Read Alouds Above Grade Level

We recently discovered that Buddy is reading fluently at a third grade level and I was immediately overwhelmed by the responsibility to teach him.  I also realized that he needed a challenge with new books.  While researching ideas for homeschooling, the idea that was repeated over and over was to do chapter book read alouds as a family above your children's reading level.  So I decided to give it a try with Buddy and Sweetpea.

I decided to start with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  I decided to read one chapter a day at either lunch or supper.  I am still doing Highchair Reading even though Sweetpea no longer sits in a highchair and now loves to sit and read.  Meal times gather us around the table and reading a chapter keeps everyone quiet and happy while they eat.

Before we read, we discuss what happened in previous chapters for Sweetpea's benefit and to work on the reading skill of retelling with Buddy.  As we read, I explain any hard to understand words or concepts to introduce new vocabulary.  After we finish the chapter, I ask Buddy and Sweetpea to make guesses as to what they think will happen.  We are currently over half-way through and both  remind me if I start to forget.

I've already have several choices lined out for when we finish this book and I'm glad we started this read aloud journey! 

Not a Stick

Not a Stick -- Story and Creative Activity was a very interesting blog post about incorporating books and imaginative activities.
I hope to find the book, "Not a Stick" by Antoinette Portis at our library soon.  Buddy is fascinated with sticks, like most boys, and this would be a great way to encourage his imagination.  I don't know how many times I've made him leave sticks outside and I know Buddy would love to have permission to bring one inside!

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer

Now that Ladybug is here, I have been re-reading one of my favorite books about babies. Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg with Melinda Blau was one of the two books that primarily shaped the way I established our routine with Buddy and Sweetpea.  And now that Ladybug is over a week old, I'll begin working on her routine as well.
One of my favorite sayings from this book is "Start as you mean to go on" which means to begin life with your child as you see life in the future.  Right now Ladybug is sleeping on top of us at night instead of in her bed but I know when she is older, I do not want to have her on my chest at night.  So our goal with her right now is to begin to work on her sleeping in her bed. 
Using acronyms like E.A.S.Y (Eat, Activity, Sleep, You) and S.L.O.W (Stop, Listen, Observe, What's Up), Tracy Hogg's principles are a breeze to follow and easy to understand even while lacking sleep!  The biggest thing that I appreciate is the development of a routine, not a schedule, but a routine of what to expect.  This not only helps the baby adjust to their new life but helps the parents know how to plan their days.  I, by nature, am a planner and so having Buddy, Sweetpea, and Ladybug on a flexible routine gives me more peace of mind.  The key word in parenting is flexibility and so if adjustments need to be made during the day, they can be easily made to our routine. 
If you are a new parent or expecting a child, check this book out!  As with every parenting book though, take the advice with a grain of salt and do what fits your lifestyle best.  Happy Parenting!

Artisan Bread

I received Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day for Christmas and have really enjoyed reading it.  I finally ventured into the bread making this past week and was overall pleased with my first attempt.  I started with a Whole Wheat Sandwich bread since that is what my family eats most often and halved the recipe. 
Buddy and Sweetpea have enjoyed the bread but Jon and I think it turned out a little dense and chewy.  Pregnancy brain kicked in at the end and I floured the top of the loaf with white flour instead of wheat but Buddy thought it was powdered sugar.  Also, my pans were a little larger and therefore my loaves a little smaller.  Oh well, for a first attempt, it turned out well.

I hope to progressively get better and look forward to trying some of the more complex recipes in the future.  If you love bread, aren't a fan of bread machines, and want an easy quick way to bake bread more often, give this book a try! 

Who Got Peanut Butter on My Daily Planner?

One of the best books I bought around the time I decided to stay home with Buddy was "Who Got Peanut Butter on My Daily Planner?"  I think it was the subtitle that really caught my attention.  As much as I loved being home, I wasn't sure what to do at first and this book helped encourage me in the stay at home process.
I'm currently in the process of re-reading it for the third or fourth time.  I've been feeling like I've been in a slump and not accomplishing as much around the house, especially with Buddy and Sweetpea. 
Cindy Dagnan uses humor to keep you reading and provides many useful tips to help your household run smoothly.  Her chapter on how to overcome our kryptonite has been the most encouraging to read and re-read.  All stay at home moms have dreams of being Supermom and all of us encounter kryptonite at some point.  How we decide to go from there is up to us.  Organization helps keep my home working well and I definitely know when I've started to let life get a little more cluttered.
If you are currently a stay at home mom, or thinking about becoming one, I recommend finding this book at a library or buying it.  I hope that you'll be as encouraged in your desire to stay home as I am!

The Sneaky Chef

One of my newest books that I love is The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine.  I devoured (yes, pun intended) this book on our trip and came home ready to buy cauliflower to hide it various things!
Sweetpea is our "picky" eater in that there is no convincing her to try something if she is not interested.  Buddy will at least try most things but even he can be selective about what he eats. 
The Sneaky Chef not only gives recipes that hide veggies and fruits but also gives various reasons and methods behind choosing to hide the healthy foods. Missy Lapine addresses meal time battles and how this makes family meal times a dreaded event for both parent and child.  Jon and I have struggled to make our family suppers a joy while encouraging healthy eating.
I hope to apply a few of the principles learned from this book and breathe a little easier knowing that Buddy and Sweetpea are getting the nutrients that they need.  With recipes like Magic Meatballs and Sauce, Power Pizza, and Total Tacos, Buddy and Sweetpea will be able to enjoy their favorite meals while consuming hidden vegetables and fruits.  I still plan to present vegetables and fruits on their plates to hopefully get Buddy and Sweetpea to eat them as is but without battle!
If your children are finicky eaters, I recommend finding this book and giving it a read.  Meal times should not be a guilt filled experience of bribing or cajoling or fussing at our children.  All moms want to know that their children are eating healthy and enjoying it.  The Sneaky Chef finds a balance between a fuss-free meal and nutrient rich food.

Almost Christian

I recently finished reading Almost Christian:  What the Faith of our Teenagers is Telling the American Church.  I picked up this book on a whim while in our church library and then was drawn into the break down and reflection of the National Study of Youth and Religion.  Kenda Creasy Dean is the author of this book and she expounds upon the finding of the NSYR.  Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is rampant in our churches and is affecting how teenagers are growing, or rather, not growing in their faith.  Almost Christian shows us that according to this national study, our teenagers are very positive about faith in general but very apathetic when it comes to growing their own personal faith.  Dean makes the argument that this apathy is the result of the American church and the self absorbed spirituality that is rampant. 
Almost Christian contains several interesting and several very scary excerpts from the NSYR's interviews with teens.  These interviews are scary in the fact that the students interviewed can articulate their views on political and cultural issues but are very inarticulate when it comes to matters of their spiritual beliefs.  Dean lists four main traits of devoted Christian teens and they are as follows:  1) they have a personal and powerful God-story that they can articulate; (2) they belong to a community of faith; (3) they have a sense of call to live for a larger purpose; and (4) they have hope for the future promised by their faith.
This book was a very good read and a reminder to make sure that as Jon and I work with our youth that we are helping them grow and become more articulate about what they believe and why.  In the end, it is up to each student to transform their faith into a solid and growing life giving relationship with Jesus Christ.  I found Appendix B to be most interesting as this is a summary of the findings from the Nations Study of Youth and Religion.  Number Six was "The single most important influence on the religious and spiritual lives of adolescents is their parents."  So if you are raising a teenager or plan on raising a teenager solid in their faith, take a look at your own relationship with God and challenge yourself to grow!  I hope to see more parents diving into God's Word and deeper into their relationship with Christ and see how this changes the future teenagers!

Jumping Through Fires

Yesterday, Jon handed me David Nasser's book, Jumping through Fires: The Gripping Story of One Man's Escape from Revolution to Redemption and I had such a hard time putting it down!  I stayed up a little late last night because I was so wrapped up David Nasser's story and had to finish this book.  Through various youth functions, I've had the privilege of hearing David Nasser speak and have always enjoyed his messages though never knew much of his back story. 
Jumping through Fires is his personal testimony of escaping Iran during revolution and his transformation into a real and living faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.  Reading David's personal memories of his family's life and how God got a hold of him, was truly captivating.  The subtitle says it all...it really is a gripping story.  The best thing that I took away from his testimony was to live my faith in Christ in all aspects of life because you never know who is watching.  The way I treat a waitress in a restaurant could have an impact on someone else's journey to God!  If you are looking for a new read, I recommend finding a copy of Jumping through Fires immediately, but be sure to begin reading when you have plenty of time, because it is almost impossible to put down!

Safely Home

This was not the original post I had intended for today but after spending the last two days engrossed in this book, I had to take the time to immediately recommend Safely Home by Randy Alcorn.  I have always greatly enjoyed Randy Alcorn's writing and have read and reread Deadline, Dominion, and Deception (all 3 I highly recommend as well!) but had never heard of Safely Home until our church librarian showed it to me. 
Safely Home is a book set in China about the house churches that still undergo persecution.  Alcorn takes a wealthy U.S. businessman and contrasts him with a poor Chinese locksmith who is a very devoted Christian.  The book follows the transformation of the businessman as he watches his friend deal with persecution for his faith.  Alcorn does a magnificent job at reminding the reader of the truths of martyrdom.
This book has completely challenged me to rethink about the strength of my commitment to Christ.  Would I be willing to stand firm in the face of torture and even death?  I hope I never have to find out but my hope and prayer is that I would be faithful to the end.  We have it so easy here in the United States, as compared to other nations, to spread the Gospel of Jesus, to own and read the Bible, and to meet publicly to worship.  Let us pray that we maintain that right, although as we've seen already, our Christian rights, even here in the United States, are slowly being stripped away. 
I greatly encourage you to read Safely Home by Randy Alcorn and become more aware of faith in the face of troubles and persecution.  John 16:33 states "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The Wives of King David

I recently finished Jill Eileen Smith's three book series, The Wives of King David, and could not put the books down.  These books are Biblical fiction that focus on three of King David's wives and each story is told from their perspective.  Jill Eileen Smith pulled me in with her vivid characters that follow Scripture closely and kept me hooked with the unfolding of the storyline from a different viewpoint. 

Michal, the first book, is about David's first wife and her struggles as she loves her father's worst enemy.  As the daughter of King Saul, she is left behind at the palace when David has to run for his life.  The book follows the path of her love, loss, and reunion with King David.  This book made me contemplate how hard it must have been to be the first wife of David and then to have to share him with other women. 

Abigail, the second book, is told from the perspective of Abigail, wife to Nabal, who saves her family from her husband's foolish pride.  By acting in faith, she catches the notice of David.  Abigail becomes another of David's wives after the death of Nabal and moves with David on his run from King Saul.  Abigail decides to follow God's will no matter the cost to her or her family.

Bathsheba, the third and final book, is the book that I was most interested in reading to see how Smith would portray the adulterous beginning of King David and Bathsheba's relationship.  I thought this book was very skillfully written as Bathsheba and David share the guilt for their mistake that cost the life of Uriah and their first born son.  The storyline interweaves the devastation that sin causes with the forgiveness and grace of God. 

All in all, The Wives of King David is a great series that I look forward to reading again and again!

Ephesians 4:32

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."  Ephesians 4:32

 

This verse was added to our list of verses to memorize because Buddy and Sweetpea have been acting like typical siblings and irritating one another.  As we recite this verse, Buddy and I have talked about ways to be kind and what tenderhearted means.  It surprised me how easily he learned the concept of tenderhearted and this has actually made a difference in the way that Buddy treats Sweetpea.  In turn, Sweetpea is a little nicer as well during play time.  I hope to get a video of Buddy saying this verse soon.

We read several books as well geared towards being kind that went along with the verse.

Berenstain Bears Love Their Neighbors is a great book about being kind to people around us.  The Berenstain Bears ignore their neighbors down the road because they seem mean and messy.  When their car breaks down, the Bear family discovers who is their true neighbor.  It is a retelling of the Good Samaritan story from the Bible and was a good lesson for Buddy on how we should treat others.
 Rainbow Fish to the Rescue is the second Rainbow Fish book.  Buddy and Sweetpea loved the first book so much that I found this one at the library.  It fit perfectly into our verse as Rainbow Fish has to decide whether or not to play with his new friends or include the new fish.  It has an exciting finish when a shark appears in the reef.  Buddy loved this Rainbow Fish story as well and talked about how the other fish were mean and it was an easy tie-in to Ephesians 4:32.

Help Me Be Good: Being Mean by Joy Berry is a book that specifically talks about being mean on a child's level.  It was still a little over Buddy's head so I changed a few of the paragraphs to help him understand more clearly.  Joy Berry's Help Me Be Good series has several great books teaching children how to have good manners and act appropriately with others. 


Ephesians 4:32 is a good verse to memorize even for me to remember how we should treat one another.  Hopefully Buddy will remember this verse when he starts to act mean and choose the be kind instead.

Rainbow Fish

One of our most recent library books has been The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.  This is a great story of a fish with shiny scales who refuses to share and the lesson he learns.  One of my favorite aspects of the book is that the illustrations are beautiful.  It is a very well written story that went well with our Bible verse for the week of Ephesians 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."  The Rainbow Fish learns to be kind as the other fish forgive him at the end of the story.

After nap time, I decided, spur of the moment, to let Buddy make a Rainbow Fish and this turned out to be a great Bible verse poster as well. 

Materials Needed:
Blue Construction Paper
Outline of fish (I very quickly pulled one off of the internet but forgot to save the link.  Google is a great tool.)
Glue
Blue, Green, and Purple Crayons
Foil (a great last minute addition not pictured below)
Glitter

Buddy and I glued the fish down onto the construction paper and I let him begin coloring.

While Buddy was coloring, Sweetpea woke up and wanted to join in on the fun.

After he colored the fish, I gave him a small piece of foil to tear into scales.

He very carefully glued the scales in very precise locations.

After the glue for the foil scales had dried for a little bit, we added some glitter lines on the fins.  (Tip:  Glitter always ends up everywhere but the mess can be somewhat contained if you place a cookie sheet underneath.  Ours happened to be a pizza pan because Buddy insisted he wanted a circle.)

I added our Bible verse on top and once it was dry, we hung it up on the refrigerator as a reminder of our memory verse.

Buddy's Rainbow Fish

Sweetpea's Rainbow Fish

Highchair Reading

 Everyone knows the importance of reading out loud to your children.  In fact, I've even blogged about it but have struggled to find ways to read with Sweepea.  She loves books but she wants to enjoy them on her terms.  The other day, she sat in our new living room flipping through a lot of our chapter books and examining the illustrations on the covers.  The minute I sat down with a book next to her, she thought it was time to move on to something else.  Sweetpea will flip through all of the board books on our shelves but will only sit through one or two pages when Jon or I start to read aloud.
I've read to her while she is playing but invariably she gets frustrated.  I've tried rocking with her and reading, which Buddy loves, but she would listen to two pages and squirm out of my arms.  Finally, at lunch one day, while Sweetpea was busily eating, I grabbed a library book and started reading.  She was enthralled.  Her hands were busy as she ate but she was completely focused on the book. 
So this is our new way to read.  I don't necessarily get to eat my lunch while they eat but that is okay.  Buddy loves it since he would read all day long if my voice would hold up and Sweetpea listens intently.  We read all of our library books today at lunch without any fussing or squirming.  Here is a picture of Sweetpea enjoying her dessert as we read. 

This may not be the most conventional way to read but it works for Sweetpea and maybe it will work for other very active and busy babies as well.  Happy Reading!

Dee Henderson -- The O'Malley Series

For Mother's Day, my wonderful husband gave me nine books because he knows that I love to read.  Six of the nine belong to the O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson.   This series is one that I first read in high school and have read several times now.  I am currently on Book 5, The Healer, and have greatly enjoyed re-reading.  All of Dee Henderson's books that I have read have been enjoyable and have very much kept my attention.

The O'Malley Series is about 7 people who have chosen to become a family and now lead very interesting lives.  The first book in the series, The Negotiator, is about Kate who is a hostage negotiator.  The book follows her journey to faith and answers tough questions about who Jesus is.  Dee Henderson writes quick moving, action oriented books and each book in this series solves some sort of puzzle or mystery.  In The Negotiator, Kate's name is mentioned in a bomb threat right before the plane explodes.  The book continues as she scrambles to solve who blew up the plane before someone else gets hurt.  Kate has to learn to lean on Jesus through a time of crisis and not to try to do things in her own strength.

Each book is told from another person in the O'Malley family's point of view and has a very strong salvation message in each.  From personal experience, these are not books to read to relax and go to sleep but these are books that will keep you turning page after page! 

Here is a list of the book titles in case you would like to find them at your library.

     Book 1 - The Negotiator

     Book 2 - The Guardian

     Book 3 - The Truth Seeker

     Book 4 - The Protector

     Book 5 - The Healer

     Book 6 - The Rescuer

If you are also interested, there is a prequel to The O'Malley series, Danger in the Shadows, but this series will also stand alone.  Danger in the Shadows explains the background information of another character in the O'Malley series.   Hope you enjoy!