We held our first book celebration tonight and it was enjoyed by all, I think! (Warning: contains spoiler alerts😉.)
This was my first time reading Heidi and it was truly delightful. I simply forgot to celebrate the end of our first two read alouds this school year, but was determined not to miss a chance to savor this book a bit more!
Earlier this week we were able to have a double date with some dear friends, and I enjoyed listening to this other mama as she shared how simple but special of an experience her family had with pumpkins this year (that did NOT involve carving, ha!). We talked about how often we place expectations on ourselves for grand activities with our children, when in reality what they desire is something much simpler, and what is required or needed most is simply our good attitude in the process of choosing to delight in them. So when we mamas stress ourselves out doing what we think they want, usually we end the occasion with everyone unhappy and anxious.
But if we’ll slow down and choose intentionally something simple and meaningful – chances are that they will LOVE it and make sweet memories in the process. And we will keep our sanity a bit more by focusing on what matters most for our individual family.
So, with that preface, ha, this book celebration really didn’t require much planning! I literally came home from our conversation with my friend, I simply googled and got a few ideas, adapted based on our preferences and local grocery stores, and we were good to go!
We invited the kids’ Nammaw and Pappaw to join our celebration and the main course was not necessarily Heidi-related, but a few fun sides were intentionally chosen! (I do recommend this Cheddar Stuffed Sweet Potato Meatloaf and Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Maple Glaze, though!)
We enjoyed trying gruyere cheese and goat cheese, and I bought some goat milk for the boys to “try,” which they ended up gulping (and have already requested more for breakfast!). In the spirit of Grandfather melting cheese onto bread over an open flame, I sliced some of the gruyere and placed it on previously homemade bread (that I took out of our freezer) and stuck in the oven on the broiler setting until melted.
Of course, we had to have the flowers as the centerpiece of our table due to the flowers Heidi enjoys so much in the mountains.
I also bribed the boys to answer “book questions” in order to earn some Swiss chocolate after the meal. We chatted about the story and my favorite answers they gave were in response to their favorite parts of the book:
Behr: when Heidi and Clara enjoyed the flowers on the mountain 🥰
Beau: when Clara walked 🥰
We also talked about the theme of praying to God, asking for what we desire, but trusting that he will give us what is best in his timing. This was fresh on Beau’s mind due to his copywork with @agentlefeast this week- so grateful for how he connects these truths through the curriculum. ❤️
Although I didn’t find a movie version of Heidi that sounded like it fit the book, we instead watched Pippi Longstocking, which Nammaw just finished reading to the boys during their lunch via FaceTime (still somewhat Swedish in connection because of its author). 🎉
What are your favorite ideas for book celebrations? I’m excited for whatever our next one will be! 🎉
jami lee gainey 