Can anyone suggest a good book that is a basic electronics text that comes with experiments as well? As i was reading through these pages I realized how much I have forgotten since high school..that was..well..more than 10 years ago 
this is good:-
It contains examples at the end of each chapter of things that will and will not work. You are challenged to say why, you could always do them as experiments if you were not sure.
Circuit construction kit:
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc
I used this in my college intro physics classes. High school level. It's got a meter for you to probe around too.
For getting started with logic chips, etc, the now slightly old "Adventures with microelectronics" by Tom Duncan is excellent. See Amazon. I believe he also did one on more basic concepts.
Details... isbn, etc, at...
Make: Electronics Learning by Discovery
by Charles Platt , 2009 O'REILLY
Make: Electronics has my vote...