Annual YES DAY!

We had our annual "Yes Day" at our house today.  We actually got this idea after reading the book Yes Day by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  In the story, regardless of what a young boy asks his parents, their answer is yes.  After reading the book to my own children, we decided to try it.  It was so much fun, it has become an annual event!

When I tell people about this tradition, I always get asked how it really works.  We have a couple of rules.  It has to be safe, and I always put a dollar amount on the day.  This keeps my kids from saying they want to go to Disney World for the day!

It is such a window into your children's souls to find out what they would do if they could do anything.  This year, my son wanted pizza for breakfast.  Then, we headed to the Appleton Children's Museum.  After a few hours, we headed to Chuck E. Cheese to use up the 60 game tokens we had in our kitchen drawer.  Then, it was home for lunch where the kids wanted cookies first and then quesadillas.  The kids each got a new toy (within our budget), rented some movies for the night, and decided on mashed potatoes for supper.  Their final request of the day . . . to stay up as long as they wanted.  My answer was of course, "yes!"

What a fun day, but I'll be glad when I can pull out the word "no" again tomorrow!

I encourage you to try yes day with your family!

Little Blog on the Prairie

I recently finished reading Little Blog on the Prairie.  What a fun read!  Having grown up reading the Little House book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and even watching the television program with Michael Landon, the title of this book instantly caught my attention.

Gen is a typical middle school girl who lives with both of her parents and her younger brother.  When Gen's mother announces that their summer vacation will be spent at a pioneer fantasy camp instead of some place like Club Med, Gen is horrified, wondering what in the world her mother was thinking.

At this "frontier fantasy camp," families live in tiny cabins for two months just like it is 1890.  That means baths once a week, no dishwashers (unless you count your own hands, no electricity, hauling water, and certainly no electronics.
Gen, however, sneaks in her cell phone.  Through a series of texts to her best friends back home, Gen ends up unknowingly creating one of the most followed and popular blogs in the United States.

Funny, charming, and a quick read, I would recommend this book to fifth grade students and up.  Adults who grew up with the Little House series will also find this a welcome read.
Happy Reading!