If You Give A Mom A Book: Waiting For Baby

I found this book almost 5 years ago, shortly before Sir Honey was born.  I was pregnant and at the library book sale.   Overly concerned how my first born would react to being a big brother, I desperately wanted to prepare him for the radical change that was about to occur. 

Over the years, this book has become one of our VERY favorite stories.

So, we read it as a family last night.  I think we all thought it would bring on the birth pains that God talks about occurring when you least expect it. 

Anyhoodle, the book is about little Max who is impatiently waiting for his sister to arrive. 

As the days become a week, finally the family goes on a long walk . . .

Which we did . . . (partially because I wanted to capture the fall colors with Willow, my camera.)

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And I even made some cookies, just like in the book.

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(Which actually taste better as frozen dough, not that I just had some dough or anything.)

Moral of the story:  If you give a mom a book, she just might bake some cookies, go on a walk, or have a baby (not!). 

What did you read to yourself or to your child this week?  See my guidelines to link up!  Leave me a comment when you do! 

Actually, due to the fact that I rarely have anyone link up with this meme, I’m not going to include a MckLinky.  But if you have read a fun book and blog about it – be sure to leave your link in a comment! 

If You Give A Mom A Book: Ruby’s School Walk

 

The walk to our school room isn’t very far . . . really not even long enough for the imagination to create a fairy or a snowstorm.  A spider web lurks here and there and it isn’t uncommon for a tumbleweed of Mussie’s hair to blow across the tile. 

Ruby’s School Walk ($16.99)

by Kathryn White and Miriam Latimer

Regardless, the Granola Boys had no problem joining Ruby on her walk to school with her mom.  When we take walks around the neighborhood it isn’t uncommon for us to make up elaborate tales of people we pass by or the flight of a stray leaf. 

Our tales aren’t quite like Ruby’s, though.

In general, I am like a detective in the library searching for any Barefoot Book that I can find.  So I was a little bit surprised by some of the darker thematic elements in this particular book. 

Now, I’m not saying I wouldn’t still seek out Ruby’s Walk, but  initially I did change a few words and glossed over a page or two . . . only because my sons’ imaginations are like mine.  If they capture a slightly scary image, it will only continue to grow like a weed unless it is tamed.

But what I do love about this book (and don’t love) are the fantastically bright and delightfully colorful pictures.  The illustrations do spark the imagination, mine included.  The text does deal with real issues – overcoming the fear of the first day of school. 

So instead of totally shying away from some of the words, for the second and third readings  I used the words I typically avoid (witches, ghosts, things jumping out at them, etc.) as a springboard to discuss deeper issues . . . dealing with fear and overcoming it. 

In reading this book with the Granola Boys, we discussed the importance of knowing what is reality and what is fictitious.  When they are confused or scared, they need to talk to us (mom and dad) about their fears so that we can pray for them and point them to Scripture. 

Barefoot Books is a pretty cool company.  My sister is actually the person who first introduced me to them . . . and since they look like eye-candy to this book snob, I have hunted them down in the library ever since!  (Secretly, I hope they send me a whole collection of their books to review – there are over 400 you know!  They looks, smell, and feel like sustainable books.  Gets me all excited!)

(Oh, and by the way . . . I was sent this book to review in conjunction with my connection to MamaBzz.  I do not have to return this colorful book nor do I have to return it. It will stay in our home library, thankfully.)

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What have  you read to yourself or to your child since I last did this meme?  See my guidelines to link up!  Leave me a comment when you do! 

Technorati Tags: Ruby's School Walk,Barefoot Books,MamaBzz

If You Give A Mom A Book

After my marathon day of blogging yesterday . . . I am typed out.  But it is If You Give A Mom A Book day. 

And I didn’t want to disappoint you all . . . because I know that more of you are going to link up this week! 

In our household, it has been VBS week.  Two huge praises that are a direct result of our church having VBS are

1. I have gotten to spend way more time with Mr. Smiley – something that he almost never gets except for bed times.
2. Mr. Smackdown and Sir Honey have talked MORE about the songs and stories at VBS, than the snacks.  That is HUGE!  They are feasting on the Word of God instead of man-made snacks!  YES!!!!!

OK . . . one more. 

I have gotten to fellowship with other moms significantly more this week. And it has been nice. 

School?        . . . has pretty much been nonexistent. 

We did go to the library yesterday . . . got some points . . . sold those points for one of those nasty-geko I’m overly processed and going to upset your stomach because of my fake colors pieces of candy, a bowling pass, and one wiggly porcupine that Smiley refuses to touch.

So we’ve read some books . . . but I’m blogged out.  I’m photo-edited out.

I’m going to make it easy on myself. 

These are the books we read this morning before VBS:

• Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett (slightly humorous book about a boy who is forced to drag a blue whale around due to not obeying his mother).
• Froggy Rides A Bike by Jonathan London (I really think that Froggy is an unthankful creature, but Mr. Smackdown thinks Froggy’s way of saying thanks in frog-speak is “yippee.”
• A Kiss Goodbye by Audrey Penn (part of the Kissing Hands series I told you about – great book if you are getting ready to move to a new home).
• Delilah D. At the Library by Jeanne Willis (fun book about a little girl’s imagination at the library, obviously).

And on my personal shelf, I started SEVERAL books and plan to start the ones I haven't started.  Will I ever learn?

• The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
• The New Hide or Seek by James Dobson
• Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore
• Say Goodbye to Whining by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller
• Keep the Sibling, Lose the Rivalry by Todd Cartmell
• The Sunny Side by A.A. Milne
• The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews
• Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Susan Buckley
• Bringing Up Girls by James Dobson

What did you read?  Check out my guidelines and be sure to link up!

Technorati Tags: If You Give A Mom A Book