That's A Wrap! 114 Books in 2009

Books I Read In 2009
1. Blue Noon (Midnighter's Book 3) by Scott Westerfeld
2. Counting Blessing - Wit & Wisdom for Women by Kerry Blair
3. Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling
4. Snow: A Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Tracy Lynn
5. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
6. Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne Duprau
7. Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
8. If Life Were Easy It Wouldn't Be Hard by Sheri Dew
9. House of Glory: Finding Personal Meaning In The Temple by S. Michael Wilcox
10. Strangling Your Husband Is NOT An Option by Merrilee Boyack
11. How to Be An Extra-Ordinary Teenager by John Bytheway
12. Golden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" by Cameron Dokey
13. Believing Christ: The Parable of the Bicycle and Other Good News by Stephen E. Robinson
14. The Parenting Breakthrough by Merrilee Boyack
15. Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld
16. Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
17. The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
18. The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage by Laura Schlessinger
19. Mothering With Spiritual Power: Book of Mormon Inspirations for Raising a Righteous Family by Debra Sansing Woods
20. Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey
21. The Four Laws of Debt Free Prosperity by Blaine Harris
22. Holy Places: True Stories of Faith and Miracles from Latter-Day Temples by Chad S. Hawkins
23. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
24. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
25. Dragonsong (Harper Hall Trilogy, Book 1)by Anne McCaffrey
26. The Stripling Warrior and Warriorette Workout by Shane Barker
27. Don't Cry Wolf by Clair Poulson
28. We Are Sisters by Marilynne Todd Linford
29. Dragonsinger (Harper Hall Trilogy, Book 2) by Anne McCaffrey
30. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)by Rick Riordan
31. Overheard at the Dance by Carol Lynn Pearson
32. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
33. The China Study by T. Colin Campbell
34. Dragondrums (Harper Hall Trilogy, Book 3) by Anne McCaffrey
35. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (Book 2) by Eoin Colfer
36. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book 3) by Eoin Colfer
37. Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (Book 4) by Eoin Colfer
38. City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, Book 3) by Cassandra Clare
39. How to Talk to Your Child About Sex by Richard & Linda Eyre
40. Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (Book 5) by Eoin Colfer
41. Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (Book 6) by Eoin Colfer
42. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
43. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
44. Food Matters by Mark Bittman
45. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
46. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
47. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
48. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
49. The Book of Mormon
50. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
51. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
52. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
53. Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
54. The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal Our Hearts and Homes by James L. Ferrell
55. Chalice by Robin McKinley
56. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
57. A Wolf at the Door edited by Ellen Datlow
58. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
59. Eyes of a Stranger by Carol Warburton
60. Keeping It Together in a Pull-Apart World by Mary Ellen Edmunds
61. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
62. The Time-Starved Family by DeAnne Flynn
63. Austenland by Shannon Hale
64. Finding the Angel Within by Pamela H. Hansen
65. Wings by Aprilynne Pike
66. The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
67. Walking into a Hug: 52 Weeks to a Home That's More Embracing by Janene Ustach
68. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
69. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
70. Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
71. Too Much to Carry Alone by Camille Fronk Olson
72. Skinned by Robin Wasserman
73. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
74. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
75. Mary, Martha, And Me by Camille Fronk Olson
76. The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
77. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
78. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
79. Crashed by Robin Wasserman
80. Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
81. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
82. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
83. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Marquez
84. Love That Lasts by Gary Lundberg
85. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
86. Behind Every Good Man by John Bytheway
87. I Just Got a Letter From Allyson Pringle by Anya Bateman
88. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
89. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
90. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
91. 1984 by George Orwell
92. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
93. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
94. Animal Farm by George Orwell
95. Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox
96. The Solace of Leaving Early by Haven Kimmel
97. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
98. Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys by Janet Kay Jensen
99. Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card
100. First Meetings by Orson Scott Card
101. Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card
102. The Crayon Messages by Christine Thackeray
103. A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card
104. Follow the River by Leif Enger
105. Peace Like A River James Alexander Thom
106. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack
107. Ender in Excile by Orson Scott Card
108. Empire by Orson Scott Card
109. Space Boy by Orson Scott Card
110. The Sound of Rain by Anita Stansfield
111. A Distant Thunder by Anita Stansfield
112. Winds of Hope by Anita Stansfield
113. Shelter From the Storm by Anita Stansfield
114. The Silence of Snow by Anita Stansfield

There were several other books I started but didn't finish. I also finished the Book of Mormon a second time. I had hoped to finish up the Old Testament this year but never did. I will get through it in 2010 since I will be teaching it in Sunday School and want to be able to tell my students I have read it cover to cover. Reading the Old Testaments makes me profoundly grateful to have the Book of Mormon.
I read 10 books by Orson Scott Card and think he is an amazing writer - I hesitate to recommend his books simply because they contain a lot of inappropriate language in them so reader beware. One book I wish I hadn't read was Love in the Time of Cholera - I hated it from beginning to end and it never got better - it should be on my didn't finish list but for some stupid reason I kept reading thinking it would get better - I doubt I'll ever read an Oprah book again!
I was trying to read more classics and started on that goal at the end of August but only made it through 4 before I started couponing and quit avidly reading.
I'm trying to figure out my reading goal for 2010. I'd like to hit 100 books and think I can do it again. I have committed to reading at least 75 books and should be able to pull that off with little problem. We'll see how the year starts off to see if I try for 100+. At one point I thought I'd hit 150 books this year but then my priorities shifted to couponing and saving money and that took a lot of my time.
My list of books that I want to read in 2010 is already quite long. There will never be enough hours to read everything I would like to read. But I'll do the best I can and make an effort to read as many as I can and still be balanced in other areas of my life.

EIGHT IS GREAT!

I'm not sure there has ever been a kid as excited as Bradley is to be turning 8. He has been so excited all year to finally be a Cub Scout and get baptized. When they announced in church today that he was being baptized he was about to jump out of his seat with excitement.

We are celebrating his birthday over the course of 3 days. Today is his actual birthday so he gets to open his presents and have a cake tonight.

Tomorrow he gets to pick where we eat. Since we can't eat out today since it's Sunday he got to choose the meals we cooked for today and gets to go out to eat tomorrow.

Tuesday we'll have birthday party for him with his friends. Happy Birthday Bradley!

Saturday night he'll be baptized at 6:00 p.m. We're so lucky to have been blessed with such a wonderful child.

Webb Hill Hike

We decided to do something together as a family today. We considered going to the movies but we couldn't find a movie everyone wanted to go to. Ultimately we decided to go on a hike and then watch Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince when we got home.
We've lived here 5 1/2 years and had never hiked to the top of Webb Hill which is just right by our house.
It ended up being a good hike. Kylie did really well and made it most of the way up on her own. Just a few minutes on Brian's shoulders to give her a little break.
Someday Bradley might not appreciate this picture but boy what a cutie!

The views from the top of Webb Hill are amazing.

It was a little chilly out today but ended up being a really beautiful day for a hike. Definitely warmer than it is up north where my brother said they were staying in today due to below freezing temperatures.

Brett yo-yoed his way all the way to the top. He's learning lots of tricks on his new yo-yo.

Merry Christmas 2009

The stocking were set on the couch with care... They were too heavy and overflowing so they couldn't be hung by the chimney with care.

I must have jinxed myself this year with my post about my kids sleeping in. Kylie woke up at 2:30 and got in bed with Kim. That woke Kim up and she stayed up. Just after 3:00 Bryce woke up and the 2 of them came upstairs. They never went back to bed. I had told them they could wake everyone up at 6:00 but at 5:30 Bradley was up too and they were so loud I went out and told them to be quiet and they couldn't wake me up until 6:30 now since they woke me up too early. Boy was it hard to roll out of bed when 6:30 rolled around. Brett, Kylie and Brain were woke up too and the fun began.

This is what Christmas was like when I was a kid. Presents everywhere. Our kids got slightly spoiled this year. It's been a while since we've had a Christmas like this and it will likely be a long time before they see a Christmas like this again. But for one morning it was nice to see the excitement as they got just about everything on their lists.

A Bionicle for Bradley.

A weaving loom for Kim.

Princess stuff for Kylie.

Bakugans for Bradley.

Excited to have gotten the movie UP.

Lot at all me stuff!

Brett got his text book. He was quite excited about it.

Brian enjoying his gifts.

Kim & her huge pile of gifts.

Can you believe this mess. Usually I'm mean and make them take turns opening presents to drag it out. Since they usually only have a few things to open it makes it last. Brian said it was different in his family and they could just tear into everything. This year since everyone had lots of gifts we let them just go for it. And they did. Start to finish in maybe 30 minutes.

Bryce and his PS2 and a couple dozen games.

Trying out his new Yo-yo.

Enjoying my presents.

After and early morning I was back in bed just after 9:00 and Brian made breakfast for everyone and brought me breakfast in bed. After a short time reading I got in a much needed nap. I'm surprised at how well the kids are holding up on so little sleep. I'm expecting to find a couple of them sound asleep or having a melt down shortly.

Time for me to go get our funeral potatoes baking so we can enjoy a Christmas dinner in an hour or two.

I'm grateful to have such wonderful children and a wonderful husband. I'm grateful to have a Savior whose birth we remember today and to be blessed to be a member of His church and have the knowledge of his plan for us.

We've been truly blessed this year and wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Celebrations

What a fun Christmas Eve we had. The kids wanted to open presents as soon as they woke up.
We let them open the presents Brian's Aunt Cindy & Uncle Collin had sent to the family.
And Kylie got to open a My Little Pony that had been under the tree for her. When I was doing all the wrapping she kept wanting to know where the presents I were wrapping were. She asked "Does Santa get the presents from you room and put them under the tree?" - I quickly told her No I give you presents too and brought out a present for her to show her.
The kids were appeased after opening a few gifts. I headed off to run a couple errands and get a few things I would need for Christmas dinner while the kids played at home.
While I was at Costco they had these Christmas outfits clearanced for $6.97 and I knew Kylie would love it. I was right. She was thrilled to have clothes like Santa Claus.
Christmas is so much for me that we work started a tradition years ago that we go out to eat on Christmas Eve (unless it falls on a Sunday). We opted to go for a late lunch/early dinner this year because if fit better with our plans for the evening.
I chose The Brick Oven this year. We all got the pasta bar and gorged ourselves on delicious pasta, soup, salad and garlic bread.
Following our meal we delivered a few gifts to members our ward and then went to the temple visitors center to watch Mr. Krueger's Christmas. We had a good time and Kylie had everyone wrapped around her finger. She is quite a character and I should have started writing down the things she say long ago. Here is an example - We were reading in Ether earlier this week and the verse reads "Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord" - With wide eyes and the cutest expression she burst out with "HE'S ON THE NAUGHTY LIST!"
We took a quick look at the Nativity but we were under dressed for the weather because it was really COLD outside so it didn't last long. Then we went to visit a gentleman who Brian sold a house to. He'd just moved in the past week and didn't have any family in town so we took him a few gifts and visited with him for a while. He's traveled the world and loves photography (http://www.theworldinlight.com/). After a wonderful visit with him we were driving right by some old friends and stopped in to visit them too.
We then headed home to read the Christmas story in Luke 2 and then listened to the Night Before Christmas read by a stuffed animal Richard & Glenda had given the kids. They got a kick out of listening to it read that way.
Then it was time for gifts! The kids had each wrapped up something of theirs to give to each other. It was really cute. Kylie had wrapped up something of Bradley's and gave it to Bryce.
Then we let them open the other gifts that were already under the tree which included a few gifts from friends.
Gifts from Uncle Mike and Aunt Wendy.
You can see the excitement over receiving G-Force for the Wii from Uncle Mike & Aunt Wendy.
And a board game for everyone from mom and dad. We played games for a while and then waited for everyone to settle down and go to sleep so Santa could come. That was quite late due to the fact that everyone was excited and no one was sleepy. I'm certain Santa arrived while Brett was banished to the downstair and still up taking a shower at 1:00 am!
Overall it was a great Christmas Eve!

Christmas Spirit

If you get a chance take a few minutes to watch these short videos on the Spirit of Christmas! I'm always amazed at the quality and spirit which accompany these Mormon Messages videos. Definitely worth the 4 minutes it takes to watch one.


Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

An Amusing Lunch

I have been fortunate to teach the most awesome group of youth at church. We planned a trip to the Temple for today but when we got there so many people were already waiting they couldn't fit us in. So we just went out to eat instead and will attempt to go again next week.
No ones drink or food was safe when they went to refill their plate. Ketchup, A1, salt, pepper, sugar. All kinds of extra things were added to anything left at the table. It was quite funny and provided a lot of laughter.

The lady waiting our table had to bring out new drinks multiple times because they were undrinkable.

This was clam chowder prior to receiving a few extra ingredients.

(And yes I tipped well because of the mess left behind).

Sunday will be my last day teaching most of these boys. With a new year the older boys will move up to the next class and I'll get a new group to teach. I'm going to miss them although I'm sure they'll still show up in my classroom every week begging for treats.

Court of Honor

Bryce is cruising along in his scouting. He earned his 1st Class and another Merit Badge at the Court of Honor on Tuesday.

Keep up the good work Bryce!