Naturally Optimistic

For our 2020 Winter Reading program, there wasn't an overall theme. I decided to create my own theme. And the Penguins took over the library! I printed out real-to-life sized photographs of penguins...an Emperor, a Fairy, a Chinstrap and a Galapagos Penguin to be exact. I put them on the walls in one area. My hope was that kids would stand next to them and measure up - and they sure did! It put a smile on my face every time. Above each penguin I included some facts. Usually where they lived, what they ate and any quirky stuff about them. It's always great to be able to provide a little learning opportunity along the way. We also included penguin voting. I always think it's fun to add a pre-math activity when I can. I made 4 buckets with a photo of each of the aforementioned penguins. Kids (& adults) were able to ask for a "voting token" (ie: a saved bottle cap) at the desk and then put it in the bucket of their choice. It was fun hearing t...

I am alive & updated my reading list ---------------> over there tonight! whohoo! Amazing how working in a library gets you in the mood to READ ALL THE TIME. It's awesome. So - a couple of super short reviews: FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY/FIFTY SHADES DARKER - crap. Total crap. Okay, okay - there's lots of sex and it is indeed "Mom Porn" but the writing is so bad. So yucky bad. I don't want to read the word "petulant" on the page more than once EVER but certainly not multiple times. I don't ever want to read the phrase "...my inner goddess...." again nor do I wish to hear about someone biting their lip. Ugh. I kept waiting for a plot. That was my problem. Needless to say, I resisted reading the third one. What a waste of time. GONE GIRL - awesome. Loved it. The writing is snappy & interesting. There are TWISTS (!!!) that made me go SHUT UP out loud! I really enjoyed reading this book. A lot. so much so that I read Gillian Flynn...

I'm the kind of person who loves to read. I have to always have a book "in play." I also have to have the next book on deck, and preferably, one in the hole as well. I DO NOT like to read more than one book at a time. I know some people can comfortably keep several stories going but not me. It takes enough brain power to keep one book going, one crappy reality television series going, & one good tv series going on DVD. But right now, my brain is fragmented. I started reading Drawing of the Three (Stephen King) probably back in February. I have read it before, but I'd like to actually make it to the end of the Dark Tower series at some point (I have only not read the last book) but it's been a decade so I thought I'd re-read them. Unfortunately I hated reading this book the first time around (the worst in the series, I thought) so reading it this time has been tough. Meanwhile... ...this book (book 7 in the Outlander Series) became available to me at the li...

* My legs are so frickin' sore I can barely walk down the stairs or sit down on a chair. Ay yi yi. Apparently I NEVER ever use those muscles. Awesome. *We bought a SWEET new hi-def camcorder last night. It's been on our "list" since Dahlia was born and since we leave for vacation tomorrow & got a nice tax refund...it was time. It is TINY. I love it. I can't wait to take some video. *I'm on the last chapter of the last TWILIGHT book. I think I'm reading it really slowly because I don't want it to end. Argh! *We leave for Florida tomorrow! We're staying at my in-laws condo (where we honeymooned) with them. They are driving down and picking us up at the airport. It's a cheap vacay for us - we used frequent flyer miles for the flight, we aren't renting a car, we aren't paying for a place to stay...sweet! We plan on sitting at the beach, kayaking, sitting at the beach and more sitting at the beach. I hope Dahlia is a good flyer!!!!! I...

It has begun...

I just heard about this new program - which is offered in Duluth - and thought I would share it with you. It's pretty cool. Dolly Parton started the "Imagination Library" in 1996. She wanted to foster the love of books & reading in preschoolers in her Tennessee community. She decided to provide one new book a month to all preschoolers in that county! the program grew from there and she by 2000 she was doing this for Branson, MO and Myrtle Beach, SC - and then onwards! Now communities can join (and have to fund the books) but "Imagination Library" handles the admin of it. Here's what's in it for you! Kids from birth to age 5 can sign up (if your community participates. Check the website to see if yours does by typing in a zip code). Enroll your child and that's it! I'm really excited because I'm a nerd for reading and now Dahlia will get a free book a month until she's five!!! Anyway - I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to pass o...