My Morning with Sarah Mackenzie and Julie Bogart

You know what they say, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I had a goal to update my blog at least once a week and keep it updated so that I could acquire a readership and in time, free books to review. Well, obviously that hasn't panned out but today is a new day and here I am. As a home-school mom I'm always looking for inspiration from various mentors and the posts I found today are worth sharing. Please relax with a cup of coffee, tea, soda, etc. and enjoy this journey that I was blessed to find this morning.

Love and Hugs,

Kim

The Read Aloud Revival is a favorite podcast of mine. Sarah's daughter's laugh is infectious. The interview is informative and entertaining in of itself but that laugh just pushes it over the top. I could sit here and listen to it all day. Also, because of this there are several more books on my home-school wishlist. Shhh... Don't tell Paul. ;) RAR #56: What's at Stake and Why Stories Matter, Jonathan Auxier.

I have really enjoyed reading through A Gracious Space every morning with Julie Bogart this Fall. She has an open, loving attitude that not only teaches me how to step out of my comfort zone in my home-school but also reaffirms that the relaxed, go with the flow atmosphere that I feel most comfortable with is just fine for our family. The readings are helpful in of themselves but the content she adds after her readings is usually what hits me the hardest in this series. Every time I watch one of these Facebook Live broadcasts I'm eager to hop in my car, drive to her, and soak up more wisdom. I hope that she can reach your heart like she's captured mine. Day 41 A Gracious Space Fall "Once They Catch On, Look Out"

Never Enough Books and The BFG by Roald Dahl

My oldest said something to me today that almost stopped my heart. We were returning some books to the library and I asked if she wanted to go into the book sale room and see what they had. Her answer was no because she already had too many books. I have no idea where she heard such a ridiculous notion that one could possibly have too many books. I quickly dispelled that myth and led her into the book sale room where she chose 15 more books to add to her shelves. Crises diverted, my reputation in tact, I can now move on to my next subject, The BFG by Roald Dahl.

One book that stood out from my childhood is The BFG so of course I had to share it with my girls when I found out they were releasing a movie that was inspired by the book. I read to my two daughters every night before they go to bed. It's my way of connecting with them each day and exposing them to pieces of literature that they either aren't interested in reading on their own or pieces that are above their reading level but contain story lines I think will interest them. I chose to read The BFG out loud not only because it had been read aloud to me in class but also because I wanted to share that piece of nostalgia with them and hear them laugh at the absurdity of Whizzpopping and human beans. Like all of Roald Dahl's works, this one brings up a lot of very serious adult themes that led to some deep and eye opening conversations between the three of us. The girls thought the beginning was a little dry but towards the end they begged for one more chapter each night and were sad at the end because they had to say goodbye to some new favorite characters. It was a fun read and earned a thumbs up from both of my girls. We take turns choosing books and then next time my oldest gets to choose she's requested Mathilda. I'm sure that will be a hit since we're all book lovers.

As for my next read, I just found an article about some adult works Roald Dahl published. I had no idea that these existed and I look forward to looking them up and reviewing them in the future. So, stay tuned!

Love and Hugs,

Kim

Good morning, readers! This year has been one of several changes. Last fall I took my daughters out of their traditional public school and started homeschooling them through a public charter. It's been quite a learning experience for all of us. I realized that the issues my youngest was having in an over-full classroom had all the signs for ADHD so I recently had her tested and well, she has ADHD. Having an official diagnosis has been relieving in a lot of ways for me. Now, instead of wondering if I'm parenting wrong, I can just let her be who she is and know that for her brain, it's perfectly normal. I'm a huge reader so I've been reading everything I can get my hands on regarding this diagnosis and I've realized that a lot of her struggles are ones that I always had and wouldn't you know, ADHD is genetic. Go figure. I'm still not sure if I'm going to pursue an official diagnosis for myself or not but one thing is certain, I am going to be a lot more forgiving of mine and my daughter's idiosyncrasies. Yes, I spend too much time reading and not enough time cleaning. Yes, I am usually in the middle of several books at the same time. Yes, sometimes we flake out on appointments because in that moment the thought of walking out of the house and joining society is just too much to ask. Yes, I avoid my phone most of the time because I don't feel prepared to handle whatever imagined crises is needing my attention. I admit it I'm not perfect, I'm a bit loony, and although I love to socialize behind the protection of my computer screen, people in real life scare the crap out of me. This blog is me, in all of my imperfections as a mother, wife, reader, and friend. If by sharing my story I can make one person feel normal for a change, then it's all worth it.

Love and Hugs,

Kim