Going to grandma's house

These are some pictures taken last weekend. We had some very nice weather and so I took the boys out to grandma's house to see the cows. Noah loves seeing the cows, and Eli loves to throw rocks in the pond. There were a bunch of cows in the field with the pond, so we got to accomplish both goals in one trip. There is also a neat picture of the cows reflected in the pond. I have been meaning to take a picture of this for some time, but finally had the camera and willing cows only this weekend!

Rick and Bubba's Big Honkin Book of Grub

I received this book in the mail last week and was very excited to read it. I have envisioned it being a cookbook of sorts, and I am a sucker for cookbooks. When I got it and started reading it, I was surprised to find that it was not a cookbook at all.

It would also help to know that Rick and Bubba have a pretty popular radio talk show. I did not know that when I first saw this book. Basically, this is a funny book about all things food. I was actually laughing out loud through parts of this book. I loved the chapter about the Rick and Bubba chain of grocery stores, but their love of Spam is a little unsettling!

Overall, it was an enjoyable book to read. I would not have picked it out on purpose because it isn't something that I normally enjoy. I was not inspired to try any of the very few recipes in the book, as they all seemed pretty boring to me. But it was a good book to put in the bathroom to pass the time, while the children are in the bath people! I would check it out at the library, but not buy it first.

Grade- C

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.comhttp://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Sun and the Moon

I read my last children's book today that came in the group. It is a story about the sun and the moon. They have an argument, and when they are fighting they stop doing their duties. As a result, the earth is frozen and dark. It is really a story about fear and fighting, and how it effects everyone as all things are connected.

I liked this book because I believe that the content is important. I think that children should be taught about conflict and what happens when we call people names or are mean to each other. I also think it is appropriate for this book to show that fear is the basis of most conflicts.

While I liked this book, it may not be a book for some people in that the content is very "new age". It happens to coincide with my beliefs. Also, it would be appropriate for children that are kindergarten age, as it is at that time that most children are introduced to conflicts with their peers at school.

Grade- A-

A beautiful weekend

Last weekend, and by that I mean the weekend before last :) was incredible. We had sunshine and warm weather. I love those first days of spring when the sun is welcome, very different from those hot summer days that are sure to come. On a whim, we stopped at the toy/everything store in town and ended up bringing Eli home a brand new bike. He has outgrown his old bike, and even though he refuses to give up the training wheels, he is improving with this bigger bike. Also, now Noah has his own bike to ride.

Here is a picture of biker Eli. I also snapped a picture of mommy and daddy enjoying the sunshine. Last is Noah, just being darn adorable as always!

The Raindrop

"The Raindrop" is another children's story by Brian D. McClure that is really fantastic to read, both with my children and by myself. The story is that of a raindrop that thinks it is not important in the world. We follow the raindrop as he falls to the earth, is absorbed in the soil, and moves on until he is once again in the clouds as a raindrop again. This book does an awesome job describing and animating the cycle of a raindrop, and also demonstrates the importance of an individual as well.

I really enjoyed this book. I actually read this one solo, as my little ones had gone to bed for the night. The thing is, I will surely read this with them in the coming days. I loved how the book tells an engaging story about the raindrop character that is also true to life and educational. The illustrations are also good in that they will hold the interest of younger readers.

Aside from the fact that I think the story is wonderful, I really am enjoying the writing style of Brian McClure. I think it is important to let out children know how wonderful each of them are, and so far his books make a point of doing just that. He tells stories that can be compared to real life in a way that makes older children think, and hopefully helps them realize how important they are. I would certainly recommend this book to any parent.

Grade- A

The Birds and the Frogs

I recently received three children's book to review from a publisher. The first book I read with my children was "The Birds and the Frogs" by Brian D. McClure. At first I anticipated a children's book like most others, one that had a simple story with colorful pictures. This book does have beautiful illustrations. But rather than a simple story, it had a lesson.

The book was about a frog and a bird. The bird began the story by telling the frog that he was less important and less intelligent than the bird because birds can fly and frogs cannot. This continued until all birds thought that about all frogs.

When I first read the book, I was slightly surprised at the content. It is pretty interesting to me because the lesson it teaches is deeper than the standard sharing content most children's books possess. I enjoyed the book and will read it to my children on more than just this one occasion. A word of caution, it might not be for everyone in that it is not typical easy children's material. I find it to be a great opening conversation with kids that are older than 5, as younger kids may not grasp the concepts introduced in the book.

Rating- A-

Family edition

This was a photo taken this morning before work. It is really cute to see all my boys together, but I don't do this photo any justice! Next time....

Eyeballs!

Eli's eye
Daddy's eye
Mommy's eye
Noah's eye

To start off, I do have a bunch of pictures to post. There are some lovely photos of our lovely weekend. And here it is, almost the middle of the week, already! But I snapped some shots this morning that are really cool so I figured I would post them as a show of good faith. More to follow, but no promises because I am not nearly as prompt at posting as I intend to be......

Some pictures....

Here are some picture from this past weekend. We ended up at the park before it was really nice out, and so we are all bundled up. I ended up taking my picture swinging. Josh was stuck on the slide. Eli and Noah were able to stretch their legs and just be boys. It is always nice to be able to get out after a long winter and play in the park. Today, there is no snow left.

My poor baby...

Yesterday was full of fun times in the Ward household. I had a dentist appointment, needing 2 teeth filled. I figured that I could fit in time to get the boy's vaccinations so that Eli would be ready for school. So we went to the health office, waited forever, then I left to go to my appointment leaving Josh and the boys to handle the shots solo. I felt bad for leaving, but I couldn't miss my appointment. As it turns out, Eli is allergic to the tetnus shot. He has a third arm growing out of his left arm, and it is really bad. I feel so bad, as I am not entirely sold on the need for vaccines anyway, then to have this happen. Noah is doing just fine, but Eli and myself will be heading back down to the health office after work so they can file a statement saying that my little dude doesn't need the tetnus shot again!

I hope to have some pictures up this afternoon. I have been bad, skipping three days in a row. I find myself inspired by my sister though, so I will try to be much better in the future.