Mr Popper's Penguins

We finished our second book club book. The book was really funny, there was one part that my kids had me read over and over again and we were hysterically laughing!! It was a short quick read. 4 hours after we finished the book, we went and saw the movie together..they were soooo excited. The movie was COMPLETELY different than the book. The only things that were the same was the fact that someone named Mr. Popper unexpectedly received penguins in the mail. Everything else was different in some way. Aislee noticed and during the movie she'd say...this is not how it was in the book. So...she paid attention! The movie was fun with some funny parts...and after Easton kept asking me what world penguins lived in...when I told him our world...he asked if we could drive there on the way home to see them!!

Next book....Wind in the Willows!

Me and My kids have a bookclub!

My cute sister Jill is such a GREAT mom! She is always giving me fun ideas/activities to do with my kids. She recently told me about how she reads books with her kids. Sometimes if the book has a movie, they'll watch that after they finish. I LOVED this idea because I love to read and I love to read Children's books. I still remember my favorites when I was little. So I started a book club with my kids! Our first book was Little House on the Prairie. We read at night together and my kids just sit and listen (surprising!). It has been such a fun thing for all of us. And it has totally surprised me how much they actually listen. We cried, laughed, and cuddled together because we were scared. At one point Easton even said...Mom...they don't have a microwave. So that led us to a lot of conversation about how lucky we are to have what we do. It also made me dream about life being more simple.

I HIGHLY recomend starting a book club with your kids. Since we finished that book, we've started Mr. Popper's Penguins, and we're going to try and finish so we can go see the movie this weekend!

Here is the actual list of books my sister gave me: (feel free to leave a comment with your favorite Children's book)

Little House on the prairie
The Wind in the Willows- Kenneth Grahame
The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo
A Series of Unfortunate Events- Lemony Snicket
The Secret Garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Fantastic Mr. Fox- Roald Dahl
The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien
A Wrinkle in Time- Madeleine L'Engle
Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Byond Nutmouse Hall by Emily Bearn
A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Matilda- Roald Dahl
Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
Marley: A dog like no other- John Grogan
The Mouse and the Motorcycle- Beverly Cleary
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe- CS Lewis
D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths- by Ingri and Edgar D'Aulair
Harry Potter
Sideways stories from wayside school- by Louis Sachar
Holes
Matilda
Mr. Poppers Penquins by Atwater
Horace Splattly: the cupcaked crusader by Lawrence david
Danger Joe Show by Jon Buller
Aliens for breakfast by johnathan etra
how to train your dragon
the giggler treatment by Roddy Doyle
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Charlotte's Web- by EB White
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
The BFG by Roald Dahl
The indian in the cupboard by Lynne Banks
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

Im In Timeout

I had a meltdown tonight, so I put myself in timeout. I've been here for an hour. I'm really starting to like it. I might need to have more meltdowns.
Let me tell you how it started.
I made dinner for my family, and we are all sitting down at the dinner table enjoying our meal. And that's where the perfect-family-dinner-moment ends. Easton hates it, and Aislee loves it so much she's finished it, and is still hungry. Lewis downed it too, so he starts whining for more food. Okay okay children...calm down, let's see...we had Lentil soup and asparagus, so I offer them strawberries or an apple...of course one says strawberries, the other says apple. So, I settle it and go for the apple. One wants skin on, one wants skin off, so I start cutting away, and still I can hear whining from all three......wait a second, I do have a husband here don't I?, oh yes, but he is miraculously deaf at the moment and apparently has no bodily functions, because he's just sitting there. (which to his benefit, is rare) I hand the baby a handful of goldfish (because it was the quickest thing I could get to) he throws them off his highchair and starts yelling at me again. Meanwhile, Aislee and Easton are both whining their apple requests...and something snaps in my head, I scream...and walk/run to my room, slam the door (because that's key in melt-down procedure), and walk in my bathroom, slam that door, and lock it. I sit down on the floor, count to 10 and breathe deep. Peace and quiet....wow....this is nice. I notice my laundry basket full of clothes that need to be put away, so I do it....all alone, this is actually really turning into a nice quiet moment for me, and I get to do my chores peacefully and quietly.
That's when I hear my door trying to open, which I ignore, and then I hear paper rustling under the door. A note from Aislee:

mom wus it me Easton
or Lewis or DaD
and are you (picture of a frowny face with tears) I love you

I write back:

Thanks Ais, I love you too. I'm ok, I just need to be in time out for a bit.

Another note:

You wrnt Being meen
wiy are you in time out wy are you Sad.
I love you. (the o's are replaced with hearts)

My reply:
I yelled, so I put myself in time out. I'm not sad, just frustrated. So I'm calming down. Love you.

Her reply:

Your Qute.

Then another note:

I am the mom Go to time out
Jest tiesing
You can do wut you want to do
I love you

I wrote: You make me (picture of a smiley face) then I let her in, and hurry and locked the door behind her.


Moral of my story. Meltdown's can sometimes turn into great things. And also, I'm an honest blogger, and this is an honest life moment. Also, when Aislee calls me after she's had kids and cries because she had a meltdown or feels like she's going to go crazy, I'm going to pull out my blurb blog book, and this entry will be bookmarked and I'll read it to her, and I bet ya it will make her smile and help her feel normal. And maybe I can read this soon and laugh. And maybe it will help someone else laugh today.
My life is wonderful, even my crazy moments.

And if only kids knew how wonderful time out really is!!