I have a new article that was just published in Moms Network Connecting @ Home Summer 2008 magazine. The article is called “Encourage the Love of Reading all Summer Long.”

This concise publication is fantastic! It is full of how-to info, tips for working at home, saving money, staying organized and much more.

You can go to this page to get a list of of distribution locations.

http://www.connectingathome.com/distribution.shtml

Or you can go to https://host.tcconnect.com/~connecti/secure/sub.html to order a very affordable subscription.

When is it appropriate to start a new paragraph in your writing?

Well, too many paragraphs can be annoying.

I mean, you would not want to write a paragraph for every sentence.

Would you?

Well, would you?

On the other hand, it is so annoying to read paragraphs that go on and on. The writer may change subjects many times during one paragraph. Maybe the paragraph has too many run on sentences like this, that have too many commas, like this, and that really do not focus on getting a message across, that will engage the reader, and that will help her understand the message. Perhaps the writer begins by talking about grammar, then changes the subject to sailing. After that there may be some words about a delicious cookie recipe. Then the writer may jump to the topics of travel, car buying, sewing and the many types of mold spores one may find in a bathroom shower. And if that weren’t enough, the subject of inclement weather may arise. Before too long, the reader would get to the point where she could no longer follow what the writer is trying to say. Nor would the reader care!

Okay, you get my point. So how can we teach our children (and ourselves!) to know when to change paragraphs. Start new paragraphs when:

1. each and every time time a new character is speaking (dialogue with quotes).
2. the location in the story changes.
3. when the subject changes.
4. when a character’s thoughts change to a new subject
5. for each step when explaining in detail how to do something
6. when writing an introduction.
7. when writing a conclusion.

Learning when to start new paragraphs takes time and experience. A lot of it just boils down to common sense. Just remember a time when you read something and were frustrating because the paragraphs were too long or just plain confusing. Discuss that with your young writers.

Kids have a tendency to merge many short thoughts together into one large paragraph. This is completely normal at a young age (and actually quite cute.) But by middle school, you should start noticing significant improvements in your child’s ability to organize his thoughts into cohesive paragraphs. Whatever you do, don’t criticise your child’s work. You can make gentle suggestions or do some research together to figure out the right way to write. Make it fun!

What’s the best way to become a good writer who knows when to change paragraphs? Yep, read, read, read all you can. A good reader makes a good writer. Or rather, there is no such thing as a good writer who does not read well and often.

Wishing you happy paragraph changing to you and yours.

All of us on the deck eating dinner and using the self-timer on the camera

Bill with Gigi on a hike

On a boat ride throgh the St. Lawrence River

Uncle Harold and Bill having a nice chat in Montreal

Vacations come for us once a year, and we really look forward to them. This year we did things a bit differently than normal – We went on vacation with my good friend, Patty’s brother. Bill was at our house last Christmas for a party and commented on how he rented this place in upstate NY for a couple of weeks but had no one to join him. Bill had just gotten divorced, and he and his wife had been to this house several times together in the past. When he mentioned the house to me at our party, I jokingly said, “Hey! We’ll go with you!” And 6 months later, we were on our way together.

The planning part was fun, and we did a lot of talking over the phone. We rented a fabulous Honda Odyssey minivan, packed it to the max and loaded ourselves in it. (This was the best vehicle ever for a long trip!) This car was filled with Bill, my husband John, my daughter Rachel, huge standard poodle, Gigi, and me, plus a lot of STUFF.

Thinking back, it was a risk taking our only vacation of the year with my friend’s brother. Sure, I’ve known him for 18 years, but I didn’t really know him. We could have discovered that he was annoying, hard to get along with, moody or difficult to please. That could have ruined our entire trip, leaving us wishing we had gone alone.

But NONE of this happened! Instead we had a blast. Bill has a hilarious sense of humor and just plain likes to have a good time. Many times during the 60 or so hours of car travel to and from Montreal, we laughed so hard, we were crying. We enjoyed seeing all the sites together, hiking together, eating together and just hanging out. He got along famously with my family in Montreal. And he loves our dog!

We learned some interesting things about Bill:

1. He packs lightly. (We don’t!)
2. He has 5 cats at home and talks about them like they were his children.
3. He has great neighbors who invite him over for dinner almost every day.
4. He is immaculate, hates clutter and likes to put everything away.
5. He watches the stock market like a hawk.
6. He eats constantly and is stick thin. He says he is feeling “peckish” every 20 minutes or so.
7. He knows 2 different women named, Gaynelle. How is that possible?
8. He did not think my different voice characterizations were that wierd, just funny.
9. He introduced us to a couple of interesting people in NY.
10. He is never late for anything.

So the next time you are thinking about a family vacation, consider bringing a friend along. It just might add some spunk to your adventure.

My recent travels made me think about all the cool stuff out there kids can collect. Being a collector of something makes life a bit more interesting. Here are 50 ideas:

1. Old postcards

2. Wildflowers (you pick on the side of the road or in an alley and press yourself)

3. Stamps, of course

4. Old sheet music (for the musicians out there)

5. Old books (from antique stores, yard sales and used book stores)

6. Pinback buttons (with various messages on them that interest the child)

7. Coins

8. Rocks, small please! (both found and purchased)

9. Memorabilia (from a favorite sports team, politician, movie, play, actor, book etc)

10. Embroidered Patches (the kind you find when you travel with emblems of the destination. You can sew them on to a cool jacket or backpack)

11. Bookmarks

12. Pencils

13. Pens

14. Stickers

15. Comic Books

16. Old maps

17. Old black and white photographs

18. Antique Toys

19. Decks of cards from your travels and beyond

20. Antique marbles

21. Fossils

22. Flags from all over the world

23. Antique bottles

24. Beach glass

25. Seashells

26. Signatures/Autographs from famous people

27. Glass Beads

28. Christmas ornaments

29. Feathers (both found and purchased)

30. Animal Teeth (often found in museum and zoo gift shops)

31. Glass Animals (pick a favorite kind of animal or mix it up)

32. Old License Plates

33. Baseball Caps

34. Old Metal Lunch Boxes

35. Toy Cars or Trucks

36. Foreign Money (small bills or coins, of course!)

37. Old Keys

38. Key Chains

39. Pine Cones

40. Refrigerator Magnets

41. Yo Yos

42. Rubber Balls

43. Wind Chimes

44. Gnomes

45. Trolls

46. Snowmen

47. Antique Buttons (the kind you sew on clothes)

48. Salt and Pepper Shakers

49. Shoe Laces

50. Tickets (to events you have been)

Got any oher ideas? Share them with us, please!

Montreal is a big, yet managable city. You’ll find the locals to be quite friendly, and we had no trouble finding people to speak English to us. (I used to speak French quite fluently but did not use it for many years and now cannot remember much of it. Bummer!) Other than great shopping, historical sites, culture galore, the best food you’ve ever had (gaining oodles of weight), this place is a photographer’s dream. So next time you are here, walk around with a camera and try many different angles. This place is gorgeous.

Photo 1 – Old Montreal

Photo 2 – Spectacular City Hall Building

Photo 3 – Old Appellate Court Building

Photo 4 – St. Joe’s Oratory atop Mount Royale

Photo 5 – Curious Cat in Highrise Building

Photo 6 – Pace Des Armes

What is it about traveling that exhausts me? I’ll tell you!

1. Walking aimlessly through a city not knowing where I am going (mostly uphill).

2. Trying desperately to get a wireless connection in the hotel room.

3. Searching through my luggage for a piece of clothing only to find that whatever I am looking for, it is always at the bottom. This results in taking everything out of the luggage and not being able to fit it all back in.

4. Having to try to understand a foreign language.

5. Getting bad directions from hotel staff.

6. Trying to figure out how to exchange money.

7. Thinking about driving all the way back home!

Our travels have brought us 1,600 miles from our home in Mami to Montreal, one of my favorite cities. This is an ideal spot for a summer or fall vacation for the entire family. The city is compact and full of historic and modern sites alike – not to mention some of the BEST food in North America. Today we toured the Notre Dame, and unfortnately photos cannot do it justice. The true grandeur can only be experienced in person. This neogothic structure dates back to 1829 and is beautifully situated in Old Montreal. The altar, ceiling, statues and staircases are more elaborate than most any church you can find. You’ve got to see it!

1. Read a book (The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica would be a good start!)

2. Attend a reading at your local library.

3. Write a letter to a friend near or far.

4. Make a photo album/scrap book.

5. Research a favorite animal on line and in books.

6. Call or visit a grandparent.

7. Paint a birdhouse from the craft store.

8 Plant some seeds.

9. Run through the sprinkler with a friend or the dog.

10. Bake cookies with you.

There are many sayings/cliches when it comes to bridges… “Bridge the gap.” “Don’t burn your bridges.” “Like a bridge over troubled water.” “Build bridges instead of walls and you will have a friend.”

But what I learned yesterday was that bridges offer us new perspectives we would otherwise never see. Case in point – We walked across the steep Wellesely Island Bridge that takes you from mainland USA to the island. It was exciting, scary and a little it unsettling. There is a narrow sidewalk that enabled us to make the ascent. The views along the way were ever changing. We would not be able to see a deer had we been driving, but looking over the railing we could see him grazing in a clearing, protected by thick trees all around. The houses and gardens along the river were spectacular as well. The closer we got to the peak of the bridge, the more we could feel the suspension, and the shaking was a bit creepy. Ahh but the views were well worth it.

Speaking of perspective, check out how small my daughter looks under that sign. When you drive by a sign like that, it never looks that big. But stand under it, and you’ve got a whole new take on it.

From now on I will think of a bridge as a metaphor for seeing the world in a new light. Cliche again? Maybe. But what if I applied that to everything in my life. If something is not working out right, I shall try to see it from a different perspective – literally. This may not be as simple as a walk up a bridge. But however I can change my perspective, the situation might look a whole lot better from the new place. And if not, then at least I could say I made an attempt to “see it from a different angle.” Another cliche, but you catch my drift, right? Woops, yet another.

1. They love us unconditionally and do not criticize us.

2. They are forgiving.

3. They want to play, play, play!

4. They speak from the heart.

5. They love to laugh.

6. They tend to stop eating when they’ve had enough food.

7. They are not afraid to use their imagination.

8. They need to know “why?”

9. They do not discriminate (unless we teach them to).

10. They get excited about little things.