Catching up with a Book Post

Well, I've missed a couple months with book posts, but I will try to catch up.  We are reading a lot lately!  Finally, for the first time since we've been married (9 years ago yesterday!) every book we own is in one house and neatly on shelves (okay, so most of the time they aren't so neatly on those shelves, but the books are here and all have a place they belong).

And there are lots I'd love to share, but a few come to mind that we've been spending a lot of time with lately.

:: Above the baby is ready Graeme Base's The Discovery of Dragons, which we've been using as a field guide on recent biking adventures!  I found it at a charity shop while looking for furniture... oh there are so many wonderful book-filled thrift stores around here, we are definitely buying more books than furniture!

:: Hank the Cowdog - We discovered these in our Texas library, which is no surprise as they are set on a Texas ranch.  Hank the Cowdog is the self proclaimed head of ranch security and there is always a case to be solved.  They are laugh out loud funny and the adults in our family enjoy reading them as much as the boys.  The audio books are also excellent with real banjo music to go with Hank's crazy songs!  These books, like so many series, aren't carefully crafted literature; but they are solidly written, full of funny jokes and wonderful stories to share.  They also have lovely values behind them.  If you like these books, you are in luck because there are sixty some of them.  Unfortunately, they aren't in the Richmond Library, but Jonah received a stack from Great-Grammie and Poppy for his birthday which have been read over a nd over.  

 :: The latest Magic Treehouse (#50!),  Hurry Up, Houdini! arrived yesterday (thanks Grandma!) and while someone in this house finished it within an couple hours of its arrival, Rowan and I didn't get to it till today, but we finished it.  He didn't really need a nap anyway and we both wanted to read the next chapter and the next... so he never did nap and we both enjoyed it.  Today, while thrifting, I found the book on on Harry Houdini from the Childhood of Famous Americans series (I enjoyed this series as a kid and have picked up quite a few used).  Finding Houdini today was timely and Jonah is enjoying it.  I may just have to get the Magic Trick Companion Book and harness this Houdini interest.

:: Gone with the Wind- this one took me a little while... but it probably should have taken me longer and I should have done a bit more laundry along the way.  But, its finished now and I've just about caught up on said laundry (I'm never really caught up... I have three small and messy boys!)  Jim and I watched the movie for the first time last weekend after I finished the book, which was fun, but I think the book is much better.  I really enjoyed the glimpse it gave into a certain portion of Southern History and am looking forward to some more southern literature.  Any suggestions?

::Richmond's Unhealed History - I'm slowly making my way through this one and so far, I'm really enjoying it.  I so desperately want to understand this city that we are growing to love.  We long to serve and be truly present in this place, but there is a lot to learn along the way.

We'll leave it at that.  What are you reading these days?