Where I Read

I am often asked (usually by fellow busy mothers) how I get so much reading done with four kids, two cats, a dog, a house and a husband. In 2020, I read 105 books. It's looking like this year will be around 60. (Orchestrating distance learning with the boys last school year was a massive time and energy suck, and when I was done, I just wanted to veg, not use my brain more. Ha! So my numbers are down for 2021.) 

"When do you find time to read?" they ask.  

But the answer is that it's not about when I read (if I had to answer that I would say all.the.time) but more about where I read that matters. 

I read in my bed, at the kitchen table, on my couch, on the front porch, in the car pick up line, at the doctors office, while I'm in the drive through pharmacy line, while waiting to pick up my kids from practice or a friends house, and at doctor appointments. I rarely leave home without a book, but on the occasion when I do forget it, I always have an audio book going. 

I listen to my audio books in probably even more places than I read my physical ones.  I listen as I do dishes in the kitchen, fold laundry upstairs, make beds & tidy rooms, run errands around town, grocery shop, and walk the dog in our neighborhood... the list goes on.

I also take turns with Josh reading chapter books to the boys at bedtime. He's working through the Harry Potter series with them, but I just pick and choose different books that strike my fancy and seem like the boys would like them. Some are duds (like The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen, which we just finished. Boring!) but some are surprisingly delightful (like Pax by Sara Klassen. Now I want a fox. Hah!) and it's a great way to get more books added to my monthly numbers while also instilling a love of reading in my kids. 

One more tip I would give, that is slightly personal, is to put a book in each of your bathrooms. Choose books that you are working through, trying to finish.  I prefer poetry, but short stories or a heavy non-fiction could also work, as you tend to want to read those in little bits so as to absorb everything.  I just started that trick last month, and my reading went from 2 books in September to 9 in October. 

So if you're trying to increase how much you're reading, don't focus on when to read. Think about where you could read. Is there ten minutes in your day where you're waiting for something and could read a quick 15 pages? Could you listen to an audio book while you workout or make dinner? Maybe you could set bedtime a little earlier to squeeze in a few more chapters.  And when you're hitting the road to go anywhere, make sure you have an audiobook downloaded so you can get the pages read to you. That's one of my favorites.

Where do you read? 
I am always looking for ways to get more reading out of my days,
so I'd love to hear your ideas. 

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Around Here: Week 51 2020

 {December 13-19th}

Making... sugar cookies with the kids for movie night.  They had so much fun decorating, especially Carly.  I bought two tubs of vanilla frosting and split them each three ways, so I was able to make five colors (plus one white) for them to use. I have to admit, I also had fun decorating my cookies. Is there anything happier than a rainbow cookie with sprinkles?  I also made muddy buddies, which the kids and I devoured, and cake & cupcakes for my mom's upcoming birthday party. Carly gasped as she saw the cake, covered with sprinkles. I love her zest for life. 

Cutting... out tissue paper snowflakes to decorate the back door.  We did the same thing last year with my sister and her crew on Thanksgiving, and I loved how it made the dining room feel so festive. So we did it again. Last year we used coffee filters, but I didn't have any this time, so we made do with regular old tissue paper, normally used for wrapping gifts. 

Feeling... so good as I wrapped gifts and gave two of them to our doctor and nurse. This year I have really been feeling the joy of giving, and I could hardly wait to get my presents to their recipients.  We were able to deliver the doctor's on Tuesday when Logan (finally!) got his cast off and Jack (finally!) got his flu shot. Jack was the last of the kids who needed theirs, but he hates needles, so it was hard to convince him to do it. Logan was thrilled to have his cast off, and I'm glad to be done taking him in every two weeks for a new cast. 

Laughing... that no matter the weather, my boys wear shorts and go outside barefoot.  Josh and I are constantly telling them to go put on pants... a jacket.... socks... and shoes... It's exhausting and ridiculous.

Pausing... every time I see Molly snuggled up sleeping somewhere. There's something about a cat curled up on a cold winter day that is just so cozy. 

Cleaning... the oven and the fridge this week.  Holy rewarding!! The oven was really gross, and I still need to go at it again, but the first pass was incredible.  I used Easy Off, letting it sit for twenty minutes before using a bucket of hot water to clean it out with a sponge. It is so pretty in there now!

The fridge was also rewarding, but so hard to do! About two weeks ago it developed a smell, and whoo-whee! it was not fun to clean! I still have no idea what the smell was, but the fridge is scrubbed clean and smells great now.  Phew!

Sending... the boys outside to play basketball every day and feeling so grateful our neighbors don't mind if they use their street hoop.  

Acquiescing... when Carly asked if she could turn on the Christmas lights on her bed and read "like brothers" after I had tucked her in one night. It was so cute to see her sitting there, "reading" to herself and her stuffed animals.  

Finding... pictures that Carly took on my phone of her favorite stuffed animal, Lollipops.  I also found some of the Christmas tree and her toys. They always make me smile. I love seeing the world from her perspective. 

Creating... art with the kids to hang as decorations for my mom's birthday next weekend.  My sister asked us to contribute this way, and I'm so glad. We had a great time!  I forget how much fun I have drawing & painting until I'm doing it. (That's not to say I'm super artistic... but I have fun anyway!)

Reading... and finishing My Name is Mary Sutter.  I then started Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery, which has been the coziest Christmas read. I've really enjoyed it. It's apparently the third in a series, but I didn't read #1 or #2, and didn't feel at all out of the loop. I listened to Weapons of Math Destruction, which is blowing my mind (the way that numbers are used to manipulate us... it's crazy!) and started Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children with the boys.  I bought the whole series to read with them as Josh and I alternate readaloud at bedtime with them.  

Totaling... my reading numbers for November and hitting 99/100 on my yearly goal. I am so excited that I am going to make it this year! Whoo hoo!

Discussing... black holes at the dinner table with Wyatt.  That kids' scope of knowledge is truly incredible, and it's a rare conversation where I can just answer him without turning to Google. #smartypants

Feeling... the freedom of school being done for two weeks for Christmas vacation. I am so incredibly grateful (and ready) for this break. So are the kids. There were some things that the teachers mentioned we could work on over break if we wanted to, but I assured them (and the boys) that we needed each day of this respite and we would not be doing a drop of work.

***

Loving... this picture my mom shared of the time we had four cats growing up. My sister acquired two kittens over quarantine, and that makes for a total of four cats for their family.  She was telling her boys that she had four cats growing up as well, and that they all liked to sleep on her top bunk in our shared room. 

The black cat is Wolfgang; the orange cat is Blade; the white cat was my cat, Bianca; and the grey siamese was Rex.  Wolfgang was the sweetest, laziest, chubbiest cat I've ever had. I loved him!  Blade was a big boy, a hunter, who would often bring my mom choice treats (lizards, mice or rabbits) and leave them on the front patio for her. Rex was my sister's cat, and Bianca was mine.  I had Bianca until after Josh and I were engaged. Some 14+ years.  I loved her something fierce. 

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around here: week 24 2020

 

 

{the boys ordered Josh a miniature of his car for Father's Day with my mom- so cute!}

{the girls- Carly & Annie- saying goodnight to each other on Facetime}

Enduring... tooth pain like I have never felt before.  It was like labor- I had to close my eyes and breathe through it.  I was absolutely miserable. After I went to my dentist, the pain went from generalized jaw pain to a more localized pain that was much more tolerable. Hallelujah! 

Grateful... for the twins when they spent their money on ordering pizza in on Tuesday when Josh was at work late (returning his students' belongings to their parents as they swung by the school pick-up line) as I was miserable from tooth pain.

Celebrating... our last day of school, finally!!  The last three months have been a challenge, and not at all what we expected the end of third or sixth grade to look like.  But we made it, and with flying colors.  The boys grades are excellent, their participation was great, and for the most part, all our attitudes stayed on the positive side. So I am calling this year a win!!

Reading... Little Women with the boys while Josh has a turn laying Carly down for a while.  We finished Call of the Wild so quick, Josh said to read them another chapter book and Little Women is what I chose.  They are really liking it so far, and Wyatt made me laugh when he asked, "If a girl who acts like a boy is a tomboy" (like Jo)... "then what is a boy who acts like a girl called?" I didn't have an answer for him.

Having... a mouthguard made by my dentist, in hopes that my stress-related teeth clenching would be stopped by a good mouth guard and that would eliminate my tooth pain.  But I also have a follow up with the endodontist to see if my problem is due to my needing a root canal. (fingers crossed) We'll see what's up.

Taking... George to the vet to get his eye checked out.  All the stress of Ramona passing, getting a new kitten and adjusting to Grady as George has spent more time downstairs seems to have created an eye infection for him, which I guess is quite common.  So he needs a twice daily ointment to heal up.  Poor guy.
I also took Molly in to the vet this week to get her first set of shots.  She was a super good girl and didn't seem phased by them at all.

Watching... Orange Is The New Black, and enjoying the prison riot episodes. They're so intense!! We only have two (ish) seasons left, and then I'm not sure what we'll watch. But I know I will miss all these characters!!

Visiting... the chiropractor in case my jaw tension is from any neck issues.  I'm telling you, being in this kind of pain from my jaw/teeth has me attacking it from all sides. 

Talking... to my mom about the pool she and my dad are gifting us (!!!!) since the pool here in town likely won't be opening this summer (thanks a lot Coronavirus!) and about how life is hard right now and how much we miss each other.  I guess I can thank Coronavirus genuinely for making me realize how important my people are to me.  I won't take seeing them for granted after this, that's for sure.

Enjoying... another visit from my sister & her crew.  The kids had so much fun together, and we (as always) had a great time catching up.  She even helped me with a project I'd been putting off.  A while back I ordered another bookshelf for my bedroom and it came last week.  Josh put it together for me, but I still hadn't unpacked my journals and put them on it, so Roxanne helped me.  They have been in boxes since we moved ten months ago! It feels so good to see them all on their shelves.  I have over one hundred!

Spending... movie night on the "phone" (pretend ones made from Tinker toys) with Carly, who told me she lived next door and asked me to deliver her pizza and cookies to "the purple house" where she lived. Then when the movie was over, she called to thank me for the good pizza & cookies.  She's just so much fun. I'm so glad she's ours.

Happy... that Wyatt is doing so well off Singulair.  I was nervous at first when his pulmonologist and I agreed we'd try to take him off of it.  But his lungs have shown no changes, and I'm so relieved. 
(Singulair has been linked with depression and suicide and I didn't want to have that risk for Wyatt if I didn't have to.  That's why we chose to take him off it.  He's currently on Asmanex, a daily prevention inhaler, and that's working to keep his lungs healthy.)

{I love this}

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{100% accurate}

Around Here: Week 41

 

{one of my new Etsy miscarriage cards}

{Baby Shelly, two years old}

Receiving... flowers from Josh for no reason. Which is, of course, my favorite reason of all.  He walked in the door and I saw his arm full of fall flowers, and I felt like a teenager again.  Swoon!

Cleaning... house for guests this weekend.  I ran out of time Thursday since Carly didn't nap and two of the three boys came home early not feeling good, so I blasted through cleaning in a little under two hours after school let out, and was shocked at how much I got done!  Along with cleaning, I did a lot of random, spur of the moment purging, which felt amazing, and which I hope to continue when the boys go back to school next week.  I was inspired by Not-Your-Average-Mom.com's recent posts on decluttering.  She is inspiring me to get rid of ALL THE THINGS in the tiny room our three boys share. I started yesterday with baby toys, and if you know me, you know that I really (really) struggle getting rid of things that are from my babies.  So I was super proud of myself.
I am also enjoying a few new additions to the bathroom I cleaned (seen above), including a new super fluffy rug I found for $9 at Ross and a garbage with a lid that closes.  It's ridiculous how much those two little improvements have brought me joy, and spruced up that room.

Realizing... that Carly is my mini-me.  I was looking at pictures from my second birthday party (on this post), and it was like looking at my daughter who had gone back in time to 1984.  Ha!  Josh's genes are STRONG in our boys, so I am especially grateful that Carly looks like me!

Reading... The Elite & The Heir (books 2 & 3 in The Selection series) and really enjoying them.  They are light hearted and fun to listen to as I do chores around the house.   I am also reading The Shakeress.  And with the boys I'm reading The Magician's Elephant.

Reflecting... on my miscarriages and working on a post that will go live Sunday (which is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day).  Then all next week I will be sharing miscarriage posts I've written.  As time has passed since my loss, I have come to see what a different journey pregnancy loss is for every woman, and I've been inspired recently to create a line of pregnancy loss cards for my Etsy shop so that we can let those losses be acknowledged & remembered.

Celebrating... every single sale in my shop as it helps put food on our table.  I am truly feeling so blessed to be bringing in a little money doing something that I love.

Accepting... that Carly is my last baby.  I simply know that I could not be sliced any further.  (Imagine I am a pie, cut into four pieces, one for each of my kids...) I am someone who could be pregnant all day long, and (barring the first six weeks postpartum) someone who enjoys the infant stage... but as Carly has gotten older, having four kids has only gotten harder.  Meeting all their needs is spreading me pretty thin, and I just know that one more baby would push me over the edge.

Painting... the molding around my new windows, and planning to paint the cabinets in both our bathrooms.  They have only been (barely) painted with primer, and look awful.  I told Josh that this can of trim paint he bought me is like "If you give a mouse a cookie" for adults.  "If you buy a girl some trim paint..."
... she might want to paint the bathroom cabinets.
... and then she'll want to paint the kitchen cabinets.
... and then she'll start dreaming of painting the interior trim & doors.
... and then she'll want to spray paint the baseboard heaters...
And on and on it goes!

Yelling... less often.  Also, I'm swearing less.  I feel really good about the changes I've made.  I am sad to say it has increased timeouts, because when I want to yell I tell the kids to go to their rooms so I can't yell at them.  But they all know I am trying not to yell, so they've been very compliant. I think it will keep improving.  Right now, I am working really hard at planning ahead the night before.  Every night before bed, I look at the following day and prepare as much as possible beforehand.  I have also been choosing what to worry about & what to let go.  Basically, choosing not to yell has made me much more deliberate in my parenting, which is a great side effect.

Visiting... the library this morning with my whole crew, as they had the day off for Teacher Inservice.  Wyatt checked out a bunch of books on money, which he has been fascinated about recently.  He wants to know who invented money and what other countries use for money.  So these books will be fun to read.  I also have been checking out board books for Carly, which I never did with my other kids.  She loves to read new books and I feel like it includes her more in our outing, and in the reading culture we're trying to create in our home.
There are a few ways I try to create excitement about reading with our kids.  One is reading every.single.night.  Josh reads them picture books, which I think is good for people of any age!!! And then the boys all go lay in their beds and read to themselves (chapter books) for twenty minutes.  Then I read aloud (from a chapter book) and tuck them in.  In addition to just making plenty of time for reading, I also have holiday/season books that I pull out as each holiday/season approaches.  I just pulled out all the fall/Halloween books, and now you can almost always find Wyatt on the floor in the living room, his nose in a book about trick or treating.  Makes my reading heart so dang happy!!!

 Today I'm closing with a question:

Do you have a favorite winter/holiday book?

Please share!!!

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