The Weekend Estate Planning Kit - Douglas E. Godbe

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I used this book to put together a living trust for Pete and I - which I now need to update with Baby info. We even had a "real lawyer" look over the documents that they had us put together and they seemed to think it would be sufficient. We haven't actually gone through the (supposedly torturous) process of funding the estate by transferring our assets but the book did have a spill over will that allows you to will all assets to the estate - which will be a catch all just in case something happens before the rest goes through. The material is dry (as you would expect) but I felt like it gave a good overview of how the process works and what your options are. They CD that comes with it has template documents that you customize for your situation. It was about a weekends work to put together.

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way - Susan McCutcheon

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Pete and I both really like this book. It was totally helpful to read it along side taking our Bradley class. I felt like I learned so much about the birthing process, my body's anatomy and alternative ways of handling labor. Many of the assumptions of the book are outdated as the medical community has realized some things needed to change - PTL fewer episiotomies! But I think it's a worth while read. We'll see how the pain management suggestions work out - again uncharted waters.

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer - Tracy Hogg

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I was recommended this book by my good friend Kendel who loved the schedule that she put together for baby sleeping. In fact we spent a fair bit of time trying to find the special schedule before we bought the book... this is all we could come up with, it's actually a transition from the 3 hour cycle to the 4 hour cycle:


I really liked her approach for most of the baby care - though the few times she mentioned discipline issues I realized I will not be purchasing any books she writes on toddler training. This is all in the theoretical for us right now the proof will be in the pudding come June/July :)

Climate Confusion - Roy W. Spencer

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I must read if you are at all skeptical about the whole "global warming" thing that seems to have recently been elevated to our only absolute truth in a world of relativism. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about green - see my worm compost bin out back, my victory garden out front. I just think our stewardship might be slightly misdirected in some areas and a lot more profitable in others. This guy agrees with me. And as a bonus I learned a lot about how our weather systems work - and what exactly is and isn't reasonable for scientists to predict.

You haven't read any books since 2008 ?!?!?

hmm I seem to be behind on my "book reports" I'll be making an effort to catch myself up - unfortunately I can't remember when I finished most of these books so the dates will probably be wildly inaccurate pre-dating... hopefully this will prevent me from any unnecessary re-reading and dissipate into the cloud what I though of various books so I can look them up in a pinch before/during my next attempt at an intellectual conversation.

When People are Big and God is Small - Edward T. Welch

**
This book struck a cord with me, unfortunately not a very happy one. While I agree with most of the principles in this book, it failed to convince me that someone following it's dictums would be less judgmental and more grace-filled than those in my past who would have loved it's proclamations. And although I know he was directing the thrust of his argument against the self-obsessed instant gratification normative we find in our surrounding culture, taken to extreme and without love (as I have seen them in the past) , these teachings can be more alienating and divisive than helpful. I would love to see people embrace his teaching personally, I just hope they don't use it as an excuse to start "fixing" others as if they could discern the inner workings of another persons soul. I would love to see an edition with warnings about falling into the trap of judgmental meddling!

Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis - Michael Ward

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Marvelous. This book is a devotional experience. Wards postulation that CS Lewis crafted the Narnia septet to show 7 aspects of God as the 7 planets from pre-copernican medieval mythology is in my humble estimation brilliant and enlightening. As an added bonus reading this tomb is a instant SAT vocab review. After finishing this book I'm a re-devoted Lewis fan and have been inspired to add more of the classic cannon to my reading list... we'll see how that unfolds. I could rave on and on... but if you have the stomach for 250 pages of dense literary analysis definitely attempt it, if not tuck away the title to "drop" the next time you feel out of your league at a party, anyone who has read it will have a new respect for you :)