Some children (and adults too) are under the impression that “could of” and “should of” are two correct forms of speech. It is never correct to say “could of” or “should of” – NEVER.

http://www.free-clipart-pictures.net

This is very wrong:

“I could of been a millionaire, but I never did anything to earn that kind of money.”

“I should of been more grateful when she gave me that great book.”

This is correct:

“I could have been successful if I were not so darn lazy.”

“I should have sent a thank you note, but I simply forgot.”

So tell your kids now about this, and the you’ll never have to say, “My child could have been a great writer if only she knew about correct forms of speech.”

You do not have to live in S. FL to be interested in learning, with your kids, about iguanas. They are not natural to our area, yet they are taking over. Read this article from the Sun Sentinel today.

Just like pythons and other exotic creatures, iguanas were introduced into our subtropical terrain by uneducated pet owners, who could no longer care for their lizards and thus released them into the wild. They have reproduced in such astounding numbers, that they are causing problems here. When full grown, they can reach 5 feet in length, so they do not have many predators. They seem to enjoy life in well protected residential neighborhoods, and they are known to devour fruit trees, household plants and orchids and leave their poop (which can contain salmonella) all over the place.  The odor is atrocious! They also like to dig burrows, which can cause paved areas to collapse.

It is illegal to release iguanas into the wild here, but apparently that is not stopping many pet owners from doing so. I find them to be fascinating to watch and exotically beautiful (in a prehistoric sort of way), and I would be sad to hear they are being destroyed. If people would just leave exotic animals where they belong, we would not have this problem.  I am perfectly happy living with a standard poodle and not a lizard.

Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos

Photos 1 and 2 -  Altostratus lenticularis (check out definition on Wikipedia) sunsets. Dr. Kerski took these from outside his office at ESRI in Broomfield, Colorado.

Photo 3 -  Silhouette of cows in the sunset in Iowa

Thank you for sharing these Dr. Kerski!

ContestForMoms.com – This extensive website was created by Amanda Compton in 2003. What started out as a hobby has turned in to the leading contest & sweepstakes site for moms online! She offers an expansive list of contests and sweepstakes available for moms everywhere in the world. So if you are a contest junkie, this is the place to go!!! In addition to contests and sweepstakes, you will find parenting articles, giveaways, Holiday ideas, recipes, crafts, safety info, everything for babies and much more. I got addicted to the site when I found and kept on clicking page after page. She has 3 blogs on the site, the buzz blog (parenting crafts, frugal tips & more), the contest & sweeps blog, and our very own mom blog – Petite Mommy, where Amanda openly blogs about her daily life as a home business mom/ small town mom. Do check it out!

YoungPupil.com -  I am all for websites that promote education, and here is an excellent site. The creators of Young Pupils set out to give parents the tools they need to ensure their kids get the best education possible. They know that the first 8 years of a child’s life are extremely important to their future development. There is a blog on the home page with informative, well-written articles, info about homeschooling and links to other important educational websites. It is an uncomplicated website (Yeah!)  and easy to use, something we can all appreciate.

This afternoon my family attended an enlightening concert at Trinity Episcpal Church in Miami, given by the Master Chorale of South Florida. Today’s show was “Music by American Composers.” The chorale ensemble delivered an unforgettable performance along with Florida’s Singing Sons Boychoir, which resulted in a standing ovation. The acoustics in the spectacular Trinity Episcopal Church were incredible, and the pipe organ is amazing. If you ever get a chance to experience this sound sensation with your children , you will not regret it! It is so nice to see this kind of passion for the arts in my hometown.

Master Chorale of South Florida

What an incredible day we had at St. Mark Catholic School!

Normally I am so exhausted after performing at schools, that I cannot even write. But today is different. I still have a ton of energy from the inspiring students and teachers at this wonderful school! I spoke to 4 groups of children over the course of several hours, and each session was unique. That’s why I love being a children’s book author – no 2 author visits are ever the same.

The children from age 4-13 were very curious, and asked me some great questions. One 3rd grade boy had a fabulous question about how a book cover is made – binding and all! (I am impressed, because the cost of manufacturing a hardbound book was a big challenge for me as publisher when I got started). Also this school ranked among the highest I’ve visited for geography knowledge. Yahoo! The first middle school student I asked knew where New York City was located! That may seem like no big deal to you, however less than half of all high school students in the US can point to NYC on a map!

There is a special energy you get from kindergartners! They have so many stories to tell you and their imaginations are so refreshing. And they are as cute as can be! No wonder why I can relate to children (better than adults usually!)

Even the middle school boys enjoyed Lilly’s cartoon voice. After the presentation, several of them asked me for another sampling of Lilly, and even tried to do it themselves. What a hoot!

I must thank school librarian Sandy Garcia for her genuine kindness. Her dedication to the school  and the students is to be commended. Her enthusiasm and energy are contagious. She presented me with a vase of flowers to say thank you! No one has ever done that before!

I will always remember the visit at St. Mark Catholic School

and would be honored to return one day!

Burrowing owls love grassy open areas, and are very common in South Florida. The problem is, that like many other species, they are being threatened due to land development. The State of Florida has declared them a protected species to help prevent further destruction. It is common to see roped off sections of fields in the Miami area where they have burrowed in the ground. These adorable owls are unique in that they are active during the day. This is good news for humans, because we can observe them during the daylight hours. Don’t get too close, because they tend to feel threatened and get nervous!

I took these photos on the playground of our local elementary school. Thanks to the cooperation of these creatures, my Nikon D40’s telephoto lens and perfectly blue skies, I was able to capture their unique beauty. The owls often nest in holes that were already dug by other creatures or by construction crews. The mom’s lay up to 8 eggs, and the babies appear from the burrows only a couple of weeks after birth. Unfortunately there were no babies in sight. I’ve seen them before, and they are the cutest, fluffiest little birds on earth.

In addition to land development and flooding land, burrowing owls are threatened by insecticide use and their predators – large snakes, raccoons and cats. The owls hunt for insects, lizards, frogs, small rodents and snakes.

Their bright yellow eyes and piercing pupils are like a ray of sunshine on a dark, gloomy day.

http://www.webweaver.nu/linkus.shtml

What a great day it is to celebrate our earth! Here are 10 ways to celebrate with your kids:

1. Plan your summer garden today. Research plants that grow well in your zone.  Shop for seeds online. Think organic gardening!
2. Clean up the trash in a street or parking lot near your home.
3. Check out a science book from the library about the earth.
4. Lay on a blanket in your yard and take in all the sounds of nature. (birds chirping, leaves blowing, etc.)
5. Do a craft together using natural items you find in your back yard or use items you no longer need inside your home.
6. Shop for – or better yet – make a bird feeder.
7. Look around your house at your possessions and talk about ways the family can consume less stuff. (Clothing, toys, knickknacks, household supplies and more).
8. Make a plan to donate and recycle unwanted items this summer.
9. Eat dinner outside.
10. Gaze at the stars at night.

At the end of the day, thank the earth for its incredible resources!

I received an email today informing me that it is Thank You for Libraries Day. (By now I am sure you’ve heard of all these obscure holidays that are listed on many different websites). Some are completely odd, such as Walk on Your Wild Side Day or International Aura Awareness Day. Who makes up these holidays anyway?

http://user.chollian.net

I’m not going to argue with Thank You for Libraries Day, because it really makes sense. I have been reading that library use has gone way up in recent months due to the economic downturn. Families are visiting libraries more for free entertainment. They can check out books and movies, rather than buy them and they can take advantage of the many free programs available at libraries for children. People who have recently lost their jobs are flocking to libraries to use the countless resources that can help them in their job searches. Some Americans who have experienced significant financial losses have actually cancelled their home internet and cable services (which can cost over $1,000 per year) and use library computers instead.

And for all these people, there is just something comforting about being in the library. You go in there, look around and see all those perfect shelves of colorful books just waiting to be absorbed. People are whispering. Young children are giggling at the illustrations in a silly story book and the librarians are smiling at you asking if you need help.

At the very least, if we cannot thank a library every day, we should at least be grateful for having one.