Resolutions, Looking Back

2011 was a dream. I woke this morning and can only remember fuzzy bits and pieces. And as the day goes on the memories only seem to escape me further.

So, I went back.

To my place here.

Oh, yes...

We made a monumental decision.

We moved from our home in Michigan to my in-laws to a friend's house in Kansas City, and ended the summer with our final move to Lawrence.

I started working as a youth librarian.

Will went back to school.

LBD grew from baby to little lady.

And we read. We read A LOT.

We went through a lot.

Laughter, tears, trials, and joy.

So ends the year.

On to new

Resolutions:

Fear less.

Write more.

Worry less.

Play more.

Be still. Be loud.

Create,

Music. art. love.

Take a chance.






image source via pintrest

Texas Holiday

Under eight hours from Lawrence, Kansas to Dallas, Texas.

Southbound 35.

We were a bit hesitant to make the trip in the car with an extremely active 17-month old, but she did so much better than expected. The primary duration of the trip was occupied with books (two gym bags full!) and toys (likewise!). Had one rough patch at the end, but I called my sister who sang to LBD for 20 minutes. Her singing was made bearable only because it ceased the crying.  Thank you, Rachel.

My girl.

The last time we were in Texas was March. In March, I had a little baby who couldn't yet walk or talk.

My girl is growing up.

We went to an aquarium with my Dad a couple days before Christmas...

She absolutely loved it.

The fish, the turtles, sea horses, sting rays.... I have an affinity for sting rays. They so effortless in water. Like birds gliding on a breeze. There were plenty of little viewing pockets in the tanks for an even closer look.

And then along came the night before Christmas with all it's trimmings...

Grammy made sure LBD was fashioned from curls to toes for the event.

Chez Santa made an appearance.

6am Christmas morning.

I heard LBD wake. She immediately sat up in her crib and looked over at the bed I was laying in.

"Do you think Santa came to visit last night?" I asked.

"YEAH!"

Do you want to go see if there are presents under the tree?"

"Yeah. YEAH! YEAH!"

Just when I start to feel old, or tired, or stressed, or like a grinch, she always brings me back around.

Back to magic and wonder.

We returned home from our holiday on Monday night.

Had old friends over for lunch Tuesday.

Went back to work that evening.

Unpacking, cleaning, catching up on laundry,

Back to life.

On to the New Year.

Season's Greetings

Hello and Merry Christmas!

We've been spending the holiday at my folks houses in Texas. Have some great pics to share with you upon our return this week!

Hope everyone is at home safe and cozy with friends and family.

Much love to you and yours,

Rebecca

image source: greetings

Holiday 'Sing-A-Long' Storytime

I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a Holiday Storytime. Of course there are hundreds of Christmas books, a handful of Hanukkah books, and the pickings get slim when it comes the Kwanzza and Eid. So, to incorporate all holidays I decided to do a holiday song sing-a-long. A few winter songs and then a song each for Eid, Hannukah, Kwanzza, and Christmas. After each holiday song, we all said the traditional greeting for that specific holiday:

Eid: Eid Mubarek, Eid Sied! (Blessed Eid, Happy Eid)

Hanukkah: Happy Hanukkah!

Kwanzaa: Habari Gani? (What's the good news?)

Christmas: Merry Christmas!

It was great to see so many people make it out during such a busy season. A perfect way to end the year.

Holiday Sing-A-Long Line-Up:

Frosty the Snowman By Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins, Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey

Open with a classic, winter song that everyone knows. Frosty, to this day, is still a crowd pleaser.

This Little Light of Mine Adapted by Raffi, Illustrated by Stacey Schuett

I originally chose this book because this song is occasionally sung during Kwanzaa, but I thought it would make a great opener for all the holiday songs as each holiday uses candles and lights to celebrate. And that along with the celebration of light,  I reminded the kids that a light that shines within each one of them.

Eid Song

By Nancy Sewart, Adapted by Rebecca Dunn

Do you see a crescent moon? (Form a C overhead with one arm)

Do you see a crescent moon?

When you see a crescent moon

We can celebrate Eid

We'll have a party with our friends (Twirl pointer finger)

We'll have a party with our friends

We'll have a party with our friends

and celebrate Eid

We'll decorate with lots of lights (Repeat opening left and right hands)

We'll decorate with lots of lights

We'll decorate with lots of lights

And celebrate Eid

We'll dress up in our brand new cloths (Pat shoulders)

We'll dress up in our brand new clothes

We'll dress up in our brand new clothes

And celebrate Eid

We'll eat our special food together (Pretend to eat)

We'll eat our special food together

We'll eat our special food together

And celebrate Eid

So do you see a crescent moon (Repeat C motion)

Do you see a crescent moon?

When you see a crescent moon

We celebrate Eid

Eid mubarek, Eid sied!

Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah Illustrated by Susan L. Roth

A classic song with festive and fun collage work by Susan L. Roth.

Kwanzaa Candle Song

By Gayle Bittinger

Tune: "Farmer in the Dell"

The red candles shine

The red Candles shine

When it's time for Kwanzaa

The red candles shine

The green candles shine

The green candles shine

When it's time for Kwanzaa

The green candles

The black candle shines

The black candle shines

When it's time for Kwanzaa

The black candle shines

The Twelve Days of Christmas Illustrated by Jane Ray

I couldn't resist using this new book after skimming through the illustrations.

My Favorite Things By Rodgers & Hammerstein, Illustrated by Renee Graef

Because storytime and music are two of my favorite things.

Then for the grand finale, I handed out bells to each child and we all sang "Jingle Bells" in it's entirety.

Doorbell/Jingle Bell Craft:

This jingle bell craft was a big hit with the kids. When I was looking for winter crafts last month, I came across this one on pintrest and thought it would be the perfect compliment to my sing-a-long storytime.

With more help from co-workers for recycled supplies, I had all the egg cartons needed for 60 bells. To start, I tore out the dividers (5 per carton), and then trimmed them up if needed. Other supplies included paint, bells, yarn, glitter, and glue.

I painted the egg carton dividers with acrylic paint and let dry. Nothing too precise. And only one coat. Took maybe 45 mins tops to cut and paint them all.

Color!

Next, I tied a string of yarn to a bell.

And made another knot so the bell wouldn't get stuck in the shell.

I don't have a large yarn needle, so I crafted one of my own with a paperclip.

Poked a hole in the top if it didn't already have one and then threaded the yarn through with the needle.

Knotted the top and there you have it.

The threading took the most time, but after a couple it went really quickly.

With a little glue and glitter, the once egg cartons are now festive bells.

I told the kids they could hang their bells from their front door and every time company comes over to celebrate the holidays, the bells will ring. Or they can tie them to their bedroom door and the bells can act as an alarm for when their parents go in their room.

This will be the last storytime post for the year.

Looking forward to seeing everyone for storytime next year!

Happy Holidays!!

image sources: pintrest, frosty the snowman, this little light of mine, hanukkah, twelve days, favorite things

End of Year Notable Reads

I've been extremely impressed with the last few books I've read. I mean.. a great book is hard to come by. Usually they are sprinkled here and there between a couple "okay books", maybe one that bored you to tears, but you believed it "might get better". And it never did. They come along only ever few months and maybe even years. So, I was surprise to find myself reading such beautiful, thought-provoking, clever youth fiction novels.

Inside Out & Back Again

By Thanhha Lai

Recommended Reading Age: 8 & Up

Published: Harper Collins, February 2011

What luck I had when checking this book out. I had seen it on the "New Bookshelf" a couple of times while re-shelving at the library and finally committed to checking it out. The afternoon I read it, it won  The National Book Award that evening! And deservingly so. Written entirely in verse, Inside Out & Back Again is a story of a girl, Ha, and her family's escape from Saigon before it's collapse to communism. They end up in Alabama, of all places, and have to cope with the racial oppression that befell them.

Based on the personal experience of the author, Thanhha Lai, this book will capture you early on and you'll wish it didn't only take an hour or two to read.

A Monster Calls

By Patrick Ness, From an original idea by Siobhan Dowd

Recommended Reading Age: 12 & Up

Published: Candlewick, September 2011

I cried. Oh, how I cried reading this book. I don't remember crying while reading a book since I read Black Beauty in fourth grade. Usually, I'm not drawn to darker novels. I try and keep it light. But I am so glad I read this book.

What I loved the most about this book is that it isn't about being honest with other people. It deals with the complex nature of being honest with yourself; y`our own thoughts and desires. How we cope and how we over come and how we forgive and how we say goodbye. Inspired from a story by Siobhan Dowd who died of cancer before she was able to finish her story, Patrick Ness does a masterful job with it's completion. And props to Jim Kay for his eerie, yet alluring illustration.

Breadcrumbs

By Anne Ursa

Recommended Reading Age: 8 & Up

Published: Walden Pond Press, September 2011

This books was another luck of the draw. It was named the December book selection for NPR's Backseat Book Club while it was checked out under my name, awaiting my read, atop a pile of books on my nightstand. I'm glad I didn't write this post yesterday after I finished reading this book. Yesterday, I would have commented on the nice writing style, but how the beginning was a bit slow. That it was worth it after you get to "Part 2".

Not today.

Since yesterday Anne Ursa's story was able to linger a spell. You can scratch the above. Each waking hour since reading Breadcrumbs, I've found myself thinking of it more and more and liking it more and more. It's a story of change and of friendship. Of how the world can be cold and cruel, but how the warmth of those that are close to hearts help us endure it all.

image source: my vintage avenue, inside out, a monster calls, breadcrumbs,

Reading Together

For this past Sunday's Winter Storytime, I had a reeeeaallly hard time selecting books. There were just too many good one's about winter and/or snow to choose from. So good that we've continued reading a handful of them of them at our house.

Here are the honorable mentions that didn't quite make the storytime cut:

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin

I'm a sucker for this illustration style from the 40's & 50's. It's a Caldecott winner to boot!

Red Sled by Lita Judge

This is one of LBD's favorites of the moment. We read this one before bed every night.

When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Susan Gaber

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

If you couldn't tell already (here and here and here)... we're kinda big fans of Lois Ehlert.

Grandmother Winter by Phillis Root, illustrations by Beth Krommes

A sweet little story about winter's progression and another Beth Krommes appearance this week.

Snow Music by Lynne Ray Perkins

A day of snow, a day of song.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The classic winter tale.

The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel, illustrations by Nancy Winslow Parker

Similar to Under My Hood I Wear a Hat read for Silly Hat Storytime. A good pick for toddlers and pre-readers.

A Winter's Tale by Robert Sabuda

POP-UP!

First Snow by Emily Arnold McCully

A fun read recommend to me by a middle school teacher. Now I'm hooked on Emily Arnold McCully.

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Brigs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian

Because "no two snowflakes are alike" and "each one is startlingly beautiful".

Snow by Uri Shulevitz

A snow no one predicted... well, all except one special boy.

And what a magical snow it was.

***'Reading Together' is a sampling of picture books my husband and I are currently reading with our toddler daughter, LBD. Some are brand new, some oldies, but goodies. 90% are her personal favorites of which we’ve read, over, and over, and over again…. Times thirty. To the tenth power.***

image sources: white snow bright snow,  red sled,  when winter comes, snowballs, grandmother winter, snow music, snowy day, the jacket i wear, winter's tale,  first snow, snowflake bentley, snow