Monday, June 22, 2009

Today, I cleaned my kitchen (twice), picked up other people's crap off the floor (numerous times), taught school (copywork, grammar, math, history, botany, piano), finished a book (Lessons from Blackberry Inn), started another (Creative Correction), snuggled with various needy children at appropriate times, fixed my husband his Father's Day dinner (steak and roasted veggies with pasta), and made sure that everyone was where they needed to be when they needed to be there (doctor's appointments, swimming lessons...).

Today, I spent TWO HOURS at a doctor's appointment for which we were FIVE MINUTES LATE even thought we left FORTY minutes early for a FIFTEEN minute trip. I'd have everything packed up for hours. All we had to do was put on shoes, potty, and get in the van. And then there was traffic. And construction. And a cop with a lane blocked while he wrote some idiot a ticket. And #3 fell asleep in the van. So, when my mom met me to be my spare hands, she wound up bringing a whiny, cranky kid with who took a 10 minute nap back home. So, I had the Great Ball of Energy (#2), and #4, and #5 at the doctor's office by myself. That was interesting. They really did very well, but oh-my-they-were-not-created-to-wait-long. And as for why it took so long - well, that's what you get when you combine my new insurance with our pediatrician's office's new computerized record-keeping system and a two-year old who needs some vaccinations - but we don't know which ones because his chart has gone AWOL and a one-month old who is likely to have silent reflux and needs some labwork and a x-ray to rule out other problems in order to receive medication to make him stop refluxing. Poor baby. Plus, on the way out, it took forever to pay and get future appointments made (one seven-year-old well-child exam, one two-month old well-child exam, and a third attempt at a nurse visit to get the shots for the two-year-old who isn't going to appreciate such a thing.)

Today, I wore flip-flops. My poor toes were rolled over with roller skates, stepped on several times, jumped on once, and caught under a door at the doctor's office. Tomorrow, I'm wearing Keens. I want my poor toes to be well-protected until they recover. I wear flip-flops all the time - I don't know what was up today.

I'm tired now. I'm going to take care of a little business and then sleep.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Heard in our living room....

(#2 to #5)

"You aren't big enough to eat yet - just to drink milk.  But soon you'll be able to eat squished food, and then you'll grow teeth and get to try chicken fingers!  They are so tasty!"

(a few moments later)

"Are you wondering how I'm talking?  That red thing that you breathe though is called a mouth, and after you learn to use it, you'll be able to talk too."

Monday, June 1, 2009

Be a Book Buddy

School Library Journal posted the Top 100 Picture Book Poll of 2009. (Thank you SLJ!) From that fabulous list, I have created some more fun for all of us! Here's the scoop:
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Below is a list of the top 30 Picture Books according to School Library Journal. Copy and paste this post and create a post of your own with it. Then, go back and highlight the books you and your children have read! After you post, leave a comment at The Bookworm's Booklist to let me and others know that your post is up. I can't wait to see who's read what! I have highlighted the books we've read in greenAnd I just placed the ones we haven't discovered yet on hold at the library.

#1: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)   A BACKYARD BOOKWORM FAVORITE
#2: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1947)
#3: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1979)
#4: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962)
#5: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (2003)
#6: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1941)
#7: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (1955)   A BACKYARD BOOKWORM FAVORITE
#8: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939)
#9: Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag (1928)
#10: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems (2004)
#11: The Story of Ferdinand by Monroe Leaf, ill. Robert Lawson (1936)
#12: Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann (1994)
#13: Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (1948)
#14: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, ill. Lane Smith(1989)
#15: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (1996)
#16: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (1987)
#17: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (1947)
#18: In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (1970)
#19: Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney (1982)
#20: George and Martha by James Marshall (1972)
#21: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (1999)  A BACKYARD BOOKWORM FAVORITE
#22: The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone, ill. by Mike Smollin (1971)   A BACKYARD BOOKWORM FAVORITE
#23: Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban (1964)
#24: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, ill. Lois Ehlert (1989)  A BACKYARD BOOKWORM FAVORITE
#25: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (1942)
#26: Corduroy by Donald Freeman (1976)
#27: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902)
#28: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, ill. Ray Cruz(1972)
#29: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (1969)
#30: Brown, Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr., ill. Eric Carle (1967)