Myrt

Our Reading Streak...

Currently I am reading "The Reading Promise" by Alice Ozma....

It is a wonderful story written by a daughter, about a reading promise she and her dad started when she was only 9 years old.  Her dad, an elementary school librarian, was worried his daughter would soon announce to him that she was too big for him to read to her anymore (his older daughter had already done this to him). In an attempt to buy some time he suggested to his daughter that they read for 100 nights in a row.

After they had successfully read 100 nights in a row they celebrated over pancakes and french toast, and made an even longer promise...1,000 consecutive nights of reading.   This reading streak went far beyond 1,000 nights...and lasted until the daughter went away to college. 

I told my little book worm about my book, and this promise a dad and daughter made together.  I asked her if maybe she would like to make a committee to read everyday for the summer, and she said yes, but wanted to know if we could start right away. 

Macey wants to read for 1,000 nights.  She knows it is a very long time, because she asked me how many years would make up 1,000 nights.  Currently we are on the 4th evening of our reading streak and into our 2nd book, "Pippi Longstockings," by Astrid Lindgren.  (On a side note I have my mother's copy of the book and it was only $0.25, Macey got a copy at the library and it cost $15.99.)

Between the two of us we have started making our list of books we want to read together.  The rules are to read at least ten minutes a day before midnight.  It will be fun to see if we are up to the challenge.  I can hardly wait to see where this journey will take us.  And I love the fact that I have someone to share my love of reading with! 

Spring Break...

Instead of signs of spring...we are catching snowflakes on our tongue. 

Proverbs...from a child

So I asked Macey and Gavin these same questions and these are the answers they gave me:


1.  Don't change horses
Macey: shoes
Gavin: underwear

2.Strike while the
Macey:wind blows
Gavin: defenses are down

3. It's always darkest before
Macey: night
Gavin: before you open your eyes

4. Never underestimate the power of
Macey: God
Gavin: hormones

5.  You can lead a horse to water:
Macey: not to bridges
Gavin: but not a women to bed
Mom: remember this!

6.  Don't bite the hand that:
Macey: itches their eyes
Gavin: that has band aids on every finger

7.  No news is
Macey: boring
Gavin: not reported

8.  A miss is as good as a
Macey: Mrs
Gavin: not hitting it

9.  You can't teach an old dog new
Macey: tricks
Gavin:

10.  If you lie down with dogs, you'll
Macey: stink
Gavin: regret it in the end

11.  Love all, trust
Macey: God
Gavin: hormones

12.  The pen is mightier than the
Macey: pencil
Gavin: pencil

13.  An idle mind is
Macey: boring
Gavin: a dirty mind

14.  Where there's smoke there's
Macey: fire
Gavin: weed
Mom: Really?

15.  Happy is the bride who
Macey: Marries a man named Rodger
Gavin: who does not bite the hand (thinking of #6)

16.  A penny saved
Macey: is one cents
Gavin: wasted money

17.  Two's company, three's
Macey: a party
Gavin: one more person

18:  Don't put off today what
Macey: you had to do yesterday
Gavin:?

19.  Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and the world
Macey:  cries with you
Gavin: lose all your self pride forever

20:  There are none so blind as
Macey:  blind people
Gavin: blind people

21.  Children should be seen and not
Macey: on the highway
Gavin: feed

22.  If at first you don't succeed
Macey:  you did it wrong
Gavin: keep asking till they say yes 
Mom: funny how that never works but you still ask!

23.  You get out of something what you
Macey: got into
Gavin:?

24.  When the blind lead the blind
Macey: they crash
Gavin: they'll run into a wall

25.  A bird in hand
Macey: will poo poo on you
Gavin: is dead

26. Better late than
Macey: nothing
Gavin: early

Remember to Breath

This hangs in our living room.  I got it for Christmas.  Macey was reading it the other morning and exclaimed, "Really, Seriously...breath?"  I didn't know what she was talking about.  Finally I figured out she was talking about this sign.  She wanted to know why anyone would need to be told to breath!   

Oh, I think to myself, to be seven again!  How awesome would it be to not identify with this expression or entirely grasp the concept that sometimes as adults we get so caught up and stressed out about life that we need to remember to breath!  We need to remember to hang on, take each moment as it comes and just remember to breath! 

the beach...

A week ago my husband and I spent some time on the beaches of the Florida Panhandle. 

Our favorite beaches were Mexico Beach and Cape San Blas! 

And we stayed here....

Mamoo and Papsy came to stay with Jack and the kids.  Mamoo was out of here when we arrived home five days later!  I asked her if she was ready to go home...she said "I just want to read my book!"  I laughed inside because I so understood that reading is a luxury in this house! 

It was a much needed break away from all the things I love so much, and to reconnect with my husband!  Just soak up a little beach time!  Mountains, city, rivers, and all things in between...I love the beach!  Maybe it is all my childhood memories of Maine.  Just something about the sound of the surf, smell of the beach and the sand between my toes.  Standing on any shore is my idea of heaven.  Just like the tide comes in and out...life carries on.  The surf can be loud...but so can life.  It is the one place I feel connected to this earth and the idea of something so much bigger and powerful then myself. 

When I was so much younger and spent my summers in Maine my Nana (aka grandma) would take me for brisk walks on the beach in the morning.  And when my dad happened to be there he would take me in the evenings after dinners.  What I remember is that I always felt so grown up because they would talk to me about so many things.  It was almost as if the beach put a spell on them to talk about any and all things...much like wine does me now!  When I was little and they would spill their secrets to me about the stuff they knew...I felt so big.  Now when I walk the shores...gleaming sea shells, I feel reassured that someone is indeed looking after all of us.  I think that is why I love the shores, and ocean so much.  To me it is food for my soul!  Just wish I didn't live so far away from it's magic! 

The Flu

This weekend Paul and I had planned a trip to Makers Mark to tap into his Bourbon barrel, but the flu had other plans for our Myrt. We had planned to stay over night at a hotel with a water park for her...needless to say everyone was disappointed.

While I hate it when my kids are sick, I wish they NEVER were! There is a flip side to the sickness. There is something to be said about the nurturing that occurs at these times. We spent the day doing puzzles, watching movies and reading her favorite book (Because of Winn Dixie) to each other. While during the night we all snuggled on the sofa together to keep our shivering Macey warm. She was delirious with fever...and would randomly tell us off the wall things in which we would all laugh.

I kind of feel like I could do one of those Visa Card commercials...
Tissues with lotion $4.95
Gatorade $6.98
Vick's Vapor Rub $6.99
Popsicles $3.75
Children's Motrin $7.99
Children's Advin $6.99
One Direction Puzzle $5.00
Movie Rental $2.99
Halls Cough Drops $4.29
Zicam $11.95

Love, health and smiles...priceless!