From the time Olivia was a baby until about 8-10 years later, I did not read much of anything strictly for pleasure. I read about homeschooling when I began to be interested in that, but I rarely read any fiction. In fact, the only fiction I read from 1995 until about 2004 was John Grisham's new book each year. Sometime before Leah was born (or maybe after, I can't remember) I discovered the Mitford books by Jan Karon, and I read all four of her first ones. I have not read any of the series past those first four, but I do own them. (Julie has read the entire series, and is currently reading Karon's latest book.)
About 2004 or 2005 Lynn introduced me to the Karen Kingsbury Baxter Family series, and I was hooked. I voraciously read every novel Kingsbury wrote over the next couple of years. My love for reading fiction was rekindled, and I have not stopped since. I have also added works of non-fiction, biographies, self-help, memoirs, and classics to my reading library.
I still go through spells of reading and not reading so much. When we take a vacation to the beach or the mountains, I will read a lot. During my normal day-to-day life, sometimes I read daily, and sometimes I read weekly. A couple of months ago I tried a new "reading time" with Leah and Sam. After lunch (if we were not rushing out the door to CrossFit) I set the timer for 20 minutes and all three of us read silently. I love doing that, and I plan to continue that routine when we begin school again on January 8. Since I still read aloud to Leah and Sam each day, three times a day (Bible lesson, school, and bedtime), I read numerous books. But I still would like to carve out more time in 2018 for personal reading.
Here are a couple of book lists. Some of these titles are found in the sidebars of this blog.
What I'm Reading Right Now:
- Empty Nest, What's Next by Michele Howe
- Reading People by Anne Bogel
- Rooster Bar by John Grisham
- Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver
I'm taking notes while reading Empty Nest, so that's usually the book I read during our afternoon silent reading time.
I'm reading Reading People either at bedtime (sometimes) or when I have some downtime while waiting somewhere. This is the book I keep in my purse.
I listening to Rooster Bar on audible while running on the treadmill. I am only letting myself listen to this book if I am running, so it is serving as a great motivator for me to run in the mornings. (I really, really needed a motivation, so this is working well so far!)
I have Soulful Simplicity on my iPad, so this is what I am reading while sitting with Sam at bedtime. I sometimes continue reading it as my bedtime reading.
What Is On My Bookshelf to Be Read:
- Built by the Lord by Edwin Crozier
- Chaos Monkeys by Antonio Martinez
- Dispatches From Pluto by Richard Gant
- Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford
- Mended by Angie Smith
- Philippians Discovering Contagious Joy by Wilson Adams
- Praying Like the Psalmists by Edwin Crozier
- The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin
- The Life Giving Table by Sally Clarkson
What Is In My Amazon Cart to Be Purchased and Read
- Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life by Lara Casey
- 100 Days of Real Food: Fast and Fabulous: The Easy and Delicious Way to Cut Out Processed Food by Lisa Leake
- The Kindness Challenge: Thirty Days to Improve Any Relationship by Shanty Feldhahn
- Desperate: Hope For the Mom Who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae
- Longing For Paris: One Woman's Search for Joy, Beauty, and Adventure--Right Where She Is by Sarah Mae
- Daring to Hope: Finding God's Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful by Katie Davis Majors
- Having a Martha Home the Mary Way: 31 Days to a Clean House and Satisfied Soul by Sarah Mae
- Bleak House by Charles Dickens
What about you? What books are on your list?
Happy Reading!
