Ducky

My college roommate, Heather, gave this cute plush duck to my children many years ago. My boys never really got attached to it but my sweet little girl certainly has. She doesn't normally carry it around everywhere with her as these pictures might portray, but we were out of town this weekend so we made sure to take Ducky everywhere since most days away from home were unfamiliar to her. She usually only likes to sleep with Ducky.

Anyhow, I caught her lovin' on her favorite lovey and taking a snooze with him in her car seat. I think Ducky loves Abigail about as much as she loves him.

Visiting

We've been in the Birmingham area for two days now and we're having a blast. I love this city. So many fun and wonderful memories were made in this town. It's where Mitch and I met, fell in love, and went to our first church together. It's also where Mitch took his first job out of seminary.

So, we are here for three full days to enjoy the relationships God blessed us with while living here. We spent most of our first day visiting friends from college and OMPC. Today, the second day, was spent watching Mitch team up with past and present CPC staff for a basketball tournament, eating lunch with friends, dinner with the Body, and then a talent show afterwards. Tomorrow will be corporate worship, lunch with the congregation, and then a long-overdue nap for us all.

All this to say, as much fun as we are having here, we certainly miss our church family back home and can't wait to get back and see them!

Peanut Product Recall List

If you've been worried about what's in your cabinet or in your grocery cart, here's the Peanut Product Recall List. The best way to find a specific item on this lengthy detailed list is to hit "Control F" and type in the brand name, etc.

33 Marriage facts

I'm going to copy Becky and list my answers to 33 questions regarding my marriage to Mitch.

1. What are your middle names? Anthony & Sons (makes for a good business)

2. How long have you been together? 10 years

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? We met in March, got engaged in June, and married in October...all taking place in 1999.

4. Who asked who out? He asked me out (see #24).

5. How old were each of you? I was 24 and he was 28.

6. Whose siblings do/ did you see the most? His

7. Do you have any children together? 3

8. What about pets? one Beta fish, two hermit crabs, and an ant farm. We had a cat when we were childless but he's no longer around.

9. Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? Finances

10. Did you go to the same school? No

11. Are you from the same home town? No....but we are from the same state (Georgia).

12. Who is smarter? He is.

13. Who is more sensitive? Me

14. Where do you eat out most as a couple? sub shops

15. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Cozumel, Mexico (no, that was not for our honeymoon.)

16. Who has the craziest exes? we both have had some pretty normal ex-girlfriends/boyfriends

17. Who has the worse temper? Him (don't be made at me, Honey!)

18. Who does the cooking? Me

19. Who is more social? MEEEEEEE

20. Who is the neat-freak? Neither one of us.

21. Who is the more stubborn? Me

22. Who hogs the bed? Him

23. Who wakes up earlier? Me

24. Where was your first date? Gosh, what a controversy. I would say it was at Burt's On the Bluff in Birmingham, AL, but he would beg to differ. It's a long story.....

25. Who has the bigger family? Me

26. Do you get flowers often? my kids pick the ones in the yard and bring them to me.

27. How do you spend the holidays? Usually at home or at my mother's house.

28. Who is more jealous? (seriously???????)

29. How long did it take to get serious? One month.

30. Who eats more? Me, but Mitch can chow down and finish a family size bag of Lay's Original Chips in a heartbeat, while never looking up.

31. Who does the laundry? Me

32. Who’s better with the computer? Him

33. Who drives when you are together? Mitch always drives unless I'm picking him up or dropping him off somewhere.

A sure thing

Abigail is a sure thing. She's ALWAYS wanted to be a lioness.

"Oh, where is that shade tree? It's time for my nap."

He's got his mind made up

One brother may not have made up his mind, but Andrew's answer to, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" has always been, "A policeman!".

I don't think Luke is too happy about that. Seems that all he's missing is his white wife beater shirt. Going shirtless really makes no difference, huh? That facial expression is priceless! Looks like Andrew has met his quota...he's all smiles.

Can't make up his mind

What do you want to be when you grow up, Luke?

Hmmmm....maybe a doctor?
Arg, do I look good as a pirate?
Better yet, how 'bout a firefighter?
No, a wild monkey!

Free downloads

You can find a lot of free girl-y downloads at Living Locurto.

Everything from:
valentines
thank you cards
recipe cards
birthday invites
email cards
enclosures
vintage paper
candy wrappers
TO DO lists
graphic wallpaper
inventory pages
scrapbook paper
blog backgrounds
note cards
scavenger hunt lists
paper crafts
...and anything else for any holiday.

They are so cute!

Filler' Up!

Mommy Snacks has just the thing for you if you're running a little empty today. Lots of good stuff!

TV time & "Water Dude"

The kids don't get a lot of "TV time" during the day....but when they do, they take full advantage of it.

Is that sliver of hair and splash of freckles not the cutest?

"Lasting Relationships"

We had our annual Valentines banquet with our church family last night. The theme was "Lasting Relationships" and a few people stood and shared about the meaningful friendships in their lives. God has blessed our church with amazing people and I'm thankful for each and every one of them!

(Click on the collage for a larger view)

Daddy Daughter date?

The dads took their daughters to a hockey game this past week. Go Snakes!

RedBox Code today only

This RedBox code is good today only until midnight.
Make sure you return the movie tomorrow before 9 p.m.!

25CH63

This is how he rolls

These are a few of the activities that make Andrew tick (click on the collage for a larger view).

1. Coloring with my nice scrapbooking markers.
2. Talking to the neighbor's cat through the window.
3. Playing "war" with his army soldiers.
4. Drawing on Sketch Swap.
5. Watching the ants begin to dig their tunnels in his new ant farm (thanks, MeMe & Pop!).

24 Things about to disappear in America

Rod Dreher has written an article discussing in detail the top 24 things that are about to disappear in America.

1. The Family Farm
2. Analog TV
3. News Magazines and TV News
4. Honey Bees
5. Mumps & Measles
6. Drive-in Theaters
7. Personal Checks
8. Wild Horses
9. Hand-Written Letters
10. The Milkman
11. Stand-Alone Bowling Alleys (so, what's the new idea?)
12. Incandescent Bulbs
13. Cameras That Use Film (they still make film?)
14. Answering Machines
15. The Swimming Hole (uh, I was born in '74 and I've never been swimming in a hole)
16. Ham Radio
17. Ash Trees (something about a beetle)
18. VCRs
19. Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs
20. Phone Landlines
21. Dial-up Internet Access
22. Movie Rental Stores (thanks, RedBox!)
23. Classified Ads
24. Yellow Pages (you can thank Al Gore for this...har-har)


HT: Justin Taylor

Favorite song (of the moment)

Glory to God! (Lyrics below)



Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Stayin' Alive

I simply don't know how to preface this video. It's all good but the you should begin laughing shortly after time 2:15.

Luke's words

My middle child, Luke, has a habit of doing some pretty gross boy things - one of which is wiping his nose on anything nearby, including me.

Upon getting him out of the bathtub this morning, he leaned over and pulled my shirt to his face while I was drying him off.

Me: "Luke, please stop wiping your snot on me. Get some tissue."

Luke: "But I didn't wipe my snot on you. It was my eye gook."

That's better.

Practice makes perfect

Andrew can write his name and often puts the letters in order. Still, we try to practice writing it everyday in some form. Yesterday, I gave him sticky letters to see if he could place them in order on his chipboard initial. He got the order right but turned some of the letters in the wrong direction. Next, he wrote his name in glue and then put stale Cheerios on top. This time, he again knew the correct letters but didn't place them in order.....and definitely not all in the right direction. He was so happy with his work and I just had to take a picture of his proud smile.

Practice, practice, practice....it will eventually bring perfection....well, kind of.

Ye old sub shoppe

I went on a lunch date with my husband (and Abigail) today where we ventured to a new sub shoppe here in town (two locations to serve you). After finishing my meal, I told my husband I had an idea for my next blog post....so, here it is.

Ye old sub shoppe, ranked from best to worst, in my opinion.


1. Firehouse Subs - ...nothing beats the #1 combo (no onions, please). Their mayo-dijon mustard sauce is amazing and the bread is soft. This is always my first pick for a sandwich. Great service! They yell, "Welcome to Firehouse" when you walk in the door. Of course, they never glance up to greet you 'cause they are working hard to make those awesome sandwiches! Sign up for their birthday club and get a free sub of your choice on your birthday.

2. Subway - ...the old shoppe that's been around forever and can be found on any town corner (or in strip mall). Love the variety they offer but the bread can be a little hard at times (so much for eating fresh). They are also very stingy with their napkins. My favorite is the roasted chicken breast on wheat bread.

3. Quizno's - Great menu but outrageously high in price. I do, however, like their condiment bar. The store always appears to be clean...as it should be with those high prices. They share their napkins.

4. Blimpie - I don't get to frequent a Blimpie all that often. I used to visit it often when I was in college since my apartment was almost directly across the street from a Blimpie. Now, one store is in Hamilton (about 25 minutes north) and the other in the Super Walmart across the river in Alabama. I do remember that the sandwiches were delightful and the soup was even better.

INFINITY (AKA #5) Jimmy John's - Ok, where do I start? This was where we ate today and I must say that I was extremely disappointed. I am no food critic but I certainly sounded like one after finishing my meal. No lengthy details will I bore you with but know that the bread is on the verge of hard and the sandwich is dry. They don't tell you this but you can get "freebies" on your sandwich (it's in the fine print on the menu). Mitch thought the tea was good but I didn't get a chance to try it since I was trying to hunt down napkins. Apparently, they are stingy with their paper goods, too.

BOGO at McDonalds

Did you know that McDonalds has a Buy One Get One free drink offer every Monday through Friday from 2-5 p.m.? Click HERE for the details.

Head Stands & Tattoos

The boys entertained themselves for quite a while tonight by performing head stands in the hallway. This all happened just before bedtime so it took a while for them to calm down. Abigail also got in on the fun.

The dark spots on their stomachs is a Disney tattoo. Andrew wants a real tattoo like my brother, his Uncle Stuart, has. I've told him that he can have a tattoo when he's 18 and legal. Andrew is fascinated that a real tattoo will never wash off and will be on his skin forever. Even after seeing the video below, he still says he wants one.

What can you get free today?

Denise is....well, she's just good at what she does. She compiles a list of freebies each week, posts local grocery store savings, links to various coupon sites, and informs the blogosphere of business place offers. So, I'm gonna shoot you over to her blog, The Centsible Sawyer, so you can see what you can get free today. Make sure you scroll all the way down....there are lots of free magazine subscriptions!

Publix BOGO list, Feb 4-11

Here are the "Buy One Get One free" items this week at Publix, Feb 4-11:

• Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
• Campbell's Select Harvest Soup
• Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers
• Entenmann's Donuts
• Farm Rich French Toast Sticks
• General Mills Cereal
• Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
• Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Cereal
• Knorr Sides
• Kozy Shack Pudding
• Land O Lakes Spread
• Nabisco Honey Maid Grahams
• Pillsbury Moist Supreme Cake Mix
• Pop-Secret Premium Popcorn
• Snickers Minis
• Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix
• Toufayan Pita Bread
• Uncle Ben's Country Inn Rice
• Wise Cheez Doodles

Thanks to Fiddledeedee for putting this list together.

Valentine's wreath

I think (which also means, might...which also means, if I have the time and money) I'll attempt to do this craft this week. If I don't make it for Valentines Day, then I'll have to do another shape for another holiday. My door needs some decor, that's for sure. Thank you, Little Birdie Secrets.

Paint pen craft

Luke received a HUGE set of paint pens for his third birthday back in December and we have just now broken them out of their casing to put to use. Thanks, Coralie. The boys really enjoyed them!

Free MATTHEW SMITH download (5)

Are you a fan of the new arrangements to hymn that have come out of RUF (Kevin Twit/Indelible Grace Music: igrace)? Or maybe you're a fan of various other churches/artists (such as Red Mtn. PCA out of B'ham, AL) that have also written new music to older music (think Gadsby Hymnal, etc). If you are, then you have most likely heard of (and love!) Matthew Smith.

Matthew is offering a free download of five of his songs from his newest album AFTER you tell five friends about it (easy-peesy-method). You must do this now for the music is far too awesome to go unheard!

You can go here OR here to download the songs.

For all my military friends

To all my friends who are serving our country, I thought you'd appreciate these pictures.

3D glasses? Check!

We were prepared for the 3D commercials during the SuperBowl. A lot of us from church gathered to watch the game together even though it's not the best venue to "watch" the game if you really care to hear all the details. This is why I'm a huge fan of closed captioning!

My favorite Superbowl commercial

Free pill tote

Click here to get your free pill tote from Bayer.

Our Saturday happenings

First, we played a few games, had a pretend picnic on the floor, chased each other around the house, and finally got out of our PJs.


Since I wouldn't let her play with Luke's paint pens, Abigail decided she wanted to draw a few scribbles on the non-messy Doodle Pad (I love the inventor of this toy!).


Andrew gave it a shot, too. He displayed his artwork and titled it, "Mommy's fingernails". It's funny, but I don't know where he comes up with this stuff. I have short nails.


After dinner, Luke's own creative juices got flowin' and he announced he had designed a waterslide on the side of the fridge. He was so proud of it and asked me to take his picture.

25 random things

It's been circulating on Facebook for over a week and I've been tagged at least five times. It's past due time.

1. I can't stand to be barefoot. I must always have shoes and/or socks on (except when I sleep - duh).
2. I love being outdoors.
3. I used to clog competitively.
4. I hate heat on my face.
5. We're taking the family to Orlando (Disney!) in June. It will be their first experience, my fourth.
6. I'm not pregnant (can you believe it?).
7. I was born in Mississippi, raised in Georgia, lived in Florida for two summers, went to grad school in Alabama, and have family in South Carolina. I've never been to Louisiana.
8. It's taken almost twelve years but I just paid off my undergraduate school loan.
9. I get irritated if I'm touched while brushing my teeth.
10. I'd rather vacation in the mountains than at the beach.
11. I'm not real crazy about cats.
12. I own a guitar I've never played.
13. I own a flute I can't find.
14. We own several toy instruments that I randomly step on.
15. I am married to the most wonderful man in the world.
16. I am a night owl.
17. My wedding dress still hangs on my closet door.
18. I hate decorating. We've lived in this house for two years and the walls are mostly bare.
19. I am addicted to a few TV shows: Lost, 24, American Idol, and few more that will remain nameless.
20. I love going "home" to visit my mom and sister.
21. I think my kids are amazing. I don't deserve them!
22. Macaroni-n-cheese from the box is my favorite food.
23. I hate, hate, hate going to concerts and watching award shows on TV.
24. I almost got a tattoo in the summer of 1994...I chickened out.
25. I want three more babies.

Winners announced

Congratulations to the winners of my two giveaways.

Amy, at Bailey's Leaf, won the Lysol Neutra Air starter kit.

Courtney, at Rants & Raves of a Twenty-Something-Year-Old Female, won the Fireproof DVD coupon.

I had fun participating in the Bloggy Carnival and can't wait to do it again next quarter.

A list of my favorite blogs

Thanks for letting me know the links weren't working!
They're operating NOW!

Most of you know I stay up waaaaayyyyy too late. Wanna know what it is that I'm doing up in the wee hours of the morning and why you get emails from me at 2:32 a.m.? Here's the (non-friend) long list.

Dealicious Mom

Five Minutes For Mom

All the Way Home

Art Project for Kids

Bargain Hunting Moms

Be Centsable

Blissfully Domestic

Christi's 2 Cents

Deal Seeking Mom

Dollar Store Crafts

Everyday Beautiful

Freebies 4 Mom

Getting Ahead

Grace Violet

Half Pint House

Handprints On the Wall

House on Hill Road

Hurrayic

Joys of Home

Kiddio

Let's Explore

Looking Towards Heaven

Money Saving Mom

More Than Enough

Nickles-n-Dimes

The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman

Salt and Chocolate

Stretching a Buck

Sycamore Stirrings

The Centsible Sawyer

The Crafty Crow

The Opinionated Parent

Thrifty & Creative

Today's Creative Blog

Unplug Your Kids

Yes, I know. It can be overwhelming. Start small. And to think I just went through my blogroll and purged.

RAMBLE

Got no time to kill -
I'm at a stand still.
Nothing in my head.
I want to go to bed.

Rising early is the plan.
Exercise waits for me to stand.
Separation anxiety here abounds -
Will we swap in taking rounds?

Friday is already here -
January is about to take a rear.
Five pounds have said goodbye.
Two more weeks and I'll say "Hi!".

Time to log off for the night -
Only sleep right now feels right.
My husband sits just feet away.
But neither can he stay.

This poem is entitled, "Ramble".
I like my yummy eggs scrambled.
I'm getting quite desperate here.
Searching for words, my dear.

"Fireproof" coupon $5 off

It's another giveaway from me, inspired by the awesomeness of The Bloggy Carnival. I'm giving away a coupon for $5 off the newly released movie, Fireproof (DVD). The coupon expires on February 16.

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband.

Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks.

As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare." Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book's daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.

While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?"

When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. Andówith God's helpóhe begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife.

But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever...rescuing his wife's heart.

In order to be entered to win this coupon, just leave a comment telling me one, two, or three of your favorite movies. I'll pick a winner (random.org) on Saturday around 12:00 noon and will announce the winner later that evening.

Siblings

Can't say enough about how much I love these three children. I'm thankful they love one another, too (well, most of the time).

Can you tell we just finished eating a spaghetti dinner? Bath time was right around the corner.


Wrestling on the floor led to them all in a huddle to catch their breath.

Hey, you!

Mommy let me play with the markers today. She says it was a mistake and I'll have to wait til I'm a little older to do that again. She said I should "take a walk in her shoes" one day. It's really not that hard.

Free stuff today!

Go visit Mommy Snacks to see what all you can get for free today!

Wordless Wednesday

Giveaway: LYSOL Neutra Air kit

The Bloggy Carnival has started and I am once again giving away some sort of smell-good item. Last quarter I gave away a flameless candle so I thought that this go-round I'd give away something similar (but different) - a LYSOL Neutra Air Treatment Fresh starter kit.


You can win this kit by simply leaving a comment on this post telling me where in your home, office, classroom, etc, that needs this starter kit the most. A winner will be chosen this Saturday at 12 noon, EST.

Happy hunting for all those freebies!

Loves her babies

Abigail is all girl. She knows how to sign "baby" and will gather them all up in her lap to give them her love. P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S!

Giveaways Galore

Shhhhh....there are goodies galore being given away!

The Bloggy Carnival started today so you MUST visit and see what you could can win - absolutely free (shipping is free, too!).

Also, The Giveaway Gathering has a mighty fine long list of goodies being given away.

Both of these blogs offer a lot of giftcards to Target, Walmart, Walgreens (my favorite), and CVS. I don't know about you but my wallet could always use some help when purchasing groceries and diapers, yeah?

Today's REDBOX code

Yes, I know it's late...it's 6:30 EST as I post this but I may still be able to help a few people get a free movie tonight. Especially for my friends who don't live in my time zone!

REDBOX code good til midnight
57VH9L

Free coffee at Panera Bread on Wed. 1/ 28

Stop by Panera Bread on Wednesday, January 28, for a free cup of coffee (and some free pastry samples). Click here for the proof.

100 free photo prints

Wow.....wow...wow. There is an awesome deal at SeeHere.com where all new members receive 100 free prints! This is a company of Fuji Film so you know the quality is gonna be good!

Again, Heather at Freebies4Mom shared this information on her blog so I'm gonna send you back to her site to read the fun details.

This is a great way to get those holiday photos printed without paying full cost. You'll end up saving $12 and only pay around $5 for shipping. That beats any local one hour developing deal!

BIG LOTS 20% off coupon

Do you like BIG LOTS? I love perusing through the paper & office supply aisle to find scrapbooking treats. Here's a coupon for 20% off any purchase at BIG LOTS, good from Saturday, January 24 through Sunday, February 1.

You can also click on the coupon image to print it.

One coupon per guest.

(6) Free photo valentines

Need some valentines for the upcoming day of love? Stories By Everyone is giving everyone six free photo valentines by February 1. I just completed my order and the total was $0! There's no shipping fee either. It was very easy to do but I think Heather at Freebies4Mom does a far better job of explaining the process than I could. Go get yours now!

Best Buds

These two have known each other since birth (well, AC is three months older than Luke). They really are best friends but I've witnessed them fight like brother and sister, too! Love abounds and we smile when we watch them take care of each other, whether it be at school or church. AC's mom and I joke around that they will one day marry....wouldn't that be neat?

Read, read, read...and then read some more

They are watching. They love their routine. They also want to switch roles from time to time.


Don't stop reading to them once they get older! Reading chapter books together is a good tool for older children. I have a friend who encourages his high school and college aged sons to read a book with him over the course of a few weeks or months (they each have their own copy) and they discuss it during some one-on-one time. How meaningful! Gosh, this friend has seven sons so that's a lot of reading!


Listed here are a few benefits from reading with your (younger) child:

1. Reading encourages family bonding. For many children "love" is spelled “T-I-M-E” and reading together requires good quantities of time! Reading will also promote communication between parents and children.

2. Routine - Regular reading contributes to predictability and routine in the home. If children know that every evening they will share a bedtime story or every morning a Bible story, they become secure in knowing what is expected at different times of the day.

3. Tradition - Another benefit of reading together is the establishement of a much loved family tradition.

4. Common experiences - Reading provides a family with shared experiences and a rich reserve of common knowledge from which to draw.

5. Teaching moments - Children can learn many lessons about how to function in the world from stories that they enjoy, especially if a parent discusses the issues that arise

6. Facilitates difficult topics - Reading carefully chosen books may facilitate communication about topics that might otherwise be difficult to broach.

7. Reading expands children’s horizons - Children can learn about other people, places and times through the reading of stories.

8. Healthy family entertainment - Reading aloud together introduces children to books as a form of entertainment and enables families to entertain themselves with topics of their own choosing, instead of being at the mercy of the television channels!

9. Develops discerning readers - Another benefit of reading is that introducing your children to good quality stories from a young age will help them to become discerning readers with a taste for good literature when they are older.

10. Sparks life-long interests - Reading aloud may seed a child with a life-long interest in a particular field.

11. Develops attentiveness - Reading aloud teaches children to pay attention, focus and concentrate.

12. Reading aloud develops auditory perception – the skill of hearing and understanding what has been said.

13. Reading develops vocabulary and pronunciation skills. Children will be exposed to words they would not normally encounter.

14. Aids deciphering new words - Having a wider vocabulary will enable a beginner reader to decipher new words more easily as he already understands them and knows how to pronounce them.

15. Models good language - Reading good written text provides a model of good grammar and sentence structure which will promote good language skills, both oral and written, in children.

16. Links written and spoken language - Reading aloud helps young children understand the relationship between written text and the spoken word.

17. Stories feed the mind as food feeds the body. Children have a hunger for good literature.

18. Develops cognitive skills - Reading aloud develops children’s imaginations and creativity.

19. Increases IQ -Reading aloud has been shown to increase cognitive ability and IQ scores.

20. Develops curiosity - Reading stories develops children’s curiosity about people, places, motives and more.

21. Enjoyable learning - Reading together enables children to learn about subject matter that might be dry and boring in other formats. For example, a story set in historical times will make learning about that time period far more interesting than just reading the dry facts in a text book.

22. Promotes lifelong learning - Children learn that much of the answers they need can be found in written format.

23. Reading aloud with your children will do all of the above for you, the parent, too! The benefit of reading is not just for your children.