Chance Family Happenings: This blog is an attempt to keep our family and friends updated with the goings on of our busy lives. It is a way to reflect, share, and cherish the memories that pass too quickly in time.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
URGH. . . .
Well, its been that type of day. I just wrote a lot about our day for a blog post and tried to publish it, but it was deleted. URGH! So, here are the pictures and I will type more later. I'm off to bed, where I've been most of the day. Today has been really rough.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The View From Here
My boys are gone to western KS where the reports are that they are having a blast and enjoying life at Grandma Chance's house. I'm so thankful they made it safely out there despite the deer that are abundant along the way.
I miss my boys like crazy, but am getting a little more strength back today. I actually got out of bed this morning without about passing out! My head is still spinning and I'm just trying to enjoy the ride without giving in to the nauseous feeling. While I've been in bed, this is my view:
I played around with PhotoBucket's editing program a little bit and as you can see, I labeled some of the very important parts of my bedside dresser.
Exhibit A: One of the MOST important parts- my note card holder, aka- my Prayer Box. One the outside of the little box, I've written many of the Bible verses that contain why prayer is so powerful and important. On the inside are notecards with prayer requests and notes on those about how those prayer concerns are going. Remember, our prayers are always answered, but it may not be in OUR timing or in the way WE think it should be.
Exhibit B: My wonderful, spectacular, amazing husband brought me a flower last week. He knows I HATE roses with a passion (there's a long story behind that). The red carnation was just my style- plain, frugal, and thoughtful! The note was the most thoughtful part as he wrote that he was with me through this no matter what. I hate feeling like a burden to him and just a pain in his side, but he is an amazing person and I could only pray that I'd be as patient and strong should he need me some day. In the background is my blood pressure and heart rate monitor, which, well, I didn't want to mark as an exhibit because I'm hoping it will get put in storage soon once my heart gets fixed!
Exhibit C: Ah. . . . it was like divine intervention when I was having an awful day a few days ago and our door opened and Whola! (can you hear the harps??) boxes and boxes of girl scout cookies arrived at my door. I'd ordered many boxes months earlier as many people decided we looked like a nice cookie-eating family and it was just the most perfect timing for them to arrive when I have plenty of time to consume them. :) Peanut Butter Patties are my favorite!
Exhibit D: A new book I'm reading to expand my horizons. I joined a book study group here in town to kinda be able to have some girl talk and to grow spiritually. We do a bible study as well as a book study and so far its been wonderful. The book that we are reading right now is Number 1 Lady Dective Agency. It certainly is NOT one that I'd pick up on my own to read, but I'm already flying through it as it is very interesting, comical and has many lessons. Hopefully I can review it when I finish it so you all can decide if its a book you'd like to read as well. I'm also open for book suggestions. As much as I've been in bed and resting, I am sooo open to new ideas. I just need to have motivation to FINISH the books I start.
And that brings me to Exhibit E: This is my mountain of books I need to read for school (especially one my aunt loaned me- How the brain learns to Read), a pile of magazines that have arrived in the mail the past few months and I just haven't splurged into yet and of course, my Bible that gets me through some of my disheartening and depressing moments. The way it is the living word is so evident in that I can open it up and start reading and feel like what its saying to me pertains exactly to my situation right now, taking on a new meaning from what I'd gotten when I'd read those verses previously. Its so amazing and addictive.
I miss my boys like crazy, but am getting a little more strength back today. I actually got out of bed this morning without about passing out! My head is still spinning and I'm just trying to enjoy the ride without giving in to the nauseous feeling. While I've been in bed, this is my view:
I played around with PhotoBucket's editing program a little bit and as you can see, I labeled some of the very important parts of my bedside dresser.
Exhibit A: One of the MOST important parts- my note card holder, aka- my Prayer Box. One the outside of the little box, I've written many of the Bible verses that contain why prayer is so powerful and important. On the inside are notecards with prayer requests and notes on those about how those prayer concerns are going. Remember, our prayers are always answered, but it may not be in OUR timing or in the way WE think it should be.
Exhibit B: My wonderful, spectacular, amazing husband brought me a flower last week. He knows I HATE roses with a passion (there's a long story behind that). The red carnation was just my style- plain, frugal, and thoughtful! The note was the most thoughtful part as he wrote that he was with me through this no matter what. I hate feeling like a burden to him and just a pain in his side, but he is an amazing person and I could only pray that I'd be as patient and strong should he need me some day. In the background is my blood pressure and heart rate monitor, which, well, I didn't want to mark as an exhibit because I'm hoping it will get put in storage soon once my heart gets fixed!
Exhibit C: Ah. . . . it was like divine intervention when I was having an awful day a few days ago and our door opened and Whola! (can you hear the harps??) boxes and boxes of girl scout cookies arrived at my door. I'd ordered many boxes months earlier as many people decided we looked like a nice cookie-eating family and it was just the most perfect timing for them to arrive when I have plenty of time to consume them. :) Peanut Butter Patties are my favorite!
Exhibit D: A new book I'm reading to expand my horizons. I joined a book study group here in town to kinda be able to have some girl talk and to grow spiritually. We do a bible study as well as a book study and so far its been wonderful. The book that we are reading right now is Number 1 Lady Dective Agency. It certainly is NOT one that I'd pick up on my own to read, but I'm already flying through it as it is very interesting, comical and has many lessons. Hopefully I can review it when I finish it so you all can decide if its a book you'd like to read as well. I'm also open for book suggestions. As much as I've been in bed and resting, I am sooo open to new ideas. I just need to have motivation to FINISH the books I start.
And that brings me to Exhibit E: This is my mountain of books I need to read for school (especially one my aunt loaned me- How the brain learns to Read), a pile of magazines that have arrived in the mail the past few months and I just haven't splurged into yet and of course, my Bible that gets me through some of my disheartening and depressing moments. The way it is the living word is so evident in that I can open it up and start reading and feel like what its saying to me pertains exactly to my situation right now, taking on a new meaning from what I'd gotten when I'd read those verses previously. Its so amazing and addictive.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Snow!
It was the first snow of the season!!! There's nothing quite like snow to get us in the mood for the Christmas season and sure enough, as we were loading the van on Friday morning, we started to see flurries. Much to the boy's excitement, the further west we drove the higher the snow on the ground was. When we got out in Hays, there was probably 1-2 inches on the ground and Logan was estatic about getting to actually use his Thomas boots, which he did indeed wear on our trip. And, since we were heading to western Kansas to celebrate Christmas with our family, even though it was Thanksgiving, it seemed very appropriate to have a little snow on the ground. Of course, it did dry out by the time we got going further west and was non-existent by the time we arrived at the grandparents. But, nevertheless, there was snow! We did see it and I did get a few pictures as we drove along the interstate (Shawn was driving).
We drove past a large wind farm (not the one my brother works at).
It was so hazy and foggy that we couldn't see the tops of them!
Today, it was snowing a bit as well, here in Riley as the boys headed off to Sunday School and church without me. I hated to miss yet another Sunday, but I have a HUGE paper to get done with finals this week and a full week of school ahead of me, so I was overwhelmed with things-to-do, not to mention getting my house in some sort of organized manner with more company. So, Shawn so sweetly offered to take the older boys to church while Malachi took his nap and I got some research done for my paper. Tonight, I'm 3 pages out of 10 done and still wondering what to write!!! I love writing and talking, but when it comes to research and citing sources in APA format, then I get a little stressed and unmotivated.
So, my blog tonight is short as I need to get onto my laptop that does NOT have internet connection here at home for the pure sake that I need to disconnect sometimes and really focus on work! I've got my MS Word documents transferred over and all the information I need is stored in files on my laptop, just waiting for me to decipher them and pick out the information that I'll use to fill the rest of my 7 pages or so! Those days of finals and cramming for tests are coming back to my memory and I'm not liking it a bit. We headed home from the holidays early yesterday in hopes that the 4+ hour drive in the van would be eventful in helping me get some work done. Well, after changing the boys into their pajamas, feeding one a bottle every now and then, and changing the DVD a few times, my thought process was just NOT quite where I needed it to be to get some good work done. So, I have spent most of today writing, researching, and getting a bit tired of some of the same information over and over again! :)
(Zachary quickly fell asleep on the way home, but Logan lasted all night long!)
I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and the break that followed it and are enjoying this festive and wonderful holiday season that we're in as Christmas approaches.
One thing we did get done before our trip was to switch out our seasonal books- Thanksgiving books were replaced with winter and Christmas selections.
Thanksgiving books & November (election):
Winter/Snow:
Christian Christmas story:
Christmas Books:
We drove past a large wind farm (not the one my brother works at).
It was so hazy and foggy that we couldn't see the tops of them!
Today, it was snowing a bit as well, here in Riley as the boys headed off to Sunday School and church without me. I hated to miss yet another Sunday, but I have a HUGE paper to get done with finals this week and a full week of school ahead of me, so I was overwhelmed with things-to-do, not to mention getting my house in some sort of organized manner with more company. So, Shawn so sweetly offered to take the older boys to church while Malachi took his nap and I got some research done for my paper. Tonight, I'm 3 pages out of 10 done and still wondering what to write!!! I love writing and talking, but when it comes to research and citing sources in APA format, then I get a little stressed and unmotivated.
So, my blog tonight is short as I need to get onto my laptop that does NOT have internet connection here at home for the pure sake that I need to disconnect sometimes and really focus on work! I've got my MS Word documents transferred over and all the information I need is stored in files on my laptop, just waiting for me to decipher them and pick out the information that I'll use to fill the rest of my 7 pages or so! Those days of finals and cramming for tests are coming back to my memory and I'm not liking it a bit. We headed home from the holidays early yesterday in hopes that the 4+ hour drive in the van would be eventful in helping me get some work done. Well, after changing the boys into their pajamas, feeding one a bottle every now and then, and changing the DVD a few times, my thought process was just NOT quite where I needed it to be to get some good work done. So, I have spent most of today writing, researching, and getting a bit tired of some of the same information over and over again! :)
(Zachary quickly fell asleep on the way home, but Logan lasted all night long!)
I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and the break that followed it and are enjoying this festive and wonderful holiday season that we're in as Christmas approaches.
One thing we did get done before our trip was to switch out our seasonal books- Thanksgiving books were replaced with winter and Christmas selections.
Thanksgiving books & November (election):
Winter/Snow:
Christian Christmas story:
Christmas Books:
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Just Gotta Read!
I have another book lover on my hands! So, I'm guessing it's going to be non-stop chaos trying to keep books neat and orderly on the shelves for a few more years! Malachi LOVES books & unlike Logan, he actually does not try tearing them or chewing all over them. Logan loved books, don't get me wrong- he loved throwing them, gnawing on them, slapping them, and definitely clearing the bookshelf so he had room for his tractors & trains.
Zachary loved books from the time he was a wee little one, so when Logan came along I wasn't really prepared for a baby that didn't enjoy a good book. But, Logan's coming around gradually. He's actually mocking us quite well now asking before he turns a page, "What do you predict will happen next?" Talk about comical- hearing a 3 year old asking with the word "predict". Hmmm . . .just my way of helping his future teacher- Lord knows with this one that they'll need it! :)
Malachi is very good at problem solving- just use the leg/foot combination with the outstretched hand!
And, maybe pick a magazine for later!
And, for babies, I absolutely recommend the Margeret Miller "Baby Faces" books! As you can sorta see they are different board books with the main picture as the child's face. Perfect for what babies enjoy looking at. And Malachi has his few favorites.
Mama bear mode has kicked in again this evening as I worry and fret about issues that are not my problem nor should I really get involved, but when it's dealing with people that I care about, I tend to be a little over-active with wanting to step in and solve the problem. So, I'm trying to step back and "Grrrr" a little quieter. After all the Grrrr is much worse than the SCRATCH- trust me!
Another late evening with a meeting after school tomorrow and then after-school program on Thursday evening. I'm really looking forward to Friday and especially this weekend with the time change.
Zachary loved books from the time he was a wee little one, so when Logan came along I wasn't really prepared for a baby that didn't enjoy a good book. But, Logan's coming around gradually. He's actually mocking us quite well now asking before he turns a page, "What do you predict will happen next?" Talk about comical- hearing a 3 year old asking with the word "predict". Hmmm . . .just my way of helping his future teacher- Lord knows with this one that they'll need it! :)
Malachi is very good at problem solving- just use the leg/foot combination with the outstretched hand!
And, maybe pick a magazine for later!
And, for babies, I absolutely recommend the Margeret Miller "Baby Faces" books! As you can sorta see they are different board books with the main picture as the child's face. Perfect for what babies enjoy looking at. And Malachi has his few favorites.
Mama bear mode has kicked in again this evening as I worry and fret about issues that are not my problem nor should I really get involved, but when it's dealing with people that I care about, I tend to be a little over-active with wanting to step in and solve the problem. So, I'm trying to step back and "Grrrr" a little quieter. After all the Grrrr is much worse than the SCRATCH- trust me!
Another late evening with a meeting after school tomorrow and then after-school program on Thursday evening. I'm really looking forward to Friday and especially this weekend with the time change.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Chicken Soup Give Away!
As a few of you know, I spent a LOT of time throughout high school in and out of various hospitals. It was a difficult time in my life and one that I can look back on now and realize how much strength I have. There's something about being near-death and coming back, and the mentality behind surviving a horrendous illness that makes a person wonder how in the world they got through it. Thankfully, I had a support team like no other and a faith in God that He would pull me through, whether or not I thought I deserved it at the time.
One of the times I was recently out of the hospital, one of my aunts gave me a book that she had read and thought I would enjoy. It was a hardcover edition of Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul. I LOVED IT! It really inspired me and uplifted my spirit! And as I was out and about, I found that they had started to release many different editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul, so I would buy one every now and then. And, that's when it became a habit (and maybe an addiction) to have the latest and coolest, most diverse book with my collection. I started out reading all of them (hey, you have a lot of time when you're sitting in a hospital room with NO television!), but then I started to buy them faster than I could read them or I bought them not because I was necessarily interested in them, but because they went with my collection.
When I met Shawn, he soon discovered that a trip to Wal-Mart would never be complete without a stroll through the book aisle to see if there was a new edition of Chicken Soup. Oh my goodness- I was obsessed. I still read them every now and then, especially the ones that pertained to me. I still enjoy them and love them and will always have fond memories of my obsessive hunting for ALL of the collection.
In case you missed my post about how much I LOVE books, click here. If you know and understand my passion for books, or if you just want a good read, check out my give away:
As much as I truly LOVE books, especially my Chicken Soup books, it is with that passion that I have decided to part with MANY of them:
No, I don't really have plans right now for that empty shelf space, and no, I don't HAVE to get rid of them. I just know that 20 some odd years from now when I'm aged (okay, so give me maybe 50-60 more years then) and my kids are moving me to a luxurious nursing home (hey, I can dream, huh?) these books will have collected more dust then they should have in their life-time and they will not have served the glorious purpose they were intended for. So, PLEASE claim these books! I REALLY want to give them to family, friends, faithful blog readers, anyone that might use them for what they were intended - to bring hope, lift spirits, and bring a smile.
I asked a pastor a year or so ago about donating them to a hospital to be used just as I had used them. The short stories are brief and hopeful and would make someone's day. Even if you are claiming the book for someone other than yourself, that is fine also. You will get joy in giving it and that is a wonderful feeling. Please know, some of these are brand-spankin-new. Some are well-used. And a few are new, but have my name labels on them. If you'd like one, two, three, all, please email me @ schance@hotmail.com (with a subject line of Chicken Soup) or leave a message here on the blog.
Chicken Soup for the Soul #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5:
Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul (a great read for those newlyweds or freshly dating); Chicken Soup for the College Soul (wonderful for those times in between naps and going out!); Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul #1, #2, & #3 (ok, so really, I honestly thought I would be a youth pastor, uhm . . yeah, didn't really pan out); Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul (EXCELLENT character building stories for kids) :
Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul (still has the price tag on it so I'm guessing it went straight from the Wal-Mart sack to my bookshelf and was never used to inspire a woman!); Teen Love (don't get me started- these are from my teen days); Teen Ink & TasteBerries for Teens (a knock-off of Chicken Soup- not as wonderful if you ask me, but hey, it gets you through those times!):
Chicken Soup for the Caregiver's Soul; Chicken Soup for the Body & Soul; Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work; Chicken Soup for the Prisoners Soul (don't ask); Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul (have you seen a green thumb on me???); Chicken Soup for the African American Soul (please don't even ask why I haven't read this!):
Chicken Soup for the Mother & Daughter's Soul (obviously with 3 boys, I won't have a daughter to hand this down to!); Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover's Soul (A really good and kinda sad book.); Chicken Soup for the Ocean Lover's Soul (kinda like the one for the Hawaiian soul that I gave my friend last year); Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul; Chicken Soup for the Country Soul; Chicken Soup for the Travelers Soul (and this means more than just roaming around the state of KS!):
So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me give these books some good homes. On October 1st, I'll part with them by donating them to the local hospital or another place like that. If you'd like one or a few, send me a line and I'll try to catch up with you or get it in the mail! :)
One of the times I was recently out of the hospital, one of my aunts gave me a book that she had read and thought I would enjoy. It was a hardcover edition of Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul. I LOVED IT! It really inspired me and uplifted my spirit! And as I was out and about, I found that they had started to release many different editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul, so I would buy one every now and then. And, that's when it became a habit (and maybe an addiction) to have the latest and coolest, most diverse book with my collection. I started out reading all of them (hey, you have a lot of time when you're sitting in a hospital room with NO television!), but then I started to buy them faster than I could read them or I bought them not because I was necessarily interested in them, but because they went with my collection.
When I met Shawn, he soon discovered that a trip to Wal-Mart would never be complete without a stroll through the book aisle to see if there was a new edition of Chicken Soup. Oh my goodness- I was obsessed. I still read them every now and then, especially the ones that pertained to me. I still enjoy them and love them and will always have fond memories of my obsessive hunting for ALL of the collection.
In case you missed my post about how much I LOVE books, click here. If you know and understand my passion for books, or if you just want a good read, check out my give away:
As much as I truly LOVE books, especially my Chicken Soup books, it is with that passion that I have decided to part with MANY of them:
No, I don't really have plans right now for that empty shelf space, and no, I don't HAVE to get rid of them. I just know that 20 some odd years from now when I'm aged (okay, so give me maybe 50-60 more years then) and my kids are moving me to a luxurious nursing home (hey, I can dream, huh?) these books will have collected more dust then they should have in their life-time and they will not have served the glorious purpose they were intended for. So, PLEASE claim these books! I REALLY want to give them to family, friends, faithful blog readers, anyone that might use them for what they were intended - to bring hope, lift spirits, and bring a smile.
I asked a pastor a year or so ago about donating them to a hospital to be used just as I had used them. The short stories are brief and hopeful and would make someone's day. Even if you are claiming the book for someone other than yourself, that is fine also. You will get joy in giving it and that is a wonderful feeling. Please know, some of these are brand-spankin-new. Some are well-used. And a few are new, but have my name labels on them. If you'd like one, two, three, all, please email me @ schance@hotmail.com (with a subject line of Chicken Soup) or leave a message here on the blog.
Chicken Soup for the Soul #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5:
Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul (a great read for those newlyweds or freshly dating); Chicken Soup for the College Soul (wonderful for those times in between naps and going out!); Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul #1, #2, & #3 (ok, so really, I honestly thought I would be a youth pastor, uhm . . yeah, didn't really pan out); Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul (EXCELLENT character building stories for kids) :
Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul (still has the price tag on it so I'm guessing it went straight from the Wal-Mart sack to my bookshelf and was never used to inspire a woman!); Teen Love (don't get me started- these are from my teen days); Teen Ink & TasteBerries for Teens (a knock-off of Chicken Soup- not as wonderful if you ask me, but hey, it gets you through those times!):
Okay, here's where you're going to really start wondering what I was thinking buying these! :)
Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul (Hey, never knew if I'd meet a cute Canadian and move. Luckily, Shawn's from the US too!); Chicken Soup for the Fisherman's Soul (considering that I'm not a fisherman, nor do I care to be); Chicken Soup for the Bride's Soul (what bride has time in her planning to catch a short story!?); Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul (Perfect for Angela from the office!); Chicken Soup for the Dental Soul (I bought it on ebay just to complete my collection!); Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul (So, I had a lot of nurse friends and wanted to read up!):
Chicken Soup for the Caregiver's Soul; Chicken Soup for the Body & Soul; Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work; Chicken Soup for the Prisoners Soul (don't ask); Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul (have you seen a green thumb on me???); Chicken Soup for the African American Soul (please don't even ask why I haven't read this!):
Chicken Soup for the Mother & Daughter's Soul (obviously with 3 boys, I won't have a daughter to hand this down to!); Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover's Soul (A really good and kinda sad book.); Chicken Soup for the Ocean Lover's Soul (kinda like the one for the Hawaiian soul that I gave my friend last year); Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul; Chicken Soup for the Country Soul; Chicken Soup for the Travelers Soul (and this means more than just roaming around the state of KS!):
So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me give these books some good homes. On October 1st, I'll part with them by donating them to the local hospital or another place like that. If you'd like one or a few, send me a line and I'll try to catch up with you or get it in the mail! :)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Being an Author
I've shared this story with several of you, but just had to get it down "on paper" (which is what I do with this blog each month as a journal for my boys). We were on a walk the other evening and I was reminded of this story, so just had to share it!
Zachary took a field trip last May to the zoo in Clay Center. Since I was home on maternity leave, I went with him, taking pictures of the event. When we got home, I printed the pictures out for him and gave them to him to write a story of his trip. He wrote a basic story/sentence for each picture. We created a title page (with his handwritten name as the author) and also "bound" the book with a few little silver rings.
He had a celebration that he was an official "author" and for days on end, he toted that book EVERYWHERE he went, reading it to family, friends, neighbors, and a few unsuspecting strangers! :) I have to admit that I also bragged a little with a copy of his book. It was well written for a child that was 4 years old.
So, being an author bring about special privileges. And, with Zachary reading at such an early age and actually reading quite well for his age, I knew we might possibly run into problems. And, of course, one evening on our walk around town, we passed the city park. It was nearing bedtime. The mosquitos were out & it was growing a bit dusk. However, the nearby park was really enticing to our boys. They could hardly hold back as we walked past, and me, just wanting to get home and start our bedtime routine, I showed them the sign. "I'm sorry dear, but look! What does that sign say?"
And Zachary read it slowly, "Riley City Park Closed"
Thinking, "YES! He read it, verifying that I'm not making this up! Therefore we can keep right on walking to make it home at a decent time."
That's when he looks closer at the sign, almost squinting like a little annoying toddler ready to question your authority. "But, mom. What else does that say?"
Zachary took a field trip last May to the zoo in Clay Center. Since I was home on maternity leave, I went with him, taking pictures of the event. When we got home, I printed the pictures out for him and gave them to him to write a story of his trip. He wrote a basic story/sentence for each picture. We created a title page (with his handwritten name as the author) and also "bound" the book with a few little silver rings.
He had a celebration that he was an official "author" and for days on end, he toted that book EVERYWHERE he went, reading it to family, friends, neighbors, and a few unsuspecting strangers! :) I have to admit that I also bragged a little with a copy of his book. It was well written for a child that was 4 years old.
So, being an author bring about special privileges. And, with Zachary reading at such an early age and actually reading quite well for his age, I knew we might possibly run into problems. And, of course, one evening on our walk around town, we passed the city park. It was nearing bedtime. The mosquitos were out & it was growing a bit dusk. However, the nearby park was really enticing to our boys. They could hardly hold back as we walked past, and me, just wanting to get home and start our bedtime routine, I showed them the sign. "I'm sorry dear, but look! What does that sign say?"
And Zachary read it slowly, "Riley City Park Closed"
Thinking, "YES! He read it, verifying that I'm not making this up! Therefore we can keep right on walking to make it home at a decent time."
That's when he looks closer at the sign, almost squinting like a little annoying toddler ready to question your authority. "But, mom. What else does that say?"
So I read him the last part of the sign: Except for Authorized Activities. I didn't think this would be a problem at all until I saw his face light up like a kid in a candy store. "AUTHORIZED!!!??? AUTHORIZED!!!??? But, mommy, I am an author!!"
Yeah, what do you say to a kid excited that he gets to play at a park especially because he likes to write!? "Well, yes you ARE an author! I'm glad you remembered that. Go play!"
And we made it home just a tad later that night than I had planned, but sometimes life does that and it was such a precious moment for us.
I've added a couple more "on our walks" pictures for you. As you notice Logan is MIA. Yeah, he's usually that way on our walks too! :) Hmmmm . .. .
Friday, August 22, 2008
Leisurely Reading for the Weekend
These arrived for me in the mail today:
Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian Approach to Early Childhood Education (2nd Edition) (Paperback) by Elena Bodrova (Author), Deborah Leong (Author)
Theories of Development (5th Edition) (Paperback) by William Crain (Author)
And, I tried to copy pictures of them to post so you didn't have to read such boring titles, but no such luck today. Hey, you can only ask for so much luck! :)
I'm excited to delve into the books this weekend and get started reading them for my class this semester. The last class I took required these books:
What Research Has to Say About Reading Instruction (Paperback) by Alan E. Farstrup (Editor), S. Jay Samuels (Editor), Jay Samuels (Editor)
What Research Has to Say About Fluency Instruction (Paperback) by S. Samuels (Author), Alan E. Farstrup (Editor)
And, much to say, their titles made my head spin and my mind wonder if I'd need to get a caffine drip to stay awake while reading such books. Seriously, how interesting could research be? However, the more I started reading, the more of a nerd I became and the more I realized that although I had just finished college not too far back, there were new trends & methods to use in the classroom that proved to be more effective than the ones I had learned in school. And, I actually read more in the books than was required, just because I wanted to know more. (Don't hate me for being an over-achiever!)
So, I'm hoping these books that arrived today provide information that is useful & helpful in making me a better educator. And, while this post could well have been saved for my "teacher blog" that is soon to come, I had to post now, because Lord forbid I get busy and might not get the blog going by my goal date.
Hope you all have a good weekend!
Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian Approach to Early Childhood Education (2nd Edition) (Paperback) by Elena Bodrova (Author), Deborah Leong (Author)
Theories of Development (5th Edition) (Paperback) by William Crain (Author)
And, I tried to copy pictures of them to post so you didn't have to read such boring titles, but no such luck today. Hey, you can only ask for so much luck! :)
I'm excited to delve into the books this weekend and get started reading them for my class this semester. The last class I took required these books:
What Research Has to Say About Reading Instruction (Paperback) by Alan E. Farstrup (Editor), S. Jay Samuels (Editor), Jay Samuels (Editor)
What Research Has to Say About Fluency Instruction (Paperback) by S. Samuels (Author), Alan E. Farstrup (Editor)
And, much to say, their titles made my head spin and my mind wonder if I'd need to get a caffine drip to stay awake while reading such books. Seriously, how interesting could research be? However, the more I started reading, the more of a nerd I became and the more I realized that although I had just finished college not too far back, there were new trends & methods to use in the classroom that proved to be more effective than the ones I had learned in school. And, I actually read more in the books than was required, just because I wanted to know more. (Don't hate me for being an over-achiever!)
So, I'm hoping these books that arrived today provide information that is useful & helpful in making me a better educator. And, while this post could well have been saved for my "teacher blog" that is soon to come, I had to post now, because Lord forbid I get busy and might not get the blog going by my goal date.
Hope you all have a good weekend!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Our "Experience" at the Riley City Library
For those of you new to my blog, you might not understand how crazy about books I am. I LOVE books and have tried to pass that love of books along to my family. I spent many hours and days sitting in the library in my hometown, just reading, searching, amazed at how many books there were and how much information there was to be found. Here is a story though of my first terrible experience at the library here in town and pictures of my own home library(s).
Last summer, our city library was trying to make a come-back. They had a summer reading program, which I tried to take part in with the boys. However, after that experience, let me explain why I will NEVER go back!
The Riley City Library is a SMALL library, of course, for a small town. And, we are fortunate to have a free library service here in town. It was open for a few hours here and there throughout the week and I tried to take the boys to it to 'experience' the library. Zachary was almost 4 years old and was already reading some simple books, mainly easy readers. I was a bit offended when the librarian there told him that he memorized the book rather than actually read it. He was SOOO proud of himself for reading that he was showing what he knew and she stated that no kid that young could read that well. So, right off the bat, I was a little offended, but no problem, we'll get past that.
Then, we checked out some fun books to take home and read. When we go to the library, we have a special library bag that all our library materials go in and they stay there unless they are in our hands. I do NOT want them getting mixed in with our books at home or our many 'libraries'. So, we brought a couple books home, read them, and then returned them promptly on their due date. However, when we returned to the library to check them in, the librarian was absent and a volunteer was helping out. The boys and I tried explaining that we were bringing these books back, but she kept insisting that we need to give her our number to check them out. So, she looked up our number and wrote something down, kept the books (moved to a very unorganized and cluttered desk) and we said our good-byes, not checking out any more books, since we would be gone before they were due back.
A week later, I received a phone call from a stern lady telling me that I owed over $50 for 2 books that had been checked out and never returned. I tried to explain that we had in fact returned them and the librarian was not present, yada, yada, yada. . . However, by the end of the conversation, I'd broken into tears. (It was last summer and I was newly pregnant, so hormones did not help either.)
I knew we didn't owe the money and it was a lot for 2 books. I wanted to teach my children the right thing to do, but I wasn't sure in this situation that that was the 'right' thing to do. I felt so frustrated that they didn't have a better tracking system and they were so rude about understanding that we didn't have the books. I know most libraries have a 'write-off' for books that are damaged or not returned. They are more interested in return business and getting people to love books than to hound people for money for expensive books. Anyway, I called the Manhattan library, where the books were originally 'rented' from for the library here (a rotating book truck or something like that). They also said they had no recollection of the books, but knew that the organization system at our library was lacking tremendously.
It was difficult to explain what happened to the boys as we took our daily walks and walked right past the library each day. I did tell them the truth though, in a way that was kid-friendly and without all the details. And, besides the fact, I think I had WAY more quality children's books than this library did. The city library seemed to be filled with more fiction and romance stuff for adults, things I don't necessarily enjoy reading. We were just trying to patronize it to promote it and keep it running since it is such a good thing for this small town.
Months passed, school started, our daily walks were done. And, one day, out of the blue, I recieved a phone call from a very polite & nice lady at the Manhattan library. "Do you remember those books you were so upset about eariler?" (She heard my emotional break-down at the thought that I could quite possibly be accused of losing books!) Then she told me that they had in fact turned up and were back to the proper place. Imagine that!
Have I ever gotten an apology for the rudeness or false accusations I recieved from the library here? No! Do I really care anymore??? No. We just travel 20 minutes to attend a real libary that actually has it's 'stuff' together and doesn't treat people like crooks. And I will forgive the librarian for her attitude and how upset she made me. It's over and done with. But, I learned my lesson and have decided that visiting this library here is not worth my time.
Last summer, our city library was trying to make a come-back. They had a summer reading program, which I tried to take part in with the boys. However, after that experience, let me explain why I will NEVER go back!
The Riley City Library is a SMALL library, of course, for a small town. And, we are fortunate to have a free library service here in town. It was open for a few hours here and there throughout the week and I tried to take the boys to it to 'experience' the library. Zachary was almost 4 years old and was already reading some simple books, mainly easy readers. I was a bit offended when the librarian there told him that he memorized the book rather than actually read it. He was SOOO proud of himself for reading that he was showing what he knew and she stated that no kid that young could read that well. So, right off the bat, I was a little offended, but no problem, we'll get past that.
Then, we checked out some fun books to take home and read. When we go to the library, we have a special library bag that all our library materials go in and they stay there unless they are in our hands. I do NOT want them getting mixed in with our books at home or our many 'libraries'. So, we brought a couple books home, read them, and then returned them promptly on their due date. However, when we returned to the library to check them in, the librarian was absent and a volunteer was helping out. The boys and I tried explaining that we were bringing these books back, but she kept insisting that we need to give her our number to check them out. So, she looked up our number and wrote something down, kept the books (moved to a very unorganized and cluttered desk) and we said our good-byes, not checking out any more books, since we would be gone before they were due back.
A week later, I received a phone call from a stern lady telling me that I owed over $50 for 2 books that had been checked out and never returned. I tried to explain that we had in fact returned them and the librarian was not present, yada, yada, yada. . . However, by the end of the conversation, I'd broken into tears. (It was last summer and I was newly pregnant, so hormones did not help either.)
I knew we didn't owe the money and it was a lot for 2 books. I wanted to teach my children the right thing to do, but I wasn't sure in this situation that that was the 'right' thing to do. I felt so frustrated that they didn't have a better tracking system and they were so rude about understanding that we didn't have the books. I know most libraries have a 'write-off' for books that are damaged or not returned. They are more interested in return business and getting people to love books than to hound people for money for expensive books. Anyway, I called the Manhattan library, where the books were originally 'rented' from for the library here (a rotating book truck or something like that). They also said they had no recollection of the books, but knew that the organization system at our library was lacking tremendously.
It was difficult to explain what happened to the boys as we took our daily walks and walked right past the library each day. I did tell them the truth though, in a way that was kid-friendly and without all the details. And, besides the fact, I think I had WAY more quality children's books than this library did. The city library seemed to be filled with more fiction and romance stuff for adults, things I don't necessarily enjoy reading. We were just trying to patronize it to promote it and keep it running since it is such a good thing for this small town.
Months passed, school started, our daily walks were done. And, one day, out of the blue, I recieved a phone call from a very polite & nice lady at the Manhattan library. "Do you remember those books you were so upset about eariler?" (She heard my emotional break-down at the thought that I could quite possibly be accused of losing books!) Then she told me that they had in fact turned up and were back to the proper place. Imagine that!
Have I ever gotten an apology for the rudeness or false accusations I recieved from the library here? No! Do I really care anymore??? No. We just travel 20 minutes to attend a real libary that actually has it's 'stuff' together and doesn't treat people like crooks. And I will forgive the librarian for her attitude and how upset she made me. It's over and done with. But, I learned my lesson and have decided that visiting this library here is not worth my time.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
CRAZY about books!
Most of you that are reading this blog know me and my family. So, you know that we are a bit crazy about books here. Well, let me rephrase that- we are crazy about "quality" books here. There is a distinction! Just because a book is nice, pretty, expensive, and bound does not make it a quality book.
When we moved from Emporia to Manhattan, I was 9 months pregnant with Zachary and a year left of school to go before I was an official teacher. However, we packed up over 50 boxes of books, more than a closet full! I had no idea how many books were in our small 2 bedroom apartment. Then, when moved into a larger, 2 bedroom duplex with a garage. So, Shawn bought me some bookshelves and lined them up in the garage, and only allowed a few certain books inside our small home at the time. I did try to downsize- don't get me wrong- I'm NOT a pack rat, just a book-lover.
I thought I was doing fine. However, in Manhattan, Shawn would work on the weekends and Zachary and I spent most Saturday mornings attending the city garage sales, buying more books that he would love reading or I might one day use in my classroom. I don't know what it is, but I have absolutely no willpower to resist a quality book at 25 cents. And, it was paying off in the long run as our baby at the time (Zachary LOVED to sit and read books). So, Shawn started to allow my habit a bit more.
Then, we decided to buy a house, so we packed up yet again and moved, this time, we had 2 kids (Logan was a couple months old) and. . . . a lot more books! Shawn's friends and my family helped us move this time and I took so much static for the amount of books I had stored away. It hurt a little bit because they were all so special to me in some way or another or they each had a purpose for why I'd saved them. So, I decided to weed through my books, an daunting task the I dreaded. I hadn't gotten a teaching job yet, so I didn't know what books I might need. You need different books to use with 5th graders than you do for use with kindergartners.
On top of all this, I might add quickly that I collect(ed) books. I love Chicken Soup for the Soul books and started collecting them when they came out a few years back. It wasn't so bad as they had the 1st helping, 2nd helping, 3rd helping, etc. But eventually, they had Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul (1 & 2), Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul, the Canadian Soul, Dental Soul, etc. (get my point?). And, yes, I kept buying them because they went with my collection and who knows when I'd love to read an inspirational golf story. (Cough, hack, hack!) :)
I can't say that I'm proud, but I have donated and gotten rid of an entire 6 shelf bookshelf case of books- either donating them via freecycle or just passing them on to other friends & family. Of course, I'm still a bit addicted to the Scholastic book orders that I receive as a teacher. And, my boys are starting to get more use out of the tons of books that we have, but now our collection is a bit more limited. And, really, I don't want books sitting on the shelf doing no good for anyone. Years from now, they will be outdated, possibly not as quality as they were before, and have done no good for what they were intended.
So, for my readers, I'd like to offer my Chicken Soup books. I'll be listing them a few at a time and if you'd like one or a few of them, email me when I've listed them (schance@hotmail.com) and I will send them to you. I'd much rather them get some use than to sit and gather dust. Also, maybe you want to read them yourselves, or you might know the perfect person to give them to (although some have the little name sticker on the front page, but otherwise, they are in great condition). I have tried finding a ministry or such that could give them to patients in hospitals. That would be a nice idea for patients to have something short & inspiring to read. So, just let me know when I get them listed and I'll save them for you.
And now, excuse the mess, but here's our libraries in my house (this excludes all the many books in my classroom). We're not going there right now! :)
Boys bookshelf in the back living room- full of board books & frequented books
Bookshelf with craft supplies & magazines for the boys to read and also a stack for them to use for cutting & craft projects
A bookshelf I made in middle school (yes I know the shelves are not correctly spaced- my teacher tried warning me of that!)- but it houses a few of the books by my favorite author- Max Lucado. I was also a huge inspirational quotes person and facts person, so this has my little quote books as well.
Starting to collect books in my bedroom on my dresser for leisure reading
My collection of cookbooks! And, yes, I've tried to compile them, but it's not the same without knowing that specific location that I've memorized the recipe. One of these days, I might get organized.
The hospital was throwing away this very sturdy bookshelf, so Shawn was sweet & hauled it home for me. It houses all our paperback picture books, non-fiction books, and my collections such as Arthur books, Christmas, Halloween, etc. (On the side you see my totes- they have my Magic School house books, Dinosaur books, Clifford & Berenstein Bears, and Mercer Mayer books)
Zachary's bookshelf now since he likes chapter books- he doesn't touch the top shelf as those are more advanced. But he has Junie B., Magic Tree House, Beverly Cleary, & Horrible Harry
Chicken Soup anyone???? More on that to come later. As you can see, I can't get to it right now, we have a ton of remodeling going on in our basement.
My collection of Bibles (or what's left of it) and references/spiritual guides & parenting books
These were packed full, but you can now see that I have a little space for collecting my pictures & storing some of my binders of class work & articles
And. . . . Shawn loves me. I know he really does! :) He will soon be building me a room with bookshelves on 3 of the walls, with an area to just lounge & read. Oh, I can hardly wait!!! :)
When we moved from Emporia to Manhattan, I was 9 months pregnant with Zachary and a year left of school to go before I was an official teacher. However, we packed up over 50 boxes of books, more than a closet full! I had no idea how many books were in our small 2 bedroom apartment. Then, when moved into a larger, 2 bedroom duplex with a garage. So, Shawn bought me some bookshelves and lined them up in the garage, and only allowed a few certain books inside our small home at the time. I did try to downsize- don't get me wrong- I'm NOT a pack rat, just a book-lover.
I thought I was doing fine. However, in Manhattan, Shawn would work on the weekends and Zachary and I spent most Saturday mornings attending the city garage sales, buying more books that he would love reading or I might one day use in my classroom. I don't know what it is, but I have absolutely no willpower to resist a quality book at 25 cents. And, it was paying off in the long run as our baby at the time (Zachary LOVED to sit and read books). So, Shawn started to allow my habit a bit more.
Then, we decided to buy a house, so we packed up yet again and moved, this time, we had 2 kids (Logan was a couple months old) and. . . . a lot more books! Shawn's friends and my family helped us move this time and I took so much static for the amount of books I had stored away. It hurt a little bit because they were all so special to me in some way or another or they each had a purpose for why I'd saved them. So, I decided to weed through my books, an daunting task the I dreaded. I hadn't gotten a teaching job yet, so I didn't know what books I might need. You need different books to use with 5th graders than you do for use with kindergartners.
On top of all this, I might add quickly that I collect(ed) books. I love Chicken Soup for the Soul books and started collecting them when they came out a few years back. It wasn't so bad as they had the 1st helping, 2nd helping, 3rd helping, etc. But eventually, they had Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul (1 & 2), Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul, the Canadian Soul, Dental Soul, etc. (get my point?). And, yes, I kept buying them because they went with my collection and who knows when I'd love to read an inspirational golf story. (Cough, hack, hack!) :)
I can't say that I'm proud, but I have donated and gotten rid of an entire 6 shelf bookshelf case of books- either donating them via freecycle or just passing them on to other friends & family. Of course, I'm still a bit addicted to the Scholastic book orders that I receive as a teacher. And, my boys are starting to get more use out of the tons of books that we have, but now our collection is a bit more limited. And, really, I don't want books sitting on the shelf doing no good for anyone. Years from now, they will be outdated, possibly not as quality as they were before, and have done no good for what they were intended.
So, for my readers, I'd like to offer my Chicken Soup books. I'll be listing them a few at a time and if you'd like one or a few of them, email me when I've listed them (schance@hotmail.com) and I will send them to you. I'd much rather them get some use than to sit and gather dust. Also, maybe you want to read them yourselves, or you might know the perfect person to give them to (although some have the little name sticker on the front page, but otherwise, they are in great condition). I have tried finding a ministry or such that could give them to patients in hospitals. That would be a nice idea for patients to have something short & inspiring to read. So, just let me know when I get them listed and I'll save them for you.
And now, excuse the mess, but here's our libraries in my house (this excludes all the many books in my classroom). We're not going there right now! :)
Boys bookshelf in the back living room- full of board books & frequented books
Bookshelf with craft supplies & magazines for the boys to read and also a stack for them to use for cutting & craft projects
A bookshelf I made in middle school (yes I know the shelves are not correctly spaced- my teacher tried warning me of that!)- but it houses a few of the books by my favorite author- Max Lucado. I was also a huge inspirational quotes person and facts person, so this has my little quote books as well.
Starting to collect books in my bedroom on my dresser for leisure reading
My collection of cookbooks! And, yes, I've tried to compile them, but it's not the same without knowing that specific location that I've memorized the recipe. One of these days, I might get organized.
The hospital was throwing away this very sturdy bookshelf, so Shawn was sweet & hauled it home for me. It houses all our paperback picture books, non-fiction books, and my collections such as Arthur books, Christmas, Halloween, etc. (On the side you see my totes- they have my Magic School house books, Dinosaur books, Clifford & Berenstein Bears, and Mercer Mayer books)
Zachary's bookshelf now since he likes chapter books- he doesn't touch the top shelf as those are more advanced. But he has Junie B., Magic Tree House, Beverly Cleary, & Horrible Harry
Chicken Soup anyone???? More on that to come later. As you can see, I can't get to it right now, we have a ton of remodeling going on in our basement.
My collection of Bibles (or what's left of it) and references/spiritual guides & parenting books
These were packed full, but you can now see that I have a little space for collecting my pictures & storing some of my binders of class work & articles
And. . . . Shawn loves me. I know he really does! :) He will soon be building me a room with bookshelves on 3 of the walls, with an area to just lounge & read. Oh, I can hardly wait!!! :)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Going on a bear hunt
I have to share this quick story, although I know I've already posted today. Zachary got this book for his birthday:
This was one of his favorite books as a child, so much so, I think we've gotten it memorized. He had it as a board book so it was durable and could withstand his handling of it. Now, however, he has the 'big-boy' version of it, which he's so excited to be able to read it.
In case you hadn't read my scary, thunderstorm journey to the airport the other evening, click here. Since it was Shawn's fourth time ever on an airplane, I asked how the flight was when there was a storm in the area. He told me how he could watch it out his airplane window. That's when he told me that they had to fly through Nebraska and then around to get back to the airport. He said, "we couldn't fly over it." And, it was just too tempting, so I asked, "Could you fly under it?" And he smiled as he got my joke, "No, we had to fly around it!"
Ah, the humor you find in little jokes like this as parents. Yes, we're dorks, but that's alright.
This was one of his favorite books as a child, so much so, I think we've gotten it memorized. He had it as a board book so it was durable and could withstand his handling of it. Now, however, he has the 'big-boy' version of it, which he's so excited to be able to read it.
In case you hadn't read my scary, thunderstorm journey to the airport the other evening, click here. Since it was Shawn's fourth time ever on an airplane, I asked how the flight was when there was a storm in the area. He told me how he could watch it out his airplane window. That's when he told me that they had to fly through Nebraska and then around to get back to the airport. He said, "we couldn't fly over it." And, it was just too tempting, so I asked, "Could you fly under it?" And he smiled as he got my joke, "No, we had to fly around it!"
Ah, the humor you find in little jokes like this as parents. Yes, we're dorks, but that's alright.
The Giant Pumpkin- Story Time
This is an update on the growth of our beloved pumpkin. In case you haven't been following the story, I'll try to link it back to the original post. And then there was the updated picture after that.
I'm going to try (wish me luck) to start putting labels at the bottom of the posts. I was hesitant to start this as I was fearful of putting too many labels or maybe not enough or the correct words for the labels. Now, just out of a need for organization, I'm just jumping off the deep end and going to label them all! :)
We had our weekly pumpkin visit and pictures tonight and Zachary wanted to tote the book of inspiration along with it. He can actually read most all of this book by himself and is pretty proud of that. The book is: "The Biggest Pumpkin Ever" by Steven Kroll.
I know you really can't see the pumpkin here, but aren't my boys cute! :)
And, then Logan wanted to show how he 'reads'. He's more of the 'teacher'- reader. He'll look at the pictures and ask me, "What do you think will happen here? What does this picture tell me? Do you know what I just read?" Yah, he's heard that a few times, but it's cute coming from a kid.
And of course, Malachi had to have his picture, although he was about to fall over.
As you can see, the pumpkin is getting larger. The excitement is growing and the anticipation of how large it could possibly get is also increasing.
Stay posted for updates as it gets bigger and I will promise to get labels on my posts by the end of this week to have better organization. I figured that after 2 months, it's driving me nuts, I don't want to wait until I've been blogging over a year or so. :)
Have a great week!
I'm going to try (wish me luck) to start putting labels at the bottom of the posts. I was hesitant to start this as I was fearful of putting too many labels or maybe not enough or the correct words for the labels. Now, just out of a need for organization, I'm just jumping off the deep end and going to label them all! :)
We had our weekly pumpkin visit and pictures tonight and Zachary wanted to tote the book of inspiration along with it. He can actually read most all of this book by himself and is pretty proud of that. The book is: "The Biggest Pumpkin Ever" by Steven Kroll.
I know you really can't see the pumpkin here, but aren't my boys cute! :)
And, then Logan wanted to show how he 'reads'. He's more of the 'teacher'- reader. He'll look at the pictures and ask me, "What do you think will happen here? What does this picture tell me? Do you know what I just read?" Yah, he's heard that a few times, but it's cute coming from a kid.
And of course, Malachi had to have his picture, although he was about to fall over.
As you can see, the pumpkin is getting larger. The excitement is growing and the anticipation of how large it could possibly get is also increasing.
Stay posted for updates as it gets bigger and I will promise to get labels on my posts by the end of this week to have better organization. I figured that after 2 months, it's driving me nuts, I don't want to wait until I've been blogging over a year or so. :)
Have a great week!
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