It feels amazing to be reading again! After the birth of Sarah Beth I pretty much took a break from reading for a month or two. I binge watched a few shows during those early newborn days and feel like I'm pretty much caught up on anything I remotely cared about as far as television! Honestly I'm also just not that coordinated in the early days of nursing to breastfeed while also holding a book in one hand.
Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Elegance by Jennifer Scott: I absolutely adore the elegance and poise that Jennifer Scott exhibits on a daily basis. Personally I have always enjoyed etiquette and appreciate all the insights that Scott shares. I've read two of her other books Lessons from Madame Chic and At Home with Madame Chic years ago and I found them absolutely fascinating. I also recently started watching her youtube channel entitled The Daily Connoisseur which I would commend to you.
Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt: I've been following this author on instagram for a few years now, so I was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on a copy of her book. This has to be one of the best books I have ever read on hospitality. I love Schmidt's relaxed attitude that doesn't leave you with a guilt trip. The ideas she provides throughout the book are really good while also being incredibly realistic. She also includes a section entitled "Elevate the Ordinary" where you can take an idea a step further if your budget and time allows.
Kindness and Wonder: Why Mr. Rogers Matters Now More Than Ever by Gavin Edwards: I was thrilled when I found out that my book club was planning to read this book and then go watch the new movie about Mr. Rogers. I've always been a big fan of Mr. Rogers and have such fond memories of watching his television show while growing up. Although I definitely learned a lot more about the life of Fred Rogers, I didn't care very much for this book. I listened to this book as an audio book and I just felt like it moved a little too slow for my taste. I did thoroughly enjoy the movie which doesn't have much to do with this book.
The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard: This novel chronicles the exciting lives of the women (and some men) who worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II at Oak Ridge, TN. I've driven past Oak Ridge, TN many times and I've always thought about visiting the museum there so this book held a special interest for me. Many of the characters had no idea about the project that they were working on which is intriguing to think about. It was okay but just left something to be desired. One of those books that you finish and think, "Thank goodness I got this one from the library." I've heard there is another book that is similar that is supposed to be much better titled, The Girls of Atomic City which I might try to read next year.
The Duties of Parents by J.C. Ryle: Written in the late1800s by an Anglican bishop, this short book was bursting with encouragement for parents to press on in the call of raising children who love and glorify the Lord. I was surprised by just how much I adored this little book when I closed the last page. I'm hoping to find another book by this author in our home library.
Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana White: I appreciated the author's approach to clutter and the way that she talked about the emotional attachments we can have with our clutter. I still feel like we have too much actual stuff in our home. Over the past eleven years of marriage I am much more at peace with letting things go. Honestly if I didn't have so many hobbies (that I actually do on a regular basis) maybe we would let go of a few more things. Anybody else enjoy hobbies that take up a lot of physical space? Overall this book was funny and encouraging at the same time.
The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel: This book was a fascinating look at the wives behind the famous Mercury Seven astronauts who became almost like royalty overnight. My entire family enjoys learning about Space and we have visited a number of places related to NASA and Space Exploration in the past few years including: Kennedy Space Center (FL), U.S. Space & Rocket Center (AL), National Museum of the Air Force (OH), and the National Air & Space Museum (DC). I've read a lot of books about NASA to my kids the past few years and it was so neat to think about the astronaut's personal lives as I read this book.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International: I have actually been reading little snippets of this book since my third trimester of pregnancy with Sarah Beth. If I had to recommend one book on breastfeeding this would be it. I love breastfeeding but the first month or two can be quite challenging so make sure you have good support. I like to think of myself as a very frugal person but I didn't bat an eye to plop down a good chunk of money on a lactation consultant when Sarah Beth and I were experiencing some bumps in the road. If you are thinking about breastfeeding buy this book. It is a fabulous resource and you do not need to read the book in its entirety. (I'm just super nerdy and find breastfeeding absolutely fascinating.). I usually never mind an old edition of a book but this is one area where I would encourage you to spend a few extra dollars and buy the current edition. I would also highly recommend attending a La Leche League meeting (they are even free).
So thankful for that wonderful Christmas break which afforded me some extra time to read!
What are you reading this month?
Currently Reading:
Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson
Suffering is Never For Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot
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