I love the library. I love it because it's a free activity we can occupy the kids with for at least a half hour. Maybe that's not as long as I'd like but when the chasing and raised voices begin, I'm ready to check out. (in every sense of the word) (hardy harr harr)

But what I really like about the library is that it's an excuse for me to check out children's books for myself and no one is the wiser to my sad situation.

I'm terrible at history. I've always found it just D U L L. But often I'm reminded of my ignorance, (like all those social gatherings where people want to discuss the absurdity of the seven years war or something) and I wish I could contribute to the conversation. With the kids returning to school soon, (not soon enough) I have a new motivation to rejuvenate my knowledge of history. This way when asked, I can actually talk about the Boston Tea Party and explain why it wasn't a frilly gathering of women gossiping and drinking Darjeeling.

I found a book called "George vs. George The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides". I have now read this cover to cover (all 55 pages of ages 8-12 info) and am proud to say I know a bit of history I didn't know this morning. Thanks to the pretty pictures and simplified text, I get it. Why didn't I do this sooner? So what's the next major war? Too bad I didn't discover this in high school. It would have saved me a lot of headaches and c minuses. ( I know, I'm pretty pathetic)



This is Cocoa. He's ours but was inspired from the Cocoa at the library story time. He has his own song and dance. Funny how amongst several other children dancing and singing along, mine sit quietly with their hands in their laps, practically imperceptibly doing the hand motions. Yet at home, when I try to recreate story time, they not only don't sit still, they don't shut up either. How can I gain the respect the story time lady has?

I love to sit and read to the kids. It's the one activity that doesn't require much effort on my part and I can be proud that I'm doing something educational with my kids. You'd think with an art degree, I'd be more prone to creative endeavors. Not so much really. I never seem to have the energy or we don't have the right supplies. I'm not really a "game playing" kind of mom either. I do it once in a while, but then I get bored so quickly. Or frustrated because someone is picking a fight. Even story time is not without it's flaws. Always someone is jockeying for position on my lap, or can't see, or hasn't learned how to BE QUIET. And if I'm "in a mood", I become irritated when I find myself constantly stopping to explain the pictures when the text would explain it if they could just WAIT A MINUTE!



Despite my complaining, I consider story time at home to be one of the more pleasant activities I do with the kids. Except when I get elbowed in the gut as they adjust their position. That's not cool.