My Big, Little Adventure

Over Spring Break, my friend and I went to hear one of my favorite authors and blogger, Gretchen Rubin, speak about her new book, "Better Than Before." I read her book, "The Happiness Project," a few years ago for book club and I’ve been following her blog ever since. Her latest book, Better Than Before, looks at the different aspects of peoples’ personality, specifically relating to our habits, and how we can take those tendencies and shape them to be better. I LOVE this kind of stuff!

First, I have to note about the process of getting there…

When I first heard about the event, I was excited about it and really wanted to go.  Talking about books is my jam. But, as I thought about it, I was fearful and anxiety-ridden about whether I could actually get there on my own. Then I wondered if it was worth even going. Let’s face it, any time Mom needs to go somewhere, it can be quite the process and requires an excess amount of coordination. (If both parents want to go out together at the same time, world-renowned chest players must be called upon to figure out the strategy and exit plan! At least that’s what it feels like at our house.) I’m realizing that it’s never going to be easy but I have to start taking time for myself anyway.  I have to start doing the things that fill “my love tank.” Otherwise, I become a not very happy person. Thankfully my husband was super supportive and basically pushed me out the door.

It was quite an adventure. Husbands had to come home early from work or work from home. My friend and I had to navigate the metro (with a transfer!) into the city and then find the venue. I’ll be honest, I was nervous to do it. I rarely venture out on my own and I wasn’t sure if I could still navigate the outside world. But, guess what?! I can still do it! I can still function as an adult human in the big, crazy world. Yay!

The humor of forcing myself out of my comfort zone to attend an event about changing our habits was not lost on me. 

Ok, back to Gretchen….

It was completely worth the time and effort. She’s so relatable and encouraging. It’s like having a heartfelt conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee. Hearing her speak about her book was the same way. She gave us great insight into peoples’ habits and tendencies but in such a light and fun way. We laughed, we learned, we were encouraged. It was great!

If you haven’t read any of her books, I highly recommend them. Her blog is great, too. She recently started a podcast with her sister, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, which I also highly recommend. It’s a fun discussion with interesting tips about life and people. Good, good stuff!!

Website: http://www.gretchenrubin.com/

Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/happier-with-gretchen-rubin/id969519520?mt=2

So, that was the highlight of my Spring Break (which I think qualifies me for the hashtag: #nerdalert)! 

Today's Lesson Will Be On Rest

“Mom,” my daughter says as she’s hitting a tennis ball on her Wii game at 9 am on a Monday morning, “I think this Spring Break will be good. You know, to rest our brains.”

Out of the mouth of babes comes perfect truth.

We are on Spring Break this week. I’m not sure who needed it more, the kids or me? During regular weeks, playing Wii at 9 am in the morning would be out of the question, even on Saturday and Sunday. It seems like we’re always rushing to start school, or to start our weekend chores and errands, or even rushing to get to church (sadly, we’re still usually late).

But, we need rest. We need relaxed schedules and time to play.

Last year was my first year homeschooling and we didn’t take a Spring Break until much too late in the spring semester. I felt like we couldn’t stop because it would break our momentum or derail all of our progress. Instead, the kids were cranky, frustrated and burnt out by mid April. That’s so like me, to push until we’re running on vapors.

This year I decided to take Spring Break when our local public school was on break. The break would be earlier in the semester, we’d be able to hang out with our friends that go to public school and I wouldn’t feel like I was going to be arrested when we were going places around town. I think it was a wise decision. I can already see how much we needed it and I’m certain we’ll start back next week feeling rejuvenated.

So, why is it so hard to take a break? Is it because of fear and anxiety? Maybe even a tiny bit of pride? I remember my Grandma telling me she’d feel guilty when she’d take a break, and I think I struggle in the same way.

Over the past two years, God has been bringing me back to this idea of a Sabbath rest. I feel like he’s rewiring my thought process on it. When the topic comes up over and over again, I start to take note that God might be trying to tell me something. A few things have stuck with me.

First, I keep thinking about this quote, “A wise woman knows when she needs rest.” I think I read that quote on Sally Clarkson’s blog about a year ago. It’s stuck with me. It isn’t foolish or lazy to rest. It can be wise to rest.

Second, if you ever get a chance to read Jen Hatmaker’s book, “Seven,” there is a funny-because-it’s-true chapter on Stress. In the chapter, she talks about how she started taking Sabbath rest seriously. I love what she says: “What if God understood our tendency to overwork and underrest, so He made it mandatory for believers to breathe…pause…pray…relax every week?” It encouraged me to try to do the same. (It isn’t easy! I’m still figuring it out.)

Finally, this verse stopped me in my tracks, enough so that I put it up in my kitchen and on my bathroom mirror: “For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.” – Hebrews 4:10-11

Gulp. That kind of makes all my rushing around sound a bit like sin.

It makes perfect sense, of course! When I refuse to rest, I’m cranky and irritable with my family. And, deep down inside, I’m resentful. Obviously, none of that is what God wants for my family, my life or me.

I had a long to-do list of things I wanted to accomplish over Spring Break. It was completely unrealistic. After my daughter made that comment about letting our brains rest, I decided to cross several things off my to-do list and enjoy a relaxed week. Isn’t it neat how God uses our children to encourage us?

Mother Daughter Book Review

I have a guest blogger today -- my daughter!! 

I don't make the kids write out a book report after they finish reading a book. I don't need to! My daughter loves to talk about books as much as I do and we usually hear all about the book from her while she's reading it. This week, though, I asked her to write a review about the best book she's read for school so far this year. I told her I'd post her review on my blog when she wrote it. She liked that idea. 

Here is her pick and review...

This year l read a great story called Caddie Woodlawn, written by Carol Ryrie Brink. It takes place in Wisconsin during 1864.  I liked the story because Caddie was a tomboy and she went on many adventures with her brothers. Caddie has a problem. She loves to go outside and does not want to be ladylike. Caddie would rather hunt than sit inside and sew. One of my favorite parts of the story is that Caddie helps her Indian friends, when her neighbors plan an attack on them. l think that it was really brave of Caddie to do that. I would give it five stars and think everyone should take time to enjoy it.

Of all the books we've read this school year as a family, it might be my favorite book too. Here is my review...

This is such a sweet and entertaining story filled with fun stories and golden nuggets of inspiration (for all ages!). Caddie is somewhat of a tomboy and is discontented with the idea of having to become a "lady" but through the story (about one year) she finds her place in the world. Addressing that issue, her father says this:

“It's a strange thing, but somehow we expect more of girls than of boys. It is the sisters and wives and mothers, you know, Caddie, who keep the world sweet and beautiful. What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way! A woman's task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness. It's a big task, too, Caddie--harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers. It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things. They have them just as much as the men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness. A woman's work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man's.”
 

Both my daughter and son loved it and were cheering for Caddie several times.

What books have you enjoyed reading recently? 

My Favorite Books of 2014*

 

I made a resolution last January to read more. And I did! I kept my resolution and read double the amount of books that I’d normally read in one year. Being in two book clubs, listening to audiobooks in the car and reading aloud to the kids helped me with my goal. I also spent 3-4 nights a week reading, instead of doing something else (like blogging, hence the dust around here!). Keeping books scattered around the house, near all my sitting areas, also helped.

Today I’m linking up with the Modern Mrs. Darcy to discuss my favorite books from this year. *These are books that I read this year, they were not necessary published this year. I read so many great books, it’s almost impossible to narrow the list down. I decided to go with the standout books – the ones that impacted my life – and the stories that I really enjoyed. These are the books that that I would recommend or give to a friend.

Fiction

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

 

I conquered this beast of a book during the summer. I had mixed feelings going into it because I had heard mixed reviews and I liked the movie but wasn’t sure how the melodrama would translate in the story. The first quarter of the book was a little slow going for me but once Rhett Butler came on the scene I was completely and totally hooked on the story. Oh, Rhett Butler! Never have I loved and, at the same time, hated a fictional character as much as Mr. Butler. I would recommend this story for its characters alone, but the added bonus is how much I learned about the Southern perspective of the war, the harsh conditions they endured and the shady post-war reconstruction dealings. The ending was gut wrenching, even more so than the pathetic ending scene in the movie. It’s a time investment but well worth it!  

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Hands down, The Rosie Project was my favorite “feel good” story of the year. The sweet but misguided (and super uptight) main character, Don Tillman, finds himself paired with the easy-going but street-wise Rosie in a project to find her real father. At the same time, Don is trying to find his future wife using a series of tests that he’s created. Over the course of the project, they discover a few things about themselves, often with hilarious and sometimes poignant results. The story showed that we don’t always know what’s best for us.

Non-Fiction

Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

This is the story of how Barbara Kingsolver and her family moved to a farm and lived on locally produced food products for a year. She sprinkles the story with sobering information about our current farm practices and yet keeps us laughing with her stories about life on the farm. This book reads like a good conversation with a witty friend. The highest praise I can give it, though, is that her story was persuasive enough to cause us to change our habits. We started shopping at the local Farmer’s Market, my husband started making his own bread, and now we check labels in the produce section to see how far our apples have traveled. If you eat, you should read this book.

 

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

Do you notice a trend? I like books about food! This is not a cookbook (although the recipes are a nice perk!). It’s a compilation of stories, from her life, about food, friends and family, and faith, and how they are all connected. I think Shauna Niequist has such a neat writer’s voice. She gently inspires, encourages and makes the reader laugh, all at once. I feel like I could be her friend. I want to be her friend! This is a book to be savored.  

Wherever the River Runs by Kelly Minter

This is Kelly Minter’s story about how God lead her on several missions trip to South America and how it impacted her life. It reads like a travelogue, but inspires as much as some of my favorite Christian classic books. Read at your own risk, the story is so impactful that it might make you want to go on a missions trip!

Favorite Family Read-Aloud Book

Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West by Marguerite Henry

We read a lot of books together. This year we’ve read SO many great stories. I could write a whole another post on the topic. I’ve included this story here because I think this book is worth reading even as an adult. It is based on the true story of an unlikely hero, Annie Bronn. It starts with her early childhood and her struggles with polio, and then goes on to tell how she took on big business and the government to help save the wild mustang horses from being slaughter. Her story kept all of us on the edge of our seats, wondering how it was going to turn out. I think it’s an important story to read to kids because it shows how people can turn struggles into triumphs. It also made me think about how sometimes in life we are given situations that we can’t turn our back on and how we must find the strength to fight for what we believe in. It is truly a great book for all ages.

 

- The Runner-Ups -

These books didn’t make the cut but are worth mentioning….

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (great story but too bizarre for the “best of” list), 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (a solid love story with a Kleenex-worthy ending), 

Out of the Depths by Edgar Harrell (not as good as Unbroken but equally inspiring), 

Moccasin Trail by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

My complete 2014 reading list is here.

What books did you enjoy in 2014?

My Favorite Books of 2013

Today I’m linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy’s blog to discuss the best books of 2013 (the best books we read in 2013, not necessarily published in 2013). According to my Goodreads account, I read about 20 books this year. You can see the complete list here.

I really enjoyed most of the books I read this year. But, for the purpose of this blog, I’m going to narrow it down to my Top 5 books. I’m not ranking them in order of least to greatest because they are all so different and hard to compare. 

I’m including a quick note on each book rather than a detailed review because I believe it’s better to go into a book with a fresh slate than with expectations from what others have said about it.  

Here they are...

Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson – I laughed on almost every page of this book. The author’s witty commentary on the people and places of Europe are spot on. Reading this book was like being on a European vacation – without the expense of airfare! Hands down the best travelogue that I’ve ever read.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – I hate to sound dramatic or cliché but this book changed my outlook on life. She has such a unique writing style, and because of it, she’s able to bring stories and ideas to life in a new way. Her heart for the Lord is inspiring, too.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain – I kept seeing this book pop up on “Must Read” lists this summer but I was skeptical. I don’t really care about Ernest Hemingway or his life, so I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not – but it grabbed me in the first chapter and didn’t let me go until the end. It’s an intriguing story in a fabulous setting. Having a glimpse into these iconic lives – good, bad and ugly – was utterly fascinating. Plus, his first wife was a diamond in the rough and I enjoyed “her” perspective of the story.

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls – Need a hero? Look no further than the lead character of this book. The author did an excellent job bringing her grandmother to life – all her spunk, sass and tenacity. Her life story is amazing, shocking and bittersweet. You’ll be cheering for her the entire time. Overall, an uplifting and inspiring story.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker – Don’t’ let the title of this book scare you. This book isn’t a guilt trip. Actually, it’s more like meeting your friend at Starbucks and catching up on the latest antics. Through her excellent story telling, I was able to journey along side of her – while laughing and learning. I think about things from this book often. I can honestly say it’s still working on me. 

Again, I enjoyed so many books this past year  - and still feel "connected" to most of them - so it was hard to narrow it down to these Top 5 picks.

Finally, although I’m not a fast reader, I’m hoping to double the amount of books that I read this year. That would put me at about 40 books in 2014. Let’s see if I can do it!

What about you, what were your favorite books in 2013?

Lazy Summer Afternoons

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." - Henry James

Summertime is in full swing around here. It’s hot, hot and even hotter. Even typing this out is taking dedicated effort because the summer heat is making my entire body lethargic and eyes droopy and tired. But these relaxed afternoons are one of my favorite things about the summertime. No schedules. No rushing. NO HOMEWORK!

Since we don’t have a pool, the kids and I have been reading a lot in the afternoon. It’s too hot to do anything else – and eating ice cream all day isn’t really an option. I love reading with the kids and it’s been fun to see how their imaginations have been sparked by the stories.

For example, earlier this summer we read “George’s Marvelous Medicine” by Roald Dahl. It’s a hilarious story about a boy on a mission to make a potion to “fix” his cranky and creepy Grandma. Roald Dahl is one of my favorite children’s authors and this book was so entertaining that we finished it in two days. The kids were begging me to keep reading. Of course, I was happy to oblige. Anyway, after we finished the story, almost every day for about two weeks, the kids would go around the house creating their own magic potion. They thought it was the funniest thing.

This week we finished reading “Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I think every child (and/or adult) should read this book. The hardships and trials this family faced sure put my trivial annoyances into perspective. And I think it gave the kids an ounce of appreciation for their home, toys and life, too. The kids have been playing “prairie life” in the backyard. It’s amusing to watch Sienna pretend to be Laura and Grant pretend to be Pa (and sometimes Mary, when Sienna forces him). We haven’t watched the TV show yet. I’m waiting to introduce it until we’ve read most of the series. I didn’t watch the show growing up so I’m looking forward to watching it with the kids.

Speaking of shows, during our TV time, Sienna and Grant are hooked on the show called “Horseland.” We’ve been having trouble finding a good show for Sienna. She’s too old for the Nick Jr. shows and I really try to limit the amount of Disney TV shows she can watch. “Horseland” seems to be a good compromise and I love that Grant watches it too.

As for me, after the kids go to sleep, I’ve been hooked on a show called “Call the Midwife.” It’s based on a memoir of a midwife in London during the ‘50s. I think it’s fascinating!

I’ve also been doing quite a bit of reading. As with “Call the Midwife,” for some reason I’ve been drawn to stories about strong and inspiring women. Our book club pick this summer was the two-part book series, “Her Mother’s Hope” and “Her Daughter’s Dream” by Francine Rivers. I’ve always enjoyed stories that span generations and this story focuses on the relationships (and misunderstandings) of mothers and daughters through several generations. I think it’s a story most women can relate to in some way or another. And now I’m reading “The Favored Daughter” by Fawzia Koofi, Afghanistan’s first female Parliament Speaker. I’m only a quarter through the book but every chapter is inspiring and devastating at the same time. Another story that makes me really appreciate how fortunate I am to live in this country, at this time in history.

So, that’s what we’re watching and reading this summer. What about you?

In The News: Ideals, Mothering, Exhuastion and More!

Just stopping in to share some random news articles and blog posts that have caused me to stop and ponder things. Especially, as the to-do lists mount in my life and the endless running these past few weeks, combined with some rather sad news stories, I’ve been drawn to some interesting discussions on ideals, balance, mothering, slowing down, etc. It’s interesting how we seek out what we feel lacking in our own life.

I know it’s a lot of reading but I hope you’ll take the time to read one or two – or all – of these articles. I promise there are nuggets of wisdom and blessings buried in all of this! 

“Exhaustion is not a status symbol”

As a somewhat-former workaholic and as someone currently trying to find balance between productivity and family time, this article resonated with me on so many levels. The article includes great advice about feedback and boundaries in the workplace. But it also puts into words something I felt and subconsciously knew but never fully recognized until recently: “‘Crazy-busy’ is a great armor, it’s a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we’re feeling and what we really need can’t catch up with us.”  I was guilty of that during my late college years and early professional life. Productivity feels really good but it’s also a way to numb and hide from the harsher realities of life, almost like a drug.

The main source of my exhaustion now? Mothering!!

“Why the Battle for Joy is Really Worth It”

We’ve all been here. A very relatable story about rushing, losing our cool and having to take a hard look at what our priorities are and how our actions reflect it.

"What do I want my children to remember — my joy in clean floors, made beds and ironed shirts — or my joy of the Lord? You will be most remembered — by what brought you most joy."

And more on Motherhood…

"I get to be the one"

My friend Martha wrote a beautiful post about mothering. It came to me on “one of those days” and was such a blessing to me. In fact, it might be one of the best posts on motherhood that I’ve ever read. “I know that even when it gets hard, when I stop and take a breath this motherhood thing smacks so very much more of undeserved privilege than hardship.”

And, sometimes, you just have to laugh...

My copy of “A Year of Biblical Womanhood” by Rachel Evan Held just arrived in the mail and I am so excited to read it. The absurdity of it, of course, is hilarious. It’s so far from our current thinking and culture. I’m sure there were many applicable lessons learned. God blesses those who “seek earnestly,” right?! Although some might be taken back by such a discussion, but I think she sums it up best: "They thought I was making fun of the Bible, when I was really trying to honor the Bible by having more honest conversations about how we interpret and apply it. I'm hoping that when people read the book, they see that." I can’t wait to dive in! Take a moment to click through her slideshow of photos. I was giggling the entire time.

Life is crazy. Here’s to hoping we all find the balance and encouragement we need for today.

Books of 2011

One of my unspoken resolutions this past year was to read more books and watch less TV. I love to read but it’s easy to fall into the “I don’t have any time or extra energy to read” trap. As I found out this year, I do have the time – and yes, sometimes that meant staying up long after everyone else in the house had gone to bed. It was worth it.

I’m so thankful for my “Naptime Readers” book club. I’ve been pushed to read books that I would have never picked up on my own (and the poor gals had to endure my random book choices). In addition, a few Bible/Christian books study groups were a big blessing.

So, as we “turn the page” on 2011, I wanted to take a minute to look at the books I’ve read in 2011. I’ve included my brief top-of-mind reviews or impressions on each book. I hope something on this list will spark your interest and encourage you to read (and in some cases, steer you away from books that - in my opinion - aren't worth it). 

Book Club Books:

Persuasion by Jane Austin – Although not my favorite Jane Austin novel, I did find merit in the story and, as usual, enjoyed her commentary on society. I would only recommend to true-blue Jane Austin fans.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult – Skip it and read “Handle With Care” instead.

A Year on Ladybug Farm and At Home on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball – Fun and easy reading – but not cliché. Perfect spring or summer reading.

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen – I would have never thought to read this story but I LOVED IT. This book has it all – love, friendship, intrigue, gritty and dark themes, and surprisingly sweet moments. Loved the reflections and observations made by the main character as an older man.

Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson – This story was beyond weird. So, of course, I picked this book. It was a bizarre story with zany characters and lots foul language. Can’t say I would recommend it.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin – Trashy and cliché. Skip.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver – Oh man…where do I start with this one…I had a love/hate relationship with this book but ultimately I enjoyed it and was glad to have read it. The themes of the story definitely stuck with me a long time and changed my perspective on a few things. I would recommend to only very dedicated readers. 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – FABULOUS! I think every American should read this story. So inspiring! Go. Read. It. Now.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin – An entertaining story about fine-tuning your life for the better. I could relate to her struggles with staying positive. Inspiring, with lots of good ideas for your own Happiness Project. I would highly recommend it to “soul-searchers” like me.

Bible Study Books:

The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg – A very encouraging and insightful book. Would definitely recommend it.

Lord, I Want to Know You: A Devotional Study on the Names of God by Kay Arthur – An intense study but got me into and interested in the Old Testament, which is quite a feat for me.

The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian – Practical advice. Easy-to-read chapters. Liked the Bible verse references. 

40 Days of Love by Tom Holladay – Commit 40 days to improve your relationships. Not revolutionary but good reminders on how to love those around you.

On My Own:

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell – Very interesting. Loved the stories and parallels.

One Day by David Nicholls – I loved this book! A unique premise – the reader checks in with the main characters on the same day every year – and an adorable story of love and friendship and the blurry lines between. I was cheering for the main female character the entire time. It was like a good SATC episode with dry British wit. Double score! I would definitely recommend it and would even read it again.

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo – So cute and inspiring. Got me excited about Heaven.

In-Progress/Honorable Mentions:

Don’t Make Me Count To Three by Ginger Plowman

Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson

The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett

Want more inspiration? I came across a blog “round up” of online book clubs and reading challenges for 2012. To get started or gather some ideas, click here.

If you like to read and compare notes, please check out my Goodreads profile and connect with me here. It’s my ongoing “read” and “to read” reading list. I would love to see what you’re reading, too!

Feel free to comment and tell me about the books you've read this year. I'm open to recommendations for my "Books of 2012" list.

Happy Reading!