Bob Books Giveaway

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Ann

Update: MaryAnne from Mama Smiles has won this giveaway! Congrats MaryAnne and thanks everyone who entered and shared their books!

My daughter learned to read in preschool thanks in large part to Bob Books.

I am not saying that all kids are ready to learn to read in preschool (my son isn’t) or that Bob Books are the only way to learn. I am not even saying it was the only tool we used but I am saying Bob Books were THE tool that took my daughter from pre-reader to reader! Bob Books gave her quick success and confidence.

Read on to learn why I recommend them so strongly and for a chance to win Bob Books (Set 1)! Continue reading →

Something as Beautiful

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Ann

I was so totally struck by the perfection of my infant children. It made me want to paint! I even wanted to sculpt their sweet faces in clay (I wonder if anyone can relate?). It is clear, even in just the blog world, that I am not the only one inspired by motherhood. I wanted to see what it was like to create something so beautiful. Not a perfectly rendered copy but I wanted to document what I saw and understand it deeper than you can from just seeing. The way taking notes helps you remember material from a lecture or book.

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Bird Book Bonanza

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Ann

I have done a lot of bird posts and a lot of book posts but never a bird book post! At least I don’t think… I have told you about my favorite take along guide book and we have another larger guide book with more birds but this is not a field guide or reference book post. In fact between my Golden Guide: Birds and All About Birds online, my identification and basic bird facts needs are covered. Here I have included books to read and enjoy with or about birds!

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13 Spooky Reads!

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Ann

Halloween Children’s Book Favorites…

It is Halloween year round here! My kids just love all things Halloween. My son has a costume catalog full of tape repairs that he peruses on a regular basis. My daughters loves our Halloween book collection and has her favorites at the library too. I don’t remember liking scary things at all as a kid! Isn’t it interesting how kids are like us in lots of ways and not like us at all in others?! Lots of people are attracted to scary things. I wonder why that is?

Even though it is not my favorite, if it gets them reading I am all for it! I supposes if they had nightmares I might think differently. I think it helps to keep it age appropriate.

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Gray Catbird

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Ann

Gray Catbird

Introducing the latest visitor to our backyard: the Gray Catbird. I think they are here to stay, for as while, as there are several of them and they seem to be busying nest building. They are thrashers like the Mocking bird and have brought along lots of interesting songs as well as their own unique cat like sound. As you can see they are mostly a dark-ish gray with a long beak and a black cap. They also have a patch of brown under their tail.

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Butterflies and Books

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Ann

When we were kids, my younger sister would gently pick up butterflies by their wings to take a closer look and then let them go. Insects are fascinating to little kids. We have been seeing lots of new insects in the backyard lately including butterflies, bees, and other buzzy things.

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Ultimate Baby Nursery Wishlist (accessories)!

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Ann

Rockin’ Mama (felt-tip pen on marker paper)

A few months ago I shared with you my Ultimate Baby Nursery Wishlist. I am pretty sure my family is complete but I love babies and had a blast pretend shopping at the Land of Nod.

As a product designer, I really appreciate their design aesthetic. Their selection of quality furniture is clean and modern yet also warm and inviting. In this list I am going to accessorize my Ultimate Baby Nursery Wishlist selection. I am thinking of my furniture picks as the foundation and here I am going to bring this baby nursery to life and give it personality. This is REALLY the fun part!

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Red Star Balloon

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Ann

Star Balloon (pen & ink on marker paper, colorized in Gimp)

The other day I saw a star shaped red star balloon escaping in the sky. Later I drove by an open house with the same red balloons out front. Even so I couldn’t help but be reminded of one of childhood’s biggest disappointments.

Along with your ice cream scoop toppling off its cone and onto the ground, accidentally letting go of a balloon is right up there with the major tragic events of childhood!

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Eat better while saving time and money!

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Ann

Marble counters are on my wish list!

Are you in charge of the shopping and cooking for your family? You do dread it? Do you find it hard to shop with kids or have trouble finding time to go solo? Do you spend too much on impulse buys and forget crucial items even though they are on your list?

Having your groceries delivered could be for you!

I have recently started having my groceries delivered again and I am rediscovering all its advantages!

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maggie and milly and molly and may

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Ann

by e. e. cummings

beach day

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea

* * *

I like this poem because Continue reading →