Amy Scott's Thoughts

What I’ve Been Reading – December 2022 December 31, 2022

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 9:00 am

Bookish Thoughts for December

Brace yourselves! The book list is long this month! Most of Christmas break as been spent chilling around the house and that meant lots of free time to read. Also, I might have gone overboard on Christmas rom-coms this month. In fact, a good portion of my books this month as actually novellas. The average novella takes less than two hours to read. As you can imagine, I easily finished one Christmas love story a day… sometimes two… I use to obsessively watch Hallmark movies all Christmas season, but we no longer have the Hallmark Channel. I used Kindle Unlimited to fill the void with books that pretty much are Hallmark movies (but better, because they are books, right?!). Anyway, I’ve loved all the Christmas rom-coms… but they are the book equivalent of cotton candy. Very fluffy. It’s been a fun run, but I’m ready to add some diversity to my reading diet in 2023. However… I still have Kindle Unlimited for a few more months, so I expect some fluff will show up in my future book lists. I can’t help myself. In real life and in books, I’m drawn to the sweet stuff.

My home library grows quite a bit in December and January thanks to Christmas and my birthday being less than a month apart. Book shopping is my absolute favorite form on shopping! I added 7 new books to my bookshelves this month, plus 8 to my Kindle. I have 3 more books arriving in the mail this next week. Yay! My book shopping is on pause now until after my birthday. As an avid reader, I’m trying to assess which books from the this last year I want to give a permanent spot on my bookshelf and which new books I take a chance on. Buying new books means I don’t have to rely on the speed of the library, but… sometimes buying an un-read book means adding a dud to the collection. Lots to think about before the next book order!

I want to give some space in this blog to talk about my Kindle Paperwhite. I used my birthday money last year to purchase it. I was unsure how I would feel about using a Kindle instead of an actual book. Oh my goodness! I can’t say enough good things about Kindley (the name of Kindle). I’ve read so many books on Kindely this year. And thanks to Kindle Unlimited and the library, I’ve never lacked for something to read. My Kindle Paperwhite was definitely one of my best purchases in 2022. Also, the cover is navy blue which happens to be my favorite color, so everything about Kindley gives me happy vibes.

Since it’s December, let’s wrap up with reading goals. I doubled my reading goal in 2022 and then some. 2022 was a record breaking reading year. The grand total came in at 264 books which beat 2021 by 85 books (179 in 2021). My sister-in-law mentioned that this year she kept track of pages read instead of books. This concept intrigued me. I realize there are no-hard-and-fast-rules with book counting, but I always struggle with counting novellas… maybe they should count as .5 instead of a whole book, but that’s too complicated. I might join the page counting club in 2023. I haven’t officially decided so you’ll have to check with me at the end of January 2023!

Part of December’s book haul and more books are on their way!!!

Top Picks for December

Non-Fiction: Are My Kids on Track: The 12 Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach by Sissy Goff (MEd, LPC-MHSP), David Thomas (LMSW), and Melissa Trevathan (MRE). I’ve read multiple book now by David Thomas and I appreciate his wisdom and insight into how boys are wired. This book had similar material to what I’ve read in his previous works, but I liked how it was formatted. Also, this book would be a fabulous resource for a parent with both a daughter and a son. I even found myself highlighting sections written for girls because the information was so applicable. So often I get hung up on academic milestones that I forget the importance of social, emotional, and spiritual milestones. This book is an excellent reminder of what’s truly important in the hearts and minds of children.
Fiction: The Father Christmas Series by Robin Jones Gunn. I grew up reading Robin Jones Gunn and having her characters become formative friends in my reading life. Her Father Christmas series is a favorite to read around the holidays. The story takes place in the fictional town of Carlton Heath outside of London, England. The main character Miranda sets off to find answers about her father based off a picture of Father Christmas her mother kept hidden. The characters are lively and friends become family. The town’s annual production of A Christmas Carol also plays a prominent part in the story. Hallmark made a movie trilogy out of the books, but of course, the books are better, in my opinion.

Book List for December
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

Are My Kids on Track: The 12 Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach by Sissy Goff (MEd, LPC-MHSP), David Thomas (LMSW), and Melissa Trevathan (MRE). – 4 stars
Women Rising: Learning to Listen, Reclaiming Our Voice by Meghan Tschanz – 4 stars

Fiction:

Kiss Me Now by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
Kiss the Girl by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
Kiss and Tell by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
Cotswolds Holiday by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – 3 stars
The Impossible Princess by Keira Dominquez – 3 stars
A Sugar Creek Christmas by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
His Mistletoe Miracle by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
The Holiday Husband by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
The Most Real McCoy by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
My Own Best Enemy by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
Pretending I love Lucy by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
The Even Odder Couple by Julie Christianson – 3 stars

Fiction: Christmas Novellas

His Stand-In Holiday Girlfriend by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
Snowed in on Main Street by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
Melodies and Mistletoe by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
Snowflake Wishes by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by M.T. Knights – 3 stars
Re-Gifting Christmas by M.T. Knights – 3 stars
A Holly Jilly Christmas by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
A Christmas Spark by Cindy Steel – 4 stars
Not So Alone for Christmas by Jenny Proctor – 4 stars
Christmas After All by Cece Louise – 4 stars
No Room In the Inn by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – 3 stars
Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn – 4 stars
Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn – 4 stars
Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn – 4 stars
The Twelves Holidates by Emma St. Clair – 4 stars

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Merry Christmas and Happy (Almost) New Year! December 30, 2022

Filed under: Family Time — Amy Scott @ 2:33 pm

Christmas 2022 is in the review mirror. There is always so much anticipation for Christmas and then it’s over in what seems like a blink! I love the whole Christmas season. We make the celebration unfold over the course of December (and maybe even some of November). Our December started off with a full calendar, but the second half of our month has been slower. We’ve been home with extra time to bake treats, read books, and play games. The week after Christmas is always a fun one as the kids jump from new toy to new toy. There is always something to do (or in my case, always something to read)!

Let’s chat about Christmas! This year we opted to do all our family gatherings in two days. In years past we’ve gathered over multiple weekends to accommodate schedules, but this year it worked to do our Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, we gathered with my parents and sister to have brunch and open presents. After dinner, the boys opened their presents from Jeremy and I and their gifts to each other. We don’t always follow the “something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read” strategy, but this year we were close to it. Each kid got a LEGO set, a board game, pajamas, and a book. Board games don’t fall under the need category, but growing our game collection is always fun!

Christmas morning the boys opened their stockings from Santa. They had some time to pull out their new toys and play before we hit the road to visit GG (Great Grandma) and my extended family (who live about an hour away). We do a kids’ gift exchange where the kids draw a name and shop for each other. My boys drew the names of two of our younger cousins which means I got the joy of buying books for littles. Toddler/preschool books are some of my favorite. Even though I’m no longer an Usborne Books & More consultant, I still love book shopping with them. After a visit up north, we took off for a meal of appetizers and a gift exchange with Jeremy’s family. Once the gifts were opened, the kids settled in for cousin play time while the menfolk settled in for a game of Lord of the Rings Risk.

We have a tradition of shopping the day after Christmas. Jeremy and I have reached an age where most of our “gifts” come in envelopes (which I totally have no problem with). We enjoy hitting the stores after Christmas to see if we can score some good deals. Our stops this year included Costco, Target, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, Macy’s, and Hallmark. The kids scored with their Christmas cash. Jeremy and I… not so much. I was so hopeful that Barnes & Noble would be a success for me, but sadly, the store was a zoo and I couldn’t find the books I had in mind. When we got home that evening I hopped on to Amazon and Thrift Books and came away with quite the book haul. I’m feeling much better now!

2022 is almost in the rearview mirror as well! I’m working on my thoughts for my book blog tomorrow. I’ve certainly reached my reading goal this year and then some… I have some thoughts on what I’d like to see happen in 2023, but nothing firmly decided. As I reflect on 2022, I’m thankful for the adventures we’ve had and the friends and family we’ve spent time with. 2022 started with pandemic restrictions and it’s been wonderful to move toward “normal” life again as the year unfolded. Coming back to in-person church and joining a homeschool co-op have been huge blessings in our weekly routine. 2022 has been a formative year as we imagine what life after the pandemic looks like. We’ve grown and changed so much over the last few years. It hasn’t always been comfortable, but the growth has been good. I’m very intrigued to see the direction of 2023. If anything, the pandemic has taught me cautious optimism. No matter what, God is good and we have so much to be thankful for. Happy (Almost) New Year!

Christmas Eve Tradition: Opening gifts in matching pajamas in front of a fake fireplace!

This table has been set up all week for LEGO building and extra play space!

Last week it was an ice storm, this week it was a wind storm. We lost power for about 3 hours on Tuesday evening. The boys enjoyed our “fancy” dinner by candlelight. Thankfully, our generator powered the microwave so we could finish our dinner that was cooking when the power went out.

Beaker Creatures are a stocking stuffer favorite!

This week’s baking project: chocolate cake!

So many new board games to play this week!

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Christmas Break December 23, 2022

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf,Cooking Experiments,Family Time,Getting Creative — Amy Scott @ 2:24 pm

We are a week into our Christmas break and it really has felt like a break. Our family has slowed down considerably. We’ve spent a majority of the week around the house resting. We’ve also had some festive and fun outings. We kicked off our break last Thursday by hitting the grocery stores and stocking up for our time at home. We also had the boys go Christmas shopping for each other. It’s neat to see what they pick and if they can keep a secret from each other. Every year they’ve managed to keep their gifts a surprise and I’m always impressed! I know how tricky it can be to keep a special gift a secret.

Jeremy and the boys have blessed me with some time out of the house to visit with friends. I got a Starbucks Red Cup of peppermint hot chocolate with a friend last Thursday and enjoyed a Christmas-themed book club on Friday night. On Monday night, my forever friend, Christa, and I got dinner together. I love getting together with friends this time of year. As a family, we drove through a local Christmas light display at a park and celebrated our nephew’s birthday with a bowling party.

Our time around the house has been filled with holiday movies and shows. We watched White Christmas over the weekend and Jeremy has had the Christmas episodes of The Great British Baking Show on. We’ve done lots of baking over the last week. Jeremy and the boys have made two loaves of French bread and I’ve made dozens of cookies. These days at home have been filled with reading, games, LEGO building, and tasty treats. The change of pace has been appreciated (especially, by me – the most introverted, homebody of the family). I’m truly happiest at home! It’s been nice to take a break from routine and just chill.

We are currently waiting for temperatures to rise after a storm covered our area in a layer of ice overnight. We were prepared for the power to go out, but thankfully, it didn’t (at least, not yet)! I’ve love time at home, but it would be less fun with no heat. The weather inspired me to get my Christmas baking done yesterday before the freezing rain moved in. It’s a blessing that we have nowhere pressing to go and we can wait out the wild weather. Even now, freezing rain falls outside my window and I can’t help but be disappointed that it’s not snowing! Freezing rain, while interesting, isn’t my favorite form of frozen precipitation. On that note, I wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas weekend! Merry Christmas (Eve Eve)!

This might be one of my favorite parts of Christmas! I love them thinking of each and excited to give a special gift.

All ready for book club! Gingerbread bundt cake, a wrapped book for a gift exchange, and a stack of books to talk about!

The Scott men are working to perfect their favorite French bread.

Snuggled up watching *White Christmas*. *A Muppet’s Christmas Carol*, *White Christmas*, and While You Were Sleeping are my all-time fav hoilday movies.

Frist time making salt dough ornaments as a part of the church scavenger hunt.

Chocolate chip cookies with Christmas M&M’s

I love boxed mixes. I have no judgement for shortcut baking. These gingerbread cookies are so yummy!

Since I didn’t see any real snowflakes during this cold snap, I guess the sugar cookie version will have to do.

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Gingerbread and Snowflakes December 14, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Getting Creative,Homeschool Adventures,Travels — Amy Scott @ 7:05 pm

We are officially on Christmas break! Christmas traditions, festive foods, time with friends and family. Bring it on! Actually, as you can guess, we’ve been in full holiday season mode this whole month. It’s just nice to take school out of the mix for a bit. I love homeschooling my boys, but this teacher is ready for a rest! The kids might be a little excited, too. They worked extra hard this week so they could start their break today instead of tomorrow. We’re all ready for a change of pace.

Some of the festivities this week revolved around gingerbread. Every year we buy the gingerbread house kit from Costco. Owen informed me it’s actually a gingerbread mansion. (It’s important to get these details correct.) I love this kit because the house (aka mansion) comes pre-assembled. No struggles with structural integrity. Hallelujah! We always purchase the kit in November to make sure it doesn’t go out of stock and the kids beg to do it right away. Waiting for December is hard. This Friday was a home day and the perfect day to dive into our gingerbread kit. My favorite part is Jeremy’s icing snowman that literally melted within minutes of him making it. It feels very authentic and a unique touch. More fun with gingerbread this week included decorating gingerbread cookies with friends and a foam gingerbread house craft for school. I’m hoping to make some gingerbread myself in the next week or so. Graham is my cinnamon kid so he is just as excited as I am for this spicy, sweet treat!

Now for the snowflake bit of the week. On Saturday, we traveled up The Bellevue Collection to watch Snowflake Lane with friends. We love this parade filled with music, dancing, costumes, special lights, and (my favorite part) snow! Well, the snow is actually soap, but the effect makes me so happy that I don’t mind it’s not the real deal. We don’t make it up to Snowflake Lane every year, so it’s always a special celebration. This was our second time meeting friends for the event and that makes it even more festive. This time we met early enough to have dinner together and then grab treats from Starbucks before finding our spot on the road. Saturday was a rainy PNW day, but thankfully, it dried up in time for main event. A visit to Snowflake Lane is always a favorite Christmas experience. “Snow” much fun!

Another highlight of the week included Graham losing his second tooth. He swallowed his first lost tooth and now his second one went down the drain! What are the odds? The kid hasn’t been able to leave a tooth for Tooth Fairy yet. Thankfully, he handled the loss well. He doesn’t care too much about the tooth as long as a dollar is the end result. Turns out the Tooth Fairy is very understanding of mishaps like this. She’s a sweetie!

I love this time of year! Christmas cards are collecting on the fridge. Christmas music is often playing the background. The yummy treats and special gatherings make each week feel like a party. One day last week, I saw a post on social media with the message “hold on to your peace” in reference to this time of year. Then the very same statement was in the devotional I read with the boys at the start of school. When a message repeats itself in my day (this time within the hour), I know it’s not a coincidence, it’s the Holy Spirit. The holiday season can get anyone amped up and stressed out – myself included. I can get overwhelmed and let anxiety rule my thoughts unless I’m intentional to hold on to my peace. We’re coming off of a busy season and I can’t say peace has been my priority. Heading into this break, I hope to schedule a little less activity and let myself (and my family) rest. The holidays don’t have to be a mad dash through a Christmas calendar obstacle course. I’m hoping to keep peace in mind as we celebrate over the next few weeks. I hope you can do the same. Merry Almost Christmas!

An Introvert in her December habitat – hot chocolate, Christmas novel, fake fire with instrumental Christmas music, and white lights on the tree. Very *peaceful*!

Threw together a batch of Christmas cookies for the scavenger hunt. This is around two of Christmas cookies with hopefully one or two more baking sessions to come.

We braved the mall in December for Snowflake Lane (and got a Mickey Mouse calendar).

Red Cups and family adventures with my forever friend!

How my kids decorate cookies… Abstract art…???

Now for the foam version… the gingerbread theme was strong this week!

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Star Stomp and Other Christmas Adventures! December 7, 2022

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Homeschool Adventures — Amy Scott @ 7:19 pm

We are only one week into December… but if I recap the whole week for you, it will seem like we’ve lived an entire month in seven days! The big focus on the week was Star Stomp, our church Christmas musical. Friday evening was practice for the kids with solos and drama parts. Graham got to spend a special evening with Nana and Papa while the rest of us worked on the production. I did my final role as a “substitute star” on Friday night. I was able to practice my backstage role at Saturday’s dress rehearsal so I was ready for Sunday morning. We had some family members come on Saturday to watch the dress rehearsal and that made it extra special. Sunday’s performances were amazing! The kids did the best they’ve ever done! Owen did a fantastic job as Lil G and Graham was a super star in the choir!

Over the last week, we’ve seen snowflakes most day and even had some accumulation from time to time. Sunday morning was a slow drive into church since the roads were snowy and icy. Usually, I stay home if there is snow on the road (even a dusting), but the kids had to get to the musical… so… I did it. I was nervous the whole way, but we made it! Sunday afternoon into the evening, the snow came back and started to stick. Again, we had another snowy drive down to the church. This time for a Christmas party and lucky for me, Jeremy was behind the wheel for this drive.

Tuesday was our second Christmas party of the month. This time with our co-op friends. I put together 30 gift bags filled with fidget toys and sweet treats for a Left/Right game. The kids had a blast passing the gifts right and left with the silly story I read about Santa losing his toy sack. Mr. & Mrs. Claus were surprise guests at our party. I wasn’t sure if we were going to make a Santa picture happen this year, so it was nice the opportunity came up with no effort from me. The boys requested LEGO Super Mario sets from Santa (which is no shock). We wrapped up the party with a Secret Santa gift exchange. Graham got a dragon egg that hatches and grows in water. My countertop in now Baby Dragon Command Center. Very fascinating stuff.

This week I’ve tackled my Christmas cards and got them to the mail. I also wrapped almost all of our Christmas presents. Our shopping is mostly complete except for a few small things. I’m feeling good about the Christmas to-do list. If parties, productions, and projects weren’t keeping us busy enough, our church is also hosting a scavenger hunt the entire month of December. In the midst of our commitments, our family is completing holiday challenges in the scavenger hunt app. We’re doing the best we can, but we’re currently in 10th place. We’ll need to up our game soon!

So here’s the stats – two musical practices, two musical performances, two Christmas parties, multiple days with snow, Christmas cards out, Christmas wrapping mostly done… this week has been a LOT! The good news is the rest of the month mellows out now. We have some Christmas plans and traditions to make happen, but it shouldn’t be such a mad dash. We are ready to rest up and enjoy a bit of Christmas vacation right around the corner!

Making mini-snowmen for the Scavenger Hunt. Yes, he is barefoot and crazy! Good thing we weren’t out for long.

So proud of all the hard work these two put into *Star Stomp*! Such a memorable choir experience!

This musical had so many fun elements like star glasses and gloves that react to black light. For one song the kids did motions with light tubes and for another song we had ribbon dancers.

Snapped a pic on the monitor of my hubby rapping while I worked backstage.

Ready for our co-op Christmas party! Santa hats, Christmas shirts, jingle bells – check!

Gotta wear my Christmas sweater as much as I can this month!

Such a fun surprise to have Santa and Mrs. Claus at our Christmas party!

Taught the boys how to make paper snowflakes today as a part of the scavenger hunt. Owen made two, Graham made six… I made…

I made a dozen paper snowflakes. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I forgot how much fun they are to make!

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December Arrived with a Flurry December 1, 2022

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Getting Creative,Homeschool Adventures — Amy Scott @ 2:23 pm

December arrived with a flurry! A flurry of snow that is! As I write this post a light dusting of snow is melting in my yard. I’m a little sad there wasn’t more, but I’ll happily enjoy whatever snow we get. Ever since Monday, we’ve seen snowflakes falling throughout the day. I love looking out the window as the flurries fall. The end of November has also been a flurry – a flurry of activity!!!

Where to start? On Wednesday, the 22nd, we decorated the house for Christmas. Jeremy worked a half day and since our Thanksgiving weekend was full to the brim, this seemed like the best time to make the merriment happen. Decorating the house is almost a holiday in itself for our family. We sipped hot apple cider and listened to Christmas music while adding Christmas cheer all over. The boys select an ornament each year and it’s no surprise that they chose Luigi and Yoshi from Nintendo Super Mario. We added a Mario ornament to our big tree and I just ordered a Grinch ornament today because our family (specifically Graham) has an obsession with the Grinch this year.

We spent most of Thanksgiving Day with Jeremy’s family. We enjoyed good food, a bunco tournament (I won so many prizes for being the biggest loser), and yard games. We finished the day with an untraditional pizza dinner with my parents. The rest of the holiday weekend was filled with family, friends, and shopping. We hosted a sleepover with some of the cousins Friday into Saturday. We had friends over for dinner on Sunday. We hosted a play date on Monday. I can’t remember the last time we’ve had company over five days in a row. Wow! I got the baulk of the Christmas shopping done online with Black Friday sales and we visited a few stores Saturday afternoon. I’m feeling very good about where my Christmas shopping is at now. Even though November wasn’t over, I was starting to feel behind!

Sunday was Christmas musical practice and the start of Advent. The church calendar is running our lives at this moment! Owen had drama practice for the musical last night and he’ll have another practice tomorrow. Saturday is a dress rehearsal for the whole choir and then Sunday is showtime! I’m so excited to see Owen and Graham preform in their first Christmas musical. I’m so proud of the whole team – kids and leaders alike. It’s been a wild ride! It will be neat to see it all come together on Sunday.

I taught a Christmas cookie decorating class on Tuesday for our homeschool co-op. It went so well (considering I didn’t know what to expect). I provided all the decorating supplies and the students brought cookies to frost. I let the group know in advance what cookies I would be demonstrating so they could bring similar cookies to class. These kids focused intently on their decorating and their cookies turned out amazing. Our co-op could open a bakery! I loved listening to Christmas music play on my portable speaker while kids creatively decorated cookie after cookie. Our boys were worn out after the big weekend, so I kept them home from the cookie class. When I got home, we pulled out all the supplies and did mini-version of the class with our family.

That sums up the flurry of activity we’ve had this last week. We are headed into another big weekend with the Christmas musical right around the corner. I love how fun and festive the activities are this time of year. After a busy season for our family, I’m also looking forward to slowing down and savoring the season over the next few weeks! Happy first day of December!

The Christmas season is officially here!

Prepping for my cookie class on Monday night. I had plenty of frosting left over, but better safe than sorry!

Snapshots from Tuesday’s cookie adventures!

Studying the layers of the Earth this week.

Not a bad way to start December! Let it snow!

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What I’ve Been Reading – November 2022 November 30, 2022

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 2:59 pm

Bookish Thoughts for November

Here we are on the last day of November! It’s book post day! You’ll notice a theme to my November reading. I’ve been using my Kindle Unlimited subscription almost exclusively. I was going to unsubscribe at the end this month, but I decided to keep KU for one more month. I’ve discovered Christmas Rom-Coms and there is no stopping me now! It’s been a month of reading books that are the equivalent of Hallmark Christmas movies! I love it! November has been very merry and bright for my reading life!

At the end of October, I discovered books by Courtney Walsh. Her Christmas novels sucked me in and I moved on to her other books. I did a binge of some of her works on KU. I haven’t read them all yet. She has a similar plot in her stories – the tragic death of a love one in the past before the story takes place – and it made her books a bit heavy to read one right after the other. Her writing might be best mixed in with some diversity. I also stumbled upon The Christmas Escape series in KU. The final book in the series released today and I can’t wait to start it! Each book features a female main character traveling for the holidays and finding love. The books are written by different authors and I appreciated the exposure to new authors. These books gave me all the Christmas feels. I thoroughly enjoyed them.

You’ll notice a lack of non-fiction this month – only two books in that category. I feel somewhat bad about that, but I’ve had a blast with Christmas novels, so I don’t feel too bad. Also, this month was a busy month for our family so quick and light novels fit my mental capacity. This month I was definitely thankful for Christmas novels and Kindle Unlimited!

The six *Christmas Escape* novels I read this month. *Cotswolds Holiday* is not pictured because I just downloaded it today. Can’t wait to finish up this fun series.

Top Picks for November

Non-Fiction: Own Your Life: Living with Deep Intention, Bold Faith, and Generous Love by Sally Clarkson – I can’t say enough good things about Sally Clarkson and her writing! She has become a favorite of mine and a true mentor! She shares her wisdom with honesty, empathy, and encouragement. Her journey in homeschooling, motherhood, and ministry has been an inspiration to me. Own Your Life was a reminder to live an intentional life and stay the course in doing good work. It paired well with M is for Mama from last month. Living a life of integrity, priotirzing character development, leaning in your purpose are messages that bolster your soul as you read this book!
Fiction: A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson – Melody Carlson is one of my go-to authors. If she writes it, I’ll read it! I’m not a quilter so I wasn’t sure how attached I would be this story, but it took me no time to be invested in the cast of characters who make up this sweet Christmas novella. It’s a multi-generational tale that shares the power of community. The main character is a widow who is new to town and without friends or family to celebrate the holidays with. Meeting the family next door in an unexpected way leads to forming a unique quilting group that comes together to create a quilt in time for Christmas.

Book List for November
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

Own Your Life: Living with Deep Intention, Bold Faith, and Generous Love by Sally Clarkson – 4 stars
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess by by Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, and Don Mosenfelder – 3 stars

Fiction:

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh (Harbor Pointe Series) – 4 stars
Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh (Harbor Pointe Series) – 4 stars
Just One Kiss by Courtney Walsh (Harbor Pointe Series) – 3 stars
Just like Home by Courtney Walsh (Harbor Pointe Series) – 4 stars
If For Any Reason by Courtney Walsh (Nantucket Love Story Series) – 4 stars
Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh (Nantucket Love Story Series) – 4 stars
What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh (Nantucket Love Story Series) – 4 stars
A Match Made at Christmas by Courtney Walsh (Nantucket Love Story Series) – 4 stars
Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh (Paper Hearts Series) – 4 stars
Change of Heart by Courtney Walsh (Paper Hearts Series) – 4 stars
How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss by Jenny Proctor (Sweet Rom-Com) – 3 stars
Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel (Christmas Escape Series) – 4 stars
Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway (Christmas Escape Series) – 4 stars
Host for the Holidays by Martha Keyes (Christmas Escape Series) – 4 stars
A Newport Christmess by Jess Heileman (Christmas Escape Series) – 4 stars
Later On We’ll Conspire by Kortney Keisel (Christmas Escape Series) – 4 stars
A Not-So Holiday Paradise by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (Christmas Escape Series) – 3 stars
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Jewish American Fiction) – 3 stars
A Cup of Cheer by Heather Miekstyn (Sweet Holiday Romance) – 4 stars
A Christmas Dare by Heather Miekstyn (Sweet Holiday Romance) – 4 stars
A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson (Christmas Novella) – 4 stars
Scrooge and the Girls Next Door by Melody Jacobson (Holiday Rom-Com) – 4 stars

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A Birthday & Musical Weekend! November 22, 2022

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time — Amy Scott @ 2:03 pm

I’m starting this post with the title section blank. Any other bloggers struggle to come up with post titles? I’ve never really mastered the art of click-bait posts in the social media world. Hmm… I will continue to ponder what exactly to call this post… as I write it. Maybe I’ll leave it Add Title. Okay, I won’t, but yeah, I’ve got nothing right now.

My lack of title reflects my current mental state. I’m a little tired. Life has been so good, but there have many details to juggle and events to host. Let’s recap the last week, shall we? Thursday was dentist day for the boys. They are cavity-free! We had a good friend as our dental hygienist, so the appointment was quite cheerful. Graham had been dreading it, but came out afterwards sharing his relief. It was no big deal and he liked all the flavors this time. Yay for a drama-free appointment!

Friday was spent cleaning and decorating the house for a birthday party on Saturday. We offered to host a birthday shindig to celebrate my mother-in-law. I enjoy decorating for parties. Since adults don’t have birthday themes (like Super Mario), we went with a mix of gold, black, and purple (Debbie’s favorite color) decorations. Saturday morning, we ran some party errands and then it was show time! Debbie requested an updated family photo for her birthday, so the party started with a chilly photoshoot in our backyard. Since our backyard sees very little sun this time of year, the grass was crunchy and covered in frost. The temperature was sure motivating to smile big and move on to the next phase of the festivities. We enjoyed a meal featuring some Debbie’s favorite foods and then we played group games such as Pictionary, Family Feud, and Catch Phrase. The kids played flashlight tag outside in the freezing cold (why?!?! So cold!!). We watched Debbie open her gifts and then enjoyed birthday desserts together.

Friday and Saturday were full days and Sunday was no expectation. We were at church bright and early for choir practice. The last few weeks I’ve been jumping in to fill the roles of missing kids during practice. I’m not used to acting and singing my way through a Sunday morning. I come home from church just as tired as Owen and Graham. It’s cold/flu season, so I understand why we are missing kids, but I told Jeremy I don’t want to be the “fill-in” person on the actual performance day! Please join me in prayer for a healthy cast on December 4th!!! Sunday evening, we had a second musical practice. The goal was to combine the kids who practice at 9:00am and 10:45am into one choir. Jeremy and I hosted a Thanksgiving dessert gathering with the parents while the kids practiced.

It seems to be a pattern of busy weekends lately. Each weekend feels like a mad dash and leaves me a bit tired come Monday morning. Slower weekdays seem to be the key to recovering from the weekend and prepping for the next one. The pattern continues with a big holiday weekend right around the corner. Things might be a little crazy for our family until after the musical, but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Time for the sprint to the finish line!

And now to nail down a title for this post…

The light through the frosty trees kept distracting me from teaching school last week.

Cavity-free! Graham has his “fluoride” smile.

Making decorative tissue paper puffs on Friday. This one had a chicken shawarma layer in it! What?

What are my kids doing in this picture?!?!

This feels like the most accurate picture of the day…

Our little piece of the Scott family puzzle.

I found the 2001 Church Directory on Sunday!

My family in 2001… Church directories are good for a chuckle!

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1,001 November 16, 2022

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Homeschool Adventures — Amy Scott @ 8:07 pm

I apparently missed a milestone. My last post was my 1,000th on Amy Scott’s Thoughts! Woo hoo! WordPress notified me after the post was officially published. I’ve been blogging for over a decade, but I wasn’t keeping track of my post total. So, there you go. Here’s my 1,001st blog post! That can be a milestone too? Right? I’m going to claim it. Let’s celebrate!

While this blog started with intentions of bring brilliant (ha ha) and strategic with my posts… it’s definitely morphed with time. A decade ago (before kids when I had more brain cells), I hoped to share deep thoughts about life and ministry. Now, it’s mostly family updates and the occasional book-related post. I love sharing our family adventures and I love writing about books. Someday, I could see myself fully committing to the book blogging scene. Currently, I’m not hemming myself in, though. I don’t want to stick to one topic. I want all the options… which is why I post about homeschooling, baking, reading, travels, and the ordinary, everyday stuff of life. This blog is a bright spot in my week. It might not make me internet-famous, but it does make me happy. That’s all that matters. I hope it brings a little joy to you, too.

So, what’s been happening this week? This weekend was quite full… All good things, just a lot of things. I met up with a friend locally for hot chocolate on Friday morning. We caught up on life over holiday drinks at Starbucks. Friend time + a red cup = a happy Amy! I also drove up north to have “linner” (aka dinner at 3pm) at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse with my forever friend, Maggie. Two fun friend experiences in one day was a rare treat! Saturday, our family helped a family member move. It was a full day of moving boxes, organizing, and building furniture. I was very proud of my boys. They were super helpful! Sunday morning was spent at church practicing for the Christmas musical. Owen has his lines all memorized and he rocks his solo every time. I’m so excited to see him perform in December. He has worked so hard! Graham, too! Graham smiles from the front row of the choir. He has every song memorized and is super focused when it comes to doing the motions. It’s sweet to watch them shine! Sunday afternoon, we had family over to prepare for hunting season and they stayed for dinner. It was a big weekend, but full of good times with great people!

You’ll see pictures below of the ordinary moments from this last week. Baking projects, science experiments, puzzles, collecting wooly worms on walks… I’m so thankful the quieter days when we are home – doing school, hanging out, just being together. The weather is cold!!! I busted out the flannel sheets on Monday. I’m bundling up everyday for afternoon walks in the cold sunshine. The chill in the air makes being tucked inside feel extra cozy, like a safe haven. I just love ordinary days. I can appreciate a busy weekend, but I’m all for a slow week at home! It’s a good balance!

Owen asked for cake. So I made cake. It’s not too hard to twist my arm.

Pizza and pizookies at BJ’s are becoming a tradition of ours!

Such helpful movers! They think U-Haul trucks are the coolest!

A refresher on pollination with a pipe cleaner insect.

This was the first of three puzzles we did on Monday. Apparently, Monday had a puzzle vibe.

Fall art with oil pastels. Owen went a bit abstract on us…

Graham bundled up to join me for a walk this week. He collected a wooly worm along the way.

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Feels Like November November 9, 2022

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Homeschool Adventures — Amy Scott @ 1:39 pm

We had an unseasonably warm October and it messed with my head a bit. When the weather clears and I go outside, I’m shocked that it’s in the low 40s and not in the 70s. I keep reminding myself that it’s November. This is what November is supposed to feel like.

Along with the cooler temperatures, we’ve had our first blustery day and power outage. Friday, it poured all day long! Our plans to run errands seemed foolish. We should have taken a boat to the stores instead of our van. Friday night, after we were all tucked into bed, the power went out. Apparently, the wind picked up after the rain. Our kids don’t sleep well when the power goes out. The boys ended up sleeping in our bedroom on the floor. It was a family adventure! I’m left wondering why the power mostly goes out at night?!?! Why not in the morning or afternoon when our sleep isn’t interrupted?

Two very special celebrations happened last week. Thursday was the end of our first quarter of school. The boys selected grabber toys as their quarterly reward and they were thrilled with something new to play with. They’ve discovered the grabbers are especially handy for retrieving items under the couch. Thursday was also Red Cup Day where Starbucks switches to their holiday drink cups. Red Cup Day is a holiday in our family. Every year we make our way to Starbucks to celebrate. The boys and I got drinks and treats and then we made a special delivery to Jeremy at work.

Our big family focus right now is the Christmas musical at church. We have less than a month until the performances! Owen was given the part of “Lil G” (the angel Gabriel). He has both a singing solo and a speaking part. We are very excited for him! Our days are spent practicing his lines and every van ride has the practice CD blaring. Being a part of kid’s choir is new for me as well as the boys. It’s been a fun experience for all of us!

I’m still sort of in denial that it’s November, but the weather keeps reminding me we are here. I’ve pulled out my snowflake dishes (since it’s cold enough). We’ve started listening to Christmas music (not just the musical). I enjoy all the autumn vibes of November – it’s cold outside and cozy inside. I love preparing for Christmas. I’ve never had a conflict with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I embrace them equally in November. It’s a good feeling!