May Books So Far

I'm so glad to report that I've already met my goal of 5 books for the month of May! Yea!!

Here's what I've read so far:

Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop Jr.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

We aren't meeting for book club this month because a book wasn't chosen until the 8th (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) but I'm going to get started on that soon because I've heard that the first 1/5 can be a little boring and hard to get through. Hope that isn't the case!

April Books

This past month I read seven! I'm so proud of myself!

The Ring by Bobbie Pyron

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (our book club book for the month)

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli

The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman (book 8 of the 39 Clues)

The Beach House by Jane Green

Swapping Lives by Jane Green

Design Flaws of the Human Condition by Paul Schmitberger

I am on a roll!

March Books

Here are my books from March:

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson (the sequel to Suite Scarlett)

Swapping Lives by Jane Green

Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms by Trish Ashworth

This Book is Overdue! by Marilyn Johnson

The Other Woman by Jane Green

Now, you've probably noticed I've been reading a lot of Jane Green. While she's an okay author, I am doing it more to read books that my book club has already read. They read Jemima J and that's one that's always checked out at my library so I thought I'd give the other books a try. She's a decent author, although the books are predictable. Oh well.

I think I've forgotten some books from January until March but obviously I can't remember what they are right now. I'll think about it and check my library account and put up the books I've forgotten.

On a similar subject, Timmy has really enjoyed reading lately. Over the winter he really liked the Llama Llama books (Llama, Llama Mad at Mama; Llama, Llama Red Pajamas; Llama, Llama Misses Mama) and couldn't get enough of them. Right now he really enjoys Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs... books. We own How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight which he enjoys reading before bed (and he actually reads it to us now!) and so we checked out some more from the library which he has also enjoyed. I'm so glad that I've got a reader!

February Books

I realized that I forgot to post my books from February! Here they are:

The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis (book 7 of The 39 Clues)

Dune Road by Jane Green

Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (our book club selection for the month)

Books

One of my goals for the new year was to read at least 5 books a month. For January, I accomplished that goal. It doesn't mean I start and finish the book in that month, just that the book is finished in that month.

Last month I read the following books:

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Much Ado About Anne by Heather Vogel Frederick

Up in the Air by Walter Kirn

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

Go me!

Getting Behind

As I'm sure you've noticed, I've been getting behind in my blogging. But that's okay! I have been working hard at not getting so far behind other things, that I think it balances out.

Here we are in February already. I can't believe that! I am hoping that there is at least one more snowfall this season that produces packing snow. Timmy really wants to build a snowman and with the light fluffy stuff that's just not possible. Erik and I would also like to take him sledding (he's been pulled on a sled but never actually been sledding). Just a few goals to hopefully accomplish before spring!

Goals for 2010

I know in a previous post I talked about how I wanted to be less cluttered, which is really a main goal of mine. I do have some others for 2010 that I've been thinking about (honestly, some of them have been goals for years!).

I would like to read at least 3 books per month. I think I've got a pretty good start/handle on this one. No doubt that my book club helps me read at least 1 per month which is a great motivator.

I would like to spend more quality time together as a family. This really just means more time doing stuff together and less time sitting alone in other rooms doing separate things.

I'd like to be less judgmental about a lot of things. This is going to take some work, I know that!

I would like to be a better wife to Erik. Not that I'm some horrible nagging person, but I should always strive to be better in this department.

In the same vein, I would like to be a better mom to Timmy. I know that we both do the best we can with everything involving Timmy and sometimes he gets the best of us. So for being a mom, I need more patience, that's for sure! Don't get me wrong, I love the little guy, even when he's making me frustrated, I love him. But he still deserves more than that. Again, this is something where I can always strive to be better.

I know there are many more things I am hoping to do better at this year, I just can't think of what they are right now.

Welcome to the New Year

First of all, we are back from our trip! Traveling went really well, which is all I can really hope for with Timmy. There will be more stories and hopefully pictures (still haven't taken the time to get that all figured out...but I probably should because I don't have too much room on my memory card in the camera) to come.

I originally thought that my goal for the year should be to blog each day. Clearly, that's just not gonna happen. I'm not too broken up about it though. My new goal is at least 3 times a week. I think I can do that.

My true, main goal for the year is to be less cluttered. If you know me well, or have been to my house, you know that I hang on to stuff that I should have gotten rid of long ago. This year, I'm going to actually suck it up and do it. I'm sure it will be a fairly long process, but it will be worth it in the end.

Of course, seeming less cluttered will probably be easier after I take down and put away the Christmas decorations but that's not happening until Thursday. When I was growing up, if the tree could make it, we kept everything up until Epiphany. I've kept that tradition alive and strong in my house, and hope to continue to do so.

Another thing we are going to try this year is the South Beach Diet. Erik's known for a long time that he needs to lose weight and at his physical this year our doctor suggested the South Beach Diet. I checked out some cookbooks, kept the recipes I liked, and we're going to give it a shot. Even if we aren't exactly true to the diet, eating healthier is a great goal to have. Erik's goal (I think by his 30th birthday, but I'm not for sure) is to lose 50 pounds. I'm going to do all that I can to help him with his goal. Like I said before, eating healthier is a great goal anyway so why not jump on the band wagon? I'll keep you posted on how everything is going for him.

A final note, if you could keep our friends Nate and Melissa in your prayers it would be much appreciated. I wrote about them before (I think), Nate has Marfan's and just after Christmas they discovered a hole (or two, they don't know for sure yet) in his aorta. They are waiting to find out about surgery. I know this is stressful for them, and I hope that everything continues to go as well as it has already. I know that they have great friends that are really helping to pull them through this, but a little extra dose of prayers never hurt anyone. Thanks so much everyone!