The Strictest School in the World (giveaway)

Nag, nag, nag. That's probably all you think I do with certain book titles.

Well, I put my money where my mouth is from time to time and purchased a hardback copy of The Strictest School in the World, Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly Broken (The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones) to give away to one of you fine folk this week!



Haven't read it yet? Now is just as good a time as ever! To win?

Leave a comment below! It will be my pleasure to send you a copy of this book. (If you haven't read my ravings about it yet, see my review HERE and HERE.)

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED

i-clips giveaway

I love Peter Pauper Press's i-clips bookmarks. I use them all the time. ALL the time.

Before the i-clip I would shred up tiny bits of paper, bookmarking the pages and passages I wanted to reference when writing up my thoughts on any given book I was reading. The i-clips are prettier than my little strips of paper. Given the fact that they are also magnetic, they also stay in place much easier too. Now it's just a question of how many i-clips I will allow myself to use per book because they are so convenient that I find myself wanting to mark a lot of extra passages "just in case!"

Plus, have I mentioned they are pretty? Well, you can see that for yourself.

Convenient. Pretty. Magnetic. Useful. Reasonably priced. (They are $3.95 per package and available through Amazon to boot! Hence they make DELIGHTFUL stocking stuffers for the readers in your life. Or you could put them on your own Amazon wishlist, which is what I've done. I can never have enough i-clips!)

I think every reader needs them.

Therefore I am delighted to offer a set of the newest i-clips design (the butterfly design you see above) to one of you, courtesy of Peter Pauper Press! (To see the entire line of i-clips, click here.)

To win? Simply leave a comment below. This contest will be open through Thursday, September 9th.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED

Akin to Anne (giveaway)

It wouldn't be right to get through a whole Birthday Week Giveaway and not involve Lucy Maud Montgomery. Not around these parts anyway!

As you know, each January I host the Lucy Maud Montgomery reading challenge. To take away the excuse of at least one of you to participate this coming January, I'm giving away three titles which I've picked up here and there around town. These are all gently used copies, all currently out-of-print but worth the reading time (in my humble estimation.) Which titles, you ask?





Just trying to disciple the reading nation, you realize. I use occasions like my birthday to practically GUILT you into it! I'm GIVING you the books! Now you simply MUST read them! (That's my logic anyway. And I'm using exclamation points in honor of the authoress, by the way!)

To win these three gently used books? Simply leave a comment below. Contest is open to U.S. Residents AND Canadians (because seriously? I couldn't exclude the Canadians on this one!) and will be open through Thursday, September 9th.

All my best to one reader out there,
Carrie

;)

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED

Learning About the World Around Us (giveaway)

Science with kids can be an awfully fun experience. (It can also be a messy subject, but I'm not going to focus on that.)

DK Publishing just recently re-released I'm a Scientist: Kitchen full of "Fun experiments for budding scientists." This book was put together by Lisa Burke who introduces children as being "detectives" out to observe and discover the world around them. In this book we find fold out spreads of full color illustrations and directions for experiments that young ones can do in the kitchen. As she explains:

"Apart from being passionate about science I am also a mother. I realize how little time we have in our busy lives to play with our children. Therefore, none of the 'games' (or experiments!) should require more than one hour to complete."

I don't know that I don't have the time, but I like projects that are contained and easy to determine both the time frame and mess factor! There are experiments in there to learn about density, magnets, differentiating between solids and liquids and a happy egg's ability to float due to salt content in the water. All of the materials necessary to complete the experiments are fairly straight forward. Each project contains a list of items you'll need to have on-hand and I didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the list. (For example, you'll need things like: balloons, a plastic comb, salt, orange juice, water, ice, etc.)

This is a fun and exciting book for children to explore the world through - while standing in the kitchen with mom or dad.

Up We Grow!: A Year in the Life of a Small, Local Farm is a new release from Kids Can Press. If you and your family like to eat local - then this is a book that will be of incredible interest to you!

Up We Grow! takes you through Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter on a small farm not too far outside of city limits. This is a rather lengthy picture book that offers a great deal of detailed explanation as to what you can expect to find on a farm during the various seasons. We meet the group of farmers who tend this farm and see how they tend to the land the animals together. As their various jobs are explained, the children are asked questions such as, "Which job would you like best?"

As I read this book I couldn't help feeling like it was the PERFECT book to read before a field trip to a farm. I love the full-color photographs which illustrate this book and help bring the farm to life. Up We Grow! is a celebration of the local farm and, I think, an impressive and amazing book. I have a feeling we'll be revisiting this book several times over throughout the years, as we have so many local farms and do our best to eat local whenever possible. Excellent resource, this one!

Now for the good news -- I have a copy of I'm a Scientist: Kitchen and Up We Grow! to give away to one of you, courtesy of DK Publishing and Kids Can Press.

To win? Simply leave a comment below. This contest will remain open through Thursday, September 9th.

Enjoy!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED

Jumpin', Dancin' and Eating (giveaway!)

Well, well, to kick off this Birthday/Celebration Giveaway Week, what better way than to celebrate a birthday than by jumping up and down? (Unless you are pregnant and can't stand the thought of moving about so much!) And eating good food? Cheesy, perhaps, but here's what I've got for you today!

Courtesy of CSN stores, one of you will win this Pure Fun Trampoline:



Furthermore, you will also win a copy of Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism Cookbook, courtesy of The Crown Publishing Group. (Click on the title to read my earlier review of this cookbook.)



That is correct - there will be a grand prize winner for the trampoline AND cookbook!

But there's more! There will be two runner's up in this contest and two of you will also receive a copy of the Master Your Metabolism Cookbook.

That's three winners total!

To win? You know the drill. Leave a comment below. This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Thursday, September 9th. Spread the word about this Birthday Week Giveaway by mentioning it on your own blog and you'll win a second comment.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

The "I've Got Something to Celebrate" Giveaway Week

So this coming Saturday is my birthday. I love birthdays. Adore them, really. It's a time to remember why a.) you love life and b.) to celebrate the blessings that God has given you. Oh, there are lots of reasons to love birthdays and I think they just become more fun every year!

Speaking of birthdays - our family has another special one coming up! What? How's this?:



Coming "soon": Bookworm3!

Just for the fun of it, this coming week is going to be all about giveaways in celebration of baby and life in general!

I have reviews of new book titles and some fun things to toss your way. So stay tuned this week for that.

Furthermore, if you blog about this Birthday Giveaway Week on your own site and come back and tell me so - I'll give you 2 extra comments PER CONTEST! And who knows - those 2 extra comments might really help you out a time or two!

Stay tuned for the fun!

Friday Favorite Five

Another week! Wow. And it was a busy one and yet a completely lazy one all at the same time. But lazy is good sometimes, yes?

This week I'm going to list five things I'm grateful to have learned over the course of the summer as a result of being a wedding photographer:

#1 - Daddy/Daughter dances are important. If you are a bride, you might not think it's a big deal. But when Daddy is no longer around, the pictures and the sentimental moment are well worth the extra 5 or so minutes. One of the best songs?



(And what better movie to use as an example than Father of the Bride with Steve Martin?)

#2 - Orzo pasta



I've been experimenting. My word, this stuff is YUMMY!

#3 - Commitment is a beautiful thing.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

#4 - There isn't anyone I would rather work side-by-side with than Jonathan. We understand each other and we work well together. From the parenting (stemming from that commitment thing) to the picture taking - there isn't anyone I would rather do anything with.

#5 - A lot of people think that the wedding is the biggest celebration that you could possibly have in your lifetime - therefore they spend lots and lots of money on "the big day." I don't think that's a bad thing at all. Weddings SHOULD be celebrated - in grand style. But I really don't think we ought to stop there. A wedding is the first day of a couple's commitment to one another. Then they start in on their lifetime - the for-better-or-for-worse thing.

I love collecting ideas for "every day" parties. Attention to detail, yummy food, good music, a community of close and loving friends - those are things that can be attended to and celebrated with many times over. Babies? New jobs? An open window following a closed door? God gives us many opportunities in which we can celebrate LIFE! I think we should take advantage of them and put pretty flowers on the table more frequently than we typically do.

I could probably write a longer list of things I've realized, thought about or gleaned from this past wedding season but I'll stop there and wish you all a happy, fun-filled weekend!

Carrie

Reading Question Meme

I saw this one over at Stray Thoughts and figured since it had been awhile since I had done anything like this, I'd give it a go today! (It was originally posted as part of Booking Through Thursday but I haven't done that in awhile either! The original meme is quite long and I've shortened it even more!)

What are you reading right now?

Loved By Choice: True Stories That Celebrate Adoption which I picked up at our local bookstore. This book is awesome! You hear so many negative stories and situations surrounding the idea of adoption - it's a good idea to immerse one's self in the positive aspect as well. Because adoption IS a positive thing.

Do you have an e-reader?

Guffaw! NO! Nor will I ever likely have one. I'm an old fashioned kinda gal who likes her books in her hands, thanks.


Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

Well. I PREFER one at a time. However, curiosity has been getting the better of me and I've been working my way through a couple at the same time. I finally gave in and have been keeping one book in the bathroom. (I've previously never understood the books in the bathroom thing until I had kids.)

Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Yes. In some ways the changes have been good, and in other ways not so much. I'm really starting to tighten the belt on review copies, for example, because they are dictating too much of what I read and when and that becomes tiresome. Reading should always be a joy and it's something I absolutely LOVE to do! I want to keep it that way. So I'm taking fewer review copies and reading what I want to read and when again. It's quite lovely, actually!

How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

Rarely. Having children + being a stay at home mom = not very much reading time. Must be choosy! I want to read what I like!

What is your reading comfort zone?

Historical fiction, general (clean, clean) fiction, humor, Middle Grade fiction, and anything by Lucy Maud Montgomery and C.S. Lewis (as you all are well aware!)

Favorite place to read?

On the couch, during naptime.

What is your policy on book lending?

Well. I used to have more of an open door policy until I realized that people don't care about my books as much as I do. Either they come back damaged or they do not come back at all! Hence, I really don't loan books anymore. I either GIVE a book away (so I don't have to think about it anymore) or I just make a recommendation to another person and encourage them to buy it for themselves. But loaning is no longer a possibility which is unfortunate.

Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

NO!

What makes you love a book?

I love a book that challenges me to grow spiritually. I love a book that has a good, strong character that I can identify with and find humor in. I love well-written passages that express my own feelings or opinions on a subject matter.

What will inspire you to recommend a book?

See answers to the last question.

Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

Biographies. But that's only because any GOOD biography is going to be a long one and so I have to allocate time for it and time is something I'm generally lacking in.

Favorite biography?

Oh goodness. Hmm. I don't know if I have a favorite biography. Each one is really interesting to me in different ways and for different reasons. I liked Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis, by George Sayer and I also really enjoyed Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxes which was the most recent bio that I read. (You can click on those links to read my reviews if you care to.)

Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

This is another hard one. I think I"m going to go with Swindoll's Great Lives Series which I've been plucking away at this year. They are each fantastic but so far Elijah has been the most surprising to me.

How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

Ah, here's an interesting question. My typical practice is NOT to give a negative review. But that's fairly easy to avoid anyway because I've grown extra choosy about the books I accept for review.

But here's the thing - the only reason I pretty much avoid negative reviews is because authors have a tendency to hunt down reviews for their books. (Pet Peeve.) I rather wish they wouldn't do that because they take offense if you don't like their book. (And I typically wish that they wouldn't leave a comment even if they DO like your review.)

That said, I WILL write up a negative review if any of the following conditions are met:

a.) I think the book could stand an online critique;
b.) I purchased the book myself (or borrowed it from the library) so that I could feel free to speak my mind about it;
c.) I think the book had great potential but somehow fell flat and I can give it a "pro/con" review.

Otherwise, I pretty much stick to books that I really like or got something out of.

Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?

The Faerie Queen, by Edmund Spenser. My friend Canaid at Dwell in Possibility finished it and wrote up a fantastic (and funny, I thought!) review. If you get a chance, you should click over and read her thoughts!

Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

Hmmm....probably anything by Dickens that isn't A Christmas Carol.

Favorite fictional character?

Anne of Green Gables. Are you surprised?

The longest I’ve gone without reading.

Maybe a week. But I get grouchy if I haven't read anything. As Jonathan. Books are like food. Must eat. Must read.

What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

Nothing much. Like I said, I usually read during naptime and the house is quiet and I don't check e-mails or answer phones so....I get a good hour or so in.

Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Anne of Green Gables because the first film followed the books well.

Most disappointing film adaptation?

I think I should substitute the word "disappointing" for "enraging." In which case, that would be Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story. I refer to it as Anne Heresy.

What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Bad language or intimate scenes which are too descriptive.

Do you like to keep your books organized?

Yes. But I reckon that my system doesn't really make sense to anyone else checking it out. I know where everything is and why it's there.

Thanks, Barbara, for the fun of the meme!

Author Highlight: Harper Lee

I finally got around to reading To Kill a Mockingbird thanks to Amy (from Hope is in the Word) deciding to host a To Kill a Mockingbird Reading Challenge during the month of August. She has invited us to read the book, share our thoughts, and link our posts up at the conclusion of the challenge. There's still a few days left in August if you want to hop on in.

But what's left to be said about To Kill a Mockingbird that has not already been said? I can't really review the book. I'm not even going to try. Instead, I figured I would just look up some information and find out more about the author of the book, Harper Lee.

Here are some facts I discovered:

* She was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama.

* She was the youngest of four children.

* Her father was an attorney who served on the Alabama State Legislature. (1926 to 1938)

* Harper Lee was a tomboy and many people have said that the role of Scout was autobiographical - although Ms. Lee downplays that observation herself.

* She has never married.

* After college she lived a frugal life, taking care of her father and writing several longer stories.

* In December 1956, friends Michael Brown and Joy Williams Brown gave her the gift of a year's wages and told her to take off from work and write whatever she wanted to write. By the end of 1957, she had completed writing the draft of To Kill a Mockingbird.

* In July of 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird had been published, hit the bookshelves, and became an instant best seller.

* In 1962, To Kill a Mockingbird was turned into a screen play starring the likes of Gregory Peck. Harper Lee said of the screenplay: "I think it is one of the best translations of a book to film ever made."

* She became friends with Gregory Peck and his family and is, in fact, still friends with his grandsons today. One of Peck's grandson's is, in fact, named after this famous writer. His name is Harper Peck Voll.

* Harper Lee has declined interviews and has not published any additional stories.

* Lee has worked on two additional manuscripts, although she left both unfinished, not having been satisfied with them. She worked on one novel entitled The Long Goodbye (left unfinished) and in the 1980's she worked on a true crime piece but set it aside also.

* In 1987, Christopher Sergel adapted the book into a play which was produced in England in 1987.

* On May 7, 2006, Lee wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey that Oprah published in her magazine. In this letter Lee makes the following statement (which I find rather amusing!): "Now, 75 years later in an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods and minds like empty rooms, I still plod along with books." (Amen, Lee! Amen!)

* On May 5, 1997, President George W. Bush presented Ms. Lee with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is "the highest civilian award in the United States and recognizes individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

Here is a list of Ms. Lee's writings:

• Lee, Harper (1960) To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: J. B. Lippincott.
• Lee, Harper (1961) "Love — In Other Words". Vogue Magazine.
• Lee, Harper (1961) "Christmas to Me". McCall's Magazine.
• Lee, Harper (1965) "When Children Discover America". McCall's Magazine.

* To Kill a Mockingbird has never been out of print.

Thanks, Amy, for hosting the To Kill a Mockingbird Challenge and for motivating me to finally read it! I absolutely LOVED it and also enjoyed finding about a little bit more about Ms. Lee.


Given the fact that this is also a classic, I'll also be linking it up to the Classics Bookclub this coming Tuesday over at 5 Minutes for Books.

What's on Your Nightstand

This particular carnival always seems to say to me, "Ready or NOT! Here I COME!" And so we are looking at another round of books which are on my Nightstand and may or may not still be around next month! We'll see.

Last month I said I was going to relaunch myself into the Betsy-Tacy books again in anticipation of Sarah's (Library Hospital) Maud Hart Lovelace Challenge. (The challenge begins in October so there's plenty of time to read and plan to participate in that!) I DID read Heaven to Betsy and Betsy in Spite of Herself just this past week and I'll have something popping up about that in the next week or so.

I also said I was going to read To Kill a Mockingbird (for the first time!) as part of the To Kill a Mockingbird Challenge hosted by Amy at Hope is in the Word. I did that also, and will share my thoughts on that later this week. (It won't really be a REVIEW, per se, because what can be said?!)

As for what I'm hoping and planning to get to during the month of September?




I'm pretty excited about all of these. I am looking forward to The Faithful Parent, by Martha Peace.

I'll be reading Miracles on Maple Hill for the Children's Classic Carnival at 5 Minutes for Books in September.

And, of course, I'm very eager to dive into The Eyre Affair as its been on my TBR list for awhile!

I anticipate September being a very fun reading month. But then again, I anticipate every month being a very fun reading month. I'm probably most excited about this fall though as, seeing that we're nearing the end of the year. As is typical, I find myself having the same attitude towards only wanting to read fun and enjoyable books that really grab and speak to me. At the beginning of the year I feel like I have all the time in the world to read and will pick up almost anything. However, the further in we get (September!? Really!?) I become much, much more choosy.

The thing is - that I always LOVE the fall so much that I'm starting to wonder if I'm wasting a bit of reading time with things that I don't truly care about during the early part of the year. It's not that I've really disliked anything that I've read in 2010. But reading time is so valuable and ...anyway...just thinking about 2011 and thinking I might make a few changes in the way I approach books in general.

But before I get too serious- I have a birthday coming up that must be celebrated book bloggy style so stay tuned for that. (Because books + blogging + birthdays = a little more fun than usual.)

In the meantime, looking forward to a glorious reading fall! How 'bout you? I LOVE this carnival and I'm antsy to poke around your Nightstands and discover what is on them!

The Breaking of Eggs (giveaway!)

I'm not totally sure what to say about this one. I finished reading The Breaking of Eggs and sat on it for a bit before starting this review. And still, I'm not sure.

The first half of the book I adored. Because it's all about thoughts and ideas, politics and history. The second half of the book I was wishing away as I read along. The second half of the book is all about emotions and feelings and relationships gone right/wrong (depending on who you ask.) Then I came to the end of the book the author made the point of his main character having gone through a transformation - as a thought-loving communist to an emotional, tender-hearted leftist who truly loved. (I confess I liked him better when he was a dismissive communist. Then I could avoid the inappropriate relationships that abounded in the second half of the book!)

This book tells the story of Feliks Zhukovski, a Polish communist/leftist, who moved and "lived" in Paris. The story is set in 1991, after the fall of communism and Feliks is left grasping at the straws of broken ideas. The Berlin Wall has come crashing down and, along with it, come Felik's false interpretations of what his past history truly is.

Author Jim Powell writes beautifully and thoughtfully. I completely enjoyed reading this story. (Although I must say that sometimes I thought he went on a bit too long, stretching the description out a bit too far. Occasionally.) I related to his descriptions. For example, the way he described New York fit it to a T (in my humble opinion):

"No one did anything at a measured pace in New York. It was at double time, like one of those speeded-up old films. It seemed so frenetic. I found myself exhausted just watching it. I could see no way I could live life that way myself or would want to." (page 59-60)

Or the truths Powell writes about when it comes to life in general (although he was writing about politics specifically):

"Another possibility was a military takeover. There were plenty of people longing for de Gaulle to impose a dictatorship, if only to prevent the communists from doing so, as I'm sure you will remember. That's the trouble with times like that. When you have a threat from one extreme, people run to the other extreme to prevent it. It doesn't matter which extreme is the devil and which is the savior. What matters is that the center collapses. Everything reasonable goes straight out the window." (page 136)

And could it be possible for me to identify any more with Felik's love of rules and regulations?! I think not.

"I liked those rules. Principles needed to be set out clearly, with no deviation. I liked the lines that rules created. I liked the boxes you could make from the lines, the compartments you could form. I liked the barriers and partitions that sprang from them, the bulwarks and groynes of clarity. To me these things symbolized order. They laid life out in a logical way. They prevented error. They precluded chaos. I did not like the chaos. I wanted to know where I stood." (page 295-295)

(My friend J suggested that I have this quote sewn onto a cushion somewhere. It's so me. I definitely like knowing where I stand!)

I think that last paragraph is actually a perfect example of the writing you will find in this book. It offers a perfect description of a feeling, but it can also go on a tad bit. Parts of the book made me think of Marilyn Robinson in its style.

As a basic summary of the story itself, it is the realization of Feliks that life is not all that he thought it might have been, is everything that it is, and is incredibly unpredictable. It's a comparison between communism and capitalism and the exposure of the evilness of Stalin. Still, it is about valuing the things that you like about yourself and affirming the good in life that you see. While Powell goes along in this story/lesson though, he is also tossing out some foul language and there is a great deal of flippancy towards the sacredness of the marriage relationship, if you catch my drift.

Ultimately, I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I loved it for the thoughtful prose and rich European History. I hated it for the foul language scattered about and inappropriate relationships. So, I'm left not knowing whether to recommend it or not. I can tell you that I had a hard time putting it down. The first half was so solid and enjoyable that I simply had to finish it. I cared about Feliks specifically and the story generally. As a modern novel - a piece of historical fiction - I think it's pretty good. (Perhaps I should say that it's cleaner than I expected but more sordid than I particularly wished!)

I leave it to you.

I DO have a copy of The Breaking of Eggs to giveaway if you think you might be interested in this read. How to win? Simply leave a comment below. As a fun twist - if your father or grandfather fought in World War II, leave a second comment for a second entry!

This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Tuesday, August 31st.

"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs." - The Apologists of Josef Stalin

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

Friday Five Favs

It's been a little while since I've participated in the Friday Five Favs. It was a little thing called "summer" and "wedding season" and life got a little overly busy. I know everyone has been experiencing summer busyness but now that we're near (gasp) fall things are slowing down and we are starting to relax around these parts again.

So, here I am! Back for the FFF!

I wish I had some personal pictures this week but we're getting caught up with a great deal of photo editing of late. Pictures will come later. (*updated with one photo)

#1 - I am grateful for a one-week getaway with my husband. That's right! A friend made it possible to hightail it out of town. But not anywhere local. Nope, we were allowed to travel all the way across the country to Washington D.C.! We got back this past weekend and hit the ground running again but a week away was such a treat!

#2 - I am grateful that our children missed us and were happy to see us upon our return. (That's nice because we missed them and were, likewise, happy to see them!) I asked Bookworm1 who he most enjoyed being with while we were gone and he replied, "Well. I really like being with YOU!"

So, of course, he scored lots of brownie points with mommy. Bookworm2 scored points by showing us his dimples for a good long while when he saw us back at home.

#3 - While in D.C. I got to see a former roommate of mine and I got to meet her husband and her adorable little baby! THAT was SO COOL! We even got to do a bridal shoot with her and you can see those pictures HERE if you like.



#4 - I "met" Winston Churchill. What's that? Come back next week. I'll have a picture by then, I'm pretty sure. Let's just say it was exciting. ;)

#5 - My best friend from law school GOT MARRIED (which is what prompted the whole trip in the first place!) She married an AWESOME guy who we really like. So now we not only have an adopted aunt, but she's given us an adopted uncle and it's all smiles around these parts! I was so happy to be able to witness her joy as she married the man she has fallen in love with. It was just a fantastic ceremony and they were surrounded by such happy friends and family. Joy, joy, joy -- all around!

I could say a million wonderful things about the trip - and I WILL say more in the future. But for now, it is so good to be home because this is exactly where we belong - with two little boys who want and need us and give us dimpled smiles. What could be better than being home? It's nice to get away sometimes, if only to remember this.

But I have to close in song and I'm going to go slightly off topic. I read Mary Beth Chapman's Choosing to SEE this past week (click on the title to read my review) and I didn't realize that their son, Caleb Chapman, has started his own band with brother Will & some friends. So I checked out his sound and came across this song which I adore. Bookworm2 also really likes it. He's watched the video with me more than once and we "drum" together while listening. It's kinda loud - but the message? Spot on. Enjoy!



Happy Weekend everyone!

Carrie

This Time Together, by Carol Burnett

Fun. Funny. An enjoyable reading experience. (Definitely something that I kinda wanted to read on the tails of yesterday's book! I needed something lighter! It was the perfect follow up.)

These words sum up my feelings about This Time Together, by Carol Burnett.

Now, I have to confess that my exposure to Carol Burnett is limited. I've seen bits and pieces of comedy sketches she has done. My most vivid memory of her is as Miss Hannigan in the movie Annie. She is always spoken so highly of though, and seems to have made the whole world laugh at various points in time that I was very curious to read this book.

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection is a quick and easy read. The book is a collection of short stories based on Q&A sessions that she has hosted with studio and theater audiences around the country. For anyone familiar with the Carol Burnett Show, she would host Q&A's to warm her audience up and get them ready for the show. Essentially, this book reads as a series of short stories that she would give in answer to people's questions regarding her early career, interactions with other television and movie stars, etc.

I so enjoyed hearing about her relationship Jim Nabors (aka Gomer Pyle), CARY GRANT (my personal favorite), Lucy (of the I Love fame) and many, many others. I laughed over her interchanges with fans and got a kick out of hearing some of her early New York experiences. Carol Burnett has a way of telling a good story and getting a laugh. I've come to realize this through reading this book and have since parked myself in front of Youtube watching various Carol Burnett Show clips. And it's FUNNY! But then, I don't really need to tell that to any long time fan of Carol Burnett!

Most Hollywood memoirs (especially those published more recently) are distasteful and I leave them feeling like I learned more than I wanted to. Not so with Carol Burnett! I thought she was (mostly - as in 95% of the time!) tasteful and simply humorous. Burnett did write a book called One More Time that is memoir about growing up in a "dysfunctional but loving family." This Time Together isn't a life story, so I think it stays light, fluffy and, well, funny. She writes in the introduction:

"This time I'm emphasizing episodes and anecdotes that have brought me to the present time, although I've also included a few stories from childhood that bear repeating.
Originally I began writing this book as a simple series of anecdotes, but as I got into it I found that I went into more detail than I usually do onstage." (Introduction, page 2)

If you like Carol Burnett and her sense of humor, then I can't think as to why you wouldn't like this book. I'm glad to have read it as it made me more interesting in learning more about her. She's not just Miss Hannigan. She's that and so much more!

I keep using this word - but thanks to The Crown Publishing Group for the FUN of this read - for keeping it clean and for making me laugh!

Choosing to SEE, by Mary Beth Chapman

This was on my Amazon wishlist. Choosing to SEE's official "due date" is September 1st and I made it very clear to my loving husband that I fully expected to be receiving this book on my upcoming birthday. I e-mailed people about it. I was HYPED to hear of it's upcoming release!

THEN, a few weeks ago, I was tipped off to the fact that CBD was selling and shipping the book. In August. WHAT?! Hastily I placed my order and then promptly left town, knowing that the book would arrive in my absence. (More about my trip out of town on Friday!) I arrived home this past Sunday and ripped open the CBD box which contained this treasure. On Monday I read the book in its entirety.

Not only did I read Choosing to SEE, but I actually hauled myself out of bed at 6 a.m. to guarantee the fact that I would be able to read for at least one solid hour before my children woke up.

It's no secret around these parts that I am a huge Steven Curtis Chapman fan. I remember driving in the car and hearing the radio announcement that the Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria, had been struck by a car their son Will was driving, and had died. It's a tragic story with a great deal of beauty attached to it. So I was quite eager to hear from Mary Beth on the topic. This book is her story.

And I'm extremely biased from the get-go and so it's almost pathetic for me to write up a review. Suffice it to say, that certain aspects of the book kinda grated on my nerves but, on the whole, this is a family that I deeply admire and so I'm not going to say anything bad about this read. I think it's fantastic and remarkable in so many ways. I would have written it a little differently in parts, but it's honest and its Mary Beth and, as far as a reader can tell, gives an accurate picture of who she is.

Mary Beth Chapman is very different in personality from her husband - and totally not afraid to say so. This definitely reads like an honest account of her life. There are moments where I was laughing outloud (and Jonathan would ask me what was so funny) and times when I never left the company of my tissue box. I laughed, I cried, I listened to Beauty Will Rise and grieved all over again. Not just for them - but I grieved the pain of life in general.

Still, I got to the final track on SCC's Beauty Will Rise CD and was reminded with great hope and anticipation that beauty will rise. I believe that to be the point of the message contained in Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope - that life is hard but God is good. Spring follows winter. We might not get over particular pains, but God can move us through the pain. She used a quote by C.S. Lewis twice in this book that I found particular powerful (as I frequently find Lewis to be!):

"We're not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be." ~ C.S. Lewis

I think that's very true. God is sovereign and He works for our good and for our glory. But in submitting to Him, we also submit ourselves to hard things. It leaves us with hard questions, and sometimes not very many (if any) answers. That's the point of Mary Beth's book here. It's to say that Christians will suffer pain and hardship - but God is still good. All of the time, He is still good. We may not have all the answers and we may not be able to see the big picture of what He is doing - but He is good. And He doesn't make mistakes.

I really liked this book. But then, you can hardly expect me to say anything less than that so I can't really expect you to take this as a blanket statement to rush out and grab yourself a copy. Of course, I would hope that you would do so but at the same time - I have to acknowledge that I value the book because of the connection I have with SCC's music ministry and with the message that the Chapmans have been collectively sharing since May 21, 2008 when their daughter Maria entered Heaven.

It's a powerful book and heartrendingly beautiful. At times, it is hilarious as well. In my case, it's a "must read." (Come on, let's face it. I doubt I'll be rising with the birds at any other time to read a book!) Totally worth it as an honorable and insightful read with a positive message attached. Just keep some Kleenex handy and you'll be fine! I promise!

Kids' Picks: Dragons and Mice

We've been doing a lot with our library lately and just returned home with another stack of books yesterday. (There are books littering the floor of our home. Literally. I'm trying to sift through books as quickly as possible because I think books are what is making our house messy at the moment!! Is that a bad thing? You tell me.)

One book on the living room table is a new one from WaterBrook Multnomah Press entitled The Dragon and the Turtle.



I pulled this one out to read with Bookworm1 (age 3 1/2) and it received an instant request for a re-read. (We've read it quite a bit, actually!)

This tells the story of Padraig the Dragon who befriends Roger, the lost turtle. Roger has lost his home while out on a pirating expedition. Padraig befriends him and helps search out and find Roger's home by flying over the island. He is on the look out for a brown home that sounds like singing, smells like cookies, and tastes like strawberries (from the bushes out front.) The key verse surrounding this book is Proverbs 17:17 which says, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." There is a small study guide after the story which prompts children to think about what it means to be friendly and helpful towards other people.

The illustrations by Vincent Nguyan are perfect for the story. He gives the dragon a friendly look and feel, making both Padraig and Roger look like baby versions of the animals. This is appealing to my three year old who has recently dubbed all baby animals as being "so cute." At the very end of the book there is also a recipe for Chocolate Chip Snappers for anyone interested in a chocolate fix!

Thanks, WaterBrook for the opportunity to check out this new book!

Next up!

Some time back I said that I was going to talk about Christopher Churchmouse and I haven't gotten around to it quite yet.


A few years ago I stumbled across a copy of The Christopher Churchmouse Treasury and snatched it right up! Growing up, Christopher Churchmouse was a bit of a celebrity in our house, given that my brother is named Christopher. Finding a cute little character to teach some moral and Biblical lessons no doubt delighted my mother to no end. I, of course, liked the name but also just enjoyed the mouse and remember reading these books with my brother when he was 4-6 years old.

I picked up this copy of the The Christopher Churchmouse Treasury and tucked it away until just recently. Figuring Bookworm1 was about ready for them, I pulled out the book and I was not at all disappointed by his reaction to the stories. The Treasury includes 6 Christopher Churchmouse stories: Rainy Day Rescue, A Load of Trouble, The Shiny Red Sled, A Flood of Friends, A Short Tail and The Tattletale Tongue. Each one focuses on a specific Bible verse and shares a lesson through the Churchmouse interactions with each other and their friends.



Written by Barbara Davoll and illustrated by Dennis Hockerman, these books originally appeared in the late 1990's. They are kind of hard to find these days, but I highly recommend them should you stumble across them. Davoll and her husband apparently have (and do?) operate a Christopher Churchmouse ministry to connect with children. You can learn more about that on their website if you'd like.

In the meantime, if you want to check out what other books are littering our floors, our tables and every chair in the house - visit Reading My Library to see what we've been hauling home recently!