The great thing about the age of our kids right now is that they’re old enough to start enjoying some things I’ve been waiting share with them for years–for example we’ve been really into the Beach Boys lately, PSP and I are at book 5 in the Harry Potter series and I finally get to...
We’re going to be vacationing with the kiddo’s soon and I was looking for an easy shift type dress to whip up. I had a vision in my head (and even sketched it out quickly) of what I wanted it to look like. What I imagined was something a bit boxy, with a somewhat ombre...
Hi Miggy! Happy Rare Disease Day! I write for an online publication and this week my article is about rare disease and why EVERYONE should care! Please take a minute to read and share! http://theodysseyonline.com/simmons/alone-rare-together-able/303898ReplyCancel
Whew! It was a busy week. So happy it’s Friday. When I don’t have a Special Needs Spotlight for Friday I try to have some Special Needs/Disability related links–which I have quite a few for today!–but I think I’m going to also include some non special needs/disability links as well cuz uh…I want to. And...
9 years old this week. Apparently this is the half-way point of our time with her at home, you know if all goes according to plan. In another 9 years, it’s quite possible she’ll be packing up her belongings and headed off for college in a matter of months. I’m am not a very emotional...
one of my family's traditions is to tell the birthday person's birth story at dinner on their birthday. so, i grew up hearing about my parent's birth stories on their birthdays and all of my siblings, as well as my own. it's one of my favorite traditions and one that we've continued on in my own family. ReplyCancel
Many Birthday wishes to cute girl ,have a wonderful day hope to day fill with color ReplyCancel
very Happy Birthday wishes to little sister , god bless both hope to have a bright futureReplyCancel
Many Birthday wishes to little angel, God bless her hope to all dreams come trueReplyCancel
Beautiful cute girl, Many Happy Birthday to you God bless her ReplyCancel
They say you lose your memory as you grow older. I say “forget about find out morethe past” and live life to the fullest today. Start with ice cream. Happy Birthday.ReplyCancel
I am very happy to discover your post as it will become on top in my collection of favorite blogs to visit. Happy birthday wishes images
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photo credit: Heather Gray Photography Hello! We are Katie and Ryan and we are the proud parents of Bjorn (3) and Axel (1). We recently moved to Colorado from the Pacific Northwest and spend a lot of time outside trying to wear our boys out. We are honored to share our story! *************** Miggy: Hi...
My heart always goes out to the families in your spotlight. As a former special needs mom, I can always relate to what they're going through. This particular story really caught my attention because of the seizures. They said he has yet to be diagnosed, but I'm curious if they've looked into any Mitochondrial disorders? Two of my kids were diagnosed with mito disease…both had seizures as symptoms. Coming from the PNW I would think they were in contact with Seattle Children's and the mito specialist at some point, but if not, I think it could be helpful to look into it. Praying they find answers. ReplyCancel
Hi Amber! Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness! Bjorn has been seen by Seattle Children's and mito was ruled out in the earlier testing. I so appreciate you suggesting something, my hope is someone sees his symptoms and thinks it's familiar and that it will give us a fresh idea. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!ReplyCancel
Hi Anonymous! Thank you so much for commenting. Dravet was considered at the beginning and ruled out. And yes, the multi million dollar work up is sadly very accurate ha! We've been waiting for genetic testing to progress a bit more and then will do another round. Again, thank you so much for contributing an idea! ReplyCancel
Fact: I need to be reading more books. I find myself in this weird ADD sort of phase where I’m having a hard time focusing on anything for very long and while I’ve read a couple books recently here and there, nothing that has really captured me. I really need to get lost in a...
What kind of books do you like? There are so many amazing books out there..here are some of my favs:
1) The Outlander Series: my favorite series of all times. Long and weighty and yet so readable with characters that just stick with you. History, romance and a dash of sci-fi, they're amazing.
2) The Night Circus is one of those books you either love or hate. I *adored* it and felt like I was reading a dream. Try it.
The Language of Flowers- great book about the power of the family you're born into and the family you make for yourself.
3) The Fault in Our Stars: if you like quirky teens with a side of sobbing, give that a whirl. If you've read it/seen the movie, try All the Bright Places.
4) A Man Called Ove- sweet/funny/sad story of an elderly man, the life he read and the family he creates.
5) The Nightingale: historical fiction about two sister in occupied France in WWI. Heartbreaking and life-affirming.
Happy reading!
Have you heard of the Mitford series by Jan Karon? If you like stories that seem true to life and will have you both laughing and crying I highly recommend them. When I've read them I've found myself genuinely concerned about the characters and thinking of them as friends that I want to call on the phone. That probably makes me sound crazy, but I love it because her books are addicting and extremely uplifting. 🙂ReplyCancel
Have you heard of the Mitford series by Jan Karon? If you like stories that seem true to life and will have you both laughing and crying I highly recommend them. When I've read them I've found myself genuinely concerned about the characters and thinking of them as friends that I want to call on the phone. That probably makes me sound crazy, but I love it because her books are addicting and extremely uplifting. 🙂ReplyCancel
I read a lot, but by looking at your movie preferences, you might not like the same kind of things as me. (I live and die for science fiction! I thought the Martian (book and movie) were masterpieces!) But perhaps you share my intense love of memoirs, particularly about people whose lives are very different from my own.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is a memoir about a girl who grew up off-and-on homeless but grows up to become a successful journalist. Very literary.
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick is depressing but amazing book about modern life in North Korea. This was absolutely gripping and opened my eyes to current political events. I went on to read several other North Korea memoirs, but I think that was the best.
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Meale is the memoir of a teenage boy in Malawi Africa who figures out how to wire his family home with electricity from scratch, while starving.
The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance: A Memoir by Elna Baker Not to be like "Oh, she's Mormon and so are you!" but Elna is an being touted as the "Mormon Tina Fey" so you might be interested. I thought it was just okay but maybe I didn't get all the jokes because I am not Mormon and have never really met any LDS people in person? I read a few other similar memoirs afterwards and they all kind of ran together.
Oh, not a memoir but I also love Margaret Atwood, and my favorite of hers is "The Year of the Flood" which is the second in the Oryx and Crake books. But also kind a sci-fi, so maybe not your thing.
Also, if you want to try some classics I found Gone with the Wind surprisingly accessible and enjoyable, and I loved all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I just checked out a complete collection anthology and read one of the short stories each night, skipping around to whatever seemed most interesting. By the time I finished the book I cried because I would miss "my friends" Watson and Holmes. (I was also pregnant…so I can blame hormones!)ReplyCancel
Angela–Oh the Glass Castle was a really difficult book for me to read…it was so well written, but the beginning especially as written with the innocence of a child who really doesn't know better was just very, very difficult for me for some reason. But yes I do love memoirs and am familiar with Elna Baker, but have never read her book. I'll check it out. Thanks!
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I read a lot, but by looking at your movie preferences, you might not like the same kind of things as me. (I live and die for science fiction! I thought the Martian (book and movie) were masterpieces!) But perhaps you share my intense love of memoirs, particularly about people whose lives are very different from my own.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is a memoir about a girl who grew up off-and-on homeless but grows up to become a successful journalist. Very literary.
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick is depressing but amazing book about modern life in North Korea. This was absolutely gripping and opened my eyes to current political events. I went on to read several other North Korea memoirs, but I think that was the best.
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Meale is the memoir of a teenage boy in Malawi Africa who figures out how to wire his family home with electricity from scratch, while starving.
The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance: A Memoir by Elna Baker Not to be like "Oh, she's Mormon and so are you!" but Elna is an being touted as the "Mormon Tina Fey" so you might be interested. I thought it was just okay but maybe I didn't get all the jokes because I am not Mormon and have never really met any LDS people in person? I read a few other similar memoirs afterwards and they all kind of ran together.
Oh, not a memoir but I also love Margaret Atwood, and my favorite of hers is "The Year of the Flood" which is the second in the Oryx and Crake books. But also kind a sci-fi, so maybe not your thing.
Also, if you want to try some classics I found Gone with the Wind surprisingly accessible and enjoyable, and I loved all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I just checked out a complete collection anthology and read one of the short stories each night, skipping around to whatever seemed most interesting. By the time I finished the book I cried because I would miss "my friends" Watson and Holmes. (I was also pregnant…so I can blame hormones!)ReplyCancel
"The warmth of other suns" – Just got it from the library and thoroughly enjoyed it. Historical narriative about the true stories of 3 (and general stories too) african american people who went through this mass migration from the south to the north mostly in the years 1915-1965. As a white person I learned a LOT of things and I am glad that I read it.
Ooh I second the Margaret Atwood trilogy Oryx and Crake, Year of the Flood, and the third book… I forgot the title. Great story set in the future, post-apocolyptic kind of thing but soooo good.ReplyCancel
I recommend this series to everyone who is looking for something new…The Samaria series and The Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn. She is my favorite author and the books from these series are my comfort books that I read over and over. It is fantasy but her world building is so perfect that it's not cheesy at all. The Samaria series is about a planet in the future where angels and humans live, but not Biblical angels, more like some people have wings and some don't. The Twelve houses series is kind of like Xmen, where its a medieval type era and a really strong female character is the center of the books, and about her friends too. And they are all love stories mixed in with other stuff, and they are strictly pg-13, she keeps it very clean. She's an extremely good writer and it's all very real world situations but in a fantasy setting. Maybe not what you're looking for but they are satisfying, entertaining books! 🙂ReplyCancel
I also love people's stories, especially ones different from my own as well…
The boy who harnessed the wind was wonderful and fascinating and inspiring. I bought the children's version for my kids.
Another favorite…The Small Woman by Alan burgess. It is a beautifully written true story of a brave woman with no support in her dreams except her faith and her own unbelievable grit. Love, love love this book.
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I second The Boys in the Boat. Such a good book! And Nothing to Envy was an interesting read. My book club just read Orphan Trsin and a lot of people really liked it. Also, isn't It's Kind of a Funny Story a book, too? Although reading it after watching the movie might not make a lot of sense.
I just watched Everest and now I'm dying to read Into Thin Air. It's been on our bookshelf forever but I've never picked it up.ReplyCancel
Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society is a delightful quick read with depth.
Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman (also At Large & At Small by same) is a collection of essays, so you can just read one and move on. She's very very smart and very witty; I loved these!
84 Charing Cross Rd. is another epistolary book, like Guernsey, but it's true! It's also book-focused but it's so cute and fun, and because it's letters, it's easy to get into.
Of John Green's novels, I actually love Looking for Alaska the best. There is language, and there is…a scene…so I don't know if it'll be quite your thing, but it's a beautiful book. Much more put together, start to finish, than TFIOS, to me. And he was in his 20s when he wrote it!
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. SO good. So important, just to read about the poverty aspect (ok, that makes it sound like homework. It's a wonderful book!)
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest–I just read this, and adored it.
Karen by Marie Killilea. You might've already read this. It's about a little girl born prematurely in 1940, and the first 7 or so years of her life. The sequel, With Love from Karen, is less organized but also worth reading. Oh, and they're true.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson? It has an unconventional premise but I just loved it.
The Martian, by Andy Weir. I know. I'm not a sci-fi person either. But it's funny and engaging. Your husband might also like it.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline I think you will adore for the pop culture stuff if nothing else. I am SO not a video game person and I enjoyed this one. ReplyCancel
Last week PSP came home with 3 scarves she got from gym class–they were learning how to juggle, of all things! Having not been blessed with this particular brand of hand-eye coordinate I was actually quite pleased to see her school teaching this sort of thing in gym. Plus its just fun. Who gets to...
Yes!!! It takes so much effort to step back and let go of any assumptions and open our minds to true accessibility… It's an internal struggle I have as well thanks to years and years of cultural assimilation and also just not *being* a physically challenged person. I can't make assumptions because I'm not in that person's place. Dang. Adulting is hard.ReplyCancel
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Love movie night too! The re-make of the old The Love Bug is a good one and here are a couple more that we've enjoyed — College Road Trip (hilarious) and Freaky Friday-might be a little old for your kids, but thought I'd throw it out there. New reader of your blog from Design Mom. Have a good day!
Good suggestions! I hadn't even thought of the new (or old) Love Bug movie. Thanks!
I would save The Dark Crystal and Labrynth until all of them are a bit older…those are both wonderful, but a little too dark for the 10 and under crowd. Home Alone 1, 2 and 3 are very good…4 really was awful. My kids wanted to watch the NEW Annie movie…it was ok…then I made them watch the original…and they LOVE it. 🙂 The Neverending Story 2 is also a good one. We also watched the new Goosebumps movie at my son's 10th request (son is 10, daughter is 4) we started it at night, but had to quit 1/2 way through…finished it during the next day and they were fine…but couldn't watch it in the dark. My son liked it because he had read 5-6 of the books at school. Was able to recognize the characters he'd read about.
I forgot some really creative ones we've found lately…The Book of Kells, The Last Unicorn (and old one, but still good) and Song of the Sea…all animated, but very nontraditional** stories, **=no princesses.
Oi, I dislike the new Annie as well…for the same reason I dislike a lot of new remakes for kids–they dumb them down too much. They assume our kids won't like a song if it's not pepped up with a funky beat and then it seems like the story lines also get way more complicated than they need to be. I love funky beats as much as anyone, but I also think modern kids enjoy a variety of music and we don't have to spoon feed them pop, top-40's hip-hop to think they'll enjoy it. And thanks for the recommendation on waiting a little with the DC and Lab.
My daughter is 10 now and we have loved watching movies by Studio Ghibli over the years. Many of their movies have very strong female lead roles. You may want to start with 'Ponyo' and 'Kiki's Delivery' but some of our all time favourites are 'Spirited Away' and 'Howl's Moving Castle'. All of them are available in English. They are great for the kids and definitely not boring for the adults either. Please check them out.
Wow! Great suggestions I don't think I've heard before…maybe Spirited away, but that's it!
Mary Poppins, The LEGO Movie (new), the Johnny Depp version of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, National Treasure movies (your kids may be a little young for those, but good for future), Anne of Green Gables (megan follows), Elf, Fly Away Home, Nancy Drew (emma roberts movie), Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron, Lion Witch & Wardrobe, Susan Sarandon in Little Women, Enchanted, Annie (both the old and new ones are awesome), Kit Kittredge (most of Am Girl ones are good), Swiss Family Robinson, Davy Crockett, Old Yeller / Savage Sam (most of the old disney ones are worth a watch too)…just off the top of my head. 🙂
Also, my kids have loved old 1960s and 70s tv series (our library has dvds) of Little House on the Prairie, Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew, Brady Bunch, etc. Fun times. 🙂
Yes to so many of these! I had not considered or even knew that there were Nancy Drew movies. And yes we love American Girl movies around here too. But you've got me thinking about classic TV shows as well. thanks!
I hated Pollyanna as a kid. I remember falling asleep. Matilda and James and the Giant Peach were 2 of my FAVORITE movies as kids.
Indian in the Cupboard, An American Tale, A little Princess, Shrek, Shirley Temple movies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Homeward Bound, The Mighty Ducks, Holes, The Iron Giant.
Shirley Temple! I'm going to see if my girls dig these…great suggestions!
Arthur and the Invisibles is a little known movie but we all thought it was great. Nim's Island was a hit. A lot of my other ideas have already been said. My kids are older now so I'm trying to remember some that we watched back when they first started watching "real" movies. It was such a fun time for us… and still is as they get older and we can branch out a little more to a bit deeper movies. We've seen a lot of the inspirational sports movies lately, Hoosiers, The Blind Side, The Natural, Cool Runnings, Remember the Titans, Rudy. They've been loving them!
Author and Nim's Island…didn't know about these. Thanks!
Anne of Green Gables, School of Rock and Ms. Doubtfire were big around here at those ages.
Mrs DoubtFire and School of Rock–brilliant suggestions!
Some great suggestions! My kids love the Herbie movies (on Amazon too). They are good, clean fun.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks was my all time favorite movie as a kid! But…it is boring. If my brother wouldn't fall asleep, babysitters were instructed to sit him in front of B&B. Did the trick every time! 🙂
haha! Right? So boring!
Milo and Otis, the Eloise at the Plaza movies (can you tell I have a pug obsession!?), Lemony Snickets, Big, Hairspray 2007, Nanny McPhee, My Girl, Holes, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, We Bought a Zoo. I love your blog! Especially the spotlights 🙂
My girl…I love that movie. We bought a Zoo…I remember hearing that one was good. So many great suggestions everyone! And thanks for loving my blog. 🙂
Some old but good movies that my kids love (ages 8 and 10) – Night Crossing, Space Camp (on youtube), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (kind of long), Snowball Express.
I can't get enough of Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell. So funny, for parents and kids. Good for boys and girls. A light, funny look at the world of kids' soccer and how crazy parents get, especially when fueled by coffee. 😉 I highly recommend it! Love your blog. I have enjoyed soaking up your posts since finding you via Design Mom. You have a lovely family. I hope my kids will still want to keep watching movies with Mom and Dad for a long time. My youngest is 11 and we have enjoyed watching Gilmore Girls together.
Jo
http://www.womaninreallife.com/
OK–we might have to watch that one. I know some people don't dig Will Farrell, but I love him. Good to know it's OK for kids. And SO glad to hear the Gilmore Girls suggestion…I've been wondering when I can start that with my girls…we have a few years left but I can't wait.
I second all the Studio Ghibli (Totoro and Kiki forever!) and American Girl movies. Princess Diaries is really fun and good for adults, too. Ella Enchanted and Ever After are also worthwhile. My kids are 12 and 9 now, and I have to tell you, it keeps getting even better as they can enjoy things with you!
OK–I'm going to have to check out Studio Ghibli!
Ramona and Beezus
Yes! We love that one too!
I thought I commented here a long time ago, but then it somehow didn't post, but I have to come back and type them all again because I have the best movies to recommend.
Across the Great Divide– so good! In the same vein as Old Yeller kind of.
Courage Mountain–why don't more people know of this movie?! Inspired all of our pretend play as kids.
Journey of Natty Gann
War of the Buttons
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
What's Up, Doc? (HILARIOUS –probably adults are going to like it more than the kids, but the kids like it too)
The Story of Robin Hood (this version: http://www.amazon.com/Story-Robin-Hood-Peter-Finch/dp/B001TPGNBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461421671&sr=8-1&keywords=the+story+of+robin+hood )
Also, I believe you can stream all of these from Amazon (unless otherwise noted).https://123moviestube.io/