50 Book Challenge - Year 2

Well, I had high hopes for the challenge this year. It took me 14 months to read 50 books...and I really wanted to do it in 12. However, life changes, so I don't know if it will happen. But here is what I have so far (in no particular order)!

1. A Bride Most Begrudging - Deeanne Gist; set in colonial Virginia, Christian novel, decent book for the $1 it cost me

2. Left to Tell - Immaculee Ilibagiza; memoir of Rwandan Holocaust survivor, amazing story, can't believe I missed her speaking at F&M.

3. Farewell My Ovaries - Wendy Harmer; novel set in Sydney, made me not want to go into menopause; ironically, I do not think I knew I was pregnant when I read this

4. Barefoot - Elin Hilderbrand; great novel about 3 women, kept me wondering how it was going to end, realistic ending

5. Sexual Intimacy in Marriage - Dr. William Cutrer, Sandra Glahn; good book on the topic from a Christian viewpoint, helpful now, would also recommend to engaged couples

6. Belly Laughs - Jenny McCarthy; actress's thoughts on pregancy, no holds-barred (and pre-activist days)

7. Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay - Stefanie Wilder-Taylor; similar in style to McCarthy's book, but much funnier and realistic (i.e., not an actress), her thoughts on pregnancy

8. Naptime is the New Happy Hour - Stefanie Wilder-Taylor; sequel to previous book, thoughts on parenthood (waiting for a possible third book)

9. I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids - Trisha Ashworth, Amy Nobile; while not yet a parent, there were some really good thoughts in this book, in fact, I'm not returning this one to Courtney quite yet!

10. The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy - Vicki Iovine (1995 edition); the first baby book I read - even read most of it to Mike - and definitely the book that got me through the first couple of months, will recommend the new edition to friends

11. Alphabet Weekends - Elizabeth Noble; good chick lit about 2 friends (one who wants it to be more than just friends) who spend 26 weekends doing an activity for each letter of the alphabet

12. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer; do I really need to explain this one?

13. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer; or this one? (I will say, that I agree with those who criticize her writing - Rowling is definitely the better writer, no contest. But, there is enough of a storyline/hook to keep me interested.)

Hmm. 13 books since July. While not great, I did better than I thought! And, look, Michelle, only 1 chick lit on the list!

Trying to get this blog off of "life support"!

I am feeling a bit like I should have a purpose for this blog; a theme of some sort. You know, like some of my favorite blogs - cakewrecks or smitten kitchen - or that I had deep thoughts or recipes to share (like the farming momma or corn rows and meadows).

Maybe that's why I let this thing fall to the wayside. Honestly, I almost can't wait until Baby is born just so I have something to talk about! (I can't believe I just said that. I'm gonna turn into one of "those" people). :)

Or maybe I am just putting too much pressure on myself to make every post spectacular and really I should just write whatever, no matter how long or short.

I don't know. Things to ponder.

Until I make up my mind, you will just have to bear with me. In the meantime, here are some pictures from this Fall so far for your viewing enjoyment.

Picking apples

Trey did really well picking apples!

One of Mike's very large apples

Look at the weight of this fruit!

Final Product: Apple Pie Filling

And lots of applesauce!

An old friend from college, Elis, came to visit from Germany.
We got to reconnect when we traveled to Pottsville together to celebrate Julia's 8th birthday (not in picture, but her beautiful mother, Carolyn, is!)

Mike was given a LOT of peppers! So, we canned them, too!
I am going to have to move the jars
because they are making the cabinet smell!

My cousin, Ryan, and his lovely bride, Kim
10-10-09

My Aunt Tammy and I - she is due 4 days before me!

Posing at the wedding
Mt. Harmon Plantation, MD

Look at my beautiful niece!

Just precious!

16 weeks!

Taken tonight: Trey showing off his
squirrel costume

Celebrating Mike's birthday a few days early!

Trey wanted a picture, too!

Thankfully he also wanted one with his own parents, too!

Happy 30th Birthday, Courtney!!!!!

(It was actually yesterday, but we celebrated tonight as much as 2 pregnant teachers can celebrate in the middle of a school week...)

Until next time...(whenever that may be! Ha ha!)

Wow! 2 days in a row!

So, you think my friends/family would be happy that I at least posted something, but no, now I am told that blog updates are more interesting with pictures! Fine. Here you go. Better be happy! (You know who you are!) :)

Summer started with a wedding! Kate Hoffman & Brian Swedburg. Kate was one of our first friends at NewSong Fellowship Church.

Darling little Emma Faith VanderPlate, daughter of Sarah & Jarred, born 6-8-09. Sarah had been a student teacher in our building, then worked at GWES until Emma arrived. But, more fun, she was helping me paint my living room when Jarred called & first asked her out! :)

Courtney & I thought it would be a good idea to pick cherries. Trey was a great help. Mike didn't know when to stop. We picked 26lbs of sweet and 18lbs of sour!

Gabriel Ray Stoltzfus, son of Matt & Melanie Stoltzfus, baby brother to Mikayla & Grace, born 6-29-09. We say we are friends with them because the girls adore us! You should see Mikayla with Mike! Can't wait to see what Gabe's personality is like! (also NewSong friends)

We went to HersheyPark with Yevy & Shanna Chuprin, more friends from NewSong. It was great fun, especially since we hadn't been there since 2003! We loved the East Coast Waterworks, even though it was quite chilly!

Second wedding of the summer: my dear, dear friend from college, Carolyn Horst and her husband, Eric Payne. Carolyn's daughter, Julia, was our flower girl.

Krista & Pete Winkler, Shelley-Ann Francis, Carolyn, and I: We were "family" at MIH!

Carolyn & Eric live in Harrisonburg, VA, so we decided to take the scenic (and not free) route home.

And made MANY stops along the way!

My brother & sister-in-law got the cutest puppy in the world! Her name is Charlee and she is a puggle - pug + beagle.

Of course, we made it to D.C.! This time we stayed entirely in the Newseum.

Except to eat in Little Ethiopia! Courtney's sister, Ashley, also joined us for the day.

Courtney & I decided to have a baking day! Trey did excellent spending the day in my non-kid friendly home! Hmm...we both are pregnant here and didn't even know it! (Well, I didn't anyway, don't know about C.)

And the end result!

The largest of Michelle's 3 baby showers! Now, I was very highly suspicious that I was pregnant, but I decided not to know before I left for the shower. I didn't want to take away from her weekend. But, it WAS the longest weekend ever!

The annual Hershey Family weekend was held along the Pequea Creek, right behind the farm my mom & family grew up. It was a fabulous location, and very peaceful! This was also the weekend that my entire family learned of our news!

The funny thing is that right before this picture was taken, the cousins were fighting over the toy lawn mower. Until they realized that we were watching them! (They are sons of 2 of my cousins).

After a year hiatus, the King girls (now + Kate!) made it to the beach for the weekend! This time we went to OC, MD. We decided that we like OC, NJ, for the boardwalk, but OC, MD definitely wins for the beach!

Outside Crown Palace Restaurant in Middletown, NJ. This was taken right before Mike's parents and grandparents found out our news!

Precious Greta Joy Mock, a mere 3 hours after birth, on 9-14-09.

Isn't she just a cutie? I'm quite happy to be an aunt!

Wide awake & dressed in her finest! I can't wait to see her again!!

Here it is, folks! The baby bump at 12 weeks!

And I end with Baby Gibson, here at 12 weeks. Baby was quite active that day, which was a relief after the fears the day before when the midwife could not find the heartbeat or detect movement. But, all is well!

Until next time!

Sarah, this one's for you!

In a delightful wall post today on Facebook, a friend of mine basically put to words what I had been thinking lately (and had been afraid of happening)...this blog had died at the hands of Facebook. Well, I would rather it be a serious wounding, rather than a death. So here I am.

I am not even going to give excuses. It's hard not to, but I won't.

I will tell you that I had a fantastic summer! I am so glad I had at least 1 summer in my adult life free of obligations. (Well, there was one - a 2-hour ESL class every week, but that wasn't bad!) We even turned a trip to VA for a wedding into a mini-mini-vacation.

If I had been on top of things on here, you would've gotten more details. Let's be honest, you would've gotten even more details than what I put on my FB status updates. Oh well. I am not about to bore you with all of that now.

But thank goodness for a relaxing summer! Because around the middle of August, morning sickness and fatigue set in. In case you haven't heard (which I can't imagine you wouldn't have, but who knows?), I am at this moment, 13 weeks and 6 days pregnant - yea for us!

Finding out that news changed everything, of course. And the subsequent take-over of my body has had a ripple effect into ALL that I do (or don't do, as the case may be - but I'm not making excuses, you hear?).

But July must have been a good month: myself and 4 other people (2 very close friends, my aunt, and a colleague) are due within a month of each other! So, that is exciting as well!

And on Sept. 14, my niece, Greta Joy Mock, was born! She is a darling little girl, and I can't wait to see her again!

All in all, it has been a good 3.5 months, I should say. Who knows how this blog will continue to evolve - especially as blogs seem to be very popular with mothers (and mothers-to-be). Whatever happens, I truly hope to not let it die - at least not a slow, painful death from neglect! :)

Thanks, Sarah, for "making" me to do this - you were the push I needed!

Until next time...