Reading Update

Last month I gave you a book reading list.

And since you asked for an update 

(oh, wait, you didn't?!),

here it is (in green)!

(PS. I did something,

I'm not sure what,

and some of the green text 

has a white background.

There's nothing more special

about those comments.

I tried to change it back,

but Techy I am not!) 

to read with my husband

Building Strong Families edited by Dennis Rainey

This is an excellent resource.

My husband actually found some articles online

which are chapters within this book.

We are picking and choosing 

what to read together 

(on marriage and children)

and what to read alone

(on wives and husbands).

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

This book just came into the library for us...

it is almost 700 pages long...

we'll see how well we do!

The Bible

We are reading through the Bible 

along with our church,

but are doing this separately.

to read with my daughter

the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace

Ella and I read the first book in the series.

Very cute, but a bit young for my daughter.

We should have read it two years ago, I think.

finish the Guardian of Ga'Hoole series

Okay, Ella actually

finished this series

without me, but was so good

to keep me abreast of new information!

The Last of the Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards

Picked up from the library.

Awaiting to be read.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Not reading yet. 

Ella was given Mandie, Volume 1 

by Lois Leppard

for her birthday. 

It is 5 children's Christian

mystery books in one volume. 

This volume is consuming our time.

We're already on the third story. 

I highly recommend these books!

to read with my son 

any and all books by

Mo Willems (these books produce belly laughs...)

PD Eastman, Dr. Seuss and Rev. W. Awdry

We're dissing everything but Mo Willems right now.

If you have a two to five year old

pick up the Piggie and Elephant books

or the Pigeon books

by Mo Willems.

I can't say it enough, BELLY LAUGHS! 

to read solo

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Extraordinary Ordinary People by Condoleeza Rice

The Emperor of All Maladies:

a biography of cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers

The Urban Homestead by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen

The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan

The only books I've read are the last two listed.

They are wonderful references if you

are trying to use your at home resources wisely.

I like The Urban Homestead better than 

The Backyard Homestead

simply because more of the ideas suggested

were either pertinent to us or 

we are already doing something similar and 

it made me think of how we can do it even better. 

The other books are requested from

my wonderful local library

but will be awhile before I'm at the

top of the list to receive them!

I did get happily distracted by

Stepping Heavenward by 

Elizabeth Prentiss. 

It was $4.50 in my church's bookstore,

and simply screamed for me to purchase it.

Books scream, you know.

 Well, it was a simply wonderful read,

truly a wonderful gift to begin my 2011

reading list.

The books is the fictional account of a 

young woman in the late 1800's - 

first living at home

and then married to a doctor and being 

a wife, homemaker and mother. 

The book is written in the format of her

journal entries. 

As I read this book I felt as if

the author knew my struggles and had

written them down for me.

(It's always a blessing when someone

reads your mind for you.)

However, this young woman

isn't left struggling

but comes to an understanding 

of Christ's Love

and what that can actually mean

in the details

of her life. 

This book is now in 

RACHEL'S FAVORITE column!