New Year

Out with the old and all that jazz.

So yeah, it's been a while since I've blogged, but I've been sick since August. Cold, flu, you name it and I had it. I've lost 15 pounds and decided a change was in order. I nabbed an awesome job at a high school. I'm hoping that being sneezed on less will help my immune system, and give me more energy to be a mom. I start next Monday. It is completely crazy of me to leave a great school but it would have been crazier not to jump at a job that is. SO. me.  Seriously.

But sickies aside, I cannot believe how fast the fall flew by. December was packed with so much stuff as it always is, amped up by Ox's choir concerts and of course all the sickies. His sixth birthday was last week, which always marks the end of our Holiday season (no bigger holiday than a kid's birthday, right?).

Ox reading at school*

In part of an effort to start calming down the family from the holiday craze we have instituted family Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) time.  Ox is reading beautifully thanks to the rigors of all-day kindergarten, and Little Frog knows about half her letters so it seemed like an opportune time.

I read all the time, and The Mastermind reads too but not when the kids are awake. They need to see us reading, and reading for enjoyment, if they are going to do the same. I believe strongly that boys who see daddies that don't read start to think of reading as something only girls do. This is of course not true, nor is it true of our family (although I AM an incurable bookworm), but kids learn by observation.

It has been wonderful. Not only can Ox fill in the little book-a-day of his pizza chart (I think he gets something if he fills in a lot of book-a-days but I'm not sure since the info was passed out in Blurcember) but when it is that crazy time after dinner or before bedtime when the kids are starting to eat their own hair I can announce "Hey! It's time for DEAR!" and everyone drops what they are doing, runs for a pile of books, picks their favorite spot and reads. I have to admit that even though I am completely engrossed in the Game of Thrones series I am not getting very far during DEAR as I spend most of it listening to Little Frog's interpretation of the the books she "reads."

Little Frog "reading"

I am hoping it will continue. Luckily both of my kids like a little structure so planned activities fit right in.





*Wondering how I got the picture of Ox at school? His wonderful teacher created a Shutterfly account and uploaded about 300 pictures of all the special things that have gone on so far this year. I LOVE having pictures of Ox during his day, and am looking forward to creating a photo book at the end of the year to commemorate kindergarten. 





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