Curl up with a good book

We made some switcheroos this weekend. We brought Jedi downstairs with his brothers, leaving the little girls to have their own room.  I didn't know if Rosebud was quite ready, but we needed space for the bookshelf and her bed had to go.  It feels spacious with the crib gone.  And the twin bed Princess used to occupy under the loft was switched into a toddler bed for the time being.  Lots of space!  Well, in a tiny house, any open floor feels like lots of space.

Rosebud is pretty happy to show you her spot.

Ahhh, so calming.

Wait, what's that?  A reading corner under the window!  I snagged this Pier One chair and ottoman from the classified ads for free.  There is a lot of green in this room so the green stripe is super cute, in my opinion.

When Princess was a toddler, her little bed was against this wall and we put up this swirly vinyl saying.  It's been up this whole time, but was covered up by the crib when Rosebud came along.  I have considered taking it down many times but I'm so glad I left it up.  We can enjoy it now, and the saying, "Once upon a time....they lived happily ever after", is even more appropriate in this new reading nook.

All the younger kids (under grade 3) books came upstairs.  The boys room will hold all their higher level ones.

It includes all my favorites, like Ask Mr Bear, Robert the Rose Horse, Popcorn.

We brought it home just a few minutes before I took these photos.  She's lovin it already.

She calls the ottoman the "little chair".

It's like a dream come true to have a spot like this.  And it's not about money; I haven't spent a dime on creating this space.  It was just important to me. 

When I showed my sister (biggest reader I know) a picture of the chair I got she text me:

 "That is adorable.  Every kid should have a reading chair.  That's my new motto"

I knew I had heard President Gordon B. Hinckley talk about this, so I searched and found it.  Here is part of the talk, entitled The Environment of Our Homes:


"Most families are cramped for space. But with planning there can be a corner, there can be an area that becomes something of a hideaway from the noises about us where one can sit and read and think. It is a wonderful thing to have a desk or a table, be it ever so simple, on which are found the standard works of the Church, a few good books, the magazines issued by the Church, and other things worthy of our reading.




"Begin early in exposing children to books. The mother who fails to read to her small children does a disservice to them and a disservice to herself. It takes time, yes, much of it. It takes self-discipline. It takes organizing and budgeting the minutes and hours of the day. But it will never be a bore as you watch young minds come to know characters, expressions, and ideas. Good reading can become a love affair, far more fruitful in long term effects than many other activities in which children use their time. It has been estimated that “the average child on this continent has watched something like 8,000 hours of TV before he or she even starts school.” A very large part of that is of questionable value.


"Parents, work at the matter of creating an atmosphere in your homes. Let your children be exposed to great minds, great ideas, everlasting truth, and those things which will build and motivate for good.



"The Lord has said to this people, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:118.) I wish to urge every parent within the sound of my voice to try to create within your home an atmosphere of learning and the growth which will come of it".

Related post:
Favorite Childhood Reads