1. Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

Maybe she plagiarized, maybe she didn’t. Regardless, I’ve been enjoying the recipes and ideas in this fun cookbook. I decided from the get-go that I wouldn’t employ the suggested “deception,” but instead would teach Viv the different ways we can include all these beautiful fruits and vegetables in our meals. It comes at a convenient time for me, too: I can learn the art of “puree” just in time for a toothless little one who’s just chomping at the bit for some homemade smushed organic spinach. Yum.

2. Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Carkson

Packed with information about homeschooling, discipling, and building our homes, this book is equipping me with some information to develop a specific vision for our daily lives. I circle and copy dozens of wise paragraphs from this book every day.

A sidebar quotation seems to capture the theme of the book: “Our belief, or lack of belief, in a child’s human heart will completely determine the way we teach that child.” – Mary Pride

3. The In Tune With Nature 2008 Calendar that I discovered in the bargain stacks at B&N. As soon as I laid hands on its smooth surface and ran my eyes across the vintage pages, I knew we were meant to be.