On the Second Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me...

...new books! 

While I love visiting with family and sharing gifts, I am grateful when after all of the celebrations we can just relax. On the second day of Christmas the weather way icky and we were tired so we stayed in our jammies all day long.  And we read.  Just read. The kids received new books in their stockings this year and they were happy to read them.  The kids loved receiving new books and I think this will have to be a tradition we continue with our kids. I love having children who love to read.  

Mr. Bananas is reading his new "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" book set.
Buggy is reading her new Ramona book from the Ramona series.

Daddy and Boogie snuggling on the couch reading the first book in the Rise of the Guardians series

Boogie reading to himself while Hubby napped

My view from my end of the couch. Boogie was in this position for over an hour. 

We Heart Reading

I love to read. I love delving into a good book and getting lost in the plot and characters. When I was a kid the worst punishment for me was to have my books taken away from me.  I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

My kids love to read and I am so grateful. Boogie has discovered reading books and not just listening to them. I love his enthusiasm and the way he asks, "Mommy, do you prefer fiction or nonfiction? I prefer nonfiction. I like to learn about animals."

Buggy wasn't into listening to stories before bedtime. But more recently she loves snuggling up with me before nap time and listening to a story.  She is now interested in audio books, which gives Mama a break when I'm trying to get a meal on the table for my kiddos.

Mr. Bananas loves listening to stories and one of his favorite books is Dear Zoo.  It's a lift-the-flap book and underneath each flap is a different animal.  Since some of the first signs we teach our kids when we teach them baby sign language are animal signs, this book is a big hit.  Mr. Bananas loves to sign each animal. It also makes it a fun interactive reading experience.

A Little Light Reading after Lunch

Buggy loves to read for Mr. Bananas and he'll often bring her Dear Zoo or Goodnight Gorilla so she can read to him.  After lunch one day I saw a sweet reading experience. Buggy moved her chair closer to Mr. Bananas high chair and began reading Dear Zoo complete with signs for each of the animals. He loved it and I loved this sweet moment that I was able to witness. It makes me happy that I am a stay at home Mama and can catch these little moments.

Sibling Time

Reading Fabian Escapes

Seeing this does my heart so good. I love when Boogie spends time with his sister. We had just gotten a ton of books from the library and one of them had our favorite characters Hondo and Fabian.  Here, Boogie is reading to his sister, Fabian Escapes.

Making Thunder Cake!

Buggy and I get a few moments of just the two of us right before her nap time. Boogie is in school, and Mr. Bananas is down for a nap. We've been taking advantage of this special time by reading a story before nap time. She gets to choose the story and get ALL of Mama's attention. It's been good for both of us.

Last week we read Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco, every single day before nap time. If you don't know the story, it's about a little girl who overcomes her fear of thunder storms while visiting her grandmother.  During this visit, her grandmother declares that it was a good time to make Thunder Cake. Throughout the story the little girl gathers ingredients around the farm while counting between claps of thunder and flashes of lightning.  Buggy has loved reading this book everyday, and it is one of my favorites to read.  

Last Friday we were due for some thunder storms and when Hubby went to the store, I sent him with a list of thunder cake ingredients. Buggy was so excited to make Thunder Cake for real!

It was so nice to take a break from regular chores and to do something for fun. To be able to make a cake and eat it all by ourselves. The big kids enjoyed helping me add the ingredients and could not wait for it to finish baking.  I put it in the oven before their baths and by the time they were done, the cakes were cooling on the racks. While they were cooling my brother called, and while I chatted with him, Hubby put the cake together.  We let the kids stay up later than usual to enjoy our tasty treat. Why not? Isn't this where memories are made?

I am so grateful for this time together. As the kids grow, I realize that it's now, the present, that I must relish. Too soon, they'll be grown and want to spend time with friends and not make cakes with Mama. Now is the time for making memories and enjoying ourselves. Who knows what the future will hold, but I know the present is pretty awesome!

My trusty Kitchen Aid Mixer 

Thunder Cake!

The inspiration behind it all :)

Ooh, La, La, Beauty Day

On Saturday, my middle child, turned 3 years old.  She is my only girl and I have enjoyed doing some girly things with her.  On the eve of her birthday, I was reminiscing about her birth. The labor was easier than the boys, and she was my easiest delivery.  Three pushes in 15 minutes and she was out.  So far, in a lot of ways, she's still my easiest child. If she falls, she gets right up. She'll often say she is "tough." But she'll be tough while running around the house in a tutu, carrying a purse, and wearing a string of (fake) pearls.  Gotta love it.

I decided to have a girl pampering day with my sweet Bug.  As one of her presents I bought her a Fancy Nancy book and we read about how Fancy Nancy pampered her mother with an Ooh, la, la, beauty day.  But before our pampering began, we went to church for the monthly church cleaning and cleaned God's house. The other volunteers were awfully sweet with wishing her a happy birthday, setting up a candle in a ring of donuts, and praying over her. She loved the extra attention, but was a little shy.

After church cleaning, we went to get her a haircut. She often complains when her hair falls in her eyes that she needs a haircut. I took her and had 3 inches cut from her long tresses, and yet, it's still long. My beautiful Rapunzelian beauty still has long hair, but still short enough that it won't fall her into her food as easily.  Daddy and Boogie met us at the barber and everyone else got a haircut except for Mr. Bananas and myself. We stood on the sidelines checking everyone else out.

After haircuts, we took the kids to a quick lunch across the street and spent a little time together. Especially important since we were going in different most of the day and boys wouldn't get to see us as we were continuing with our "Ooh, la, la, beauty day." After lunch,  Bug and I took off to get our nails done. She chose a dark purple and asked for white polka dots.  Everyone in the nail salon commented on the little girl getting her nails done.  Every now and again, Bug would say, "oooh, la, la."  It brought a smile to my face.  We even turned on her chair so that she could get a massage while waiting for her nails to dry. So much fun. After getting our nails done (mine are a matching purple with white polka dots), we headed home. My little girl had so much fun that she fell asleep in her car seat on the way home.

The evening ended with dinner at the kids' favorite restaurant, pinkalicious cupcakes & ice cream at home, and the opening of gifts.  You can tell my Bug is a girly girl when she gave a high pitched squeal of delight when she opened one of her gifts and found Princess Tina glove, purse, and a pearl necklace for her play dress up clothes.  We rounded out the play clothes with a few books and a new piggy banks.  My mom gave her a very cute purple polka dot dress, complete with fancy purple boots. She actually flung the clothe out of the bag to get to the purple boots with another squeal of delight. What can I say? She's LOVES shoes, just like her mama.

It was a delightful day and I had so much fun spending time with my best girl.  Ooh, la, la!

Buggy's Birth Day

Buggy's 1st Birthday!

2nd birthday

Buggy's 3rd Pinkalicious birthday

God's Mighty Warrior

Yesterday morning, my son proclaimed from his bed (before getting up), "Good morning! I am W., God's Mighty Warrior!"

After getting up and dressing himself, he told me his plans for the day. First, breakfast, then to help someone in need. I love my little boy!  He spent most of the day asking me who needed help. I told him that he could help me. He said, "No, not parents. Someone who really needs my help. Who needs my help, Mommy?"  Great question.

I love that my son is developing a giving heart and a caring spirit. I think that I need to go with this one and start thinking of some easy service projects for him to do that shows he is helping other people. I thought about baking cookies for our neighbors, for the mailman, for the garbage men, and the recycling guys.  But honestly, it's too hot to turn on the oven.

Any ideas out there for a service project that a 4 year can accomplish?  Before going to bed last night he told me that we had to do something today. Thanks for any ideas!