Reading with David – sideways stories from the wayside school

David says:
I gave this story five stars because I thought all the stories were very funny and interesting.

I thought it was silly that Todd gave away Joy’s notebook instead of his. I liked that DJ always smiles and how it made everyone else smile, too and how he laughed and it made everyone else laugh too. I also liked how John could only read upside down. I loved the Miss Zarves one because it was so unexpected and funny. The story with the Erics was funny because all their nicknames were opposites of how the kids actually were. I didn’t like Kathy because she was always mean and expected things to go badly so they did. I thought it was funny that Louis offered Kathy money for her toes. And I liked how they turned Mrs. Gorf into an apple and ate her!

But my favorite one was Louis because I figured out early on that it was him telling the story because that’s the author’s name.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

December 18, 2011 | Family, Reading with David | 2 comments

Us Right Now & Weekly Update – December 17

jake
Jake’s work has been a bit quieter this week but he’s also been running errands for the family, sorting out our tax situation and still trading, trading, trading, of course. Even this quieter week included trips to the city and several meetings. We were all so happy to get to go away for a few days and have Jake around all day. He is such a joy. And he did all the driving both ways; he’s amazing like that. We love you, Daddy.

karen
Work’s been really hectic this week. More so than I’d anticipated and definitely more so that I would have hoped. I tried to balance it with my personal projects, getting ready for the holidays and our trip and going to both of the kids’ schools for their individual holiday affairs. Luckily it all worked out and I was able to come out from under most of it. Work will be hectic for a while longer but I am hoping things will quiet down even if for a little while.

david
This was David‘s last week of school until the new year. He got to sing lots of Christmas Carols with his classmates and then I went to his classroom where he read me his story (which was about how he plays on the computer.) and then the next day they had a class party. So he ended the week well and was thrilled that his vacation started with a trip to Legoland. He was exceptionally well behaved on the very long drive down and listened to music most of the time.

nathaniel
Nathaniel’s school has one more week but last week was his sharing so he spent some time making his posted and then was excited to show it to his classmates. I was happy to get to be there. He also was very excited for Legoland but I am not sure how much of it he got since he kept saying car each time I mentioned the word Legoland. But we saw a lot of lego cars there so maybe he knew what he was talking about all along!

Here are some of my favorite captured moments from this very week. Again there are several repeats between these and my december daily posts of course. Also, even though this is coming late, I kept to the Sun-Sat schedule for now so Legoland photos will be next week:

nathaniel working on his poster for school:

finished poster:

david lost yet another tooth on the bottom.

family night of playing legos.

i love how excited Nathaniel is:

Nathaniel presenting his poster:

my sweet boy:

David, reading to me:

lovely present from stacy and kayce

Nathaniel with his hat.

he loves that hat!

playing with stickers.

showing me things while i work.

checking out the deer in the backyard.

david showing me his story at school

nathaniel looking through the december daily album

i love him so.

my boys, playing together.

and Nathaniel, excited in the hotel room after 8+ hours in the car.

And those are some of the moments from our week. Another lovely week.

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

December 17, 2011 | Family, Family Diary, Us Right Now, Weekly Diary 2011 | One comment

Reading with David – Frindle

David says:
I gave this story five stars because I thought it was great that Nick got so wealthy off of his word.

I liked the part where Nick and his friends made a pact to use the word frindle every time. It was also funny that the whole school started using it even though it meant they had to stay after school. I liked the news reporter too and it was cool that she talked to Nick and published the story of the word. It was bad that the principal got involved but great that Nick’s parents were so supportive of him. I like that Nick kept acting on his good ideas and it meant the lunch in his school got so much better for everyone.

My favorite part of the book is when Nick got to see his word in the dictionary (and his name was on there too!!) It was nice that Mrs. Granger was actually rooting for Nick this whole time.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

December 11, 2011 | David, Family, Reading with David | Leave a comment

Us Right Now & Weekly Update – December 10

jake
As the holidays approach, things are quieting down for all of us, including Jake. Though he’s been working, trading and having meetings all week, he’s still working a lot and systematically. I love watching him work and seeing how into it he is. It’s a gift to get to be with someone who loves what they do as much as Jake does. And what a great example for our kids.

karen
This week was slightly more hectic than I would have liked but it was still calmer than usual. On Friday, I went to volunteer in David’s math class and that was really fun but for some reason my day got out of sync and then I haven’t been able to catch up since. I’ve been feeling very tired. More like exhausted. This next week promises to be a challenging one at work so it won’t come with downtime but the week after should be better hopefully and I plan to get a lot of rest during the holidays.

david
David’s been having a good time at school. Making new friends even now. Preparing for the Winter Event at his school with all the other first graders, and writing stories to share with us. He’s also reading so much and I love watching him read. I love that he’s interested in reading and loves reading the same book again and again. When I was his age, my favorite thing in the world was to read so I am hoping he will embrace the gift of reading, too.

nathaniel
Nathaniel’s week was relatively uneventful. He’s now learning letters as well and loves saying them out loud. He also loves all the Christmas lights everywhere. Tonight we went to ride a Christmas train and on the way there he said, “Choo choo train, Nei Nei happy.” It made us all feel so good. So wonderful to see his joy.

Here are some of my favorite captured moments from this very week. I apologize in advance as there are several repeats between these and my december daily posts of course:

nathaniel shooting david:

and then me:

nathaniel down!

david down!

both up and shooting each other:

and finally quietly reading to appease mommy.

Nathaniel looking through catalogs and telling me what he wants while I work.

David. I love him so so much.

Nathaniel playing again while I work:

He loves this truck:

Can’t you almost hear him making truck sounds?

he went to the fire station this week and loves this hat.

showing off his drawing:

Thursday night we drove around the neighborhood to see all the lights:

My boys!!

I told you he loves the hat!

I woke up at 5 am this morning because I wanted to see the lunar eclipse. Even though I couldn’t get a good photo, it was absolutely magical to watch.

then we took family photos.

And night time was a holiday train:

Nathaniel was so looking forward to it, kept saying choo choo all day and even said “happy” on the way there. He felt so happy. And so did David!

He looked out the window a lot.

The sun was just setting.

and David looked out too, enjoying himself and the chocolate chip cookies!

And here’s our train car:

And those are some of the moments from our week. Grateful and full!

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

December 10, 2011 | Family, Us Right Now, Weekly Diary 2011 | 3 comments

2012 Projects – David’s Book of Good Memories

Last year, David and I read a book a week. This year, we plan to continue reading but in a different style (more on this later this month) and I decided I wanted to add another project for some David and Mommy time.

One of the things David loves to do is go through my scrapbooks and look at his past memories. He loves reliving the moments, remembering the good things and feeling the happiness all over again.

So we bought a Moleskine Sketchbook for him and started collecting some of the items that have good memories associated with them.

So his project is similar to The Savor Project I’m doing with a few differences:

  • He’s not tied to a calendar timeframe. If he finds something from two years ago that makes him happy, he gets to put it in his book. The pages are not in any time-order. Just a collection of things that make him happy.
  • We don’t prep pages ahead of time and mostly use the sketchbook page as a background.
  • He can put several unrelated memories per page if he likes.
  • The only thing he has to do on every page is write a few words on why that item/photo is special to him.
We plan to use this book to save special items he brings home from school as well as milestones in his life, photos I take that he loves, etc.
We haven’t decorated the cover yet so there’s nothing to see there but here are a few pages we’ve already done just to give you an idea of what we’re doing:
This is the first page. On the left side is his name, a pocket that holds a fortuneteller a friend gave him at school and a few words on why he likes it. On the right side is a ribbon from the local swim school of when he leveled up from one to two. (He is on level 3 now but we couldn’t find that ribbon. More reason to do this project!)

 

And here’s the next page. On the left is a photo of a card he made for Jake’s birthday two years ago and a photo of Jake, David, and Jake’s mom opening presents on Jake’s birthday. Below that is a pocket that holds a lego card he likes and a few words on why he likes it. On the right side is a photo I took during the Polar Express train ride we took last year. Since the photo was really large, we put it sideways and created a pocket on the right side which is where he put the card that has his words on it.

And there you go.

We use a lot of the scraps I have accumulated and anything that makes him happy. As you can see, the pages are simple and putting two together takes us about an hour or so each week.

Our goal is to do 1-2 spreads a week and fill the book up throughout the year. I will be posting photos from his page every other week. (I have a project with Nathaniel this year, too, and he will get the alternate weeks.)

December 8, 2011 | David's Book of Good Memories, Family, Yearly Projects | 16 comments

Reading with David – The Westing Game

David says:
I gave this story four stars because I thought it was really mean that Westing played a trick on all the heirs.

I thought it was neat that the names he had used the directions on a compass. I liked the way Grace named the restaurants and I like that she owned so many of them. I thought it was smart that Sydelle figured out that the puzzle involved a song. I thought it was neat the Judge figured out who Sam’s wife was and that Sam was trying to get her to be the answer. I thought it was nice that Turtle covered for her sister. And I liked how they created a message board in the elevator to communicate back and forth.

My favorite part of the book is when Turtle figured out exactly what happened and she was the only one who knew the secret all her life and all his life.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

December 4, 2011 | David, Family, Reading with David | 4 comments

Us Right Now & Weekly Update – December 3

jake
Jake had an excellent week this week. He worked hard, had several meetings, and did some excellent trading. He’s also been reading a lot lately, mostly Wall Street books, of course. He’s also helped me a ton this week since I had to go to work and I went to the gingerbread house event with David. And last night, we went out since it was the seventeenth anniversary of the day we started dating. I love and adore him so much.

karen
I had a quiet week. Mostly working and doing art and reading a little. I listened to Angle of Repose on audio which was absolutely wonderful and a companion to art. I also went to an offsite with work. It was Bocce and even though I didn’t play, it was fun to be there and I am glad I went. Now that December is officially here, I am starting to make a list of activities for us and also changing my personal routines to incorporate our activities and the time to put together December Daily each day. I love this month so much!

david
David had a great week at school. He brought home and read several of the Treehouse books. He also read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid which he got from the library. He built a circuit at school. He’s been enjoying the family activities we’re doing. I was feeling so grateful on Friday that I decided to make one of David’s big dreams come true and bought us tickets to go to LegoLand during the holidays. He was incredibly happy and jumped up and down quite a bit when we showed him the tickets. I can’t wait to see how much he likes it.

nathaniel
Nathaniel has been talking up a storm. He’s definitely speaking in full sentences now and he’s learning all of his letters at school so he keeps telling me what they are. He’s super-excited about Christmas season, too and loves having his little advent calendar to open each morning. He also loves the twinkle lights I put in his room and falls asleep looking at them each night.

Here are some of my favorite captured moments from this very full week:

my sweet boy.

my other sweet boy.

i just love having the christmas tree behind each of the photos.

terrible photo, but still. David made a circuit this week. It was awesome.

Nathaniel opening his advent calendar.

David opening his.

Nathaniel playing and entertaining himself while I work and David’s at school.

Nathaniel loves touching the tree.

The kids reading together. “The Way Things Work.”

Wonderful art that came in the mail.

David working on the gingerbread house.

and enjoying himself.

our house (before it fell apart.)

David decorating the front yard.

Breakfast with Santa this morning.

Nathaniel was super-scared of Santa. Refused to go anywhere near him.

David, making crafts (he looks sad here but I think he was just focusing.)

Jake played along, too.

Nathaniel did too, of course.

They both focused hard.

My boys.

The daddy and the baby.

and tickle time!

And those are some of the moments from our week. Yet another wonderful week and I am deeply grateful for it.

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

December 3, 2011 | Family, Us Right Now, Weekly Diary 2011 | 7 comments

Reading with David – Homer Price

David says:
I gave this story five stars because I thought each story was interesting and funny.

I thought it was funny that Super Duper drove into a ditch and the kids had to rescue him. I also liked the part where he arrested the bad guys by making the skunk go on the bag of money. The doughnut machine not shutting down was funny too. And it ended up being lucky that the bracelet got lost in one because it gave them an idea of how to get all the donuts sold. It was so neat how the donut machine worked and how it flipped the donuts over. The one with the yarn was also funny because the lady ended up unwinding pieces of her own dress to win the competition.

My favorite part of the book is when they built all the houses and couldn’t tell them apart because the sign builder fell asleep.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

November 27, 2011 | Family, Reading with David | 2 comments

Us Right Now & Weekly Update – November 26

jake
As with all of us, it was a quiet week for Jake. He went to work only Tuesday and Wednesday this week. We had a meeting with an accountant on Monday so he ended up working from home and then he was nice enough to stay around for Friday, too. He did work quite a bit, but also spent a bunch of time with the rest of us. I think the balance was just right and made this a lovely week.

karen
It was a quiet week for me, too. Last Sunday I made quite a few layouts and go ahead of my todo list. I then spent the rest of the week relaxing and trying to take it easy. Around this time of year, I make a considerable effort to slow down and think and reflect. I am now in the middle of two classes: I love drawing and She Art 2. And in a week the class I am teaching starts, as well. So, in preparation, I am trying to go through my todo list and finish off all the little items that have been sitting there week after week.

david
David had no school all week. He came with me to Nathaniel’s school twice this week and it was so nice to have him around. He’s been wonderful about playing in his room, being quiet, and keeping me company all week. Nathaniel, too, loved having him around all week, of course. He’s such a joy and blessing that we are all happier when he’s around. I am grateful that he’s a big fan of reading and models it often to his little brother. (They do quite a bit of loud stuff, too, of course but Daddy has more tolerance for that than I do.)

nathaniel
Nathaniel’s school was open until Thanksgiving Day so he got to go to school twice this week and he was thrilled about it. On Wednesday, the whole class had Stone Soup to celebrate the holiday and all the parents and siblings were there and it was quite lovely. but Nathaniel was super shy so we ended up leaving early and coming home for naptime. And, on a different note, he now says six and seven, much to my delight!

Here are some of my favorite captured moments from this very full week:

David feeding Nathaniel some of his meatballs. I just love these kinds of photos with the two of them.

Nathaniel’s still drinking a lot of water but now that we have him tested, I worry a lot less.

The boys being mischievous.

more mischief, of course.

and some choo choo time while the big boy plays on the computer.

Nathaniel loves looking through my notebooks and I love watching him as he looks.

David making faces. Not a lot of opportunities to photograph him anymore. He has less patience for it than he used to.

The stone soup table at Nathaniel’s school.

David playing in the playground while he waits for Nathaniel to come out of class.

Nathaniel and Daddy sitting and eating (or not eating, really).

My three boys. Loves of my life.

we took the family shot on Thanksgiving this week.

and there was tickle time, of course!

I never get a good photo of Thanksgiving table. But better than nothing.

Right after dinner, we put Christmas songs on and put up our tree.

Both the kids helped with much joy. I know there will come a day they think it’s lame to decorate the tree so I am enjoying these moments as much as I can.

Nathaniel, looking out at the garbage trucks.

David playing Wii. He’s gotten quite good at the lego games.

Nathaniel loves the pockets in his pants.

So does David.

The silly boys, together.

David giving Nathaniel a hard time.

and Nathaniel attacking him.

thankfully, it often ends with hugs.

as for me, I spent quite a bit of my day painting.

And those are some of the moments from our week. It was another wonderful week and I am deeply grateful for it.

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

November 26, 2011 | Family, Family Diary, Us Right Now, Weekly Diary 2011 | 3 comments

Reading with David – The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

David says:
I gave this story two stars because I thought most of the story was too sad and I only added one extra star because the ending was happy.

I didn’t Pellegrino’s story and how she was mean to Edward. But I also didn’t like how Edward was selfish and didn’t love anyone. But after he sat on the bottom of the ocean for a long while, Nellie loved him and he was so happy to out of the water and to be loved. I thought it was funny Nellie thought he was a girl. I got sad when he was dumped in the trash and was thrown off the train. But the worst part was when the little girl died and then when Edward’s head was cracked open.

But then, in the end Edward appreciated being loved and started to love back and have hope again. It was wonderful that Abilene’s daughter found him so he was able to go back home.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

November 20, 2011 | Family, Reading with David | 2 comments

Us Right Now & Weekly Update – November 19

jake
Jake spent most of this week helping me out. I had a lot of meetings and commitments this whole week and he was there to cover me again and again. I am grateful for him so very very much everyday but this week my gratitude was even stronger than usual. Between all this running around, he still signed a new client and got a bunch of work done. He’s absolutely amazing.

karen
I had a really full week this week. Book club, coffee appointment, dinner party, and a movie date. Not to mention an event at David’s school and one at Nathaniel’s. Oh, and, a release at work, of course. Normally, just one of these things would be enough to stress me and put me over the edge, but I wasn’t stressed at all, all week. I went to all the events. Enjoyed each of them. Got all my work done and was able to be there for my kids. It was something of a miracle. (That would never have worked out without Jake.)

david
This was David’s last week of school before Thanksgiving Break. He now doesn’t have school for a week. He’s been doing a great job at school. He has a few regular friends and they have formed a club called Mouse Hole Spy Club and they have adventures. He even had a play date this week which, I’m told, went well. (I was at the movies.) He sang during the Thanksgiving chapel at school and enjoyed having me there very much and I really loved being there, too.

nathaniel
Nathaniel also had a good week. Yesterday was his sharing day at school and he brought a little elephant book and while he really doesn’t speak enough to express his thoughts, it was cute to watch him up there and I think he enjoyed the attention and having me at school with him. He is getting more and more demanding and simultaneously cuter and cuter every single day.

Here are some of my favorite captured moments from this week:

Nathaniel super-happy to be back with Daddy:

both of the kids hovering over daddy and watching him play:

Nathaniel looking through his books while I work.

some smiles from the big boy.

Nathaniel writing and drawing. Look at those feet.

focusing hard.

David writing his gratitudes.

Nathaniel looking through the Target catalog.

picking toys.

a smile from the little boy.

and one from the big boy.

we just finished reading the Westing Game and David saw it in the school library and checked it out.

Nathaniel up in front of the class, for sharing.

And finally today’s family shots.

drama and laughter.

and lots of tickling.

And those are some of the moments from our week. It was a special week and I am deeply grateful for it.

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

November 19, 2011 | Family, Family Diary, Us Right Now, Weekly Diary 2011 | One comment

Reading with David – The Mystery of the Silver Spider

David says:
I gave this story five stars because I liked all the adventure in the book and how they traveled to a different country.

I liked how the boys were like spies this time and had fancy cameras with strong walkie-talkies in them.

I liked how Rudy and the other Minstrels helped the three investigators escape from the palace and hide in the roof and then go through the sewers so they could get to the embassy (even though they never made it.) I also thought it was super-clever where Bob hid the silver spider of Varania. It was funny how he forgot about it later but Jupiter was able to figure it out.

The best part was when they rang the bell and all the people rallied for the Prince Djaro and then even though they were in jail, they were rescued,too.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

November 13, 2011 | Family, Reading with David | One comment

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