Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Well. We are back from Idaho, where we went to my parents’ home, my sister’s home, my brother’s home, and got takeout a few times. (Okay, my sister and I also went to Walmart to do some Easter shopping, and the older three kiddos and I went with my brother’s family to Leslie Gulch Recreational Area in Oregon.) I pondered and prayed a good bit before deciding to carry on with this trip; ultimately, I felt that in this case, family needs came first. From now on out, however, we’re sheltering at home.

As for motivation, well–I’m doing better than last week in that department, but I’m also determined to start this week off with a schedule for school-at-home that will keep us more organized. Wish me luck! In the meantime, this morning I finished reading Julie Sternberg’s Everything’s Changed (The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine)–which means that I can finally pass it along to my 10-year-old– and it was, in a word, delightful. (I love Julie Sternberg!) Celie’s voice feels perfect to me, and her first friend forays in her new neighborhood make for solidly thought-provoking entertainment. Johanna Wright’s illustrations complete the experience beautifully; if you have a middle grade girl, you don’t want to miss Celie Valentine. (If you’re lucky enough to have a solid income during this craziness, consider ordering the series–if not, you should definitely put it on hold at your local library, to be picked up when the world calms down a bit!)