We woke up to a blustery cold ice storm! We new it was coming, but was hoping for snow instead of sleet, still the icy sleet didn’t keep my four kids from bundling up like the Pillsbury Dough Boy and braving the chill.

Their friends came over and they all took turns sliding down our driveway on sleds. I heard Chris (12) gripe to his friend, “the bad thing about homeschooling is that we don’t get a school day.”

I became the best mom of the neighborhood when I served them all hot chocolate that was creamy (made with milk) and didn’t scald their tongues! One of the neighborhood kids said it was the best hot chocolate ever. Thanks to last years Swiss Miss hot chocolate.

When their lips were blue, their noses red and finger tips numb they came in for lunch and a science lesson. We learned the difference between sleet, snow and hail! Do you know the difference? It’s quite fascinating, really!

Then the little kids watched Frosty the Snowman for the second time and I baked Molasses cookies while the big kids did their math. I’ve never baked Molasses cookies, but had left over Molasses from our Boston unit and thought that cookies was probably the best use for the Molasses.

Later in the afternoon, the boys went outside and it started to snow instead of sleet! They played football with the neighbor kids. Here are some pics. (Will post later…Blogger’s not cooperating)

I finished up my cookie baking and absentmindedly left the step stool pushed up to the counter where my pup couldn’t resist snatching a cookie or two. Don’t worry, I’ll be feeding the possibly licked cookies to my family and not neighbors and friends! Hey, the kids like to kiss the dog on the lips, surely they won’t mind eating slobbery cookies!

Such a lazy but productive day and there’s still more weather reading to do. But the kids are still running through the snow and the house is so quiet. No need to disturb the order of the universe!

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For years, decorating the Christmas tree has always stressed me out! I think it stems from memories as a child having to help my single-mom drag the real tree into the house, up the 13 stairs and hold the prickly thing while she screwed in the bolts into the tree or vice versa.

Inevitable there’d be arguing.

“You’re not holding it straight!”

“Yes, I am” and I’ve got the scratches to prove it.

“Hold it still.”

“I am! Are you almost finished?”

(And that’s the rated “G” version. )

There was just something about all the work it took to set up that tree that took the fun out of. But I sure did enjoy the ornaments and dousing our Charlie Brown tree with tinsel! Nothing was more thrilling to sit back and watch the blinking lights twinkle on the ceiling. It made the effort worth it.

But years later, after I got married and had kids everytime we’d put up the real Christmas tree the stress would bubble up from within me. Me holding the tree straight, getting scratchy arms, spouting the same familiar dialogue. My attitude was rotten and so unChristmasy that putting up the tree just wasn’t fun for anyone.

This year was different. It was probably the first year I didn’t get stressed out putting up the tree. Mainly because I didn’t put it up and relinqueshed control to my kids which for this control freak is no easy task.

Several years ago I caved in and bought an artificial tree. It was the most realistic looking tree I could afford and so far it’s been a blessing. My nine year old LOVES to build things, so when he was itching to build the tree I said, “go for it.”

His little brother (6) and sister (4) happily joined in, Gracie echoing my instructions “Joey in charge.”

And it was a beautiful sight watching the three work. Timmy handed Joey a limb. Joey fanned it out to look like a little Christmas tree. Gracie got to put it in the trunk and then Gracie and Timmy would switch. They even left the top two layers for Chris who was busy finishing his school work.

When daddy got home, we put on the Christmas music and the kids hung the ornaments, I baked cookies and stopped occasionally to snap a few pictures of the tree process. It was a picture perfect tree raising, although I found two unopened boxes or ornaments that will have to be hung tomorrow. The weather even cooperated with the Christmas spirit by turing brutally cold and rainy. My kids are praying for snow! They may just get it.

After sampling cookies, we sat down to read a story and then took the link off the prayer chain! Our start to the Christmas season couldn’t have been more perfect and peaceful. Just hope it will last!

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My six year old has been asking me for weeks, “How many days until Christmas?” He tells me it’s because when it’s Christmas, it snows (though it looks like there’s a good chance of snow tomorrow.)

So I decided to make this Christmas countdown chain. We’ve done it every year, but usually not this soon! Each night we break off a chain and you can see how many days/links until Christmas. Keep reading because there’s a twist to this countdown chain.

Inside the links we put names of friends, family, and anything else we might want to pray about. Then when we break off a link, we read the name and pray for that person!

What a great way to countdown to Christmas while focusing on this season of giving!

For more great Christmas ideas go here.

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First Post November 20, 2006

I’ve just read some shocking information about the soon to air Dr. Phil episode on homeschooling. Don’t know if it’s true, but I plan on watching for myself to see if it is! You might want to TiVo it yourself.

I wrote this earlier today and what happened tonight when I turned on the t.v? I saw Dr. Phil and Robin on the Life Today show with James and Betty Robison professing their faith in Jesus Christ.

Now I’m totally confused about the article I just read and the interview I just watched and can’t reconcile the two Dr. Phil’s. Now I’ll really have to watch that homeschool show!!!

So what do you think is up?

UPDATED:

Did anyone see the show? I missed it because football was airing at the time Dr. Phil’s show was scheduled.

Like many homeschoolers and Christians, I am also disappointed especially since I saw Dr. Phil and Robin on the James Robison show where they professed their personal relationship with Jesus. But one thing I think we’re missing is that this may be one area Dr. Phil needs growth and education in and instead of bashing him (not saying that we’re doing that here) we should be lifting him up in prayer.

As a homeschooler, personally I couldn’t help but agree with some of the things Dr. Phil said, but that’s just me and unschooling is not for me and my family. I absolutely think it was unfair that only this method of homeschooling was highlighted and that in this day and age there were still a lot of ignorant things said about homeschooling.

I’m hesitant to point the finger at Dr. Phil, and know the entire staff and producers should be held accountable for their slant of the issue just for the ratings and sensationalism.

So let’s pray for Dr. Phil and his views on homeschooling. Who knows, he might turn out to be a homeschooling advocate one day!!!

This just in…Spunky Homeschool has a great overview of the show and many comments by those who saw it!

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My mom’s been saying for years that she’ll write down or record everything she can remember about her life and my grandparents. Well, for my birthday this year I asked for my story to be written. Though basically a routine birth back in the late sixties, here it is word for word, though I did have to change the spelling of quite a few words!;) By the way, I was the first born!

At approximately 11:30 A,M I received my first labor pain. In those days I was very brave on the outside, but scared to death on the inside. I handled pain with a great deal of silence.

I called your father at work and he called your grandmother Juliet. She came over immediately. She and your grandfather were very caring people. When your father came home we left for the hospital which was a half hour away.

Remembering back I was afraid I wouldn’t make it. The pains were becoming more intense. In those days people were not allowed in the delivery room so your father brought a book to read. There was a delivery room and a labor room. They shaved you and gave you an enema which was the most painful thing I ever had.

Back tracking a little, while I was going to the labor room with Dr. Brander ( who I had a crush on), there were woman in labor who was screaming. There was one thing on my mind and it was get this child OUT!

After the enema they wanted you to wait for at least a few minutes before releasing. Well that was out of the question. They left me alone I couldn’t take the pain so I went to the bathroom by myself. My water didn’t brake so they had to brake it,which had to be done while you had a contraction OOOOH NOOOO! PAIN!

Dr Brander kept asking me if I wanted ether. I kept asking “is the pain going to be worse,” he didn’t answer me so for the last two minutes, I said yes. Then you were born about 7 pm. I remember every one was there to see me because it was visiting hours. The rest is history.

Thanks mom!

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Last time I left off with an analogy of being licked by a gentle lamb or roaring lion. Which lick would mean more?

The Lion, of course seeing that it could kill you in one bite. “Our Lord will never be appreciated as a Lamb unless He’s first encountered as a lion? And it’s because of the Lion’s perfect wrath that there’s such a place as hell where sinners spend eternity in torment…”

God’s wrath (Hell) is awful, unalterable and eternal. Not a fun topic, but one that needs to be explored!

I really don’t like to think about Hell, but the Bible says in Mark 9:43-48 it’s place of everlasting fire that “is not quenched.” No one really knows if the fire is literal or figurative, but one thing is certain your soul is seperated from God forever and will live in torment.

Hell is also a place from where you can’t return. I grew up believing in a place where you could make ammends for your sins after you die in a place called Purgatory. But after I read the scriptures myself, I found no mention of such a place and no need for one because Christ took on ALL of my sins at the cross.(Luke 16:19-31)

Hell is eternal. It says in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 it is an everlasting destruction.

Jonathan Edwards , a revivalist preacher in the 1700’s, is best known for his sermon titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” This is what he had to say.

It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all.

You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite.

Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?”

So was Jonathan Edwards’ sole purpose to scare the Hell out of you!?! R.C. Sproul believes “He [Jonathan Edwards] did this not out of a sadistic delight in frightening people but out of compassion. He loved his congregation enough to warn them of the dreadful consequences of facing the wrath of God. He was not concerned with laying a guilt trip on his people but awakening them to the peril they faced if they remained unconverted.”

Dwight Edwards says “All this is why we commit an unspeakably grave offense toward unbelievers when we highlight for them only the love of God and fail to warn them with tears of the horrors lying ahead if they remain unconverted.”

Then he asks a question. “How do you respond to the points made in this section about Hell? Do you fully accept and believe them? Do they raise any doubts or questions in your mind?

My answer: My mind believes and accepts, but my heart cannot comprehend it.

Maybe that’s why I’m guilty of not sharing my faith more. Maybe I don’t really believe my God could send people to Hell. But He does.

Yet, the good news is we don’t have to spend all eternity facing the wrath of God. Through accepting/believing in God’s son who died on the cross taking away all our sin, we receive the New Covenant and God remembers our sin no more.

Edwards says “This forgiveness means that we can look forward with absolute assurance to an endless future spent in the place where ‘there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

Christianity is the only religion that guarantees heaven and its unending enjyoment upfront. Ever believer is guaranteed eternity in heaven- no matter what happens after we trust Jesus for salvation.”

But that’s a subject for next time.

Lord, help me not sugarcoat the Gospel, but tell the whole story of your holiness and wrath and your love and forgivess. I know it is your wish that no one perish, and spending eternity with you is so easy. Amen.

If you’re reading this and are not sure if you died today you’d go to heaven, pray this prayer…

Holy and loving, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Here are some resources to help you get started on your new life.
http://www.christianwomenonline.net/ready.html

http://www.allaboutgod.com/Sinners-Prayer.htm

To read previous posts in this series go here.

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MomTeacherFriend was the closest to this contest and won her choice of

Troubled Waters by Rene Gutteridge (Women’s Fiction)

Dark Moon by ALton Gansky (Suspense)

NeXt Generation Parenting by Tricia Goyer (A fun and real look at Generation X parents)

Please email me your snail mail address and which book you want and I’ll send it out to you!

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Go check it out at Writer…Interrupted.

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I just came up with a fun new game. I’m going to list a bunch of things I have done(or have) in my life time. If you have done them also, BOLD them, post them on your site with a link back to the original post, or send it in an email, and the leave a comment. The person with the MOST bolds wins a free book.

Born in the 60’s
One younger sister
Growing up my sister was my polar opposite. Prodigal vs. Other Brother.
I was the other brother
I beat up a boy when I was in gradeschool
I lived up in N.Y.
My parents divorced when I was little
I wrote poetry in history class
I was on the volleyball team in Jr. High
I was on the softball team in Jr. High/High school
I wrote for my Highschool paper
I was the sports editor of ny Highschool paper
I tried out for cheerleading
I didn’t make the cheerleading squad
I made the dance squad
I played the clarinet in gradeschool
I was nominated for homecoming Queen
I lost to my good friend
I was in my high school plays
I took dance lessons when I was 16
I totaled my mom’s car while I had my learners permit
I turned 18 in college
I turned 21 in Nigeria
I studied telecommunications and journalism
I went to school out of states FAR from home
I wrote for my college Newspaper
I became News Editor
I wrote for the year book
I was the social chairman for my floor
I performed a rap song I wrote in front of the Christian group The Imperials.
I had big hair
I still do (but not as big)
I spent 6 months in Africa
Several Africans proposed marriage, I refused
I was on stage with T.L. Osborn and Benson Idahosa for their miracle crusade in Africa.
I scuba dived in Mexico
I scuba dived in Hawaii
I’ve been to Disney World many times
I love the ocean/beach
I can speak Italian
I spend 6 weeks in Italy
I got to meet my penpal in real life
I have four kids
I have brown hair
I have brown eyes
I have a laptop
I scrapbook
I am way behind in scrapbooking
I rode in a hot air balloon
I get motion sickness easily
I have a half sister
I have a half brother
I have lived in Ohio
I have lived in Washington State
I have lived in Idaho
I have lived in Utah
I have traveled to or through most of the US except the northern most states.
I’ve vacationed in Whistler, CA
I’m a horrible skier
I’ve vacationed in Maui
I’ve vacationed in Cancun
My favorite color is red
I’m reading “Watching the Tree Limbs” right now
In college I only had one roommate
We’re still great friends
I’m a sucker for a good musical
and for Little House on the Praire reruns
I cried when Frosty the Snow man died when I was little
I didn’t own my first car until after I graduated from college
I waited tables straight out of college
I’ve worked with troubled kids in a residential treatment center
I sold knives door to door
I sold books door to door
I sold stataionary door to door when I was a kid so I could get cool prizes
My husband is in sales
I hate sales!
I’m running out of interesting things, so for the sake of hoping everyone who reads this can bold this… I’m a blogger!!!

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Though I’m so very blessed and have many things to be thankful for, I still get down around the holidays. Who wants to cook a huge turkey with all the trimmings for two adults and four finicky kids!

I can probably count on one hand how many times we’ve spent Thanksgiving with family over the past 15 years. The closest relative is 12 hours by car and we stopped flying to visit family after two kids!

Years ago, when it became obvious that no one was about to reach out to us during the holidays, we decided to reach out to others. Some of our best Thanksgiving dinners were when we invited a dozen or so college student to our home. When my oldest was in first grade he had to write about Thanksgiving and he wrote “After my dad says a very loud prayer, we eat turkey and play football in the backyard with the students.”

That was before the university closed down the alumni mentoring program. I have to admit, I feel a little resentful toward the church and friends when it comes time for the holidays. For the past 15 years, it’s been known we have no family in town, yet no one has ever invited up to their home for the holidays. I remember one year joining together with another family and making our own Thanksgiving, and when our 80 year old neighbors are in town, we invite them over, but other than that our holidays are just us.

I don’t know if holidays aren’t such a big deal out here in the midwest, but growing up in a big NY Italian family, holidays were a special time for family and food. I miss the holidays of my childhood and sometimes feel my children are getting robbed of some wonderful holiday memories with extended family.

Living in the upstairs apartment of my grandparent’s house in NY, I remember anxiously waiting all day for the cousins and aunts and uncles to arrive. “What time did you say there were coming,” I’d ask my mom over and over again. The house was always buzzing with activity as we got ready for company. The aroma of homemade Italian bread and sauce wafted upstairs, calling us to down. My sister and I would scamper downstairs past the large table and into the kitchen where my grandmother fried meatballs. Starving, we’d snatch fried meatballs from the giant dish before all the cousins came for dinner and nibbled black olives off the antipasto tray.

For Thanksgiving, my grandfather’s sister and her family always joined us. After stuffing ourselves the boys would play basketball out back and all the girls would sneak upstairs to watch Hans Christian Andersen and Mighty Joe Young. They were on every Thanksgiving and something I always looked forward to.

Food and family! That’s what the holidays were all about for me when I was growing up. It makes me sad that my kids don’t have that. It makes me sad that Thanksgiving around our house is just another day.

This year I just wasn’t into the holiday spirit. No Thanksgiving decorations and I decided to order out instead. We did it once in the past and the food was excellent with plenty of leftovers. But when my husband arrived with the individual Styrofoam take out trays, I got really emotional. “We’d be better off going to the homeless shelter for dinner,” I shouted as I dumped my Thanksgiving dinner onto a real plate.

I guess I had expected the same thing as last time. Large tin trays of turkey, mashed potatoes and dressing, and plenty of leftovers. As I looked at the pitiful take out tray, I wondered if our order for five would be enough to feed our family of six?Well, there was enough to feed us all, and some leftovers, though not enough for dinner.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still thankful for a lot of things…

I’m thankful I didn’t have to spend the day cooking.

I’m thankful I got to spend the morning in my pajamas (Gracie’s still outside playing in hers:) and didn’t have to spend hours driving in the car.

I’m thankful there were no dishes to clean since we ate from Styrofoam containers. (Except me who used a real plate)

I’m thankful we actually had family out here several weeks ago and got to experience a pre-holiday gathering. (My mom’s the only one who ever comes out here for just a visit. My in-laws come out whenever a baby is born and we’re not planning on any more kids. Last year my aunt came out for a bowling tournament!)

Speaking of family. I’m thankful I’m not in the middle of my family’s dysfunctional dramas.

I’m thankful we actually have a few leftovers for dinner, though I’m in the mood for pasta and meatballs!

I’m so thankful for my family’s love and health and for freedom we have in this country.

I’m thankful for so many things, but I guess during the holidays I miss my family and the holidays of my youth, and can’t understand why more people don’t reach out to people like us!

So how do you spend your holidays? With extended family, or by yourself?

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Many Pilgrims came to this new land looking for religious freedoms and after a year of hardship and many deaths, they stopped to give thanks to God for his provision and bountiful harvest. So while you’re stuffing yourself full of turkey this Thanksgiving, remember all that God has given you.

Also remember the Pilgrims who traveled to a foreign land in order to worship as they see fit. Be thankful you live in a country that gives you this religious freedom and don’t forget to pray for those who are persecuted for their faith.

And because all my creativity and energy is spent homeschooling and working on my novel, here are some great posts about Thanksgiving how God works in the our lives! Something we should be truly thankful for!

http://www.5minutesformom.com/faithlifts/2006/11/22/thankful-for-my-country/

http://www.joyfulheart.com/thanksgiving/squanto.htm

http://homesteepedhope.wordpress.com/2006/11/22/thanksgiving-lore/#comment-995

Dependence Day

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“The love that provides us with a new purity will never astonish us unless it’s seen against the bsackdrop of God’s raging fury toward sin. When he’s viewed almost exclusively as a God of love, we see forgiveness as just part of His job. That leaves His love with no punch for us, no fizz, no sparkle. Assumed Grace can never be transforming Grace.”

Wow! Dwight Edwards puts God’s love and holiness in a new light. I’ve been guilty of seeing God as a loving, though distant Father, probably becasue that’s what I knew my earthly father to be. I’ve never really wanted to look at God’s holiness and wrath as a part of His true character, but Edwards says, “We must be primed by the blazing holiness of God before His love and forgiveness will be genuinelly life changing.”

Then he asks the hardest question of all,

“Are you willing to risk coming to God as He is and not as we would like Him to be?

My answer to this question was this…For me that would mean pleading the blood of Jesus almost every hour because I sin so much in my attitude with my kids and my husband.

What’s your answer? What if you came to God as He really is wrath and holiness, love and forgiveness? Seeing God as He is instead of picking the attributes we like like side dishes on a value meal.

Here’s a paraphrased analogy for you from Edwards book.

What if you were at the petting zoo and a tame little lamb came up and gave you a lick on the hand. You’d think nothing of it. But what if a ferocious lion, who’d just escaped his cage came tearing off toward you with his mouth looking for his next lunch. Your paralized with fear, and when he’s breathe is upon you, he licks your cheek and stands by your side.Which lick would mean more to you?

The sacrifice of Jesus the peaceful lamb will never be appreciated to its full extent unless at first He’s seen as the roaring lion.

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Thanks to e-mom at Chrysalsis the party’s back on, and she’s got a jump on an old party game, so I say let’s go for it again. This time follow e-mom’s lead and number your own comments! The one who has the most comments by Sunday at noon is the winner!

I’ll be giving away another book!!!

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Okay, seems like my little birthday celebration is sizzling! Where’s the noise makers, where are the parctical jokes, where are the presents. I still have two books waiting to be given away!!!! I’ll give everyone one more week to get into the partying spirit.

Leave your questions for me in the comment section and if you have a brilliant idea for a contest, let me know because I have one more book to give away.

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Week five of Experiencing Christ Within explores the gifts of God given to us freely through Christ by faith. The first one is purity. And I can’t say it any better than Dwight Edwards…

“The Christian life isn’t hard; it’s flat impossible. It becomes possible only when God injects His fullness into His people’s hearts-which is exactly what he’s done in the New Covenant…The divine cleansing that God provides in the New Covenant-a new purity for which only God can receive credit-is the starting point for living out our Christianity…So what does this new purity mean for us? Why is it so important?

Edwards goes on to explain that if we want to appreciate our desperate need for this new purity, we must see God as He really is, not how we think He is!

Pop Quiz…If you were going to describe God to someone who’s never heard of Him before what would you say? Maybe words like “loving Father” or “Best Friend” might be used to describe God. Though this is absolutely true about God, it is usually not a person’s first encounter with the Creator of the Universe.

In Romans, Paul describes God as being a Holy and Righteous Judge. Check it out…Romans 1:18; 2:2-5; 3:5-6,19. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Edwards say, “One of the most common of these images is that of God who’s only love and kindness, a kind of deified Mister Rogers. God is love, but that isn’t all God is or all He’s capable of. It’s a shock for many believers to discover that His most fundamental attribute is not love but holiness-a perfect holiness that is the source of His righteous wrath.

The Bible shows us in many instances that those who encounter God for the first time, never run to him for a great big hug. Instead, because of God’s holiness, they fall at His feet or quake in His presence. Don’t believe me? Just ask Isaiah (6:1-5), Ezekiel (1:26-28), and Daniel (10:4-9) to name a few.

Take a moment to think about how you view God and ponder these thoughts until part II.

John White says, “We Christians are idolaters…We may not carve Him [God] out of wood, but we do try to forget the uncomfortable parts of Him and shape Him in to our own personal comfort

Ouch, anyone else feel the sting of this truth in their own lives?

Lord, help us see all of you! Not just the parts that are easy to embrace, but the truth of who You are, holiness, wrath and all. For when we truly see you as You are, then the weight of Your love and son’s sacrifice will have a powerful impact in our lives. Because the thought of a God who is so holy, reaching out to a sinful race and sacrificing His only son, sends a powerful message of a loving God. Thank you!

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Found this reading challenge (if that’s what you’d call it) on Jennifer’s blog. I didn’t do as well as she did, but I have a lot of the books listed on my book shelf. Surprisingly enough, most of the books I read with my kids while homeschooling.

The Rules: Mark the selections you have read in bold. If you liked it, add a star (*) in front of the title, if you didn’t, give it a minus (-).

Then, put the total number of books you’ve read in the subject line.My comments are in italics. If I couldn’t really remember loving it, I didn’t star it, but I starred books that are memorable in one way or another.

*Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White (Read this last year with the kids)
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
*Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
*The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
*Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (This was my all time favorite as a kid, yet I haven’t read it much with my own kids. I’m afraid it would give them nightmares. Though I think this book helped me stand up to the monsters in my dreams. Literally, I would be chased by a monster in my dream as a kid and then stop and turn around and say, “I’m not afraid of you. This is just a dream.”)
*Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch (This one still makes me cry)
*The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (This one makes me cry also)
*The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (Saw the movie:)
The Mitten by Jan Brett
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
*The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
*Where the Sidewalk Ends: the Poems and Drawing of Shel Silverstein by Shel Silverstein
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss
Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
*Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (Saw the movie)
*The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (my son read this one, and we saw the movie)
*How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault
*Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Saw the movie)
The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne (Never made it all the way through this one)
*The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (This is on our reading list this year, and loved the movie)
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (We did a literature study on this last year and rented the movie)
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
The BFG by Roald Dahl
The Giver by Lois Lowry
*If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
-James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (I remember loving this as a kid, but when I read it to my kids, there were some disturbing parts and language)
*Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (I tried to read this numerous times. I wanted to read it. I just could never get into it. Maybe now since I’ve seen the movies I could?, dittoing Jennifer’s sentiments.)
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O’Brien
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Remember trying to get through this as a kid, never made it all the way through.)
*The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
*Corduroy by Don Freeman
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (Loved the movie)
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (Love the movie. Have the book!)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
*Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary (Could have read this. Not sure.)
The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White (Also on our reading list)
*Are You My Mother? by Philip D. Eastman
*The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (Great book for Math lovers!)
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (On our reading list. Loved the movie)
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Have the book, saw the movie:)
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Have the series, loved the movie)
Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss
Basil of Baker Street, by Eve Titus
*The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
Arthur series by Marc Tolon Brown (I haven’t read all of them, but my fair share)
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
*Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (LOVE this one)
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
*Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Saw the movie)
*A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Stuart Little by E. B. White
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
The Art Lesson by Tomie De Paola
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (On our reading list)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
*Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

I’m adding some more to the list, but not tallying them in the numbers.

*One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie DePaola
*Clown of God by Tomie DePaola
*Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
*One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
*Sam the Minute Man by Nathanel Benchley
*George the Drummer Boy by Nathanel Benchley
*Red Fox and His Canoe by Nathanel Benchley

(I’ll probably add more to the list as I remember them!)
I would love to know how some of my well-read friends fare, so if you want to take it up, please do, and let me know in the comments. And feel free to add your favorites to the end of the list.

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Though I managed to get Gracie back into her own bed, she still had some apprehension. I don’t know how I did it, but I won the battle to keep the light off, yet she insisted the door stay open with the hall light blaring into her room. So I obliged.

Then the requests came…”Check on me two times mom. ”

“Sure, thing sweetie.” So after a while I’d check on her once and give her a little kiss. “One more time to go,” she’d say.

Then it progressed to “Check on my three times.”

“Sure.” And I checked on her a couple of times and sometimes waited until she fell asleep before I checked on her for the third time.

Some nights bedtime went smoothly, other times she’d crawl out of bed several times to remind me to check on her. Then she upped the anti.

“Check on me four times.”

“No, Grace. Two time.”

“Okay, fine! Three times!”

My four-year-old had become a haggler. (Next time I go to a garage sale I’ll have to remember to take her along.)

So, I agreed. “I’ll check on you three times.”

When I have the energy, going all the way upstairs to check on my sleeping beauty is fun. I love her little smile and kisses and when she says “Two more times to go.” It’s so precious how she longs for me.

On days when I’m too tired, I don’t always check on her until after she’s asleep. But even then I give her a tender kiss and tell her how much I love her.

Has she been cured of her night time wanderings? No. She still winds up in our bed even though we have the “only during a thunderstorm” rule. Usually she crawls on my full bladderI hear her come in and climb in our bed in the middle of the night, other times I secretly wish she would. Last night I woke up to start the day and there she was. Right smack in the middle of my bed. I didn’t even hear her come in.

And these are the times I treasure and hold dear to my heart because one day I know she’ll be too big to crawl in bed with me!

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I didn’t notice it at first, but that’s when her sleep habits began to go from good to worse. Suddenly she wanted me by her side when she went to sleep. Before the tongue biting incident, she had a routine down pat.

One book. A kiss and a hug. Music on. Lights out and blow a kiss at the door. That’s it! No complaints. No requests for water and it didn’t matter if my husband or I put her to bed. As long as she had her routine and her fingers to suck, she was okay.

Night after night, I sat by her side, exhausted and trying to get her to fall asleep. If Super Nanny had known what I had resorted to, she’d be pounding down my door offering intervention.

First I sat by her side night after night, wanting to comfort and nurture my little girl. Then sleep deprivation took over and I resorted to Super Nanny tactics. I moved across the room and refused to look at her when she called me. Then a wise friend told me to use the “I have to go to the bathroom and I’ll be right back,” tactic. I did hoping she’d fall asleep and it worked…for a while.

Then she had this sudden fear of the dark. I don’t know what triggered it, but after a couple of nights I knew it was real. Each evening I had to tie her closet doors shut so that the monsters stayed in there. Yet, she wasn’t appeased until the light stayed on ALL night. The only trouble with that is it took her two hours to fall asleep.

I’m not sure how long that lasted, but I got really tired checking on her every ten minutes because she was making too much noise. Though the events of those sleep deprived months have grown hazy, I know wemust have resorted to letting her sleep in our bed all night. In fact, I let her fall asleep in our bed while I typed in the dark. My goal was to get her used to the dark again. And it worked, though sometimes she still had fear of the dark and would slip into our bed at night.

What’s Gracie doing now? Sleeping, thank God, but she’s got a new routine! Hope this one won’t last either!

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Well, it seems like things are going slowly on the reading front! Though I did stay up until two in the morning last night and finshed My Life As a Doormat this afternoon while my babysitter did my laundry and read Pilgrims Progess to the kids. Boy, I had lofty goals this fall, but my official Fall into reading ends after Christmas, so it still may be doable!

Non-fiction:

The Mom I Want to be by Suzie Eller
Heartfelt Discipline by Clay Clarkson

Fiction:

My goal for fiction is to read what I’m hoping to write and also some of the books by the new author friends I met at ACFW.

Abduction by Wanda Dyson
Distant Echoes by Colleen Coble
Invitation to Murder by Elizabeth Bright
My Life as a Doormat by Rene Gutteridge
Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary E. DeMuth
Wishing on Dandelions by Mary E. DeMuth
The Wedding Caper by Janice A. Thompson

Bible study:

I’m currently working on this one and hope to finish it before Christmas.

Expereincing Christ Within by Dwight Edwards

Read-alouds: This will encompass different people(mom, dad, babysitter, big kids) reading aloud to different kids.

Little Pilgrims’s Progress by Helen Taylor
The Sign of the Beaver Unit Study by Elizabeth George Speare
Stink the Amazing Shrinking Kid
The Boxcar Children #1

To see all the participants and to visit their Fall Into Reading Challenge lists, click HERE. I’ll be making the rounds and checking out all the reading lists later today. Can’t wait!

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