Tomorrow, March 2nd, is National Read Across America Day.

National Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place on March 2nd, Dr. Seuss’ Birthday, every year.  Schools and Libraries across the country will be be celebrating the joy of reading with fun games and activities and of course BOOKS!

There is know denying that reading is a gateway to learning.  When a child learns to read it builds their confidence, opens their imagination, and educates them about the world around them.  With a young reader in our house, and one that is right behind her, we are encouraging as much reading as possible.  We keep their books readily accessible in the playroom, take them with us in the car and to appointments for entertainment (thankfully my kids don’t get carsick), and read books to each of them, every night,  as part of their bedtime routine.  With Peyton in school this year (and Reading!) she has been doing lots of activities in her classroom and I am trying to incorporate as much Dr. Seuss fun as possible into our home routine this week.  Because, you know, READING is FUN!

So, how can you join in on the Celebration?

Read Read Read:  Early in the week we visited the local children’s library and checked out several Dr. Seuss books to have on hand and today I found that Target has their hard back, Dr. Seuss books on sale 2 for $10!  We got two more to add to our collection, Green Eggs and Ham (Peyton’s Favorite), and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

Community Events:  Check with your local library, schools, book stores, and community centers to see if they have anything planned.  There is also a list of Events posted on Seussville.com.  Most Libraries and Barnes and Noble book stores host weekly story times for the kids, by doing a quick online search I was able to find several options for story time in our area.

Activities:  There are so many fun ideas over on Seussville.com.  Check out their activity section for lots of printable word finds, mazes, and color sheets.  You may want to jazz up your wardrobe and make a paper Cat in the Hat tall hat or cut out Stars to wear on your belly like the sneetches.  Maybe a Daisy headband to wear like Daisy Head Mayzie.

Fun Snacks:  You can’t have a celebration without fun foods!  Try one of these fun Dr Seuss themed treats.

• Cat in the Hat Parfait:  layer fresh sliced strawberries with vanilla yogurt in a glass.
• Cat in the Hat Kabobs:  Alternate Strawberries and Bananas on a skewer.
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish:  Colored Goldfish Crackers~that’s an easy one!
• Green Eggs and Ham:  Add Food coloring to your scrambled eggs, serve with ham, bacon, or sausage.

Looking for something other than a cup of coffee for you afternoon pick-me-up?  You may want to try a Vanilla Green Tea “Latte”  made from home!

Mix 1/2-1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract into 8 oz of Hot Green Tea.

Add 1-2 oz. Hot Milk.

Enjoy!

The other day I’m making dinner and the P’s are watching a cartoon while they wait.  I’m going about my business in the kitchen when I hear “Doggy Did What Doggies Doo!” come from the TV.  I look over to see this comercial from The Doggie Doo Game:

I literally said out loud “oh you have got to be kidding me!”  So I looked it up.

The game is this; you feed the dog, you walk the dog, the dog poops!  When the dog poops you clean it up and the first person with three pieces of poo on his shovel, wins.

Oh, and the rules state “You can only pick up the dog’s mess when it has fallen on the table. When it is hanging outside the end of the dog, just tap him on the back until it drops”  I see.  So just so the kids know, never pull poop out of a dogs butt!

I have a three year old son who would find this just hilarious.  The problem?  I spend my days trying to convince him that poop, pee, and farting noises are NOT funny.

I would really like to know how business is going for them.  Tell me, would you buy this game for your kids?

My littles is 17 months old and becoming more and more independent.  She is walking, climbing, talking, and playing.  I love watching her grow.

I love TOMS.  They’re cute, comfortable, go with everything, and for every pair you purchase they give a pair to a chld in need.  Doesn’t get much better than that, right?  WRONG!  They make wedges too!  You can’t go wrong with a wedge, no matter what the outfit!

These?  I am completely in LOVE with!  They are definitely going to be part of my Summer uniform wardrobe!

A few other colors I might need to own for the Spring/Summer:

 The Red Canvas (I’m thinking I need these for the 4th of July)

The Aqua Canvas (my absolute favorite color in the whole world)

The Yellow Nautical Stripe (would be so adorable with a spring dress)

Over on Catholicmom.com she shares a childrens Lenten activity to do with the Jelly Bean Prayer.  I loved this idea of earning Jelly Beans for specific good deeds or acts of kindness.  However, for Peyton and Preston (5 and 3) it seemed like a lot for them to take on.  And, anyone that knows Preston knows that Jelly Beans would not last in that jar all 40 days…at some point he would sneak in and take them.

We came up with our own way to earn Jelly Beans for good deeds throughout Lent that doesn’t involve the constant temptation.

To work on improving our selves with kindness and caring we have set out 3 jars.  One is full of Lima beans and the other two were empty at the start of the Lenten season.  From Ash Wednesday until Easter the P’s will be told to move 1 Lima bean to their jar every time I see them doing something for others.  It can be anything from helping out with chores, sharing a special toy, or being kind to one another.  On Easter, the beans that they have earned will be Jelly Beans.

I don’t collect coins, or stamps, or tiny figurines….I collect wine corks.  I love wine corks, the real ones not the synthetic kind.  I think they look cool and I love how they are small but each one is defferent, decorated with the winery’s name or label.   I have been collecting them for years and one of the great things about them is their uses.  You don’t just have to dump them in a bowl, you can actually make usefull stuff out of them and it looks really pretty!

My first project was a “Cork” board that I made a couple of years ago.  It hangs in my kitchen and yes, I actually use it as a bulletin board.

All you need are:

•  A pretty frame (it needs the glass in it or you could glue an empty frame to some particle board.)  This one was actually a bulletin board that I found at Homegoods.
• Various wine corks
• Hot glue

I made a pattern the corks going two by two horizontally and then vertically.

Once you have your pattern all figured out (fill the entire board before using any glue), start gluing.  Glue corks on, in their pattern, one at a time until board is full.

I’ve saved up more corks and I can’t wait to start some new projects!  On the list:  a trivet and a wreath!

All decked out for Mardi Gras in her homemade mask and beads!

Our King Cake~which I’m very proud of since it’s the first one I’ve ever made

If you are ever in need of colored sugar and don’t have the store bought kind…make your own!

place 1/3 cup sugar in a plastic bag or container.

 Add 1 to 2 drops of food coloring.

Shake!

I started with one drop and then added a second to get a darker color.

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is all about indulgince.  So you know those sweets you’re going to give up for Lent?  This is your day to get it all in before the fasting season (which starts tomorrow, Ash Wednesday).  Typically you think of wild parties in New Orleans but around here, the kids are getting in on some of the fun.

Mardi Gras Masks

I found these plastic masks at the Dollar Tree but you can also find plain ones at craft stores like Michaels.  We used some glitter glue, feathers, and beads to jazz them up a little.

 Mardi Gras Beads

Forget the store bought kind, we’re making our own!  Using the pasta that we dyed purple, green and gold yesterday and some simple twine, the kids get to string their own beads.  Visit my tutorial for instructions on how to Dye your own pasta.

King Cake

This is the first year I’m going to make a King Cake.  They look like so much fun and the kids loved that we made our own colored sugars to put on top!

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home