Category: Thoughts on Parenting

Posts about parenting our little girl.

Mandy’s Running List of Top Recommended Children’s Books

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I love books. Especially children’s books. The beautiful illustrations, the sometimes rhyming verses, the clever way the authors tie everything together … children’s books are my favourite genre.

Over the years I’ve written a few blog posts about our family’s favourite children’s books. I thought it might be a good idea to pull all of these posts together – and add another post on some of our newest finds! So if you’re looking for a fabulous book to read with your children … these books are my top picks! Enjoy!

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More Children’s Picture Books That we Can’t Get Enough of

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Over the years we have collected a large number of children’s books. Many were gifts, and lots of others I chose for our girls. I’ve done a lot of reading about recommended children’s books and used these suggestions to build our own library.

If you’re looking for my master list of recommended children’s books, check out Mandy’s Running List of Top Recommended Children’s Books. For my latest additions to the list, read on!

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Elfie’s Return: Adventures of 2021

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I am writing this on December 23rd, Elfie’s last evening with us. My children are at ages this year where they are incredibly excited about Christmas, and all of the activities and traditions. Their excitement makes the season truly magical. As excited as they are for Christmas morning, there’s one thing that’s making them hesitant to count down the days: the fact that Elfie will leave us after we go to sleep on December 24th.

We’ve had a wonderful month with Elfie! With everything going on in the world these days, she arrived masked, and kept her mask on for a few days. Over the past month we’ve discovered her climbing walls, reading with friends, hang gliding, and much more. Here are some of Elfie’s highlights from this year!

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One Mom’s Favourite Apps

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I love technology. After all, I did my Masters in Educational Technology! I love finding apps that help me be more productive, stay organized, and connect with family and friends. And of course I love photos, and any apps associated with photography.

I currently have a number of apps that I love. Here are some of my favourites right now … I’d love to hear yours!

Note: as with any new technology or app, I recommend you read about the app before installing, ensure that it’s still free (as this can change over time), and determine whether the privacy features meet your standards.

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Christmas Amidst Covid Restrictions: Ideas for Making the Holidays Magical

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Our family truly LOVES Christmas. We love everything about it: the music, the meals/desserts, the crafts, the decorations, the community events and activities, the time with family, the movies … it is without a doubt our favourite holiday of the year. With all of the current COVID restrictions here in B.C. (and all over the country/world), this Christmas is going to be a bit different than what we are used to. Many of our traditions, such as parades and family gatherings, are not allowed. The past nine months have been very tough (for both adults and children), therefore I am determined to do everything I can to make the holidays magical for my young children.

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Elfie’s Return: Bringing Joy to the family (and maybe just a few tears!)

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Our eldest daughter started asking about Elfie’s arrival in early November. By mid-November, we had counted the days until Elfie’s arrival so many times that we decided to make a countdown calendar – for Elfie’s arrival and Christmas day!

Last night, the night of November 30th, our eldest was awake until 11:45pm. She could not stop thinking about Elfie’s return, and even came running out of her room once when she swore she heard Elfie on the roof, and later when thought she saw Elfie’s shadow move across the room!

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I would love to work in a Children’s Bookstore: More favourite picture books that I can’t stop raving about

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I would love to work in a children’s bookstore. I would love reading all of the new books coming into the store, searching out new books that would soon become favourites on a family’s bookshelf, and chatting with customers to find out their interests and suggest new stories. Children’s books are, without a doubt, my favourite genre of book. I love how clever they can be, how well written they are, the beautiful illustrations, and the occasional song or rhyme! I have written a few blog posts already, about some of our favourites. If you’re interested, have a look at: Pigs, Dragons & a Superhero Princess: Chapter Books we love for our 6-year old; Reading with young children: Recommended books for babies and toddlers; and Finally branching out from indestructible cardboard to paperback.

If you’re still looking for more excellent books to check out … read on! My eldest and I have been reading some chapter books together lately, which has been really fun. I love having a story that stretches over a few nights. But we still both enjoy a good picture book (as does my youngest of course!). These are some of our current favourites:

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Turning 7 during isolation: Making our daughter’s birthday special

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Like many children, our eldest daughter recently celebrated her birthday during self-isolation. I was determined to make sure that she had a memorable birthday – despite the fact that she couldn’t have the birthday party she had been dreaming of (and talking about!) for months.

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Pigs, Dragons & a Superhero Princess: Chapter Books we love for our 6-year old

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I love books. Especially children’s books. I’m always on the hunt for new stories to read at bedtime with my eldest daughter. She just turned 6, and has become interested in chapter books lately. I’m so excited that we have started reading chapter books together: a chance to delve into a longer story, build an attachment to the characters, and look forward to picking up where you left off the night before!

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Fun Apps for Pregnancy & Parenting

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I am the mother of a 5-year old and a 5-month old. I am sleep deprived; have been for the past 5 years, 6 if you count pregnancy! I am always looking for ways to make life as a parent easier. I also have a Masters in Educational Technology, so I tend to look to technology for help! Over the years, I’ve come across a number of apps that I have found useful during pregnancy and motherhood. Anything that makes things quick and simple is considered a win in my books!

Here are my favourites! I’d love to hear if you have any other apps that make motherhood easier for you. As with any app, I recommend checking out the regulations and privacy concerns before you commit. My recommendations are based solely on usefulness to a busy Mom, not on the legal/privacy aspect!

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