Goals!

This book about reading aloud to children recently inspired me:

 

As I was telling the kids about it, we decided that we would make May a super reading month. We made goals to visit the library weekly, expand our reading pool to include new authors and genres, and read a total of 500 books for the month. Five hundred books would be approximately four books per child plus one shared scripture story per day. It seemed manageable when we made the goal, but it turned out to be a goal that we really had to work on. We ended up finishing on June 3, so it was actually 500 books in May, plus three days. Five hundred books is A TON of books!  

I maxed out the limit on my library card during every visit and felt like a pack mule lugging them back and forth each week. It was a positive experience, though, and I think that we've increased our selection skills and reading enjoyment. It gladdens my heart to see Jacob taking a book along with him

or to hear the younger boys ask for another and another.

Books! What deliciousness.

The other goal we recently reached was part of the kids' chore responsibilities. They get a nickel for each completed chore (or a dime, for hard ones). We told them that we could go to the National Aquarium if they could earn $20 towards the trip. I know that this goal took more than a month, and even more than a month plus three days. In fact, it probably took them more than two months! But last Thursday the electronic piggy bank said $20--hurray! We even excused Jacob from school so that we could be at the aquarium on a less busy day. The boys savored every exhibit, even the river ones displaying grayish trout that most people brush past. 

And of course they loved the shark staircase, the coral reef shipwreck, the rainforest room, the ray pool. We even got to see a dolphin show:

Amazing!

So great work, boys, on your goals! You're super readers, super workers, and super kids.