Recently, my kids have started sleeping better and they can entertain themselves for up to twenty (!!!!) minutes at a time. This has brought a breath of fresh air to my days of parenting and a much needed (albeit short) break.
While I relished in my new found freedom for the first few days, boredom quickly set it. I know, I know, I should be rejoicing in my kids entertaining themselves! But instead I found that after the house was cleaned and dinner was prepped, I was completely out of things to do. In three and a half short years, I had completely forgotten what I used to enjoy doing in my free time.
Now I am certainly not above perusing Facebook and Instagram on my phone, but I don’t want that to be the thing my kids see me do when I get bored.
I used to love to read. Like, really love to read. My mom used to take books out of my back pack so I would talk to other kids on the play ground. I used to disappear in my room for hours, completely sucked into a book. As soon as I became a parent, that was the first luxury to go. But once my kids started playing together better, I realized this was something I could slowly partake in again! It has actually been a real treat to start reading again. Just yesterday, my three year old sidled up against me to read together (granted, his was an imaginary book about a dinosaur and lion getting lost together in Africa, but whatever). I love that my kids see me reading and want to emulate my activity.
Many friends ask me for suggestions on what to read, so I have put together my top 5 book list for your fall reading:
- For the Love by Jen Hatmaker. This New York Times Bestseller has rocked my world in the last few months. It is admittedly written from a religious perspective, but the basic truth relates to everyone: we as women are all driving ourselves crazy. This mindset of more and more to be fulfilled isn’t working anymore. To be better moms, wife’s, friends and employees we need to take a step back and re-evaluate our lives. Every yes we give is a no to our family and personal space, is some way shape or form. This freedom to step back, take things “off my beam” and focus more on what really makes myself and my family come alive has been a literal lifesaving move. She also examines super serious things like the atrocities in fashion these days (overalls are coming back…..really??) and encourages all moms to embrace the most comfortable clothing item ever made: maxi skirts…although in her blunt and truthful opinion, they really are just crotchless yoga pants.
- I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley is an all time favorite of mine. This hilarious, crass and introspective book is essentially a memoir of the author’s life and takes the reader through childhood all the way up to adult hood. She examines the major life changes that we all go through, talks about her fears and dreams, and still leaves the reader crying from laughing.
- Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life by Glennon Doyle Melton is a book I’ve been putting off reading for years. I don’t know what about the title off put me, but I made a big mistake by just picking this one up. It is another religiously based book, but Glennon’s life story is not one to miss. She walked through addiction, unplanned pregnancy, marriage turmoil and so much more. Her positive outlook and truth telling is brave in our modern day of trying to put on the perfect face. I read this book on a plane and wept almost half of the flight.
- The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer. Y’all. I basically ignored my husband and kids while reading this book. I am not even kidding, I was reading it every spare second I had. This fictional piece imagines that George Washington’s Revolutionary War Spy Ring still operates in modern society and has members in all echelons of the United States Government. I could not put this book down. The fact that it is a trilogy was troubling to my husband, as he basically spent his nights alone for three weeks while I read.
- The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman. I don’t want to tell you anything about this book, in order to not give it away. But this timeless love story left me in tears. I can’t even. It’s just so good. The author switches back from mid 1900’s to modern day, and her breathtaking narrations are mesmerizing.
So there you have it. My list of must reads. So if you find yourself hiding in your pantry, eating chocolate chips and drinking wine while your kids happily play without you (Just me? Cool) and are bored with social media, you know where to turn!
Honorable Mentions:
Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequiest
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain
Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle
I Just Want to Pee Alone, a collection of blog posts on motherhood
On My List Reading List:
Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber
Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman
All three Bene Brown books
Watching the English: Hidden Rules of English Behaviour by Kate Fox
What books are you reading right now? Any recommendations (or one’s you wouldn’t recommend)?
**Amazon Affiliate links have been used in this post for easy reference.
Yep. All of these sound amazing!!