What we're reading

At the thrift store the other day, I found a partial set of the 'Little House' books. We already had 'Farmer Boy', and now we have 'Little House in the Big Woods', 'On the Banks of Plum Creek', 'By the Shores of Silver Lake', and 'The Long Winter'. We have been reading some of the 'My First Little House' books to Weston and he really likes them, and so I've started reading some of the 'real' ones. They're not quite as warm and fuzzy and innocuous as I remember them, however. Little House in the Big Woods starts with a chapter about the giant wolves in the dark outside the little house, and Farmer Boy starts with a murdered schoolteacher and a violent horsewhipping scene in the schoolhouse. I just improvise through those parts. Instead of 'Bill's trousers were cut through, his shirt was slashed, his arms bleeding from the bite of the lash...', I read: 'Bill was a very naughty boy and Mr. Corse sent him to the back of the class to think about what he did wrong while the rest of the class picked flowers and sang songs."

Also very popular with Weston lately is a book Aunt Ellen and Uncle Rey sent him- it's a very funny version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When Goldilocks gets the too-hot porridge she says 'Patooie!' and spats it out. Weston thinks this is hilarious for some reason and has us read it over and over and over. Shane has been listening to stories now, too. Until recently he would just amuse himself while we were reading but now he pays attention.

I am reading two books: 'When Men Become Gods' about Warren Jeffs, and 'School of Dreams' by Edward Humes. I am enjoying both and would have some commentary on them but I am too tired right now. Shane has been waking up before 4 all week and he won't go back to sleep. He has a big bump on his lower jaw and I think the tooth is bothering him. And I know it's bothering me. And Lloyd. And the neighbors.

Lloyd has been reading up on root cellars, seed storage and raising goats and chickens. But he is tired of reading and planning and wants to DO. So this weekend he and Weston are going to make some birdhouses.