This will be the first summer in a long time that I actually will not be working for someone else. I made some changes to my online work schedule this spring and cleared my plate of a lot of work that was keeping me from spending time with my husband and kids and not allowing me to take care of myself and my home. Something had to change. So, on my way home from our unexpected trip to Texas this year I prayed about what I needed to let go of that would give me the ability to focus on my real priorities.
I’ve learned over the last few years that in order for me to be at my best for my husband and my children that I have to take care of myself. I can’t push myself so much and too hard, I need to have time to just be me. Thankfully I don’t need much to just be me, a good book and a cup of hot coffee in the morning are just what I need. Since I’m learning to find a new balance in my life, I know that I have to make plans of things that I want to do that I haven’t done in a long time. I love to read…I have ever since I was a little girl, but I haven’t been allowing myself the pleasure of reading for a long time. That’s all about to change!
This summer my goal is to read 10 books and I’ve selected them already because I’ve built up a reading list for a long time, but these 10 books were the ones I wanted to read first. There are a few books that are just for pleasure, a couple for parenting, a few for homeschooling and one for business. I want to enjoy myself reading, but I believe that reading should push us to grow too!
I love Jane Austen, so when I ran across Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay last year, I knew I had to read it. It was one of the best books I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to read Lizzy & Jane this summer! If you enjoy Jane Austen and love humor, then I highly recommend you check out both of these books!
I try to do my best and take care of my family to the best of my ability, but I know that I have a lot to learn in regards eating healthier, taking care of the resources that God has blessed us with. I can’t even remember when I got Green, American Style, but I do know that I felt healthier, slept better and was less stressed when I was more intentional in paying attention to the ingredients in our food and products in our home. I can’t wait to read this book and get back to where I once was, living green, American style.
Running a family and an online business is quite the adventure, but I want to ensure that while I am striving to succeed at both of these ventures that I am also taking care of my family. Boss Mom was recommended to me by a cousin and I am looking forward to gaining wisdom from another boss mom who is walking this road too.
My son has reached the teen years and there are things that I just don’t understand about boys, so I am enjoying learning bits of wisdom from a couple who has raised their fair share (and then some!) of boys! I met Melanie at the 2:1 Conference in North Carolina last year and she was so encouraging to me in the few moments that I had with her. I just know that once I finish Raising Real Men, that I will be strengthen and encouraged for the few years I have left to raise a real man, a Godly man.
My kids truly are each other’s best friends…99% of the time, but the other 1% of the time I just don’t know what to do. As a parent, I am hopeful that Sibling Squabbles will be full of tips and encouragement on how to help my children be each other’s best friends all of the time!
I know that I’m homeschooing for a purpose, but I don’t always do well at remembering what that purpose is in the midst of frustrating homeschool days and busy work schedules. I remember reading Amy’s blog before I ever thought about becoming a blogger, so it was really special to get to meet her and be mentored by her at the 2:1 Conference in North Carolina last year. I’m looking forward to being encouraged and reminded what my homeschool purpose is through her book, Homeschooling with Purpose this summer.
This is another book by Katherine Reay, which kept me turning pages until late into the night with her book, Dear Mr. Knightly. I’m quite sure that The Bronte Plot will not disappoint!
We all need to be reminded that we are loved no matter what, after all life isn’t always a bed of roses, motherhood is harder than we ever imagined and marriage isn’t everything we dreamed it would be either. We fail and 
fall on our faces time and time again, so how can we truly be lovely? I am really looking forward to reading You’re Loved No Matter What this summer.
Above all things, I want to raise my children to love the Lord and will follow Him, no matter what is at stake. I know that as time passes that this will take great faith and extreme courage, I need to ensure that I am prepared to train them to do to this. Raising Godly Children, spoke to me because of the title and tagline, I wanted to read it because those spoke to my heart.
My love for Jane Austen extends to books and movies that are inspired by her, so when I came across, Jane Austen’s First Love, that is inspired by actual events, I knew that this needed to be on my summer reading list!
Yes, this is a list of 11 books, I know that I said I wanted to read 10 books this summer, but I am challenging myself to read more than I think I can to help train myself to enjoy this thing called life more than I have in a long time. Reading is a great way to inspire, encourage, grow and sooth your soul in the midst of life as we know it.
What is on your homeschool mom summer reading list?
