Reading Books

Books I read in 2014

 

I made my reading goal this year.  I am pretty amazed.  Here is what I read last year.

 

1. City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments book 3)- Cassandra Clare

 

2. Divergent (Book 1)- Veronica Roth

 

3. Blood Magic (book 1)- Tessa Gratton

 

4. Nim's Island (read to my kids)- Wendy Orr

 

5. Cinder- Marissa Meyer

 

6. Who Was Amelia Earheart (read to my kids)- Kate Boehm Jerome

 

7. Insurgent (Divergent book 2)

 

8. Flight of the Sparrow: A Novel of early America- Amy Belding Brown

 

9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (one from chick family book club)- Stephen Chbosky

10. Dealing with Dragons (book 1)- Patricia C. Wrede

 

11. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian- Sherman Alexie

 

12. Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo (book 1)- Obert Skye

 

Books I've started in 2014 and need to finish:

1. The Maze Runner- James Dashner

2. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (reading to my kids)- Barbra Robinson

 

I have enjoyed reading most of the books I read last year, there was one I didn't care for.  Which was Blood Magic.  I just really didn't like reading that book.

There were two books I really enjoyed.  Of course I enjoyed the Divergent Series, I need to read the 3rd one, but those are the books I am talking about, even thought they are good.  The two I enjoyed reading was, Flight of the Sparrow and The Absolutely True Diary of a part-time Indian.  Both of those books have Indians in them.  I really enjoyed reading those two.  So if you get a chance see if you can find them at your library.  I will tell you Flight of the sparrow is pretty descripted and there are some parts that are sad and disturbing.  The True Diary one has language and in appropriate things, but it is still a good read.  Just read with caution.

I will hope fully finish those other two books here soon. 

 

And here is something we are doing for The Chick Family Book Club...

Not sure if you can read any of it.  Something to keep us busy this year.

 



Cajun Potato Soup Recipe

Cajun Potato Soup Recipe

 

2 TBSP: Unsalted Butter

1/2 Onion, diced

2 stalks of celery

2 C: Milk

3 TBSP:  all-purpose flour

3 C: Chicken Broth

1 can of corn

2 lbs. red potatoes

1 1/2 tsp.: Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning (or any kind of Cajun Seasoning)

1/2 tsp.: thyme

1/4 tsp.: Oregano

Salt to taste

 

1. Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Gradually whisk in the milk and the flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Stir in Chicken broth, corn, potatoes, Cajun seasoning, thyme, oregano and salt.

4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20-30 minutes.

 

 

This recipe turned out really good.  I adapted it to the things I had in my kitchen and a way my kids would eat it.  They loved it.

 

Here is the actual recipe, (ya, I changed the name too)

 

Potato Corn Chowder

2015? Where are the flying cars?

So we made it to 2015!

 

This has to be a good year, cause I was born on the 15th, so 15 must be a lucky number.  Right?

 

So I too have made some goals this year.  I am going to try to follow my goals, but no promises.  Life gets busy goals get broken.  I guess it is good to set some though.

 

I'm not going to make a goal like, I want to lose 20 lbs this year.  I make that goal every year and it never works out for me.  I am going to try to focus more on my health instead of weight loss, and if I'm lucky maybe the weight loss will follow.

 

My goals are...

 

1. Work out at least 30 min a day (go to the gym more)

I have been doing good at this so far, except for today.  I decided cleaning the house, and I mean really cleaning the house will work for my working out for today.

 

2. Read 15 books this year, plus read the scriptures.

My goal was 12 last year and I barely made it.

 

3. Try a new healthy recipe once a week

Today I made Cajun potato soup.  It was really good.

 

4.  Drink more water! (I am really bad at this)

 

5. Go to sleep earlier!  (I have been horrible at this already)

 

6.  Have a movie night or game night with my family once a week.

 

So those are my goals.  Super exciting right?

 

If you made goals this year, I hope you are able to keep them.  I know it is hard.  I hope you all keep healthy and enjoy being around loved ones.  I hope 2015 is a great year.  Even if we don't have flying cars :-(

 

HAPPY 2015

 

 



Goals, a no go

So last month I made a list of goals I wanted to do.  I didn't do so well at all.

I couldn't even keep up with my scary movie for everyday in October.

 

I did do my no sugar for 30 days really well.  I made it through the whole time.  I am proud of myself for that.  I felt so good for completing this goal.  My whole body felt good, I had energy and felt I great.  I am planning on doing this goal again.  I thought to do it again this month, but it didn't happen.

 

Other goals I want to work on is going to bed by 10pm

Not eating after 8pm

Deep cleaning my house

 

I will probably have to do this in the new year cause I don't think it will happen this year.

 

I keep getting sick, so when you are sick you don't want to do anything, at all.

 

I am motivated to do these goals, but I just need to push myself.  I'm not very good at pushing myself.

October, Scary Movie Month

So I decided to watch a scary movie everyday this month.

Here is my first week of scary movies, let me just tell you, these movies I will list really are not so scary.  I'm going to have to step it up next week and pick some really scary movies.

Here is my list...

 

Oct 1st-

World War Z

 

This movie was ok.  I'm not a huge Brad Pitt fan, but I was told this movie was really good.  I think it's ok.  It's not one I would watch all the time.  It really isn't very scary.

They call the people in it zombies, but they are more like ravenous dogs.  They bite someone and then move on.  It's not like they sit there and eat peoples brains or anything, so I wouldn't call them zombies.  I didn't feel like I wasted my time watching this movie.

 

Oct 2-

Frighteners

 

I watched this movie a long time ago when I was a kid.  Back then it was kind of scary.  As I watch it now, it isn't scary at all.  It's more of a comedy I think.  It's about a killer killing people still even though he is dead.  And the hero can see ghosts and he see's numbers on peoples heads and that is how he knows who the killer is going to kill next.  It has Michael J Fox, so if you are a fan of him you might like this movie.  Once again I didn't feel it was scary.

 

Oct 3-

The Cabin in the Woods

 

Oh my goodness!  One of the dumbest movies I have ever watched!  Not scary, just dumb.  I feel I wasted my time watching this movie.  I can't even explain this movie, I don't know where to began.  These young adults are being killed by hillbilly zombies, but they chose their death and didn't even know it, cause there are people controlling the way they die.  There is a company that sets this all up so people die so they can save the world for a god that lives in the Earth.  Ya, I don't recommend this movie, even if Chris Helmswroth is in it.  So dumb.

 

Oct 4-

An American Werewolf in London

 

Well, this is a movie made in the 80's.  So you can understand the acting and the clothing were all pretty horrible.  But it was an ok movie.  Once again I didn't think it was very scary.  It did have a really long love making scene that made me feel uncomfortable.  But you probably get the picture about the movie.  A guy gets scratched by a werewolf and he becomes a werewolf, oh and he's in London.  No happy endings in this movie.

 

Oct 5-

Hellraiser

 

This movie was strange.  It did not scary me, it was just strange.  You can not stop watching it.  It is an ok movie, just strange.  It's all focused around this box and if you open this box then you get pleasure or pain.  And these characters show up that look totally weird.  I really have no idea how to explain this movie.

 

Oct 6-

Possession

 

I usually don't like to watch movies that have children in it that they make them scary.  This one wasn't to bad.  It was an ok movie, it wasn't really to scary.  It's about a little girl who finds a box at a yard sale and her dad buys it for her.  It has Hebrew writing on it.  There is a demon in the box and the girl opens it and becomes possessed.  You get the picture, they have to get the demon back into the box.  It's pretty much like any of those demon movies.

 

Oct 7-

The Amityville Haunting

 

I was not impressed by this movie at all.  I don't know if Amityville Horror is a true story, I guess I better look into that.  This movie wasn't scary to me.  It's about a movie that moves into this house they know a family was murdered in and could be haunted.  Weird things keep happening and they still stay in the house.  Oh and this boy is documenting everything too.  So it's kind of like those movies like Blair Witch  and stuff like that.  This movie is where I realize almost every scary movie has sex scene in them.  Out of the 8 I watched only one didn't have a scene in it.

 

Hellraiser II

 

Weird just like the first one.  I can't really explain, I guess you guys are just going to have to watch them.  It all has to do with the box.  I didn't find it scary either.

 

There is my list for the week.  Hopefully next week will be better.



October goals

I thought I would do some goals this month.

 

My goals are,

 

1. No Sugar for 30 days

2. No eating after 8 pm

3. Be in bed by 10 pm

4. Walk everyday

5. Deep Clean my house

 

So far I have one succeed at number 1.

I will have to work harder this week.

If anyone would like to join me you are welcome to.  You will probably do better then I am.

I am also watching a scary movie everyday this month.  I will write a blog about those later hopefully.  I am also going to start doing our family movie night again.

Worst Blogger award goes to...

ME!

 

 

Yes I think I have earned the award.

I have been a horrible blogger.

I think it's because sometimes my life gets a little to crazy

and I can't process anything enough to write about it.

 

Like our summer.

It was a crazy summer.

We had our ups and our downs.

We got to see family, we also lost a family member.

 

It has been a fun, but hard summer for us.

But we had each other, and that's all we can ask for.

We survived our downs, and remembered our ups.

We shared time with our loved ones that we don't get to see very often.

We celebrated birthdays, and went on trips.

Went swimming, had picnics, rode bikes, and had adventures.

Seen movies, went to the library, had ice cream, and listened to great music.

Picked raspberries, ate cherries, made jam and froze peaches.

Most of our summer we had a blast.

 

We said goodbye to our puppy dog.

We miss him a lot, but we remember all the happiness

he brought to our lives.

He will always be a part of our family.

Hogan, you are loved and missed very much.

 

We always have our ups and our downs,

but mostly our ups.

I always try to look on the bright side of things,

and be positive.  Even if I am the only one.

I remember to joke and remember to laugh.

Cause how could you live in a world without laughter,

I know I couldn't.

 

I hope  you all enjoyed your summer.

It is now fall, and the leave are changing and falling.

The smell of autumn is in the air.

Time for holidays, family get togethers and pies.

Apple, pumpkin and my favorite pecan.

I feel it's going to be a great fall!