So it hasn't exactly been summer around here lately. I'm not complaining, really, because the not-summer action that has left us donning wool socks and fleece during the day and dragging out the winter duvet at night, has also given me plenty to giggle about with the little ones.
Max, for example, has made his fall boots a wardrobe staple, even when he braves the elements in shorts.
We've also made quite a game out of flying Bla, Lizzie's favorite doll.
And of course, I've been taking a lot of pictures of myself. Because that soooo passes the time.
Ahem.
While we would maybe, possibly, sort-of SO prefer to be out soaking up sunshine and temperatures above 50, we have been taking advantage of the time inside by curling up with a lot of books. Summer reading, to me, is meant to be fun (for the most part) and just in case you are having weather like ours, I thought I'd give you a peek into what is filling our lazy couch (and porch, bundled in rain coats and blankets) days.
Me:
Okay, notice how I did the whole disclaimer about summer reading being FUN? Notice how I did not say "good" before books? This is the whole reason why:
I'll just come out and say it: if you need to pass the time with mindless reading that involves the kind of romance that you'd never really want your daughter reading but you are happy to get lost in yourself-- look no further. I swear folks, it takes a lot for me-- the person with a creative writing degree, the person who has studied literature and written countless papers about the craft-- to admit that I actually devoured the entire series in four or five days. But I did. The writing is not good. The story, well, I guess the fact that I read it in less than a week says something.
Okay, we need to move on, before I start waxing poetic about Bella and Edward. I mean, seriously??
The Outcast
I just finished this the other night. It's a heartbreaker in a lot of ways, but it was a good story with pretty good, solid, and simple writing. I like summer books that I can read quickly and still get lost inside, and this was one of those reads.
Buddhism for Mothers of Young Children
While I am not a Buddhist, I have studied Buddhist psychology rather extensively, and find so many principles of this religion appealing. This book is more about applying the Buddhist principals of presence to mothering, and it is so full of little gems that this is actually the third time I've read it.
Oliver Kitteridge
I'm reading this now and like it so far. It has this interesting mess of characters-- including people you love to hate, which normally turns me off-- but the New England town and its cast of true Eastern folks has me. It won the pulitzer this year, and I can tell you right now, it is a lot easier to digest than last year's winner, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
I'm also going to attempt to read some Tolstoy this summer.
Because I always feel like trying to revisit a classic after indulging in, um, vampire smut.
Oh, and with the kids?
Max and Lizzie and I are lost in the world of Beatrix Potter, for the thousandth time.
And Noah? He's re-read the Percy Jackson series at least twice, and is now re-reading all of Harry Potter. Please, someone suggest something else for us!
