I'm just trying to walk myself home.
Over the last few years the Lord has richly blessed me through my sweet friend, Diane. I’ve known her a very long time, but recently, our friendship has evolved. The best way I know how to describe it is: I can not live without her. Healthy, I know. Let me tell you how this happened. …
We fell in love with The Wingfeather Series this spring. The books are by one of our favorite singer/songwriters, Andrew Peterson. He sings a song called Dreams on his album for children about a kid who is looking for pirates, dragons and all sorts of adventures. In my mind, these books are those adventures. My …
Half Broke Horses is sort of a prequel to one of my very favorite books, The Glass Castle. The stories from Jeannette Walls’ grandmother’s life are enjoyable and hair-raising at the same time. Lily Casey Smith was born in 1901. In the book, she tells her adventures in her own voice. She was a mustang …
We are escaping the Arkansas heat this week in one of our favorite spots in the whole world. Crested Butte, Colorado. We headed out this morning for our first real hike of the week. Judd Falls. We drove through the tiny settlement of Gothic, Colorado. Students of all ages were out in the fields studying, …
In the past few weeks my precious grandmother has moved in with my mom and my aunt in Nashville. She’s going to split time between here and Tennessee because if there’s one thing my grandmother does not mind, it is a change of scenery now and then. In fact, her eyes light up when someone …
Creaky Old House , a children’s book by Linda Ashman, arrived in Simon’s Easter basket and we are loving it! The whole story about how to fix a very loved old house when a doorknob breaks is told in bouncy rhyming verse. Michael Chesworth’s illustrations are gorgeous! I love this one at a local hardware …
Five Little Ducks So remember last year when I posted silly videos of Simon singing his favorite songs from Bible Study and you all humored me because of the many purposes this blog serves, one of them is to be a sort of scrapbook of memories. Well, it’s time for one of those again. Simon …
On Friday evening, Whitney took Taido and me to one of our favorite places along with many of our favorite delights to do a photo shoot that was so uniquely wonderful. We packed up some of our favorite books, a new notebook, a yummy picnic and a borrowed quilt. The whole evening was dreamy and …
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me… Whenever I read a book like Little Bee (Long Way Gone, God Grew Tired of Us and The Other Side of the Sky also come to mind), I …
I discovered Little Bee by Chris Cleave on someone else’s top books of 2009 list. I think the cover might have hooked me actually, as much as the recommendation. Which should show you that I’m kind of an easy sell for a book. School was called off because of sleet today and while Taido walked the …
When I read a book I love, I usually want the whole world to read it RIGHT NOW! I’m not really trying to be demanding. I just want you to be able to share this beautiful experience with me. But sometimes I love a book so much that I am reluctant to lend it out …
I picked up January’s Sparrow by Patricia Polacco from the library yesterday and I cannot think of a better way to start the season that we remember so many who have paved the way for change for the better with their blood. Patricia Polacco’s books never disappoint, but when I saw this cover I just …
Every year I choose my five best books, a few favorites out of all the books I read. It was hard to narrow it down. So…here goes! Ok, The Willoughbys is a children’s book, but I read A LOT of children’s books so I had choose at least one. I have made all the adults in …
The Heaven Tree Trilogy is our summer selection for our boxed lunch book club. We are discussing one part of the trilogy during each of the summer months. Set in Medieval England on the border of Wales, the story is a complete departure from anything we’ve done so far in our book club. Kings and …
We’ve only been out of school for a week, but we are in the thick of summer for sure! Even though this much activity makes me a little nervous, I am trying to adjust, hang on tight and enjoy the ride because I know it will all be over in a few short weeks. We …
Summer Berry Tarts: Sweet Crust + Berries = Delightful! Here’s a recipe for the most delicious summer berry tarts! I bought new tiny little tart pans this year so everyone can have their own! Win! Summer Berry Tarts (makes twelve four inch tarts) Sweet Tart Dough 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room …
Boxed Lunch Book Club Today! My discussion questions are a little slim, but mainly we are just going to talk about sisters! Sisters are the best…and the worst. I love my sister, but we hated each other for several years there before we realized we couldn’t live without one another! I’m hoping that reading this …
Parenting Advice: Don’t Ask Me. I’m just winging it. Someone recently was asking for parenting advice because a first baby was about to arrive. Specifically, he asked What one piece of parenting advice would you give? Now I know that I have no business handing out parenting advice. In addition to the fact that I …
Our Boxed Lunch Book Club meets tomorrow from 12-1. This month we are discussing Carol Shields novel, Small Ceremonies (1976), which is about a biographer named Judith who collects details about people and events. Interestingly, in the novel, Judith is writing a biography about Canadian pioneer Susanna Moodie and in the same year that this …
Most Loved in All the World: A Sweet Children’s Book Oh mama, I think this is the sweetest book in the whole world. That’s what Mary Polly said after she read Most Loved in All the World by Tonya Cherie Hegamin. I brought it home from the library last week, and after she read it, …