Easiest 4th of July Craft Ever

Lorie @ Reading Confetti seriously deserves an award for this craft idea. It's my favorite kind - super quick, easy, and nearly every mom will already have everything they need for it.

Meet Pete the Cat

Meet Pete. He's the perpetually upbeat blue cat that has stolen my three year old's heart.

Animalia & Alliteration Illustrations

We love Animalia. I ran across it on our shelf today and pulled it out for the first time in ages.

Best Get Well Book... for a cold or a crash!

I was driving home from work on Friday when a car spun out of control on the interstate and slammed into me at about 60 miles an hour.

I'm sore, but alive and with all bones and organs undamaged. As my mother said, "God bless the engineers of the Dodge Grand Caravan!" 

My children were NOT in the car with me and after seeing how horribly A's car seat failed, I cannot praise God enough for His protection on my family! (I'm shopping online today for new - safer! - carseats for the girls.)

I have been showered with love this weekend, as I recover from the bruises and stiff muscles. My husband is taking great care of me and the girls, and we've had so much food dropped off, I'm bound to gain 20 lbs during my convalescence. My husband's Great Aunt Jean (one of the best gift-givers alive) also dropped off the newest Caldecott Winner:


A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Christian Stead

Such a sweet, gentle book! Amos McGee spends each day the same: going about his duties at the zoo, keeping the animals company. He plays chess with the elephant, races the tortoise, keeps the shy penguin company, and reads stories to the owl (who's afraid of the dark). But when Amos is too sick to go to work, the animals seek him out and reward his friendship by helping to care for him.

The illustrations are truly Caldecott-worthy, but it's the lesson of friendship and empathy in the story that make it great. A perfect gift for anyone feeling under the weather!

Peace on Earth... and cookies.

Christmas in the Forest by Jan Wahl is a classic I just recently discovered. 

Along with Eleanor Schick's lovely artwork, Jan Wahl's poetic language gently narrates each page as the animals work together to celebrate Christmas.

The story is old-fashioned, quiet, and oh so magical!

And to go along with such a peaceful story... World Peace Cookies! Another classic in cookie form, Doris Greenspan's famous recipe might not bring peace on earth, but it's sure to bring a smile to the chocolate lovers in your life.

1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 stick plus 3 T unsalted butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 t sea salt
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Incorporate until just mixed. Fold-in chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half and form into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Wrap in saran and allow to chill for 3 hours.

When you're ready to bake, slice every 1/2 inch and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Reshape any slices that crumble. Bake at 325 for 12 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk!

Get your kids to love figs!

Our friends who moved left behind a huge fig tree in their backyard. Not wanting fresh fruit to go to waste, we dropped by their old house to help ourselves to the bounty. E and A had a great time picking the figs, but when it came time to eat them.... Honestly, you'd think I was offering them mouse brains.

If there's one thing my girls will eat, it's cookies. So out came the baking supplies, and in went the cookies! They disappeared at an alarming rate into my girls' mouths.

When I brought what was left to Bible study, those ladies gobbled them up just as fast! (You know you love me, Michelle!)

So what was this magical, fig-transformative recipe?

Fresh Fig Cookies
adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped fresh figs
1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream sugar and butter. Add the beaten egg.
3. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.
4. Fold in figs and nuts.
5. Drop by spoonfuls on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is one of my favorite illustrators, but I think it's his stories that really set him apart. From Jumanji to The Polar Express, his books are full of adventure, mystery, wonder, and danger. The Sweetest Fig is no exception.

The story follows a fussy French dentist who is given two "magic" figs as payment for pulling a tooth. The old woman who gives them promises they will make his dreams come true. When the dentist wakes up the next day to find the Eiffel tower drooped over, he realizes the woman was telling the truth. With one fig left, he trains himself to dream he is the richest man in the world. It looks like he'll get his wish, until his abused dog beats him to the punch.

The story definitely has dark undertones, but the pictures are mesmerizing, and while I wouldn't recommend this story for little ones, I think older children will enjoy seeing the dentist receive his just desserts.

Summer Friends

Crafts are great, but nothing beats hanging out with good friends: Sharing a meal...

enjoying a few moments of uninterrupted conversation...

making a new acquaintance....

and eating chocolate chip cookies. :)

We love playdates... and we love our friends!

City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems

This latest of Mo Willems has all the charm you've come to expect from the prolific children's author, without the sparse cartoon illustrations. Instead, the story is accompanied by beautiful watercolor paintings on every page.

The story takes place during each season, following the natural life-cycle of a friendship: from first encounters, to getting to know one another, to accepted companionship, to goodbye. The writing is excellent: simple and yet profound. 

I particularly appreciated that their friendship doesn't last forever. In today's transient society - especially in my military town - friends come into our lives, only to move away after a few short years. Yet the relationships we build in turn build us, and the influence these friends have on our lives lasts a lifetime. It's an important lesson to learn at any age.

Watermelon!

Did you know....

- the watermelon is 92 percent water

- August 3rd is National Watermelon Day

- the Japanese have grown a square watermelon

- watermelon is technically a vegetable

- watermelons are a good source of vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium and fiber

- it's watermelon week on Little Page Turners!


One Watermelon Seed by Celia Barker Lottridge

With the brilliant colors of a summer garden, this gorgeously illustrated book tells the story of Max and Josephine and the garden they plant. They start with one watermelon seed, then plant two pumpkin seeds, and so on until 10. Eventually their hard work and labor produces a rich harvest.

More than a simple counting book, it teaches the concept of counting by tens as well as introducing multiplication. I love the abundance of food that results from simple seeds and the childrens' obvious joy at reaping such a harvest. The text is sparse, but the vibrant illustrations more than make up for any lack in the story.


Watermelon Craft

You can't get much simpler. Draw three half circles of slightly less diameter on green, white, and red paper. (I really need to invest in a compass.) Let your child cut out the semi-circles and glue together, lining up the straight edges. Glue to a sheet of paper and add seeds, either with a marker or by gluing teardrop cutouts from black paper.

Now let them practice writing "watermelon". Didn't E do a fantastic job? This was her second try. She did much better once I gave her some lined paper to write on.

I'm linking up to:
- Silly Eagle Books

We're back with a book for boats

We're back from the Great Page Road Trip of 2010 and I have vowed never to go on a vacation with a toddler again. Strange places, an uncomfortable pack-n-play, and a complete deviation from our normal schedule and diet transformed my sweet toddler into Jack Jack from The Incredibles. I seriously wouldn't have been surprised had she turned into a ball of fire.

In between the meltdowns and tantrums, we did manage to enjoy the trip. One of our favorite experiences was riding the Cape May - Lewes Ferry.

The ferry connects Cape May, NJ with Lewes, DE. Not only the girls, but my husband and I thought it was great to be able to drive our car right onto the boat, park, and enjoy an hour cruise. The ferry supplied coloring books and crayons to the girls, so when they weren't terrifying me by running along the deck, they could sit and color.

I (of course) checked out their gift shop for kids books but didn't see any boat-themed books I liked as much as:

Ship Shapes by Stella Blackstone

This book is perfect for 2-3 year olds who are learning their shapes and colors. The illustrations are fantastic fabric collages filled with colors, patterns, and textures that seem to pop off the page. The story is straightforward: two kids and a dalmatian set sail and meet up with many strange and wonderful creatures, all the while asking the reader to find and count the different shapes on the page. The rhyming and repetition is just right for little ones, although even your kindergartners will be entertained by finding and counting all the shapes. Heck, I was entertained!



Activities:

 Make these adorable Fruit Sailboats over at The Stories of A to Z (aka my sister!)

Print out this easy B is for boat printable and let your kids cut and color the different shapes.

Create this cute seashell sail boat with a few simple materials from Family Fun.

Mystery

I'm exhausted from staying up late to watch the series finale of Lost. Whether or not you loved the show - or the finale - you have to admit it was a unique cultural phenomenon. What made Lost so successful? Other than a wonderful cast and excellent writing, it was the mystery that infused every episode.  Mystery allows our imaginations to run free, to fill in the gaps, to wonder, to explore.

If you have a few minutes, listen to this TED talk about mystery by Lost creator J.J.Abrams:



Children are naturally curious and drawn to mysteries. Artist and author Chris Van Allsburg knows this and celebrates it in his extraordinary book:

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg

He had warned her about the book.

Now it was too late.

This unique book opens with a letter to the reader explaining that the following 14 illustrations and captions were sent to the publisher by Harris Burdick who was never heard from again. Children are encouraged to look through these incredible pictures, read the illustrations and dream of the stories they hide.

The fifth one ended up in France.

I found this book in high school, but over a decade later I am still intrigued and inspired by these pictures and captions. I was tempted to ask E to tell me the story behind one or two of these pictures, but I don't want to ruin the magic of the mystery with an assignment. Rather, I'm going to place this book on the shelf... for her to discover on her own.

It all began when someone left the window open...

What books do you love that inspire imagination?

Remember Mother's Day?

I know, it seems so long ago doesn't it... that Mother's Day when you felt loved and appreciated and were treated to cards, flowers, and a meal out. I've got a book and a challenge for you that will help recapture those warm-fuzzies you had just one week ago.

Mars Needs Moms! by Berkeley Breathed

I found this book too late for my mother's day list, but it's a worthwhile read anytime of year. It's a hilarious and heart-wrenching story with amazing illustrations you and your kids will love.

Milo doesn't get why moms are so great. They make you eat broccoli, do boring chores, and send you to your room when you paint your sister purple. When Martians steal his mom (Martians don't have mothers; they grow from the ground like potatoes) Milo stows away and begins to remember why moms are so necessary. When his oxygen supply is cut off, his mother sacrifices her own helmet to save his life.

Even without the lush, almost 3D illustrations, this would be a beautiful (and completely non-sappy!) story of sacrificial love. The subtle humor of the illustrations and the mischievous character Milo will endear this story everyone, but particularly little boys.

Take pictures with YOU in them!!!

I came across this post from Mandy at Sugar Bee via Fireflies and Jellybeans. She talks about a woman who made it her goal to take a picture with her kids once a month. This woman tragically passed away in a car accident, but she left behind tons of pictures her kids will have to treasure forever.

Like Mandy, this story really struck me. I have always made it a point to have pictures of me and my girls up in their room. I want them to have evidence, even when I'm not with them, that their mother loves them.

These pictures, while precious, are generally of the girls as babies. As the family photographer I take hundreds of pictures a year, but am rarely in any of them. The photo in my sidebar is a year old, taken last Mothers Day.

So, I'm taking up the challenge, and passing it on to you, to take a picture of you with your kids every month.

Okay, so it might take a little practice. This was my first attempt at holding my giant Canon Digital Rebel at arms length and snapping a shot. A better idea would be to have your husband take a picture. As Mandy notes, Ashley Ann @ Under the Sycamore has some great tips for getting into your own pictures, which mostly involve leaving the camera out and bossing around your hubby. :)

So how about it? You ready to get to snapping shots of you with your kids?