It's a Book List

Have you all discovered Good Reads yet?

If not, let me help correct this oversight on your part because...hello, constant book recommendations that actually fit your personal likes and dislikes with regards to genre...umm, yes please?

I know...book nerd...

if you love me, you will bear with it...

Anyway, so you remember my dilemma with the whole "math thing" from another post?

Crazy thing, they don't JUST learn math in school...

nope, they get all floozy on you and have to go and teach social studies and science and apparently how to run around a gym and stretch (because we all know that's about the only thing goin' for you when you're approaching 40, have birthed 3 children and are up late at night trying to determine how much material Mrs. Winn will need for m shirts and (m+2) dresses)...

Anyway, alongside all this education...they've got to read...and this my friends, is where I am able to swoop in and save the day...this is my specialty...Far be it from me to be slacking on the job when it comes to reading...oh no...I will sacrifice, I will put down that toilet bowl brush and those laundry baskets of clothing...I will put myself on the line as I kick the vacuum to the curb...all in the name of READING!  I will forfeit my rights as homemaker for the betterment of my children by forcing myself to sit on the couch and read through books, whilst sipping coffee for nourishment as the hours pass by.

I know...it's tough...but, that's my mom job!  I WILL take up that torch!

My children are 6th, 4th and kindergarten grade levels...Some might say that I can be a bit over-protective when it comes to what my kids are exposed to...and though I could get all sarcastic and tell you what I really think about others who think they know better about what is best for my own children, suffice it to say, I just try to be kind and understand that my girls are MY girls and we'll just leave it at that.

My girls tend to be picky when it comes to reading...they are not book mongers like their mother, much to my chagrin, but so be it...they also are a lot more merciful and patient like their father and I wouldn't trade that for the world...so I take them as they are :)

With their "picky" standards, I can often come home from my bi-weekly trips to the library with 20-40 different books from which they choose MAYBE one to read.  This can be exhausting and a tad frustrating because if they knew the amount of energy that went into me perusing the shelves after scouring the reviews and reserving books weeks in advance, they'd perhaps have a different approach to their choice of reading material (or maybe not, because let's face it, they are 12, 9 and 6)

That said, with 3 girls, all at different reading levels and all liking different genres, my goal is to expose them to good literature...I know, I know, it's often said, that as long as they are reading, blah blah...and I get that to a point, but I'm going to tell you that I believe there IS a difference between reading a recipe book or a magazine as opposed to a novel by J.R.R. Tolkien or Jane Austen...I want to expose my girls to better literature so that they will have the lifelong desire for the written word.

And so, I spend considerable amounts of late night hours reading a plethora of genres, authors, and reading levels...I'm trying to find books that are not only age appropriate, but at the same time will provide them with a rich development of character and storyline.

Over the years, we've read countless books...classics, historical fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, mystery...Infact, I've actually listed a few of the books HERE in a past blog post. These are books more for my younger elementary girls.

I was bemoaning to Italian Stallion the fact that kids just aren't into books like Anne of Green Gables anymore ( my all time favorite series..IN. THE. WORLD.).  He was clearly disinterested in my summation and perplexed as to why I couldn't just make the girls read it and then they'd love it like I did...to which I explained that the Anne series to them, was like forcing me to read Jane Austen as a 6th grader...the literature is great, but the content gap (at this season of life and generation) is widespread.  Just read the very first SENTENCE in Anne of Green Gables and you will understand...(go ahead, I dare you)

Therefore, I spend my time trying to discover more recent books that will maintain that same level of richness, but keep their attention as well...

Here's what I've been reading lately...
side note: some of these are absolutely not age appropriate for even my 6th grader at this time (in my opinion) but I'm reading them so that I have my arsenal ready for when the time comes)

Divergent Series: This series, is that whole Dystopian genre phenomenon...to be flat out honest, it was disturbing...even more so than Hunger Games (and I thoroughly enjoyed the literature of Susanne Collin's stories, although lots of disclaimers there as well, as seen in THIS post awhile back) And spoiler alert: I hated the way they ended it in Allegient...seriously, let's go from depressing to DEPRESSING!

Goose Girl Series: I love me some Shannon Hale books...If you've heard me rave about Princess Academy, then you'll know that I love this gal's writing.  Whereas Princess Academy didn't really fit into any genre (it never gave a time period, although I suppose historical might be the closest to compare) Goose Girl definitely fit into more of the medieval realm.  And, being the mom of girls, I loved the heroines!

Percy Jackson series: I loved the Harry Potter series...excellent writing, overwhelming imagination and good overturns evil...(however, I have made my girls wait long periods between books because of the "dark" in them and my understanding of their individual emotional maturity...currently, my 4th grader is allowed to finish book 4 and will wait to continue...this is probably worthy of an entirely different blog post but I'll save you and stop here) Percy Jackson is Harry Potter in Greek Mythology.  Percy = Harry, and he has a friend that's a girl (aka Hermioine) that's super smart and a guy buddy that's a little dense but loyal (aka Ron) and they all go to Half Blood camp (aka Hogwarts)...It's a fun story line filled with adventure and decision making.  I got more hung up on all their "god talk"...and after the 3rd book, I had to put it down because I was tired of them "praying to the gods", "sacrificing to the gods",  and all the gods coming down to have sex with all the humans to create "demigods" so much so, that it filled the Half Blood camp...etc etc...it's probably not one I'd recommend for my girls, unless they go wildfire crazy about Harry Potter ...(I have a thing about NOT desensitizing them and I think it's a fine line between informing/living IN this world and just accepting things as they are, especially as it concerns their relationship with Jesus) anyhoo, that's my two cents.

The Book Thief: I'm one of those ridiculous people that upon discovering that a movie is based upon a book, I won't go see the movie until I've actually read the book...therefore, I've had this book on the waiting list for awhile now.  I know it's about Nazi Germany and therefore I know it's going to be sad and depressing too.  But, I love historical fiction, even if it brings feelings of sadness and outrage.  I'm halfway through this right now.

My line up currently in the book basket is Eragon, a plethora of Inspirational fiction reads just for me, a retelling of The Scarlet Letter, and I'm waiting on another teen fantasy series to come in on reserve at the library, again just to see what's out there for my girls.  This along side the fun series of Kylie Jean for Little Munchkin and finishing up the Gregor series  with Peanut.  Peanut is also currently reading Poetry Novel entitled Inside Out and Back Again  of which I'm anxious to get my hands on and finish before her just so I have an idea of what's going on before she writes up her response/reaction to that new genre.

Sweetpea is working on the UnWanteds Series by Lisa McMann...and those of you that know my Calculus teacher from good ole FRHS...yep, that's his daughter in law...she's a well known author in the youth fiction department.  I was giddy to find this series.  I remember Mr. McMann's son Matt (Lisa' husband) and so I scooped up this series as soon as I learned of it.  It's basically Harry Potter meets Hunger Games...a much more tame than Hunger Games, but all the excitement and wizardry of J.K. Rowling.

Well..that's my blabbing for today...my blogging is sporadic at best..hope you'll bear with me...

Let's Talk About It...

I use this terminology with my Italian Stallion...a lot...

If you didn't remember, (because goodness sakes it's been forever since I've blogged in a consistent manner) I tend to be a words person...

this means that the way to my heart is through words...and LOTS OF THEM...let me be clear here, not just ANY words...oh no...I like all those wonderful, drippy words of affirmation, adoration and love...I'm a validation monger...

I've kept every printed email, letter, card, post it note, you name it, that my hubby has ever left for me in unsuspecting places and/or in my PO box in college...and I won't lie, I keep them in a couple of boxes in my closet where I may or may not, occasionally lock myself in and reminisce over his words of love written to me over the years...
(if I happen to have a bag of chips and a bowl of chocolate chips in there with me, it's purely coincidental)

And when people say you marry your opposite, they aren't kidding...

I married my opposite...where I like to talk...let me rephrase (because I'm really good at coming up with more words than necessary to get my point across) I enjoy the sound of my own voice...sometimes I will have conversations with myself in the mirror just so I can "hear" another side to the same story.  (true vulnerability here...TRUE)

My husband on the other hand, is not a talker.  It's not that he isn't social...oh no...he can whoop it up with the best of them...but, he isn't' necessarily energized by speaking with large crowds of people listening in.  The thing is, when he does talk, people DO listen....as opposed to when I start talking and talking and talking and talking...people often have a tendency to tune me out...

are you still there?

Facebook is a classic example of this...he can go weeks without updating his status, but the minute he does, he is witty and classic and everyone...and I mean E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E. goes on over and gives him a little "like" or a comment...

Me on the other hand, I can write a plethora of updates, blog posts, shares and what have you...and I'll stalk my iphone for push notifications that someone has landed on my post...and perhaps I'll get a few...I mean really, how hard is it to just comment, "you are amazing!!!" because don't people realize that my day begins and ends with my notoriety on Facebook for heavens sake! (not really, but it sounds like a good rant...okay maybe a little)

I digress

...back to "let's talk about it"...It's my thing with I.S....I'll set it up for you...

Me: So, do you remember when you first saw me? (batting my eyes and looking all sappy)
Italian Stallion: Yes
Me: do you remember what you were thinking and what you thought about after you saw me?
I. S. : Umm, I don't know
Me: Okay, well LET'S TALK ABOUT IT...let's talk about all the things you like about me..

I'm not high maintenance AT ALL...AT ALL people...

We have recently deemed Fridays as our LUNCH DATE DAY!  We have discovered that a "night out" date takes wayyy too much time and effort and not to mention more money trying to figure where the kids are going to go and then I have to make a meal anyway even though he & I aren't going to eat it and blah blah blah...

And I welcome in the Season Of:  All The Kids Are In School now...it's a glorious time, let me tell you...

It's not that I don't enjoy my children...I even homeschooled for awhile and loved it!  However, if you've got to make lemonade out of lemons...man, we got a gooooood batch goin' on now!  So Friday mornings after I take my girls into school and stay volunteering for an hour or so, I hop in the car and pick up Italian Stallion at the office, and we head out for a lunch date...

This usually consists of me talking and him listening (go figure...) but, it's our way of connecting (okay, maybe it leans more heavily on my way of connecting...let's not get started on his way of connecting because that's a whole other blog post entitled, "Innuendos are the Spice of Life")

The point that I'm getting to here is that, as with any relationship, it takes time to invest into it...time to figure out what energizes the other person and being selfless enough to honor it...he does this for me...and I know it can't be easy for him because HIGH MAINTENANCE!

But, we're both committed...we've been through many "I'm sorrys" and "I'm wrong" and "I forgive you" (and I can guarantee that we have many more to come) and we have no idea what's on the path ahead...but we're committed to walking hand in hand along it...even though we might even incur some dragging or just sitting down and waiting...I am still in awe that I have this guy beside me that always fights for me, I am humbled by his own humility and his willingness to put me before himself...

And so when I, for the umpteenth time, squeeze his hand and say, "Let's talk about it"...he's right there...knowing exactly what I need...and it's just plain amazing!

X + Y = ????

It still baffles me that I minored in Math in college.

This is perplexing on so many levels, not the least of which being that I still need to count on my fingers to determine 8+5 and other basic addition facts.

My past math teachers are cringing.

I struggled in math...just ask my dad...

He's the one that would watch in bewilderment as I would sob uncontrollably lamenting over the fact that I didn't care how fast the stupid train was going and who the heck cared the age differences between Bob, Sue and Coco when Bob was x years older than Sue and Coco had could run a 6 minute mile?

many, many, many nights of crying...tear stained homework papers...scribbled messes and eraser marks until you could barely see my "shown work" on the non-recycled white notebook paper.

I drove my classmates crazy...

I drove my teachers crazy...

I was on a mission to force my brain to soak up whatever it was that everyone else appeared to understand so that I could get that A on the test.

For me it was the challenge...it was the proving that I COULD get that coveted 4.0 and prove to my parents and any people that ever bullied me in the past the world that I could conquer anything.

Looking back, yes, I may have learned some valuable lessons about never giving up, and learning to think critically and not to mention becoming enlightened as to the value of a high-end quality eraser.

If I am honest with myself however, I do realize that though my grades reflect that I have an exemplary understanding of math concepts, this is a complete and utter falsehood.

I know this to be true because I attempted to check my 6th grade daughter's math homework last night and was reminded again that not only do I not care how many chairs Mr. Lee can paint in 3 hours using 7 liters of paint, but that I often can't even determine what in the world the problem is asking? (i.e. what is X?)

Far be it from me to leave my daughter stranded...Momma Bear to the rescue...

Fortunately Momma Bear has a math minded dad, a ridiculously smart brother, a math teacher sister in law and GOOGLE!  And so, into the wee hours of the morning (or maybe it was only 9:30 at night, but, I was concentrating, so let us imagine that I was burning the midnight oil because it makes this post actually slightly interesting, or at least it does in my mind, okay?) I worked on the last problem of her homework trying to remember equations for rate and getting distracted that Mr. Lee was actually painting so many chairs, and what color paint was he using?

I was so thankful...and I MEAN THANKFUL that my daughter didn't seem as distraught as me over this lack of understanding...it's not that I don't want her to WANT to learn...she just doesn't need to obtain ulcers and cry buckets over people who choose to paint chairs for a living.

I do see some resemblances though between Sweetpea and myself at that age.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I do have a small degree of anxiousness surrounding her desire for perfection, but I was encouraged last night that it was only I that began yelling at Mr. Lee, "For the love of all things holy, just get a new profession and buy recliners so we don't have to answer this stupid question!"