Book Goals For The Year

This past year I read a total of 60 books, mostly between October and December. So far this year I have already read 5 books and it is only the 8th. I think I am off to a good start.

My goal this year is to read more than I did last year. I am also planning one book a month that is faith based. I had started "The Best Yes" and "Before Amen", but never finished them. Life got in the way while doing the bible study on them through Proverbs 31 Ministries. Those two books are the first ones on my list this year.

Here is my little monthly faith based book list. The links are for either Kindle or paperback.



January ~ Before Amen

February ~ The Best Yes

March ~ Women Living Well

April ~ Sacred Marriage

May ~ Created To Be His Help meet

June ~ Creative Counterpart

July ~ The Circle Maker

August ~ What Happens When Women Say Yes To God

September ~ A Women's High Calling

October ~ Praying For Boys

November ~ Spiritual Parenting

December ~ The Women of Christmas


I am also reading a few devotionals everyday. Revealing Jesus is my morning devotional, The Duck Commander Devotional is my afternoon devotional and Women of the Bible is my evening devotional.

The first two have short sweet readings with a small prayer.The Women of the Bible takes one women from the Bible a week, starting with Eve. You read her story, read scripture, answer questions, a prayer time and reflections on what you read. I have just started reading about Eve and have enjoyed it so far.

Most of my other books that I read are what others would call fluff. I love romance novels, Amish books have been keeping me entertained right now. I also love fantasy books.

I started reading Outlander the other night. I have been watching the show on Starz that is based off the book. I have enjoyed it so far and figured I should have the book finished well before the show starts up again in April. I am giving myself a week to read the book. It has 850 pages, so I should be good.

Now to go curl up with a good book.

Vietnam War Lapbook

We gave up our history curriculum about a month after we started it. Matt was not remembering anything in it and it was torture for both of us to do it. I asked him what he wants to learn for history. The Vietnam War was one of those things.

I found a couple of books for my Kindle for him to read. One was 10,000 Days of Thunder. It was written by a soldier who was actually there. It is from his point of view, but includes the history of  pretty much the whole war. Matt really enjoyed it. This coming from a kid who hates to read.

We made the Vietnam War Lapbook by Knowledge Box Central. We made a ton of lapbooks when he was younger and first being homeschooled. Of course I no longer have those books. I love how there are little booklets throughout, Matt needs little work at a time. He learns best with small shorter lessons. He retains the info much better. Matt did 2 booklets a day and it took us a month to do the whole lapbook.

The cover of the lapbook. The picture came from inside the study guide in the pack. I made the title using Pic Monkey.

Abby just had to come see what I was doing. I had the lapbook on the sofa opened up to take pictures of it for this post. Little miss "I have to be involved in everything you do" was playing with some of the booklets.

First folder that you see when it opens up.

The second folder. Only thing we did not do was make the recipe that came with the pack. It's the can looking booklet on the right hand side flap. I thought it sounded gross and it used a lot of cans of beans, so I didn't want to waste anything if it was gross.

Last folder. Matt didn't finish the word search puzzle. He has a hard time doing them. I love doing them and can find the words pretty fast.

The back cover. This is also a picture from the study guide in the lapbook pack.


We finished up our Vietnam War unit by watching "Good Morning Vietnam" and "We Were Soldiers" on Netflix.

My Book List For 2014

I read a lot. My house has tons of books and magazines all over. My Kindle gets plenty of use. I killed two of them so far and now have a Kindle Fire HDX. I have nearly four thousand books on it, but not all have been read.

This year, there are a few, okay a bunch, of books that I really want to focus on reading. I have both fiction and non-fiction books on my list. Lots of these I got for free (like 13 different Beth Moore books!!) or very cheap for the Kindle. Some I have read before but just need to refresh my memory. Here is my "little" list.


Fiction

• The Waiting by Suzanne Woods Fisher
• The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher
• Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman
• Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer
• Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer
• Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer
• A Christmas Gift for Rose by Tricia Goyer
• A Cowboy's Touch by Denise Hunter
• Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemyer
• Treasures of the North by Tracie Peterson
• The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

Non-Fiction 

• Putting on the Spirit by Katie Horner
• Revealing Jesus Devotional by Darlene Zschech
• Jesus the One and Only by Beth Moore
• A Heart Like His by Beth Moore
• Women Living Well by Courtney Joseph
• My So Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife by Sara Horn
• Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeust
• Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
• Creative Counterpart by Linda Dillow

Homesteading 

• Trailersteading by Anna Hess
• Ask Jackie - Homesteading from Backwoods Home Magazine
• Best of the Barefoot Farmer Volume 1 by Jeff Poppen
• The Under Cover Gardening Guide by Nicolette Goff
• How to Plant Your First Companion Garden by Spencer Hillside
• Blue Berries in Your Backyard by R.J. Ruppenthal
• Homesteading in the 21st Century by Janet Williams
• Companion Planting by Mel Jeffreys

Health 

• Natural Allergy Remedies by Dr. Terrell Clements
• Essential Oils for Skin by Susan Henry
• Natural Homemade Remedies
• The Natural Home Pharmacy
• Natural Home Flu & Cold Remedies by Sophie Littlefield

Our Summer Reading Challenge

Matt hates to read. If it wasn't for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, he would have never read any non-school books this year. My hubby isn't a big reader either. He will read the newspaper, but I have never seen him sit down with a book in the 14 years we have been together. Me on the other hand, I devour books. I love to read. My daughter does too. It just kills me that Matt doesn't. Chantelle has been reading nonstop these past few days. I lent her my copies of Catching Fire and Mockingjay, She wants to read them before the Catching Fire movies comes out this November.

This summer, weather he likes it or not, he will be reading everyday. He will need to read for at least 1 hour a day and at least three books during the summer. Normally I would have him read more, but because of his hate of books, three is a lot for him.

Once he finishes a book, he will then be given a choice of an activity. Something that we don't do much at all. Something like going to the Boston Aquarium or the Boston Museum of Science. I need to make up a little chart or something so that he and I know if he misses any days of reading. I know I have some off days because of my RA and Fibro and tend to forget things at times.

My goal is to keep him off the computer and away from the TV for much of the day. He will earn computer/TV time by reading extra and doing chores. I have a few books for him downloaded to my Kindle. He does have the app on his ipod, but I don't trust him. I know he will end up playing a game on it instead.

I am also going to do my own reading challenge. Only I will be reading a ton more books. I plan on reading 1-2 books a week, depending on the thickness of the book. I am giving myself the goal of reading 15 books this summer. Hopefully both of us can accomplish our goals this summer.

I have a bunch of books that I have bought from thrift stores and got off of paperbackswap.com. I also have some books left over from when I use to work at CBD. I miss getting my free books from there. Let's not forget all the free Kindle books that I downloaded too. It is pretty much all I read from Amazon. I am a prime member, so I can borrow books for free too.

Some of the books I plan on reading this summer. I read a wide variety of books. Right now I am into any romance with cowboys and the paranormal. I have a few mysteries mixed in for a little something different.

My Kindle. They don't make them like this anymore and don't know what I will do if it ever dies. I don't care for the new ones.