The Problem with Me? or with Reading?

Throughout my life I have never been a reader. Ever. When I was a kid, I would skim-read a book for a book report, ask questions about it, watch a movie about it, whatever I could to avoid actually reading the book. The only book I EVER read during high school was the autobiography of Dorothy Hammil. Later in life I read The Book of Mormon, but I guarantee it was not a vested study session, I really read it just to read it and pray about it. And so thats what I did.

Now reading a magazine or article, no problem. I love reading blogs, love reading short stories about something...just not actually reading...a Book!

Enter: My Sisters. Both of them are blessed with the talent and gift of reading. They love it, they are good at it. They are fast readers, etc. Probably why they have done better in school than me...however it has never bothered me that I have not liked to read.

As I have gotten older, I have slowly grown to LOVE reading. It started very slowly and simply with a few things here and there.

Enter: Twilight Series. While on a lengthy trip to Arizona, I had some down time. My sister in law had Twilight. My sisters has begged me to read them for at least a year, telling me what I was missing. I ,of course, said, "I dont read." But during my down time, I figured, I might as well do something rather than sitting here...and I picked up Twilight and read. And read and read and read and read.

So my love grew. I was instantly attached. I read ALL the books, and saw the movie, etc. But it really showed me that I do love reading. The more I thought about it, I realized I have missed so many good opportunities in my life to learn and grow. Since I began reading more, I have learned SO much. About myself, about others. My imagination has grown, and life has become more interesting.

Being a stay at home mom, its nice to have something that takes me into a completely different life for a while- a Get-away at home.

So since Twilight, I've gone on to read many new and interesting and FANTASTIC books! But there is only one problem with this whole situation of reading.

Since I get engrossed in these books and let myself be taken away into the life and characters in them...I have had trouble keeping up with my house! I am making dinner, stirring something with the book in one hand and the spoon in the other. I find myself saying to my children "Mommy needs to finish reading one more chapter, then I can get you a drink"...what the heck is up with that??? Seriously, I do not get mother of the year award when I am reading... And when I finally get to the point in the book where it is nearing the end and everything in the story is coming together...I can't cook, I can't clean, I can't focus...I am reading.

My house was a disaster yesterday, and every spare moment right until the very SECOND that we left for church, I had the book in my hand.

And then, there was this:

What is wrong with these pictures?? Do you SEE that DIAPER?!?!

Somehow, I had left the same diaper on Keaton ALL DAY...how does anyone in their right mind miss something that HUGE on their kids BOTTOMS and Between the legs...HELLO!!! My poor little Keaton thought it was great when I gave him extra naked time!! ;)

So although now everyone can see in plain sight the poor example of parenting that I have become by my new found love of reading...I have become a better person from it and am so glad that my sisters got me into it!! Even if I do need to work on balancing reading and still taking care of my sweet kids ;)