Another Update - Finally

11 down - only 90 to go. I am way behind.


Completed - bold
in progress - italics
failed - strike through

Crafts

1. Learn how to knit or crochet. Make two usable items. (2/2 items) Complete 11/21/2009 I made a jewelry roll and a soap bag using crochet. I have also learned to knit and made a dishrag.

2. Organize cross-stitch stuff. Finish 2 already started projects and complete 1 new project. Frame all completed items and hang in house, sell, or give away. (0/3 projects)

3. Complete at least 8 scrapbooks. Three of these must be the following: All About Me, 101 Things, and a personal album. This albums can be any size, including mini-books. (0/8 scrapbooks) I am working on this one. I have one album almost completely finished. I just have the journaling to do. I am also working on an album for the 365 days of pictures that I am going to be taking for another goal. I have decided to start taking the pictures on my 35th birthday and make it into an album about my 35th year. All About Me at 35 or something like that. I am open to title suggestions if anyone has any.

4. Organize all craft stuff, but especially scrapbook stuff. Eliminate the stuff I no longer want or need.

5. Create a binder to collect quotes, stories, and other stuff I find interesting or inspiring.

6. edited Complete at least 500 scrapbook pages. (2/500 pages) I know that I have quite a few more pages to claim for this year. I just need to take the time to count them up.

7. Enter Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame contest or another similar contest. Be happy with my submission whether I win or lose.

8. Create a scrapbook inspiration binder. This can include pagemaps, sketches, pages I want to make, etc.

9. Subscribe to all scrapbook magazines that I buy, instead of buying them off the rack to save money. (4/4 magazines) Complete 11/2009

10. Apply for a design team or submit layouts for publication.

11. Sell stuff that I hand make to at least 3 people. Completed - 12/05/2008

12. Scan memorabilia, girls’ drawings, etc. into computer and organize so they are easier to put onto scrapbook pages.

13. edited Post pictures of at least 50 scrapbook pages or projects that I complete on blog. (3/50)

My Health

14. Lose at least 100 pounds. Small reward after each 10 pound loss. Big reward after losing 100. (0/100 pounds) I'm still trying to work on this one. I am not doing so good. I need to get back on the wagon.

15. Eat breakfast daily for 3 months. (0/90 days)

16. Keep food journal with daily calorie information or WW points for three months. (0/90 days)

17. Avoid soda for 30 days. (0/30 days)

18. Avoid sweets, especially candy, for 30 days. (0/30 days)

19. Get yearly physical and well-woman check-up.
(Physical - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) (Well-woman - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)

20. Drink 64 oz of water daily for 2 months. (0/60 days)

21. Go for 1 full month without eating out. Exceptions are when out of town and for work related functions. (0/30 days)

22. Monthly self-breast exams for 1 year. (0/12 months)

23. Get at least 6 hours of sleep every night for 1 month. (0/30 days)

24. Create exercise routine and stick to it. Must exercise at least four times a week for three months straight. (0/12 weeks)

25. Plan menu for two weeks at a time. Make grocery list and buy only what is on that list. Do this for 3 months. (0/3 months)

26. edited Cook at least 50 recipes from recipe books that I own. (0/50 recipes)

27. Find a recipe for Sesame Chicken or Orange Chicken that we love.

28. Give blood at least 3 times. (0/3)

Knowledge or Personal Progression

29. Learn how to use these four computer programs (or equally good programs) properly: Excel, Power Point, Quick Books, and Photo shop.

30. Learn how to use camera properly. Take at least 1 photo worthy of framing to hang in our home. Actually hang it.

31. Complete remaining questions in journal jar.

32. Complete an entry in one of my on-line journals at least three times a week for 1 year. (0/52 weeks)

33. Practice the piano at least one hour a week for 6 months. (0/26 weeks)

34. Learn how to change the oil in one of our vehicles.

35. Read an average of a book a week for the entire 1001 days. That is 143 books. (98/143 books)

36. Make a list of all books read during 1001 days. Write what I thought of each book in my blog. (50/143 books)

Home Cleanliness and Organization

37. Organize each room of the house. Make sure everything has a “home” and those things we do not need do one of three things with: throw away, give away, or sell. (2 bathrooms, girls' bedroom, living room, kitchen, our bedroom)

38. Organize storage unit. Decide what to keep and what needs to go. Bonus points if we can make it up to Colorado Springs to clean that one out and be able to quit paying on that storage unit. This one is partially done, but I feel so accomplished already. We actually got the storage unit in Colorado Springs cleaned out 07/18/09. We even went through every single box and threw away at least 1/3 of the stuff. Hooray! Now we just need to go through the one here in Willcox.

39. Wash dishes nightly for at least 3 months straight. (0/90 days)

40. Make to-do lists and stick to them for 3 months. Daily, weekly, and monthly. (0/90 days) (0/12 weeks) (0/3 months)

41. Clean car and keep it clean for six months. Inside and out. (0/12 weeks)

42. Wash and fold all laundry at least once a week for two months. Laundry needs to be folded when taken out of dryer. (0/8 weeks)

43. Once house is organized, maintain it. Nightly clean-up before bed with deep cleaning done on each room at least once a month.

44. Make a household inventory including pictures and serial numbers. Includes catalog of movies, CDs, books, games, etc.

Financial

45. Track all expenses for 1 month. Create budget and stick to it for 1 year. (0/30 days) (0/12 months)

46. No late fees, overdue charges, or late payments for six months. (0/6 months)

47. Get credit reports and work on getting them cleaned up.

48. Get life insurance for all of us.

49. Create a will.

50. Work on investing in our future. Sign up for 401k at work.

51. Save a minimum of $3,000 in savings account to be used for emergencies as well as save money to move out of Willcox. (0/3,000 dollars)

Travel

52. Take 1 family trip just for fun. This needs to include a visit to one of the following places, or an equally fun place that we all decide on: Sea World, Six Flags, Disneyland.

53. Go to Phoenix Zoo. Visit at least two other zoos or museum type places that we have never been to. (0/3 places)

54. Go on at least 5 camping trips. (2/5 trips) (#1 - 07/2008 to Alpine, #2 - 06/2009 to Alpine)

55. Take trip to Prescott area to see if that is where we would like to move. completed March 28-29, 2009

56. Take trip to Georgia and South Carolina to visit family and friends.

Entertainment

57. Watch all movies we own and decide if we want to keep them. If the keeper is a video tape, try to replace it on DVD.

58. Try 10 new restaurants. These can be fast food or sit down restaurants, but preferably fairly inexpensive. (10/10 restaurants) (Beyond Bread, Whataburger, Schlotsky's, In-N-Out Burger, CiCi's Pizza, Dakota Cafe, Chuys, Buddy's, Oreganos, Chipotle) Completed 12/18/2009

59. Have at least two characters who are at the highest level on World of Warcraft. Breka counts as one. Lalaith is next. This one is going to have to be put on hold for a while. We cancelled payments for now to save money until Martin finds a job.

60. Take at least 1 picture each day for 365 days. (0/365 days)

61. Purchase WII Fit and use it three times a week for 4 months. 0/16 weeks)

62. Put music from all CDs that I enjoy onto I-pod. Organize all music, complete with playlists. Delete songs we don’t like.

63. Compile a list of 101 “can’t believe I haven’t see yet” movies and see all of them. (0/101 movies)

64. Blog about those movies with thoughts on each. (0/101 movies)

65. Watch all movies nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards for each year completing the list. Start with movies from 2007.
(2007 - No Country for Old Men, Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood)
(2008 - Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader)
(2009 - )
2010 - )

66. Find a special way to celebrate holidays that we will all enjoy. Create new traditions.

67. Take the girls apple or pumpkin picking at least 1 time.

68. Learn how to play pool and beat one person.

69. Discover 5 new singers or groups that I really enjoy. (5/5) (Lady Antebellum, Kelly Sweet, Katy Perry, Rob Thomas, Great Big Sea) Complete 12/22/2009

Friends and Family

70. Send birthday cards to all friends and family members for 1 year. No misses. (0/12 months completed)

71. Get family pictures taken at least once per year. Pictures an be professional or taken by friend or family member. Frame at least 1 for hanging in home. (2009, 2010, 2011)

72. Read to girls at least 4 nights a week for six months. (6/6 months) (February, March, April, May, June, August.) Complete 8/2009 We are doing really good with this one. I am making and exception on this one that I feel is valid. The girls are spending two weeks at Gus's house in July, so I am unable to read to them those two weeks. We did complete the first two weeks in July and have been doing really good. We are just going to skip counting July and move right into August.

73. Enroll the girls in swimming lessons. completed 06/2009

74. Write letters to each of my siblings and parents about what they mean to me. (0/7 people)

75. Write letters to at least five friends who I have lost touch with. Visit at least one of those friends. (0/5 friends)

76. Make time to hang out with a friend at least 1 time a month for 12 months. (0/12 times)

77. Make and send out Christmas cards at least 1 Christmas during the 1001 day. Bonus points for sending out cards for all Christmases.

78. Contact all siblings monthly for 1 year. Phone, e-mail, letter, anything is OK.

79. Make and send at least 30 just because cards and 10 just because packages. (0/30 cards) (0/10 packages)

80. Write and send 3 letters of appreciation for excellent customer service and 1 letter for poor service. (0/4 letters)

81. Design family sticker or stamp and pass it around.

82. Have a date night at least once every two months for a year. (0/6)

83. Have a Mom/Daughter date with each girl at least once every two months for a year. (Sydney - 0/6) (Susannah - 0/6)

84. Do at least 3 special things for someone. Example 12 Days of Christmas, meal when sick, pay for someone’s meal, etc. (0/3 things)

85. Make at least 1 trip to visit one of my family members. completed 07/17/2009 I'm counting this one as done even though there were multiple reasons that we made the trip to see Gus. We took the girls up there to stay with Gus, Laurie, and Gracie. We also used the trip to clean out the storage. At least we made the trip and it was so fun to spend time with them and see their beautiful house. We also made a trip to Alpine to see Mom and Dad in 06/2009 too.

86. Have Mom and Dad over for dinner, or make them a special dinner at their place.

87. Contact most influential and favorite teachers and let them know how they impacted or changed my life.

Personal or Misc. Items

88. personal - Completed 12/04/2009

89. personal

90. personal

91. personal

92. Read all e-mail in in-box within 3 days. Keep in-box organized for 6 months. Unsubscribe from all mailing lists that I don’t even bother opening. (0/26 weeks)

93. Get properly fitted for a bra.

94. Make an effort to cultivate new and lasting friendships by commenting on blogs, forums, being more open to new people I meet, etc.

95. Get professional massage, manicure, and pedicure. (0/3)

Money items

96. Purchase freezer (chest or standing) for additional storage to make buying in bulk easier.

97. Decide what I want to be when I grow up and take at least three courses that apply. (0/3 courses)

98. Take a dance class. Completed 11/20/2009

99. Visit a large, natural waterfall.

100. Visit at least 5 states I have never been to and actually DO something in those states. Stopping to pee does not count. (0/5 states)

101. Learn to use GPS and go geo-caching at least 5 times. (0/5 trips)

Completed - bold
in progress - italics
failed - strike through

Crafts

1. Learn how to knit or crochet. Make two usable items. (0/2 items)

2. Organize cross-stitch stuff. Finish 2 already started projects and complete 1 new project. Frame all completed items and hang in house, sell, or give away. (0/3 projects)

3. Complete at least 8 scrapbooks. Three of these must be the following: All About Me, 101 Things, and a personal album. This albums can be any size, including mini-books. (0/8 scrapbooks) I am working on this one. I have one album almost completely finished. I just have the journaling to do. I am also working on an album for the 365 days of pictures that I am going to be taking for another goal. I have decided to start taking the pictures on my 35th birthday and make it into an album about my 35th year. All About Me at 35 or something like that. I am open to title suggestions if anyone has any.

4. Organize all craft stuff, but especially scrapbook stuff. Eliminate the stuff I no longer want or need.

5. Create a binder to collect quotes, stories, and other stuff I find interesting or inspiring.

6. edited Complete at least 500 scrapbook pages. (2/500 pages) I know that I have quite a few more pages to claim for this year. I just need to take the time to count them up.

7. Enter Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame contest or another similar contest. Be happy with my submission whether I win or lose.

8. Create a scrapbook inspiration binder. This can include pagemaps, sketches, pages I want to make, etc.

9. Subscribe to all scrapbook magazines that I buy, instead of buying them off the rack to save money. (0/4 magazines)

10. Apply for a design team or submit layouts for publication.

11. Sell stuff that I hand make to at least 3 people. Completed - 12/05/2008

12. Scan memorabilia, girls’ drawings, etc. into computer and organize so they are easier to put onto scrapbook pages.

13. edited Post pictures of at least 50 scrapbook pages or projects that I complete on blog. (3/50)

My Health

14. Lose at least 100 pounds. Small reward after each 10 pound loss. Big reward after losing 100. (23/100 pounds) I'm still trying to work on this one. I am not doing so good. I need to get back on the wagon.

15. Eat breakfast daily for 3 months. (0/90 days)

16. Keep food journal with daily calorie information or WW points for three months. (0/90 days)

17. Avoid soda for 30 days. (0/30 days)

18. Avoid sweets, especially candy, for 30 days. (0/30 days)

19. Get yearly physical and well-woman check-up.
(Physical - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) (Well-woman - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)

20. Drink 64 oz of water daily for 2 months. (0/60 days)

21. Go for 1 full month without eating out. Exceptions are when out of town and for work related functions. (0/30 days)

22. Monthly self-breast exams for 1 year. (0/12 months)

23. Get at least 6 hours of sleep every night for 1 month. (0/30 days)

24. Create exercise routine and stick to it. Must exercise at least four times a week for three months straight. (0/12 weeks)

25. Plan menu for two weeks at a time. Make grocery list and buy only what is on that list. Do this for 3 months. (0/3 months)

26. edited Cook at least 50 recipes from recipe books that I own. (0/50 recipes)

27. Find a recipe for Sesame Chicken or Orange Chicken that we love.

28. Give blood at least 3 times. (0/3)

Knowledge or Personal Progression

29. Learn how to use these four computer programs (or equally good programs) properly: Excel, Power Point, Quick Books, and Photo shop.

30. Learn how to use camera properly. Take at least 1 photo worthy of framing to hang in our home. Actually hang it.

31. Complete remaining questions in journal jar.

32. Complete an entry in one of my on-line journals at least three times a week for 1 year. (0/52 weeks)

33. Practice the piano at least one hour a week for 6 months. (0/26 weeks)

34. Learn how to change the oil in one of our vehicles.

35. Read an average of a book a week for the entire 1001 days. That is 143 books. (80/143 books)

36. Make a list of all books read during 1001 days. Write what I thought of each book in my blog. (50/143 books)

Home Cleanliness and Organization

37. Organize each room of the house. Make sure everything has a “home” and those things we do not need do one of three things with: throw away, give away, or sell. (2 bathrooms, girls' bedroom, living room, kitchen, our bedroom)

38. Organize storage unit. Decide what to keep and what needs to go. Bonus points if we can make it up to Colorado Springs to clean that one out and be able to quit paying on that storage unit. This one is partially done, but I feel so accomplished already. We actually got the storage unit in Colorado Springs cleaned out 07/18/09. We even went through every single box and threw away at least 1/3 of the stuff. Hooray! Now we just need to go through the one here in Willcox.

39. Wash dishes nightly for at least 3 months straight. (0/90 days)

40. Make to-do lists and stick to them for 3 months. Daily, weekly, and monthly. (0/90 days) (0/12 weeks) (0/3 months)

41. Clean car and keep it clean for six months. Inside and out. (0/12 weeks)

42. Wash and fold all laundry at least once a week for two months. Laundry needs to be folded when taken out of dryer. (0/8 weeks)

43. Once house is organized, maintain it. Nightly clean-up before bed with deep cleaning done on each room at least once a month.

44. Make a household inventory including pictures and serial numbers. Includes catalog of movies, CDs, books, games, etc.

Financial

45. Track all expenses for 1 month. Create budget and stick to it for 1 year. (0/30 days) (0/12 months)

46. No late fees, overdue charges, or late payments for six months. (0/6 months)

47. Get credit reports and work on getting them cleaned up.

48. Get life insurance for all of us.

49. Create a will.

50. Work on investing in our future. Sign up for 401k at work.

51. Save a minimum of $3,000 in savings account to be used for emergencies as well as save money to move out of Willcox. (0/3,000 dollars)

Travel

52. Take 1 family trip just for fun. This needs to include a visit to one of the following places, or an equally fun place that we all decide on: Sea World, Six Flags, Disneyland.

53. Go to Phoenix Zoo. Visit at least two other zoos or museum type places that we have never been to. (0/3 places)

54. Go on at least 5 camping trips. (2/5 trips) (#1 - 07/2008 to Alpine, #2 - 06/2009 to Alpine)

55. Take trip to Prescott area to see if that is where we would like to move. completed March 28-29, 2009

56. Take trip to Georgia and South Carolina to visit family and friends.

Entertainment

57. Watch all movies we own and decide if we want to keep them. If the keeper is a video tape, try to replace it on DVD.

58. Try 10 new restaurants. These can be fast food or sit down restaurants, but preferably fairly inexpensive. (5/10 restaurants) (Beyond Bread, Whataburger, Schlotsky's, In-N-Out Burger, CiCi's Pizza)

59. Have at least two characters who are at the highest level on World of Warcraft. Breka counts as one. Lalaith is next. This one is going to have to be put on hold for a while. We cancelled payments for now to save money until Martin finds a job.

60. Take at least 1 picture each day for 365 days. (0/365 days)

61. Purchase WII Fit and use it three times a week for 4 months. 0/16 weeks)

62. Put music from all CDs that I enjoy onto I-pod. Organize all music, complete with playlists. Delete songs we don’t like.

63. Compile a list of 101 “can’t believe I haven’t see yet” movies and see all of them. (0/101 movies)

64. Blog about those movies with thoughts on each. (0/101 movies)

65. Watch all movies nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards for each year completing the list. Start with movies from 2007.
(2007 - No Country for Old Men, Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood)
(2008 - Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader)
(2009 - )
2010 - )

66. Find a special way to celebrate holidays that we will all enjoy. Create new traditions.

67. Take the girls apple or pumpkin picking at least 1 time.

68. Learn how to play pool and beat one person.

69. Discover 5 new singers or groups that I really enjoy. (3/5) (Lady Antebellum, Kelly Sweet, Katy Perry)

Friends and Family

70. Send birthday cards to all friends and family members for 1 year. No misses. (0/12 months completed)

71. Get family pictures taken at least once per year. Pictures an be professional or taken by friend or family member. Frame at least 1 for hanging in home. (2009, 2010, 2011)

72. Read to girls at least 4 nights a week for six months. (5/6 months) (February, March, April, May, June, ) We are doing really good with this one. I am making and exception on this one that I feel is valid. The girls are spending two weeks at Gus's house in July, so I am unable to read to them those two weeks. We did complete the first two weeks in July and have been doing really good. We are just going to skip counting July and move right into August.

73. Enroll the girls in swimming lessons. completed 06/2009

74. Write letters to each of my siblings and parents about what they mean to me. (0/7 people)

75. Write letters to at least five friends who I have lost touch with. Visit at least one of those friends. (0/5 friends)

76. Make time to hang out with a friend at least 1 time a month for 12 months. (0/12 times)

77. Make and send out Christmas cards at least 1 Christmas during the 1001 day. Bonus points for sending out cards for all Christmases.

78. Contact all siblings monthly for 1 year. Phone, e-mail, letter, anything is OK.

79. Make and send at least 30 just because cards and 10 just because packages. (0/30 cards) (0/10 packages)

80. Write and send 3 letters of appreciation for excellent customer service and 1 letter for poor service. (0/4 letters)

81. Design family sticker or stamp and pass it around.

82. Have a date night at least once every two months for a year. (0/6)

83. Have a Mom/Daughter date with each girl at least once every two months for a year. (Sydney - 0/6) (Susannah - 0/6)

84. Do at least 3 special things for someone. Example 12 Days of Christmas, meal when sick, pay for someone’s meal, etc. (0/3 things)

85. Make at least 1 trip to visit one of my family members. completed 07/17/2009 I'm counting this one as done even though there were multiple reasons that we made the trip to see Gus. We took the girls up there to stay with Gus, Laurie, and Gracie. We also used the trip to clean out the storage. At least we made the trip and it was so fun to spend time with them and see their beautiful house. We also made a trip to Alpine to see Mom and Dad in 06/2009 too.

86. Have Mom and Dad over for dinner, or make them a special dinner at their place.

87. Contact most influential and favorite teachers and let them know how they impacted or changed my life.

Personal or Misc. Items

88. personal

89. personal

90. personal

91. personal

92. Read all e-mail in in-box within 3 days. Keep in-box organized for 6 months. Unsubscribe from all mailing lists that I don’t even bother opening. (0/26 weeks)

93. Get properly fitted for a bra.

94. Make an effort to cultivate new and lasting friendships by commenting on blogs, forums, being more open to new people I meet, etc.

95. Get professional massage, manicure, and pedicure. (0/3)

Money items

96. Purchase freezer (chest or standing) for additional storage to make buying in bulk easier.

97. Decide what I want to be when I grow up and take at least three courses that apply. (0/3 courses)

98. Take a dance class.

99. Visit a large, natural waterfall.

100. Visit at least 5 states I have never been to and actually DO something in those states. Stopping to pee does not count. (0/5 states)

101. Learn to use GPS and go geo-caching at least 5 times. (0/5 trips)

Wow! Posts Today

I am so far behind in keeping track with my 101 Things. I have been keeping track of the books that I have read. The blogging about them has obviously not been happening like it should. Today I am going to post as many of them as I can. 17 down below this post. Only 30 more to go. I also hope to get an update post for the 101 Things done today too. Wish me luck getting it done and anyone who chooses to read these, to get through them.

Books #46 - #50

#46 - A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly - "It's 1906 and 16-year-old Mattie Gokey is at a crossroads in her life. She's escaped the overwhelming responsibilities of helping to run her father's brokedown farm in exchange for a paid summer job as a serving girl at a fancy hotel in the Adirondacks. She's saving as much of her salary as she can, but she's having trouble deciding how she's going to use the money at the end of the summer. Mattie's gift is for writing and she's been accepted to Barnard College in New York City, but she's held back by her sense of responsibility to her family--and by her budding romance with handsome-but-dull Royal Loomis. Royal awakens feelings in Mattie that she doesn't want to ignore, but she can't deny her passion for words and her desire to write.

At the hotel, Mattie gets caught up in the disappearance of a young couple who had gone out together in a rowboat. Mattie spoke with the young woman, Grace Brown, just before the fateful boating trip, when Grace gave her a packet of love letters and asked her to burn them. When Grace is found drowned, Mattie reads the letters and finds that she holds the key to unraveling the girl's death and her beau's mysterious disappearance. Grace Brown's story is a true one (it's the same story told in Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy and in the film adaptation, A Place in the Sun), and author Jennifer Donnelly masterfully interweaves the real-life story with Mattie's, making her seem even more real."

This book was good. I really liked Mattie and her story. I also liked that Mattie was in the middle of a real story. I tend to really like books like this. I realize that the authors are taking their creative license with history, but it makes the history more understandable to me sometimes when I can look though someone's eyes to see it. Maybe more understandable isn't the right way to put it. I can understand it but it sometimes make it easier to relate to the story.

#47 - Escape by Carolyn Jessop - "When she was eighteen years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger: a man thirty-two years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn's heritage: She was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church that had settled in small communities along the Arizona-Utah border. Over the next fifteen years, Carolyn had eight children and withstood her husband's psychological abuse and the watchful eyes of his other wives who were locked in a constant battle for supremacy.

Carolyn's every move was dictated by her husband's whims. He decided where she lived and how her children would be treated. He controlled the money she earned as a school teacher. He chose when they had sex; Carolyn could only refuse, at her peril. For in the FLDS, a wife's compliance with her husband determined how much status both she and her children held in the family. Carolyn was miserable for years and wanted out, but she knew that if she tried to leave and got caught, her children would be taken away from her. No woman in the country had ever escaped from the FLDS and managed to get her children out, too. But in 2003, Carolyn chose freedom over fear and fled her home with her eight children. She had $20 to her name.

"Escape" exposes a world tantamount to a prison camp, created by religious fanatics who, in the name of God, deprive their followers the right to make choices, force women to be totally subservient to men, and brainwash children in church-run schools. Against this background, Carolyn Jessop's flight takes on an extraordinary, inspiring power. Not only did she manage a daring escape from a brutal environment, she became the first woman ever granted full custody of her children in a contested suit involving the FLDS. And in 2006, her reports to the Utah attorney general on church abuses formed a crucial part of the case that led to the arrest of their notorious leader, Warren Jeffs."

I loved this book. I admire Carolyn's strength. I go through stages where I am really intrigued by a certain culture or certain person. I have been very interested to learn the ins and outs of the FLDS for some reason. I want to know why the people actually follow and believe some of the things that they believe. Or maybe they don't believe all of the stuff, but are "stuck" there because of their upbringing. Maybe it is a totally different reason. I am just interested to learn. I really admire the strength that Carolyn showed in all areas of her life. She had some major struggles, but she dealt with them. She was able to leave with her children and that is amazing. I just really loved this book!

#48 - The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - "In Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees, 14-year-old Lily Owens, neglected by her father and isolated on their Georgia peach farm, spends hours imagining a blissful infancy when she was loved and nurtured by her mother, Deborah, whom she barely remembers. These consoling fantasies are her heart's answer to the family story that as a child, in unclear circumstances, Lily accidentally shot and killed her mother. All Lily has left of Deborah is a strange image of a Black Madonna, with the words "Tiburon, South Carolina" scrawled on the back. The search for a mother, and the need to mother oneself, are crucial elements in this well-written coming-of-age story set in the early 1960s against a background of racial violence and unrest. When Lily's beloved nanny, Rosaleen, manages to insult a group of angry white men on her way to register to vote and has to skip town, Lily takes the opportunity to go with her, fleeing to the only place she can think of--Tiburon, South Carolina--determined to find out more about her dead mother."

Another book that I liked a lot. It is very sad in some bits, but I love how I came to care about the characters, especially Lily. I fell in love with Lily and wanted to mother her myself. I was so touched by what she experienced. I hated her father and wanted to hurt him. I loved Rosaleen and the other women who came into her life. I intially read the book because I wanted to read it before watching the movie. Now I'm not sure if I want to watch the movie because I don't want it to ruin the book for me.


#49 - Dogwood by Chris Fabry - "In the small town of Dogwood, West Virginia, Karin has buried her shattered dreams by settling for a faithful husband whose emotional distance from her deep passions and conflicts leaves her isolated. Loaded with guilt, she tries to raise three small children and do life the best she can. Will returns to Dogwood intent on pursuing the only woman he has ever loved--only to find there is far more standing in his way than lost years in prison. The secrets of Will and Karins past begin to emerge through Danny Boyd, a young boy who wishes he hadnt survived the tragedy that knit those two together as well as tore them apart. The trigger that will lay their pain bare and force them to face it rather than flee is the unlikely figure of Ruthie Bowles, a withered, wiry old woman who leads Karin so deep into her anger against God that it forces unexpected consequences."

OK. This one is really weird for me. I remember that I really loved this book. I remember it being a page turned even. I LOVED it. Now we come to the problem. I don't remember much at all about this book. Reading the reviews on GoodReads reminded me that the ending was awesome, but I just can't remember what happened. I think I might need to recheck this one from the library and read it again.

#50 - The Voyage of Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis - "Narnia . . . where a dragon awakens . . . where stars walk the earth . . . where anything can happen. A king and some unexpected companions embark on a voyage that will take them beyond all known lands. As they sail farther and farther from charted waters, they discover that their quest is more than they imagined and that the world’s end is only the beginning."

Another book in this series. I think I have said it all. Good, not as good as I hoped.

Books #44 - #45

OK, I just have to do these two together and get to where I am doing the five books at a time correctly. They must either end on a 0 or a 5 number. It has been bugging me for a while, so I am finally fixing it. Back to five at a time after this post.

#44 - Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis - "A prince fights for his crown. Narnia... where animals talk... where trees walk... here a battle is about to begin. A prince denied his rightful throne gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world."

I'm running out of things to say about this series. They are good, but not as good as I had hoped. I liked this one more than most of the others, probably because I watched the movie first. The movies are much better for me.

#45 - Snowflakes on the Sea by Linda Lael Miller - "Nathan McKendrick is world famous, handsome and passionate. The world loves him. Mallory O'Connor McKendrick is successful in her own right. Their storybook marriage had defied the odds as well as the rumors. They believe their love will never die--until suddenly the marriage is crumbling. What could destroy such a strong bond and what could they do to save it?"

OK, I think that I really need to write about these books much closer to the time that I finish them instead of waiting for months to catch up. I don't remember much at all about this book. I do remember that I didn't care for it and that it took me FOREVER to read, but I can't remember what I didn't like about it. It was just that forgettable I guess. Still, I need to do better about blogging right after I finish the book.

Books #39 - #43

#39 - If I Gained the World by Linda Nichols - "When the pain of loss shatters two people--one from the inside out and the other from the outside in--how do they find their way to faithfulness, grace, and love? Only over time and distance will they eventually discover that it is through turning to the One who is faithful, whose love never fails. Lenore and Daniel have a cozy home and a wonderful son, a mirror image of his father. Lenore loves her life and wants nothing to change--except for one thing. As innocent as it seems, her request is the beginning of the end, and their life together unravels. Lenore takes little Scottie and begins her quest for meaning, purpose, and a new start--as far away from those bittersweet memories as she can get..."

Here is another of this author's books that I really enjoyed. It is interesting that lately I have not been into books with too much of a religious theme or a lot of religion involved, but these didn't bother me. I guess because I just felt that it was part of the characters life and not that the reader was expected to be converted to the authors religious views. Sometimes Christian novels just seem too preachy. Ms. Nichols books don't feel this way to me. They are just really intriguing stories.

#40 - The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis - "Shasta is a young boy living in Calormene with a cruel man who claims to be his father. One night he overhears his "father" offering to sell him as a slave, so Shasta makes a break and sets out for the North. He meets Bree, a talking horse who becomes his companion. On their way they encounter Aravis, a high-born girl escaping an arranged marriage, and her talking horse. Despite their differences the children and horses learn to work together to reach the freedom they long for. In the meantime, they uncover a Calormene plot to conquer Narnia."

I just have to say that I wish I had read these books when I was younger. I think I would have enjoyed them much more. For some reason I didn't really get into them as much as I thought I would. I guess part of it could be that we read one chapter at a time, and sometimes stories don't flow as well for me if they are interrupted that many times. That being said, the girls loved this book. It was very fun to read this series to them and have them enjoy all of them so much. Mostly I just love that time I get to spend with my girls. The Mommy/Daughter time rocks.

As for the book, it was not my favorite of the series and it was not my least favorite. Just not very memorable for me. I find that I enjoy the movies made from this series much more than I enjoyed the books.

#41 - Love & Other Recreational Sports by John Dearie - "In Love & Other Recreational Sports, John Dearie's debut novel, Jack Lafferty is handsome, thirty-five years old, a successful Wall Street banker—and miserable. Left at the altar after his fiancée has an affair, Jack has sworn off women. There's no way he will be snared again, not even by Sarah Mitchell, a bright and beautiful corporate attorney. But just when Jack's romantic torpor finally lifts and he falls for the sensational Sarah, disaster strikes, pushing her away and seemingly out of reach. Getting her back will require a move so bold, so daring, that cautious Jack isn't sure he's up to the task. Or is he?"

This is one of five books that I found at Hastings on the clearance rack. There were on clearance anyway, but also something like 50% off the marked clearance price. Two bucks for a book didn't sound too bad to me, even if they were the first books by new authors. I ended up really liking this book. It was a little like Sex and the City but from the viewpoint of the man. It was really interesting to see the other side of things. I never got into Sex and the City when it was on. I'm not really interested in fashion or most of the other things that show involved, but I have to say I think the man's point of view was much more interesting.

#42 - Diana Lively is Falling Down by Sheila Curran - "Like the legendary London Bridge, Diana Lively has been transplanted from England to the Arizona desert.

Trained as an architect and top in her class, she makes dollhouses. Widowed at a young age, she distrusted people who were kind to her, and married Ted, the one man who wasn't. Maybe it's a good thing that Diana Lively's life is suddenly out of her control.

A brash American billionaire wants to put up a King Arthur Theme Park smack in the middle of the Arizona desert. With dollar signs dancing in its head, Oxford University is only too happy to send Ted Lively, their resident Arthurian expert, to consult on the project. There, in the most unlikely place, in the most surprising ways, Diana is about to discover that the happiness she thought was lost forever can shower down on her again, can flood her dry life like a lake in the desert, and make it bloom.

Oh, and Ted. Ted is about to discover that there is justice in the world..."

This is the second of those books that I bought from Hastings. I can't decide if I really liked this one or not. I really liked some of the characters and I really hated some of them. Overall the story was interesting but it had some really weird parts too. One of the things that I didn't care for about the book, was that I wish I had been able to make the conclusion about who to love and hate in the book. The way that the author wrote about the "villain" verses how she wrote about the others didn't give the option of making the reader see anything from his point of view. I know it is the author's story and she can write it however she wants, but that is what left me with the feeling of just not knowing what to think about it.

#43 - The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright - "Jack and Laurel have been married for 39 years. They've lived a good life and appear to have had the perfect marriage. With his wife cradled in his arms, and before Jack takes his last breath, he scribbles his last "Wednesday Letter." When their adult children arrive to arrange the funeral, they discover boxes and boxes full of love letters that their father wrote to their mother each week on Wednesday. As they begin to open and read the letters, the children uncover the shocking truth about the past. In addition, each one must deal with the present-day challenges. Matthew has a troubled marriage, Samantha is a single mother, and Malcolm is the black sheep of the family who has returned home after a mysterious two-year absence. The Wednesday Letters has a powerful message about forgiveness and quietly beckons for readers to start writing their own "Wednesday Letters."

I have to say that I loved this book. It didn't get very good reviews on GoodReads so maybe I am in the minority, but I love a really good and touching love story. There wasn't a lot of depth to the story. It was kind of "Hallmark movie" like. I guess this is where I admit that I like a lot of the Hallmark movies too. Cheesy, romantic stories are some of the ones that I really love. It was very sweet.

Books #34 - #38

All book blurbs are going to come from GoodReads.com. I love this website and since it is hard for me to come up with the blurbs on my own without giving away the story, I'm going to use theirs. Check out their web site if you get a chance. I love having my book lists there.

#34- The Shack by William P. Young - "Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!"

Personally I do not agree with the last sentence of that blurb. I hated this book. I guess I would have to say that I was okay with some parts. Once Mack got to the shack, the book went downhill for me. I have been told that I just didn't go into it with an open mind, but I don't agree. I tried to like it, I really did. It took me so long to read this book, but I didn't give up and put it down because I really respect the person who lent the book to me. She really enjoyed it so I thought I might have just been missing something. If I was missing something, I never did find it, and I refuse to read the book again to try to find it.

#35 - Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen - "Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years, sharing secrets, clothes, and crushes. People know Scarlett as the popular, flamboyant one; Halley is just her quiet sidekick. Then, at the beginning of their junior year, the balance shifts. First, Scarlett's boyfriend Michael is killed in a motorcycle accident; soon afterward, she learns that she is carrying his baby. For the first time, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it will never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever."

I liked this book fairly well. It is a book written for the Young Adult audience. I enjoy reading these books from time to time as "escape" books, and this one served that purpose. I would like to say that some of the themes were too adult for the younger audience, but unfortunately our teenagers really are going through some of these issues. I think that the book covered the friendship between the girls very well. This book is one of two by this author that the movie "How to Deal" was based on. I liked the book much better than the movie.

#36 - At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols - "Life is rewarding for Samuel Truelove. He's a gifted heart surgeon, he's married to the love of his life, and he has a beautiful daughter. But when he mis-diagnoses his daughter's illness and is suddenly called away to perform emergency surgery, a deadly cascade of events is set in motion. After multiple tragedies, Sam withdraws into himself, takes a leave of absence, and joins a small town clinic. His search for redemption and healing will test the idea that God has the power--and the will--to repair what seems irreparably broken. From the bestselling author of If I Gained the World."

I really enjoyed this book. I really loved the character development and I just got sucked right into the story. After reading this book I just had to read more of her work. The book is pretty sad, but as I have stated many times before, I like a good book that can make me cry.

#37 - Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression by Brooke Shields - "In this compelling memoir, Brooke Shields talks candidly about her experience with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, and provides millions of women with an inspiring example of recovery hen Brooke Shields welcomed her newborn daughter, Rowan Francis, into the world, something unexpected followed-a crippling depression. Now, for the first time ever, in Down Came the Rain, Brooke talks about the trials, tribulations, and finally the triumphs that occurred before, during, and after the birth of her daughter."

I have always admired Brooke Shields. I think that she turned out remarkably well for being a "child actor and model". I have dealt with some depression in my life, and ever since I heard about this book, I wanted to read it. The problem was that I could never find it when I remembered to look for it. That was usually when at a library, browsing the shelves. When out at a bookstore I never remembered. I finally found it at the library here in Willcox. I'm glad I did. Sometimes I find it a struggle to admit or even accept myself, that I have depression. I find it embarrassing. It helps to know that I am not the only person who is struggling with it. Someone who has such an amazing life and that I have admired had suffered with it too. It just helps. I really did find this book very helpful.

#38 - The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber - "There's a little yarn shop on Blossom Street in Seattle. It's owned by Lydia Hoffman, and it represents her dream of a new life free from cancer. A life that offers a chance at love . . .

Lydia teaches knitting to beginners, and the first class is "How to Make a Baby Blanket." Three women join. Jacqueline Donovan wants to knit something for her grandchild as a gesture of reconciliation with her daughter-in-law. Carol Girard feels that the baby blanket is a message of hope as she makes a final attempt to conceive. And Alix Townsend is knitting her blanket for a court-ordered community service project.

These four very different women, brought together by an age-old craft, make unexpected discoveries -- about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to friendship and more . . ."

I kind of liked this book, but it wasn't one of my favorites. It is kind of weird, because when I was reading it, I enjoyed it. There is just something about it that just didn't stick with me or something. I can't think of a way to explain it, so I guess I will just say that while I did enjoy it while reading it, I have no desire to read any of the other books in the series. Usually when I really enjoy a book I want to continue with the series, but I just can't bring myself to check out the next one.