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Last week went sideways fast. Wyatt had a million appointments, Billy had to work late every single night, and I spent countless hours on the phone with insurance and doctors. We did have “book club” last week though, which I desperately needed by the time it came. Sometimes you just need those few hours to unwind, to recharge so that you can get back to work again right? And Michigan is so ugly right now guys. All mud and gray. Yuck. I miss the snow that we usually have – and now I sound so whiny! I apologize for sounding like a gloomy Gus, I guess I am feeling a bit of the January blues! I feel encouraged though, everyday brings us closer to spring and more light and new life in our world. We are going to start a calendar of firsts in a few weeks, where we look for these signs of the earth waking up from winter (the silly winter that we have had!), the first buds we see, etc. I think it will be so hopeful! This week in our Exploring Nature with Children program, we are going to be studying winter ponds. I am pretty excited to do this one! We are going to start by slipping on our muck boots this afternoon and hiking around the pond we have chosen to observe.
Read Last Week:
Good news, I broke my reading slump!
The Hand on the Wall: I was super excited to see that this was out! I downloaded it and immediately started reading it. Such a great series!!
Reading This Week:
One thing I miss about working my old job in the elementary school library is the excuse to read all those middle grade and younger books. Now I have no excuse, I just still like them at times. I really think I am going to buy a whole collection of Jean Craighead George for our house – I think Wyatt will enjoy them when he is older. Right now I am enjoying the Seasons of the Moon series.
Love Begins at Willow Tree Hall: I also was in the mood for something lighthearted as well – and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner so… romance it is. I thought this looked like such an inviting cover.
Watching:
The Ranch, WinterWatch on Britbox, some Rachel Khoo in London cooking show whose name eludes me but I love. She made a Black Forest Gateaux in one episode that looked insanely delicious! That show is also on Britbox. We might start Frankie and Grace pretty soon – I love those ladies. When I grow up I want to be Lily Tomlin.
How about you guys? What is going on in your neighborhood?
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
We all have weeks like that, I’m glad you had the opportunity to recharge at book club, and broke through your reading slump.
Wishing you a great reading week
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Thanks! Yes book club could not have come at a better time. 🙂
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Ooh, love the look of where you have book club. Very cozy.
Enjoy your outings and your books.
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That is my friend Kelly’s house! Her design skills and home are amazing honestly. It’s beautiful yet also so cozy and warm!
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Mud and gray. I hear you. We’re going to Little Women today. Because looking out the window is too depressing!
The music camp registration has opened. I hope you can check it out — I think Wyatt would love it!
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Yes! So terrible and gloomy out there. 😦 I LOVED Little Women!! Did you enjoy it?
I will check it out! I am a nervous mom though. Do parents stay with their children? Lol.
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I wish we had a little snow to cover all the brown ground. I like your friend’s fireplace. I would love to have one, even a fake one.
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Yes!!! I think snow, just a small layer, would do wonders to perk the world up a bit. 🙂
And me too. I would love one!
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It’s the winter drabness that often leaves me feeling so out-of-sorts. I don’t know how you do winter snow. It sounds like the snow doesn’t limit your outdoor activities, in any case. I think the program you are doing with nature with children sounds wonderful. Being outdoors is an instant happiness booster for me, even in bad weather.
I’m glad you have broken through your reading slump. I read lots of children’s books, even though I am not in the school library anymore. I’m still continuing my quest to read all 1001 of the Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. Some of my favorite books ever are children’s books.
Have a lovely week.
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Yes, it is so blah right now out. Everything is brown, brown, brown here. At least when we have snow it brightens the world up a bit! I miss color usually by the time spring rolls around, but the white of the snow is better than mud. Lol. I think living in a cold climate, you either lean in to it or be miserable. We try to embrace it for what it is, and I think that makes it better. My friends and family who sort of grouch about it and hate it are so much more miserable. Our walk yesterday did greatly improve my spirits. 🙂
I feel encouraged to not be so apologetic about it! I am not sure why I felt the need to be. 🙂
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Like the sound of your muckin about the ponds. Can’t wait to see the pictures of what you discover with Wyatt. Sharon Creech is another good, middle grade author. I taught a few of her books to my GATE group during my 5th grade days. E.L. Konisburg is another favorite of mine with her classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The View from Saturday.
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Billy and I felt like kids I think, splashing through the mud and water yesterday. It’s so weird though, to be doing that in January in Michigan.
I love E.L. Konisburg! I have shelved Sharon Creech but honestly I don’t think I have read her. I will have to check her out. 🙂 Thanks!
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This time of year is so dreary in Michigan! We were just talking about that yesterday, we were going somewhere and it was so gray out. Ready for spring big time! And ooh Hand on the Wall- I need to get on with that series I’ve only read the first book.
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This year just feels so blah, without snow. Lol. The sky is gray everyday, the ground is brown and muddy. We need like a sunny, snowy day. Or just spring!
I thought that series was so fun! I really enjoyed it.
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You know we are dealing with the gloom here too! I can’t believe I miss the snow but it has been weird to mainly have rain and fog. It’s like living in England.
Glad you broke the reading slump. I have the excuse of reading youth books with my son.
And I love how cozy your friend’s house looked for the book club! I’d either read or fall asleep there!
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It’s so nasty sad out there. I think I might buy a few indoor plants to help me get through to spring. I am not usually very good at keeping them alive though usually! It’s totally weird this year without snow. And you are right, it is a very British winter we are having! Lol.
Her house is so amazing, honestly. It looks like it could be in a magazine but she also manages to make it so that you feel welcome and warm. And yes, we were there two Saturdays ago hanging out and Wyatt just laid down in front of the fire like he was going to take a nap. Lol. It inspires that cozy feeling!
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I’m called the plant killer in my house. We were at a store one day and I walked my some potted plants and one fell off the shelf as I walked by. I didn’t even touch it. My son pointed at it and said “look. That plant committed suicide because it new if you took it home it would die anyhow.”’
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Ug, sounds like a stressful week. Hiking around the pond might be fun, though, if it’s not freezing. Have a great week!
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It was pretty cold near the water, but it was fun tromping through the slush! Lol.
Thanks Aj!
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I’ll be reading the Hand on the Wall soon. My weekly update
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I thought it was such a great series. 🙂
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Sorry it was a tough week… those January blues are REAL!! Hope you get some sunshine (or at least a pretty covering of snow) soon. At least the reading was good… here’s to a better week ahead!
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I usually trooper through pretty well, but I think the lack of snow is getting me down! It at least brightens things up. Lol.
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I hear you about the January blues. I’m in Illinois and we’re getting a lot of the same- not much snow, cold, absolutely no sun, and now what little snow we have had is grey. I guess it gives me good reason to stay indoors and read though! Hope you have a brighter week this week!
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Yes, same here. It is just gray and yuck. But yes, it is a perfect reason to just stay in and read! Have a great one too!
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I don’t think I was completely convinced January needed to go until this past weekend. I need some of your positive energy to rub off on me. It’s been such a rough start to the year. Hopefully we’re getting the worst of it out of the way now and making way for a better year ahead. We really have a lot to look forward to in the coming months. The Exploring Nature with Children program sounds like it will be a lot of fun. I am glad your reading slump has passed! I hope you have a great week!
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I usually don’t have an issue with it, but this year is rough! I was like what is the matter with me? Then it hit me that it was all the grey sky, no sun, everyday. I agree, I hope that this is the worst we are going to get and that everyday just keeps getting better. Hopefully. Lol. I’ve been watching a lot of gardening YouTube videos too, just planning for nicer weather.
The Exploring Nature with Children program is so fun and so open ended! I love to take the theme and adapt it to our family, along with doing some of the suggested activities!
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I read The Hand the Wall this week too. Great series! We have the gray skies but we also have lots and lots of snow. Corners are a challenge with all the very high snow piles. Come see me week here. Happy reading!
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Oh wow!!! Yeah our snow is not even what I would call snow! Just some measly white stuff here and there, like at the end of winter.
I loved it!!! I am so glad that you did too. 🙂
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I haven’t read any of those books yet, but I hope you enjoy them.
It’s warm here in Texas, I wish we had snow or even gloom. I’m not big on sunny!
I honestly wish it could be fall/winter all the time, but that’s just me.
Her fireplace and decor is gorgeous!
Ash @ JennReneeRead
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I have to be honest, fall and winter are my favorite seasons! I am not a summer lover by any means. You can find me in the shade or in the house when summer rolls around lol. But this year… I think it is the total lack of snow. We have day after day of 36 degrees and rain. Like every.day. I went to Texas last summer and was alarmed by the sign on my hotel room window that said had flames on it, talking about how hot the rooms can get if I left the curtains open. Lol.
Her house is amazing!
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The daffodils have been in bloom for a couple of weeks now. We didn’t really have winter this year, just a week of cold (at least it didn’t rain that week). I’m going to plant some flowers this afternoon as it is so sunny and my front porch needs a bit of color.
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