About Me

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I love Jesus. I love my family. I love photography. I love books. I love thinking. Probably in that order. I have a wonderful husband, five beautiful daughters, a house, and a camera. I enjoy spending time talking to my husband, playing with my girls, redecorating my house and shooting things with my camera. In my spare time, I sleep.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Cute things my kids have said: Part 11

A few more adorable memories from the past year!  Check out past "Cute" posts HERE.

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April 19, 2014:  At the grocery store, Jasmine was trying to embarrass Eden by chanting that E loves Justin Beiber. Eden attempted to one up her by saying "YOU love Justin Beiber because God says love you enemies!" Jasmine comes back with..."YOU love Justin Beiber because God says love your enemies. HA!" 

May 14, 2014:  I think I have been successful in passing down my love for books...Jasmine says to me "I like the library but I don't like that I have to take the books back." 


May 19, 2014:  After asking Acacia multiple times to pick up the clothes in her room, she comes out with her saddest face and and says, "Mommy, I just want to have a good time. And you're ruining it."

June 6, 2014:  Eden's takeaway from Disney: "Never trust an old woman who wants to give you an apple. Unless she's your grandmother." Jasmine: "But what if your grandmother is evil?"

June 11, 2014:  Eden (while reading a book about alligators): "Ohmygoodness! Alligators live up to 50 years! Uncle Tim is 10 years younger than them." 

June 19, 2014:  Driving between Bridgeport and Sidney, Nebraska, Jasmine looks out the window and says, "This is what it looks like when you're lost." 

June 21, 2014:  Jasmine: "What if someone had NO underwear and had to wear pizza instead?!"

June 23, 2014:  At lunch, after anyone took a bite, Acacia would throw her hand in the air and yell, "Fifteen points for Gryffindor!"

June 28, 2014:  Eden: "I hope Vaughn walks in with a disco ball or I'm going to freak out!"

July 3, 2014:  My kids are outside playing in their heavy coats. When I asked what they are doing, "We are pretending that it's winter."

July 8, 2014:  Eden wanted me to put in a cd that they could dance ballet to. I had her grab a cd from our classical section and she gave me a Mozart disc. It started playing and she reacted with "no not this". When I asked her why she said, "This is too 'is he dead or is he not?'."

July 18, 2014:  Eden: "Let's just pretend that Acacia is a drop of sunshine that grew into a girl."

July 18, 2014:  At a backyard BBQ--Me: "Jasmine, sit down and eat the rest of your hot dog and then you can have a S'more." Jasmine: "Some more what?" 

July 20, 2014:  Sitting at the dinner table discussing how a princess would and would not eat her dessert. Jasmine: "Being a princess is hard." Eden (in a condescending tone): "Tell me about it."

August 18, 2014: Jasmine came to me with this cucumber on her wrist and said, "If you go to fashionfood.com you can buy this beautiful jewelry."



August 19, 2014: The kids were just singing a version of 'Do you want to build a snowman' where they substituted almost every noun with the word 'Sherlock'.  And now they are just walking around saying random things like, "I thought Sherlock was for Sherlocking."

August 19, 2014:  Jasmine (while making a fruit smoothie-which was her idea): "Mommy, good ideas always pop into my head!"

August 25, 2014: The girls were playing with Barbies and Jasmine says asking for a new outfit for her doll (in her falsetto voice): "I need a sexy...oops...i mean, I need a fashionable one."

September 13, 2014:  Watching the "Whip it" video: Eden says, "Eww they are nuditing her!"

September 15, 2014:  Jasmine & Acacia asked Jesus to be their Savior.

September 18, 2014:  Jasmine wanted to know how we got the whipped cream out of the can. Eden replies without even so much as a sideways glance while eating her pie, "Chef's secret."

September 22, 2014:  Jasmine: "Mommy, why would people want to come to Nebraska? It's cold right now and it smells like cow poop."

September 29, 2014:  Eden: "I'm starting putrid!" Me:huh? Eden: "I was reading that book about how babies are born and it said girls start putrid at 8 or 9 and boys start at 10 or 11." Me: "Oh, you mean puberty!"

October 2, 2014:  I got a late night giggle when I got up to use the restroom and heard one of my girls talking in her sleep (I think it was Jasmine.). She said quickly, "Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck , duck, duck."

October 9, 2014:  Russ & I were just passionately kissing in the kitchen at lunch as people in love are want to do; Eden turns away in disgust and says, "You are not in a movie!"

October 23, 2014:  Found this while cleaning! Apparently Jasmine was practicing her ballet!



November 14, 2014:  The other night Eden was singing "All about that bass" to herself and I said "Do you even know what that song is about?" She replied, "It's about liking your body no matter what."

December 17, 2014:  Kira: (Pretending to take my picture) "Say cheese & mayonnaise!"

December 18, 2014:  I asked Kira if I could have a hug. Kira- "No" Me- "please?" She looks at me with a scowl on her face and says matter of factly (as if she's explaining something to a stupid person) "No means no."

December 21, 2014:  I asked Kira where the wipes were. She put her finger to her lips and said, "hmm, let me think."


Thursday, September 4, 2014

A Step-by-Step guide to a Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop

What is a Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop?  You are about to step into my kitchen and find out!


Wildtree is a direct sales food company that was founded on the premise that food should be natural, nutritious, delicious and easy to prepare - all at the same time. Our products are made with the finest ingredients available and contain no preservatives, additives, MSGs or dyes. We are GMO free, nut free and certified Organic!
"Wildtree offers the highest quality herbs, spices and culinary blends that are free of preservatives, additives, fillers and promote a healthier lifestyle. We believe in the value of making cooking a quicker, easier, more healthful project for those who are short on time. Wildtree also offers a fun adventure for those who wish to be more creative in the kitchen."
Our Freezer Meal Workshops have been a hit because everyone needs to eat but not everyone has the time to cook tasty, nutritious meals with their busy lifestyles! FMW allow families to feel good about what they are feeding their families while satisfying the tastebuds of even the most picky eaters! All our recipes were tested on a nationwide level before being included in the workshops so you can trust that you'll love what you'll eat!

I thought that I would walk you through a workshop step-by-step so that you either know exactly what to expect before attending, so you can put your freezer meals together at home if you miss the party date OR so you can host a party long distance when your rep (myself) cannot attend!

For more information on our company,  hosting a workshop,  or our products visit my website: 

Okay...first item of business is to pick a workshop menu.  If you are an invited guest your host will pick a menu; if you are the host--you decide which you want to do.  At the current time there are 6 workshops to choose from.

Once a menu has been chosen, orders are taken by the rep and submitted.  All the items for the party are shipped to either the host or the rep.  If you are the host and they come to you, you are responsible for sorting items for the party.  If substitutions or additional items were ordered by the guests, your rep will make sure you know which items were ordered by who.   

Now before you get to the party...the rep will provide you with the Grocery List and Prep sheet.  This tells you exactly what grocery items you need to purchase.   


Once groceries are purchased it is time to prepare your bags for the workshop.  You would complete this step within a day or two of the party.  Instructions for this are on the Grocery List and Prep sheet.  You start by labeling your freezer bags 1-10.


You then begin chopping the meats and veggies and filling the bags per the instructions on your Grocery List and Prep sheet.


Continue until all 10 of your bags are filled!


Store these in your refrigerator or freezer until the day of the workshop...or if you are doing this independently at home you may continue to the next step!


On the day of the workshop you will bring your cooler with your 10 filled bags, 10 additional empty freezer bags, all the remaining groceries from your list, an apron and some measuring cups and spoons.  Your Wildtree products will be waiting for you at your host's house, as well as a Workstation recipe list and bag labels.
 

 If you are at a party with a rep, before you get started, your rep will tell you a little bit about Wildtree product's and why they are a healthier choice, she will talk to you a bit about our company's mission and how meal planning and Freezer Meal workshops are a big part of that, and she will explain the business opportunity with Wildtree and how you can earn good money helping people eat better with such a small no-risk investment.

After her talk, you will get started on your meals!!  In addition to the Wildtree products and your groceries from home, you will need a few other random everyday food items.  At a traditional rep attended workshop, these are community items that have been provided by the representative.  


Here is a shot of all the things I needed to complete this workshop!


Time to dig in!!  You start with Bag #1 and add to the bag what it says to on your Workstation Recipes page.  




 Once everything is added, zip the bag up and squish to blend!



Once the contents are mixed to your satisfaction...You put your full bag into one of your empty bags for an extra layer of protection in the freezer and to give you a place to slip your bag label in.  This step is entirely optional for you, but it is the way I've found works best for me.



Do this for each recipe until all 10 bags are complete.


At a traditional workshop, once you have finished your meals and have cleaned up your workstation, you will have the opportunity to browse a catalog and order any additional products that you want to try.  You will also be sent home with additional recipes and a Freezer Inventory List to hang on your fridge which explains how to prepare each meal and what good sides would be!


If you are not the host, the rep may also want to know when you want to host your own workshop to earn free products, because she knows that once you've gone to a Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop...You will definitely want to go again! :)











Thursday, March 27, 2014

Cute things my kids have said--Part 10


Time for an update!  I like to have these moments in my kids' lives documented so I can always look back.  This installment is kind of heavy on the "Jasmine" quotes.  :) She's definitely at that age...but she's also just a cool kid! 

(Eden is 8, Jasmine is 6, Acacia is 4, and Kira is 1) --------------------

August 20, 2013--Jasmine (while discussing the color red): "Well, it looks good on apples!"

September 11, 2013--Found Jasmine outside with a feather...pretending to be Thomas Jefferson. 

September 28, 2013--Jasmine started reading the Gideon bible in our hotel. She comes up to me and says seriously, "I kind of like the Bible so far."

October 21, 2013--Last weekend we were painting our room and we let the girls "help". Jasmine says, "This base board is going to be really warm for the winter. 'Cause I'm giving him his fourth coat."

October 22, 2013--We were parked outside of a Subway that has Goodrich ice cream and it really bothered Jasmine. "Ice cream is not fresh! I thought Subway was suppose to be healthy; ice cream is not healthy!"

October 22, 2013--Jasmine: "I think mayonnaise tastes a little bit like earwax."

October 27, 2013--Kira finally got her first tooth! Lower left.

October 27, 2013--Russ: "Are you kidding me?"
                            Jasmine: "I'm a kid, but I'm not 'ing'."
                            Russ: "Good one."

November 5, 2013--Acacia: "Mama, I'm being hayve."

November 6, 2013--Jasmine (making out a "new" Christmas list): "Did you know that I'm actually a big fan of American Girl dolls?"

November 12, 2013--Jasmine's "Mona Lisa"




November 13, 2013--Eden was asking for food and Russ told her she could have a banana. Acacia didn't hear and asked, "she can have what?" Russ said, "Nunya." Acacia's says, "I want Nunya!"

November 15, 2013--Jasmine: "On Fridays we should fry stuff. And eat french fries cause it's FRY day! Get it?"

November 18, 2013--Jasmine: "The third thing I want to be when I grow up if I can't be a doctor or a chiropractor is a ninja."

November 27, 2013--Jasmine: "Could God cover the sun with His pinky toe?....Does God even have a pinky toe?"

December 2, 2013--Jasmine broke her leg.

December 5, 2013--Kira is officially walking!

December 13, 2013--Acacia telling me about her dream: "I was in the earth and Jesus was still there. I went somewhere and when I came back he was gone. He ate himself." 

January 25, 2014--We were discussing belly button shapes. Jill: "Does my belly button look like an orange?" Eden: "It kind of looks like the top of a circus tent!"

January 25, 2014--Eden: "Look, Mom, an optimal illusion!"

January 26, 2014--Russ asked Acacia to throw something away in our bedroom but she couldn't find our trash. Russ told her, "it's behind the chair". Acacia: "Your trash can is sneaky!"

January 28, 2014--Jasmine was saying that if she built a house she would want to live in it. Then Acacia speaks up, "If I built a tree, I'd want to go 'Hoo, Hoo' like an owl."

January 28, 2014--Acacia stuck her toes in a bowl of pistachio shells and said, "Oh yeah, that hits the spot!"

January 30, 2014--Served artichokes for the first time.   Acacia's reaction: "Tastes kinda like chicken." 

February 8, 2014--Eden to Kira: "Noooo...come back! You're gonna get sucked into the portal of the human world!"

March 8, 2014--Acacia: "I'm asparagus so somebody eat me!"

March 27, 2014--Random observation from my Eden: "Mommy, I think brown boys are better at beatboxing than white boys."


Miss the first 9?  Click HERE to read a ridiculous amount of cute things!



A list of semi-Interesting facts about my week


I don't think my life is very interesting but I have been challenged to come up with a list of interesting facts about my week...I think I'll break it down by days...starting with last Friday.

Friday--Felt like Saturday, all day.
--Spent most of the day reading "Divergent" and "Insurgent"
--Didn't care that I was being lazy because I had hurt my back Thursday afternoon and it was still sore.

Saturday--I facilitated my first Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop at a friend's house.


--Made a trip to Walmart for the sole purpose of buying a book.
--Felt like Friday

Sunday--I spent a large portion of my afternoon riding around town hacking portals with my family.
--Picked up our Bountiful Basket a day later than usual.
--Sat in the van drinking pink lemonade out of a mason jar and sneaking Salt & Pepper Kettle chips and read 'Allegiant' while Russ & the kids played at the park.

Monday--Balanced my check book and realized that we only had $5 left until payday.
--Watched Eden earn $30 selling tutus she made.


--Finally made it to the chiropractor for Thursday's injury.
--Thought it was Tuesday most of the day.

Tuesday--Stayed up later than Russ for a change, editing pictures on my computer.

Wednesday--Returned a $1.00 board book to the library that was almost 2 months late and had a $25 fine on it.  But it was fine-free day so I got off the hook, and didn't get sent to collections.
--Had a clock randomly fall off the wall and hit me in the head.
--Wasted a lot of time on Pinterest affirming my love for nerd-culture and everything bookish.


--It was 75 degrees outside

Thursday--It was snowing
--Relaxed on my kids' pillow bed in the middle of the living room floor and started re-reading 'The Giver'
--Made homemade butter in my Kitchen-aid mixer out of our raw cream.
--Watched my 1 year old draw a Hitler mustache on herself with a marker.




Thursday, February 20, 2014

A View from the Juror's Seat


I'm 34 years old and I just served my first stint of Jury Duty.  I gotta say that when I received my notice before Christmas just days before I was to leave town for the holiday, I was a little freaked out...wondering if I should try to get out of it.  After all, I am still nursing my youngest and nursing mothers have an out.  But the letter said I needed a doctor's note and that I only had 10 days to respond...and since my nursing baby is actually a toddler who can go most of the day on regular food...I just decided to suck it up and go.  But with major reservations.  I had NO idea what to expect.  Was is for one day or several?  Would it last all day or just a little while?  How many others would be there?  Were they choosing jurors for the next 3 months or would I be called back?  Was there a chance of sequester that would be a problem for my nursing baby? Do we get to leave for lunch?  What exactly happens in that room?  I just had sooo many questions that I couldn't find answers to anywhere.  So that first day, (January 21st) I had a bag loaded to the hilt with snacks and reading material and I had a stomach full of butterflies.

I showed up at the courthouse at 7:45, fifteen minutes early, and followed the flock of people making there way into the old brick building that has served our county for over 100 years.  I first felt that I had overdone it on the packing when I took my turn going through the metal detector and my bag barely fit through the opening of the window for the guard to check.  It was then that I glanced around and noticed that none of the other potential jurors had more than a small purse with them.  I began to feel even more self-conscious then I already had.

I made it through security without even a hiccup beyond my own insecurity (can't resist a fun play on words) and climbed the stairs to the second floor where a line of potential jurors had formed to check in with the Clerk Magistrate.   At the front of the line, I gave her my name, she checked me on the list and handed me a list of all the days that I needed to show up at the courthouse to serve.  That was instant panic!  There were 8 jury selection dates for 12 different juries.  It looked like a lot and I was really wishing I had gotten that doctor's note.  Because every day I had to show up for jury duty was a day that my husband had to take off of work to stay with the kids and I had to subject myself to this anxiety!

I was directed to Courtroom 1 which was a tiny awkward room that was quickly filling up with potential jurors.  I found a seat in the middle but next to a support beam (so I would only have a person on one side). It quickly became apparent that there were more jurors then there were seats in the room and it was very crowded.  It was at this point that I began to have a mild anxiety attack due to nerves and claustrophobia. My heart rate became elevated and I started to get lightheaded and dizzy.  I held it together though and by the time the bailiff came in the room, I had convinced myself that I was going to be okay.  The bailiff was a young woman (probably about my age) with long blondish hair and a pleasant demeanor.  She showed us a short video about how jury duty works and our responsibilities as jurors.  It was clearly made in the late 1980's and I found it quite amusing when the video pointed out that the court system has ran "virtually unchanged" for hundreds of years.

When the video ended we were all moved to Courtroom 2 for the actual jury selection.  Again the room was crowded and there were a couple people left standing.  The attorneys and the defendant were already present and we all stood as the judge entered the room.  He thanked us for coming and again did a quick rundown of what was expected of us.  I discovered that we would be selecting the jury for the case that very day--those chosen would stay and everyone else would go home and return at the next scheduled trial date. The judge swore us in and then did a preliminary qualification survey of the room.  Making sure that everyone present was qualified to serve.  Anyone who didn't live in our county, anyone who couldn't understand English, anyone under 18, etcetera,  got sent home and didn't have to come back.  There was one person who didn't qualify.   Next thing I knew it was time to choose the first 12 people to go up and be questioned by the lawyers for the case.  I almost laughed when I realized how high tech the selection process is...with the bailiff almost literally drawing slips of paper out of a "hat".  (She had one of those spinning dealies that she drew names out of.)  I was so relieved when I didn't hear my name.

The trial was for a theft case.  A person was accused of 'theft by taking' (this made me raise my eyebrows...what other kind of theft is there?).  The lawyers asked the potential jurors all kinds of questions about their opinions and experiences regarding theft.  It was so uncomfortable.  People want to have the right answers.  This was the first major lesson I took away from my time on jury duty...people want to have the "right" answers, people want to believe that they are unbiased, and people want to give the impression that they have more integrity than they probably really do.   For example...the defense attorney asked if any of the jurors golfed; if any of them ever came across an abandoned golf ball, and if any of them ever picked them up.  Everyone on the panel said 'No.'  In my head, I called them all liars.  Really!?  No one has ever picked up some random item they found on the ground that they figured was 'lost' and took it home?  I found that hard to believe.  At any rate...not one person in the original twelve was dismissed during the questioning process so when it was over the 6 jurors were chosen and the rest of us sent home.  It felt like Id been there forever but when I got in my car and look at the clock it had barely been an hour and a half!

Two weeks later (on the day after my birthday), I went back for day 2 of service.  This time I just brought my purse with a couple of Nutrigrain bars and a small bottle of water.  The beginning of the day was the same, checked in, waited in the first courtroom before being moved into the other.  This time I was able to get the end seat closest to the door in both rooms so I didn't have quite the feeling of claustrophobia as before.  The room was extra tense this time...the case was one of a teenage girl writing a racist epithet on a teenage boys car.  The selection process was a bit more lively this time as person after person was dismissed due to having heard about the case prior to court.  I had not and therefore was beyond happy that my name was never drawn.  The questions asked of the potential jurors this time felt so much more loaded.  In today's culture racism is a VERY touchy subject and to answer questions of this nature in front of a crowed room of your peers is beyond nerve racking!  Even though I wasn't being directly questioned, I was so uncomfortable.  I had to keep my head down through a lot of it because I felt so ill-at-ease.  And partially because I had very strong opinions on some of what was asked and no one answered the way I would have.

That is the second major realization I took away from jury duty...I really do have strong opinions on some things and actually feel compelled to share them when asked.  I did NOT want to be on that jury but at the same time, listening to all the talk in the room, I felt like I might burst keeping my thoughts inside.  It's probably needless to say that Russ sure got an earful when I got home!  That is another thing I thought that day about jury selection...it kinda stinks to go and get all worked up about a case, not get picked, and then have to go home and not know how things turned out.  Thankfully, I did get to find out what happened in that case because it made the paper.  (The case got dismissed on a technicality of the law and it never made it to the jury.)

The next day's trial was cancelled so I didn't have to come back until Thursday.  Thursday morning I decided to not bother showering and instead slept in a bit longer.  I came to regret that decision as my name was one of the 12 drawn for selection.  The case was a DUI.  I was glad it was something fairly straight-forward and non-controversial.    I figured that this was one that would be easier to be fair and unbiased on.  We were questioned on our drinking habits and thoughts on alcohol.  I was one of 4 who had never drank.  While I grew up being taught that drinking is always bad, my current opinions on the subject are a lot more balanced. We were questioned about our thoughts on the government and the government's burden in providing evidence of guilt.  This is where my opinions got a little more focused and strong and I volunteered answers without being called on...which surprised me because I told myself  that first day that I wouldn't do that. There was a VERY strong emphasis from both sides put on the state's burden of proof and the fact that evidence must show guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt" before you should give a guilty verdict and how our job was not to start in neutral until we see the facts, but to start out in 'Not guilty' mode until all the evidence is shown and proves otherwise.  In fact, the questioning went on so long and became so tediously repetitive in this vein that I almost literally rolled my eyes at the defense attorney when he made all of us one-by-one say 'not guilty' in response to one of these questions.  In fact, I can't say "beyond a reasonable doubt" that I didn't roll my eyes at the guy at that time.  I just felt it was such a manipulative tactic.  However when the questions were finally over and the lawyers narrowed down the list of jurors, I wasn't a bit surprised when I found myself on the list of those staying to hear the case.  I was officially a juror.

There were 4 men and 2 women on the jury.  After the room was emptied of all the other potential jurors we were given a brief overview of what the day would be like.  We were dismissed and I went straight to the bathroom to pee.  When I got out, I called Russ to tell him I wasn't coming home.  It was then that I realized that I had no idea where the rest of the group was and what I was suppose to do.  Apparently we were suppose to follow the bailiff to the jurors' room (which has it's own bathrooms) but I didn't know that. Thankfully she found me and took me back.  She answered a few of our questions and we all put in orders for lunch, grabbed a bottle of water, chatted a bit and then headed to the courtroom when the buzzer went off.

I'll leave out all the details of the trail except to say that we heard two witnesses speak about the events of the night, the woman who called 911 and the officer who responded to the call and when they were done giving testimony and the state said "case closed" we all felt like there should be more.  It just didn't seem like they gave us all they should have.  We were sent back to the jury room for deliberation at about 3 pm.  It was a relief to finally be able to talk amongst ourselves about the case.  Over our hour lunch break, we enjoyed chit-chat with each other and the bailiff and skirted the edge of acceptable conversation, never talking about the trial but talking a great deal about life at the courthouse and our own experiences with alcohol and the police. Now we were free to say whatever we wanted.

I feel lucky to have served with the people I did.  They were all very respectful and reasonable people. Everyone got a chance to talk and no one was disparaged in any way.  We gave our initial thoughts, read through the jury instructions, raised our concerns and questions, examined all the photo evidence carefully and gave our impressions of the situation.  We weren't always in agreement but the overall feeling was the same--that the situation was highly suggestive of guilt but the evidence to prove it was lacking.  So after a mere hour and a half, with a heaviness about our decision, we voted unanimously to deal a verdict of 'not guilty'.

We went back in the courtroom, the verdict was read, and we were dismissed.  We talked on the way out about the heaviness of our hearts at coming to that decision.  What if we were wrong?  What if he is very guilty and we just sent him out to do it again--and maybe this time, to hurt somebody besides himself?  But given the emphasis on burden of proof, 'beyond a reasonable doubt', and 'innocent until proven guilty' we all felt that we did right by the law.  Which leads me to my third observation about jury duty--it just feels so weird to give such a huge responsibility-the fate of another human being-to a bunch of schmo's off the street who mostly don't even want to be there.  For one hour, the trajectory of that man's life, was within my power to decide.  I'm nobody to him and yet me and 5 other people, with a few differently chosen words could have swayed the room and he would have been found guilty.  Just like that.   And that is the feeling we six people left with.  Did we do the right thing?  And how on earth did we end up with such a responsibility in the first place?

That wasn't the end of my jury duty experience.  I went back for an eventful day of selection for multiple trials and I have one more selection day left until my three month service is up but I think what I've written covers enough.  This was my view from the juror's seat.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Books I read in 2013

2013 was an off year for my reading...I didn't reach my potential in this area of my life.  I could blame it on homeschooling or the 4th child.  Fairly valid excuses.  But it really probably had a lot more to do with laziness and choosing to play games on my cell phone and watch tv instead.  At any rate here are books I did read.

  • 01) 'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy 1/10
  • 02) 'Invitation to a Journey' by M. Robert Mulholland Jr 6/4
  • 03) 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 6/20
  • 04) 'Catching Fire' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 6/25
  • 05) 'Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 6/28
  • 06) 'Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breath" by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson 7/1
  • 07) 'The Secret Lives of Dresses' by Erin McKean 8/19
  • 08) 'Kisses from Katie' by Katie Davis 9/8
  • 09) 'Distant Dreams' by Judith Pella & Tracie Peterson 10/25
  • 10) 'A Hope Beyond' by Judith Pella & Tracie Peterson 10/27


Here's hoping that 2014 is a better year for my books.  :)

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Resolutions and Aspirations for 2014


-Smile more, yell less.
-Learn a new skill. 
-Surprise my husband.
-Be more fun than killing zombies.
-Take more walks outside.
-Get out of debt.
-Take a picture that begs to be hung as art.
-Blog more.
-Send more encouraging notes.
-Be a blessing to others.
-Spend more time reading than watching tv.