What Are YOU Reading?

I needed a break and decided to pick up a "fun" book at the library!!

This book, Mind Games: 31 Days to Rediscover Your Brain, is filled with fun, quick little things that you can do each day that teach you about your mind and WHY we think the way that we do!! It's pretty cool to realize how you think and the reasons behind it. (When I initially saw the book, I thought that it was a book that would help you rediscover how smart you were or how to be smarter or something like that, but that's not what its about at all.)

At first, I was telling myself that I would do one "exercise" a day while I was reading another book, but that only lasted about two days and then I was on a mission to devour the whole book!!! :)

There is even a section where you can learn about how your kids think the way that they do - - not why they DO the things that they do (lol), but how they rationalize things in their mind. Very interesting!

I also learned through one exercise that I value speed and agility and strength in people, that I want people to know that I am loyal, and that I think that people perceive me as being graceful! :)) That exercise was fun, but some of the others are more just about reading and understanding how the brain works.

Pretty cool stuff.

What are YOU reading?

Any great plans for the 4th of July holiday?

Thanks again to everyone who commented on my last book post. I really enjoy reading your comments and, of course, I'm happy for all those that choose to share!

My last question was about saving your sanity - what do you do to save your sanity. Of course, you are reading - and blogging! Jen commented that her biggest sanity saver is date night (!!!) with her hubby (awwww...of course we get romance from the writer of the Clean Romance Reviews blog!!). Rosann mentioned that running makes her feel more positive and Christina loves to get lost in audiobooks!! Mommy is Green has a Kindle that helps keep her sane!! :)

I haven't really gotten into Kindles yet (or audiobooks for that matter).... I think I would miss the "weight" of my actual books, but everyone who has one has told me how great they are!! Thanks for your comments!!!

Have a wonderful, safe, freedom-filled weekend!! I LOVE 4th of July - - it's one of my favorite holidays!!
More later! :)
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What Are YOU Reading?

I got this wonderful book at the library last week. I wasn't searching for it, it just happened to be on the "featured books" shelf at the library. It looked interesting, so I decided to check it out. It's a self-help book, but written by a doctor who used her visits with kids and their parents to see the real value of mothers (that we have a hard time seeing ourselves). It's really awesome and moving to see yourself in this way - - to see you how your KIDS see you - - as a provider, comforter, and confidant.

The book is 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity by Meg Meeker, MD.

Here is one of the moving things that I saw that has stayed with me while reading this book:

"How can we assume that we have little value when we give them life, shape thier lives, and ultimately change their lives? We mothers are indispensable to our kids because no one can teach them how to love, empathize, nurture, or value others like we can. No one."

It's a very good book with ten "habits" that you can start that will get you on the road to happiness and joy while living in the role of motherhood.

I think sometimes we are tired, overwhelmed, and just frazzled. These habits help put those feelings in perspective and find the bigger, greater thing that this life is about right now - being our babies' momma.

What things do you do that help save your sanity???  ;)

Share your comments - your advice may just help someone else be less frazzled tonight!!

Thanks for all your comments in my last post about Dave Ramsey - - I really do like reading his books and listening to him on the radio. He also has a new book coming out this fall about being an entrepreneur. Do you know he started his "empire" on a fold out table in his living room? Wow. I want to read about that!!!

Seems like he is pretty much a household name - everyone who commented has either read about him or heard about him. Liz actually knows someone who teaches his classes at her church! And Nina commented about ways that she saves - including making sure that some of every paycheck goes to savings right away!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!
More later! :)



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What Are YOU Reading?

Well, What Are YOU Reading usually goes live on Friday...but, I had to work on Friday and wasn't able to post!!
So, here is a quick tribute to What Are YOU Reading -

I didn't actually check out this library book and I haven't actually READ it either. But, I did think it was funny. Probably all my dad's references to basket weaving classes that he thought that I was spending my time on while I was in college - lol.

Thanks for all your comments to my last book post (last week). I will highlight all the great answers next week!
We spent today at the Santa Barbara Zoo!! It was fun, but it was a L-O-N-G day!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!
More later! :)

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What are YOU reading Friday?

Hi everyone!!!!

Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!! We had so much fun and it was relaxing and easy going. We actually spent one whole morning sitting around the pool - which, unfortunately, is something that we rarely ever do!! Miss No-No is finally old enough to be in swimming lessons now, so hopefully, we will be swimming more soon!

We spent about an hour in the library last night looking at new books. There is sooooo much stuff I want to read right now. I don't know if they got a lot of new books in recently or if I am not really looking at all the new stuff lately!!! What are YOU reading this week?

I got this book called Twitter Power 2.0 by Joel Comm. It is an awesome book with tons of tips about how to have a more commanding "voice" being on Twitter. I highly recommend it for anyone using Twitter who is unsure about it or about it's potential. There is a lot of stuff about marketing and using Twitter as a promotional tool for your products. Since I am not actually SELLING anything on the internet, I mostly skimmed over these sections, but I did find a lot of useful information about how to be a good tweeter and how to use some parts of Twitter that I didn't completely understand before. If YOU are selling something on the internet, this book makes you a fast study on the types and frequency of "ads" and special offers that you put out. One thing the book also mentions is to make sure that you realize that people are not "following" you or "liking" you, they are CONNECTING with you. Comm says that is what makes Twitter different than other forms of social media available to us now. (Clearly, that was a profound statement that stayed with me after I put the book down!!)

This is a great, quick, informative book on the finer aspects of Twitter.

I found out about this book from Rosann who actually recommended it during a previous What Are YOU Reading Friday!! Thanks Rosann!

If you recommend a book to me, I just may pick that up to and discuss it here!! :)

So....

Do you use Twitter as a marketing tool? What are you selling? Do you think it's helped your business?

And...

what are YOU reading this week?

English Rose stopped by last week to say that she just finished reading Her Love Next Door. If I know ER, I KNOW this is probably a romance novel! ;)

Have a great week!

More later! :)

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What are YOU Reading? Friday

Hey everyone! Happy Friday!!! :)
What are you reading today?

I picked up this new book called Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, MD. The claim is that you can "lose up to 20 pounds (or more!) in six weeks". Dr. Fuhrman is a ...nutritional researcher who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods (from the back cover).

I don't know about losing 20 pounds (although I wouldn't mind! ahhahaha!), but there are some good recipes in here and nearly all the daily plans include some kind of dessert (mmmm). And the desserts look awesome, but I haven't had one yet.
I have already done a couple of days of the plan and I love the lunches, they are good and filling. Most of the dinners can be made in 30 to 40 minutes! And the breakfasts are all easy and fast although some require pomegranate juice (which I don't have and have been substituting for freshly made carrot juice). Additionally, I don't feel full, full, full, but I also don't feel hungry either (except in the mornings, when I first get up, and then I am starving!). Overall, this book is good and seems to focus on the fact that everyone needs lots of whole grains, fruits and (both) raw and cooked veggies.
I spent some time a couple of years ago reading about "nutritionally-deficient" caused diseases and how they can be nearly (or completely) reversed using good, wholesome, whole foods. I was impressed with the studies I read and the information that I learned. This book boils a lot of that down into an easy to read format (without being overly scientific) with testimonials here and there to break it all up.

This book is good informational reading and good for wholesome recipes.
What are YOU reading today?

Thanks to all the comments on my What are YOU Reading post last Friday. I really enjoy hearing about what you are all reading and what your intrests are. Share it all with me in the comments.

What is YOUR favorite cookbook? Or good food / recipe book?

More later! :)

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What are you Reading Friday

Sadly, I missed What are you Reading last week - but, it was because I was on vacation for Easter / Spring Break (more on that later!). I thought that I had internet access in my hotel room, but, alas.....that was not the case!

Now, let's delve into what's new! :)

Keeping with my non-fiction theme, I picked up this new book at the library this week:

• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen R. Covey

This book promises to "take you far beyond the clutter in your home...to tackle the clutter that fills your head and impedes so many areas of your life...the underlying feelings that create the clutter that blocks the path to who you want to be...This process will take you beyond thinking about what you need for your home or your life to understanding what you need from your life to make it truly and uniquely yours." {from the back cover}

Wow! What an inspiration. I can't wait to get started. However, I still need to tackle the Social Media Bible that I got two weeks ago (I will probably work through that one before I start on this one - since it's due first). I am hoping to get into this new book within the coming week.

I think that being (more?) fully present in my life would make the little moments more memorable and more meaningful. I really feel like I don't want to miss out on ANYTHING that's happening right now...especially since I have my little one and I know the time is passing really.really.really.quickly! Clearing the mental clutter out of my head, my life, and out of my days could be the path that I need to take to make that more of a reality and to feel more organized everyday so that my life seems to streamline itself.

What things are you working on not missing?

Where in your life could you use more organization?

Do you have any strategies for clearing mental clutter (that you are already using in your life)?

Thanks to all of you commented on what you were reading last time! Jade commented that she really loves biographies and non-fiction (she just finished reading a book about the musicians aboard the Titanic - I always wondered what were going through those guys' heads while they kept playing when the ship was going down).  The momma who writes for English Rose is in my corner about not buying new books - she borrows from the library and from friends. And Dena stopped by to say that she is reading a new book by Gregory Lane about three word ways to be like Jesus (Lead, Serve, Love).

What else are you reading now? Let's share and encourage each other to pick up new books...no matter what type they are.

More later! :)

What are you Reading Friday

 I have been taking Miss No-No to the library ever since she was born. We go every week! Even when we are on vacation, we usually make a stop at a local library (even if we don't check anything out). When she was little, we would go on Fridays because they had a baby and Mommy-play program in the mornings. Now, she is too old for that, and she would rather be at preschool on Friday mornings, so now we go Thursdays after school. She really loves it and it's something that she looks forward to. She always picks out books, she knows where her "section" is, and she usually spends some time doing puzzles, talking to other kids (or just watching them), and then helping me check out the books using the self-check machine.I think it is a great way to foster her love of books (and reading!) and to let her see that I also use the library regularly.
I used to always buy books, but after Mr. No-No and I got married, we quickly realized that ALL of our books were just too many for our little place. We downsized and now I go to the library. We still have some books (and I have my cookbooks), but going to the library means that we have a huge place to 'store' all of 'our' books when we aren't actively using them....which means more space for us at home!I have been reading a lot of fiction lately, but (very) recently have decided that maybe I should be spending my time more wisely (ah, yes, grasshopper!).Here is my take home from the library today:
 
 

• The Social Media Bible by Lon Safko and David K. Brake - Tactics, Tools & strategies for Business Success
• Enough Already by Peter Walsh - Cleaning Mental Clutter to Become the Best You
• the creative family by Amanda Blake Soule - simple project and activities for you and your children
• The Ice Cream Maker by Subir Chowdhury - An inspiring tale about making quality the key ingredient in everything you do

I got two of these suggestions from Katy Wolk-Stanley's blog, the Non-Consumer Advocate, which I love A LOT. But, since we go to the library every week and since I am working on more constructive endeavors, I have decided that I will try to post my weekly take-home from the library.

Maybe you will be inspired and, hopefully, you will give me some ideas about books that you have read (about anything). Maybe I will pick up something new courtesy of you!

In light of all that:

What are your favorite kinds of books to read?

What are you reading right now?

What is your all time favorite book?

Do you buy your books or do you borrow them from the library?

I am interested in what you have to say, so please don't be shy. Share with me and let's encourage each other to grab a new book and read a little bit more - - even if it's fun fiction!!! :)

More later!!  :)

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