2014 Books Read

I didn't do this last year, because I didn't not realize how much time a baby and grad school would take up so I didn't read many books. This year, I set a goal of 25 and I read 26. 

Here are the books I read in 2014 in reverse order. 

The Cuckoo's Calling, Robert Galbraith (really J.K. Rowling)

The Song of Quarkbeast, Jasper Fforde**

The Abundance of Katherines, John Green

Death of a Maid, M.C. Beaton

A Hat Full of Sky, Terry Pratchett**

I Shall Wear Midnight,  Terry Pratchett**

The One, Kiera Cass

Wedding Night, Sophie Kinsella

Wintersmith, Terry Pratchett**

The Bride Wore Size 12, Meg Cabot

Nation, Terry Pratchett

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line, Rob Thomas 

The Elite, Kiera Cass

The Woodcutter, Kate Danley**

The Selection, Kiera Cass

Under the Dome, Stephen King

Reached, Ally Condie

Promised, Caragh M. O'Brien

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman**

The Rosie Project, Graeme Simsion

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn

The Saber-Tooth Curriculum, J Abner Peddiwell

The Book Thief, Markus Zusak**

Cultural Politics and Education, Michael W Apple

As Texas Goes, Gail Collins

The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

** Books I recommend because they were good and there was no language that I can remember. 

I read a lot of Terry Pratchett this year. The series I read by him was the Tiffany Aching series and I loved it. It started with The Wee Free Men which I read last year. I would recommend all 4 books to anyone. I loved them. 

Life in July

I like keeping a blog. But with everything on my plate, it isn't near the top of my priority list. And since Carter has been born, I have been really good at sticking to my priority list. It is necessary in order for me to do everything.

One quick blurb about my life for the next 10 months, and then onto Carter.

I will be:

• starting a new job in a new district, teaching a new subject and a new grade (6th grade math)
• Enrolled in 3 grad school classes this fall (I've only been doing 2)
• working on my capstone research project in addition to the 3 classes
• building a house and hopefully have it done by April
• sticking to a very strict budget, which means more cooking and less eating out!

I think I got it all. I keep dreaming for the day in May where I have graduated, have my Master's, am moved into the new house, and am done with the school year. I can do so much with my time! Scrapbooking! Reading! Crafting! Blogging! Sleeping! I'll have so much time, I won't know what to do with all of it. 

Now Carter. Our almost 9 month old! EEK!

I can't imagine life without her. She is absolutely the best thing we have every made. My favorite thing about her is how she can get anyone to smile. I can't count how many times I'll look at her in a public place and she is just smiling away at a person until they smile back at her. 

Here are pictures from the last month. 

She doesn't like it when we close doors on her. She wants to explore everywhere and not be restricted in any way. That is a flashlight in her hand. She doesn't seem to like normal toys. She'll carry around socks, a piece of cardboard, a metal container, tupperware lids, and spoons. 

Charleah and I were talking about how our babies don't seem to just fall asleep in random places. They definitely have to be force to go to sleep. Then the next day Carter fell asleep like this. 

We went to Austin last week. This is the only picture I got of the three of us. It is at a graffiti wall. It was also before Carter busted her nose at the hotel. 

Carter busted her nose at the hotel about 20 minutes after we checked in. Part of the bed frame was broken and sticking out hiding underneath the bed skirt. She tried to pull herself up on it and fell, resulting in a lot of blood. Chris first reaction "She is going to need stitches" I felt so sick about it. I am not the best around blood from other people.  She cried for about 3 minutes and then was fine. Until the doctor tried to clean it and she had to be held still in order to do everything. Do not tell this girl she can't do something. Luckily, the doctor just put some "medical grade super glue" on it. It already looks so much better. 

Pics of Carter

I haven't posted in forever and not I am procrastinating a 15 page paper that is due on Wednesday. (I am on page 10, so I deserve a break.)

So here are some random photos of Carter.

She love look at phones. I turned the camera on my iPhone on one day and we got some selfies. 

Her she is playing tug-of-war with the napkin. She is such a good baby when we go to a restaurant. I don't think she has screamed once at one.

Love it when she falls asleep in my arms. When she is tired, she likes to cuddle.

Cutest baby!

I get pictures like these when I am at work. I miss her so much when I am there so little pictures like these brighten my day.

For the first two months of her life, Carter had a hard time gaining weight. This picture is taken a month a part when we started feeding her more formula. Her cheeks got so much more chubby.

She went from 1% weight at 2 months to 18% at 4 months.

Life is just better with her!