Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Reading Update Mid Year 2024

July 8, 2024

I’ve actually been reading quite a bit lately and that is a bit unusual for the last few years. I’ve bought a few new books and a few (ha – several?) used books from various stores so have quite an extensive to be read “list”. :D Should make a post about all that some time. For now let’s do a deeper dive into my reading for the first half of the year.

For spiritual reading, I had almost finished the Gospel of John when I had a bad day and instead read Ecclesiastes in two days. Then I went back and read the commentary I have on that book so it was all a fantastic read. Right now, I’m doing a Summer of Psalms read (not all of them just around 30) and that is nice reading too. It’s been a while since I’ve read anything in the Old Testament so it’s been good to get back in. For extra spiritual reading I bought Rachel Dodge’s devotional for “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I’d thought about it for a long time and should have just done it this spring because The Secret Garden really is a spring book but now’s a good time too. The devotional is lovely and the meditations and prayers are comforting and I really need that right now. The Secret Garden is just so uplifting and it is definitely not just a kids book. After I read this devotional, I might go ahead and get the “Anne of Green Gables” devotional she has and read that for the rest of the summer (as well as reading the actual book). There’s also one for “Little Women” so…might do that too.

And now, here are the books I’ve read so far this year with a grade:
1. Finding Betty Crocker – Susan Marks – A
2. Gracious Homemaking – Mrs. Sharon White – C
3. An Old Fashioned Budget – Mrs. Sharon White – B
4. A Woman Makes A Plan – Maye Musk – B
5. Lord Calm My Anxious Heart – Linda Dillow – B
6. Keeping House – Margaret Kim Peterson – A+
7. Thrift Store Saints – Jane Knuth – A+
8. Thrift Store Graces – Jane Knuth – A+
9. The Prayer List – Jane – Knuth – A+
10. Sister of the Bride – Beverly Cleary – A
11. Love Comes Softly – Janette Oke – B
12. Love’s Enduring Promise – Janette Oke – B
13. Love’s Long Journey – Janette Oke – B
14. Love’s Abiding Joy – Janette Oke – B
15. Love’s Unending Legacy – Janette Oke – B
16. Love’s Unfolding Dream (skimmed) – Janette Oke
17. Love Takes Wing (skimmed) – Janette Oke
18. Love Finds A Home (skimmed) – Janette Oke
19. Miracles Happen – Mary Kay Ash – B
20. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett – A+
Phew – that’s the most I’ve read in quite a while. And all the books are filling a need for me as well so the timing couldn’t be better. Well, okay, so I only skimmed through the last 3 Janette Oke books, but I’ll go back and read them. I wanted to see how things turned out because I read some of the Love Comes Softly series many many years ago but I don’t think I read them all. Nice to revisit them and I even remembered some of the things that went on. FWIW – it’s Christian pioneer fiction so let that inform you should you decide to read the series. Some of them got a bit too preachy for me.

Anywho – that’s the lowdown on all of that. As of today, July 8, I’m reading the last week of Summer of Psalms, and I think I’ll read “Flourish” by Elizabeth Foss next. It’s a study of the book of Romans (my bad – I originally said it was a study of James) which is a fantastic book in the New Testament. So much to be gleaned there. And I think I’ll go ahead and get Rachel Dodge’s devotional for “Anne of Green Gables” and read those (book and devotional) as well. Good summertime reading. For any other reading we’ll see where I’m lead.

It’s library day this week but in a weird twist of fate, I haven’t taken out too many lately (except for the Love Comes Softly series) and mostly just hang out in their used bookstore. I tend to take a too many books out that I think I’d like to read and then never read them. Oh well. At least this year has been a banner year so far for reading and that’s the point anyway – to read something. Cheers!

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Looking Back – June 2024

July 3, 2024

Well, the year is half over already. The older you get the faster it all goes. Luckily spring is over too. What started out as beautiful weather turned into one of the worst severe weather seasons I’ve seen in a long time. Many people around here are now on edge with every storm we get. That said, after all the storms we dried up which kind of needed to happen but it was hot as well so lawns started to get burned. Last weekend we had a deluge and the day after the rain was just fantastic. I could almost hear the air conditioner breathing a sigh of relief as well. When the heat index is 115 it just can’t slog through it well.

I’ve been reading a lot lately and blitzed through several books last month (post coming on that). I also started watching “thirtysomething” again because a cast member died – Erich Anderson – and it just hit hard. It’s a pleasure to watch again and having the companion book now makes it even better.

Music wise I’m still finding gems (like Van Halen’s debut album from 1981) and I really should do a post about my collection one of these days. So much good stuff yet still missing items like a Billy Idol hits album. No one ever coughs up the good stuff at vintage/thrift stores.

And you know I’m gonna talk skincare. I had been using Beautycounter until they shut down in April. Said they were coming back in May and that got pushed back even more so I’m going back to my basics. I had an interesting thought on how to find what I need – maybe I should pick products to match the effect I want. Kind of like picking cough syrups to go with your symptoms. For example, I got a sample of Dior’s Mousse On/Off Cleanser and it is fantastic! Cleans all the makeup off and rinses very clean with no residue. And that matches what I want in a nighttime cleanser. Something to think about.

For makeup I’m still using the same ole same ole but I went on a primer sample binge and that is one product that I actually need in my lineup. I found a couple that are good so that makes 3 that I like. Probably should just get ’em all and put them in rotation.

And that was June 2024. I hope this month is a little better but it’s also going to get a little more tense as well and so I’m praying it all goes well.

Here’s to July and the beauty that is summer because yes every season has it’s own beauty if you just look around to see it.

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» 2024 » July » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Reading Update Mid Year 2024

July 8, 2024

Looking Back – June 2024

July 3, 2024

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