Embracing the Literature

The fella caught a few shots from a quick before-school book snuggle.

Footy jammies and goofy grin --- yum. me.

Crawl up here while you can boys. Real estate on this Mama's lap is a hot commodity and is becoming more scarce by the day.

I've been wrestling lately with balancing kiddo time and work time and crafty time, so it's nice to have little moments like this when the to-do choice is a no-brainer. This little literary love fest is a winner every time.

I'm throwing this post over to the Embrace the Camera feature of the Anderson Crew blog. If you haven't been over there for a visit, go check it out!




And don't forget to come back tomorrow with your Peek of the Week! To learn what that is and how to participate, read all about it and come back tomorrow to tell us what you've been up to!

Spoiler: My Peek is a Cheek Peek and is not to be missed!

This Never Happens

So, I have a three and a half year old. When he was first born I read Eat, Pray, Love in the middle of the night as a way to keep me awake to nurse (because back then I was paranoid about sleeping through that. With subsequent babies I've learned to just drag them into bed, plug them in and get back to sleep as quickly as possible).

Then about 6 months ago, after a particularly harried day, the fella took over and I left the house, parked the car at a Sonic and read a whole book. In one sitting. It was a book about making a small crafty business work.

So that's two. Two books in three and a half years. That's just sad.

Well, over the past two weeks, I conquered #3. I didn't do it in one sitting or in the wee hours. I read a few pages, even a chapter at a time. And I completed Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and it was delightful. It's all about the interconnected nature of everything - animals, plants, people, weather, love, death. The whole of everything is connected. It was beautifully written and so very readable, which, I mean come on, it had to be for this milestone to get reached.

And you know what I've found? It makes me sleep better. I read a chapter almost every night and it just helped me to calm and settle and quiet before bed. When I finished my chapter I laid the book down and eased into sleep. Revolutionary.

Normally I either craft or zone out to junk tv until I collapse. Don't get me wrong, I do love me some kids-are-in-bed-tv-time, but often I end up asleep on the couch with a headache and a crick in my neck. This new way is better.

So...help me readers! What should I read next???

Shhh...I'm reading.

Apparently we're raising little bibliophiles. Ironic, seeing as I haven't finished a book since they were born. A trade off I suppose.

Boogie is especially book-obsessed. He comes up to me (or the fella, or Yaya, or Dizzy) multiple times daily with book in hand imploring, "Hep ME!"

Dizzy has recently discovered the read along cd books where the chime sounds and you turn the page. Each time he declares, "I heard the sound!" Good to know Dizzy. Good to know.



I think these boys are onto something. I inexplicably found myself alone in the library not long ago and fearing that scenario may never present itself again, I checked out every book they had on sewing, stitching, fiber arts, crewel (which is vying for the position of my newest obsession - trouble is I hate hand stitching), as well as one on personal finance and one on traveling with kids. Hey, in the words of the wise-beyond-her-years Curly Sue, "When you get a chance to fill the hump you fill the hump."

I filled my literary hump.