Books make my world go round

I have decided to write the official, very best of the best children's book list.  I can see you now with that "oh geesh not another best kids book" look on your face but it is true.  You know how I know that this is the very best list?  Because I wrote it.  Okay honestly I know this isn't a complete list of all the best kids books, there are far too many for one list.  These are some of our favorites and I have read them with my own children many times over.  This particular list is for the age range of 2ish to 6ish.  It could probably go as high as 33 since that is how old I am and I love all these books as much as my children! 

With no further introduction and in no particular order:

Bear Snores On- Karma Wilson

It Could Alwasy Be Worse- Margot Zemach  I must admit the title appealed to my pessimistic side but it is an excellent story about appreciating what you have. 

The Story of Ferdinand- Munro Leaf

Slinky Malinki- Lynley Dodd

I've Lost my Hippopotamus- Jack Prelutsky A hilarious collection of poems my 6 year old can't get enough of!

Madeline- Ludwig Bemelmans

Fancy Nancy- Jane O'Connor- My daughter takes all of her style tips from Nancy. 

Rikki Tikki Tembo- Arlene Mosel

A Giraffe and a Half- Shel Silverstein

Where the Wild Things Are- Maurice Sendak

Giraffes can't Dance- Giles Andreae

The Incredibly Book Eating Boy- Oliver Jeffers

How to Catch a Star- Oliver Jeffers

A Sick Day for Amos McGee- Philip C Stead- My current favorite

The Napping House- Audrey Wood

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain- Verna Aardema

The Gruffalo- Julia Donaldson

Bad Kitty- Nick Bruel

Roar of a Snore- Marsha Diane Arnold

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear- Nancy White Carldstrom

You are Special- Max Lucado

On the Night You were Born- Nancy Tillman



Now if you have children in this age range and are missing any of these books, I suggest you purchase them all immediately.  If you do not have children but think you may some day, purchase them all immediately.  If your children are grown and out of the house, buy them anyways.  You can relive your own childhood.

Deceiving Recipes

I am what you might call a head over heels new recipe junkie.  Always on the look out for that perfect new recipe.  You know the one that is fabulously healthy and tastes like it isn't.  It takes 3 simple ingredients but used in this new spectacular combination my taste buds sing with joy.  On top of all this, it only takes 6 minutes to prepare!  Okay I maybe have never come across anything like this and if I were to create such a dish I would be loved by all mothers for years to come.  I have tried many, MANY new recipes over the years.  Some amazing and some that make me wonder if I will ever be able to get that revolting taste out of my mouth. 

During this quest I have sought out many resources but none as worthless as pinterest.  Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoying pinning the night away as much as the next person but I am finding that most of the recipes are being over-sold, and that is putting it nicely.  I am not sure why this is.  At first, I believed the descriptions.  Maybe I had faith that others wouldn't exaggerate on something as significant as a recipe.  Maybe prior to this pinterest recipe they had only eaten fast food tacos.  Maybe others don't take it as seriously as myself.  Who knows.  What I do know is that if I had a dollar for every mediocre recipe I have tried on that site that was described as "THE BEST such and such I have EVER tasted" I could....well....probably buy a fancy coffee but you get my point.  From here on out there will be a much more rigid standard by which I choose a new recipe from pinterest.