Half Year Reading Check In 2022

I can't believe 2022 is already half way over. 

I always like to take inventory of my reading list mid-year to see where I would like to go from here. 

I have read 41 books so far, well on my way toward my goal of 75 books. 
Of those, thirteen books were 5-star reads. 
Those are the books I want to share with you. 

*In the picture above,
the books you see that are backwards
represent ebooks & audiobooks that I read on my phone.

Anne of Windy Poplars: {book} by L.M. Montgomery
This book is the fourth in the Anne of Green Gables series (following Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island) and follows Anne to her first teaching job.  She rents a room from two old aunties and the descriptions in this book were some of my favorite. Cold weather, warm fires and an unlikely friendship with the little girl next door all made this one of my favorite of the series. 

Pictures of Hollis Woods: {book} by Patricia Reilly Giff
This YA novel about a girl who has been in more foster homes than she can count is such a fantastic read aloud.  I read it to my boys at bedtime for a few weeks, and we all loved it. It is realistic, without being too depressing, and in the end was an uplifting novel about unconditional love.

365 Days to Alaska: {audio} by Cathy Carr
This one popped up on Hoopla and it caught me with its title.  It was a sweet, fast, YA read (listen) that was really enjoyable. It's about the cutest little girl who grew up in the bush and has to make a big move (from Alaska to the east coast!) and all the adjustments that come with that. It's a coming of age with a character you can't help but cheer for and relate to. And if you love Alaska, that's just an added bonus. 

A Long Walk To Water: {book} by Linda Sue Park
I read this book aloud to the boys as well, and we were all riveted.  It is the true story of a boy who grew up in Sudan in 1985, alternating with a girl living in Sudan in 2008.  The girl has to walk two hours (there, and back!) to get water everyday. Twice. It was a great lesson in gratitude for my boys want for nothing. The boy survives attacks from armed rebels as well as lions, and eventually his story intersects with the girls in a way that still warms my heart. 

Station Eleven: {audio} by Emily St. John Mandel 
This was my second time reading Station Eleven, and it was just as good the second time.  I was inspired to read it again after watching the TV adaptation on HBO. It was so good, I didn't want it to end. But, per usual, the book was/is better than the movie (series) by a long shot. 
If you haven't heard of Station Eleven, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic time and follows a girl who is part of a traveling group of actors.  The story weaves time and characters together and is so good on audio. 

Wild At Heart: {book} by K.A. Tucker
Wild At Heart is another book for Alaska lovers.  It's the sequel to The Simple Wild which is my favorite Alaska book ever. In this book the main characters move to a slightly less remote town in Alaska and Calla has to adjust to life away from her hometown of Toronto, in the woods with without her beloved Jonah who is gone too much for her liking flying planes. Sweet, realistic love story set in rural Alaska.  So well written. 

What My Bones Know: {audio} by Stephanie Foo
Stephanie Foo's book is such a fascinating look at Complex PTSD, which I only learned about in the last year. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) happens when trauma happens continuously over the course of years in a person's life. Her journey through her abuse and then abandonment by her parents, followed by approaching some of the foremost researchers on the topic, teaches all of us about what is known of C-PTSD and how to cope with/survive it. A disturbing, but provocative and vulnerable memoir about one woman's desire to overcome her past in order to have a brighter future. 

Obsessed: {book} by Allison Britz
This memoir of a teen's struggle with OCD is heart wrenching.  The struggles she faces as she navigates her illness alone is at times hard to read.  She's embarrassed of her thoughts as well as her compulsions, so she doesn't open up to anyone. Just reading it was so inspiring.  She made it through high school with these challenges.  What an amazing girl. 

The List of Things That Will Not Change: {audio} by Rebecca Stead
In this YA book, Bea's parents get divorced, which, obviously, rocks her world.  So she starts a list of things that will never change: like her parents both loving her. That said, there is a lot of change happening in poor Bea's life, and this book follows her journey. Specifically as her dad marries his new husband and Bea gets a stepsister. Such a sweet story, so real and relatable for young people (and even adults)!

The Ten Thousand Doors of January: {book} by Alix Harrow
I opened this book and feel like I didn't close it until it was finished. This was a book club pick, which I loved, and while it isn't for everyone, I really enjoyed the flowery writing. Basically the main character, a little girl named January, who is raised by her father's benevolent boss, discovers doors that open into other worlds, and this sends her on a quest to discover her parents' story.  There are twists and turns and lovely characters, and I highly recommend this one!

Larger Than Life: {ebook} by Jodi Picoult
This mini e-book is a prequel to Jodi Picoult's Leaving Time and I might even love it more than Leaving Time. It's about an elephant researcher named Alice and the orphaned baby elephant she finds and wants to help.  The setting is so beautiful and well described. Love this one!!

Meg & Jo: {book} by Virginia Kantra
This was another re-read that I loved.  It's a retelling of Little Women, focusing on Meg & Jo, and it's so relatable.  Meg is married, has her twins, and is trying to keep her children, her husband and her mom & sisters happy.  Not surprisingly, she finds herself burning out.  Whereas Jo is trying to make a living as a chef in the big city, but is actually finding her blog to be what makes her successful.  This causes her love life to crash and burn which is not what she wanted!  It's such a fun retelling. 

The Unsinkable Greta James: {book} by Jennifer E. Smith
I had seen this one all over Bookstagram, but what made me want to pick it up was the reel that @readwithkat made. I had no idea that its setting was a cruise in Alaska.  That sealed the deal for me. 
While Greta's mom was always her biggest fan, her dad keeps waiting for her to settle into a regular 9-5 job that's more respectable and dependable than her band.  I loved the descriptions of Alaska, and I love also the realistic the tension between her and her dad is. Such a good read!

***

What have been your best reads so far in 2022?
What are you still looking forward to reading?

Let me know!

around here week 2 2021

 {January 3-9th}

{Carly with her cousins Liesel & Alvin}

Cleaning... house for back to school.  I find I am a much more patient homeschool mom if I don't feel like my house is in complete chaos and I'm not drowning in mess. This discovery has helped with my mood immensely. 

Hearing... that Josh's students should be headed back into the classroom soon! He is excited to have kids in person after ten months of remote teaching. 

Understanding... 7th grade math.  (Yes! You read that right!) I am doing algebra and ratios with the twins right now, and I actually understand it, which is more than I can say for my own seventh grade math experience. 

Choosing... books for book club to read.  Each person brings two books to our zoom, and then we get to vote on them. We ended up choosing:

Angel In My Pocket

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Coddling of the American Mind

A Snicker of Magic

The Book of Lost Names

Gift From The Sea

I love our book picking meetings because I add so many good reads to my "To Read" list.  I am really excited about all of these picks. 

Running... errands to pick up glasses, send mail at the post office and drop off paperwork for our mortgage. The kids always complain when we have to run errands after picking up school lunches (we get free lunches everyday from the school. I just have to pick them up!) and this time I finally told them that running errands with four kids is not my idea of a dream either, but here we are. I used to run errands when they were at school... but that's not an option anymore, so we have to do what we have to do.

Setting... up our refi paperwork to get locked in at a lower percentage rate for our house. Josh and I are thrilled to have a lower rate, and a (little bit) lower mortgage. 

Watching... Ava for date night & the show Cosmos with the boys for school.  Ava was a good one, it kept our interest for sure. And Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey was blowing Wyatt and my mind! Highly recommend. I'm pretty sure it was on Disney.

Counting... calories to keep track of what I am consuming, per my counselor's advice. She said losing weight is simply math.  Calories in to calories out.

Losing... four pounds this week! Down to 219lbs! Woot woot!

Keeping... a promise to myself and working out Monday, Wednesday & Friday this week. My goal is to keep this promise for all of 2021.  Just three times a week, simple walking workouts with Leslie Sansone (love her!) but that make my heart pound and make me feel stronger. (Honest moment? The workouts were HARD  this week. I am out.of.shape. But I am hopeful that will change with time.)

Enjoying... movie night with the boys and watching Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children after we finished the book earlier this week. The movie was a bit (!) darker than I had imagined, but luckily Josh and Carly were up in our bedroom watching Moana, so she didn't get scared. I did like the movie, but I don't know if it's one I would watch again.

Relaxing... Saturday with just a handful of chores and then lots of reading and Grey's Anatomy.  I am in season 9 currently, and really enjoying it as an escape.

Reading... The Simple Wild (again) and feeling so grateful that I bought a copy of it.  It's a really cute love story that takes place in rural Alaska.  So much of it is reminiscent of our time in the village of Marshall.  I am constantly underlining parts that remind me of there. 

"Life up here may be simple but it's not easy, and it's not for everyone.  Water runs out; pipes freeze; engines won't start; it's dark for eighteen, nineteen hours a day, for months. Even longer in the far north. Up here it's about having enough food to eat, and enough heat to stay alive through the winter. It's about survival, and enjoying the company of the people that surround us. It's not about whose house is the biggest, or who has the nicest clothes, or the most money.  We support each other because we're all in this together."

Amazed... that Carly can diamond dot. We got into diamond dotting probably two years ago, and the boys and I would listen to audio books while working on Wyatt's wolf poster together. Carly has been asking for her own, so I ordered some tiny ones that are stickers when you're finished.  Butterflies, bugs and owls.  I wasn't sure how well she'd do, but I thought we'd give it a try.  It was awesome! Kept her busy the entire duration of the boys' school work one day this week. 

Laughing... when Carly played Fortnite with the twins this week.  She was so cute with the headset on, and the boys were so sweet helping her get a win. Jack says "she's a sweat." (He says that means she is super good. Hah!)

Also laughing... at Molly eating Grady's dog food with him.  He is so patient with that cat, I can hardly believe it. In the time it takes him to eat the entire bowl full of food, she probably eats three kibbles. Hah!

Ordering... Madame Vice President shirts for Carly and I from Free To Be Kids. I can't wait to get them! 

Feeling... touched when Samuel (Josh's brother) made a Paw Patrol light switch for Carly's bedroom.  He printed it with his 3D printer, with pink and white filament, and it's adorable.  

Playing... outside with the kids despite the misty rain.  We are ALL over the wet weather we've had lately. I am ready for dry days! I love playing out during this time of year, though, because we live under what must be a bird highway.  So many geese heading south.  It's amazing to watch.

Enduring... an emotional week, but with a smile on my face.  Life is crazy, but all I control is this family.  My goal is to simply raise them to be better.  

***

Around Here: Week 41 2020

Burning... the new autumnal candle I bought while I was away with Shana last weekend.  It smells divine and brings a certain serenity to our school mornings that might otherwise not be there. (Whatever helps, right?!)

Cleaning house... per usual, on Sunday.  We split the chores into pairs (downstair bathroom + dishwasher; master bathroom + dog poop; and boys bathroom + catbox) so whoever cleans that bathroom Sunday, has that chore the entire following week.  It helps lighten my load and start the week off right with a clean & tidy house.  

I have also started making lists on the blackboard of other chores that need doing so when the boys get in trouble, I automatically have a list of things they can do for me to pay me back.

Laughing... at the picture Wyatt drew of Mt. St. Helens after we watched a special documentary (find it on Disney Plus- Surviving The Mount St. Helens Disaster) on it.  He drew the before (a perfect mountain with a pretty little top) and the after (where he shows it as a bowl, with someone pouring cheerios & milk into it) and says, "World's Largest Cereal Bowl Reward Goes To Mt. St. Helens." Hah!!

Gosh I love this kid!

Enduring... so many migraines. I think it was 5 this week, including one in the middle of the night (weird!) and they just wear.me.out.

Also enduring school with the boys as we head towards one month of this life.  It's strange and not my favorite, but it is starting to feel normal now. And I'm trying really hard to be grateful for the small things that are great. Like not having to get anyone out the door at a specific time; being able to let the kids sleep in when they want to; and the freedom of having my own schedule. We stick to the school one pretty well, but occasionally change things up, and that feels nice. 

Learning... that Carly wants to be a cowboy.  She told Josh on the way home from Grandma's house this week that that's what she wants to be, and she said they can use a lasso and ride horses. 

Shopping... for groceries, all masked up, with the three boys while she was at Grandma's.  They are so helpful now, I want to stop every young mom I see with babies and toddlers fussing or crying and assure her, "It gets better! It gets SO MUCH better!"

Wanting... to remember all of Carly's stuffed animals names.  The colorful one, pictured with her above, she named Lollipops.  She also has Rosie, George, Ramona, Callie, Raindrop, and Margaret (whom she named after Josh's baby sister who died). She is very thoughtful about names and doesn't hesitate to scorn my ideas if she doesn't like them.  She is also partial to the names "Sparkle", "Pearl", "Rainbow" and "Purple", but hasn't permanently named any of her toys that. 

Trying... a Young Living oil diffuser for the first time.  I didn't love the smell- I did lavender and something else I can't remember.  But then I did a citrus blend and I liked that better. I am going to keep experimenting with it, but I joked with my friend that I'm like one quarter granola. I like things a little healthier for my family (especially Wyatt's little lungs) but I'm not three quarters granola like her.  (She's so amazing she makes her own soap!)

Loving... Raffi on Google Music for Carly lately.  It reminds me of when my little brother was her age and we had the tapes of Raffi performing live.  He loved those things!  

Our favorites are:

Down By The Bay

Tingalayo

Baby Beluga

Willoughby Wallaby Woo

Reading... Anxious People by Fredrik Backman and feeling inspired, as always by his books, by the humanity of people.  The book was not as scary as I thought it might be (which was good) but it was still a total page turner. I love how he sees people and our emotions and can bring them to light in his books. Gah. So good!!

I also started reading Anne of the Island, and I just never get tired of Anne's love of beauty and appreciation for everything in the world.  She reminds me to slow down and enjoy whatever season I am in.  For there is beauty to be found in every season if only we look for it. 

Sharing... my reading journal over on my Bookstagram page and feeling excited that I got eleven books read in September, putting me at 86/100 for the year. I think I just might make 100 and it has me so thrilled!!!

Enjoying... what are likely the last flowers of the season.  Josh keeps such a beautiful flower bed (I think his mother is to credit for his green thumb. She's an amazing gardener as well) that it's sad to think this season is over. But I planted a TON of bulbs in the beds a few weeks ago, and I have those buds to look forward to come spring. 

Laughing... at this picture Carly got of me while I was getting her out of the car in our garage. I look goofy, but also, so happy, and really, I imagine that's the me she mostly sees. I miss her when she's gone, I light up when she enters the room, and I am always glad to listen to her talk or read her a story.  I just feel so lucky she is ours. 

Reminiscing... about that time we lived in rural Alaska.  We were there roughly five years, in the village of Marshall, although the kids and I spent some of that time in Vancouver (Washington) on either end, when Wyatt was a baby in 2011, and again when Carly was born in 2016. 

This picture, taken by a girl Josh knew from the school, Anisa, and it shows just how remote our village was.  The large river on the right is the Yukon, and the smaller waterways are sloughs that lead to the river. On the upper left of the village, the large building, is the school, and behind it was teacher housing. 

In Marshall there were three churches, the school, the town dump, a post office and what we called the co-op, which was like a glorified gas station.  That was where we could get fresh produce sometimes and treats (like a 12-pack of Coca Cola for $15 or a bag of Doritos for $9.)

Sometimes that time in my life feels like a dream. I look back and can't believe I was brave enough to do it. But then I remember how strong my desire was to be a stay-at-home mom and I can see how it was an easy decision to make.

But I will say that looking back sure makes me grateful to be a stay-at-home mom now, in a city, with a hospital and a grocery store. Where there is always sour cream, eggs and tomatoes. I don't know if I will ever take those things for granted again. 

 ***

around here: week 7 2020

{February 9 - February 15}

Avoiding... the grocery store with what Josh called top level avoidance skills (thankyouverymuch) by spending Sunday making tortillas, banana bread and homemade bread, all from scratch, simply so I wouldn't have to go to the grocery store until Monday.  Haha!

Reading... Long Bright River, Terilingua Teacher and Wait Till Helen Comes.  I'm listening to Long Bright River on audio, and it is captivating.  It reminds me of the latest season (Season 20) of Intervention that I watched.  It's called "The Hub" and covers the same area of Philadelphia that the book talks about.  The main character, Mickey, is a police officer with a sister who is an addict.  It's a gripping story about choices, family, and the effects of trauma. 

I'm reading Wait Till Helen Comes to the boys at bedtime and we are loving it. It's a book I remember checking out of my school library many (many!) times in elementary school, and when I found it recently at our Friends of the Library book sale, I was overjoyed. It is a bit spooky, but since we are reading it together, it's been fine.  (And it is age appropriate.)

Terilingua Teacher is a book my Grandpa Harold sent me along with a letter when we still lived in Alaska.  In the letter he said that the book reminded him of what Josh and I were doing- teaching/living in an extremely challenging, rural area.  He said we were heroes in his book. A HUGE compliment.  Despite the compliment and the effort he put into sending me the book, I never read it.  (It's been probably 5+ years, and he has since passed away) I made it a goal this year to read it, and I am so glad I did.  The book was good, but more than that, I feel like I got a glimpse of my Grandpa that I otherwise wouldn't have gotten.  For instance, when he reads, he marks the paragraph he left off on with a little cross, or small t.  Also, he censored the book for me, blacking out the f-word.  That made me smile. 

Loving... the time the kids spend on the trampoline lately.  They have all kinds of games they play on there.  Some involve jumping over each other, playing with a ball or even taking pillows onto it, but they are all very creative and help them get lots of exercise out there.  I also love how Grady thinks it's his job to sit outside the trampoline while they are on it. #guarddog

Stressing... about parenting this week.  Some things went down that I won't go into here, but there was truth & lies involved and it was incredibly hard on my mama heart.  Josh and I were able to talk through most of it, and by the end of the week together we had solved the problems, and feel we mostly have a handle on the situation... but I am telling you, I think back to the days when I was able to wake up and watch Doc McStuffins on Disney channel with the boys, not shove them out the door (backpacks on! did you get your lunch? don't forget to turn in your homework!) and I think how I had no idea how easy I had it.  I had no idea how simple those days were, how I took for granted the straightforward answers that existed in response to any problems we had.  Now it's all shades of grey and praying I'm doing the right thing, and winging it SUPER HARD.

Taking... a bath to help deal with the stress.  The night everything imploded a migraine struck suddenly and I didn't know what else to do, so I took my weary bones and climbed in the bath. It was just what I needed.  It's good to know a little self care goes a long way.

Running... errands with Wyatt, who was the best helper, when he was home sick with a cold.  While in the car, he went through my center console and found all the sunglasses that were in there, and he and Carly put them ALL on at once.  It was hilarious!  On days like that, when running errands with them in tow is so lovely, I wonder just what I'll do with myself when Carly starts school in a year and half. {sob}

Loving... my new lipstick! I decided to try an actual lipstick after growing tired of reapplying lip gloss every ten minutes, and I'm so happy with the result.  I went with Milani BOLD color matte lipstick in I Am Fabulous.  It was just under $6 and I love it!  I was nervous to try a matte color, but it actually stays on so much longer, and I can always add a gloss on top if I want a little sparkle.
(You can click on the link above and order it online if you can't find it in your local Walmart.)  

Kicking... myself when Carly's cavity-filling appointment (with the sleepy juice, etc.) was canceled because she snuck two drinks of water when I wasn't looking.  As one can imagine, mornings at our house are pretty chaotic.  Everyone is up by 6:30am.  Josh leaves around 6:40am and then the real crazy begins.  Making lunches, eating breakfast, getting chores done, etc.  Well, somewhere between the time I got Carly up and dressed and when we had to leave for her appointment, I found her with a water bottle in her hand, sucking on the straw like it was going out of style.
sigh.
Apparently the "sleepy juice" makes kids super nauseous, and to reduce the likelihood of throwing up (and aspirating on it) they require kids have no food or drink for 8 hours prior to the procedure.  So we had to reschedule for two weeks out. Fingers crossed I can keep her out of the kitchen that morning!!

Volunteering... in Wyatt's {third grade} classroom to help during math groups & wondering how teachers anywhere do anything! You are all AMAZING! The 40 minutes FLEW by, and by the time we were really in the groove, it was time to move on to the next subject.  Also, I only work with seven kids, and I feel completely inadequate when they all have their hands raised, questions to ask, answers to be checked... I can only imagine if I had 25 or 28 or 32 students I had to juggle.  We put so many expectations on our teachers- to teach our children, to mentor them, to help them catch up if they are behind and to instill in them a love of learning... I am married to a teacher, so I thought I understood what teaching was all about- the struggles, etc.- but I had no idea until I myself set foot in a classroom.  Now I'm pretty sure Josh has a magic wand hidden somewhere, because the job we set before our teachers is mighty near impossible, yet somehow he accomplishes it.

Laughing... this week when Carly told me she was drawing a picture of me, but I was grumpy.  When I asked why I was grumpy and she replied, "I'm afraid it can't be helped!" I cracked up and then she told me that I was grumpy because she made a mess (she then drew the mess on the white board) and that was why it couldn't be helped. Some of her one-liners are too good!!!

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