Books and Movies of 2011

I didn't read nearly as many books as I thought I would this past year. For the first few months of the year I was busy with my family tree. I found literally thousands of ancestors, some as far back as the 300s (yes, 300s), but I still have a long way to go with that project. I also spent a lot of time on Facebook, mostly playing games. I don't play as much as I used to, so hopefully I'll make more time for reading in 2012.

So, anyway, here are the books I read in 2011. They are listed in order of favorite to least favorite.

1. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
2. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
3. Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
4. Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
5. Drums of Autumn, by Diana Gabaldon. Fourth book in the Outlander series.
6. The Silmarillion, by J. R. R. Tolkien
7. The Lucky One, by Nicholas Sparks
8. The Rescue, by Nicholas Sparks
9. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
10. Nocturne, by Syrie James
11. The Enchantress of Florence, by Salman Rushdie

I didn't care for The Enchantress of Florence and Nocturne was just okay. I loved the first four books listed and really liked the 5th and 6th.

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As usual, I watched many more movies than I read books. I saw a lot of movies this past year. Maybe more than last year. I definitely saw more movies in theaters. Here are the top 10 movies of 2011:

1. The Help
2. Tangled
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
4. Crazy Stupid Love
5. X-Men: First Class
6. The King's Speech
7. Breaking Dawn Part 1
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1
10. True Grit

Honorable Mentions: Salt and Inception.

These movies were okay: Eat Pray Love, Tron Legacy, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, I Am Number Four, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Beastly, Monte Carlo, Transformers 3, The Eagle, The Adjustment Bureau, The Conspirator, Soul Surfer, Source Code, Jane Eyre (2011), Captain America, Thor, Abduction, Real Steel, The Three Musketeers, One Day, Columbiana, and Midnight in Paris.

Eh. Less than okay, but not bad: Nanny McPhee Returns, The Brothers Bloom, Alice in Wonderland, Push, Water for Elephants, Larry Crowne.

Boring: The Social Network, Cars 2.

Forgettable: Shrek Forever After, Cousin Bette, Jumping the Broom.

Did not like: Desperado, No Country for Old Men, Gulliver's Travels, Red Riding Hood, Hanna.

Gulliver's Travels was the worst movie I saw this year.

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

2:9 And, lo, the angel of the LORD came upon them, and the glory of the LORD shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the LORD.

2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2:2 Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His Star in the east, and are come to worship Him.

2:10 When they saw the Star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas

Saturday, December 17th, was mine and my husband's 17th wedding anniversary. He gave me roses and we went out for dinner. :-)


Tuesday night, I went out with some of the ladies from church. We went to Mimi's Cafe and enjoyed good food, laughter and conversation. It was nice to have a "girls night out".

I gave the kids their stockings last night. They really enjoyed that.

I finished Christmas shopping today. I just needed to get something for one more person. I enjoy Christmas shopping, but it's also nice to get it done.

After getting groceries today and that final gift, Kelly and I drove around looking at Christmas lights. (Charlie and Sean were at the movies. They saw Tintin.) There's a large, old neighborhood here in Greensboro that's filled with Christmas balls high up in their trees. It's a favorite among those who like to look at Christmas lights. There are always a lot of cars going through the neighborhood.




I'll be cooking Christmas dinner tomorrow - ham, baked potatoes, green beans, black eyed peas, rolls. Dessert will be pumpkin pie and oreo pie.

We have church Christmas morning (the first time I can recall ever having church on Christmas) and when we get home we'll open presents.

Christmas Survey

I found this at Pass the Potatoes:

Egg nog or hot chocolate:
Hot chocolate. I've never tried egg nog and don't plan to.

Colored lights on the house/tree or white?
Colored. White lights are boring to me.

Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but only because I don't have any and never think to buy any.

When do you put your decorations up?
Sometime after Thanksgiving, whenever I get around to it. Right now, our tree is up, but there are no lights or ornaments on it. Other than the two little ones I just bought the kids. Kelly put them on the tree that evening.

What is your favorite holiday dish?
Stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy.

Favorite Christmas memory as a child?
I remember how much I loved just sitting and looking at the pretty, colorful lights on the tree and wondering what my parents got me. I knew there were a couple Barbies - the shapes of the boxes gave that away. But I would wonder just which ones and what else my parents had gotten me.

One particular Christmas does stand out more than the others. I was 8 years old and we were living in Tulsa, OK. We had moved there from tiny Boiling Spring Lakes, NC, when I was about 7. I was very homesick and sad that we couldn't go home for Christmas. But times were hard and we couldn't afford it. Dad was going to aeronautical school at night to become an airplane mechanic. I don't know what his job was at the time.

Anyway, on Christmas Eve, Mom and Dad went Christmas shopping for me and my brother. Dad had just gotten paid that day. Mom and Dad brought us to my dad's Uncle John and Aunt Mary Sue's house to stay with them while they went shopping. I remember loving their house - a '60s or '70s ranch house that was warm and nicely decorated. They had a fire going in the fireplace in the den. I remember sitting on their leather (?) couch (possibly a sectional) watching The Nutcracker ballet on TV. Uncle John's kids (in their 20s at the time, I believe) were there too. It was a happy atmosphere.

I also loved Christmas when I was a teenager. We lived in Virginia ('85-'88) and Ohio ('88-'90) for most of my teen years (minus 7 months in TX; we moved back to NC from there when I was 18) and the only time we got to see our family was for a couple weeks during the summer and then Thanksgiving and Christmas. I loved so much being surrounded by all my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins and pretty lights, Christmas trees, delicious food, gifts and Christmas music. We'd go back and forth from my mom's side to my dad's side of the family. Pretty much everyone lived in the Fayetteville area (except for a couple aunts who were in Germany with their army husbands for a couple years and then the one aunt who ended up in northern TN after they came home from Germany) and so there were a lot of relatives around with everyone laughing and talking over and around each other. Great times.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember ever believing in Santa.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No, but I let my kids open one each.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Colorful lights, red glass balls, various ornaments we've collected over the years - a few homemade from when I was a little girl, a couple my maternal Grandma made, one or two my brother made when he was little, Hallmark Keepsake ornaments we started collecting from the time Charlie and I got married, ornaments my mom gave me that she used to put on the tree when my brother and I were growing up, etc. The tree is topped with an angel in a red dress.

Snow? Love it or dread it?
I love it around Christmastime. (Which doesn't happen often. It actually snowed on Christmas day last year. Couldn't hardly believe it.) After Christmas, I'm ready for warm weather and sunshine.

Do you remember your favorite gift?
When I was a kid, I loved anything Barbie. Nothing really stands out after that. I remember some of the things I got for Christmas in my teen years and later, but it hasn't been as "magical" or exciting since I was little opening up those Barbie dolls, Barbie car, Barbie horses, Barbie furniture, Barbie house and Barbie clothes.

What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Chocolate cream pie and Christmas cookies (red and green sugar cookies, M & M cookies).

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Letting my kids open a gift each on Christmas Eve and driving around looking at Christmas lights.

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?
Yum.

Favorite Christmas movie?
White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, The Holiday, The Grinch, A Christmas Carol, Elf, The Santa Clause. And on the subject of Christmas movies I just have to say I absolutely hate A Christmas Story. Ugh.

Saddest Christmas song?
That one about the shoes. For somebody's mom, I think. I can't listen to that one. I Miss You Most at Christmastime is sad too.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
O Holy Night (Mariah Carey's version is my favorite), It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole), White Christmas, Carol of the Bells, In Excelsis Deo, What Child is This?, Angels We Have Heard on High, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

And they have to be traditional style. I don't like jazzy Christmas songs or rock or gospel or country or most pop-style Christmas songs. Keep it traditional!

Christmas Wishes

Christmas season is already upon us. It seems to have come so fast this year. I haven't bought the first gift or put out the first Christmas decoration yet. I suppose I should get the tree up soon. Especially for the kids.

Speaking of the kids, Sean finally wrote his Christmas list last night. (He wants some video games, a few Transformers, Harry Potter's wand and a couple Nerf guns; he won't get all of it.) Kelly told me what she wants. It's pretty easy to remember what all she wants - Christmas Barbie, Real Steel action figures (my Barbie-loving, feminine girl?!?), a red lightsaber that lights up and Hermione's wand.

Charlie hasn't said what he wants and I have no idea what to get him. He says every year that he doesn't need anything, but I have to get him something.

Mom says she doesn't need anything either, but like Charlie, I have to get her something. She badly needs a new chair for her computer desk. Maybe I'll get her that.

Speaking of Mom, I spent an hour or so at her house late last night trying to get her modem hooked up properly, which I succeeded in doing. Then I had to get her registered online. Apparently AT&T wouldn't let her access the internet without registering first. Lame. I also changed a setting that should hopefully speed up her ridiculously slow computer. My computer is years older than hers and works much faster.

Anyway, Christmas wishes. Here are mine:



1. Same as last year. "My number one wish is actually a wish for my husband. The fulfilling of this wish/prayer will not only be of great benefit to him, but will also be a joy and a blessing for our family."

2. Money so I can buy clothes. I need them badly.

3. Israel and New Breed CDs. I really like their music and the music of Israel Houghton. I don't have any of their CDs. (Yes, CDs. I'm not into downloading or MP3s or whatever.)

4. A few books that I don't yet own: Those Who Save Us, by Jenna Blum; Cleopatra's Daughter, by Michelle Moran and Through the Veil, by Shiloh Walker.

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I hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas season with your families and that your wishes come true.

About Me

I don't spend as much time at my blog as I used to. Facebook takes up so much of my online time, with its games and keeping up with friends and family. But when I come here to my blog and read others' blogs, it seems quieter, calmer, more peaceful. Maybe I should come here more often.

I just spent a good deal of time catching up on the blogs I follow. One of them is Lost in Books. The creator of that blog, Rebecca, posted a meme at her blog nearly a month ago that I'd like to also respond to.

Age: 38

Chore that you hate: Toilets, because they're disgusting (especially with males in the house), and tubs because I'm short, which means I also have shorter arms and legs than most people, so cleaning them is difficult. I have a hard time reaching the areas of the tub and tub wall furthest from the outside of the tub.

Dogs: We have two - a toy poodle named Pippin and Charlie's Jack Russell Milo, who I sometimes call Julio because, well, nicknames kind of just happen and don't always make sense.

Cats: Three - a black female named Sadie (she's kind of evil, but loves me), a black and white female named Evie (usually in her own world; Charlie says she's a hippy) and a black and tan tabby male named Sam (a total mama's boy).

Essential start to your day: Breakfast, when I have time for it. Which I never do on Sundays.

Favorite colors: Green and red. Though not together unless it's Christmas. I also really like lavender and plum and some shades of blue (aqua, turquoise, royal, cobalt, etc.)

Gold or silver: Depends on what it is.

Height: 5' 0"

Instruments you play: None.

Job title: I have a few - Mother, Housewife, Homemaker, Stay-at-Home-Mom, Keeper of the Home, Domestic Goddess, etc. :-)

Kids: Two. My son Sean is 14 and has been making me very proud lately with his love for God and going to church. My daughter Kelly is 11 and is still very close to me. I hope she doesn't turn into one of those horrible teenage girls who roll their eyes at their moms and don't want to have anything to do with them.

Live in: Blessed to live in North Carolina. <3

Mother-in-law's name: Her name was Nancy Rose. She passed away in late February 2007.

Nicknames: Charlie calls me "Baby". To everyone else I'm Niki or Nick.

Overnight hospital stays: The births of my children. All other hospital stays were outpatient surgery (laparascopy for endometriosis in 1998) and several hours due to an illness (stomach flu) that nearly killed me when I was 17. In the latter case, the doctors said I would've been dead in a matter of hours if my mom hadn't brought me to the hospital.

Pet peeves: People who speed in school zones during school zone hours. Especially when they ride my tail while I'm doing the 25 mph or 35 mph school zone speed limit. Ticks me off! People who go above (over 5 mph above) or below the speed limit. Both drive me crazy. People who don't use their blinkers. Drawers or cabinets that are left open. Clothes and trash left in the floor. Spills not wiped up on the counters and stove.

Right or left-handed: Right

Siblings: A brother named Del who is about 18 months younger than me and a foot taller.

Time you wake up: Weekdays, 7:00 AM. Saturday: Whenever. Sunday: 8:00 AM.

Vegetable you hate: Pretty much all of them. (Except potatoes and black eyed peas, which are more like beans.) They make me gag, both because of their taste and their texture.

What makes you run late: My kids. They're so slow!

X-rays you've had: Teeth, mammogram, I think my heart when I was 14 and my ankle when I was 10. The ankle was twisted, not broken.

Yummy food that you make: Beef stew, chicken parmesan (no frying, no crust, super delicious), arroz con pollo, Italian chili, Mexican dinner (tacos, enchiladas, refried beans), chili, lemon oregano chicken, pasta bake, lasagna, pancakes (from scratch) and baked whole chicken.

Zoo animal: Eh. I'm not really a zoo person, but I reckon I like the cats, giraffes, polar bears, seals.

Fall Pictures

Last Sunday and Monday the kids and I spent a little time at the park. My main purpose in going was to attempt to get some pretty Fall pictures.

There was a race (high school or college) last Sunday, hence the flags. They have foot and bike races there sometimes.

I love the light in this one.

Kelly, age 11.

Sean, age 14.

Old Salem and the Blue Ridge Parkway

We took the kids to Old Salem for a few hours on Saturday. It was Harvest Day at Old Salem, with a focus on pigs and apples. But that wasn't as interesting to us as touring the town and the buildings. We had been there before when Sean was little (before Kelly was born), but it was hot and we didn't stay long. The weather was perfect this time with temperatures in the low 70s, mostly clear skies and a nice breeze.

Back of the Tavern. George Washington slept here two nights.

The kids and I wanted to ride the carriage, but it costs $10 per person. Crazy. The building on the left is the Single Brothers' House.

The Winkler Bakery. A very popular place. I wanted to buy a few things there (Moravian cookies, bread, almond pound cake), but the line was too long.


Many of the homes in Old Salem are private residences, including this one. Most are nicer than this outwardly humble-looking abode.

After leaving Old Salem, we went to La Hacienda for supper and then came home.

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We went to the mountains on Sunday. A lot of the colorful leaves had been blown off by high winds on Friday and, most annoying of all, there was a detour on the Parkway that caused us to miss a few of our favorite overlooks (Alligator Back, Mahogany Rock, Stone Mountain), but it was a nice day and we enjoyed our time on the Parkway.

Fox Hunters Paradise overlook.

Tall hill at The Lump overlook.

Looking back from the top of the hill.

View from the top of the hill. That pale spot in the distance is Stone Mountain.

Another view from the top of the hill. (Click on the picture to view it large.) The mountains in the distance remind me of where the Blue Ridge Mountains get their name. The Cherokee called them "The Great Blue Hills of God".

Another view from the top of the hill.

Near the Mt. Jefferson overlook. Grandfather Mountain is the tall peak in the distance on the left.

We took the Parkway from around Fancy Gap,VA, to Boone, NC. (Though, as I said, there was a detour that took us away from the Parkway for several miles. Part of the detour took us through the very small town of Sparta. We can't help but say, "This is SPARTA!!" everytime we go to the mountains and see "Sparta" on the road signs.) Once we got to Boone, we went to the Dan'l Boone Inn Restaurant, as we always do, and enjoyed some delicious country cookin' - fried chicken, country style steak, mashed potatoes and gravy (we couldn't get enough of them), green beans, corn, salad, cole slaw, country ham biscuits (yum!). For dessert, we had a choice of banana pudding, strawberry shortcake or chocolate cake.

It was after 5:00 when we left Boone. When we got outside of Wilkesboro, we stopped at a produce stand and bought apples (Jona Gold) and pumpkin bread. They didn't have pumpkin bread at the Northwest Trading Post, where I usually get it when we go to the mountains, so I bought some at the produce stand. It's good, but not nearly as good as the pumpkin bread I've gotten at the Northwest Trading Post in the past.


I'm hoping we can do something else fun and interesting this Saturday. I was thinking maybe Alamance Battleground. We'll see.

Two Fall Festivals

Saturday was the Fall Festival at Bur-Mil Park. The kids and I had been looking forward to it. (Charlie was also, but he ended up having to work and couldn't go.) However, when we got there we were disappointed in how much wasn't there compared to last year. There was no kayaking or archery this year (something Sean and Samantha had been excited about doing; Kelly wasn't interested), no field filled with tent after tent and table after table of activities and crafts. There were a few tables out front and a few tents and small trailers out back to get food, none of which we were interested in. There was also a hayride, which we enjoyed. After that, we left and went to the Fun Fest at Hagan-Stone Park.

My mom met us at the Fun Fest, since it's closer to where we all live, and we had a pretty good time. There was a car show that I knew Charlie probably would've liked, so I took pictures of the cars for him. And the thing the kids were most excited about and had been since we found out about it a couple days before the Fun Fest was the pony rides. And not the kind that are in a small corral. They enjoyed that so much and talked about it all day. (They said it was "awesome".) It was the first time on a horse for my kids. Samantha said she had been on one once before when she was little, but she doesn't really remember it, so it was like the first time for her. She also had funnel cake for the first time and loved that as well.

Samantha on "her" horse Billy.

Kelly on "her" horse Willa.

Sean on "his" horse Thunder.

It was an enjoyable day and the weather was pretty. I ended up with a sunburn on my arms and neck, but it doesn't hurt, so no biggy.

The kids chasing geese at Hagan-Stone Park.

The kids and I brought Samantha back home to Raleigh yesterday after church and after eating at Cracker Barrel, which was as slow as usual with getting our food to us. I don't know why I keep forgetting how slow they are.

Our next thing coming up is a day trip to the mountains. We don't know yet what day we're going (we're aiming for Friday, but it's going to depend on the weather), but it should be sometime this week or early next week. We're really looking forward to it.

Titanic Artifact Exhibition

My niece Samantha (on Charlie's side) goes to a year-round school in Raleigh and has been on break for a couple weeks. She called last week wanting to come spend some time with us, so I picked her up on Friday while the kids were in school. We got back just in time to get Kelly from school.

On Saturday, I took the kids to the Titanic Artifact Exhibition at the Natural Science Center of Greensboro. (Charlie didn't want to go because the story is too depressing, so he stayed home.) When we first got to the doors of the exhibit, we were given replicas of the Titanic boarding pass. On the back is the name and information (including class, age, reason for being on the Titanic, other people in their party) of someone who was on the Titanic. Eventually you reach the lists, divided by class, of those who were "saved" and those who were "lost". You can then look for the name of your person and find out if they lived or died. My person, Margaret Ann Watson (3rd class), died along with everyone in her party. Including four of her children. Her oldest child, an adult, was already in America.


It was amazing to see some of the artifacts recovered from the bottom of the ocean. It was so hard to imagine them lying there for so many decades and now here they were right in front of me, under glass. Wallets, dishes, a glasses case, a leather bag, a man's suit and socks, money, post cards, cuff links, make-up, perfume and many other personal belongings. There was also a porthole, rivets and small steel plates.

As we walked through the exhibit, there were photos of some of Titanic's passengers, along with their story. There was also a replica of a 3rd class cabin and a 1st class cabin. The furniture wasn't from the Titanic, but was from that time period.

As I read the story of the Titanic, written on the portable exhibit walls, and saw the photos and artifacts and read the stories of some of the people who had been on the Titanic, I became a little emotional and there was a lump in my throat. Like most everyone else, I was familiar with the Titanic and some of her passengers. I've seen the movie (while the story of Rose and Jack isn't real, the sinking of the Titanic is quite dramatic and close to what it was really like for the people on board) and I've watched several documentaries about Titanic. But seeing parts of the ship and some of the actual belongings of the people who were on Titanic just made it seem more real somehow.

The sinking of the Titanic is one of those historical events you wish you could go back in time and change.

If there's a Titanic exhibit near you or if it ever comes to your town, I highly recommend you go. It's worth the price of admission, in my opinion. When I asked the kids what they thought, they said it was "cool". We all loved it.

Amazing Singers

I sometimes share songs at Facebook that are on my mind lately or that I think may minister to someone. In my search for the song "Help Me" by Cortt Chavis at YouTube I came across a group of people doing their version of it. They recorded themselves singing it in public places and they are amazing! I don't know who they are, but wow! are they awesome. Especially the lead singer/guitarist.

If you want to hear this, scroll down to the bottom of my page first and pause the music player.


If you view this at YouTube you can see the lyrics to the song there.


This is one of the first ones she did almost two years ago. She is awesome!





These are just a few of the songs they have at YouTube. As I said at Facebook, if they ever make a CD I'm buying it!

Karate, Church, Song, Books

Sean was promoted from an orange belt to a yellow belt in Karate on Saturday. He was only expecting to get a stripe on his belt, not move on to the next color. He was happy and proud.

From orange belt....

to yellow belt.

We had an awesome revival at our church recently. (Wednesday-Friday, and Sunday.) The evangelist was anointed and greatly used of God to speak truth and words of healing and encouragement. What an awesome time of worship and Word and seeking God!


We sang many great songs during the revival. This one that we sang Friday night especially ministered to us.



Kelly wasn't feeling well yesterday and may not be going to school today. Though I hope she can. School started on August 25th and she's already missed a few days. :-/

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I finished reading Nocturne a few weeks ago. It was okay. It reminded me of Twilight a lot, though there are no teenagers involved or wolves. Some things in Nocturne are not like Twilight, but enough of it was that it bugged me a little. Not because I dislike Twilight. I actually liked the Twilight books when I read them. I just don't like for different books to be too similar to one another. If you've never read Twilight and you like vampire stories, you may like Nocturne more than I did.

I'm currently reading The Silmarillion. (History of Middle-earth, covering what happened before The Hobbit, which takes place before The Lord of the Rings.) I usually read in bed before going to sleep and since I've been pretty tired by the time I get to bed I'm not getting much read each night. The Silmarillion is very interesting and I wish I wasn't so tired when I get around to reading at night. Some nights I'm too tired to read.

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Not much else going on really. The housework, wife and mom thing. And there's church on Wednesdays and Sundays. The best part of each week.

I hope everyone is doing well. :-)