Tag Archives: books

books, home, mommyhood, NaBloPoMo

Bedtime Stories: Best or Worst Time of the Day?

2 Comments

My kids LOVE being read to. I’m glad – really. I enjoy reading to them whether it’s at bedtime or before naps or whatever other random time they ask. We’ve got hundreds of books (not a lie) and we go to the library to borrow more. I get it from my mom: books are the one thing I almost never say no to. I buy them for no occasion at all, simply because I saw it when I was by myself and wanted to read it to them.

So naturally bedtime should be a wonderful opportunity for snuggles and reading. I should pine for this moment all day long, right?
Well. It doesn’t always go as planned.

Sometimes, for whatever reason (over-tiredness, too much energy, the need of potty or water) it gets difficult. They might be too tired to relax. They might be too wound up to concentrate. They beg to watch TV instead. They might just be using the reading time to put off bedtime. But they won’t stay around, won’t actually listen, won’t acknowledge that someone is reading. It’s like I’m shouting nonsense words just to make them giggle.

But those times are fewer and farther between with each passing day. My little sillies love reading more and more, and I look forward to each night that I get to share Charlotte and Wilbur, Pete the Cat, or 12 little girls in two straight lines. Even Rosie Revere (Rosie Revere, Engineer) and Stillwater  (Zen Shorts) make a weekly appearance in our routine.

I’ll take what I can get, if every few nights, they snuggle up next to me for book after book until my voice is gone and my own eyes are droopy. I’ll keep reading until they would rather read to me, or read under their covers with a flashlight. I know these days are passing quickly, so I will read, read, read to them as much as I can.

Here are a few of our favorites, in case you need some fresh suggestions!

Zen Shorts and Hi, Koo! (by Jon Muth)

Yum Yum Dim Sum (by Amy Wilson Sanger)

Rosie Revere, Engineer (by Andrea Beaty)

Dragons Love Tacos (by Adam Rubin)

The Witch’s Hat (by Tony Johnston, and I know this seems Halloween-themed, but my kids LOVE it.)

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (by Martin/Archambault, and yes, many children have projects based on this one in kindergarten.)

Harold and the Purple Crayon (by Crockett Johnson)

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (by Virginia Lee Burton, and I remember reading this one to my enamored little brother twenty years ago.)

Little Owl’s Night (by Divya Srinivasan – a GREAT bedtime book)

The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child (by Julia Donaldson, and they’re also on Netflix as short cartoons!)

And last but not least, a total favorite: Jesus Storybook Bible (by Sally Lloyd-Jones). You can see how much I love it in this post from last Christmas.

books, NaBloPoMo, random thoughts

Will You (Actually) Be My Friend on Goodreads?

8 Comments

I’ve been a member of Goodreads for several years now, but I don’t think I’m using it to its full potential. Are there any huge Goodreads fans out there? (Come on. Raise your hand, fellow nerds.) Partially, I haven’t been reading as much as I have in the past. You know, becoming a mother and all eats up a lot of your time to read for pleasure. But I also just can’t remember that Goodreads exists. For instance, the other day I logged in from my computer (what?!) and responded to about 75 friend requests from the past nine months. Yep. Nine months. So, if you thought I was weirdly unfriendly on a nerdy, fringe social media site, I promise I wasn’t. I just forget about it altogether. 

But recently I’ve committed to reading more, and that means I need to be seeing the books that other people are loving and recommending so that I can build my list. Truly, new books excite me. But I’ve been in a slump because I’ve just been slowly laboring through LOTR for months now. I’ve commuted to blasting my way through the Return of the King (it’s not like I don’t know how it ends, right?) so that I can start something fresh and new. 

There are several things on my immediate list. First of all, I borrowed the Golden Compass books from a friend, and I want to finish those first. Next, I took a (year-long) break from the Outlander series after Dragonfly in Amber, so I’d like to start back and see what Claire and Jamie are up to. But sometimes I get in a rut when reading series, and I need to break them up with a short, easy to read novel in between them; beach reads, humor, light mystery, or romance are my favorites for this purpose. 

That being said, I’m looking for suggestions for my reading list. I’d love it if you could comment with your trusty favorite, your recent love, or the one you’ve heard is great but haven’t read yet. And seriously, be my friend on Goodreads. 

This post is part of my NaBloPoMo, where I publish a piece each day in November. 

books, mommyhood

Our First Chapter Book

2 Comments

Recently, I’ve been noticing that my daughter was ready to read something big… something that went on from night to night, and didn’t even need to have pictures! This was a big deal for us, since she is only four and cannot read yet. It was also a challenge because the brothers wouldn’t be reading this book… just EK and me. I remember my mom reading Harry Potter to my brother and me as they came out, and now I’m a Potterhead. I’d love to cause a deep love for a story in my kids.

I happened to be at Barnes and Noble about this time buying a few new books for our home and a friend of mine with a new baby. Naturally, I wandered to the chapter book section (within the children’s books) and began looking around. I came upon a new series of books, sponsored by Disney’s Hyperion, and thought they looked very interesting, as they were set in our home state. They were books about a special girl called Serafina, and the first of the series mentioned something about a black cloak. So after reading the back cover, I snagged it.

It wasn’t until a couple of chapters in that I realized this was a little over EK’s head. I don’t mean that she couldn’t keep up with the story. I mean more that I would need to stop and explain words a little too often, and I would need to alter the words here and there… a lot of “kill” or “murder” and many details about blood.

That being said, I learned two things. I learned that I need to be a lot more familiar with the book I choose to read to her than reading the back cover.  I need to ask friends, do research, or choose a book I have read before or have time to read before I start it with her. Next, she is ready for an interesting and complicated storyline. She loved the book, asking me questions and keeping up from day to day (or few days) between reading sessions. Four and a half is not too young to read a chapter book and expect them to remember it! I just should have been a little choosier with the book.

Tomorrow we plan to visit Barnes and Noble after school to choose our next book. I plan to lead her to a certain direction, but I am excited to begin a new journey with my daughter that is just for us. 

What have you read to your kids? Do you have a suggestion for what we should read next?

books

Summer Reading List 

11 Comments

One thing I’ve always loved about summer is that there’s a little more time for reading. And when I say reading, I really mean reading for pleasure. I’ve always been a reader (thanks for passing that on to me, Mom!) and summer just feels like a good time to do it a lot. Even now when I’ve got three kids and WAY less free time than I’ve ever had, I feel a surge of hunger for books.

That being said, I’ve compiled a list of good summer reads if you’re looking for a new one. I’ve read all of these books, and loved them. Some are new, some not so much, but all great reads. Let me know if you’ve read these, or if you have suggestions for my summer reads this year!


One Mother to Another: This Is Just Between Us. My friend Melissa Mowry, who writes at One Mother to Another, wrote this book. It’s a collection of stories from her own life with two boys, and it’s amazing. It came out less than a month ago, and already has amazing reviews on Amazon. Check it out on your e-reader, too!American Wife, by Curtis Sittengren. I read this book several years ago, and the story still haunts me. It’s about an unlikely woman who becomes First Lady, and her struggle to stay true to herself and support her husband at the same time. So good!

Girl on the Train. I know this one is a little older (I was late to the game reading it last summer) but it’s still great. If you don’t normally jump on the “new, trendy book train”, you should make an exception for this. 

Deep Cries Out. Written by another writer I started reading online, Kristen Lavalley (whose blog inspired me to start my own) this is a 30-day devotional for moms in the trenches. They’re short, but deep and life-giving.

Yes Please. Amy Poehler’s memoir is still one of my favorite things I’ve read in the past few years. She’s hilarious, and I love her on screen and on the page. LOVE YOU, AMY!

Divergent. I know- young adult literature. But sometimes, you need a book (or series!) that sucks you in, keeps your attention, and isn’t so complicated to read. It’s a great vacation read! AND I always like to read he booms that movies are based on. Which leads me to…

Lord of the Rings. I’m actually reading this right now. It’s my third or fourth try, but the first time I’m actually enjoying it. Tolkien has always been laborious for me, but for some reason, this time I’m flying through and totally enjoying myself. So if you’ve tried and failed at LOTR in the past, I encourage you to give it another shot!

Well there’s a nice little list for you. What are you reading? Should I read it, too?!

books, food, home, mommyhood

Currently

2 Comments

Y’all. It’s already February! How can that possibly be? I feel like Christmas just happened. January got a complete pass this year. Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?! (There is a right and wrong answer, by the way..) We will obviously cheer for the Panthers, Peyton Manning or not. Go Cam! 

 Anyway, here is a little bit of what’s been going on in my life. I’m linking up with Becky like I do every week, and with Jenna and Anne since it’s the first week of the month. Comment or link up and let us know what’s going on with you currently!

currently button

Reading || Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic. It’s real, and it’s encouraging. If you’ve got little children, it’s a must.  

Eating || cilantro and kale salad! And maybe also some huevos rancheros. I’ve been eating eggs like they’re the newest, coolest thing, and on top of a cilantro and kale salad is a perfect place for a couple sunny-side ups with some tangy citrus vinaigrette. Just sayin’. 

Dreaming || of skiing. I know it’s out of the question this year, but the snow we had last week was a reminder of how much I’d love to be on some slopes!img_5772

Hearting || Bethel. I’m drinking in their music right now, and losing myself in “In Over My Head (Crash Over Me)”. Go give it a listen; you’ll be glad you did.

Enjoying || this warmer weather! I know I just said I’d like to be skiing, but I must say, going outside without jackets has its appeal. It’s short-lived, I know, but I’m loving it. I got outside and vacuumed out my car, and let the kids run free. It was glorious.

So tell me… what have you been up to currently?

books, women

The Girl on the Train

Leave a comment

Y’all, I loved The Girl on the Train. I couldn’t put it down! I haven’t been seriously wrapped up in a novel like that in a while.

91lUeBR2G1L

I’ll be honest; it was a little bit confusing to begin with, when I was battling through who was who, and why each chapter seemed to be authored by a different character. But once I got a handle on it and who all the “girls” were, I enjoyed it more and more with every detail I learned.

It’s reminiscent of Gone Girl in the way that it goes back and forth between characters, spans a rather large amount of time, and gives you a big, fat surprise at the end. I also love the way that Paula Hawkins is descriptive without giving big things away too early. It really draws you in and keeps you there.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I’ll not give a synopsis. I’ll just say that you should read it. I downloaded it on my Kindle (on sale!) and blasted through it in just a few days. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

books, random thoughts

Holding On To Childhood

7 Comments

(If for some reason you have missed out on the glory that is the Harry Potter series, there are spoilers below, so beware!)

Nerd alert: I am the world’s biggest Harry Potter fan.  

 Alright, maybe not the biggest. But I’m definitely one of them. I’ve read every single book at least ten times, and watched the movies countless more. I take all the Buzzfeed quizzes, I follow J. K. Rowling on Twitter, and y’all, I have a (very active) Pottermore account. I was sorted into Hufflepuff, in case you wondered, and I’ve totally gained respect for the badgers. When the final movie came out, my friend Lauren, Hubby and I planned a party before the midnight premiere. We invited all our (nerdy) friends, decorated my house in Gryffindor colors, and made a feast worthy of Christmas in the Great Hall, complete with fondant golden snitches and butterbeer.  

These snitches took HOURS.
 So imagine my delight when I hear that our local children’s museum’s annual fundraiser this year has a theme of my favorite childhood (life?) book series. I immediately went about recruiting friends, planning for a babysitter, and debating whether I would go with the suggested “spellbinding cocktail” attire or go straight for the dress robes. The chance to attend a real-life event based on the fantasy world in which I felt I could belong (I mean, did my Hogwarts letter get lost?!) was more exciting than I probably should admit. 

Naturally the evening was fabulous, with lots of friends, magic wands, House banners, firewhisky, and floating candles from the Great Hall. It was as if my childhood dream had come true. You see, I’ve grown up with Harry. I attended midnight book releases and movie premieres. I waited months (almost every time) for the next installment of the story, felt the exhilaration of nail-biting Quidditch matches, thrill of new love, and sadness of losing friends. I trembled in the graveyard when Cedric was killed and Voldemort came back. I wept uncontrollably  when Dumbledore died. I high-fived the nearest person when I read that Ron and Hermione finally got together. These characters feel like my friends. 

It may be a little ridiculous, but I think part of the reason I still love it all so much (aside from how obviously entertaining and endearing it is) may be that I’m hanging on to my childhood. I’m almost 30, I have three kids, I’ve been married for 6 years, and all of those things are so… adultish. But this piece of literature, this familiar world and enveloping story are all a huge part of my childhood, big enough to make me feel like I’m Harry’s age again whenever I lose myself in it. My excitement hasn’t faded with my knowledge of the ending. 

Any other HP fans? Or maybe you have another book or movie that you connect with your childhood? Tell me about it – I want to hear!

mommyhood

Currently 

8 Comments

Hey, Wednesday! I might be a little late for one link up, but I’m just on time for the other! I can’t believe it’s already September and that my kids start preschool tomorrow! The weather is cooling off (thankfully) and life is gearing up to be busy till…. next summer or so. I love it, and fall is my favorite.

I’m linking up (belatedly) with Becky at Choose Happy, and with Anne at In Residence and Jenna at Gold and Bloom for their September link up. Please join us (in both places!) and let us know what you’re up to currently! Here’s a little bit about me, currently…

currently button

Anticipating || The start of preschool tomorrow! My two older kids are attending a new preschool (well, anything would be new for J) so we are excited to get that started! It’s at the church where we attend and I lead worship, so at least it’s a familiar place. We had open house on Monday, and that seemed to go really well! I’m excited to see how these first couple of weeks go!

Reading || Loving the Little Years. Well, I haven’t started it yet, but that’s what my goal is during naptimes and for when I’m up at night. Sometimes I’m too zonked to read when I get up with D, but other times I’m awake enough to take in a little of what I’m looking at, either on my phone or my Kindle. Anyway, I heard that this book was a great one for parents of young children, and I’m definitely in that season.

little years

Loving || the slightly cooler weather! Don’t get me wrong – it’s still getting hot. But the mornings are a little cooler, as are the evenings. Before I know it (I hope, anyway) it’ll be time for boots and scarves. YAY! I’m interested to try some more pumpkin spice things this year, but I’m not one of those people who is completely sold on pumpkin everything. I like apple and spices just as much or more.

Source: www.pghlesbian.com
Source: http://www.pghlesbian.com. Let’s be honest – it’s funny!

Organizing || my kids’ closets. D is already growing out of some things, and EK and J need to have their closets/drawers overhauled for the start of fall. Their pants from last year might be a little short, and probably some shirts too (even though I know I bought a few shirts a little big just for this reason). Both my kids have long limbs, and are long-waisted like I am, so sometimes finding clothes that fit them perfectly is a little difficult.

Making || time in my schedule to write. I’ve got a date with my laptop tomorrow morning to bring y’all some more goodness on the blog. I’m hoping to get back to submitting a few things to several other sites, and really find my groove again. I’ve taken long enough off after D got here. It’s time for me to find a rhythm of life and get back to doing the things I want to do. I’ve gone on a few runs, started back at my church job, and tomorrow starts school. If that’s not enough reason to schedule the last few things in, I don’t know what is!

Well, tell me what’s going on with you! How has school gotten started in your family? Are you back in full swing, or still waiting for another thing or two to get rolling? Is it cooling off where you live?

books, random thoughts

Saturday Review: The Vanishing Game by William Boyd

Leave a comment

For the Reading Challenge I’m doing, there’s a category that was extremely easy to fulfill: A book you can finish in a day. For this category, I had actually already downloaded a short ebook on my Kindle that had been “recommended for me” (you know how they’re always predicting things you might like?) called The Vanishing Game by William Boyd.

vanishing game

The book itself was good but a little oddly laid out. There were pictures (on my Kindle, no less) and the 8 chapters seemed more important, like if the book was longer, they would’ve been big sections.

The book was endorsed by Land Rover (the car that the main character drove the entire time), which I thought was interesting. Seems strange for a car company to commission a book, but they wanted the book to join with Land Rover in celebration of adventure. I get it, I guess 🙂

I also like a nice, clean finish at the end of mysteries, and I didn’t really get one at the end. There was a little resolution, but it still left me with lots of questions. It was a quick, easy and fun read, though, and I’d definitely recommend it if you need one day’s worth of entertainment!

books, women

Book Review – Yes Please by Amy Poehler

1 Comment

In honor of World Book Day, here’s a review of a world-class comedy…

Love Amy Poehler? Me too. Cry a little when the Parks finale aired? Me too. Frequently re-watch her SNL episodes and think the Golden Globes she hosted with Tina Fey were the best thing ever? ME TOO! So go read her book!

Yes please, I will have lunch with Amy.
Yes please, I will have lunch with Amy.

I started her book knowing I was going to love it, and she delivered. I laughed, and I might’ve even teared up a few times. She talks about career, her family, her friends (Tina Fey and Seth Meyers, especially) and everything in between. She’s just as humorous on paper as she is on screen, and I was a junkie for the little nuggets she’d reveal about this SNL sketch or that episode of Parks & Recreation.

I was also struck by her humanity – how she talked about waitressing to make it in Chicago, when she finally got “her teeth fixed” and when she visited orphanages Haiti. She is extremely real, and I love that. She didn’t feel the need to be funny on every single page, and I loved that too.

She also talked about “Smart Girls” – an incentive she started with a friend to empower young girls to be powerful, intelligent and successful women. Talk about a feminist in a real way, not just a philosophical one.

Basically, I want to be friends with Amy Poehler. Can anyone hook me up with that opportunity?