Pleasures

Isaiah 43:19 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁹ For I am about to do something new.

      See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

   I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

      I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

The Book Basket

Between "My Father's World" list, Kim's list, my own list, two different libraries and Josiah's pickings, we have a book basket! Would you believe we have read over half of the books in the past five days! I did more work at home going through the library catalog online than I did in the Library.  I love that I can place my books on hold and have them waiting on me!  Since I have two different libraries I am using, I had to make "A List" of which books came from where and the dates they are due back.  

Next week we will tackle the Christopher Columbus books and books about Vikings!  Josiah has looked through a couple this week but so far we have enjoyed lots of Frog & Toad and Henry & Mudge.  I gotta say the Frog & Toad books have some stories that really speak to the adult too.  You never know how the Holy Spirit is going to speak.  It may come through a Children's book!

Oh and if you have a good reader on your hands, you may be tempted like me to force all kinds of chapter books on them because you know they can do it.  Or you have a pride issue like me and want to impress yourself and others with your 2nd grader being able to read 4th or 5th grade books.  I learned the hard way.  Josiah began to complain about reading and then I figured out why.  It was quite the "duh" moment!  Picture books and easy readers keep them excited about reading AND they can read them to their "can't sit still for two seconds" younger sibling and the sibling will actually sit still. Imagine that!  Plus it gives Josiah an incredible opportunity to be a leader in our home.

Who would have thought that a basket of books could bring so much joy and fulfillment to our home!  I love what God is doing through reading and learning in the hearts of my children and in me too.

Play Doh time is when everyone seems to have great conversation and creativity.  Josiah suggested we do this a few days a week instead of "Mozart Hour."  Works for me!

Our home is small so I did not have a ton of decor to put out this year but the kids sure did enjoy pulling out all of the Fall stuff from the storage container.  I bought these pumpkins and floral swags from Hobby Lobby a few years back and love placing them on the mantle this time of year. And I love pulling out all of my Fall cup towels and pot holders!  I also have a Fall themed salt and pepper shaker set that my Dad bought me a few years ago. I love the new beginnings of Fall! In every little corner I have pics of the kids from Pumpkin patches through the years.  They LOVE looking at how they have grown!  If you know me or you have read this blog over the past five years, you know I begin decorating for Christmas the day after Halloween so I gotta enjoy this Fall stuff!

Our first year in Austin

If warm, homemade peanut butter cookies don't get you in the mood for baking, I don't know what will! And can I just tell you how much I heart parchment paper!  It is my new best friend in baking and I don't know why  I have not been using it until now.  It is the bomb!

And just in case you haven't heard the exciting news, please mosey on over to here and read about my dear friend Paula!

Squeezing out the last bit of Summer,

Amanda