Spring Reading

Is it me or does warm, spring weather make everyone a little happier?
We just might make it through this school year!  I think everyone worked a little faster and a little earlier(and a little more cheerfully)  this morning so that we could spend time outside.  We brought some work out and read aloud in the backyard during lunch.  Our current read aloud is The Old Meadow by George Selden.  He wrote Cricket in Times Square , and Chester Cricket from that book is also in this one.  I've never read The Old Meadow before but I really like it.  It's full of animals, relationships, good imagery, and great one-liners. 
Some other books we're reading:

 

Kayla is reading Anne of Green Gables.  I'm so glad she's enjoying this.  It's another one I never read as a kid but it's a treasure. 

Jack is very into one of Brian's books about Lewis and Clark, called Undaunted Courage.  I admit I'm a little surprised- this is no easy read!  More power to him.

Sammy and Lucy have discovered Tomie DePaola's  "Strega Nona" books.  I don't know why we never read those before but they've been lots of fun.

I have several books in my stack right now.  I just finished The Housekeeper and the Professor.  Loved it.  And if you are a math person, you will enjoy it even more.  It's fairly short and it's very sweet.
Hoping to start The Glass Castle next.
Brian ordered a little devotional for me called Joy, a Godly Woman's Adornment by Lydia Brownback.  This has been great so far.  Just two or three pages per chapter and full of wisdom.  I have underlined a lot already.  A favorite quote (or two):
"And Jesus said that those who lose their lives-all the earthly things they lean on for happiness and security- will find what they have been looking for all along.  God will see to that."
and
"The extent of joy we know is the measure of how sold out we are."