Rereading - Harry Potter (Again)

It has been at least a year since the last time I read the Harry Potter series - again.   It's time to pick it up again and share the story with my dd. My sweet dd is starting kindergarten in just a few weeks- maybe it is the start of something big that causing me to daydream about the wizarding world - or maybe it was the reminder from my wonderful friend Michelle- she is reading the series to her boys...either way tonight I am cracking open our much loved copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
(Really, why couldn't we in the US have the title Philosophers Stone- really we are not all that dumb that we would have been turned off by the title.) 


When I was pregnant with our son, as my belly grew, my ability to fall asleep shrunk. It could have been the hormones, the night hiccuping of my growing little boy, or whatever- but I just couldn't fall asleep. One night, my husband picked up the copy of Harry Potter that had been sitting on the nightstand and began reading to me. That simple act of sharing his love of reading - awakened a thirst for great books I didn't even know I had. Night after night he would read to me.  After our son was born we actually used to fight over who got to read.  


Bedtime reading is one of my most treasured time with my munchkins. The quiet time at the end of a day right before they fall asleep, where all of the craziness of living stops and all focus shifts to a new world, a new adventure, and someone else's story. As my children get older and there want and need of my company diminishes- I hope we never stop reading together! 

Tenzin’s Deer

We just recieved the new Barefoot Books catalog (which is amazing) and after flipping through it my ds asked for a copy of Tenzin’s Deer. I knew we had a copy somewhere in the house and spent the day looking for it.  

My ds had a pretty hard time learning to read, and only this past year in third grade, did he really get the hang of it. As such anytime he is remotely interested in a book I do my best to get it for him, or borrow it from the library. But today we were in luck, since the book he wanted was already in our collection.

Like so many of our books it was still in a box in the garage from when we moved (almost two years ago).  On our way to swim class today my ds sat quietly in the back of the car reading Tenzin’s Deer.   Getting out of the car he said, “Mom, that is a great book.” It had been a long time since I read Tenzin’s Deer but remembered how powerful the message of the book was. What struck me was that all  I remember feeling sad about the loss Tenzin felt, and what my ds seemed to feel empowered by the kindness the boy showed to the animals around him.  One true sign of a great book is that you feel changed by having read it and Tenzin’s Deer is one of those great books.

Tenzin's Deer

A Tibetan Tale

Meet Tenzin, a kindhearted boy who discovers a wounded musk deer high up in the hills. In this Tibetan tale, Tenzin nurses the deer back to health, and must learn the most important lesson of all: how to love enough to let go.
Ages 5 to 10 years
Written By: Barbara Soros
Illustrated By: Danuta Mayer

Wordless Wednesday (Favorite Places)

Shopping with Dad (New Format)

One of my favorite books is now available in paperback! Shopping with Dad  by Matt Harvey is super fun to read aloud perfect for preschoolers and elementary school age children. This lovely book is brilliantly illustrated by Miriam Latimer who's playful style and bright colors are sure to capture your little cuties attention.  


This is a great book to give as a gift or keep for your personal collection!

Late Wordless Wednesday

The Magic of Chinese Delivery

The story begins with
(One little miss with a cold
+One mama that was not feeling much better
+ One son just getting over a cold)
- One daddy at work late
= Chinese Take Out!

To be completely honest it doesn't take that much for me to be convinced that it is a Chinese Take Out night, (proof of this is that the person that answers the phone at our favorite delivery place knows my voice) but today was an exceptional example of the absolute need for me like many other moms to have a Chinese delivery place close by at all times.

Back to the story, last Wednesday (also known as little Miss's birthday) when my sweet son came down with a nasty cold. Mr. Sweet shared his cold with me and by Friday I was feeling miserable. The weekend was spend with bouts of sneezing, mild fevers, and many attempts to nap.

Fact: The worst part of a weekend with a sick mom is that all those errands that are left 'till the weekend inevitably are left undone.

Which brings us to Monday...when little miss woke up and came in to my bed to snuggle with a a mild fever and very stuffy nose. So Monday brought with it an empty fridge, a still under the weather mother, a sick little miss, and a beloved Chinese restaurant that delivers!

Thank you China Wok without you this day would not have been possible!

Wordless Wednesday - Walking