Favorite Books of 2010

I set a goal to read three books a month in 2010, and I topped it by reading 37 books this year. There was a good mix in all of the books, but these are my favorites from the year. I hope you'll find something here that you'll love, too.

Steady Days by Jamie Martin
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker
Lift by Kelly Corrigan
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Did you read anything this year that you loved? Please share!

30 before 30 (on the 30th!)

I wrote this list, my 30-before-30, to get me over the squickiness of turning 29- and now I'm genuinely excited about this part of it. I've started working on these things already, and look forward to crossing them off in the coming year. If you've got experience, input, advice, or suggestions for any of these, I'd love to hear from you!

Ready? Okay!

Read
3 books each month
The Book of Mormon before Easter
Jane Austen's major works (6 books)
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The Chronicles of Narnia

Start
AM and PM Routines - Regular 'to rise' and 'to bed' times
Daily and Weekly Routines with the boys
Exercising 3 times a week
an Etsy shop with WBH
Posting 7 times a week on the blog

Learn
to make button holes
to use a serger
to make and use royal icing for cookies
to make a blog button
to make marshmallows
to make caramels

Create
a 15-day recipe binder (15 each of breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert/cookies)
a dress for myself
awesome halloween costumes
a re-fashion
a pattern from an existing piece of clothing
a quilt for the living room (to hang over the mystery second door)
2 years of scrapbooking done
a piece of furniture

Other
Increase Blog Traffic
Perform in a production
Finish no-cost bedroom makeover
Lose 20 lbs
Run my hometown 5k
Upstairs Bathroom fix-up

What I Wore Wednesday

I'm trying something new this week. I've always loved The Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday, but I didn't want to post anything until I'd lost weight and had the time/funds to dress better. Then I had a change of heart, deciding that I can work with what I am, with what I have. So I've used the WIWW to motivate myself to step it up this week, and I'm joining in.

I'm a work in progress here- constructive criticism is welcomed, as fashion isn't my strong suit.

And I promise that if this is a flop, I won't do it to you again.

Hanging out a Mom's- I really love this mirror!

Sweater: Calvin Klein (Costco)

Tank: Costco

Jeans: Eddie Bauer, thrifted

Booties: thrifted

Wild Things Necklace: WBH made

Pipe cleaner and bell bracelet: Stinky made

At Church- Not sure about this one, since I was hopping it was a little Joan Holloway meets Emma Pillsbury.

Then Stinky said "That's when I was in your tummy" when he saw this picture. Fail?

Sweater and brooch: Gifted

tank: Costco

Belt: thrifted skinny tie bought for an 80's party a million years ago

Skirt: Marshalls

Herringbone Tights: Target

Shoes: Payless

Bracelet- Stinky made

Stinky's Birthday, at the fine Scottish Bistro
Brown cable sweater: Jeanne Pierre, thrifted
tee: Old Navy hand-me-down
hat and scarf: made by me

(the hair is a hot mess... I was trying for Rachelle LeFevre hair, I got Roseanne Roseannadanna)

Church Christmas Party
Sweater: Target, thrifted ($2!)
Scarf: Marshall's
Tank: hand-me-down
Pants: Express, thrifted (I didn't think I'd fit in anything from there, I was very excited)
Shoes: thrifted
Earrings: made by me

Will You Play Date With Me?

When I imagined myself as a mother, somehow I assumed that there would be a magical cloak of knowledge that suddenly fell on me at the moment of my firstborn's conception. I'm still waiting for my magical cloak, three conceptions later.

Stinky's been having a rough go of it at preschool. Somedays are great, and then, bam! Abysmal failure. I've been trying to work with him, trying to figure out how to help him, and I've decided that playdates might be a good place to start learning to be a friend without the pressure of the whole preschool class there.

One of the things I think I was missing from the magical cloak was knowing that when your kid is having a hard time, asking another mom for a playdate is a million times harder than asking the hottest guy in school on a date. She could reject you, and not only you, but your kid, too. Double shame. Then returns the scared 15 year old, and you can't be that girl as a mom.

But if there's double shame in a possible rejection, there's definitely double joy when you hear that mom say yes, and that what's more, they like your kid, even knowing the troubles they've been having.

So much better than than the hottest guy in school.

Full Of It

It was a really nice weekend. Was yours? I hope so.

I'd planned for a round-up of the handmade gifts I made, but the weekend has been too full.

Full of family faces, from near and far.

Full of noses being wiped, Theraflu and Emergen-C chugged.

Full of puzzles and games played on the rug.

Full of gratitude and reflection.
Full of snuggles and late-night movies.
Full of joy at Rotten sleeping in the bed Santa brought him (On his own! CELEBRATE!).
Full of one-on-one time with Stinky thanks to Rotten's sleep successes.
Full of appreciating gifts, but embracing the companions.

Much, much too full for writing any blog posts.

So I hope you'll forgive me, but this weekend was so filling that if it was a meal, I would be searching for my maternity pants. Okay, you caught me, I totally had to find my maternity sweats. I'm back on track now. Come back tomorrow, though. This week is full of good stuff.

Sunday Inspiration

The Christmas season is wonderful in many ways. It is a season of charitable acts of kindness and brotherly love. It is a season of being more reflective about our own lives and about the many blessings that are ours. It is a season of forgiving and being forgiven. It is a season to enjoy the music and lights, parties and presents. But the glitter of the season should never dim our sight and prevent us from truly seeing the Prince of Peace in His majesty.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

... and to all a good night.

Our family wishes you and yours the best Christmas weekend. May your gift making hands not be sore, may your children's sugar highs wear off without any tears, and may you sleep, sometime very soon, in heavenly peace.