Giveaway Alert!

All Things Beautiful Book Giveaway!!

Hello everyone and welcome back!!

Reading is one of my passions.  I can enjoy a really good book regardless of its genre.  I could literally read all day and all night, unfortunately, adulthood prevents me from doing just that.

Because reading is my personal way of escaping reality for a couple of hours, I always find time to read.  I mean, Sleep is overrated if you ask me!

If you follow me on "GoodReads" than most likely, you are aware of my 2016 Reading Challenge.  So far, I've read 92 out of my 100 books… what did I tell you, I love reading!  You can follow me here: Elena's 2016 Reading Challenge.

I deeply believe reading gives you access to an experience that is deeply personal yet shared with the writer and world they lived in.  Self-help books are very personal, especially when the writer has had personal experience with the topic.  

Our friend Beth, owner of All Things Beautiful has an amazing Book Giveaway!  These are the prizes:  

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig;

Reasons to Stay Alive is about making the most of your time on earth. In the western world the suicide rate is highest amongst men under the age of 35. Matt Haig could have added to that statistic when, aged 24, he found himself staring at a cliff-edge about to jump off. This is the story of why he didn't; how he recovered and learned to live with anxiety and depression. It's also an upbeat, joyous and very funny exploration of how live better, love better, read better and feel more.

Humans: An A to Z by Matt Haig;

DO YOU:
A) Know a human?
B) Love a human?
C) Have trouble dealing with humans?

IF YOU'VE ANSWERED YES TO ANY OF THE ABOVE, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU
Whether you are planning a high level of human interaction or just a casual visit to the planet, this user-guide to the human race will help you translate their sayings, understand exotic concepts such as 'democracy' and 'sofas', and make sense of their habits and bizarre customs.
A phrase book, a dictionary and a survival guide, this book unravels all the oddness, idiosyncrasies and wonder of the species, allowing everyone to make the most of their time on Earth. 

  

The Man Who Couldn't Stop by David Adam:

Have you ever had a strange urge to jump from a tall building, or steer your car into oncoming traffic? You are not alone. In this captivating fusion of science, history and personal memoir, writer David Adam explores the weird thoughts that exist within every mind, and how they drive millions of us towards obsessions and compulsions.  David has suffered from OCD for twenty years, and The Man Who Couldn’t Stop is his unflinchingly honest attempt to understand the condition and his experiences. What might lead an Ethiopian schoolgirl to eat a wall of her house, piece by piece; or a pair of brothers to die beneath an avalanche of household junk that they had compulsively hoarded? At what point does a harmless idea, a snowflake in a clear summer sky, become a blinding blizzard of unwanted thoughts? Drawing on the latest research on the brain, as well as historical accounts of patients and their treatments, this is a book that will challenge the way you think about what is normal, and what is mental illness.  Told with fierce clarity, humour and urgent lyricism, this extraordinary book is both the haunting story of a personal nightmare, and a fascinating doorway into the darkest corners of our minds.

How to Enter:

How can you enter this amazing giveaway?  Very easy, simply visit our friend's page All Things Beautiful Giveaway! and follow the steps!  

*Make sure you complete the extra steps for an even higher chance of winning!  BUT you better hurry, this giveaway will end in three days.... 

GOOD LUCK!!! 

End of the Year Awards....

So much to share.... First, a big CONGRATULATIONS to our baby girl for achieving her first Honor Roll!! (yes, first, she's only in first grade) :)

Today, my husband and I attended a second "Award Ceremony" for our daughter.  Their official ceremony was this past Monday.  Unfortunately, due to some miscommunication in within the staff, some students were overlooked, including our hard working daughter who had only one B (88) in Language Arts.

Both of my children are hard working kids, but this girl... she is the definition of "committed".  You may remember her monthly illnesses and her second surgery which forced her to be out more days that any child is allowed.  If you have not, you can read about her struggle here: A Little Girl's Journey to Surgery: Tonsillectomy

Ms. Bree studied very hard even during the days she was sick.  She would often take two tests in one week because it was important to her to make up all the work and tests she had missed while she was absent.  Ms. Bree never cared for scoring anything lower than a 90, and whenever she would score anything in the 80s (which is still a B by the way), she would be very upset, to the point of tears but it also made her more determined to do better.

There were times, when she couldn't stand knowing she didn't get an A, she would beg me to talk to her teacher and asked her if it was possible for her to re-take the test, "because I wasn't ready mama, I was sick for three days and I couldn't remember it all, I got confused".  What kind of kids does that??  I sure didn't!! I would just put extra patting on my butt and pray my mama beating would be a quick one!!   

Imagine our surprise when she received a "Reading Award"!! I was informed that her Lexile Level is 460!! (In Georgia, 2016 Lexile Gateway Requirements in order to be promoted, students in the 2ND Grade must meet a 345 Lexile Level)  Well, let's just say that I don't anticipate her having any problems in the reading department.  Regardless of her level, she will continue to do lessons from her Common Core Language Art Book and we will continue to practice dictation and spelling through out the summer.

Now, all of you know I'm a planner, and my entire week was consumed by the planning of "Summer Lessons".  Yes, I'm that kind of mom that makes her kids work even during the summer.....

I had already compiled a list of possible titled for Ms. Bree to read this summer but now I have to pick new titles.  We were under the impression her reading level was in the 200s... Boy, did she have us fooled!! Her list of books must be in the 400 to 500 range.  Jeesshhh!

Continue the good work my mini me, mommy and daddy are so proud of you!

We will continue to give you all the tools you need to do better in school, but remember that it's really your hard work and your determination to be an amazing student that made this possible!!  

Our Favorite Story Books: 40 Fun Stories to Help Your Kids Grow

Hello Everyone!! 

As we all know reading and writing are essential to our kids.  One of the first things we are told when we become parents is to make sure that we make time to read out loud to our kids so they may develop better communication skills.  

I love reading, if I were to give you a glance of my Nook's Library, you will see a list of over 200 books.  And yes, I have read every single one of them, some I have read at least three times.  I love losing myself in the story. 

Recently our son has found a series he loves and so far he still wants to continue to read the series even though his summer reading log has been completed and turned in.  

Our daughter prefers when we read to her out loud, I think she loves this because Mommy makes all the faces an funny noises to go with the story line. 

Here is a list our favorite story books: 

I Am Series by Garcelle Beauvais and Sebastian A Jones

*I Am Mixed (I AM Book) #1

*I Am Living in Two Homes (I AM- Book #2)

*I Am Awesome (I AM Book #3)


Princess Truly Series by Kelly Greenawalt

*Princess Truly and the Hungry Bunny Problem

*I Am Truly

*Princess Truly and the Courageous Cape Chase


How Do Dinosaurs Series by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague:

*How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

*How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?

*How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?

*How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Room?

Amelia Bedelia Series by Herman Parish:

Amelia Bedelia Storybook Treasury:   Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School; 
                                                                   Amelia Bedelia's First Field Trip; 
                                                                   Amelia Bedelia Makes a Friend; 
                                                                   Amelia Bedelia Sleeps Over; 
                                                                   Amelia Bedelia Hits the Trail

Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne:

Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, 
                                                                 The Knight at Dawn,
                                                                 Mummies in the Morning, and 
                                                                 Pirates Past Noon

Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 5-8: Night of the Ninjas, 
                                                                  Afternoon on the Amazon,
                                                                  Sunset of the Sabertooth, and
                                                                  Midnight on the Moon

Something Every Curly Child should read at least once:

*Ballerina Girl by Kirsten Hall  

*I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

*What I Like Abot Me by Allia Zobel Nolan

*Spaghetti in A Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are

*Emi's Curly Coily Cotton Cnady Hair by Tina Olajide

The Classic Tales all children should have:

*Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

*Charlotte's Webb by EB White

*My Mother Goose: A Collection of Favorite Rhymes, Songs, and Concepts By David McPhail

*The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

*The Little Red Riding Hood by Trina Schart Hyman

*The Three Little Pigs by Patricia Seibert

*Goldilocks and The Three Bears by Candice Ransom

*Corduroy by Don Freeman

*The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Who can forget the Dr. Seuss' collection of stories: 

*One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

*Green Eggs and Ham

*Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!

*The Cat in the Hat

Tips from our friends: 

Emily says: "Remember that reading should be fun and not be associated with "homework". 

Mari says: "Don't stop reading out loud to them even after they learn how to read by themselves"

Geraldine says: "Choose books together"

Your Admin Bill shares: "Reading stories together will develop and strengthen the bond between the two of you".