2018 Reading Goals

Over the last several months, I've been collecting and rejecting and deciding between and whittling down my list of reading goals for 2018. But I think I'm finally there. And I'm excited. This is going to be a good reading year.

But first, just a couple of goal/blog-related notes. I did make a numbers goal this year, but mostly just because I like to watch the tracker tick up on Goodreads. I went with 52 books because it was a good middle-of-the-road number. It's not so intense that I'll feel like I can't do anything else except read, but it also won't let me be lazy.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that I'm changing the way I do book reviews this year. I'm planning to do monthly recap posts, similar to Suzanne's, rather than full reviews. When I started this blog, it was because I had so much to say after finishing a book, and I needed a place to get it all out. But lately, writing reviews has felt more like something I have to do rather than something I get to do. And for something that's a hobby, that seems silly. So I'm going to keep my thoughts short and only write longer posts when I feel compelled to do so--like in the old days.

And now, let's get to those aforementioned goals:

1. Read the 2018 Newbery winner
I made this same goal last year (but with the 2017 winner, of course). I loved the suspense element of it--making the goal and not even knowing for several weeks which book I was going to be reading. This year, the ALA awards will be announced on February 12th. I was not good about reading new releases last year, and so I don't think there's any chance I've already read the winner (unless it's a picture book, like it was in 2016, in which case I'll read one of the honors).

2. Read A Rambler Steals Home and Zinnia and the Bees
This probably seems like a somewhat randomly specific goal, and I guess it is, but I have my reasons. Two of my Instagram acquaintances (Carter Higgins and Danielle Davis) had middle grade books come out last year (hint: those two, up there). All last year, I wanted to read them, but I didn't make the time, so I'm prioritizing them this year. (Plus, Zinnia and the Bees is about knitting and yarn bombing, so I pretty much already love it.)

3. Read something by Virginia Woolf
I've never read anything by her, and, I'll admit, this seems like a terrible oversight on my part. I know everyone reads A Room of One's Own, but recently, I heard a guest on What Should I Read Next talk about To the Lighthouse, and it piqued my interest. Then, a few weeks later, on another podcast, the guest mentioned writing her dissertation about knitting in literature (yes, really), and she mentioned that most of her dissertation focused on To the Lighthouse, so I'm guessing knitting must play a little role in the story, and, of course, that intrigues me, too.

4. Read three older (pre-1970) young adult novels
I'm still on the hunt for clean, endearing, well-written YA novels, but this year I've decided to narrow my focus a bit. I remember a lot of the YA novels I loved as a teenager were written well before my birth, but instead of not being able to relate to them, I loved them all the more for their old-fashioned charm. For this goal, I may revisit some of those favorites (ones like Fifteen by Beverly Cleary, Pick a New Dream by Lenora Mattingly Weber, or Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace) or I may try some new-to-me titles. You all had so many YA recommendations last year, so I'm hoping you can think of some good ones that were written before 1970 to recommend to me this year!

5. Read the three books I recommended for book club this year
In my book club, we focus on a different genre each month (January is Adult Fiction, February is Love/Relationships, March is Memoir, etc.). A few weeks before the new year, the months get divided up between the members. Then we all meet together, and each person brings three possible titles for her month. She shares a brief summary of each one, and then we vote for which one we want to read as a group. This year, I signed up for September, which is non-fiction. The three titles I recommended were Dead Wake: the Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson, Walkable City by Jeff Speck, and The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin. The Four Tendencies won the book club vote, so that's what we'll be reading, but I'm dying to read the other two as well, so I'm going to do it.

6. Read a classic I own
I mentioned this goal in the most recent episode of The Book Blab. I've been collecting the Penguin clothbound hardcovers because they're just so gorgeous, and I love the way they look on my shelf. However, I'm a firm believer that the books in my home should be ones I have read and, for the most part, loved (and a pretty edition is a great reason to love a book). Right now, I have three books in this collection that I've never read: Villette, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and Wuthering Heights (all Bronte sisters classics). I want to read at least one of them this year (or maybe all three, but I'm trying to be realistic). At this point, I'm leaning towards Wuthering Heights even though I probably won't like it, but it's so well known that I'd at least like to have my own opinion of it when other readers are talking about it.

7. Read three books from Honey for a Child's Heart
After I read Honey for a Child's Heart a couple of years ago, I got my own copy because I wanted to use it for a reference. And how many times since then have I flipped through it for ideas for reading material for my kids? Maybe once. But I still believe that it's a great resource, so this year, I'm going to consult it and choose three books to read from it--either as readalouds to my kids or as books I'll read along with them.

8. Read Simplicity Parenting or No-Drama Discipline
These are two parenting books I've been wanting to read, and I think it's good for me to read at least one parenting book every year. If any of you have read either of these and have an opinion to share, please do so. Or if you know of a different parenting book I should read instead, tell me. I could be persuaded to alter this goal.

9. Read a book by Clara Parkes
I don't expect most people who read this blog to know who Clara Parkes is. She writes knitting books. But she's rather unique in her writing because, unlike most books about knitting, her books are not full of patterns but are rather in-depth views of different aspects of the craft: things like wool or yarn or what knitting looks like all over the world. But the books I'm probably most interested in are the ones filled with her personal thoughts on knitting and the impact knitting has had on her life. This will be one of my fun goals, one where I combine two of my favorite things: reading and knitting.

10. Read snippets from my favorite books on at least one Sunday each month
I'm pretty picky with the books I choose to own, and so most of the books on my shelves are ones I truly love and want to reread. However, sometimes it can feel like a big time commitment to reread an entire book when there are so many books I haven't read yet. But no one is forcing me to reread the whole book. I can just pick one up and start anywhere and stop anywhere and skip around. That's the beauty of reading something I've already read. And so this year, I'm going to do just that: fiction, nonfiction, old, new, I'm going to pick up the books I love and spend some non-structured time in them. And I think I'm going to love it.

This might just be my favorite list of goals yet. I can't wait to get started (and since January is almost over, I can't afford to wait any longer). Which goals should I tackle first?

Summer Goals for Kids: 2017 Edition

We're a month into summer, which means our summer goals are well underway. Everyone has a different way of achieving the balance between structure and flexibility during the summer months, and the way I do it is with summer goals. This is our fourth summer setting goals, and I relish this time to teach and mentor my kids and encourage them to stretch themselves in new ways.

I first wrote about our summer goals in this post in 2014. Although the goals have changed each year, the process has stayed very much the same. I'll do a brief recap here, but I'd invite you to go back to that post if you want more information.

As the end of the school year approached, we sat down as a family and decided what things we wanted to work on over the summer (don't worry, I came with a pre-made list of ideas to try to sell to them). We like to set a variety of goals that fit into three overarching categories: educational, practical, and fun. If reasonable progress is achieved, we reward ourselves with a fun activity or treat at the end of each month (past rewards have included miniature golfing, snow cones, an IMAX show, a camping trip, etc.).

I thought I'd share the goals for each child and any specific thoughts on how they're going now that we've been working on them for a month. Some of the goals overlap between kids, while some are specific to them individually. I should also mention that we measure progress on these goals in a variety of ways; some of them are a "do it once, check it off" type of goal; others are more of the slow and steady variety. For example, I've learned from past years that setting a goal like, "Complete 4th grade math book" is just too much for only three months of summer, so now we might still have a 4th grade math book goal, but it is more about weekly progress instead of cramming to finish the whole thing.  (Goals from past summers: 2014 - 2015 - 2016)

Aaron, age 8 (almost 9)

• Practical
• Clean bathroom (this includes cleaning the counters and sink, the mirror, the toilet, the floor, etc.)
• Sort, wash, fold, hang, dry laundry (this, along with cleaning the bathroom, make up his daily chores)
• Chop fruits and vegetables
• Improve backstroke
• Educational
• Memorize six paragraphs of The Living Christ (this is a family goal, and, sadly, we're already behind on it)
• Finish Piano Adventures Level 3A
• Work on Khan Academy (this is a math curriculum on the computer that both teaches and tests, and I like it because it sees what they know and then goes from there)
• Coding (this was Mike's goal for them, and I believe he's using Scratch to help teach them)
• Work on creative writing (I'm using this book for him, and I like it so far)
• Learn U.S. capitols
•  Fun
• Learn three magic tricks (he'll use this book for ideas) 
• Hike Mt. Wire and Mt. Grandeur
• Complete four projects from Awesome Lego Creations (he got this book for Christmas, but I noticed that he never made anything out of it, and I thought he would like it if he actually gave it a try)
• Take stuff apart with Dad (when Mike was a kid, he loved to buy things at the thrift store and then take them apart to figure out how they worked; this is Mike's way of reliving his childhood while passing along some skills at the same time)

Maxwell, age 7

• Practical
• Wash dishes/utensils (a daily chore--he washes the breakfast dishes, and I think our immune systems are all being bolstered in the process)
• Learn to tie shoes (this is the third year this has been one of his goals--hopefully he'll master it this time)
• Weed garden and flower beds (another daily chore)
• Improve side breaths
• Follow a recipe (my favorite food blogger, Mel, is doing a Cooking with Kids video once a week(ish), and we've been following along with that)
• Educational
• Memorize six paragraphs of The Living Christ 
• Memorize multiplication tables
• Finish Piano Adventures Level 1
• Work on creative writing (I'm using this book for him) 
• Coding
• Learn 50 states
• Fun
• Learn three magic tricks (using the same book as Aaron) 
• Do three science projects from Zap! Science (we've had this book for a couple of years and never done anything with it, so hopefully this will provide some motivation)
• Hike Mt. Wire and Mt. Grandeur
• Take stuff apart with Dad

Bradley, age 5.5

• Practical
• Make sandwiches/lunches (it took a little effort to teach him, but now he does it pretty much on his own, and it's so nice to be able to grab the lunchboxes when we go to the pool)
• Learn to tie shoes (we'll see if we have better luck with him . . . )
• Improve freestyle/side breaths
• Wipe down kitchen table and sweep (one of his daily chores)
• Educational
• Memorize six paragraphs of The Living Christ
• Work on 1st grade workbook (he doesn't have to finish the whole thing, but he's supposed to do a few pages in it every week)
• Write in journal (he tells me what he wants to say, I write it down, and then he copies it into his journal)
• Learn 50 states
• Fun
• Hike Mt. Grandeur and Mt. Wire
• Complete three projects from Awesome Lego Creations (Aaron and Bradley are currently sorting all the Legos by color to facilitate this goal. Related: we have way too many Legos)
• Walk to the library (we live very close to the library, but we rarely walk, and he always asks to do it, so this was his own idea for a goal)
• Walk to Sonja's house (Sonja is his aunt who lives a five-minute drive away--he's never walked there before, and I think he wants to see how long it would take)
• Take stuff apart with Dad

Clark, age 3 (this is Clark's first year of summer goals)

• Practical
• Make bed
• Pick up toys
• Learn to use the toilet 
• Educational 
• Learn the letters of the alphabet (all of my other kids knew their letters by this age, and Clark has about zero interest in it) 
• Learn shapes
• Learn how to write name
• Fun
• Put together a 24-piece puzzle

And that's it! As for my summer goals, well, just helping four kids complete their summer goals feels like a big enough goal to me. :-)

How do YOU achieve the balance between structure and flexibility during the summer months?

Summer Goals For Kids: 2016 Edition

Some moms like to fill their summer days with vacations or day trips or play dates. I like to fill ours with the pool, reading, and . . . summer goals!

For the past year, I've been keeping a running list of possibilities, and two days after school got out, we sat down as a family and made everything official.

I gave my suggestions and the boys gave theirs. Mike mostly nodded his head and said everything sounded good (although he did come up with one goal, which I'll talk about in a minute).

As in years past, we made goals that were practical, educational, and fun. We tried to keep the list to a manageable size, but it was hard because there were so many contenders, and I think we (read: I) may have gotten a little overly ambitious. We'll see . . .

Here are the boys' goals for 2016, broken down by category:

Aaron, age 7 (almost 8)

• Practical
• Wash dishes and utensils [This is his daily chore. He's rockin' it, and it's such a help to me!]
• Memorize Dad's phone number [We realized none of the kids knew it! Ooops.]
• Make macaroni from a box
• Follow six recipes
• Educational
• Finish seven units in piano 
• Complete 4th grade math book [This is one of the overly ambitious goals. We may need to cut it down to size a bit.]
• Memorize four poems and four scriptures
• Learn U.S. capitols
• Read Mathematicians are People, Too [We actually have an entire subset of reading goals, but I'll talk about them in a separate post.]
• 10 minutes of scripture reading every day
• Fun
• Kick a soccer ball farther
• Run a mile and improve time
• Art Fraud Detective [I'm going to have to write more about this fun book that introduces kids to famous pieces of art. My boys are loving it.] 
• Create a comic strip [Gotta put all that Calvin and Hobbes reading to creative use!]
• Catch a fish [This was Mike's contribution. I thought he should go for something more attainable, like, "Go fishing," but he'd never caught a fish before in his life, and so he was bound and determined to do it with his kids.]
• Three family hikes 

Maxwell, age 6 (some of his goals are the same as Aaron's, some are different)

• Practical
• Memorize Dad's phone number
• Make sandwiches/lunches [I'm keeping up with my daily lunch-making routine over the summer, and Max is helping me. For some reason, he loves this goal.]
• Fold laundry [I don't know if the daily battle is worth it with this one. I hope so, but it is a battle, and it does happen every day.]
• Educational
• Finish seven units in piano
• Memorize four poems and four scriptures
• Complete 1st grade spelling workbook
• Read Mathematicians are People, Too
• Learn the names of all 50 states
• Learn to tell time
• Fun
• Kick soccer ball farther
• Swim across the deep end of the pool
• Build something out of wood [This one was totally his idea, and he was very insistent about it. I'm letting Mike take the lead.]
• Create a comic strip
• Catch a fish
• Three family hikes

Bradley, age 4.5 (you'll see some duplicate goals with him, too)

• Practical
• Memorize Dad's phone number
• Clean the bathroom counter and mirror
• Educational
• Complete My First Piano Adventure, Level A [Bradley just started piano lessons this summer. It is not unusual for new students to be enthusiastic, but Bradley takes enthusiasm to a whole new level.]
• Complete kindergarten handwriting workbook [Bradley loves workbooks. I think I'm going to have to get him another one because he's already almost done with this one.]
• Memorize four poems and four scriptures 
• Fun
• Kick a soccer ball farther
• Swim with side breaths
• Pump a swing
• Follow directions in a drawing book
• Catch a fish
• Three family hikes

At this point, I feel like I need to add a disclaimer. Helping my kids make, work on, and accomplish their summer goals is so fun for me. I am not doing it out of any sense of obligation or duty. I am doing it because it's fun. I have a Type A personality. I like structure and routine. I like making lists and checking them off. I like helping my kids learn new skills. I honestly wake up in the morning looking forward to, not dreading, making more progress on those goals. If it weren't fun for me, I wouldn't be doing it. I repeat, I would not be doing it.

But it is fun and luckily, my kids are similar enough in personality to me that they love it, too. Now that we're two weeks into summer, our days have taken on a predictable rhythm: Goals and chores; swimming; quiet time; repeat. It works for us.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the rewards for making progress on and accomplishing our goals. You have to have rewards! That's part of the fun. We'll go miniature golfing in June, we'll see an IMAX film in July, and we'll go to Timpanogos Cave in August.

You may have noticed Clark doesn't have a list. I may be overzealous, but I'm not crazy.

What are your plans for the summer? Big or small, boring or exciting, lazy or ambitious, I want to hear about them!! Also, if you have any questions about our goals, ask away! I'm happy to answer them, except for, "Are you insane?" because the answer might be yes!

2016 Reading Goals

One of my favorite things about a new year is a new set of reading goals. Some of these will look familiar as they're basically goals I've made in previous years and others are brand new and probably will be here for 2016 only. Here's what I will be working on.

1. Read a book I put on my to-read list in 2011
I'm kicking off the list with a familiar goal. In 2014, I looked at my 2009 to-read list. Last year, I gave attention to 2010. So of course now it's 2011's turn. There are some good ones that have been hanging out there for the last five years: Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George (which I might read to my kids), Mitten Strings for God by Katrina Kenison (which I think would be a perfect one to read around Mother's Day), or How Green was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn (which feels like a book I should have already read ages ago), to name a few.

2. Read a female author I've been meaning to read
There are so many authors I've had on my radar for years but haven't gotten around to trying yet. This is the year to make it a priority. I'm not putting any restrictions on genre or publishing year. They can be classic or current, high-brow or chick-lit. Some choices include Eva Ibbotson, Susanna Kearsley, and Edith Wharton.

3. Read a male author I've been meaning to read
I like to be fair. Okay, not really. But I have a handful of male authors I've been meaning to read for a long time, too, so I might as well have a reason to read at least one of them too. Same rules apply as to the goal above. I have my eye on Wallace Stegner, P.G. Wodehouse, or Ivan Doig.

4. Read (don't listen) to something by Jane Austen or Charles Dickens
This is the big one. Over the last few years, I've learned that I definitely prefer listening to classics instead of reading them. It's easier for me to get immersed in the story and not get bogged down by the dense writing. But now that I know that, it's time to push myself out of my comfort zone. I specifically chose Jane Austen or Charles Dickens because they're authors I'm already familiar with and I've been wanting read something else by them anyway. I'm a very slow reader, especially with classics, so this goal alone might take me six months to complete. I'm not joking.

5. Read six books with Aaron
When I say "with," I mean "separately but together." Last year we read Sideways Stories From Wayside School and Wayside School is Falling Down together, and it was so much fun. I like reading the same books as him because it gives me a reason to become more familiar with the literature for his age group and, more importantly, I love being able to discuss what's going on in the story with him. Mike is taking up this goal as well (although not as formally), and between the two of us, we should be able to enjoy a lot of great books with Aaron.

6. Read a book about the Olympics or an Olympic athlete
This is the wild card on the list. I have absolutely no idea what I want to read for this goal, and having really open-ended goals has not worked out for me in the past. But the Olympics are happening this year, and I love the Olympics, so I want something to help get me in the mood. Suggestions and recommendations are welcome.

7. Read another book by Louisa May Alcott
I enjoyed reading Little Men so much last year that I knew I needed to give Louisa May Alcott her own goal this year. I thought of making it a "finish a series" type of goal like I've had in the past, but I wanted to be able to branch out to Eight Cousins or something else of hers if I wanted to.

8. Read five Newbery related books
Last year I focused on past Newbery winners. That was really rewarding, and it made me read some books I'd been meaning to for a long time. But . . . it meant that I didn't give nearly as much focus as usual to trending books. Consequently, the Newbery is being announced on Monday, and I don't have a single book to root for. I'm pretty sad about that actually. This year, I'm trying to figure out how to strike a balance between past and present, and so I'm going vague. "Newbery-related" can be interpreted as a past winner (of the medal or an honor) or a book that has the potential to win the Newbery in 2017. I wish that I was a faster reader and could bump up that number to ten or even twenty, but I know that even five will feel like a challenge with everything else I want to read.

9. Read a verse novel or poetry collection
I'll be honest, it's kind of nice to have one goal that I can easily knock off in a day or two if I'm feeling behind. Plus, the more poetry I read, the more I love it.                                                                                                                 
10. Reread Edenbrooke and The Happiness Project
I could have just said, "Reread two books," but I'm being super specific here because these were both books I was meaning to reread last year and never got around to it. This year it will happen. Edenbrooke is purely for pleasure and The Happiness Project is to review all of the things I learned the first time and hopefully implement a few more of them.

In terms of quantity, this is my most ambitious list of goals so far. I'll need to read 21 books in order to complete these goals (last year, it was only 14). However, many of them can be completed with fairly quick reads, so I'm hoping it's doable (but still challenging). If you want to see some really ambitious goals, check out my friend Carrie's list.

What reading goals do you have for 2016?

8 Rules to Follow to Make Library Visits Work With Kids

Earlier this week I took all four boys to the library to pick out their final summer reading prizes (Bradley got a hardback copy of the picture book, Journey--not too shabby). Although I avoid going to the grocery store with all of them at all costs, weekly library trips are always in the schedule.

When Aaron was a baby, we were a ten-minute walk away from the library, and we went often to help break up the day. As the other boys came along, they joined in on the trips. I don't know why I made library trips with children a priority and not trips to the grocery store. Maybe I think books are more important than food . . .

For the most part, we've figured out ways to make our library visits pleasant experiences. My kids love the library. But there have been times, one of them being just three weeks ago in fact, when I have sworn off going to the library with kids ever again. Generally, however, these horrible disasters happen because, in a moment of oversight or laziness, I broke one of my own long-held rules.

Today I'm going to share those rules with you.

Rule #1: Bring a stroller

This is my #1 tip. If you have very young children, you must have a way to contain them if the going gets rough. And with four kids in tow, chances are highly likely that it will. You'll know when your kids are old enough not to need to be strapped in anymore. (But here's a general guideline: if they're at an age where you have to follow them around to make sure they don't pull every book off the shelf or just decide randomly to walk out the front doors, they still need a stroller. Clark, at 14 months, definitely needs one.) A few weeks ago, we arrived at the library, only to realize I hadn't put the stroller in the trunk. No matter, I thought, we can manage without it. Ha! Classic mom blunder right there. It was one of the worst library experiences of my life. By the end, it looked like I was stealing my own children as I dragged them screaming from the library. So learn from my mistake: bring a stroller.

Rule #2: Use the library hold system

This follows as a close second to bringing a stroller. If seventy percent of the problems at the library occur because I'm chasing down a toddler at the same time I'm trying to check out twenty-five books, the other thirty-percent occur because I lose track of my children while I'm trying to find books to take home. Make it easy on yourself: do all of the finding from the comfort of your own home. Go to your library's website, type in the titles you want, and wowza, the next time you're at the library they'll be on the shelf with your name on them. It's like magic. (Need help finding good books? Check out eight of my favorite places to go for children's book recommendations.) If all of your kids wind up quiet and occupied, and you have a moment to peruse the shelves, then consider that a happy bonus. But if not . . . you'll be thanking yourself that you can still go home with a big stack of new books.

Rule #3: Bring a Large, Sturdy Library Bag

I know. You think you can carry a small stack of books. Or that the free bag from the hospital will be big enough. I know this because I've convinced myself of it a few times, with deep regrets. Invariably, the stack grows as I'm in the library and pretty soon, books are sliding out of my hands or the seam is ripping open in my free-for-a-reason bag. A couple of years ago, I gave up (or finally wised up) and dug out my old college backpack. That thing has the capacity of a truck, and after years of heavy use carrying around too many textbooks, it can handle thirty picture books like they're cake. Week after week, we load it up, and I'm always so grateful for it.

Rule #4: Park Near the Entrance

This may seem intuitive (of course you're going to try to get as close to the entrance as possible), but I'm often tempted to park farther away just because it's easier to get a spot. However, this can make or break our library experience from the starting gate. If it's a major ordeal just to get into the library without getting run over, we're less likely to go. It's such a big deal to me that I've been known to wait just so I can get a closer parking space. At our current library, we have our favorite spot: the left-hand side of the parking lot, second car from the front. I love that spot because my kids can hop out, run over to the curb, and follow it around to the front of the building. I don't have to worry about them going behind cars that are backing up or getting lost. (And you'd be surprised how often we get that exact spot.)

Rule #5: Go to Storytime

This one isn't really a "rule." You can definitely have very successful library visits without ever stepping foot into storytime, but aside from a few months when Aaron was a toddler and the librarian running storytime read the same books and sang the same songs week after week after week, we've had great success with storytime. Not only have we learned about great new books this way (and, to be honest, we've actually found some of our favorite music albums, too), but it's an easy way to develop a good relationship with your librarian, learn to sit still and listen, and do something fun. During the school year, we go to storytime nearly every week.

Rule #6: . . . But Don't Go to Storytime If You Need to Look For Books

Storytime is fun, but after it's over? Well, the library can get a little crazy. So when we go for storytime, we generally don't try to do much else: no reading on the couch, no puzzles, no book browsing. There are just too many kids running around. If you followed the second rule and have a shelf of books waiting for you, then take a minute to check those out and then be on your way. Save the other fun library activities for another time when it is calm and quiet.

Rule #7: Set Clear Expectations

I've realized that I can avoid so many meltdowns if I just give my kids a heads up for what they can (or cannot) expect: Yes, you can help me return the books, but you must take turns. You may check out one DVD. I can read a maximum of four books today. No, we will not play on the computers. We will leave in ten minutes. A few years ago, one of the libraries we went to had a button to push if you wanted the door to open by itself. My kids loved to be the one to push that button. Consequently, they fought over it. Every single time. I don't know if there's anything so embarrassing as the library door automatically opening to the sounds of screaming, crying children. So we made the button off-limits. And I reminded them of that rule every time we went before we got out of the car. Once they knew what I expected, they were able to walk right past the tempting button without giving it a second glance.

Rule #8: Leave Enough Time For Reading/Playing

When I take all my kids to the library, it is an event. There are no quick trips in and out. Those are for the times when I'm by myself. We always plan to stay awhile. And they have their little routines. First they like to spend a few minutes choosing a new DVD to check out. Then they separate: Aaron goes to the craft section, and I don't see him again until it's time to check out. Maxwell goes to the early chapter book section to find a few new books to read. Bradley goes to the children's section and puts together a few puzzles. Sometimes I get a few minutes to check out the new arrivals section. Then Bradley wants me to read a few books to him. Max sometimes listens too. Clark wanders around. Then I check out our new items, and we go. I try to give them enough time to do everything they want to do. (But, I realize, sometimes that's impossible. Last night, it was impossible for us, and Aaron was definitely not okay with that.)

 

While I love going to the library with my kids, and these rules usually make the time we spend there smooth and pleasant, there's nothing quite like going to the library all by yourself. So try that sometimes, too.

How do you navigate the library with children in tow? Tell me your tips and tricks in the comments!

Nine Blogs I Visit For Book Recommendations (For Me)

Last fall, I gave you eight of my favorite blogs to go to for children's book recommendations. But what about when I need a good book for myself? Of course I rely heavily on asking everyone I know the time-honored question of, "So...have you read anything good lately???" but I also look to these nine blogs for new recommendations:

1. Everyday Reading
I have been reading Janssen's blog since about 2009. She is one of the few bloggers I knew in real life before blogging (we were freshmen together at BYU). Janssen is a voracious reader, and although she tends to read more Young Adult than I do, our tastes in nonfiction definitely overlap (it's because of her that I picked up The Happiness Project, and you all know how much I love that book). I love reading all of her reviews, regardless of whether or not I think it's a book I'd actually read. She has a captivating way with words.

2. Modern Mrs. Darcy
In my dreams, I can read as fast as Anne Bogel. She cranks through hundreds of books every year, and her summer reading guide is legend (and she's read everything she recommends). She tends to read a lot of nonfiction, classics, and women's fiction, and while our tastes don't always sync, I love reading her posts because they are intelligent and interesting (and the discussions and recommendations she gets in the comments section are amazing). One of my favorite series on her blog is her literary matchmaking series where she considers three books a reader loved, one book they hated, and one they're currently reading and then gives them new recommendations. Her suggestions are always fresh and unexpected, and it's pretty obvious from them how widely she reads.

3. Maybe Matilda
While not technically a book blog, Rachel shares a roundup post every month of what she's been reading, and I love reading her short but insightful comments on each book. Recently she's also been sharing some of the books she's been reading with her four-year-old son, and of course I love seeing those as well. (Oh, and did I mention that she crochets? A hobby that tends to go very well with audiobooks.)

4. Mel's Thoughts
Melanie reads a lot, and she is not afraid of long, dense, intimidating books. (She has this really impressive goal of reading a biography of every U.S. president, and she's made a lot of headway so far.) For the most part, we have similar reactions to the same books (although she didn't like Better Than Before, and, well, you know I loved it), which helps me know that if she recommends a book, I'll probably really like it. Besides that, she travels a lot and takes beautiful photographs. She recently moved to Utah, and we met each other in person earlier this year. What a treat.

5. Other Women's Stories
Carrie definitely has her preferred genre (nonfiction, especially biography/memoir), but one of the things I really admire about her is that she's constantly pushing herself to branch out and try new genres. Consequently, I hear about a wide variety of books from her. She also keeps her blog very up-to-date on her reading status, so you always know exactly what's she's just finished, what she's currently reading, and what's in the queue.

6. Avid Reader's Musings
Out of all the blogs on this list, this is the one that is easiest to recognize as a traditional book blog. Melissa reviews pretty much everything she reads. Some of the reviews are long, and some of them are grouped into little mini-reviews. But you can be pretty confident that if Melissa's read it, then there's a review of it. She reads a lot of classics, and I appreciate knowing there's somewhere I can go to find a review if I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to delve into a long one. Even with it being a review-heavy blog though, you still get to see a lot of Melissa's personality, and I really like that.

7. Making Room
I haven't been reading Becca's blog for very many months, but enough to know I like her style and I like seeing what she's reading. Like Maybe Matilda, Becca does roundup posts featuring the books she's read during the month. I love it that she usually includes any chapter books she's read to her young daughter. Those totally count! And it gives me ideas for what to read to my kids (in fact, it's because of her high praise of Pippi Longstocking that it's up next for us).

8. Stacey Loscalzo
Stacey is another blogger who combines her love of reading with motherhood. I love seeing how the two intersect in her life and how she always makes time for reading for herself. She has many insightful posts on the value of reading. (And, I know this is supposed to be about how I find recommendations for myself, but she also shares her family's favorite picture books every month, just fyi.) I enjoy her "in this moment" posts,  as well as her mini-reviews of the books she's read.

9. Such Stuff
Suzanne and I often joke about being kindred spirits. We've never met in real life, but if we ever do, we're just sure we'll be great friends. Suzanne is getting her master's in literature (along with being a mom to two little boys), so of course you know she has good taste. Besides doing roundup book posts at the end of every month, Suzanne takes what she's been reading and applies it to real life in thoughtful, intelligent posts (she even applied The Book of Strange New Things to her own marriage). She probably likes fantasy and sci-fi a little more than I do (okay, she definitely does), but our preferences intersect at many other genres.

As you can see, these bloggers represent a wide range of reading tastes and interests. There's young adult, modern fiction, nonfiction, biography, fantasy, and science fiction among them, so it's highly likely that at least one of these blogs (if not more) will appeal to your personal preferences. Happy reading!

What's your go-to blog(s) for book recommendations?

Summer Goals for Kids: 2015 Edition

A few weeks ago on Instagram, I posted a picture of our summer goals. You might recall that last year my kids also made some goals. It sounds silly to say, but the making and accomplishing and rewarding of those goals turned out to be one of the highlights of the summer.

Several of you asked to see this year's lists, and I'm happy to oblige. (But first, if you haven't read the post from last year, I recommend that you do so before reading any more here. In that one, I talk a lot about how to make goals with your kids. In this one, I'm going to stick mainly with the goals themselves.)

As with last year, our goals can be broken down into three categories: educational, practical, and fun. The main difference from last year to this year is that the lists grew significantly in length. That's my fault. I think I was so happy with how successful we were last year that I may or may not have went a little overboard when suggesting goals for them to work on. Only time will tell . . .

Without further explanation, here are Aaron's, Maxwell's, and Bradley's goals, broken down by category. (Some of the goals are family, rather than individual, goals, so you'll notice some overlap.)

Aaron, age 6 (almost 7)

• Educational
• Finish Piano Adventures Level 1
• Learn multiplication facts
• Finish math workbook
• Read one nonfiction book per week
• Read Story of the World with Mom
• Memorize five scriptures
• Practical
• Make phone calls and answer the phone
• Learn to clean the bathroom
• Follow a recipe and make blueberry muffins
• Fun
• Memorize five poems
• Catch a ball
• Write in journal once a week
• Complete ten chess lessons
• Read Redwall and Prince Caspian with Dad
• Swim across the deep end of the pool

Maxwell, age 5

• Educational
• Finish Piano Adventures Level A and Start Level B
• Identify three new bug species
• Memorize five scriptures
• Read Story of the World with Mom
• Practical
• Tie shoes
• Pour liquids
• Turn on bath water
• Vacuum 
• Fun
• Memorize five poems
• Catch a ball
• Write in journal once a week
• Complete ten chess lessons
• Read Redwall and Prince Caspian with Dad
• Read a Magic Treehouse book

Bradley, age 3.5

• Educational
• Practice writing
• Learn 25 sight words
• Go through 25 pages in reading book
• Identify three new bug species 
• Memorize five scriptures
• Practical
• Memorize address
• Memorize phone number
• Wash bowls, plates, and utensils
• Wipe the kitchen table
• Fun
• Catch a ball
• Put together five new puzzles
• Memorize five poems

There is definitely some overlap between categories (swimming across the deep end of the pool is fun, practical, and even educational). Each goal is broken down so they can mark their progress as they master a skill or complete a task.

We've already had some surprises. For example, I think Aaron's piano goal is going to be really difficult to accomplish unless he significantly increases his daily practice time. That might be a good thing, but it also might not be very realistic The most surprising goal for me is how much I've loved reading The Story of the World to my kids. We look forward to it each day, and we're learning so much (me included).

And of course, like last year, we have the incentive of monthly rewards if they're making reasonable progress on their goals. We'll go see Inside Out in June, Mike will take them camping in July, and we'll go to the planetarium in August.

The intent of this post is not (I repeat, NOT) to guilt-trip you into making summer goals with your kids. You have to understand: goals are my love language. When we spend the morning following a routine and crossing items off our list, I am in my happy place. If you can relate, then this post is probably for you, so feel free to adapt our lists to your own child's age and personality. But if you look at this post and just feel overwhelmed and sick to your stomach, then disregard it completely. I mean that. Forget about it! There are a thousand ways to enjoy summer. Rather than feel like you have to do X, X, and X to make it a successful and memorable summer, I would instead encourage you to think about what makes you and your kids happy and satisfied and then make those things a priority.

P.S. If you have any questions about any of our goals, please ask. I'll do my best to answer them!

Sunlit Pages Turns One: A Few Memorable Posts

I've rambled a little too much over the last few days, so I'll try to keep today's post more succinct. I thought it would be fun (for me at least) to revisit of few of my more memorable posts over the past year.

Nostalgic: My Hometown Library (Even though I love the sheer volume of books to be had from my current library, I will always have very fond memories of my "teeny-tiny library," as Aaron calls it.)

Star-struck: In Which I Meet One of My Very Favorite Authors (Shannon Hale is as awesome as her books.)

Rant: A Pet Peeve of Mine, or Why Parents Are a Big Fat Bunch of Hypocrites (This post felt good to write. I still agree with everything I said here, and I've been trying to personally apply my own advice.)

Habit: Running and Reading (This was one of the first posts I wrote. I still like to run with a good audiobook.)

Personal: What I Envy (I've already tweaked some of my dreams (maybe I'll do another post in the future), but this was still really fun (and enlightening) to think about.)

Holiday: Read Your Way to Christmas (We will definitely be making this activity an annual tradition. I've already acquired a few books to replace the ones I wasn't terribly crazy about last year.)

Book Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (I couldn't choose a favorite review, but this was my favorite book from last year.)

Preschool: Snowmen At Work (This was one of my favorite preschool lessons that I put together this last school year. I actually have gotten really behind with the preschool posts and have at least six that I still need/want to write up.)

KidPages: Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli (This is one of the few reviews I've written on a whim with very little forethought. We read it in the morning, we loved it, and I wrote about it that very afternoon.)

Popular: Christ the Savior is Born: Advent Calendar (Sometimes I laugh when I see how many views this post has had (which I'm glad of, by the way). I'm sure anyone who comes to my blog for that post probably leaves disappointed when they realize that everything else here is about books. The runners-up for most views, but still lagging far behind this post, are The Boy Can Read and Bartholomew and the Oobleck.)

Not counting the reviews I put up before my first official post, I have written 167 posts over the last year. I can't wait to write another 167 (give or take) during Year Two.

Do you have a favorite post? Do tell!

P.S. If you haven't already, you can still enter the giveaway going on this week by leaving a comment on this post.