There's a Difference, Eh?

I've said two things in the past that came together in my mind today.

1. "This book is so great I read it in a day!"
2. "This book is so great I'm only halfway through!" (This said after working on it for a couple of weeks or longer.)

There's a difference, eh?

On the flip side, the same thing could be said for books you're not enjoying, just maybe a little different.

1. "This book is so terrible I'm just going to race through it."
2. "This book is so terrible it's taking me forever to read."

Interesting.

More on Book Choices

I got this quote by Richard H. Cracroft e-mailed to me the other day. It goes right along with this post from a month ago.

"Because life and time are short, we will be able to read only a few thousand books in our lifetime. When we pick any book, we are ruling out hundreds and thousands of other books. How important it is then, to choose time-proven great books that will foster the Holy Spirit and enable us to rise to greater levels of truth and beauty and insight and understanding and, hence, spirituality. Many great men and women have found that a steady, systematic approach to literature has enabled them to fill their beings, in a lifetime of good reading, with the great thoughts of men and women of all ages, for through reading great books we are put in touch with the great minds of all time, and we become their spiritual and intellectual heirs."

This is in response to a question about how to judge literature as good or bad. The rest of the article is excellent too. I highly recommend it. If I wasn't already getting picky about what I read, this helped me be even more so.

Brain Wreck

I woke up this morning and thought, "I am not going to read anything about CPSIA today. I'm just not. I have other things to do." Then I made a list of everything I was going to do today.

Then I went to my computer. I'm rubber necking. There's a brain wreck out there in the CPSC, and I can't look away. I am so weak.

I'm not going to reiterate everything being written, but The Book Room has been posting tons of great information, including links to other posts and information. The Common Room has been writing eulogies for now targeted books. (I've personally added several to my wish list.)

It is ludicrious to think of books, clothing, and everything blanketed into this legislation as hazardous materials. While well-intended, I cannot imagine the thought process that expanded this law as far as it has. Even California and their stringent laws (you've seen the labels, "This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer") had to prove a risk before products could be added to their lead law, and swarovski crystal, though high in lead, wasn't included because the lead isn't in an accessible form.

The Common Room posted this picture. We've all read the jokes about how we ever survived with only mom's arm as a seat belt (nevermind car seats), playing outside barefoot all day long only stopping in for meals, riding bikes with no bike helmets, drinking from the hose, chewing on crib railings painted with lead-based paint. Now we can add, how did we all make it this long with our mothers and grandmothers reading to us?

I'm glad people are writing about this. I hope people are listening.

What really chaps my hide for today is this really neat video of Julie Vallese, a CPSC spokeswoman and former director of public affairs talking about the CPSC's "very big sweeping piece of legislation" (0:40, that alone should scare you) that involves children's products, which are defined as "anything sold for the primary use of a child 0-12." Lead is defined as a "banned hazardous substance," as is anything containing it.

Ms. Vallese states that resellers are not required to test products they sell (which is why snopes made a false determination on the claim about the CPSIA), BUT they are required to obey the law. So if not test, how do you know? We really get a great insight into Ms. Vallese's superhero talent when she suggests resellers "look at it" (5:30) to determine if their products contain more than 600ppm lead. Thank you, Ms. Vallese! You don't have to pay to test! Just use your laserbeam eyes and determine whether there is too much lead or not. She also suggests calling the manufacturer about every product that comes into the thrift shop. Right. Watch the video closely, you can see her brain sliding out her ear.

I have to say the best part of the video is when she states that there is "misinformation being floated out by...the mommy blogs...that they are just not understanding" (about 3:10 in the video). Don't tick off the moms lady. Don't tick off the moms. Type "mommy bloggers spreading misinformation" in a google search and you'll find a whole lotta ticked off moms.

I guess we're all terrible mothers because we actually want to keep these "banned hazardous substances" in our children's hands. But I'm going to keep talking about this because I don't want to have to buy books on the black market.

The Handmade Toy Alliance goes point by point through the myths about CPSIA.

If you want to look at lists of lead recalls for yourself, here's the CPSC website.

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will...shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated."

Thomas Paine

Marni
Mommy Blogger

CPSIA - Bad to Worse

I first heard about the CPSIA Act in December when an eBay jewelry friend e-mailed me asking what I knew about it. My reply, "Nothing." December is always busy so I didn't read more about it then. In January another eBay jewelry friend e-mailed me about it so I did more looking. I got a little nervous, given the fact that it is in regards to lead in products intended for children, and yah, I've got a little business making children's jewelry. About half of what I sell is banned as of February 10th, anything with crystal on it (lead is part of all we like about crystal).

But enough about me. What is really chapping my hide is how this silly thing is affecting books. My kids don't regularly chew on books, and I've never heard of anyone getting lead poisoning from a book, but guess what? Books are included under the act. I can't even think straight over this, so just read more about it here at the BookRoomBlog.

For those that don't want to go read that blog, the basic gist is that books older than 1985 cannot be resold. So used bookstores are throwing them away, because what else are they supposed to do with them?

One of the quotes posted on that blog mentions that the government is trying to destroy history. I don't know if I could go that far, but I love older children's books because they have real home-grown values. Kids being taught honesty, hard work, love, virtue, and kindness.

Did you know there are book burning memorials? There are.


This one in Berlin is the site of the May 10, 1933 Nazi book burning. It is a translucent panel showing empty bookshelves below ground level. There are enough empty shelves to hold all the books that were burned. Nearby in Heinrich Heine's words it says, "Where books are burned, in the end people will burn."


So far libraries are exempt (probably an oversight), and I know there are lead-free reprints, but really, just go read these for my sake:

"Big Sister, Little Sister" by Charlotte Zolotow
"Big Brother" by Charlotte Zolotow
"Pelle's New Suit" by Elsa Beskow
"Pumpkin Moonshine" by Tasha Tudor
"The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes" by Dubose Heyward

Pass on your old favorites so I can make sure I get to those too.

Even if you haven't heard of these, there are plenty of others you have, like the Beatrice Potter books and even the first Arthur books by Marc Brown.

BookRoomBlog also has other information, including a post on who to contact about this.

I wonder what the true intention of this straitjacket is. Seriously, I would like to see the cases of kids getting lead poisoning from buttoning their coats, zipping their zippers, and eating their books. We're all about protecting the individual, but at what cost?

More on this from Semicolon, here, here, and here.

As Marcellus puts it in Hamlet, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

Precious Reading Time

Yesterday we were listening to a John Bytheway talk in the car called "Weed Your Spirit, Grow Your Testimony." An excellent talk, but of course, John's are always great.

He mentioned something that he credited to Elder Joe J. Christensen. Elder Christensen pointed out that if you live to be 70 and read a book a week, you will read x number of books. I couldn't remember the number and not knowing exactly how he thought it out, I came up with my own. SO, if you live till age 75, and figuring that you don't learn to read until you're 5 (obviously not a high calibur of books at that point), I came up with 3640 as the number of books you could read in your lifetime. Not a real big number, considering that the Library of Congress has over 30 million books (thanks Wikipedia). So basically, if you read 577,000 a week, you'll make it through all of them. That's it!

I thought it was a very interesting bit of information. The moral of the story was, don't waste time reading junk. My moral of the story is, if you aren't already reading, get started!

2009 Book List

I've been thinking about my helter-skelter way of reading (usually a few but sometimes several at a time, finishing some and not others, etc. etc.) and decided I needed to come up with a list to work towards. I'm not saying I have to finish this during the year, but it's a goal list I want to work through. I actually hope it's these and more, especially since I'll also be reading with the kids and the book group, not to mention all the wonderful book review bloggers that add more to my list and those impulsive library and book store finds. I plan on marking then off as I go, maybe more will sneak in.

I think there's a good variety. Here you have it, in no particular order (except Daisy Chain since I already started it):

FICTION
Daisy Chain by Charlotte Mary Yonge (working on it)
Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis (0, 1, and 3 done)
Phantasies by George MacDonald
The Wise Woman by George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
DONE Life of Pi by Yann Martel
DONE Laddie by Gene Stratton-Porter
Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene Du Bois
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
DONE I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Les Miserables (this is scary, I mean the BIG one) by Victor Huge
Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath
Eight Cousins by Louise May Alcott
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
DONE Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
DONE Silas Marner by George Elliot
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour
Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
DONE Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
DONE The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

NONFICTION
21 Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
Bonds that Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner
DONE Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute
Ravens in Winter by Bernd Heinrich

A few maybes because I love them so much and it's been a couple of years since we spent time together (I'm giddy thinking about reading them again):
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (working on this)

All are new to me except The Chosen (read it years ago) and the Narnia series (read them for the first time a couple years ago). And one I've been halfway through for at least 6 months, but am ashamed to say which.

"You are the same today as you will be five years from now except for two things...the people you meet and the books you read." --Charles E. Jones

Here's to a year of GREAT READING!

Added Feb. 2, 2009 - 2009 BOOK CLUB LIST
DONE January - The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
DONE February - WORK: Wonderful Opportunities for Raising Responsible Kids by Debbie Bowen
DONE March - The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
DONE April - The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
DONE May - Walk Two Moons by Susan Creech
June - Sara by Orson Scott Card
DONE July - A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
August - All is Swell by Robert F. Smith
DONE September - Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute
DONE October - Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
DONE November - Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
December - Gift of the Magi and Other Stories by O. Henry

2009 Book Group Planning Coming Up

Our book group will be getting together in a week to plan the books we'll read throughout the year.

Any great suggestions? Favorites you've read in the past year?

I plan on tossing "Leadership and Self-Deception" and "The Princess and Curdie" in the ring.

In 2008 our book group read:
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Peacegiver by James L. Ferrill
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
I am a Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
Any book about finances
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
One of Ours by Willa Cather
Train to Potevka by Mike Ramsdell
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Life of Our Lord by Charles Dickens
Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons

Who Helps You?

I've been really enjoying our DI finds, reading books that I never did when I was younger. Right now I'm reading "Little Women" (WOW - a new favorite), and the kids and I are just about done listening to Madeleine L'Engle read "A Wrinkle in Time."

"Are you fighting the Black Thing?" Meg asked.

"Oh, yes," Aunt Beast replied. "In doing that we can never relax. We are called according to His purpose, and whom He calls, them He also justifies. Of course we have help, and without help it would be much more difficult."

"Who helps you?" Meg asked.

"Oh, dear, it is so difficult to explain things to you, small one. And I know now that it is not just because you are a child. The other two are as hard to read into as you are. What can I tell you that will mean anything to you? Good helps us, the stars help us, perhaps what you would call light helps us, love helps us. Oh, my child, I cannot explain! This is something you just have to know or not know."

64 Books

The Hall Family has been on a book hunt. With a mission to expand our home classics library, we scanned the book shelves at three DI's the past couple of days, and now are 64 books richer. When you consider that many cost only $.50 and $.75, it's not a horrible investment, though there were the $1.00, $1.50, and $2.00 books in there, plus a few other 'treasures' the kids found during the expedition.

It's exciting to have so much greatness at our fingertips.

Jamie found a set of four books called "Out of the Best Books." I guess they were written to be used in Relief Society groups back in the 1960's to study literature together, but there are poems, short stories, and excepts with a discussion section after each. As it states in the preface to the first volume, "the best way to study literature is to read it... Literature is vivid and exciting and provocative--but only when we have read it." And so, we read! After looking through them I'm excited to read and use them with our homeschooling, and at only $1 each!

Here are some of my favorite quotes on reading.

Books on the Shelf

I was cleaning off the bookshelf on my side of the bed today. I pulled off all the beloved favorites that I know I'm not going to read for a while, though some of the recently reads had to stay and remind me of the greatness they hold within. Then I used the extra space to put the new books waiting to be read and the others to reread again soon properly on the shelf, rather than piled on the shelves in front of or on top of the others. It's great looking at a fresh bookshelf with a whole lot of potential for greatness. New faces I don't know yet, old friends I keep going back to. I feel like I'm allowing myself to become more by putting off some of the old for a while.

Do your books talk to you? All I have to do is look at some of them and I get the same feeling I did when I finished them and just held the closed book for a while, soaking it all in.

Here are a few fun book quotes from something I copied years ago that I found while taking the deshelved books to my boxes downstairs:

"When I am reading a book, whether wise or silly, it seems to me to be alive and talking to me." --Jonathan Swift

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers." --Charles W. Eliot

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." --Cicero

"You are the same today as you will be five years from now except for two things...the people you meet and the books you read." --Charles E. Jones

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." --Francis Bacon

One I read 8/10/08: “But he who truly loves books loves all books alike, and not only this, but it grieves him that all other men do not share with him this noble passion. Verily, this is the most unselfish of loves!” -- Eugene Field in Love Affairs of a Bibliomaniac

One I read 8/17/08: “Books are chocolate for the soul. They don’t make one fat. One need not brush one’s teeth after reading. They are quiet. One can bring them anywhere–no passport required. Books have only one downfall: even the fattest book has a last page, and then one needs a new one again.” --Antonie Schneider

Added 11/29/08: "If time is precious, no book that will not improve by repeated reading deserves to be read at all." --Thomas Carlyle

Added 01/02/09: "Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." --P.J. O'Rourke

Added 05/11/09: "You must get into the habit of looking intensely at words, and assuring yourself of their meaning, syllable by syllable–nay, letter by letter… you might read all the books in the British Museum (if you could live long enough) and remain an utterly “illiterate,” uneducated person; but if you read ten pages of a good book, letter by letter, — that is to say, with real accuracy– you are for evermore in some measure an educated person." ~John Ruskin

"The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading; but a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty." ~Theodore Parker

"My education was the liberty I had to read indiscriminately and all the time, with my eyes hanging out." ~Dylan Thomas

Rereading

Love today's google Daily Literary Quote:

"'Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are' is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread." --Francois Mauriac

I've got a stack of books I love to reread, and was actually staring at my bookcase just last night sighing to myself over the fact that there are so many new things I want to read now, that it's harder to find the time to reread the favorites.

Bedtime Woes

I don't know if you've gathered it or not from some of my past posts, but I love reading to my kids. I just discovered a wonderful book I plan on writing a review about (sorry to keep you in suspense, but you don't even get the title yet, and no it's not anywhere else on here). I love discovering new gems like that and sharing the stories and lessons they hold for us.

I've been reading "Holes" with the boys. I've read it before, but the three of us are deep into it. The chapters are short, making it very easy to get sucked into the "One more chapter, PLEEEEASE!!!" Especially when I want to keep going with it too!

Last night we read for over 1/2 hour past their bedtime, but of course they can't jump their little hineys into bed as soon as we're done, even if they are already pajammered and brushed, so by the time lights were off it was at least 45 minutes past bedtime. And boy, did I pay for it this morning. I don't think I heard one kind word from either all morning. Sammy especially doesn't do well on less than normal sleep, and since we were in the getting-read-for-church rush it made it all the worse.

Tonight I said they had to be jammered and brushed AND on their beds before I started reading, and that I was going to quit 10 minutes before actual bedtime in case there was anything extra they needed to get up for after we were done. When everyone was ready and we could finally get going, we had 7 minutes to read (we watched a movie tonight that finished just after 8:00, so getting the girls ready for bed pushed back them getting ready). We had one longer chapter that actually took us 8 minutes to read, so when I was done with it I closed the book and got them settled in.

While Sammy was getting ready I told Adam that I love reading together even more than they do, and that it makes my heart hurt to have to cut the time so drastically, but that no way no how am I going to have them up if it means that I get punished the next morning the way I did today. I don't mean this to be a whiney post, but a lesson hopefully finally learned. We've run this cycle before here and there. Maybe I've got it now.

Even if I do hate it.

I feel like I'm the one the law is being laid down for. That stinks.

Books We Have Read with the Kids

Just though I would start a list for fun. Not all the picture books of course, but the ones that take more time to get through. I'm sure I won't remember them all straight off, and I plan to add as we go, so this is definitely a work in progress. The dates are when we finished (if I remember). Some of these I read to them, some we listened to on tape or CD in the car. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them! I would recommend all we've read unless otherwise noted.

Books We Have Read with the Kids
The Great Turkey Walk (Feb. 2008)
The Hobbit (Feb. 2008)
Fablehaven (Aug? 2007)
The Candy Shop War (Oct. 2007)
Peter and the Starcatchers (Fall 2007)
Peter and the Shadow Thieves (Fall 2007)
Summer of the Monkeys (Summer 2006)
Harry Potter 1-4
My Father's Dragon (and the two sequels, delightful!)
Where the Red Fern Grows
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Dec 2006)
Chocolate Fever
Stone Fox
The Cay
The BFG (one of Sammy's all-time favorites, definitely read!)
Hatchet
My Side of the Mountain
The Sign of the Beaver
The Indian in the Cupboard
The Family Under the Bridge (good story, but little slow for the boys)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Mouse and the Motorcycle Series


Plan to Read
Fablehaven 2
Laddie
Little Britches
Five Little Peppers and How They Grow
Harry Potter 5-7
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Cheaper by the Dozen
Carry On Mr. Bowditch
Tom's Midnight Garden


I firmly believe in the importance of reading aloud to your children, no matter how old they are. The education benefits are immense, and if nothing else it's just nice to curl up together and read.

For more information on reading aloud and for a list of great read aloud ideas, check out The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.

Review: Clearing Your Clutter with Feng Shui

If you read past posts of mine, you know keeping the house clean is a real issue for me. I've tried so many systems and schedules, till I realized one day that it was all the 'stuff' that was killing me and I needed to get rid of more 'stuff' before I could even start to feel ahead. Unfortunately, it is deeply engrained in my genes to hold tightly to whatever enters my home. While opening wedding presents my mom told me I should save the paper and bows. I'm not sure where the paper is, but I still haven't been able to toss that box of bows! Weeded it down, but many still there ("If I ever wrap a present ahead of time, I could dig through the box for a nice bow to top it off!").

Anyway, wandering through the library at the end of October I noticed this book on the shelf and thought what the heck, I'm always looking for good ideas. I knew nothing about feng shui (not entirely sure I know much more now) but I figured I would take that with a grain of salt and go digging for the good clearing clutter ideas.

What a find! Since I've been reading this I've found myself tossing and organizing like crazy. If I didn't have so many things to do besides, I could truly "ninja through [my] home like a white tornado, decluttering with glee" as Ms. Kingston mentions at one point in her book. As it stands, I'm just part-time ninja, or when-I-get-the-chance ninja, though still doing it with glee.

Here are some of her other words of wisdom as a record for myself, if nothing else:

"[When you hold on to clutter] you tend to look back rather than forward in your life... You have to release the past to create a better tomorrow."

"After clutter clearing you are likely to surprise yourself by wanting to do things you have put off for a long time."

"Write a list of all the things you would love to do if only your clutter were sorted, and let this be the inspiration for you to get on with it."

"Keeping things 'just in case' indicates a lack of trust in the future... The more you can learn to trust that life will take care of you, the more life will take care of you."

"Life is constant change. So when something comes into your life, enjoy it, use it well, and when it is time, let it go. It is that simple. Just because you own something, it doesn't mean that you have to keep it forever. You are just a temporary custodian of many things as they pass through your life."

"Get in the habit of leaving a trail of discarded clutter in your wake, and start to think of it as a sign of progression!"

"Everything you are holding on to through fear is blocking you having more love in your life; clearing it allows more love to start pouring in. Fear stops you from being who you truly are and doing what you came here to do; clutter clearing brings you greater clarity about your life purpose... Letting go of clutter leaves you free to be you, which is the greatest gift you can ever give yourself."

On books, "Your books symbolically represent your ideas and beliefs... Learn to let your books go when it is time." Besides all the obvious ones like cookbooks you don't use and textbooks you haven't used for years, "There are books that inspired you deeply years ago but whose concepts are now so much a part of you that you no longer need to read them anymore. Aim to end up with a collection of books that represents you as you are today and the intended 'you' of tomorrow."

"Sit down and make a list of the many things [you] want to do in [your] life that [you aren't] allowing [yourself] to do because of unfinished jobs."

"Working with a clear desk increases productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction... It is psychologically far more uplifting to start with a clear desk than with mounds of paperwork, which makes you feel defeated before you even start."

She goes a bit into physical, emotional, and spiritual clutter as well, but I think I'm doing okay there, with a big yikes at her discussion on colon cleansing (I'll stick with my basement, thanks). All the advice has been motivating so far. So much to do, so little time.

To Impress You All Even More

It's funny to hear that people actually read this. Not too many, but still, just funny. I've received a few, "Don't you need to settle down?" comments after the last post. Well, keep watching and see how many of those actually end up on the 'finished' list. So little time, so many things that use up that time.

Last night I started reading another, called The Book of Mormon: A Pattern for Parenting. I'm enjoying it so far.

And two more soon to be added to the 'now reading' list:

Long Way to Chicago - This month's book group book.

One I put on hold just tonight that I learned about from a neighbor, Parenting the Ephraim's Child. Here's a brief excerpt from the description. "Like those of the tribe of Ephraim, an Ephraim’s Child has great determination, energy, and a headstrong will. Ephraim’s Children are also often high maintenance, emotional, controlling, and aggravating. What other sources don’t tell you is that these children are a special and covenant people." It talks about different characteristics of these children, and shows how "each is actually a strength in need of refinement" and "demonstrate[s] how these qualities can be valuable tools in the Lord’s hands." I'm excited to read it.

Am I Out of Control or WHAT?

I was going to update the 'Books I'm Reading' section, and maybe I still will, but when I stepped back to look at all that I'm reading I decided this deserves it's on listing. Besides, since homeschooling officially began, my writing opportunities have definitely dropped in frequency, so you just have to take what you can get. And actually, I started writing this, had no time to finish, and now I've finished some that I had sitting here. Hate that! So I've got to include some of the recently reads.

Currently Reading:

Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly - Just started this one earlier today. It's by the author of "Ella Enchanted." I happened upon it in the non-fiction children's section of the library during our last visit and thought it looked interesting. I've always wanted to be an author, but the whole fiction thing is beyond me.

The Candy Shop War - Jamie and I are reading this with the boys. Great story by the author of Fablehaven, Brandon Mull. I can't believe this guy sleeps at night for all the cool stories in his head. I heard the movie rights for this have been sold.

Raising Up a Family to the Lord - I've got this as a talk on tape and love it. Not too far in, but I'm hoping this builds more on the same.

Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual-Spatial Learner - I learned about this one after being told Sammy is "very right-brained." Definitely interesting.

Smart Moves: Why Learning is not All in Your Head - Another one I'm reading for Sammy. I first heard about something called "Brain Gym," a concept of using exercises and stretches to turn on areas of your brain. From all that I gather, for "Smart Moves" those ideas were used and explained more, and furthered the concept. Not too far in.

Peter and the Shadow Thieves - We are listening to this on in the car right now. We've already listened to the first, Peter and the Starcatchers. Fun stories! Jim Dale (who read the Harry Potter series) recorded these ones as well.

And of all things...

Simplify: A Guide to Caring for the Soul - Simplify? Have you seen this list alone?? :) This isn't just on tossing things. It's also on being true to ourselves, kind to ourselves, and letting go (among even more things). I'm doing my best. We've all got to reach for something, eh?

Recently Read:

Goose Girl and Princess Academy - Wow, wow, wow. I am so amazed with Shannon Hale's writing. Great female characters, exciting story lines. I have myself on the list of about everything else of hers at the library.

The Read-Aloud Handbook - It was partially because of this one that I didn't finish writing this sooner. Had to finish it for this month's book group, especially since I was presenting it. Great motivator to read to your kids!

A Few Creative Moments Out of the Basement

Jamie (my husband) had me listen to a talk recently on being creative. I'll have to get the source from him, but it was a creative writing instructor at BYU if I remember right. It focused on writing, but the principles applied to probably any creative outlet. It mentioned taking time to be creative in your chosen area every day, and I thought, Gosh, I should be writing in my blog every day. I've wanted to be a writer since elementary school, so I guess I should keep that in practice. This blogging thing is fun, but one of my friends put the pressure on me. After reading my first two posts she called and said, "Those are so funny! You really need to keep writing and keep it funny." There you have it, instant writer's block. Thanks Leslie!

As you can probably tell from the cleaning ideas, I have definite issues with that. Between keeping on top of things, staying halfway organized, and (yikes!) tossing tossing tossing, it's been a big weight on me and something I am always trying to be better at an overcome.

I took 2 hours each of the last 2 nights and watched Masterpiece Theather "Anna Karenina." I've been wanting to read the book, saw the video at the library, and thought, what the heck, at least I can get the storyline before I dive into the HUGE book. Very disturbing story actually, now I'm debating whether to read it or not. There was a great quote in the movie that I assume is also in the book, something to the effect of, "Why do women take on extra duties when they can't handle the ones they've already got?" In the movie Anna's husband was slyly referring to her adulterous relationship, but since I'm the kind of person that loves to take on anything extra to avoid household duties it stabbed me to the core.

Still, I've been making some big leaps and bounds this week. Jamie has been at scout camp all week and I've been attacking the box-filled basement, as it has been threatening to kidnap one of the children. I've been doing some major tossing and lots of organizing, and IT FEELS GREAT! With as well as things are going, I'm expecting the basement to look pretty darn good.

I've spent a lot of thought and prayer on my homemaking issues. Maybe it's one of those things that the time has to be right, because over the past several months I've really felt some attitude changes. I was totally shocked when I realized it was my birthday, I was doing the dishes (one of my least favorite things), and actually didn't mind and was (shhhh!) ALMOST enjoying it. I couldn't really admit it if I was, could I? But it IS nice to walk up to an empty sink rather than an overflowing one.

Off to make dinner so I can dive back into the basement.