Books for Christmas, Always

Is there a better Christmas gift than a book? I can't think of a Christmas where I haven't gifted a book to my children, and this year will be no exception. I often buy secondhand but when I can't find books we want at the charity shop or thrift store, I always check Book Outlet. They're based in Ontario and have the most incredible prices on books, usually because there is a micro flaw in the cover or spine. The vast majority of the time I can't for the life of me find the flaw, but I'll happily take the enormous savings!

Use this link for $5 your first order! 

Cook Books - My favourite place to start any Christmas List (and this one I just bought to put under the tree for myself at that great price!)

Lateral Cooking by Niki Segnit, $11.46 at Book Outlet and $54 at Indigo and Amazon.

I also grabbed the Love Sugar Magic series for Chloe in hard cover for $6.81 per book at Book Outlet (I'd have paid $15 per book on Amazon and $21 at Indigo). My kids all loved the Just Add Magic tv series on Prime and this book series seems similar.

Lastly, I got a few books for Oli from The Unwanteds series, for $4.34 per book on Book Outlet (would have cost $11.99 on Amazon). It's supposed to be "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter" so I think he'll love it!

Anyway, I'd love to hear what you're reading and buying for your loved ones to read this Christmas! I always love sharing a good deal and what I'm reading, so consider us caught up on both scores. Hope you have a chance to check out Book Outlet before going Big Box - they have so many titles I want and the prices are bananas. Happy reading!

3 Very Different Books I'm Loving

Always a fan of wide reading, I often have several genres on the go. I wanted to share three new books I recently found on booksforchrist.com - I've said this already but this website is *the most affordable* place to buy Christian books online in Canada. They beat the big sites, often by a few dollars. I also love that they're Christians themselves, as I've felt uneasy in the past lining Amazon's pockets when I buy a Bible, devotional, or Christian book. Books for Christ is a small operation, they give back to charity, they have the newest releases at the best prices, and I have a 10% coupon code on top of all of that! But more on that later. For now, here are three very different books I've been reading.

Jane Eyre: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting by Karen Swallow Prior 

This beautiful linen-bound hardcover includes the original text by Charlotte Bronte as well as a commentary by the brilliant English Literature professor, Swallow Prior. I've listened to Swallow Prior teach literary reflections and her thoughts on reading well at conferences in the past and I know her to be tremendously insightful and sharp. I couldn't believe when I saw her series on the famous classics! I've also ordered her commentary on Frankenstein for Oli to read next year for homeschooling and Sense and Sensibility for myself! $18 on Books for Christ (it's $24 on Amazon for reference)

Parenting by Paul David Tripp 

The #1 Parenting book I recommend to first-time or long-time parents is this one! It's filled with grace and truth and reorients the parent's heart in the way we need it most. As much theological as practical, this book is one I re-read every couple of years and always glean new wisdom. He speaks to parents in general which is refreshing as often parenting books are very specific to one age or season. I have owned this book for years but have leant it out so many times it's disappeared! So I ordered this new hardcover recently and will read for the forth time this month. $25 on Books for Christ ($27 on Amazon for reference)

Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund 

I've yet to start this one but I can't wait to. I listened to a podcast interviewing the author on this work and everything he's said about the life and person of Christ completely wooed me. That and the glowing reviews from some of my favourite teachers and authors (Sam Allberry, Rosaria Butterfield, Paul David Tripp, etc). Ortlund writes like a modern Puritan. His writing captivates the reader and illuminates Jesus. it's also a stunning book that looks to be covered with an old oil painting. I do love a beautiful hardcover! $22 on Books for Christ ($24 on Amazon for reference)

These three - one classic, one non-fiction (parenting), and one theology/Christian living. Usually I have a memoir or biography in there, as well as modern or historical fiction. Can you ever have too many books? 

Use this code for 10% off your next order and do tell me what you choose! I love to hear what others are reading :)

2 Books I Read Every Day (+ the cheapest place to buy them!)

Aside from the Bible, there are two books I've read nearly every day for the past several years. They are both devotional in genre, and have been so impactful on my daily life as a Christian woman. I also wanted to share about an online Christian book store I've recently discovered, where these books cost less than on Amazon (!!), for which I also have a 10% off coupon code. Happy day! 

The books are Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon and Praying Through The Bible for Your Kids by Nancy Gutherie. I have owned these books for years but the versions I had were not the loveliest to look at. I know, these things hardly matter, but as I use them daily and have them on my coffee table year-round, it's a bonus if they are aesthetically pleasing. I found these linen bound hardcovers at Books for Christ, the only place I'll be buying Christian books from now on. 

 

Why these two books? Morning and Evening it written in beautiful language from 19th century British preacher Charles Spurgeon. Twice a day you get a mini sermon from this famed "Prince of  Preachers" as he was called. Praying Through the Bible for your Kids includes a daily bible verse, meditation, and then a pointed prayer for you to pray for your child(ren). 

Devotional reading is a wonderful addition to daily Bible reading, but it should never replace it - they are, after all, a summery and interpretation of the Bible from a flawed and human author. Yet still, they have helped me understand scriptures and guide my prayer life in these past years so I wanted to share.

Books for Christ is another resource I'm happy to pass on to you. I heard about them through a friend and was shocked by their prices! Every book I've looked for on Books for Christ was several dollars less than on Amazon! I've always felt a degree of dissonance lining the pockets of Amazon whenever I buy a Christian book, devotional, or Bible. Yet their prices are often hard to resist. Books for Christ is a Christian organization, run by Christians, and fighting poverty with a percentage of the sales, and their prices are less than Amazon! It's hard to believe! I'm so thrilled to have found them! Use this link for an additional 10% off at Books for Christ, on top of it all. 

Head over to Instagram today to win a free book from Books for Christ!

This was written in collaboration with Books for Christ,

however I am an independent customer of theirs. 

All opinions shared are 100% my own.

To book a collab, please contact me.

When Every Moment is Holy

Doing laundry, heading to work, changing diapers, doing house repairs... these are mundane, even grueling aspects of daily life. When you think of everyday tasks such as these, does your heart soar heavenward with brimming hope that God is present and has purpose in this moment? Mine doesn't either. 

I tend to keep my head down in the drudgery, and offer up only stocatto prayers if I run into need. I don't tend to consider the regular moments of life as holy moments, and that's why I have come to use the liturgies in Every Moment Holy daily. 

Part poem and part prayer, liturgies draw the heart in the direction it was made to go - heavenward. Every Moment Holy is a collection of modern liturgies for every imaginable daily moment and I've absolutely loved reading and praying them. ⠀

⠀

When I can't sleep, there's a liturgy for that. When you receive dreadful news, there's a liturgy for that. When my kids are off to school, there's a liturgy for that. Why liturgies for such mundane earthly tasks? Because in those Christ is present, which is the most important takeaway from this book for me. Christ is not more present at church, or when you're curled up with a hot tea (or toddy!) reading your Bible, or when you're singing hymns. He's there in the muck and mire of daily life in this fallen world, and that makes every moment beautiful and indeed holy. I can't recommend this book enough. Read it, memorize it, savour it. 

This post was in collaboration with Every Moment Holy,

however it's a book and principal I've loved for a long time.

I strongly recommend it with an unbound heart!

to book a collaboration, contact me.

Redeeming the Time: 20 Things to do While Social Distancing

We're into our first week of homeschooling and social distancing and I have to be honest - I don't hate it. 

These are very frightening times to be sure, yet the increased and even mandated time at home with those we love is one heck of a silver lining. 

Certainly not everyone has the ability to work from home and hunker down in the way I'm describing - especially health care and essential service workers who are absolute heroes - but for those who are restricted to a work-from-home or simple be home capacity, my hope is we'll spend the time well. One day this will be over (hopefully soon!), and we'll look back on how we spent these days. I really hope to look back on them with fondness, knowing that I followed expert's advice in staying inside, but also that I used the time wisely and fruitfully. 

Here's a simple list of 20 things to do while you're social distancing. For many of us, the time at home is not optional, but the way we spend it is completely in our hands. 

1. Sleep more - even if you're working from home, you'll likely work somewhat reduced hours and choose your hours unlike the typical 9-5. Kids aren't rushing off to school so why not catch up on an hour or two per night? 1 in 3 adults aren't getting enough sleep, but now is likely the best chance you'll get to allow yourself to sleep a full 8 hours (or more!).
2. Master a new skill - I suggest you perfect my sour dough-ish bread recipe! But other ideas are to try out a new instrument or start knitting. 
3. Read the entire New Testament - I have the David Suchet NIV audio version on Scribd and it's 20 hours. Thanks to social distancing you have 20 hours. This is well worth your while! Here's a link for your first two months free on Scribd, fyi!
4. Learn a new language - As someone living in her second language, I assure you it's worth the time to invest in language learning! Oli is trying to learn a third language (Arabic!) on Youtube during the time off school, too.
5. Clean out your closet - I did this to my upcoming summer wardrobe and the kid's too and it was so satisfying. I sell my quality kid's pieces to Boutique Mini-Cycle and give the rest away to charity. 
6. Wash weird things and places - Now, if ever, is the time to deep clean. Not only are you going to be home (and it's much more preferable to be in a clean home, no?), but you also have the time. Today we washed the walls and baseboards. Seriously. It was oddly satisfying.
7. Do facials and hair masks and all the things - self-care alert! Those time-consuming and totally optional beauty activities are really fun when there's nothing else to do.
8. Learn to cook new things - Social distancing means we aren't rushing to the store every time we're out of one ingredient, so use up everything you have first and along the way, stretch yourself with cooking. I plan to explore some of my lesser-used cookbooks and focus on my pantry ingredients.
9. Get back to family dinners - I know my family has a lot of evening work and engagements normally so we are loving the chance to all be home for 6pm supper each night. I light a candle and dust off my secondhand English china and it feels very Norman Rockwell in the best way. 
10. For the married couples out there: have sex every day! Seriously, why not? Didn't see that suggestion coming, did ya? ;-)
11. Read good books - You will eventually get tired of Netflix, and if you don't, well, trust me, it's good to take a break. Favourites I've read in the past year include Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, Educated by Tara Westover, Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Simonson, Women and God by Kathleen Nielson, and Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
12. Don't wear makeup! You're not going out anyway, give your skin a break!
13. Workout at home - Even a simple workout like 10 burpees followed by 10 pushups x 3 will get your heart pumping and muscles awakened
14. Ask questions - of your roomates, spouse, kids, anyone you're stuck inside with, or even friends elsewhere online. Get to know people. 
15. Help a health-care professional - these people are truly on the front lines and we ought to do our best to serve them in any way right now. For my part, I've offered to make lunches for a nurse friend. Anything you can do to ease their stress, give them a bit of respite, and say "thank you".
16. Shop online - I usually love browsing thrift stores and I miss it already, but I've done my shopping online and plan to continue to. My favourite online shop for secondhand and quality clothes is Boutique Mini-Cycle, which satisfies my desire to thrift a bit! I've also bought books from Indigo for the kids, and a new kettle from Canadian Tire. There's no need to be in stores right now!
17. Clean out all of the kitchen drawers - toss that utensil or small appliance you never use, wash the drawers and cupboards, because wow they got disgusting over the years! It's a task you'd probably never do under normal circumstances but feels great to have done.
18. Order takeout - restaurants are being hit very hard financially right now so why not order takeout from your favourite local place? Most restaurants are running at a reduced capacity to comply with the new limits for people gathering in one space but almost every restaurant offers takeaway.
19. Watch your film bucket list - this is the time to re-watch your very favourites (BBC Pride & Prejudice, The Holiday, Count of Monte Cristo), to introduce your kids to the classics (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter), and to lessen those screen rules. I'm preaching to myself here!
20. Keep calm and carry on - this too shall pass, and God is still on the throne.

what I read Fall '19 and Winter '20

I'm woefully behind on a book roundup so I'm just going to throw them all at you at once. Not just a tad behind, we're talking this post will span two years and decades, my friends! I do want to get back into the monthly updates because I find it so much easier to gather my thoughts when the books I read are in my recent memory and not months back, but this time we'll have to do with a compilation of everything I've read (that I can remember!) from October, November, December of 2019 and onto January and February of 2020. Hope you're up to it!

Educated by Tara Westover

This was a more recent book from 2020 but I'm starting the non-chronological list with it because it was hands down my favourite book I've read in months. Absolutely spellbinding, deeply sad and frustating, but also a great David and Goliath underdog story that happens to be true. The author described her stranger than fiction life growing up in a hyper-conservative, far-right, doomsday-preparing Morman family. In short, she is an abuse survivor both of physical abuse from her pseudo-sadist older brother, emotional abuse from her mentally unstable parents, and general neglect, never being allowed medical care or an education. Through unimaginable effort on her part, the author passes a GED test, having taught herself algebra from a secondhand text book and gains admission to university. She goes on to study at Cambridge and Harvard and very slowly begins to heal from her abusive childhood. You cry and cringe and cheer your way through her story, which she writes in such beautiful prose. Can't recommend enough!

The Rosie Project, The Rosie Effect, The Rosie Result, all by Graeme Simsion.

These were fun, light reads that brought along a good heap of empathy and moral conviction for how we respond to difficult people, particularly those on the Autism spectrum. I listened to the audiobook version for two of these and read the paper copy for another and while I always enjoy both, the audio version really was entertaining as the books take place in Australia and the varied Aussie accents were such a treat. Don Tillman, the protagonist (who falls for a girl so opposite of himself, named Rosie) is excellently written and portrayed, but I have to say Rosie wasn't as well written at all. It's rare that men write romantic comedies and I wonder if it has to do with men not having an easy time writing female characters. Don was a star, Rosie was a dud, so the writing was fun but not ground breaking.

The Boy Mom by Monica Swanson

I've mentioned this book and the author's podcast in my Top Parenting Resources blog post, so I won't repeat much. I'll just say that I absolutely love Monica Swanson's approach to parenting, her wisdom, and the way she writes with a grand vision for parenting but also a ton of very practical help. Some parenting books are all help and no heart, others offer a lot of theological framework but nothing very practical or specific, but The Boy Mom is one of those rare Christian parenting books that delivers both. I read this book over Christmas and have already referred back to it several times. I'm also giving away a copy next week on my Instagram!

Triggers: Exchanging Parents' Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake

I first heard about this book when Wendy Speake was a guest on the Boy Mom Podcast and I knew I had to read it. The glimpses of Speake's wisdom on the episode were nothing compared to the depths I'd find in her book, Triggers. If you've ever struggled with anger in your parenting (and who hasn't!?) you need to read this book! The audiobook is narrated by the author, which I love. Truly, this book is such a blessing. Some chapters didn't apply to my stage of life as my kids are past the toddler years, but there was plenty for my stage and the ones to come! This book helps identify what triggers your children and you towards anger and gives wise advice on how to diffuse and defeat it.

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

This author is also a writer for the PBS series by the same name and as I'm a fan of the show, I recognizes many of the historical events and the way they were perceived and written. Even though I didn't learn anything new about the great Queen, I loved this book for light reading. The book follows a young Queen Victoria ascending to the throne, falling in love with Albert, and the earliest months of their marriage; essentially season one of Victoria on PBS.

The Crown Companion Series Part I and Part II by Robert Lacey

You must know by now how much I love The Crown miniseries, so these books were a must for me. They are written by a bonafide royal historian who takes you episode by episode and tells you what The Crown got right, what was embellished or straight up created with artistic license, and what happened in a different sequence of time. It's fascinating! Both Part I and Part II were temporarily available on Scribd so I listened to them there for free, but I think they've been taken down. Worth checking, and if not, find them elsewhere or buy the paper copies because they are such a treat for any history geek or royal watcher (hi, I'm both!) The best part about the audio is that they're narrated by Alex Jennings who plays David, Elizabeth II's runaway would-be King uncle in The Crown.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

This was a book club read and not one any of us really loved. It's a WWII historical fiction which is usually a guarenteed win for me, but I couldn't get excited about one of the two protagonists. The book follows two leading ladies, one young and looking for answers after WWII and the other a retired and embittered spy from WWI's famous Alice Network of female spies. Eve, the elder protagonist had a story that really drew me in (she was a spy after all, so you know she's seen some horrible things) but Charlie, the young girl looking for her missing cousin fell flat to me. I just didn't care enough about her character, so her victories didn't boon me and her searching didn't interest me.

Open Book: A Memoir by Jessica Simpson

I have to admit, in late high school and early university I was a closet Jessica Simpson fan. Never cared for her music, but I was really drawn to her persona. I was also a young Christian and was fascinated by a celebrity who also professed faith and remained a virgin until her wedding night (albeit to a non-Christian which soon after ended in divorce, etc, etc). I wouldn't say I saw her as a role model, but I just found her lovable and interesting. I probably hadn't thought of her in a decade when I read some press about her new book, and I was intrigued. Honestly, it's a great read (even better listen, as it's narrated by her) as her story is quite something. She shares about childhood sexual abuse, her longtime battle with body image, her faith (and at times, lack thereof), and gets pretty personal about the many people who have let her down (including all of her ex's and her parents). It's intimate and brave and funny and I'm glad I read it even if I'm not a current celebrity watcher or Jessica Simpson fan.

The Life-Giving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson

I read this for the second (or maybe third?) time this month and still found myself underlining new parts and taking new notes from Sally Clarkson's bottomless well of wisdom. I have always found her writing encouraging and the unique way she looks at everything as an opportunity to bless others and tell a story. I love her thoughts on beauty, hospitality, simplicity, and homemaking. She co-authors this book with her adult daughter Sarah and they each take turns writing chapters. Sarah writes more poetically than Sally, which was beautiful to read. Both women have such a huge vision for what the home can be and they walk you through a year, each chapter being another month, of how they invest in others by way of their space. It's not a book that champions materialism or tells you how to be the perfect hostess - far from it! It's a book that invites us to see how we can communicate love and welcome and faith and rest to those who cross our thresholds, and shares practical ideas for ways to try. This book has influenced the daily tea times I have with my kids after school, the sourdough-ish bread I make every week, and our practice of Advent and Lent. I will likely re-read it every few years because it's that inspiring and helpful!

I'm sure there were more books that I listened to or read in the last couple of months but that's all I can seem to remember for now. If more come to me, I'll add them to the list!

books I read summer + 09/19

Time to catch us all up on some recent and not so recent reads. As suspected, summer turned out to be a time of fewer books completed as generally I have almost no alone time (all three are home all summer and they don't do day camps or the like so I'm with them all day every day). As much as I love reading, I love summer with my kids way more, so don't feel sorry for me :)

source: Teaching and Laundry

I'm also starting to include Amazon affiliate links to these posts, so click on the links  if you'd like to buy any of them and you'll be directed to Amazon's page. I've gone back to link all of the books I've previously posted in this serious, so you can find those books here.  It will make for one easy stop for you to find the titles I've mentioned in various blog posts, but also give me a small (very small) percentage of Amazon's sales. If you buy anything from my Amazon links (books or otherwise), you'll pay the same as you would on Amazon, but Amazon gives me a small cut of their profits for curating the items for you guys. I've gone back and linked previous Books I've Read Thanks for going this route and helping continue to support this blog! Here's my updates links for the books I read in May, April, March, February, and January.

I thought I'd make September and summer all in one post because I haven't finished too many. But smaller quantity is not a mark of smaller quality as this list includes one of my favourite (maybe my favourite!) modern fiction book OF ALL TIME. Read on!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - I read this in Greece and even though I'd seen the movie it was such a pleasure. A quick read but so full of charm. WWII themed books often draw me in but the quaint book club on the British isle of Guernsey and every character therein were why I loved it. Lovely characters and story.

Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom - Oh this biography! It was so powerful and beautiful. What a life Corrie ten Boom had and how she lived was such an inspiration! Christian biographies are some of my favourite means to learn about God and inspire my faith. I find biographies are like theology with skin on, a living walking person pointing us to Jesus. Corrie ten Boom's life is worth reading about and emulating. The book shows us her living testimony in Holland hiding Jews, in Germany at a concentration camp, and afterwards rehabilitating ex-servicemen from both sides of WWII with the grace of the gospel. A must read whether you're Christian or not!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - this is THE ONE guys! I'm not typically over the moon for modern fiction. Historical fiction is more my jam (if not classics) but I loved Eleanor Oliphant so much! First of all, the characters are gold. Unassuming and rich characters that are so normal and natural you feel like you might know them in real life. Also the heroine, Eleanor Oliphant is a delight! She's brave and honest and broken and I love cheering for her throughout the book. I want to own a paper copy, seeing as it's one of my favourite modern fiction pieces ever, but I do also recommend the audiobook because it was so perfectly narrated with all the various Scottish and English accents. I'm honestly so sad it's over!

The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley - My friend Matt who has put a lot of thought and practice into the spiritual disciplines (and written about them here!) recommended this book to me and I knew based on his life which I admire and his fine book selections that it was a must read. I listened to it on Scribd over the course of two days and have begun putting some of the practices into my daily routine (no phone before scripture, fasting from something for 24 hours every month, limiting media to four hours per week, etc). Earley never makes the reader feel pressure or guilt, he simply invites you to a simpler, more free life with these disciplines. The gospel is woven throughout this book as well as personal tales of his life as a missionary in China and later a corporate lawyer.  

Scribd: Netflix for Audiobooks (+ 2 months FREE!)

It's no secret that I love to read, and long before audiobooks I was still putting away 30-odd books every year (see this post for how I've learned to prioritize reading). I love curling up with a book for at least thirty minutes each night before bed and prefer a good book to watching TV any day, but there are only so many hours in the week that one can commit to exclusive, nose in a book, reading. Even in my kid-free time, which is still not extensive though they're all in school (work, volunteering, ministry all happily fill most of those hours) I can't always sit down with a page-turner, either because I need to use my hands or I'm out and about in a not-conducive-to-reading errand. Enter: audiobooks, and more specifically Scribd. 

Scribd is a fantastic service that a friend of mine introduced me to last month. It's essentially Netflix for audiobooks in that you pay a small fee each month and are given unlimited access to audiobooks (also ebooks, though I don't use the service for those). You can read/listen to your heart's content with catch being that once you stop paying for the service, you don't get to keep the titles. I still use Audible and Christian Audio for the occasional book that I know I'll want to read again and again (classics like Austen or Tolkien) but the vast majority of my reading are books I really enjoy but likely won't re-read, which makes Scribd the perfect solution!

I was blown away with their broad availability, only slightly lacking in lesser known biographies (cough Royals cough) and some theological titles. Every fiction book I've been keen to read has been available, as well as tons of excellent children's books, plus the odd biography (The Diana Chronicles, Becoming) and theology (Prodigal God. Every Good Endeavor) title too. 

With this referral link you'll receive your first two months free, if you're interested!

Books I Read 05/19

Becoming by Michelle Obama

This was a nice long biography that I really enjoyed listening to on Scribd (I'll write more about it later, but it's the new way I've been listening to audiobooks). I love when the author reads the audiobook, and it was a treat to hear Michelle Obama's voice tell the years of their incredible life. Politics aside, her life is fascinating to me. I'm not American and I won't attempt to understand all of their politics, but the many facets of Michelle Obama's life, from growing up in a working class poor neighbourhood, being a black woman at an Ivy League university, raising a family in the spotlight, and being married to the most powerful man in the world all are worth listening to and learning from. Her family's experience was very unique and I admire much of what I know about her. At times, the book was a bit self-righteous I will say. Autobiographies can easily be self-indulgent and are of course, one sided. Regardless, it was a terrific book and I enjoyed listening to it!

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Oh this book was CHARMING. Does all caps ruin the charm? Sorry. But I absolutely loved this book I want you to sense that I'm shouting it from the rooftops! The novel follows retired British Army Major Pettigrew as he grieves the death of his wife, brother, and disappointment with his surviving relatives, as he finds comfort in a fledgling friendship with an unlikely companion - widow Mrs. Ali, the local Pakistani shop keeper in his quaint English town. I bought the hardcover years ago at a book sale in my hometown when I was home for a summer visit, and also had the audio version on Scribd, so I switched back and forth between audio and paper copies. The audio version is narrated perfectly by Peter Altschuler who I imagine sounds exactly like the Major. This book is about love, friendship, aging, classism, racism, family, and grief - in short, it will appeal to many readers and I think you'll all enjoy it.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

I listened to this classic on Scribd for a few days as I was running errands and chores in Montreal, but finished it during the long drive to Blue Mountain, Ontario. Mansfield Park isn't one of Austen's most popular books but had all of her hallmarks -  darling clergymen, conniving relatives, a morally upright and bold as heck heroine, and a happy ending. Sigh. Fanny Price may be one of my new favourite leading ladies!

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

On the drive home from Blue Mountain I thought I'd continue on the same vein as Jane Austen and listen to Agnes Grey for the first time. It was a lovely listen/read but not nearly as captivating as my favourite of Anne Bronte's, The Tennant of Wildfell Hall. You do fall for Agnes and cheer her on through awful situations and trying life circumstances, and celebrate her romantic triumph at the close of the book, but it wasn't the most memorable Bronte book.

The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

This was the most thorough biography I've ever read on the Royals, while still being incredibly fresh and modern. Narrated by the author, I really enjoyed listening to this on Scribd. Brown doesn't pick sides as she gives great detail on the Charles and Diana marriage and subsequent divorce, and she has lengthy sources and inside personal experience to back up her ideas and opinions on greyer issues. Highly recommend!

Books I Read 04/19

This month I read a bit of fiction, a bit of biographical, a bit of Classics, and a bit of theology. The ideal month! I love having a variety on the good all the time so I can read whatever inspired at the moment.

Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott

I finished this book on April 1st and was really tempted to just add it into last month's summary but I love rules so I couldn't, haha! This last installment of the Little Women series was very sweet but not my favourite of the trilogy. It was fun to read about Meg, Jo, Amy and Laurie all grown up and even with teen and adult children of their own. When I read good fiction I'm so absorbed into the world, so when there are subsequent books including those same original characters, I'm happy as ever. This was a lovely way to finish off the tales of the March family, but I think it was my least favourite of the three books by Alcott.

Women & God by Kathleen Nielson

I read this book with my friend Vanessa in a sort of penpal book club, since we live far apart and discussed each chapter over Whatsapp. I hope as I share these many books each month it inspired you to read and to remember that there are so many ways to do it - in a book club, with a friend over Whatsapp, on an eReader, from the library, as an audiobook, etc. I really loved chewing on each chapter and having a friend to compare notes with for this one!

Kathleen Nielson is extremely well-verse and thorough but also one of the most gracious authors I've read. In light of #metoo and modern feminism, Nielson kindly and diligently addresses the beauty of the distinctness between the sexes, our roles and privileges as women, and the honour of womanhood. Reading this book I felt honoured and seen as a woman, and God's word came alive in new ways. She teaches straight through the Bible from the garden of Eden right through to Jesus' ministry to women and is faithful to the Word and us women on every page. This is the best book out there on Biblical Womanhood to date. I can't recommend it enough to anyone interested in delving into issues of gender and roles and I suggest reading it in a group or with a friend as I did!

Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle

This seems to be the month to finish series! Toujours Provence was the second part of A Year in Provence which I read and loved last month. Toujours wasn't as great as the first installment if I'm honest. I still loved reading of the sights and happenings in the Luberon Region of one of my favourite countries, but the stories were less endearing this time around. I still recommend it as it's an easy and charming read, but it can't hold a candle to Mayle's first book.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

I've already read this book in paper form (I enjoyed it with my book club two years ago) but I recently bought it as an audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike when it was on sale for $5 in the Audible Daily Deal e-mail. It's such a dream to have on in the background of whatever I'm doing around the city or house. I mean, anything by Jane Austen is bound to be a win (minus Emma which I did not like!!). Marianne is so emo and tragic I have to laugh at her, and no one writes overly permissive and unwise mothers like Austen! I can't help but think Marianne is so unworthy of Brandon though!

Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II by Darlene Deibler Rose

You may know I have a strong interest in WWII, and that biographies are my favourite genre of book. I should add that missionary biographies are one of my favourite ways to learn and grow in my faith. They're like theology with skin on! The books that have impacted my faith the most are mostly biographies of faithful men and women throughout history. Evidence Not Seen was harrowing - the things Diebler Rose lived through are unbelievable and at times hard to read, but also her faith was such a precious jewel throughout and evidenced on every page. I borrowed this book from a friend but intend to buy it so I may read it again and again in years to come. I highly recommend it, and can't wait to one day meet her in heaven!

Books I Read 03/19

With March Break this month and three additional days off school, I was with my littles quite a lot this month! We had many moments of snuggling up with our favourite books, but also a lot of time spent out and about, so I'm not sure if I had extra time or less than usual time this month to actually read. I guess we'll see based on what I finished this month!

C S Lewis - A Life by Alister McGrath

This was a long biography that I listened to on Christian Audio and was able to knock back thanks to a March Break drive to and from Ontario. The kids, knowing who C S Lewis is, didn't mind it on in the background of our drive, though I doubt they enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. It was very detailed covering the world and British history around his life (Irish politics, WWI, etc.), his personal life, and his works. I loved hearing about his relationship with J R R Tolkein so much that ti spurred me to give The Lord Of The Rings a second try. When I first watched the movies ten years ago I was heavily pregnant with Lily and not interested at all. I was couch-bound so Brad asked me to give them a go, since he loves them so. Well, at the time I hated them - too violent! not my genre! too medieval! All I can say is if this biography did nothing else, it opened the door to LOTR and for that I'm thankful. I'll aim to read LOTR this summer, but it's all thanks to the impressive life of C S Lewis and this biography that primed me. Seriously though, Lewis was a fascinating man who I very much respect and I loved reading about his life in more detail.

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

I read this simultaneously with Oli, and I don't mind saying he finished before I did! As I was finishing he also finished Jo's Boys which I'll be reading most of this month and probably won't finish until next month. You know when you read a great book and grieve that it's over? That was me after Little Women last month, and lo and behold, Little Men was the perfect cure. I love seeing Jo grow up to be a mother and headmistress of Plumfield School For Boys (and later Girls too!). Back in January, I said Marmee was Mom Goals, but I need to add that Jo, or Mother Beahr, absolutely is too. This book is full of harsh realities, faithful friendship, and saccharine hope. I usually don't like a book of just one or two of these themes, but all three together is perfection. Alcott's writing is lovely but she never shies away from hard themes such as poverty and death. I think the best children's literature faces these realities with care for their reader, but faces them nonetheless. I guess that's why Louisa May Alcott is one of the greats in children's literature! I finished this with tears streaming down my face while the kids were at tennis one Saturday and was so wrapped up in the book world that I didn't realize how I probably looked (comepletely distraught), until a kind fellow parent asked, Madame, Ça va? Oh yes, just a great book, haha!

A Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell

This was one of the Daily Deals on Audible so I grabbed it this month when I saw it on sale for under $5 (remember, most audiobooks are over $30 normally so this is a huge way to save). Our first big trip as a family of five was to Copenhagen if you recall, and Denmark left a beautiful impression on us as an extremely beautiful, modern, and family-friendly place. Having been to Denmark and loving this sort of book in general (those here's-what-I-learned told from the first person and delving into culture sorts), I really enjoyed this book. It's narrated beautifully but at times was a little drawn out. If you have read French Women Don't Get Fat or Bringing Up Bebe, it's similar to those (and I loved those both as well!).

Five Things To Pray For Your Kids by Melissa Kruger

This month I was lucky enough to receive some gifted books from The Good Book Company, one of the publishers I read the most. The other books pictured above were also from The Good Book Company and I'm still working through those, so keep an eye out for those summaries in the months to come.  Melissa Kruger is one of my favourite TGC ladies, having listened to her speak many times and enjoyed countless articles of hers over there. It is concise and to the point (perfect for a busy parent) and very helpful. If you ever struggle to pray authentically and purposefully with and for your children, this book will help you and not overwhelm you. I pray with my kids on the way to school each morning, before every meal, and before bed, but still I fall into rote prayers sometimes. This book reminded me of the many things I could be intentionally praying for and has enriched my prayer life! I also really loved how it was a small book and quick read. A busy mom's dream!

Books I Read 02/19

As suspected, I didn't have as much time to read this month as I did in January (I miss you Christmas holidays!), so I finished fewer books than last month, but some gems nonetheless!

A Year In Provence by Peter Mayle

This book was such a pleasure. It was a very light read - one you can pick up out of nowhere and get into easily - but still transported you to the world of the author, which I think only the best books do well. I felt like I was in Provence as I read this book, and boy do I long to go back after having finished it. We have actually been to the exact place Mayle writes of (Aix-en-Provence in the Luberon Region) and it's exactly as splendid as he describes. The author is British so two fancies were met in one book for this French-living Anglophile. He compared their southern French life to that of busy London, and writes like a true Brit, so I obviously enjoyed those aspects immensely, but how he writes of France you can't help but fall in love with the food, the customs (even the frustrating ones!), the language, in short, all things French. He has several other books about their years in Provence and I can't wait to get my hands on them in due course. 

The Livegiving Table by Sally Clarkson

This was a natural followup from last month's The Livegiving Home by the same author, and I enjoyed it just as much. It's not a deep theological read, it's lifestyle meets hospitality meets recipes meets encouragement from the word. A really lovely read and really spurred me on in setting the table of fellowship and discipleship before my children, friends, and neighbours. Clarkson says again and again, "it's not what's on the table, it's what happens at the table" to remind us that it's not about homemade bread or a perfectly laid table (though those things are wonderful and add beauty and comfort to our lives!) but about making the most of mealtimes and using food and drink to bring merriment and welcome. 

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan 

I've wanted to read this books for a very long time after having heard countless historical Christians state it as one of the most influential books in their lives. Queen Elizabeth II says it opened her eyes to true religion and read it to the world on her first Christmas Broadcast. Charles Spurgeon gave it away liberally, including to his wife Susie, who credits it as having won her to Jesus. It was written in 1675 and is one of the most published books in history, and still today I have to say, it's a treasure. The story of Pilgrim, later named Christian, as he journeys to the celestial city encountering all numbers of snairs and evils on the way is an allegory for the Christian life. It's poetic and pointed and goes to show how there really is nothing new under the sun. The same challenges we face today, at their core, were the same 350 years ago, and long before that. I listened to this book on Christian Audio and delighted in every word! I will say it was a bit hard to follow at times if I wasn't giving the audiobook my full attention. I highly recommend the audiobook over the paper copy simply because there are so many characters to keep track of, and the performer does a great job giving them all distinct voices to help you differentiate. 

Books I Read 1/19

Every year I've tried different methods of tracking what I read but I always get lost somewhere in July and the rest is history. I loosely keep track of the thirty or so books I read each year, but I want a better system, so now I'll be doing a quick monthly blog post about the books I've read and my brief impressions. Each month I'll write about the books I've completed that month, which may mean I began them the following month. I also include audiobooks here, even though I still prefer turning real paper pages. Audiobooks are brilliant for people who spend any length of time in transit, commuting to work, running errands, etc. I buy most of my audiobooks from the Daily Deals e-mail which I receive daily from Audible. I'm not actually an Audible member, but you don't have to be to receive their daily e-mails. I'd say once per month they have an excellent classic (such as Jane Austen's Northhanger Abbey narrated by Emma Thompson) for under $5. I also use Christian Audio which also has incredible sales (most books I own from there were $7 or less) as well as a free audiobook every month. You can be a member at Christian Audio, but it's not the route I've taken since their sales are so good. 

For those who want to make reading a more substantial part of lives, check out this article I wrote last year, Reading for Pleasure + How to Get There. I didn't grow up as an avid bookworm and aside from mandatory texts for my degree and the odd book to grow in my faith, I didn't read, and certainly never just for fun. Everything changed after having Chloe when I found myself with three children under the age of three in desperate need of self care. With so many small children, I was rather house bound, which brought me to the fork in the road between endless television, or cultivating a love for reading. Happily, in the winter of 2014, I picked up a novel, and the first great work of fiction I'd probably ever read (for those wondering, it was All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer). I was hooked. 

Here's what I finished reading in January, 2019

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

I started reading Jane Eyre in December 2018 with my Book Club and finished it just in time for our meeting on the first week of January. It wasn't my favourite Bronte book but it was still beautiful to read (and listen to - I actually did both simultaneously). I found Jane hard to like as a protagonist, though I admired her boldness, courage to stick with her convictions, and generosity of spirit even after being so hard done by in her early life. The book pushes the reader to consider how our morals interface with our desires, as in Lord Rochester’s desire to marry Jane, to consider if we might face death as bravely as Helen Burns, and if we could forgive a cousin like John, and for that it’s an excellent book club read (such good discussions!) as well as a thought provoking personal study. I watched the 2011 film before reading the book and have promised myself I’ll never make that mistake again – always always read the book first!

Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry

I have admired Jackie Hill Perry for a few years and saw her speak in person last summer. I first chose to buy this audiobook on Christian Audio simply because of my respect for the author as a poet and writer, not because of the subject, though she shares her personal story, laced with Biblical truth with incredible depth and beauty. She is best known as a spoken word poet, which made the audiobook an obvious choice as its read by Jackie HillPerry herself. She doesn’t just read, she performs. It’s not just a book, it’s historical biography, profound apologetics, and a theology text book all in one. Highly recommend.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I started this book between Christmas and New Years and fell hard, fast, for those charming March sisters. I absolutely loved their antics, which reminded me of Anne of Green Gables, but multiplied by four – Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. These characters are so sweet it hurts, but they aren’t one dimensional. They still have great sorrows, taste death, experience jealousy, and require forgiveness. I loved that the book took place over many years and we got to see the girls grow into women, eventually leaving Marmee’s nest for a world of their own. Lily had since read the Jr. Classics version of Little Women and Oli is on the second half of the official version and we all agree – it’s a delight. I rewarded myself with the 1994 film adaptation which was on Netflix over Christmas once I’d finished the book and have to say I was hugely disappointed. Laurie was all wrong, Marmee wasn’t nurturing and warm enough, and many of the best bits were left out. There’s a new movie coming out this year though, so I’m interested to see how it goes!

Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes Jr.

I listened to this Audiobook for part of December and into January, including part of my leg of driving to Ontario. It was beautifully written and lengthy, but every detail seemed worthy. I love biographies and especially those of people I can somehow relate to. Though Susannah Spurgeon was married to a renowned man and did more good than I'll ever do, she was also a simple pastor's wife and passionate church planter, so I drew particular inspiration from that. I love how as a new believer, her pastor, Charles Spurgeon who would many years later become her husband, gave her The Pilgrim's Progress to help her in her fledgling faith journey. That's one of the reasons that I'll be reading that work next month (ps - it's the FREE book of the month with Christian Audio for those who want to read - or listen - along with me)

The Life-giving Home by Sally Clarkson

I just finished this book under the wire and really enjoyed it. Over all, the book gives a lofty vision for what home can be – a refuge from the world, a place for belonging and becoming. I’m inspired by Sally Clarkson to make my home such a place for our children but also guests, friends, and neighbours. Having read The Gospel Comes With A House Key by Rosaria Butterfield last summer, hospitality has been on my mind in recent months, so this book was a natural choice. I’ve loved Sally Clarkson’s parenting books over the years, but appreciate how she turns the focus on the home. It’s co-authored by her eldest daughter Sarah, and I found myself especially liking Sarah’s chapters as an adult who lived through a home experience like what’s written about in the book. Some parts of the books interested me less because they were heavy on examples from their home, which in many ways won’t fit with the Morrice family or our rhythms. Clarkson is quick to note that not every example will work for every reader, and that their interests and favourites aren’t prescriptive for the audience, so it didn’t irk me, I just wasn’t underlining those parts very often.  I still recommend it and learned a lot!

5 books down for 2019! And a stack awaits me for February. I'll report back soon :)

a week unconnected

Last week I did a week-long social media fast and it was everything I hoped it would be and more! Inspired by Andy Crouch's excellent book The Tech-Wise Family, I'd like to make this an annual thing, along with one day each week of complete smartphone freedom. For anyone feeling the tug to disconnect from their phones, specifically social media, I can't recommend it enough. Here's what I learned:

1. I am addicted to my phone and you probably are too.
   
   
   There, I said it. When I didn't have my favourite apps to check (Feedly for blog reading, Instagram for inspiration and social connection, Whatsapp for gabbing with my girls) I would still unconsciously grab my phone to check them. My hand would just go to my phone during even a minute of free time. When I woke up and many times throughout the day I found myself reaching for my favourite apps even though I knew I was taking the weeks off. I'm addicted! Here's a little test to see if you're addicted to your phone... take it if you dare! I did and it told me what I already know...
   
2. The time I spend on social media takes me away from the people and habits that matter most.
   
   This was a hard realization, especially this summer when I've been with my never-napping kids from about 7am-10pm, all day, every day. It's one thing if I'm using up my own time to kick back and enjoy some of the many benefits that social media offers (and I do believe there are many, especially for moms with young kids!!), but it's quite another when being on social media takes me away from real life quality time with my family, or the disciplines and habits I care most about cultivating (early bedtimes, using my time wisely, getting chores done, reading my Bible daily, reading various other books daily, etc.) When I didn't have the option to be on social media last week, those other areas in my life flourished! Waking up early to be in the Word was actually spent in the Word, not quickly sidelined by checking e-mail or Instagram. Being with my kids meant they had my undivided attention - no buzzing notifications to interrupt me.
   
3. Social Media shapes my contentment and I need to be careful with it.
   
   I love social media and won't be quitting anytime soon, but I know I need to be careful about what images and ideas I'm allowing free reign on my mind and heart. I follow around 300 people on Instagram and every single one is carefully considered. I follow friends who I love and want to keep up with, I follow strangers who inspire me in a multitude of ways (whether it's their creativity, their cooking skills, their parenting wisdom, their faith journey, their shared interests with mine - travel, urban living, literature, or simply their artistic expression in photography. But there was a time when I followed a lot of accounts that led to me feeling jealous, discontent, or judgemental. After a week away, I deleted many more accounts because I had a fresh perspective on how those images were shaping me and I wanted to clear things out. I highly recommend regularly purging your follow list!
   
4. Real life is 100% better, every time.
   
   Here's the tricky reality for me - My closest friends and all of my family all live at least 7 hours away by car, if not plane rides away. To say that I don't need social media to connect with these precious people and to easily share my life with them would be nonsense. That said, I've often spent so much time connecting with my friends online and relying on those relationships to encourage me, fill my tank, and meet my needs at the expense of the relationships I have right in front of me in my own city. Last week our family was at Family Camp at Camp des Bouleaux and we were surrounded by new people for the whole week. We dove into those new friendships and had deep and meaningful conversations every hour. Now that I'm home and keeping up with those new friends on Instagram I see such a stark contrast of what real life vs. Instagram provides. Real life is better! The dept of those connections can't be reproduced, though of course we'll try.
   
5. Old school communication is so meaningful!
   
   One of the women I grew close with last week at Family Camp isn't on social media at all. At first I was baffled, "Oh... so, I guess we won't be able to keep in touch very much", I offered when she told me this. Her reply was so obvious, but to someone entrenched in the online world, I guess I couldn't see it: "We'll have the kids become pen pals! And when's your birthday so I can send you a card? And lets plan a road trip girls weekend! And we can always text or call!"... right. Sure, it would be nice if she had Instagram so I could see her and her sweet kids every day, but this forces me to lean into old school communication that actually requires I get off the couch and to the post office, and causes my children to put real effort into cards and drawings for their friends, not to mention the anticipation and joy that comes from receiving mail. 

The only downside to putting my apps and phone away for the week was that I didn't always have my phone to take pictures. Most of my pictures on Instagram and this blog are taken with my smartphone, which I never had on me during my fast. I did manage to take the picture above of the setting sun on our last night up in Grand Remous, Quebec, and maybe that's all I needed to take in the end. 

Reading For Pleasure + How To Get There

 

Many of you have commented on how odd it seems that I read so much for a busy schedule, three kids, work, etc etc etc. The truth is, I haven't always been a reader. There was a time when I flipped through magazines at most and dreaded having to read for school - it was never something I'd have done as a hobby or by choice.  It wasn't until after Chloe was born when I had three kids under three that I became an avid reader. Which seems probably the least likely time in one's life to take on a time-consuming, concentration-demanding hobby. Here's how I became a passionate reader in recent years:

1. Start with a GREAT book
   
   I had started and never finished many books before becoming a devoted reader. It's not easy to be passionate about reading when you don't have a few great books under your belt. I asked several friends who were avid readers for recommendations, and at the time the title All The Light We Cannot See repeatedly came up in conversation. Even though I found the first few chapters slow going, I pressed on and was rewarded with the first great book I'd read in years. Loving the book helped keep it a priority and when I finally finished it, I truly missed reading it. That kind of book is the best way to get started. 
2. Stop watching TV!
   
   Plain and simple, the best reading hours tend to be the ones people are use watching television. I'm not against TV, but I've noticed that in the years since becoming an avid reader, I've cut down significantly. If you want to prioritize reading, and you're working or with your children during the day, then evenings (aka TV time!) are your best shot. Carve out that space and you'll see you have hours at your disposal if you're willing.
3. Join/start a book club
   
   This was a great thing that has kept me going and introduced me to new titles I might not have chosen on my own. I started my book club by asking a few women from different social circles who I knew were avid readers if they were interested. Everyone was; it was so easy. We decided to delve into some classics, and in a few months, I'd read most of Jane Austen's novels. Discussing the book brought it back to life and gave me the extra push to finish if I was behind. With my book club we  read one book every month, then we discuss it over wine and snacks. Try it!
4. Set a goal to finish within the month
   
   Finishing a book can be such an accomplishment, especially in the years with little children, or exhausting work. As difficult as it may seem, set the goal to finish your book within a month so the story is still well intact in your memory and you enjoy each chapter as linked to the previous one. I'm convinced that the books that lag on and I never get to finishing are the ones that I've read too slowly and lost interest in over time.
5. Keep your book on hand
   
   This part is probably the most essential! We all have those moments in our day where we're waiting for something or doing nothing. What if we could have a book on hand during that time? Now, I almost always have my Kobo eReader, an audio book downloaded on my phone, or a physical book in my purse for those exact moments. Instead of checking my phone for meaningless content, I'm reading a great story in those tiny gaps of the day. 

I hope these help you get back into reading, or begin the journey to reading for pleasure! Reading is now a true joy for me and just a few years ago that would never have been the case! 

The 6 Book Genres I'm Always Reading

One of the ways I keep reading as a hobby and habit, is that I never have just one book going at any given time. I have a hunch that I'd get bored of the same book after a while, or if I was feeling unmotivated to read that one particular book, I'd just watch Netflix instead. Of course, television shows do win out in the end sometimes, despite me having no less than six books on the go at any given time (I still re-watch old episodes of Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife to my heart's content, not to mention newer gems like The Crown, Victoria, and This Is Us). If you're like me and grow restless before you've finished a book, maybe you need a few genres going at a time that you can bounce around. Having six Parenting books at one time wouldn't help me if I just wasn't in the mood to read a Parenting book that night, but having a variety of categories and styles to read is usually the ticket.

The genres I always have on the go

As I mentioned, I always have a Parenting book on my nightstand. Right now it's Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World and How Kids Succeed. I feel that being a parent is one of my most important roles in life and I take it very seriously. I have come to realize too that every stage in parenting is so unique, that I absolutely must always be seeking wisdom as I and my kids grow. I also re-read favourite books over and over!

I've come to really love Fiction in recent years, especially Historical Fiction. Right now I'm reading Etta Otto Russell and James, which is by a Canadian author and takes place across Canada. Fiction is perfect for late night reading or when I want to totally relax and not necessarily take in new information or think too much. I'm also speed reading A Wrinkle in Time so I can go see it in theatres! 

For my whole adult life, I've always had a Christian Living or Theology book on the go. Right now it's The Life Giving Table by Sally Clarkson and Searching for Spring by Christine Hoover. I'm also reading Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes with a few women from my church in a group study.

One of my favourite genres to read is Biographies. I'm currently reading one on Elizabeth II and recently loved Clementine (about Mrs. Winston Churchill) and another by several authors on John Stott. Last year I braced the 600+ page biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas and was mesmerized. 

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I try also to read a classic every couple of months: I just finished Northanger Abbey by Jane Austin with my book club, and I suppose A Wrinkle in Time by Madelene L'Engle counts in this category too.

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I read aloud one classic children's book at a time to the kids (and I love it!): we're currently reading Little House in the Big Woods and plan to go through the whole series.

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And of course, always and forever, God's word that sustains and guides this broken mama. Right now I'm reading Acts in the early mornings, and often my oldest daughter joins me. 

I'd love to hear what genres you read most, or any books you have to recommend!

WATCH / READ / LISTEN (April '17)

Hello! It's been a while since I've updated you on some book, show, and music recommendations so here they are.

I can't wait to watch Anne on Netflix! It's not until next month, but it looks SO GOOD. And guess what? I've never read any of the books or seen any of the movies. Who am I, right? I was the same with all things Jane Austen before this past winter, but I've since educated myself. It's never too late to dive into great literature, and usually you can find some friends who want to re-read alongside you (I love my book club for being such good sports!). Anyway, can't wait to watch Anne. Last week I saw that Netflix also finally updated episodes of Call the Midwife so I've been watching series 4-6 somewhat regularly. Brad and I also re-watched The Kings Speech on Netflix a few weeks ago. What a movie. I still haven't seen Beauty and the Beast, but when I do, maybe I'll find share why we have chosen not to show any Disney movies to our kids (ages 3, 5, 6) yet (and I why Disney irks me in general).

Books have been wonderful lately. I read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand in four days. Happily I spent every evening that week enraptured. It was helpful that my husband was at a conference that week, because as soon as the kids were asleep I buried myself in that incredible story. Wow.  I also just finished Parenting by Paul Tripp and it's the top parenting book I recommend now. Definitely worth reading, no matter how old your kids are!



I've been loving Page CXVI Reimagined by Derek Webb. I already love Page CXVI and their modern take on classic hymns, but Webb makes them more upbeat and alive! I have also been working out to Passion Pit, which makes me want summer so badly!

What are you reading/watching/listening to?

WATCH / READ / LISTEN (January '17)

In the winter months I find I do a lot more watching, reading, and listening to entertainment than I would in the warmer months, so fitting for January, I've been enjoying a lot of down time in this way and have tons to share!

WATCH:

Last week I treated myself to a very unusual and lovely thing: a solo, mid-day trip to the movies. Since B and I rarely like the same movies and neither of us watch them too often anyway, we almost never go to the cinema together. If we are splurging on a movie ticket (which are like $15 now, WHAT!?) it's only if one of us is watching a movie that we are absolutely dying to see. And as often as possible, it's on a Tuesday, when tickets are half price. Last Tuesday I saw La La Land while B stayed home with our kids, who have been on Christmas break for approximately 78 days (Or does it just feel like that? Ahem.) It was FABULOUS. I won't do the film justice by trying to describe it myself, so I'll just tell you that it transported me, completely. I forgot where I was, what era I lived in, what I liked and disliked. That's good acting and good writing for you. I left the theatre feeling the way I do after finishing an incredible, long novel. Sad it's over, gratified by the experience, impressed and touched. I had tears in my eyes and wasn't sure why, and big goofy grin on my face as I left to do groceries on foot in freezing rain. This movie was THAT good. Watch it.

READ:

Right now I'm reading two books simultaneously and loving each a lot. Modern Lovers by Emma Staub and Elizabeth and Philip by Charles Higham and Roy Moseley. I bought them both at the thrift store (my favourite one is the Value Village at Namur Metro for books!) for under $4 each and though I've been reading them nightly before bed, I still have so much more to read for each. I love really long books!

Elizabeth and Philip tells the untold story of the Queen and her Prince and has totally filled The Crown-shaped void in my heart. Last year when I read all 800 pages of Bonhoeffer's biography, I remembered how much I love reading history and biographies, even if they tend to be stinking long. Modern Lovers is great so far and tells the story of forty-something Brooklynites who happen to be former band mates,  whose kids start to fall in love. I love the dual take of city kids and urban parenting and everyone trying to figure it all out.

LISTEN:



Over the break my brother's girlfriend introduced me to a few new bands that I'm really loving! Knowing I love CHVRCHES she recommended Canadian artist, Grimes and Norwegian artist, Aurora. Love the sound of both so much!

disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, so if you end up buying one of the books I recommended (or anything thereafter) via the link I've used in this post, I'll get a small commission. Thanks for supporting this blog and my writing!