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What Are YOU Reading?

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Books are such a fundamental part of my life that it THRILLS me to see my son enjoy them so much already. He can sit for long stretches of time and flip through pages and pages of a pile of books. He is really good to the pages, too-- he doesn't have to stick with board books. It warms my heart every time he brings a book to me after having sat on a pile of them and browsed for ages. It is clear to me that after enjoying the books his own way, one of them will strike his particular fancy at that moment, and he'll NEED me to do it justice by actually reading it to him.
I love that.

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It's funny, but for all the reading we do in this house these days, my own personal reading has definitely suffered. I mean, of course it has, right?? Chasing after a kid during the day, editing photos and crafting by night? Doesn't leave much decadent time for lounging with a book. And yet, I still think I can manage... So I start books... And they end up on my nightstand. Waiting for me to come back.

And sometimes I do.... but more often than not? I crash into bed at the end of the day and immediately fall asleep.

So for now-- I'll enjoy the reading I do with Noah. and I'll attempt a chapter or two of the books on my nightstand... And one day I'll get back to devouring my own pile of books the way Noah does.

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For fun, here's my nightstand stack (tidied up for your viewing pleasure:)


And up close:

Now your turn--

What's on YOUR nightstand? Either list stuff in the comments, or take your own photo and blog it... Then tell me about your blog post in the comments...

(And it doesn't have to just be books! If you see in the lower right corner of the first pic, I also have my cell phone and a pen... And if your nightstand is just tissues and cough drops, well, that's okay, too! Share!)

Anyway... Something to do, right??

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17 comments:

  1. Wow, it's not often that I get to be the first comment on your blog. My nightstand consists of nothing..you want to know why? My one year old comes into my room and deposits all the things on my nightstand into my laundry basket. Don't ask me why, he just loves to do it.
    Contents of laundry basket (despite mounds of laundry of course): two different candles-one with a holder, a dating picture of David and I, a remote control, my severely under-used scriptures, a bottle of water and occasionally my phone. No books right now, but I wish I had a really good one to read.
    P.S...Can I get over those adorable leg-warmers? I don't think so.

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  2. I have Labor Pains and Birth Stories (a MUST read for any momma) and The Education of Little Tree (interestingly enough because of an earlier blog post by you which reminded me just how much I loved this book....so I had to re-read it!)

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  3. on my nightstand. . . the only reading there currently lives in my phone, by way of scriptures and blogs.

    BUT, in my car is a copy of "The Secret Life of Bees" to read on my lunch breaks. I miss the days of reading for hours on end. . .

    I am continually impressed with Noah's reading skills. So awesome.

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  4. We don't really have a "nightstand", but on the shelf of my headboard, are my scriptures, cell phone chargers YOUR wedding picture of us girls, and....oh. KY. :)

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  5. Watch my blog soon for what's on my nightstand. Creative idea- I love it.

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  6. Anonymous9:00 AM

    Aside from a thin layer of dust, my nightstand is home to my lamp, phone, remote, and alarm clock. I have several started/unfinished books -- Marley & Me, From Baghdad with Love, What to Expect the Toddler Years, plus a few others that I can't remember at the moment. Oh how I wish Tucker would sit contentedly in my lap while I read to him. Maybe one of these days!

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  7. THE LEG WARMERS ARE BACK!! YAYYYYY!!

    Excellent question, and I loved peering at your stack of books...a true glimpse into your life! I'm always wading through two EWs (one at work, one at home), just finished the 4th "Traveling Pants" book (have you read that series? it'll make you love your friends soooo much), and am working on a cute little British young adult novel in the "Mates, Dates..." series. Someone ordered it from me on my Bookswap site, so I'm reading it quickly before I mail it off.

    I think I'll do a sassy chicklit novel next, in prep for Valentine's Day...I LOVE Valentine's!!

    As for my nightstand (and Rochelle, you totally made me giggle), there's a touch-lamp, a cd alarm clock, saline solution and a contact lens case, deodorant, chapstick (lemon flavored), my birth control pills, and a bottle of water on the top shelf. The drawer contains a bunch of bookmarks, two tiny journals (including the eyeball one you got me), pens, breath drops, extra contacts, Bloody Mary flavored chapstick, and eyeglasses in their green case. The lower shelf of my nightstand is a huge stack of puzzle books--math, crossword, cross sums, sudoku, and brain teasers. And a box of tissues.

    :) genny

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  8. On my nightstand:
    My ihome; a glass of water; a rectangluar black vase that has become a catch-all for hair clips, sunglasses, ribbon, change, and paperclips; and two books, Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot and Wuthering Heights. My nightstand is actually an antique my grandmother gave me and if you open it up it is a music box that plays the theme from the godfather.

    Love Noah with his books, Rori does the same thing, only we still have to stick to board books.

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  9. Okay, Genny- I know I don't drink alcohol, but Bloody Mary chapstick?! I dunno- sounds a little too weird for me, but whatevs... ;)

    I, too, like the Boy, will post a photo of my nightstand for your viewing...um...pleasure? I will warn you, it is a bit cluttered (what part of my life isn't cluttered, honestly?)- oh well. I like your idea, Em. And I love that Noah already appreciates books. And I, too, long for days when I could read books for hours on end just because I want to read them. Alas, that may not come for some time, since my summer will now be spent brushing up on British and American literature, as well as Spanish lit, in preparation for the Praxis II in both English and Spanish...wish me luck!

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  10. The Omnivores Delima by Michael Pollan. In Defense of Food by the same auther is another terrific read, it'll change your life.

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  11. Anonymous3:36 PM

    I recently re-discovered your blog and I must say "I LOVE IT". It is always fun and inspirational. I will be visiting more often if you don't mind.

    My Noah loves his books, also.

    I have recently decided to try to get more reading in and I am loving it. My nightstand is empty of books(courtesy of Noah), but the end table in my living room has the new JK Rowling book and Twilight. Two books that I am looking forward to reading after I have finished reading the Percy Jackson series.

    Have a great day.
    Kim

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  12. I love that Noah loves books (especially since he's destined to get them for nearly every birthday from his Aunt Juli :-)

    I wish all my kids loved books as much, and that reading wasn't such a struggle (I imagine Elise feels the same way at times.)

    My nightstand has a box of Kleenex, a candle, a lamp and the March 08 Ensign. Inside and under it isn't much more interesting...

    But my reading stash isn't on my nightstand - it's on and around my "napping chair" - and that (to the best of my memory - I'm not at home presently to double check) has 2 Ensigns and a New Era, Difficult Conversations, Truman Madsen's 5-in-one volume, The Out of Sync Child, a Shakespeare All-in-One and, I think, Standing for Something. Also a lamp, a framed picture from you ("Bloom") and maybe a candle. And a pillow and blanket and glasses case.

    My scriptures are on another chair near the door ready for seminary

    The desk next to me at the library has Specials

    And my shelf of borrowed books has So Big, Martian Child, Joyful noise : poems for two voices, and The road not taken; an introduction to Robert Frost.

    I think that's all at the moment...

    Thanks for asking :-)

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  13. On my nightstand:
    a pile of my hubby's books- The Winning Art of Conversation, and some tech books.

    My reading material-- Fitness Magazine, for the someday I start getting serious about working out. Parenting magazine, for my current passion, and Real Simple Magazine, to make my life simpler.

    Burt's Bees Chapstick

    Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Lotion

    I think that is it, plus an alarm clock but we won't talk about that.

    P.S. Eva has the same exact leg warmers.

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  14. Emma was the same way with books...still is. I always attributed it to my history as an early childhood educator, my own love of books, and the fact that I read to her from day 1. Then came Anna. She will not sit still for more than 2 pages at a time. It just isn't in her. And I spent A LOT of time trying to force it. Bad mama! It breaks my heart, but I have come to accept it. She is who she is and I love her just the same. I will never give up though...THAT just isn't in ME!

    As for my nightstand, HA! I haven't finished a book for nearly 4 years (since Emma's glorious arrival), but my stack of "attempteds" is both interesting and diverse. I'll post a pic on ELW sometime soon!

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  15. Thanks for the inspiration, I needed a fun post idea! So here it is...
    http://ojibirish.blogspot.com/
    Although I must admit that I did have to tidy a little bit, remove a few tea mugs and some tissues. Too bad there's no sock monkey this time around, those guys were adorable!

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  16. Those leg warmers are pretty stinkin' cute.

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  17. OK, so totally off subject here, but ever since you made your monkey, I've been getting the itch to try. Now...my kitty is soooo pathetic compared to yours, but...come check her out nonetheless. You're the reason I even entertained the idea, I bow to your craftiness!

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