2010 Reading Challenge

I ran across this book challenge on The Brambler blog, and I am going to go for it and see how many points I can rack up! Join me?

Rules: First book to count for any category has to be a new book to you. Rereads only count after you’ve completed the category. One book counts for one category even if it could fit into multiple categories. No double-counting a book.

.1 Points (Meaning 1/10 of a point)
1) Picture books

.5 Points (Meaning 1/2 a point)
1) Easy reader books/children's books under 100 pages

5 Points
1) Author to match every letter of the alphabet (Last names, that is. And 5 points for every book.) * x: You get a free five points for x. Make that 15 points if you actually find an author whose last name starts with x. :)
2) Retold fairy tale
3) A book written between 1951 and 2009
4) Throwaway category – Any book that doesn’t fit in any other category.

10 Points
1) A book you own you haven’t read yet
2) A book with a body of water in the title (river, ocean, lake…)
3) A book with a Title in the title (The Count of Monte Cristo)
4) A book with a plant in the title (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)
5) A book set in a place you’ve wanted to visit/have visited
6) A book with a movie adaptation. Read it, then watch the movie.
7) A book written between 1776 and 1850.
8) A book written between 1851 and 1900.
9) A book written between 1901 and 1950.
10) A book about war.

15 Points
1) A book from the London Times' Best Books of the Decade list. (Can look at either http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/262697-london-times-best-books-of-the-decade or http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article6914181.ece)
2) A book about science
3) A book about American History
4) A book about language/writing
6) A book by a Goodreads author
7) A book written in 2010.

25 Points
1) A book with over 550 pages
2) A book you’ve been meaning to read for years (maybe have even started), but haven’t gotten around to finishing yet.
3) A book about a political figure/politics
4) A book written before 1776.

Looking back.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you had never done before?

Learned to knit

Remodeled and camped in my own camping trailer

Snorkeled in the ocean

Pressure-canned food all by myself

Planted a vegetable garden

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions and do you intend to make any for 2010?
I never make measurable resolutions at New Year's. I do, however, make concrete goals during the year, and I think I did pretty well with those.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Me, Jaime, Mackenzie.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not really, unless you count my parent's dog.

5. What countries did you visit?

Mexico.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you didn't have in 2009?

Fruit trees and berry bushes. A day to play in the snow.

7. What dates will be etched into your memory from 2009 and why?
December 1st: Riley's birth date.

8. What is your biggest achievement of the year?

Natural childbirth. Hands down.

9. What is your biggest failure?

Asking to be released from a calling. Sort of felt like failure.

10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?

Nothing major; just the routine gastroenteritis and sinusitis.

11. What is the best thing you bought?

LCD TV and computer tower for the living room. And the Suburban and trailer are pretty cool (although we technically didn't buy the trailer).

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Chad's. I can be pretty difficult to live with while pregnant.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled or depressed?
Politicians and celebrities.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage.

15. What did you get really excited about?
Cooking and trying new recipes. Gardening. Watching my kids experience the world.

16. What songs will remind you of 2009 and why?

"Oh Danny Boy." First song I learned in voice lessons.
17. Compared to last year...

a. happier or sadder? Happier. New babies bring happiness with them.

b. thinner or fatter? Gained 40 pounds this year. Only 7 lbs 2 oz of that didn't belong to me.

c. richer or poorer? Chad got a raise. Don't know if we're actually "richer" though.

18. What do you wish you had done more of?

Helping my kids learn. Poor things.

19. What do you wish you had done less of?

Watching TV.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With family at our house.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Yes. He's small, chubby, and has blue eyes and his father's chin.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Had the most fun watching the Bachelorette, but that was because of Jaime, not the actual show.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate at this time last year?

Hatred takes too much energy.

24. What is the best book you read?

Jane Eyre.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

A great voice teacher right here in Globe.

26. What did you want and get?

A healthy baby boy.

27. What did you want and not get?

An annual visit to Disneyland.

28. What was your favorite film this year?

Up.

29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I turned 28. Didn't do much on my birthday, but had my first massage the day after.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A landscaped yard.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2009?

Maternity.

32. What kept you sane?

Chad. And chocolate.

33. What celebrity did you fancy the most?

I fancy Ryan Reynolds (of The Proposal and X-Men Origins: Wolverine). And his abs.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Not much into politics. Mostly because if I were, I would be "stirred" to distraction.

35. Who do you miss?

Jaime. Adam and Heather.

36. Who was the best person you met?

Mackenzie.

37. Valuable life lesson learned in 2009?

Don't try to have it all. Just try to have enough.
38. What is the one thing you said this year that you never thought you'd say?

"So help me!" Who says that? What does it even mean?

39. What was the one thing you heard that you never thought you would hear?

The state is considering laying off police officers.

40. What do you anticipate will be the biggest change in your life in 2010?
The crazy factor in my house will multiply exponentially. Bring it on.

New Year's Eve: Streamers at "Midnight"

December 31st, 2009, 10:00pm Arizona Standard Time. Ringing in the New Year with the East Coast.

Rabies...the foaming barking killer

Today Mason and Bree got their fifth and final rabies innoculation. What?! Rabies? Did my children get bit by something rabid? No, but they did pet my parents' dog when it was covered in saliva after being attacked by a pack of wild dogs that COULD have been rabid. So the saliva COULD have infected my kids if they happened to put their fingers in their eyes/mouth/nose (which, let's face it, is what kids do). So my parents took care of the kids' first four shots (and also got the shots themselves, incidentally), and Chad and I took them today for their last one.

Bree was in tears all morning anticipating the shot, even with promises of candy and picking out a toy at the store afterwards. Everyone at the hospital outpatient center was extremely friendly and helpful (although Bree burst into tears when the RN came out in her scrubs just to talk to us about and issue with the doctor's order). When I took Bree back, the nurse had set up the room with a TV with "Little Einsteins" playing (I know for certain this was just for my kids since there were no other people there), she did the shot quickly (most of the tears were tears of anticipation), and then another nurse brought her a little stuffed giraffe, which immediately banished the tears. Chad took Mason in next, and he came out with his giraffe too. And Bree said, "I was pretty brave. I cried a little bit, but then it was over quickly."

Two hours at the zoo

Two hours at the zoo may not seem like much. But I think it is the perfect amount of time to devote to walking around looking at animals with six kids under the age of seven. In two hours at the Phoenix Zoo you can see monkeys, elephants, giraffes, reptiles, ostriches, rhinos, birds, tortoises, lions, tigers, gazelles, foxes, wolves, and so much more. Two hours walking trails in overcast 65-degree-weather is wonderfully invigorating. Two hours is plenty of time for the kids to wear themselves out so they'll sleep on the drive home. It was two hours well spent with my kids, my husband, Chad's parents, and his sister Sydney and her family who were visiting for the week.

"I get to make my own toy?!"

Step 1: Choose your animal. Bree went straight for the sparkly pink unicorn, and Mason pointed right at the monkey and said, "Oo aa aa!"

Step 2: Choose a sound. Monkey sound for Mason's, pony sound for Bree's.

Step 3: Wait in line (the place was packed!)

Step 4: Stuff your animal to the desired huggability, and give it its heart and sound.

Step 5: Give your animal a "bath" to get rid of excess lint.

Step 6: Take your new toy home to love!

Build-a-Bear Workshop courtesy of Grandma Wallace

December 28th, 2009

Christmas 2009 in a Nutshell

• Papa, Grandma, Uncle Adam, Aunt Heather, Chad, Megan, Bree, Mason, and Riley; all together at our house for Christmas
• Delicious Christmas Eve roast beef (technically braised beef) dinner, with Grandma's delicious chocolate cream pie and lemon cheesecake desserts
• Christmas Eve reading about the birth of Christ in the Bible and singing Christmas Hymns
• Everyone opening new Christmas pajamas (in future I'll stick to homemade PJ pants only; that project was a little too big!)
• Papa protesting the idea to watch a certain movie, and Bree subsequently telling him, "Papa, you're on the naughty list!"
• Homemade cheeseball, fudge, and See's candy
• Seeing Bree and Mason so excited Christmas morning because Santa came
• Eating the traditional strawberry waffles for breakfast
• Opening an embarrassing number of gifts; Mason's new cars, trucks, helicopter, and motorcycles; Bree's new toy kitty: Riley's hand-painted onesies from Heather and Adam; high-quality personalized steel water bottles and a pressure cooker from Grandma and Papa Wilkinson; a Wii made possible by Grandma and Papa Wallace; etc, etc, etc
• Watching the kids play so contentedly and quietly with their new toys
• Seeing a little toy car and Ariel doll join the Little People Nativity in visiting baby Jesus
• Playing games as a family
• Enjoying Chad's shortened work schedule, even though the hours he had to work both days were no fun
• Hugs and kisses all around
• Family, love, Christ, giving; the true joys of Christmas