My 2015 Shelf

In past years, I've selected books I want to read at the beginning of the year and shared them here with you. I've been moderately successful at working my way through each list…but I have found that through the year, new books entice me…my interests veer in a new direction…I get stuck again somewhere in the depths of Anna Karenina.

So this year, I'm changing it up. I saw this 2015 Reading Challenge (on Pinterest of course, via Popsugar) and thought it sounded like fun…and a very lofty goal.

via

I'm starting out by wrapping up a few books I'm almost done reading and then I'm excited to choose books based on these topics! I'll keep the blog updated with progress and/or reviews of what I've read.

And a dose of reality: I know that I probably won't complete this in just one year…but I'm excited to give it a shot! Anne over at Modern Mrs. Darcy (one of my favorite daily reads) has a similar but more condensed list this year…so if you like this idea but think that 50 books is a bit steep, check out Anne's challenge of 12 here.

I'd love to know if you have a reading plan for this year…please share in the comments!

I just might need a blue bike now. (and a giveaway!)

This post is part of the Blue Bike Blog Tour, which I’m thrilled to be part of. To learn more and join us, head here.

Several years ago, I chose the word "purposeful" as my word for the year. Living with purpose or intention is something I desire...but it does demand discipline. 

So when I heard Tsh Oxenreider begin to mention her new book (via her website and podcast), I grew quite excited about it. The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World? Count me in. When an opportunity arose to be a part of her blog tour, I jumped at the chance to read this book. I had a feeling it would resonate with me. 

And it did.

I have loved reading each short chapter, as Tsh focuses in on living intentionally memoir-style in these five areas: Food, Work, Education, Travel, and Entertainment.  I've loved it all. But in reading through the book, Part IV: Education really caught hold of me. 

We began our homeschooling journey before our oldest could even talk...I pored over homeschool catalogs and got excited about this high school curriculum or that one. Seriously. We knew we wanted to homeschool. One child at a time, one year at a time. That's what we said.

My homeschool ideals and vision for what our days would look like were lofty and beautiful.

To name just a few...I knew that homeschooling would provide a consistency in our life of military moving. I longed to spend quality and quantity time with my children. I looked forward to the ease we would have to travel anytime we chose to go.  I saw gaps in my own education and desired to fill those in that of my children. I wanted them to see how all of learning was integrated...a part of the whole and not compartmentalized by subjects and separate classrooms. I wanted them to learn about their world in the context of our faith. 

We are now five years and three children into this homeschooling journey.

Sometimes, there are moments when I look around our homeschool table as we work on grammar or while we're snuggled up on the couch reading a really good book and it's a perfectly dreamy instagram filtered moment. But those moments are still a part of the jumble of everyday real life.

In the midst of daily word problems and errands to the store and language delays and history timelines and dishes and laundry and cobwebs and meals and story time and pick-up football, all of a sudden those ideals and reasons seem lost or at least very far away.

I find that in the hard moments, quite often I'm trying to make our schooling choices match the beat of other drums. That, and I lose sight of the forest for the trees. 

Reading Tsh's book was a good reminder to me to not let go of the details but to keep my larger hopes and goals in better focus. I'm trying to journal more about school...and to be mindful of the "seasons" of schooling at home that can be heavy ones where I'm prone to feeling burned out. (Funny, those seasons are quite similar to the ones I experienced when teaching in the public schools!)

I'm also trying to keep in mind the freedoms for living intentionally that homeschool provides us. The other sections Tsh writes on only encouraged me more because of this!

Here are a few passages from Notes From a Blue Bike that I loved...that reminded me of why we began this journey and appealed to me not to forget it:

Ultimately, there was a magnetic appeal to having the freedom in my day to really listen to my kids instead of rushing them out the door to school. We'd have the time and space to learn together, talk together, and listen to each other. It was pretty ideal, in fact.

I'm convinced that parents are the most essential key to unlocking the next generation's curiousity, creativity, and innovation. So much can be said for porviding a home full of books, art supplies, open-ended toys, and freedom to wander outdoors. Being stingy with screen time and generous with our attention to a child's natural interests can translate the message to him or her that learning matters better than any standardized test.

Our home will be the most significant place during out kids' childhood. I can't ignore its influence.

I think that this book will be one that I read often. Tsh has such a great voice...when I read, I feel like I'm sharing a cup of coffee and chatting with an old friend. I hope you might enjoy it too! I'd like to give away a copy, so leave a comment, letting me know which of the five sections of the book you're most excited about! I'll draw a winner next Tuesday!

Notes From a Blue Bike is written by Tsh Oxenreider, founder and main voice of The Art of Simple. It doesn't always feel like it, but we DO have the freedom to creatively change the everyday little things in our lives so that our path better aligns with our values and passions. Grab your copy here.

I received a review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers. This review reflects my own opinion. 
I am providing the giveaway copy because I really think you'll love Tsh's book too!

Our Christmas book tradition (and giveaway!)

For the last several years...maybe four...one of our favorite Christmas traditions has been wrapping up 24 Christmas books and counting down the days 'til Christmas as we read favorites, old and new. I keep the books in a festive basket or bin and after reading the day's book, it gets put behind the wrapped books...for the kids to read as Christmas approaches.

One of the things I love about this tradition is that is keeps us from reading all-of-the-Christmas-books in one sitting as soon as they're unpacked with the Christmas decorations. It also helped when the kiddos were younger to see how close we were to Christmas. (We have other advent calendars too, but these books seemed to be the most helpful, especially before the kiddos understood the concept of a calendar.)

There are books that are favorites of mine as a child that I've hunted down (my favorite illustrated copy of Twas the Night before Christmas and The Christmas Snowman). We have many that have come as gifts, including several of Jan Brett's wonderful books...and of course, classics like How The Grinch Stole Christmas and O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.

Each year, I always try to add at least one new book...and phase out ones that the kids may have outgrown. (Although I still set those out in our "Christmas toys" basket!) 

Our new book this year was The Sparkle Box by Jill Hardie.

The Sparkle Box is the sweet and simple story of Sam and his curiosity about a silver box he discovers on the mantle of his fireplace. His mother tells him that it isn't ready to be opened yet, as they still need to fill it. As the story unfolds, Sam and his parents go about their lives during the days and weeks leading up to Christmas, with an emphasis in the story placed on serving others. Christmas morning arrives...and Sam is finally able to see what the sparkling silver box was all about.

This was the first book that we unwrapped this year, as I wanted to begin December with a focus less on stuff and more focused on giving to others and the Gift that we've been given in Christ. The story is well-told and the illustrations are lovely. I found myself pausing to hold back tears as the ending neared, the story a good reminder for adults as well as children of the call to serve others.

While reading, I couldn't help but think of Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" And sure enough, on the last page, in a note from the author, was the verse and a challenge to fill your own Sparkle Box this Christmas season.

The book includes a silver, glittery cardstock-weight box that you can assemble to begin a Sparkle Box tradition in your own family. (There is a pocket on the back cover for storing your box after Christmas.) The kids and I will be brainstorming some ideas today for serving others in this last week before Christmas...I'm looking forward to it a lot.

If you'd like to win a copy of The Sparkle Box...please leave a comment: share a favorite memory of serving "the least of these"or your favorite Christmas carol! Comments will be accepted through Thursday, December 19 12:00 pm EST and the winner announced that afternoon!

This review of The Sparkle Box is sponsored by PR by the Book, who provided my copy and the giveaway copy, but the review is entirely my own opinion.

What I Said, What I Did, What I'm Reading

2012 was not a banner year for me, as far as reading is concerned. 

I posted this picture here last year, with my "reading plan," also known as 

What I Said.

And this picture, is to the best of my memory,

What I Did (read).

So, the picture's a bit deceiving. The stack of books laying flat (and which is missing Anne of Green Gables) are the books read in their entirety.  I am 1/5 of the way through Anna Karenina, and getting close to finishing the three books to the left of Anna. The two on the left I am reading (and writing through) slowly. And I'm okay with that.

Apparently, I didn't pursue the more challenging reads on my list.

So here is my start for this year, also known as

What I'm Reading (this year).

I really want to get through Anna Karenina, and I also want to keep the Letters of John Newton & Leaving Cold Sassy on my list. I have some gifts I want to read: Green Dolphin Street and Cranford. I will continue with my writing books. Adding Andree Seu's three-volume collection of essays this year.

And I will probably finish Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time series before I begin any other fiction. I don't know how I couldn't get into these books growing up. I have enjoyed it so very much...reading by booklight until I can't keep my eyes open anymore.

And my first non-fiction book to read this year? The one on top: Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson. I've been looking forward to this since I first heard about it when I learned there might be a MomHeart conference coming to NC. I'm really looking forward to the conference in February...and I think this book arrived at the perfect time for me. (And there are some great giveaways going on for the release of the book this week...just click on the link in the book title!)

I know there will be other books...there always are...that grab my interest and distract me from my plan. But that's okay too.

Tell me what you are looking forward to reading this year?