Happy New Year…

From my house to yours!

 

Button Courtesy of Smart and Trendy Moms

 

Books …

Reading has always been my guilty pleasure…I could easily curl up in a chair or under a warm blanket in bed and let the world go by while I engrossed myself in a book.

This year I joined two groups – Read Your Own Books and 52 Books in 52 Weeks.

So, how did I do you ask?

80 Books – of which 33 were my own – and I have donated those (with an exception of a few) that were my own that were read.

Bold denotes books I own…others borrowed from library.

 January

1) The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook – Ina Garten
2) Estefan Kitchen – Emilio and Gloria Estefan
3) Remember My Touch (Harlequin Intrigue 469) – Gayle Wilson
4) Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama’s Plan to Renew America’s Promise – Obama for America
5) Michelle Obama: Meet The First Lady by David Bergen Brophy

February:

1) Judas Kiss by J. T. Ellison
2) Portsmouth: Photographs by Nancy Grace Horton; Text by Laura Pope
3) Chance of A Lifetime by Barbara Kaye (Harlequin Superromance 449)
4) Flashback by Justine Davis (Silhouette Bombshell 86)

March

1) The Mommy Bride by Shelley Galloway (Harlequin American Romance 1212)
2) The Jim and Dan Stories: A Journey of Grief and Faith by Colleen Redman
3) Muses Like Moonlight: A Closet Poet Comes Out by Colleen Redman
4) Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton
5) Double Minds by Terri Blackstock
6) Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

April

1) Today’s Kitchen Cookbook by the Today Show Cast
2) Tempest in Eden by Sandra Brown
3) All The Pretty Girls by J. T. Ellison
4) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
5) Pint Size Traditions II by Lynette Jensen
6) Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
7) 1st to Die by James Patterson
8) 2nd Chance by James Patterson w/Andrew Gross
9) 3rd Degree by James Patterson w/Andrew Gross

May

1) 4th of July by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
2) 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
3) The Sixth Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
4) 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
5) Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
6) The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
7) Why Cats Do That: A Collection of Curious Kitty Quirks by Karen Anderson
8) Winter Games by John Cacombe
9) A Doctor’s Secret by Marie Ferrarella

June

1) 14 by J. T. Ellison
2) Mortal Remains by Henry Scammell
3) Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
4) Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life’s Adversities by Elizabeth Edwards
5) The Thomas Berryman Number by James Patterson
6) Season of the Machette by James Patterson

July

1) See How They Run by James Patterson
2) Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Micheal J. Fox
3) Hush Little Darlings by Judith Kelman
4) The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
5) Black Friday by James Patterson
6) The Midnight Club by James Patterson
7) Hide and Seek by James Patterson
8) When the Wind Blows by James Patterson

August

1) Cradle and All by James Patterson
2) Might As Well Laugh About it Now by Marie Osmond with Marcia Wilkie
3) A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall
4) Miracle on the 17th Green by James Patterson and Peter deJonge
5) The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter deJonge
6) Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
7) The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver
8) Too Late to Say Goodbye by Ann Rule

September

1) The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver
2) The Lake House by James Patterson
3) Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
4) 13 Bullets by David Wellington

October

1) The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
2) 99 Coffins by David Wellington
3) Vampire Zero by David Wellington
4) 23 Hours by David Wellington
5) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
6) The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
7) Diner’s Drive-Ins, and Dives: An All-American Road Trip by Guy Fieri with Ann Volkwein

November

1) The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
2) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3) Bad Blood: Freedon and Death in the White Mountains by Casey Sherman
4) Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton

December

1) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2) Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
3) Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs
4) Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
5) Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
6) Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
7) An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris

I plan on doing the same thing next year!!!

Necklace & New Clothes…

This is the beautiful necklace by daughter, Tara, sent me for Christmas.  I just love it – it is so very me!

Thought I would share with you the new clothes I bought!  I rarely buy clothes for myself!   I’ve been better about it this year than any other.

This sweater just caught my eye – and I thought it would look good with the necklace Tara sent me – and – with the necklace I won at the Visiting Nurses Craft Show.

The buttons on the shoulder really caught my eye on this next sweater –

And my final purchase was this shirt – I thought it would look good open over a light blouse or worn like a regular shirt with jeans.

It’s cold here today – really frigid – and I’m thinking these clothes are going to be a great addition to my winter wardrobe.

The Simple Woman's Daybook…

FOR TODAY…  December 28, 2009

Outside my window… It is dark – since it is just midnight and I’m not ready to sleep.

I am thinking… that I need to get busy and get a few things sewn up by Saturday.

I am thankful for… my daughter, Tara Danielle.  I love and miss her so much – but, I hope to go out to Phoenix in this next year.

From the learning rooms…  I want to learn how to knit different types of socks.

From the kitchen… Have not yet completed my menu for the week – but, I do know that I need to finish using up the apples I have and will be making applesauce tomorrow.  Also, have some pears and want to make some pear crisp.

I am wearing…  comfy black sweat pants, a bluish sweat top, and socks.

I am creating… some really pretty pillowcases.

I am going… to celebrate the Christmas holidays with Scarlett and Elizabeth this coming Saturday.

I am reading… An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris.  It is a good read!

I am hoping… that we don’t have a lot of snow or ice this week.  I want to go see Mother on Wednesday.

I am hearing… the tv in the background…not really paying attention to it.

Around the house…  I want to get totally caught up with my laundry, desk clean up, and cleaning the floors before New Year’s  Day.  They say that what you do on New Year’s Day is what you will do all year long.  So, I’d rather  be knitting, quilting and reading that day.

One of my favorite things… was the Sugar Cookies that my friend made!  How come we don’t make those all year long.  They are really good.

A few plans for the rest of the week: visit mother, catch up on e-mail; clean house; and get some sewing done, too.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

Some pretty sock yarn…

To participate or read other daybooks – go here!

Today…

Started the day by going over to Hartland, VT for church.  The group is small – but, I enjoy being in their company.

From there I headed to Lebanon, NH – and the Kohls…You have to understand I go to Kohls maybe four times a year.  Had $10.00 worth of Kohls cash – which would expire on January 2,

Found:

a beautiful sweater – it is a light color with turquoise and pink threads woven throughout.

A second sweater that is probably a coral color. 

And, finally a dark purple corduroy long sleeved shirt – am thinking I can wear a shell under it – and leave it open…or wear it closed by itself.

From there I headed to JoAnn’s – haven’t been there in ages – didn’t find much that I wanted (I know – a fabric store!)  Did find some new Sugar and Cream cotton – colors 

Stopped for an early dinner of Chicken Alfredo at Pizza Hut – and headed for home…

That was my day – how was yours?

 

The Day After Christmas…

Christmas was a wonderful day…

Got to talk to my daughter – it’s always hard on the holidays because she is so far – but, at least we do talk!  She sent me a beautiful necklace – it is so me!! 

For dinner I headed over to a quilter friend’s home.  Sue is so fun!  And, we have a good time when we get togther.  Got to meet her husband, Scott and her children Catherine and James as well as James’ girlfriend.

We had a great dinner – turkey breast (cooked in a crock pot – and it was so tender and moist); mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes , cranberries, my applesauce and dressing.  For dessert there were tons of really good cookies…

(She sent me home with a dinner place for supper tonight)

It was really a nice day!!!!

Merry Christmas!

Photo from 7art-screensavers.com