I have not done blog posts faithfully - most of my life shows up on Facebook, and my books on Goodreads.  But, I thought I would publish my "What I Read In April" book reviews and try to get back in the habit.

Countdown in Cairo (Russian Trilogy #3) - 5 - Noel Hynd - these are in the Christian Lit section, but while her faith is a driving factor in her life, it is not the whole point of the story.  Alex is a Federal Treasury agent and deals with the ugliest aspects of the world.  She has a strong faith in God, and a "traditional" belief system, but I would almost call her more spiritual than Christian.  She struggles with her faith, especially after the events she lives through, but there is no mention of Christ, repentence, etc.

These are excellent spy stories, and Alex is a very strong moral character.  There is plenty of violence (not graphic compared to most contemporary novels, but more than most Christian ones), but no profanity and very little sexual content.  She herself is very chaste.  I enjoy the background (though it does get too heavy at times) for current political events she is involved in.  Putin plays a role in this one.  I highly recommend these books to anyone who likes action but doesn't like the gore/sex/profanity of most contemporary thrillers.

Hostage in Havanna (Cuban Trilogy #1) - 3 - Noel Hynd - this is the next trilogy, with Alex matching wits with a female South American drug lord.  Lots and lots of details about Cuba - Batista, Castro, Che, etc.  Not as good as the first so far - I really miss Yuri Federov, the Russian crime lord from the first series.

Mara, Daughter of the Nile - 3 - Eloise Jarvis McGraw - picked this up at Rainbow Resources booth at a homeschool conference last month.  I had been wanting to read it since my oldest was 5 and I was drooling over the Sonlight catalog.  Very good look at ancient Egypt, made me go back and reread some materials on Hatshephut (I know I did not spell that right, too lazy to look up) the female pharoah.  My older boys are now past this in history, but I will have my younger ones read it when they get to world history.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey Into Christian Faith - 5 - Rosaria Champagne Butterfield - I wish I had copies to hand out to everyone.  Excellent, excellent book.  Rosaria was a lesbian activist, tenured English professor, serious bigshot in the academia/gay/feminist world.  She was disdainful of Christians, and one of her very good points is that the Christians she met did not engage in conversation, ask questions, debate, etc.  They came and preached morality to the unconverted.

Rosaria wrote an article in the 90s when Pat Robertson made a comment about feminis leading women to witchcraft, etc.  She began receiving mail, and had two boxes - fan and hate.  Then she got a letter from a pastor that did not go in either.  It was full of intelligent discussion, and questions.  She eventually contacted him and developed a relationship with him and his wife.  How this couple ministered to her was very eye-opening to me.  Anyway - cutting to the chase - she began to study scripture, study Christian writings, had him at her home to speak to her friends, went to his home, and after a few years the Lord began to draw her to Himself and she became a believer.  She had to give up her entire life that she had built in order to serve the Lord.  Right now she is a pastor's wife/church planter, Reformed Presbyterian, homeschool mama to four adopted children of different races.

The book isn't just about ministering to homosexuals, it spoke to me about the role of Christians in ministering to everyone around us, and what that can look like.  It was definitely a "think outside the box" book and I highly recommend it.

Status report, some book logs

It has been a loooonnnnggg time since I posted anything!  This winter and spring has been crazy busy - mostly good busy, though.  Lots of fun stuff with the kids, our science co-op, all kinds of fellowships with friends, and the cabinet shop has been inundated with orders!  We also got to host a little guy from Safe Families for almost a month.  He is coming back out today for a few days to visit.  So excited!  In the meantime, though, here is a bit of status, hopefully I can update some reading logs, and maybe get a few pictures in as well.

Stole the questions for the Status Update from Kim at The Upward Call

Sitting:  in my big recliner, where I do most of my reading and studying.

Glad: that I got a bunch of cabinets ordered last night so I can chill this morning.

Thankful: to have a beautiful day, since we are driving over an hour each way to pick up our little Safe Families guy for a visit.

Re-evaluating: my plans for school this fall.

Looking ahead to: time on Saturday that I am going to make some jewelry.  The guys will all be gone at a Mens' Breakfast at church and I am going to sort my goodies and string some beads.  It has been way too long.

Feeling bad: for some of my friends who are going through some really tough times.  I know prayer is the most important thing we can do, but I wish there were some physical things I could do as well.  Sometimes there are, but most of the time it is too big.

Relieved: that Joe, who was droopy all yesterday and not feeling good last night, is up and back to his normal self today!

Happy: to be working on a new Bible study from Cruciform Press titled "Joy! A Bible Study On Philippians for Women" by Keri Folmer and reading "Ties That Bind" by one of my favorite authors, C.J. Darlington

Curious: about so many things.

Thinking: about how to mesh sports and homeschooling.

Proud: of my husband.  

Wondering: if it is too soon to start stressing out about our biology co-op next year.

Praising God: for this gorgeous day that I get to enjoy.

And now, onto some books....I really wish I could just cut and paste my logs from Goodreads...here is a link to my shelf of books I have read so far this year which I have creatively titled "2013 Log".  All my current reads are over to the right.  I have pretty much gotten away from writing reviews, just doing stars.  I know, I know.....

Other than that, not much to tell.  But, I will anyway, with just a few from the family album!

Ben at his 13th birthday party.  He had a dodgeball party.  The cake is Rubik's Cube themed.  He does not like having his picture taken, can you tell?

Joe, performing a science experiment

My Nevin.  

Henry showing us some Darth Maul moves with the double light saber his dad made for him.

Me and my mom at a ladies dinner at her church.  Yes, we are wearing paper hats.  Don't ask.

Group photo from our last airsoft war.  We usually do one in the fall and one in the spring.  

And the latest family portrait, from Mother's Day.  I think Nevin and I are starting to resemble Phil and Miss Kay, what do you think?  With our four boys, we could be some Robertsons in the making.  Tony especially plans to have a beard, as soon as physically possible.  

Tony's 15th birthday.  Me and my four men, plus Tony's buddy Caleb.  Caleb seems to show up in a lot of our pictures. 

And that is it!  Hopefully I won't wait four months to write again.  I need to update the pictures on the sidebar as well.  But not today.  Today I am going to go get the little guy!

December 2012 Book Log, and 2012 Superlatives

With Christmas break, I ended up getting a few mysteries under my belt, and finished up with 65 books read this year.

December:

Death in the Floating City - Tasha Alexander - 4 - next in the Lady Emily mystery series.  Much better than the last few.  Not my favorite series, but I enjoy them.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - JK Rowling - 4 - finished on New Years' Eve, so we could watch the movie New Years' Day.

An Impartial Witness: A Bess Crawford Mystery - Charles Todd - 4 - I really like this series.  Bess is a normal person, and I noticed it never mentions anything about her appearance.  I like that!  I have never read much about WWI, so I am enjoying this.

A Beautiful Blue Death - 4 - Charles Finch - a new series, with gentleman Charles Lennox solving mysteries in Victorian London.

The Mayflower Adventure - Colleen L. Reece - 3 - Christian American historical fiction, written for kids.  Covers the Mayflower to the end of WWII.  Read this aloud with the younger boys.

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness - Susannah Cahalan - 4 - excellent book, reconstruction of events by a young woman whose body began attacking her brain, and the month she lost.

And now, for the year-end wrap up....a few years back I started doing a Superlatives list on a homeschooling forum.  You remember superlatives, right?  Best Smile, Most Gullible, Super Senior, etc.  Well, these are for the yearbook of the past years' reading.  So, without further ado....

2012 Year in Reading Superlatives

What was the best new (to you) author you discovered this year?
A tough decision, as I found so many new authors this year! I am going to go with Janice Holt Giles

What was your favorite new (to you) series?
Bess Crawford Mysteries, by Charles Todd

Best parenting book?
Only read one, an Ebook "True Christian Motherhood" by June Fuentes. It was ok.  Mainly just a series of blog posts, at least that is how it read.

Book that made you cry?
None of them did

Book that made you laugh out loud?
I am sure something must have, but I can't recall it now. Must not have been all that funny.

Book that totally changed your perspective on something?

Maybe Hard Times in Paradise, by David and Micki Colfax.  They were VERY politically liberal, and I am.....not.  Reminded me that we don't have to agree on everything to agree on some very important things.

Best homeschool(ing) book?
Hard Times In Paradise, by David and Micki Colfax.  By the way, one of the best homeschooling books EVER.  Back to the basics, before homeschooling was such a trendy thing to do.

Worst book that you managed to finish?
I had two with only 1 star - Fairy Tail Interrupted: What JFK Jr. Taught Me About Life, Love and Loss by RoseMarie Terenzio (just never liked the author at all), and Six Horse Hitch by Janice Holt Giles. Loved most of her books, but this one was just too melodramatic.

Book with the best surprise plot twist?
The Hidden Flower, by Pearl S. Buck. I always think I know how her stories are going to go, and they never go that way.

Best book-that-was-better-than-the-movie?
The Hunger Games

Most over-hyped book of the year?
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. Very disappointed. Lame, lame, lame.

Best online-reader recommendation of the year?
I don't think I got any I really enjoyed from individuals this year, most of them came from goodreads, or even better, www.fantasticfiction.com

Book you have recommended to the most people this year?
The American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes

Best feel-good book of the year?
Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen by Joe Draper

Best childrens/young adult book of the year?
A tie:  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. A re-read, read aloud with my younger boys; and Hittite Warrior, by Joanne Williamson.  I read it with the older boys for school.

Book you’ve been meaning to read for years and finally got to?
Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of WWII by Darlene Deibler Rose

Read aloud that the family enjoyed the most?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Best cookbook/knitting/gardening/or other household how-to?
Complete Guide to Carb Counting by Hope S. Warshaw

Best non-fiction?
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susanah Cahalan, or Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen by Joe Draper

Best religion/theology/doctrine/philosophy?
Practical Theology for Women by Wendy Horger Alsup.  Her blog is in my blogroll, over to the right.


Best political book?
Didn't read one.  Sick of it.

All-around best story of the year?
The Believers by Janice Holt Giles

Book that you feel is SO INTEGRAL to your library……you’d even pay full price for it?
I paid full price for a couple - most notably, Practical Theology for Women

And the Award for Best All-Around Book of the Year is Presented To……………
Hannah Fowler, by Janice Holt Giles

5 Star Books 

I rate my books 1-5, and so does Goodreads.  I had a whole bunch of 4 Stars, but only a handful are worthy of that 5th star.  These were the books this year that earned my coveted 5 Star rating:

Hannah Fowler, by Janice Holt Giles

The Believers, by Janice Holt Giles

Hard Times in Paradise, by David and Mickey Colfax

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis

Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson

The American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes

__________________

Fiov

Status Report, Book Log for November, etc.

Sitting…in my big recliner.

Drinking…coffee. Stevia in the Raw sweetener, and a touch of Coffeemate Caramel Machiatto.

Complaining…mentally about not complaining.  I had a big, silly, self-centered day of shopping planned.  I had gotten money for my birthday, and was going to just go and have a day of it.  Then one of my kids began throwing up last night.  So, I realize that scrapping my silly, self-centered plans for the day is not a big deal.  And I am not complaining.  But I would like to.  Does that make sense?

Realizing…that complaining about anything is a useless waste of time, and more importantly, is not pleasing to the Lord.

Convicted…that I should really be quiet and get over myself.  

Reading…nothing right now - though I have A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch on the table next to me.  I will probably start it today.  I get all excited when I am trying out a new author for the first time.  

Anticipating…going on a family road trip soon, as long as no one else starts barfing.

Listening…to the dryer on "fluff" now, as it is full of throw pillows from the sofa.  Where the barfer was sitting last night.  Just saying, you fill in the blanks.

Almost ready…for my science co-op tomorrow, which is a shame, because if the barfer is not 100% better in a few hours (and no one else is sick) I will be cancelling.

Wondering…if I am going to get sick, too.

Thankful…that my life is such that we can re-arrange for sickness, etc.  Thankful that we homeschool, and that our business is in our home, so I don't have the stress of having to be somewhere else.  Also thankful that as I get older I am learning to "go with the flow" more.  

Ready…for whatever the Lord brings my way today!

And now, since I read so few books last month, I might as well just pile these posts together!

November

A Duty to the Dead - Charles Todd - 4 (out of 5) - first in the Bess Crawford mystery series.  Bess is an English nurse serving in World War I.  While home recuperating from an injury, she takes a deathbed message from one of her patients to his family.  There she finds a mystery, an family secret surrounding a murder, and a few more suspicious deaths.  I would say that if you like the Laurie R. King "Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes" books you will probably enjoy this one as well. 

A Shilling For Candles - Josephine Tey -3 - this is only the second Tey that I have read. She wrote in the same time period as Agatha Christie, so her books have that sort of feel to them.  Lots of characters, at some points it was hard for me to keep track of who the minor players were.  

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis - 4 - a read aloud with my younger boys.  Always like Narnia, this is one of my favorites.

And that is it!  I picked up and put down lots of books, and really just had a hard time finishing anything.  I am blaming it on too much social media.

Reading Log for October, 2012

I only read three books this month - I am having a terrible time FINISHING any lately!

The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins - 2 - considered the first (and the longest) of the English detective novels.  Mr. Collins seems to have a cult following.  It took me two months to finish 500+ pages.  I had a hard time staying focused.  And....I knew who did it.

Hiss and Hers: An Agatha Raisin Mystery - M.C. Beaton - 4 - okay, so sue me, I liked this better.  Read it in about 24 hours.  Now, have to hold on a few months until the next Hamish Macbeth comes out, then another 11 months until we see Agatha again.

Contending: Defending the Faith in a Fallen World - Aaron Armstrong - 3 - pretty good.  Cruciform Press publishes short, to-the-point books on weighty subjects.  They have a subscription service, where you pay as each new book is published every other month.  So far I have thoroughly enjoyed them.  This was a little slower going for me that some of the others.

And that is IT.  I am planning to make up for it over Thanksgiving!

Reading Log for September, 2012

Finished a few good ones this month.  I have a whole lot of books "started" with bookmarks moving slowly through them.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowlings - 4 
The big guys and I have been reading this all summer, at bedtime.  We finished it last night, so tonight we can watch the movie!

Hittite Warrior- Joanne Williamson - 5
This was some excellent historical fiction, taking place in the time period of the Judges.  Generally I don't care for historical fiction using Biblical people, because I don't like the liberties that are taken with scripture.  A recent "not finished" of this sort was Adam and His Kin by Ruth Beechik.  The characters of Deborah, Barak, Sisera and Jael are fleshed out, but nothing happens that is contrary to scriptural accounts.  This is on a lot of homeschool reading lists, and for good reason.  My older boys and I read it together.


Garment of Shadows - Laurie R. King- 2
Ms. King better get some good stories going again, or I am going to be done with Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.  The last couple books have been lame, and not only lame but hard to follow.

Walking In Power, Love and Discipline (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) - Kay Arthur - 3 - used this as a guide for my ladies' discipleship group.  If I had never used any of Mrs. Arthur's other studies I would love this, but it was only okay by comparison.

The Expats - Chris Pavone - 4
This was a fun book.  Kate has left the CIA, without ever having told her husband she was in the CIA.  Now they are living in Luxembourg with their two sons, and strange events make her wonder if she is being tailed, or her husband.  Overall, an interesting thriller.  Some of the situations toward the end defy credulity, and the story being told out of chronological order was hard to get settled into, but still a good story.

Reading Log for August, 2012

August was a good book month here -certainly a lot of diversity!

First up is "The Organized Heart: A Woman's Guide to Conquering Chaos" by Staci Eastin.  This one is a 5, and one that will be re-read.


I read most of this on the train coming back from Kansas City.  It is published by Cruciform Press.  Cruciform is a small publisher with a nifty idea - thin, to-the-point books dealing with deep theological topics, but put into very concise language.  These are the sort of books I'd be happy to share with friends/  Sometimes I would love to share books on topics like, say....idolatry.  Or sanctification.  But the sheer mass of the book keeps me from doing so.  No one likes to be handed a really thick book with, "Here, read this." But these books, generally around 100 pages or so, do the trick.  And - to top it off, they publish books every other month or so - and you can subscribe to them, just like a magazine.

The Organized Heart is different from every other "how to be more organized" book that I've read (and I have read A LOT) because it is not a new system - no index cards, no Excel spreadsheets, no giant calendars with post-it notes.  It gets to the heart of the issue - my heart, by addressing the idols that keep me unorganized - perfectionism, busyness, possessions and leisure.  The author, Staci Eastin, is a Missouri homeschooling mom of three, and her blog (how I discovered this gem) is over on my blog roll.  I highly recommend this book.

Next up, just a 2.  Stand By Me: Souled Out Sisters by Neta Jackson


I loved the Yada Yada Prayer Group books, some more than others of course.  I enjoyed the House of Hope series.  This one....I will probably read the series, just to keep up with my friends in the Yadas, but the new characters are ANNOYING.  I have noticed that the main characters tend to get on my nerves - Jodi Baxter was the least interesting of all the Yadas.  Gabby Fairbanks was someone whose impulsiveness and poor judgment would get on my nerves badly.  But Kat, the environmentalist-college student-busybody was beyond irritating.  Will Kat and Nick live happily ever after?  Most likely (it is Christian chick lit, after all) but really, who cares?

Next up, more dealing with diabetes in The Complete Guide to Carb Counting, which I will give a 4.


Carbs (flour, sugar, starches....you know, the good stuff!) turns to sugar when you eat it.  Glucose levels go up in the blood.  One of the ways I maintain my blood sugar levels is by planning how many servings of carbs I have each day, space them out, eat them with protein, etc. This, along with exercise, is really helping to keep my blood sugar controlled.

Another diabetes read is Sugar Nation by Jeff O'Connell

Jeff discovered he had pre-diabetes and went on a personal journey to discover research and treatment for Type 2 Diabetes.  He is pretty radical - comes down hard on the medical profession (some of which I definitely agree with), the American Diabetes Association, and anyone else he can find.  He also goes on a fairly radical lifestyle of next-to-no carbs, supplements and working out.  There was a lot I took with a grain of salt, but this book did cause me to think more about what I am being told and who is telling me, and to educate myself about this disease.  It is a 4.

The Hidden Flower is one of Pearl S. Buck's lesser-known novels.  Immediately after WWII, American troops occupied Japan.  There an American soldier fell in love with a Japanese girl.  This book went to a lot of places I was not expecting.  The Japanese girl was actually Japanese-American - she and her father were both born in the USA, but moved to Japan to avoid the camps Japanese citizens were shamefully placed in.  Her brother died fighting for America against Japan.  Then, for her to marry an American and go back to the USA, and face the discrimination there....let's just say this started out all love-love-kissy-kissy and I did not think I would like it, but once again, Pearl S. Buck's characters don't do what is expected and the story explores elements I never imagined.  I don't know if this is still in print or not, I found it used on either Paperbackswap or Bookmooch.  I give this one a 4.

Modest: Men and Women Clothed in the Gospel is another offering from Cruciform Press.



This book does not even touch things like how long your skirt should be or whether or not a woman should wear jeans (praise God!).  It goes straight to the heart - what is modesty, as an issue of the heart?  What does scripture say about being modest, for both men and women, and what does this mean?  Much deeper than a legalistic list of do's and don'ts.  I give it a 3, because I think it was almost a little over-edited and could have gone deeper.  But hey, it is one of those to-the-point books from Cruciform!

Prince Caspian, Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  I hate to say it, but only a 3.  Caspian was not one of my favorites, nor the little guys'.  Too much backstory, not enough action.  But, hey, it is part of the Chronicles, and so we love it as part of the bigger whole.

The Beautiful Mystery (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #8) by Louise Penny

Hard to believe, but only giving this one a 3.  I have loved most of the books in this series, but not this one.  The mystery was interesting, though a little drawn out.  Then, in the middle of the book the Inspector's nemesis on the force shows up, and it just goes from ugly to uglier.  One of my favorite characters disappoints and I am just going to leave it at that.  I left the last book (a year ago) all hopeful about an exciting turn of events.  Now I feel like I have a year to wait and see how badly some lives are screwed up.  Thanks, Louise.  Maybe at least next year she will take us back to Three Pines, the setting of most of the stories, and we can at least have some fun with the crazies there.

And that is it - my nightstand is piled high with the goodies I am anticipating for September!

Reading Log for July, 2012

I know, a long time coming on this one!

Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains With the Smith Center Redmen - Joe Draper - 4 - for some reason, I love sports stories.  I don't love sports, so go figure.  This is the story of the Smith Center Redmen and their coach Roger Barta.  Smith Center is a town of 1,900 in western Kansas.  They had been written up in Sports Illustrated because they had won 55 straight games and 4 straight state championships.  The author moved his wife and son from Manhattan to Smith Center to write about their upcoming season.  The coach was in his 30th year and considering retirement, they had just graduated the "dream team" senior class, and they were tied in the record books for most consecutive state championships.  The book is about the team, but even more about the town of Smith Center, about how the community completely supports the team, the school, teachers, etc.  They are not the Friday Night Lights variety of fanaticism - they are just right there for their kids.  If I ever decided to put my kids in school, we would have to move to Smith Center.

American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes- 5 - my new "guide for life" - nice big book, covers everything, has been extremely helpful.

Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference In Our Daily Lives - 4 - Wendy Horger Alsup - I follow her blog by the same name.  I thought this brief book was very good in explaining who God is- the real God of the Bible - in terms anyone could understand.

Killing Calvinism: How to Destroy a Perfectly Good Theology from the Inside- 4 - Greg Dutcher - this is one you need to be Reform to get.  Reform folks sometimes have a reputation for being arrogant in their theology and "knowledge".  There is even a term for someone who is new to the Doctrines of Grace - "cage stage" - as in, they are on fire with new understanding of scripture and socially...they should be put in a cage for a while.  I found it very practical and enjoyable, and a good admonition.

Meeting God at Every Turn- 4 - Catherine Marshall - A series of essays of the different points in her life (going to college, marriage to Peter Marshall, her illness, his death, grieving, remarriage blending families, etc.) and how God met her at each point.  There were some definite aspects of her personal theology that I did not agree with (quite a bit of NVP "Power of Positive Thinking" mixed in, which surprised me)but overall it was very uplifting.    

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - 5 - C.S. Lewis - what can I say?  This is my second go 'round.  Read the series to my older sons a few years ago, now it is a bedtime read with the younger boys.

Status Update for July

Right now, I am......

Sitting: At the kitchen table, doing some paperwork for the business, balancing the checkbook and paying bills.

Drinking:  My second cup of coffee with Stevia in the Raw and Aldi Fat-free French Vanilla Creamer.  It is much better than it sounds.  I will have at least one more.

Enjoying:  The quiet in the house before they all wander out.

Revamping:  All my plans for the school year.  At least it is still just in my head and I don't have to erase a lot yet!  Also revamping myself mentally for the upcoming year and the new schedule - trying to eliminate a lot of "out of the house" stuff, see how school goes on a year that we stay home a whole lot.

Doing: Today, some laundry, taking the guys to play basketball with friends, then Henry is having a friend spend the night and Tony is going to a friend's to spend the night.  May also do some barbecued pork steaks.

Processing:  This last weekend.  We went to Iowa to visit Nevin's family.  Always a nice weekend, no rush, no hurry.  A lot of time in the car to think about stuff.  God, life, plans for the future.  Big stuff.  Thinking about how I truly use my time.

Preparing:  Not much, I think I am still stuck on processing.

Reading:  An ebook I downloaded and printed.  I hate printing ebooks, they end up with giant print and 8 1/2x11.  But, I hate reading on the computer even more, so there you go.  I also started "Converting the West:  The Biography of Narcissa Whitman" last night.  It is inter-library-loan, so I need to get on it.

Praying:  Not much lately.  I seem to have lost my focus.   I guess praying I will get it back.  Lately it seems my relationship with the Lord has been pretty lazy.

Deciding:  That I probably need to get dressed and finish paying the bills.

Copying:  from Staci at Writing and Living

Reading Log for June, 2012

A pretty good month, bookwise, here.  I definitely started more than I finished, though.  I think I need to make a shelf on Goodreads for all my "did not finishes".  Usually, I try to forget them as quickly as possible.

But, for those that I did finish this month....

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - 4 - J.K. Rowling - read aloud with my older boys.  At the rate we are going, my oldest anticipates we will get to watch the 8th movie sometime around NEXT Christmas.  We read the books, then watch the movie.  Since we read at bedtime, we only do about twenty minutes a night.  The boys are thoroughly enjoying them.  I read them all when they first came out, and am enjoying a "ten years later" read again/

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (#1 Ladies Detective Agency) - 4 - Alexander McCall Smith - much, much better than the last few installations.  They are light, pleasant reading.

The Mouse and The Motorcycle - 3 - Beverly Cleary - I had never read this book, but my oldest son did years ago, so I recommended it for a bedtime read aloud for my younger boys.  It was okay.  They enjoyed it, but no where near as much as Stuart Little, or even the Winnie the Pooh classics.

Hard Times In Paradise - 5 - David and Micki Colfax - I heard about them as soon as we started homeschooling.  In the 70s they ditched "civilization" and carved out a homestead in the California Redwoods, with their three (later four) young sons.  No election, no hot water, no phone...three of their sons attended Harvard, and later Harvard Medical and Harvard Law and Yale Law.  Makes me wonder what I spend all this money on curriculum for!  I started it before, and didn't want to read it because they are very liberal - but the more I read of them, the more I began to see the things we had in common (besides homeschooling four boys) than those we differed on.  I found it to be a great encouragement.

Homeschooling for Excellence - 4- David and Micki Colfax - when their first son got into Harvard they suddenly became "experts" on home education, so they wrote this book in response to all the questions they were getting.  It is very dated in some aspects (written in late 80s I think, maybe early 90s) but their basic philosophy shines through.  I recommend it as a companion to Hard Times, though I would read Hard Times first.

Six Horse Hitch - 1 - Janice Holt Giles - I can't believe I am giving Janice a 1.  I love most of the other books, but this one.....you have to really, really, really care about the operations of the Great Overland Stagecoach Line in the early 1860s to enjoy this book.  I completely skimmed the last 1/4, just to see how it ended, even though I already KNEW all the plot twists.  It borrowed VERY heavily from Land Beyond the Mountains for the romance portion.  Actually, the situations were almost identical.  It was also cruder than the other books.  I noticed than some of the later books lean a little more in the direction of a Western/historical fiction/romance, where the earlier books reminded me more of pioneer stories.  Anyway, a disappointing read, on several levels.

And that is it for this month!  Check the Goodreads gadget on the right there, to see what I currently have a bookmark moving through!

Reading Log for May, 2012

I can't believe how on-the-ball I am this month!

Knowing God - J. I. Packer - 4 (out of 5) - this is highly recommended reading for Christians wanting to know more about the character of God.  Everything is strictly scriptural, no fanciful imaginings of  "my God" or "God as I understand Him".  This book took me months to finish, even though it was not a difficult book to read or understand.  It simply needed to be read slowly, with lots and lots of time given to highlighting.

The House at Pooh Corner - A.A. Milne -3- sad to leave behind the 100 Acre Forest. Read this at bedtime to my two younger sons (7 and 9), just like I did with the older boys a few years back.

The Land Beyond the Mountains - Janice Holt Giles - 4- during the time immediately following the Revolution, when the frontier of Kentucky was just being settled.  Another great piece of historical fiction.

Fairytale Interrupted: What JFK, Jr. Taught Me About Life, Love and Loss - Rosemarie Terenzio - 3 - easy, fast-paced.  It was interesting to learn more about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (I was always fascinated with Carolyn).  But, that's all it was.

Johnny Osage - Janice Holt Giles -3 - Early 1820s in the Western Arkansas Indian Territory.

Voyage to Santa Fe - Janice Holt Giles -4- 1823, Johnny (Osage) Fowler and his wife Judith caravan to start a new life in Santa Fe.

Savanna - Janice Holt Giles - 3 - 1829, Western Arkansas Indian Territory.  Savanna is the granddaughter of Hannah Fowler and Tattie Drake Cartwright (from The Land Beyond the Mountains).  She sort of reminds me of Scarlet O'Hara, all headstrong and self-will run riot.  I did not care for her, and liked this book the least of the JHG books so far.

It's Monday - What Are You Reading?

I had forgotten all about this, so today's post is another shameless steal from my friend Bookbelle.

I am in the middle of several books right now, from read-alouds with the boys (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with the bigs, The Mouse and the Motorcycle with the littles) and ongoing Bible reading and study, to my ever-present "one for fun, one for edification" books.

One for fun, first - Savanna,by Janice Holt Giles.  What can I say?  If you love stories of the pioneers and American historical fiction, you will love Janice.  Lots of historical detail, great characters who seem to truly come alive.  I have read several over the last couple months.  Savanna takes place in the edge of Indian territory in 1829.  I hesitate to call these books a series, because they are all stand-alone, and I (gasp) haven't read them in order (though I am trying).  The main characters are all descendants of some of the earliest settlers in Kentucky, during the time of the American Revolution. It makes it more interesting to know who their grandparents are, but it is not necessary for the stories.  I suggest starting with Hannah Fowler.

I am also reading Spiritual Disciplines Within The Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ by Donald S. Whitney. I picked this up at our church's Grace Camp Meeting in April.  So far it is interesting.

Can I admit that I am allowing a lot of my "reading time" to get sucked up by Words With Friends on my phone?  Now that I am off Facebook  (over 5 months already!) I need some addiction.  If you want to play Words, shoot me a message with your username!

Probably not much reading today - a couple projects, then we are heading to a Memorial Day party that most of our church is attending - looking forward to bbq and volleyball in the hot summer sun.

Okay, looking forward to sitting in the shade in my chair, sippin' a Diet Coke.  Whatever!

Reading Log for March, 2012

This month I discovered a new favorite author - Janice Holt Giles.  Her books are mainly American/Historical Fiction.  I can't believe I had never heard of her before!  She deals with strong characters, the people who created this nation.  So far I have read three, and all of them deal with members of the Fowler family.  These are not a "family series" like John Jake's The Kent Family Chronicles.  They are heavy on historical background, but very focused on a particular person time period.

First, and most famous is Hannah Fowler, which I gave a solid 5 out of 5.  This takes place in Kentucky, during the time of the American Revolution, and follows a strong woman named Hannah Fowler as she and her husband Tice build a new life in the wilderness.

Next is The Believers, also a 5.  Hannah's daughter Rebecca and her husband become involved in the Shaker movement of the early 1800s.  The story of a woman who is trapped in a cult-religion by her husband, and how she tries to live and honor her commitment to her marriage.

I think I have skipped a few in chronology, I am reading them as I find them on Bookmooch and Paperbackswap, or getting them loaned to me.  The Great Adventure takes place in the American West, at the end of the Mountain Man era, and follows Joe Fowler (Hannah's grandson) who is a beaver trapper.  Joe has a Utah Indian woman named Betsy that is his "squaw" and it was very interesting to learn how these relationships worked, and see the dignity of the woman Betsy.

Other books this month include Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne (4) as a read aloud to the younger boys, and the psychological thriller Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson (4).  THIS was a page turner.  As the result of an injury, Christine has amnesia.  Every night when she goes to bed she loses her memory of the day.  Each morning she wakes up thinking she is a child or young woman.  She does not know she is 47, or recognize her husband, or have any clue of who she is.  Every day her husband Ben tells her who he is, that she had an accident, etc.  Christine has been approached by a doctor who wants to write a paper about her, and she begins to write about each day in a journal.  Every morning he calls her and tells her who he is, and where to find the journal.  Each day, as she reads, she begins to remember, and things don't add up.  Sure, there were some pretty obvious holes in the plot, but it was still a fun, fast-paced thriller.  No gratuitous violence, more use of the "f" word than necessary and a few sexual parts that I didn't think were necessary.

Other than that, still moving along in a Bible study, Bible reading plan, Knowing God by J.I. Packer and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with the older boys.

Reading Log for February, 2012

FEBRUARY 2012

Stuart Little - 4 - E.B. White - read aloud with the younger boys, one of my favorite stories.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - 2 - Ree Drummond - Not as great as I expected.  If she took out all the references to kissing and his biceps, she' lose 100 pages of the book. I know it is a love story but I get it already.  Like to kiss, love his biceps.  

The book overall was interesting, but only because I was already familiar with The Pioneer Woman from her blog and her cookbook(one of my faves, btw). The constant ongoing kissing, kissing, all they do all the time is kiss, along with the ongoing discussion of his biceps, did nothing but distract from what could have been a much more interesting story.

I would have liked her to plumb more emotionally what it meant to give up her lifestyle and career dreams to be with this man.  It seemed like she was going for a Green Acres/fish out of water approach, and maybe that is all that this book was supposed to be.  She goes on and on about not having access to lattes and sushi, and that really sounds so surface and trivial.  There is a lot more involved in what she did.  That is what I would have liked to have read about, about the deep changes she was making for this man and how she grew as a person through it.  I know there was some of that, but overall, I think she could have maintained the humor (loved the story about taking the cow's temperature) and made it a much more compelling book.

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay - 4 - Suzanne Collins - I know these are YA, but I would not give them to a YA to read. I found them interesting in the originality of the story, but the writing was definitely YA level. I gave them a 4 because they gave me a lot to think about in terms of the use of propaganda, how the media can be used by the government for control, etc.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - 4 - JK Rowling - read aloud with the older boys. They love the series, so I know what we are reading before bedtime for the next several months!

Pippi Longstocking - 4 - Astrid Lindgren - read aloud with the younger boys. They really liked it. Then we watched the 1973 movie. Now THAT was creepy!

__________________

It is Monday - What Are You Reading This Week?

This past week I finished The Hunger Games trilogy.  I have many thoughts about the books, which I will elaborate on later this week when I do the reviews for February.  I gave up on Organized Simplicity.  The littles and I finished Pippi Longstocking last night.  Tonight it is Henry's turn to pick our next read aloud.  The bigs and I are in chapter 5 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and we only read 15-20 minutes a night, so I expect we will be in that for a good month.

Saturday I started Hannah Fowler, by Janice Holt Giles.  This was highly recommended to me by a friend. As a matter of fact, she brought her copy to me and insisted I read it - and her copy was so "much beloved" that she carried it in a ziplock bag, to keep the cover and pages together!  I did take the liberty of taping the book together.  I am on chapter 2, and so far I think this is going to be one that has a place in my permanent library.  It is a pioneer story, my favorite kind. So far it reminds me of The Tall Woman, by Wilma Dykeman, another favorite book (and one that I am going to insist that my friend read in reciprocation!)

Other than that, I have put several books on hold at the library.  We live in a rural area that is not served by a public library.  There are several small libraries in the nearest town (only 15minutes away) that I could pay $20 a year for privileges too, but I pay $60 a year for the system that is 30 minutes away.  I have only been getting there once a month or so (our chess club meets there), so I may have to consider getting the other membership as well.  I find it somewhat vexing that I pay over $1,500 annually in real estate taxes for a school district I don't use, and still have no access to a free library.  Where is Andrew Carnegie when we need him?  (Okay, he is dead, I know that.).

As chess club is this week, I am anticipating picking up a handful of books.  I put several on hold, based on my www.goodreads.com recommendations.

Is anyone else completely loving Goodreads?  I think this has changed my life!

So.......what are YOU reading this week?

What Are You Reading This Monday?

It's another week - and where are those bookmarks moving?

I finished The Hunger Games last week, and started Catching Fire.  I am about 1/3 of the way into it.  I don't love-love-love these books so far.  I enjoy them, they are different from what I usually read.  We'll see how I feel when the series is over.

I also downloaded an ebook today from Generation Cedar, a short devotional book for moms. I will fit that in somewhere.

Last night the big guys and I started Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  As this is over 700 pages, we will be in that for quite some time.

And that is all that is new on the book front here.  What are you reading today?

It is Monday! And Where are Your Bookmarks This Week?

Some good reading going on this week.  In the last few days I have managed to read about 2/3 of The Hunger Games.  I had lots of bonus points at Scholastic from my Christmas purchases, so I got the trilogy, in the slipcase (woohoo, Buddy!).

Side note for bathtub readers - if you set your brand-new, never-opened, paperback copy of The Hunger Games on the edge of the tub, and there is a small pool of water there, the pages will puff up and not want to go back into the slipcase. Just an fyi.  Bathtub reading is why I am a Kindle hold-out!

Anyway, so far, it is really good and I am formulating all sorts of deep thoughts on it.  Will articulate those at my end-of-the-month roundup.

Between last Monday and today I also read The Pioneer Woman: From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond.  Again, review will be in the roundup.  It did not cause any deep thoughts.

Still reading my Bible studies, including (and especially) Knowing God by J.I. Packer. I HIGHLY recommend this book. I am on chapter 5, and it has already given me many things to consider.  I am reading it along with a sister in Christ, and looking forward to being able to discuss it together.  I love how the Lord encourages us not only with His word, but through the study and talents of other believers.

Still on Pippi Longstocking and Prisoner of Azkaban, but I think we will finish this Harry Potter in a few days.  The boys are excited - they love the books, and we do not watch the movie until after we finish the book, so they are looking forward to seeing it.  Next weekend, maybe????

I have not read any Organized Simplicity this week.  It may sit with the bookmark not moving for a few weeks, until I have time to do some of the activities.  When I get more organized.  Such a catch-22.

And.....what are YOU reading this week?

It is Monday! What are you reading this week?

I did one start-and-put-down last week - The Fairy Godmother, by Mercedes Lackey.  I love fairy tales re-told (I am devoted to ABC's Once Upon a Time series) but this was......dull.  I gave it about 50 pages, then dumped.

The littles and I started Pippi Longstocking last night, and the bigs and I are still in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  I am moving forward slowly in Organized Simplicity. I want to take it all in before I start organizing my life, and it is giving me a few things to chew on.

My biggie for the week is Knowing God by J.I. Packer.  This book is on my "goal" list for this year, and so far (2 chapters) I am really getting a lot out of it.  A thorough review will be provided at the end of the month.  But for now, suffice it to say that it is NOT stuffy or sleep-inducing, but moves at a good pace and is very convicting.

I also have an ongoing Bible study by Kay Arthur and am on a regular reading schedule in the ESV Study Bible.  All my current books are in the Goodreads box on the right.

I am stopping by the library today, so there is a chance I may come home with something new, too.

And what are YOU reading this week?

And here is what I read last month - January, 2012

Overall, a good reading month.  Six books completed, several in progress, a few started and tossed aside.  No 5 stars, but a few 4s.  And heeerrrrreee they are:

1.  I Am Half-Sick of Shadows: A Flavia De Luce Novel by Alan Bradley.  I only gave this a 3 (Liked it).  These usually earn a 4+.  It started slow and never seemed to pick up.  The only really interesting parts were the clues about Dogger's past, and some light being shed on the feelings of Ophelia for her sister Flavia.  I will certainly read the next one.



2.  True Christian Motherhood an ebook by June Fuentes.  Another 3.  I guess I have read so many of these sort of books that it would have to be really outstanding for me to take notice.  This book is really a series of blog posts.  Would be good reading for a new Christian or new mother, just discovering these things.

3.  The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis - 4 stars (really liked it alot).

 I was surprised how much of the book WASN'T about Michael Oher - it really is about the evolution in game strategies in the NFL, and how that trickled down to college and high school teams and recruiting.  I was also surprised at how different the chronology of the lives of the Tooheys and Michael were from that portrayed in the movie.

The books really ARE always better, aren't they?

4.  The Importance of Being Seven (44 Scotland Street #6) by Alexander McCall Smith - 2 stars (it was okay).  Not as good as some of the others.  The continuing saga of Bertie is getting to be more than I can bear.  Can I admit that when his mother Irene disappeared I was really hoping she wouldn't be back??  I can't stand the sadness in his life, yet Bertie keeps trying, keeps hoping for things the rest of us take for granted - like a friend.  Maybe in book #7 his new friendship will bloom and his father Stuart will grow a backbone.  If I don't see some improvement, Mr. Smith, the next installment will be my last!
5.  Free Land by Rose Wilder Lane - 4 stars.  In case there is a bibliovore out there who doesn't know, Rose is Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter.  She is also strongly rumored to be the true "author" of the Little House books.  Laura wrote out her memories, and the Rose edited and assembled them into book form.  If you compare "The First Four Years" to any of the previous Little House books, you can see the difference (Rose did not edit TFFY).



Free Land contains many elements from the LH books and Laura's experience as a pioneer, but it is told from  an adult perspective, so it is considerably darker.  David and Mary are a young couple, earning their "free land" in the Dakotas in the 1880s.  David especially is based on Almanzo Wilder - same names for his siblings, growing up in the same places (NewYork and Minnesota) and even raising Morgans.  Many other elements of the LH books, such as the Hard Winter, play key roles in this story.

6.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, 4 stars.  This should probably be 5 stars, but I have read it so many times that some of the wonder has faded I guess.  This was one of my favorite books as a child, and I read it to my older boys a few years ago.  This month I read it to my 7 and 8 year old sons, and they loved it.  After we read the book we compared it to the movie (1971 version with Gene Wilder).  One of the best parts of my day is when I get to share some of my favorite books with my sons.  Even the older boys, who are turning 12 and 14 in the next few weeks still enjoy that time each night to soak up a good book together.

And that is it for me- what did YOU read?

It's Monday - What Are You Reading This Week?

Two books I started in the last week and then put back down:  Confessions of a Prairie B*, by Alison Arngrim, which I almost couldn't start because of the title.  Once I started it though, I decided that it probably wasn't worth my time.  I had read Melissa Gilbert's tell-all a few years ago, and I regret the loss of the hours of my life spent on that book.  This one is shorter, but still......

My bookmark is still moving slowly through Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper.  It is something I usually read in the morning, along with my Bible and devotional reading.  So, it may take a while. 

This weekend I started the newest Flavia De Luce mystery I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, by Alan Bradley.  And today I received a lovely box from Amazon which contained Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider (why doesn't her first name have any vowels????).


I also put back Death At Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn.



It reminded me slightly of Her Royal Spyness mysteries, but just not as fun.  So back into the bag it went.  I also read a few pages of Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I tossed that back into the library bag as well.

Hmmm, that was three books, not two.  Getting picky I guess.  But really, you need to be.  There is only so much time available for reading, and I refuse to waste that time on a bad book.  And that is that!

I will post some reviews on my monthly round up.

And what is YOUR bookmark moving through this week?