Books, Books, Books

I LOVE to read!!!! I would say it is my favourite hobby.  I always have a book or two on the go.  I like to keep one at work to read during the lunch hour and then I need another one at home to read at night.  Sometimes reading can take over my life.

I remember years ago when the kids were small, Rod would take off on Boxing Day to play hockey with all his buddies.  That became my day to read.  I remember that first year - it was the year my Mom sent me the first Work and Glory book by Gerald Lund.  I started early in the morning and I hardly put it down until the day was done.  I would pause only as long as it took to feed the kids and make sure they were happy.  The following Christmas my mother sent volume two and the pattern repeated itself.  Each year a new volume would come. I also developed a new pattern.  Knowing that I was getting a new book I would start early in December or later in November with volume 1 and re-read the series so that I was ready for the next one.  It took 9 years to collect the entire series and I have read volume 1 nine times!

I also have collected the Kingdom and the Crown (Gerald Lund), Out of Jerusalem (H.B. Moore), Promised Land (David Woolley), Women of Genesis (Orson Scott Card) and of course the Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites (Chris Heimerdinger) and a few other series. I have the beginnings Children of the Promise (Dean Hughes), The Great & Terrible (Chris Stewart) and Millennial Glory (Wendy L. Edwards).  Again using my re-reading technique as the new volumes have come out.

And those are just my LDS novel series.  I also collect books by Anne McCaffrey and her son - especially the Dragonriders of Pern, and Terry Brooks Shannara books.

I also have just tons of novels on my shelves (mostly LDS authors).  I especially like have the LDS novels in my home because I know that the content will be clean and wholesome.  My children love to read as well and I want to be sure that what they are reading is good literature.

Don't worry, novels are not the only books I read.  I have shelves of Biographies and Autobiographies of the prophets and other prominent people in Church History.  We have Mormon Doctrine,  Gospel Doctrine, Jesus the Christ, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, and on and on and on.

That is just one wall in my library.  I also have another huge bookshelf unit with books that are not by LDS Authors.  These are great reads as well.  And then there is the unit that has repair manuals, do it yourself books, gardening books, etc. And then there are boxes with books in the basement that I haven't even unpacked yet.  Is it no wonder I needed a bigger house. Trouble is I have less bookshelves in this house, so I have to be more selective which books I keep out and which stay packed away.

And now my newest read - FINDING ROSE by Stephanie Humphreys.  I have just started to read this one (on Chapter 3 now) but have heard such good reviews about it that I can hardly wait  for some time to really get into it.  And yes, it is by my sister-in-law.  That doesn't make me prejudiced at all!!!  I have ready many different authors so I think I am able to judge a good book when I read it.  I know what I like and so far I like this one!  I just wish I had been able to get a signed copy.  Maybe I will have to ship it to Stephanie (when I'm done of course) and have her sign it and ship it back.

Things I am thankful for

At the top of my thankful list is of course MY FAMILY.   I have a wonderful husband who works hard at his job as the greatest scientist on the planet, and then comes home and becomes my "Cinderfella".  He is a great table setter, dishwasher, tap fixer, mechanic, fence builder, and all around handy man.  Then I have 6  fabulous children.  They are some of the best people I know. Through them I have met 4 more wonderful people to add to my family.  These additions have add again to my family giving us 3 of the most beautiful granddaughters the world has ever seen.

In addition to my natural children I am thankful for a wonderful foster daughter.  She is a daughter and a friend. She has been a blessing to my family.  She and her husband have given us 4 handsome grandsons and a beautiful granddaughter.

I am thankful for the GOSPEL.  We are so lucky to have been raised as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We have a knowledge of who we are, why we are here and where we are going. I am thankful for TEMPLES that seal families together forever.    

Pumpkins from my compost heap

I am thankful for a beautiful HOME.  We have been so lucky to find this wonderful place in the country.  With a large GARDEN spot I am able to grow food to help feed me family (all of them).  We had a bounty of beans, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, potatoes, raspberries and others.  We also have the beginnings of an orchard to provide us with fruit.  We also enjoy the beautiful trees that adorn the front yard and the two wooded areas front and back.  And the night sky! What can I say about a night sky without street lights.  There are so many stars up there!  I love to stand outside at night and gaze into the sky.  This past week the big dipper was SO large. I felt like I could reach out and touch it.

I am thankful for FRIENDS.  There are friends and then there are FRIENDS.  I have some of both and am thankful for all of them.

I am thankful for THANKSGIVING, where we can stop and reflect on what we are thankful for.