Well-Read

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall."— Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Okay, so we didn't throw our TV set away - that would be totally absurd, no sports or reality T.V.? we aren't crazy - but, in January we reduced our cable to the minimum package with no TiVo. Seriously! No Joke.

It's amazing how much time it has freed up (and money too). You would think the house would be spotless and the laundry would be done. Nope. Instead we read. We visit the bookstore or library much more frequently (there goes the saving from reducing the cable) and stock up on books about trees that give or trees that have magic houses, gardening, cooking, insects named Fly Guy or Leo, photography, trains that chuff and chug, health, fitness, dogs named Spot, Kiper or Clifford, fancy first graders named Nancy, and ducks and fish and sheep. Fortunately the kids both love to learn and read about anything and everything. Therefore I don't feel so bad about imposing my interests on them. Peyton is my little side-kick she enjoys all my phases and hobbies and wants to learn about them right along with me. J.T., on the other hand, would probably prefer if I would obsess over cars or trains or playing ball, but he is a good sport.

J.T. reads his books to his "Kizzy" every night. Some times it seems like we hear him in his room reading (and singing) for hours. In fact, I hear him "reading" right now, something about bugs that have to go pee but they can't get un-stuck from a spider web.

Peyton reads to all of us. She's becoming quite the little book worm. We are so impressed with her rapidly increasing ability. It's so rewarding to see her analyzing and thinking about the sounds of the letters and the words she's reading. I share in her sense of accomplishment when she completes a hard word, or page, or whole book. That alone is confirmation enough that reading with our kids just might be the single most important thing we are doing for them right now. (Aside from love, food and safety of course.)

Both the kids have such grand imaginations. They never stop dreaming, there is a constant chatter of make-believe. I chuckle when they use "big words" to describe everyday tasks or while playing with toys. Some of J.T.'s favorite words right now are tremendous, enormous, magnificent and astonishing.

Right now Peyton is studying the Snow Leopard for a school project. All the kindergartners chose an endangered animal that they will help save. They will do research, write reports and learn all about the animal they chose. They will raise money by holding a cookie sale at school. So we took a trip to the library and checked out some books on Snow Leopards. We'll be heading back to the library very soon so I can check out some books and do research on how to bake edible cookies so people will want to buy, and actually eat, them.

These are some books Peyton's reading this week.

The End.