Takin' a (Spring) Break

aka we have lost all semblance of time and our ability to stay dressed

What time do you put your kids to bed? Ours usually go to bed at a somewhat reasonable 8PM-ish and I have about two hours to relax, unwind, write and research posts, read my own books, do crosswords, watch a show with my cute hubs, whatever fills my tired mama soul.

But this week in our little corner of Texas they paired daylight savings time with Spring Break and its toddlers-gone-wild over here. Nothing but staying out too long and too late, wild “parties” (aka we’ve given up on bedtime) where “people” (aka my kids) are liable to lose their pants and run amok chanting “nude dude!!” It is bedtime chaos amplified to ten.

10PM is simply too late to start my me time. Thus my scheduled newsletter never made it past the planning stages, mostly in my mind — everyone is coming down with yet another cold — and please don’t open the door to my bedroom unless you want to risk being buried in clothes I’ve decided to look at as new throw pillows because I started a closet reorganization project two weeks ago that is still…mid…reorg. This is life!

Today, I had almost a full day of relaxing alone time where I definitely could have been researching, pulling together all my notes, and crafting my post about the reading wars — but instead, I planted my butt on the sofa while my mother-in-law played with my children and I read copious pages of MY book and it felt so good.

This is my friendly reminder to go ahead and treat yourself to a little indulgent me time because we all work hard, and life is crazy, and y’all deserve to curl up with a good book.

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LIT TIP

One of my favorite things about going to the library on a regular basis is that moment when my two-year-old will excitedly holler “We had that book at home from the library before!!” and we pull it off the shelf and get to bring it home again. Rediscovering books from last season or last year is always a joy, like unexpectedly reconnecting with an old friend you love. I especially thrill at how different parts of the book will hit differently depending on what ages, stages, and life experiences the kids are going through.

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FROM THE STAX

Here is a collection of titles we have loved to check out more than once and rediscover.

STORM by Sam Usher

On a stormy day Sam and his grandad decide to fly a kite. First, they have to find it! While searching for the kite while the wind howls outside, they find so many other hidden treasures and memories of adventure together. When they finally head out into the storm, another fun adventure awaits. The illustrations by Sam Usher remind me of the magical world of Quinten Blake, most famous for his illustrations of Roald Dahl's books, and the pictures have me going down memory lane. There are hidden gems sprinkled on every page, and the friendship between the young boy and his grandad is the greatest treasure of all.

WHEN DINOSAURS CAME WITH EVERYTHING by Elise Broach Illustrated by David Small

A boy has to run errands with his mom and is less than thrilled about it until, surprisingly, it turns out to be a day when a dinosaur comes with everything. Picking up baked goods? You get a dino! Getting a haircut? Dino! Once they have collected quite a herd, the shocked mother insists they head home and stop running errands. But what should they do with all these newly inherited dinosaurs?! This book is so much fun I almost wish my errands came with real dinosaurs too.

ICE by Arthur Geisert

A tinkering colony of pigs who live on a small island are running out of water and it is hot! They must go and fetch more ice for their water supply. All aboard the flying ship! Arthur Geisert is hands down one of my favorite authors/illustrators. His books are full of ingenious details, imaginative scenarios, and contraptions to spark the imagination. Ice is a book without words, so the story is told through the pictures alone, and invites you to tell your own version with each reread. Challenge happily accepted.

Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen

One day a mysterious egg rolls into Mother Duck’s nest and she doesn’t notice (she was reading—maybe my favorite part). Guji Guji is raised alongside his duck brothers and sisters until one day a group of crocodiles spy him through the reeds and mock him for his duck-like behavior. They explain to Guji Guji that he is, in fact, a crocodile and was built to eat delicious ducks for dinner. The crocodiles try to convince Guji Guji to bring his ducks down to the dock for a late-night “swim” while they wait below with their jaws open wide. An endearing story about love, loyalty, and the true nature of family, this book will have you falling in love with Guji Guji in no time.

SUPER NARWHAL AND JELLY JOLT by Ben Clanton

Narwhal and Jelly are best friends and are always up for adventure. In this adorable edition, Narwhal is dead set on becoming a superhero, and who better to help him achieve that goal than his ever-trusty and realistically skeptical sidekick, Jelly. A great introduction to the world of comics and graphic novels, this series is one my children always request to take home from the library, no matter how many times we have read them.

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All book links on this page are affiliate links, so if you happen to grab a title through the link, I will get a small commission at no extra charge for you. Thanks for your support! Getting all your good books at the library? Bravo! Another way to show your support is to share this letter with someone you know who will love it.

That is all for this week. Does everybody still have on their pants? Now, go to bed.

See y’all next week and happy reading!