Top 100 Children's Books

I spotted this fun list over at Hope is the Word and decided to play along. : ) According to Amy, credit for this list and the meme goes here: It seems that Betsy, who blogs for School Library Journal  (no small beans!) at A Fuse #8 Production conducted a poll to find out readers’ opinions of the top 100 children’s novels.  Next, Teacherninja turned it into a meme, and I just couldn’t resist. 


Like Amy, I’m putting the ones I’ve read in bold, and if I’ve posted anything about them here on my blog, I’m linking my reviews/comments/thoughts up in parentheses. I can already see I have a good library (or blogging) list to start working my way through! : ) If there is a red asterisk beside it, that means I own it, but it's sitting on the shelf unread.


100. The Egypt Game – Snyder (1967)
99. The Indian in the Cupboard – Banks (1980)*
98. Children of Green Knowe – Boston (1954)
97. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – DiCamillo (2006)
96. The Witches – Dahl (1983)
95. Pippi Longstocking – Lindgren (1950)
94. Swallows and Amazons – Ransome (1930)
93. Caddie Woodlawn – Brink (1935)
92. Ella Enchanted – Levine (1997)
91. Sideways Stories from Wayside School – Sachar (1978)
90. Sarah, Plain and Tall – MacLachlan (1985)
89. Ramona and Her Father – Cleary (1977)
88. The High King – Alexander (1968)
87. The View from Saturday – Konigsburg (1996)
86. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – Rowling (1999)
85. On the Banks of Plum Creek – Wilder (1937)
84. The Little White Horse – Goudge (1946)
83. The Thief – Turner (1997)
82. The Book of Three – Alexander (1964)
81. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon – Lin (2009)
80. The Graveyard Book – Gaiman (200
79. All-of-a-Kind-Family – Taylor (1951)*
78. Johnny Tremain – Forbes (1943)
77. The City of Ember – DuPrau (2003)
76. Out of the Dust – Hesse (1997)
75. Love That Dog – Creech (2001)
74. The Borrowers – Norton (1953)* (maybe I read this as a child? I don't remember...) : )
73. My Side of the Mountain – George (1959)
72. My Father’s Dragon – Gannett (1948) (blogged here)
71. The Bad Beginning – Snicket (1999)*
70. Betsy-Tacy – Lovelace (1940) (blogged here)
69. The Mysterious Benedict Society – Stewart ( 2007) (blogged here)
68. Walk Two Moons – Creech (1994)
67. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher – Coville (1991)
66. Henry Huggins – Cleary (1950)
65. Ballet Shoes – Streatfield (1936)
64. A Long Way from Chicago – Peck (1998)
63. Gone-Away Lake – Enright (1957)
62. The Secret of the Old Clock – Keene (1959)
61. Stargirl – Spinelli (2000)
60. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle – Avi (1990)
59. Inkheart – Funke (2003)
58. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Aiken (1962)
57. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 – Cleary (1981)
56. Number the Stars – Lowry (1989)
55. The Great Gilly Hopkins – Paterson (1978)
54. The BFG – Dahl (1982)
53. Wind in the Willows – Grahame (1908)
52. The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007)
51. The Saturdays – Enright (1941)
50. Island of the Blue Dolphins – O’Dell (1960) (blogged here)
49. Frindle – Clements (1996)
48. The Penderwicks – Birdsall (2005)
47. Bud, Not Buddy – Curtis (1999)
46. Where the Red Fern Grows – Rawls (1961)
45. The Golden Compass – Pullman (1995)
44. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing – Blume (1972)
43. Ramona the Pest – Cleary (1968)
42. Little House on the Prairie – Wilder (1935)
41. The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Speare (1958)
40. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Baum (1900)*
39. When You Reach Me – Stead (2009)
38. HP and the Order of the Phoenix – Rowling (2003)
37. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Taylor (1976)
36. Are You there, God? It’s Me, Margaret – Blume (1970)
35. HP and the Goblet of Fire – Rowling (2000)
34. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – Curtis (1995)
33. James and the Giant Peach – Dahl (1961)
32. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH – O’Brian (1971)
31. Half Magic – Eager (1954)
30. Winnie-the-Pooh – Milne (1926)
29. The Dark Is Rising – Cooper (1973)
28. A Little Princess – Burnett (1905)*
27. Alice I and II – Carroll (1865/72)*
26. Hatchet – Paulsen (1989)
25. Little Women – Alcott (1868/9) (blogged here)
24. HP and the Deathly Hallows – Rowling (2007)
23. Little House in the Big Woods – Wilder (1932)
22. The Tale of Despereaux – DiCamillo (2003)
21. The Lightening Thief – Riordan (2005) (blogged here)
20. Tuck Everlasting – Babbitt (1975)
19. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Dahl (1964)
18. Matilda – Dahl (1988)
17. Maniac Magee – Spinelli (1990)
16. Harriet the Spy – Fitzhugh (1964)
15. Because of Winn-Dixie – DiCamillo (2000)
14. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Rowling (1999)
13. Bridge to Terabithia – Paterson (1977)
12. The Hobbit – Tolkien (1938)
11. The Westing Game – Raskin (1978)
10. The Phantom Tollbooth – Juster (1961)
9. Anne of Green Gables – Montgomery (1908)
8. The Secret Garden – Burnett (1911)
7. The Giver -Lowry (1993)
6. Holes – Sachar (1998)
5. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – Koningsburg (1967)
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Lewis (1950)
3. Harry Potter #1 – Rowling (1997)
2. A Wrinkle in Time – L’Engle (1962)
1. Charlotte’s Web – White (1952)


Let me know if you play along. : ) Have a great weekend !

January Daybook

Outside my Window ... it is COLD! The temperature at this moment is 21* (and it started at 12* this morning). I'm loving it.

I am thinking ... that I haven't gotten nearly enough done during the girls' rest time today.

I am thankful for ... Mondays. A return to routine. Cold weather. So much.

In the learning room ... we are visiting Russia this week via Another Celebrated Dancing Bear. Next week, we start a BIG winter study (well, big for a kindergartener) and are going to be bouncing around winter weather, penguins, polar bears, and all sorts of cold-ish things.

From the kitchen ... making a chicken/rice/broccoli casserole tonight, with a salad. Warm, comforting. See: COLD above.

I am creating ... several things right now and I'm enjoying it. I put together some invitations for a little winter birthday party for my almost 4 year old ... I actually had them printed at Costco so I didn't have to try and hunt down the right size envelopes and such for them, and I'm excited how cute they turned out. Also, need to wrap up the last few pages of my December album. I didn't get everything captured or hit every day, but it did capture our month simply which was my goal.

I am going ... to have a fairly quiet week. I've been spoiled by our three weeks of Christmas break and I'm going to try and keep that simple schedule in place. Granted, activities are starting back up (which is a good thing) but I have enjoyed our low-key evenings. I have a girls-night-out on Friday which I am looking forward to, but other than that my week looks very quiet.

I am wearing ... black yoga pants and a yellow t-shirt.

I am reading ... um, floating through a few things right now ... a Nancy Drew book is sitting next to my chair, as are a few other things. Nothing is jumping out at me right now so I'm just reading in bits and pieces as I have time. I mentioned on Facebook that my husband and I watched Julie and Julia on Saturday night, and he was inspired to order me Mastering the Art of French Cooking and is eagerly anticipating some fabulous meals in the future. I'm sure there will be some blog-worthy disasters to share. :)

I am hoping ... just hoping.

I am hearing ... the sounds of little noises while the girls are resting in their room, and an episode of Mythbusters playing on the computer (via Netflix).

Around the house ... Not too bad. The girls have done a good job helping me pick up their play messes this morning, but I do need to run the vacuum and put laundry away before T gets home. I would love to do some organizing of a few books shelves, but that is a project best saved for another day, I do believe.

One of my favorite things ... my family. I was spoiled rotten by them this weekend on my birthday. Some folks that have Christmas-time birthdays bemoan the time of year because they feel slighted because of the fuss of the holidays. I have never ever felt that way - my family makes a huge deal out of my birthday (and, really, birthdays in general) and I love that about them.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... again, not much. :) A little schoolin', a little homemakin', a little girl friend time on Friday ... shaping up to be a well-balenced week in my book. :)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you ... ignoring the fact that I look just like a red pear in this photo, this is the coffee cup my BIL got me for my birthday. It holds exactly one pot of coffee! Not that I will be drinking out of it ... I don't think I could lift it if it were full. :) I need to decide what I'm going to do with it - probably put my pens in it or something fun like that!

10 on the 10th ... The November Version

The 10th snuck up on me again so a little randomness to kick off this week.

1. I love November. It might be my favorite month of the year, but I'm not sure. Cool days, colder nights, sweatshirts, coffee/hot tea, football, colored leaves, and being thankful.

2. This past weekend was nut-so. On Saturday, N2 & I left home at 9:30 and headed to a baby shower. Back home a little after 1 pm to drop her off and pick up N1 to take her to a friend's birthday party. Back home a little after 4:30 pm to rally the whole family to go to a sweet couple's open house/housewarming party they were having. Back home about 7 pm and crashed!

3. Due to the craziness of Saturday, when we got home Saturday night, I told the girls that Mommy was going to lay in the chair and they could watch a movie with me. :) I picked Sound of Music and we had a ball watching approximately the first 1/2 of the movie. The music in that movie just makes me happy and the girls loved it, too.

4. In other movie news, due to my savvy Netflix skills, I have timed our recent return perfectly so that Up is arriving in our mailbox tomorrow. It is my week to pick our movie for our Friday night family movie and we are all very excited to see Up again after having enjoyed in in the theater so much. If you have not seen, Up, do! It really is wonderful and sweet and precious.

5. I'm taking a break from sugar for a while. I've been off and on with that for some months, but my skin has been rebelling against me and I am going to start weeding a few things out of my diet to see if it helps.

6. This week N1 and I are doing some reading about koalas for school - week two of our Australian animals discussions. (Last week was sharks). I'm really enjoying this and we have learned some super cool facts just this morning. Did you know that koalas have two thumbs?

7. I mentioned a baby shower that I went to on Saturday ... I have to show you a super cute pic of the table decorations. Someone (not me!) had the idea to write the word "baby" on white pumpkins to decorate the table. The young mama is having a little girl, but she's not a huge pink person so there were lots of fall colors splashed around. I thought the pumpkins were super cute (and yes, I did the lettering).

8. While we're talking about the shower, look at this beautiful wrist corsage. My sister does the bookkeeping for a florist shop and they outdid themselves on this corsage. Seriously, check out the cranberries in there! I love it.

9. When I had to buy a gift for N1's little birthday party, I bought some Shrinky Dinks for the birthday girl. I had forgotten all about them and I used to love them as a little girl! I can't wait to get some for N1 at Christmas, and yes, I will be playing with them right along with her.

10. And lastly, I am addicted with making these right now. I believe one can never have too many bookmarks! :) These are also on tap for some crafting with the girls. I'm going to let N1 loose with a paint brush and she will be thrilled!

Thanks, Meredith, for hosting!

Gladitudes ... on Wednesday

I've never participated in one of Gretchen's Gladitude posts, but it sounds like just the right thing for today. :)

1. I'm glad that BBoo got a clean bill of health for her ear recheck on Monday at the Dr's office. :)

2. I'm even more glad that they are going to postpone drawing blood for another six months to check her for a thyroid issue. (Drawing blood on a 2 year old is not my favorite thing ... been there, done that). Just as an FYI, the reason they are even talking about this is because her soft spot has not closed up at two and it's still fairly large. We had the same thing with N2, but it wasn't nearly as big. They want to watch it another six months and if it's still there this fall, then we'll run a few other tests.

3. I'm glad that I didn't have to have a root canal on Monday. :) I went in prepared for it, but the dentist x-rayed, poked, and prodded and said let's wait. Okay with me!

4. I'm glad for Philippians. It seems like the verses that come to my mind the most are in that book ... I need to just memorize the whole thing. :)

5. I'm glad that we don't have any needs to leave home today. We've been doing more running than normal for my tastes and other than some videos that have to go back to the library by Friday, I don't have to go anywhere for the next three days.

6. I am glad that the bird that flew in the back door of the house yesterday flew right back out. And that it was during rest time so I was the only one that freaked out and not me + three girls.

7. I'm glad that we are getting a new movie tonight from Netflix ... my husband and I loved this movie when we saw it on Valentine's weekend. Thinking we'll enjoy it tonight after the munchkins go to bed. (Really, it's so funny and clean!). :)

I'm ending with seven, not because I can't think of more, but because I feel sure I will be joined by little ones in a few minutes. Happy Wednesday!

10 on the 10th - May

Happy Mother's Day! I thought for my 10 I would do something with a Mother's Day theme ... I'm going to split my 10 and share five things that I enjoy doing WITH and ABOUT my children, and five things I enjoy doing WITHOUT my children. :)

1. I enjoy reading aloud to my girls ... I try to say yes anytime they ask me to read to them, I enjoy it that much. I'm thrilled that we are reading chapter books now ... our lunch time reading is Little House on the Prairie and we are all loving it!

2. I don't mind changing diapers at all and enjoy the few minutes it get to slow down with a child. Really, I do. It has been a rare occasion that I have passed one changing one - usually involving a first trimester of some kind and nausea. I even do cloth diapers when able and love it. :)

3. I love taking my girls to the library (related to #1). :) We have our routine there and the girls know where everything is.

4. I love it that I am the only one that knows exactly how their blankets needed to be folded and fluffed at bedtime. And that they are at a great stage where they all insist on a kiss and hug.

5. I recently taught them a song/prayer to sing before meals and I love hearing them sing it in their 5, 3 and 2 year old voices. "God our Father, God our Father, once again, once again, we bow our head and thank You, bow our head and thank You, amen, amen."

And for those things I enjoy doing without munchkins...

6. Going to Panera Bread/Starbucks/Baja Fresh and getting a coffee/frappachino/diet coke and sitting with book and/or journal by myself.

7. Buying them little treats at the store that they don't expect and surprising them with them.

8. Scrapbooking.

9. Listening to music that is not written about ladybugs, disney characters, or how big I am growing. :)

10. Going to a bookstore and walking the aisles, browsing the magazines, and probably picking up a book that I know they would love and making a mental note to check the library for it the next time we go.

Thank you Lord for these sweet girls and for the changes that you are prompting in me as their Mama. Thank you for the grace you bestow on me each day as I mess up and try again as I parent and for my husband to stand along with me and lead our family. You are great and greatly to be praised!

For more 10 on the 10th, head over to Mer's. And, again, Happy Mother's Day!

Amy at Hope is in the Word tagged me for a fun book meme and I'm happy to play along - thanks for the tag, Amy! :)

Tell me about the book that’s been on your shelves the longest. . .


The book that I've had the longest (though not specifically this copy) is The Happy Giraffe. This was a children's book that my mom had growing up ... one year for Christmas my Dad went on an ebay hunt and bought a copy of the book for me and my sister. I've enjoyed reading it to my girls, even though I can't leave the copy down low for them to look at by themselves. It's pretty fragile!

Tell me about a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (i.e. a person, a place, a time, etc.). . .

Can I mention an author instead? Agatha Christie was my go-to-gal for the last few years of highschool and the beginning of college. I had finally completed my collection of all the Nancy Drew books (in hardback) and was ready to move on the the next level of mysteries. My Dad bought me a 4-in-1 volume of Agatha Christie and Sam's Club and the rest is history.

Tell me about the most recent addition to your shelves. . .

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke. :) I thoroughly enjoyed Inkheart and kept hoping that Inkspell would pop up on paperbackswap.com so I could read that one. (And we won't talk about how long the waiting list at the library was for the book, now that the movie for the first book has come out!) I spotted it last week at Sam's for $6 and took the plunge.

Tell me about a book that has been with you the most places. . .

Probably my Bible, in some form or another. For the past five years, I've used the KeyWord Study Bible and love it though it is showing serious wear and tear.

Tell me about a bonus book that doesn’t fit any of the above questions. . .

I couldn't think of just one so instead I took pictures of our bookshelves. For our tiny two-bedroom home, we have a lot. Both Travis and I love books, and while I'm constantly trying to clean them off to make a little more room, they stay pretty stuffed. :) What can I say ... we're book people! You can click the picture below to see more bookshelf pics in Flickr (I've added a few notes here and there for fun). :)

Ladies, should you choose to accept this challenge, these are the rules:
1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.

I'm tagging Dana, Pattie, Leann, and Cheryl!

The 4th Photo

Stephanie @ Stephanie's Mommy Brain has tagged me! Here are the rules:


1.) Go to your 4th folder where you store your photos.

2.) Select your 4th picture (no exceptions)! Seriously.. no exceptions.
3.) Post the picture with an explanation and link it back to your tagger.
4.) Tag 4 people to do the same!!

Boy, did I get lucky! :) It's a picture of my rockin' husband playing bass in a show at The Factory in Franklin. This picture is from April of 2005 so I was just sure I would be pulling up some sort of picture of N1 - she would have been about 18 months and there's no shortage of pictures of her at that age!

Passing on the photo love. I'm tagging: Kathy, Mills, Gina, and ... anyone else? :)

Christmas-y Meme

1. Hot Chocolate or apple cider?

Either one is fine with me!

2. Turkey or Ham?

Ham.

3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree?

We have a fake tree. I've never had a real tree (grew up with a fake one) and am not sure what I would do with one if I had it. The tree that we have was given to me several years ago by friends that didn't want to move it. The price was right for us! :)

4. Decorations on the outside of your house?

No. 

5. Snowball fights or sleddin'?

Neither ... I prefer to be on the couch, reading. :)

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping?

With or without children? :) I think I could enjoy it, but haven't tried it. The internet is my friend.

7. Favorite Christmas song?

O Come All Ye Faithful

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies?

Love. Them. Am working on our collection and slowly gathering some of our favorites - A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story, White Christmas, Elf, Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Santa Clause ... so many.

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?

I typically don't listen to it before Thanksgiving, but that's more because I rarely slow down to listen to music.

10. Stockings before or after presents?

First thing, please!

11. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them?

Um, we don't have any usually. But, I would listen if they came by. :)

12. Go to someone else's house or they come to you?

We typically go, although this year I am THRILLED that we are having Christmas morning here at our house.

13. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so when?

Throughout the season. The girls and I are reading through it about two verses at a time at breakfast and talking about it.

14. What do you do after presents and dinner?

Relax. :)

15. What is your favorite holiday smell?

Peppermint. Spiced Tea (orange/clove/cinnamon).

16. Ice skating or walking around the mall?

Neither. See #5 re: curling up on the couch. :)

17. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day?

We've been doing one gift with the girls on Christmas Eve. I am enjoying that tradition with them.

18. Favorite Christmas memory?

I love Christmas Eve. The service at church, going to a friend's home and eating and laughing with long-time friends. Coming home to tuck tired and excited little girls into bed and then snuggling with the husband and usually watching a movie by the light of the Christmas tree. 

19. Favorite Part about winter?

The cold. I am not a hot-weather person so this extra-cold winter has been WONDERFUL for me. :)

20. Ever been kissed under mistletoe?

I don't think so. 

Thought this would be a little fun for a quick December post... :)

Have you ever...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (from the beach)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (disclaimer: 2nd grade t-ball, but it was still a homerun!)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check 
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

How about you? If you do this one, let me know. :) (See at His Mercy is New...)

5 Things

The rules are to write 5 things under each of the 5 headings, and then tag 5 others.

10 Years Ago...

1. I had recently come back from a summer missions trip to Split, Croatia.
2. I was learning to play guitar.
3. I was suffering from severe depression.
4. I was living in an apartment all by myself in the middle of Nashville. (Best apartment ever!)
5. Was two years away from even meeting Travis.

5 Things on today's "to-do" list

1. Bible study
2. mop the kitchen floor
3. Awana for N1
4. buying a birthday present for my niece and father-in-law
5. read with my girls :)

5 Snacks I enjoy

1. popcorn (made on the stove, NOT microwave)
2. chex mix
3. peanut butter and cheese sandwiches
4. the cajun nut mix from Walmart (although, I think that was the cause of a recent broken tooth, and what I feel will be an inevitable root canal. Still, love it.)
5. a veggie tray with fat-free dip!

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire

1. pay off all of our debt
2. give to our church
3. put enough money in savings to pay for the girls (and any future childrens' college completely!)
4. travel - Disneyworld, England, Israel, and parts of the US that I've never seen to start with (like Alaska, California, New Mexico/Arizona)
5. build a 2nd story on our house so we can live in our neighborhood forever and never outgrow our little home. :)

5 Places I have lived
1. Oklahoma City, OK
2. Garland/Mesquite, Texas
3. Calgary, Alberta
4. Ft. Smith/Siloam Springs, Arkansas
5. Nashville, TN

5 Jobs that I have had / or still have

1. dishwasher (college)
2. piano teacher
3. legal assistant
4. music coordinator
5. school secretary & nurse

5 People I am tagging

1. Leah
2. Kathy
3. Lu
4. Gina
5. AJ

Thanks, Monika, for the tag. :)

Links Ahoy!

I've had a post simmering for a couple days now, but no time to sit and process. So, in the meantime, some links worth checking out. : )

{ Links }

~ Candy Corn Pots - of course, I'm a few days late for this idea, but it could be easily adapted for Christmas or any other holiday. She has pictures with instructions, but I was pleased with my finished product, although I have learned I cannot paint in a straight line to save my life!



~ This post on peace over at Holy Experience. Worth a read. And a re-read. She speaks my heart in this one.

~ A peek all around Ali Edwards' scrapbooking space. Total eye-candy for me. Or proves I am a major scrapbooking life artist. Whatever. It makes me happy!

~ Coupon alert! Over at Money Saving Mom, check out this post on getting free pretzels at Target. She sends you to the coupons you need to print and it works. I went today armed with coupons and now have my all pretzels for making Christmas goodies, all for just the cost of sales tax. Now to just keep them sealed in the bag!

{ Photos }

~ We dedicated Elizabeth on Sunday at church ... I've been home for literally the past two weeks with sick kids and this was pretty much our one outing (other than today's free pretzel trip to Target!) It was odd to stay home other than popping in for the dedication, and then running back home with the two kids that weren't well enough for the nursery. However, it was a sweet time for us as a family. That's my Dad there doing the dedication.



~ Our recent attempt at an extended family photo. Let's just say it was BUSY with littles aged 4, 3, 20 months, and 6 months. My Dad technically "took" the picture since it was his equipment and he set up the shot, but his photo-friend that actually pushed the button got her aerobic workout jumping up and down trying to get all the kids' attention.



{ Time Out Thursday }

And lastly, in the spirit of Time Out Thursday (click the link ... or head over to Becky's ... to find out more about this neat idea), I'm off to put my girls to bed, pour myself a iced down Diet Coke, and curl up on my chair with a new book. Travis is at music at church, and assuming everyone stays in bed, I will have an hour or so ALL ALONE. Priceless, I tell you.

Marriage Meme #2

Found at Karla's.

1. Where/How did you meet?
We met at church. Travis was new to Nashville and looking for a church. My Dad introduced us that morning when he found out that Travis was a musician (I was on the music team at church).

2. How long have you known each other?
Seven-ish years.

3. How long after you met did you start dating?
About a year.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
6 weeks.

5. How long was your engagement?
10 months

6. How long have you been married?
5 years tomorrow!

7. What is your anniversary?
August 3.

8. How many people came to your wedding reception?
Best guess would be 200-plus.

9. What kind of cake did you serve?
I cannot remember for the life of me. It was pretty though. : )

10. Where was your wedding?
At the Scarrett-Bennett chapel on Vanderbilt University's campus - a stone church that held about 300-350 folks.

11. What did you serve for your meal?
We didn't have a formal meal since we were married at 1 p.m. - heavy-type snacks. But again, I don't really know because I don't think I ate anything.

12. How many people were in your wedding party?
Twelve. Five bridesmaids and groomsmen a piece plus our flower girl and ring bearer.

13. Are you still friends with them all?
Yes. Almost everyone who was in our wedding party, with the exception of the best man (my husband's brother) and one of the groomsmen (who is in seminary) lives here and we still see them regularly.

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony?
No, neither of us did.

15. Most special moment of your wedding day?
For me, was when we had a few moments together before pictures. We did all our pictures before the wedding so after I was ready, I went inside the chapel and Travis met me there. We had a few minutes to ourselves before we rejoined our bridal party and took lots of photos.

16. Any funny moments?
My neice, our flower girl, growled the whole way down the aisle. Her way of coping with nerves I guess. : ) But she did make it down the aisle!

17. Any big disasters?
Not a one.

18. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Yellowstone National Park.

19. How long were you gone?
Eight days.

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change?
Not one thing. : )

21. Greatest strength as a couple?
We work really well together as a team.

22. Greatest challenge as a couple?
Sometimes we don't work well as a team. : ) I occasionally can be, um, stubborn.

23. What did you dance your first dance to?
No dancing - not enough room! However, there was jazz music playing in the background and we entered our reception area to the Star Wars fanfare. : )

24. Describe your wedding dress:
How about a photo:



25. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
See photo above. : )

26. Are your wedding bands engraved?
Mine is not - his is. With Genesis 2.18 and the date.

Eight Things About My Marriage

A marriage meme ... in honor of our 5th anniversary on Friday. Tagged by Stephanie.

1. I love being married to Travis ... he is the only guy I've ever kissed and really dated. I love that.

2. I am several years older than Travis. SEVERAL. Do you want to guess how many? : ) Most people don't realize that because I look so young. LOL

3. We started our marriage by a one-week honeymoon at Yellowstone National Park, planned entirely by the husband. It was fabulous. No phone, TV, internet for over a week.

4. We've lived in two homes since we've been married - a two bedroom condo and our current house.

5. In our marriage, Travis handles the finances and budget. That is a Good Thing. All part of him being an amazing provider for us.

6. He is a supercalafragalisticexpialidocious kind of Dad! Our girls ADORE him and I love it. Case in point: I went to a baby shower last night and left all the girls home with him. They had a ball with Daddy complete with hide-and-go-seek games and I'm sure there was some jumping on the bed time. : )

7. He is a better housecleaner than I am. However, I am slowly warming to his desire to purge our house of all extraneous material and that, also, is a Good Thing.

8. He is my defender, 2nd only to God. There have been a couple situations where he has risen to my defense and has totally blown me away with the seriousness with which he takes that role. Makes me feel unbelieveable loved and cherished.

I'm going to tag Pattie, Maria and Cheri if you want to play along. : )

Five Questions

I'm playing along with Lauren at Baseballs and Bows ... she's emailed me a list of five questions which I'm going to answer. Here goes!

1. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas, and even more now that I'm a Mama. : ) The excitement of putting up the tree, wrapping presents, designing and addressing Christmas cards for friends and family, Christmas Eve service at church, the carols, and the Christmas story ... I love it all. This year I'm looking forward to doing an Advent calendar for the first time with my girls ... N1 will be four and is already asking when we're going to put up the Christmas tree.

2. What are your strengths as a mom?
Wow. Tough question. Probably my organization and creativity in organizing ... fitting five people (happily) in a two bedroom/one bath can be tricky at times. I think I'm pretty good at being "in tune" with the little signals the girls give off ... it doesn't take me long to pick up that they aren't feeling 100% or one is about to cut a tooth. And, I think I'm willing to change. If I find that one of the girls is having problems in a certain area (i.e., right now it's N2 and afternoon naps), I experiment with new schedules for a few days or week to try and figure out what's going on with her and what I can do to help her. Note: this doesn't mean I like change necessarily, but I do like trying new things and this helps me be flexible. Clear. As. Mud. : )

3. Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
My blog is titled after my favorite Scripture. Psalm 52.8-9 reads:

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

I discovered this verse while doing Beth Moore's study on David, A Heart Like His (and personally, my favorite study of her's ever). Not long after that I went through a very, very rough time of depression and about wore this verse out meditating on it.

I'm going to cheat and mention one other verse(s) that are near and dear to me. Lamentations 3.23-26 & 32 reads:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

Once again, these verses have walked alongside me through a recent difficult season. They are exceptionally special to me. : )

4. What is your favorite place to go for a date night?
We don't get lots of date nights, so I'm very easy to please. (At least I think I am). : ) I love it when we go to a bookstore and wander around drinking coffee. Dinner out is always fun - time to talk without having to also feed small people at the same time is a luxury round these parts. (Not to mention the perk of not having to wash the dishes and free drink refills).

5. What do you picture yourself doing 10 years from now?
Let's see ... N1 will be a teen (yikes!) and E and N2 will be 9 and 10, respectively. I would love to have had a few more little ones, but in all likelihood I would be completely out of the diaper phase by then. Hard to imagine. : ) Best guess, I will probably be homeschooling some of my girls and possibly be preparing others to enter public school as middle school students. Another possibility, if my husband ever chooses to enter seminary full-time, might see us moving. Who knows? But it's exciting to think about!

Want to play along? Leave me a comment (and your email) and I'll send you some questions to answer. Thanks Lauren! This was fun. : )

4 Things

I've been tagged! Lu snagged me to complete this meme so here goes. : )

Four jobs I’ve held:
1. Dishwasher at college (work study program)
2. Paralegal/Legal Assistant
3. School secretary/school nurse
4. Church Administrator/Music Coordinator

Four movies I can watch over and over again:
1. Star Wars : )
2. Sense & Sensibility
3. You've Got Mail
4. National Treasure

Four places I have lived:
1. Oklahoma City, OK
2. Dallas, TX
3. Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4. Ft. Smith, AR

Four tv shows I watch:
I really don't watch any TV other than on DVD, so I'm going to list my favorite TV/DVDs that we have liked enough to purchase! : )
1. West Wing
2. The Cosby Show
3. Alias
4. X-Files
I know ... quite an odd assortment of favorites, but that's me. : )

Four places I’ve been on vacation:
1. Yellowstone
2. Gatlinburg/Smokey Mtns
3. Colorado/Rocky Mtns
4. Lake Erie

Four of my favorite foods:
1. popcorn
2. nachos
3. huge salads (especially southwestern ones)
4. diet coke : )

Four websites I visit:
1. Women at Home
2. Flickr
3. Amazon.com
4. My library

Tag 4 people:
I can't remember who I've seen do this one and who hasn't so let me know if you do it. : )

24

Found at Becky's:

What was on your mind yesterday? N1 had a headache (a first) and I was a little worried what was up with that.
What is on your mind today? Do I get out of the house with the girls or not? I could run a couple errands, or we could stay in .... what to do!
Do you like bonfires? Yes! But only if it's chilly out. A summer/hot weather bonfine (been to one of those before) is just wrong!
Have you lived up to your parents' expectations? In some areas. :-)
Are we more likely to find you in a coffee bar or a nightclub? Coffee bar.
Do you gamble? No.
Have you ever ridden a horse? Several times. Those were all adventures that ended Very.Badly. For me. Not the horse.
Do you drink alcohol? No.
Turn your head to the right -- what do you see? Baskets of pens and my calendar. *happy sigh*
How tall are you? Almost 5'5" (5'4½")
Describe your last date: Um, we went out for Mexican food and saw Spiderman 3 the night before E was due ... and then I started having contractions at the movies and we ended up heading to the hospital about midnight!
Do you have rhythm? Yes when it comes to playing an instrument or singing .... none at all when it comes to dancing.
What web browser do you use? IE.
What time zone are you in? Central
Do you wear a wristwatch? All.The.Time.
Are you clumsy or graceful? It's about even.
Do you like to spy on people? Not really. :-)
Are football players paid too much? Yes.
Does time always kill pain? No.
First kiss? The husband. :-)
Are you complicated? Sometimes.
Do you believe in heaven? Absolutely.
Are you free with your feelings? With my girls and husband, yes! With others, not so much.
How much money do you have in your wallet right now? 26 cents. :-)

If you do this, leave me a comment so I can come check it out!

Miscellaneous

1. kissed someone? Probably one of the girls ... we had some floor time this afternoon and I believe there was kissing and tickling involved.

2. drank coffee? Just warmed some up in my cup ... mmm.

3. read a book? I'm between books right now, having just wrapped up a couple. I need to pull Emma back out of my book basket as well as start on a new non-fiction from my Spring Reading list.

4. cursed? At least college ... I have two really specific memories of swearing. (I know, you are dying to know about it!) One was as a 4-5 year old and I took God's name in vain. First time, I remember my Dad explaining we wouldn't do that and if I did it again; the second time ... obviously the spanking I received made quite an impact. I've not done it since. :) I think the 2nd (and really, honestly, the only other time I can remember swearing) was when I was maybe a sophomore in college ... it just came out, I was shocked and appalled, and that was it.

5. had a nightmare? It's been a while, but I'm also not getting lots of sleep and what there is isn't very good. :) Probably not sleeping soundly enough to have a nightmare.

6. checked your email? It's up right now ... love high-speed internet. :)

7. had a crush? On my yummy yummy baby girl this evening. She enjoyed her dinner so much that we literally stripped her down in the highchair and she went straight to the sink for a quick bath before jammies and bed. She is too stinkin' adorable.

8. drove a car? I think Tuesday ... we've been home a bunch this week.

9. rode a roller coaster? Um, I don't do roller coasters - too fast, too high, too nauseous. Ick. :) I did ride some little rides with N1 at Cedar Point last summer. Travis and our neice took on the big ones and had a ball!

10. took a nap? Um. I can't remember. That's a shame because I could really use one.

11. went to the movies? We took the girls to see the Berry Blossom Festival (Strawberry Shortcake) about a month ago before Travis went out of town on one of his trips. They loved it. N2 danced to the music through the whole thing and N1 was very into it as well. I was just glad we only paid matinee prices for it ... but it was cute and clean and very girly. Right up our alley.

12. drank alcohol? I never have. I've tasted a few things over the years, but I don't count that as drinking. Beer once in college, a cosmopolitan when I used to work at the bar association, maybe wine once or twice. I've never liked the taste.

13. went to a party? Define party. Umm, we had a spring party here about a month ago, and Sunday we're celebrating my Dad's birthday.

14. said “I love you"? To the girls this afternoon.

15. cooked a meal? Dinner tonight was a homemade masterpiece. Well, it was hot when it hit the table. :)

16. exercised? Ha. I got a drink and went to the bathroom a few mintues ago.

Hat tip to Lindsay at Enjoy the Journey for this one.

Friday's Feast

I haven't done one of these in a while, and as I'm not feeling any particular inspiration, here goes:

Appetizer ~ When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite?

I'm going to guess purple as that was a favorite color for a looooong time.

Soup ~ On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move?

I can't really answer this as I'm a S@HM, however, I would be totally open to it if Travis' job necessitated a change, or if he ever decides to go to seminary full-time. I've moved so much in my life, that it doesn't freak me out like it would have 10-15 years ago ... now I would look at it as more of an adventure. That doesn't mean that I don't love where we are now - our home, church, friends, closeness to family, etc. But, I'm not one that is so firmly staked somewhere that I couldn't move.

Salad ~ Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total?

50

Main Course ~ Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to?

Well, yes. :) It's been several years, but when we were expecting N1, I was given at least 2 (maybe 3) winter coats for her, both with tags on them. A girl that I worked with at the time was also expecting her first daughter, so I gifted her with one of the coats.

Dessert ~ Name something you need from the store.

Coffee - we only have enought left for one more pot!

A is for age: 36
B is for beer of choice: Diet Root Beer
C is for career right now: Wife and mother
D is for your dog's name: Sam and/or Jenny. Take your pick, there are two of them.
E is for essential item you use everyday: My laptop!
F is for favorite TV show at the moment: I can't tell you the last TV show I watched. Favorite would probably be Alias or West Wing on DVD.
G is for favorite game: We don't play tons of games ... we play with the game pieces, but not according to any actual rules as of yet. :)
H is for home town: OKC, if you mean where was I born.
I is for instruments you play: Piano, acoustic guitar, flute.
J is for favorite juice: I so rarely drink juice. It's been burned into my head that those are wasted calories/sugar from my Weight Watcher days. However, I love cranberry juice with diet ginger ale.
K is for who you'd like to kiss: Any immediate family member. I like them all! But not my dogs. I don't kiss dogs.
L is for last place you ate: (I'll answer this based on yesterday). We had Easter lunch at my folks ... we were supposed to host it, but with the germs we couldn't seem to shake we decided it best to pass on the hosting duties this year.
M is for marriage: Five years in August.
N is for your full name: No thanks.
O is for overnight hospital stays: Twice (almost 3 times) for babies.
P is for people you were with today: My family and an older gentleman from church who joined us for Easter dinner.
Q is for quote: "You can do it!" (What N1 says to me all.the.time. when she is trying to convince encourage me to do something). :)
R is for biggest regret: Two at the top of my list ... not knowing or understanding the importance of daily time in the Word and prayer at a younger age ... it's such a struggle now. And that I would have practice the piano more.
S is for status: Happily married.
T is for time you woke up today: 6:30 am
U is for underwear you have on now: Uncomfortable, and that's all you'll get.
V is for vegetable you love: Lately, all about the broccoli.
W is for worst habit: Um. Too much computer time. :)
X is for x-rays you've had: Teeth, ankle (rolled it off a curb), finger (broke it playing softball), maybe a few others...
Y is for yummy food you ate today: Again, based on our yummy Easter ... it was all good. My Grandma's apricot jello salad, green bean cassarole, ham, etc.
Z is for the zodiac sign: No thanks. That creeps me out. I don't even know what mine is.

This quiz courtesy of Baseballs and Bows!

The Book Meme

Seen round the blogosphere ... officially stolen from Snapshot.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
Hardback is probably my first-choice ... I feel very literary and scholarly when I read them. LOL! But budgetarily, I like trade paperbacks if I have to pay for it.

Amazon or brick and mortar?
Amazon all the way, baby. We even splurged last year around tax time and signed up for the prime shipping deal. (Something like for a flat fee we get free two-day shipping on most thing). Pretty fabulous. I love that I can look at lots of different books, throw them on my wishlist, and then when I can actually afford to buy, I have several to choose from already drooled over.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Probably Borders because it's closer to our house, but I don't really care. My favorite is one called Davis Kidd, but it's a good distance from my house now and I don't get to that part of town very often.

Bookmark or dogear?
Shhh .... I am the world's WORST about dog-earing. Shame, shame, shame. I even have a very cool bookmark that my friend bought me and I forget to use it most of the time. Does it count if it is sitting next to the book instead of in it?

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
Non-fiction is alphabatized by author. Fiction is grouped by author, and then books are shelved in the order that they were written (especially if it's a series). I try to group by subject and probably by size within that grouping.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
I try to only buy books that I want to keep (and use the library for others). When it's time to pass them on I usually start with them on Paperbackswap.com ... if they don't get snagged in a reasonable amount of time, they go to Goodwill or in the trash.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Depends on the book ... if it's a cool hardback underneath I pitch it.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?
I use the flap as a bookmark so I usually leave it on (the only time I don't dog-ear)! But usually it just annoys me so I may start taking it off...

Short story or novel?
Novel. Short stories are just too .... short!

Short story collection (short stories by the same author) or anthology (short stories by a different author?
Neither.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter! I read a couple of the LS books last year but they are too depressing for me. :-) (However, I did enjoy the movie - it was worth getting it from Netflix).

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
I generally try to make it to the end of the chapter, but hey, I'm pregnant. I've been known to nod off in mid-sentence lately. :-)

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
Either works for me if the story is good. :-)

Buy or Borrow?
Borrow from the library or from a friend? I rarely seem to borrow from friends, but yes to the library. But I definitely like to buy books, especially after I've thought long and hard about whether it's worth it to add it to my library ... or it's a favorite author and I know I will waer out the book reading it.

New or used?
Either is fine.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
All of the above!

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Generally, tidy ending unless it's part of a series and I know that I'm not going to be left hanging indefinitely!

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?
Mostly evening, but if I can get the both girls to rest in the afternoon then I might read a bit then.

Standalone or series?
Both.

Favorite series?
Jan Karon's Mitford. Anne of Green Gables series. Little House series. Lake Emily series by Tracy Dupree. The O'Malley series by Dee Henderson. (I hope I wasn't supposed to pick just one).

Favorite books read last year?
SAHM I Am by Meredith Efkin. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austin). The Yada Yada Prayer Group Series by Neta Jackson (I think I read 3-4 of them last year). Ambassador Families by Mitali Perkins. Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl.

Favorite books of all time?
Anne of Green Gables!!! Also, L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon series. Mitford series by Jan Karon comes a close second. Pretense by Lori Wick (most of Lori Wick, in my opinion, is general Christian fluff reading, but Pretense is fairly intense and I think it's her best work). Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express ... brilliant.