Favorite Books of 2010

I got to read to some really good books this year! Guess that means my kids are finally old enough to sleep through the night so that I can actually stay up for a few minutes reading. :) Ahhh....I have finally come into my own! :) I have re-kindled my love affair for books this past year...and several of you have asked for my top picks, so here goes (in no particular order- I can't choose a fav. They were all so good!)

The Shack- by William P. Young. I got this for my birthday years ago, and it sat on my bedside table for what felt like forever until I was really ready to read it. Such a beautifully-written novel about suffering...and how the God of the Universe, his son Jesus the Rescuer, and the Holy Spirit who lives inside all who follow after Him, deal with that suffering. Hard to read the first few chapters....but so well worth it.

Crazy Love- by Francis Chan. My friend Amy let me borrow this one....said it was life-changing....and it was! Chan offers a refreshing take on this life we've been given and what we choose to do with it.

The Help- by Kathryn Stockett. My sis-in-law, Natalie, let me borrow this one. An amazing novel of courage set during the 1950's as race and gender began to fade away. Loved, loved the characters in this one! Couldn't put it down.

Finding Anna- by Christine Schaub. This is a historical fiction set in Chicago in the 1800s. About the origin of the hymn "It is Well With My Soul". Read this during our time in Bay View this summer. Riveting. Loved it!

The Mighty Queens of Freeville- by Amy Dickinson. An amazing life-story about the women along your journey that hold everything together. This made me laugh and cry. I found myself reading exerts at night to Luke because it was just that good!

The Red Tent- by Anita Diamant. Another historical fiction set back in the time of the tribe of Jacob. Written from the perspective of his only daughter, Dinah. Finished this book with tears in my eyes in the Puerto Vallarta airport in late November. Love the detailed characters in this book- fell in love with them and didn't want to put it down.

and of course The Bible- the truest book I've ever read. God's living and active word. I studied the book of Luke and the book of Acts this year with my women's Bible Study. I have loved reading and taking to heart how to live a life filled by the Spirit.

And next up....my friend Julie is letting me borrow The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. It too is a historical fiction set in the 1940s in South Africa during the time of Hitler and WWII. Looking forward to it! Will let you know....

Hope you can pick up a couple of these this year!! Happy reading....

Adjustments...

One of my good friends told me the other day that we shouldn't say "New Year's Resolutions"....but rather we should call them "New Year's Adjustments". Ha! I love it. So here's to 2011 and hoping that you and your family will come up with many "adjustments" for a better, more abundant life in the coming year.

Here's the adjustment I'm praying for....

"that God would fill me with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And I pray this in order that I may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:9-14

Gingerbread House Party

Well, we survived Gingerbread Party 2010! Ha! Sad that our construction engineer (Uncle Luke) had to go to work on our big day, we still made it through with gracious help from Aunt Nat and Aunt Jes. We added two more cousins into the mix this year....Austin and Claire! We had such a fun time. Caroline deemed it the year of the "Classic Gingerbread House" (with "Cabana" and "Tackiest" being the previous two years' themes). We had a ton of messy, sugary-sweet fun! See below for details.... :)

Beth was awarded the "Best Helper"...helping Claire, Austin, and Tag decorate their houses.

Tag received the "Can I eat this?" Award since he was much more into eating than decorating.

Creative juices are flowing....

Claire was really getting into this....

The boys....not so much.

Logan and Peter received the "I'd rather be playing RipStik Soccer" Award...putting about 6 pieces of candy total on their shabby "lean-to" house...and dashing outside to play.

Finn received the "I can crawl now!" Award, and didn't seem to even really be phased by all the decorating that was going on.

Claire was very meticulous receiving the "Most Thought-out" Award. She was so cute!

Putting on the finishing touches.

Austin received the "Fastest Decorator" Award, telling me about 20 minutes into it that he was kinda tired of doing this. :)

Faith Anna received the "Most Creative" Award with her Reindeer Hut Toyshop.

And of course, Miss Caroline received "Most Classic" for her beautiful, classic rendition.

Thanks for coming everyone...can't wait until next year!

Christmas 2010

Christmas Eve at my parents house.....

The sea of gifts. Or love as my mom calls it.

Making Jesus' birthday cake with Aunt Ju-Ju.

Tag showing off his "red dots". Red dots are something my dad has been drawing on hands since I was a little girl. He would be grading papers and give us a "red dot" on our hands for "love". Well, once the grandkids came along, he continued with his tradition of red dots....until my kids. And in particular Tag. Tag has taken this dot of love to a whole new level. He requests pictures, symbols....full-blown artwork, if you will. So here he is sporting his pictures of a campfire, and shooting a deer in a deer blind, I think. He cracks me up!

Brandon and Finn Brandon....

The face of sheer joy.

Mom gave Faith Anna a journal with her name on it....she knows exactly what Faith loves!

The Howard gang

More happiness....

More joy...

Dad giving the kids these funny neck pillows that they always play with at Gran and Grandad's house. So he and mama got one for each kid. I think they were the hit of Christmas!

Then back home and off to bed so Santa would come...

Early Christmas morning at the Burton household....
Chilly morning walk for Deets....

Luke cutting up the famous "Sausage Roll-Up" Christmas rolls that my mom and Jen make for all of us....

Santa brought FAB this pretty dollhouse....

and Beth this baby play-set. Happy Girls.

The ladies got cute scarves in our stockings...

We got Logan a motorized scooter that he was pretty pumped about....

Matching Bubba Robes.

Snowglobes were a big hit this year.

Joy. Peace. Love. Redeemed.

And this is the good news, our God became one of us. And this is the good news, the God of the Universe became a man, to stand in the gap for us. When Heaven came down and kissed the earth. (When Heaven Came Down by Dutton)