If you can read this, thank a teacher!

I am so excited about today. Seriously! I've been waiting for today for what feels like an eternity. I'm not kidding.

What is it, Spaz? What is it that could have you in a state of such anticipatory glee? What?

I'll tell you what.

It's Works For Me Wednesday time again. Yeah, baby!

That's right, it's time for the blog carnival that tops them all! No offense to any of the other blog carnivals that I love and participate in. I really do love y'all.

But there's a special place in my heart for Works For Me Wednesday. It was my first (I think) and it has brought me much traffic and many of my regular readers. I love Shannon for starting it, I love you all for clicking over and reading from it, I love Works For Me Wednesday.

(big exhale)

I'm so glad it's back.

Oh! Right! I'm supposed to post about something that works for me!

Sorry, it's been so long I nearly forgot. :)

I've got a great one, too. See, it's back to school for us and for most of y'all, too. This year Bug entered the gifted program and every night he's required to read for 30 minutes as part of his homework.

Munchkin scored academically and intellectually high enough to enter the gifted program (we're still working on the maturity level), too, so The Man and I decided she should probably join him in his 30 minutes of reading.

In fact, The Man and I think maybe the whole family should make a point to sit down with a book for 30 minutes of quiet time every evening. Because reading? That works for us.

Photo by ninjapoodles<

So last week we packed everyone up and headed down to our local library. All three of the kids picked out a couple of books (and so did The Man and I) and we brought them home. Now, we've done this before with disastrous results. The first time we returned the books like two weeks late. Totally my fault, I am so disorganized!

The second time Goober completely lost one of his books and I spilled tea all over one of The Man's books, ruining it. Oops. There's a $50 mistake we won't be making again.

This time we made a new rule. The library books are ONLY to be read in our living room (aka the room we never go in) and not taken out of there. There are nice plushy couches in there and it's a quiet room and heck, there's even a fireplace! It's the perfect place to curl up with a book. So now it's our reading room. Not only do we actually use the room, but the library books will always be able to be found and it's highly unlikely we'll ruin any of them.

That completely works for me.

Speaking of reading, I was alerted to a great program that TJ Maxx is sponsoring this year. They've partnered with Save the Children and launched a website where they've created a little game called The Great Book Adventure Game. It's a cute little game where you choose to be either a bus, a rocket ship, or a submarine and you travel along giving books to little animals, aliens, or marine life. I know what you're thinking...

Spaz, aliens don't read! They automatically absorb knowledge through highly advanced receptors! Duh!

I know, I know... just go with me, here. The people at TJ Maxx and Save the Children must have overlooked that. Forgive them.

Not only is this game SUPER cute and sort of addicting, but every time you play TJ Maxx will donate a book to impoverished children living here in the United States! Did you know that there are more than 2.6 million children living in rural poverty right here in our country? Take some time to read about what Save the Children does to help with literacy for these children.

But wait, there's more! (Hee hee, I just had to use that line.)

When you register to play, you'll be entered to win a $1000 shopping spree at TJ Maxx.

Cha ching!

Have you seen the selection of purses at that place? Heck, there's one in my area that carries Valentino and Prada dresses. I practically raced over there to enter.

Reading and improving literacy definitely works for me! For more Works For Me Wednesday posts, check out Rocks In My Dryer!

Hey, wait! Before you go, please take a few minutes to nominate a blogger for the Little Fish award! It's just one way you can share the bloggy love!