Triggers…
How to create little readers…
Thristina Woodhams 08.25.2022
Our children must see us read. It is even more important that we read with our children. As parents, we can use reading to propel our children into different cultures, regions, and eras. We can provide our youth with the opportunity to understand experiences in places that we never traveled to. We can give them access to a space of exploration and understanding, by offering them the world of literature.
Often, I have heard people laugh at those who believe in time travel. I truly believe that it exists Between the pages of a good book. Reading can take you to another time in another place with people you never met before. It can transform the way we feel about things we thought were the end, all be all, by allowing us to view something in a new light or from another point of view. Reading is such a powerful tool in a child’s life. It is the basis of education, communication, and it is the first step forward into the future.
My husband Zac, and I knew once our son was born that we would need to bridge the gap between reading and adventure for our little one. We wanted reading to become a task that our son would enjoy. We started reading to him almost instantly after birth. We would read things that interest us in the beginning but once he was old enough to repeat words we started reading the same book each night so that the words would become familiar to him over time. He even got to a stage where he would “play” read us the pages, but he would almost have the story right from memory. It was absolutely adorable.
Over time we grew as parents, and as partners. We experienced and explored the reading world with our little one at our side. In kindergarten, we took him to the public library. He was so excited to get his very own library card. Through our exploration, we found that when our little one had the opportunity to apply what he was reading to the world around him, he would retain the information at a higher rate.
People always ask us how we got our little one to love reading, and honestly, there are three main aspects that we have learned work the best. (I’m sure there are so many others too but these seem to have worked the best in our household)
- Let your little see you read for pleasure.
- READ to your little often.
- Find ways to help your child apply what they are reading to the world around them.
So, one and two are fairly simple. But that third one can be very tricky at times. There are so many ways to work this into everyday life. One way the Woodhams household has been able to accomplish making reading fun is a cute little receipt of BOOK, BAKE, and MAKE.
First, you read a BOOK about the subject (our example is for fall so we chose “Hello Fall” by Deborah Diesen, a super cute book for fall) Next, you BAKE a related snack (you can engage in conversation about the book and how the snack ties in while baking) Then you MAKE a craft that has an element(s) from the story or its characters (our example is a popsicle stick scarecrow).
We love our BOOK, BAKE, and MAKE weekends. The next time we read the book, we will often use the MAKE items to act out scenes. If you can help your child make the leap into loving reading, you will create endless opportunities for your child while they are little as well as long into their adulthood too.
We will continue to help your family make reading fun by sharing more tips for reading with littles and by posting a BOOK, BAKE, and MAKE post each month. Stay Tooned 🙂
Author, Bake, book, cover, Family, Fun, Kids, Kids Crafts, Little readers, Love, Make, Reading, Relationships
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Paradise Monarch – Experience
Thristina Woodhams: 08/14/2022
Our family was gifted an experience by a friend last Christmas. It was a Monarch Butterfly that we were to watch hatch and then release. Paradise Monarch is a small local family-owned business that raises caterpillars in a safe enclosure and prepares them for release. They feed their monarchs their own brand of home-grown milkweed, they keep them safe from predictors and protect them from diseases. This all improves their life expectancy from five percent to a much less alarming 90 to 95 percent.
Paradise allows the public to purchase monarchs to be released, as a way to help replenish the island of Oahu with this beautiful creature. Honestly, I thought I would be the only one to really enjoy it. WOW, was I wrong! My son and husband were just as intrigued. To my surprise, it created a platform for education, passion, responsibility, and love in my home. It was humbling to watch my manly husband be so soft and careful while helping my son release this creature. As we watched her emerge from her chrysalis state into a stunning butterfly, I made sure to explain the differences between the male and female monarchs to my little one. (info on the Paradise Monarch’s page, the link is below for you to explore).
The whole process was so enjoyable from its symbolic nature, and educational value, to the careful preparations the creators of paradise, have made to make it super simple. They provide you with a detailed instruction booklet that includes photos and a spot to preserve the date. The whole process only takes a few days and you don’t have to feed or really do much. Basically, you are observing until the Monarch emerges and takes flight.
Even if you are not planning to purchase, please take a look a the link below. It has a Monarch emerging from its chrysalis video on the home page, super cool.
Link: https://paradisemonhttps://paradisemonarchs.com/archs.com/
I had the opportunity to take these photos as my love helped my little love lift her to a limb on our birds of paradise in the back yard. She stayed there for some time allowing me to take the shots. Our family would highly recommend this experience for anyone or as a gift to anyone.
#Mood #Romanticreading
Thristina Woodhams: 08/13/2022
Finding time to cuddle while keeping up on your reading is a good way to keep the romantic flame in your relationship and do something you love. There is just something so sexy about watching a man deep in thought while reading. At times it can even be distracting but in a good way. My husband and I have been married for 13 years and we have spent a lot of time trying new ways of hanging out so that the other always feels loved and not ignored. We have our favorite TV shows and our favorite dinner places, all are awesome in their own way but none match the erotic tone of reading intertwined with each other’s bodies. It is a whole different kind of calm, and contentment. Only existing in that space, is tranquilizing. I love the way his lips move while reading silently. The way his body fits with mine in so many ways, and his silent giggles pressing against me are some of the reasons I believe in true love.
My husband and I read together in a few different ways.
Feel free to try them with your partner! I promise it will be the best date night ever. Instead of Netflix and Chill, you should Book and Booty!
- Two book tango – We cuddle in different positions to read our own choice of book to ourselves.
- Two book tango + Snack attack – All of one, plus, a grocery run for all our fav one-hand snacks while we read.
- Lit Serenade – We read out loud to each other, taking turns.
- Hibernating bookworm – We spend an entire day doing one and two. All while alternating taking naps while the other reads.
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What am I reading Now?
Thristina Woodhams 08/19/2022
The most asked question I get these days by my fellow abibliophobians is, “What are you reading now?”
I am currently re-reading “All the Missing Girls” by Megan Miranda. It is one of my favorite thriller Novels. I read it for the first time as a part of a book club that I was in at the time. We had a Facebook page and would set up a poll to vote on each months book. I have to admit I was enticed by the books reviews.
“Both [Gillian] Flynn’s and Miranda’s main characters also reclaim the right of female characters to be more than victim or femme fatale… All the Missing Girls is set to become one of the best books of 2016.” —Los Angeles Review of Books
“Extremely interesting…a novel that will probably be called Hitchcockian.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Are you paying attention? You’ll need to be; this thriller will test your brain with its reverse chronological structure, and it’s a page-turner to boot.” —Elle
The most intriguing review belonged to The New York Times Book Review. It was where they stated that it was “a novel that will probably be called Hitchcockian.” That is quite an accomplished review for any author in our era.
It would imply that there was a suspenseful essence to the book one that would be sure to deliver a reader’s obsession with every page. They were not wrong. This novel surely is tucked into my borrower’s library for many years to come.
Here is the link to purchase your own copy from amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/All-Missing-Girls-Megan-Miranda/dp/1501107976
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Emerged a Butterfly
“To my beautiful family, Thank you for loving me no matter what”
ThristinaJean
She opens her wings, slow and steady.
She holds on to the realization that this will all take some hard work.
While rushes of both fear and excitement dance in and out of her mind.
Her inner sparks ignite at the thought of a whole new world to explore and experience.
Yet lingers, the fear of leaving behind all she has known. Her only comforts in this all consuming place, just lost forever.
As her thoughts try to arrange the moments so perfect.
She knows that not all dreams come to fruition.
She understands the lost of yesterday. But chooses to grab on to the future with both hands.
With a swift movement and nothing more, she was firmly whisked into the future.
But to her surprise, she is still surrounded by familiar comforts.
For the people who truly loved her, and didn’t want to lose her, didn’t leave her.
Instead, they fell in love with her wings.
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A Thought of Mahalo
Thristina Woodhams
Hawai’i is breathtaking beauty and built on the aloha essence. The air just seems fresher here, and the heat is not as hot as the mind would think! It is dipped in the presence of peace, love, and respect for nature. The people here are kissed by the sun reflecting off the sea, of generations and generations raised here. It is hard not to feel close to God when standing over-looking the water. The sounds of the crashing waves soothe the mind’s eye. You can feel the flow of peace taking over, releasing all the stress. Life seems to slow down here. The Ohana here is not in a hurry. In life they don’t miss out on the small beautiful moments, the ones that were never meant to be passed up in the first place. There is always time for family and for feeding the Ohana around you. You never eat alone here and no one is ever left behind. There is never really a loss here just a lesson, love, and a lift up. Hawaii is where we have fled to seek asylum from the rest of the world’s violence. We hope to live here among your peace with respect. Hawaii breathes breath into my lungs and sings beautiful melodies to my soul. Here is where I raise my son to be a man! Hawai’i has always been breathtakingly beautiful.
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Inward
Thristina Woodhams
I recently heard something that someone said about me. To say the least it took me by surprise because I had no idea this person felt like that. It upset me for the simple fact that I have spent many years working on myself. I have spent time looking inward and trying to accomplish a wiser person within my own heart and mind.
If you stop to think about it not very many people can do that. Most people spend their life thinking that they are right in all situations. Most humans don’t try to look inward before responding outward. I was part of those humans, and still am most days but I have made efforts in the right direction.
The younger me would confront that person and probably start a fight. As time has passed. I have realized my time is valuable, and with the longevity of human life being as short as it is, I decided I will not spend time on things that take away from my happiness. I figured that upset feeling will pass and I will forget the crude judgment. Because I know who I am and I know what I’ve become. There is no need to follow up with others and their onions. Let them stay in attendance with their own negativity.
Today I want to be better than tomorrow. I want yesterday’s fallacies to be but a memory in my future. I have never stated now nor will I ever state that I am perfect. But I have perfectly propelled myself into the future with an open mind. The only thing I’ve asked of you is don’t pretend that you know me today if you knew me yesterday. And please don’t think for one second you’ll know me tomorrow if you continue to judge me on the past.
Thank you it’s all those people in my life who have always seen the best in me even when I was at my worst. I see you, I appreciate you and I love you!
POP
theconcisemindseye 
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