April Eight Songs & Stories

Today's story has Jemi and Sander in it. Did you know they were friends? They have some magical visitors who have come in search of a lost fairy that Jemi knows. Fortunately, Sander has an idea of a way to help all the important guests who land in Jemi's backyard. A tale of friendship and kindness. And Thom and Brizbane are there too! A great story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time.  This is the beginning of a series of stories I've been working on for a while. You'll find many of our old friends from other stories I've shared on the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. But of course, if you have never heard a single one, you'll still be able to enjoy the tale. So come on. let's get on with it!  If you'd like to hear the stories I'm referring to, then please listen to the first 10 episodes of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast, as well as episode 20, The Lost Giant.  Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Fac

Episode 43 is a song! It is a welcome to summer song because today, my friends, summer officially begins here in the United States. This is also the beginning of Season 5 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. I’ve been making this podcast for 2 years now, and I’m so glad that I started it. I love my listeners so much and I have new stories coming your way in the month of July. The next one has Jemi in it! If you don’t know who Jemi is, look no further than the aprileight.com website! Jemi was the friend we met in Episode 1 and she is the first character I ever made for April Eight. You can listen to all three episodes of that story right here.  But now, down to business. We’ve got a song to sing. This one is an old favorite of mine, it is called Wild Mountain Thyme by Francis McPeake. It is an old Scottish song, and I like that because I’ve got some Scottish in me. I love to sing this with my children and I can’t wait to sing it with you. Here is how the chorus goes. Will you go Lassie go, and we’

The last story of the Two Sisters and the Wolf Series - Two sisters, Sar and Neiva, travel through forests, mountains and now a dense fog to reach the Fairy Ice Skating Ball. Will they make it in time or get lost in the mists? A great fairytale story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time with a sweet, happy ending.  This story might remind you of April Eight Songs & Stories Episode 19, "Grammy and the Star Soup" - listen to that one and this one and see how they are alike and how they are different.  Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Facebook: facebook.com/aprileight Get your Reward! patreon.com/aprileight Here is an excerpt from today's story:  “I suppose this is why folks call this place the Veiled Valley”, said Neiva. “But I think we can make it, sister. We have wolf and wolf can find anything.” Neiva ran her hand through wolf’s thick fur. “Right wolf?” she said. Wolf licked her hand and Sar nodded. Wolf *could* f

Episode 41 is a Song! It is a winter lullaby called "Time to Sleep". If you ever listened to Episode 18 Meggie and Felix and the Snowy Little Minute, well then you might know it. If so, then please, by all means, sing along with me! And listen for characters you’ve heard about in some of the April Eight Songs & Stories podcast episodes, like goblins and fairies. http://www.aprileight.com Choose your reward and keep this show singing and storying at http://www.patreon.com/aprileight http://www.instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstoriespodcast http://facebook.com/aprileight Time to Sleep by April Eight Time to sleep Winter's a dreamy time to sleep Curl up tight When the sun goes dim, it's time to turn in... Time to dream Soar through the stars on your fairy wings Howl at the moon like a goblin sings It is your dream to dream When the snow drifts have settled and the birds say goodbye The shelter of slumber kisses your sweet eyes Let go your troubles with your heart on your sleeve the world's at your feet

While traveling through the woods, two sisters come across a golden moose in great distress. Yet they are breaking all the rules by helping him - what will they do? A great story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time. This one has a little listener participation in it!  Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Facebook: facebook.com/aprileight Get your Reward! patreon.com/aprileight Here is an excerpt from today's episode:  Sar and Neiva looked around. They did not want to get caught breaking the rules about stepping off the high road or touching the Giant King’s animals. And yet, here they were, standing near a giant shiny animal who was making the loudest noise anyone could possibly make. How could they possibly NOT get caught? Still. The girls were determined. They couldn’t just leave him there. Sar dropped her pack on a nearby boulder and carefully approached the golden moose. He was thrashing his huge head around and stomp

Episode 39 is a song episode. Today’s song is one of my favorites. Hmmmm, I think I say that every time don’t I? Well my friends, I love to sing. I wrote this song for one of my listeners when she was 6 years old. Well, she must be 12 years old today! This song is about shining with your heart - no matter what!  A great song for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time.  http://www.aprileight.com Choose your reward and keep this show singing and storying at http://www.patreon.com/aprileight http://www.instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstoriespodcast http://facebook.com/aprileight   Sarah Shining by April Eight c 2012 Sarah it’s a lovely day The wind blows cold and the skies are grey Even the flowers are hiding away But who cares for we have you, Shining through.   Sarah smile for us. Share the spark that shines from your heart There’s nothing more that the world could hope for Than the wonderful girl that is you, Shining through.   Sarah happy birthday to you Six years old, so much to be and d

On their way through the snowy mountains of Way Over There, two sisters and their wolf encounter a magical creature who needs their help. But to step off the High Road to his aid means breaking the rules of the fearsome Giant King and risk everything. What will they do? A great story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time.  Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Facebook: facebook.com/aprileight Get your Reward! patreon.com/aprileight and I also mention Kids Listen friend Brains On in this episode. #AllKindsOfLove Here is an excerpt from today's story: The fairy sisters left the pixies far behind as they followed their wolf through the ancient snowy forest until it began to thin out and grow steeper. Haukka scouted up ahead. She called down to let them know that they were coming to the foothills of the mountains. The Mountains of Way Over There they were called, but the girls always thought of them as the Mountains of the Gian

Today’s Episode is a song - “The Wassailing Song” - to welcome in the new year.  Hello and welcome. I’m so glad you are here. Have you been home for winter break? My whole family is home today, and they are little bit noisy. Of course, they are not as noisy as tiny little Roxie is all by herself because they don’t bark, but you might hear them in the background. They are downstairs right now working on a puzzle and watching a soccer game - if someone scores a goal, oh, we’ll all know about it, dear listener.     http://www.aprileight.com Choose your reward and support this show at http://www.patreon.com/aprileight http://www.instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstoriespodcast http://facebook.com/aprileight   Now, today I have an ancient song to sing for you in celebration of the new year and all the good that comes from kindness and wishing your neighbor well. I’m going to sing the Wassailing Song. Do you know it? Did you know that this song, some say, has been sung for over a thousand years? I hope you’ll sing w

On their way through the winter forest, through enchanted kingdoms and realms, two sisters and their Wolf trek for days to the Fairy Ice Skating Ball to celebrate the new year, sleeping under the stars as they go. Will they get there in time? Who will they meet? And where is Haukka?  Oh, and there might just be a pixie snowball fight in this story.... Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Facebook: facebook.com/aprileight Get your Reward! patreon.com/aprileight  Here is an excerpt from today's story: Walking into the sunlight and the snow, Sar following where the wolf lead, leaving wolf tracks behind them for Neiva to follow as they picked their way deeper and deeper into the depths of the winter forest. The watchful yellow eyes of the wolf, keen to keep Sar close, kept flicking back to make sure she was there. Of course, the wolf didn’t need to look. He heard every noise that hung in the air. The almost imperceptibly silent sound of snowfall, of bi

Today’s Episode is called “In the Window” it is Episode 35!   I am so excited because today I have a Hanukkah song for you that I get to sing with my dear 7 year old nephew Sander, one of my favorite kids in the whole wide world. Now, some of you might be wondering if he is the same Sander who helped a giant in the Episode 20, “Sander and the Lost Giant’. Well, yes, in fact, he is. Only he might have just met that giant in my imagination… but Sander does have a fuzzy funny little dog named Birdie. That part is absolutely real!   Now, this is one of my favorite times of the year. Yes, it is so dark because it is almost the solstice, the longest darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, but that is why, have you noticed, so many different cultures and religions celebrate the light that we people can bring to each other. One of those celebrations is Hanukkah, a festival of lights that people of the Jewish religion observe. Each night they light one more candle on the menorah. http://www.aprileight.com

Story 2: A goblin, a witch, and a muddy white cat walk into a Goblin Gathering... A shy young goblin named Gilbert looks for help from the dreaded Which Witch and her cat Jinxy to speak before the Goblin Council at the Great Goblin Gathering on Halloween night. A delgithful  story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time.  Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Facebook: facebook.com/aprileight Get your Reward! patreon.com/aprileight Here is an excerpt from today's story: “You must have been pretty desperate to come to my door,” said the Which Witch.  “What were you hoping I would do for you, Gilbert Goblin? Create a magical spell that would give you the courage to speak before the Great Goblin Gathering?” Gilbert nodded. For the great Goblin Gathering was a night when every goblin stood before the whole goblin assembly and bragged about all the gobliny things they have done over the course of a long year. But Gilbert, being a v

Welcome to Episode 33 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. Today’s song is one of gratitude to celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States. April Eight is great for your kids at while you are making dinner, at bathtime, bedtime, car time, and family time.  I learned this song from a Norwegian farmer named, Benta, who lives up in Wisconsin. She also taught me how to milk sheep and goats which was wonderful.  patreon.com/aprileight aprileight.com instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories facebook.com/aprileight twitter.com/aprileightmusic It goes like this: Bread is a lovely thing to eat, God Bless the barley and the wheat, a lovely thing to breath this air, God bless the sunshine everywhere, The Earth is a lovely place to know God bless the folks that come and go Alive is a lovely thing to be Giver of life, we say thanks to thee. Thank you for listening to the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. For all things April Eight, please go to aprileight.com. And to support this show, please go to pa

I’m so excited to have a Halloween Story for you today called "The Which Witch and the Goblin", it is Episode 32! Story 1 : On Halloween night, all goblins gather at Great Goblin Hall to share their tales of the gobliny deeds they've done throughout the year. But Gilbert Goblin doesn't want to - it's too scary! Gilbert goes to the tricky Which Witch for advice. Will she and her cat Jinxy help him or trick him? A special Halloween story about following your heart and honoring your own voice. Web: aprileight.com Kids Listen: app.kidslisten.org Insta: instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories Facebook: facebook.com/aprileight Get your Reward! patreon.com/aprileight Now some of my friends and fellow podcasters at Kids Listen are telling Halloween stories too --Just for kids like you! My pal David at Sparkle Stories is sharing a story all about the Teal Pumpkin Project and two best friends who love to go Trick or Treating together only one of them has a food allergy. What will they do? GO find out on the Sparkle Sto

Today we launch Season 4 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast with a few special guests! The Which Witch is here and Gilbert Goblin stopped by to sing with me The Merry Gnomes Song - "Gnomes are Short” a fun song in the round and a fun podcast episode for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time and family time. Hello my friends, and welcome to Season 4 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. Oh, I know, I have been away too, too long, but instead of writing stories I’ve been doing all sorts of things to make listening to my April Eight Songs and Stories podcast easier for you and your family. For one thing, I built a whole new website all by myself, which was a little harder than I expected. But it is done now, so go look at it and tell me what you think. It is still at aprileight.com - and that eight is always spelled out, e-i-g-h-t. http://www.aprileight.com Choose your reward and support this show at http://www.patreon.com/aprileight Alright, down to business. I have a silly song to sha

Welcome to Episode 27 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. Today’s story is called “Charlie and Lucy on the Road, a Sing-Along Episode,“ a great story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time.    Now it is a Sing-Along Episode, so I hope you have your singing voice ready. Charlie and Lucy told me to tell you not to worry. They said that the more out of tune and goofy you are, the more fun everyone will have. So sing with all your heart and don’t worry too much about the rest.  I'm so glad you are here, and I can't wait to tell you today's story. Find more April Eight at  aprileight.com Instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories YouTube.com/aprileightmusicFacebook.com/aprileight Today's story references a few other great podcasts for kids as part of our Kids Listen "Hit the Road" Sweeps - you can find them all at app.kidslisten.org.  The podcasts I share are  The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian Buttons & Figs Good Stuff Kids Podcast and my story The Butterfly Adventurer - for

Welcome to Episode 29 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. Today’s story is “Story 3 - Quinn Quillow and the Blue Ribbon", a great story for your kids at bathtime, bedtime, car time, and family time.  aprileight.com instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories facebook.com/aprileight twitter.com/aprileightmusic Quinn Quillow is a storycatcher. On his way to the Town Beside the River with the Leaning Clock Tower, he caught this tale, and he is now sharing it with the townspeople young and old. Today's we here the last part of the story, "Quinn Quillow and the Blue Ribbon." It made me laugh when I wrote it, and I hope it makes you laugh too. It is up to Stella Squirrel and her buddy It is up to Stella Squirrel and her buddy Brizbane, a tiny mouse with a lot of attitude, to see if they can get the lost ribbon from Mrs. Robin's nest. Here is an excerpt from today's story...  --  Stella was pulled out of her chestnut stew reveries by the sound of a shrill small voice calling up to her, “Stella! Stella!” And

 Today’s episode is called “A Little Minute about Us!” because today’s episode is the one-year anniversary of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast! It is Episode 28! I called it a little minute about us because I love us, you and me together, so much! I have loved sharing my songs and stories and joy with you, my dear listeners. And we’ve been doing that for a whole year! Can you believe it? A whole year of fun for your kids at bathtime, bedtime, car time and family time.  Find more April Eight at  aprileight.com Instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories YouTube.com/aprileightmusicFacebook.com/aprileight If April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast was a one-year-old baby whale, it would be almost 43 feet long even though it is still practically a baby! (or 13 meters for those of you who measure that way). But instead of growing I’ve been writing! I’ve written 24 stories, shared 5 different little minutes with you, well six including this one, sung lots of silly and sweet songs and come up with as many dif

Welcome to Episode 27 of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. Today’s story is called “Quinn Quillow and the Blue Ribbon“. This story is a continuation of the story we started at Episode 24, Quinn Quillow, Story Catcher" a great story for your kids at bath time, bedtime, car time, and family time.   I'm so glad you are here, and I can't wait to tell you today's story. Find more April Eight at  aprileight.com Instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories YouTube.com/aprileightmusicFacebook.com/aprileight Today's story references a few characters from other stories I've told, and the most important ones are from the Jemi Series of the April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast. Here they are: Episode 1, Jemi and the Birthday Surprise, Episode 2, Jemi and the Lost Crown and Episode 3: Jemi and the Strawberry Moon. If you haven't heard those, well, it might be fun to go back and listen to them now while you listen to these stories too.  Here is an excerpt from today's story: ... And so he began… and here is the st

Happy National Donut Day! Today’s episode is called “A Little Minute about Donuts ” It is Episode Number 26! How about that? Did you KNOW there was such a thing as NATIONAL DONUT DAY? Well, there is. And it is coming up here in just a minute. Okay, a few days. ---- Find more April Eight at  aprileight.com Instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories YouTube.com/aprileightmusic Facebook.com/aprileight  ---- Now a few years ago I was teaching at a summer camp. I called it April Eight Songs for Peace Camp and the camp kids and I would write songs together all week. We would brainstorm all of our ideas about Peace on the first day of camp and then we would use that big list we made to write songs from all week. And we would also do other stuff like make crafts and do yoga and hike and stuff. It was really fun.   There was this one day that was hot and sticky and everyone was having fun making crafts and playing games but well, they weren’t really in the mood to write a song. The thing was, we had a performance to put

Today’s episode is called “A Little Minute about Mothers! because it is almost Mother’s Day… ” It is Episode Number 25! Hurray!  Now of course to say all the nice things that we have to say about mothers we need WAY MORE than a little minute right? but a little minute is what we have and so we’ll make it work. That’s what mother’s do too, so they’ll understand… ---- Find more April Eight at  aprileight.com Instagram.com/aprileightsongsandstories YouTube.com/aprileightmusicFacebook.com/aprileight My video for my mother's birthday is right here!  There is much to be said for my own dear Mother, and her name is Bonnie. I made a whole video about her for her birthday on my April Eight Songs & Stories YouTube Channel - you can check that out. Now my mom, Bonnie, was a teacher and she taught 5th grade for what seemed like a million years. And everywhere we would go when I was little, big kids and teenagers and adults of all ages would come up to us when we were out and about and say, Mrs. Combs, YOU WERE MY FA