Thursday, December 31, 2009

My Many Books of 2009

So this year is finally ending...and the world shall be mine! MWAHAHAHAHA! not. alright, so I met my goal of 100 novels this year. I'm really happy about that and I actually passed it by one book! So if anyone is curious on what I read this year, I've been keeping track of all the books I've read in 2009. Enjoy! And oh yeah, Happy New Year!

January
1. The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan
2. The Riddle by Alison Croggon
3. The Icebound Land by John Flanagan
4. The Battle for Skania by John Flanagan
5. Pretties by Scott Weterfeld
6. Dragon Sword and Wind Child by Noriko Ogiwora
7. Wolf Tower by Tanith Lee
8. Specials by Scott Westerfeld
9. In Freedom’s Cause by G.A. Henty
10. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

February
11. Breath by Donna Jo Napoli
12. Extras by Scott Westerfeld
13. The Sorcerer of the North by John Flanagan
14. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
15. The Merchant of Death D.J. MacHale
16. Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix
17. Fly by Night by Frances Haidinge
18. Scarlet Moon by Debbie Viguie
19. Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

March
20. M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
21. The Safe-keeper’s Secret by Sharon Shinn
22. In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L.A. Meyer
23. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
24. Lost City of Faar by D.J. MacHale
25. The Rumplestiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde
26. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
27. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
28. Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

April
29. The Never War by D.J. MacHale
30. Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix
31. Babylonne by Catherine Jinks
32. Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix
33. Among the Barons by Margaret Peterson Haddix
34. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
35. Among the Brave Margaret Peterson Haddix
36.The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
37. Among the Enemy by Margaret Peterson Haddix
38. The bones of Makaidos by Bryan Davis
39. Among the FreeMargaret Peterson Haddix
40. Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

May
41. The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
42.The Soldiers of Halla by D.J. MacHale
43. Maximum Ride: Max by James Patterson
44. Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
45. Lincoln’s Dreams by Connie Willis
46. The Lake House by James Patterson
47. Mississippi Jack by L.A. Meyer

June
48. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
49. Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
50 Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
51. Things Hoped for by Andrew Clemnts
52. Blood Secret by Ksthryn Lasky
53. The Akltenaten Adventure by P. B. Kerr
54. Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander
55. Burning Up by Caroline B. Cooney
56. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
57. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
58. Belle by Cameron Dokey
59. The Blue Djinn of Babylon by P.B. Kerr
60. For Young Women Only by Shaunti Feldhann and Lisa A. Rice
61. The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
62. Standard Hero Behavior by John David Anderson

July
63. Vanish by Tom Pawlik
64. The Cobra King of Kathumandu by P.B. Kerr
65. The Day of the Djinn Warriors by P.B. Kerr
66. The Divide by Elizabeth Kay
67. The Enclave by Karen Hancock
68. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
69. Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey
70. Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

August
71. The Singing by Alison Croggon
72. Sunlight and Shadow by Cameron Dokey
73. The Rule of Won by Stefan Petrucha
74. The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan
75. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
76. My Bonny Light Horseman by L. A. Meyer
77. East by Edith Pattou
78. The Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

September
79. Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix
80. Leonardo’s Shadow by Christopher Grey
81. Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis
82. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
83. Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

October
84. Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
85. House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
86. Syren by Angie Sage
87. Daniel X: Watch The Skies by James Patterson
88. Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones
89. The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer
90. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

November
91. Drowned Ammet by Diane Wynne Jones
92. Eye of the Forest by P.B. Kerr
93. Spell Coats by Diane Wynne Jones
94. The Crown of Dalemark by Diane Wynne Jones
95. Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

December
96. The Dreamwalker’s Child by Steve Voake
97. Tamar by Mal Peet
98. Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson
99. Storm Thief by Chris Wooding
100. Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones
101. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas Just Ain't Christmas Without the Ones You Love

This is probably one of the dullest Christmases I can remember. On Monday, my mom flew to Maryland to help out a sick friend and she was flying back on Christmas eve. Well, due to snow, she got stuck in Dallas TX. Luckily, my dad has friends in Dallas who were able to pick her up and take her back to their place until the next morning (which would be today). The Lubbock airport is still out of commission apparently, so as I'm writing this, my mom is on a plane to Amarillo. She's going to rent a car and drive to Lubbock which is a straight shot south to pick up our car which is still in the airport parking and then drive home. We should see her sometime this afternoon or evening.

It's kind of sad without mom around for Christmas. The tree is dark and all the presents are still under it. I think everyone in my family will be very happy when mom gets back home. it just isn't christmas without her.

So, I'm here to wish you guys a Merry Christmas and telling you to give your Family and extra hug. =)

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Mellow Holiday and Book Dilemma

Done with Christmas shopping! And I didn't do it all at Wal*mart. HA!

K, so now all I gotta do is wait around for Christmas to happen. December has passed by so fast I can't believe it. I find myself in less holiday spirits than the years before. I think it's part of the 'growing up' factor where things seem more dull and old. Where excitement doesn't run as high and the presents are no longer tempting you to pick them up and shake them. It's sad, kind of, loosing that. But I don't think I mind terribly.

So I'm looking at the calender and thinking. "It can't be that close already?!?!" Apparently it is.

I Am up to 98 novels this year. I thought for sure I would have read over 100 by now. I guess not. After June, my reading kind of went down hill for two reasons: I didn't have enough time to read and there wasn't anything I wanted to read. It's hard being picky about books. I think that I might make it to 100 books by New Years if I try hard. I just need to find two other books to read...

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Painting Problems and Unfinished Shopping

Well I did it. I went and started to teach my friend and my sister how to paint with oil. it's a good thing neither of them care very much about being professional painters, because I am certainly not one myself. I've only painted with oil a total of four times in my life, not including the painting I'm doing right now as an example for my two students. We're all painting at the same time and I'm painting a picture to show them what to do, which is a little bit easier than telling them. I still feel like I'm making it all up as I go along, which I am. I never know what a painting or sketch is going to look like until it's done.

Unfortunately, I'm absolutely horrible at leaving my paintings unfinished. We ran out of time Monday, so we couldn't finish our paintings. We will be able to finish them next Monday, but me, being the person I am, couldn't help it and ended up painting more on my canvas anyway. it's not finished, but most of the background is complete. I hope Rebekah and Rachel will forgive me for this. I couldn't help myself! it's sitting there screaming at me wanting to be painted and there's this huge white spot where the child and dog are supposed to be. so annoying!

I have a small canvas I might paint today to keep me from touching the other. Or, I might be too busy Christmas shopping to touch either. I hope the latter is the case. I haven't done any shopping and should probably get to it soon. Even so, I only have 50 bucks to burn this year. that means that whether my family likes it or not, I'm going to have to be a cheap Santa. Maybe it's a good thing the only store around here is Wal*Mart.