2011 Book Mania!

Although you can find all the books I read in 2011 and my notes on them under the label Books, here is a comprehensive list of all of them:

1. Mr. Darcy takes a wife by Linda Berdoll
2. The Queen's Man - A Medieval Mystery by Sharon Kay Penman
3. The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirris
4. Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
5. The Art Thief by Markus Zusak
6. A March on London by George A. Henty
7. Winter Ghosts by Kate Moss
8. When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom
9. Sigmund Freud - Pioneer of the Mind by Catherine Reef
10. Journey to Narnia by Kathryn Lindskoog
11. Wizard - The life and time of Nikola Tesla - Biography of a Genius by Marc J.Seifer
12. Beyond good and evil by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
13. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
14. The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham
15. La's orchestra saves the world by Alexander McCall Smith
16. Darcy and Elizabeth - Nights and Days at Pemberly by Linda Berdoll
17. Miss you most of all by Elizabeth Bass
18. Romancing Miss Bronte by Juliet Gael
19. Death of a Squire by Maureen Ash
20. Persuasion by Jane Austen
21. Battle Hymn of Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
    
22. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblenski
23. I am an emotional creature by Eve Ensler
24. Major Pettigrew's last stand by Helen Simonson
25. The Three Kings by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
26. Fall of Giants by Ken Follet
27. The Last time I saw Paris by Elisabeth Adler
28. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein
29. Three lives by Gertrude Stein
30. The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey
31. The Greater Voyage by David McCullough
32. The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
33. Journey into the past by Stefan Zweig
34. Winter in Majorca by George Sand
35. The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey
36. A guide to the birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson
37. Little House on the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
38. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
39. Collected Poems by Emily Dickinson
40. Collected Poems 19090 - 1962 by T.S.Elliot
41. The many lives and secret sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
42. Napoleon Bonaparte by Alan Schom
43. Marie Antoinette - The Journey by Antonia Frasier
44. Tales of passion, tales of woes by Sandra Gulland
45. The last great dance by Sandra Gulland
46. The tale of two castles by Gail Carson Levine
47. Tender is the night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
48. Whatever it takes by Paul Tough
49. The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma
50. The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig
51. Matched by Alli Condie
52. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
    
53. Mount Vernon Love Story by Mary Higgins Clark
54. Sara's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
    
55. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
56. Shakespeare and Co. by Sylvia Beach
57. The Giver by Lois Lowry
58. The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace
59. The Boy with Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
60. The Sweetness at the bottom of the pie by Alan Bradley
    
61. The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedman
62. A guide to Art by Sandro Sproccatti
63. An Assembly such as this by Pamela Aiden
64. Duty and Desire by Pamela Aiden
65. These Three Remain by Pamela Aiden
66. The Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga
67. None by you by Susan Kaye
68. For you alone by Susan Kaye
69. Crossed by Alli Condie
70. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
71. His Excellency George Washington by Joseph Ellis
72. The Book of Mormon
73. At Home by Bill Bryson
    
74. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
75. Shakespeare - The Illustrated and Updated Edition by Bill Bryson
76. Shakespeare Thefts by Eric Rasmussen
77. Dear Cary: My life with Cary Grant by Dyan Cannon

As I was trying to highlight my favorites for this year, I realized it wouldn't be fair, because after looking at this list, I feel I really enjoyed reading most of them. I can't wait to see what 2012 has to offer. Happy Reading!

My December Reading

Okay, so I didn't read as many books in December as I had set myself out to read. What with all the shows and concerts we attended, and then the many movies and shows we watched at home, my time was completely filled. Nevertheless, I was able to read some absolutely amazing, interesting, and well-written books. Here is the list for my December books:

1. The Book of Mormon - We finally finished the Book of Mormon as a family. I shouldn't put it in my own reading list, but I just feel so proud for my family to have kept the promise to each other in reading it every day since the end of August. It brought us closer to each other, and we are the better for having read it. A great book that changes lives for better. A must read if you are looking for a purpose and happiness in your life!

2. At Home by Bill Bryson
I had such a good time reading this book. I had never read any books by Bill Bryson, but this book made me want to read more of his other ones. At Home is a collection of information and knowledge concerning our homes. We follow the author around inside his home as he describes and explains things found in each room. What makes it more interesting is the fact that he gives a historical background to each of the things he describes. He starts with the history of homes, windows, doors, moves on to the hall, bedrooms, kitchen, etc, and gives us a wealth of details on each of them, their history and development throughout the centuries, as well as wonderful facts that although aren't necessary to our daily life, are very entertaining. It is a long book, but you can read a chapter at a time, and at your own leisure. Needless to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

3. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
This queen of regency romance of the early 1900's had never been in my radar, until recently that is. Frederica has as much charm as Jane Austen's Emma, as much wit as Pride and Prejudice, and as much romance as Sense and Sensibility. Although it was long, I had to finish it in one seating, which meant reading it nonstop all night long. If you are looking for a well-written Jane Austen kind-of-romance, don't hesitate to grab Frederica. You won't be disappointed with its fun characters, twists and turns of the plot, and the main theme of the fall of a cynic through the power of love.

4. Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant by Dyan Cannon
Dear Cary is a biography about one of the most classy actors of all time, Cary Grant. Written by his fourth wife, Dyan Cannon, it tells the story of their stormy relationship and marriage, Grant's addiction to LSD, Dyan's inability to cope with this great star's insecurities and baggage, and her immaturity to distinguish between romance and love. A very heartfelt letter to Cary Grant ends the book. I don't know why I never learn from my past experiences. Every time I enjoy an author, singer or actor, I want to learn more about them. Of course, learning more about them, tears down the dreamy feel you have for those personalities, and the real, and sometimes ugly truth gets uncovered. Nevertheless, Cary Grant will always be the embodiment of a debonair gentleman to me. The book was quite interesting and entertaining. A quick read into the life of not only Cary Grant, but also the many stars of that period.

5. Shakespeare - The Illustrated and Updated Edition by Bill Bryson
As I said earlier, when I like an author, I read more of his writings, and Bill Bryson has really impressed me. In this book, the author writes an amazingly clear account about what little and very confusing information we have on Shakespeare. He brings him to life by sharing details from the real documents that historians and linguistics have on file about this famous author's obscure personal life. Bill Bryson's relaxed style of writing puts the reader at ease and allows you to enjoy the subject matter. A very fine book with a wealth of information on our precious Bard.

6. Shakespeare Thefts by Eric Rasmussen
Another book on the works of Shakespeare, mainly his First Folios. In 1632, a few years after Shakespeare's death, two of his closest friends and colleagues, set out to publish all 36 of Shakespeare's plays in one comprehensive hard cover volume. There were 1000 copies made of that first edition, and three more editions followed after that. Eric Rasmussen is a well-known academic and researcher of Shakespeare, and in this book he takes us around the globe through today's many First Folios owners, as well as entertains us with very interesting tales of where the rest of the copies might have ended. A detective story on how to find Shakespeare's first edition copies of his plays.

A joyous gathering

We spent two beautiful days in Sacramento this week. One of our best friends from Virginia got married to a lady from this area, and we were thrilled that we could go. We spent Tuesday evening at the same hotel as our friend's. Our children were very excited to play with their Virginia friends and remember the fun times they had together. While waiting for our friends to finish last minute wedding preparations, we settled in our hotel room. I caught up on some emails, Charlton and James nestled in bed playing hide and seek with each other, Gillian was speaking in the phone to family, and Elijah and Jefferson played a few dart games with each other. I was grateful for well-behaved children, that even though there wasn't much room to breath let alone to accommodate personal space, they all tried their best to enjoy each other's company without disturbing their mother's peace.
After a little while our friends joined us, and we were so happy to meet Paul's wife, who was absolutely gracious and wonderful. Elijah and I felt immensely glad for our friend to have found such a sweet lady. They have both been divorced, and have children from previous marriages. This union seems great for all the parties involved. I wish them great joy and happiness in life. They are both amazing people and very kind. We spent our evening eating at the Cheesecake Factory (one of the few restaurants that could accommodate about 14 kids and 6 adults,) and catching up with each other. Paul is still trying to convince us to move back to Virginia, for which I don't need much convincing, but of course life is not that simple. We had a great time catching up with each other and learning news about the many friends we've left in Virginia. Life is wonderful when you are surrounded by dear friends.


The next day was the wedding. We took the kids to swim at the indoor swimming pool in the morning, and then we all got ready. The sealing took place at the Sacramento Temple, and once again I was touched by the words that sealed this couple for eternity. I love listening to the words because they remind me also of the covenants that I've made with my husband and the many blessings that come by keeping those sacred promises. I'm grateful for the knowledge that our families can be forever. I know it takes hard work, but it's all worth it in the end.
What a view that temple was! I've seen and been in many temples throughout the world, however I was unprepared to witness the beauty of this small temple. I understand every temple is dedicated to be a house of God, and it is such, regardless of its architecture or size. But I have to say this temple's architecture and elegance captured my heart immediately. This temple more than encouraged me to capture my family in camera with its beauty as the backdrop.

Congratulations Paul and Heather. We love you both and wish the best for both of your families.

Merry Christmas to you all!

What a great week-end we had. We ate great food, played awesome games, served others, shared our love with family, talked to friends, and we celebrated the birth of our Savior together as a family. This was our first Christmas by ourselves, and at the beginning I was a bit apprehensive about cooking a big meal for just my little kids. But after telling my children that evening I was going to entertain my favorite guests - them - I got into the Spirit of Christmas and cooked a delicious dinner for my beautiful and precious family.

We started our Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve. After telling my kids that they were my special guests for that evening, they decided to help set the table with fancy glasses and plates. I roasted a whole turkey for us and cooked all of our traditional dishes. My kids were excited. I have to say my favorite thing was seeing Charlton trying to drink sparkling cider with our tall fancy glasses. We were all worried he would spill, but he did fine during the whole dinner. I loved seeing my boys using knives to cut their meat, and Gillian trying to eat the turkey's leg, following her grandmother and mother's example of liking dark meat. Most of all I loved sharing this celebration with my husband. He made this week so special by being with us and doing things with us every day, by sharing his example of service and kindness, as well as by helping me make this holiday unforgettable for all of our family.

Christmas morning found us all fresh and excited. Since we were going to have church from 10 to 11,we decided to open only Santa's gifts, and leave the rest of the Christmas gifts to be open after church. The kids weren't happy about this, but they understood. This was Charlton's first Christmas being old enough to really capture the meaning of Christmas as well as enjoy Santa's gifts. He was excited to open his gifts, and then just sit and read. I think his siblings were way more excited about him getting gifts than he was himself. He was satisfied within the first few minutes when he got some Froggy books. Santa was really kind to the kids this year, very educational and exercise oriented, and they really appreciated it.


At church, we partook of the sacrament, and listened to the choir singing amazing and uplifting songs that reminded us of the true meaning of Christmas. Gillian and I participated in the choir this year, and I was grateful for that opportunity to develop our talents as well as bring some joy to others while doing it.
After church, we got home and enjoyed our children's joy and gratitude for the gifts they got. Amongst others, Gillian's favorite were her Do-your own Gustaf Klimt painting and the set of the Lord of the Rings books-on-CD. Mama Lu followed up on my lead of Gustaf Klimt's art set by giving Gillian a a Gustaf Klimt coloring book, which Gillian already started to color. I love her sense of color.

Both older boys loved all of their gifts, but the Star Wars Legos were their primary love. We placed our laundry table in the middle of the living room and Elijah sat along side them and helped them build their Star Wars battleships. Later, while I enjoyed a game of darts with Jefferson, Elijah was also able to play with James a game of Jenga and had to admit that James was a worthy opponent.

Charlton received plenty of fun games and toys, but yet again books won his heart over. My kids are so easy to please!

Elijah was gracious enough to be pleased with our boring gifts to him, such as a leaf blower and clothing items. But he was touched when Jefferson gave him his present, something he had made all by himself. Jefferson had made Elijah his very own Santa Clause bringing him a full bag of gifts. Sweeeeet!
I got plenty of exciting gifts. Jeremy's girlfriend, Kalie, had drawn my name this year, and she totally surprised, shocked, impressed, and touched me. After thinking about my likes and dislikes, she presented me with a very nice lenses for my camera. Very thoughtful, indeed. My mother-in-law hit a home run this year also with her gift to me by surprising me in choosing a very fashionable dress for me, just like I would have chosen it myself. Thank you family members. You made me very happy.

After we had all opened our gifts and shared our gratitude to each other and to our Heavenly Father for the blessing of having a loving family, Elijah and I sat next to each other and shared our love for one another. Just then, he told me that he remembered he had one more gift for me, and apologized to me for not having it wrapped. When he came back from the room he placed a large gift on my lap. My heart stopped when I opened it. He had bought me my very own laptop!!! The gift was beautiful for many reasons. We have a very nice desktop at home, but sometimes I wished I had a laptop and sat down on my comfortable chair and did my own things while Elijah or the kids used the other computer. So, it was needed, but not quite necessary. Secondly, it was beautiful because it was a total surprise. Truthfully I didn't expect it. Thirdly, my husband had probably sacrificed his own things to purchase me something that I wanted but didn't quite need it. I am so grateful for a husband who loves me, adores me, and respects me. And above all, I'm grateful for a man who puts me above his own needs. I'm grateful for his example of sacrifice and kindness.

We spent the rest of our Christmas day talking to our family and eating dinner with friends. We all went to bed very happy that night. This morning we woke up very late, made some yummy breakfast and enjoyed each other's company.

This last picture is for my father-in-law, whose name Charlton carries as his middle name. Elijah's father loves to add hot sauce to everything he eats, so when the first thing Charlton asked as he sat down on the breakfast table this morning was hot sauce, I had to capture it in camera:

Merry Christmas, friends, and a happy New Year! And don't forget hot sauce to spice up your life.

What does Christmas mean to you and yours?

Christmas means a lot of things to me and my family. That's why we try to take time during the whole month of December to enjoy this magical event. That's why Elijah saves his vacation time (most all of it) for Christmas (he is spending these last two weeks of December with us at home). Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year, and here is what it means to us:

SPENDING TIME WITH FRIENDS

The Wiederhold children and my kids had a fantastic time playing at the park, talking and sharing their excitement for the holidays, as well as watching this new Christmas movie. It had a touching message and made our children think of Christmas as a special time for everyone, and that giving is the best thing in the world.

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS
James's Snowman


Jefferson's Elf


Gillian's dream of sugar plums dancing in her head


WORKING TOGETHER
One of the greatest blessings in our family is the fact that my kids love being together, whether they are playing, reading, eating, watching a movie, or even working and doing chores. Life isn't always perfect of course; they do fight and irritate each other. However, for the most part they are there for each other, and try to help one another. Having had Elijah home this week, we have been together all day and everyday, and we have loved every minute of it. Family is what this life is all about.

SERVING

Elijah made six pies just this week. And he gave them all away to friends and neighbors. Elijah and I may be different in many things, but service is a great trait that connects us strongly. Both of us believe that serving others is the most powerful way to show our love and kindness toward others and our Savoir. I'm grateful for my husband's example of giving of his time and talents to enrich others' lives. It enriches mine for sure.

REMEMBERING AND BEING REMEMBERED

GIVING AND RECEIVING


OBEYING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS
We finished reading the Book of Mormon as a family tonight! We started it in the beginning of this year, but were not reading them very regularly. On August 28, I was inspired to write a promising declaration and had each of us sign it. In it, we (my children and us the parents) promised to read every day for at least 10 minutes each from classics and scriptures. We made it; we read every day without missing any. My children know the scriptures better, we have become a stronger family, and we cherish our reading time as the most precious time of the day. What a blessing!

SEEING THE LIGHTS AT THE TEMPLE VISITOR CENTER AND REMEMBERING WHO OUR TRUE LIGHT IS: OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST


SHOWING OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER


I'm a big Masterpiece Theater fan, and I LOVE Period dramas. Earlier this year, I got attached to this very well written series, The Downton Abbey. On January 8, the second season starts. I expressed to Elijah my desire to watch it with him, and he was so willing that we sat tonight and watched a couple of episodes from the first season. Knowing that this isn't his thing, and seeing him enjoying it just because I enjoy it, made me very happy. I know Elijah loves me dearly because he shows it in many amazing ways. I love spending Christmas with him.

READING CHRISTMAS BOOKS

Reading Christmas books each night during December truly brings a special spirit into our home. This year I was touched by the story of the Christmas truce in that long ago Christmas night of 1914. It is a beautiful book, and every time I read it I weep for those young soldiers who died a long time ago. But I also feel overwhelmed by the power of love that Christmas always brings.
That is what Christmas means to my family: LOVE.

Here is Walter Cronkite, accompanied by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, bringing this beautiful and touching story to life: