2012 Books Continued...

3. High Five! by Ken Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles, Don Carew, and Eunice Parisi-Carew
-This is one off the bookshelf at school.  We have a major leadership/team building theme at my school and this is one that I've heard some of the teachers talk about so I picked it up.  Quick read.

4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
-I enjoyed this story and now am willing to see the movie! :)

5.  Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell A. Barkley, PhD
-very informational and good resource

6.  Raising Boys with ADHD by James W. Forgan, PhD & Mary Anne Richey
-some of the same info, but easier read...would definitely recommend this as a quick resource to anyone wanting to learn more about this disorder

7.  Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
-powerful book!  I have heard a lot about this author, but hadn't read anything of hers yet.  This was a random pick from the library...I just happen to turn around and saw her books on the shelf and decided it must be time to try her out :)  For a random choice, I chose well because the storyline of this book fit right in with one of the time periods that I always like to read about.  Partially set in WWII, but instead of Holocaust Germany...this was set in Stalin's Russia so I got a different perspective than I have read before.  Would definitely recommend this book to others!

8.  The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah
-2nd pick of hers dealt with infertility/adoption...wow, I sure can pick 'em...
This book was good and the author definitely captured what it's like to be the "infertile" surrounded by people with children/people who are "family, family, family" when one has a very difficult time dealing with conflicting feelings of happiness and deep sadness that happen at the same time as a result of those same people AND how those same people try to understand, but never really can.  I liked the ending, but in some respects I felt like it was just a bit 'far fetched'  in real life I'm not so sure that such a neat and tidy ending is really how the scenario would have turned out.  That would be the only thing I could say about this author and the books I've read thus far is that "neat and tidy" endings are wonderful to read, but sometimes they can be misleading from how real-life goes...I guess that's why it's called fiction ;)

9.  Picture This How Pictures Work by Molly Bang
-read this book as part of one of my summer classes...it made me think about art and how artworks are put together in a way I had never thought about before...hopefully this info will help in my class too :)

10.  Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto

11.  Ways of Seeing by John Berger
-read this as part of my research for my research project about teaching visual/art elements to enhance reading comprehension with kids...I found it to be an interesting read and learned about how to look at artwork along the way too...and this is coming from a [maybe former] non art loving person! :)

12.  Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

13.  Golden Legacy by Leonard S. Marcus

14.  Dear Genius The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom by Leonard S. Marcus
-read this and the previous book after my summer class and learning about how picture books are made...these were both about the publishing industry

15.  United States Catholic Catechism for Adults by U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
-read this as part of our diocese's adult education effort this past year.

16.  The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson

17.  Honus and Me by Dan Gutman

18. Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin A. Ramsey

19.  The Name of this Book is Secret by Psuedonymous Bosch

The last four books were read as part of an award list for elementary students at school so if you're interested in children's lit (3rd-5th)...check them out.

Welcome to the World!

It's a girl, another niece! 

(Now don't tell me this news would shock you :)

Lydia Brooke

Congrats to my brother-in-law, Pete, and his wife, Jenny!  And congrats to big brother Wyatt and big sisters Brielle and Carly!

We are so grateful for her safe and healthy arrival into this world and can't wait to get to know her as she grows!

We love you Lydia!

Grand Totals:  Nephews-2  Nieces-8

(Yeah, it's slightly lopsided, but we don't care because as you all know...I have the cutest nieces and nephews ever! ;)