Life-changing Books & Super Cute Baby Pants

Let's see, what have I been reading since last we chatted? I finished  The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. I still highly recommend the book. I listened through the entire audio version and then ordered the print version so I could actually see all the checklists and surveys. As I listened, I thought about how much of the research and the resutling advice was good for all relationships, not just marriages. So, of course, that meant I had to listen to The Relationship Cure: a 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships. Lots of fascinating stuff here!! I highly recommend this one, too, particularly if you or one of your children has difficulty reading social cues. This book has the potential to unlock a myriad of previously locked doors and to help people deepen important relationships.

One thing about the Gottman books that I wondered incessantly is what impact the internet and smartphones, in particular, would have had on his data. Most of his work predates the ubiquitous smartphone. I went to his website and found some good things there.

Then I dug deeper around the web and found the 99U site and  stumbled onto this gem: Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind. I listened to the audio version of this one, but I ordered the hard version, too. The audio version is just fine, but I am going to insist everyone over 13 in my household read this book and I know for some print is better than audio and for others, audio is the only way. This book is a game changer. A life changer. A this is my guide-to-how-to-function-in-a-world-that-has-drastically-changed-in-the-last-five-years one-of-a-kind kind of book. It's essential. I see it being the most important read the summer before starting college. I see it being the best way to lift oneself out of the deep trench made by bad internet and communication habits that have crept up on mostly all of us. I see it as the roadmap towards identifying both roles and goals and then determing how best to fulfill them. 

And after I devoured that, I decided that my new walking habit had most definitely blown the book budget. I walked 198 miles in July. And I read 8 books. Time. Well. Spent. So, instead of getting anything new, I went back into my Audible library and started re-listening to Walking in the World. I thought I'd listened to its precursor, The Artist's Way, but I must have read that one in print. As soon as I finish this one, I'm going to listen to Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project again. 

This walking and reading? So, so good. I'll tell you more about the habit on Monday.

I've gotten some sewing done this week, too. I finally stitched together the Quick Change Trousers (from this book) I cut before Lucy was born. Totally cute. I wanted to try them on her as soon as they came off the machine,  but Christian thought otherwise.

We've got some other projects going. A blouse from this book that will probably be made in three different sizes before everyone gets the right fit. It's translated from Japanese and I told Kristin we would have been better off buying the Japanese version and asking her grandmother to translate for us. And there are those headbands I cut at the beach that still need stitching. And...we worked on a special project that we'll show you after the gift has been received.

What are you sewing and reading this week? I really do want to hear all about it!

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