Read 'em Cowboy!

While back in Cheyenne I had taken the kids to the library and picked out several books to bring home. One of the books we enjoyed reading was Tops & Bottoms. This book by Janet Steven is about a lazy bear who doesn't want to tend to the crops. The Hare (whom we all might remember from another story) is pretty clever in growing and particularly harvesting the crop. All the while the Bear snores away and is lazy. After we had been reading it for a few nights my oldest son informed me there was a small play put on in the music room at school and parents were welcome to come have a peak if they wanted. I gathered the two other boys and headed into town. As their little play began, I was surprised to see my son playing the part of the Bear.

It was a very difficult part to play. He had to be lazy and just roll around on the chair. His acting capabilities were astounding! I don't know how many kids could have performed that part as well as he did.

It's tough being lazy! The other children played the parts of Hare's family and went about planting and harvesting crops. It was really too adorable. So fun to see the book we had been reading come to life, with music and singing too!

Well, the reason they used this particular book was because the author and her sister were coming to the school for a visit that week! Susan Stevens Crummel and her sister Janet Stevens are so talented and their books are just wonderful!

We purchased one book ahead of time to have the authors autograph it. We got Ten Gallon Bart and when I opened the front cover I read the message to my son.... "Read 'em cowboy!"

You win some you lose some

Do you remember this post about Cheyenne's library? We went back there a day or so before we moved to get one last chance at this incredible library. They have the coolest chairs everywhere!

Little man liked this little table and chairs. The chairs were so tiny, I have no doubt Goldilocks would have broken one had she tried it out.

This was a double sided game board. Hey kid! Don't point that in your eye!

There ya go, much better. The light would stay on that board for a few seconds and then would slowly disappear.

This obviously is a set up picture. I have never learned how to play chess and so these youngin's wouldn't have a clue. I did see and grandfather and granddaughter playing a game. It was the most precious thing to watch. She was a little spit fire too. Not about to let gramps win.

Another fun seating arrangement. You can flip this one around several different ways.

I didn't get photos of it but my oldest liked to play with the movie maker. You take pictures of plastic dinosaurs, etc. then take pictures frame by frame. Then it puts all the individual pictures together to make a little movie. The kids really enjoy this one. Okay, so do I.

This is in the teen area. Two larger teens are suppose to be sitting and rocking in it. Small boys just don't fill it out too well.

These are just two of the meeting areas in the teen section. Wouldn't that be so cool to be in there. Hey, what would happen if you wore rose colored glasses in there?

This is Invent a Game. The kids can layout their own game and search for different items in the library. It's all magnetic and the little circles say things such as "if you can find the Choose Your Own Adventure Books move ahead 2". I loved those books growing up. My brother and I read those over and over again!

I'm going to miss that library. The story times alone were just incredible. I talked to another mother while at the playground the other day. I asked about the library in this town we moved to. She said it was a really great library with a fun story time for the kids. Then she said they didn't have story time in the winter.... on account of they don't have a heater in there.

Hmmm

You win some, you lose some!

High Phlegmancy Words

No, that's not a typo up there. High phlegmancy words.

I have been working with my middle child on these. Well at least that's what he calls them. High phlegmancy words. Or would it be flemancy words. We're not talking about the repsiratory system or mucus or even coughing anything up. Ewww gross. I remember my older brother doing that on purpose when he was a teenager though. Ewwwww gross.

Good grief, where is this post going? How many readers have I lost? Oh, do come back, I'll get to the point.

You know, high phlegmancy words. Words like the, and, a, is, in, it, you, if, it and so on. You know, the most commonly used words in the English language.

Well, we all call them high frequency words! Apparently I need to spend an increased amount of time with him on pronunciation as well!

*on a side note, my oldest took this picture of his brother. It's SOOC, I didn't touch it whatsoever. i thought that was pretty neat!

Library of the Year

We went to the library before swimming the other day when the weather was bad out. What a great place I tell you. The second floor is completely for kids, so awesome! The first thing my boys do is head to what they call "The Book Machine". It's really a hands on library. This is a good place for the kids to start. They grab a tile that has just come down the Lilly Pad shoot. They pick up the tile and move it to....

A little bench that is full of rollers and the tiles slide down the bench to get put through a slot. Notice my middle boy feels he must stack up an exorbitant amount of tiles. He pushes them through the slot and they go......

Down a set of rollers and then land in a little holding pen if you will.

Then my youngest takes a tile and puts it through another slot.

Now the tiles are loaded up to a conveyor belt that takes them up, up and away. My youngest is attempting to give the spinner all he has to get the conveyor belt up. Have no fear, a bigger kid will take over in no time. The older kids like to stack as many tiles in one spot on the belt so they all come down the Lilly Pads at the same time.

Then the tiles come down with a roar and my youngest is ecstatic! Then the tiles get to go through another course until they make it back to the start (though there is no "official" starting point). It really is a brilliant idea.

There is so much more too. My youngest is on the side of the bus here. The entire bus is covered with tactile, educational, fun and entertaining little activities.

He was having a real hard time grasping this idea here. He would grab for something and try with all his might to get it out of that box.

My middle son driving the bus. Just like him to make a friend. A friend with braids and pink all over.

More fun on the outside of the bus.

Here they are making words by spinning the chain around until the get the word they are after.

Those little mittens you see in the background are for measuring "hands", as in the height of a horse. And there are books and books stacked right there too. So clever!

So, are you wondering where my oldest is? Do I not care to take his picture? Well, here is where he was most of the time at the library.........

Seven year olds, I tell ya.

Oh, it really was the library of the year in 2008. The City of Cheyenne voted for an additional penny sales tax that went to pay for this project. The features of the library are incredible! You check your own books out, check them in, the books fly around on conveyor belts. It's really an incredible place to go!

The more that you read,
The more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
The more places you'll go

~~~~~Dr. Seuss