A Birthday Trip to Arizona

For the third year in a row, we ditched the dreary clutches of Utah's January in favor of warmer climes. This is fast becoming one of my favorite traditions and makes my birthday month not seem half as bad as it once did. In 2016, we went to San Diego. In 2017, we went to Las Vegas. And this year, we went to Arizona.

When Mike and I were first married and still in school, we lived in a small apartment on the third floor of a ten-plex just south of campus. Across the street, there was an old house divided up into several units. And in one of those, even smaller than our small apartment, lived Curtis and Alicia Langstraat.

There is something absolutely incredible when you find another couple that you just click with. It's one thing to form a friendship one-on-one; it's quite another when the friendship has to cross many ways: between the couples and the spouses and the genders. During our nearly thirteen years of marriage, it has only happened a handful of times, but the year we met the Langstraats was one of them.

December 2006 after a failed attempt to see the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert

In the years since then, the Langstraats have lived several places--Colorado, Texas, Arizona--but we've managed to see them somewhat regularly because they usually make a trip to Utah to visit family at least once a year (and now that Curtis is a pilot, it's even easier for them to catch a flight up here for a day or two). We've been wanting to visit them for a long time, so when they bought a home last year, it seemed like the right time to finally invite ourselves over for a little vacation.

I've learned with these family vacations that there will be some rough moments, but if I can just relax and ride them out, then the bulk of the trip will be good. And that is why I could laugh on the first night of this vacation when Mike and I were eating lunchables in the hotel bathroom because it was 10:00pm, the kids were finally all asleep so we didn't dare turn on a light or make a sound; we were both starving but had very few options for food. So lunchables in the bathroom it was.

I don't think that could necessarily be called a highlight, but these other things could be:

The Grand Canyon
When we first began planning our route down to Phoenix, Mike said, "And of course we'll make a stop at the Grand Canyon," and I was like, "Over my dead body" Even on the best of days under the best of circumstances, I don't do well with heights. But if it's my kids who are up high, then it's one hundred times worse--like, I feel physically ill and come close to having a panic attack.

So I don't know how Mike ever convinced me that this would be okay, but somehow there we were, standing by the edge (but not too close) and taking in that breathtaking expanse of colors and layers and space. And I'm here to tell you that I'm glad we went. And I'm glad my kids went. We will never forget what it felt like to stand on the south rim, breathe in the crisp wind-blown air, and slowly turn from one side to the other. It was magnificent. (And I was actually far more nervous in the watch tower where the four floors were open to each other than I was when we were outside by the railing.)

As I mentioned before, we read Brighty of the Grand Canyon in preparation for our trip, and we were thrilled to get to hike on Bright Angel Trail, named after Brighty (or vice versa--I honestly don't know which came first) and see the mules coming up the trail. I'm using the term "hike" very loosely because we only made it a few hundred feet before we came to a sign that said, "Steep drop-offs beyond this point," and that was enough for me. However, I was proud of myself for even stepping foot on the trail, and my kids were so good to hug the wall so that I wouldn't be too nervous.

Cactus
I fell hard and fast for all of the cacti we saw while we were in Arizona. I hadn't really thought about it before, but I guess this was my first time ever seeing that cactus of all cacti, the saguaro (it was also my first time ever hearing the word pronounced out loud--isn't that weird? I'd never really known how to say it before). I think the thing that surprised me more than anything was the sheer number of cacti. I kind of thought you'd see one saguaro standing sentry, but instead there were hundreds (thousands) of them dotting the landscape, each one totally unique. Besides the saguaro, I also loved the jumping cholla, ocotillo, prickly pear, organ pipe, barrel, and palo verde (technically a tree, not a cactus, but always there with the saguaro). I had absolutely zero expectations for the cacti (I definitely wasn't looking forward to them with eager anticipation or anything), so to be totally charmed by them was so fun.

Grapefruit picking

Before we went on this trip, if you'd asked my kids how oranges or lemons grow, they might have guessed on a tree, but they wouldn't have been able to say for sure. I asked our friends if they knew of a pick-your-own-citrus place nearby, and Alicia said they had some friends with a grapefruit orchard who said we could come pick as many grapefruits as we wanted. As we drove into the neighborhood, we saw hundreds of trees heavy laden with orange, yellow, and green fruit. It was a new experience for me, as well as my kids, and I admit, I found it somewhat thrilling. The Langstraats' friends had a couple dozen grapefruit trees, and my kids wasted no time climbing up into them and reaching with the picker to choose the best looking fruit. And it smelled heavenly. (When Maxwell heard that the scorpions came out in droves at night, he wanted to come back after dark, but he didn't get his wish.) Since coming home, we've enjoyed slicing into a cold, juicy grapefruit for breakfast. It's the best souvenir.

Bahama Bucks
I probably wouldn't mention this one except for the fact that, when the whole trip was said and done,  it vied for the top spot on Bradley's list of favorite activities. Bahama Bucks is a shaved ice place. Alicia's parents own several of them in Arizona, and my kids only had to hear the Langstraat kids mention it once before they were begging to go. And while I'm not going to say it was better than any shaved ice I've ever had, it was definitely yummy. More than that though, it was just so fun to stop for a cold treat in January and have it taste refreshing.

The Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch
If we had to choose one activity from the trip that was equally enjoyed by every member of the family, it would probably be this. I thought it was going to be like a gimmicky petting zoo, and I guess it kind of was, but nonetheless we had so much fun. As part of your ticket, you get enough food to feed all the animals at the ranch (whoever thought up this marketing idea was a genius--get the people to pay for the food AND have them do the work for you). It was all very organized: large pellets for the donkeys, deer, sheep, and goats, small pellets for the ostriches, a bird seed stick for the parakeets, a little container with nectar for the lorikeets, and tokens to buy the food for the ducks, rabbits, and stingrays later on. The animals were so accustomed to people feeding them that they crowded to the fence and eagerly took the food offered to them (to be honest, I was a little freaked out by the ostriches who seemed to have a crazed look in their eyes). The sign by the goats said you could stick a pellet between your lips, and the goat would pluck it right out with a wet "kiss." I didn't think any of my kids would do it, but Mike paved the way, and then they were all willing to give it a try (except for me . . . no, thank you!). Aaron felt the need to really prove his bravery, and ended up doing the goat kiss fifteen times. But I think they all would say that feeding the lorikeets was their favorite. I even did that one, and it was pretty magical to walk into the enclosure and have these beautiful rainbow birds eagerly hop onto your hand (or head!) and sip out of a little cup. All in all, it was just a really fun experience we all enjoyed.

Hikes
We had the most gorgeous weather on our trip, which led me to say many times, "I can totally see why wintering in Arizona is a thing." We took full advantage of the perfect temperatures and spent most of our time outside. We went on a couple of hikes. The first one was in Picacho Peak State Park, and we actually spent most of our time at a little playground with the most unusual swings that all of our kids were obsessed with. The other hike was the Hieroglyphics Trail. We turned around about two-thirds of the way to the top because everyone was getting hot and tired (Mike kept reminding them, "But isn't it amazing that you're hot in January?!"), but I loved soaking up the sun and getting better acquainted with all of the aforementioned cacti.

Friends
Of course the best part of the trip was spending it with people we love. We actually met up with our friends, the Gardners, at the Grand Canyon, and then of course, we spent the remainder of our trip with the Langstraats. Remember how I said it's hard to find another couple that you really mesh with because the relationship is no longer just two personalities but four? Well, imagine how complex things become when there are also ten kids thrown into the mix. But everyone got along so well (which is doubly amazing considering the fact that we were also imposing on the Langstraat's hospitality, and they had to share everything--toys, food, bedrooms, bathrooms--with us). In fact, when we weren't out exploring, we hardly saw the kids because they were so busy playing games. Sometimes they would all play together, and sometimes they paired off with the child they were closest in age to. Aaron and Nathan spent a lot of time outside jumping around on pogo sticks (which led to Aaron purchasing his own soon after we returned home). Ryan was a perfect match for Clark's intense imagination. And as for the adults? We stayed up late after the kids went to bed, chatting and playing games just like in the olden days. And we even managed to hire a babysitter and sneak out for a double date one night (where we had some seriously yummy Mexican food). Sharing memories with others is just the best, and we're already plotting ways to get together again soon.

Now we're home, and the only thing left to do is decide where we're going to go next January!

How I Hygge

We have had an extremely mild winter this year:

• Average high temperatures in the upper 40's, low 50's (with even a couple of days last week in the 60's)
• Only one big snowstorm (which all melted in a week)
• No icy roads
• No yucky slush
• Relatively clear air 
• Sending my kids to school in jackets (which they often leave in their backpacks)

To be honest, I'm feeling a little peeved. Spring is my very favorite season, but it is directly correlated with how much I hate winter. Without any winter to hate, I'm worried I won't love spring as much. Plus, my kids (especially Aaron) are really missing the snow. And all the plants and trees are getting seriously confused.

However, having such a mild winter has made me realize (yet again) that it isn't just the cold and the snow I hate. It's the dark. And the dark doesn't go away even when the temperature is warm enough to turn the grass green.

And so, I have found myself employing a whole regimen of hygge techniques to help me endure these dark nights (plus, today it snowed, so we're definitely not out of winter's hold yet).

Here are seven of the things I'm doing that are working especially well:

1. Dress for warmth and comfort

I've had at least two people tell me that the reason I don't like winter is because I don't own a pair of wool socks from Costco. While that may or may not be true, I know for a fact that my mood improves as soon as I put on a cardigan or a scarf or, yes, a pair of socks. Sometimes I even wear a hat around the house. At the beginning of the season, I bought a couple of inexpensive sweatshirts from H&M, and I don't think a week has gone by without me wearing at least one of them. I stay warm and comfortable in them all day. Bradley is always complaining about being cold but that's because he prefers to wear athletic shorts and a t-shirt. If you want to feel cozy, you have to dress cozy.

2. String up a few strands of twinkle lights
As December wound to a close, I found myself ready to take down all of the Christmas decorations but not ready to lose the cozy light given off by the Christmas tree. So when Mike took down the tree, I asked him to keep out the lights and put them up on the mantle instead. It made our living room look a little like a college dorm room, but it held off the January blues and created an ambiance that I love. I may end up getting some different lights eventually (I've been looking at these and these), but for right now, my strand of Christmas lights is working just fine.

3. Sip on a warm drink
This is one thing that probably many people can stand behind. A warm drink heats you up from the inside out. But for a long time, I couldn't find anything that I wanted to drink on a daily basis. Sure, I would drink hot chocolate after a day outside in the snow, but it was too rich and heavy for every day. I don't drink coffee. And all of the herbal tea varieties just seemed a little bland and bitter, even if I sweetened them up with sugar or honey. But then last year, I discovered Trader Joe's wassail, and I was instantly a fan. I'm the only one in my family who likes it, but in my opinion, it's liquid hygge. I drink a cup of it almost every night, and the fragrant blend of spices makes me content and happy. It's a seasonal drink, and so I stock up in December so it will last me through February.

4. Knit all the things
It's no surprise that this is on the list, right? But seriously, this newfound hobby of mine has made me actually enjoy winter. Not only is it the coziest thing to pull out my project on a cold, dark night and let the woolly yarn slip methodically through my fingers, but at the end of the project, I have something warm to wear--a hat for my head, mittens for my hands, a scarf for my neck. I'm actually happy when it's a bit nippy outside so I can pull on my hand knits. One of my goals for this year is to learn how to knit socks. Then I can keep my feet warm, too (and I'm sure they'll be infinitely better than the ones from Costco--see above).

5. Sit in front of the heater
What do you think I have going as I write this? My little portable heater. I basically live in front of it all winter. It's the happiest kind of instant gratification. Flip the switch, and I'm warm and toasty. I also love sitting in front of the heater vent; blow drying my hair is nice, too. I basically just love warm air. And I have to admit that hearing the heater come on in the middle of the night is one of coziest, most comforting sounds I can think of.

6. Snuggle up with a great readaloud
I love reading to my kids any time of the year, but it has a different feel during the cold, dark months of winter. I pull my kids in close, tuck a blanket around us, and let myself get swept up in a story. I've said before that, even though I don't particularly love fantasy, it tends to suit my winter mood very well. This month we've been reading The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis, and the fight against the darkness of the Underworld feels very relevant as we make our own way through these dark months.

7. Put it all together for the ultimate hygge routine
My evenings almost always go something like this: After dinner, I turn on the twinkle lights in the living room. I don a pair of socks and my favorite cardigan (if I'm not already wearing them) and sit in my favorite chair. We have family prayer and read the scriptures. Then one of the boys brings over a blanket and curls up in the chair beside me. I pull out our current readaloud and we read until 8:30. I kiss them good night and then make my way to the kitchen to heat up a mug of wassail. I carry it, steaming, to my bedroom where I turn on my space heater and climb under my covers. I knit or read in bed until Mike begins brushing his teeth. That's my signal that it's getting late. I write in my journal, say my prayers, and check on my sleeping kids before climbing into bed for good. If the heater turns on just before I drift off to sleep, I know it's going to be a good night.

That may or may not sound boring to you, but it is absolutely heavenly to me. And I always kind of resent the nights when I have to go somewhere because I would much rather be doing what I just described above.

Now it's your turn. Please share your best hygge tips! And for a little bit more on this topic, here's my book review of The Year of Living Danishly. 

A Little of This and That in December and January

I was almost going to leave out December in this monthly update post (because really, who needs to hear anymore about Christmas?), but some good things happened in it, so I'm including it for my own memory's sake.

December and January found us . . . 

Listening . . . to my dad play in Tuba Christmas. I think it's so funny that Tuba Christmas is a real thing with real concerts all across the country, but it is, and I love it. My dad attended BYU's Tuba Christmas last year and then practiced all year so he could participate in it this time. Having so many tubas together is really loud, but they create a surprisingly warm and mellow sound. It was so soothing that Ian fell asleep during the second half.

Buying . . . a wet vacuum. Oh yes, we started out the month of December with something suuuuuuper exciting. But after hearing Janssen rave about hers, I was convinced that we needed one. And . . . I've been using it for over a month now, and my feelings are pretty lukewarm about it. I don't think it's as life changing as I was hoping it would be. For one, it's kind of a hassle to use. I don't really mind getting it out on Saturdays because we do a lot of concentrated cleaning on that day, but I probably wouldn't use it on a weekday (I haven't yet). I also don't love it on our kitchen floor (which is fake wood), mostly because I feel like it's a faster, easier job when I just use my little microfiber mop. However, I have loved using it on carpet and in the bathrooms, so it's definitely getting use, just not undying love.

Knocking . . . down a wall. Mike tends to get a little antsy if he doesn't have a home improvement project to work on. And that discontent leads to wanting to do drastic things, like knock down walls. He had been begging me to take out one of the walls in the basement storage room and expand the room by a few feet into an unused hallway. I was skeptical (as I am when any sort of destruction is involved), but it was either that or something more intense, so I relented. I wish you could have heard all the boys as they broke through the wall. They were giggling and laughing and cheering. It appears they might have some of the same genes as their dad. And you know what? I actually love the change. It's a much better use of space.

Playing . . . the piano. I was asked to provide some background music for a dinner on Temple Square that was for religious and educational leaders in the community. Since it was December, I played Christmas music, and I don't think there's anything I love playing more than Christmas music, so to get to do it for an hour and a half was a treat. Plus, in exchange for playing, Mike and I were given tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert (which was immediately following the dinner and was the reason for the dinner in the first place), and the guest performer was Sutton Foster (a longtime favorite of ours), so we loved every minute of it.

Making . . . paper stars. The boys like to make new ornaments every year, and this time we found these fun paper stars that we scaled down to fit on the tree. Aaron, Maxwell, and Bradley could make them almost entirely on their own (with me stepping in to wield the hot glue gun), and I love the way they looked on the tree.

Introducing . . . old movie classics to our kids. We watched Meet Me in St. Louis, Holiday Inn, and White Christmas--all favorites from my own childhood. I thought (worried?) my kids would find them boring or silly, but they loved them. They were curious if Bing was Bing Crosby's real name, so we looked it up. Turns out, it was a childhood nickname. He was born Harry Crosby, Jr., but a 15-year-old neighbor kid started calling him Bingo from Bingville (based on a series he liked to read in the Sunday paper), and the nickname never went away. 

Seeing . . . the lights on Temple Square. I know many Utahns make this an annual tradition, but we tend to only go once every three years or so. Consequently, our kids loved it because they couldn't remember it very well from the past. We went on a Tuesday evening right as it was getting dark, and we beat the crowds, so we were pretty proud of ourselves.

Starting . . . a laundry routine that actually works. Maybe not the most interesting news to most of you, but I feel like I'm finally not drowning anymore, so it's a pretty big deal to me. It's not anything special (I just do all of the laundry on Tuesday and Friday), but for some reason, it clicked this time, and it's so nice to not be tripping over baskets of clean and dirty clothes all the time.

Knitting . . . a whole bunch of Christmas gifts. I had forgotten how fun it is to actually make gifts for others. There's so much more happy anticipation involved when you spend the whole month thinking about them as you work on their presents. I made a hat for Mike, a hat for my sister, and a heart garland and a cowl for my mom (and a hat for Aaron right after Christmas). I managed to keep the hat a complete secret from Mike, and it was so exciting to work on it in little batches and then sneakily hide it away. I finished up the cowl for my mom just two days before Christmas (Mike let me skip out on my Saturday cleaning chores so I could work on it), and a little frenzied knitting added further to the anticipation.

Celebrating . . . Christmas and ringing in 2018. We had a wonderful, low-key holiday break filled with Lego sets, a 1000-piece puzzle, books, knitting, yummy food, and family time. I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Setting . . . goals. This year, my guiding quote is by Elder Richard G. Scott, and it is this: "Be wise and don't let good things crowd out those that are essential." As such, my goals have a lot to do with prioritizing those things that are the most important and letting the other things go. Hopefully I'll have a chance to share more about the specifics in a future post.

Turning . . . thirty-three. I honestly feel totally disconnected from that age. Like I say, "I'm thirty-three," and then I think, That can't possibly be true. Thirty-three sounds like you should be fully comfortable as an adult, but most of the time, it just seems like I'm faking it. (For instance, Mike and I went to a financial planner this month, and she was talking about assets and retirement and investments, and I was sitting there nodding my head like I knew what was going on, and all the time, I was thinking, I'm not enough of an adult to be making these decisions!!!)

Traveling . . . to Arizona for our January getaway. We made a stop at the Grand Canyon and then spent the rest of our time with our dear friends, the Langstraats, from our newly-wed days. We did all kinds of fun things in the warm Arizona sun and weren't really ready to come home (although I'm sure the Langstraats were happy to have their house back!).

Finding . . . out that Brian Mathias, my friend from my undergraduate days, is the new Tabernacle organist! The last time a Tabernacle organist was hired was in 2007, and I am so thrilled that he got the spot because it has been a long-time dream of his. I've been telling people for years that he would be the next Tabernacle organist because he is extremely talented and seems to have the perfect skill set for that job. I can't wait to hear him soon and for many years to come.

Building . . . a snowman. After weeks of the tiniest little snowfalls, we finally got a big one on January 20th. It came on a Saturday when we didn't have anything else going on, and the kids (especially Aaron) loved it.

Watching . . . a bunch of knitting-related video podcasts. My very favorite is Kristy Glass Knits because she is so entertaining and has a good mix of interviews, personal updates, and behind the scenes. I also love Little Skein and the Big Stash because I like the conversations between the two hosts and hearing about their micro-businesses and A Wooden Nest because it's very calm and peaceful and I think it's interesting to hear about her hand-dyeing process. I wish both podcasts put up new videos more frequently. And, I've mentioned this one before, but I still love the Fruity Knitting podcast.

Rolling . . . and rolling and rolling. Ian has absolutely no desire to crawl because he has perfected the art of rolling. He can traverse an entire room in a matter of seconds. And, while it's true that sometimes it takes several attempts back and forth before his rolling turns him enough to reach a wanted toy, he gets there eventually. We have never had a baby like this. With the other boys, rolling was simply a stepping stone on the road to crawling and walking. But Ian doesn't seem to be in any hurry to learn a new skill, and I haven't really encouraged him either because the constant rolling is so entertaining to watch.

Reading . . . for a job. I recently began working as a manuscript reviewer for Deseret Book. That means when someone submits a manuscript to consider for publication, I'm one of the first people to set eyes on it and give an opinion as to whether or not it should go on through the process. Because of that, I'm sure I'll see a lot of things that are raw and unpolished, maybe even to the point of being painful, but it hasn't been bad yet.

Finishing . . . a cardigan. This was the first garment that I knit for myself, and I was extremely nervous that I would finish it, and it wouldn't fit the way I wanted it to, but that isn't the case at all. I had a near disaster at the end when I was picking up stitches for the collar and found an open loop (not something you want to be surprised by in your knitting). I spent a couple of days mulling over how to fix and finally found a solution that I'm quite pleased with. And then I immediately bought yarn for another (very different) cardigan.

Playing . . . basketball. Aaron and Maxwell both played basketball on recreation teams for the first time this winter. It wasn't really ideal in that they didn't know most (or any) of the other kids on their teams. That was especially hard on Max. But just last night, Aaron was saying that he wants to be a professional basketball player when he grows up, so I guess it has given him big dreams!

Of course that doesn't cover everything, but I'd say it's enough for this time. What have you been up to the last couple of months?

What I Read in January

So, like I said in my previous post, my plan this year is to write monthly recap posts of the books I've finished rather than long, single reviews. I have to admit though, it's rather embarrassing to have it be so blatantly obvious that I only read three books this month. I can do better than that, but here they are nonetheless.

1. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
This was our first book club pick for 2018 (I mentioned in my last post that my book club votes between three books for each month, so in case you're wondering, the other recommendations for January were When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin and Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah).

I listened to this on our recent road trip to Arizona, and it was nice to be able to devote a chunk of time to it because I couldn't stop listening. The story is told by Frank Drum, and it's his recounting of what happened during the summer of 1961 forty years before when he was thirteen years old. He begins by saying that the summer brought with it many deaths (there was some debate at book club about how many he said and which ones counted in that tally), but one of the deaths is particularly personal and tragic, and the rest of the novel is crafted a bit like a mystery, trying to put the events leading up to it in chronological order and identify possible suspects.

But it's also just about Frankie himself because that summer changed him and made him grow up in a hurry. I mentioned at book club that my favorite relationship in the book was the one between Frankie and his younger brother, Jake. One of my friends said, "Oh, so you like mean older brothers?" And it's true that Frankie does and says a lot of stupid things to Jake, but I guess it felt realistic to me, and underneath it all, I could see that their friendship and love for one another ran deep.

I will caution that the content on this one is a bit dark (it involves a murder), and there is some language as well as immorality (although not explicit). But overall, I found the story to be redemptive, and it made for an easy and thought-provoking discussion at book club.

2. Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry
It gives me a strange kind of rush to find the perfect book for a trip or holiday or even just a time of life. So you can imagine how happy I was when my sister-in-law, upon hearing that we would be making a stop at the Grand Canyon on our way to see friends in Phoenix, said that we should read Brighty of the Grand Canyon before we went.

It couldn't have been more perfect. I had never been to the Grand Canyon, but as we read, I felt like I could see the warm colors of the canyon and sense the rocky trail beneath my feet and feel the cold wind whipping around the rim. And then, we were there, and it was exactly as I pictured it--so much so that I half expected to see a little gray burro making his way up the canyon wall (and then, by lucky chance, we actually did see a mule caravan crest the top of the rim and parade past us, which was pretty amazing). It was absolutely magical for me, and I think it was for my kids as well.

But even if we hadn't been able to go from the pages in a book to real life natural wonder, we would have still enjoyed this story immensely. It begins with a murder, which made me nervous (I was reading it to my kids, after all!), but it was not graphic, and it was very fulfilling to see the murderer get his due at the end.

Most impressive to me was the way Marguerite Henry cast Brighty as the main character and kept the story interesting while still maintaining Brighty's authenticity as a donkey (in other words, not giving him a lot of human characteristics to help keep up the pace). Everyone, even three-year-old Clark, fell in love with Brighty, and we were all sad for the book to come to an end.

3. Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
I decided to listen to this one, rather than read it, because the audio version had garnered such high praise from listeners and critics alike (including an Odyssey Honor, which is given to outstanding audio productions).

The story is multi-layered, beginning with Otto Messenger, who accidentally stumbles into three sisters who are trapped in this world because of a curse. They claim that his harmonica is the key to freeing them to return home. The story (and the harmonica) then travel to Friedrich in Germany in 1933, Mike in Pennsylvania in 1935, and Ivy in California in 1942. Each time, it brings light and hope when things feel desperately dismal and scary. And eventually, it ends up in just the right place, at just the right time, and, click, a door is opened.

For the most part, this is a historical fiction novel, but it has just one teeny tiny magical element, and that made me feel a little off balance but in the most delightful way. Friedrich, Mike, and Ivy are talented and courageous and unique. I found myself feeling sad as each story ended only to be excited as I became immersed in the new story. And then the ending tied everything together in a really beautiful way.

Oh, and the audio was definitely the way to go on this one: different narrators for each story and lots of music throughout, which, for a book all about the magic of one harmonica, seemed absolutely perfect.

Did you read anything good this month? Tell me!

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?

Reading Goals: The End

I usually try to get this post up during the last week of the year, but at that time, I was busy making a 2018 calendar, writing up some memories for my family's blog, and just generally having a fun, relaxing week. Oh, and also finishing up a book for one of my goals. As usual, I was cutting it close, but I made it. Take a look (titles are linked to full reviews):

1. Read two books about childbirth 
Ian was born in April, so I made sure to prioritize this goal early in the year. I read Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent (January 2017) and The Gift of Giving Life (April 2017). Both were fantastic and skyrocketed to the top of my list of must-recommend childbirth books (what? you don't have such a list?). I loved the way they helped me prepare in different, but essential, ways.

2. Read three books with Maxwell and three books with Aaron
Bradley joined in with this goal, so it wasn't a strict three with Aaron and a strict three with Maxwell, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading some of the same books as my kids. Here's a list of what we read (these were not readalouds):

• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Aaron) (March 2017)
• Cal and the Amazing Anti-Gravity Machine by Richard Hamilton (Bradley) (March 2017)
• "Who Could That Be at This Hour?" by Lemony Snicket (Aaron) (April 2017)
• Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary (Bradley) (June 2017)
• Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke (Aaron, Maxwell, Bradley) (June 2017)
• Abel's Island by William Steig (Maxwell) (September 2017)
• Sisters by Raina Telgemeier (Aaron, Maxwell) (December 2017)

3. Read Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott and The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

I finally finished Rose in Bloom (October 2017) after listening to it for literally half of the year. There's no reason it should have taken me so many months (it's not a long book). I just couldn't get into it at all. The Blue Castle (September 2017) was the exact opposite. Sweet, funny, and entertaining, I enjoyed every page of it and would read it again in a heartbeat.

4. Read a book about slow, conscientious living
I read The Year of Living Danishly (November 2017). My feelings were very polarized with this one: the parts I liked, I really liked; and the parts I didn't like, I really didn't like. But ultimately, I would say reading it achieved my objective, which was to learn more about slow, conscientious living, but more importantly, find ways to personally put these things into practice. 

5. Start a new mystery series and read another mystery by Agatha Christie
My plan was to read both mysteries in October, but I ended up only reading one--The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (October 2017)--at that time. That left me scrambling for a mystery to read at the end of December. I finally settled on Death at Wentwater Court (December 2017), and it was surprisingly appropriate for the season (the murder allegedly happens on a frozen lake). I made this goal purely for fun, and that's exactly what it ended up being.

6. Read Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelssohn throughout the year Read a book about cleaning
I began this goal with enthusiasm (and even wrote what I thought was going to be the first in a series of posts about it, but ended up being the only one). I became discouraged when, after reading for many pages and several hours, my only takeaway was that I needed to have a three-course dinner with real china and cloth napkins every night (totally not realistic for our family at this time). It was not an easy decision to give up on this goal (I hate admitting defeat), but I think it ended up being the right decision, especially since the book I replaced it with was How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind (November 2017), and it was a million times more applicable. (Although I will say that Home Comforts inspired one positive change, which was that we implemented a family Saturday cleaning schedule back in February, and it stuck for the entire year.)

7. Read a parenting book
A few years ago, I read Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax. I ended up loving it so much that I read it twice within the same year. Dr. Sax's candid look at the problems faced by today's boys made so much sense to me and gave me hope as I try to raise my own sons. (At the time, I only had three sons. Now, with five, it's even more relevant, so I need to reread it.) His latest book, The Collapse of Parenting, came out in 2015 and was immediately on my to-read list. But after a year went by and I hadn't yet read it, I knew I needed to make it a priority. I read it over the course of several months and found  the same blunt assessment I've come to expect from Dr. Sax with some really practical tools for how to combat some of our current problems. One of my big takeaways was that I need to have fun with my kids and enjoy spending time with them, and I'm really working to make that a big part of 2018.

8. Read two Young Adult novels
I tried, guys, I really did. I ended up reading six books that could be considered young adult (which I'm defining as 14+).

• The Distance Between Us by Kasie West (April 2017)
• Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell (April 2017)
• Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle (July 2017) (which was, honestly, probably a little young to be considered YA)
• The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (September 2017) (which I read for another goal)
• Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott (October 2017) (which I read for another goal)
• The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman (December 2017)

Out of all of those, the only one I'd actively recommend is The Blue Castle. They were all clean though (although I was a little nervous about The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman--there's a little bit of language in that one), and I was grateful for that. 

I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to approach this goal for 2018 because I'm still on the lookout for high quality, worthwhile, redeeming YA reads.

9. Read the 2017 Newbery winner

The 2017 winner was The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. I listened to it in May and enjoyed every word of it.

10. Read Glimpses into the Life and Heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I started this book in January and finished it in December, which was exactly how I wanted it to happen. I loved having Marjorie Pay Hinckley be my guide and mentor through all of 2017.

And that's a wrap on my 2017 reading goals. Stay tuned for my 2018 goals.

The Book Blab Episode 16: On Reading Classics Plus Two of Our Favorite Books from 2017

I still haven't finalized my reading goals for 2018 (but don't worry, they're coming), but I plan to include at least one goal that involves reading a classic. It's not that I don't like reading classics, but sometimes I need a little push to get myself to choose to read one over something that would take a little less brain power.

If you're also hoping to up your reading game this year and read more classics, then this episode of The Book Blab is just for you. We tackle all sorts of issues, like what makes classics intimidating and how to get past that and just read them. Luckily, Suzanne knows a lot more about classic literature than I do (and is extremely well read), so I think you'll enjoy this conversation.

And, as always, please chime in with your thoughts and opinions, as well as any future topics you'd like for us to discuss, in the comments below.

1:35 - Today's topic: the whats, whys, and hows of reading a classic
3:12 - What is a classic?
5:15 - How long does it take for something to become a classic?
7:55 - What are some of the sub-genres of classic literature?
10:10 - Suzanne's favorite classic genres
13:10 - A few ideas for making classics more accessible

• 13:35 - Discuss it with a friend/group
• 14:18 - Read outside material
• 16:00 - Watch adaptations
• 18:00 - Audiobooks

21:12 - Many classics are surprisingly readable

23:15 - A few possible reading goals involving classics

28:00 - Some of our favorite classics

31:15 - Two of our favorite reads from 2017

• 32:05 - Suzanne's recommendation
• 33:40 - Amy's recommendation

37:00 - Conclusion

Tell us about your experiences with reading classics, and please share some of your favorites!

Books and links mentioned during the show:

Episode 3 of The Book Blab: Reading Goals
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Amy's review)
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
What Should I Read Next podcast, Episode 112 with Laura Vanderkam
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Suzanne's review)
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Amy's review)
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Suzanne's review) 
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Suzanne's review // Amy's review)