What’s in my personal curriculum basket & how I planned it out
Today I am sharing all the reasons behind my planning based on my personal study-type (Relaxed but Intentional) as well as my book list for the next 2 months.
Right now my personal curriculum is all about learning that fits into my real life. And in this busy season, it feels like self-kindness to make a 2-month plan.
Plans, hopes & goals:
My monthly personal curriculum is not just a reading list.
I keep a small personal goals list too because I want my days to hold more than errands, chores, and finished books.
Reading shapes my thinking, but living well also means trying things, making things, and intentional planning.
my planning notes:
- personal goals To-Do list:Putting these ideas on the list helps me actually use the supplies I already own and turn good intentions into real experiences.
- Outdoor activities — As well as frequent walks in the neighborhood, I plan to hike around when we go camping later in March.
- Cooking — I am going to keep things simple this spring and just focus on well loved family favorites and simple homemade dinners.
- Art / Tactile Hobbies — I plan to get back into watercolor painting and doing some more drawing with the kids. We love to work on our art projects at the schoolroom table together and then show off what we worked on.
- Creative Recovery — I will continue my journaling practices as well as using the The Book of Alchemy for my morning pages.
- Slow Living — I am hoping that my booklist will slow me down and keep me present. My oldest 2 will also be home for spring break so some relaxed coffee shop visits will definitely be happening as well! ☕
- Creative Inspiration Field Trip — Visiting Taliesin West: Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio in Scottsdale, Arizona. I got to go visit this historic landmark and do the audio tour with Mary and her BFF. It wasn’t as big as we expected but very inspiring. (It’s kinda cheating to add it here since we went at the end of February, but that’s okay.
The process of making my visual collage in Canva and writing down some ideas for each month has been so inspiring!
Other things I will be focused on this month that are a bit less glamorous: continue to make progress on our school work, help Mary with wedding planning things (she is so organized!), volunteer work at church, some extended family events and visits, and declutter projects.
Spring is a bit exhausting. 🫥
So, what’s in my reading basket?
[note: this post is NOT sponsored, I just want to share what I’m reading]My Non-Fiction Stack:
my planning notes:
- my Non-Fiction book stackMy goal is to read a wide variety by the end of the year. These books help me grow personally and often go along with current interests.
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- bookish themed — The Library Book by Susan Orlean📖. The focus of the book is the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in American history. But Orlean also explains the inner workings of libraries, the interesting people that work there, and even the history of book burnings. I happened upon the backstory and research of this book while listening to her memoir: Joyride and I just had to read it. The hardback is beautiful and even features an image of a library card on the back inside cover.
- I also got the documentary The Booksellers (2020) 🎥🍿from the library and watched it this last weekend. This film profiles the New York community of rare book collectors and dealers. I really enjoyed the structure of it and I could tell that Susan Orlean was on the writing staff because it follows the way she tells short stories about unique subjects.
- memoir —Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl🎧— This book goes right along with my latest reading trend. It’s a 2005 memoir detailing her time as the New York Times restaurant critic. Niamh Celeste suggested it as “Honestly, laugh out loud funny.” I’m looking forward to listening to it!
- biography —From Scratch: Inside the Food Network by Allen Salkin 📖- I found this book in a Little Free Library. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the history and the personalities that have made The Food Network what it is today. I will probably try out some recipes from the people who interest me but I haven’t started it yet, so who knows. 😜
All of these books go along with my random current theme of 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s media personalities. So fun!
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- personal growth: Practicing Joy —
- Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee 📖. In February, I did not get to read this book, but I started it last weekend and I’m loving it! I have honestly never thought about why colorful circles or bright colors in a painting are so joyful until now.
- Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy, and Raise a Little Hell Hardcover by Karen Walrond📖. This book has been waiting on my shelf since I enjoyed reading her first book In Defense of Dabblingthis winter. It goes along with my theme of joy and I love the practical nature of her writing.
- personal growth: mom life —
- Practicing Presence: A Mother’s Guide to Savoring Life through the Photos You’re Already Taking by Joy Prouty📖. This was recommended by a dear friend. With all the kids, teens, and young adults staying in my home, being present and enjoying this season will be my focus.
- You’re In Good Company by Ashlee Gadd📖. I am so looking forward to reading and simply flipping through the pages of this beautiful book! I love Ashlee Gadd’s photography style and her honest writing. 🩵
“Hospitality without the hype. Friendship without the filter… A heartfelt collection of stories celebrating the unique roles that food, friendship, and hospitality play within the context of motherhood.”
These are perfect companions for my busy (and people-centered) spring.
My Fiction Stack:
my planning notes:
my Fiction book stack / audiobook list
I lean into enjoyment and stories for healthy escapism. The immersive experience of getting lost in a book provides me mental space and joy.
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- a YA fiction romance — Lara and I found these “Blind Date with a Book” selections at the library. I’ve always wanted to try these at our local 2nd-hand bookstore but I often feel nervous buying a used/new book I know nothing about. Being able to borrow them from the library is perfect! We are excited to see what we think. (If they are enjoyable reads, I will share in my recap post.)
- bookish or Library themed novels — When life feels busy and overwhelming, this is a fiction topic that always feels approachable and kind to my frayed nerves.
- Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II by Elyse Graham.📖 (This also doubles as my historical fiction WWII read for the month.😁) I feel like the subtitle says it all and I’m looking forward to reading it before it’s due date.
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 📖 This book will be a cozy re-read for me. I listened to the audiobook last year and I’m looking forward to enjoying this used copy I found in a discount bin at a garage sale. It does have some difficult themes of suicide and death but those didn’t feel overwhelming for me and I enjoyed the ideas of alternative lives lived.
“Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”
- The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods📖 Because of my February goal of reading books from my shelves, I found this one on my TBR shelf. The front cover grabbed my attention. The back blurb hints at adventure, wonder, and a bookshop on a quiet street in Dublin. Yes!!🩵
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- a middle grade selection — for buddy reading with my preteen. We read the same book for fun so we can have lively
debatesdiscussions.😜- Frindle by Andrew Clements & The Frindle Files by Andrew Clements.📖🎧 Kyle (age 11) is currently listening to/reading these books and is enjoying how Clements writes in such a relatable way. We have a large list of his books on audible and many books on our shelf that we love.
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- fantasy or mystery — I have a few on my TBR that will make great book recs but I’m not sure what I will have time or capacity for right now. I’ll keep you posted.
Check out more of my behind-the-scenes planning details:
My Study Type & How I Make It Work
So that’s my book stack for the next 2 months and my (as always) slightly ambitious plans. Sharing my reading basket nudges me to live out what I write about. It’s like the gentle accountability of a library book due date.
I hope this peek into my reading life inspires you to shape a plan that fits your own unique life and spring season.
I would love to hear about your current reading plans!
🌼📓Happy Reading!
If you’re loving this idea of a personal curriculum, check out:
How to Build a Personal Curriculum
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