We did it. We (Princess Sparkle and I) finished our first chapter book together, Ramona the Pest. Probably the first big book I read as a kid and it was a perfect first read for Sparkle Pants as well since it documents Ramona’s adventures as she starts kindergarten. I think I loved Ramona books so...
beep! beep! OK so I think we have the bug problem under control. And by under control I mean I will not be opening the kitchen cabinet below the sink after 9 pm. Problem solved! Oy. (Actually our landlords are great and they are getting the pest control peeps back out here asap.) I’m...
It's kinda funny, but I remember some fun times with my dad wrestling with the boys (and me) on the living room floor, but my brother who is 4 years younger remembers none of that. My dad was super involved with us, but definitely not "fun." He coached our teams, took us places, talked to us about life.
Here's hoping Lamp gets better quickly. I'm on day 3 of on-again-off-again low-grade fever. No fun.ReplyCancel
Oh Texas…we were making some strides in our relationship, some real strides. And then this weekend happens. First up Ikea. Or should I say, Ikillya. Cuz that’s what it tried to do to us. Apparently it was their first busy day of the back-to-school-year season. The busiest time of the year! said one employee. We...
We live in Houston, and I am sorry to say, those suckers fly too. I vacuum them up because they freak me out so bad. We had Bulwark Pest control come out and they sprayed some sort of powder into the walls (through the outlets) and I haven't seen any since, well, except when my in laws visit and refuse to shut the door. Grrr.
I'll go ahead and warn you about the snakes too, there are a lot of them, especially in the spring. I have heard that every type of poisonous snake in the US can be found in Texas, so just be careful outside. We got a dog to keep them out of our backyard, but I do see them in the streets quite and bit.
Texas isn't all bad though, I hope you'll make friends soon. Good luck with the roaches.ReplyCancel
Melanie,
I think it's everywhere. I don't think our home is bad, but since we live at the ground level and it's only 1 story that doesn't help.
Nicole–Yeah we saw that second one fly. I couldn't believe it…luckily it landed in the trash can and B just grabbed the whole bag, tied it up and took it outside to the big trash. I'm not kidding, I have goosebumps just writing and thinking about it…I've had goosebumps for like 5 hours this morning. And snakes…well of course I don't want a poisonous snake in my yard or house, but they don't give me the willies like the roaches do.ReplyCancel
Actually, you probably don't want to hear this, but the big ones are better. They are tree roaches that come inside looking for water (this time of year is the worst…particularly this year because it's been so dry.)
The little little ones are bad. They mean your house is dirty.
Still not fun.
I hate getting up in the middle of the night to feed the baby and seeing one. YUCK.
Get a bug guy. It's worth the $65 every three months. TOTALLY worth it. He will be your best friend!
I say fumigate. Seriously. I'm not trying to scare you but…
When I lived in West HOllywood, in the summer it would get really hot and the roaches would come out-I lived in an old building. (nowhere near as hot as TX…but still) anyway, I started to see little roaches in the kitchen. Just one or two. By the end of the week I had seen 10 or so and they were getting bigger and more disgusting. I called the landlord because I had never dealt with this sort of thing (hello-utah) and just told him that I'd seen a few roaches and that they were starting to gross me out. He was all Johnny-on-the-spot to hire a fumigator–he said if you see one there are probably 100. The next day they came and sprayed and I kid you not…for the next 2-3 days I had HUNDREDS of little roaches crawling out of their kitchen crevasses and dying on my counters and floors.
Seriously–nothing is grosser than roaches.
You live in the south, so there are going to be roaches, BUT if you see more than one or two in a day…you probably have a problem.
Stay strong! It will get better, summer is the worst there.ReplyCancel
*hugs* I hate roaches. We had the flying ones when I lived in the Philippines. In our part of the South, we have more of an ant problem than roaches (which I'd take any day over roaches!), but my mom still tells roach tales from when we lived in New Orleans, oh-so-many-years ago. Good luck – I hope calling a pest control company helps!ReplyCancel
The politically correct term is "water bug". : ) It's the Southern way of saying cockroach without grossing yourself out. When we moved into our 90 yr old house, it had been empty for over a year. They were as big as shetland ponies. I vote with boric acid. You can put the boric acid in places that the kiddies can't get to without fogging the whole house.ReplyCancel
Oh wow…thanks for the info and advice. So here's the scoop…we already have a pest control service. Our landlords had it sprayed the week before we moved in and I called them last night to get another treatment.
In the meantime I will be using a borax solution (we already had borax from the small ant problem we had in Cincy before we left…and boy do I wish we were just dealing with ants now) and I even bought a few roach motels….just to make me feel better.
So I'm glad to hear the big ones are "better." Yeah we definitely don't have the nasty small ones…and we are clean people for sure. I'm pretty anal about cleanliness (in fact that was tonight's FHE lesson) but we're still in the process of organizing and getting the house set up, so there's the feeling of there being a lot more hiding places right now.
Anyway, glad we're not alone. But STILL how can so many people like living in Texas with roaches this big running around?ReplyCancel
We're in Dallas, and they're here, too. I agree about the big ones being the lesser evil… They're horrifying to see (goosebumps) BUT, I think they're slower, and therefore easier for your husband to catch.
I think it also depends on the age of the house. My parents' house was built in '79, and we do see two or so a month (the big ones) in the house. My husband and I are in an apartment built in 2009, and we haven't had any. Having stuff sprayed in the walls is an effective way to control them, but I'd do some research and see if you feel comfortable having those chemicals in your home.
I all my Texas years, I've only seen one fly. I was 10, and it still haunts me. Goosebumps.ReplyCancel
OH NO- I am so sorry! It's a terrible feeling not to feel comfortable in your own house. I know that feeling and I hate it- it's so unsettling and preoccupying and icky. I hope there's a quick and semi-painless solution. There's got to be, right? I mean, lots of normal clean people live in TX, right? Hang in there. It's GOT to get better, it's just got to.ReplyCancel
Our exterminator told us to pour 1 C. of bleach in our sinks, showers and bathtubs once every 2 weeks, at night before you go to bed and plug the drains for the night (he did give that advice after giving me a 15 min seminar about cockroaches, the different kids, etc). It's gotten rid of the big ones at our house.ReplyCancel
^^yes they definitely do FLY. I was horrified when I saw a big one at the Columbia showers jump from the top of the shower and flutter nonchalantly to the floor. Ick.
A good, non-poisonous way to get rid of them is to borrow someone's cat. Or get a cat 😛 I had a few "waterbugs" in my apartment when I first moved in, but haven't seen one in the past two years thanks to my kitty.ReplyCancel
Cock roaches! I spent my summers visiting with my mom's family in southern rural Alabama and at nght you hear the big things scattering all over the house (wood floors). I Hated the sound–it scared me. I still to this day, when visiting, will not leave my shoes on the floor for fear of stepping into one and crunching one of the giant things. Aren't they just the biggest ugliest things ever? I cringe at the thought of why Heavenly Father saw fit to create these things. I feel for you 🙂
My grandmother used to sprinkle red chili powder along the floor boards to keep them away, and the for the most part it did work, but she only did the kitchen and dining room area so they couldn't get to the food.ReplyCancel
Haha I live in Hawaii where the roaches are BIG, the centipedes are BIG, the cane spiders are BIG (as big as your hand) … It will become routine … Git yerself a big-a** fly swatter for when you HAVE to deal with a critter yourself, it has been my salvation, next to our bug man, of course! And sticky traps don't hurt, either. You can put them under fridge/stove/furniture where you don't see them (and the kids don't find them) yet feel good knowing they are eliminating SOME of the competition!ReplyCancel
Oh dear. We moved into a roach problem in our first apartment in NYC. From August to December we BATTLED those suckers with everything that we had. They'd be gone and then three weeks later they'd come back (little ones, but they would still be there). It seriously made me feel like I had absolutely nowhere safe to go or where I could let my guard down since I obviously couldn't do that at home or on the streets of NYC. It didn't stop until we convinced our neighbor to spray his apartment too. And then our last month there in the nice, big apartment, one of those water roaches flew in when we left the window open and I had to kill it by myself. I thought I was going to pass out. Anyway, point being – I am FEELING your cockroach pain and I am sorry. You will get rid of them though. Moving is always hard to do.ReplyCancel
Ughhh, roaches suck. Down here they like to give them clever names like, "Palmetto Bugs" and hah hah, "Charleston Skateboards". Not so much. Still a roach. You'll get used to them. I agree that the big ones don't mean dirty though, they're just thirsty. Now spiders… 😉 Borax (laundry soap) is actually a really good and reliable and safe way to deter them. Sprinkle it in the back of your sink cabinet, around the perimeter of the house. And maybe in other cabinets like in the bathroom. That should help!ReplyCancel
First off, let me just say I love Readers Digest. I know it’s not the hippest magazine but I have always loved it. My grandma used to let me take her old issues when I was kid and even one of my best friends in college got me a subscription one year for my birthday....
aww, miggy, of COURSE you read the digest. you are old school in a good way like that! haha.
i miss you, i'm still bummed you were in NYC for the entire duration of our european holiday. come back soon.
and thanks for speaking so sweetly of the article. I loved it too. the writer did a great job. remember a few of those scary ICU episodes? you were there with me for some of them! I'll never forget that, miggs!ReplyCancel
Out of town for a bit. Playing catch up! I love Reagan, Jake, and sweet little Pippy J! I am a regular reader/commenter on her "blob." I believe that I was first introduced to your sweet family, Miggy, through a blog post somewhere in which you two interviewed each other. My parents give me Reader's Digest for a Christmas gift every year, and I LOVE that magazine!ReplyCancel
Dilemma: In our new place we have a large family room where we’re going to partition off a portion for my sewing/painting studio. The problem is in the execution. I want it to be both functional (meaning I need storage!) and pretty. Also inexpensive and safe…nothing that could possibly topple over on any little kiddos....
just as a thought, have you checked craigslist in cities where you may have families or friends who could mail them, like parcel post or something else very cheap? I found one right off the bat on my local one, for $5:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/2515792534.html
There may be more, I don't know. Did you try freecycle?ReplyCancel
We share a room with Odin and we use 2 of the 8 square cases. We put them horizontally, got some 6" legs and attached them to the bottom, put some 3" plumbing tube circle things to create a little space between the top and the bottom case. We put magazine holders on top so it pretty much goes to the top of our NYC ceiling. It has been great for us. And it was less than $200 by the end… easy. I love the ikea cases because they allow you to put full bins, drawers, cupboards or cover partially/diagonally or leave completely empty of dividers – fill with books, plants, anything… GOOD LUCK!ReplyCancel
I have these IKEA shelves, and I love them because they look great on both sides. You can use them as open shelves, or fill them with different types of baskets. Perfect for storage for both your space, and the general living space. They also make some that are half as tall, so you could get the distance covered, with the same amount of storage space. And they are low enough that you can be in your space and work, and still watch your munchkins on the other side.ReplyCancel
I love your sweet little blog.
so just a thought! I have found some nice wooden wine crates just at our local costco for storage. sometimes if there aren't empty ones… I'll shift things around to be able to take one home with me. they aren't nearly as cool as the one's on your inspiration photos- but pretty darn nice and free. worth looking into!
Tamra–I know the crates right?
Angela–when I saw that craigslist crate you linked I just rolled my eyes like "What the?" That's EXACTLY the kind of crates I want and can't seem to find…for less than $25 that is. A local antique architecture store was selling them for that much.
Linda….Oooh I like the idea, but I just want a higher wall than that…but still considering it, especially with the legs.
Cara S–yes we already have a couple units currently being used in Princess Sparkles room, but I want the big 5X5 mother…
FL–thank you! and thanks for the great tip I'll def. check costco.ReplyCancel
A typical folding room divider just won't cut it–not stable enough and no storage. … dividershelf.blogspot.com
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I was just going through our vacay pics and this one might just take the cake for all around fav. We took some reader advice and went to Oak Alley on our way out of New Orleans and it didn’t disappoint. (Thanks for the tip Miss Summerson!) Thus we have the ever beautiful Lamp in...
So glad you got to view some of the plantation homes. They're amazing. The mister and I actually stayed overnight in one a few years back and it was an interesting experience, especially because some Ghost Lab show had recently been there to study legends about it being haunted. Needless to say, we didn't sleep well that night!
Love the picture! I am amazed that you got such a beautiful shot with NO ONE in the background! Lamp is just adorable. I hope you enjoy San Antonio!ReplyCancel
Hey, I'm Amy!
I'm an author, artist, and disability advocate. I live with my handsome husband and three beautiful daughters in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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I loved Ramona!!!! I was also a huge fan of the Babysitters Club and Judy Blume.
My first chapter book was Charlotte's Web and I'm still so in love with it.
Favorite series as a kid was Little House on the Prairie.
I had the same copy of Ramona the Pest. My mom read it to me and we still make references to it on conversation all these years later. Beverly Cleary is amazing, and I also love Roald Dahl!
I also loved Pippi Longstocking and the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. Both are series, so if PPS likes them you will have plenty of reading material. Ooh, also the Little House series! It was my very favorite. I read them until the covers fell off.
My little family LOVES the following–in no particular order 🙂 (You might want to wait until she's a little bit older on some of these titles!)
~Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series (Betty MacDonald)
~Little House on the Prairie series
~The Fairy Rebel (Lynn Reid Banks)
~The Indian in the Cupboard (Lynn Reid Banks) *The book is better than the movie!
~The Castle in the Attic, (Elizabeth Winthrop)
~The Summer of the Monkeys (Wilson Rawls)
~Mandy (Julie Andrews Edwards, yes "The Sound of Music" Julie!)
~The Summer Birds (Penelope Farmer)
All FABULOUS books!
My kids loved Madeline D'Engle and Roald Dahl. One of my very favorites is The mixed up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler by E L Konisburrg. (another great children's author)
oops…L'Engle!!
Magic Tree House series is good… some will be over her head, but we enjoy the stories a lot! I'd stay away from Junie B Jones – the grammar is so horrid…
Good for you. All the Cleary books are wonderful, and my daughters equally enjoy the Henry Huggins & Ribsy books. We loved all the Ralph S. Mouse books, and Fifteen is a FABULOUS first romance (even dated, I think it wears well). Go for it!
The Boxcar books were our first read-aloud chapter books. The first 19 were actually written by Warner; the rest are ghost-written and not quite so fab. Some other "first" books we have loved, some already mentioned:
– Little House series (Wilder)
– The Bears on Hemlock Mountain (Dalgliesh)
– Cricket in Times Square (Selden)
– Flat Stanley series (Brown)
– Pippi Longstocking (Lindgren)
– My Father's Dragon (Gannett)
– A Little Princess & The Secret Garden (Burnett, harder but my girls loved hearing these even at a very young age)
– Horrible Harry series (Kline, perfect for second-graders; Harry is a second-grader)
– any of the Shoes books (Streatfeild, our favorite has always been Dancing Shoes…lso, we love his novel Magic Summer, which is out of print but usually available at libraries…that may be my kids' favorite one)
– Roald Dahl books, esp James & the Giant Peach, although all of his are a bit scary for my kids
Have fun reading! You think you love libraries for the picture books, but once they start chapter-books, you will love them more than ever, especially for the older and out-of-print ones. :>
Mary Poppins!
YES on all books Roald Dahl.
My mom read the entire Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe series with me, and it was awesome.
Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles was also a personal fave.
I have three boys, and they all loved the "Brer Rabbit" stories. When we went to Disney World, they loved Splash Mountain as many of the stories from that collection are depicted there!
Graham also loves the Ramona series, and Ralph Mouse:) This summer, we did more Dahl, and also started the Narnia books (he now has read The Magician's Nephew and TLTWATW:) and Little House.
The Magic Tree House books have all been great so far, and I bet Miss PSP would love Junie B. Jones! Those are hilarious:)
Graham also enjoys the Redwall series, so if PSP is getting at all into the Fantasy/magical stuff, those are great! Hooray for PSP and Ramona! Love you guys!
The Little House on the Prairie books are so great for little kids.
I remember my mom reading Little House on the Prairie. We LOVE the Magic Tree House series. Highly recommend!
We are almost done with our first Boxcar Children book. The kids LOVE it, and I love their little world of creating new uses for old things.
We loved all the Little House books. Another series that my kids loved is Hank the Cowdog. Set on a ranch in Texas and hysterically funny. You'll enjoy it as much as she will.
Totally forgot about Ramona! Thank you! I read my daughter Farmer Boy (akin to Little House on the Prairie books) when she was just 1 or 2 and she loved it then; now I'm freshly inspired to read it again-and start on these other great recommendations!
I love this book list (have used it for years for our four kids now ages 22, 20, 17, and 12!): http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html
It is divided up into reading levels. A very helpful resource!
LOVED all the Beverly Cleary books! I have very distinct memories of hiding in the house, ignoring my mom who was calling everyone to dinner, trying to get 5 more minutes of reading about Ramona and all her adventures. The only other books I could think of besides the ones that have already been mentioned are The Great Brain books by John D. Fitzgerald. So so so funny. Set in turn of the century Utah. The author and his brother thinking of schemes to make money, like charging neighborhood kids a nickle to see their indoor toilet (the first one in town!). You've got to get these!
ok- I know the Junie B. Jones books get complaints from teachers for the bad grammar, but I do have to say that Whitney loves those books (since kindergarten) and I have read at least 5 of them with her…we laugh together and she toatally gets that the bad grammar is part of what makes the story funny. Most of the time she points out how the characters should have said something the correct way and when I noticed that I wasn't worried about her reading those books… so I actually really like those books. I'd say at least give them a try and see what you think because they really are funny 🙂 In fact, we've read 2 Ramona books and we both laughed more with the Junie B. books (and belive me, I wanted her to like Ramona better than Junie B. but she'd rather read Junie B.)
p.s. I also loved the boxcar children and hope that my kids will like to read that series too!
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett.
I loved Beverly Cleary books! I loved Nancy Drew and anything to do with mystery, which may seem odd for a child, but I did. I loved bring home the scholastic book order form and filling it out with my mom, and I couldn't wait until the books arrived and I could begin reading them.
My mom read aloud to us every night well into our teens. One by one, as we turned 16 we'd stop. Today as adults, it is one of our greatest regrets, that we didn't continue listening to mom read to us. Story time was a very special time with all us (6 girls) climbed into one bed with mom and a book. Special memories.
Enjoy your reading time, and I know your girls will love it as much a we all di.
Integrated pest management begins with learning how and why a pest entered a home or building. http://www.pestcontrolorangeparkfl.com/