Book Review: The Help

It is very rare that I read fiction (well, besides children's fiction, of course).  I don't know when, but at some point fiction stopped impressing me.  I would not even pick up a book from any fiction genre.  "They just don't write 'em like they used to," I would explain.  I missed the classics I read as a child and young teenager.  Nothing compared for a long time, and so I just gave up even trying.

I have heard so much about the movie based off of the book The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  I am not a moviegoer, and definitely am not one to watch a movie before reading the book, so after hearing great reviews of the movie from several people whose judgment I trust, I decided it was time to see what the hoopla was all about.  I purchased a copy and set it next to my nursing chair.

Oh boy.  I didn't know what I was getting into!  I could not put that book down.  Nearly 600 pages, and I had it finished in less than two days (and don't forget, I had to keep five children alive during that time frame)!

Kathryn Stockett's writing was unlike anything I have read in a long time.  Her ability to pull you into the story, to get you invested in the characters . . . flawless.  The way she told the story back and forth in the voices of three different women - and all without creating any voice confusion - was mind boggling to me as a writer.  And the plot just kept you hanging on at every step of the way.

More than anything, though, for me the clincher was that it wasn't just fiction for the sake of being fiction.  This book had a story to tell, and that story had purpose.  This book was thought provoking and powerful and purposeful.  I only loved the book that much more when I read the authors explanation for why she wrote it located in the back of the book.  This book was intelligent and stimulating - two of the most important requirements for me if I am going to enjoy anything I read.

I haven't decided yet if I am going to watch the movie now.  I have learned in my many years as a reader that I develop such a relationship with the characters as they are born and live in my imagination that I am rarely ever pleased with their portrayal on screen.  I know it has been highly praised, however, so I might consider it with this movie.

I can't recommend The Help enough, to those who love fiction as well as to those who don't.  You never know, it just might do for you what it did for me ... and that is awaken anew a hunger for great fiction!

The Lively Reading of Living Books

When Phil and I met, he had very little experience with children.  Sure, he wanted to have fourteen babies when we got married, but I think it would be safe to wager that he probably hadn't even been around a baby fourteen TIMES at that point.  He was the youngest child in his family, cousins included, and had very little chance for interaction with young children.

I always knew he would be the best Daddy ever.  He had the kindest heart and oldest soul of anyone I had ever met.  And wisdom - lots and lots of wisdom.  Tremendous capacity to love, too.  He had everything I wanted for a Daddy to my babies, and more!

There were a few LITTLE things, however, that worried me.  He didn't know how to hold babies (the first time I handed him my baby brother he held him a foot away from his body and said, "What do I DO with him?").  He really wasn't that great at having conversations with little kids.  And his read aloud voice was HORRIBLE!

We now have five children, and almost all of the original concerns that I had as a 16-year-old girl about Phil's parenting ability had been alleviated.  He holds a baby like an old pro now - even able to multi task while carrying a newborn!  Haven't seen the old "I'm-scared-I-might-break-it" look in years. ;)

He can also now talk to any kid of any age about any thing.  He is funny and witty and loving and attentive and everything a two-year-old could possibly need in a listening ear!

But the reading ... O, alas ... the reading!

I had given up for the longest time on asking Phil to read to the kids.  I think because he had never read aloud to a kid before, he would just read as if he was reading in his head and mumble through the story.  No change in tone, voice so low it was barely audible, no exclamations or voice changes for different characters; it was painful for me to listen to.  Books are my THING ... to hear them read like that just plain hurt.

The other night I needed to get ready to head out the door to grab a few things for our upcoming camping trip before we put the trailer down.  I wanted Phil to distract the kids so I wouldn't get bombarded with requests to come with me, but it wasn't quite bed time.  I asked him to grab a few library books and take them all back to their room so that I could get ready without distraction.  What I heard coming from the back of the house made me choke up...

It was my man, reading those library books to the kids with more heart and energy and excitement than I had EVER read to them!  He was reading David Shannon's Good Boy, Fergus!, and you would have thought there was actually a dog named Fergus in the back room!  All four of the older kids were laughing and squealing and completely enthralled by the simple yet entertaining book ... but, more importantly, by the lively way their Daddy was reading it to them.

It was more than I could stand!  I wanted to go back there and grab that man and kiss him square on the lips!!!  To a book addict like myself, hearing him read to the kids like that was better than chocolate or candy or roses! :)  I love him more than anything - always have and always will - but, as Mary Poppins would say, I do believe he now is "practically perfect in every way."  ;)

Five in a Row Goes to the Library

Today we made our first very brave, very eventful trip to the library since Josiah was born.  Mommy was very proud of her little clan, even if there were some disapproving stares from bystanders.  The kids behaved very well - each according to their age and ability - all mature and respectful, so those who disapprove just because there are MORE of them are the ones with the problem! :)

The only big glitch we had was that Daniel had a little accident (just #1, thank goodness!) in his underwear.  A sweet mother with a 3-year-old saw me juggling books and babies and a wet little boy, and came over to the rescue!  She offered to hold Josiah and watch the other three while I took Daniel to the restroom.  Valerie, you kind stranger, wherever you are - you rock!! :)

Otherwise, all went well and we came home with 15 books (didn't have room for much more than that; might have to bring a wagon with us next time ... or start looking on Craiglist for one of those book carts that teachers use).

We borrowed:
 (For Mom) Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning - by Deborah Stipek, Ph.D., and Kathy Seal
(For Mom) The Read-Aloud Handbook - by Jim Trelease
Harold's Purple Crayon Treasury - by Crockett Johson (Abby's request)
The Napping House - by Audrey Wood
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile - by Bernard Waber
Millions of Cats - by Wanda Gag
The Seven Silly Eaters - by Mary Ann Hoberman
John Henry - by Julius Lester
Pony Island - by Candice F. Ransom (Corbin's request)
Flowers from Mariko - by Rick Noguchi & Deneen Jenks (Abby's request ... Mommy needs to read through it first, though)
Don't Worry Wags - by Christophe Loupy & Eve Tharlet (Daniel's request)
The Acrobat & The Angel - by Mark Shannon & David Shannon (Corbin's request ... Mommy needs to read through it first)
The Rattlebang Picnic - by Margaret Mahy
Too Many Toys - by David Shannon
Good Boy, Fergus - by David Shannon

I'll be back soon with some reviews once we have gotten a chance to dig in!  Happy reading!

Ssshhhhh!!!

Can you keep a secret??  I'm going to give you a sneak peak under the comforter in the back of my closet and let you see what some of our Christmas presents will be!  Good thing my kids don't know how to work  the internet quite yet... :)

For several years we have been buying three gifts per child.  I have found having a number of gifts per child rather than dollar amount allows me to manipulate my overall budget more flexibly.  Besides ... kids get the fairness of each having three gifts far better than they grasp the concept of the dollar sign!  This year, however, I realized that would be FIFTEEN new toys coming into our home just from our own gift-giving.  That doesn't even count all of the extended family!!  We finally have the house and toys simplified where it is manageable; there was no way I was going back to that kind of mayhem!

Thus, the new Christmas gift guidelines:

Everybody shall receive
One simple thing they need,
Some lovely things to read,
and one thing just to please.

(Kinda catchy, huh?? I just wrote that here, on the spot ... which means I need a life!)


In other words, no book limit ... but only one thing "to please" (which, for kids in my children's age range, would usually be a toy) and one thing they need (this year I got a great deal on Crocs from Zulily ... so we all got Crocs as our "one thing" we need!).

A summary of our gift list would look like this:
toys
Crocs
toys
Crocs
blah, blahbity, blah...
....BOOKS!!!

The awesome thing is, my kids are more excited about some of the books they asked for than they are the toys!  Mwaaahhhahaaha ... I have created MONSTERS! ;)

Some of the new books that will be coming to live in our home are:
The ENTIRE Billy and Blaze series!  (half are for Corbin's birthday, which is in December)
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Little House on the Prairie
The Borrowers
The Little Engine that Could
The Mission of Motherhood
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Family Man, Family Leader
The Phantom Tollbooth (I might wrap this one for myself instead of one of the kids ... I love that book so much!)
Harold and the Purple Crayon


I still have a few more to get ... but I am having a hard time deciding between all of the wonderful living books out there!  If you have any suggestions, make them quick ... because I am serious about being 100% done with Christmas shopping before Dec. 1st this year!!

An Inspired Little Boy

I have been working with Corbin on learning to read, and while it hasn't been unpleasant by any means, what he is learning hasn't been sticking as well as I would like it to.  He is compliant and cheerful and cooperative during his lessons, but it just seems like he isn't really paying close enough attention to retain what we are doing.

Just recently we have had several breakthroughs that have made me really hopeful that everything is about to change!

Breakthrough #1:  Corbin started writing!  It began with him copying his sister's artwork, then doing artwork of his own, then he began tracing his name when I wrote it for him at the top of his worksheets, and finally it culminated in him writing his name without me even prompting him to!  He is one of those kids that I can encourage but not push.  If I push, he will push back.  I am so very thankful that the Lord revealed this to me about Corbin at a very young age!  I never "told" him to write his name.  I would casually ask him, "Corbin, do you want to try to write your name at the top of the page, or would you like me to?"  He would usually say, "You can."  I know that if I had made a big deal out of him learning to write his name he would have become angry and defiant.  Because I let him decide when he was ready (with just a little encouragement and gentle prompting from me), he is excited and proud at his new accomplishment!  Mommy is pretty darn proud, too!!  At our homeschool co-op this week he wrote his name from memory on his craft project and was beaming as he tried to show everyone.  It was a big moment for us!

Breakthrough #2:  I realized that the phonics program that I used for Abby (100 Easy Lessons) just was not going to work with Corbin, no matter how wonderful a curriculum it might be.  I noticed that Corbin is very interested in memory work and repetition (I think he knows some of Abby's memory work better than she does!), so I speculated that perhaps The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading might be a better fit.  Abby has been doing it as continuing phonics lessons, just much further on in the book, so I gave it a whirl with Corbin ... and he loved it!  Not only did he enjoy it so much more, but he actually remembered what we had learned.  BIG sigh of relief from Mommy!!

Breakthrough #3:  I believe one of the reasons Corbin was not very motivated to learn to read was because he hadn't yet seen all of the wonder and excitement and mystery and adventure to be had in being able to read on your own.  Mommy can read to him ... Abby can read to him ... Daddy can read to him; why did he need to learn to read for himself?  That all changed when I read to him a book from the Billy and Blaze series.  I have never in my entire life seen a child so excited to be hearing a book read aloud!  He was jumping up and down on his stool, letting out squeals of excitement, and clapping his hands ... I was in awe at how emotionally involved he became with the characters.  He asked to have the book after I finished and went to sit at his desk.  He asked me if I could read it to him again and I told him he would have to wait until everybody was finished with school.  He frowned, looked at the page he was on, and pointed his finger at the first word on the page.  "Mommy, what is this sound?"  I told him what it was, but told him he would have to learn to read to be able to read the whole book.  "Okay, Mom," he said determinedly, "I need to learn to read."  I think my heart skipped several beats!!  He got it!  Right before my very eyes, he realized just what a privilege it was to be able to read on your own ... to go on those adventures by yourself.  I felt like I had just witnessed something very sacred and profound. :)

Corbin is a passionate, passionate boy.  My biggest struggle with his education is going to be finding ways to keep that passionate mind focused on the goals I have for him.  I am thankful beyond words that the first and often biggest hurdle - that of getting a child to care about learning to read - seems to be behind us!

Five in a Row

No, no ... I didn't switch our curriculum (although FIAR is awesome and I love to peruse their book lists!). No, "Five in a Row" would be my nickname for our crew these days:

Aren't they too stinkin' cute?!  From L-R:  Corbin (4.5 years), Samuel (20 mos.), Josiah (7 weeks), Abby (6 years), and Daniel (3 years).

Oh, how I love those babies!!

Our sweet Josiah Wayne is our newest blessing, born in September and breaking the family record for weight - a whopping 10 lbs 12 oz.!!  Cutest 10 lbs. 12 oz. of chub you ever did see! :)

Here he is moments after birth:

GAHH!! I just want to run in to the room and kiss him right now looking at that!!  But I won't.  I will have a little self-control until I finish this post.  THEN I will run in there and kiss his chubby cheeks all over... ;)

And here is a recent one:

Yes, he has awesome hair :) It is a natural mohawk ... no styling required.  It is actually the lightest hair any of our kids have had, and is very close to a strawberry blonde!

Okay, just one more pic because I like him so much!

*sigh*

Library Success

Tomorrow we are headed to the library and we will be returning the following:

Amish Horses, by Richard Ammon
Carl's Summer Vacation, by Alexandra Day
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Horse in the House, by Erica Silverman
Don't Fidget a Feather, by Erica Silverman
Draw Me a Star, by Eric Carle
Follow Carl, by Alexandra Day
Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry, collected by J. Yolen & A. F. Peters
Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, by Jan Karon
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey
One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
River Parade, by Alexandra Day

Robert McCloskey, Alexandra Day, and Erica Silverman are quickly becoming some of our favorite authors!  Books by these authors not only hold the attention of all three of the older kiddos, but also keep Mommy coming back for more, too!  The Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series is cute as can be, and has the added bonus of being about a horse -- something that automatically gets an eager audience in this house.  Robert McCloskey's books are timeless and have such an air of peace and simplicity about them.  And I love the Carl books simply because they give the kids a chance to tell the story on their own!

This was our second time to check out Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, and we loved it just as much the second time around as the first.  This book is definitely going on our Christmas wish list!  One afternoon I came in to the living room to find that Corbin had dragged one of my kitchen chairs in there and flipped it upside down so that he could stand on the seat part and hold onto the legs of it.  I asked him what he was doing, and he said, "I'm sailing to America!!  Like Jeremy, Mom!"  Well, it must have been rough seas, because that kitchen chair is now in need of repair ... but at least Corbin had a great adventure! :)

The only books that didn't get a lot of attention this time around were Here's a Little Poem and Amish Horses.  Wait, that is not true.  Amish Horses was enjoyed by Corbin many times for the great illustrations of horses, but we really didn't read it through but once.  Here's a Little Poem was alright, but just wasn't really the type of poetry that we have grown to love over here.  I guess I'm just partial to the rich children's poetry that can be found in books like Now We Are Six.


I am working on our library list as I type (as well as nursing a baby and trying to calm a frustrated toddler     ... so goes a day in the life!), so I will check back in soon with what we find tomorrow.

Storm Chasing 101

Today's school experience did not follow Mommy's lesson plans in the slightest, and I couldn't be happier about it!

We had finished up the boys' lessons (with Abby participating, as well) and needed to go get the rental car cleaned out and washed (loooong story, but our "bus" has been in the shop for almost 2 weeks now).  I figured we would get that done and then come home for lunch and do Abby's lessons.  God had a different plan for the day, however....

I decided to stop and let the kids run off some energy at a park before going to the car wash, also giving me some time to spend on my nature journal, but noticed some pretty dark clouds rolling in not 20 minutes after we got there.  I loaded everybody back up and started to drive, only to see that the rain was surrounding us but we were not getting a drop.  In that moment, an idea hit me.  We would be storm chasers!  The car needed to be washed, and it is not often in this summer heat that we get a good soaking rain, so why not kill several birds with one stone??  We would wash the car, entertain the kids, and learn a little bit at the same time!

We magically transformed into amateur storm chasers, with the kids taking turns telling me which direction we needed to go next.  Mommy couldn't move the car if they said "that way" or just pointed, so they had to work on their directions: left, right, straight, turn around, etc.  I have to say, they did a pretty good job, too!  We managed to stay in constant rain for over an hour, even though the storms were scattered!  We had so much fun, and there were so many little lessons hidden in the experience; it is definitely something I will never forget!

We are now working on creating "Storm Chaser Badges" to show Daddy when he gets home.  The kids are so proud and can't wait to "teach" Daddy how to be an expert storm chaser!  I happened to have my camera in my diaper bag, so I even managed to get some pictures and videos to share with him :)  Good memories in the makin'!!

And, I didn't have to wash the rental car ... one less chore for Mommy today ;)

This Year's Curriculum

As promised earlier, I'd like to list out for you each child's curriculum.  I will list them out by which child they belong to (even though I mentioned that there tends to be a lot of lesson sharing!), what the subject is, and how often we do it each week.  Also, if a book is part of the Little Hearts for His Glory or Little Hands to Heaven curriculum, I will put (HOD) - for Heart of Dakota - next to it.  Anything without (HOD) means that it is a supplement that I have chosen to add on to their lessons.  I will include links to where to purchase each book so that I don't have to type out each author/publisher.

Sooooo much good stuff here, I am very happy with our curriculum for the year!

(And, while I will mention the reading we are doing as a part of our curriculum, I will save this year's library book list for later.  That post will take awhile. =)

Abby (turning 5 at the end of August; an emerging reader and writer):
Core Curriculum (5 days/wk) - Little Hearts for His Glory (HOD)
Phonics (5 days/wk) - The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading
Math (5 days/wk) - Math-U-See Alpha
Handwriting (2 days/wk) - D'Nealian handwriting
Bible Memory Verse (5 days/week, 1 verse per week) - (HOD)
Bible Reader (3 days/wk) - My Father's World Bible Reader 
Geography (1 day/wk) - Geography and Map Activities
Home Economics (1 day/wk) -  Lessons in Responsibility for Girls
Grammar (4 days/wk) -  First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind
Science: Our Father's World (HOD), science journal
Art/Art Appreciation (2 days/wk) - Come Look With Me, art journal
Latin (1 day/wk) - Songschool Latin
Bible Devotions - Devotion's for the Children's Hour (HOD)
Thinking Skills and Basic Skill Mastery (3 days/wk) - Finding the Answers (HOD), Do It Carefully (HOD)
History (5 days/wk) - History for Little Pilgrims (HOD), History Stories for Children (HOD)
Music/Music Appreciation (1 day/wk) - Hide 'Em In Your Heart (HOD), various Classical pieces, Music for Little Mozarts
Literature (5 days/wk) - Thornton Burgess' Animals Stories (HOD), Little Women, various library books

(I know that looks like a LOT for a little girl who isn't even five yet, but you have to understand that A) since not all books are done every day of the week, it actually doesn't take but an hour or two to finish everything each day, and B) Abby is a very advanced and self-driven kiddo ... she would be bored to tears with anything less!)


Corbin (age 3.5) and Daniel (turning 2 at the end of August):
Core Curriculum (5 days/wk) - Little Hands to Heaven (HOD)
Phonics (5 days/wk) -  Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Science (1 day/wk) - science journal
Literature (5 days/wk) - various library books, Black Beauty
Bible (5 days/wk) - The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes  (HOD)
Bible Devotions - My ABC Bible Verses (HOD)
Music (5 days/wk) - The Singing Bible (HOD)

Daniel and Samuel (5.5 months):
Weekly activity (one developmental activity repeated every day for a week) - Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready
Reading (5 days/wk) - whatever library books, board books, or literature of the older children's they show interest in!

Okay, my children need my attention.  I just found one playing with my cell phone, one drooling on my carpet because he is teething, and one hiding with a bag of skittles he had stolen from the pantry!  Better go reestablish order to our world! =)

2010/2011 School Year, Here We Come!

HOLY  MOLY!  I cannot believe how long it has been since I last posted on here!  That doesn't mean we haven't been reading or learning, of course; quite the opposite, really!  We've been having too much excitement for Mommy to occupy herself with such silly things as sitting at the computer and typing all afternoon! =)

Today was the first "official" day of our 2010/2011 school year.  While we school all the time, this is the first time the kids are not all going to be in the same curriculum.  Abby has moved up to 1st grade curriculum, while the boys are still doing their pre-K/K curriculum.  Up until today, Abby was just doing their lessons with them.  It makes her feel so big and special to be moving up a grade!

I have been wanting to share what it is that we are doing for school this year.  Mostly I want to do this so that I can go "look at my blog" when people ask, rather than having to scratch my brain while I try to remember it all! I share out of laziness and forgetfulness.  =)

In a later post I will list out each of the books we are doing.  Before I do that, however, please allow me to jot a few notes about the little details in how our school tends to happen on a day-to-day basis so you will have a better feel for what role those books actually play in our lessons:

• We have no set "schedule."  I keep a planner with a list of what lessons are to be done by each child on each day, but there is no set time we have to do those lessons.  Sometimes we school first thing in the morning, sometimes before lunch, sometimes after nap.  Sometimes we even split it up and do a little in the morning and a little a bit later.  Whatever feels right that day is what we do.  This keeps Mommy from going crazy, baby from going hungry, and house from going to hell in a hand basket (or laundry basket, in our case!).
• I do not keep grades at this point.  I actually doubt I will keep grades until they are necessary for college (so in middle high and high school years).  I am not only the kids' teacher, but their Mommy.  I know how well they are doing in a subject and do not feel the need to record every letter or number grade.  One of the blessings in homeschooling is being able to move at each child's individual pace.  If we need another week on a topic, we take another week.  If a weeklong topic takes one day to grasp and exhaust, we move onto a new topic the next day.  I keep track of what we do each day and make notes of how the children are doing, but do not formally record grades right now.  Another reason for this is that I don't want the kids' focus to be on getting an "A", but to be on truly understanding and appreciating a subject.  An "A" is just proof that you did well in a paper lesson.  But to truly learn something you must be able to have an intelligent, enlightened, understanding conversation about it.  In other words, I have taught you well when you can teach that topic back to me.  How many of us got an "A" in a foreign language, only to forget everything about that language once that semester was over??  I rest my case!
• We have a style of learning that can be described as very Charlotte Mason-esque, with a penchant for all things Classical =)  I'm sure fellow homeschoolers will understand what that means, but for those who do not, let me try and summarize as briefly as possible without robbing those techniques of their richness:                                                                                                        Charlotte Mason is a more relaxed, literature-based, Christ-centered education.  Great emphasis is put on reading living books, studying nature, history, and narration (having the child narrate back to you what they just heard/saw/read/learned/etc.).  I have talked some about this method on my blog already, and a great website for more information would be Simply Charlotte Mason.                   Classical education is based on the classic Greek methods of learning, and includes a school structure called the trivium.  Especially in the younger years (the Grammar stage of the trivium), there is much emphasis on rote memorization and a thorough learning of the basics.  I highly recommend reading The Well-Trained Mind for more information on this method. We seem to meld and weave these two educational methods, Charlotte Mason and Classical, into one style that fits our family to a T!
• School is not forced onto our children, but instead encouraged and enjoyed.  Our children are so 'brainwashed' into liking school that I have to work really hard to resist the temptation to discipline them by threatening "no school"!  They enjoy it so much that even suggesting that their attitude or behavior is not conducive to doing our school prompts an immediate attitude adjustment! I don't discipline with grounding from schoolwork, though, however tempting it may be! =)  It is very important to me that they never feel burned-out or bored with their lessons.  I do everything in my power to keep their work exciting, relevant, and developmentally appropriate.  At the first sign of stress or frustration we move onto something else or take a break, coming back after we have relaxed and are ready to try again!  
• And lastly ... while good grades, great knowledge, and a mastery of skills are all vital, my husband and I both are deeply convicted that our #1 responsibility as our children's teachers/parents is to nurture in them a love, respect, and understanding of God, His Word, and His creation.  A good grade in math, for example, means that our child can not only add, subtract, divide, and multiply, but can also look around and see and appreciate the beauty and wonder of mathematics in the Creator's handiwork!

That about sums it up for now.  It is going to be such a wonderful school year, and I look forward to sharing it with you from time to time!

Learning to Learn

I am often times asked how it is that I "school" such young children.  I get this frowning, skeptical look that implies that I must be some harsh over-achieving Mom, torturing my children with hours of lessons and drills.  This is drastically far from the truth, and I want to share what homeschooling means at this stage in our family.
It seems to be a common misconception that learning doesn't truly begin until the age of 5 yrs., with anything done before that being merely "preparatory" work to get the child ready for school.  Similarly, education is thought to end after highschool or college, once "formal" education is over with.

I passionately disagree.

To me, life is learning.  We are learning from the second we are conceived until the second we die.  Even then, honestly, I believe eternity in Heaven will be one glorious playground of revelation and learning!

Schooling my infants/toddlers/preschoolers does not mean that I am drilling data into their heads, but instead that I am attempting to open the world up to them, bit-by-bit, as they show me they are ready.  "School" in our house is not a dreaded place of tests and homework; rather it is a treat and regarded as a game that everyone wants to participate in.  Education is not a set list of things that must be learned by this age or that; but, on the contrary, is an exploration and experiment in life as we encounter it.

I am not forcing my children to learn information. 

I am encouraging them to learn how to learn!

If you ask me, I'd say we have been schooling basically since we found out I was pregnant with Abby. However, we recently put in place a more structured, planned routine in addition to our usual endeavors. Are there worksheets? Yes.  Are there craft projects?  Yes.  Will there be tests when they get older?  Yes.  But these are just extra projects to supplement the real learning that has been going on.  The true learning takes place in my lap or their Daddy's as we devour book after book, in their hands as they dig through the dirt and grass and rocks in our backyard; in our minds as we have ongoing conversations about everything we are discovering about God's created universe; in our hearts as we get our daily sustenance from His Word and spend time together in prayer.

Yes, they know their 123's and ABC's, but those are secondary requirements in my responsibility to teach them.  My highest priorities are that they are learning to love and respect God, to love and respect others, to love and respect themselves, and to love and respect learning.  If I can teach them these four things, everything else will just fall into place!

So please do not get the idea that my children are being dragged into the classroom each day by a demanding mother who requires more of them than they can handle.  If you could only see how they drag ME into the classroom -- whether it be the school room or backyard or the pages of a book -- begging me to teach them even on the days when I have a million other things that I think I should be doing instead. 

School is fun, and we plan on keeping it that way -- not just as preschoolers, but throughout our entire lives!

Mommy Has Reading Nook Envy!

This Sunday my husband and I spent the kids' naptime working on the school/toy room.  We really wanted to get it cleaned out and organized before Christmas so that we could make room for the new books, school supplies, and any rogue toys we get (we've requested no toys this year, but we know we will undoubtedly come home with a few here and there)! 

One of my favorite parts of the room is the reading nook we made.  I don't know if you've caught on, but....I like to read.  Shocking revelation, huh!?  ;o)  Ever since I was young I would try and find isolated, cozy places to read.  Whether it was under my covers with a flashlight after my Dad had said "lights out," or tucked into a feather coat up in a tree during the winter, I have always looked for special reading "nooks."  Now, as a mother of little readers, I have desperately been wanting to create just such a nook for our kids.  We don't have any oversized window sills or stairs with cubbies underneath, so we had to make do with what space we have available to us.  I got some white throw pillows and a fun circle pillow with matching blanket on clearance at Wal-Mart, as well as a cheap (but really soft!) bath mat, re-stickable dry erase wall dots on clearance at Office Max, and two plastic shelves from IKEA.  Here's how it turned out:

MOMMY IS JEALOUS!  I want a reading nook!  My husband plans on building our next (and permanent) home with his own two hands, and knows that a reading nook for Mommy ranks right up there with a big laundry room and spacious kitchen!

This is what I caught later in the day (as you can see, the book they are reading, One Magical Day, is one of our favorites and has been "loved on" a little bit.  Mommy needs to repair it!):

All toys in the house are now successfully corralled into the toy/school room! The only exceptions are that Corbin has all of his horse collection in the boys' room, Abby has some of her favorite dolls and stuffed animals on her bed, and Daniel has a tub of infant/toddler toys and board books in the living room.  Let me give you a quick tour of the rest our little one room school house!

This is the toy shelf, holding the toys that survived "The Great Toy Purge - 2009":

Here is the school table, right underneath the window so we always have plenty of light:

This is our music corner.  Underneath the piano is a basket holding all of our other instruments (echo microphones, cymbals, rhythm sticks, recorders, drum, rain stick, etc.):

Here you can see our easel with supplies underneath, a section of the chalkboard donated by a friend of ours, and our foam building blocks:

Lastly, we have our school shelf and stuffed animals.  On top of the bookshelf is our CD player for our music time, our books for the day, and a memory verse.  The top shelf holds extra curricula and supplements.  The middle shelf is for art supplies, Play-doh, and flashcards.  And the bottom shelf now holds our library books and math manipulatives:

And now you've seen the Straight Paths Christian School's layout!  We've decided not to paint or redo any carpets in here (or anywhere in the house, for that matter), because -- frankly -- what's the point when you have this many infants/toddlers/preschoolers running around?!  It's fun, functional, and organized -- that's all we need!

I will leave you with one last sweet image of Corbin and Abby reading together, just because it makes Mommy so happy!

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall."

~Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory~

LIbrary Card Upgrade

Our library has a limit of 15 items per card, which is entirely inadequate for as many books as we read.  All of the kids are still too young to get cards, so one Saturday we took Daddy to the library and he got a card, as well.  After his first trial check-out of 5 books, we now have a total family limit of 30 books! YAY!  Although, I must say that 29 books and three toddlers was a lot to wrangle into the car for this prego Momma -- but it is worth it!

We returned everything that we had (with a few last reads of Sam & the Tigers last night to say "Goodbye!"), and here is what we brought home this morning:

FOR THE KIDS:

• Rosie's Walk, by Pat Hutchins
• The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss & illustrated by Crockett Johnson
• The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen, retold by Stephen Mitchell & paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
• The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg
• Lentil, by Robert McCloskey
• Ira Sleeps Over, by Bernard Waber
• The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Anderson, translated from the Danish by Anthea Bell & pictures by Robert Ingpen
• Olivia, by Ian Falconer
• An Amish Christmas, by Richard Ammon & illustrated by Pamela Patrick
• The Snowman Storybook, by Raymond Briggs
• Newbery Girls: Selections from Fifteen Newbery Award-Winning Books Chosen Especially for Girls, compiled by Heather Dietz
• Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall & pictures by Barbara Cooney
• Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban & pictures by Lillian Hoban
• Tikki Tikki Tembo, retold by Arlene Mosel & illustrated by Blair Lent
• George and Martha, by James Marshall
• Frog and Toad Together, by Arnold Lobel
• Chester the Worldly Pig, by Bill Peet
• Katie and the Sunflowers, by James Mayhew
• The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack & Kurt Wiese
• Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, by Jan Karon
• Winnie the Pooh and Some Bees, by A.A. Milne & with decorations by Ernest H. Shepard

FOR MOM:

• Caroline Feller Bauer's New Handbook for Storytellers: With Stories, Poems, Magic, and More, illustrated by Lynn Gates Bredeson
• Parenting by The Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Your Children, by John Rosemond
• The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise
• Dr. Monessori's Own Handbook:  A Short Guide to Her Ideas and Materials, by Maria Montessori
• The Tale Spinner:  Folktales, Themes, and Activities, by Linda K. Garrity
• The Way We Talk Now:  Commentaries on Language and Culture, by Geoffrey Nunberg
• Speaking Freely:  A Guided Tour of American English from Plymouth Rock to Silicon Valley, by Stuart Berg Flexner & Anne H. Soukhanov
• The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes:  Exploring Over 500 Rhymes, Songs, and Riddles, edited by Iona and Peter Opie

I know we'll be able to easily breeze through the kids' books before they are due, but my head is spinning just looking at my stack!  I have to make sure not to slack on housework because of the temptation of so many good books to delve into!  Renewing will have to be my friend :o)

A Runaway Mommy

I remember clearly the time when I didn't think Corbin would ever talk.  Whereas Abby started saying words at 6 months and was talking in sentences by a year, Corbin barely uttered any words until he was two years old.  I recall having dreams before he talked about hearing him speak -- and waking up to think, "that day will never come!"

Well, the day came...and that's the end of that!  The boy will not close his mouth!  While still not as "wordy" as Abby, he is definitely right on track -- if not advanced -- for his sex and age.  What did I do before I got to hear his thoughts directly from his sweet little mouth all day??  Such a joy for him to be able to share himself in that way now!

I whole-heartedly believe that how much we read has been a great contributing factor in his surge of speech lately.  The kids have been incorporating phrases and words from the books we read into their daily conversations more and more frequently, and to hear Corbin doing this, especially after going so long without hearing a peep from him, makes my heart swell! 

The other night I was putting him to bed and was sitting in the rocking chair in his room praying while he was trying to calm down and doze off.  He would periodically roll over and check to make sure that I hadn't left him.  Then, out of the blue, he turned to me and said, "Mommy, you run away from me I will FLY after you, 'cause you my Mommy!"  While we had to return Runaway Bunny awhile ago, I immediately recognized the phrasing he was borrowing from it.  I said, "Oh yeah?  What if I climb a mountain to get away from you?"  He grinned and said, "I climb up high and come get you, 'cause you my Mommy!"  We did this back and forth for a couple of minutes before I told him that it was time to go to sleep.  It was fun for us to be able to play that game together, having both shared in the tale of the the little runaway bunny and his mommy. 

Both Corbin and Abby have been absolutely obsessed with Sam and the Tigers by Julius Lester over the last couple of weeks.  Randomly one of them will say, "Sam, I'm going to eat you up," to which the other will respond, "Uh uh...I don't like that idea.  Take my red coat instead!"  They go back and forth acting out Sam's encounter with the tigers, using new words they have picked up such as "indeed", "fine", and "declared".  Daddy and I will chime in, too, and act out the different scenes.  I am seeing how these books are introducing new words that I never would have thought to intentionally teach my toddlers and preschoolers, and they are using them in creative and correct ways!  Chalk it up as one more benefit to reading aloud on a daily basis!!

Tomorrow is library day, so I'm sure I'll be checking back in with a list of our loot!  Happy reading!

Lists, Lists, Everywhere!

One thing that I could not live without as I walk along this path of reading with my children is suggestions from others.  Whether a list made by another like-minded mommy of her family's reading conquests, a list made by the American Library Association of award winning books, or just word-of-mouth about great children's literature, I would be completely overwhelmed without these nudges in the right direction!  There is so much literature out there that you can feel as if you are drowning when you just jump in on your own.  Suggested reading lists have not only helped keep me from being overtaken by the waves of choices, but also build my confidence in selecting books outside of the suggested as I learn what it is that makes a great book for our family. 

Yet again, let me recommend grabbing some literature review compilation books, such as Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt or The Children's Literature Lovers Book of Lists by Joanne Sullivan.  Books such as these can just live in your library bag and go with you on every trip, offering last minute ideas in a bind.  I have started using my books like these as check lists, marking off books as we go and making it a goal to read them all!

In addition to books about books, the internet has a nearly endless supply of lists about books for the reading parent to print out.  One website that I recently found by The Parker Family has a list of these lists (I think all book lovers must love lists as much as I do!).  Simply Charlotte Mason (a great site for much more than just their book recommendations!) has suggested reading for Charlotte Mason education at different ages.  I've also stumbled upon  many schools -- public, private, homeschool, and charter -- that publish their recommended reading lists online.  For example, I printed out a list from Cornerstone Christian Academy in Arizona for more ideas.  There really is no end to the information at your fingertips on the web!

Lastly, ask around!  Ask family members, ask friends, ask preschool teachers, ask librarians; quiz everyone you encounter with children the same age as yours to find out what they have read or are reading with their family or students.  You will be surprised by some of the gems you can find this way!

One quick warning while I am thinking about it:  read all books on your own before you read them to your children.  While all surely are good-intentioned, not all book suggestions will be coming from those who have the same goals and values as you do.  Look at the source of the recommendation to see if it is a Christian or secular resource, and the proceed with caution either way.  There have been several times where I made the mistake of not reading a book on my own before reading it aloud to my kids, and had to stop right in the middle of a book!  Spare your kids the frustration and confusion -- make sure that what you begin reading to them is something that you are going to want to finish!

Lastly, as we talked about earlier with journaling, make your own lists!  Keep track of the books that you and your family have enjoyed -- not only to share with others, but to remember when you want to go back and reread some of your favorites.  When it comes to reading, lists are your friends!

“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations--something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.”

Katherine Patterson

Love Lines

In Honey for a Child's Heart, author Hunt talks about a bond that is developed in families that read together.  She says, "Reading aloud as a family has bound us together, as sharing an adventure always does.  We know the same people.  We have gone through emotional crises together as we felt anger, sadness, fear, gladness, and tenderness in the world of the book we were reading.  Something happens to us that is better experienced than described -- a kind of enlarging of heart -- when we encounter passages full of grand language and noble thoughts" (pg. 75). 

She goes on to explain how when families read together they begin to form their own special language to communicate with each other.  "Much of our secret family idioms come from the books we have read together.  I say 'secret' because a specialness surrounds it.  You need to have shared the book to know what the phrase means, and when we use it, it's communication of the heart."

I've been thinking about these two ideas -- of shared adventure and "secret" languages -- ever since I read those paragraphs several weeks ago.  Although my children are still very young, I feel I have already seen the proof that what Hunt speaks of is true; not only with my children, but as I look back over my own childhood.

While my siblings and I all have a love for reading individually, we rarely read together, especially as we got older.  We also had different tastes in literature, so very few of the stories that we read on our own time were shared amongst all of us.  However, we did watch a ton of Disney movies together!  To this day, because we shared those "adventures" found in the plots of the movies, we are constantly spouting out obscure Disney quotes to express our thoughts or feelings -- or just make a joke -- in different situations.  "Quick, what's that from?" is an oft heard question when we all get together.  We have, in essence, developed our own secret language from the random lines of movies that we watched together, and we have a blast with it!  Who wouldn't enjoy having a secret code?

I do not regret one minute of those shared experiences with my siblings and treasure the summer days we spent outside re-enacting Disney's Aladdin with all of my cousins.  Yet as I look forward and seek to foster a lasting bond between my own children, I realize that movies just won't do it for our family.  Already my children bore with television and would rather spend their time reading books.  They get this from their Mommy, and it pleases me to no end!  Even my husband -- a self-proclaimed TV addict -- has switched off the television to join the children and me as we spend our days digging deep into the riches on the pages before us.  We are sharing the adventures as a family, and growing closer because of them!

Even with a home of only infants, toddlers, and preschoolers about, we are already seeing those "secret idioms" that Hunt spoke of take life in the language of our family.  Lines to express love are the most commonly repeated, as little ones grasp to put words to the all-consuming love they have for the family that is their whole world right now. 

"I love you to the moon and back," is one my daughter loves to say, a variation on the closing line from Sam McBratney's Guess How Much I Love You. 

Another Sam McBratney book, You're All My Favorites, has helped the children express their love for each other and their parents with the word "best".  For example, I am Corbin's "best Mommy ever!", and Daniel is Abby's "best Daniel". 

Both my daughter and older son repeat "I love you forever and ever and always," from You Are Special, Little One, by Nancy Tafuri.  I believe this book is also the reason Corbin has started using "forever and ever" as his dramatic expression of choice (for example, "I be sad forever and ever!" to convey his disappointment, or "I protect you forever and ever" to explain how he wants to defend his siblings, etc.).

When someone does something amazing or silly or funny, someone might say "they should put you in the zoo because of the things that you can do!", from Robert Lopshire's Put Me in the Zoo.  

After reading Madeline (approximately eighty-five billion times), Corbin started dramatically waving his hand and saying "pooh, pooh!", meaning "that doesn't scare me" or "that is no big deal!".  And Abby, the one who couldn't get enough of Madeline, would quote the entire first half of the book from memory at random times throughout the day.

I could go on and on, listing the sayings that are developing in our family because of the books that we read together!  There is something comforting knowing that we can express our emotions or thoughts in these ways, and those we love will just "get it".  Isn't that what we all want, little or big?  To feel like someone just gets us and to feel accepted for who we are and what we think and feel?  It's not just a fun game to have this language develop between the members of our family, but it seems to be functioning as a magnet to pull us in closer; to bind our hearts and minds to one another, as little ones learn to put new words to their growing awareness of their individual thoughts and emotions, and big ones learn to open the doors of the world in a safe way. We are speaking lines of love that only we can fully understand, and we are building bonds that will -- I pray -- stand the tests of time and trials!

"The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books.”

Katherine Mansfield (1888 - 1923)

Library Bag

I realized that I had forgotten one important suggestion for having successful library trips with lots of little ones around and wanted to make a quick note about it.

I have heard several people comment that they can't check out library books because their kids lose or damage them. Our solution for this is our library bag. We have a large bag that is used only for library books, and that is where the books "live" when we aren't reading them. The kids are allowed to take one book out at a time and read it on their own, as long as they are gentle with it and put it right back when they are finished. Also, a child is not allowed to handle a library book until they have proven with their own books that they are responsible enough to do so. If they are still tearing up or mistreating their own books, they do not have the privelege of reading a library book without a parent helping. Not only does this keep the library books safe, but it motivates the kids to learn how to properly handle all books. So far we have yet to lose or damage a single library book!

This library bag always goes with us to the library (once the old books are returned, the bag hangs on the stroller for me to put our new books in as we find them) and then stays by Mommy's reading chair to ensure that it doesn't get lost in the mayhem of toddlerdom! The bag doesn't have to be expensive or pretty, just big and sturdy enough to handle a lot of books. I think I bought mine one summer at Walgreen's for $5!

Alright, well I just wanted to mention that before I forgot. We're off to take Daddy lunch and then come home to play outside in the beautiful Autumn weather.  Have a great Friday and a blessed weekend!

Being Educated About Educating

One of my favorite type of books to read, beyond Christian doctrine and apologetics, would be those that revolve around the brain of a child. Even from before birth the mind of a baby is like a sponge, absorbing everything it sees, hears, tastes, touches, smells, and experiences. While this topic has always captivated my attention, it is even more fascinating, and often convicting, to read these books now as a parent. To understand just how much a child is capable of learning, and how much they absolutely crave new knowledge and experiences and language, is such a motivator to me to surround my kids with positive and beneficial stimuli. These first six years are the most influential developmentally, and as a stay-at-home Mom, I'm the key player in what kind of influences they encounter! What a job!

There have been a handful of books that have been incredibly powerful in sculpting my outlook on specifically the developmental aspect of raising children. There are many others that were significant in my outlooks on disciplining and spirituality, but I want to focus today on those regarding mental and psychological development.

The book that sticks out most clearly in my mind as having made an impression early on in parenting (as in, when I had just found out I was pregnant with my first child) is Pre-Parenting: Nurturing Your Child from Conception, Thomas R. Verny, M.D. and Pamela Wientraub. This in-depth look at what a child is experiencing in-utero, and what effects those experiences can have on the child throughout their lifetime, is entirely spellbounding! Through the years the messages of this book have stayed at the forefront of my mind during pregnancies, and helped remind me to -- within my own realm of control -- provide my unborn child with as peaceful, relaxing, and loving an environment as I can. I handed this off to my sister when she got pregnant, who then handed it off to my other sister when she got pregnant, and I am planning on re-reading it again as soon as it makes the rotation back to my house!

Another book that made an impression on me was Talk With Your Child, by Harvey S. Wiener. Below is the description from the jacket of the book:

"Directed to parents of children up to six years old (but applicable to parents of older children as well), Talk with Your Child shows how, by actively engaging in conversation about everything they possibly can -- daily events, television, dreams -- parents will not only enjoy their children more, but will also stimulate language acquisition. The book presents an overview of what the experts know about how language is learned, and gives concrete suggestions for putting theory into practice, beginning with chats at cribside."

I am so thankful to have stumbled upon this book early in our parenting! Our children are humans, and in talking to them as such we are teaching them how to interact with and interpret the world around them. One of the most revolting sayings, in my opinion, is the old adage that "a child is to be seen, not to be heard." Oh, how that sends chills down my spine! This book advocates engaging children in life, rather than dragging them along for the ride, and I agree wholeheartedly!

A third book that I gleaned so much from as a parent -- and specifically as a parent who will be homeschooling -- was Eric Jensen's Enriching the Brain. I read this when my second child was a toddler, and a much different little toddler than his older sister had been! I remember a lightbulb going on while reading this book that helped me understand that there are different types of learners and different types of intelligence, and each of my children is a unique, intelligent mind who would need personalized experiences in their educations to truly meet their maximum potential. Much concern and anxiety were alleviated while reading this book, having come to the realization that not all of my children had to have the same strengths intellectually, but that all needed an enriching environment to blossom and grow in educationally!

Baby Read-Aloud Basics, by Caroline Blakemore and Barbara Weston Ramirez is a great book to read about reading! While this book didn't really open my eyes to ideas I was unaware of, it did do much to bolster my conviction that reading to my children was a vital part of my job as their Mom. This book offers many examples and study findings that show just what reading can do for a child, as well as some frightening consequences of not reading to your children. If anything, read this book just to be able to explain clearly to others why you are such a believer in reading so much!

Finally, and I know I have mentioned this book several times already in this blog, but I don't think there should be a parent out there who doesn't own a copy of Honey for a Child's Heart, by Gladys Hunt. The first half of the book is filled with treasures of encouragement and incentive to read to your kids, followed by the last half being filled with list upon list of recommended books for different age levels. Although not as heartwarming to me as Honey for a Child's Heart, the book How to Grow a Young Reader, by Lindskoog & Hunsiker, follows a very similar pattern and has been very helpful to me, as well.

These are just one handful of suggested resources for your parenting arsenal, but I think they just may be able to open your eyes to some new theories and philosphies on raising and educating children which could drastically improve the mood and manner of your home!

I'm always looking for more tools for my Mommy tool belt, so if you have any suggestions beyond these, please drop me a note and let me know what they are!

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

~Aristotle~

Books Galore!

Today our library books were finally due. It is interesting how we will begin to think of certain books as friends, and it almost hurts us to part with them! The "losses" of Madeline for Abby, and Stone Soup for Corbin, were quickly comforted by the fresh new pile of exciting books we got to take home in their places! The only four books we renewed were How to Grow a Young Reader and Honey for a Child's Heart for me, and A Child's Treasury of Beatrix Potter and The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury for the kids. Here is our new list (the kids went down for their naps so quickly at the promise that when they woke up we could start reading them!):

• Raggedy Ann & Andy Giant Treasury, by Johnny Gruelle
• Three Young Pilgrims, by Cheryl Harness
• My Life with the Wave, by Catherine Cowan/Mark Buehner
• Henny Penny, by Vivian French & illustrated by Sophie Windham
• Chanticleer and the Fox, adapted by Barbara Cooney
• Dandelion, by Don Freeman
• Sam and the Tigers, by Julius Lester & illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
• Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey
• Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
• Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A Classic Illustrated Edition, compiled by Cooper Edens
• The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Ryhmes and Jingles, by Maud and Miska Petersham
• Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky
• My Great-Aunt Arizona, by Gloria Houston & illustrated by Susan Condie Lamb
• Animals of the Bible, by Dorothy Pulis Lathrop

I'm really excited about all of these books! Almost all of them were recommendations from Honey for A Child's Heart and How to Grow a Young Reader, and I'm certain they will take us on many new adventures over the weeks to come!

"I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book."

~Groucho Marx~

Living Out Living Books

Living Book - "Living books are usually written by one person who has a passion for the subject and writes in conversational or narrative style. The books pull you into the subject and involve your emotions, so it’s easy to remember the events and facts. Living books make the subject “come alive.” They can be contrasted to dry writing, like what is found in most encyclopedias or textbooks, which basically lists informational facts in summary form. You might be surprised to find that living books are available for most school subjects — even math, geography, and science!" (http://www.simplycharlottemason.com/)

There is a light in the eyes of a child while reading a living book that is not there when reading flat or "dead" books, and especially not there when watching television (even educational programs). Since embarking on our quest to read as many living books as we can in our home, there has been a transformation in how our children perceive books. Reading used to be a treat, but nothing too exciting. Sometimes they would ask me to read, but many times I would have to call them over to me and ask them to sit with me while I read to them. Especially with Corbin, I would have to repeatedly ask him to sit still, focus, come back, calm down.

However, now when I sit down and open a book, I don't even have to utter a word. It is as if the children have super-sonic hearing or eyes in the back of their heads; they immediately drop anything they are doing and RUN to where I am! My husband has even commented on how (delightfully) strange it is that they respond so dramatically to the opening of a book. And once I am done, they will ask me to "read more" over and over, until I finally must tell them that we have to move on to something else. I firmly believe this is because they are learning, through living books, that reading is an adventure -- not a chore! They are being pulled into worlds they otherwise would never have the chance to explore, meeting people and creatures that they never could have dreamed of on their own, and they are eating it up!

One of the living books that has captivated their attention recently is Stone Soup, by Marcia Brown. I absolutely loved this book when I was in elementary school, but was a little skeptical when checking it out about whether my kids would be old enough to appreciate it yet. Boy, was my skepticism unfounded! I can't even count the number of times they have asked me read this book!

The other day while reading it, it struck me that the kids would enjoy being able to make some stone soup of their own. They love to act out what they read in books, so why not let them really experience this one! So yesterday we prepared our very own pot of stone soup.

I decided that I didn't want to follow a specific recipe, but just prepare the soup as the soldiers had done in the book (with a few tweaks here and there by Mommy). I knew this ran the risk of being a failed meal, but there is always PB&J for back-up!! Saturday night I ran to the grocery store and bought some cabbage, stew meat, and barley, since those were the only ingredients we didn't already have on hand. Then, after church on Sunday, we stopped by Grandpa and Meme's house to borrow three "stones" from Meme's rock garden (which prompted a great conversation with the kids on rocks vs. stones, and how some words can be used interchangeably to mean the exact same thing and are called "synonyms"). We got home and the kids played outside with Daddy while Mommy washed and cut up all of the ingredients (as well as giving the stones a good scrub-down!), and then we all joined in together to make our magical stone soup.

Daddy read the story to us so that we would know the exact order we needed to do things in, Abby and Corbin took turns throwing in the prepared ingredients, and Daniel watched on in fascination from his high chair. It was such a joy to share this adventure as a family, and -- an unexpected bonus -- the soup was absolutely delicious!

Here's what we did:

• Start a large pot boiling with water (I also added two cans of beef broth for flavor).
  
• Put in three large, smooth stones (make sure they are hard stones that do not break up easily, and wash them thoroughly with hot soapy water).
  
• Add in salt & pepper, carrots, cabbage, beef, potatoes, barley, and milk (I let the kids throw in some dried oregano, dried basil, chopped onion, and chopped celery for added flavor).

• Stir and let boil for 1.5 hours. It is finished when the meat is thoroughly cooked and the vegetables are soft.

And there you have it, your very own Stone Soup, fit for a king!

For me, this is what this journey is all about. Taking the stories and characters and adventures we encounter on the pages of our books and making them come alive as lessons on love, morality, life, the world, and (most importantly) God. There are times when you need to bust out a math worksheet and do some diagramming of sentences; it is my opinion that all children need to learn those disciplines to succeed. However, the lasting lessons will not be the ones where facts, equations, and dates are memorized, but the ones that stick because they were made to come alive in my children's hearts, minds, bodies, and souls!

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.

~Charles W. Eliot~