Book Recommendations From This Past Year

I began the year writing reviews for some of these books but I lost steam so I decided to just categorize and recommend books.  They are listed by genre (yes I know things like "dystopian society" isn't probably technically a genre but it best explained those books) in alphabetical order by title, and some books did fit more than one category so I just put it where it seemed most like the other books.  If the book was part of a series, only the first book was listed.  Happy reading!

Books I Would Highly Recommend:

Dystopian Society:
Delirium (series of 3 books, 3rd comes out next year) by Lauren Oliver
Hunger Games (series of 3 books) by Suzanne Collins

Paranormal:
Harry Potter and The Sourcer's Stone (series of 7 books) by J. K. Rowling
The Host by Stephenie Meyers
Twilight (series of 4 books + incomplete 5th book) by Stephenie Meyer

Suspense:
11/22/68 by Stephen King

Young Adult:
Paper Towns by John Green
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Books I Would Recommend:

Chick Lit:
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (series of 5 books) by Ann Brashares
Sloppy Firsts (series of 5 books) by Megan McCafferty
Watermelon (series of 4 books, possibly a 5th someday) by Marian Keyes

Dystopian Society:

Crossed (series of 3 books) by Ally Condie

Paranormal: Shiver (series of 3 books) by Maggie Stiefvater

Religious/Self-Help:
Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Francis Collins
It's Not About Me by Max Lucado
Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Dr. Donald Clifton

Young Adult:
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Looking for Alaska by John Green
The Summer I Turned Pretty (series of 3 books) by Jenny Han
Keeping The Moon by Sarah Dessen


Books I Felt Neutral About:
Chick Lit:
Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise
Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Dystopian Society:
The Knife of Never Letting Go (series of 3 books) by Patrick Ness

Books I Would Not Recommend:

Chick Lit:
Fifty Shades of Grey (series of 3 books, couldn't make it through the first) by E. L. James


Young Adult:
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Christmas

We started Christmas the weekend before with the Elstro Christmas.  Those pictures are on a different computer and I hope to get them transferred soon but here are my two favorites:

The kids woke up at a reasonable time (unexpected!) and were ready to open gifts!



Colton taking his time to open his scooter:

Bennett trying to take the wrapping off the bottom of his horse:



Hailey with goodies from her stocking:

And Hannah showing off some too:

Playing with one of Mommy and Daddy's gifts:

Later that evening, presents at the Guyon/Jordan Christmas:

Matthew and Jessica opening gifts:

Everyone laughing at the kids opening their presents:

Steve and Stephanie:

Aww, newlyweds:

Trying to open a big gift (grandma is back there):

Jessica smiling for the camera:

Grandpa checking out the goodies that the kids and I made:



 A very Merry Christmas for all!!!

Another Nephew!

Anne is due May 9, exactly 4 weeks before me.  Anne and Marie were guessing girl (I never heard anyone else's guess) and the ultrasound was scheduled for this past week.  This weekend, Joe and Anne came in with a little gift for Marie - a boy bib!  That's right, nephew #3 is on his way!!! 

We found out about this little one in about a month!  I am leaning toward boy, so wouldn't it be neat to have boy cousins so close in age?

Week 14

This has been a big week for baby-related things.  I was able to stop the progesterone two weeks ago, so I am finally feeling human again and the morning sickness seems to be gone.  I am also feeling baby!  A few tiny tap-tap-taps here and there.  Hello little one!!!