Restoration Place

I'm In ~ Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks

One year ago, I asked myself what it was going to take to motivate me to read more books. Years ago, I would have never dreamed I would be having difficulty finding the time and motivation to read. But I am.

Oh, I read. I read aloud to the children. A lot. I read through cookbooks. I read articles online. Blogs. But most of what I read is for the service of my family and their needs, not so much for myself or my own interest or -- gulp -- my own pleasure.

I need the Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge. Although the pace irks my Charlotte Mason reading sensibilities (live with a book, savor it, soak in and absorb it), it's the push I need to make space in my life for something that brings me so much joy.

I'll be checking in here and sharing brief reviews weekly, as much as I can. 

Care to join in?

Thanks to my friend Amy at A Call to Adventure, where I first found out about the challenge. If she hadn't posted about it, I don't think I would have felt so inspired to join.

I'm going to try these two books for this week and next: 

Discover Nature in Winter: Things to Know and Things to Do (Discover Nature , No 6)

The Best American Essays 2009

  

Ben, Mr. Putter and Tabby, and Me

Ben's become an early riser lately. So my early morning routine has been altered to accommodate him and his voracious appetite for being read to (not that he doesn't get read to...oh, my! We always have special picture book reading time together after breakfast. He's double and triple dipping lately! ~grin~)

We're all about Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea and all the other funny books about Mr. Putter, his fine cat, Tabby, Mrs.Teaberry (their good neighbor) and her dog, Zeke, right now. This is Ben's favorite stack of books for our couch time together.

"Ok, Mom, here are the books! I want Henry And Mudge, too!" That pile is hauled to the couch, too.

Ben: "Mom, what are you doing? I want you to read to me!"

 

Me: "I thought we would stack the books neatly and take a picture of them so we can tell moms who read the blog about the books. How about that?"

 

Ben: "No, Mom, not like that! Show them like this! On your blog! But don't let them see my hat!" {But your hat is adorable! I love how you put it on in the morning! They will love your hat!}

 

Ben: "Ok, Mom, like this! Put the books like this! Spread them out! And they can really see them! And I want you to read to me!"

Me: "All right. And let's put my coffee next to the books, so they can see how much coffee I drink at this time of the morning, and I'll tell them I'm on my third cup. Because I am."

 

Ben: "Mom, are you going to read, read, read to me now??"

 

Me: "Yes, Ben. I would love, love, love to read, read, read to you right now!"

Ben's photo of his hat. He wants you to see it, but not on him:

Books-I-Haven't-Read-{For-Shame!} ~ 2008 Retrospective

Well, I've been shocked into awareness these last few days about how few books I read in 2008. I'm rather embarrassed to even share my skimpy list...but, greatly inspired by the volume of reading that other home educating moms are posting about (I'm sure you're already up on all that), I'm going to share my lackluster list and quietly excuse myself.

In no particular order, and not even categorized for your convenience:

Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends

What Every American Should Know About American History

Permission Granted: To Do Church Differently in the 21st Century

Paradise, the Holy City and the Glory of the Throne

Interpreting the Times: How God Intersects With Our Lives to Bring Revelation and Understanding (still working on this one)

A Short History of Nearly Everything

The Big Wave

The Master Puppeteer

Daughter of the Mountains

Commodore Perry in the Land of Shogun

Torches of Joy

Shadow Spinner

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

And others I can't remember...though I do remember a dusty stack slipping off my dresser and getting kicked under the bed (wood floors are slippery!). I did eventually retrieve the books. Much later, thanks to my observant four-year-old.

And now I'm reading...

In the Company of Crows and Ravens

Signs and Seasons (John Burroughs)

The Bronze Bow (it's making me lose sleep!)

The Story of Mankind

Secrets of the Universe

Archimedes and the Door of Science

The Best American Essays ~ 2006

There are so very many books I would dearly love to read, but meals, laundry, and home educating my crew leave little time. How do the rest of you do it??

Quietly excusing myself now.

Alert! ~ The Kids' Guide to Nature Adventures for only $65 through Amazon

I'm joking, of course. Not about the price of the book, but that you'd want to pay $65 for it. I'm crazy about this book, but not enough to pay $65 for it, and used at that.

Click on The Kids' Guide to Nature Adventures: 80 Great Activities for Exploring the Outdoors by Joe Rhatigan on the left sidebar, the first book listed in "Summer Basket" and amuse yourself by viewing the current asking prices for the book. The highest amount is a whopping $199.

I'm going to pay my overdue fine for my library copy of the book, and start tapping into the great ideas in Nature's Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Children to Get Outdoors by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield, Rivers, Ponds and Lakes by Nick Baker, and Forests and Woods, also by Nick Baker. Those are all listed in my Summer Basket, if you want to take a look.

They're all in print and reasonably priced.