Booking It & An Exciting Update About the Fall!!

I have continued to honor my resolution to read more in 2011, although I'm finding myself to be pretty picky and have started and stopped several books this year.  Maybe because I often fall asleep while reading, I need the books to do something for me or they just take too long to get through.  Or maybe because I have such a long list of books to read that I don't want to waste time on books that don't do it for me.

I skipped this post for March because I tried to read Mansfield Park by Jane Austin but just couldn't do it.  I had to concentrate too hard to understand what was going on and had to keep going back re-reading what I fell asleep reading the night before.  It came due at the library and I just took it back.

The book for this month is Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Hertzberg & Francois.  I have to admit that I haven't completed this one yet either.  But I am enjoying it and just feel like I've come to the part where I need to start actually trying to make the bread but haven't had a chance to gather the supplies and begin.  So here it sits waiting for me to get motivated.  I have to say that I am excited about this idea and would really love it if I can make this work.  I've tried baking with yeast a number of times and so far have a perfect fail rate.  So we'll see if it's as easy as they say it is.  I'll keep you updated.

Bennett and I are in the middle of Charlotte's Web and although he is happy to read it or not, I'm so ready to find out what happens.  I read it as a child but truly cannot remember what happens.  I wish he'd let me read more than a chapter at a time, but I'm trying not to push it!  It's fun for the story to unfold for us together!

I have just finished a companion to Charlotte Mason's philosophy called For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay (daughter of Francis & Edith Schaeffer).  I really enjoyed this one a lot and think I have a better grasp on what Charlotte Mason education is all about.  Now I just have to decide if I want to invest in Charlotte Mason's actual series of books since they don't carry them at the library.  It's a great read, however you choose to do school for your children, just for the perspective of what is possible if things were done really differently than most of us are used to.
I also read a good bit of A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola.  It was a little dry but had some good info.
On the same subject, I read A Biblical Home Education by Ruth Beechick.  It had some good info and mostly just gave me a good perspective of how the Bible can be weaved into everyday life and education.

And if you haven't guessed what my update for fall is by now, I'm homeschooling Bennett!!  I'm really excited to give it a try!  He's done great this year in kindergarten and I'm hopeful that we can help him to excel in the areas he is showing an affinity for and include some things that they don't cover in school, including Spanish and Bible teaching as well.  We're planning to join a sort of co-op called Classical Conversations, where we will go to class one morning a week to work together with other homeschool kids and moms.  I'm looking forward to the adventure that awaits us!!!

So my reading is consumed mostly by homeschool info.  That will continue to be the case for a while I'm sure.  I'm mixing in a little Vince Flynn American Assassin right now, just to add in a little fun.  I'll finish that pretty quickly I know because I can never wait on his books.

That's the update.  Lots of books.  Some good information.  Some good entertainment.  Let the reading continue!!!