Books I'm Reading this Month

this is becoming a regular occurrence and i am loving it. here is what i am currently reading. I wish it was going faster but i am now working full time, which i haven't done in almost 10 years so i haven't had a ton of extra time to read.

a friend of mine recommended and let me borrow this one. it is a big one and it took me about 100 pages to get into it. i think i am going to like it. i am really only 25% through at this point so i may not actually finish it until the end of June


our library was doing grab bags to get books out to people. one of the ones that i chose was a bag of fiction. out of the 10 that i got, i had only ready one of them and there was one that was by an author that i love and knew that i would read it. out of all the other ones this one was the highest voted on by friends saying that it was good and that i should read it. i am almost done and have really enjoyed it.


this one i got from my sister in law. she said it was good and i have started it but a friend of mine posted about it yesterday and raved about how great it was. i decided that maybe i needed to pick it back up and dive in.

Things I've learned this Spring....

1. That crossing things off the calander can feel like a sigh of relief. Even if those things were good things, even great things.

And then coming up on things on the calander that we missed out on, but realizing, maybe we didn't really miss out. We gained precious time.

2. That crisis schooling isn't easy but can be done. It's also not homeschooling. It was all teacher and school base lead. Sure we had to make sure it was being done, but there wasn't a lot that we were involved in once we all learned the flow.

3. My word for 2020 was ease
And I wasn't really sure what that was going to mean. And now 152 days in, I'm still not 100% sure. I do know this, that it seems like I am having to ease into different ways of life, over and over again. That doesn't always make me feel at ease, at least at first.

Books I'm Reading this Month

reading in my phone through the kindle app isn't my favorite but i have kindle unlimited for free for a bit and this book is one that i have had on my list so i have been reading through it and really enjoying it


I have read few book by Shauna Niequist. this one has been on my to read list and I came across a copy of it. I have really enjoyed it during this time. she posted on Instagram recently that this book along with her book Bittersweet for a cover make over. they look great too.


this book is being read to me on youtube by the author himself. I guess he isn't reading it specifically to me but it is a read aloud that I am really enjoying



same author, different book. I have very much liked reading through this one. I try and read a chapter at night. I may not read it every night but it is one that I read only at night.


I have been reading this one with my daughter and we have loved it. for me it I great because I know where each of these kids end up in their adult life. I smile as I am reading stories and seeing them as children

Books I'm Reading this Month

I have been reading through this beauty with my daughter. we read the first one and really loved it so she was excited when i told her there was a second one.

I picked this one up from the library on a whim. I thought it was in my to read list, but it was actually just one that i saw floating around the book world but never added it to my to read list. it was just sitting right there on the shelf waiting for someone to pick up, so i did. it has been pretty funny too.

well technically with this one it is being read to me. the author, Andrew Peterson, has been reading it on Facebook live every evening so i am following along.


and finally this lovely book.  i saw it talked about in a few places so added it to my to read list. i have had two people tell me that it is one of their favorite reads so far in 2020. i am pretty sure that i would have chosen it, if i happen to see it on a shelf in the book store becasue of the cover itself.

Today, Ruth and Troy Simons book Foundations makes its way into the world.

It is lovely and full of such beautiful truths. 

You are not going to miss out on what is between the cover of this book. 

I will be the first to tell you that i don't ever feel like i am doing this "teaching my kids about the Bible" well or the "right way" if there is even on.

We don't have regular devotion times in our home and sometimes i feel overwhelmed about how and were to start. if you are in that place too  maybe buy this book and start here.

This is where we are planning on starting in our home. As soon as we get it in the mail my plan and hope is to start working our way through it together as a family.

buy your copy here and do the same. would love to know if you plan on it and your thoughts on the book once you get started.

Things I've Learned this Winter

Linking up with Emily P Freeman for things i have learned this Winter. you can find my other posts through the the seasons here.

1. God things still amaze me.

His connections in life are just my favorite. On December 1st I started the She Reads Truth Advent study A Thrill of Hope. There was a reading called A liturgy to Mark the Start of the Christmas Season from Douglas McKelvey. I had no basis for where this was from. Some friends of ours invited us to attend the Andrews Peterson Behold the Lamb of God  20th anniversary tour. Not only did i hear a story that i have heard before on the That Sounds Fun podcast with Annie F Downs but i also recited with 100s of other people this Beautiful liturgy by Douglas McKelvey. I love how God connects the start and the end of the day with glimpsed of Him.

2. goals are good

resolutions are good

sometimes we make them and they bog us down

we can make them and keep them

i have also learned that they can be made and if they aren't kept, it is all ok

one of my 2019 goals was to read the Bible in the year. I came up 11 days short. Reading the Bible in a year is a good goal. some may even say a great one. i can choose to be disappointing that i didn't complete it, or brush it off, finish those 11 days and be thrilled that i completed reading the Bible, growing closer to God and learning new thing

3. watching archery is my new favorite.

4. making One Second Everyday videos, are my new favorite. 

5. finding things that my daughter writes is the best

I don't remember being an overly confidant child. I knew I was loved but was shy.
.
I am so thankful for our church and the lessons and truths that they instill in my child. I saw this and wasn't 100% sure when or where she did it. I asked her about it this morning and she said at church, last week. I asked her if they had a mirror to look into. She said yeah and that it was fun.
.
I just love this.

Books I read in December:

Noel Street-Richard Paul Evans

Books I read in January: 

Olive Kitteridge-Elizabeth Strout

Ramona's World-Beverly Clearly

The Most Fun We Ever Had-Clare Lombardo

The Noel Stranger-Richard Paul Evans

Child of Grace-Dr Chris Brown

Risen Motherhood-Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler

Mr Popper's Penguins-Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater

A Season of Grace-Lauraine Snelling

Books I read in February: 

Beholding and Becoming-Ruth Chou Simons

The Last Romantics-Tara Conklin

The Tattooist of Auschwitz-Heather Morris

The Dearly Beloved-Cara Wall

Books I'm Reading this Month

As always you can find me on goodreads here

It is not the very end of the month but I don't forsee reading anything newer than this, this month...….

And for a list of books that I am still working through this month, here goes:

I heard about this one last year and it has been on my to read list. I went into the library to pick up another book that I had on hold and saw this one on the shelf, so of course I grabbed it.

this would be the book that i went to get on hold from the library. for some reason i started reading Ask Again, Yes first and now i have a week to read this one before it is due back to the library on March 1st. Lets see if i can do it.

I was reacquainted with Andrew Peterson this December when I went to my very first Behold the Lamb tour. it was excellent. He spoke of this book on the tour and then I saw that it came out so of course I ordered it and have been slowly going through it in the evenings, sees appropriate, right?!?

I am blessed to be on the launch team for this book. What i have read so far has been wonderful. I can't wait to get the actual copy in my hands and go through this book with my family. There will be more on this book as i complete the e-version (for the launch team) and when the books hits the shelves. for now you can go to any place where books are sold or the link here to pre-order your copy.

there are some from last month that we are still working through, read alouds and devotions but these are the new ones that I am in the process of reading.

Books I'm Reading this Month

I have been using Goodreads for a few years now and i love it for helping me track what i am reading, keeping up with books i want to read and finding new books to read. They occasionally have book giveaways for books you've shelved and i will usually enter them. I recently won an e-book version of one that i had shelved which i didn't realize at first and quickly brought it to the top of my to read list. I am listing the books that i am actively reading right now. i have a lot that i have started and need to finish but only a few that i am currently working on.
The Last Romantics is the ebook that i won on Goodreads


 my mom bought me this book and i have had it for a few months and decided to start reading it to my kids. this month. somedays they sit and listen others they struggle with arguing, i am hoping that they soak in most of the goodness of this read.


I knew this was a book that i was going to start on January 1st and then I saw Annie's Instagram post about posting about it with the hashtag #100daystobrave2020
It has been a good and fun one


 i have posted about this book before and this is the third time that i have read through it. It is so good and filled with so many wonderful truths and encouragement. The artwork is gorgeous. Just like Annie's challenge, Ruth has one going with this book on Instagram and the hashtag #bb32days we are

I read the first two in this series last year and have had this one for awhile now. A friend sent me Jessica Turner's post on her Book Snobbery Instagram page. She challenges us to Read Your Books. That is what I have been implementing into my 2020 reading. Out of the 7 that i have already read this year, you can find them here, 3 of them were my own and of the 6 i have in this post, 4 of them are my own and one borrowed and one a library book.


and finally this one. this is what i am reading to my daughter. we just picked it up so it probably will not be finished until February, possibly March depending on how fast we can read it.

you can find me on Instagram here.

Books Read in 2019...

My 2019 list of 65 books

One of the goals I had this year was reading though the alphabet. I almost completed it. The letters that I missed were K, V and X.

The Black Moon-Winston Graham

A Proper Proposal-Lynn Austin

The Four Swans-Winston Graham

The Angry Tide-Winston Graham

Legacy of Mercy-Lynn Austin

The Great Alone-Kristin Hannah

Four Winds-Lisa Tawn Bergren

I Capture the Castle-Dodie Smith

I'd Rather be Reading-Anne Bogel

Court of Thorns and Roses-Sarah Maas

Disenchanted-Heide Goody and Iain Grant

Saving Lucas Biggs-Marisa de los Santos and David Teague

When We Were Young-Karen Kingsbury

The Next Right Thing-Emily P Freeman

In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It-Lauren Graham

Ready Player One-Ernest Cline

The Ensemble-Aja Gabel

Every Breath-Nicholas Sparks

Autumn-Ali Smith

Best Family Ever-Karen Kingsbury

The Next Right Thing-Emily P Freeman (AGAIN)

Ballet Shoes-Noel Streatfiell

The Promise of Dawn-Lauraine Snelling

Point of View-Elizabeth Hasslebeck

A Breath of Hop-Lauraine Snelling

Becoming Us-Robin Jones Gunn

Daisy Jones and The Six-Taylor Jenkins Reid

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour-Morgan Matson

Little Fires Everywhere-Celeste Ng

Once Upon a River-Dianne Setterfield

You are Free-Rebekah Lyons

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day-Winifred Watson

Two Weeks-Karen Kingsbury

Winter Garden-Kristin Hannah

The Forgotten Road-Richard Paul Evans

To All the Boys I've Loved Before-Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You-Jenny Han

Reading People-Anne Bogel

Beholding and Becoming-Ruth Chou Simons 

The River-Peter Heller

Class Mom-Laurie Gelman

The Road Home-Richard Paul Evans

Field Notes on Love-Jennifer E Smith

The Sugar Queen-Sarah Addison Allen

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise-Dan Gemeinhart (this one i started reading to Little girl in July and we finished it this month)

A Love Letter Life-Jeremy and Audrey Roloff

Things You Save in a Fire- Katherine Center

Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti 

Catching Christmas-Terri Blackstock

The Library Book-Susan Orlean

Parkland-Dave Cullen

Garden Spells-Sarah Addison Allen

Against All Grain-Danielle Walker

The Art of Racing in the Rain-Garth Stein

The Lager Queen of Minnesota-J. Ryan Stradal

A Fish in a Tree-Lynda Mullaly

Cinder-Marissa Meyer

Where the Crawdads Sing-Deila Owens

Unmarriagable-Soniah Kamal

Inheritance-Dani Shapiro

Educated-Tara Westover

I Think You're Wrong (but I'm Listening)-Sarah Steward Holland and Beth A Silvers

The Starless Sea-Erin Morganstern

Garden of Truth-Ruth Chou Simons

How Reading Changed My Life-Anna Quindlen
Noel Street-Richard Paul Evans

you can see last years book list here and at the bottom of this post, there is a link to all the previous years lists as well.

Top 10 book of 2019

Book posts may be my favorite 

My favorite to post about 

My favorite to read of others

Since 2004 I have recorded the books I've read in a small notebook.

In 2006 I started posting my book lists here on the blog.

Last year i made a post about what I planned on read the next year.

This year I am adding my top 10 for 2019 and will start posting that yearly, why, because I think it will be fun.