Books I Read Over The Holidays

I spent the holidays swimming and soaking up the sun (with sunscreen of course!) and filling mind and soul with stories that tickle the funny bone and touch the heart, help us seek balance, become more green, and, finally, get our groove back. My chaise lounge became my home away from home, my happiest of places. Give me a book – a real one I can hold between my fingers – and a fruit smoothie and I’m good to go.

Here’s a delightful romp through my beach bag, minus the chocolate bar that melted. At least I didn’t spill my drink.

Books I read over the holidays:

Not Your Mother’s Book…On Being A Parent by Daylynn McKowen, Ken McKowen, and Pat Nelson: From the co-authors and editors of the Chicken Soup For The Soul series comes an anthology filled with delightful, funny and heart tugging moments of parenthood frozen in time for our reading pleasure. It stirred memories, minus the exhaustion and tantrums (mine as well as their’s) that only the distance of time provides, of little bitty babies and life in the early days of parenting all the way through, and past – dare I say it – kids getting their driver’s licenses. (Otherwise known as, the time I started going gray.) Uniting us all in the messy, humorous, often trying times of parenthood. A must read if you like babies and children and laughing. Not Your Mother’s Book…On Being A Parent can be found on amazon.com.

The Big List Of Things That Suck by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff:   Rachel shares her passion for green living (minus any finger-   wagging or guilt) in a slim, entertaining, excellent comprehensive guide of eco-information to help you make informed decisions regarding how you buy and the products you use. I will never look at cashmere or chocolate the same way again. For those interested in wanting to make a change, I urge you to read this eye-opening resource. You can find The Big List Of Things That Suck on amazon.com.

Dot Complicated by Randi Zuckerberg: How ironic is it that when I’m supposed to have a Skype session with the queen of tech, my Skype goes down. But Randi saved the day by chatting with me via cell on her way to her husband’s office party. And you know what? She gets it. Family is number one for her and so is trying to seek balance in our high tech world. Her book stresses social media etiquette and safety, as well as the importance of kids developing their own online identities. We hung up after challenging ourselves to “unplug”, as much as we could, over the holidays. I went “naked” (Randi’s term for leaving your phone in your car or purse) on most days and during mealtimes. The break from constantly “checking in” felt liberating and refreshing. Dot Complicated, perfect for the tech newbie or tech obsessed. Find it on amazon.com.

Lost In Suburbia by Tracy Beckerman: After years of being a cool and in control Manhattanite with a coveted job in television, Tracy gets pregnant, moves to New Jersey, and loses her identity along the way – as many of us moms do. Struggling to fit in and make new friends in the suburbs, it feels like she’s in high school all over again. (Yep, there are mean girls in Mommy & Me, too.) You’ll be instantly drawn in by her honesty, hilarious insights, the chances she takes and the lessons she learns on her journey to getting her groove back and rocking a sweet mini-van. Tracy leaves you feeling if she can do it, so can you. New Jersey will never be the same! You can find Lost In Suburbia on amazon.com.

What’s on your reading list?