Story time

My three year old and I have a pretty set bedtime routine.  Every once and a while she mixes it up and has Dadoo take her to bed, but for the most part it is her and I.  It's my favorite time of the day.  We get all snuggled under her covers and hug, she giggles as I tell her to move her tiny tush over so there is room for me, and then we read.  "Going to bed time" ranges from 830-9pm.  It used to be if we went up at 830, she got 3 stories, 840 meant 2, 850 meant 1, and 900 meant straight to sleep.  Now that she is getting older she is starting to enjoy slightly longer books, so we have had to adjust this time frame a bit.  Now 830 gets us 2 stores and 845 is 1.  She has become a HUGE fan of the Berenstain Bears, and has inherited the collection that my brother and I so lovingly put together as kids.  She has about 30 of them to chose from I would guess. We have even gotten ones from the library that we don already have, as well as Mimi and Papa finding new ones for her Easter basket. 

I always loved the Berenstain Bears books when I was a kid, and like all top quality children's book, I never realized the lessons I was learning from them because they were just plain old good stories.  Little Bear of course has a favorite that we read each night and then she chooses some other one to read as her 2nd.  How fitting that she would want to read The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food as I try and impart to her the importance of healthy eating and exercise. 

I LOVE THIS BOOK!  Thanks to this fun story, we have had a complete turn around in snacking and grocery shopping!  At the store last week, I ask mini me what snacks she wants for the weekend (we were out of town all weekend for a soccer tournament)...her response, carrot sticks and apples!  As we passed by the candy aisle, I hear a little voice saying Mama Bear would NOT like those snacks!  Love it!

It made my heart so happy to see how she has latched onto THAT particular story.  I'm sure part of it is Mommy and Dadoo's insistence on our workout time, but whatever the impetus I'll take it.  She is even asking for water with her meals instead of juice.  Sometimes she'll ask for milk, but she has been asking for the agua, so I am a happy Mommy.

And now for a little Friend Making Monday!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: http://www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: ABC’s of Me

 Here’s how it works…you’ll choose topics about yourself, your likes, dislikes, etc.  according to each letter in the alphabet, and share a little with us. Oh shhh…you know you love it. 

A) Arden, Latin for Fireball.  When I was preggers my hubby found this name in the baby name book, and the little miss in my belly was a fierce kicker and mover so it was a no brainer, Arden Marie…and let me say she lives up to the name! J

B) Blessed.  I don’t always see it, but I am truly blessed.

C) Coffee.  Truly my last great vice, and honestly its coffee!  It’s not going anywhere.

D) Dylan.  My amazing husband.  We have been through our fair share of ups and downs, but we always manage to come out on the other side together and stronger for it. 

E) Exercise.  I am getting better about making that “me” time.  It has taken on a new role in our house too since my youngest heard the Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food.  Those cubs are told to eat healthy and exercise…LOVE hearing those words come out of my 3 year olds mouth!

F) Family.  My family is everything to me.

G) Guy Fieri.  Yep, Guy Fieri from the Food Network.  Pretty sure he is my 3 year olds first crush.  She LOVES him, so much so that her fav Easter present is the autographed head shot of him she found in her basket. 

H) Hibiscus Hula.  It’s one of our fav Minnie Mouse tunes right now, and apparently the mini me was teaching it at pre-school.  How fun would that have been to see?

I) Ice.  I take a lot of my drinks without ice (soda, water) when at home even out sometimes.  My husband likes to tease me about it.  Since my dad does the same thing, it’s got to be something in our Canadian jeans, since my Dad was born in Quebec!  AT least that is the reason mu hubby gives. 

J) Jamie.  My bestie.  She has been with me for 25+ years.  Don’t know where I’d be with out her!

K) Kiddos.  Mine are the lights of my life.  I talk about them all the time, I know…but they just make my heart sing.

L) Little Brother.  I have given him so much grief over the years, but I love my little brother with my whole heart!  He has grown into such an amazing, caring, compassionate man and I hope he finds someone who sees that and realizes how lucky she is!

M) Maddy.  My oldest.  She is my tenderhearted baby, she tries to be strong and brave for the world all the time, but I know her heart!

N) Negative people.  I have been slowly eliminating negative and toxic people from my life.  It’s a difficult and sad process, but when all they do is upset you and bring you down…it’s not good to keep them around.

O) OCD.  There are certain things in my life I am very OCD about, and at a time that is good…at times it is not so good.  I think I am finding a balance though.

P) Parents.  My parents are my example in life.  I hope my marriage is as strong as theirs after 40 years, and that my children love and respect me as much as I do my parents.  I know that even when I doubt myself as a parent that I am doing a good job when my parents see what I am doing and smile.  The support me no matter what, and I can feel their unconditional love!

Q) Quit.  I am not a quitter…except for smoking and I am proud to have achieved that (been almost 7 years).

R) Religion.  This is a constant conversation with my Dad.  I was brought up Presbyterian and my husband is Jewish, neither of us agree with any one religious practice though.  Where my Dad was brought up in a generation of “go to church” mentality I have decided that faith is what is important, not religion.  I have faith, and I am teaching my kiddos to have faith.  It is an any day of the week, any place you want to stop and think/pray/contemplate/question kind of thing. 

S) Slaughter.  I am addicted to Karin Slaughter books right now!  LOVE THEM!!!!

T) Time.  I wish I could make it stop sometimes, or at least slow down. 

U) Useless.  I never want to be useless.  It’s a fear of mine.

V) Viral.  I’m hoping both my blog and my little family business eventually go viral!

W) Wrinkles.  I think I am getting them and I must admit I don’t like it.  If you know where to send them back to, please let me know as the little stinkers did NOT have a return address when they arrived around my eyes.

X) X –ray.  As a kid who was WAT active in sports, I think my poor mom has an x-ray collection of all my knee and ankle injuries 

Y) Yarn.  I have started buying lots of yarn over the past6-9 months with the hopes of teaching myself how to properly crochet and/or knit.  It’s a slow process, but I am enjoying my successes (when I actually get them).

Z) Zoo.  My hubby and I LOVE taking our kids to zoos.  We have made them a part of our vacations, we have memberships.  LOVE THE ZOO! 

Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments!! Happy Monday friends!!!!!!!!