shame on me...

I have not read hardly at all in the past year (or maybe two?) except for kid's books. (thank you homeschooling and 3 kids)

Here are a few "Mommy Books" (and listed probably entirely out of order because it has been so long since finishing many of these)


The Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman--Very little new knowledge to me but reinforcing a few of the reasons for why my husband and I do things the way we do as well as better understanding of our three rather stereotypical birth-order kids.  If you have not read it, it is definitely worth a read/skim because it will help you interact with not only family but friends and coworkers better.

Cameron Townsend by Geoff and Janet Benge--this is one of the YWAM missionary biographies.  I loved it.  It is just wonderful to dwell on those who live life with complete abandonment to the will of God.  (and the YWAM books are easy to read and great for not only adults but kids as well)

Real Simple : 869 New Uses for Old Things -- always enjoy quick tip books.  Anything from the many uses for coffee filters to what you can do with saran wrap.  Whether or not I apply anything might be another story.  Hopefully, it is all rumbling around in my brain for when I need it in the future?

Woman's Secret to a Balanced Life by Lysa Terkeurst & Sharon Jaynes --  This one was the book that my MOMS group was reading last year (ok, so it has been over a year since I last posted book reading).  Again, not mind-blowing for me, but lots of good reminders about focusing on what is really important.  And the biggest take away for me was "...contentment.  I was watching a picture of contentment in fulfilling God's call...Be relentless in your call."  This has been the theme in my life over the last two years.  There are times I have really kicked against my call as mother and homeschool parent.  I want to be content in this wonderful call God has given me!

Darcy's Decision :  Given Good Principles  by Maria Grace -- a free Kindle book I had picked up.  I LOVE Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice so was fully expectant to enjoy this book.  It was very tough plowing through.  This is a book written from Darcy's perspective.  Instead of the charm and "romance" that is seen throughout P&P, this is rather a dark, intellectual story.  I did appreciate the internal spiritual struggle that Darcy was battling.  It is only the first book in the series and so deals with the early time before Pride and Prejudice starts.  We walk along with Darcy's most intimate thoughts regarding all that had gone on in his earlier life.

The Black Count  by Tom Reiss --picked this up, but I fear I could not get through it all.  It was interesting..a biography of Alex Dumas (the father of Alexandre Dumas).  His life is the basis for the son's book the Count of Monte Cristo, one of my favorites!  However, the details were bogging me down.  Picked up some interesting history and then gave myself the freedom to move on.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library  by Chris Grabenstein -- I will include this here, despite being young adult fiction, because it definitely does not fit into the other picture book category I have been reading.  It was a fun book.  I read it after reading a recommendation from a friend.  It is an easy read...maybe middle school level.  It kept you guessing a bit and trying to stay one step ahead of the characters who were in a race/game to escape from a magical library.  Reminiscent a bit of Roald Dahl.

Adventure Travel by Ian Usher -- another free kindle book.  It was a quick travelogue about a guy who likes to do exotic, wild things all over the globe.  It was rather interesting as much for the cultural insight as anything.  And because I am an arm-chair reader who would rather not do any of those things myself.

Paris, Oui Can! by Gary Hosmer -- yet another free kindle book.  It is the insights of a British man and his family who move to Paris to start a business.  As a francophile, I found it very interesting.  Another confirmation that the French are a rather closed society.

**Yesterday, Today and Forever  by Maria Von Trapp -- this one was life-changing for me!  I highly recommend reading it...and for older kids too.  Yes, it doesn't hurt that I LOVE The Sound of Music.  I picked it up because I remembered reading an autobiography of Maria Von Trapp many, many years ago.  Wanted to refresh my mind as to the truth vs. fiction.  Instead, I ended up with a devotional book written by Maria.  Yes, she was a nun, but when you read the book you realize how very real her walk was with the Lord.  She followed the practices commanded in Deuteronomy 6:6-9 "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."  The whole book is based on her many conversations with her children and others regarding the life of Christ.  It is based on hours and hours of research, personal experience and some "what-ifs." (which I rarely appreciate, but she justifies in her book)  It gave me a greater appreciation of Jesus and his life like nothing I had read before, apart from the Bible.  I read it at Christmas time and it just so coincided with his birth.  I already plan to read it to my family in the future at Christmas.  Can't recommend this book enough...

So, great intentions to keep up with books I have read ended up in a two year hiatus.  Oops.  I also want to record some of the more fun kids books we have read.  Those will come in a separate post or two...

Disillusioned

Poor David!~

The conversation started when he asked me how I could call up batman to come save someone.  I told him there was a special phone line.  He wanted to know what the phone number was.  I told him I really didn't know and then he requested me to "type it down."  (look it up online)  I told him I was not sure where to look.  He then asked where Batman lives.  I told him that he lives in Gotham City, NY.  But I guess all my uncertainty then prompted the next question.  "Mommy, is Batman real or is he just a story?"  I looked at Michael and told him to answer.  Michael just said, "Well, son, I have not been all over the world.  So I cannot say whether there is Batman somewhere I have not been."  I could see the lightbulb go on in his head though...poor son!  We have never had to deal with whether Santa was real, but it broke my heart to have to tell him Batman was not real.  Hah!

sweet times

This month for the two "olders" was not overly productive.  I only have a few pictures to show from it, other than the few for E's party and our day at the zoo.  Still another fun, rather exhausting month...

Bizbeth talks about grills (girls), stamples (samples--particularly at Sam's club), bipers (diapers), and logurt (yogurt).

David is always asking me to "type down" something (meaning look up something online).  He regularly keeps me up-to-date on the happenings in the world of Houston through KSBJ.  (Mommy, they are having a brown bag at __________ park in the Woodlands!  Mommy, KSBJ said to carry your umbrella!  Mommy, KSBJ said....)  In fact, one night last week while the babysitter was here, we received an urgent text from her telling me that there was a tornado warning and did I want the kids moved?   This at 10:15 at night.  It wasn't until later that I put the pieces together and realized David had come yelling downstairs about a tornado warning--which he had heard on the radio.  The tornado warning could have been in three counties over...

Sweet David always gives me the curled chips.  He knows I like them and if he picks one up for himself, he will offer it to me instead.

And David visited the dentist again.  What a champ!  (even if he is moderately toothless)

And a favorite book that David spontaneously made for us this month...

activity in the cat cages

Despite a very hectic week, we took time out to go to the zoo on M's Friday off.  Even as we were heading out the door, there were some qualms and reservations about the trip.  It was raining at our house but only lightly and the radar had showed no rain at the zoo (45 minutes south).  And we were running late (thought parking might be a bear)  The drive met far heavier precipitation.  I figured that if we got rained out, we could always head to the science museum or something so we continued on.  

However,  once we got to the zoo, the rain had stopped and the parking lot was almost empty!  The rain must have kept everyone away, including the schools.  We only saw 1-2 small groups of school kids the whole time.  

I had not wanted to get my nice camera "rained on" so the pictures were "make do" shots using my cell phone camera.  Too bad, there was so much to take pictures of!  

The cooler weather (jeans and tshirt--or even light sweatshirt) had woken up all the animals!  

We immediately headed to the cat area.  It is highly unusual to see them up and moving!  When we got there, the tigers were not in their usual spot behind the bamboo.  One was up lapping the water and the other moving around too.  The cougars and leopards were moving about.  The daddy lion was very up close to the glass.  The bears too were highly active.  All except the Grizzly who was fast asleep.  

We checked out the elephants and a few other random animals, like the anorexic-looking Gerenuk.  

Then, we went to see the monkeys.  The orangutans were more apparent than some days too.  As were many of the other monkeys.  

(this one made me laugh really hard, the mommy Gibbon was holding the baby even as the baby was squirming to get out of her arms...haven't I done that a million times?!?!)

Time to stop for lunch.

After lunch, the giraffes as requested by little Elizabeth. Three giraffes were standing bottoms together kicking and head butting each other.  Then, another giraffe came over and stood only a few feet from us.  I tried to capture a picture of his long black tongue and David's incredibly long pink tongue.  Unfortunately, the timing did not quite coincide.   

Our last stop was the chimps on the way out.  We ended up being around for a zoo keeper talk.  I did not realize until we chatted with her that Chimps are so very territorial that they are quite scary, and the keepers never go in the area with them.  

It wasn't until we got in the car and left the parking lot that the heavens broke loose again and the rain came!  What a gift!