8 Aug 2018

Favorite Summer Read-Alouds

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 0

Now that school has begun for both of my boys, I have more time to blog.

I thought I’d start by telling you some of our favorite read aloud books this summer. I started with longer books (like Farmer Boy and Trumpet of the Swan, but my younger one wasn’t into it). So, we will try again later.

But, picture books still rule in our home.

Little Wolf’s First Howling This is a good reason to have friends who love to read. I was recommended this book by two of my friends who have girls. My boys died laughing at this. We had so much fun reading it together!

The Circus Ship I heard about this book on a podcast that Sarah MacKenzie was being interviewed on. We totally enjoyed it – and we adults love the tale too.

When the Cows Got Loose This was a fun story with bright colors.

Dino-Racing What a perfect story combination for my boys: dinosaurs and race cars

Motor Goose My boys still love mighty machines, so this was a great one to read one afternoon.

Muncha Muncha Muncha – You gotta have ways to make your kids eat more vegetables, right?

At bedtime, we took turns reading a little bit of Farmer Boy, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and Frog and Toad

What did you read this summer with your kids?

This time last year: I gave you a review of my favorite book I read in 2017.

Two years ago I gave you some tips on how to survive Mondays – but really this applies to every day of the week!

Three Years Ago: I talk about farmers markets and cookbooks

27 Feb 2018

Our Favorite February Read Alouds

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 0

The time has come to share our favorite February read alouds. The more time our boys spend reading books, the more they enjoy them. Don’t think we never let our kids watch TV because we spend a lot of time watching their favorite Netflix shows.

But we also read, play outside, run errands, do chores, dance, ride scooters, etc. But, we do enjoy boys.

So, here we go!

Are You Ready to Play Outside . A friend of mine suggested this book as she quoted it in her instagram caption. I’d not heard of it. It is 10 years old. And I think it is really cute. It can also teach our kids about not complaining and enjoying things even when the circumstances might not be perfect. And to enjoy doing things together!

100 Things I Love to Do with You . I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and especially the rhyming part of it. I think this would be a good book to do a “bucket list” for your kids for the summer.

The Monkey and the Crocodile . We read this twice in one donut outing. It was super fun and the illustrations were unique

Baby Wren and the Great Gift What a sweet spring book written by our favorite author. Read the whole thing, my boys enjoyed it as we went further along in the story.

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes Yes, it is another Pete the Cat book. I even took this book to read to my younger’s school and they enjoyed it as well!

For more books for February you can check these out:

Read Aloud Revival February Books

Barnes and Nobles List

Raising Lifelong Learners February List

21 Nov 2017

Indescribable (Giveaway)

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 2

I’ve been influenced by Louie Giglio’s ministry since college. That’s the time that Passion started, went to One Day 2000, all the Passion music throughout seminary, then just a few years ago we moved to Atlanta and I got to attend some events at Passion City Church.

If you’ve heard much of Louie’s preaching – you know he loves God and Jesus and the Cross. You also will quickly learn that he loves space, science, stars, galaxies, etc.

And I want my boys to be influenced by writers and teachers who love creation and the God who created it. That’s why Indescribable is such a good book. Of course its a bit over their heads (I think this book would be good for grade school kids), but it is still a wonderful resource to have.

If you want to use it for family worship time, it would be a good “topical study” book. There are 100 devotions for kids (of all ages!). He includes good illustrations that kids will be able to understand. There is a Scripture and prayer. This would even be a good tool for homeschooling parents.

Thanks to Tommy Nelson Mommies for the book. All opinions are my own. And if you’d like a chance to win, just a leave a comment about your favorite part of science. I love weather!

21 Nov 2016

Bringing up Kids Who Love to Read

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 8

I didn’t always love to read. I went to a Christian school and read when I had to. I remember reading Sweet Valley High, John Grisham novels, and The Babysitter’s Club. Also, started reading the Bible and Max Lucado books when I got to high school. I didn’t read any of the classics growing up – I waited and have read some as an adult.

Now, I love to read, and I want to make sure my children read well as they grow up. It is such an important discipline, it can be fun, and will prepare them well for adulthood. I’ve teamed up with my friend Leah Finn to provide yall with some tips on how to raise kids who love to read. Most of her children are older than mine and are reading on their own. Believe me, even if your kids aren’t reading on their own yet, you can still instill in them a love of books and reading.

Let them pick out books they are interested in. Even if it is silly/not high literature (as long is it is appropriate). There is great joy in going to a library and being able to bring home a stack of books that you like. Kids love it and it helps them be interested in the books. How this is illustrated in our family is that for our older’s 4th birthday, he went on a day-date with Daddy. This year they went to our local library and picked out lots of dinosaur books. He came home and was all excited about reading and looking at the dinosaur books. One bit I would add is maybe pick out one or two for them each week in a different genre. This might broaden their horizons to the classics, biographies, or just a different topic.
Read aloud classics and quality books. This is where they can get their “good” books in. Use voices and expressiveness to engage their interest. Read Aloud Revival is a great resource for finding books to read aloud. Kids are never too old to be read to. I love walking down the stairs most mornings to find my husband reading to our younger son. This is some great bonding time for them in the early mornings. And I love the time when I’m putting my older to bed, when I get to read aloud to him. Right now we are almost finished with Little House in the Big Woods and I’m eager to complete the series with him. I’ve also read some of the Narnia series with him.
Use audiobooks to squeeze in extra reading time This can be in the vehicle while you travel, during rest time, while coloring or playing with legos, etc. I need to get better at this, and I think it will come as they get older. But, I do have the Narnia series on audio cd and I adored listening to them as an adult, and then read all the books (which I hadn’t done as a child).

One of the ways I’m always introducing new books to my children, is by being a part of Tommy Nelson Mommies. This month, we were given One Small Donkey. This book is great for preschoolers. It is told through the voice of a small donkey about the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. It is a fun little story and teaches some truths about Jesus, creation, and worship at the manger. It takes some liberties, but it really is just a cute story you can read with your children. You can read it to them, then read the Bible story of the same account, talk about different aspects of truth and Christmas with your children.

If you would like to win this book for your own family library, just leave me a comment about which one of these tips above you incorporate into your parenting – or one you would like to include. Thanks Leah for helping me with this post, and thanks Tommy Nelson for the book.

4 Nov 2016

A Useful Tool to Help Kids Get the Gospel

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 0

I love NCIS. Longmire. CSI. Law & Order (back in the day). Blue Bloods. Leverage. I love crime shows that usually get solved in a short amount of time. They take finding clues and knowing how to interpret those clues.

In some ways, the Gospel is the same. Faith is given to us. It is a gift from the Spirit. But, we can also investigate and prove true the claims of Christ. We can know that Jesus really existed, died, and rose again. And we can teach our kids something similar.

We still need to pray that they would indeed be given grace and faith to understand and love and surrender to Jesus and the Gospel. But, giving them tools to understand the gospel and know it is super helpful.

Cold Case Christianity is a new book that will be helpful in teaching your kids, I’d say especially boys before they reach the teenage years. It has help from a real detective and a real believer, with good diagrams and helpful questions for them to ask questions about Jesus for themselves.

This will encourage them in their walks with Jesus.

Thank you Litfuse for sending me the book. All opinions are my own.

6 Oct 2016

The Last 5 Minutes (a book review and giveaway)

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 4

Our days are filled with so much. From the time the alarm goes off (before 6 for me) until I crawl into bed (usually between 10-11 at night), so much happens.

I get my older on the school bus while it is still dark.

I read all my social media, blogs, emails, etc – get everything cleaned out.

I spend time in the Word to fuel my mind and soul for everything that will come my way that day.

I sit with my husband for a little bit before he gets ready for work.

I run and errand and play at the park with my little.

We do lunch with the older gets home from preschool.

I work, play, cook, clean during naptime for the younger while the older gets to hang out with me.

The gym comes later in the day as we sing songs while sitting in ATL traffic, play and workout, and have more fun in ATL traffic on the return trip.

I cook dinner (or buy fast food).

I head upstairs to put the kids to bead.

Right now, our bedtime routine, which is usually me because my mister works retail, is still hard, but getting better. Everything in parenting is for a season and I see that more and more. In parenting, things always change – like the weather in Carolina. We brush teeth, change diapers, and sit down to ask some catechism questions, say our Bible verses, and read a story out of whatever book we are reading. Some times this process goes better than others, but you never know.

5 Minute NIghttime Bible Stories from Tommy Nelson has been a really good resource for us. Our boys are 3 and 4. They don’t have long attention spans at that night, but we expect them to sit still and listen. These have been a dose of truth with teaching them Bible stories and encouraging them to pray at the end. We did enjoy the colors and pictures. The stories were more than one page, so the boys could turn the pages. But, it wasn’t too long that they lost interest The authors asked questions to involved the kids in each story (to appeal to different learning styles).

I think it is always a good idea to end the day with learning about Jesus, praying, instilling a restful peaceful truth of the gospel into your children. Sometimes our nights aren’t so peaceful, but we work toward that with much grace!

This post is sponsored by Tommy Nelson and they are giving you a copy! Answer the question – what is one tip you could give to other parents on bedtime routines!

4 Oct 2016

Good Good Father (a book review)

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2, parenting | 8

In the back of our car there is a kite. My mister has had the kite since he went to the OBX in Carolina. I wonder if he bought that kite thinking he might one day have boys that love to spend time with their daddy and fly kites together.

Chris Tomlin, worship songwriter and dad, has writtten a great book for littles that starts out with a kite. But, more importantly this story is about many of the ways (God is inexhaustible) that God loves us. It is beautifully illustrated. It is so true

One of the best things about my husband is that he is a good Father. We had such a short courtship before we got married that I rarely got to see him around children. I knew from his character that he’d be a great Father. And, now I witness it. My men love to fly a kite during the week at a local park, always scouting out the new parks to hopefully catch the wind. He is more patient with those boys than I will ever be – which they desperately need. He is loving and plays with them on the floor or with toys. He is so caring toward them. They resemble him. He teaches them the truth about Jesus.

These are all good ways in which hopefully the boys will see God the Father in my husband, their earthly dad, so that one day they might come to know God.

This book by Tomlin is available to you. Tommy Nelson is giving one away to a reader! Get excited because this will make a great addition to your at-home library, wonderfully teaching your children about God.

One question: what is one activity your children love doing with their dad?

20 Feb 2016

Sounds of Motherhood

by Kimberly | posted in: Bible, Books, Kids r Readers 2, Shepherding Children | 3

There are many sounds to motherhood. If you have been a mom for any length of time, you are quite familiar with them, and you know that they quickly change depending on your child’s age. Here are a few of mine:

Apple chewing. Yes, I love to hear my two boys ask for a “big apple”, ask for mommy to “tut it”, and then chomp down on it. That means that are craving healthy foods and I give them enough sweets to balance it out 🙂
Crying. We just took our younger son to the eye doctor for the first time. Come to find out he is extremely near sighted and will need glasses (just like his older brother). He is really clumsy even though he is a daredevil. (His eyesight probably has something to do with his clumsiness.) So, I know that when he falls and cries, than he is actually hurt. He has busted his gums and caused his two front teeth to be completely gray now (because they are dead with damaged nerves), yesterday he was playing instead of napping and tipped over a wooden chair in his room and almost punctured his eye. Thankful it was just the corner of his eye, and black eyes heal. He has scraped the top of his head from spinning circles on the back porch, getting dizzy, and falling over. He just loves to be crazy, but he knows when he cries mommy or daddy will come running – and usually his older brother will show great compassion on him.
Mommy. Honestly, some times this gets old because they’ve said it 20 times in a row, whining for something they really don’t need. Any other mom our there know what I’m talking about? But today, as I was reading to my boys in the car while we ate lunch (waiting for a showing on our house to be finished), my younger said Mommy. Yes, he has said it plenty of times, but something just caught my attention this time when he said it. I’m there Mommy. I’m the one who loves them most in this world (with their daddy), and will be there for them, and play with them, and tuck them into bed at night. I pray that through my imperfect love they will come to see the perfect love for their Abba.
Singing. Both of my boys have grown fond of singing. The two songs we know perfectly are the ABCs (finally, it was delayed in our home), and Jesus Loves Me. I’m glad the boys are learning that one in their SS class at our church. We sing it all the time. As my younger was awake at 6am this morning he was singing this. As I was getting ready to head out the door, I saw his little fingers sticking out at the bottom of the door, and heard his little voice singing.

My favorite line of Jesus Loves Me is “for the Bible tells me so.” Especially as I parent, and make mistakes, and don’t know what to do half the time, or how to balance everything that I need to balance, it is good to know that I have the perfect Word of God.

And Judah and Chelsea Smith just put out a great story book Bible for your kids (think grade school). It is more storybook (like Jesus Story Book Bible), but it tends to be more concrete and practical, making it somewhat easier for younger kids to grasp and know how to implement. This is an easy to use Bible, especially helpful to parents in leading Family Worship time in their home. Remember, as a parent, it is your responsibility to teach your kids about God, and the church’s job is to come along side you and partner together.

If you would like to win this Bible (and believe me, you do), just leave me a comment on one of the verses you are teaching to your children or one of the songs that your children are learning right now. Thanks Tommy Nelson Mommies for the Bible and the opportunity to pass it along to someone else!

27 Sep 2015

Teaching Your Child the Discipline and Joy of Reading the Bible

by Kimberly | posted in: Bible, Books, illustrated faith, Kids r Readers 2, parenting, Shepherding Children | 2

When our children are small, we teach them many important things to do: tie their shoes, brush their teeth, look both ways before crossing the street. We teach them how to go to the potty, drink from a cup, and use a fork. We teach them how to do so many things that are crucial for life.

Sometimes we forget to teach them important spiritual disciplines to help them get to know the God who created them. The most important one we can teach them by both example and instruction is reading the Bible. And what a better way to teach them how to read – then to read the Bible.

Why do we need to teach our children to read the Bible?

The Bible is God’s voice to us today. He breathed the Bible into life. He used common sinners to record what the Spirit breathed. This was written down and kept for us for all of forever. This is by far the main way he chooses to communicate with his children today. It is how they will know what is right and wrong. It is how they will know what God is like. Psalm 119 tells us so much about the importance of knowing the Word of God.
The Bible tells them how they were created. Even from a young age, our children will be bombarded with many deceptions about who they are. God created them in His Image and it is crucial they understand that. They were created beautifully and wonderfully: no matter the skin color or chromosome count, or their family status. Psalm 139 and Genesis 1 tells us that.
The Bible tells them why they were created. All of creation exists for one reason: to bring glory to God. God created human beings in his image so we could reflect the grand glory of God to the world. Isaiah 43 clearly illustrates that truth.
The Bible helps us get to know God. There is no person we need to know better than God. And we can know God by reading His Word. We can know his actions, his character, and his truth. We can know His plan for salvation. Psalm 19 and the Gospels illustrate this.

These are just the simple basics of why we need to teach children the Word of God. We need a book on teaching Spiritual Disciplines to our children – anyone know of one. I guess I could write it if someone is willing to publish it. Any takers?

Tommy Nelson just released a 365 Read Me a Bible Story for young school age children and gave me a copy to giveaway. What a great way to get them in the habit of reading the Bible and learning God’s truth. It has fun pictures, a Bible passage for each day of the year, and a short recap of that story. What I would like to see is some follow-up questions that will help parents engage with their children during family discipleship time.

The most important thing to remember is that children are going to learn by your example. If they see you reading your Bible, living it out, memorizing it, quoting it, then they will hopefully desire to know the Word as well. We can pray that God would give them a heart like his – that desires to know God intimately through his Word.

If you would like to win a copy of this Bible story book from Tommy Nelson – tell me which of the 4 reasons listed above is the most important to you – and why and maybe how you are teaching your children that.

18 Sep 2015

One Reason I Love Fall

by Kimberly | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 3

Because there is more time to read books!

I love books and I love fall, so there you go.

Almost every night I have the privilege of putting my boys to bed. My favorite time with them is right before bed time when I take the time to read stories with each one of them in their rooms. I start with my younger and we read three books. Then I move on to my older son and we read two books. I love holding them, reading with them, laughing with them, and praying over them. Such a sweet bonding time.

So, what a great thing to combine both my love of books and love of Fall with a new book by Tommy Nelson that I was sent to read with my children and to pass on to you. This great board book continues a series of season books that show furry “lions” (my sons overall word for most animals) having fun as families doing Fall activities.

Kids r Readers 2

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