Shows
Talking With Tech AAC PodcastChris, Melissa, and Maggie Bugaj: "Out of My Mind" ReflectionsIn this episode of Talking with Tech, Chris, Melissa, and Maggie Bugaj reflect on the Disney+ movie Out of My Mind! This film centers around a young AAC user with cerebral palsy, and has sparked a lot of conversations about AAC online. The Bugaj family talks about how we can take the popularity of this movie to continue and share the message of inclusive education and support for AAC!
1. Presuming Potential and Inclusive Education: The episode emphasizes the importance of assuming all students, including those with disabilities, have potential. Teachers, families, and educators are encouraged to p...
2024-11-3051 minTalking With Tech AAC PodcastRecast: Rachel Dorsey: Taking a Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach to TherapyThis week, we present a Recast episode of Rachel's interview with Rachel Dorsey, an amazing autistic SLP who teaches courses on neurodiversity and goal writing. Recast episodes are previous episodes of TWT that Chris and Rachel want to highlight. In this Recast, Rachel Dorsey shares her perspectives on neurodiversity, how to help shift the perspectives of others to better affirm neurodiversity, the importance of co-regulation for Autistic people, and more!
Before the interview, Rachel and Chris sit down with Melissa Bugaj and Sara Gregory to have a quick roundtable banter about gestalt language processing (e.g...
2024-08-081h 03
Lepiej nie mówić#54 Psycholożka Melissa Hernández-Jaczewska o tym, jak skutecznie rozwiązać kryzys w związkuMelissa Hernández- Jaczewska, psycholożka. Pochodzi z odległego Meksyku. To tam ukończyła studia na Wydziale Psychologii w Universidad de Las Americas w Puebla. Jak znalazła się w Polsce? O tym również rozmawiamy. Mieszka w Warszawie od 2001 roku i nitrudno zgadnąć, patrząc na drugi człon naziwska, że chodziło o miłość. Czym jest dla niej miłość? Na pewno w jej arkana zabiera nas dzięki swojej książce pt. " Jak skutecznie rozwiązać kryzys w związkach". To proste zasady, jak uporządkować swoje życie i współnie budować drogę do szczęścia, którego przecież każdy...
2024-05-0534 minTalking With Tech AAC PodcastLJ Seiff: 14-Year-Old AAC UserThis week, Chris and Rachel get the opportunity to interview the amazing LJ Seiff! LJ is a 14 year old boy with cerebral palsy and cortical visual impairment, which impact his ability to speak intelligibly. LJ shares about his AAC journey and some of the things that he wishes were done in the classroom more, like giving him more wait time to respond or asking multiple choice questions, since an AAC user can respond with a single press of “a” “b” or “c”.
Before the interview, Chris, Tucker, and Melissa Bugaj have a family discussion of Tucker’s rece...
2023-04-2142 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 85: The Cloud, Chapter 25Last episode, we brought you Chapter 24, where The Cloud presented their project, revealing field mice in the ventilation system, showing the whole school that the mold in the insulation and how the mice were bringing it throughout the school. This was the cause of people getting sick.
2022-03-1309 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 84: The Cloud, Chapter 24Last episode, we brought you Chapter 23, where The Cloud prepared to present their new project. Mr. Ginsburg, the Technology Resource Teacher, had set up the event and reviewed the interactive voting system. Mrs. Young, the Assistant Principal, introduced each group to come to the center table to present their project to the audience. Melvin continued to make snide comments about the validity of The Cloud's data. Finally, The Cloud was called to the center of the gymnasium as the last group to present.
2022-01-0128 minTalking With Tech AAC PodcastRachel Dorsey: Taking a Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach to TherapyThis week, Rachel interviews Rachel Dorsey, the amazing "Autistic SLP" who runs a private practice and teaches courses on Neurodiversity and Goal Writing. Rachel shares her perspective on neurodiversity, how to help shift the perspectives of others to better affirm neurodiversity, the importance of co-regulation for Autistic people, and more!
Before the interview, Rachel and Chris sit down with Melissa Bugaj and Sara Gregory to have a quick roundtable banter about gestalt language processing (e.g. scripting) vs analytical language processing, and ways that all people may use both methods to learn language.
...
2021-12-021h 03Talking With Tech AAC PodcastAmy Fleischer & Melissa Petersen: Benefits of a Universal Core Board for All StudentsThis week, Chris interviews school-based AT Specialists Amy Fleischer and Melissa Petersen! Amy and Melissa share lessons they have learned about putting universal supports in place, including universal core boards in Melissa’s district. They discuss many of the reasons why Melissa wanted to put a universal core board in place, how her district decided on what words to include, and the improvements she has seen in overall AAC implementation since that time. You can view the website she made for her district here.
Before the interview, Rachel and Chris discuss a recent trip Chris took...
2021-08-1149 minTalking With Tech AAC PodcastMark Nichols: Supporting AT and Universal Design in Higher EducationThis week, Chris interviews his long-time colleague, Mark Nichols, an AAC/AT Specialist who is the Senior Director of Universal Design and Accessible Technologies at Virginia Tech. Chris and Mark talk about the differences and similarities between higher education and K-12 for universal design and AT, the types of technologies that are often very useful in higher education, how to determine how much a university supports inclusion and assistive technology, and more!
Before the interview, Chris shares memories and thoughts about the late, great Joy Zabala with his wife, Melissa Bugaj. They talk about the im...
2021-07-0758 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 83: The Cloud, Chapter 23Just a reminder that we are recording a novella that Mr. Chris and I wrote. The story, about kids solving a mystery using their technology skills, has twenty-five chapters. Last episode, we brought you Chapter 22, where The Cloud walked around to check out all of the other groups projects, and prepared to present their project to all of the teachers, parents, and peers.
2021-06-2613 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 82: The Cloud, Chapter 22Just a reminder that we are recording a novella that Mr. Chris and I wrote. The story, about kids solving a mystery using their technology skills, has twenty-five chapters. Last episode, we brought you Chapter 21, where The Cloud worked diligently at their houses reviewing video and photo evidence to come up with a hypothesis as to what could be causing the school to get sick.
2021-04-2513 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 81: The Cloud, Chapter 21Last episode, we brought you Chapter 20, where The Cloud had a day off of school that they used to meet as a team to put their science fair project together. However, they found that their data had been tampered with and they would be forced to withdraw or get another project together in one day's time.
2021-01-2414 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 80: The Cloud, Chapter 20Last month, we brought you Chapter 19, where The Cloud had a plan to potentially investigate their hypothesis of Melvin making people sick. However, after getting the approval of Mr. Brisbane to clean the classroom, their plan went awry. The Cloud made a judgement error and ended up losing Mr. Brisbane's trust in the process.
2020-12-2915 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 79: The Cloud, Chapter 19 Last episode, we brought you Chapter 18, where The Cloud had Mr. Brisbane come to the library to help them with their science project so they could test if he was the cause of the rampant illness in the school by having other people in another environment around him. In the end, the foursome found that a sort of sickness captured only one of the library volunteers, but it was not what The Cloud expected.
2020-11-2217 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 78: The Cloud, Chapter 18Last episode, we brought you Chapter 17, where The Cloud come up with a plan to test their newest theory that Mr. Brisbane is making everyone sick. The scientific method was in full effect.
2020-11-0813 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 77: The Cloud, Chapter 17A few weeks ago, we brought you Chapter 16, where The Cloud enlisted the class' help in gathering ladybugs to put in a container so Todd could breathe in the air around the ladybugs to see if they were what was making the school sick. They came to the conclusion that the ladybugs did not cause everyone to get sick, and the experiment was successful.
2020-09-2611 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 76: The Cloud, Chapter 16A few weeks ago, we brought you Chapter 15, where Garrett and Todd gave their health recommendations to a very distracted Mrs. Young. Their suggestions were easy to accomplish, but her distraction left them wondering if they would even see them implemented by the end of the year. Did you know that you can help the Cloud? Simply share a picture of the weather that is happening in your neck of the woods at nightlightstories@gmail.com. We'll place them on the the class website at bit.ly/brisbanegrade4 to help out The Cloud with their science fair d...
2020-08-2313 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 75: The Cloud, Chapter 15A few weeks ago, we brought you Chapter 13 and 14, where Val questioned Melvin, hoping to find out who was putting the extra files in their project. The Cloud came to the assumption that Mr. Brisbane was helping them.
2020-08-0811 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 74: The Cloud, Chapter 13 and 14A few weeks ago, we brought you Chapter 12, where The Cloud found extra resource links, pictures and videos in the digital folders for their science project. They began to hypothesize who could have access to their folders. They made a plan to quietly ask around the classroom to figure out if someone was trying to help their chances of winning.
2020-07-2513 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 73: The Cloud, Chapter 12Last week we brought you Chapter 11, where Val and Garrett went to turn in attendance in the office, when they found the principal, Mr. Wolff, was feeling sick. Mr. Wolff tasked them both with drafting health rules for the school, and ended with him and Jamie going home sick. This week, we bring you Chapter 12. Our sponsor, Texthelp, will be featured before and after this week's episode. Texthelp, the makers of WriQ, is establishing a new revolution for student writing achievement. Join a growing community of students and teachers and try WriQ for free today. Visit: text.h...
2020-07-0319 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 72: The Cloud, Chapter 11 Last week we brought you Chapter 10, where The Cloud discussed how they would divide the work for the science fair amongst themselves, and also thought up ideas to help Jamie make a swift recovery. What type of project have you done or would you be interested in doing for the science fair? Check out the class website at bit.ly/brisbanegrade4 and http://www.nightlightstories.net for a link to be part of the class!
2020-06-2015 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 71: The Cloud, Chapter 10 Two weeks ago we brought you Chapter 9, where The Cloud decided their nicknames and learned about the school's upcoming science fair. Mr. Brisbane incentivized entering the science fair by giving no homework while the students prepared their projects! The class clusters were all abuzz about options for the projects they could do.
2020-06-0720 min
Night Light StoriesThe Cloud, Chapter 9 Last week we brought you Chapter 8, where the four friends organized their efforts and solved Mr. Brisbane's riddle, and due to their resourcefulness on the internet, he dubbed them "The Cloud". Check out the class website at bit.ly/brisbanegrade4 and http://www.nightlightstories.net for a link to be part of the class! This week, we have chapter 9. Our sponsor, Texthelp, will be featured before and after chapter 9. Texthelp, the makers of Fluency Tutor are offering it for free through the end of the school year. Try it today, by visiting: text.help/nightlightstories
2020-05-2416 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 69: The Cloud, Chapter 8Just a reminder that we are recording a novella that Mr. Chris and I wrote. The story, about kids solving a mystery using their technology skills, has twenty-five chapters. Last week we brought you Chapter 7, where the four friends organized their efforts by dividing up the clues to research and creating a shared word processing doc. The whole class worked in their somewhat chosen pods in order to breakdown the visuals and audio clues given. They also worked to create unique and individualized name tags. You, too, can follow the clues and help them out by utilizing some...
2020-05-1821 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 68: The Cloud, Chapter 7Just a reminder that we are recording a novella that Mr. Chris and I wrote. The story, about kids solving a mystery using their technology skills, has twenty-five chapters. Last week we brought you Chapter 5 and 6, where the students worked on solving the clues that their new 4th grade teacher, Mr. Brisbane had given them in multiple different formats. They were presented with pictures, audio directions from the computer, clues on a class website and search engines for research. In order to get Mr. Brisbane to talk they have to solve his puzzle. You, too, can follow the...
2020-05-0922 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 67: The Cloud, Chapter 5 and 6Just a reminder that we are recording a novella that Mr. Chris and I wrote. The story, about kids solving a mystery using their technology skills, has twenty-five chapters. Last week we brought you Chapter 4, where the students were introduced to their fourth grade teacher in a very unique way. In order to get their teacher to talk, they will need to follow a series of clues. You, too, can follow the clues! Be sure to listen for the class website name (bit.ly/brisbanegrade4) and check out the Clues Corner on the blog for a link to...
2020-05-0434 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 66: The Cloud, Chapter 4We hope this finds you and your family safe and well. We last saw our 4 friends being introduced to their new teacher in the gymnasium. They also found out who was, in fact, in their class. As they all followed their new teacher, Mr. Brisbane, to their classroom, there were many rumors floating through the line about Mr. Brisbane's past. This week, we bring you Chapter 4 of The Cloud.
2020-04-2520 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 65: The Cloud, Chapter 3Hello and welcome to episode 65 of the Night Light Stories podcast recorded on April 11, 2020. This podcast tells one original story (or part of an original story) each episode that will light up the imaginations of children of all ages, anytime, anywhere. Just a reminder that we are recording a novella that Mr. Chris and I wrote. The story, about kids solving a mystery using their technology skills, has twenty-five chapters. We’re putting out each chapter as a separate episode of the podcast. Last week we brought you Chapter 2, where four friends met up at the school on...
2020-04-1620 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #64: The Cloud, Chapter 2 Last week we brought you Chapter 1, where we met four friends who were utilizing a video conferencing tool on their computers to meet up at the end of summer. Together, they share their excitement and anticipation for the start of a new school year and to discuss a mysterious new addition to the staff. This week, we’re excited to present Chapter 2 of The Cloud! Stay well and stay safe!
2020-04-0616 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 63: The Cloud, Chapter 1Four friends meet virtually on the last night of summer break to discuss events that happened at the school over the summer. They also prepare to meet their mysterious new-to-the-school fourth grade teacher.
2020-03-3014 minTalking With Tech AAC PodcastCatherine Fredericks - Increasing AAC Buy-in with Parents and Teachers in the SchoolsWe need your help to keep Talking with Tech going strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech.
This week, Chris interviews Catherine Fredricks, a School-Based SLP & AAC Specialist with Wayne Township Public Schools. Catherine shares about her experience using AAC with students with a variety of needs (bilingual students, language-delayed students who are verbal, students with complex communication needs, etc) and how she builds excitement at school for a student’s early progress with AAC. Hearing about how she has built success and buy-in within the schools is useful and...
2019-11-131h 00Talking With Tech AAC PodcastLance McLemore: Learning to Become a Proficient AAC UserIn this week’s episode, Chris interviews proficient AAC user and Prentke Romich Company (PRC) Ambassador Lance McLemore! Before the interview, Chris is joined again by his wife, Melissa Bugaj! Melissa and Chris discuss the first ever International #ATChat, which focused on AAC and Access. Next, Melissa discusses her recent experiences with students who use AAC. Melissa shares about learning to increase wait time, how AAC devices are helping users to demonstrate competencies for alternative assessment, and how a student self-regulated his behavior by protesting on a device.
Following this discussion, Chris interviews PRC Ambassador and...
2019-03-2659 minTalking With Tech AAC PodcastMo Buti: Tips for Writing IEPs and Working With IEP TeamsThis week, Rachel and Chris connect with Chris’ wife, Melissa Bugaj to talk about what makes a successful IEP meeting! Melissa is Dean of Special Education at Loudoun Valley High School and has lots to share about effective meetings, including the need for open and transparent communication, the importance of agendas, and why involving parents before the IEP meeting is so important! Rachel also shares about her experiences with IEP meetings, and why, whenever possible, Rachel tries to talk with a student during an IEP meeting rather than about him or her.
Following this discussion, Chri...
2019-03-2052 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #62: Terrapene Ornata, Part 3During the summer before his fifth grade school year Haver Hawkings sets out to find all 21 geocaches hidden by an expert named Babatoochee. Having found 20 of the 21 caches, Haver searches for the final one hoping it will be the secret that unlocks the entire mystery. http://nightlightstories.net
This episode is sponsored by http://bit.ly/bagsbybetty
2014-04-2034 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #61: Terrapene Ornata, Part 2Haver, a bit of a neat freak, heads out to find the first of the 21 caches hidden by expert geocacher, Babatoochee. Unfortunately for Haver, obtaining the cache isn't as easy as he had hoped.
2014-03-0716 minNight Light StoriesTerrapene Ornata, Part 1Haver Hawkings loves geography and maps but hates getting dirty. When his teacher introduces him to a global hobby called "geocaching" Haver learns there's a world of hidden objects for him to discover. http://nightlightstories.net
2014-01-1819 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #59 (Flashlight): Interview with a ZombieA talk show host interviews a zombie about his latest viral video.
This episode is sponsored by Soda Stream http://sodastreamusa.com
http://nightlightstories.net
2013-10-2008 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #58: Pogona Vitticeps, Part 2Admist tragedy, Vivien learns the secret behind her visions and discovers she has a difficult choice to make.
http://nightlightstories.net
http://bit.ly/nlsitunes
2013-05-2623 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #57: Pogona Vitticeps, Part 1Strange images seemingly appear out of nowhere when Vivien spends time with a special animal.
2013-04-3016 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #56: The BasementA boy works to keep his imagination from getting the best of him in order to complete a chore for his mother.
2013-03-2716 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #55 (Flashlight): Football HeroThere's only seconds left in the big game. Who will be the football hero?
2013-02-2406 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 54: Mojo Makes The Most Of ItMojo the ferret is going on a trip but his destination isn't what he expected. What ever will he do to entertain himself?
2013-01-2015 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 53: OhwhatfunitisCarol is way behind with her Christmas preparations when she starts to experience some strange symptoms. Can her family step up to help her out?
2012-12-1713 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #52: Auntie Kerry and the Paskamansett Pumpkin RegattaAuntie Kerry recruits her family to fulfill her dream of competing in a unique river race but when she gets sick they are forced to come together as a team without their fearless leader. http://nightlightstories.net
This episode is sponsored by http://parsonagesoap.com
2012-11-2217 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 51: The Yawn ContagionPrincess 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? http://nightlightstories.net
2012-10-2822 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 50 (Flashlight): MigrationA boy and his mother discover the wonder of watching a letter fly through the sky.
2012-09-3006 minNight Light StoriesDragonfly, Dragonfly E-book AnnouncementHere's that BIG ANNOUNCEMENT we mentioned in the previous episode! Dragonfly, Dragonfly Show Us The Way (Episode 11 of the podcast) have been adapted into an children's e-book for the iPad and iPhone! The books is available for $2.99 within the Flying Books App. Learn more at http://nightlightstories.net
2012-09-2906 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #49: The MankieSimon receives a mysterious present from his uncle. Can he use his powers of observation to unravel its special purpose? This episode is sponsored by Nature's Clean Choice Anti-microbial Baby Blankets protected by Fossshield. http://bit.ly/superblanket
2012-08-2919 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #48: Grabby Goose Gets GreedyGrabby Goose learns the value of true friendship when things got awry on Lake Wallawallawampack.
2012-07-2718 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #47: Everything In This Story Stinks!Come along on a tour of the exhibits featured in the Museum of Malodorous Art!
2012-06-0316 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 46: Pedal PowerWhile learning to ride a bike, a boy learns that perseverance breeds confidence.
2012-04-2914 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 45 (Flashlight): A Letter from a LeprechaunThis flashlight episode features a letter from a leprechaun named Seamus who explains how he escaped from the leprechaun trap. http://nightlightstories.net
2012-03-1705 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #44: Clementine's Big MessClementine the cupid has lost his magical quiver. Can his friends help him find it?
2012-03-0416 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #43: The Spelling BeeA boy prepares for his shot at taking home the spelling bee championship. Will he succeed?
2012-02-0319 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #42: Toe JamA boy's personal collection grows into something far bigger than himself.
2012-01-1018 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode 41: Candy Cane CatastropheTragedy befalls a boy and his candy cane on a long car drive to Grandma's for the holidays.
2011-12-0314 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 40: Turns of the SeasonsOne by one, the seasons take turns impacting people's lives. This episode features a bumper from New England Patriot, Kyle Arrington.
2011-11-1913 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #39: A Glummy, Gloomy HalloweenA goblin named Glum wants to have a surprise birthday party for his brother Gloom, but every monster he invites already has plans for the evening.
2011-10-2111 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 38: Eat The CakeA little one has a special request for everyone in attendance at her fourth birthday party.A special thanks to Raz of the Just Ask Raz show for sending us a bumper!
2011-10-0408 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #37: Mojo's Outdoor AdventureMojo the ferret takes an unexpected trip outside but will he be able to find a way back in?
2011-08-2717 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #36: The Farm Girl and The FeatherA fairytale that proves warriors and their weapons come in different shapes and sizes.
2011-07-1722 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #35: Bird Seeds
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.
2011-07-0321 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #34 (Flashlight): The LimerigA limerick for Better Hearing and Speech Month. For more about Better Hearing and Speech Month check out http://asha.org.
http://nightlightstories.net
2011-05-0804 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #33: Alien PursuitA family fends off alien pursuers on their way home from the grocery store. http://nightlightstories.net
Thanks to Mover Rich from the Imagination Movers for the cool bumper! http://imaginationmovers.com
2011-04-0411 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #32 (Flashlight): The Leprechaun TrapThis episode is a special St. Patrick’s Day flashlight episode about two leprechauns caught in a leprechaun trap. A flashlight episode means that it is just a wee bit shorter than our other stories, but we think you’ll find it just as illuminating. http://nightlightstories.net
2011-03-1300 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #31: That's Not How Daddy Does ItA rhyming poem where a boy discovers the differences between his parents' styles of play.
2011-03-0511 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 30: Mojo's Reptile Rescue
Mojo the ferret discovers a new friend in the most unlikely of places.
2011-02-0612 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #29: The Wrestling MatchTwo wrestlers meet in the ring for a re-match! Who will come out victorious?
2011-01-1109 min
Night Light StoriesI'mSorryTruckTheBoardGame.pdfA downloadable PDF board game related to the story "The I'm Sorry Truck", episode 8 of the podcast.
2011-01-0900 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #28: Red vs. GreenWhen a team of Christmas elves goes against a team of St. Patrick's Day leprachauns in the Holiday Hockey Winter Classic, who will win?
2010-12-1423 min
Night Light StoriesEpisode #27: Agent Tissue has an Issue
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?
2010-11-0814 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 26: The Heebie JeebiesWhat goes bump in the night? How do you keep the Heebie Jeebies away, especially on Halloween?
2010-10-1507 min2010-09-2413 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 24: Bus Stop BraveryGetting ready for the very first bus ride on the very first day of school can be a nerve-racking experience!
2010-08-1807 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 23: The Ooga Boogas
A tribe of Ooga Boogas try to change their lives for the better with unexpected results.
2010-08-0406 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 22: The HikeThe sequel to "The Walk" describes the boy's adventures he has on a hike with his family.
2010-07-2255 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 21: Lulu and Her Lavender LionA girl's journey through her memories with her imaginary friend.
2010-06-2812 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 20 (Flashlight): My Mother, My HeroHello All,
Surprise! Happy Mother's Day! Mr. Chris and I dedicate this quick flashlight episode to our beautiful moms who have supported and loved us through thick and thin. We are so grateful for every phone call, hug, and chocolate lollipop you bring us. We would have bought you flowers, but thought a poem was something you could listen to over and over all year round to remind you how very special you are.
VORACIOUS VOCABULARY
2010-05-0905 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #19: Mojo and the Ear Mites
Some exciting things are happening in the Night Light Stories household that we want to share with you! Mr. Chris and I were asked to write a series of children's books. We are thrilled and eager to create a story that you'll get to read in print form! We've already started working on the project and we're really happy with how it is coming together. We're going to have a lot of fun working on the story, but it is also going to take a lot of time and a lot of hard work. Unfortunately, that means we're going to...
2010-03-1415 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #18: Captain Destructo
Hi All,
Currently, in the Night Light Stories household, we have been working with our two young children on having patience with each other. Our youngest is in the destroying phase and that makes for a very unhappy big brother. We try to remind him that she is learning and to make him a part of the teaching process. It can be hard though, for both of them. However, when one is upset or hurt, the other one is the first one to be there to offer comfort and kind words. They are, in every sense...
2010-02-1406 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #17: Sled RideHi All,
We hope the New Year is finding you well! We have been getting more snow than usual this month here at the Night Light Stories household. Having a 4 year old and 2 year old to bundle up to get outside takes some time and patience. Once we get out there though, it is worth it! There is a lot to do like snow angels, snow ball fights, snow forts, snow men and sledding. So many choices, so little time!
In other Night Light news, we were thrilled to have a local new...
2010-01-1606 minNight Light StoriesAll Things Inky Activity TemplateTry any or all of these fun activities with Inky!
1. Color Inky your favorite color using markers, crayons, colored pencils, or any other fun coloring tool you have!
2. Paint or color an ocean scene on a piece of paper and then paste Inky somewhere in your seascape!
3. Design Inky's den for him. Where would his bed be? Would he have a kitchen?
4. Use a crayon and color all of Inky's pieces heavily. Really bear down on the crayon so that you cannot see any white spots. When you are finished, flip the pape...
2009-12-1200 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 16: Inky's ChristmasClick here to listen to: Chilly's Christmas (our first Christmas story)
Hello All,
Season Greetings! We want to send out our warmest Night Light wishes to you and your family during this holiday season. This time of year, we look forward to a lot of parties, lights, decorations, singing, and presents. There are a lot of different ways to give through the holiday seasons. You can give your time to a worthy cause, collect food, collect toys, even donate a book for children in the hospital. Share with us a way that you have given in...
2009-12-1221 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #15: Mojo's Cousin TroubleWe're in the holiday season. There will be days off of school and work, eating mouth watering foods and desserts, and of course, spending time with those you love. Whether you are traveling by plane, car, or train, we wish you a safe journey. Personally, in the Night Light Stories household, we love to jam to music from Rocknoceros, Laurie Berkner, Imagination Movers and Recess Monkey on our iPods, listen to stories and watch a movie or two. We also love to play games to pass the time like car Bingo or I Spy. Whatever your plans are this holiday...
2009-11-2111 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 14: The Patchwork Pumpkin - Part 2Hello All, We hope you enjoyed part two of the Patchwork Pumpkin. We plan on posting the pictures of our jack-o-lanterns this weekend after our "Carvefest" with the kid's grandparents. We would love to see yours as well! Send us a picture of how you are celebrating this time of year and we will post it for all to enjoy!
CONTEST CORNERTo help celebrate our 1st two part story, the Northern Virginia based band, Rocknoceros, generously offered their newest CD, PINK, as a prize for a contest. To enter, simply visit...
2009-10-2312 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 13: The Patchwork Pumpkin - Part 1Hello All, Have you ever carved a pumpkin or made a scarecrow? The Night Light Stories household loves to do both. So far, we have created the scarecrow that is pictured below. The pumpkins are scheduled to be carved next weekend when the grandparents arrive for a visit.
We would love to see a picture of your pumpkins, scarecrows, or any of the Harvest time decorations you created this year. Send the pictures to nightlightstories@gmail.com and we will post them on the site for all to enjoy, as well as in our Fan A...
2009-10-1717 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 12.5 (Flashlight): ClickHi All, Happy Autumn! The first day of Fall, September 22nd, was this week and I could not be happier. It is definitely our favorite season in the Night Light household. The crisp chilly air, no more pesky little gnats swarming your head and jumping in huge leaf piles! Although the days do become shorter and it gets darker earlier and stays dark later in the morning. Our night lights have to work overtime during this season. Our Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Princess night lights all do a wonderful job of keeping our rooms illuminated and help...
2009-09-2604 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 12: Untitled Imagination StoryHi All,The school year is in full swing at the Night Light household. Trail hiking, river swimming and all day family days will have to wait until the weekends. Our minds are rested and rejuvenated from the summer adventures and we are ready to have some new adventures in school! We hope you admire your teacher, are blissful when collaborating with your classmates, never disguise how ecstatic you are about school, flabbergasted by all the new things you learn, and most of all we wish you all a gigantically successful school year!
2009-09-1213 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 11: Dragonfly, Dragonfly, Show Us The WayClick here to listen to: Dragonfly, Dragonfly, Show Us the WayHi All,Here we are in the last month of summer vacation. Can you believe it? We have had a great summer taking time to visit with our family and friends. Speaking of our friends, we are having a quick contest in honor of celebrating our little man turning FOUR with all of our friends! What will you win?Two imaginative, energetic and catchy music CD's. "FIELD TRIP" from Recess Monkey "JUICE BOX HEROES" from Imagination MoversTo enter, simply...
2009-08-1815 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 10: The Watermelon SeedClick here to listen to: The Watermelon Seed Hi All, We are hoping you are enjoying the start of your summer! In our last post we listed a few reading programs we found helpful and illuminating to keep you reading all summer long. Here is one more program from Scholastic Books that we just discovered! What did you say? A word of the day! That is right! In our story there aremany juicy words that are fun to learn and say! astute: smart, quick, perceptive awry: away from the expected or...
2009-06-1710 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 9: Mojo Goes BananasHi All,Happy End of the School Year! Thanks to all of you who participated in the contest by leaving a comment on the blog . There are a lot of ways that people can feel special. Stop by this post and check out the really inspiring entries at www.nightlightstories.blogspot.com. While you're there feel free to share what makes you feel special.aroma: an agreeable odor; fragrance.promptly: quick to act pungent: sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell, as if by a penetrating powerreplenish: t...
2009-05-3109 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 8: The I'm Sorry TruckThe I'm Sorry Truck was originally inspired by a drawing made by Daddy and son for Momma after a particularly bad day filled with poor choices. Check out the blog over at http://www.nightlightstories.blogspot.com
2009-05-1505 minNight Light StoriesNight Light Stories Promo #1A short promo for the Night Light Stories podcast featuring original stories for children of all ages. For more information or to listen to the stories from the web check out http://www.nightlightstories.blogspot.com
2009-05-1500 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 7: The WalkHappy Spring! As we have shared in our past few entries, one of our most favorite activities to do is take a walk or hike. On weeknights after dinner, we enjoy walking around our mountain as a family. We love to check on the level of the babbling creek, hike off the beaten path to the many interesting rocks formations, run as fast as we can down the dirt roads, and listen for birds chirping and other little critters skittering around. Sometimes we are really lucky and see our deer friends "Hoppy" and "Twirly" and their babies that are the...
2009-03-2211 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 6 (Flashlight): Day Light Savings TimeHello All,Happy Daylight Savings Time! I know we are thrilled to move an hour ahead in this household. We love that our two young children who really like to wake up at 6 AM will now wake up at 7AM. Well, OK, maybe just for Sunday, but at least we get one day of feeling that we are waking up at a normal hour! Also, we are so excited that longer, lighter, warmer days are on their way. The Appalachian Trail is one of our favorite spots to spend our weekends and nights. It is such an...
2009-03-0704 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 5: A Tooth's StoryHello All, The month of February flew by and the Night Light Stories' household has successfully healed from surgery, edited a book, and completed a fun story for your listening pleasure. Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, we though our story fit this month perfectly. A Tooth's Story was written by Chris and Melissa Bugaj. Enjoy! What did you say? A word of the day!That is right! In our story there are many juicy words that are fun to learn and say! I am going to post a word or tw...
2009-03-0117 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 4 (Flashlight): SquirclesWe are excited to introduce our first "flashlight" episode. A "flashlight" episode is shorter than other episodes, but we think you'll find them just as illuminating. In honor of this being our first "Flashlight", we are giving away some great books generously donated to us by our sponsor, Barefoot Books. Their books are original, entertaining, and so imaginative. There are two ways to enter and you can do just one or both! The first way is to draw a squircle by listening to the poem. Now, take that squircle and make a picture. Your picture can be...
2009-01-2005 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 3: DaleClick here to listen to Dale Hello All, We here at Night Light Stories are excited to announce our very first contest. It is easy to enter, and fun to do! Simply send us an original picture of your favorite scene or character from the story Dale. One winner will be chosen randomly on January 28th, 2009. The winner will receive one free set of Goosie Cards! All you need to do to enter is send us a digital picture of your work of art to www.nightlightstories@gmail.com. We would love to see...
2009-01-1014 minNight Light StoriesEpisode 2: Chilly's ChristmasHello All, The holiday season is upon us and our house, probably like yours, is buzzing with excitement! Our second story, Chilly's Christmas was written by Chris and Melissa Bugaj. As you listen to the story consider the following, Have you ever been in a situation where things are different from what you are used to? What did you say? A word of the day!That is right! In our story there are many juicy words that are fun to learn and say! I am going to post a word or two or three from...
2008-12-1320 minNight Light StoriesEpisode #1: Mojo and The Magic CouchThe first of the stories is up for your listening pleasure. I am so thrilled to have started this and get the light glowing bright! I wanted to share a little background on the story of Mojo and the Magic Couch. My husband and I are the authors. We came up with the idea for it after we noticed our ferret, Mojo, was escaping into the depths of our couch. He literally had dug a hole in between the cushions and would leap in there while we desperately tried to get to him before he wriggled his slinky body all...
2008-12-0508 min