Reading… (and a Giveaway!)

Books, by lauren, August 20, 2015, 15 Replies

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This summer has flown by. The days and weeks passed so quickly, I didn’t realize until I really took a look at Milo (who is on the verge of turning eight years old) just how quickly things can change over the course of three or four months. Over the summer, he lost four teeth, gained two very professional-looking adult front teeth, and grew two inches and a whole shoe size. I know this is only the beginning; his growth spurt is a sign of things to come, things that I wasn’t quite sure I was ready to broach with him just yet. Thoughts of the physical changes of puberty in a few years make me a little nervous — how do I talk to him about these things so that I don’t make him feel uncomfortable, and more importantly, how do I keep the lines of communication open so that he feels that no matter what, he can come to me with any and every question?

I think the answer lies partly in this book: The Boy’s Body Book, by Kelli Dunham, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman (p.s. — there’s also one for girls). The book is a general guide to questions relating to puberty, relationships, bullying, school pressure, peer pressure, healthy living, and stressful situations. What I like so much about this book is that yes, it gives boys good, straightforward answers to these questions, but it also gave me an idea of what to say when these questions come up. I like feeling like I’ll be ready for those questions!

With a new school year starting, this is the perfect book to give to a boy to help him feel a little more prepared for issues he might face in school. There’s a great section on healthy eating in school, good study habits, and also about tips on how to handle not getting along with a teacher. I found this last part interesting and helpful, and liked that the advice here (as well as throughout the whole book) continually encourages to communicate with parents about problems.

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If you need to bring up an issue with a teacher, do it after class. Most teachers are more relaxed one-on-one than when they are dealing with a whole classroom of kids. 

Sometimes it may feel like the problem is the teacher, when the real difficulty is that the subject they teach is one you don’t like or that you have a hard time with. If the class is hard for you, make sure the teacher knows you are doing your best. 

The book also discusses added responsibilities of getting older, such as managing money, managing time, and how to navigate new relationships. But perhaps my favorite part of the whole book is the entire page devoted to a tricky emotion for boys. Is it okay to cry?

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Can I tell you how much I love this page?! I wanted to yell, YES! out loud, hug my boys, tell the whole world to stop telling our sons that men don’t or shouldn’t cry, and then write a song about it.

You don’t have to stop all the tears. In fact, it’s really important to cry when you need to. Crying is a release of strong feelings, and if you don’t ever have that release, it can cause you problems in your mental and physical health.

It goes on to say that every boy should have a really good friend with whom he can cry and not be judged, and that he should be that friend to someone else. Also included in this magical page is the physiological side of crying and the release of chemicals the body is trying to rid itself of. Such a good advice, such good information!

The Giveaway: The kind and generous folks at Cider Mill Press are offering The Boy’s Body Book to one of our readers* for free! If you have a son, friend, cousin, grandson, neighbor, etc. who you think would enjoy this book, please enter by leaving a comment (make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win). A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Saturday. The giveaway is open until 5pm CST on Friday, August 21st. Good luck, and thanks to Cider Mill Press for sending the book our way, as well as sending a copy to one of our readers!

*Giveaway open to U.S. and Canadian readers only. Sorry we cannot currently ship elsewhere!

**UPDATE** The winner of The Boy’s Body Book is KAC! Congratulations! I’ll email you shortly to get your address!

Dress That Mama: Black Crop Top

Style, by lauren, August 19, 2015, 5 Replies

DSC_0074Wearing this crop top with everything lately — high-waisted black jeans, high-waisted skirts, pretty much anything that is high enough to allow just a peek of midriff. Not trying to show too much skin at once, but still enjoying the classic polished look of this trend. Also, time for another haircut, no? DSC_0041Happy Wednesday!

A Yummy Snack

Food, by lauren, August 18, 2015, 3 Replies

DSC_0001I’m a big fan of Siggi’s Icelandic style skyr, a protein-rich, low sugar yogurt that is not cheap, I’ll admit, but nothing compares! The vanilla is my favorite, which I usually have with sliced strawberries. But let me tell you about heaven: Siggi’s with homemade raspberry sauce! I happened to have a bit of this beautiful sauce leftover from Oliver’s birthday cake, and what better way to enjoy it than over my yogurt? Well, I only managed a few bites before Emil stole the whole thing away from me, ha ha!

Homemade Raspberry Sauce

  • 2 pints raspberries (very ripe work best)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine above ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Working in batches, press sauce with a spoon through a sieve to remove seeds. Refrigerate until ready for use. Keeps for 3 days, tops. If storing overnight, be sure to stir well before use!

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Weekend Shenanigans

Family, by lauren, August 17, 2015, 5 Replies

DSC_0205DSC_0192Our weekend started early; thanks to Andrew’s arrival home to us and Oliver’s birthday, we had much to celebrate. I felt my mood lifting hour by hour, hug by hug, long conversation and laughing fit at a time. It may have been the funk of this summer or it may have been my deep longing for my partner. Whatever it was, it seems to be fading, at least.

This weekend we celebrated Oliver’s sixth birthday with vigor. We spent hours together as a family, putting together lego structures and reminiscing about Oliver’s birth and first year of life. It feels like a lifetime ago, and just yesterday. Funny how time works.DSC_0085DSC_0086DSC_0087DSC_0095DSC_0100Oliver requested a chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting. I made a box mix with a homemade whipped cream/cream cheese frosting that tasted like a light cheesecake. Alongside homemade raspberry sauce, it was the best cake I’ve had in a long time! Success (finally)! DSC_0104DSC_0105DSC_0112Oliver received Star Wars Legos for his birthday. Clearly, all three boys found this highly desirable. DSC_0218DSC_0080I took Emil to the zoo while Andrew took the older two boys to have some special time in lieu of a party. I loved having Emil to myself. We spent most of the afternoon camped out in front of the elephants. Emil was so smitten with the youngest calf, a female who entertained us by swimming and playing with a large stick in the water. We talked about how animals play just like human children, and how they learn during this play. He didn’t want to leave.

Saturday morning, we woke up so early and all felt energized and ready to get some fresh air. Andrew suggested a walk in the woods. We found ourselves rushing out of the house at 7am with little more than two bottles of water, one granola bar, some binoculars, and a specimen jar. What I wish we had brought: a whole lot more food, a more comfortable pair of walking shoes, and a bit more toilet paper.
DSC_0115DSC_0123DSC_0131DSC_0151DSC_0139DSC_0148We mistakenly took a trail that was not 3 miles long but 5.3 miles long. We started out at 8am and stumbled back to the car at nearly 12pm. And though we have done these hikes before with the kids, being unprepared was kind of miserable by the end. Andrew and I took turns giving Emil piggyback rides and I ended up carrying my shoes and walking barefoot for most of the last mile to avoid having the blisters that had formed on my feet from bursting. We were all so, so hungry by the end. But I have to say, through it all, Andrew kept the troops happy and upbeat by distracting them every time a complaint was about to be uttered… which wasn’t often. Those boys are pretty tough! DSC_0156DSC_0157DSC_0160DSC_0162I was probably the biggest wuss of all of us. When we passed the 3-mile marker and I realized we were still so far from the end, I felt like crying (this was supposed to be a little visit to the woods, not a five-mile hike!). Instead, I stayed quiet and realized I have become quite soft over the past few years. In my mind, it’s one thing to set out on a five-mile hike, it’s quite another to set out on a “little walk” only for it to become a five-mile hike. One needs to prepare oneself for these kinds of adventures. At least I do, ha ha!DSC_0164This family is all adventure, let me tell you. We had a great weekend.