Book Love

I read this really beautiful post a few days ago and it got me thinking about the books in my household and how their role has changed over the past decade.  

Four years ago we said goodbye to our cable/satellite service.  And while we still order movies through Netflix, our everyday television has been replaced by lots of other things.   Reading is at the top of that list and G's new year's resolution is to read 1,000 books.  I'd say we better get started.

We make our bi-monthly pilgrimages to the mobile library and those are two of my favorite days out of the month.  I go out of my way to make sure nothing gets double-booked on my calendar, so that I can pick up my library friend on my way to Tomales and enjoy the 20 whole minutes before school is out to chat it up with our favorite librarian, make small talk with the other book-loving ladies and quietly (or not so quietly on this book bus!) peruse the newest titles and grab any books holds - all before Grady and the gang of eager readers from the elementary school bombard the mobile library.  There is such a frenzy around Terry & her library on wheels.

As I looked around my home today, I saw books in almost every room.

The entryway held books from Grady's school book bag.

The living room basket held books read and books-to-read recently checked out from our mobile librarian.

Grady's desk held books he received for xmas and to-be-read, as well.

I ordered several Anorak magazines for him for xmas and they are made from such rich and delicious card stock.  The content is 100% illustrated and written by children.  I found G reading this issue just after dinner tonight.

The laundry room houses quite a collection of bird books, journals and illustrated books from our resident artist.

The kitchen shelves store my absolute favorite and most used cookbooks.  These are my go-to recipes and reference books.

The kitchen bar cart also houses food magazines and books that haven't found a home yet.  And yes, that is a very dated copy of How Babies Are Made.

We are almost done with Lemony Snicket's book #2 The Reptile Room.  These are such charming, odd little books.

My current book is a light read from Mindy Kaling and it's cute & funny.

This is my on-deck chair next to my bed.  Lots of books in progress this month.

Steve has finally given up on Moby Dick, but he gave it the good college try for two+ months.  He's also reading Toby Alone to the boy.

My new year purge created a little bit of wiggle room on G's bookshelves.  It's so hard to get rid of books that loved one's have given him.  He was more ruthless about it all and ready to let the little kid books go.  I saved a small stack to put in storage and donated the rest.  It was time.

The graphic novel is all the rage with this boy right now and he finds Garfield quite hilarious. Really?  Yes, really.

Books on tape are just as satisfying to him.  He listened to Tin Tin, Shel Silverstein & Harry Potter for hours today.

National Geographic for Kids disappointed us a few years ago when we ordered it for Grady. Lots of advertising and sub par articles.  We cancelled the subscription and Steve wrote a letter to National Geographic letting them know why.  The classroom copy that G gets every month is ad-free and really wonderful.  He's read this copy at least a half dozen times in the last week.

This dictionary has lived at my side for almost 25 years.  It was my dictionary in high school and traveled with me to my first job as a legal secretary.  I reference this book almost daily and still prefer it to the dictionary on my computer.

I pulled this awesome book out this morning to reference a really wonderful recipe for fruit leather.  I'm still on my purging kick and needed to extricate two milk containers full of frozen strawberries from the freezer.  Mission accomplished.

My kitchen table was also a nice resting place for a few new magazines.  My friend has been sharing his Martha Stewart Living magazine with me.  He originally accused me of sending him this subscription as a joke and when I feigned indignation at the implication, he quickly apologized and has been hand-delivering the newest issues to my doorstep each month.  Martha would be proud.

The top of my washer holds a few thrift store finds that I picked up.  I'm waiting for just the right kid to come along or have a birthday party and then they will find a happy home.

I'm on year three of this One Line A Day book.  It's been such a lovely way of marking the day with notes about the weather, quotes from the boy that I don't want to forget or jotting down special occasions.  One of the best presents I've ever received.  Truly.

I realized after I took these pictures how much I love having books around me.  They are an extended part of the family and a true reflection of who we are or hope to be.  A beautiful snapshot of what we're into at this very moment.

What are you reading?