Book Challenge, Week 49

Brishen:
73. Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life by Mary Amato
74. Beyond the Grave By Jude Watson
75. Stinky and Successful by Mary Amato

Melani:
70. Juggling Elephants by Jones Joflin and Todd Musig
This books equates the busy lifestyle, where it seems overwhelming to get all the things done that you want to get done, to juggling elephants. It explains how a circus ringmaster remains in control of the circus and shows how to apply that in non-circus life. After reading this book, I am better at asking myself (and my children), "what should you be focusing on right now?" There are different times of day to focus on different "rings" of your life. It has helped me to know what is important to get done this minute and what should wait for a more suitable time. If I am supposed to be focusing on school, I should not be worrying about the laundry or Christmas cards, for example.

71. Fish for Life by Stephen C. Lundin
Here's the "FISH Philosophy":
1. Play (fun and lightheartedness)
2. Make Their Day (a focus on engaging others in ways that lift their spirits)
3. Be There (living in the present moment and giving others our full attention)
4. Choose Your Attitude (understanding that whatever attitude you are carrying with you right now, it is the one you are choosing)

This is the at-home book based on the FISH management philosophy. Man, if you try to focus your attentions on life on the four principles above, what do you have to lose? The first one is a great way to get not-so-fun things done, especially when kids are involved, but it was written for working with adults, too.

How many times a day do we really try to make the day of someone else? There is a story in the book of a family that has a competition each time they go out to eat to see who can make the day of their waiter. When I get short with my kids, I now try to remember that it is my job to make their day.

"Be in the moment" is something I hear about a lot, but I am really trying to do a better job of it. If you are in the moment, you are not worrying about something that needs to be done later or fretting about a mistake you made earlier or how someone upset you. I am trying to better sit and fully focus on my kids when they speak to me instead of giving them partial attention. I'm a work in progress, for sure.

Finally, the "choose your attitude" one is big for me. If I realize that I cannot blame my grumpiness and stress level on a day full of managing the needs of babies and little ones, that it is MY choice to be grumpy, I am challenged to choose a different attitude. My sweet husband may do something to annoy me, but it is my choice to stay annoyed for hours, and not his fault at all.

72. Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living by Doug Fine
This book was fun because the author is trying to live local not to far from here, in the Mimbres, NM, area. It is a tale of the differences in his expectations and how things really worked out. I feel challenged to do better, but certainly not to reach his level of local living! He can keep his goats to himself (and share the milk, if he would like).

Jon:
41. Carnivores of Light and Darkness by Allen Dean Foster