Books that Help Me LOVE Being a Mom!

It's no secret I love reading, for myself and to my children! When asked what is my favorite chilldren's book, it's hard to answer because I have different favorites for different occasions. Today, Mother's Day in the US, has it's own list of favorites. Most of these books give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. Some because they remind me of my children, some because they remind me of my Mom!

Mars Needs Moms!
Berkley Breathed of Opus and Bloom County fame penned this beautiful and funny story. A boy and his mother don't always understand each other but in the end, they show how much the love each other!

Motherbridge of Love
This beautiful poem celebrates the bond between parent and child in a special way. Through the exchanges between a little Chinese girl and her mother, Motherbridge of Love offers a poignant and inspiring message to parents and children all over the world.

Mama, Do You Love Me?
This modern classic by author Barbara Josse illustrates just how far a mothers love can go despite the attempts of an imaginative girl to find it's limits. Also by Barbara Josse, I Love You the Purplest, is great for families with siblings asking the dreaded "Who do you love best?"

Come Along, Daisy!
I discovered this book just as my oldest child was about 3 and prone to wandering off or become distracted with something interesting while I was trying to get someplace! Jane Simmons shows her knowledge of kids and parents with this story!


The Tear Thief
Each night, in the hours between supper and bedtime, the Tear Thief carries her waterproof, silvery sack as she steals the tears of every child who cries. But what does she do with all those tears? This warm, poignant, and beautifully illustrated story offers a thought-provoking message and a starting point to share children's emotional experiences.



You and Me
The imaginary games of a boy and a girl form the basis of this enchanting picture book about opposites and contrasts. As the two children play together, they picture themselves as all kinds of characters, animals, landscapes and moods. "I'm a circle, you're a square; I'm a tiger, you're a bear." Celebrating difference, but above all celebrating relationship, You and Me is a very special picture book that will captivate pre-school audiences but is also sure to attract plenty of adult fans.

Close Your Eyes
The wonderful poetry by Jean Marzollo in this book has the rhythm and rhyme to put anyone asleep, and has lulled our children to bed many times. But I am also in love with the illustrations of one of my very favorite artists, Susan Jeffers! The pictures tell a parallel story of a parent struggling to get their child to bed and the peace that comes at last as they sleep!

Story time is a special time in our house every night! Even though my kids are getting bigger and their interests are changing, I hope this particular ritual holds on for a little while more.

Simple Gifts

Have I been a little introspective lately? Yeah a bit. It's hard not to look around and sigh at all the changes happening to this family. Then something cool happens, like my first clematis bloomed! Hooray!

For weeks I have found myself humming the tune to Simple Gifts, an old Shaker song. We often sing it at church and of course it has found renewed fame as being a major theme in the John Williams Composition Air and Simple Gifts performed at the inauguration of President Obama.

Although this was written in 1797, the lyrics give me quite a bit of comfort. I hope you like them, too!

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come out right.

PURGE!

While we have no idea where our heads will rest once we leave this house, we know that we WILL be leaving this house and moving to a new one by the end of the month. Moving everything that has accumulated in the past 5 years is a daunting task and so I am using this opportunity to PURGE!
As we pack, pull books off of shelves, clean out closets and cabinets and drawers we are sorting things out and making some tough decisions! Items are being sorted into three categories: Keep/Move, Toss, Sell/Donate.

Keep/Move: Obviously the largest section, I try to go through this pile a couple extra times to make sure I really want the stuff in there! There are definitely things that are forever needed...kitchen items, towels, clothing, photographs, and of course favorite loveys, blankies and toys! There are days when I wish could dump everything and start over from scratch, but that is not exactly practical.

Toss: The trash men are starting to HATE me. I have piled up bags and boxes of old magazines, incomplete puzzles, broken toys, and stale herbs and spices! It's important to make sure trash is bagged, some people will disagree about what should be sent off to the landfill! Usually well behaved husbands and children will begin picking through the trash if they suspect their favorite rock, slip of paper, or torn, stained t-shirt is in there!

Sell/Donate: Another dangerous category if you live with pack rats. I have taken the precaution of shipping my children off to Grandma's house the night before our upcoming yard sale. I learned my lesson at the last yard sale when the children had an absolute fit as an innocent stranger walked away with two wooden flutes that I was so happy to see go! So what is ready to be tagged this time? Books, toys, a recliner, a mini fridge, toy box, CDs, DVDs and a whole lot more. But shhhhh don't tell my family! At the end of the sale all left overs will be donated to local charities.

I have to admit, the process feel really good. Throughout this really exhausting and depressing event in our lives it's nice to lighten the load a bit.

Little Leap Forward from Book to Stage

April Showers Bring May Flowers

So far 2009 has not treated the Barefoot Blums very well! Can we call this one early on account of rain?

The last few days of April have brought pouring rain and I am ready for May to begin. I am ready for the storm clouds to part and the flowers to bloom.

While the end of April has not brought a lot of joy, there have been some good things!

• I was able to spend a week with my family in Massachusetts. When I left I felt refueled and rejuvinated! I need to find a way to tap back into that feeling!
• I started helping the school reading teacher by volunteering one day a week with a group of struggling kindergarten students.
• We have GREAT friends who have rallied around to help us get through our own personal housing crisis.
• My amazing children continue to surprise me everyday with their wit and humor!
• My husband is getting healthier and stronger daily and has been able to do more and more with the family.
• I planted new plants and my clematis and day lilies from last year are growing like crazy (all of which I assure you will make the move with us to a new home!)

I know that May will bring new beginnings and adventures, not to mention challenges and hurdles. But I will dig deep for the inner strength to face it head on.

Let me wrap up today's therapeutic post with a joke that Isaac love to tell:
April flowers bring May flowers...May flowers bring Pilgrims!

Explaining tough times to the kids

We have been renting our current home for going on 5 years. We love our neighborhood, friends, school, It seems like we have the whole package here!

Yesterday we had a nice visit from a Realtor who informed us the bank had foreclosed on the property and needed us to move out ASAP. They will offer us cash for a quick move out. All in all it stinks but it could definitely be worse!

So how did we break it to the kids?

First we reminded them that we can't control everything, some things are out of our control. We told them that we followed all the rules, did everything right, paid our rent every month. But our landlord did not pay all of his obligations on his end. As a result we were going to move, to a new house.

We did make sure to reinforce some key points

• We will be together as a family! And that is the most important thing!
• All of our things will come with us, beds, toys, favorite chairs, games, TV, Wii (you know the important things!)
• They will stay at their current school for the remainder of the year, we will explore school options for next year over the summer.
• We will all miss our friends but we are staying right in the same town so we will visit and see them often.

They had a few questions, and our 8 year old boy was a bit shaken and told us he was nervous. Our 6 year old was mostly worried about her friends.

Now that we have looked at a house and they know that we are doing something to make this situation better, they seem to be doing better. But we will keep our eyes and ears open and supply lots of extra hugs.

What have you had to explain to your kids? How did they take it?

Friendship

Do you remember when friendship was simple? When we had rules...hard and fast ones...to follow!
Share your toys, no hitting, pushing, kicking or biting, tell the truth. And even when those rules get broken...It's so easy to just make up and play nice. Do you remember when the most hurtful thing you could hear was "I'm not inviting you to my birthday party!"?

I watch my own children with their friends and I think it can be so beautiful. Even after an argument, a couple of days later they leave it behind and find a way to play again. A new ball or bucket of sidewalk chalk and suddenly the neighborhood is in balance again.

I know it won't last long, my little girl is six and girls seem to be getting meaner and meaner earlier and earlier! But for now I will sit back and enjoy watching her have a tea party with her friends!