Happy Labor Day Weekend

 

everyone

 

 

Hope you have a great weekend and have a picnic with your family or friends.  Hope to hear from each of you soon with a comment on my blog.  Remember to enjoy yourself.  The last official Summer holiday.

 

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Friday Post

 

 

Disney's

Mickey and Friends

A Perfect Picnic

 

 

    This book came late but is a cute book so I thought I would share it.  It is a Level 2 Reader for a first grader with help.  Mickey decided he wanted to have a picnic with his friends so he told each of them to make a sandwich, get a drink, and bring their favorite piece of fruit.  Everyone decides while they are making their lunch that there is something that they are bringing they don't really want to share with everyone.  Mickey had said they would trade lunches when they got to the picnic spot.  When everyone gets there Mickey can see his friends are not happy.  So he asks them what is wrong and they tell him they don't want to trade lunches.  Minnie sees that Mickey is disappointed so she says she will share her lunch with Mickey.  Then Goofy, Donald, and the rest decide they could share their fruit but everyone brought a different fruit.  They all want to know how they can share that.  Mickey comes up with a good way and everyone decides it was the perfect picnic.  Read this book with your child or grandchild and enjoy it.  Really cute book.

 

 

 

Picnic Buddies

by

Marjorie Hakala

 

 

    This is a great board book for young children.  It has really colorful pictures and a short story about the bugs getting together for a picnic.  This is a great book to read with a young child. Join the bugs and critters for a one-of-a-kind picnic.

 

 

 

 

Ants at the Picnic

 

by

 

Michael Dahl

 

 

   This is such a cute book about counting by 10's.  The picnic is all set up and there are lots of food and lots of ants.  They start with 100 ants and count down to 0 with 10 ants taking something from the picnic such as the potato salad, chocolate cake, and even poor Aunt Helen.  It has great pictures and sure would help a child learn to count by tens.  It also has some resources at the end of the book such as www.facthound.com for special sites to use.  It is also an I Spy book in that numbers are on each thing that is carried away by the ants.  I would recommend this book for those wanting to help a child learn how to count by tens. Cute book!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Hello Readers!!

 

 

       Well, guess what it is almost time for the fall sports.  I love fall and all the unique things that come with fall.  I love the leaves changing, the crispness of the weather,  walks in the woods, hot apple cider, eating an apple fresh off the tree.  Another favorite thing is the fall sports.  I love watching football and the other fall sports.  I remember in high school going to the football games as a pep squad member and a member of the marching band.  I enjoyed the atomshpere and all the fun things we did.  Then in college I loved going to the games and watching the marching band.  I have been to a few NFL games and enjoyed them too but I think best of all I loved the high school days the best.  I think being a part of it was great and I loved going to the games when my daughters were in the marching bands and performed at halftime show.  Exciting and fun times.  So how many of you enjoy the fall?   Please write a comment and let me know what you love about fall and what were your team logos?  Were you a  player, musician, or a cheerleader?  Share your thoughts with me.  I would love to read them.

 

 

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I will be reviewing some sports and fall books in the next couple of weeks.  They haven't all came in but I will start posting on Friday the books I have found.  Enjoy your Wednesday and see you Friday!

 

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I found these logos from my favorite teams.  I am sure each of you have fond memories of your times
too.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Happy Monday Readers!

 

 

Today I am going to post about two Picnic books that I thought the adults might enjoy.  Hope everyone had a picnic last weekend or will have one this Labor Day Weekend. 

 

 

 

The Picnic Cookbook

 

by

 

 

Annie Bell

 

 

    This is a really lovely cookbook which shares all about picnics in what to take etc.  Also, it has some great pictures of picnics and delicious food.  It has over 100 mouth-watering recipes from roasted chicken to a  Lavender Shortcake.  She give you all the information you would need for a great picnic.  Some of the food is definitely not food I would have thought of for a picnic.  She shares recipes  for dips, pates, and cold cuts, breads, tarts, and pies, salads, roasting ideas, taking hot food on a picnic and some great desserts.  I was amazed with the soup and how to take it on a picnic.  It is a great book to enjoy and recipes you would enjoy.  Check it out.

 

 

 

Ms. Bell has other interesting cookbooks too!

 

Patchwork Picnic

by

Suzette Halferty and Nancy J. Martin

 

If you love quilting, cooking, and picnics this is your book.  The authors share several lovely picnic ideas followed with a quilt and how to make the quilt featured for that picnic.  I had several favorites but I thought since fall is just around the corner a Tailgate Party would be awesome.    My all time favorite one in the book though is the Dinner on the Deck. The quilt is a sailboat quilt and I love it.  I really do want to make it.  You could have this picnic on the deck overlooking the ocean  or a beautiful lake, or a pool.  The main dish is Sand Dune Salad made with grilled scallops.  It makes me hungry just thinking about being on a deck somewhere this weekend eat Sand Dune Salad.  Another favorite was The Drive in the Country Picnic.  The Sweet Hazelnut Pound cake sounds mouth-watering and the Indian Summer Quilt is so beautiful.  Please check out this book at your local library and try one of their Picnic and Quilt Ideas.  It is such a lovely book.  I really enjoyed it and it has amazing quilts and food. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich

 

1 egg

2 slices of bread

butter

2 slices of ham or turkey

1 slice of cheese

What to do:

Crack the egg and have the egg cook all the way through.  Toast the bread and butter it.  Put your egg on one of the slices of bread and then place the ham or turkey on top of the egg and then a slice of cheese.  Put the other slice of toast on top buttered side down.  There you have a Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich.

 

You could also serve fruit kabobs was another suggestion from the book and a bottle of orange juice.

 

From the book Packing Up a Picnic by Rick Walton and Jennifer Adams

 

1

 

 

 

 

Happy Friday My Friends

 

 

     I have three more children's books to share with you and a picnic idea for a different kind of picnic.  Hope you enjoy reading these books with your children or grandchildren and then going on a picnic this weekend.  I hope you enjoy the beautiful summer weather.  It is going to be in the 90's here so that is great picnic and swimming weather.  Please share your picnic ideas in the comments  section of the blog.  I would love to hear from you and let me know what books or themes you might be interested in.  Happy Reading!!!!!!!!

 

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Franklin's Picnic

by

 

Sharon Jennings

 

  Franklin and his friends are playing ball when everyone has to run home for lunch when Franklin is up to bat.  Franklin was upset he didn't get to bat.  Franklin ran home and ate lunch by himself and then he ran back to the park and waited a long time for his friends to come back.  When everyone finally shows up Franklin suggests they have a picnic tomorrow so they won't have to go home for lunch.  Franklin said he would bring the food. Franklin tells his parents about his idea of a picnic and they ask what he will make for the picnic.  Can you guess what he makes? Franklin makes sandwiches and cookies but what kind is the fun part.  The next day Franklin and his friends play ball and then everyone gets hungry.  Bear spreads out the blanket and everyone helps get the picnic ready while Franklin gets out the food.  Franklin's mom saves the day and the picnic is a success.  I won't tell you all of it but young boys would love the book because it has insects in it . :) This book is a level 2 reader so a second grader reading at grade level should be able to read it.  This a is a cute book about a picnic!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka

and the

Strawberries

 

by

 

May Lindman

 

This a story about three little girls who lived in Sweden.  They all had blonde hair and blue eyes and always dressed alike.  One day they asked their mother if they could go on a picnic.  They decided to pick wild strawberries for their mother to can.  So they started off early the next morning with baskets to pick  strawberries in.  They go to the meadow and pick strawberries all morning long.   Then the girls sit under a big tree and eat their picnic lunch.  On their way home the girls get lost but as go along the path they find a cottage. The lady of the cottage   help them and then her daughter guided the girls back home through the woods. The girls' mother give them each a coin for picking so many good strawberries for the jam.  They decide to do something with their money with is very  unselfish.  It is a cute book for girls of all ages I think.  You might have to get this one at the library.

 

 

 

Packing Up a Picnic
by
Rick Walton and Jennifer Adams

This is a great book if you want ideas for a children's picnic.  They list 7 picnics with ideas for foods and activities for the kids to do after the picnic is over or before.  My two favorite ones are the Breakfast Picnic and the Drive-In Picnic.
I have never went on a breakfast picnic but I do believe it would be fun.  You get up and go to watch the sunrise.  One of the ideas for food is the Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich.  I will list it below.  Also, give some ideas for where to have the picnic and some games to play.  Predicting when the sun will come up,  I Spy is always a great one for kids, and a Balloon Race.  Just give the kids some balloons to blow up .  Each child gets a balloon and the race with it down the line without using their hands or arms.  I think all kids would love it and it has healthy foods to eat and drink.
My other favorite one is the Drive-in picnic which I had done as a child.  If you went to the drive-in with your family you remember eat the treats there or sometimes our family took sandwiches and popcorn with us.  We would eat our sandwich before the movie started and eat popcorn all during the movie.  It was a fun time.  Drive-in movie theaters are hard to find now but now parents can put the tv outside on the deck or the yard or kids can watch dvd's in the car.  There are many options and the food listed are all healthy and ones kids would love.  Hot air popcorn is always good and string cheese.  There are some great games to play before the movie and during the movie.  There all kind of possibilities.  So why not a Drive-in movie Picnic??  Both sound like a lot of fun to me.  Hope you will get this great book for many more picnic ideas.

 

See you on Monday with grown-up picnic books to share,  Have a great weekend everyone!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 











 

 

 

Picnic Fun

 

 

I have found some really cute books about picnics.  It is a great time for a picnic outdoors on  a warm August summer day.  So get out your picnic basket and blanket and head out to a park or a lake and have a late summer picnic.  It will be great fun especially after reading some of these cute books with your children before you go or while you are picnicking.  I hope to go on one this Sunday at the lake.  My first pick is a Caldecott Medal winner about a family of mice going on a picnic,  The other two are two different books about a Teddy Bears' Picnic.  Both of them have the song The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy and John W. Bratton.  Both of them are so cute and the one I would really like to get for my granddaughter.  So check out my picks for today.

 

 

Picnic

by

Emily Arnold McCully

 

This book is so cute.  It is about a mouse family going on a picnic out in the country.  They all pile in the truck and head for their special place  but something happens on the road to the picnic spot.  Bitty falls off the truck and no one notices that he is gone  until everyone is on the blanket ready to eat and then Mother Mouse counts the children and realizes that Bitty is missing.  Everyone calls for Bitty and checks all around the picnic area but no Bitty.  Everyone jumps back in the truck to go look for Bitty.  In the meantime Bitty feels so lonely and is sad because he can't find his family.  Bitty's family does find him and they all head back to the picnic spot and enjoy their picnic lunch with "still not a cloud in the sky."  This book is so cute and has great illustrations. 

 

 

 

Teddy Bears' Picnic

by

Mark Burgess

 

The Teddy Bears are on their way to a picnic.  They start out in the kitchen making food for the picnic.  The cutest part of this book is that there is a fold out page with a different children's song on each of the right hand pages of the book.  The story goes through the bears going on the bus to the picnic spot in the country.  I loved the fold out pages with the songs such as Pat-a-cake, The Wheels on the Bus, and The Teddy Bear Picnic.  It is a great book to read aloud with a young child and then sing the songs as you read through the book.  I think it is a great grandparents book to read.  Check it out and I know you will enjoy it.

 

 

 

The Teddy Bears' Picnic

 

illustrated by Bruce Whatley

 

This is the song The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy and John W. Bratton illustrated by Bruce Whatley.  The teddy bears are so cute and it is a board book so younger children would enjoy it too and you wouldn't have to worry about the pages getting torn.  This is such a cute book.  I love the teddy bears.  Wouldn't it be fun for children to go on a teddy bear picnic with their teddy bears?  I love teddy bears.  I had a collection of them.  I loved each one.  Check out this book for younger children and read  it to them.  They will love it.

 

 

See you on Friday with some more picnic books and some ideas for a Breakfast Picnic and a great book with ideas for all kind of picnic themes.  Happy Reading!!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Happy Monday Readers!

 

 

     Welcome readers to my Monday post.  I am going to preview Picnic books this week.  This time of year always hits me as a time to go on a picnic under a big shady tree by a lake.  I live close to a big lake and I enjoy watching the boats from a hill overlooking the lake.  There is usually a couple or a family having a picnic at the picnic tables or on

 

a blanket.  It is a beautiful spot and I enjoy going there with friends and family.  In fact I was there yesterday and there were quite a few picnickers and many sailboats out on the water.  A lovely way to spend a Sunday in late August.  I enjoy going there and reading a good book like the Cedar Cove Series is so good.  I have put a picture on of one of my favorite spots at the lake. I can't wait to share some really good picnic books with you on Wednesday.  I hope each of you have a  wonderful day and Happy Reading!!!!

 

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Some great pictures from the  Hallmark Cedar Cove Series which is on the Hallmark Channel every Saturday night.  Check it out.

 

 

 

 

Happy Friday Everyone!

 

 

 

    I hope you are reading for the weekend everyone and what better way than to have a good book to read .  I posted on Wednesday about the Cedar Cove Series by Debbie Macomber.  I thought today I would list all the books in the series and give you some links for the books.  Hope you get a chance to read about some interesting folks from Cedar Cove Washington.  Happy Reading!!!!

 

 

 

Cedar Cove Series

 

by

 

Debbie Macomber

 

16 Lighthouse Road

 

204 Rosewood Lane

 

311 Pelican COurt

 

44 Cranberry Point

 

50 Harbor Street

 

6 Rainier Drive

 

74 Seaside Avenue

 

8 Sandpiper Way

 

92 Pacific Boulevard

 

1022 Evergreen Place

 

1105 Yakima Street

 

1225 Christmas Tree Lane

 

ALso:

 

Christmas in Cedar Cove

 

Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook

 

Here are some sites to check out about Cedar Cove Series

 

http://debbiemacomber.com/books/category/2/index.cfm?fuseaction=page

 

 

http://www.portorchard.com/joomla/http:

//www.hallmarkchannel.com/cedarcove

Check out Sassi's site for information about Cedar Cove Cookbook  by Debbie Macomber.  The link is below.
http://delightfullysassi.blogspot.com/  SHe has some great recipes from the book.










 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Cedar Cove

 

 

 

     I am going to review an adult series of books for this post and Friday's post.  I thought it would be nice for the mothers, grandmothers, and even the daughters.   I don't know  how many of you are Debbie Macomber fans but I am definitely one and I am so excited now that her series of books about Cedar Cove has become a tv series on the Hallmark Channel.  I have seen the first two episodes and I love it.  If you get a chance check out the series on Hallmark.  I thought I would review the first book of Debbie's series which is 16 Lighthouse Road.  I love Debbie's books.  I have read just about everything she has written.  If you get a chance pick up one at Amazon or your local library.  Happy Reading!!!!

 

 

 

 

16 Lighthouse Road

 

Cedar Cove

 

by

 

Debbie Macomber

 

 

     The story is set in Cedar Cove, Washington which is based off of Debbie's hometown of Port Orchard, Washington.  It is a small town with several very interesting characters who I will mention.  There is Judge Olivia Lockhart who is the main character .  Also, there is Jack Griffin who just moved to town and is the editor of the local newspaper.  Also, there is Charlotte (Olivia's mother), Justine (Olivia's daughter), Grace (Olivia's best friend and the local librarian), and Bob and Peggy Beldon who own the local Bed and Breakfast.  There are several more characters that appear in the book.  The book evolves around these characters and takes us through their daily lives.  By the end of the book you feel you know each of the characters and they could be any of your neighbors in any small town in America.  I don't want to give to much of the story away because you need to read for yourself and enjoy the meat of the book. Go to your local bookstore or local library and check out the first book in the series Cedar Cove and check out the tv series when you get chance.  They are both excellent.

 

 

 

 



 

Jack and Olivia

in the Hallmark Series

Cedar Cove

 

See you Friday with more about Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Book Series!!!!

 

     

 

 

 

 

Back to School

Reading Tips

for

Parents

 

 

 

I am  going to list some of the ones that I feel have worked with students in my classroom and in other classrooms that I have observed.  Also, I will put a link to a couple of sites that have more ideas for you as a parent to help your student to become a better reader.

 

 

1. Be an example to your child by reading to them and reading for yourself.

 

2.  I would suggest having your child read to you or a family member, even a pet  for at least 10 minutes every night .

I would have the child pick a book that he/she likes.  Also make sure it is a "Just Right" book.  "Just Right" means a book that is at the student's reading level or below.  Something they can read that they don't miss a lot of words when they are reading the book to you or someone in the family.

 

3. Check with your child's teacher for ideas for books and for a reading level for the child.  It helps the child to be able to read  something that isn't to hard for them.  It helps them feel successful.

 

4.  Also, taking turns with your child to read a book is good practice for the child.  Please be sure though that the book is at the child's reading level.  You want them to be successful when they read.  That way they will want to keep it up.

 

5.  If your child has reading difficulties please ask your child's teacher for ideas to help them with their reading.  There are so many ideas that will help the child and your child's teacher should be able to help you with them.  It is so important though that the child reads everyday.

 

6.  If your child is a reluctant reader and doesn't like to read you need to go with your child to the library and find something your child is interested in.  Then find books at his/her level and  find something they would enjoy doing after they read every night that would make them want to read.

 

 

7.  Reading is very important to success in school.  Your child can become a good reader but it will take you and them working together with the child's teacher to accomplish that goal.

 

 

8.  Check for activities that go along with books that would engage the child to want to read the book.  There are so many reading blogs, reading sites, and teacher ideas that will help with activities for many books.

 

9.  When you read with your child every night be sure you ask the child questions about the story to check for understanding.  Another big idea when reading a book is understanding what you read.  So asking questions when you read helps the child understand what they are reading.

 

10.  The biggest tip I can give for becoming a good reader is READ,READ,and READ

some more.  Practice makes perfect is true.

 

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/more-reading-resources/reading-tips-parents

 

http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/reading.htm

 

http://www.ehow.com/info_8662893_reading-atrisk-students-elementary-grades.html

 

I will add more sites when I get a chance.  There are many great ones out there and your child's teacher may have a site too.  Check it out!!!  PLEASE READ WITH YOUR CHILD OR YOUR GRANDCHILD.  YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

 

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Hey everyone don't forget about the free book I am offering .  Check back on an earlier post for more information.  Also, on Monday I hope to post my Back to School Reading Tips.  This time of year I always loved buying school supplies for my children, my granddaughter, and my students when I taught school for 17 years.  I thought they might be helpful for parents and students as the children start back to school next week here in the Midwest.   

 

Have a great weekend everyone and I look forward to hearing from each of you.  Please post a comment when you stop by.  I would appreciate it. :)



 

 

 

 

Strawberry Shortcake's

 

 

The Butterfly Ride

 

by

 

 

Amy Ackelsberg

 

 

     I love Strawberry Shortcake and her friends.  My oldest daughter loved Strawberry Shortcake.  She even had the doll who was so cute and a dress with strawberries on it.  I have a lovely picture of her and Strawberry. 

 

   This book is about Strawberry and her pals.  Orange Blossom  is bored at her store in Berry Bitty City and wants to take an adventure.  Everyone thinks an adventure would be fun and they are excited to go but no one knows what to do.  They decide to go on a Butterfly Ride.  They find the butterflies and all jump on the beautiful orange, pink, purple, red, and raspberry butterflies and off they go.  They flew over Berry Bitty City and decided everything was so small from the air.  They fly into the woods and stop for a picnic with the butterflies.  When it is time to go home Orange Blossom doesn't want to go home.  She wants to stay in the woods. Orange thinks about all the fun things she could in the woods  that she can't do in the city but then she remembers all her friends live in the city. So she decides she would be lonely without her friends and jumps on her butterfly and flies home with her friends. 

 

  This is a really cute book and little girls would love it especially if they love Strawberry Shortcake and her friends.  I loved the beautiful butterflies.  

 

 

 

 

Here are a few more Strawberry Shortcake books to check out.  Hope you have fun looking and reading these wonderful books.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



Butterfly House

 

by

 

 

Eve Bunting

 

 

   What a charming book about a girl, her grandfather, and a small larva.  The little girl saves the larva from a blue jay that wants the larva for his dinner.  The little girl runs into the house to show her grandfather.  Together they build a house for the larva out of a shoebox.  They make flowers for the house and put twigs and food inside.  One day after a few weeks it is time to let the new butterfly fly to freedom.  The next part of the story is about the little girl grown into an older lady.  Each year  the Painted Lady Butterflies  return to the garden of the older lady.  The older lady believes the butterflies come to her garden and not the neighbor's gardens because once when she was a little girl she saved the butterfly larva from the blue jay so they come back every year to say thank you.

 

 

What a wonderful book to share with a young person about freedom and love of something special.  I did the same thing when I was little.  I raised a larva into a butterfly and so did my daughter.

 

Also in the book is the instructions about raising a larva into a butterfly so each child can have that special experience. I would definitely recommend this book.

 

 



 



 

 

Fancy Nancy

Bonjour,Butterfly

by

Jane O'Connor

 

 

   Do you think butterflies are exquisite or fancy?  Ms. O'Connor is an aficionada (that's a fancy word for fan) and so am I.  This story of Nancy is about how much Nancy loves butterflies.  In the beginning Nancy's friend Bree is having a birthday party.  They decide to make it a butterfly birthday party.  Nancy decides to go as an azure butterfly to the party.  Then something very unexpected comes up and she finds out that her grandparent's 50 th wedding anniversary party is on the same day .  Nancy is so mad that she can't go to Bree's butterfly birthday party.  Nancy and her family travel to the city her grandparents live in for the party and stay at a hotel.  The night of the anniversary party Nancy finds out that the party is exciting and very exquisite.  She decides not to be mad anymore.  It turns out to be a lovely party and she enjoys herself.  The next day her grandparents have a big surprise for Nancy and her family.  Nancy can't believe it when she gets to the zoo and her grandparents take her to see the Zoo's Butterfly Garden.  Nancy is so excited and then she sees an extraordinary butterfly.  It is an azure butterfly. 

   What a delightful book and while I was checking out the book I found on the internet several sources for activities for the book and even some French words to learn.  What little girl wouldn't love to be Nancy and dress fancy and speak French.  I would recommend this book to all little girls who love Nancy and being fancy.  Ms. O'Connor has a great series with her Fancy Nancy books.  I love each one.  I really did enjoy this one since I love butterflies too.

 

(Just a side note.  A couple of years ago I went on vacation to Branson, Missouri and guess what they have a Butterfly Palace.  It was amazing.  The butterflies landed on you and they were exquisite.  Here is the site in case you are interested in visiting. http://bransontraveloffice.com/butterfly-palace-rainforest-adventure/