Confessions of a Bookworm Mama

Photo Credit: Photography by Tiffany Lynn

As a book blogging stay-at-home mom, teacher, nurse, chef, accountant, cleaning service...you get the idea...Sometimes I am baffled by the amount of time I actually do get to read and write, and well, quite frankly, escape from my children and adulting. This post is a little peek into my life as a SAHM and avid reader. First of all, my kids are 4 and 2...Not teenagers who can fend for themselves, oh no...Also we had a rough beginning to my 2 year old's life (I know I talk about him a lot, but if you haven't yet, you can read more HERE). The escape from all the medical stuff is why I got into book blogging to begin with. And I never in a million years could have imagined where it would all lead. The connections I have made and the opportunities I have had. I am beyond THRILLED to be able to attend Christian Fiction Readers Retreat (CFRR) again this year! Such a fabulous opportunity to connect and build relationships not only with fellow bloggers and readers, but with several fabulous authors as well. You can learn more about CFRR HERE.

1. I DO clean house...Not as much as I probably should. But enough that if you were to pop in for an unexpected cup of tea (or coffee), I wouldn't be embarrassed. 

2. I fantasize about being able to stay curled up in my book nook ALL day and have ZERO interruptions. With an endless supply of caffeine and skittle and starbursts.

3. The question "How do you have time to read?" is probably the most common in my life (after "WHY?" from my children). The question I would like to return...."How many hours a day do you spend browsing on your phone, crafting, watching TV, etc." I try and get up a couple hours before the kids do so I can have quiet reading time alone. I usually read during their nap as well, unless I can pull my nose out of a book long enough to watch a TV show on Netflix such as The Crown or Gilmore Girls. The bottom line is, I make reading a priority. I won't lie though, to be a book blogging mom, I HAVE to prioritize....EVERYTHING...be disciplined and stick to a schedule!

4. We do have chicken nuggets and tater tots for dinner on occasion...Like tonight for example. Especially when I am reading a Jody Hedlund, Jen Turano, or Pepper Basham book...However, I am really good in the kitchen and I adore my crockpot! Pasta is my weakness however...I could eat it every night, yet my metabolism doesn't like me anymore...So that is not a realistic possibility.

Photo Credit: Jeff and Amanda Dixon

5. My husband is bookish. This is probably one of the most encouraging things about being a bookworm...Is that Zach loves reading too. And yes, he is just as weird as I am...Although he tries to hide it in public.

6. I would rather buy books than new clothes. Erasmus said it best, "When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes." 

7. I own more books than I could possibly read...And I keep buying more. According to my "Book Catalogue" App (free in the Windows app store) I own 233 fiction PRINT books. Of those, I have read 57. And I have acquired about 200 of those just since I started blogging a little over 2 years ago. (Let's not get started on the eBooks I have...)

8. My kids own almost as many books as I do. Have you heard of Usborne Books??? If not...Check them out HERE! They provide some of the BEST kids books I have ever found! So addicted to these books. Learning, reading, colors, games, puzzles, eeeeee! Ok, calming down...actually...not really! Who am I kidding? 

Pinterest

9. When people ask "Have you read any good books lately?" I usually give them a blank stare...However, this is what is REALLY going on inside my head: "Which ones have I read recently? Oh yes...there's that one...eh decent...Oh that one was good, but I'm not sure this person appreciates that genre. Oh, I liked that other one, and that one....they don't want to hear about all of these...maybe I should just pick one, WHICH one would they be interested in hearing about? OH!!!!! THAT ONE!!!!!" But what I say is..."Yes, actually, I just finished An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter.....(commence conversation)"

10. I really, really, REALLY want my kids to grow up bookish! And they have an amazing start. They love reading with me and by themselves (see #8), they know mommy loves to read and they know that books are an important part of life. 

You can learn so much from reading. If you don't like reading, there is a good chance you just haven't found the right book yet (thank you J.K. Rowling for your wise words). So, find a topic that interests you. Maybe it isn't fiction, or maybe it's comic books, just get a book in your hands! And if you need suggestions, you can check out some of my favorite reads HERE. 

Thank you dear reader, for sticking with me through the ups and downs of being a Bookworm Mama...I know I can fall off the radar, that sometimes my posts aren't as polished as I would like, but I LOVE what I do and I couldn't do it without YOUR support! Now go treat yourself to a new book, or coffee...or skittles....

Until next time friends...I remain your faithful Bookworm Mama 📚