Read all about it!

I'm into books these days. Oh, not for myself - who has time to read? (she says sheepishly...), but for Miss Ellen.

I love the hunt of tracking down an obscure / great / new-to-us book and feel giddy when she loves it just like I thought she would. There are a lot of duds in this search, to be sure, (I'm looking at you "A Chocolate Moose for Dinner" - so dated), but definitely some diamonds in the rough from our typical library plunder.

With Easter baskets on the horizon, I find myself searching Amazon for something great to add that isn't candy. Oh, there will be candy - the girl is a fiend for jelly beans - but I like to add other treats, too. (The Betty Bunny books are fun, if a little naughty). And, truly, I'm always trying to find that little something extra to get my basket over $25 for free shipping - aren't you?

So, this year I'm approaching chapter books. Whoa. We're probably a little early for this, but I never would have even considered it without coming across this post on Pinterest. Aaah, Pinterest - how you've changed my life. From Sarah Jane Studios - Chapter Books for the Younger Kids. Some of these books are definitely for elementary age, but read the comments, too, and you'll see some suggestions for younger kids.

We have a copy of Matilda by Roald Dahl - one of my all time favorites - and Ellen loves paging through it and there are just enough illustrations to keep her interested. I sent my niece a Roald Dahl boxed set two years ago for Christmas and she loved every bit of it, just like I did. My heart almost burst with pride!

So ... we ended up with Junie B. Jones for a newer option and Pippi Longstocking for an older option. Maybe we'll try Matilda and Stuart Little, too. We'll see how that goes ...

Also, a few other sources for good kid books that I might have shared before:
Dinner A Love Story: Fave Five (updated periodically)
Design Mom: Picture Books
Daily Candy - All Time Favorite Kids' Books

There are other lists on Pinterest - search for kids books. And, this is fun too:
We Give Books - a free online site for reading books online (flip through the pages on your computer and read out loud).

And, I know I've mentioned this one, but Barnes and Noble adds a new book to their storytime site every month and Ellen loves "watching" them. Good if you need a break, not that you ever do ...

Hoarder

Just to note for posterity that we are thoroughly entrenched in the "treasure" stage that I only can assume nabs all little girls at some point.

At least, I hope we aren't the only ones.

This hoarding almost has me at my breaking point. I pride myself on rarely losing ANYTHING, and even more so, I can almost always pinpoint other people's things (ahem, Erik). However, when Ellen whines about the location of one particular outside rock / stick / sparkly Chapstick / board book, it makes me want to throw every bit of it away. Don't think I haven't threatened.

Ok, then. That's all the venting for today.

Slacker

Gah, sorry about the lack of posting.

I have nothing of merit to write, except that my mother reminded me about "springing forward" this weekend. That's just rude, daylight savings time.

So ... I wish you luck. That is all.

Tip o' the day

Since the iPhone came into my life, I have been terrible with taking pictures with my real camera. Life has been busy, too, but excuses excuses excuses.

I just uploaded all of my pictures from February (probably the fewest in any month since Ells was born) and virtually all of them are upstairs at bedtime. I kind of like it, though, since that isn't something you usually think to take pictures of, but still spend ALL OF YOUR LIFE DOING.

So ... take your camera upstairs. Leave it there. Grab it for story hour or bath time or teeth brushing or general mischief / stalling.

I think you will be happy you did.