A Reader Lives 1000 Lives

I have always loved this quote:

Some of the lives we have lived through the years

I love the fact that my kids have always been readers.  Through the years, we have always read together as a family.  In fact for many many years, and through many adventures, I would sit down each night with the little ones gathered around and I would read out loud to them.  We would read books like Harry Potter, Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites (a fantastic series), Inkheart and so many more.  It would be the best times and my kids remember them well.  It was always the groaning and pleading that I loved when I would say that is enough for the night, and they all wanted more.  I believe that because I did this with them, they all have a great love of reading.  They each picked it up at their own times in life, and they each like reading different types of books, but for the most part they all love it.  And they are all really excellent readers.  I remember when Kimball took his reading comprehension test in grade nine, he scored at a 2nd year university level.

I took a class about eight years ago which went through the benefits of reading out loud to your children.  How their brain develops, how you bond together, etc.  In that class the teacher talked about these two books in particular

 

 

excellent books I highly recommend

Of course I had to go straight out and buy these books.  If you have kids, I would highly recommend them.  They will not only explain the benefits of why you should read to your children, but they will instill in you the urge to do it for the good of your whole family.  Check them out from your local library, or go the bookstore and purchase them.  It will be well worth your few dollars spent.

I love to watch my big kids read books now.  They get so involved in the stories, it is like they are living right there with the characters.  They laugh, cry, and make all kinds of noise depending on what is happening.  I truly believe that if you can help develop the love of reading in your kids, they will truly live 1000 lives or more before they die.  There is always another adventure, always another world to discover or another character to live.  It is pretty cool to watch.

We have graduated from Hogwart's, we have been to the land of the Nephites, we have been trapped in dungeons, fought in battles, had the best romantic adventures, lost loved ones, found best friends, loved the protagonist, and sometimes even the "bad guys", been through many spiritual experiences, and all of this we have shared as a family through reading with each other.   What fantastic experiences we have shared together.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.


I never pushed sports, but always supported it if they wanted to be involved.  I never pushed reading either, but just showed them how it was done.  Then I would watch as their own love of reading developed along the way.  Best thing I could have done for them.

What Mom Said

Just Go Say I Can

Remembering Back

Was looking back through some old photos today, remembering some memories!

Oh how the years zip right along..............

 

 

 

 

 

 

Davilyn holding Talia, Bobbi Rae holding Jo, Terra holding Vandi, Deedan holding Ylanna, Sherylin holding Mysha

25 years has gone by pretty fast since this particular photo was taken!

Yup I used to bath those little rascals together! Saved time!

Way back in the days of black and white!  Yes we used to play in the mud then too!

Matt and Denita - yup I can see Jaxson!

Lots of the cousins and Uncle Doug - at the Zoo - year about 2001?

Awesome Camping Trip

It has been a great week.  Elkwater has some really beautiful places to explore and probably the best thing is the peace of nature.  I love the peace and quiet of the surroundings and then hearing Xanders little chatter stand out above the rest.

Might have to make this memory again!  But will change up the camping site to one that is a little more flat.  But for now am going to totally enjoy our last day here and go explore some more. 

Locked In The Fridge - Miracles

I was remembering back many years, in fact I think it was probably about 18+ years ago, Wow!  So because it was so long ago, my memory is probably a bit fuzzy on this one..........

We were living in Abbotsford, BC at the time.  We had just been given an old fridge, you know the kind with the pull handle, where you actually have to pull the handle down to open the door on it.  We figured we would just keep it in the garage as a second fridge, and had only had it for a couple of days.  It was plugged in and nice and cold, but empty.

The kids were all playing out in the yard with half or more of the neighborhood kids, and they were playing

Dano, Kyre and Tal about the time we moved to BC

hide and seek.  I could hear them laughing and what not.  Suddenly I heard Kyre yelling at them, mad as heck that they didn't find her and help her.  She was pretty hysterical so I went out to see what was the problem.  Usually Kyre is the quietest kid ever.  She never got mad and she was always just compliant.

I discovered that Kyre had decided to hide in the fridge, so she climbed in and shut the door behind her, thinking that someone would surely find her in there!  She started to panic shortly because she realized that nobody was going to find her, and she couldn't get the door to open.  Miracles happen daily around us and I have no doubt that we are watched over by angels. 

She remembers that she was scared, but the light stayed on in the fridge - miracle - because the light usually goes out when the door closes!  She couldn't open the fridge, so she said a prayer and then leaned her back against the door and pushed really hard - miracle - she was only five years old and with that type of door, there is just no way that it should have opened without someone opening the latch on the outside. Logan tried to open the door without pulling down on the latch handle and couldn't do it.  There is no way she should have been able to just push that door open from the inside.  Miracle - she is alive today.  I shudder to think what would have happened had that little girl not had the faith to pray and then to do what she thought after. It wouldn't have taken very long for hypothermia, or air to run out.

Logan immediately went and unplugged the fridge and duct taped it shut, and we eventually took it to the dump and never did use that old fridge as a second fridge.

Closing a Chapter

Long day but we got Kyre all packed up and moved off to Lethbridge today!  Good for you Kyre!  It is always a bit of a nerve wracking thing when you move out of home for the first time.  But, yay for Dano, he is only a few minutes away from her, so hopefully they can hang out and watch out for each other.  After all what are big brothers for right?  Haha.

Now we are back at home and wow, is it quiet here.  Tal, Jim and Xander moved into their new house a few weeks ago, Kyre is moved, so we just have four of us at home, with way too much technology that seems to pull us to our separate locations throughout the house, and communication is minimal.  Gonna have to work on changing that up a bit!  

Was thinking back to the very first time Matt moved out, and how painful that was for me.  The circumstances were a bit different, but still he left a void. Such is life when kids go and grow up with your permission!

It's way too quiet here, I am going to have to do more writing and gardening to keep me from going crazy!
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Closed one chapter today, and opening a new one!