Our girls came down with the stomach flu this past week, and so we spent a lot of time listening to stories. The girls and I camped out in the living room (aka Home School Room) and listened. We started with one of Jim Weiss's CDs on Giants, an old favorite of Ella's. While we heard the tale, I pulled out the copy my parents had read to me when I was a little girl.

The girls always point out the fact that I wrote in this book.... way back when people called me "Sarah". (My middle name is Kate).

We have just finished an absolute GEM of a book by Mellisa Wiley called Little House on the Highlands. This is truly an outstanding book that will appeal to a large audience. Our girls (then 10 and 7) hung on every word. I loved that this was about Laura Ingalls Wilder's great grandmother!

There was a lot of research put into it and I loved reading all about Scotland, as my own mother was born there. This book is similar to the Little House on the Prairie books, in length, in the way she describes daily tasks, and also in the illustrations.

It seems I spend a good amount of time reclining on the couch, hanging out with our girls. Reading, of course. Ella's on my left here, with a sewing project she picked out.


We read this amazingly thick book (500+ pages) called The Invention of Hugo Cabret and it was really neat. Over half the pages are pencil drawings of such detail. It was almost like a graphic novel. After reading half of it to the girls before their bedtime, I took it up and read the rest to myself to make sure they could hear it all - it's a little scary with a 12 year old boy who is an orphan fending for himself. I loved how it was also a biography of one of the first film makers, Georges Melies.

Our lives seem full of art, it is piled up on the refrigerator and laying on nearly all tables.

As I read, our children create one thing after another. Here is a clay sculpture Ella did of Momma with her grand piano.

Gobbolino and the Little Wooden Horse is the 3rd in a series by Ursula Williams. We love her writing style. It is truly a book to be appreciated by all ages. This particular library book was sent to us all the way from Wyoming - I love our library system!

Another chapterbook we read recently was A Coal Miner's Bride: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska.

  All last week we were sick with the flu, languishing in bed. I set up the computer on the dresser, so Ella could hear it while she played in her room (she was only sick 2 days) and Laurel and I laid in bed and listened to 14 hours of The Mysterious Benedict Society in 4 days. It was wonderful to just lay there, eyes closed, and listen to this unusual tale full of adventure and teamwork. Both our girls say it is a 5 star book, one of the best they've ever heard. I fell asleep for about 2 or 3 hours of it, but each time I woke up Laurel tried to fill me in.

  Because we were learning about China and Tibet in our history studies recently, our book (Story of the World) recommended reading TinTin in Tibet. I had never heard of Tintin, but my husband had and he was excited for us to start. I read the book in one sitting (60 min) and both girls loved it so much that the next day they asked me to read it again! So I read our first graphic novel again. When I had to split it into 2 sittings,  Laurel picked it up and read a little bit out loud to Ella, which was so wonderful to see.  

Laurel asked me to get this book:  The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller. It is really a favorite of hers. It takes a while to read all the little funny comments that the states make, but I think that's their favorite part! We also have the game, which we played 3 times a week for the first month we got it. Because of this book and game, Laurel knows nearly all her states.

  Our girls just went on a Window Art Painting kick recently, and created several works of art. Many consider it to be a healing act of meditation to color in a mandala, but it is also so peaceful just to look at one. Klutz Window Art is a great book that is so easy, basically you are just tracing a pattern. It's very similar to coloring in a stencil. 

Above: Laurel stands outside to hold her star in her hands.

Above: Ella outside, holding her ballet - rainbow - fairy. It's from a stencil I drew out myself.

  We spent the week driving around to classes listening to E. Nesbit's Treasure Seekers,which was an excellent book that was published over 100 years ago. The 6 Bastable children decided to help restore their family fortune after their father's business fails, but their efforts either end up being fun or leading to trouble. So far we really enjoy everything this author has written, especially Enchanted Castle, which we've listened to about a dozen times. 

  We heard the last few chapters of PeterDuck today, and we all agreed it was a great book in a wonderfulseries that we have all come to enjoy.

Arthur Ransome wrote the first book TheSwallows and Amazons in 1930. These are long, adventuresome sailingstories of 4 siblings which ages range from 7ish to 13ish. They are really aninsight into the kind of lives people lead at that time in England, especiallyin how much freedom young children were given to roam around. This book waspretty exciting and scary, with the group joining with Captin Flint and newfound friend Peter Duck to find buired treasure on Crab Island.