Benjamin Franklinstein Lives!/painting pumpkins

The other night we decorated the kids pumpkins for the boys school project. They had to pick their favorite character from a book and create that character on the pumpkin. The character pumpkins are put on display in the school library for all to see (no carving allowed though!). Jake picked Benjamin Franklinstein, from the book, Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! Cameron picked an Avenger picture book and designed Captain America. Cameron's pumpkin was still super wet with paint the morning we needed to take the pumpkins to school, so we just brought Franklinstein to the school and added both of the boys name to it. I think they turned out Super awesome!!! Just in case you are wondering....we used silly putty to create the noses on both of the pumpkins! Caroline went to town with the paints. She is such a little designer!


  ,


Here is the book that Jake did. It is a book off of the Texas Bluebonnet List for 2012-2013.

My Boys

Not much to post about today.

It's camo and hat day at school for the boys.

When Jake was walking out the door this morning, I couldn't happen to notice how dang cute he looked. 

I think his camo gear suits him just fine.

He has such a sweet spirit and I'm blessed to be his mom.

The boys now bike to school with their friends everyday.
It's funny to see them pedal away with their big backpacks in tow and them laughing and having a good ole time with their friends.

Jake has learned to ride his bike with no hands.

I can tell he is super proud of this accomplishment.

I worry about him on his bike though.

He seems to be accident prone on it. 

We jokingly warn everyone to watch out for Jake. 

He will run you over. Literally, and not on purpose. He just has a hard time stopping and steering.

He will fall unexpectedly and can somehow manage to get his shoelace strings tied up in his wheels.(thank goodness I was out running yesterday to rescue him from his wipe out...all due to his shoelaces).

 

Cameron got a new bike.

Well, his best friend, Dylan, gave him his old bike.

So, Cameron upgraded and passed his old bike down to Jake.

We started reading the book, The Hunger Games, aloud at night.

Cameron did pretty well with reading it.

However, he stopped after Chapter 7.

He claimed he read the entire book, but after some coursing, we found out the truth.

So, we decided we would read it together. 

After a long day, we settle down on the couch and read it as a family.

It's peaceful and allows us to converse about the events that take place in the book.

I can't wait to see the movie now!

reading pleasure

I just purchased 2 books online.
I can't wait till they arrive.
I pre-ordered the book "Heaven Is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy" by Stephanie Nielson.
To see her blog, click here.
The second book was Parenting With Love And Logic.
I hear this is an excellent book. My friend, who is a teacher, took the course, and highly recommends it. I hope to brush up on my parenting skills....mostly patience. Can't we all use some of that?
Speaking of books....
Cameron started reading the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
I have to admit I was kind of skeptical at first, because of the violence and what the whole story line is about. It sounds awful when you read some of the reviews about it. However, his teacher at school recommended the book and if anyone knows Cameron, well, he hates to read!! So, when he asked for us to buy him the book, I was thrilled. (this kid has never asked for a book in his whole life!)
Despite, the mixed reviews of this book, I think allowing him to read it will open up great conversation for us. Dusty took him this past weekend to get it. He even opted out of playing basketball at the park this weekend to read it!! Holy moly, I am amazed!!! He even comes home and goes to his room to R-E-A-D! There are about 7 kids in his classroom that are reading it and they plan to have a movie night after everyone finishes it (even the teacher wants to go).

The Hunger Games-
What parents need to know:
Parents need to know that this is a story about a reality show where 24 teens must kill one another until only one survives. They do so with spears, rocks, arrows, knives, fire, and by hand. It's not unduly gory, but there is lots of violence, all of it teen on teen.

Talk to your kids-Families can talk about the popularity of this series. Why has it struck such a chord with readers? Why are you interested in reading it?
Parents may want to address the many issues the author raises. How much of a stretch is it for people to see killing as entertainment? Which reality shows remind you of the one in this book?

Reviews:
"Hauntingly feasible, irresistible to put down, impossible to forget.
I am currently teaching it to my 7th grade class. We are exploring the social issues of poverty, classism, devaluing human life, and risks of extreme entertainment. Hunger Games has electrified discussions in understanding character motivation, thematic irony, the human condition, and societal injustices. Every kid has had something to say, and often their insight into why people do what they do is captivating. A powerful, edgy novel that motivates non-readers and stimulates the minds of the well read."

"Loved the book. Something I think should be said is that the violence is not sensationalized. Most of the children in the "Games" did not want to be there and are not out to kill the others, but to out-last and out-survive them. Very good book for discussion on society and government control."

"Hunger Games is a book with many messages meant to mirror problems in our own society, namely desensitization to violence on tv, reality tv shows that blur the lines between real human sufferring and being kicked off the island, war, famine, haves vs. havenots, just to mention a few. It's a though-provoking read, meant to be discussed and examined by children and their parents/teachers. These issues are alive and well in our own 'reality' and pose threats to our youth that cannot be swept under the rug. Hunger Games provides an entertaining, suspense-filled, well-written stage for these issues to be brought forth and examined with young people - with the hope that they can recognize and become part of the groups of people who work to end them. It's also a great way to look at the decadence of the Roman time period and draw parallels to both the book and our current "reality"."

I hope to keep you posted on how the reading and discussions go.