone thought it was very cute and very them.  And here's the cake at the hall---

Andrea and her husband transported it in their Mountaineer.  She told me there was a lot of screaming involved on the drive over.  I guess their marriage can take it after seven years.

On Saturday, my sisters and parents went to the farmers' market to get the flowers while I finished up the cake.  Hopefully, I'll get some decent photos of those eventually.  I was so busy all the time that I barely took any photos!  We carried some amazing orange and blackish red dahlias with berries.  We put the bouquets together on Sunday morning.The real rehearsal dinner was at my house on Saturday night, complete with 40 people that my parents invited.  Luckily, my mom made most of the food, but it was still crazy.  Here's a few photos from that night---

The bride and most of the bridesmaids

 The groom and the groomsmen (plus the bridesmaid missing from our above shot)

Tom Thumb couldn't take it anymore and fell asleep in the Cobbler's lap.

 Christy and her ribbon bouquet from the shower 

 The madness continued on Sunday with the making of the bouquets, the transportation of all the stuff to the hall, the decorating of the hall, and just getting ready in general.  I did Red and her cousin Scarlett's hair, my sister Lisa's hair and makeup, and my own hair.  Here are the little girls ready to rock and roll.  I thought they looked darling!

 The ring bearers and flower girls

The flower girls goofing off before the ceremony

The ceremony was a Macedonian Orthodox ceremony (the groom is from Macedonia).  We stood for the whole thing, and it was an hour and five minutes long.  Everything had to be done in threes --- the blessing of the rings, the crowning, and then going around this table in circles while they held some candles and the priest's stole at the same time.  The groom's brother passed out during it (that was exciting.  My cousin said everyone was taking bets about who would drop first up there), but we all survived in the end.  Well, maybe everything excluding our feet survived.  Then it was on to the reception!

 Lots of circle dancing.  I am an expert Macedonian circle dancer now!

 With the exception of the bridal party dances, the CDs with the American music that my sister spent so much time burning didn't work in the Macedonian band's equipment so there was very little American music.  We did dance to Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar on Me twice. :-).  By the end of the night, we were all toast.  The Cobbler had taken the kids home earlier, but had to come back for me, Andrea, and the gifts because there wasn't enough room for us in the remaining cars.  

And then it was over...  A whole year of work and planning is finally over.  I'm thrilled for my sister and her new husband.  Welcome to the family, Vel!