Happy Friday Everyone!!

 

I wanted to tell you about what happened to  me yesterday when I was at the store.  Also, I want to tell you about a site you can check out about kindness.  Well, yesterday I went to the store and you have to put a quarter in this box to get the cart and then when u return the basket you get a quarter back.  I have a bad knee so I wasn't able to get the basket all the way back up to get my quarter back. I was getting in the car and this lady brought me a quarter and said she put my basket back so here was my quarter.  She was very nice to do that and was definitely a random act of kindness.  I love it when that happens and I try everyday to look for something I can do for someone.  This is a great lesson to do with kids. I used to do it with my students when I was teaching.  I would give them a heart ever time I saw them do a Random Act of Kindness.  They loved getting them.  Something you could do with your child or grandchild.

http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/

Check it out .  The site has great ideas.

 

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When Comes the Spring

by

Janette Oke

 

 

 Elizabeth, the cultured young schoolteacher from the East, has braved the western frontier and spent a year teaching in a one room schoolhouse. Now she and Wynn are planning their wedding and their new life together at his outpost in the far north. While Wynn is accustomed to life in the north, Elizabeth is not. Can their love for each other sustain them through a harsh winter, loneliness, and rigors of life without any of the conveniences they're used to? 

I love this series and I always thought the pioneer women had a hard life and worked so hard for their husbands and family.  How easy we have it.  This is good for children to learn what it was like for their great grandparents.  Share it with your child or grandchild.

 

 

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

 



 

 

 

Happy Monday Friends!

 

Good morning and I hope each of you who read this blog had a wonderful weekend and are ready for the last week of February.  I am because that brings us closer to spring.  There are 23 days till spring arrives.  I will be happy to see it. 

I am going to share some more books on love this week and I believe in March I will share some books about spring that would be great to read with children.

My students always loved spring and we always planted something so they could see something grow.  So you might want to plant something with your children or grandchildren this March.

 

I am going to share some books this week that older children might enjoy or even mothers or grandmothers might enjoy.  I have read all of the books of both series and enjoyed all of them so much.  The books of Janette Oke.  I hope you will check them out at the library and your favorite bookstore.

We are going to start with the Canadian West series. 

The books are When Calls the Heart, Comes the Spring, Breaks the Dawn, and Hope Springs New.  I will review When Calls the Heart first.  I hope you will check them out and share them with a friend.  I think I am going to reread them.  It has been a few years since I read them. 
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When Calls the Heart
by 
Janette Oke



 
Nothing in her privileged eastern upbringing has prepared Elizabeth for the challenges of frontier life...
Elizabeth Thatcher is young, pretty, cultured, and educated. But when she journeys west to teach school in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, she's completely unprepared for the conditions she encounters. Still, she's determined to succeed at the formidable task of fitting in with the locals and shaping the hearts and minds of the schoolchildren in her care.
She's just as determined not to give her heart to any of the local frontiersmen until she meets a handsome and daring Canadian Mountie.  Check out When Calls the Heart and find out about Elizabeth and Jack and their adventures.
Also, there is a new series When Calls the Heart on the Hallmark channel.  I have been watching it weekly and I love it and I believe each of you would too.  It is on Saturday nights.

http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/whencallstheheart/photos

Check out the link to the Hallmark Channel for more information on the When Calls the Heart Series.  See you on Wednesday.

 

 

  



 

 

 

 

Happy Wednesday Friends

 

How are each of you today?  It is a cloudy day here in the Midwest but not to bad.  I have made some peanut butter cookies and having some hot green tea.  I was thinking about books and where I would like to go in the next two weeks. Recently I watched Thor which is an adventure movie.  I think it was a good movie and boys especially would enjoy it.  The reason I am sharing this is that I found in my teaching experience that boys sometimes are reluctant readers but many enjoy comic books and will read them for hours.  Thor is a part of the Avenger Series which is a part of the Marvel Comic books. 

 

If you have a son or grandson that is a reluctant reader comic books are good sources to use to get them to read and then read other things.  I even enjoy them sometimes and even had my student's make-up their own cartoon character and write a short comic book and draw pictures just like in the newspaper.  I brought in newspapers and we read some of them and some real comic books.  Then the students made up their own.  It was a really fun activity and many of them did an excellent job and had fun doing it.  Maybe you could do a similar project with your child.  I would expect  it would be a fun activity.  It was for all my students even the girls.  So check out some comic books with your child (8 years old or older would enjoy them the most I would think.)

 

I put some examples below.

 

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Of course there is also Captain America, Ironman, Superman, Spiderman, and Batman just to name a few.  CHeck them out with your child and have fun reading them together.

 

 



 

 

 

 

Happy Monday Friends!

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's weekend and spent it with someone they love.  I had a lovely one and now I am looking forward to Spring.  There are 30 days and 8 hours till Spring is here on the calendar and I can't wait.  Also, today is President's Day.  Who was your favorite President?  I have through the years had three favorite presidents.  They are George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and John F. Kennedy.  I have a few more I have found to be very interesting.  I love history and always enjoyed learning about the presidents and always shared with my students in February about the presidents.  I should have included the president from my home state. Harry Truman.  Today I will share a few books about presidents you could share with a child today.  Happy reading friends.

 

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Enjoy President's Day !!!!

 

 



 

 

 

 

Happy Thursday!!

 

 

Valentine's Day is almost here and I hope everyone is enjoying this week of love for your sweetheart, your family and friends.  I thought today I would post a few images of love involving children.  Children are so precious and sweet and I know how much I love mine and how much I loved my students.  Each one is so precious to me as I am sure yours are to you.  Show your love today and everyday to a child by sharing your love and a good book.  I shared several good children's books that you could read to a child .  Enjoy the time with them they grow up so fast.  See you Friday.

 

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Happy Wednesday Friends!

 

Well just two days till Valentine's Day.  Hope you have been enjoying Valentine's Week.  Also today is President Abraham Lincoln's birthday.  I believe he was my favorite president .  He lived in a very hard time.  I will probably share some books about him during President's day.  Today I would like to share another book about love since this is the week we celebrate love.  I hope you will be able to share it with a child.

 

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Love You Forever

by

Robert Munsch

 

A young woman holds her

newborn son in her arms and looks at him lovingly as she sings this song to him, 

 I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be

 

This book is the story of a mother and her son as they go through life.  At the end the son sings the song to his aging mother.  Every person should read this book.  This is a truly amazing book about love.  Please read this book this Valentine's week to a loved one whether it be a child or a parent.  If you have read it before share it again with a child or aging parent.  It is an amazing book and I don't believe anyone can read it and not shed a tear.  Check it out at your nearest bookstore or library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Hello Friends

 

This is Valentine week and I thought I would put up a couple of quotes about love.  I hope you are able to spend this week with those you love.  I don't feel that Valentine's Day is just for the sweethearts but for all those we love.  Hope each of you are able to do that.  I hope each of each have a wonderful day.

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Just three more days till Valentine's Day!  See you tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Week

 

I love this week and especially when I was teaching .  The children loved  this week of reading Valentine books and making valentine boxes and cards.  I even still like making valentines even after all these years.  Hope each of you have a wonderful week with you loved ones and friends and share your love with everyone you can.

 

The Valentine Bears

by

 Eve Bunting

 

Mr. and Mrs. Bear have never shared a Valentine's Day together.  The reason being that bears hibernate in the winter when Valentine's Day comes.  So this year Mrs. Bear decides to set the alarm for February 14 so that her and Mr. Bear can spend it  together.  So Mrs.Bear  makes all of Mr. Bear's favorite treats and writes two poems for him.  But bears are meant to hibernate in the winter and Mrs. Bear can't seem to get Mr .Bear to stay awake.

 

This is a really cool book and you should share it with someone you love.  Also, the illustrations are done by Jan Brett.  They are so wonderful.  I hope you will enjoy the book and share it with someone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the blog site for the  picture of the books about love for Valentine's Day.  I wanted to be sure it was credited to her.  CHeck out her blog too.

 

http://www.crayonfreckles.com/2014/02/books-about-love.html

 

 

 

Happy Friday My Friends!

 

 

It is still cold out but I remember when I was teaching how much I enjoyed Friday and the weekends.  I am still snowed in so my daughter is making some homemade pizza dough so we can have a pizza for dinner.  Her boyfriend gave her a Kitchenaid Mixer and she loves using it.

 

Today I thought since Valentine's Day is next Friday I would share 10 books that I found on a fellow blogger's site on love.  I love Valentine's Day.  One of my favorite holidays and I loved it even more when I was teaching.  The children loved making Valentines and giving them out.  We would make them for the teachers, principal, secretaries, and the ladies in the lunch room.  They all loved giving them.  So read some books on love this weekend and get out some construction paper, doilies, glitter, markers, etc. and make some valentines with your children or grandchildren.  They will love it.  Enjoy your Friday and your weekend.

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Have a great weekend.  See you on Monday!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Good Afternoon Everyone!!

 

 I hope everyone is keeping warm on this cold day in Missouri.  I think it is only going to be 9 degrees today.  So very cold but the sun is shining and the snow looks beautiful.  Does anyone know what today is?  It is the first day of the Winter Olympics in Soshi, Russia.  I love the Olympics and hope to watch some of it tonight.  So I thought I would post a couple of books about the Olympics.  So if you get a chance check them out with your children or grandchildren and enjoy some of the Olympics the next couple of weeks.

 

 



 

 

 

 

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!

 

WOW!  10 inches of snow outside my window today.  I love snow but not 10 inches.  I wish I knew someone to come and shovel my driveway just in case I need to get out but not sure who that would be.  I used to have a young man who came to do it for me but since I moved I haven't found anyone to do it. So I guess I am snowed in today. :) I am drinking some hot green tea and enjoying the sunshine on the snow.  Hope you are enjoying your day wherever you are.  Today I am going to share another Magic Treehouse Book.  I hope you and the children are enjoying reading these books.  Please share with me how the children are enjoying the books.  I would love to hear from you.

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Afternoon on the Amazon

by

Mary Pope Osborne

 

 

Vampire bats and killer ants?  That is what Jack and Annie are about to run into as the Magic Treehouse whisks them away to the magic of the Amazon.  It is not long before Jack and Annie are hopelessly lost in the jungle of the Amazon.  What will they do and will they be able to get back home?  This is a really good book and introduces the children to many animals found along the Amazon River.  There is a book also that goes along with Afternoon on the Amazon.  It is called Fact Tracker  Rainforests.  My students always loved the adventures of Jack and Annie and also wondered how they would get back home.  I love that the stories always start with books.  Just check out some of the Magic Treehouse Books at your local library.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!

 

Well, it is snowing hard and I am drinking some hot green tea and enjoying watching it come down and hoping I don't have to go out in it. Hope you are keeping warm and safe wherever you are this day.  I am posting a few quotes today to share with each of you.  I hope you enjoy them.  I will be back tomorrow  to share another Magic Treehouse Book. See you then.

 

 



 

 

 

Happy Monday Friends!!

 

Well, it is the warmest day out of the week here in Missouri today.  It is going to snow 6-10 inches here tomorrow so I have been to the store and the mailbox and hope I am ready for the snow.  I do like snow just don't  like driving in it. I am going to start posting quotes and pictures of quotes on the days I don't review books for you to read to your children.  I thought you might enjoy them.  I really would love to hear from all of you about them or any of the posts I put on my blog.  So please post a comment.  I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Today I am going to post about a children's magazine that I received accidentally in my mail today.  I thought it was really cute and if you have a young child or grandchild they would really enjoy this magazine either coming to your house or your local library. The name of the magazine is High Five and it is put out by Highlights.

 

It has really cute stories for children pre-school age and early childhood.  It also contains some really cute short poems that children will enjoy.  I really like the puzzles which include Hidden Pictures where the children have to find the things in the picture. Also included were several activities.  One was a Tadpole Beanbag game where you make the beanbags out of rice and plastic bags and use paper plates as the targets or (lily pads).  Just put the rice in the plastic bag and then wrap it in green tissue paper, make some eyes, and put some rubber bands around it and you have your frog.  You could color or paint the paper plates green for lily pads and put numbers on them for a score for older children. Children love beanbags.  The magazine for March also has a matching game that you can punch out for the children and they can match the pictures.  I would check it out online or at the library.  Young children would love it.

 

http://www.highlights.com/

 

 

Hope the children enjoy this magazine. I am sure they will.  It has many skill building exercises in it.  See you tomorrow with some good quotes.  Have a great day!!!