January reads

• Chronicles of the Kings: Historical biblical fiction tracing the history of Israel and stories of King Hezekiah. I read this series as we studied this time period in Tapestries. 

• Havah: the Story of Eve: I read this book in preparation for our February book club. Quite the fascinating read and brought up many things to ponder about the garden of Eden, sin's curse and what it would have been to be the only woman created, not born. I look forward to more discussion with the girls at book club.

• Choosing to See: Mary Beth Chapman's story of grace and her struggle during these last three years. A sad but hopeful book that I was blessed by reading.

• The Sword, (Chiveis Trilogy, book one): This was supposed to be a read-aloud between Troy and I, but he got caught up in the story and finished it before we had even read the prologue. This post-apocolyptic story is a riveting tale of lost men's quest to find out about the God of the cross. My husband already has book #2 on his birthday wish list.

• Birthing From Within: This is the birth book that I am going through with my friend. One of my favorites for the expectant mama.

Today is the third day of being at home, all. . .day. . .long (oh, except dance for an hour on Monday, which doesn't quite count as outside adult interaction). The arctic temperatures have kept us from even braving the walk to the mailbox down the street. We need groceries, again, and snack foods in particular are dangerously low (especially since I don't buy many to begin with). The girls had a bowl of frozen blueberries for snack, after I told Maddie she could eat whatever she could find. Seriously, my children are perpetually hungry. I promise, I feed them three meals a day, usually large portions of nutritious foods. . .and by the next hour, they are asking for food. I've seen several solutions to this dilemma. One mom I know has a "snack plate" for each child to eat at their leisure between meals. When the food is gone, they must wait for more food until the next meal, thus removing the continual, "I'm hungry's". Another friend has set times for food and it is against their house rules to ask for something to eat. In fact, this particular mom remembers her own mother having this rule as she was growing up, "never ask for food!"Are my offspring an oddity among children?

the best way to spend a windy cold day: at home, in pajamas, sleeping