Books... Are you up for a Challenge?

N has had the flu all week, so we've done a whole lot of nothing this week.  I've spent hours on the couch cuddling my boy, and you know what the worst part was?  (Other than him being sick, of course!)  The book I'm in was too heavy to manage holding while I was holding him.  And I didn't have a bunch of other ones to pick from, either.  So sad. 

The reason I don't have a big library stack to pick from is that I have whittled my home library down - I donated what I was not going to read again and what I had been keeping to read and yet never got around to - and only kept those I will read soon. 

I've seen Reading Challenges before and never been interested, but this year, because I was already in purge-mode, when I looked at this list, I could right away think of half a dozen on my shelf that would fit.  This one is from Anne Bogel, who writes the blog Modern Mrs Darcy; I've found over the years it has been a great source of book ideas that I actually enjoy.

On the 2016 Reading Challenge (and some of my picks):

a book published this year
a book you can finish in a day
a book you've been meaning to read
     Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand (had it from the library when I saw this list - read it!)
a book recommended by your local librarian or bookseller
a book you should have read in school
     Riel - A Life of Revolution by Maggie Siggins (Had it on my shelf on loan from my Mom - this is the big one I'm 1/3 of the way through.)
a book chosen for you by your spouse, partner, sibling, child, or BFF
a book published before you were born
a book that was banned at some point
a book you previously abandoned
     A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (Bookmark still in it at page 106 of 390... I will have to start again, though.)
a book you own but have never read
     The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (This was in a pile of books a friend was giving away - I liked the other ones by this author so thought it was worth a try.)
a book that intimidates you
     Crime and Punishment by Fydor Dostoyevsky (on my shelf forever - oh those Russians!)
a book that you've already read at least once
     Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (was M's & was on my shelf - read it!)

I'll have to keep my eyes open for ones that fit the other categories, but I've got all year.  I like this for the same reason I like book club - It stretches me to look for books outside the same authors and genres I'd normally gravitate to. 

You can find this list as a printable and join up if you want at Modern Mrs Darcy.

What about you?  How do you choose your books?  Have you ever done a challenge?

Free Printable!

I made up these Scripture prints almost two years ago now, and offered them in this post to whoever wanted them.  At the time I couldn't figure out how to make it printable directly from here without using a third party site, and didn't worry about it too much since I wasn't planning on making this a habit.  Now all of a sudden I am getting emails asking for this print again! So I did a little research and I think technology is friendlier than it was then...

Here is this verse again, in two colour options, and all you have to do is click on it and download if you want it.  You're welcome!!

The Good Side of January

We celebrated a birthday yesterday - N looks all of 4 and I'm hoping every birthday is this easy!!  I made a construction cake (seriously foolproof) and we had a few friends and family over for supper and playing lego and had a great time together. We picked up some black & yellow striped caution tape at the safety store and taped up the house - no missing our theme!

N is still loving preschool and Awana, and starts swimming lessons next week.  He should end this session in the water without having one of us in there with him!  He's looking forward to getting out sledding with Dad - he's got his own sled, but that's still pretty new and tentative - he really likes riding on Dad's!

Stay warm and joyful!!

I Built a Lego Sewing Machine

Or... Our Latest Obsession

Late this fall, Nolan and I got out the bucket of Lego a number of times.  The real stuff, not the big chunky baby or the midsize toddler ones.  This bucket contained a basic set that Madeline had when she was a kid plus some odd pieces I brought home from the store at Downtown Disney once upon a time.

It felt kind of revolutionary.  I'm not so great at playing construction.  Or Planes Fire & Rescue.  I try.  I do.  But being able to play something together that I like too?  FUN.  So I thought that for Christmas or his birthday I'd get him (us) some more Lego.  For Christmas I ended up wrapping a cool set for Sean from Nolan of some Lego machines they could make together, and then I used my Christmas money to get an XXL Classic Box of 1500 pieces. (On Kijiji. Still sealed, and for a great deal!)  We picked it up on Monday and it's been out on our coffee table ever since.  And we are ALL having fun with it.

What we sent to Dad when we got home with it.

He's a LOT obsessed with cranes.

And he has to dismantle / modify everything I make.

He made me a trophy for being the best sewer*.

Our previous bucket in the middle there.

He thought it would be a good idea to dump out all the bags.

He might be my favourite.

Told you.  A sewing machine.

On the corner: the library's Lego Ideas Book.

*sewer = one who sews.  Not sewer like stink.  Just to clarify.