Rocket Week Part 2

School has been out for two whole weeks which means my life and daily routine has changed drastically! The days seem three times longer since they aren't split up by driving to and from school. And the opportunities are endless! There are a million fun things I want to do with my kids, however a few roadblocks already stand in my way. I knew of course that it would be challenging planning things around a baby's schedule and needs, but what I didn't expect was the amount of laziness and whining from my older two! oh my goodness... you would think I was torturing them just to get them to do a few simple things. "Mo--oOOOOmmmmm! Do I have to? Uh... why? Can't I just watch a show, or play a computer game?" Uh no... it's kind of beautiful outside and I don't want your brain turning to mush on my watch! They are allowed a certain amount of "screen time," but I want the summer to be filled with so much more than that!

Last week we finished off Rocket Week an extension of the first themed week of the summer. We ended up doing some pretty fun things, but our week was a little more relaxed than the first week. We started out trying an experiment using mentos and Diet Coke. The "Wow" factor was not quite what I had hoped for. It was suppose to shoot up into the air causing much excitment and amazment... nope, ours just kind of bubbled and sputtered and then quickly exploded over the top without really going high up into the air.

I registered the boys to be a part of the summer reading program, so on mondays, we go to the library and they get a sticker and a small prize for showing their reading log of books we have read.  Half of the books we are reading are rocket-related, and the other half are just fun ones that they wanted. We also started reading a chapter book during story time called "Ghostville Elementary," which they are loving! I could read to them all day and never get tired of it, but we have to mix it up a little...

One day we made miniture rockets out of toilet paper rolls. They had a lot of fun doing that... lots of cutting and pasting and creating...

Then we hung them from the curtain rod as you can see here.  The rocket names were from the week before. Another cut and paste project we did was making a collage. We chose things that either started with the letter "r" for "Rocket" or were related to rockets/ space. Here are some picture of their collages:

I love that there are so many resources out there for EVERYTHING! We have been watching "the Magic School Bus" which happened to have an episode about going to the moon! We also have that particular book, which we read a few times this week.

The vote is still out for next week... it's a tie between Superhero week and Living Things... maybe you can help us decide. We'll end up doing both and probably for more than just one week. When there is so much fun to be had on just one subject it's hard to spend only one week on it! I have a lot of ideas for both themes...

"I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

Is there a way to do this "mom" thing in slow-motion? Owen and are are listening to the Beattles (lullaby version- I know, cool right?) while he is making his boy noises, playing with army trucks, jets, cars and, army guys. I love the way the morning light brightens up our living room. So far it has been a fairly pleasant morning. I'm even drinking my fav. Toffee Nut latte from Starbucks, which I got only because I had to stop at Target. Did you know you could use Target gift cards at the in-store Starbucks? Yep. Nice!

So last week I bought a Luna bar there, just to try it out because I was starving... Chocolate dipped coconut...Mmm! Anyways, I've been craving them all week, so today I bought a whole week's worth so I'll have some for snacking on the go! Incredibly delicious, really! (fyi- if you haven't heard of Luna Bars, they are great bars for women with calcium, folic acid, vitamin D, iron, extra protein, and fiber. My other favorite is the Lemon Zest one)!

On our way in, Owen told me, "I don't want to get in the cart this time, I'll just hold your hand." Since we were only getting a few things, I agreed. And surprisingly it was a very pleasant and easy shopping trip. I'm crediting it to the fact that I only had one little person to look after. This would have never work had Elijah been with us. It seems I can't get through a trip to the store without stern looks, and a few good threats. You know what I'm talking about... you say disruptive child's name with corresponding look of death, the next offense comes with this kind of phrase, "If you don't stop that I'm going to..." And if you actually remember everything you came into the store for and leave without a headache and all of your purchases, it's a miracle!

However, managing just one child is an entire different experience. Owen and I walked hand-in-hand in the store. He actually listened and did a very good job for a three year old at not touching everything. yay! I'm so thankful that the kids aren't spaced too close together, because I get to have moments everyday with them one on one, which is such a blessing. When Owen is napping, Elijah and I get our time together. Lately we've been really working on reading. He is doing really well with A Beka's "Handbook for Reading." It's so fun seeing him get excited about his own achievements, especially reading! He's blending and reading short vowel, small words! He's also learned a few sight words! I'm so proud of him!

One of the funniest things lately is the way the boys imagine things. Their new favorite thing is "what if." It's usually something really bizarre like, "Mommy, what if my fork was as tall, or even taller than our house and it could knock over buildings and huge monsters!?" or, "What if I was a big dinosaur and I smashed our house and ate everyone?" They are so funny! These ideas just come out randomly, but I welcome them because who doesn't love to imagine what might be possible, and they just make me laugh.

From Book To Book!

Last year took me on many adventures… and thankfully not all of them happened to me in “real life.” Though there were natural challenges and struggles of having a husband working the nightshift, I chose to look for distractions and positivity wherever I could. I found just that in books. I let myself get lost in reading, become addicted in nearly a true sense on the word. As soon as I’d finished one book I’d become hungry for something new to occupy that empty space left behind.
Right before the New Year, I had decided that I needed to read more; well I just wanted to read more. With the time then available… a goal was set in place: I would read a least one new book every month. This was a good goal, not too overwhelming; it felt attainable -even compared with most years in which I read only four books, maybe. I knew this goal was my destiny when I received what would become the first book on my list as a Christmas present from a very dear friend (thanks Adrienne- Sisterchicks-Say Ooh La La! Started my year and my reading goal off with powerful positivity and encouragement)! And that was it, after reading through that first book, I went right on to another one. Soon I was searching… I had to fill the time right before bed with luxurious fiction (you will notice on the booklist below, that I read only one non-fiction book this year, which was also incredible, but there’s nothing like a good dose of fiction to make you forget all about the mundane problems in your own life).
Somewhere in the summer, I surpassed what would have been the whole year’s worth of books, had I been sticking with one per month! I can’t explain the drive, the thrill of adventure I allowed myself to indulge in. Sailing from one book to the next like a ship on oceans made with words of velvet. What a ride it has been!
So, thank you Nightshift… for this habit has been a long time coming; it may have never happened with Martin home continuing our old routine. Though now he is home some nights, and guess what… I’m not reading quite so much. But the trade off is a good one. I think I’ll keep my goal at one book per month, especially now that I have my husband back for the most part.
And now for the actual list… I want you to know that I’m not bragging, but I’m simply proud of myself for accomplishing a goal, stomping my own expectations into the ground and rising above what I truly thought myself capable of. You will notice certain trends as you read through the list. I will read anything by Nicholas Sparks, for instance. Also I re-read the Twilight Saga not just because I love it so much, but it’s a personal thing that whenever a movie comes out I like to freshen myself up with the book right beforehand. It’s just so much more enjoyable and rewarding that way. I’ve also always been curious about “those Harry Potter books.” Everyone who reads them always swears by them. If there was ever any year I was going to accomplish all seven of them this was going to be the year… and I did it I really did it, and to top it all off the first part of Deathly Hallows came out in theatres just two months after I had completed the final installment!
I guess, the only other obvious trend would be that I have sort of a thing for romance. And not so obvious…mystery.
I hope you enjoy seeing what I’ve read this year. Maybe it will inspire you to break open a new adventure, romance, or mystery. I can recommend everything on this list, though you may want to inquire for specifics… (I would have written a book review for each title, but I thought that would have made for MUCH too long a blog seeing how this one is fairly lengthy as it is). However, I will make two short recommendations excluding the Twilight Saga, and Harry Potter because we all know those get enough hype of their own. So in saying that I have to tell you I absolutely loved “The Wedding,” and not for the usual reasons. I wish I could convince m dad to read it, or every man for that matter. So here’s the scoop: man and wife have been married thirty years. It’s been a good, functional marriage, but he’s not romantic. The question is, can a man change? I won’t say more than that in fear of ruining anything (hate it when people do that). If you read nothing else on this list, read that one… or “The Choice.” And please, please, give me some new recommendations… for I am running dry.

Books I’ve Read This Year (2010)

1 SISTERCHICKS: Say Ooh La La! (Robin Jones Gunn)

2--P.S. I Love You (Cecilia Ahern)

3-Dear John (Nicholas Sparks)

4-The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)

5-Twilight (reread) (Stepehenie Meyer)

6-New Moon (reread) (Stephenie Meyer)

7-The Choice (Nicholas Sparks)

8-Eclipse (reread) (Stephanie Meyer)

9-The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Stephanie Meyer)

10-Breaking Dawn (Stephanie Meyer)

11-Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone (J.K. Rowlings)

12-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowlings)

13-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowlings)

14-Bird By Bird (Anne Lamott)

15- The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)

16- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowlings)

17. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowlings)

18. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K Rowlings)

19. The Wedding (Nicholas Sparks)

20. Towards Zero (Agatha Christie)

21. Emma (Jane Austen)

I Miss Harry

I miss Harry. You could say we got acquainted in the hospital waiting room. That was a long night last May… anticipating the birth of my second niece, perfect for meeting a new friend. I was questionable about him at first; I didn’t think we’d hit it off. But everybody kept saying you have to meet Harry, Harry is wonderful. I gave in. They were right. Quite honestly, Harry is more than wonderful. Once I got to know him, I couldn’t get enough. We had our differences, but I found him fascinating. With each encounter it got better and better; he became more interesting, more exhilarating, and I began to learn a little more about myself along the way.
I saw him on and off all summer, sneaking in meetings whenever possible. In mid July, our meetings hit a wall. He wasn’t available, not for me anyway. I had to see him. I was desperate. After a dull weekend without him, I called my brother, practically begging him to hook us up. He came through. Pheww! Together again, and this time I knew we’d be seeing even more of each other, James had promised me that.
Harry taught me a lot over the summer. He taught me the true meaning of friendship, he showed me what it really means to be brave, loyal, and kind, but most of all, he taught me that love conquers all. I wish there was something I could give back to him. And now that it’s over, well, I find myself wanting to go back to the beginning, wanting to start all over again just so I can see him.
I miss Harry. Even though he’s a wizard who lives in a world that doesn’t exist, I miss him. Our last days spent together, I savored, not wanting it to end. Every moment I took slowly. It was like eating a very rich, rare, and perfect dessert, every bite enjoyed with reverence knowing it would soon be gone.
I guess all there is left to say is, thank you, Harry. Thank you Harry Potter for a wonderful summer. I may be seeing you again soon.

Note: Thank you James, for letting me borrow your Harry Potter collection when the library failed me and I was left in dire need, and I further thank you for buying me books five and six! Awesome!

Note 2: To all fellow Harry Potter fans… you know exactly what I’m talking about right? And for those of you who have not been introduced to Harry, well I suggest you meet him soon. You won’t regret it.

This n' That Conratulations!

I am sitting at a small children's table at the library... the closest place to get Internet access. I love being in the atmosphere where books line the walls and children eagerly grab for them. My love for reading and books has grown enormously over the past year and is growing greater still, though I believe it has always been a core part of my being. I knew how to read before I even went to preschool, but that's besides the point.
I wish I had more time... this is always my wish. More time to write, to think, to read to be.

Elijah is playing some kind of Barney game on the computer next to me. I don't think he knows how to play it, but it is keeping him entertained.

Martin is taking his turn with Owen around the Children's section. He's getting rather difficult now, Owen I mean. He wants so badly to be able to walk and play like all the other babies a head shorter and five pounds smaller than him, but still her crawls. I'm just as eager. It is such a frustration for us both to go to the park and he constantly says, "play, play," but I can't just let him crawl through the bark chips on his hands and knees! Soon enough, soon enough.

This friday is our fifth Anniversary and my brother's graduation from the Master's program at Eastern University... what a smarty pants! And his little baby will be two weeks old tomorrow! Wow how has life slipped so easily? Are we really all so grown up now?
I'm hoping for an evening of reconnection friday night... no schedule to keep, just me and my honey talking and catching up with this life that has gone on so quickly without my permission. A few months ago I bought a box of 50 tealight candles and I plan to use all of them, dropping them in baby jars and placing them throughout the house. Doesn't that sound beautiful? I've been daydreaming of it constantly.

Happy Anniversary US! And Congrats to my big brother who never fails to make me proud!