scraps of me...

Bookworm

I've been a bookworm lately. Reading. a lot. My library card (and sometimes even the kids') are maxed out and our basket is overflowing.

I've been reading...

Mysteries/Crime novels.
--James Patterson
--Janet Evanovich

Cookbooks.
--Cookies
--Muffins
--Healthy Snacks

Crafting books.
--Sewing
--Embroidery
--Home Decorating

Inspirational books.
--Simply Living
--Weight Loss
--Family Memory-making

Kid's books.
--The Lightning Thief
--The Penderwicks
--Beautiful Picture Books'

I'm relaxing. I'm taking the time to make reading a priority in my day.

However, I've been gathering for some time now.

information.
recipes.
ideas.

I feel like soon, this season will come to an end. I feel motivated to DO something.

Sew a skirt...or maybe some curtains.
Bake some muffins...or make a yummy snack to share.
Create a scrapbook layout...or try out digital scrapping.
Make some memories with the kids...start a new tradition.

I'm inspired. :)

Oh, and if you want to see the actual books I'm currently reading, check over in the sidebar. You can also join in on Goodreads, and then we can be "friends" and I can see what you've been reading too.

10.02.2008

The week is almost over already! Here's what I've been up to...

Buying cute new shoes...

 

Enjoying some fresh flowers...

 

Baby-sitting Kaitlin's new puppy...

 

And waiting anxiously for Vicki and my Dad to come over for dinner tonight so I can gauge his reaction of this...

 

It's my Mom's novel...as a real book...not in a 3-ring binder...not 336 loose pages in a box. A real book!

This is my big 'secret'. I spent most of August and the first half of September typing each and every word, line by line, page after page....proofreading...crying...and feeling Mom with me through it all. It was her dream to get in published...and now it's a reality. I just wish she was here to see it.

I self-published it through this website...the copies are pretty expensive, but it was worth every penny!

I took Dad's copy to his house yesterday afternoon, before he got home, and left a sappy note for him as well. He never called me last night...so I'm a little nervous about what his thoughts and feelings are about it...

I can't stop looking at my copy. It fills me with joy and a feeling of accomplishment which probably doesn't even compare to the feeling that Mom had when she wrote it years ago. It's also bittersweet. Mom poured herself into this novel...it's filled with bits and pieces of her life. I miss her. everyday. She'll always be in our hearts and minds, yet it's time to move onto the next chapter in our lives.

I just pray that God will put people in my path who I can share this with and that it will be a blessing to them...as much as it has been to me!

09.09.2008

Do any of you read Karen Kingsbury? Erin and I absolutey LOVE her books, but especially the Baxter Family series. So wonderful. So hard to put down! I'm on book 4 of the second set of 5. Wow. That's all I can say.

 

Tonight, we had Open House at the kid's schools. Their teachers are so fabulous this year! They had a lot of fun showing us around their classrooms. Austin's teacher asked us to send in a shirt, pants, gloves, and shoes about a week ago. I was thinking they'd be making scarecrows. Nope. They made 'students' to look like themselves. So cute. Mrs. Smith even made one of herself, sitting in her tall chair at the head of the class, reading a book.

 

This week has been going great for us...hope it's the same for everyone else. :)

04.08.2008

This post is going to be filled with lots of random gibberish...but that's just the way I'm feeling today...probably due to my lack of sleep last night. Welcome to Spring in Oklahoma...

Nope, that's not snow...it's hail! Quarter-sized at least! The storms kept the kids up half the night...which of course, meant I was up as well.

I received some bad news yesterday...one of my daycare kids is leaving to go to a large center here in town. It's sad. I first met her mom when she was only 6 months pregnant with Lauren. She started here at 1 month old!! She's now 15 months...her little personality really emerging. She makes me laugh every day...*sigh*. It's hard when they're like your own children!

I also lost one of my part-timers a few weeks ago...so if you know anyone needing daycare in Guthrie...please send them my way. lol.

Thankfully, Troy now has his CNA license and can pick up a few extra shifts on the weekends to make up for my loss of income.

And now onto funny stuff...

I overheard Kaitlin playing in her bedroom with her doll house saying "WOW! I'm the photo of the day today?!? Thanks Mom!!"

hee hee.

I think I've warped my children's minds. She's such a silly one.

I haven't updated my 'Going all the Weigh' page in awhile...not sure why. I'm still trucking along though...slowly but surely...it's coming off. Here's a few cards I made these past two weeks though...just to inspire me and keep me motivated to continue...

 

(sorry, must have resized them differently)

They're a lot of fun to make though.

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And one last thing, before I need to get to folding laundry...

I started reading Taking Care of the Me in Mommy yesterday. Wow. I had forgotten so much of the good stuff in it...and I only made it through the introduction. lol.

Here's just a few great points Lisa Whelchel makes:

"As mom's, we get so busy doing and giving that we often don't take the time to rest and receive. We've bought into the world view that we can havie it all and then believed the self-talk that insists, "If I don't do it, it won't get done." Isn't it ironic that at the same time we are feeling more and more driven, we are usually running on empty or, at the very least, on exhaust fumes? (You know what I mean: we're either 'exhausted' or 'fuming'.) We are worn out trying to do it all. No wonder there is such an epidemic of mom burnout!"

"Moms give and give. But if you never learn to receive, then you have nothing left to give. If you won't take time for yourself, then take time for yourself for your family. By filling up you tank regularly, you will have the energy to drive your childre to all their activities, drive your husband wild with desire, drive back the enemy with prayer, and drive a hard bargin at the latest clearance sale. You can't do any of these things if you're broken down and out of gas on the side of the road.
It's time to recharge and refuel. the first thing to do is plug into the Power Source and jump-start your day. Jesus says, "Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

I really struggle with all of this...taking time for me. I always feel so guilty doing it, even though I know that ultimately, I'm a better wife and mom when I do. And not just taking time for myself...but taking time out to spend with Jesus each and every day. It does refuel and recharge me...but why is it so hard somedays to ignore the housekeeping and daily busy-ness to spend some quiet time in prayer and with my Bible?

She has the book divided into 3 sections: spirit, body, and soul. I'm going to start at the beginnging and try to read one chapter every day or two...and really dig in and apply it.

Here's what she said at the end of the introduction...

"The following chapters will be full of encouragement and realistic ways for you, as a busy mom, to find time to sit at the feet of Jesus and receive the strength to continue pouring out your life for your family."

Good stuff.

Spring Reading

So I'm thinking of jumping in on the Spring Reading Thing challenge over at Cadderpillar Days blog.

Basically, you simply make a list of books you'd like to read, on your own or with your family; post it on your blog; get reading; post reviews along the way if you'd like; then post a recap at the end (on June 20th I believe). She has books to giveaway as well as an Amazon gift certificate. So I'm thinking, why not?

I'll be working on my list over the next few days...which will include some non-fiction I've been meaning to read, some good fiction books to dig into, as well as some books to read with the kiddos. Anyone else want to join me?