Fall into reading challenge 2007 - wrap up!

I know I am way behind on this, but here goes....
The results of my 2007 Fall reading challenge hosted by Callapidder Days

Non-Fiction:

Lies My Teacher told me- about 2/3 finished...very well written, I am just slow working on this one- I recommend it highly.

Confessions by St. Augustine - barely 1/4 thru...very slow with this one, I am also doing a Teaching Co. audio course on St. Augustine- again, slow going with this.

Added: 101 devotions for Homeschool moms - not finished, but I am trying to stick to one devotion a day so it will last. Sometimes I cheat and read 2... I am enjoying it, very well written and thought provoking.

Added: Jane Austin and her times- Finished! Enjoyed it, though I didn't always agree with the authors conclusions about some of the points in Austin's books.

Added: Mosaic by Amy Grant- Finished! I enjoyed reading it and learning more about the songs I have loved for so long. I thought it was very well written, and I admired that she did not avoid mentioning her ex as if he did not exist, but yet she kept everything private. The book did make me sad though. I enjoyed most discovering that Amy Grant does something we call "pray reading" at our church- each morning before she starts her day.

Dropped: City of God-St. Augustine (because Confessions was first on the teaching co. course)
Orbit- just never got around to it
Teaching the Trivium- just didn't get it ordered

Read aloud:

Laddie - still working on it, but the older girls really love it- I just need to stay consistent about getting the book out to read (this is one of my all-time favorite books!!!)

Fiction:

Miss Julia stands her ground - Finished! I think this was the Miss Julia book I enjoyed the most, because it showed inside her heart regarding little Loyd and his mother. Miss Julia is a hoot, I recommend all the books in the series.

Nineteen Minutes - Finished! This book was one of the hardest for me to read...I will do a book review on it soon. It was a painful read, and it haunted me for weeks.

Size 12 is not fat, Size 14 is not fat either, and added Big boned -all by Meg Cabot
Finished all three! These are all part of a series, and I am hooked now...book review coming

By Bread alone- Finished! Author of one of my favorites, "Blessed are the Cheesemakers"- it was a good read, really sad in some parts, not on my favorite list- but the bread making directions at the end are worth your perusing.

Added: (because fiction is like chocolate and you just can't stop...)

* Cornelia and the audacious escapades of the somerset sisters by L. Blume -*my review*
-Finished!
*Princess in Pink by Meg Cabot (because I am addicted to them)-Finished!

*Miss Julia meets her match, *Miss Julia Strikes back (on a Miss Julia run, too) -Finished!

*Persuasion, Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (because I was on a Jane Austin kick, and nothing else would do...) -Finished all! -old favorites

I enjoyed:

I enjoyed the last two Heather Wells mysteries by Meg Cabot- the most (size 14 is not fat, either and Big boned) I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed them, I was not sure after the first book how much I could like the heroine- but she has grown on me- I hope she has another one on the way!!

I also really enjoyed Lies my teacher told me, though parts of it curled my hair...!

I did not enjoy

Nineteen Minutes ;it was a painful read, a painful subject and story. I thought the author did a superb job telling the story. As a homeschool mom it was just awful to read, because all I could think the whole book was, "why didn't they pull him out of school?", and regretting that so many people failed one little boy. The book depressed me, and haunted me for weeks. I do have to say that it changed me some, too. I thought much more about the little moments with my little boy, holding his hand seemed so much more precious.

Well, that wraps up my fall reading challenge- stop by Katrina's place to read more wrap-ups and reviews.

See you at the next challenge!!

Fall into reading challenge 2007


Katrina over at Callipidder Days is hosting the Fall into reading challenge 2007- go on over to see a list of participants and to join in.

Here is the list of reading I will attempt to finish this fall:

Fiction: because I blaze through fiction...I love a light read...

Miss Julia stands her ground by Ann B. Ross (imagine a book read out-loud by BooMama) Finished!

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Finished!

Orbit by J. Nance (was on my Spring reading challenge and I never read it)

Added: Size 12 is not fat-Meg Cabot, Size 14 is not fat, either.
By Bread Alone by Sarah-Kate Lynch Finished, finished, finished!!!



I am sure I will add more later, that is all I can think of right now...

Read aloud with the kids: Laddie by Gene Stratton-Porter (last list too, just got too busy)

Nonfiction:

The City of God by St. Augustine (going to listen to a Teaching Co. lecture series on him)

Teaching the Trivium

For the Love of Learning: information and resources for combining Charlotte Mason and Classical education by Jenny Sockey

Added: Confessions by St. Augustine, Lies my teacher told me

Kind of a short list, at least on the fiction side...no kidding, I blaze through fiction. I am sure I will find titles to add.

If you post a list, let me know and I will come look! Happy reading!

Wrap-up, Spring reading thing


Today is the first day of Summer, and time to do the
Spring reading thing 2007 wrap-up

Katrina hosted the Spring reading challenge over at her place, go *here* to see a list of wrap-ups!

So, how did I do?
Well,... here is what happened with my list:

  • Life Study of Romans by Witness Lee (from last list...it usually takes me a year to get through one of these) well- I'm going to have to move it over to the next list..not done

*The original home education series vol. 1 by Charlotte Mason -finished, what can I say, it's a classic and a gem.

  • The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau -finished, really, really good- I did a book review on it *here* I also went on to finish #2 and #3 in this series.

  • Orbit by John Nance -didn't read, never reserved it at the library

  • The Novelist by Angela Hunt- Finished- very well written, but not something I really enjoyed..but, I was impressed with her writing ability to pull off such a different kind of story.

  • Miss Julia speaks her mind by Anne Ross Finished! And I loved it! I went on to read #2 and #3 in this series, and I will for sure look for more. Miss Julia rocks!!

Now I have to add all the other books I read, not on my list...ahem..

*Queen Bees and wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman
*Lion boy by Zizou Corder -great read, I am now reading #3 in the series
this book is a great one for kids, very clean.
*Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
*Princess in the Spotlight
*Princess in waiting
*Princess in Love

ahem...yes, I was having a binge-fest, as chronicled in this post...

*Framed by Frank Boyce -Finished, another pre-read for my kids, it was a good read, clean.

-the rest of my list:

read aloud with Josie

  • Little House in the Highlands by Melissa Wiley (look for the unabridged version)Finished! but we both read it independently, the tandem reading fell by the wayside.

Read aloud with Josie and Meg

  • Laddie by Gene Stratton Porter -started, but didn't get far..the kids loved it

Read aloud with all 4 children

didn't get to this one, couldn't find a copy-another book for next time!

I'll take potpourri for $10...

I can't really claim anything intellectual or spiritual sounding like a blogging break, the truth of the matter is more like a brain-numb-stupor... I've basically spent the last week announcing that I am going to work on catching up with my homeschool records, then aimlessly sorting and piling papers next to the computer. If I am brave, maybe I will post a picture. Maybe.
I did get my son's work all entered and up to date, but it is a small victory when you consider that out of the 3 students I have, the 1st grader generates the least amount of paperwork.
My goal next month is to have all 3 entered and up to date. I will throw some kind of serious party if I achieve this. Heck, Gracefulmom will probably throw me a party (she is the person who reports on all my ahem..record keeping). Hey Gracefulmom, next month it will be you and me at cheesecake factory to celebrate my end of rambling and disorderly conduct. There is a godiva cheesecake there with our name on it. I will triumph just in time for summer break...

Changing the subject, it's meme time! Joyful days tagged me last week for this meme:
a 7 Things About Me meme. I'm supposed to write seven random facts or habits about myself and then tag 7 other people to do the same, here goes:

7 random things about me
1) I couldn't pronounce 'discernment' until way past adulthood. I actually know lots of big words from my endless reading, but I am usually afraid to use them in a discussion for fear I will mispronounce them...like my misadventure with 'discernment'. (DH still teases me about that one)

2) I have diet coke for breakfast

3) darling husband takes me out on a date night once a week, forever- since our oldest child was a few months old. Smart man, I get this wild look in my eyes if he doesn't take me out somewhere.

4) Tonight was date night and DH treated me to a bacon cheddar cheeseburger at TGIF's and to a movie to see the new Spiderman movie. (it was awesome, if you like Spiderman!) we rarely go see a movie...the last one we saw at the theatre was Narnia...

5) We like the Spiderman movies, and I have read several of the Spiderman books. They were surprisingly good...(my engineer-husband turned me on to them, it's in the bylaws...all engineer majors must love Star-trek and Spiderman)

6) I won a prize at my sister's baby shower this weekend. We had to list names of baby animals, I was the only one to know that a baby swan is called a cygnet (not that I could be sure of how to pronounce that..but no one else knew how to either...) and that a baby owl is called an owlet.

7) I love bagels. I could live on bagels. I am dying for a chocolate chip bagel with strawberry cream cheese right this very minute. And a diet coke. of course.

Now the hard part...I have to tag 7 people...
I will tag: An OC Sitcom, Lindsey, Susanne, Cyndi, Jeana, Melissa, and Heather

Last thought;

Our son Demi-Sky has been into dragons lately. He has put aside his goal of growing up to be Spiderman (at least for now) and has announced that he plans to be a dragon hunter when he grows up. He has asked me to teach him how to read maps, a very important skill to have-to be hunting dragons...and apparently little sister Amie is to be his sidekick. She reminded Demi today in the van, out of the blue, that they needed to remember to bring plates for dinner when they go dragon hunting. As a homeschool mom, I am trying to jump all over this teachable, delight-driven moment. I need to dig out or buy a new map reading skills books, and Demi has me reading this book: Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher- to him every chance he can catch me. I am planning on reading "My father's dragon" to him next. Anyone else have any good suggestions?