Life as Mrs. Emerson

  I've always been a fairly voracious reader but this was the first year that I actually read 100 Books!  I guess I can now say there is at least one good thing to come out of 2020.  As a child I'm pretty sure that I read 100 Books in a year but this was my first time hitting that milestone as an adult.   Since January is the time for bookish friends to think about their 2021 List of Books to Read I thought it would be fun to share a list of the 100 Books that I read this past year mostly in order.  My list is pretty haphazard and includes a lot of fiction this past year.  I usually do try to intentionally read a mixture of books from a variety of topics: Christian Living, History, Motherhood, Personal Growth, Fiction, and children's books that I read aloud.   Personal Observations When life feels crazy (or I'm planning to ride in the car with 3 kiddos) I always reach for easy fiction reads.  Well life must have felt crazier than I thoug...

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...

I'm finally posting my February Reads which means that spring is just around the corner!  Hooray!  Is anyone else already dreaming of summer vacation?  I've caught myself more than once dreaming about reading curled up in a comfy chair and reading in our backyard.   Make it Happen by Lara Casey: This book escaped my picture but it was delightful.  I loved the sweet insights into Casey's life.  Her testimony is a beautiful example of the Lord's grace as she sings His praises throughout each chapter.  I have been following her Instagram account for a while and began using her Power Sheets last summer.  I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.   Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child's Education by Susan Wise Bauer:    I absolutely loved Bauer's advice on taking control of your child's K-12 experience.  She advocates learning to flex the system so that it fits your child vs. the ...

I ended up reading 5 personal books in January and they were all pretty good.  I'm really thankful after last months reading!  Looks like I'm on track to hit my goal of 52 books this year.  We also finished up two children's books.  Although it wasn't intentional, I am glad to see a little more variety in the books that I read this month.  Last month almost everything I read was fiction.   All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: This book contained two parallel stories set during World War II.  A bright, young orphan boy named Werner lives in Nazi Germany when he becomes spellbound by a nightly science program broadcast from France.  Mari-Laure is a clever girl who lives in Paris, France with her locksmith father who works in an art museum.  When she goes blind her father builds her a detailed miniature model of their neighborhood.  Germans invade and Marie-Laure and her father must flee to the town of Saint-Malo to live with ...

While I usually make it a point to read books of different genres that didn't really happen this month. It was almost straight fiction.  Should I blame it on the road trips or poor planning?  Most of these are light fiction reads that I read as we traveled this month.   December Reads  The Ladies of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen:   This is the second book in the Tales from Ivy Hill  series.  Since I read the first book,  The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill last month, I had high expectations for this book.  The first book in the series was quite the page turner and I definitely stayed up past bedtime to finish it!  The story line continues in this second book where the reader learns more about Miss Rachel Ashford.  She opens a circulating library to help alleviate her difficult financial circumstances after her father's passing.  Along the way Miss Ashford discovers a number of mysteries as she deals with her own complicated fr...

I forgot to hit publish a few months ago but I wanted to go ahead and share this post anyway.  I so enjoy getting a glimpse into the reading life of my friends.   After reading only one disappointing book in August I was determined to make up for lost time in September!  I was much more observant of how I was using small pockets of time and found that I was able to read quite a nice pile of books!  It was very humbling to discover I could read this many books in the amount of time I usually spent scrolling social media.  I made sure to take a book with me on any errand even I didn't possibly think I would have any time to read.  In September we also flew to Texas so I read two of these books on the plane.   Still Waiting: Hope for When God Doesn't Give You What You Want by Ann Swindell: I loved hearing the author share her compelling story of waiting for healing.  It was both fascinating and incredibly encouraging to see her cling to the c...

Ah June!  A month filled with a few lazy afternoons and a long road trip.  The perfect combination for reading through a delightful pile of books.  (Not all books are in the photo.)  I am trying to read a broad variety of books but something about summer continues to steer me straight to the fiction section.  Does anyone else have this problem only in the summer months?  Nevertheless here is a look at what I read last month.  When People Are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch: This was a fantastic, thoughtful book which I worked through the past few months.  Over and over again this book helped me to see areas where I need to think more biblically.  The end of each chapter also includes 3-4 questions and applications.  While I really enjoyed working through this book, I think it would be even more fantastic to read through with a close friend or small group.   The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett: I loved reading this "vintage ...

April and May were simply full of fantastic adventures traveling to visit both family and friends!  Here are some of the books that I read the past few months.   The Life Giving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming by Sally & Sarah Clarkson: Sally & Sarah Clarkson are two ladies that I would simply love to have over for tea.  As I read through this lovely book it just felt like having sweet friends over curled up in my living room while we discussed all things pertaining to the home.  This book is simply delightful and provided so much encouragement.  It's definitely one of my favorites that I have read this year! Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters to God by Courtney Reissig: I was so excited about reading this book that I not only purchased the book, I pre-ordered it!  It sure did not disappoint.  I loved this thoughtful book on the importance of work in the home.  Reissig encouraged me to think de...

Happy Spring!  It feels good to be jumping back into a somewhat more regular reading routine at home.  Here's a look at the books I read in March.   Seasons of Waiting: Walking by Faith When Dreams Are Delayed  by Betsy Childs Howard; Everyone is waiting for something.  This book was such a good reminder of that simple fact.  It never dawned on me as a young woman that I would find myself waiting on things for the rest of my life. In this book Howard writes about 5 different types of waiting: Waiting on a Bridegroom, Waiting for a Child, Waiting for Healing, Waiting for a Home, and Waiting for a Prodigal. I'm positive that all of the chapters (including those that didn't specifically apply to me) will help me to understand the waiting that my friends endure.  Right now I can think of at least one friend that is waiting on each of those five different things.  Howard gave much hope throughout this book and truly made my heart long for the day ...

February was such a strange month for reading.  I worked my way through only two books.  Usually the middle of winter is the time of year that I really devour books.  One of those books was actually a Bible Study that I just finished.  I love hearing Bible Study reviews just as much as I enjoy hearing about different books that others read so I am including them here.   Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple:   I picked up this adorable book in December at a lovely little book store just a few miles from the beach.  I thought it looked like the perfect beach read but I didn't get around to reading it until this month.  We spent a lot of time at the beach in December but I didn't read much.  I was too busy exploring with my kiddos to kick back and read.  I honestly think I bought this book based on the cover.  The title is just adorable!  This book tells the tale of a teenager named Bee who comes to terms with her impe...

Ah January.  The month of cozy warm fires and large stacks of books to devour.  At the beginning of January I really thought I was going to cut my reading time in half to allow more time for other projects around the house since we moved in December.  After a long chat with my wise husband I changed my mind.  As of right now I plan on reading the same number of books that I did last year.  Here's a look at what I read this past month.     What's up with the Fig Leaves? by Heather Thieneman:  Let me start by saying wow.  What a thoroughly researched and thought provoking book.  I probably haven't taken the time to think long and hard about modesty since the time five years ago that I taught a Middle School Girl's Bible Study.  I was blown away by Thieneman's careful research and clear humility which was coupled with grace.  This was a wonderful read that I whole heartily recommend.  If you happen to come across this bo...

From This Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage by Craig & Amy Groeschel: This book was gifted to me by a ministry mentor couple in early December.  This was my first experience reading or listening to anything by the Groeschels.  I aim to read a few marriage books every year so I jumped at the chance to dive into this one.  I thought this book was filled with some great, practical advice.  It was also very funny!  The five commitments mentioned in the book are: 1) Seek God. 2) Fight fair. 3) Have fun. 4) Stay pure. 5) Never give up.  These are all great commitments to implement in your life.  Personally I plan on working on number two and number three.  We moved this month and Brandon and I have both been working so hard.  We could definitely use a little more fun in our life! The Christ of Christmas by James Montgomery Boice: Every December I try to read some type of Advent devotional as I prepare my heart for...

I still can't believe I took a three month break from blogging.  I had every intention of sharing but our life has been so crazy the past three months.  We  went on two separate vacations (including Disney) in the month of September so I had plenty of time to read to my heart’s content!  The above photograph only includes about half of the books that I managed to read in September and early October.  I accidentally returned the rest of the library books before I snapped a picture!  Then I found out that we were MOVING to a new town!  I'll share more about that later but for now here are the books I managed to read this fall.  I read ZERO books in the month of November but I hope to add reading back into my life sometime this month!   True Companion: Thoughts on Being a Pastor's Wife by Nancy Wilson: This dear book felt as though I had invited Mrs. Wilson over to visit for an afternoon of fellowship where I asked her a myriad of questi...

None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different From Us by Jen Wilkin :  I'm quickly becoming quite the fan of Mrs. Jen Wilkin.  I've been working through her 1 Peter Bible Study this summer and I absolutely loved reading through this book on the attributes of God.  I found myself reminded of so many things and almost felt a sense of relief as I contemplated what God is like.  This book was a delight to read.  I love that there is now a book on God's attributes written especially for women.  Pure awesomeness!  I highly recommend this book for both new believers and those with years of experience.  I also think it would make a great book club book. The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian: This book is one that I have been wanting to read for years and I just never got around to it.  I am so glad that I finally took the time to read and pray through this book!  What better gift could I give my husband the past month than to spend tim...

Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Bary:  This book was phenomenal and I simply could not put it down.  I was gripped by Rifqa's story and the amount of suffering she endured simply for becoming a Christian.  It really helped me to better understand Islam and what is means for a Muslim woman to come to faith in Jesus Christ.  I loved hearing Rifqa speak about her deep relationship with the Savior and her gratefulness for all that He has done f.  I cried with her as I read her story and watched as numerous obstacles continued to bombard her from seemingly every direction.  This book was so inspiring and I can't recommend it enough. The Out of Synch Child by Carol Stark Kranowitz: One of my daughter's occupational therapists recommended this book to me and I am so glad I got around to reading it in July.  It really helped me to more fully understand the extent of Evangeline's sensory needs.  This book was so easy to read and did not read like a t...