2016 Book List

I finally did it! 24 books in a year! It was a mix of serious and fun books and I also half read a handful of others. Here's the list with a brief (very brief) review. These are listed in order in which I read them with the exception of the last. I don't remember when I finished that one as it didn't make the list I keep in my phone.

1. Does this Church Make Me Look Fat? Rhoda Janzen - This was a cute book and an easy read. It's a memoir style book about the author's experience with the Mennonite Church and coming back to church after time away. 

2. Killing Jesus - Bill O'Reilly - I really enjoyed Killing Lincoln and this was no different! I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend! 

3. Best Kept Secrets - Sandra Brown - I don't remember anything about this one but I'm guessing it was a typical Sandra Brown mystery. 

4. The Happiness of Pursuit - Chris Guillebeau- I don't remember this one being a particularly exciting book but I liked the idea. Basically, we are happiest when we have goals and are actively working to achieve those goals. I wholeheartedly agree!

5. The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion - I liked this one. It's an easy read and a little bit of a unique premise. Plus, it is part of a series so the fun can continue.

6. Private #1 Suspect - James Patterson and Maxine Paetro - See #3 except replace Sandra Brown with these authors. 

7. Yes Please - Amy Poehler - Another good one! I realized this year that I am a sucker for memoirs. And, it seems I have particular affection for those written by women. The only thing I will say about this book is that I was surprised at the drug references. Maybe I should have known this happened but I was surprised nonetheless. 

8. Wild - Cheryl Strayed - This ranks up there with my favorites of this year. The author does some crazy stuff for sure. I watched the movie too and I will suggest that you read the book first. (Actually, that's almost always my suggestion!)

9. 1-2-3 Magic - Thomas W. Phelan PhD - I can't remember how I even found this book but I'm glad I did! This is a book on disciplining your children and I just loved it. It's a great system to use and you can implement it right away. Plus, the author is really funny and sarcastic which I enjoyed. 

10. Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot - John L. Parker - I had to buy a used copy of this book because it's no longer published. So, if you want to borrow it, just let me know! This is the book that got me moving down the path of slow running. The author does a great job of explaining why this works without getting extremely technical. Although, if you search for this online, you may come across a brief essay of just a few pages that describes the concept in fewer words. This book, and the concept, has made my running much more enjoyable!  

11. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn - Why do I always put off reading bestsellers!?! I seem to be the last to the party on a lot of these. Regardless, I read this and loved it! It was one I just couldn't put down! I watched this movie after reading as well and again suggest you read the book first. Highly recommend!

12. Breaking Night - Liz Murray - Look at that! Another female memoir! This is about a girl who was raised in less than favorable circumstances, became homeless as a teenager and then later went on to an Ivy League school for college. A very interesting glimpse into a world in which I am not familiar. I have thought about Liz Murray and her situation frequently throughout the year, especially when social issues come up as a topic of discussion. Highly recommend!

13. Racing Weight - Matt Fitzgerald - Interesting read but probably beyond my level of nutrition and running. It is geared more for the elite/professional/serious runner. However, I still picked up some interesting tips!

14. Two for the Dough - Janet Evanovich - These are fun and easy reads. Nothing else to say here!

15. Orange is the New Black - Piper Kerman - Uhhhh... This is another female memoir. This one is written by the real woman behind the Netflix series. Suffice it say, the series is pretty highly embellished in a lot of areas. Every once in while though, I would be surprised by something that I thought was made up for the show but it was actually reality. Good book. 

16. So Long, See You Tomorrow - William Maxwell - Though this was a quick read, I can't say that I enjoyed it. I think it was too deep for me. It felt like a book that I would have been required to read in my freshman English class. Not one of my favorites. 

17. 80/20 Running - Matt Fitzgerald - I bought this book at the same time as Racing Weight. It is similar to the heart rate training book listed above, but with more specific data and training plans. 

18. How to Be Rich - Andy Stanley - Hint: it has nothing to do with money. In fact, we're all rich in so many ways. This is a short little book and I would say worth the read. I really like Andy Stanley. 

19. The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins - Again, why did I wait so long?!?! I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It is very intense so make sure you can stay up late to finish this one!

20. American Crucifixion - Joseph Smith and the Fate of the Mormon Church - Alex Beam - This was one that popped up on my library's e-reader's site. It was interesting but long and unnecessarily so. I learned some new things though. 

21. Life on the Ramona Coaster - Ramona Singer - Last one - I promise! Yet another female memoir!i saw this at the library and couldn't resist. I watch Real Housewives of New York usually on the treadmill or while doing laundry. I can't say it was super interesting but it was a fast read and a glimpse into a totally different world. 

22. Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson - If you read Wild, you should read this one soon after you finish! Bill Bryson chronicles his time on the Appalachian Trail in a humorous and informative way. It has made me at least consider a multi-day hike on the trail at some point in my future. 

23. The Mistletoe Promise - Richard Paul Evans - A good book to read around the holidays! Another quick read, but I enjoyed it. I may have to read some more books by this author, especially around the holidays. 

24. The Anxiety Toolkit - Alice Boyes PhD - Another impulse library selection! I definitely have my bouts with anxiety that range from silly worries to the more serious things that border on panic. My anxiety issues have grown as I have aged and this book did a good job of offering simple solutions and tactics for a lot of the simpler issues. 

If you asked for a suggestion, these are the ones I would recommend...

Killing Jesus

1-2-3 Magic (if you have young kids anyway)

Wild

Gone Girl

Breaking Night 

The Girl on the Train 

Can we say "Girl Power?!" Well, other than Jesus anyway. :) I've had other years of specific genres taking over my reading list, but this one does seem a little heavy in one area. Oh well. I found something I liked and stuck with it!

Let's see what 2016 will bring!

You can find my old lists here - 2014, 2013, and 2012.

Book List 2014

Another year gone by! This year brought more books than I've read in quite some time, but still didn't manage to hit my goal of 24 books in a year. To be honest, I fell into a reading funk and just can't quite get out. I stopped reading just before my trip to Uganda and didn't read anything while there or since. If I had finished every book I've started though, I'd have been well over 24. (I should share that list too - maybe someday.) There's always next year!

Just in case you're interested, here's my 2013 list and my 2012 list.

No time to properly review each book, but I added comments here and there.

1. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - Mindy Kaling - Highly recommend for a quick, and funny read. I think I read this one in a day on Winter Break. It's always interesting to me to learn about how people became famous.

2. Happy Happy Happy - Phil Robertson - Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about this one other than it was good and a fast read. I would recommend it as it kept my attention and I do remember it was interesting.

3. Savannah Blues - Mary Kay Andrews - This was one of the few Book Club books that I managed to read this year. We read this in preparation for our Savannah trip. It was a great book and it's the first in a series.

4. Savannah Breeze - Mary Kay Andrews - 2nd in this series. As I find with most series, it was good but the first was better. However, I do like her writing and they are quick reads. I need to add her to my list for 2015!

5. The Arraignment - Steve Martini - I don't remember a thing about this one. I usually like Steve Martini though and I'm sure this one was fine.

6. Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club - Wanda Brunstetter - Another Book Club book! This one didn't get rave reviews from the other girls, but I didn't think it was all bad. Although, it was pretty cheesy and predictable. Not one of the better Amish books I've read.

7. Five Star Families - Carol Kuykendall - This is a book recommended highly by my friend, Marj. It's been on my list for quite some time. And, I'm so glad I read it! It has a good road map for families and I highly recommend it for parents.

8. Long Lost - Harlen Coben - Much like The Arraignment, I don't remember anything. I find Harlen Coben another good author for exciting (and usually dependably good) reads.

9. Astronaut's Wives Club - Lily Koppen - Book Club! (OK - I guess I did better than I originally thought!) I liked this one although I didn't find it extremely well written. It follows the wives of the early astronauts. I didn't really know how much "space hysteria" was going on at that time and the celebrity status! I did start to get a little lost after the first few teams were followed.

10. David & Goliath - Malcolm Gladwell - I love Malcolm Gladwell and I was happy to have this one to read this year. Highly recommend!

11. The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin - Oh, another good one! This one should be on your reading list! It really makes you take a second look at a lot of your habits and thought processes. For instance, I realized that although I'm not really "happy" when I'm running, the fact that I run makes me happy in the long term. Same goes for organizing closets, or cleaning the house, etc.

12. Doc - Mary Doria Russell - Tom had to convince me to read this. I loved it! I'm a big historical fiction fan and this one was great. It follows the early(ish) life of Doc Holliday - mainly before the OK Corral.

13. Hissy Fit - Mary Kay Andrews - This one was just OK for me. Nothing remarkable. I think this book was the start of my "off" streak.

14. Twisted Sister - Jen Lancaster - This one was a little bizarro. It was OK until suddenly in the middle of the book, there was magic and spells and other odd, sci-fi/weird things going on. Can't recommend this one.

15. Midnight Crossroads - Charlaine Harris - Oh boy. I really have no idea what made me pick this one off the library shelf. I realized half-way through that it was marked as Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Not my thing at all.

16. The Racketeer - John Grisham - After those two, I needed a book that I knew would be good. John Grisham always fits that bill!

17. The Litigators - John Grisham - See #16.

18. Barefoot - Elin Hildebrand - This one was pretty good and I read it in the summer so it fit the season.

19. Heaven is for Real - Todd Burpo - I read this one because it's been on my nightstand forever and everyone and their brother has read it. It was a quick read, but I don't remember being crazy about it. Interesting, but not one of my favorites.

20. The Wife, The Maid & The Mistress - Ariel Lawhorn - I liked this one but I like historical fiction. Plus, I like mysteries so this was a good fit.

21. The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff - Again, with the historical fiction! This book was really two different books in one and it goes back and forth between both. The first part was about the 19th wife of Brigham Young and her experience with early Mormonism. The second part was current day and it was about a murder in a polygamist community. I liked this one. It was long and probably could have been cut a little short, but overall it was good.

22. The Matchmaker - Elin Hildebrand - I liked this one more than Barefoot by the same author. I'm still not sure I'm a huge fan of her writing though. Maybe I just picked two that were slightly on the depressing side.

And, that's it. Again, better than I've ever done, but after the end of September, I hit a book wall. There's nothing like a book that keeps you up until 3AM! I need a few good recommendations to kick off 2015! I'd love to hear yours!

Book List 2013

I am dreadfully behind. Really. In fact, I'm not even sure I'll get this post finished. I just don't have blogging in me these days, so it's fallen by the wayside.

I do want to list the books I read last year just like I did last year. My goal was to read two per month. I didn't hit it. In fact, I didn't even read as many as last year. I'm pretty sure that was due to my addiction to Candy Crush. On December 31st, I decided to delete it from my phone and read instead of playing. I've since read two books. We've also been home a lot so I'm sure that rate won't continue, but I should be able to take on a few more this year.

Again, I won't be extensively reviewing the individual books, but here is the down and dirty. (* = book club book)

1. Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin - This is one that I found on the library's online site. It was an OK book but I'm not sure I would recommend it. 

2. The Rocky Road to Romance - Janet Evanovich - This is the first of her's I've read. I read it on the beach, so I'm not sure if it was good, or if I was just happy to be on the beach. :) 

3. The Second Time Around - Mary Higgins Clark - See #2 - typical Mary Higgins Clark

4. Sacre Bleu - Christopher Moore - I really liked this one. A friend suggested it and I'm glad I read it. It was pretty bizarre but an interesting mix of fiction and non-fiction based in Paris during the Post-Impressionist Art Movement (had to Google that - think Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec).

*5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon - I have to say, I wasn't a fan. Too deep maybe?

6. Sail - James Patterson - Typical James Patterson

7. 1st to Die - James Patterson - See #6 - I can only read two of his in a row before I get bored. I think I started another one in this series but didn't finish it. Or, maybe I did. I can never keep his straight either.

8. Lean In - Sandra Sandberg - READ THIS BOOK! All women (especially mothers of daughters), fathers of daughters, teachers and business people should read this book. In fact, all women and men should read this book. Period. Excellent. 

*9. Kisses From Katie - Katie J. Davis - Good, easy read about an amazing girl who is making a real difference in Uganda. 

10. Big Trouble - Dave Barry - Don't bother. He attempted a novel and, in my opinion, he should stick to comedy. (Sorry if that sounds harsh.)

*11. The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown - This was a book club book and good. I liked it and it was really different than the types of books I would usually read. 

12. The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio - Terry "Tuff" Ryan - This was a good one. It's a memoir written about a mother who entered all kinds of contests to provide for her family during the 1950's. 

*13. Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier - Think the Nicole Kidman movie. I have to say I liked the book more than the movie. It was a little long in the flowery language describing random landscapes and such, but I have a knack for skipping right over that. 

*14. Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls - Yet another book I would have never picked up but glad I did. Another memoir (read more of these than usual this year) written by a woman about her crazy childhood. 

15. Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers - I had this book recommended by a few people a few different times and just couldn't get excited about it. I put it off for a long time. Then, when I started it, I finished it in two days by staying up until 2 and 3AM. It is a western loosely based on Hosea in the Bible. Great book. 

*16. See You in 100 Years - Logan Ward - Another memoir! A New Yorker and his wife move to the mountains and live like they would have 100 years ago. It was a great book for a lot of reasons. Mainly because it made me realize I'm glad I live in 2014 and not 1914. 

17. Marathoning for Mortals - John Bingham - OK for what it was. In the midst of my heavy training, it was fun to read about other people running and training. 

Also, right at the end of last year, I finished another book - "Killing Lincoln" - loved it and highly recommend it! Forget about Bill O'Reilly's politics. It was a good book and highly entertaining and educational. 

Can I hit 24 this year? Hope so!

Indianapolis Marathon - Week 3

I did it! I managed to finish every single workout and every single mile. I'm pretty proud of myself too. :) 

Here are the details...

Monday - Rest - Nailed It! 

Tuesday - 3 miles (morning run) - nothing remarkable here. Nice and easy. 

Wednesday - Rest - Nailed it once again! :)

Thursday - 3 miles (early morning run) - I'm most proud of this workout this week I think. I had to get up before six to squeeze this one in. Busy day so I had to make the decision on Wednesday night to rest up and hit the hay at a reasonable hour. The bugs on the neighborhood trail were AWFUL!!! I think I got 6 horsefly bites! I stayed off the trail and ran "the hill" for the last two miles. 

Friday - Rest Day - you guessed it - perfect 3 out of 3 for rest days. 

Saturday - 4 miles - treadmill run with family time in the basement. I enjoyed the treadmill time and watching the kids dance and play. Also, I was able to jack up the speed a bit since the heat wasn't so bad. 

My view from the treadmill...

Sunday - 9 miles - Done! And under a ten minute pace! My goal is to keep my long, slow runs at about a 9:30 pace in hopes that my race pace will be there or even 9:15. This was about a 9:45 pace which I'll take. Though it was cooler (73), the humidity was sky high! 

Home stretch on the trail! Started at Meridian Road, ran to the end and doubled back to hit the water fountain for an extra mile!

Total - 7/7 days complete = 20 miles! 

I don't hit 20 miles often so I'm very happy although it is a far cry from the 40 in September. This was a confidence building week though. I love the fact that this plan is only four days of running. It does mean that you can't miss a day, but it allows more flexibility in which days to fit a run. 

Case in point...today is Tuesday and I should have run but didn't. I choose instead to stay up until 3am reading Cold Mountain last night. Then, Tessa visited us multiple times during the night thinking she was sick. After a day of school supply and clothes shopping, I was absolutely shot. I'll go tomorrow, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. That means I'll miss a 1 mile time trial on Wednesday. Not exactly sure what that's about anyway, but don't feel too bad about missing it. 

Goals for this week are the same - get in every workout - except for the 1 mile timed (though, I could fit it in on Friday). And, be cognizant of everything I put in my mouth. Lost a pound of the five from vacation last week, but still have a ways to go!

Summer Summary - So Far

It's been a while since I've posted. Summer's gotten the best of me. :) School's out and I'm busy trying to make the most out of our 8 short weeks together!

1. I haven't unloaded the girls backpacks or sorted papers. We showed the house the day after school was out so I hurriedly shoved the papers back in after looking at them on the last day. I have a TON of sorting to do.

2. I let the girls quit. Well, kind of - I'm not sure they know it yet. It was hard but we needed to do it to maintain a low-key summer. So, 4H will wait another year. The judging began this week and I just didn't want to rush and stress for the first two weeks of our shortened summer. The Mini-Projects are so easy and not time consuming so I feel like a bit of a flake, especially since it was me and not them. We didn't make it to any of the meetings because they started after their bedtime, so I'm trying not to feel too bad! :) They'll thank me later - or not.

3. The girls and I are doing a lot of reading. I make them take books to the sitter's to read during the little ones' nap time. I've clocked two and a half books so far - not bad for me for two weeks' time. Josie's at 23 and Tessa's at around 25. Josie's favorites are Boxcar Children and Magic Tree House, but she'll throw in some Junie B. Jones sometimes too. Tessa is doing a great job on her easy readers and can pretty easily get through Junie B. Jones. The easy readers are great for her confidence but she's pretty proud when she can read a chapter book too.

4. They're still watching too much TV. I've made a big effort to make them turn it off when we're home after a show or two in the morning, but everyone is so quiet when it's on! I made an "I'm Bored" list and an "I'm Bored" bag to pre-empt that battle. So far, it's worked pretty well. This morning, Jack played Plah-Doh, Josie worked on Spiral Art and Tessa did sticker paper dolls. I love that they finally have time for all of those great Christmas and Birthday Gifts! I'm also glad I stuck some of them away for a "rainy" day.

5. I feel like a slug. I've run once since the last race. I just can't get up the gumption to get out and do it. I feel like I need a new challenge but I'm too lazy to seek one out. So, I'm giving myself a bit of a pass for a little while. Waiting for inspiration to strike!

6. I think this summer will feel too short. I can already feel it. I always used to wonder why these crazy parents actually enjoyed having their kids home and looked forward to summer. Of course, that's when my kids were in full parental needy mode and I had to spend day in and day out catering to their every need. Now that they're a little more fun and self-sufficient, it's actually fun having them around. I love the laid back bedtimes and wake ups and trips to the library. I don't enjoy the "taking three kids to Walmart" part of things, but it's all about sacrifice I guess. :)

That's it for now. Time for me to turn off the TV for them once again - just when I was beginning to enjoy the peace and quiet. :)

Mexico - Truths

#1 - Eating and drinking things you can't get in the USA just makes them taste that much better. Case in point? Japanese Peanuts, which I'm sure are not actually Japanese, but taste ah-mazing. Think crunchy, fried, limey coating to a peanut. And, fresh, real pico de gallo and guacamole. And, Havana Club rum isn't too bad either. :)

#2 - I feel highly inadequate and out of place in my full coverage bathing suit bottom and tankini top. I've never seen so much skin on a beach! Most are pulling it off though.

#3 - Sitting on the beach does not get old. I thought it would but it doesn't. Even with a slight sunburn, I can't seem to pull myself away knowing that these will be my last few moments of sun before returning to winter in a few days.

#4 - Doing nothing for seven days is just as much fun as I thought it would be. I'm on my third book and I've been having a blast being on my own schedule.

#5 - I miss the kids. More than I thought. Absence makes the heart grow fonder in every sense I guess. I'll be glad to see those little faces on Saturday.

I'm sure there is more but the sun is setting and I need to soak in the last few drops.

Vacation Book List

So, here's my vacation book list. Thanks to my Facebook friends and mother-in-law and husband, I have a great selection. Here you go...

On the Kindle from the library...
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer
Sacré Bleu - Christopher Moore
Great By Choice - Jim Collins
Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

Hard Copy from my Christmas Gift of Paperbacks from Barb...
The Second Time Around - Mary Higgins Clark
The Brethren - John Grisham
The Rocky Road to Romance - Janet Evanovich

That's seven books for seven days. I'm sure I won't make it through all of them but maybe a handful. Or, maybe not. I'd be OK with either. :) 

Adios!

Christmas 2012

Another fantastic Christmas in the books! (Well, one more celebration is to come on Thursday after this blizzard passes through and my family can trek out to Indiana.)

Josie's favorite gift? An Angry Birds Game we played all afternoon. Tessa's? Her $4 t-shirt from Walmart. And, they're both using coupons from their Crazy Christmas Coupon Books tonight - blueberry muffins and coke for dinner then popcorn and a movie afterward. :) I just love this age when they can be so satisfied with thoughtful, creative gifts that don't cost very much and all come from stores within 5 miles of our house.

Jack had a blast with whatever he opened today. He particularly loved his train track from Katie and Jason and his car transporter from Amy and Joey. He also got some tools and books too that he really gobbled up. Not to mention, all of the candy in his stocking. That kid was in hog heaven. He was one sticky, sticky boy by noon. :)

Tom and I went to bed around midnight last night after helping Santa, and after I finished Killing Lincoln. (Excellent book - highly recommend!) At 2:30, Tessa came in our bed not feeling well. Never fails - Christmas comes and kids get sick. She coughed and tossed and turned until around 3:30. I got up around 6:30 to shower and wait for signs of Josie. We told them they couldn't leave their rooms until 7 but she didn't wake up until 8! Jack was shortly after.

Started the holiday by decorating gingerbread cookies on Christmas Eve...

Then, took the Christmas Eve photo...

After all were asleep and all gifts were under the tree, I took this photo...

Tom was pretty sure Santa must have landed outside of Josie's room on the metal roof. He was right.

We read the Christmas story on Josie's bed before going downstairs.

Jack wasn't a fan of letting us take a photo of him on the steps before going down.

We let him look over the balcony at all of the presents and he changed his mind.

I don't think we started opening until 8:30 at least and took until noon to finish with everything. First, more pictures...

Finally, the presents! I love Tessa's stance in this one.

This was a good, inexpensive, "big" gift from Santa. They have played with this thing all day long. Best thing is it will hit the trash the first trash day after New Year's.

Stockings were last on the agenda.

The adults have spent the day lounging and cooking leisurely. We made Philly Cheese Steaks for lunch and a turkey breast and twice baked potatoes for dinner. I've been working on an arugami (crocheted) elephant from the book Tom got me. I've really enjoyed my day today after all of the preparation. I only cleaned up once, though we kept it clean throughout the present opening, and the cluttered house is starting to grow on me. I'm sure I'll be over it tomorrow. :)

Now, we're settling in for the Blizzard Warning tomorrow. It should be interesting if this thing comes to fruition. Right now, they're calling for 8-12 inches of snow but I've also seen 10-15 on another network. It's hard to imagine that much snow. I'm thankful it happened this year and not last when we didn't have a garage. And, we have nowhere to go tomorrow, so I just plan on picking up around here, crocheting some more and getting ready for my family on Thursday. Of course, that will be my third full day without leaving the house so I may in fact go crazy. That has to be a record for me - even when I've had babies I have to get out of the house and go somewhere.

Usually, Christmas is the start of a long, boring winter season. But, not this year for us. January brings Colorado and Mexico, February will be Colorado again and then we'll wrap it up in Florida for March. If it weren't for Tom's impending knee surgery, I would really be looking forward to the winter which may be a first. :)

Merry Christmas!

Book List 2012

This year, I decided to read a book a month. I used to be a huge reader, but have virtually read nothing since having kids. Tom gave me a Kindle for Christmas and so I started the year by reading a book I bought just for my Kindle. I really didn't think I would like it, but I soon became a huge fan. I could start a book on the Kindle, read a little on my phone while waiting in the Kindergarden pick up line and then finish it up on the iPad. I love how it all syncs to all of my devices. I was hooked after that first book and started scouring the library for free books.

I got sucked in to a few Amish series by Beverly Lewis early in the year. Something about a nice, feel good book made the winter go a little faster. Then, I was asked to join a book club with some other moms. That took my reading to another level! Before, I generally read for total pleasure and stuck with murder mysteries and Amish love stories. Now, I get to read one book per month that stretches my comfort zone.

I would love to review each book on here, but that's just not going to happen. Most of these I would recommend although some are tougher to stick with than others. I'm going to try to write a few words about each book here.

Here is my list. I hope to finish one more this year to take me to an even 20. Next year, my goal is two books a month. I know this pales in comparison to what some take on in a year, but for me, it's a good number.

Abrams Daughters Series - Beverly Lewis - Books 1-5 - Easy Reading - Romance/Mystery/Christian

Don't Blink - James Patterson - Typical James Patterson - Mystery

Heritage of Lancaster County Series - Beverly Lewis - The Shunning, The Confession - Easy Reading - Romance/Mystery/Christian

Amish Country Crossroad Series - Beverly Lewis - The Postcard - Easy Reading - Romance/Mystery/Christian

The Paris Wife - Paula McClain - Book Club - Historical Fiction - Chronicles Ernest Hemingway and his first wife in Paris

Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand - Book Club - Biography of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and WWII airman who was lost at sea and spent time in a Japanese POW camp - highly recommend 

Three Weeks with My Brother - Nicholas Sparks - Book Club - True Story - Chronicles Nicholas Sparks journey around the world with his brother and retells stories of their childhood - grab your Kleenex

Stay Close - Harlan Coben - Typical Harlan Coben - Mystery/Suspense

The 500 - Matthew Quirk - Mystery/Suspense - slow starter and unremarkable

Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell - Book Club - great book on success and the factors that contribute to highly successful individuals - great book for business AND for moms - highly recommend

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini - Book Club - Set in Afghanistan - follows Afghani women from 1959 through the present - tough read because of the circumstances however great read to gain perspective into the Afghan culture, history and the application to today's war - highly recommend 

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak - Book Club - follows a little girl in Nazi Germany through WWII - also a tough read but good for historical perspective - not sure I could recommend it, but I'm glad I read it

The Last Cavaliers Series - The Crossing Series - Gilbert Morris - Easy Reading - Historical Christian Fiction - follows a boy as he joins the Confederate Army under Stonewall Jackson - I really enjoyed this one 

Same Kind of Different as Me - Ron Hall & Denver Moore - Book Club - Non-Fiction/Christian - true story of a Louisiana Sharecropper/homeless man and a wealthy art dealer and his wife who formed a friendship - another major tear jerker - I cried my eyes out - highly recommend 

So Far Behind & Here's My Excuse!

I am so far behind on this blog! I know none of you have missed me, but I have missed being here. It's a great outlet for me and the only way I can get the events of our lives recorded. I've left so much out - Christmas, Disney, Josie's Birthday, skiing, the new house, and so much more! Maybe I'll catch up someday...

Needless to say, our lives have been just as busy as ever. That's nothing new. However my two new addictions hobbies are putting a major wrench in my blogging plans.

Never have I had two Christmas gifts last my attention until the first of March and show no signs of wavering. Tom bought me a Kindle for Christmas. I didn't really know why because I don't ever have (or really make) time to read these days. Well, that all changed when I found Beverly Lewis and her bazillions of books available at the library for free on Kindle. The Hancock County Library has a great electronic book selection! Lewis writes about the Amish and somehow mixes mystery, romance and historical events all into one riveting series. I am now on my 8th book of hers and have a hard time putting it down! I am so glad he got this for me! Here is a link to the first book in the series I started.




The second gift was from Tom's mom, Barb. I had asked for a learn to crochet set for Christmas and got one! She taught me the basic stitches and after a few, very marginal, scarves and dishcloths, I finished my first big project this week. A baby blanket and matching hat! I'm working on finishing the second bootie tonight to go with the set. It was a lot of fun watching something come together. I truly enjoy crocheting and I'm really glad to have found it. Here are some photos of my progress.

The pattern and the yarn are both from Lion Brand. I love the soft yarn (Vanna's Best Baby - yes Vanna White has a yarn line) and the pattern was easy to follow and very accurate. Click on the photo for a direct link to the pattern page.

I think these two things have really helped the winter fly by. It's edged out my boredom and kept me focused on a goal. I'm off now to write a few more posts to try to catch up a little!