...yes, that's the book for me

nap time is quite sacred around here. and of late, very hard to come by with 3 kids at different stages of life. my day usually begins far earlier than i would like. and by the time the kids are in bed, i'm mostly brain-dead and much prefer doing close to nothing... like watching mindless tv shows or catching up on my favorite blogs.

therefore, its hard to find a consistent time to read my bible. i like the whole proverbs 31 lady who rises before the sun. and i'll also note that i strive to be like her in many ways. but i'll be real honest. this whole rising before the sun bit... it aint gonna happen. i'm pretty exhausted. especially considering most nights consist of broken sleep... back and forth from precious child to precious, sleep deficient child.

so, as with all mommy issues i face, i asked my sister for advice. and of course, she's a genius.

devotions have become one of my children's favorite things during the day.

the secret: chocolate milk.

they don't usually get chocolate milk. its a special occasion type thing. and what better special occasion than reading our bible? i often hear, "hey mom, can we read our bibles and drink chocolate milk?" they also have special cups that come out only during this time to make it even more of a novelty.

ella, my oldest, likes the idea of reading a "real" bible. none of that picture stuff for her. she'll sit in her chair and "read" one of my bibles for at least 20 minutes. (no, she doesn't actually read. she'll stare at the page for awhile and then turn it. this has not gotten old for her one bit.)

bennett on the other hand needs a little bit more to keep him occupied. i highly recommend this busy bible:

it, along with the chocolate milk and special sippy cup, only makes its appearance at bible reading time. thus, the novelty is new each day.

and should you be up before the sun (and your children) and already have your bible reading done for the day, you may find this will come in handy in long car rides, waiting rooms, meals out, sick days...