2008 October

Oct 21, 2008

L. shares about his favorite books

The gang over at 5 Minutes for Books hosts a monthly carnival called Kids’ Picks, in which bloggers are invited to share which books their kids are reading or have recently enjoyed. This month, I thought I’d let L. tell you about some of his favorite books. So I’ll just get out of the way and let him answer some questions on his current literary preferences.

[Editorial note: L. is only two, so a bit of parental license was taken in interpreting his opinions and thoughts on books. I'm sure you understand.]

So, L., tell us: which books do you need to have in your crib at all times?

The baby books! The baby books!

Um, what exactly do you mean by “the baby books”?

Well, it’s this set of books Mom and I collected over the summer. They’re written by Leslie Patricelli and they’re all about a baby and his life.

I see. Sounds intriguing. Can you tell us more?

Sure. The first one I got (after spying it in the grocery store) is called Big Little and it’s all about stuff that’s big and stuff that’s little. (Duh.) Mom is a little concerned, though, because on one page it says, “Ladies are big…Ladybugs are little” and it makes her a bit nervous that sometime when we’re shopping, I’ll point to a perfectly normal-sized woman and yell, “Ladies are big!!” But I don’t think she needs to worry about that. I never embarrass her in public.

Yeah right. Oh, of course. What other books in the series do you like?

Well, the one I like the most is called No No, Yes Yes. Every page shows one thing you’re not supposed to do and then one thing that’s okay to do. It’s hilarious. On the first page, the baby is dumping food on his head! That always cracks me up. And then he pulls the cat’s tail. Definitely giggle-worthy. And then he sticks his finger up his nose. Every time I see that page, I laugh until I can’t breathe.

Strangely, Mom is worried about this one too. She thinks that since I think the “no, no” pages are so funny, that I’ll want to imitate them, instead of following the guidelines represented on the “yes, yes” pages. I don’t know why she’s so uptight. It’s not like I’m going to go put all my toys in the potty today. At least, I don’t think I am.

Are there any books in the series that your mom doesn’t have these teeny reservations about?

Oh, sure. There’s Quiet, Loud and Blankie. Oh, and Baby Happy, Baby Sad. That’s one we both really like.

And I think that’s all of the ones I have.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about the books?

Well, they’re short, so sometimes I can get mom to read me all of the books in one sitting. And they have cute pictures in them. And they’re board books, so I can’t get in trouble for ripping any pages or anything.

That’s it.

Okay, then. Thank you, L., for sharing this fascinating board book series with our readers.

No problem. If you’ll excuse me, I have a cat’s tail to pull. Oops, I mean a kitty to pet nicely.

*~*~*~

Visit 5 Minutes for Books to see what other kids are reading these days.

Filed Under: Books/Reading, Family 13 Comments

Oct 17, 2008

Elusive Slumber

written by katrina · 38 Comments

It’s a typical Wednesday night at the Callapidder House. The kids are asleep, and Chad and I are reading our respective books in bed, our bedside lamps softly illuminating the room. The cat is sleeping on top of me. (At least, until I squirm into a new position and she leaps from the bed with a disgruntled mew.) It’s probably between 9:30 and 10:00, but we’re both engrossed in our books and no one’s really watching the time.

Moments later, Chad reaches for the bookmark on his nightstand, closes his book, says good-night, turns off his light, and closes his eyes.

Here’s where the jealousy kicks in.

Within five minutes, he’s asleep.

Five. Minutes.

I have never — ever — been able to fall asleep that quickly.

Back in high school, my best friend and I used to occasionally play board games at her house after school, and every once in a while, we’d pull out Trivial Pursuit. I very clearly remember being asked one question in Science and Nature:

How long does it take the average person to fall asleep?

Hmm… I pondered this one for a while. I thought about how long it took me, but I knew that it took me longer than “the average person.” Finally, trying my best, I made my guess: 22 minutes. My friend thought that sounded good to her too and flipped over the card.

The answer? 7 minutes.

I couldn’t believe it. People actually fell asleep in 7 minutes? Average people? Meaning that many people took even less time to get snoozing?

How disheartening.

And then, apparently, I married one of those better-than-average sleepers. Chad is always asleep within minutes of lights-out. Meanwhile, I read my book until I’m nice and tired, and then manage to toss and turn for another 20-30 minutes until my brain finally shuts off.

I once took a temperament test (based on the DiSC system) that told me my temperament (C) had the hardest time sleeping because it’s so hard to make our brains shut off. We tend to (over-)analyze things and find our minds running round and round in circles, even when we’re tired and ready to sleep.

I guess that’s a good enough reason for my slumber troubles, but there are many, many nights when I wish I were more like Chad. He’s plenty analytical, but can still turn things off when it’s time to get some Zzzz’s.

Where do you fall on the sleeping continuum? Do you head off to dreamland with barely a thought? Or do you, like me, take your sweet time falling asleep? I hope, for your sake, that you’re more like my husband.

Filed Under: Family 38 Comments

Oct 16, 2008

Book Giveaway: Being Christian

written by katrina · 12 Comments

Ready for another Thursday book giveaway from Bethany House? Me too. But first, here’s the winner for last week’s book, A Promise to Believe In:

Comment #23 — Jen.

Congrats, Jen!

Congrats! Okay, on to this week’s giveaway!

Here’s how the giveaways work:

Every Thursday, I post about a new book that’s up for grabs. If it sounds like a book you’d like and you want to be eligible to win it, just leave a comment on the post and I’ll put your name in the virtual hat. I’ll leave the post open for comments until the following Wednesday at noon. I’ll then randomly pick a commenter and announce that person as the winner when I put up the next giveaway.

Please make sure that when you leave a comment, you include an email address so I can contact you easily. Also, I apologize to any international readers, but these giveaways are limited to readers in the U.S. or Canada.

So, without further ado, the first book is:

Being Christian
by Stephen Arterburn & John Shore

Being Christian.
What does that mean? And how do you do it?

However you answer those questions–even if the answer is “I don’t have a clue!”–you need this book. Here Steve Arterburn and John Shore tackle some simple, but also complex, questions that just about everyone has about being Christian. And they do so using everyday language. Here you’ll find real questions, like

How do I know God loves me personally?
Is there any sin that’s beyond forgiving?
Will being a Christian help me get rid of my bad habits?
Why are there so many Christian denominations?
Should I join a Bible study group?

Wherever you happen to be along the faith continuum, this book is for you. For some, it will be an introduction to Christian beliefs and practices. For others, it will be an in-depth review. The authors say, “We asked a lot of people, and did a lot of thinking and praying, in order to come up with the questions about Christianity and its attending issues that we feel even the most experienced Christians sometimes want answered.”

You can read an excerpt from Being Christian Here.
And check out reviews of Being Christian at Amazon.com.

Filed Under: Book giveaways 12 Comments

Oct 15, 2008

Book Review: The Rook

written by katrina · 8 Comments

A few weeks ago, I was sent a copy of The Rook, a suspense novel by Steven James, to read and review here on Callapidder Days. I was glad to receive this invitation, since I’d actually seen The Rook at Borders and had considered buying it. After all, suspense? Thrills? Mystery? I’m there.

Here’s what the back cover has to say:

While investigating a series of baffling fires in San Diego, Special Agent Patrick Bowers is drawn into a deadly web of intrigue where nothing is as it appears to be. With a killer on the loose and one of the world’s most deadly devices missing, Bowers is caught in a race against time to stop a criminal mastermind’s trap before it closes around the people he loves.

I just finished The Rook last night (after staying up way too late, I’m afraid) and I have to say that it did not disappoint. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing, enough suspense to keep me turning pages, and all the characteristics that, to me, make a good thriller: action, questions that I want the answers to, and a smattering of interesting information (in this book, that would be info about sharks and their electromagnetic sense).

In addition, The Rook did not have the characteristics that I have heard many readers complain are far too common in Christian fiction these days. Perhaps you’ve heard these complaints too?

* “Christian fiction always wraps things up in a far too neat and tidy manner.” You know: every character ends the book happy and carefree, all problems are solved, all bad guys are taken care of.

* “Christian fiction is too predictable.” This happens when you could sit down and outline the rest of the book after reading the first two chapters, just because you’ve read other books in this genre.

* “Christian fiction is a little too heavy on the ‘religious speak,’ to the point that it’s unbelievable.” I’ve read books where every single character is saved by the time you reach the final chapter, or books where the main character pauses in the midst of hanging from a cliff in order to share the Gospel. Not exactly true-to-life, eh?

Refreshingly, Steven James did not fall into these potential pitfalls. The Rook wrapped up, yes, but not without some realistic consequences and questions. It certainly wasn’t predictable (I was kept guessing right up until the end). And the characters’ search for God and questions about God seemed normal and realistic. Which, in my book, makes for good Christian fiction.

There’s a previous book in this series — The Pawn — and I’m sure I’ll be picking it up before too long. And the third book, The Knight, is due out next spring.

If you’re looking for a new thriller, I would definitely recommend checking out The Rook. Just be reasonable, and don’t stay up as late as I did to read it.

Filed Under: Book reviews 8 Comments

Oct 13, 2008

The Roller Coaster Ride, or Being the Mom of a 2-year-old

written by katrina · 18 Comments

We celebrated C.’s 10th birthday with a big party at our house over the weekend. Lots of fun (along with lots of pizza, lots of cake, and lots of ice cream) was had by all. Even 2-year-old L. was at his best — greeting our guests, running around the yard with cousins, stealing sharing ice cream with his grandmother. He was endearing.

That is, until another 2-year-old — Quin, the son of some friends of ours — discovered the enormous stash of Matchbox cars in the basement. L., to put it mildly, lost it. Screaming, crying, yelling, flopping on the floor: full-fledged fits. It wasn’t that Quin was playing with a car that L. wanted. No, it was simply that sweet Quin had the nerve to like the cars and want to play with them.

It was not a good Mommy moment. Though I know the concept of sharing is one that many toddlers rebel against, I would have preferred that L. continue to be endearing, rather than make me want to stick him in bed and then hide in a closet.

Today, L. and I made a trip to the grocery store. As I was putting him in the shopping cart, he started screaming. He didn’t want to go grocery shopping. Oh great, I thought. Here we go again. I considered donning sunglasses and a baseball hat, perhaps a wig. Maybe a fake mustache. Some kind of disguise in case someone I knew was also picking up cereal and soup.

But, lo and behold, as soon as we were in the store, he turned on the charm. L. enthusiastically greeted all other babies and toddlers with, “HI! Mama — Baby there!! HI!” He graciously tolerated a loooong shopping excursion as I juggled lists and coupons. And he delighted the cashier with repeated “HI”s. Even the lady behind us in line engaged him in conversation, claiming that he was ‘adorable.’

Good Mommy moments.

Parenting a 2-year-old is full of ups and downs. One moment, I’m mortified by his behavior; the next, I’m practically giggling as he charms a grocery-bagger.

The other day, I’d had just about enough, and could not possibly take one more fit, one more yell, one more “NO!” And right then, he turned to me and said in his most adorable and precious voice, “Heeyyyy, Mama.” Then leaned his head against me. I melted.

Consistency is hard, but I know it pays off. The rough days are exhausting, but the sweet moments are priceless. And L. seems to know just when he needs to turn on the delightful…right before I go over the edge from the difficult.

I love that little boy, even on the days he wears me out.