Book Lists ~ Why so many??????

In the last few months, I have seen MANY, many, MaNy lists of books "You need to read to your kid by this age or grade"! Some of the lists I've looked for, some have come across my screen via Facebook, Pinterest, or the like. Following are the most common books across those lists (and it's a much shorter list too):

• Wind in the Willow by Kenneth Grahame
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and others in the series
• Laura Ingalls Wilder series
• Shel Stevenstein's books ~ Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, The Giving Tree, etc.
• Charlottes Web  by E.B. White (throw in Trumpet of the Swan and Stuart Little if you want another series)
• Phantom Tollboth by Norton Jester
• Dr. Suess' highlights ~ Green Eggs and Ham seems to be the most common book with a sprinkling of others (our favorite is still "Go Dog Go" to quote and read)

Many include the Harry Potter Series, among other books.  However, for me, the books I've mentioned seem more classics I want to expose my kids too.  We have not been big readers in our household (parent driven here - I am still a recovering Dyslexic and it gets hard to read any book at times), but with the upcoming school year I'm hoping to add more time for parent lead reading time.  These books I've posted are ones I don't feel by boys will be "too old" to sit and listen too".

With this, I bid you adu and happy reading!

 

HEAV Convention in 3 hours

Think I may have spent more time on the road this year, for the HEAV convention, than I actually did shopping (and no time for speakers!)

First up, given the time I got there, parked, and got my name tag ~ the used curriculum sale.  Fortunately, I brought my wish list from Rainbow Resources and a mental note of new at Math-U-See.  I was finding things, in used and kind of okay condition, for more $$$'s than I could pick up at either place.  Hello?!?!  I can walk down the hall and get it for less.  IF they don't have it, they'll ship it for free.  I did find three hardback books, with dust covers, and spent a whopping $4.72 with tax.  Two, I'd been looking at for awhile to pick up and the third was a FIAR title.  Here's my lovely finds:

 So Kevin didn't even bat an eye lash at me when I said,
"I know we're finished with Volume 1 - 3, but I couldn't pass it up

in really good condition for $1.25".

 No joke, had tried to put it on my Rainbow Resource list

the night before, but they don't carry it.  Amazon had it for over $10.00.

Hello $2.00, you are coming with me!

 Another book I keep checking out and meaning to purchase.

$1.25, no brainer.

Headed over to the vendor hall.  Was a bit confused, this year, my 5th year down, Rainbow Resources and Bread Beckers were not at their usual spot.  These two companies have always been "anchors" either center back or far, right, rear corner as you walk in.  You get your barrings from their locations.  Actually had to look up Rainbow's vendor number to find them.  Anyway, so nice to be able to pull out my wish list and say that this is what I am looking for and can't find.  Was in and out of that section quick.  Not with everything, but free s/h on items not found.  MUS actually didn't bring their stock with them, but offered free s/h.  Well thank you!  I don't need the stuff anytime soon and I now don't have to carry it with me ~ BONUS!!!

Breezed through through the place to find one other booth, grab lunch, and see if I could find an all day parking spot that was inexpensive.  No luck so I headed home.  I so wanted to sit in some of Kathy Kuhl's talks and Bread Beckers, but no luck this year. 

Oh well!  Maybe next year will be better!

 

Hardy Boys

Not sure when be began reading "The Hardy Boys" to our boys.  It honestly feels like we've been reading these books to them forever.  Know that isn't true ~ we had begun by December 2008 though.  Here's a post from then with the boys in laundry baskets!  Don't think we'll be getting many more photo's like those.

Anyway, we've been reading number 45 "The Mystery of the Spiral Bridge" since yesterday.  The boys and I got through a large number of chapters this afternoon and added a few more with Kevin this evening.  We might just have the series finished before the end of the summer ~ all 58 of them!

Truths about the Hardy Boys:

1. They don't age ~ they are still 17 and 18, even though there has been an obvious passage of a few years.
2. Chet shows up in every book, hungry.
3. Chet has a new hobby in every book.
4. More often than not, someone gets knocked out by the second chapter (sometimes within the first few pages).
5. There are always 20 chapters.
6. Just about every chapter is a cliff hanger, except for 20 (obviously!).

Pick one up, if you like, you may just like the series.

Day 2

begins slowly and with the first cup of coffee. This isn't a "couch to 5k" and I'm not necessarily speaking about Creation either.

Yesterday, I pulled the contents of about 4 shelves to the floor, dusted the shelves, reorganized the books, and put them back. I went through craft supplies and purged a few things into a trash can. The floor was left with a few piles of stuff (some of last years school work that needs to be filed) and a few things for the boys to deal with.

Today, more shelves and boxes to organizes and Vacation Bible School (VBS) to work on. Looks like I won't be leaving the fireplace room much today.