Room by room - S.L.O.W. office progress

Eeek!  It's the office/den/library/computer room.

Ain't pretty!

But after several hours I progressed to this.  Better, right?

And look at all the boxes I emptied in the process!

I have been so mired down in stuff and making decisions about stuff and organizing stuff that I needed to pause and decorate something, for crying out loud.  

First the lamp in the corner of the laundry counter.

Next it was the top of the bookcases Strider bought me.  Love them!  We have three set up in here now and they make a huge difference. When I sit at the computer, this is what I see to my left.  I am so thankful to get our family books contained together.  They make me happy.

Beneath the ampersand is a wooden box from the thrift store.  I got it to hold all the memorabilia (tickets, pamphlets, receipts, logs) from our trip to PA last summer.  Much better than a cardboard box, I say.  And looks decent too.

Green eggs and ham?

How are YOU celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday??

I love spying on my kids

I took pictures for several minutes before she had any idea I was watching her.  I love kids!

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

Reading

I know I've mentioned book club before. Our club consists of  my sisters and I, as well as three more from my sister's husband's side of the family. How thankful I am for the extra push to read books I would not normally choose for myself! It is quite rare that I don't enjoy the book selections.  I love these women, I love our conversations, I love experimenting in different genres, and I definitely love getting out of the house once a month.

Currently I am reading Emma in preparation for our discussion next week.  I promise you I never would have chosen this book if I were just wandering through the library.  I have never read Jane Austen (GASP!).  I'm not really a classics girl.  But I love it so far!  I am a bit over halfway and it's quite comical.  Emma's character is a real piece of work.

So in a nutshell I think reading is not only marvelous, but reading things that are new and different is truly enriching!  It's like flexing my brain muscle.

Day 24

Day 24-A photo you took

PapPap and Princess, Oct 2009

Of course I have thousands of choices when it comes to photos I have taken.  Thousands.

I chose this one because I can see the emotion in both their faces as they bond over a book.  Each has a unique expression.  Each loves reading, as do I.  And she loves this guy, as do I.

1776

I was in charge of book club this month, and I chose to read 1776 by David McCullough. Originally it was on the urging of Strider. He has wanted me to read it for years.

I went into the book knowing little of the Revolutionary War. I ended the book realizing how very little. I am embarrassed to admit how unbelievably ignorant I am of our country and its origins. I call myself patriotic but I know nothing of the sacrifices made or the groundwork laid.

I also took from this book an overwhelming sense of pride in and respect for our first commander-in-chief, George Washington. He was most disciplined and proper and honest and faithful. I began reading a biography of him this morning, as I feel I just can't get enough.

I loved this book and highly recommend it!

Favorite childhood reads

I wanted to share my favorite childhood book, which also happens to be a Halloween book. It's called POPCORN and it's by Frank Asch, published by Parent's Magazine in 1979.

My kids love it too, which makes me smile. As I read it to them, in my mind I can hear my dad's voice inflection as he read it to me. Long live traditions!


 

 

Some other books I loved as a kid:

The Jolly Barnyard (it was my dad's dad that read me this one)

“Baa-aa, we’ll give him wool,” said the sheep. “For our fleece is soft and warm and deep.”

Surprise Party by Sharon Gordon (I actually read this to my younger siblings)

"Don't be late! Suprise party at 8:00"!

Tie my Shoe - a Rand McNally Junior Elf book

"I know how to tie my shoe

I take the loop and push it through.

It's very hard to make it stay,

Because my thumb gets in the way"!

Sesame Street: Don't Forget the Oatmeal (my dad was hilarious at the end when Bert realizes they've forgotten what they went to the store for)

"Why do you have that string tied around your finger, Bert"? "To help me remember the oatmeal"!

There's a Monster at the End of this Book (I was always just a little scared at the last page)

"Do you know that you are very strong?"

 

And as I got older, it was Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Ramona, Bunnicula (basically everything by Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary), then series like Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden.  I think I'm dating myself now LOL.  What were your faves?

The Alchemist

I have been a reading fool lately. Every spare moment. Do you ever do that? My reading is very streaky. Lots, then nothing.

Anyway, my latest was The Alchemist, recommended by my brother on a mission. It was first written in Portuguese and that's the language of the people he is teaching in Mozambique. It came up in conversation and those Africans were so excited to hear that Matt had read it. So I figured why not.

The story reads like a legend/fable and is about a boy named Santiago who goes in search of his true heart's desire, his personal destiny. Many people give up just short of realizing their treasure, but Santiago demonstrates perseverance.  I don't agree with the title.  In my opinion The Boy or The Journey would be more appropriate since it's about all the realizations and learning he makes.  But whatever.

The author, Paul Cohelo, explains more:

"It’s [your Personal Legend] what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend".

He tells us about the obstacles we will face and about some things that stand in the way of individuals realizing their dreams. And the moment I read them I started to weep.

Here are the quotes that spoke to me.

Left to Tell

I have been reading a lot more lately, which is like a little piece of heaven!

I highly recommend this latest book, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust.  The opposite of a little piece of heaven, it is terrible and heartwrenching and confusing to see the human race attack itself in this manner.  But as with many survivor stories, the feeling the reader takes away from the experience of reading is one of truth and light and hope and positive energy. 

A Christian myself, I felt familiar with the experiences and background she shared as part of a deeply religious family.  At least I thought it was familiar.  As the book went on I was floored at the transcending power of faith in action.

One of my favorite quotes:

I was certain that God had a greater purpose for me, and I prayed every day for Him to reveal it to me. At first I was expecting Him to show me my entire future all at once – maybe with a flash of lightening and a clap of thunder thrown in for good measure. But I came to learn that God never shows us something that we aren’t ready to understand. Instead, He lets us see what we need to see, when we need to see it. He’ll wait until our eyes and hearts are open to Him, and then when we’re ready, He will plant our feet on the path that’s best for us . . . but it’s up to us to do the walking.

Folks, I know that I could not have faced these trials in the same manner as Immaculee.  It was a glaring reality as I read.  I admit I give up so easily in the face of difficulty.

Through her sharing her mindset with us and telling us what she learned I am forever changed for the better.  I closed the book filled with thoughts and plans of how to view my circumstances differently.  I also took with me the lesson of visualization.

Someone had once told me that it was important to visualize what you want to happen in the future, because doing so could actually help make it come true. Well, thanks to God, I’d become a big believer in that philosophy.



[ . . . ] I knew that whatever I envisioned would come to pass if I had faith and visualized it with a pure heart and good intentions, and if it were something God thought was right for me. It was then that I realized I could dream and visualize my destiny. I vowed that I’d always dare to dream for what I wanted. And I would only dream for beautiful things like love, health, and peace, because that is the kind of beauty God wants for all His children.

I like knowing that I have more control over my future than I previously thought.  I am going to implement little changes and experiments in my life, envisioning the me I want to become.  The me *HE* wants me to become.

Please read this book!

Finished!

Last night I met a big goal of mine. I have now read the entire Bible, finally.

In 2007 I read the New Testment. Then in April 2008 I started the Old Testament. 21 months later I am done. I told myself I would finish this year. I wondered at times if I would get through it. Chronicles, Isaiah, UGH.

I didn't understand 90% of what I read and there are lots of things in there that were eye-opening. In fact, I hope my children are adults before they read much of it. But I know that when those words were written they were to benefit us and the word of God can be found throughout the 1184 pages.

I am thankful for the insight I gain when the scriptures are a habit for me and I am blessed to have them within my reach at all times.

Something struck me when I finished. As you can see in the top picture the final words are "THE END of the PROPHETS". I am so grateful for my testimony that I live in a time when we know it is not the end of the prophets. I know that if God spoke then it makes perfect sense that he'd speak now. I love learning about this gospel that brings me so much happiness when I follow it.

P.S. I think I just set a record for using the word "I" as much as humanly possible in one post.

Book club - Guernsey

I was very excited to be the one to choose our book club selection this month. Upon recommendation I decided on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Here are a few pics of Guernsey Island:

I bet if I am ever missing, Strider might have success looking for me there. My goodness, it's as beautiful in the pictures as in the pages of this book.

We had a full and insightful discussion. I am always fascinated by how others can read the same things and see different pieces or teach me something new just by sharing their interpretations. One thing I also enjoy is the 20 year age range we have in our group which makes things so much more interesting than it would be with just thirty-somethings.

Reading about Guernsey was uplifting, even though the experiences written about life during the German Occupation in WWII are somewhat heartbreaking. I consider an author an artist if she (or he) can convey a feeling of hope and joy amidst a story of sorrow and trial. In other words, READ IT! As a bonus, it's only $6 now at Walmart and Amazon.

Now, on to the fun stuff.

Since my favorite season is autumn, which includes my favorite foods and decor, I was ultra excited for the hosting part of it. My ideas started with my friend Pam's book club last month.

I pulled together this hurricane centerpiece from this idea except I only used stuff I had around the house.

Not quite as classy, but free. It was pretty when lit. Oh, that's a battery candle, by the way.

I was up baking by 6am. I knew I had to get at least 2 flavors of pie done before the hubster left.

First was blueberry pie and my first time doing a lattice top crust. My goodness they were so cute! Jedi told me as I put them in the oven that he thought they were fake and looked like a picture. I believe even Strider used the word "darling" (don't tell him I told you).

Here they are, baked and bubbly and yum.

Princess and I baked in little snippets throughout the day. Here she is doing the bananas for me.

Forgive the lousy, 7pm lighting, but here is the food. We had a full size pumpkin pie, individual sized apple crumb and blueberry pies, and little mini banana cream and peanut butter cream cheese pies. Oh mercy. It was so good.

It also gave me a chance to use my harvest goblets that I found for 50 cents each on clearance at Smith's and fell IN LOVE WITH. I think I have smiled every time I have seen them for the last three weeks.

The mini tins we from Orson Gygi in Salt Lake. Beware; they close at 6pm. Ask me how I know. The smallest tins are 3 inches and 9 cents each, the larger are 5 inches and 15 cents each.

I guess it was a hit, eh?