Library Day

It's Tuesday again! While I look forward to Slice of Life Tuesday each week, I'm finding it harder to choose a topic for my slice during the summer. 

It's ironic...I assumed that when I had more time on my hands, I could leisurely write my slices and without the pressure of any sort of time crunch.  I was wrong.  It's not as leisurely as I was imagining.  I'm still forced to shove my slicing time into my schedule - around the schedules of my four kids...not too different from during the school year!  Now, however, I find myself struggling more to pinpoint my topic.  Today's topic didn't hit me until I began to type.  I had hoped it would magically appear...viola!

"Mom, look at this one!" Emma said as she held up her Froot Loop.  "It's HUGE!"

"Whoa, it must be your lucky day!" I told her.

"Can we paint our nails after breakfast?" she asked.

"Sure...did you want purple this time?" I smiled, already knowing the answer.  I had painted my toenails purple yesterday and both girls had been begging for purple nails ever since.

"Yes! It really is my lucky day Mom!" she squealed!

"Well then, let's make it even better.  How about after we paint nails, we take a trip to the library?"

"YES!" shouted three little voices.

"Mom, I'm still reading Percy Jackson #2.  Can I keep that one to finish and get the next one too?"

"Can I keep the Dork Diaries book that I'm reading? Can we look for #2?"
"I want a new Max & Ruby book please!"

I was bombarded! All I could do was smile. I love that my children enjoy going to the library, like to read and love to pick out new books!  They had also finished their reading logs for the summer reading program that the library offers, so they were happy to be able to turn them in and find out what little trinket they would be rewarded with.  I love that my kids want to read even without the promise of a reward...but they enjoy guessing what it might be each week!  So we always fill out the slips and return them to find out.

As we stood in the library, it was like a whirlwind around me.  Maybe it's because it's so hot outside or maybe it's that people are stocking up on books before the holiday, but the library was crowded today.  The kids had turned in their reading logs and, in exchange, received a certificate for a frozen lemonade at a local fast food restaurant (good day for it!).  Now, it was time for books!  Of course, when the kids range from ages 4-9, they don't want to read the same books. Therefore, there were three children pulling me in different directions for help, not to mention the list of my own books nagging at me from my pocket and the little sweetie in the stroller who just loves all the colors and sights to see at the library.   

And so it began...

"Emma, you know where the Max & Ruby books are, right?  Take Maddie over there and show her where they are in the W's.  Then come back and we will look for Dork Diaries."

"Matthew, the Percy Jackson books are over here in the R's."

Whew! We were able to find some of what we needed.  Matthew found a new series to try out (The Stink books) and decided to try reading Clementine (I hope he enjoys it as much as I did!), Emma was disappointed that the Dork Diaries book she wanted was checked out but she found a new American Girl book and a few others to keep her interested, and Maddie was tickled with her Max & Ruby books and The Cat and the Hat Comes Back...even though we have it on the bookshelf at home. 

Oh, and I was able to find some for myself as well!  I walked out with Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm and The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.  I'm a little late getting to that one, but excited to read it anyway.  I also found the children's book Grandpa Green by Lane Smith because I'd heard about recently.  And, all the while, Avery enjoyed quietly nibbling her fingers and toes as she strolled through the library.

It's a good day when we can go to the library.  There is just something about the choices spread before us, the seemingly limitless words to dive into, and the thought of curling up with some good books once we get home that appeals to us all.

Speaking of curling up...I better get back to my book!