Books Read in 2015

Nonfiction
Love and Respect for a Lifetime by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs (Non-fiction 248.844) 4/1/15
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (Non-fiction 917.404-via Overdrive/Kindle) 8/28/15
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (Juvenile Biography) 12/22/15
Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell (Religious Nonfiction) 12/31/15

Fiction/Young Adult
Silver Dawn by G. J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 1/4/15
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskel (Fiction-via iBooks) 2/20/15
The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Cambden (Fiction-via Kindle) 2/27/15
The Selection by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/2/15
The Elite by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/3/15
The Prince by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/3/15
The One by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/4/15
The Guard by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/4/15
The Queen by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/5/15
Fairy Tale Christmas by Michael McLean and Scott McLean (Juvenile Fiction) 3/7/15
An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (Fiction/Play-via iBooks) 3/13/15
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Fiction) 4/11/15
Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Fiction) 4/20/15
Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling by Lara S. Ormiston (Fiction-via Kindle) 4/27/15
The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic by Hazel Gaynor (Fiction-via Kindle) 5/20/15
Hohenstein by Didi Lawson (Fiction-via Kindle) 6/17/15
The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 6/15/15
The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 7/4/15
The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 7/11/15
Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson (Fiction-via iBooks) 7/30/15
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Kindle) 8/15/15
Venetia by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 8/29/15
The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 9/2/15
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 10/ /15
A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 10/7/15
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Fiction) 10/23/15
The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/26/15
The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 11/?/15
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (Fiction) 11/13/15
The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 11/25/15
Mr. Darcy's Christmas Angel by Katy Green (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/15
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/15
Shiloh by G.J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via iBooks) 12/15/15
Heir to Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/18/15
The Return: A Pride and Prejudice Story by Timothy Underwood (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/23/15
The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/26/15
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 12/31/15

Short Stories
"Christmas Offerings" by Jay A. Parry in Once Upon a Christmastime: Short Stories for the Season (Fiction/Short Story) 1/23/15
"Too Much Happiness" in Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story) 2/18/15
"The Eye" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/20/15
"In Sight of the Lake" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/21/15
"Haven" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/27/15
A Christmas Parable by Boyd K. Packer (Fiction/Short Story) 3/19/15

Juvenile Fiction
"Pudding" by Jarrett J. Krosockza in Guys Read: Thriller (Juvenile Fiction/Short Story) 2/13/15
"Boys Will Be Boys" by James Patterson in Guys Read: Thriller (Juvenile Fiction/Short Story) 2/13/15
Lost and Found [including "The Red Tree," "The Lost Thing," and "The Rabbits"] by Shaun Tan (Juvenile Fiction) 2/27/15
The Arrival by Shaun Tan ((wordless) Juvenile Graphic Novel) 2/27/15

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (Juvenile Non-fiction 616.9) 3/17/15

Road Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive Audiobook) 3/23/15 (started in Summer 2014)
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive Audiobook) 3/25/15 (started in Feb 2015)
Lara's Gift by Annemarie O'Brien (Juvenile Fiction) 3/26/15
Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Retold by Carl Bowen (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 3/29/15
Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth Retold by Davis Worth Miller and Katherine McLean Brevard (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/4/15
The Coast Mappers by Taylor Morrison (Juvenile Non-fiction 623.89) 4/4/15
Galileo's Leaning Tower Experiment by Wendy Macdonald (Juvenile Non-fiction 535?) 4/13/15
Bram Stoker's Dracula Retold by Michael Burgan (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/18/15
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels Retold by Donald Lemke (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/21/15
The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park (Juvenile Fiction) 4/27/15
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Juvenile Fiction/Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/29/15
Welcome to Molly's World, 1944: Growing Up in World War Two America (The American Girls Collection) by Catherine Gourley (Juvenile Non-Fiction 940.53) 4/30/15
Boxers by Gene Luen Yang (Teen Fiction/Graphic Novel) 6/4/15
Saints by Gene Luen Yank (Teen Fiction/Graphic Novel) 6/4/15
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Juvenile Fiction-via iBooks) 6/10/15
The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/13/15
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/15/15
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/17/15
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/30/15
How to Train Your Dragon by Crssida Cowell (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/6/15
Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/7/15
House of Robots by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/8/15
Minions: The Junior Novel by Sadie Chesterfield (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/8/15
Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback (Juvenile Fiction) 9/1/15
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 9/13/15
The Tale of the Firebird by Gennady Spirin (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.3) 9/24/15
Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (Juvenile Fiction-via iBooks) 9/28/15
East of the Sun & West of the Moon retold by Laszlo Gal (Juvenile Non-fiction 398.2) 10/13/15
Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs by Michaela Munteen (Juvenile Non-fiction 636.7) 10/20/15
The Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella Story retold by Penny Pollock (Juvenile Non-fiction 398.2) 10/21/15
Challenger: America's Favorite Eagle by Margot Theis Raven (Juvenile Non-fiction 598.9) 10/27/15
I Am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
Lucky Boy by Susan Boase (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15

Easy Fiction
The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/4/15
William and the Magic Ring: A Shadow Casting Bedtime Story by Laura Robinson (Easy Fiction) 1/4/15
Over the River and Through the Wood by L. Maria Child (Easy Poetry) 1/5/15
The Joy of Giving by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain (Easy Fiction) 1/5/15
The Heroic Symphony by Anna Harwell Celenza (Easy Fiction) 1/7/15
What Santa Can't Do by Douglas Wood (Easy Fiction) 1/8/15
None the Number: A Hueys Book by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/8/15
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado (Easy Fiction) 1/9/15
Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt (Easy Fiction) 1/10/15
The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado (Easy Fiction) 1/12/15
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas by Russell Hoban (Easy Fiction) 1/13/15
Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 1/19/15
The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 1/21/15
My Teacher Is a Monster by Peter Brown (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15
The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15
Secret Pizza Party by Adam Rubin (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15

The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/23/15
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau (Easy Fiction) 1/30/15
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/2/15
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 2/2/15
Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins (Easy Fiction) 2/14/15
King Hugo's Huge Ego by Chris Van Duesen (Easy Fiction) 2/14/15
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/15/15
The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose (Easy Fiction) 2/19/15
The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg (Easy Fiction) 2/25/15
The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/26/15
Carl's Birthday by Alexandra Day (Easy Fiction) 2/26/15
Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey (Easy Non-fiction 369.46) 4/9/15
The Secret Seder by Doreen Rappaport (Easy Fiction) 4/10/15
One Candle by Eve Bunting (Easy Fiction) 4/14/15
The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco (Easy Fiction) 4/14/15
The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson (Easy Fiction) 5/3/15
Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/3/15
Magritte's Marvelous Hat by D. B. Johnson (Easy Fiction) 5/10/15
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/10/15
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic! by David Stewart (Easy Non-fiction 910) 5/14/15
The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/15/15
Maria's Comet by Deborah hopkinson (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Palazzo Inverso by D. B. Johnson (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Imagine a Place by Sarah L. Thomson and Rob Gonsalves (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Bad Day at Riverbend by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/13/15
The Z Was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/13/15
Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/23/15
Imagine a Day by Sarah L. Thomson and Rob Gonsalves (Easy Fiction) 6/23/15
The Napping House by Audrey Wood (Easy Fiction) 6/30/15
Flotsam by David Wiesner (Easy Fiction) 6/30/15

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (Easy Fiction via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/18/15

Black Cat by Christopher Myers (Easy Fiction) 9/12/15
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale (Easy Fiction) 9/15/15
Wings by Christopher Myers (Easy Fiction) 9/22/15
New York's Bravest by Mary Pope Osborne (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
50 Below Zero by Robert Munsch (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
Mmm, Cookies! by Robert Munsch (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
Another Day in the Milky Way by David Milgrim (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins & Sophie Blackall (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
11 Experiments That Failed by Jenny Offill (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tololwa M. Mollel (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
Across the Alley by Richard Michelson (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Easy Fiction) 8/30/15
The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland (Easy Fiction) 10/13/15
The Wolf Who Loved Music by Christophe Gallaz (Easy Fiction) 10/13/15
One is a Feast For Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox (Easy Fiction) 11/27/15
Good King Wenceslas retold by Jane Seymour (Easy Fiction-with DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance) 12/15
God Bless Us Everyone!: The Story Behind a Christmas Carol by John Rhys Davies (Easy Fiction-with DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance) 12/15
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney (Easy Fiction) 12/8/15
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick (Easy Fiction) 12/8/15

Vacation Mornings

I slept in until 7:00am, uninterrupted by my boys. (I had given clear instructions the night before.) I finished some light reading, enjoyed sweet (though forced) snuggles with my boys, turned on some Christmas music (which was soon replaced by the Zac Brown Band), and made bacon, homemade waffles, and herbal tea.

I love these kind of mornings. I love sweet, slow mornings without the rush of school days. I love having my boys around (though I also love when they go outside for a bit and run off some of their energy). I have been looking forward to this first day of vacation since the beginning of December. The majority of my Christmas concerts and other obligations are almost over. By Monday I will be able to fully enjoy my favorite moments of Christmas--fun time with my boys looking at Christmas lights, playing games, baking, and squeezing in all the favorite traditions that we can.

Perfect Moments

Last night in a quiet moment before sleep, I lay snuggled against my husband--my leg over his, my hand on his chest, my head resting on his shoulder, his face touching mine. I felt his closeness and breathed him in. I find it strange how deeply his smell touches me. I can't relate it to anything recognizable. I just know that when my face is pressed against him I inhale safety, warmth, comfort, and love.

And then the strangest thing happened. In that moment of perfect contentment, I realized how much I would miss him, his smell, his comfort when he is gone. I have no reason to think that I will lose my husband any time soon. But I have often felt that I will live longer than he will. And last night I recognized how much I would miss him. It struck me so hard that it brought tears to my eyes.

(And now I pray that this was not a premonition. I hope that it was not preparing me for any near tragedy, but merely an opportunity for me to cherish these moments and not take him for granted.)

Happy Birthday to Me

When you become an adult, birthdays all run together. This year my birthday was an especially good one, and I want to remember it. Despite the fact that the majority of my family did not acknowledge my birthday on the actual day (my mom called me a day later, one brother emailed me a day later, and one sister called two days later), or the fact that my best friend completely forgot (it wasn't until she happened to come over the next day and saw birthday cards on my counter that she figured it out), or the fact that my husband didn't give me anything (card or gift)--these things did not affect the positive feeling I had all day long.

The day got started right. When Brett heard me stirring in the morning, he sweetly wished me a happy birthday. To which I replied, "Rabbit rabbit." (When I was in second grade my teacher told us that if we remembered to say "Rabbit rabbit" before saying anything else on the first day of the month we would have good luck for the rest of the month. She always made a big deal of it and it stuck.) Yeah for good luck! 

I got up and noticed more doors closed than usual. When I started down the hall, the boys heard me and started yelling, "Mom! Don't come in!" They emerged a short time later with homemade cards and thoughtful comments. Everyone was cheerful as we got ready for school, and Ryan even made me Morning Orange Drink.

I took Copper for a nice walk and got ready for the day. I had made arrangements to have lunch with two friends from church (before they knew it was my birthday). 

After a very nice lunch I went to Walmart. I ran into an old friend and talked with him for almost an hour. I also saw three friends from church, including one who immediately came up to me and wished me a happy birthday.

I cam home and found a card and rose from my mother-in-law. I went to my own small garden and picked my first cherry tomato of the year as well as a beautiful stalk of pink gladiolas to put in my kitchen window. Then I made myself a Coca-Cola cake from a recipe that I found on Pinterest. It looked so good I couldn't wait to try it out.

Brett and I had made plans to have an early dinner. He made me fresh (caught the day before) blackened amberjack. I made two easy sides. Dinner was done and cleaned up quickly. We were on the boat by 5:30pm, just as the rain stopped, and spent the rest of the evening water skiing. We came home, cleaned up, and ate cake (delicious!).

The boys were in bed fairly early. A friend stopped by with a small gift. And Brett and I were able to sit down and watch two episodes of Castle together.

That was it. Nothing very exciting. But my family was cheerful, kind, and loving all day; and I was happy all day long, from start to finish. In the end, that is what set this birthday apart as one of the best.

Superpowers

I have been enjoying listening to podcasts lately, including "This American Life," an hour-long podcast which is broken up into "acts". Each act is focused on a common theme, but tells a different story or perspective.

Yesterday, I listened to an episode in which each act focused on superheroes or superpowers. Here is the description of Act 1 "Invisible Man vs. Hawkman: "John Hodgman conducts an informal survey in which he asks the age-old question: Which is better: The power of flight or the power of invisibility? He finds that how you answer tells a lot about what kind of person you are. And also, no matter which power people choose, they never use it to fight crime. (14 minutes)"

As I listened to the survey and the responses, I found myself asking the same question. Which superpower would I choose?

I've never had a desire to have a superpower. Though, when I was younger, I used to wrinkle up my nose and wish that I could make my bedroom magically clean itself--the way Samantha could on the television series "Bewitched"--never actually believing that it would work.

However, I have had many dreams over the years when I "fly". I never fly in the way that Superman does. The best way to describe it is like swimming in the air. I jump up, and instead of falling down I keep gliding for a while, using my arms to propel me forward. After about the time that I would have run out of air if I had been swimming, I gentle glide back to the ground. Then I can jump back up and start gliding, swim-flying through the air again. These dreams are never very exciting, but the movement always feels peaceful and natural.

So, which superpower would I choose? Flying. It would be exciting to have a birds-eye view whenever I wished. And think of all the traveling I could do!

Then the interviewer started asking whether we would use our superpower for good. After all, that is what superheroes do--use their powers to fight crime. I felt selfish then, never thinking of helping others. Could I do amazing things with the power of flight even if I didn't have extra strength? I decided that I would use my ability to fly to rescue children in abusive situations. Perhaps I would get involved in an organization like Operation Underground Railroad. I liked the idea of flying scared and hurting children out of the bad and offering them some kind of comfort.

I found this survey so interesting I brought it up with Ryan this morning before school. Which superpower would he choose? "Easy. Invisibility." Why? "Because then I could hide from people." He could also sneak snacks while I taught piano lessons and stay home from school. I look forward to asking Todd about his superpower preference.

I recognize that this survey was done for entertainment and without any official research to back it up. However, the discussion made me think (and that's always a good thing). The host concluded that people who chose flight were more confident. Often those who chose invisibility felt they had something to hide and were more likely to use their superpower for questionable activities (Sorry, Ryan!). I appreciated the comments of one man who, as he talked out his answer, recognized that for him invisibility would "lead him down a dark path." And for that reason, he changed his answer to flight.

I often wish, after listening to a podcast that I find interesting, that I could find someone else who enjoyed listening to and talking about the same things. I like having the back-and-forth dialogue. You never know where the conversation is going to go, and when done with the right person, the exchange can be uplifting and encouraging. On that note, I welcome your thoughts. What superpower would you choose?


P.S. Todd's great response: "I Flight, I guess. I don't know. Neither. I'm fine the way I am." Love this!

Anne's inspiring response (keep in mind that I only gave her the question, not the discussion that came after): Right away, Anne chose invisibility. She went on to describe how she would use this power for good. She explained that she wouldn't choose flight, because without extra strength she didn't feel she would be able to accomplish very much good. With invisibility she could act as a spy and expose corruption. I'm proud to say that my best friend has the heart of a superhero!

Curiosity

I was recently exposed to a new children's author, Oliver Jeffers. The boys and I have really enjoyed reading his books together. I enjoy his stories and art. I came across an interview he did and found this quote interesting:

Telling Stories and Asking Questions by Oliver Jeffers, published on 11/9/2013 HuffingtonPost
"I'm a curious person. I grew up that way. An important lesson my dad taught me was that the surest sign of intelligence in an individual, is curiosity, and that 'why' is the most important word in the English language."

Before we were married, I used to think that I was a smart girl, because I did well in school. (On the flip side, Brett didn't make straight A's--you can guess what I thought about his intelligence.) The longer I am married to Brett the more I am impressed with him, and the more I realize how very wrong I was. I regularly reflect on my husband's intelligence and his ability to do anything he set his mind to (except maybe sing...).

I think it all goes back to curiosity. I see how my husband is wired to wonder how things work. Then he figures it out and applies his knowledge. His hobbies are quite varied and self-taught.

It thrills me to see a little of this same curiosity in my son, Ryan. His hands are always busy, and he asks a lot of "why" questions, which I often deflect to my husband. Unfortunately, his schoolwork also resembles his dad's. I am afraid it will require great patience on my part dealing with his approach to school and homework. I hope that I can keep in mind the great things his father has done and look forward to what Ryan has to offer.

(Don't worry, Todd. You and I are both smart in our own ways, even if we don't have that natural curiosity.)

2014 Christmas Letter

To all our family and friends,

I wish that I were a skilled writer such that I could bring a smile to your face, make you laugh, or make you cry (in the best ways, of course). I wish that I were more organized and able to send out a yearly letter, instead of once every seven years. I wish that I could spend time catching up with each of you in person. These wishes are unlikely to come true this year, but if I could have one wish come true it would be this: that this letter finds you happy and healthy.

And, since it has been seven years since I did send out a letter, here's a family update.

Brett and I celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary this month. We are still happily settled in Niceville near Brett's parents, Brett's brother, and Becca's sister. It has been great having grandparents and other family in town. Becca's parents now live in New England, and we are able to see them a couple of times a year. Most summers we have been able to travel across the country to spend time with some of our faraway Mitchell cousins. We have wonderful memories of our time with family in Utah, California, and Maine.

Naturally, the boys have grown much in these last seven years. Todd and Ryan are close in age--they are now 11 and 10 years old. It makes me happy that they also remain close as brothers and friends. Todd just started middle school this year and is doing well. He likes all of his classes and enjoys getting involved with as much as I will let him, including band (trombone) and cross country. Both boys continue to play baseball each spring, and Todd is always ready for a pick-up game of any sport.

Ryan is in fourth grade and is convinced that school and government officials are conspiring against children everywhere, preventing them from spending enough time with their families. He plans to write a letter to the mayor requesting that a change be made to limit school to only four days a week. Despite his dislike of school, Ryan is an easy-going kid who is generally happy and who makes us laugh.

I enjoy volunteering in the school library once a week. I keep up with my music by singing with a small local choir and teaching a few piano lessons. These days I am down to only four students now that my afternoons have become busier with homework and after-school activities. After three and a half years of working with the children at church, this month I start working with the 12 and 13-year-old young women. They seem like a great group of girls and I am looking forward to this new opportunity.

Brett continues to amaze me with his talents and determination. When he sets his mind to do something, he accomplishes it spectacularly. What started out as an interest in woodworking has turned into a profitable hobby, resulting in quite a bit of quality furniture for our home as well as a beautiful new kitchen. Brett has always enjoyed boating and salt-water fishing. Last year he got his Captain's license, and from time to time responds to calls through TowBoat US to assist boats that are stuck or stranded for one reason or another. In 2012, Brett took some time off from work to fulfill a life dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail--all 2,180 miles from Georgia to Maine--a feat that took him six months of walking to complete! Brett accomplished all of the above while maintaining his employment with the same environmental firm for over 15 years.

Copper, our golden retriever, is now over ten years old. He is a sweet and beautiful dog who still loves going bird hunting with Brett, roller-blading with Becca (only Becca wear the skates), and walking with the boys to the bus stop each morning.

I love Louie Armstrong's song "What a Wonderful World,” especially the following part:

I see friends shaking hands,

Saying “How do you do?”

They're really saying

“I love you.”

How nice it would be to see each of you face to face, to be able to shake your hand and let you feel how much I love and appreciate you.

Wishing you the very best this Christmas season,

Becca and her boys (Brett, Todd, and Ryan)

Books Read in 2014

The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado (Juvenile Fiction) 1/1/14
Jack and the Baked Beanstalk by Colin Stimpson (Juvenile Fiction) 1/1/14
Marianna by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via eBook/Overdrive) 1/4/14
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Fiction) 1/17/14
Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills (Easy Fiction-via eBook/Overdrive) 1/19/14
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio Book/CD) 1/20/14
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Fiction-via eBook/Kindle) 2/18/14
Sand Jewels by G. J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via eBook/iBooks) 2/22/14
The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via eBook/Kindle) 2/25/14, 5/27/14
The Dark by Lemony Snicket (Easy Fiction) 2/26/14
Drops of Gold by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via eBook/Deseret Bookshelf) 2/27/14
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 2/27/14
Fall For You (The Jane Austen Academy Series) by Cecilia Gray (Fiction-via eBook/Kindle) 3/3/14
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Non-Fiction 133.901-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 3/4/14
Someday, Someday, Maybe: a Novel by Lauren Graham (Fiction-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 3/11/14
The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale (Fiction) 4/2/14
Secret North by G. J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via iBooks) 4/2014
Illustrated World Classics Ben-Hur (Juvenile Fiction) 4/2014
The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Fiction) 5/1/14
Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 5/2014
The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story by Joseph Bruchac (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.2) 5/2014
Dangerous by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction) 5/11/14
Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan by Jane Yolen (Juvenile Non-Fiction 92) 5/16/14
The Last Bride by Beverly Lewis (Amish Fiction) 5/18/14
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Fiction-via iBooks) 5/2014
Apple White's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Ashlyn Ella's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Briar Beauty's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Hunter Huntsman's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Madeline Hatter's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Kilmeny of the Orchard by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Fiction-via iBooks) 5/31/14
Raven Queen by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/31/14
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (Fiction) 6/11/14
The Dark, Dark Night by M. Christina Butler (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella by Jan Brett (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
On the Way to the Beach by Henry Cole (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
Who's on First? by Abbott and Costello (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
Guys Read: Funny Business "Unaccompanied Minors" by Jeff Kinney (Juvenile Fiction-Short Story) 6/11/14
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach by Carmen Agra Deedy (Easy Fiction) 6/12/14
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney (Easy Fiction) 6/15/14
If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff (Easy Fiction) 6/16/14
The Other Side by Istvan Banyai (Easy Fiction) 6/17/14
Locomotive by Brian Floca (Easy Non-Fiction 385) 6/17/14
Cajun Night Before Christmas by Trosclair (Easy Non-Fiction 811) 6/17/14
Guys Fead: Funny Business "My Parents Give My Bedroom to a Biker" by Paul Feig (Juvenile Fiction-Short Story) 6/15/14
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey (Juvenile Biography) 6/16/14
Gingerbread Days by Joyce Carol Thomas (Easy Fiction) 6/27/14
The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Kindle/Overdrive) 6/21/14
If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
Things That Are Most in the World by Judi Barrett (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
It's Duffy Time by Audrey and Don Wood (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
The Firekeeper's Son by Linda Sue Park (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton by Meghan McCarthy (Easy Biography 92) 6/29/14
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 6/29/14
Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman: Duty and Desire (Book 2) by Pamela Aidan (Fiction) 6/30/14
The Goose Girl: A Story from the Brothers Grimm Retold by Eric A. Kimmel (Easy Non-Fiction 398.21) 7/2/14
The Goose Girl by Harold MacGrath (Fiction) 7/18/14
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction) 8/4/14
Invisible by Cecily Anne Paterson (Young Adult Fiction) 8/31/14
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & The Beast by Robin McKinley (Young Adult Fiction) 9/5/14
The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain (Fiction-via iBooks) 9/12/14
Gilgamesh the King by Ludmila Zeman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.21) 10/1/14
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/11/14
Go to Bed, Monster! by Natasha Wing (Juvenile Fiction) 10/22/14
The Revenge of Ishtar by Ludmila Zeman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.21) 10/23/14
The Last Quest of Gilgamesh by Ludmila Zeman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.21) 10/23/14
As You Are by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/14
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/14
Nacho and Lolita by Pam Munoz Ryan (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.2) 10/30/14
Goodnight, Mr. Darcy by Kate Coombs (Juvenile Fiction) 10/30/14
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 11/14
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.2) 11/4/14
Jouahan: A Hmong Cinderella by Jewell Reinhart Coburt with Tzexa Cherta Lee (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.22) 11/7/14
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown (Juvenile Fiction) 12/1/14
The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction)
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers (Juvenile Fiction) 12/11/14
The Christmas Story (A Little Golden Book Classic) by Jane Werner (Juvenile Fiction) 12/11/14
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers (Juvenile Fiction) 12/12/14
A Book of Mormon Christmas: The Nativity Story in Picture, Verse, and Song by Michelle Kendall 12/14
Drummer Boy by Loren Long (Easy Fiction) 12/14
A Christmas Greeting A Series of Stories by Hans Christian Andersen (Juvenile Fiction-via Kindle) 12/31/14