Mama's Reading List for Spring Reading Thing 2012

Like many of the piles in my home, my “To Read” one towers. So, this morning, when I ran across mention of the Spring Reading Fling at In So Many Words, I decided to pop on over to Callipider Days to see what it was about.  I discovered it’s basically a low-key, yet fun and social way to motivate oneself to read more books this spring while also helping other participants find book titles that could be interesting or relevant for future reading.  (You can read more about the how and why of the challenge

Low key? Encouraging? Sharing? Goal setting and meeting? Whittling down one of my many piles? I am in!

However, I am in with caution.

What do I mean by that?

Well, I want to set myself up for success. Not disappointment. In other words, unlike my usual mode – where I set high goals and, then, discover life as Mom, etc. happens, precluding me from enjoying the high of success – I am going to start with a small, reachable goal and then simply add to it if I find I the goal has been reached.

Four or five seems a doable number of books for me to read in the 13 weeks of spring. So, bearing the compass of of our Family Mission Statement in line, here’s my list:

Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body's Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free is a book that I have just begun and am finding interesting.  The ideas in it, I believe, will help to encourage me to guide our family towards better nutrition, which plays both into loving ourselves through feeding our bodies well and into loving God, by honoring the wonderful array of natural foods He has created to keep us strong.  (The book is not faith-based, by the way, that's just my interpretation...)

Nobody Ever Told Me (or my Mother) That!: Everything from Bottles and Breathing to Healthy Speech Development is a book I browsed quite a while back and began reading, only to misplace.  I have recently found it again and want to read it to help me better meet my call as Mom, since one of my children just began speech therapy and another, I think, could use it.  (For the record, with the code HAPPY at checkout, you can purchase this book directly from Future Horizons for 15% off and free US shipping and earn the author of it 15% royalty by doing so.)

Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders is a book I took out from the library so many times to read, but never got to finish that I finally bought it and plan to read it through and, then, start using it with my kiddoes -- helping me help them (especially my oldest) to assess and address what makes them tick, overcoming challenges and expanding on their personal gifts.

Starting Your Day Right: Devotions for Each Morning of the Year was in my Mommy's Retreat Basket for a while, but I took it out one day and it just found its way back.  I feel inspired to dive into its brief, but rich devotions again as a way of reading something "just for me" and my conversation with God!

Plus, lots of kiddo read alouds, which I will as I go based on the kids’ interests (to honor “spending time together often” with snuggly reading time.)

Now, it's time to stop writing and to get reading. Momma time will end in a bit when the first kiddo wakes!