Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours! Happy New Year too! Love, Nolan, Amanda, and Emery!

Day 5: Books for 2011

Here's a list of books I've yet to get but can't wait to get started!

• The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore
• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
• Hooray for Amanda and her Alligator and I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems
• Emily of New Moon series by L.M. Montgomery
• Savvy by Ingrid Law
• One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• A Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
• The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
• The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
• Home Tonight by Henri Nouwen
• Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott (re-read, will probably lead me to re-read her others)
• Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
• Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
• The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
• A Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup
• The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
• Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal (yeah, Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are back! I'm reading this out of sheer curiosity and a step back into my past!)
  

What was your favorite book of 2010? Did I miss it, because if so I'd love to add it to my list for 2011! What books are you looking forward to in the coming year?

Day 4: Amanda's Favorites

• Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert (thought-provoking and funny!)
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Shaffer & Barrows (LOVED)
• Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson (long-time fan of Anne so this was a fun dip into her supposed history before she met the Cuthberts)
• The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett
• Timber Ridge Reflection Series by Tamera Alexander (good stories of redemption even though they're a bit on the 'romantic' side)
• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (technically this is a young adult novel but it's one of my favorites for the year so it's here!)
• Marta's Legacy by Francine Rivers (two-book series. You shouldn't read the first unless you're going to push through the second. It's a good story of legacies but it's a bit heavier than her other books)

turns out, this list is a bit smaller because I got caught up in all those young adult books! Plus this year I tried out a lot of new authors from people's 'must-read' lists and not all of them were as promising as they sounded. Live and learn!

Day 3: Young Adult Favorites

Emery and I frequent our local library. Puzzles and games are set up for kids her age right next to the young adult books. They are so tempting that I can't help myself. I say it'll be nice to have a list of books ready for Emery when she's old enough but really it's just because I can't resist. Here are some of my favorites from this year:

• Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. (oh my. If you love Junie B. you'll adore Clementine)
• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (reminiscent of Little Women. Love these girls & the sequel)
• The Birthday Room by Kevin Henkes (it was a big year for Henkes in our home! look for Olive's Ocean and Words of Stone too!)
• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (LOVED! and it's a series!!)
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt (excellent book!)
• Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff (also enjoyed her The Thing About Georgie)
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (I just liked it)
• Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott (it was also a big year for Alcott around here. Loved her Eight Cousins and it's sequel Rose in Bloom)
• Neil Flambe and the Marco Polo Murders by Kevin Sylvester (fun mystery)
• The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry (i love the use of big, silly words and the power of siblings)
• Masterpiece by Elise Broach (great story of friendship and fun little mystery)
• Cornelia and the Audacious Escapedes of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume (the title's a bit ridiculous but the story is great fun!)
• The Mysterious Howling by MaryRose Wood (honestly, the jury is still out on this one. I feel it needs another read-through. I want to like it though!)
• Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt (simple but great story; it reminded me of an Alcott novel)

I hope you're enjoying these lists as much as I am! haha! If not, don't worry, only 2 more days!

Day 2: Books from the Year

Emery asked me to read these to her repeatedly:

• Corduroy by Don Freeman (also Beady Bear)
• We Are in a Book by Mo Willems (also the Cat the Cat books)
• Chalk by Bill Thomson
• The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood (also The Napping House and King Bidgood's in the Bathtub)
• Jamberry by Bruce Degan
• In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (I almost have this one memorized)
• LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
• Pete's a Pizza by William Steig (I don't know how I missed this one as a child, I love it!)
• Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
• Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton and Tom Lichtenheld
• Big Rabbit's Bad Mood by Ramona Badescu
• Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

My favorite books I read to Emery:

• My Garden by Kevin Henkes (also Birds and A Good Day--I love the colors in these books)
• Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting (so sweet about welcoming a new life!)
• The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown (sweet and simple like all her stories)
• All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant (love the illustrations and the message!)
• Over at the Castle by Boni Ashburn
• Miss Brooks Loves Books and I Don't by Barbara Bottner
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead (I love these drawings!)
• Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? by John Butler
• Another Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
• Mommy's Best Kisses by Margaret Anastas
• A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na
• The Incredible Book-Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers (see also The Way Back Home)

Day 1: Books of the Season

I decided to make our blog all about books this week as I've been recapping our favorites from the year. Today I'd like to share Emery's favorites from this Christmas season:

• The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson
• Morris' Disappearing Bag by Rosemary Wells
• Snow by Cynthia Rylant
• Mouse's First Christmas by Lauren Thompson
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss (the movie's a bit too old for her)
• Where's Prancer? by Syd Hoff
• The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
• Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
• The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Emery reminds me of Peter in her red coat!)
• That's Not My Snowman by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells (wish I'd seen the others too!)
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (so much better-and faster-than the movie!)
• Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
• Jingle Bells by Iza Trapani (touches on holiday traditions around the world)
• Olivia Helps With Christmas by Ian Falconer

Go patronize your local library and check them out!! What are some of your favorites Christmas/Winter books?

Snow!

Children love snow better than anyone does, and they

never complain as they pull on their red boots and mittens and make plans

to catch wet flakes on their tongues

from Snow by Cynthia Rylant (a favorite this season)

In November I couldn't wait for December to start. Time dragged on as I was awaiting the first. Now it's December 13 and I feel like we're finally slowing down a little! We've been enjoying our Advent activities. So far we had our dance party, made salt-dough ornaments, attended a friend's wedding, watched some holiday movies (what's your fave?), and finally had some fun in the snow yesterday!

And the snow, while it is here, reminds us of this:

that nothing lasts forever except memories. (also from Snow)

We've been holding to that statement and worked on made some lasting memories! Hope your December plans are going well! Take care and keep warm!

we can start!

basket of Christmas books. You never know when a story can come in handy!

Several years ago, I bought a set of marble people representing different nations around the world. My grandma passed away in October and while the family was picking favorite items, Nolan spotted these and thought they'd go with our other set. Every time I walk in the kitchen I get to have a little reminder of Grandma!

our first advent calendar. Nothing fancy but full of fun activities for us!

our tree! If you'll notice at the bottom of the tree, we let Emery put on her own ornaments this year. My OC tendencies want me to rearrange them for her but I'm fighting the urge. So far, I'm winning.

December is here! I have been anticipating this day to begin our December Daily and our advent calendar. Over the past few weeks my brain has been filling with ideas to celebrate Christmas each day in December and I'm excited that we get to start! Some of the activities in the advent calendar I'm looking forward to are:

• making and decorating Christmas cookies for our friends/neighbors
• a surprise that's in store for the grandparents
• Christmas music dance party in the living room
• the kid's program at Church. I can't wait to see Emery and her playmates sing! (or possibly cry on stage)
• going on a tour of Christmas lights around town

I am excited to watch the season play out from Emery's perspective. So far, since Sunday it's been her honored duty to turn on the Christmas lights. She hasn't forgotten a morning yet! Also, it seems like she's surprised every morning that the tree is up. She walks from her room to the living room and says, "ohp! look, Mommy!".

Now I want you to tell me what you're looking forward to the most! Do it--I love reading your comments!