My Reading Nook

Little Women

2010-05-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

Carolyn and I decided to read Little Women. I have decided to add little poignant quotes from the book as I go along. I will just keep adding them to this post.

Ch. 3
- "I saw you dancing with the red headed man I ran away from. Was he nice?

Oh. very! His hair is auburn, not red, and he was very polite, and I had a delicious redowa with him.

He looked like a grasshopper in a fit when he did the new step. Laurie and I couldn't help laughing. Did you hear us?"

Ch. 4
- "I don't believe fine young ladies enjoy themselves a bit more than we do, in spite of our burned hair, old gowns, one glove apiece and tight slippers that sprain our ankles when we are silly enough to wear them, And I think Jo was quite right."

- "Tell another story, Mother, one with a moral to it, like this. I like to think about them afterward, if they are real and not too preachy, said Jo, after a minute's silence."

- "When you feel discontented, think over your blessings, and be grateful."

- "So they agreed to stop complaining, to enjoy the blessings already possessed, and try to deserve them, lest they should be taken away entirely, instead of increased, and I believe they were never disappointed or sorry that they took the old woman's advice."

Ch. 5
- "... remember that children should be children as long as they can."

- "If the Laurences had been what Jo called `prim and poky', she would not have got on at all, for such people always made her shy and awkward. But finding them free and easy, she was so herself, and made a good impression."

Ch. 7
- "You have a good many little gifts and virtues, but there is no need of parading them, for conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long, even if it is, the consciousness of possessing and using it well should satisfy one, and the great charm of all power is modesty."

Ch. 8
- "Your father, Jo. He never loses patience, never doubts or complains, but always hopes, and works and waits so cheerfully that one is ashamed to do otherwise before him. He helped and comforted me, and showed me that I must try to practice all the virtues I would have my little girls possess, for I was their example. It was easier to try for your sakes than for my own. A startled or surprised look from one of you when I spoke sharply rebuked me more than any words could have done, and the love, respect, and confidence of my children was the sweetest reward I could receive for my efforts to be the woman I would have them copy."

- "...you may say anything to your mother, for it is my greatest happiness and pride to feel that my girls confide in me and know how much I love them."

- "No, dear, but speaking of Father reminded me how much I miss him, how much I owe him, and how faithfully I should watch and work to keep his little daughters safe and good for him."

- "Why should I complain, when we both have merely done our duty and will surely be the happier for it in the end? If I don't seem to need help, it is because I have a better friend, even than Father, to comfort and sustain me. My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that of your earthly one. The more you love and trust Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but my become the source of lifelong peace, happiness, and strength. Believe this heartily, and go to God with all your little cares, and hopes, and sins, and sorrows, as freely and confidently as you come to your mother."

Ch. 9
- "I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished, and good. To be admired, loved, and respected. To have a happy youth, to be well and wisely married, and to lead useful, pleasant lives, with as little care and sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send. To be loved and chosen by a good man is the best and sweetest thing which can happen to a woman, and I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience. It is natural to think of it, Meg, right to hope and wait for it, and wise to prepare for it, so that when the happy time comes, you may feel ready for the duties and worthy of the joy. My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world, marry rich men merely because they are rich, or have splendid houses, which are not homes because love is wanting. Money is a needful and precious thing, and when well used, a noble thing, but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace."

Ch. 11
- "Yes, I wanted you to see how the comfort of all depends on each doing her share faithfully. While Hannah and I did your work, you got on pretty well, though I don't think you were very happy or amiable. So I thought, as a little lesson, I would show you what happens when everyone thinks only of herself. Don't you feel that it is pleasanter to help one another, to have daily duties which make leisure sweet when it comes, and to bear and forbear, that home may be comfortable and lovely to us all?"

- "Then I am quite satisfied with the experiment, and fancy that we shall not have to repeat it, only don't go to the other extreme and delve like slaves. Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty."

Ch. 25
- "Mother says that neither she nor her daughters will ever offer it (wine) to any young man under her roof.

Meg spoke seriously and expected to see Laurie frown or laugh, but he did neither, for after a quick look at her, he said, in his impetuous way, I like that! For I've seen enough harm done to wish other women would think as you do."

Ch. 33
- "Speaking of books reminds me that I'm getting rich in that line, for on New Year's Day Mr. Bhaer gave me a fine Shakespeare. It is one he values much, and I've often admired it, set up in the place of honor with his German Bible, Plato, Homer, and Milton, so you may imagine how I felt when he brought it down, without its cover, and showed me my own name in it, from my friend Friedrich Bhaer ."

- "I promised to do so, but left the door open and enjoyed the fun as much as they did, for a more glorious frolic I never witnessed. they played tag and soldiers, danced and sang, and when it began to grow dark they all piled onto the sofa about the Professor, while he told charming fairy stories of the storks on the chimney tops, and the little `koblods', who ride the snowflakes as they fall. I wish Americans were as simple and natural as Germans, don't you?"

Ch. 38

- "Meg tried to look deeply interested, to ask intelligent questions, and keep her thoughts from wandering from the state of the nation to the state of her bonnet."

- "...Meg learned, that a woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor the art of ruling it not as a queen, but as a wise wife and mother."

I finished reading Little Women today. I recorded many more quotes at the beginning of the book than at the end. The beginning seems to have more "lessons" and the end more living. There were some parts that I did want to record but I can't remember them right now.

This was the second time I read Little Women. I did hear it on tape in my dad's car when I was maybe 14 though - so I guess it is kind of the third time.

I love the emphasis throughout the book on bettering one's self. When I read it I, too, am filled with a desire to better myself. Developing patience is another idea that is developed in the book. Everything is so fast nowadays that I actually get impatient when my computer takes about 30 seconds to load a page. Sometimes when I get impatient with it I remember having the Kmart Bluelight free dial up and trying to find a wedding dress waiting about 2 minutes for 1 picture of a wedding dress to load. I was patient though and found my dress online and then went to the store to buy it. To do one's work cheerfully is another theme I enjoyed in the book. I love the little moral lessons throughout the book. They aren't too preachy. Marmee more just guides her girls with little life lessons. I am sure that most of the characters in the book are based on real people and I imagine that many of the lessons taught by Marmee were taught to Louisa May Alcott by her own mother.

I love that Teddy married Amy and that Jo married Mr. Bhaer. I think that they were good matches. I like that Amy and Jo were both friends with their spouses before they were married. Meg did wait three years to get married so I suppose she and Mr. Brooke were friends as well, but they didn't seem to really know each other when they got engaged. I think Marmee is a good mother and I remember a quote I wanted to copy was that she doesn't give advice unless she had tried it and seen it work first. I think that is good advice :) for giving advice. I think she taught her children well and also gave them enough freedom and independence at the same time. Last time I read this I was about 25 and about to get married. This time I think I read a little from the Marmee prospective since I am now older than the girls were for the whole story.

The end seemed a little rushed to me or maybe dragged on a little - I am not sure which, but I did like the ending with them talking about their castles in the air. I think it just skipped too fast with too many characters at the end since they all had children and some of the boys in the next book Little Men are mentioned. I think that the Daisy and Demi chapter was in the wrong place. The My Lord and My Lady maybe was too. After having Mr. Bhaer appear it is hard to read about Amy and then about two little babies. My Daisy and Demi could have been combined into the chapter On The Shelf.

I don' t have many criticisms though. It was published in 1868, so I think the style is characteristic of the times in which it was written. I enjoyed the book and had trouble putting it down. My husband and kids seem glad that I am done reading it so they can have some attention.

I read the last 60 pages or so lying in the hammock with a cold breeze while the magpies chattered around and the clouds made the sun blink on and off.

Little Women or Pride and Prejudice?

2010-05-18T21:21:00.001-07:00

I want to read those two books again. I seem to read the same books over and over. I love both of those books though and I can't decide which to read first. Little Women is downstairs in the cold basement and I don't feel like going downstairs. Pride and Prejudice is upstairs, but I have a pile of kids books I need to read next to it. I am trying to find a good book to read to the kids next that is at their level. I have a few I need to review and so if I go get Pride and Prejudice I will think I need to read the kid chapter books first. What should I do?

"Mothers Who Know"

2010-05-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! I love the talk "Mothers Who Know" by Julie B. Beck (The Relief Society General President). I just felt like reading it tonight to remember what it means to be a mother and to help me be a better mother to my children.

The Boxcar Children

2010-05-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

The kids and I finished reading The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. This is the first book of the Boxcar Children. I know they have several books that follow about the Boxcar Children Mysteries. However when I was maybe nine I read the first book and loved it, but I never read much of the mysteries. I thought that the kids would like this book since they like trains so much. They loved it. I thought I was just going to read a chapter each night but they kept begging for me to read more so we ended up reading about three chapters each night. The book has thirteen chapters so we finished it very quickly.

I love that when they hear new books they pretend play that they are the characters in the books. They do that a lot with the Henry and Mudge and Annie and Snowball books. Now they have been playing that they are Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny from The Boxcar Children.

Tomorrow we have to look at through our bookcases and find a new chapter book to read together.

Before this book we read Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner again. We have read the books all the way through twice but we have read the stories several times but not in order. We have also checked out the books on CD and listened to them several times. We all love reading about Winnie the Pooh. I like the books a lot more than I did the first time I read them. The last chapter in The House at Pooh Corner makes me cry so much that I can hardly read. I also love the recording of it. The reader does a great job with the emotion of it and listening to it makes me cry.

Lina-Bear

2010-02-28T19:35:00.001-08:00

My 2-year-old daughter, Carolina, loves the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. A few days ago, she was sitting on the couch "reading," this, her favorite story. Whenever she turned the page, she referred to the bears as: Dada Bear, Mami Bear, and "Lina" Bear. (Posted by Felipe)

Crocheting for Dummies

2010-02-23T22:19:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading Crocheting for Dummies. It is pretty good for the most part. I don't think I would buy it though. I have a library copy. I think it needs more pictures of how to do certain stitches. After a few chapters it isn't for "dummies" anymore and gets a little complex in my opinion.

Well, I don't know how I feel about the dummies books. I guess I don't mind them as much as I do the "idiot guide" books. I don't like the word "idiot." It sounds so much more harsh than dummy and makes me sad. I pretty much avoid that line of books because of the title.

El Machinchar

2010-02-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

I love the story of El Machinchar by Angel Nieto. It is a children's book in Spanish. It was originally written in Spanish, not just a Spanish translation of a book written in English for children (that most Spanish books for kids are). I like that it is also a true story and is fun to read. It is about a father who doesn't know how to match his clothes well. So his daughter makes him a Matching Chart to help him coordinate better. Well, since he doesn't know English he calls it a Machinchar. I checked it out at the library and Felipe has read it with the kids a few times. They made him a machinchar and hung it in his closet. They also each made one for themselves, but they told me that I don't need one because I already know :)

Tonight we read some more Winnie the Pooh. When I wrote about reading Winnie the Pooh a year or so ago I didn't like it much. Now it is my favorite book to read to the kids. We read the chapter in The House at Pooh Corner when Tigger arrives for the first time. Carolina is sick with a fever of 104 so she just laid on the bed and listened and told me that Tiggers don't like honey.

Awhile ago I checked out a book at the library that was like a Winnie the Pooh dictionary. It had the word accident and the definition was a boat that was upside down. (From the time Pooh says sometimes it is a boat and sometimes it is an accident.) I just thought it was so funny. It made me want to make up a dictionary for our family with the funny words and things we all use that are unique to us. The kids use the word describe in place of distract and will say - Mommy, Carolina is describing me... for example.

Well, I haven't been reading much lately on my own. I am so into knitting and crocheting and am reading library books about those subjects instead - which isn't really reading, more learning how to do something. I am in the mood to read Pride and Prejudice again, but maybe I should try Northanger Abbey since I haven't read that Jane Austen novel yet.

Sunday Night Talk

2010-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

I love this talk by Elder Jeffrey R Holland. I was reading my journal and I mentioned this talk in it so I thought I would search for it and read it again. I thought I would share this beautiful message about "The Ministry of Angels."

Children's Books

2009-12-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

I have been reading more with the kids this week. It is actually very relaxing to read children's books that are enjoyable. I think next week we will go through our books and pick out the ones that we don't enjoy reading and donate them.

"It is both relaxing and invigorating to occasionally set aside the worries of life, seek the company of a friendly book...from the reading of 'good books' there comes a richness of life that can be obtained in no other way."
-Gordon B. Hinckley

I am still reading...I think...

2009-12-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

I have read some books since June that I haven't blogged about. Maybe I will. I read The Blog, The Witch and The Wardrobe (a blog written by old friends) and I felt inspired to do better at my reading and at my reading blog. I liked the lists they put of their favorite books and their favorite characters. Maybe I will make some lists. I think I might blog about books as I read them and not just wait to finish them. Who knows? I think one of the reasons I haven't blogged much since June is because I haven't really liked the books I have read lately. I hear so many good things about David Copperfield. I bought the book awhile ago and still haven't read it. Maybe it is next on my list...

Jeffrey R. Holland Talk

2009-09-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

I read these 2 talks today that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and his son Matthew Holland gave in 1983 in the Priesthood Session of Conference. They were sent in a homeschool newsletter that I receive. They are about fatherhood (and parenthood in general). I really enjoyed them and they made me have the desire to be a better mother.

You can click on the titles to read the talks.

"Muddy Feet and White Shirts" by Matthew Holland

"Within the Clasp of Your Arms" By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

2009-08-28T21:50:00.001-07:00

Star Wars is starting to make sense to me now. I like when they travel to different planets. I am starting to learn their names: Tatooine, Dantooine, Alderan, Hoth, Yavin, Dagobah, Cloud City (that one reminds me of a world in Super Mario). I am not sure if I spelled them correctly. I don't remember anymore... I also know that the Millenium Falcon is Han's ship, the Executor is Darth Vader's and Slave I's is Boba Fett's.

So they are on Hoth and the Empire finds them. Luke almost gets eaten by a snow monster. Ben tells him to go to Dagobah to find Yoda. Han saves Luke and he sleeps inside of some animal thing. Han and Leia fly away on the Millenium Falcon with C-3PO, Human Cyborg Relations. Luke trips a big, huge machine with legs that shoots. He flies with R2D2 the Astromech to Dagobah. He finds Yoda in a swamp. He lifts some rocks. He stands on his head. Han and Leia fly into a mouth of a monster. They fly out. They fly next to the Executor. The hyperdrive doesn't work. They fly onto the Executor to hide. They leave with the trash. Boba Fett sees them. He goes to Cloud City before them and tells the Empire where they are. Han and Leia get to Cloud City. Lando Calrissian meets them. He has to turn them in. They don't trust him anymore. Luke sees them and wants to help them. Yoda and Ben tell him not to go. He goes. It is a trap. Han is frozen in Carbonite and turned over to Boba Fett so that he can give him to Jabba the Hutt because Han owes Hutt money. Lando helps Chewy, Leia and C3PO escape. C3PO was blasted and is in pieces. Luke falls into the trap. R2D2 escapes with the others. Luke faces Vader. They sword fight. Vader is Luke's father. Luke yells - No. Vader cuts off his hand. Luke hangs from the bottom of Cloud City and calls to Leia. She makes Lando turn around to get him. R2D2 saves the day and fixes the hyperdrive. They zoom to lightspeed. They are going to Tatooine to rescue Han. Leia loves Han. Han knows.

It was fun reading it with Felipe. He even got teary-eyed but he won't admit it.

Luke needs to listen to Yoda or Ben for once.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

2009-06-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

Felipe and I read this book together. He is a big Star Wars fan. I enjoyed reading it and now I understand the movie better. I always get lost about what is going on after they escape the Death Star. This book is like watching the movie. It has the exact dialogue and description as the movie. Felipe could quote most of the dialogue before I could read it. We have a few more books we want to read but soon enough we are going to read Episode V.

It makes me sad that Luke eventually turns to the Dark Side. I think it is interesting how George Lucas associates anger with the Dark Side and the ones who hold in anger and resentment usually end up there like Anakin and Luke. It just makes me not want to let anger build up inside of me or resentment either.

Books That I Have Skimmed Through

2009-06-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

I made a new list of books I have skimmed through. I get a lot of information-type books at the library that I skim like homeschooling books (or books on education), how-to books, etc. I never record them here because I don't actually "read" the whole book, but just the parts that interest me. So I have decided to keep a record of these books that I am familiar with.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

2009-06-07T22:02:00.001-07:00

This is the second time I have read this book. I read it to Felipe. At night he usually has work to do on the computer like working on his dissertation. So while he works I read to him. He can't work without some kind of noise. (I am the complete opposite. I can't work with noise.)

So Felipe and I always ask the question: Who was proud and who was prejudice? To me it seems like the author infers that Darcy was proud and Elizabeth prejudice, especially by their conversation at the end. Felipe thinks that Elizabeth was proud and prejudice and that Darcy was just reserved (and maybe a little rude at the beginning in his comments). I think they were both proud and prejudice.

The book is just so fun to read. Mrs. Bennett's and Lydia's ridiculous comments and the father saying that Wickham is his favorite son-in-law make me laugh. The letters from Collins are hysterically funny and so is his admiration of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The characterization of everyone is wonderful. They all seem so real that sometimes I forget it is fiction. My only complaint of the book is that it needs more dialouge and less telling.

Some favorite quotes from the book:

"Nothing is more deceitful," said Darcy, "than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast." (Ch. 10)

The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the possessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance." (Ch. 10)

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth—and it was soon done—done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. (Ch. 15)

"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess," said Darcy, "of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done." (Ch. 31)

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.

There was one about only remembering past occurences that give pleasure that I liked as well and a few others but these will do for now.

El signo del castor by Elizabeth George Speare

2009-06-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

I read "The Sign of the Beaver" in Spanish mainly as a way to learn some new words in Spanish. The story takes place in the 1700's. A 13 year old boy, named Matt, is left alone to watch the family cabin in Maine while his father goes back to bring his mother with her new baby and his sister to the cabin. It is anticipated that he will only be alone about seven weeks but it ends up that he is alone for about five to six months. He is befriended by an Indian and his grandson, Attean. He is asked to teach Attean English. Neither enjoys the lessons and so they spend most of the time hunting, fishing and exploring the woods. He learns many skills from Attean. The word sign has symbolic meaning in the book. Words and writing (such as in books) is considered the white man's signs. The indians also have signs that Matt learns. They leave signs to mark their way in the woods and also they leave their tribe signs on trees to claim their territory.

Both boys grow up in the book. Attean gets to become a great hunter with the other men in his tribe and Matt feels grown up because he was able to watch the cabin and maintain it until his family comes back.

I enjoyed the book. I think my kids would like it when they are a bit older.

A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason

2009-04-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

First of all I am going to quote some of my favorite passages from the book.

"The only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books." (p. 12)

"The desire of knowledge (curiosity) was the chief instrument of education, that this desire might be paralyzed or made powerless...by encouraging other desires to intervene between a child and the knowledge proper for him, the desire for place - emulation; for prizes - avarice; for power - ambition; for praise - vanity, might each be a stumbling block to him." (p.11)

"it is necessary that they should have some knowledge of the wide range of interests proper to them as human beings, and for no reasons of convenience or time limitations may we curtail their proper curriculum." (p. 14)

"Our mistake is to act in such a way that they, only, seem to be law-compelled while their elders do as they please...he has posed as a person in authority, not under authority. The teacher...may not be arbitrary but must act so evidently under authority that children, quick to discern, see that he too must do the things he ought and therefore that regulations are not made for his convenience. (I am assuming that everyone entrusted with the bringing up of children recognizes the Supreme Authority to Whom we are subject, without this recognition I do not see how it is possible to establish the nice relation which should exist between teacher and taught." (p. 73)

"Few things are more delightful than the acquisition of knowledge." (p. 86)

"If they (youth) are so taught that knowledge delights them they will choose companions who share that pleasure." (p. 87)

"After all, life is very short...let us get into ourselves as much love, as much admiration, as much elevating pleasure as we can, and if we view education merely as a discipline in critical bitterness, then we shall lose all the sweets of life and we shall make ourselves unnecessarily miserable. There is enough sorrow and hardship in this world without introducing it prematurely to young people." (p. 126)

"One thing at any rate we know with certainty, that no teaching, no information becomes knowledge to any of us until the individual mind has acted upon it, translated it, transformed, absorbed it, to reappear like our bodily food, in forms of vitality. Therefore, teaching, talk and tale, however lucid or fascinating, effect nothing until self-activity be set up; that is, self-education is the only possible education; the rest is mere veneer laid upon the surface of a child's nature." (p. 240)

Some of the points of education that I particularly liked from this book are:

-Children are wearied as passive listeners. Lessons should be short and concise without too much lecturing from the teacher.
-Attention to lessons should be unfailing, prompt and steady. (Easier for child when lessons are short)
-Children are responsible for their learning. Information should be presented once and not repeatedly. When it is repeated the children don't take responsibility anymore but the teacher. The teacher will repeat again and again - force-feeding the listener.
-Children's lesson books should be the best available.
-Children should not be bribed to do their lessons with prizes, rewards, threatenings, etc. They should be expected to do their work.
-Children should never be regarded as inferior. They should not be talked-down to or talked to in a condescending tone. When reading, we should not stop to define every word that we think is above them.
-A child's personality can be injured by an overly-nice teacher that the child ultimately works to please; By suggestion - or constantly suggesting to the child what he/she should do; by Fear, etc.
-We should guard our actions and words in front of children.
-Before we teach children to be critical of what is bad we should teach them to recognize and admire what is good.

One of the things I love about this book is the emphasis on teaching children about God. It reminds me that all knowledge is connected and from God. "The Glory of God is intelligence." (D&C 93)

There is much advice on how to teach individual subjects. The only problem I have with the book is the lack of emphasis on math. I like math and I think it is a lot more useful and vital than depicted in this book and in the Charlotte Mason Philosophy. It makes me wonder if she, herself, was not very good at math and thus chose to place little emphasis on its importance. The problem is that, as a result, I see many homeschool moms place little emphasis on math.

The Robe of the Martyrs

2009-03-30T20:55:00.001-07:00

My mom's book has been published. We are so excited for her. It is called, The Robe of the Martyrs by Shirley Woodruff Lewis. It is a beautiful story of LDS fiction that is very testimony building. It is available through amazon.com. Click here to see it: The Robe of the Martyrs

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

2009-03-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

I finished reading Charlotte's Web with the kids. This is the third chapter book we have read together. They paid attention through the whole story and every night were so eager to find out what was going to happen to Wilbur and Charlotte. They even made little picture books of Charlotte's Web on their own in which they drew the main events of the story. When we were done we watched the movie (the 1972 cartoon version) and they really enjoyed it. I am happy that they were so eager to listen and that they were able to follow the story so easily.

I had never read the book before and unfortunately I did not enjoy the story as much as the kids. I edited a few words - I think that murder, kill and bloodthirsty are words that little kids don't really need to hear. I cut some words out as I read or just changed them to make them more gentle. I don' t like the character of Wilbur. To me he comes across as being whiny and selfish. He never did anything for Charlotte except maybe carry her egg sac, but I think that was more of a benefit to him than to her. Her spiders would have hatched regardless, but I think he took it because he wanted friends and attention. I also think that Fern is too young in the book. In the movie she appears to be maybe 12 or 13 which is a fine time to grow up and want to see Henry Fussy, but I think she was 9 in the book (I might be wrong but I am pretty sure that was her age). I think that was too early to have her going off with Henry Fussy. I think it is fine for a 9 year old to want to stay in a barn and see the animals. I don't like seeing kids growing up too fast and 9 seems to fast.

I also think that E.B. White thought he was a great writer. At the end of the book he wrote how Charlotte was a true friend and a great writer and how it is hard to find both. First of all, she only wrote 4 messages, a total of 5 words and none of them were original. Maybe she was great at weaving a web but I wouldn't say she was a great writer. I felt that he was writing that about himself by adding it in at the end of the story. I think his book could have been better written and edited a bit, some parts didn't seem to flow so well.

However, I am glad that the kids are excited to read chapter books. We are now starting on Little House in the Big Woods. I am excited to read it again because I like it quite a bit more than Charlotte's Web or the Winnie-the-Pooh books.

Laddie by Gene Stratton-Porter

2009-02-24T22:25:00.001-08:00

Well, I don't know if I like this book or not. I like some things about it, but dislike quite a few things as well.

The things I like about the book:

1. I like the old-fashioned genre of the book.
2. The family is a good family. The parents teach their children and they all work together. The children are friends. The husband and wife have a very strong marriage and work together very nicely.
3. The family lives on a farm. I don't know if I want a farm, but I want a very big yard for the kids to play and plant things - maybe with some chickens.
4. I like how the parents teach their children and take complete responsibility for their education and training.
5. I also think it is nice how the children confide in their parents about their feelings.

I think the book needed to be edited a little more to really make it a great book.

As for the things I don't like:

1. I don't like that the author portrays herself through little sister. I think that the reason she doesn't have a name is because it is Gene Stratton-Porter. Little Sister's last name is Stanton - close to Stratton. I feel it is kind of sneaky. Porter wrote books about moths and little sister is so interested in moths that it is just too coincidental. I don't know why it bothers me. Maybe it wouldn't if she made the book about her family like the Little House books.
2. I think having a little girl tell the story was an excuse for a story that lacks good characterization and clear explanation. For example, she describes the people as Little Sister sees them. She either sees them as perfect or she doesn't like them. This makes their characters not very developed. I think the part of the church scripture recital occurred too early in the story. It lacked the humor intended because the characters were not developed. When we first met Leon I thought he was a hired-hand. It is not clear at first that he is her brother. The Pryor's are all very week characters in the story. They do not have clear personalities.
3. I think that the Pryor Mystery was never fully explained. The reader waits the entire book to find out what happened to them and it is told in about 2 paragraphs. Those paragraphs are very porely written - My friend's dad's brother had a son...I am my friend...It is too confusing to follow without names of people. It is not clear at all why they fled England. He, the dad, didn't lose all of his money. Why is he on a farm in Indiana? He isn't a farmer. Why is he not in Boston or New York City? Why didn't they stay in England? Maybe the family was ashamed about what happened, but that is not clear.
4. What is this crest that Little Sister's dad has? It means he is educated and a hero? How did he get it and who gave it to him? Where did he get it? What does it really represent?
5. Shelly's boyfriend turns out to be the Pryor son. That is a little too coincidental. I guess it is possible but the way it is written sounds too contrived.
6. Some of the neighbors are mentioned but who are they? Mrs. Freschett? She has a big scene in the end. I don't remember her much in the story though.
7. Many parts of the book have nothing to do with the story. It gets tiresome reading them when they just end without any significance.
8. I don't think Laddie and the Princess go well together.
9. Also one of the problems is the Pryor's lack of belief in God. This problem is never resolved. It ends being ignored I think.

I think the book was never edited. A good editor could have helped turn the story into a very great piece of literature.

I want to quote the part of the book I do like. I like the way the parents educated their children.

"To be a good wife and mother is the end toward which I aspire. To hold the respect and
love of my husband is the greatest object of my life.

By educating ourselves before their coming, and with them
afterward. Self-control, study, work, joy of life, satisfaction
with what we have had, never-ending strife to go higher, and to
do better...I don't know; but if these things do not help before birth, at least they
do not hinder; and afterward, you are in the groove in which you
want your children to run. With all our twelve there never has
been one who at nine months of age did not stop crying if its
father lifted his finger, or tapped his foot and told it to.
From the start we have rigorously guarded our speech and actions
before them. From the first tiny baby my husband has taught all
of them to read, write and cipher some, before they went to
school at all. He is always watching, observing, studying: the
earth, the stars, growing things; he never comes to a meal but he
has seen something that he has or will study out for all of us.
There never has been one day in our home on which he did not read
a new interesting article from book or paper; work out a big
problem, or discuss some phase of politics, religion, or war.
Sometimes there has been a little of all of it in one day, always
reading, spelling, and memory exercises at night. He has a
sister who twice in her life has repeated the Bible as a test
before a committee. He, himself, can go through the New
Testament and all of the Old save the books of the generations.
He always says he considers it a waste of gray matter to learn
them. He has been a schoolmaster, his home his schoolroom, his
children, wife and helpers his pupils; the common things of life
as he meets them every day, the books from which we learn.

"I was ignorant at first of bookish subjects, but in his
atmosphere, if one were no student, and didn't even try to keep
up, or forge ahead, they would absorb much through association.
Almost always he has been on the school board and selected the
teachers; we have made a point of keeping them here, at great
inconvenience to ourselves, in order to know as much of them as
possible, and to help and guide them in their work. When the
children could learn no more here, for most of them we have
managed the high school of Groveville, especially after our
daughter moved there, and for each of them we have added at least
two years of college, music school, or whatever the peculiar bent
of the child seemed to demand.

Before any daughter has left our home for one of her own, she
has been taught all I know of cleanliness about a house, cookery,
sewing, tending the sick, bathing and dressing the new born. She
has to bake bread, pie, cake, and cook any meat or vegetable we
have. She has had her bolt of muslin to make as she chose for
her bedding, and linen for her underclothing. The quilts she
pieced and the blankets she wove have been hers. All of them
have been as well provided for as we could afford. They can
knit, darn, patch, tuck, hem, and embroider, set a hen and plant
a garden. I go on a vacation and leave each of them to keep
house for her father a month, before she enters a home of her
own. They are strong, healthy girls; I hope all of them are
making a good showing at being useful women, and I know they are
happy, so far at least.

Father takes the boys in hand and they must graduate in a
straight furrow, an even fence, planting and tending crops,
trimming and grafting trees, caring for stock, and handling
plane, auger and chisel. Each one must select his wood, cure,
fashion, and fit his own ax with a handle, grind and swing it
properly, as well as cradle, scythe and sickle. They must be
able to select good seed grain, boil sap, and cure meat. They
must know animals, their diseases and treatment, and when they
have mastered all he can teach them, and done each thing
properly, they may go for their term at college, and make their
choice of a profession. As yet I'm sorry to say but one of them
has come back to the land."

Update

2009-02-03T14:41:00.000-08:00

In the last few months I finished reading Farmer Boy and also El Libro De Mormon. Other than that I have mostly just been skimming books but not really reading any from start to finish. I almost met all of my reading goals for 2008. I am thinking of making some for 2009 but haven't yet. I want to read chapter books with the kids at night but I am having trouble deciding on which book to start with. I have read them all of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. I want something that they will be able to follow and that is not too long.

Persuasion bt Jane Austen

2008-06-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

This is a shorter novel by Jane Austen and was a fast read. I have read Emma, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice but Persuasion was the first time I have read a Jane Austen novel prior to watching the movie version. I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing the outcome beforehand.

Many people say that Persuasion is Austen's best novel. I don't agree. I think it is a very good novel and very well written. Anne's character was difficult for me though. She seems wise and careful and cautious. I think that she is proud though and that she is not very cheerful or "agreeable." She does have a ridiculous family but she is too reserved for Captain Wentworth. He is so much more friendly and sociable. I think that she really thinks herself to be very far above most people she associates this and she clearly states that in her thoughts.

As for the persuasion part of the book, the moral to me seems to be that it is not always wrong to be persuaded but that it may be wrong to persuade. She does not regret that she did not marry Captain Wentworth eight years earlier because she feels she was correct in following the persuasions of Lady Russell. However she says that if she had been in the same circumstance of Lady Russell she would not have given persuasive advice against anyone marrying.

Overall the story is very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down and I loved the letter written by Captain Wentworth. I love the formal civility which exists between the characters. However, I did feel myself just wishing that Anne would "talk" to Captain Wentworth though and quit the formality for a few seconds. I am not a big fan of the societal formalites that existed at the time and the great distinction in classes. Her novels are great depictions of the injustices and pride of the class structure.

Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott

2008-06-04T20:42:00.001-07:00

I love reading books by Louisa May Alcott. They make life more beautiful. This time I had a whole new perspective on the book since I listened to most of it on tape. I think that listening to it made it flow more than reading it since I constantly have to pause in my reading to take care of something or someone. Instead I listened to it for several hours each day while I worked in the house.

I have read four books now by Alcott. Eight Cousins, Little Women, Little Men and Jo's Boys. This is the last book of the March family and the last sentences about the curtain shutting and the lights going done on the March family made me sad.

The story of Jo's Boys follows the boys in Little Men ten years later. The story was fine but what I love is the emphasis in her books, which I especially noticed in this one, to be cheerful, have faith, live virtuously and to find one's work in life. I have been pondering cheerfulness today. Unfortunately cheerfulness wasn't a part of my young life. I didn't hear about it or witness it much. I am not placing fault on anybody by saying that. Things were just difficult in my family growing up and I think that I never really learned about being cheerful. I want my children to grow up happy and optimistic. I want them to face challenges with courage and spirit and not with a whiny or complaining attitude. This book has inspired me to work harder to cultivate cheerfulness and happiness in my home.

This is a book that I would recommend but Little Women and Little Men need to be read first. Little Women is the best of all of Alcott's books I have read thus far.

Now I have completed some of my reading goals for this year. I have finished all of the books on my list for children's literature: Pollyanna, Just David, Little Men, Jo's Boys and Caddie Woodlawn (with some Winne the Pooh in there as well). Now I am on to reading Persuasion, Wuthering Heights and a Shakespeare play that I haven't decided on yet.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

2008-06-02T20:48:00.001-07:00

I enjoyed this book for the most part. When I was in high school my best friend, Sandy, and I became interested in reading philosophy our Junior year. I remember that she bought a book with the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I wanted to read Walden at the time but never did. I read it this time for a reading group that we are in.

Well, I liked most of it but at the same time I needed a little humor, which it lacked, since much of his philosophizing is a little thick.

The book recounts Thoreau's attempt to live simply. He built himself a house on Walden Pond in Massachusetts and planted beans. He was not a recluse, but did have company at times and talked to people that passed. It sounded like he even went into town from time to time. He lived there a little over two years but recounts his story in the time frame of one year to simplify his book.

I liked some of his thoughts and agreed with a lot of his ideas, but not all of them. He observed nature and wrote about his observations. At times they were interesting to me like when he observed an ant war and at times I just couldn't read three or four pages about a bird he was watching.

The two famous quotes from his book are:

"The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation." (p.7)

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I cam to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear...I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." (p. 75)

Here are a few other thoughts I liked from the book:

"What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines, or rather indicates his fate." (p. 7)

"Yet men have come to such a pass that they frequently starve, not for want of necessities but for want of luxury." (p. 50)

"The morning wind forever blows, the poem of creation is uninterrupted; but few are the ears that hear it." (p. 70)

"Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations." (p. 85)

"Will you be a reader, a student merely or a seer?" (p. 92)

"What sort of space is that which separates a man from his fellows and makes him solitary? I have found that no exertion of the legs can bring two minds much nearer to one another." (p. 110)

"Next to us the grandest laws are continually being executed. Nest to us ins not the workman whom we have hired, with whom we love so well to talk, but the workman whose work we are." (p. 111)

"The noblest mind the best contentment has." (p. 118)

"Goodness is the only investment that never fails." (p. 181)

"If you would avoid uncleanness, and all the sins, work earnestly , though it be at cleaning a stable." (p. 184)

I liked the conclusion of the book the best but did not copy any quotes out of it yet. Maybe I will post a few I liked a little later.

Here is another quote I liked that I am adding later:

"The faultfinder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poor-house." (p. 270)

The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne

2008-06-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. I liked the first book much more. Tigger enters the story and I am sad that he does. His personality completely clashes with mine so it was hard reading so much about him. Even Rabbit began to annoy me. However I think that Eeyore annoys me the most. I didn't find the story amusing and was happy just to finish. The Goo listened to the whole story but didn't seem as interested as he was with the first book. The last chapter was a a little enjoyable but that is the best I can say for the book.

Here are my favorite to least favorite characters: Piglet (I like that in the first book he has a sign that says -Trespassers W and thinks it is his grandfather's name), Pooh (I like the songs and poems he makes up), Rabbit (More in the show than in the books - but I like all of his friends and relations), Christopher Robin (He is just nice to everyone. He makes me sad at the end this book when he has to go to school.), Kanga, Roo, Owl, Tigger and Eeyore. I think that is all of them.

Winnie-The-Pooh by A. A. Milne

2008-05-05T13:44:00.001-07:00

I finished reading Winnie-the-Pooh with the kids the other day. Little Felipe loved it. He wants me to get the following book in the series,The House at Pooh Corner.

The book was okay. I don't know if I really like the author's style of writing, but the story is fine. I read reviews about the next book in the series and it sounds great. Maybe these books will grow on me. I did like the chapter "Kanga and Baby Roo Come to the Forest and Piglet Has a Bath."

I never was into Winnie-The-Pooh much. I did like the show "Welcome to Pooh Corner" that came on the Disney Channel in the '80's though.

Tigger isn't in the story yet. So I am curious to when he enters in the book. My favorite character has always been rabbit.

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

2008-04-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

Little Men takes place about ten years after Little Women. I found out that a sequel was written inbetween these two books called Good Wives that follows the married lives of Meg, Jo and Amy. I think it might possibly be out of print. I am trying to find a copy of it.

Little Men follows the lives of the boys and girls at Plumfield. Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer have two children of their own at the school along with a few nieces and nephews and children that have been sent to the school. In six months the Bhaers especially help Nat, Dan and Nan to have a home and teach them to behave and adapt through love and work.

A problem that I had with the book is that there are too many children to follow. At the beginning there is a brief description of each child and many aren't mentioned again for several chapters. By that time it is hard to remember who the child is. I think that some of the kids who had such minimal parts should have not been mentioned in the first place. I think that there was too much telling instead of showing. That sounds a little cliche but I would have enjoyed more dialogue and less anecdotes. I also think that some of the stories about the children didn't really fit into the plot and made the story drag a bit. I think that children would enjoy the book. All in all I enjoyed reading it and will read Jo's Boys soon.

I might sound a little critical but I think it is because I watched the old movie version of Little Women while I was still reading. I think that Katherine Hepburn did an awful job at portraying Jo. After seeing the movie I couldn't get back into the book without picturing Jo and Mr. Bhaer like they were in the movie. The Winona Ryder version is much better.

As I was reading I thought of a few quotes I wanted to add, but I can't find them now. I do like the last sentence of the book:

"For love is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant all the year, and blessing those who give and those who receive." (p. 300)

Glimpses into the Life and Heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley

2008-04-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

I didn't have this book on my list of books I wanted to read this year, but I read some reviews of it and decided to check it out at the library. I really enjoyed it. It made me reflect on positive experiences I have had in my own life and made me grateful for having a good mother who was not strict and demanding. My favorite part of the book is the transcripts of the talks that Sister Hinckley gave. They are full of wisdom and experience. I would recommend that women read this book. I enjoyed reading them Sunday morning and discussing them with Felipe as we walked to church in the afternoon.

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

2008-04-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

My mom gave me this book for Christmas when I was maybe 11. I started it a few times but never finished it. So I finally read it and really enjoyed it. I love books set in this time period (mid - late 1800's) that are based on true stories such as the Little House books and Little Britches. I like reading about kids that new how to be kids. They entertained themselves without television, computers, video games, etc. and did not seem to be in a hurry to grow up. I like the idea of kids being kids for as long as they can. I don't think I was in too much of a hurry to grow up either and I am grateful for that.

Caddie, whose real name is Caroline, is in the middle of a family of 7 children (6 living). Her family moved to Wisconsin from Boston. She was sickly along with a sister that died. Her father took charge of Caddie in order to improve her health. He raised her outside with her brothers. She was a tomboy that plowed the fields and was friends with the Indians. She was best friends with her two brothers and the three of them were always up to mischief. I don't want to spoil the book for anybody but I do want to write about my favorite part.

After playing jokes on her prim and proper cousin Annabelle her mother "thrashes" her and sends her to her room without supper. She contemplates running away until her father comes to speak to her. She is twelve and he decides it is time to let her learn to be a woman. This is part of what he says to her:

"It's a strange thing, but somehow we expect more of girls than of boys. It is the sisters and wives and mothers, you know, Caddie, who keep the world sweet and beautiful. What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way! A woman's task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness. It's a big task, too, Caddie-harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers. It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things. They have them just as much as the men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness. A woman's work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man's. But no man could ever do it so well. I don't want you to be the silly, affected person with fine clothes and manners, whom folks sometimes call a lady. No, that is not what I want for you, my little girl. I want you to be a woman with a wise and understanding heart, healthy in body and honest in mind. Do you think you would like to be growing up into that woman now?" (p. 216)

The interesting part of what this father relates is that he demonstrates not only what women and mothers should be but through his example he demonstrates what fathers and men should be. If only all fathers would speak to their daughters so beautifully; the world would be such a better place!

Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason Part III

2008-04-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

The most important thing that Charlotte Mason teaches is that a mother must constantly seek answers in prayer to how best to care and teach her children.

I would like to sum up the book with one last quote:

"The wonder that the Almighty God can endure so far to leave the very making of an immortal being in the hands of human parents is only matched by the wonder that human parents can accept this divine trust with hardly a thought of its significance." (p. 333)

Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason Part II

2008-04-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

Charlotte Mason writes a lot about spending time outdoors. "Never be within doors when you can rightly be without." (p. 42) She suggests to have meals outdoors. This idea works well for us as we have a nice balcony attached to our dining room. It is easy to bring the food out there and eat as we look at the trees and the birds. We have even identified the black-billed magpie which frequents our balcony. The weather lately hasn't been too accommodating however. Mason does suggest being outside every day. Even if it is raining or snowing or hot one should just breathe some fresh air and see nature. Mason goes on to say that a parent should not "send" their children out to play but go out with them. Parents should not spend too much time talking to their children and pointing out every little thing they see, but allow the children to look, think and wonder on their own. Children should have nature journals to draw and write outside.

Mason talks about teaching foreign language everyday. She suggests using outdoor time to teach French (or Spanish in our case) by naming things in the foreign language and speaking in the language to the children.

Children need time to scream and squeal and just be noisy. This is good for their lungs and development. The best place for this is usually outside.

In the next section Mason talks about habits. She says that parents form their child's habits. She relates examples of discipline. The basic idea is that if discipline is not consistent it will not work. Children should learn neatness and order as children. They should grow up in neat homes and know where things belong. Children should be responsible for their items and know how and where to put them away. Also children should not be allowed to dump toys all over. They should learn to play with them neatly and then put them away before they find another thing to play with. Children should see these behaviors modeled in their parents.

She also talks about rewards and consequences. They should be the natural rewards and consequences for the action. For example, if a child finishes their chores the natural reward is to have more free time to play. If a child does not clean up or take responsibility for their possessions the natural consequence would be to lose them. She suggests that parents teach children their divine role by relating to them that they must be obedient to God as parents. Children will learn that parents are not discipling according to their own rules but according to divine rules that they are carrying out.

She relates that children should participate in physical activities while they are still growing. "And here we have the reason why children should learn dancing, riding, swimming, calisthenics, every form of activity which requires a training of the muscles, at an early age: the fact being, that muscles and joints have not merely to conform themselves to new uses, but to grow to a modified pattern; and this growth and adaptation take place with the greatest facility in early youth." (p. 113). I have tried to learn to play the piano and I find some of the fingering quite difficult. I think that if I would have had lessons as a child I would be more adept at playing. I also think that it is important for children to learn how to write and hold a pencil, crayon and a paintbrush while they are very young.

To teach a child to be obedient the mother must expect the child to be obedient. When she tells a child to do something it should be said in firm, (but kind) direct authoritative way. ( I read in another place that it should not be asked as we give the child the opportunity to refuse and I think it should always be asked with a please -Not -Will you clean up your toys? - but -Clean up your toys please.) The parent should not tell a child to do anything that they do not require to be carried out at that moment.

I am not going to go into great detail on her descriptions of home lessons. I do like that children should be read to from great books. She believes in a whole language approach to reading in English. I also like the whole language approach. Phonics are great for teaching reading in Spanish as every letter always keeps the same sound. She thinks children should be able to give a narrative on what they have read with great detail. Math should be full of manipulatives. Every child should learn a foreign language. Lessons should be short so that the child does not feel bored. During the lesson children should be expected to put forth their complete attention to the task and work on it at a steady pace without dawdling. She believes that children should be able to order their own lives. Basically in their free time they should be given ample time to play as they desire without too much adult interruption or control. She believes that mothers are the best kindergarten.

Lastly she relates that children should be read to from the Bible (and I would add The Book of Mormon). Parents should read them the stories and let them ponder them without too much instruction. Children should learn to be kind to others and not to judge others. "Kindness is love showing itself in act and word, look and manner. A well of love shut up and hidden in a little boy's heart, does not do anybody much good; the love must bubble up as a spring, flow out in a stream, and then it is kindness." (p. 339) She believes that children should learn that God loves them.

Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason Part I

2008-04-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

This book is 382 pages in small print so I am going to write about it in parts.

Overall I truly enjoyed reading Mason's ideas on education and mothering. The book was originally published in 1925. I am amazed at her wisdom and baffled over the fact that so little (or nothing) is spoken of her in education classes.

Felipe won't let me write in my books so I am going to copy several quotes out of the book to cite in my blog - mostly so I won't forget them.

"Maternal love is the first agent in education. We are waking up to our duties, and in proportion as mothers become more highly educated and efficient, they will doubtless feel the more strongly that the education of their children during the first six years of life is an undertaking hardly to be entrusted to any hands but their own. And they will take it up as their profession-that is, with the diligence, regularity, and punctuality which men bestow on their professional labors." (p.2-3)

I think that children who feel that maternal love as babies and children have the basis of their education. I have also recognized in myself that the more I become educated the more I want to be part of the education of my children. I know I falter in the "diligence, regularity and punctuality" part. I hope to improve on scheduling my day. I cannot live by a strict schedule, but a regular bedtime and wake up time would be nice along with regular mealtimes.

Mason basis a lot of her ideas on a few scriptures found in Matthew in the New Testament:

"Take heed that ye OFFEND not - DESPISE not - HINDER not - one of these little ones."

She tells the story of a lady who grew up with a mother that played and cared for her brother more than herself. The lady never got over the offense of her mother and later in life was saddened that she was never friends with her brother as a child. "Children should have the best of their mothers."

Mason also relates that a mother that does not deal with the offenses of her child is also despising him. A mother who may say - they are going through a phase and so allows unacceptable behavior is injuring the child by allowing them to accrue bad habits.

A few more points she makes in the first section are about healthy brain activity.

"Do not let the children pass a day without distinct efforts, intellectual, moral, volitional; let them brace themselves to understand; let them compel themselves to do and to bear;' and let them do right at the sacrifice of ease and pleasure: and this for many higher reasons, but, in the first and lowest place, that the mere physical organ of mind and will may grow vigorous with work." (p.22)

She stresses the importance of certain acts that will invigorate body and mind such as: having windows open to air out the house, going outside everyday (which I think I will write more about later), short lessons, variation in food at mealtimes, rest after meals, a daily bath and adequate rest at night.

The New Testament

2008-04-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

I finished reading the New Testament last week. It is the third time I have read it from start to finish. The next time I read it through I am going to read the four gospels simultaneously instead of consecutively.

I want to share a few scriptures that stood out to me this time through:

3 John 1:4

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

That verse is so true. I can think of nothing that would bring me greater joy than to have my children grow up to be righteous and true individuals.

Titus 2:3-5

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God not be blasphemed."

This reminds me of Relief Society with the older and the younger sisters together learning from each other.

John 16:33

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

I think that is the message I get from the New Testament, that Jesus has overcome the world.

I will just share those three scriptures for now.

New Blog

2008-03-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

This is my new blog. Felipe named it for me. I am using it to experiment with some blog designing that I am learning. I am essentially going to use it to write about the books/writings I am reading. I figure it will help me keep up with my reading goals.