This week Gage had the top part of the Herbst appliance put in and it’s been tough. There is a bar across the top of his mouth that makes talking, eating, and swallowing are a struggle. And there is so much drool and sores on the cheeks. It’s been a week for the little man and he gets the bottom half and connectors in two weeks 😦 *The white coming out of his mouth is nor part of the appliance, just the only pic I took.
The day after he got it ‘installed’ he was especially miserable so instead of school we spent the day doing good deeds like trying to remove graffiti that had been spray painted on trees and rocks at a local park and using the Little Free Library app to find LFLs to drop off books. The app itself wasn’t the best navigator for us, but being able to see where they were was very useful.
Books
I’ve read 7 books, all of them kids! Five non-fiction and two fiction. Here are a few standouts…
The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees With Dreams of Crossing the Border by Juan Pablo Villalobos. 160 pages
This is labeled as a teen book, but most stories could be shared with younger kids. So important for kids (and adults) to understand the why of the kids that are coming to America. I liked the individual stories. told in the voices of the children. Want to work on empathy with your kids? This will help them see through another kid’s eyes.
Journey through Ash and Smoke (Ranger in Time series) by Kate Messner. 160 pages
We read a few Iceland books this week, but this one, geared toward ages 5-8, was so well done. It’s our first Ranger in Time book and I was happily surprised at how well Messner incorporated historical facts into the story with additional info and pictures of her visit there.
Full disclosure, I’m not a fan of the Magic Treehouse series 🤷🏻♀️ But this series I can get behind! When we did our additional reading, so many of the things she included ended up in our timeline and fact sheet.
Varenka by Bernadette Watts. 32 pages.
This was first published in 1971. It’s a lovely Russian folktale and the illustrations were fabulous.
I’m currently reading a lot of books, too many really but they’re all so good! Stay tuned.
Books read this year- 81
Movies
Jason and I both really liked this one. It definitely brought back the 1980s for those of us of a certain age 🙂
Puzzles
A little video of the one fun puzzle we did as a family…here
Plans for today
I’m the coordinator for our library book sale and it starts this Thursday and runs through next Sunday. I love it and will work pretty much the whole time plus Wednesday set up. Today will be spent emailing reminders to volunteers, redesigning our receipts, and getting though all of our signage and seeing what needs fixed and what we’re missing.
What are your plans for the day?
Stacy's Books 
I can’t wait to hear how your library sale worked out. I think it would be so much fun to run one of these. The Galveston library sale I attended a few weeks back was fabulous.
Oh, that appliance looks painful. I got Invisiline about seven years ago, and I thought I’d never get through with it. I proposed to my dentist that he apply for a patent for Invisiline to be used as a diet devise.
Haha! Unfortunately, Gage needs to Gage weight not lose it, but that is a nice diet idea for me 🙂
Poor Gage! I had braces as an adult (in my 40s) and it was torture at times… especially after an adjustment. Good luck with the book sale!
I have to tighten the device every night for the next few weeks. I’ve never had braces and feel so bad for the kid.
I hope the Herbst appliance isn’t very painful for Gage.
I love library sales!
He’s starting to adjust so it’s getting a bit better.
Library sales are the best! I’d go every year to the Seattle one and leave with bags stuffed full. They farmed it out to a nonprofit during covid and it’s not advertised or nearly as good. Darn it. Hope yours is a giant success.
Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/sunday-post-45
Big book sales may slowly come back now that more people are out and about. Our struggle is finding enough volunteers for the heavy lifting!
Aw your poor kiddo! I hope he adjusts quickly and is more comfortable soon. I think it is so admirable that you took a rough day and turned it into one of good deeds.
He’s already making improvements with eating and talking so we’re on the right track!
Good luck with your library sale this week!
Poor Gage! I love that you went out to do good deeds with him. Big hugs to you both.
I really liked the Ranger in Time stuff. Granted we only read two together and Gabe was a bit out of the age range when we read together. I wish I’d know about them when he was a bit younger. I didn’t like the Magic Treehouse series as much either.
The Ranger series is below his reading level but they are fun read alouds with great info. I don’t know if we’ll read more together. Maybe I can make it summer fun reading.
I had to Google the Herbst device since I’ve never heard of it. Poor Gage! My daughter had headgear when she was younger and then braces, but I’ve never had either. It looks painful, but I guess he’ll eventually get used to it, right?
I’m curious about Air and will see if my husband wants to watch it with me. We’re currently watching The Night Agent, which is pretty good!
I am hoping to meet you today! Planning to be at the sale pretty close to 9 🙂 I am so sorry about Gage, I hope the sores go away quickly and he is able to eat regularly without any issues. I love Free Little Libraries. I put one in at my old house. I am missing it and I think I am going to check with our HOA to see if I can put one in our neighborhood. I hope the sale goes well and you have a great time.