Kim 365

It’s here! My newest book that I don’t have time to read! A friend of ours was having a giveaway over on his blog, Bologna, I was the lucky winner. I am really looking forward to digging into this book, along with all the other books that I currently have cracked open, and all the others waiting in the queue.

I was never one to start books and leave them sitting while I picked up another. And another. Well, now I am one of those. Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been reading lately.

Books I’ve actually finished:
Orange Jumpsuit: Letters to the God of Freedom by Tara Leigh Cobble, is a window into the life of a woman following God wherever he leads. It was riveting, and not at all predictable.
Evangellyfish by Douglas Wilson, is a satirical look at the lives of North American Christians. He writes with cutting wit, and reading it is like watching a train wreck: it’s horrifying, but you can’t take your eyes off it.
Younger, Restlesser, Reformeder: A Good-Natured Roast by Ted Kluck and Zach Bartels, is another satire. What’s life if you can’t have a good laugh at your own expense? This was a much needed read for me. Life’s been hectic and this was a good bucket of cold water over my head to wake me up and help me to not take myself too seriously.

Open books:
Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian
Note To Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself by Joe Thorn
Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Mark & Grace Driscoll
The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick – And What We Can Do About It by Robyn O’Brien
Help for the Harried Homeschooler by Christine Field
In Their Own Way: Discovering and Encouraging Your Child’s Multiple Intelligences by Thomas Armstrong

Books waiting to be read:
Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler
Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity and the Things we Made Up by Francis Chan
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I’d say this should keep me busy for a good while.

Mom and Dad came to babysit this evening, which was met with uncontainable excitement from Markus, Wyatt, and Bailey. Deacon must have been excited too, since he was burning the midnight oil just so he could spend some extra time with them. He fussed and fussed with Grandma, so Grandpa took a turn and finally convinced him to sleep. He may have actually been wanting his Mama, but either way Grandpa got some good cuddle time in.

I keep hearing the idea of green smoothies buzzing around the internet. The idea being that you would blend green vegetables into a smoothie to make it more nutritious. I like the idea of boosting nutrition, but I’m not nuts about the idea of my fruity smoothie tasting like a salad.

This blog post from Passionate Homemaking popped up in my feed reader today, so I decided to finally give green smoothies a chance. My thrown together recipe included strawberries, Saskatoon berries, banana, grape juice, yogurt, honey, and field greens.

Wyatt loved it! The guy who typically turns his nose up at anything remotely leafy had three helpings!

I was not so convinced.

It really did have a bitter bite from the greens, but I suppose if the kids like it I will endure. They do the same for me, often. I’m thinking it would taste better as a popsicle in the summer, so I’ll throw that idea in my back pocket for later.

Do you make green smoothies? Any suggestions for a good recipe?

Your eyes speak more than words could say, even if you were able.
Big brothers and sister have all drifted off, and here you are, alone.
“Hold me,” you implore.
“Of course.” You know I’m willing.

So we sit. We rock. I hold you close, you lean in closer still.
Your heart to mine, our lives entwined, I’ll sear this memory deep within.

I love to hear you humming as you let the sleep come over you.
You finish with a simple, “Ma.”
Asleep. Precious baby, sleep.

The smell only a baby can bless the world with.
The sound of your breath. Rise and fall.
The softness of your velvet skin.
I’m taking it all in.

I’ll sear this memory deep within.

In this moment I understand.
Helpless, lonely, needing comfort,
That’s me. Helpless child.
And my heavenly father picks me up.
Holds me close.
And delights in the nearness of his child.
Lord, help me to remember my helplessness.
Sear this memory deep within.

I wonder what the librarian thought as I was checking these books out of the library this evening. It didn’t dawn on me until I was walking out, how weird I might have appeared. And how much more funny the situation would have been if I had brought all four kids in with me, rather than just one. Hey, before you peer down your nose at me, just try getting anything done quickly with four small children. Running into the library to grab two books that I had on hold would take an hour if I brought them all. Plus Deacon was sleeping. Sometimes you just have to let them wait in the car.

Please don’t call the police.

Has anyone read either of these? They were both recommended to me (different person for each book) and I am looking forward to reading them.

Just a bag of movies that my sister and brother-in-law borrowed a few months ago. We haven’t watched any of them in quite a while. What’s old is new again, so perhaps a few movie nights are in our future.

My good intentions of doing more writing on this blog seem to have been put on hold. Life is keeping me pretty busy at the moment, so my blog posts are reverting back to the old 365 photo format. Soon I will have more to say.

Each week our kids are allowed one movie day, and one Wii day. Meaning they watch one movie, not that they watch movies all day. Wii has a tendency to last longer than a movie would, since it has no obvious end. Also, it buys me time. I can get a lot done while the boys are busy sitting still on the couch, and not making messes. So does that mean I use the TV as a babysitter? Only sometimes. And no, not for the whole day.

Sunday is when the kids pick their movie and Wii days for the next week, and since I was busy when the planning was taking place, Wyatt took it upon himself to write it on our weekly planning board. My little unsocialized homeschooler is coming along quite nicely in his writing, wouldn’t you say?

Note to self:
Next time you move a drink from cupboard to freezer in an attempt to quickly cool it, set a timer.

After a long day involving chiropractor appointments, used book sale treasure hunting, co-op sorting, gritting my teeth over dog people, wondering if I should put another layer of cheesecloth over my brain to filter what I say on facebook, a home cooked meal at my wonderful parents’ house, and enduring an unrelenting headache, it is good to come home to my best friend and enjoy a cup of tea before bed.

I think I’ll go read some more Evangellyfish before I hit the hay.

Sweet little Deacon, captivated by the real-life-TV of the dining room window. His brothers and sister were busy in the back yard after supper, having light sabre fights and throwing balls around in the crazy wind. Deacon was delighted to watch from his perch, and his siblings loved putting on a show for him.