Night Light Stories

TADPOLE TALES: The Tadpole Days

2013-05-14T23:11:00.000-04:00

Welcome back to Tadpole Tales!

Leg-a-less continues his metamorphosis into a frog. This week, his body color has become a deeper hue of green. His once translucent tail is now forming into a more solid part of his body. We're noticing he is coming to the surface to take breaths about every 10-15 minutes now. He's also started to enjoy eating some dried meal worms and small pieces of lettuce.

TADPOLE TIDBITS:

Body is becoming a darker hue of green
Back legs are becoming longer and more pronounced
Front of body is looking more frog-like in shape
Tail is becoming more solid
Rising to surface every 10-15 minutes to take a breath
Eating meal worms and small pieces of lettuce

TRASH MONSTER

2013-05-09T22:19:00.001-04:00

One of Mr. Chris's colleagues, Mr. Josh, has a creative blog called Design Make Teach. Mr. Josh posted steps for how he and his daughter created a "Trash Monster" for her first grade class assignment. They were to use only recycled materials in honor of Earth Day.

Mr. Chris thought it would be a fun project for the Night Light Stories Household to complete.

So, our 5 year old sketched out a design.

Then, we gathered the materials out of the recycle bin we wanted to use.

Finally, we had an amusing time putting our

"Trash Monster" together.

Thanks so much, Josh, for the creative and

eco-friendly activity!

You can make one, too!

Please post pictures on our

Facebook page of your masterpieces!

TADPOLE TALES: The Tadpole Days

2013-05-08T20:53:00.000-04:00

Tadpole Tales: Week 1

Tadpole Tales: Week 2

Welcome back to Tadpole Tales!

Leg-a-less has been busy growing and shrinking. Wait a minute! How can that be? It's true. His tail is shrinking, but he is growing into a more frog-like body. We're noticing his metamorphosis seems to be using up the bulk of his energy. He's spending a lot more time hanging out at the bottom of the tank rather than swimming all around. And he continues to swim to the top every half hour to take a breath.

TADPOLE TIDBITS:

Body is more elongated
Back legs are becoming longer and more pronounced
Gills are shrinking
Tail is becoming shorter

TADPOLE TALES: The Tadpole Days

2013-05-01T07:36:00.002-04:00

Last week's post on 'Tadpole Tales'

Welcome back to Tadpole Tales!

First things first. We had some really creative entries in order to help us name our Tadpole. Our favorite was inspired by the Lord of the Ring series from our friend, Elizabeth. Without further ado, his name will be... (drumroll, please)

Leg-a-less

In the past week, we've seen some exciting changes in Leg-a-less. He's been very busy.

Compare these pictures below! The first one is from last week. The second one is from this week.

Tadpole Tidbits:

Back legs are forming.
Tail is becoming shorter.
Color is turning darker.
The tadpoles are beginning to visit the surface to breathe in oxygen from the air.

Check it out!

Episode 57 - Pogona Vitticeps, Part 1

2013-04-29T21:42:00.000-04:00

Click here to listen to: Pogona Vitticeps, Part 1 (16:00)

Strange images seemingly appear out of nowhere when Vivien

spends time with a special animal.

Hi All,

Here we are at the end of April. That old adage has proven true. There have been a lot of showers (granted some were snow showers) but that precipitation has brought us May flowers. We are starting to see some buds blooming around our yard. Take a look!

VORACIOUS VOCABULARY

What did you say? A word of the day! In our story

there are many juicy words that are fun to use and say.

deliberation: careful consideration before decision.

devour: to swallow or eat up hungrily.

indigenous: originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country.

inquisitive: eager for knowledge.

JUST ADD IMAGINATION!

Try these activities to keep your imagination glowing

after hearing the story.

1. Go outside and hunt for crickets or other insects. When you find one, study it and make a sketch labeling all of its parts. Be careful to include as many details as possible. You can use the following website for help looking up the names of different insect parts: http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/insects

2. Illustrate what you think the main character, Vivien, looks like in the story.

3. In the story Vivien has done research on bearded dragons. Conduct your own research on bearded dragons or pick an animal you're interested in! Keep a journal of interesting facts you discover!

4. Send us picture of all your hard work at nightlightstories@gmail.com or post them on our Facebook Page.

COMPREHENSION CHALLENGE

After listening to the story, can you recall the

details to answer these questions?

1. Who asked the store clerk what happened to the bearded dragon?

2. What recent event caused Vivien to be sad?

3. Where did Vivien find a strange, sooty black mark?

4. Why did Vivien give Pogo fruit?
5. How did Vivien convince her father to buy the bearded dragon?

We want to send out bright birthday wishes to:

Olivia of Ohio
Kaileigh of New Hampshire
Mason G of Kentucky
Alessandra of New York
Ethan of Massachusetts
Annabeth of Illinois
Lilly of New Jersey
Riley of South Dakota
Alex P of Colorado
Riley of Colorado
Madelyne
Oliver B
Morgan B

We hope your days SPARKLED!

TADPOLE TALES: The Tadpole Days

2013-04-24T19:57:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Tadpole Tales!

Every Spring at the Night Light Stories Household, we have a pond full of budding tadpole eggs. We usually collect a few of them each year so that we can watch them grow into frogs. This year, we wanted to share that experience with YOU!

For the next twelve weeks, follow along with us as we watch this tadpole's transformation.

WAIT!

One more thing before you go. This tadpole needs a name. Leave your classroom's, child's, student's, grandmother's or your own suggestion for a name in the comments below. We'll randomly choose one and announce in our next installment of Tadpole Tales.

For now, we'll leave you with the first picture of our new little friend, along with some facts about his development.

TADPOLE TIDBITS:

Hatch from eggs.
Have no legs.
Swim with a tail.
Live in the water.
Breathe with gills.
Feed on the egg yolk they still have in their gut.

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

2013-04-19T08:26:00.000-04:00

Pedal Power (14:21)

While learning to ride a bike, a boy learns perseverance
breeds confidence.

Free audio download: Pedal Power

Blog with activities: Pedal Power

While the kids and I were in Boston visiting our family over Spring Break, we took a ride to the beach with my parents. On our way, my dad noticed a hawk in a tree. Since the road we were driving is a popular bird watching site, we pulled to the side so that I could capture a picture. The hawk watched the ocean from his perch, scanning for any possible meals to surface.

LIVE LITERACY

2013-04-08T16:14:00.000-04:00

This Wednesday, April 10th at 6:30pm, Mr. Chris and I are going to be doing a LIVE reading of our fully illustrated e-book,

Dragonfly, Dragonfly Show Us the Way.

Where, you ask?

We'll be in Purcellville, Virginia at a local event to help support the Loudoun Literacy Council.

To learn more about this event, buy tickets to attend or donate to the Loudoun Literacy Council, visit the website for the event at http://bit.ly/llcevent.

We hope to see you there!

Dragonfly, Dragonfly Show Us the Way is available for an in-app purchase on the Flying Books app. The app is free to download on your iPhone or iPad.

Get your copy of the book for just $1.99 until April 20th!

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

2013-04-05T19:20:00.002-04:00

The Farm Girl and the Feather (22:59)

A fairy tale that proves warriors and their weapons come
in different shapes and sizes.

Free audio download: The Farm Girl and the Feather

Blog with activities: The Farm Girl and the Feather

My mom had a dear friend who was visiting from Japan. She taught my mom how to follow a series of steps to fold decorative paper to create a simple bird. This art form is called origami. Before her friend left to go back to Japan, she made the following figures as a memento. They still hang in the hall of my parents' house twenty-five years later. Have you ever tried origami? Send us a visual definition of origami to nightlightstories@gmail.com or post a picture on our Facebook Page.

Episode 56: The Basement

2013-03-26T21:31:00.001-04:00

Click here to listen to: The Basement (16:26)
A boy works to keep his imagination from getting the best of him
in order to complete a chore for his mother.

Hi All,

Happy Spring! The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and it's snowing. Wait? What? Back up the train! I'm serious. We've had the craziest weather in our neck of the woods this March. They weren't kidding when they said March comes in like a lion. Snow, slush, sleet and freezing rain have all fallen from the skies in the past 26 days. We are hoping it goes out like a lamb with some mild, springlike weather.

LIVE EVENTS

On Wednesday, April 10th at 4pm ET, Mr. Chris and I will be presenting a LIVE webinar for the Virginia Society for Technology in Education. The webinar is called Can You Hear Me Now? and we’ll be talking about using audio in contemporary educational practices. If that sounds like something interesting to you, please join us. You can learn more about it at http://bit.ly/vstewebinars.
On the day of the webinar you can access the event by going to http://bit.ly/vstewebinarroom.

Also, on April 10th at 6:30pm ET, Mr. Chris and I will be doing a LIVE reading of our fully illustrated e-book Dragonfly, Dragonfly Show Us the Way, which is available as an in-app purchase on the Flying Books App. The live reading will occur for the Loudoun Literacy Council in Purcellville, Virginia. You can learn more about this event at http://bit.ly/llcevent.

We hope to see you there!

VORACIOUS VOCABULARY

What did you say? A word of the day! In our story

there are many juicy words that are fun to use and say.

conjure: to bring to mind; recall.
gnaw: to bite or chew on.
oblige: to be kindly accommodating.

JUST ADD IMAGINATION!

Try these activities to keep your imagination glowing

after hearing the story.

1. Make a list of strategies to help you stay calm when you are afraid of something.

2. Listen to our short poem, Click, about the comforts a night light provides!

Free audio download: Click
Blog with activities: Click

3. Make up a fun story or poem in your head as you fall asleep.
4. Sit together as a family and assign different chores to complete. Working as a team makes the work go so much faster.

COMPREHENSION CHALLENGE

After listening to the story, can you recall the

details to answer these questions?

1. Who asks Marshall to get the laundry out of the dryer?

2. What caused the CLANG noise that made Marshall jump back?

3, Where did Marshall think a troll lived in his house?

4. Why does Marshall think a snake might be in the basement?
5. How did Marshall conquer his fear?

We want to send out bright birthday wishes to:

Liv of Ohio
Joe D of Texas

John D of Texas

Grandpa B of New York

Sofia A of New Jersey

Jake F of Texas

Kai of New Hampshire

Garret of Maryland

Kathy S of Maryland

We hope your days SPARKLED!

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

2013-03-21T10:16:00.000-04:00

The Watermelon Seed: (10:18)

A little boy and his grandmother exchange letters describing the different changes he is seeing in his mom after she swallows a watermelon seed.

Free audio download: The Watermelon Seed

Blog with activities: The Watermelon Seed

Have you seen our other words that begin with the letter N?

Narrate

Nestle

Nibble

Nourishment

Nutcrackers

The Night Before St. Patrick's Day

2013-03-16T17:11:00.001-04:00

Hi All,

Are you ready for St. Patrick's Day? We are! Our leprechaun trap is set and ready to see if we can capture one of those lucky, green lads tonight. Did you make a leprechaun trap? We'd love to see it. Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page.

To pass the time while you're waiting, you can listen to five of our stories that have a leprechaun as a character. We wish you luck tonight!

Sláinte

Red vs. Green: (22:21)

When a team of Christmas elves goes against a team of

St. Patrick's Day leprechauns in the Holiday

Hockey Winter Classic, who will win?

Free audio download: Red vs. Green

Blog with activities: Red vs. Green

The Leprechaun Trap (6:35)

Two leprechauns are caught in a leprechaun trap and try to find

different ways to escape.

Free audio download: The Leprechaun Trap
Blog with activities: The Leprechaun Trap

The Spelling Bee (19:01)

A boy prepares for his shot at taking home the spelling bee

championship. Will he succeed?

Free audio download: The Spelling Bee
Blog with activities: The Spelling Bee

Clementine's Big Mess (16:05)

Clementine the cupid has lost his magical quiver.

Can his friends help him find it?

Free audio download: Clementine's Big Mess

Blog with activities: Clementine's Big Mess

A Letter from a Leprechaun (5:30)

A reading of a letter written by Seamus the leprechaun

detailing how he escaped a leprechaun trap.

Free audio download: A Letter from a Leprechaun
Blog with activities: A Letter from a Leprechaun

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS: Save the Chocolate Bunny Edition

2013-03-14T15:33:00.003-04:00

The Leprechaun Trap (6:35)

Two leprechauns are caught in a leprechaun trap
and try to find different ways to escape.

Free audio download: The Leprechaun Trap
Blog with activities: The Leprechaun Trap

I know what you're thinking. Why is there a chocolate bunny in the picture, Ms. Mel? Well, beside the fact that it's delicious, we were asked by Mattel to spread the word about their 'Save the Chocolate Bunny' campaign. Have you heard of it? Apparently, chocolate bunnies are in danger of becoming extinct. You think I'm kidding? Take a look at this video they sent...

To sweeten the deal and help save the bunnies,Mattel is offering a prizebasket FULL of toys. Who can resist that? Go on and give it a try!
You can enter in the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Mattel's "Save the Chocolate Bunny" campaign is promoting "toys instead of chocolate" to encourage creative, healthy, sugar-free play for kids! Here is a link to Mattel's Save the Bunny website:
http://www.savechocolatebunnies.com/#home where you'll find more giveaways and coupons!"

Lighting the Way With Words

2013-02-28T21:18:00.001-05:00

Click here to listen to: Football Hero (6:30)

There's only seconds left in the big game.

Who will be the football hero?

Mr. Chris and I have been doing an exercise program that instructs us to do different forms of a lunge. The kids think it is hilarious watching us twist, turn and bend our bodies to get ourselves into this position.

One particular time we were struggling, I said to our daughter, "If you think it is so easy, why don't you try it?" And so she did it (as pictured above)...instantly. Kids are amazing with how flexible and durable they are.

Give us your best visual definition of lunge by sending us a picture to nightlightstories@gmail.com or post it on our Facebook Page. As always, we look forward to watching the glow grow brighter with the many words we can share together

The BOOK IT! Program Challenge

2013-02-28T13:52:00.001-05:00

Our kids have always loved to read. Recently, our son has been reading the beloved classic, Charlotte's Web. The teacher in me LOVED that he picked that book out on his own and started reading it. The mom in me was so excited that he wanted to read THAT story in particular. It has given us a chance to connect on a whole new level. We have formed our own little book club in the morning and it has sparked some interesting conversations between us.

So, when our son brought home a reading form from school for the BOOK IT! Program sponsored by Pizza Hut, he was so excited to be able to fill it out in order to earn his free personal pizza coupon. Have you heard of this program before? It's fantastic and encourages reading across the grade levels.

Currently, the BOOK IT! Program is offering a new challenge. You can read about it below and register for it until March 4th at the website: http://www.bookitprogram.com/redzone/gm20challenge.asp.

"The Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program, which is the longest running corporate literacy program in the country, is launching its “Give Me 20 Challenge.” (No pushups required!)

The Give Me 20 Challenge is designed to get kids to commit to read 20 minutes a day, for eight weeks. Families and classrooms that meet the eight-week challenge can enter for a chance to win one of fifty The Very Hungry Caterpillar prize packages.

Why take the challenge? Children who read themselves and are read to on a regular basis show more interest in books, have a higher vocabulary, and learn to read more easily...and just 20 minutes a day is all it takes."

We hope to see you there!

Episode 55 (Flashlight Episode): Football Hero

2013-02-23T20:45:00.000-05:00

Click here to listen to: Football Hero (6:30)

There's only seconds left in the big game.
Who will be the football hero?

Hi All,

We were sad when the NFL season was over. We enjoy our football Sundays here in the Night Light Stories household. But we don't fret about it too much. Spring is right around the corner. That means there will be plenty to do outside! We like to go for walks around the mountain or hike along the Appalachian Trail. Oh! And we can't forget bike riding!

Guess what? Our fully illustrated version of Dragonfly, Dragonfly
Show Us The Way is now available in Spanish as an in-app purchase

from the Flying Books app.It is available for download

on your iPhone or iPad.

Illustration by Reg Silva

VORACIOUS VOCABULARY

What did you say? A word of the day! In our story

there are many juicy words that are fun to use and say.

dedication: the act of being wholly committed to something.

line of scrimmage: an imaginary line, parallel to the goal lines, on which the ball is placed at the start of a down and on either side of which the offense and defense line up.

stricken: deeply affected with grief, fear, or other emotions.

tremendous: extraordinarily great in size, amount, or intensity.

JUST ADD IMAGINATION!

Try these activities to keep your imagination glowing

after hearing the story.

1. Try to score a touchdown with this interactive game called "Taz's Football Frenzy."

2. Create a football craft like some of these over on the site, Craft Jr.

3. Listen to the story a second time and see if you can hear details that would let you know who the narrator of the story really is.

4. Listen to our three stories that have a leprechaun in them! St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner!

Red vs. Green: (22:21)

When a team of Christmas elves goes against a team of St. Patrick's Day

leprechauns in the Holiday Hockey Winter Classic, who will win?

Free audio download: Red vs. Green

Blog with activities: Red vs. Green

The Leprechaun Trap (6:35)
Two leprechauns are caught in a leprechaun trap and try to

find different ways to escape.
Free audio download: The Leprechaun Trap
Blog with activities: The Leprechaun Trap

A Letter from a Leprechaun (5:30)
A reading of a letter written by Seamus the leprechaun detailing

how he escaped a leprechaun trap.
Free audio download: A Letter from a Leprechaun
Blog with activities: A Letter from a Leprechaun

COMPREHENSION CHALLENGE

After listening to the story, can you recall the

details to answer these questions?

1. Who does the narrator smile back at in the beginning of the story?

2. What happens when the players are at the line of scrimmage?

3, Where does the quarterback throw the ball?

4. Why does the narrator have such a hard time hearing the quarterback?

5. How does the narrator react to the touchdown?

We want to send out bright birthday wishes to:

Becky of Ohio,
Robyn of New York
Ella of New York
Sophia of New York
Liam of Virginia
Cody and Caleb

We hope your days SPARKLED!

Lighting the Way With Words

2013-02-21T21:45:00.002-05:00

The Leprechaun Trap (6:35)

Two leprechauns are caught in a leprechaun trap and
try to find different ways to escape.

Free audio download: The Leprechaun Trap

Blog with activities: The Leprechaun Trap

I love to buy a keepsake when we go on a family trip. It

helps me to remember the good times we had on that

vacation.What keepsake do you have that is your

favorite? Share with us in the comments.

Lighting the Way With Words

2013-02-14T12:38:00.000-05:00

Clementine's Big Mess (16:05)

Clementine the cupid has lost his magical quiver.

Can his friends help him find it?

Free audio download: Clementine's Big Mess

Blog with activities: Clementine's Big Mess

We hope you are all having a jovial Valentine's Day!

Lighting the Way With Words

2013-01-30T22:13:00.001-05:00

Bird Seeds (21:10)
When Agnes, an old woman who lives alone in the woods,

discovers a mysterious packet of seeds she finds more
than just vegetables can grow in her garden.

Free audio download: Bird Seeds
Blog with activities: Bird Seeds

We want to send out a special thanks to our friend, Ms. Becky, who sent us this picture for illumination. It just so happens that Ms. Becky is the director of the Buddy Walk for the National Down Syndrome Society. Find some illumination for their cause by learning more. Thanks so much for sharing, Ms. Becky!

Buddy Walk Facebook Page
Buddy Walk on Twitter
National Down Syndrome Society Facebook Page
National Down Syndrome Society on Twitter

Before you go, can you find Ms. Becky's
turkeys named Smarty and Berry in the picture?

Episode 54: Mojo Makes the Most of It

2013-01-20T09:30:00.000-05:00

Click here to listen to: Mojo Makes the Most of It (15:32)

Mojo the ferret is going on a trip, but his destination isn't what

he expected. Whatever will he do to entertain himself?

Hi All,

Happy New Year, everyone! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Did any of you travel? We didn't this year, but have in the past. It takes a lot of prepartion and coordination to make sure you don't forget any of the things you need. Especially things that bring comfort. I know our kids each have their own special items from home that travel with us everywhere. Personally, I like to bring my pillow. Is there anything special that you like to bring when you go on a trip or long car ride?

VORACIOUS VOCABULARY

What did you say? A word of the day! In our story

there are many juicy words that are fun to use and say.

clamber: to climb, using both feet and hands

lurch: to roll or pitch suddenly

splay: to spread or flare

turbine: any of various machines having a motor.

JUST ADD IMAGINATION!

Try these activities to keep your imagination glowing

after hearing the story.

1. Create a comic strip of the scene where Mojo, the dog, the cat and the gerbil are tossing the chicken to each other. Use paper and pencil or create it by visiting the website, Pixton for Fun. Send a picture of your completed comic to nightlightstories@gmail.com.

2. Plan out and make a maze. You could use cardboard or construction paper. Try to make it as complicated as you can. You could also design one on the computer using The Discovery Education's Puzzlemaker.

3. Make a list with a family member of all the things you could do when you get bored. That way, when it happens, you can go check your list.

4. Listen to our six other Mojo stories.

Mojo and the Magic Couch: (8:26)

A little ferret squirms between the cushions of his family's couch

to find a world beyond his imagination.

Free audio download: Mojo and the Magic Couch

Blog with activities: Mojo and the Magic Couch

Mojo Goes Bananas: (9:58)
Mojo the ferret must figure out who is eating all his bananas

before he is out of luck and out of treats!
Free audio download: Mojo Goes Bananas
Blog with activities: Mojo Goes Bananas

Mojo's Cousin Trouble: (11:12)

Mojo's ferret cousins come to visit for the holidays and stir up all

kinds of trouble. Can Mojo settle them down?

Free audio download: Mojo's Cousin Trouble

Blog with activities: Mojo's Cousin Trouble

Mojo and the Ear Mites: (15:10)

Mojo the ferret has really itchy ears and a fear of going to

the veterinarian. How will he conquer both these problems?

Free audio download: Mojo and the Ear Mites

Blog with activities: Mojo and the Ear Mites

Mojo's Reptile Rescue: (12:12)

Mojo the ferret discovers a new friend in the most unlikely of places.

Free audio download: Mojo's Reptile Rescue

Blog with activities: Mojo's Reptile Rescue

Mojo's Outdoor Adventure (17:01)
Mojo the ferret takes an unexpected trip outside but will he be

able to find a way back in?

Free audio download: Mojo's Outdoor Adventure
Blog with activities: Mojo's Outdoor Adventure

COMPREHENSION CHALLENGE

After listening to the story, can you recall the

details to answer these questions?

1. Who does Mojo see in various cages along the wall at the veteranarian's office?

2. What does Mojo try to do when his parents leave and walk out the door?

3, Where did the chicken land after the cat flicked it out of her cage?

4. Why did the vet technician spill the bowls of water when she came into the room?
5. How did Mojo know he was at the veteranarian's office when he first arrived?

We want to send out bright birthday wishes to:

Mateo of Maine
Lily of West Virginia
Thomas of Wisconsin
Zoe of Virginia
Heidi of South Dakota
Jeanette of New Jersey
Ashley
Joseph
Cheyanne
Mr. Chris of the Night Light Stories' Household.

We hope your days SPARKLED!

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

2013-01-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

Sled Ride: (6:06)

A little boy tells of his exciting sled ride down the hill while

trying to avoid a collision.

Free audio download: Sled Ride

Blog with activities: Sled Ride

On Christmas Eve, it snowed about four inches here. Then, for a week and a half, the temperatures hovered around freezing. We wasted no time getting our snow pants, boots, hats, mittens and coats on so that we could go outside to play. Have you had snow in your area? If so, what did you do while it was on the ground? Share with us in the comments!

Lighting the Way With Words

2013-01-02T13:44:00.001-05:00

Agent Tissue Has an Issue: (14:21)

Agent Tissue is hot on the trail of a runaway nose that is
hiding on the playground. Can his two new recruits
help him catch the slippery culprit?

Free audio download: Agent Tissue Has an Issue

Blog with activities: Agent Tissue Has an Issue

I know when we are going somewhere special, our kids will gambol around the house in anticipation of the event. Have you done anything exciting lately that has caused you to gambol? Share your visual definition of gambol with us at nightlightstories@gmail.com or on our Facebook page.

As always, we look forward to watching the glow grow brighter
with the many words we can share together.

A Year In Review

2013-01-01T13:10:00.001-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! This morning, there were a lot of people talking about resolutions and setting goals for themselves in 2013. Mr. Chris and I were right there with them. However, we also took some time recently to reflect on our accomplishments in 2012. Here's what we found.

In 2012, we created 29 Lighting the Way With Words. We joined Julie Hedlund's 12 x 12 in 2012 writing community and completed the challenge of writing 12 picture book drafts over 12 months in 2012. We forged a partnership with the publishing app, Flying Books to bring our story, Dragonfly, Dragonfly Show Us the Way, to life as a fully illustrated ebook.

We also wrote and recorded these twelve stories in 2012:

Toe Jam (18:34)
A boy's personal collection grows into something far bigger than himself.
Free audio download:Toe Jam
Blog with activities:Toe Jam

The Spelling Bee (19:01)
A boy prepares for his shot at taking home the spelling bee championship.
Will he succeed?
Free audio download: The Spelling Bee
Blog with activities: The Spelling Bee

Clementine's Big Mess (16:05)

Clementine the cupid has lost his magical quiver. Can his friends
help him find it?

Free audio download: Clementine's Big Mess

Blog with activities: Clementine's Big Mess

A Letter from a Leprechaun (5:30)
A reading of a letter written by Seamus the leprechaun detailing how he escaped a leprechaun trap.
Free audio download: A Letter from a Leprechaun
Blog with activities: A Letter from a Leprechaun

Pedal Power (14:21)
While learning to ride a bike, a boy learns perseverance breeds confidence.
Free audio download: Pedal Power
Blog with activities: Pedal Power

Everything In This Story Stinks! (16:57)
Come along on a tour of the exhibits featured in the Museum of Malodorous Art.
Free audio download: Everything In This Story Stinks!
Blog with activities: Everything In This Story Stinks!

Grabby Goose Gets Greedy (18:41)
Grabby Goose learns the value of true friendship when things awry on Lake Wallawallawampack.
Free audio download: Grabby Goose Gets Greedy
Blog with activities: Grabby Goose Gets Greedy

The Mankie (19:46)
Simon receives a mysterious present from his uncle. Can he use his powers of observation to unravel it's special purpose? This episode is sponsored by Nature's Clean Choice baby blanket protected by Fosshield at http://bit.ly/superblanket
Free audio download: The Mankie
Blog with activities: The Mankie

Migration (6:23)
A boy and his mother discover the wonder of watching a letter fly through the sky.
Free audio download: Migration
Blog with activities: Migration

The Yawn Contagion (22:29)
Princess Ennui is bored with everything until she meets an imp who offers her a magical intervention with unexpected results. Can Princess Ennui find a way to save the kingdom?
Free audio download: The Yawn Contagion
Blog with activities: The Yawn Contagion

Auntie Kerry and the Paskamansett Pumpkin Regatta (17:29)
Auntie Kerry recruits her family to fulfill her dream of competing in aunique river race but when she gets sick they are forced to come together as a team without their fearless leader. This episode is sponsored by The Parsonage Soap Company.
Free audio download: Auntie Kerry and the P askaman sett Pumpkin Regatta
Blog with activities: Auntie Kerry and the Paskamansett Pumpkin Regatta

Ohwhatfunitis (13:33)
Carol is way behind with her Christmas preparations when she starts to experience some strange symptoms. Can her family step up to help her out?
Free audio download: Ohwhatfunitis
Blog with activities: Ohwhatfunitis

We'd love for you to share your accomplishments in 2012 with us in the comments or on our Facebook page.

As always, we look forward to watching the glow grow brighter with the many stories, words, Spreecasts, and ebooks we can share together!

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

2012-12-21T11:55:00.001-05:00

Ohwhatfunitis (13:33)

Carol is way behind with her Christmas preparations when
she starts to experience some strange symptoms.
Can her family step up to help her out?

Free audio download: Ohwhatfunitis

Blog with activities: Ohwhatfunitis

Today is December 21, 2012. Do you know what that means?

It's the official first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, also known as Winter Solstice. Everything North of the Equator, or the top half of the planet, will face away from the sun. Due to the Earth's tilt, today is marked as the shortest and darkest day of the year.

I know our family is looking forward to the first flurry of the season. For now, we'll have to settle for making our own, like our friend Viv, in the picture above. Join us in creating some 3D snowflakes to kick off the start of winter! Just follow the link below to the step-by-step video tutorial. Feel free to post your creations on our Facebook Page or send your very own flurry to us at nightlightstories@gmail.com!

How to Make a 3D Snowflake

As always, we look forward to watching the glow grow brighter with the many stories, words and snowflakes we can share together.

Episode 53: Ohwhatfunitis

2012-12-17T20:13:00.000-05:00

Click here to listen to: Ohwhatfunitis (13:33)

Carol is way behind with her Christmas preparations when

she starts to experience some strange symptoms.

Can her family step up to help her out?

Hello All,

Can you believe it? The new year is but a few weeks away! We are excited to present to you our fifth holiday story. We hope that you will be able to take some time over the school break to enjoy your time together. Stay healthy!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

I wanted to take a moment to send out a big
CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Chris. His solo
podcast, The A.T.TIPSCAST won the
Edublog Award for Best Podcast!

Need a last minute holiday gift idea?
A fully illustrated version of Dragonfly, Dragonfly Show Us The Way

is now available as an in-app purchase from the Flying Books app.

It is available for download on your iPhone or iPad.

VORACIOUS VOCABULARY

What did you say? A word of the day! In our story

there are many juicy words that are fun to use and say.

crescendo: to grow in force or loudness.

delve: to carry on intensive and thorough research for data.

expulsion: the act of driving out or expelling.

malady: any disorder or disease of the body.

perpetual: continuing or enduring forever, everlasting.

JUST ADD IMAGINATION!

Try these activities to keep your imagination glowing

after hearing the story.

1. Create a 3D Snowflake by watching our step-by-step tutorial. Thanks to our friend, Viv, who made so many snowflake, it looked like a blizzard!

2. Complete one of these five crafts in the linked article that my friend and I wrote. 'Tis the Season to be Crafty: 5 Easy Holiday Crafts.

3. Listen to our other holiday stories and visit the blog posts to complete the fun activities we have posted. We've outlined them below.

Chilly's Christmas: (20:08)

An ornament is accidentally placed on the back of the Christmas

tree and must learn to experience his favorite season using his

other senses with a little help from his friends!

Free audio download: Chilly's Christmas

Blog with activities: Chilly's Christmas

Inky's Christmas: (21:24)

Inky, a nervous octopus, has to figure out a way to control his inking

so he can attend all of his friends' holiday festivities.

Free audio download: Inky's Christmas

Blog with activities: Inky's Christmas

Red vs. Green: (22:21)

When a team of Christmas elves goes against a team of
St. Patrick's Day in the Holiday Hockey Winter Classic, who will win?

Free audio download: Red vs. Green

Blog with activities: Red vs. Green

Candy Cane Catastrophe (14:56)

Tragedy befalls a boy and his candy cane on a long car
drive to Grandma's for the holidays.

Free audio download: Candy Cane Catastrophe

Blog with activities: Candy Cane Catastrophe

COMPREHENSION CHALLENGE

After listening to the story, can you recall the

details to answer these questions?

1. Who brought Carol a cup of hot chocolate?

2. What fell out of Carol's ear onto the mattress?

3. Where did Carol find tinsel?

4. Why did Carol need to apply lotion to her arms?

5. When did Carol tell her family about her strange symptoms?

6. How did Carol's family help her heal from Ohwhatfunitis?

We want to send out bright birthday wishes to:

Robert P of Virginia

Matthew A of South Carolina

Tre of Louisiana
Bill P of West Virginia

Mr. Chris of the Night Light Stories Household

We hope your days SPARKLED!

CHECK IT OUT!

Nature's Clean Choice antimicrobial baby blankets are now just

$12. A great gift for the holidays for a little one on your list.

Don't forget to enter 'nightlightstories' at checkout to
receive a 5% discount.