When I began steeling myself for the disappointment of not selling and moving, I told myself that all my ideas could wait and maybe even better ones would come along. I found an unused composition book and decided to start recording all my plans and hopes and ideas. It's not really a journal because I don't write long entries or anything, but the notebook is more than and more special than a list. A collection? I'll just call it The Notebook for now. I started out collecting ideas for a new home, but it has turned into a spot where I collect all the things I want to do, try, remember, or consider someday. "Someday" could be next year or in twenty years. Someday might be tomorrow. I've collected references to recipes (i.e. "Melissa D'Arabian Chocolate Chip Rosemary Shortbread" and "Molly Wizenberg -- try pickling"). I've collected quotations (i.e. "The Measure of Love Is To Love Without Measure" from a plaque in my parents' house). I've collected names of books and websites I want to check out, craft projects I want to complete, and even two ideas for businesses (you know, for all my spare time). The Notebook makes me feel happy and hopeful and calm. I feel like a little squirrel storing away nuts for the long winter.
I'm planning to share more about The Notebook as I find the time to realize the hopes collected inside its pages.
One simple thing I had written down in The Notebook was to sort our children's books by theme. This idea is not all that clever as I know several organized moms who rotate books in and out all year. Christmas books come out after Thanksgiving, Halloween ones in October, and etc. Bub and I made an attempt to thematically sort the books during a nesting frenzy this past spring, but the end result is a bunch of books sorted into ziploc freezer bags and looking junky in the book cabinet. Since the books are consolidated in bags, it is easier to clean up when, as happens almost daily, the shelves get cleared. However, the bags also make it difficult to find out what's what.
I've decide instead to sort books by the month/season and to do it month by month, not all at once. I spent a few minutes this evening pulling books for September -- books about school(s), books about apples, and books to help Little Bit in learning his numbers, colors, and letters.
Because the Scholastic Book Order is my special mommy porn, I had no problem finding books for September inside our house, but I think it would also be fun to visit the library to collect books with a theme.
Can I just say how fun it was to choose the books? And how excited I am for Bub to see the special September book box? I know he is going to be so pumped up, and I hope that having this box might inspire us to read more and watch less Phineas and Ferb.
I like the feeling of making the most of some items that we already have and love the feeling that the kids and I may just be forging an awesome new family tradition.
Right now, I am loving The Notebook. My Notebook.
What do you think? What would you collect in your Notebook? Do you have one? Do you rotate books at your house? Any "September" books I should seek out? What literary heroines should be on Sweet P's walls someday when she finally has a bedroom and not just a corner of ours? Please share in the comments.
Please forgive the webcam photography. Also, please know that it is killing me that I have not yet adorned the September book basket with a colorful ribbon or possibly a cut-out of an apple.
11 comments:
I want to be a copycat! I want to start a Notebook of my own! This is a great idea, Mep!
You have reminded me that I need to dig out Mrs. Bindergarten for Gabe before Monday...
Dean Koontz and Stephen King and Ken Follett are some of my favorite authors, but notsoappropriate for decorating a baby's room...probably scare the crap out of her. I'm not so good with the classics...
Heather is right -- it's a great idea. Such a neat, neat possiblity. I think I might have to do it too. Did you know you'd be such an inspiration?
BTW...as a former public and children's librarian, I HAVE to say I'm very excited to see you arrange your books. I do it to my son's books, that way we can find books easier when we want a specific one. :)
I definitely want to read a post about cardinals.
As a child, in addition to those books/characters you mentioned, I loved all the Chronicles of Narnia, Little House on the Prairie series. I loved Boxcar Children and Island of the Blue Dolphins, and I think the other one that really marked me was called The Island Keeper. But it's true that none of those are necessarily memorable as characters (apart from Laura Ingalls), as much as stories.
Ohh yeah I have a Notebook. And so do the 115 kiddies lucky enough to be in my class this year. We collect quotes too, and really anything that is interesting. A lot of my kids write down things they wonder about, or want to look up online later. One kid has started collecting little colored pieces of paper off the floor. The result is this awesome-looking mosaic taking up two pages of his Notebook.
I like how think of the entries as collections, though. I might just have to share this with my class. :)
I'm wondering whether your notebook has any roots in thematic unit planning, and our beloved binders. I personally have many such notebooks scattered everywhere, and really need to get them together. I love your ideas, and most especially the book sorting one. I am already planning to steal it, and think we'll be including birthday and new baby books in our September collection.
Also, may I submit a vote for my girl Scout Finch in Sweet P's future room? I'm thinking a sweet print of her in overalls surrounded by Boo Radley treasure...
Great idea! I don't have a notebook, but I do sort our childrens books by theme. So we've been reading quite a few kindergarten and school themed books lately. It's fun, and it builds enthusiasm for the upcoming holidays, for example, reading spooky books during the month of October make Halloween a little bit more exciting.
Oh, how I *love* the idea of decorating a room full of literary heroines! If I were taking a stab at it, Anastasia Krupnik and Harriet the Spy would also be included.
You are so creative. I had a pile of pictures and website bookmarks that I compiled when we were in the apartment and house hunting. It was so helpful once we moved to look back and create a vision for our new house. We are still just starting out, but the creation of the picture pile helped me through some down and out evenings when I thought we would never get out.
Your notebook is much more extensive than my compilation, and sound really cool!
The Notebook is a perfectly brilliant idea. You know, I don't want to sound cheezy, but I would love to just hang out with you in person some time. You're so creative and fun and thoughtful about everything you do. You seem like you would be a good friend, besides a good bloggy friend.
I don't have a notebook, but I should. Why don't I? I am all the time thinking of stuff that I want to remember for "later" and I never write it down and then of course, I forget it. Like your idea about framing covers from girls' books for Sweet P's room. I would love to do that. As soon as I get home, I'm starting a notebook. Can I steal some of your ideas? :)
I was both astonished and thrilled this past weekend when my daughter chose a Berenstain Bears "Back to School" book over a Ballerina Barbie book at Target. Rock on, Brother Bear and Sister Bear.
I have a notebook, but it's mostly to-do items or questions I need to ask the pediatrician or birthday party invitation lists or other random life logistics. I'd love a notebook just for the fun stuff! =>
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