1. Paris being home for a season
K.J. was away at a conference for the International Baptist Convention last week, so after four days of solo-parenting I was happy to get out of the house on my own. I had a few errands to run in Paris, and as I walked by Notre Dame where hundreds of tourists maneuvered for the perfect angle for their picture it hit me afresh that this is where I live, that many of these streets feel familiar, and I know my way around, and I felt thankful.
2. The Christmas line at Marks and Spencer's
Speaking of places that were home, I also felt immensely grateful for the feeling of home I had in this English store Sunday night, filled with things that reminded me of so many memories in North Yorkshire. When we first moved to Boroughbridge, the local supermarket carried a chocolate orange spread that delighted my husband because we've always loved the chocolate oranges my parents gift us for Christmas (unbeknownst to us, first created in Yorkshire!) K.J. was ecstatic because not only could he buy said chocolate oranges for one pound, he could spread a delightful concoction on toast in the mornings. A few months later this chocolate orange spread was discontinued but look what Marks and Spencer brought in for Christmas! Christmas came early for K.J.
3. The Canon remote shooting app
I haven't had cause to use it very often, but on a whim decided to take a picture of the four of us that wasn't a selfie. I've used a remote before, but with my phone I can actually see us on the screen before taking the shot, which is a definite bonus.
4. A Child's History of the World
This copy has a super-weird cover, but I love referring back to this book when I want to discuss a topic we're not currently studying in school but is really relevant, e.g. this Sunday is 100 years since the first world war ended, and I wanted to give the kids an overview. It is well-written and easy to understand. I highly recommend it.
5. Crash Course on YouTube
Before looking for a link to give you I didn't realize these two guys were brothers, which makes these even more amazing to me. If you want a fun, quick overview of something in history or a refresher on something you forgot from your science class, I love watching these. I often use them to supplement our science and history lessons.
6. Usborne Illustrated Classics
I love illustrated classics of all kinds, but I mention Usborne because I bought James Treasure Island for Christmas two years ago, and he's just randomly picked it up to read on his own. I think these beautifully illustrated books make classics much more fun to read aloud together or on their own because the pictures encourage them along through the challenging text. Two years ago, I also bought Ella this copy of The Secret Garden with illustrations by one of our favorites, Lauren Child. Plus, who doesn't love a beautiful book on their shelf? I want to send my kids out into the world with a nice start for their home library.
What are some of your favorite things from this past week?
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