Books I read last year, plus some

cover	title	author	avg rating	rating	shelves	date read	date added
	The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #3)	Turner, Megan Whalen	4.40		read	Feb 07, 2012	Jan 13, 2012
	To Kill a Mockingbird	Lee, Harper	4.18		read	Feb 04, 2012	Jan 03, 2012
	Out of My Mind	Draper, Sharon M.	4.31		read	Jan 31, 2012	Jan 03, 2012
	Major Pettigrew's Last Stand	Simonson, Helen *	3.84		read	Jan 28, 2012	Feb 01, 2012
	Red Glove (Curse Workers, #2)	Black, Holly *	4.17		read	Jan 28, 2012	Jan 30, 2012
	Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide	Kristof, Nicholas D.	4.36		read	Jan, 2012	Feb 01, 2012
	Stuart Little	White, E.B.	3.74		read	Jan 15, 2012	Jan 16, 2012
	Room	Donoghue, Emma *	3.96		read	Jan 13, 2012	Jan 03, 2012
	The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #2)	Turner, Megan Whalen	4.25		read	Jan 08, 2012	Jan 13, 2012
	Little Blog on the Prairie	Bell, Cathleen Davitt	3.64		read	Jan 07, 2012	Jan 07, 2012
	Jake	Couloumbis, Audrey *	3.48		read	Dec 31, 2011	Jan 03, 2012
	On the Banks of Plum Creek	Wilder, Laura Ingalls	4.13		read [	Dec 2011	Jan 04, 2012
	Among Others	Walton, Jo	3.86		read	Oct 2011	Oct 01, 2011
	Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)	Rowling, J.K.	4.40		read	Oct 2011	Jan 03, 2012
	Side Effects	Koss, Amy Goldman	3.84		read	Sep 25, 2011	Oct 01, 2011
	The Life of Glass	Cantor, Jillian *	3.79		read	Sep 20, 2011	Sep 20, 2011
	Setting Limits with Your Strong-Willed Child : Eliminating Conflict by Establishing Clear, Firm, and Respectful Boundaries	Mackenzie, Robert J.	4.07		read	Sep 2011	Jan 04, 2012
	The Distant Hours	Morton, Kate	3.81		read	Aug 13, 2011	Aug 13, 2011
	Cryer's Cross	McMann, Lisa *	3.74		read	Aug 04, 2011	Aug 04, 2011
	The Things We Cherished	Jenoff, Pam *	3.56		read	Aug 2011	Aug 19, 2011
	Up from the Blue	Henderson, Susan *	3.77		read	Jul 22, 2011	Aug 04, 2011
	The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health	Campbell, T. Colin	4.21		read	Jul 14, 2011	Jul 15, 2011
	Promise Me	Brinker, Nancy	4.10		read	Jul 08, 2011	Jul 08, 2011
	Entwined	Dixon, Heather	3.81		read	Jul 02, 2011	Jul 03, 2011
	Little House on the Prairie	Wilder, Laura Ingalls	4.09		read	Jul 2011	Jan 04, 2012
	Okay for Now	Schmidt, Gary D.	4.35		read	Jun 29, 2011	Jun 29, 2011
	The Wednesday Wars	Schmidt, Gary D.	4.14		read	Jun 23, 2011	Jun 29, 2011
	Poison Study (Study, #1)	Snyder, Maria V. *	4.21		read	May 04, 2011	May 10, 2011
	Flipped	Draanen, Wendelin Van	3.83		read	May 04, 2011	Jun 06, 2011
	Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)	Rowling, J.K.	4.19		read	May 2011	Jan 03, 2012
	The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1)	Despain, Bree *	3.88		read	Apr 19, 2011	Apr 26, 2011
	Anna and the French Kiss	Perkins, Stephanie *	4.33		read	Apr 13, 2011	Apr 13, 2011
	A Company of Swans	Ibbotson, Eva	3.93		read	Apr 11, 2011	Apr 13, 2011
	Stolen: A Letter to My Captor	Christopher, Lucy *	3.95		read	Apr 04, 2011	Apr 06, 2011
	Little House in the Big Woods	Wilder, Laura Ingalls	4.12		read	Apr 2011	Jan 04, 2012
	Matched (Matched, #1)	Condie, Ally	3.81		read	Mar 18, 2011	Mar 18, 2011
	Simplicity Parenting	Payne, Kim John	4.19		read	Feb 20, 2011	Feb 21, 2011
	The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate	Kelly, Jacqueline	3.99		read	Feb 19, 2011	Feb 21, 2011
	Runner	Newton, Robert	3.57		read	Feb 2011	Mar 18, 2011
	The Sky Is Everywhere	Nelson, Jandy *	4.17		read	Jan 22, 2011	Jan 24, 2011
	3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows	Brashares, Ann	3.31		read	Jan 19, 2011	Jan 19, 2011
	The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud	Sherwood, Ben	3.93		read	Jan 18, 2011	Jan 19, 2011
	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)	Rowling, J.K.	4.29		read	Jan 2011	Jan 03, 2012

So, let me just mention that I feel a little strange about book reviews. I judge the books I read in several ways: how strong I think the writing is, how engaged I felt, how it affected me emotionally, and whether the characters seemed believable.   Several of these factors can leave me loving me a book that you may hate, and I am totally cool with that.  Also, sometimes I give extra “points” to innovation or creativity, and I have a high respect for authors in general.  Sometimes I can appreciate what an author has written even if it isn’t my cup of tea. Have you ever written a book?  I think most of you will say “no,” and I haven’t either.  I think it is probably way harder than we realize ( when it is the type of book I respect).  I realize that I am also affected by the state of my life or even my mood when I read the book, and I know that some books appeal to me or turn me off for that reason.  Even now, looking about my reviews, I am questioning a few of them after having some time to digest the book.  And I know that some things don’t offend me that may offend you, and then there are things that you may be able to stomach that give me the heebie-jeebies.  For all of these reasons, I have a hard time recommending books. 

Okay, that is out of the way, so enjoy the list.  This is very much a copy-cat post of this one by my cousin Olivia.  Last year she inspired me to keep track of all the books I read on goodreads, and I am happy she did.  I would have never remembered all of these, and even now looking at the list, I see at least one I forgot to add.  I should mention that all the Little House books and Harry Potter books were read aloud to my boys, as well as a few others – yet another way I am influenced when reading a book.  There is something really touching about sharing books you care about with the people you love.  I found myself tearing up as I read parts of Prisoner of Azkaban with them.

If you aren’t my friend yet on goodreads, I would love to add you!  I am KatieColeman – pretty easy to find.

Happy Birthday to me

It’s my birthday today and it has been a good one.  For starters, I slept in until nine o’clock.  That may not sound very late to some of of you, but I couldn’t believe it when I opened my eyes and saw the clock.  I woke up briefly at 6 when Carina woke up, but as soon as Chad left the room with her I shut my eyes and didn’t even stir until 9.  With four kids awake, it was a birthday miracle. 

The rest of my day was just as pleasant and relaxing.  Chad and I got a leisurely lunch date.  Carina took 2 naps – something she hasn’t done in a really long time. I got sweet notes from family members and Young Women in my ward, and very thoughtful gifts.  I didn’t cook or clean – in fact, Chad cleaned the house top to bottom last night and did all the laundry.  He also made lemon blueberry cupcakes from scratch and is currently putting Carina to sleep.  When he gets downstairs we are going to watch Downton Abbey (for the first time – I know, I am so behind!).

I think that sometimes when you have a baby who is, say…..11 months old, you forget to go easy on yourself still.  When I have a newborn in the house, I cut myself a break, but with an older baby I don’t grant myself the same immunity. Why can’t I think more clearly, be more organized, get more done, eat better, have more patience?  Why am I so sleepy that I can lay down on the playroom floor and actually doze off?!  Oh yeah, I still have a baby – one that only naps for an hour every day and doesn’t want to be more than a foot away from the rest of the day. 

Today was exactly what I needed  - a day of rejuvenation and relaxation – a day to go easy on myself and know that I am appreciated.

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Something good for something better

Last summer Chad was given the assignment (or "calling") of "ward clerk" at church.  This job requires him to be at church 2 1/2 hrs early on most Sundays for meetings, which is pretty crazy considering that church also lasts 3 hrs.  The Sunday that he was called, my friend Stacie, whose husband also has to be at same same meetings each week, was commiserating with me about the joys of getting all the kids to church by yourself.  I joked with her that Chad and I were probably going to get in a lot fewer fights now because we always seemed to argue during the rush to get to church on time.  Then I laughed and speculated that I would probably just fight with my kids now instead.

I am a very imperfect person, and I have to admit to you that those first few months were hard.  As Mormons, we try to dedicate our Sundays to our Heavenly Father.  Since we want other people to be able to keep the Sabbath Day holy, we don't shop or go to restaurants and we try to avoid anything that would require other people to work.  The boys have skipped soccer games and while a lot of people are on the lake with their boats during the summer, we are in church.  Saturdays are our work and play days, and Sundays are the day we try to recommit ourselves to doing God's work.  My point being - we sacrifice our Sundays.   I am used to it.  I grew up that way.  However, Sundays are also a family day and I was also used to having my husband by my side throughout it.  Having him gone meant yet another day of getting the kids ready and keeping them happy (alone).

I would often arrive at church just done.  Fed up with the kids, exhausted, not wanting to be there and resentful towards Chad because of his absence (and he felt it). I couldn't really admit that, but it's true.  I wanted him to do his part in church and do his best at it, but I resented it.  And if you have ever gone to church with a baby, you know that your work has just begun once you get there. Even getting all the kids out of the car and into the building is a chore.

My resentment towards Chad faded as I got used to just counting on myself, and then my prediction to Stacie came true:  I was fighting with my kids.  A lot.  Getting them dressed, they would fling their pajamas across my face and their eyes would roll back in their heads with the deliberate avoidance of eye contact: if we don't look her in the eyes, we can feign shock and disbelief when she breaks down and screams. The ride to church was often silent after I dared any of them to utter one more word of complaint. 

Thankfully, I always left church feeling edified and relaxed -even when I spent a good deal of time nursing, changing diapers, and walking the halls. 

I wish I could say I prayed and fasted one week and learned overnight how to be nice to kids while still getting to church on time, but change has come very gradually.  

This morning, when I sat in the chapel singing the opening hymn, I realized I was actually smiling.  I felt kindly toward my husband and kids and was so happy to be there. There had been no tears or yelling to get there.  A small accomplishment, but no....not actually an accomplishment.  A blessing - that even though I was impatient at times, I was trying really hard to do something good for whole family and my Heavenly Father had seen it and helped me.  I am sure I will have many more frustrating and spiritually strained Sunday mornings, but I love that He didn't just take my "trial" from me.  He trusted me to use it and grow because of it.  Hopefully I have.

Playing catch-up

This is very old news, but the kids celebrated Chinese New Year in January.  For those of you who don’t know, Colin and Gabe both attend Waddell Language Academy as a part of the Chinese immersion program.  In the past, they have always had a huge program for Chinese New Year, with all the Chinese classes performing and parties in each class, but this year they decided to scale back.  Each class had a performance and party in their class for their parents.  It also happened to be Chad’s birthday, and since they ask that no siblings attend, he got to spend his day off with Carina and Ollie while I went to four hours worth of stuff at the school.

Colin was the narrator for his class performance.   As soon as I got there, I could tell he was super nervous.  He was white and not smiling – looked sick to his stomach.  He did a great job.  He told me afterwards that he was so glad it was over.  He had been absent for the two days before it, and in that time they had learned all of their movements for the songs they sang.  Not knowing everything really shook him up – which I can fully appreciate because of all the nightmares I have had about being onstage at a dance recital and not knowing the dance. After the performance, we had some great food.

Next, Colin and I got to go to Gabe’s class.  His teacher had them sing some songs for us, and then all the kids learned how to make dumplings.    It was my first time in Gabe’s class since he started kindergarten, and I was amazed at how much Chinese the kids already understand.  The teacher gave all her instructions in Chinese – it is still surreal to see your child understanding a language that doesn’t register in your brain at all.  With the all worrying I did about Gabe starting (just because he has always been my homebody), I loved seeing him exceling and happy in his learning home.  We got to eat some more good food and the kids took a little rest, “waiting” for their red envelopes.

That night we went to Mac’s to celebrate Chaddy’s birthday.  We had a great time, but I don’t think it really did his birthday justice.  He is such a wonderful father and husband and we are so blessed to have him in our life. 

We did go on a date the next day, but we ended up just going furniture shopping.  We sold our other couch on craigslists(the one I was never quite sure about) and had an empty living room.  Kinda a duddy date, but furniture shopping without kids is much better than furniture shopping with kids and we found something we are happy with so it was a good day.