The Better Part

When I was on Amazon ordering Raising Boys, I researched Catholic books on prayer. This one really looked interesting to me. I am so thankful that I ordered it!

This book teaches you how to meditate each day. The beginning of the book teaches you how to meditate. There are even examples of what this would look like. A novice like me needs all the help she can get! Then it includes the four gospels along with insights into those gospel readings. The most powerful part of this book for me has been one of the steps of meditation: the commitment.

In the few short weeks of reading this book and beginning to meditate, I can already see a difference in my prayer life. I am so thankful that God led me to take my relationship to a deeper level with this book.

I highly recommend this one for any Catholic looking to grow. It really will help you to committing time in your super busy life to meditation and growing closer to Christ.

Pages:1024

Read: Began Beginning Sept. 2010

Raising Boys

Crazy as it may seem, I am not one to read lots of parenting books. They just stress me out. I think that some knowledge of what to expect at different ages is good, but too much stresses me out! I was interested in reading a little bit about raising a son though. Boys are just foreign to me. :)

This book really was a nice read. It discusses how boys and girls really are different. Gave some great advice for raising boys. Talk to them lots was the main piece of advice that I took from this. I already knew this, but it is always good to be reminded! Steve Biddulph gives some really interesting research that I liked reading about the research behind the advice.

This book might be a little hokey in places but overall I really did enjoy it. I would highly recommend this for boyMoms like me.

Pages: 216

Read: Beginning Sept. 2010

Lift the Flap Books

Lately James loves lift the flap sort of books. This makes perfect sense for an active little man. We like to look at the pictures and lift up all of the different flaps. Here are two of his current favorites.

1.

This is a really fun one that I think will last us a long time because it teaches numbers, colors,etc. We are not quite at that stage yet, but I always talk with him about the color, animals, and numbers. I found this one at Target.

2.I bought this one a few months ago thinking that he was not quite ready for it because it is actually a slide and find. I thought that the slides seemed a little hard for him. James has recently fallen in LOVE with cars so this one is perfect for him! We are working hard to help him realize that truck are trucks not cars... ha!

The Wednesday Sisters

The Wednesday Sister was our August book club book. This was a cute, easy read. It was fun for our book club to read because they are pretty similar to us. We are mostly 20 or 30 somethings who are newly married, newly mommied, etc.

This is the story of a group of women who met at the playground in 1968. They quickly realize that many of them love to write. So they begin their writing club. Of course being a book about a group of women there is drama that will follow. I loved the narrator because I related quite a bit to her.

This is a cute book and if you are at this stage of life you may also like it.

Read: August 2010

Pages: 304

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo

I had heard about this book when we visited Aaron's family and saw it was written by a Swedish author. Since my dad is Swedish this seemed really interesting to me! Wow! I personally loved it, but there were some pretty graphic parts {just as a disclaimer.}

This is the story of Mikael Blomkvist {how can I not love him his name is so close to my brothers, Mikael Ringqvist}, a journalist who is hired by a millionaire to figure out what happened to his niece. The catch is that the niece disappeared 40 years ago. There are many twists and turns and I loved this book. I may have liked this book as well because I recognized many of the places from my year living in Sweden. That was so fun!

I definitely recommend it! Just be prepared for some disturbing parts.

Read: July 2010

Pages: 600

A Reliable Wife

This is our July book club selection. After reading, I Am Ozzy, it was refreshing to read something that was written well. ;)

The author had me hooked from the very beginning. This is the story of a man, Ralph Truitt, who places an ad for a wife and the woman, Catherine Land who answers it. Each comes into the relationship with their own secrets from their past. As the book unfolds, you slowly learn all about their secret pasts. This book has twists that will keep you surprised all the way to the end. I loved it!

I highly recommend it. It is a pretty easy read, but felt more like quality literature than anything I have read recently.

Pages: 320

Read: July 7-10, 2010

Fish Kisses

When I saw this at Target while pregnant with James, I had images of us reading this each night and getting to give each other fish kisses before bedtime.

This is a super fun book. It is all about different ways that animals show each other love. At the end it reviews all of the ways and tells the reader to pick the one you want to do.

This is a super quick read {also known as, good for super tired nights;)}

I am sure that you will be happy to know that we are no longer just reading the book, but my little dream is coming true: James picks out one for us to do at the end. I am not really sure how much he is really picking, but I can pretend.

I would advise you to pick this one up on your next visit to Target.

themommydiaries

My good friend, Kelly, have me this book. It was put together by MOPS (mothers of preschoolers). It was a collection of stories written by real moms about their life as a mommy. It had a pretty Christian lean to it, that is nice to read.

This book did make me sad that I am not a stay at home mom. But I am of course getting to pretend right now since it is summer break.

Although I liked it, I will be really honest... it took a long time to finish... mostly because when I read I am wanting to escape and not read about mommy stuff...does that make me a bad mom...

Pages: 182

Read: February-June 2010

I Am Ozzy

This is our book club's June selection. I am not really sure what to say about it....

Basically it is Ozzy telling his story, imagine stream of conscious Ozzy Osbourne. It was pretty entertaining and all weekend I was telling Aaron crazy Ozzy stories.... because you know there are many of those! It was a little hard to read though because of the style of writing. I was a little over all the ya knows at the end of the sentences.

I enjoyed learning about his life and family, but was really tired of hearing how "out-of-his-mind" he was all the time. I am not really sure how Sharon stayed married to him all this time.... I think that if I actually knew anything about Ozzy I would have enjoyed it a little more.

If it is at your local library, I say go for it. Wouldn't pay for it though.

Read: June 1-13, 2010

Pages: 416 pages

Certain Girls

I started this book quite a while ago and have just NOT been able to get into it.... It has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite some time. I loved its prequel, Good in Bed, but could just not sit and read this one. It didn't grab me and I got sick of trying to finish it. Plus I skimmed ahead (as I often do) and did not like what happened...It is really hard for me not to finish a book, but I have decided to let this one go. I also thought that I would put it on here to show that I do not, in fact, love every book that I read.

Pages: 416

Did not finish...

South of Broad

I took a little break from Book Club books to read this one. I love Southern lit. I don't know why...maybe it goes back to my deep love for Gone with the Wind.

This one was great! It is a story of a boy nicknamed the Toad and how his life changed the summer before his senior year in high school. This book takes you through his senior year as well as an life changing event for his group of friends 20 years later. I loved how Conroy went back and forth between the two different time periods to share important information with you. This book has some good plot twists that will keep you reading. The ending surprised me even though I had skimmed ahead a few times.

This is a great summer read!

Pages: 512

Read: May 29-June5, 2010

Summer Read for a 14 month old

This is a new one that James loves because he can lift the flaps. Each page has an side that flips up to reveal more items that are all the different colors. This is a fun one because James loves lift-the-flap books, but it not really in a gentle stage quite yet. He can easily lift these flaps without Mommy worrying about him tearing up the book.

Pirate Latitudes

This was our May book club selection. I had not ever read any Michael Crichton books and really enjoyed this. It was such an easy read and I finished it in about 2 weeks. Not bad at all.

This is the story of Charles Hunter, a privateer (aka pirate), who assembles a great crew to capture an amazing bounty. It doesn't take long for the action to begin and Crichton does not disappoint with his plot twists and turns. If you like pirates this will be a great read. Let's face it pirates are almost as fun as reading about vampires. ;)

Pages:320

Read: early May 2010

James' Favorites at 1

James LOVES to read! Lately I catch him over at the bookshelf, turning the pages of books and reading them to himself. I even watched him "read" Shake It Up, Baby last week. He would "read" the page, then shake the book {the spine is a rattle}, then turn the page. Just like Mama reads it. I was just in awe of my little munchkin! He still loves the Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Karen Katz, and That's Not My Monster, but I would like to share 2 new ones that he enjoys.

1.

I got this one from Target because I thought that it would be fun for him to have a "boy" sorta book. I learned about diggers and tractors. It was pretty fun for this mama. He does love it. There is a touch and feel element to the book which he of course adores.

2.

Awhile back I got this one for when James was older, so we could play point and find games with it. We are not quite at that point, but he does enjoy looking at the pictures. His favorite of course is the pet pages: cat, dog, puppy, and kitten are his absolute favorites! Shocker, I know!

Are You There Vodka, It's Me ChelseaPages

This was our easy-breezy April read for Book Club. I loved it! It was so easy and just plain fun! I have never watched Chelsea Handler's show {but my sister loves it.} Let's face it we all know someone whose stories we find hard to believe. Chelsea is that person. The story begins when Chelsea is young. She tells a big whopper about how she is going to be in a movie. I kept thinking of the whopper-tellers I know and thinking I could totally see them doing something like this in elementary school. {It may or may not remind me of a current student who either gets a puppy or someone has a baby at least once a week!} I suggest running to your nearest book store and snapping this one up ASAP. I think I finished it in 3 nights!

Pages: 264

Read: April 12-15

Shades of Blue

I have never read Christian fiction, and I must say that I will be reading more Karen Kingsbury. This is the story of a young woman who is dealing with a decision she made many years ago. It was thought provoking. I don't want to write too much about it and give away what the issue was. Let's say that I do know people who have been through this situation. This book is a pretty true to life sort of book. This issue happens to people who you don't expect it from. I loved the ending and Karen really showed her characters as true Christians, not just people who put on the front of being a true Christian. Loved this one!

Pages:336

Read: March 10-20

A Civilization of Love

I felt lead to read this book recently. Quite honestly there are a few people that I encounter quite regularly that I am not feeling very loving towards. This book was great. The book was written by the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. He often referenced Pope John Paul II and occasionally Pope Benedict XVI. This was very thought provoking when he discussed globalization. It has made me really think about what I am personally doing to share Christ's love. Everyday I need to be sure that I am living my life in a Godly way. I pray that I can continue to walk with Jesus and show my love. I can just feel the difference already!

Pages: 224 pages

Read: February 2010 {on the airplane to San Francisco}

Pajama Time!

Just had to give y'all a little update. This is THE bedtime book at our house. For almost 2 straight weeks, James chose this book each and every night! I know that kiddos do this, I was just shocked that he was doing it so early!

Intercourse

This is the February Book Club selection. We previously read Severance by Robert Olen Butler. This book shows what each member of a couple are thinking during their intimate time together. The book is told in chronological order...couples from long ago to present. Some of my favorite couples were Henry VIII and Anne Boylen, Marilyn Monroe and RFK, Prince Charles and Di, Bonnie and Clyde.

I loved this book just as much Severance. It is a short and easy read. Great if you only get small snippets of time to read. Each passage is less than a page (most only half a page.) It was really fun to see how they would be thinking of totally different things. I can't wait to see what the other girls think next week. I'll let y'all know. :)

Read: February 2010

Pages: 216

Book Club: Some likes, some didn't... the story of our book club! ha!

James' Favorites at 10 Months

Oh my goodness, James began to love playing with books. Couldn't make this momma happier! Now he could be eating them just as much as he is playing or "reading" them.

Here are a few of his favorites:

1.

James loves to play with the little chicks in this book. He even listens to momma read it, while playing with them.

2.
James often picks this book at bedtime. I think that he loves the little song! Sandra Boynton writes really fun books.

3.

James has really started to like "feely" books this month. I highly recommend this book because the "feely" parts are really big. Other books "feely" areas are pretty small for this wee one.

Everything I Need to Know about Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume

This was my book club's January selection. It is a collection of short stories about several authors' who learned so much from Judy Blume. Now I do love to read and loved Judy Blume growing up {who didn't love Fudge}, but was not a huge fan of this book. I did not finish the book because we got busy painting the living room, so I did not get to read before bed each night... I was a little creeped out by how much these women adored the characters. When they had a life struggle they would go reread Judy Blume books and really connect with the characters. Again I love to read, but am not really a big rereader... It is a good book if you have little ones though, because you can read about a short story a night.

Read: January 2010

Pages: 288

Book Club: No one seemed to really love it... many did not finish it

James' 9 Month Picks

It is really fun for me to lay about 5 books in front of James and have him "pick" one. Right now he wants all things baby.

His top 5 are

1. He loves to shake this one around!

2. James loves to look at the babies faces. This has been a favorite forever.
3. He loves all the various versions of this: Polar Bear, Polar Bear; Baby Bear, Baby Bear.
4. He loves trying to grab the baby's faces in this one.

5. He just loves looking at other kids!

James' Early Favorites

I have been reading to James almost from the moment he was born. {Well once he could stay awake long enough!} It was so amazing to me how he had preferences right from the start. My goal in sharing with you some of his favorite books at the different ages is to save you from buying all 352 books like I did. Ha! This is a list of books that I would say he loves from about 2-6 months.


1. We got this one when he was around 4 months old. He loves it because Mommy will let him eat it!
2. This was truly a favorite because he loved getting to look at the mirrors. I could lay him in the Boppy and prop this book next to him and he would be content for ages. Lately he does not seem as interested, but it was worth every penny.
3. I had always heard that babies love black and white and this book proved it to me. He loved looking at these pictures {especially the back page which is a black and white checkerboard}. Again he isn't as interested in this one lately, but he would have been content with just this one and Mirror Me at first.
4. What a classic! He truly loved hearing me read it. I think because it is so short and sweet.

The Lovely Bones

I have been dying to read this book since Mark Wahlberg is going to play the dad in the movie. {Sigh}

Susie Salmon was murdered and she looks down on her family throughout the book as they deal with her death. She watches as her family begins to fall apart in the aftermath. Dad becomes obsessed with finding her killer and taking care of the family; Mom pulls farther and farther away from the family; her brother and sister try to find their way.

I liked this book. I tend to like books that show different versions of Heaven. It is fun to get to think about what Heaven will really be like. I stayed up until 1 AM finishing the book I believe. Been forever {or at least 9 months} since I have done that! I was couldn't wait to find out what happened to her murderer.

Read: December 2009

Pages: 328

New Blog

As many of you know I l.o.v.e to read! {After all I am a Reading Specialist} This is just my little spinoff of my family blog. I am always trying to find a good book to read and love to see what others are reading! I will update at least once a month since I {usually} read my Book Club's selection.

My goal is to also tell you about James favorite books. It is so fun to watch as he grows and likes different books. Each month I want to list his favorite books.

Happy Reading