Keep reading fun over the summer!

To help keep children reading over those hot summer months, Scholastic launched the Summer Reading Challenge nearly ten years ago to provide a fun way for parents to keep reading exciting for kids over the summer. Children can log reading minutes online or on their mobile devices over the summer and their reading minutes count toward their school total. Thousands of schools participate each year for a chance to break the World Record of Reading. It is an entertaining and interactive challenge for those summer months!

image: Scholastic.com

On the website, the Scholastic Parent section also includes a Daily Digest with book lists, reading tips for kids, book reviews, and more. 

How about books for kids who hate school? Or how to host a book swap party? 

Our household loves to read and we are fans of the Scholastic organization. If you are struggling for ideas over the summer, click on over to the treasure-trove of suggestions, tips, and fun. 

I did laundry and dishes on Mother's Day

Today is my 38th birthday. I am finishing up some of the kids' laundry, doing a bit of work... but later today, I will enjoy an upscale lunch with my dear husband and no kids! So my birthday will have a special highlight today. I will eat chef-prepared food and I won't have to tell anyone to sit down 19 times. I won't have to take anyone to the potty!

Yesterday was Mother's Day. In the Atlanta area, it was sunny and warm and a perfect example of springtime. My family stayed mostly at home. I did some laundry, I unloaded the dishwasher. Was I upset about that? No, I chose it. The best thing about my Mother's Day was that I did not have to do any of that. In fact, my husband reprimanded me a few times for refusing to sit my booty down and do nothing. I had my fair share of sitting and relaxing. I watched a movie with my daughter, played mindless games on my cell phone, and enjoyed a completely stress-free Mother's Day. I completed a few chores because I felt like it, not because I felt the to-do list looming over me. Sometimes I forget that I have a choice. The days are busy and hectic and I try to do it all for everyone. It was nice to be reminded on Mother's Day that I should simply stop once in a while. 

Moms, how was your Mother's Day? Did you relax? Play? Spend the day away from the kids altogether? There are no right or wrong answers here; your day is what you make of it.

I was loved, and I loved it.  

Happy Mother's Day (a day late)!

Childhood classic "The BFG" coming to theaters

“The matter with human beans," the BFG went on, "is that they is absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles.”
― Roald Dahl, The BFG

The BFG is a beloved Ronald Dahl children's book about a big friendly giant and his new friend Sophie. It is a book with character, adorable dialogue, and some memorable quotes. I am excited to say... the Steven Spielberg-directed film The BFG is coming to theaters on July 1st! 

This trailer was just released a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

Disney's The Jungle Book - now in theaters everywhere!

In celebration of THE JUNGLE BOOK film opening, Disney sent out an amazing video highlighting the voices in the film including Bill Murray (“Baloo”), Sir Ben Kingsley (“Bagheera”), Lupita Nyong’o (“Raksha”), Scarlett Johansson (“Kaa”), Idris Elba (“Shere Khan”), Christopher Walken (“King Louie”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Akela”) and Neel Sethi who plays Mowgli, the only live action character in the film.

This is a star-studded cast and I cannot wait to see the film!  Is it a film for the little ones? Well, I was not able to attend the screening so I do not know, but my friend Lindsey over at Redhead Baby Mama has this to say...

"There are A LOT of “gotcha” moments when animals seem to jump at the audience, tigers attack and monkeys reach.  You may want to take the movie in on date night and screen it for your young kids to see if they will like it."   

Check out the video below, then click through to read the rest of Redhead Baby Mama's  review here: The Live-Action Jungle Book is Here!

  

Have you seen the film?! Let me know what you think!