From the Mouths of Babes...

As I sit here, listening to my sweet husband read to our two little boys, it reminds me of when I was young and my mom read to me. One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday was go to the library. I'd run over to the Dr. Seuss section and pull out 'If I Ran the Circus.' As I got older, my tastes changed, but there are still 2 Children's books that immediately push me back to childhood, sitting with my Mommy on my bed reading: Helga the Troll, by Tomi de Paola and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I LOVED THESE BOOKS! I wanted Helga to get a dowry so she could marry Lars (although I always thought he was a jerk). And, I always wanted to live in the town of chew and swallow and go sledding down a hill of mashed potatoes.

So, what are your favorite children's stories? Which ones take you back and mean the most to you?

Can't wait to hear from you,
~Anngela Schroeder

I Have a Dream....

If you've ever seen the movie Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, you might remember the homeless guy at the beginning and end of the movie that says something like, "Welcome to Hollywood. What's your dream? EVERYbody's got a dream!" I was thinking about him today, because man I've been having strange dreams lately. They say that dreams are a reflection of our innermost desires. If that's the case, I really want to be grading Senior Projects soon, because that's what I've been dreaming about! Can't wait.

However, before I get those turned into me this Friday, I can still dream of something wonderful that will happen to me or my loved ones. Tell me what are your dreams? What do you want to accomplish? What to do you hope to achieve? Either that, or tell me about a real dream you've had.

Can't wait to hear from you,
~Anngela :)

A Rose by Another Name ....

Language is a beautiful thing...whether it's English, French or Arabic every culture has significant words that affect people in so many different ways. What's profanity in one language can be a term of endearment in another. The idea of words as separate concepts within cultures and languages has always appealed to me. I've also been fascinated by the sounds of words and how they roll out of ones mouth. For example, doesn't 'wretched' sound so much more involved than 'bad'? Or even 'enraptured' as opposed to 'interested'? Even the sound is better. So, today I'd like to ask you what your favorite words are: they can be anything at all, but please remember this is a family blog...nothing you wouldn't want me to read to my 2 year old. :)

Thanks, and I can't wait to hear from you,

~Anngela Schroeder

PS: My favorite sounding word is: Mellifluous. I heard James Earl Jones say it on a TV show once, and it sounded beautiful. Heck, he could say cockroach and it would sound poetic, though! :)

LIfe is just a Mystery...

To quote one of the most loved characters in literature, "It seems like a rather blustery day." And what better activity to do on a blustery day than to curl up with a good book? The question the comes down to what book to grab? A mystery? Adventure? Romance? Tell me what your favorite genre is and your favorite author?


ON a blustery, rainy day, I must say that I love to hunker down with a good Mary HIggen's CLark mystery, a piece of raisin toast and some Ovaltine. That is the PERFECT way to read. All I need is a HUGE corner window seat, and my dreams would be complete. :)

How about you? Can't wait to hear your answer.

~Schroeder

Friend or Foe...

Every now and then we read a book or watch a movie where the villain makes the story what it is. What would Star Wars be without Darth Vader? Pride and Prejudice without Wickham? The Great Gatsby without Tom Buchanan?

What is your favorite Villian? WHo makes the story for you?


Can't wait to hear your answer. :)

~Schroeder