Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

My kid...

My youngest has some learning disabilities related to the seizures he had as a baby. He has also been diagnosed ADHD, and as the dr said, with an emphasis on the H. Anyway, Alex has a way of picking out certain parts of a movie and repeating them over and over. I hear this is typical of autistic kids also.
We try to be careful of what we let him watch because we don't want him fixating on unhealthy things. Last weekend we let him watch Home Alone 2. That should be safe right? One swear word in the whole movie and that's the part he keeps repeating. (sigh)

And that's how we roll at the Tuttle house. Merry Christmas!

This is why I love farm fresh eggs.

Simple Whole Foods: Crock Pot Surprise

Ingredients:
6-8 carrots
4-6 potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 pound hamburger
diced onion
salt
pepper
tomato sauce


Slice up 6-8 carrots and put on bottom of crock pot, add 4-6 diced potatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, brown a pound of hamburger with onion and salt and pepper and add on top of potatoes. Then I finish with a can of tomato sauce and a can of water. Cook on high for about 4 hours. This is quick and easy and I make it on Sunday mornings quite a bit. I serve it with homemade bread and it's a hearty meal.

It's the little things that bring back the memories

I haven't written too much about my mother in law. She passed away last spring and left a big hole in many lives, especially those of her children. She loved her children, she loved her community and she loved watching birds, especially cardinals. And since we all knew she loved cardinals, we all bought her cardinals. She had cardinal shirts and figurines, clocks, cups, pictures on her wall. Personally I would have thought she might have gotten tired of them, but she didn't.
Yesterday I was at the craft fair and I saw a beautiful cardinal carving. My first thought was that would be a perfect gift for Mavis for Christmas. And then I remembered, I wouldn't be buying gifts for her anymore. She was not my mother, but she was a very good mother in law, and I loved her. I loved that I could call her with questions about canning or something she had cooked or who was related to who, and she always took the time to instruct me. I loved that even when we didn't agree she never belittled me or became contentious. I loved that she was one of the few people who encouraged me to stay home to raise my children. And it makes me sad that I have to cross her name off my Christmas list. Now every time I see a cardinal I think of her. It makes me sad, but it is also a nice thing to think of.

And on a related note I wanted to share this link...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/8-best-sellers-started-during-national-novel-writing-month/

NaNoWriMo

Have you heard of NaNoWriMo? The goal is to write, specificially a novel. You are to write until you hit 50,000 words or December 1st, whichever comes first.

I have no delusions that I could do this. Right now I am hard pressed to write a letter, and fiction writing is tough because you have that tricky dialouge thing going on. But on the off chance someone who reads my blog may have an interest in writing, this may be the one thing that spurs you on. I'm thinking it would be an excellent project for ones who are homeschooling teens.

So you have a burning desire to write this may be just the thing that you need to spur you on. And if you do write a novel, let me know. 

http://nanowrimo.org/

Five Things That Make My Life Easier As a Home Educating Mother

In the dark ages of homeschooling or at least 1989 when we started  teaching our older children, there weren't a lot of options. In a way that was easier. Curriculum was expensive so if you bought you needed to use it and I think in a way parents did a better job. Now I see parents hoppping from one thing to another because they want the magic pill where the kids are happy, eager to learn and the parents don't have to work too hard. Am I being too hard on people? Nah, because in many ways I'm describing myself. I want the easy way, it's human nature. Anyway, now that it's 2013 and we are once again teaching our children at home I am finding some things that are making my life a bit easier. I thought I would share them with you.

1. Teaching Textbooks-  I found this used but I think it's worth every penny new also. Why do I like it? Because it teaches a lesson on the computer. Then you can either do the lesson on the computer or do it in the textbook. If the child does the lesson the computer they get two chances to get it right. If they get it wrong they can push the solution and the computer gives a short explanation on how to solve the problem. After they finish the lesson, the parent can review the gradebook, leave it as is, edit so that the child has to redo the questions they missed, or even delete the entire lesson and make them try again. I have no illusions that this curriculum works for every child, but for my 4th grader it is perfect. And it gives me time alone to work with his hands-on little brother. I will say that I think the lessons are easier than 4th grade, so I am having him do two lessons a day and then will move him up to level 5. I had thought about just skipping level 4, but I want to make sure that he hasn't missed any essential building block so to speak. I did as a child and math was so hard for me after the 5th grade. Sadly, I doubt this curriculum will work for my youngest, but we have a long way to go before we get there so who knows?

2. YouTube- Now, don't just let your child watch this unattended. I put mine on Safe Mode, but they still aren't allowed to watch it unless I am in the room. Having said that, YouTube is a mine of educational videos. Some are History or Math, some documentaries and even movies that may cover the subject you are studying. We recently studied Helen Keller and Ann Sullivan and found actual footage of Helen Speaking. So, with adult supervision, YouTube can be a valuable tool in your homeschool. I also use it for many other things including how to can beef, or a new scrapbooking method. Got a question about how something works? Look on YouTube, I bet it's there.

3. My library card. Yes, we love and embrace technology in this home but there is one thing that we still make use of every week. We check out tons of books from our local library. It's free, it's easily accessible and it gives the boys a chance to find something new to explore. Best bang for you buck, especially since most local libararies are free. And here in Nebraska we have something called Library Overdrive that my local library participates in. I can download digital books to my tablet or audio books to my mp3 player. I'm trying having my son read a book and then listen to the same book to see if he's missing things when he reads.

4. Organization in the home- This does not mean I'm a super organized homemaking nazi. It means that I do try to keep to a routine, have a checklist for the major stuff, plan simple menus, etc. I made a checklist of the most important things that need done each week, put a day of the week on it and put it into my phone. Each morning it lets me know what I should be doing. Somedays I hit the snooze and put it off, some days I work ahead. Special projects that need done I put on the bottom, some with a date and some without. For instance I'm taking a quilt class the first Thursday of the month so I remind myself a week before to have my blocks done. That keeps it on my mind in case I forget and gives me time to finish if it's harder than I think it might be. I also have a reminder to clean the ceiling fans once a month or make bread once a week. I may not keep to the schedule like clockwork but it keeps these tasks on my mind so I am more likely to get them done.
My daughter made a list of the different meals they eat and then shops for those meals. When they eat a certain meal she crosses if off the list so they don't eat it again for awhile. When she crosses them all off she starts over. I think that's a pretty good idea. At our house Friday night night is pizza night, so I know every Friday I'm making pizza and I don't have to figure out what to make. These are a few ways I stay organized. I'm working on some more. If I come up with any earth shattering I'll be sure to share.
5. Give yourself grace. No one is perfect and striving to be perfect can only cause you stress. Somedays we don't get all of our schoolwork done, but we may have spent the afternoon playing Legos, learning life skills or reading books. Somedays we might not get anything done. But that does not mean learning isn't happening. Your house may not be spotless or ready for a photo shoot, but is it a home where your family feels safe and loved? What is more important a child with high test scores or one who is thoughtful and looks to the needs of others? These are things I remind myself daily.

We dodged a bullet, or should that be a flood.

Although the flood waters were pretty high, they didn't flood the town. In fact in our town I think it pretty much stayed in the banks of the river. The towns downstream were not as fortunate. And the river is still flooding as it makes it way downstream.

So I breathe a sigh of relief and thank God that we didn't have flooding but continue to pray for the people downstream and the people in Colorado who are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives and find some normality.

Expecting a Flood

Due to the heavy rains and flooding in Colorado last week we are expecting the river to flood here. They are predicting record levels of flooding here in town, and yet it isn't expected to be too bad compared to what we've seen on the news from Colorado. A friend posted this picture on Facebook.

As you can see the river is very overgrown right now and nothing but a trickle of water coming downstream. This should change this afternoon or evening. As water and debris wash down the South Platte river I can see where it will either dislodge all this growth and take it with or the debris will get stuck here and cause a dam to form. Either way it's going to be messy downstream.

We live about 6 blocks north and a bit higher from the expected flooding area. Unless something unexpected happens we should be okay. The only real concern I have is what do we do if the sewer backs up and comes into the basement. But compared to people upstream who have losts lives and homes I guess my concerns are pretty minor.

Here's to praying that the experts know what they are talking about and I don't have to bug out.

An anniversary gift

My daughter and her husband are getting ready to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary. I was playing with Scrabble tiles one day and thought this would be a fun gift. I made sure to leave plenty of room for future names. ;)
I did just take a quick snapshot so it's not the best, but you get the idea.

My Pita Sandwich

Since I have been learning to eat in new ways I've been playing with my food a little. This is one of my favorite new sandwiches.

1 small pita bread

Mix together tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, roasted red pepper and onions, lettuce and black beans. I added a bit of chive vinegar to the mix. Then stuff your bread and enjoy. This is a hearty sandwich and I love it.

I'll try to take a picture before I devour it next time. ;)

My Food Experiment- At the end of 4 weeks

Well, I stayed pretty faithful to the plan for much longer than I thought I would. I did probably eat meat once a week. I feel a lot better, most of my joint pain is gone except for this one spot at the base of my thumb. I lost a total of 10 pounds which doesn't seem like much but I lost inches.

I do plan to stick with it. Feeling better is a pretty good exchange for eating what I want. And to be honest the fresh foods really feel like an indulgence to me. The winter months may be a challenge without being able to run to my garden to pick what I want to eat, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Our youngest son has developmental delays due to some wicked seizures he had as an infant and toddler. He has sensory issues and really doesn't like to be read to or watch television. Not that I want him to be a little tv addict but I would like all of my kids to be readers. (smile) Anyway, yesterday I found an old ABC kids special of The Mouse and the Motorcycle on Netflix. The boys didn't want to watch it, but it was hot and I wanted them to relax in the cool air for awhile so I put it on. As soon as Ralph the mouse came on both boys were hooked. But Alex, our youngest, was grinning from ear to ear. He laughed, he giggled and just had the biggest smile ever. This movie was made in 1986 and is pretty low tech, but it didn't matter to him. He loved it and wanted to watch it again. This morning he is watching it once more.
Well, it's not a book, and he's not reading but he is sitting still and paying attention to details. I'll take it!

Thank-you Pinterest

 

Blended layers of kiwi, mango and strawberry. No sugar added and artificial colors. They are making two little boys very happy!

My food experiment- Week 1

I have been dealing with one of those aging things. In the past few years my joints have gotten more and more swollen and stiff. It has gotten where I am in constant pain. I have been taking ibuprofen on a daily basis for several years but it's hard on my stomach. So I did a little research. I don't like the idea of spending the rest of my life on prescription meds that may help the arthritis but have just as bad or worse side effects. After reading a few books and some web searching I kept finding people saying that a plant based diet can not only help arthritis but cure it. One testimonial said a woman was completely pain free in 2 months and off her meds as well.

Now you have to know a little bit about me to understand that giving up meat and dairy is an extremely radical notion. I grew up on cattle ranch and I'm descended from a long line of ranchers and farmers. Beef, chicken and dairy products are the only food groups in my family. Well almost... they like dessert too. Anyway to consider going to a plant based diet is not only a huge challenge on relearning how to prepare meals but could be considered treason among certain members of my family. But I have gotten so tired of hurting all the time, it affects my entire life, that I decided I would give it a try. The first thing I did was to go off the ibuprofen. Within a day the swelling increased. By the end of the week my hands and feet were in constant pain and the swelling in the joints had tripled. I was having a hard time making a fist. I really had no idea the inflammation had gotten so bad. I guess it was the real thing that pushed me off the cliff to try this radical experiment. Or at least radical for me.

I discussed the idea with my husband because he has to live with me. We have always agreed that we want to stay healthy and avoid spending the rest of our lives on medication. So he agreed to encourage me in experiment as long as I didn't make him change his eating habits. I figured if it didn't work I wasn't out anything except for the cost of food. But unlike some new drug I wouldn't have to worry about dangerous side effects or spend tons of money. We figured it couldn't hurt to try.

I started my new plan last Monday. I decided to treat it as an experiment so I made a journal, wrote down my weight and measurements. And wrote about my physical pain. Then I took myself to the strore and bought some more of those veggie and fruit kinds of things. I have been reading The Engine 2 Diet and The RAVE Diet. Basically they are alike in urging one to avoid all processed and refined foods, meats and dairy products. The Engine 2 Diet suggested that one could still eat fish or chicken in the first week.  Strangely enough I never really felt too hungry. I tried to follow the meal plan as close as I could although I made quite a few substitutions due to availability of products. I did eat chicken three times and I had a diet Coke once.  Sunday morning was my biggest downfall. On Sundays my husband and I go on a date to McDonalds while the boys are in Sunday School (this is often the only time we ever get away alone), and let's face it there aren't many good options at Mickey D's. I had a plain biscuit and real Coke. But I had gone an entire week without failing up so I'm not beating myself up.

Definitely the biggest challenge for me was thinking of what to eat that wasn't to far out there while still cooking regularly for my family. A friend cautioned me not to try meat or cheese substitutes for awhile, until the taste for the real stuff was off of my tongue. That made sense to me, besides tofu meats or soy cheese are not appealing to me at all. And portobello burgers still seem way to far out for me. But since I already make my own wholewheat bread I just added more to my diet as well as lots of veggies and more beans. I have been eating whole grain cereals with rice milk for breakfast and it's ok. Not great, but edible.

So what did I learn in Week 1? 

1. Surprisingly I miss dairy much more than I miss meat. The one thing I would crave was a piece of cheddar cheese.
2. If I balanced the grains, beans and produce I never felt hungry. A couple of times I felt kind of shaky between meals but those were meals that were pretty light.
3. Eating lots of different textures seem to be the key.
4. My homemade chive vinegar is perfect on a green leafy salad.
5. I was amazed to find that I had more energy through the day. I am less sluggish in the afternoons.
6. The stomach pain that I have had for nearly three years is not quite as bad. Some nights I have laid there in pain all night. It hurt again some last night but it wasn't as bad.
7. In our little town eating out could be a problem. :)
8. If you're going to use a cookbook for this, buying a digital copy isn't the best idea. I need one that I can mark up, take notes, bookmark, etc. So I may be purchasing a print copy of The Engine 2 Diet soon. I don't think I'll tell my family about the title of his new book, they may disown me.
9. Do I feel better? I think it's too soon to tell. My joints are still really swollen but I don't think my hands and feet are hurting quite as bad. So we'll keep on with the experiment and see how it goes.
10. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

A Fine Testimony

I have been thinking a lot lately about the testimony that we leave behind. Do people think of me as a person who trusts God and lives in such a way? I'm not really sure they do. Oh yeah, I have those good moments but I also have many moments where I do not live as if my life is transformed by the God of the universe. And neither do my children. In fact I have been very saddened by choices some of my children have made and are making currently.

Today a friend shared this blogpost on Facebook. It is about one of the young firefighters who died in Arizona. She wrote about a man who was a fine man of God, who lived his life in a way that directed others to God. I think this has to be such a comfort to his family. Losing a child has to be so incredibly hard, I don't mean to dismiss the pain of the loss, but having children who walk away from God and everything they have been taught is another form of loss. I know that they can always turn around and come back to a faithful life, but there will always be the scars of the sin in their lives and it will be there for the rest of their lives. As a mother this grieves me terribly.

Musing

If one was going to decorate their bathrom in a western theme...this is the perfect sink. I love the barbwire!

 

 

 

 

Happy Flag Day!

It's easier for me to remember when Flag Day is because it also happens to be my son's birthday. Take a few minutes and reflect on what the flag stands for. Many people have fought and died, not for the flag itself but for what it represents. And that is something to celebrate!

A little something that I made this week...

I am a big fan of Ree Drummond. You know who I mean right?

Oh wait, I mean The Pioneer Woman! Ah, now you know who I mean.

I have read her blog since the early days before she was even famous. And I have loved her since the first post I read. But what I really love are her recipes. I don't think I've tried one yet that we didn't like. I mean there was her chicken spaghetti that practically has my guys licking their plates, and those twice baked potatoes that my son-in-law loves, and her iced coffee that I practically lived on last summer. So when I saw her make Strawberry Oatmeal Bars on her tv show I knew I had to try them. They are kind of like those Nutri Grain bars only much better. Oh, and I used homemade jelly, so I'm sure that made them even better. So if you're looking for something to make for your kids for a snack, or want to have something they can just grab for breakfast try these and I think you will not be disappointed.
Go HERE for the recipe

School Is Out Already?

I am still a bit in shock at how quickly the last few months have gone by. I haven't posted since mid-March. Right after my last post life got a little crazy and I just have had a hard time composing my thoughts much less writing them. My mother in law took a turn for the worse and we went home to see her. I think that is the last time all eight of her kids were together with her at the same time before she died. It was a bittersweet day because we could tell the end was near, and she was not herself, but she was very pleased to have all of her children there with her.

While we were there we got word that a young woman from our church was killed in a car accident. I have been friends with her mother since we were in first grade. It's hard to watch people grieve the loss of their child. And it reminds one that all life is fleeting and we need to savor each moment.

A week later we were at another funeral, this one for my mother in law. I have wanted to sit down and write out what she meant to me. But the words are stuck in my heart right now and haven't quite made it out. She was a good woman and not only loved by her family but her friends and neighbors.

And then there have been national tragedies such as the bombing in Boston and tornadoes in Oklahoma. These are emotional, gripping events that sweep us up and twist us until we feel like a dish rag wrung up and left in a corner.

So, I have been in a bit of limbo. I was reminded to make the moments count. I have been trying to spend more time with my kids and less time on my computer. I have been trying to do things that count, not count the things that I do. I have been praying for my children and my grandchildren that they will learn to love Jesus and not the world. And I have been crying over the poor choices that they make and the poor choices that I have made.

Now school is out and my boys will be home all day, so I will probably have even less time to write. But I will be here working in my garden, playing with the kids, hopefully encouraging them to read more and want to learn more. Most of all I want to set the example that life is to be lived, not just viewed like a television.

I hope you all have a memorable Memorial Day and that you take time to really make your day count.

Let's play a little Candyland

Last week the boys and slipped away for a couple of days to go see the kids in the eastern part of the state. Here the boys are playing candyland with their 3 year old cousin Molly.

As you can see, they were having a good time. :)

But I really had to stop and take this picture when my oldest son sat down and joined the game. He is such a good brother/uncle.

Out with the old, in with the new

The old are gone

The new are here.

The thing this woman is excited about is that with the dryer opening to the side it will be much easier to bend down and get clothes out of the dryer. And as Martha Stewart would say, "that is a very good thing."

What I've Been Reading Lately

Last month I got a free book to read on my Nook. It was called It Happens Every Spring by Gary Chapman and Catherine Palmer. I have to admit, I got very depressed when I read this book and I can't really put my finger on why. It was about a marriage going very wrong and how you could see it slowly falling apart but the characters either didn't notice or didn't care. It was about people who were very selfish and couldn't see outside themselves. At first I thought the reason I felt depressed when I read this was because in that same week I heard about three different couples whose marriages were ending or headed that way. One couple has been married about the same length of time as me and my husband and have children the same ages, this really made me blue to think that they couldn't work things out after all these years together. Anyway, my daughter mentioned that she too had read this book and felt very depressed afterwards. So, I guess I'm giving a warning. Read this at your own risk.

I just finished The Marriage Wish by Dee Henderson. I loved her O'Malley series, and although this book was good, it wasn't her best. But I'm okay with that. Sometimes I just like a nice read and this was just that.

I have also been challenging myself to read more nonfiction this year. When I was in the thrift store I saw a copy of The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw. I had been wanting to read this and for $1 I figured I couldn't go wrong. This has to be one the best books I've read in a long time. And a plus for me is that each chapter is on it's own, so I just read a chapter each night before I went to bed. It was inspiring to read about men and women who overcame challenges for a greater cause. I think my generation has lost that. I hope we can find it, soon. On a side note: I was interested to learn that Tom Brokaw came from a little town in South Dakota and wrote about many people from the Midwest.

I am loving the fact that I can download library books onto my tablet via Library Overdrive. This works great for me because many times I am wanting something new to read on the weekend or in the evening when the library is closed. I just checked out The Heirloom Life Gardener and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. If they are good I will let you know.

Half and Half

Traditionally when you buy half and half at the grocery store you expect to get something that is half whole milk and half cream. Or at least this is what I expect to buy. Last week my daughter was coming and I know she likes a bit of cream in her coffee so I just quickly picked up a bottle of half and half. Well, I thought that was what I picked up. But when I got home I noticed that it was fat-free half and half. The country girl in me instantly wondered how they could make cream fat free so I read the ingredients.

 

 

Ingredients: nonfat milk, milk*,corn syrup,contains less than 1% of: artificial color**, sugar, dipotassium phosphate, sodium citrate, mono and diglycerides*,carrageenan, natural and artificial flavors, vitamin A palmitate. *Adds a trivil amount of fat. **An ingredient not normally found in half and half. (no kidding?)
This product has 20 calories per serving and 2 grams of sugar per serving.
Needless to say that this product was found wanting in flavor and texture. My daughter said it did not mix in her coffee well at all.

The next trip I made to the store I picked up my usual bottle of half and half.

Guess what the ingredients are?
Ingredients: Organic Grade A milk, Organic Grade A Cream

No added flavors or colorings. No added sugars. And it tastes so much better.
One serving is 40 calories but only 1 gram of sugar, so I think it probably evens itself out there. Plus, it is more satisfying with the added fats so I think one is less likely to overindulge. One serving is 2 tablespoonfuls and I only use about a teaspoon in my coffee.

I need to remind myself to take my time in the store and remember to watch those labels!

Who Do They Pray To?

Earlier today I read a plea from a woman I know on Facebook. She was asking for prayer for a loved one who has a serious health condition. This is not unusual to see since most of my friends are professing Christians. But this particular post was unusual because this woman is not a Christian. In fact she has always been pretty adamant that there isn't a God and she is strong and intelligent and can get through life without religious crutches.

Her post left me to wonder, just who exactly did she want me to pray too?

A bird bath heater? Really?

Recently I saw advertised a heated bird bath. Now come on folks, this is getting absurd. No wonder half of the world hates us. We let children around the world starve while we spend our money on heated bird baths.

My Word For 2013

Across the blogs you may see that many people pick a word for the year. The idea is that if you focus on the word and what it means that you will become a little better for it. So after much prayer and thought I have chosen my word for the year.

 

 

DELIBERATE

 

I want to  be more deliberate with my time and not just let it fritter away while I'm to distracted to notice.

 

I want to be more deliberate in spending time with my loved ones. I want to be more deliberate in teaching my children.

 

I want to be more deliberate in paying attention to those around me and really listening to them not just letting their words go over me while I'm thinking about something else.

 

I want to be more deliberate in scheduling time for fun as well as work, not saying "we should get together sometime" but never making the time to do it.

 

So this is a goal for me for 2013. This is the year I hit the big 5-0! So I think I'd better really start making my time count. Don't you?


 

 



The Books I Read In 2012

I didn't read quite as many as I did last year, but I was busy getting other stuff done. :)

46. The Big 5-0- Sandra D Bricker

45. She Makes It Look Easy- Mary Beth Whalen

44. Hannah's Hope- Karen Kingsbury

43. The Bridge- Karen Kingsbury

42. Here's To Friends- Melody Carlson

41. All For One- Melody Carlson

40. River's Song- Melody Carlson

39. Hometown Ties- Melody Carlson

38. As Young As We Feel- Melody Carlson

37. House- Frank Perretti

36. To Love and Cherish- Tracie Peterson

35. Semper Fi- WEB Griffin

34. The Things We Do For Love- Kristin Hannah

33. Cakewrecks

32. The Devil Came Down to the Little Church in the Wildwood- Bob Underdown

31. This Side of Heaven- Karen Kingsbury

30. Family Ties- Krista Kedrick

29. Knit One, Kill Two- Maggie Sefton

28. Saving Hope- Margaret Daly

27. As Silver Refined- Kay Arthur

26. Miss Match- Erynn Mangum

25. Cool Beans- Erynn Mangum

24. The Search Committee- Tim Owens

23. Metro Girl- Janet Evanovich

22. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré

21. Home Front- Kristin Hannah

20. I've Got Your Number- Sophie Kinsella

19. Twelve Sharp- Janet Evanovich

18. Eleven On Top- Janet Evanovich

17. Ten Big Ones- Janet Evanovich

16. To The Nines- Janet Evanovich

15. Visions of Sugar Plums- Janet Evanovich

14. Hard Eight- Janet Evanovich

13. Seven Up- Janet Evanovich

12. The Someday List- Stacey Hawkins Adams

11. Hot Six- Janet Evanovich

10. High Five- Janet Evanovich

9. Four To Score- Janet Evanovich

8. Three to Get Deadly- Janet Evanovich

7. Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins

6. Dear Cary- Dyan Cannon

5. Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins

4. Two For the Dough- Janet Evanovich

3. The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

2. One for the Money-Janet Evanovich

1. On Sparrow Hill- Maureen Lang

Happy New Year!

2012 has turned to 2013. I pray that everyone has a good year and is able to find new ways to celebrate life and give God the glory for all you have and all you are. Happy New Year!