2023 Books

 This year I read 63 books: 12 on Kindle, 3 on paper, and 48 audio. (Technically one was a mix between audio and Kindle, but I credited to audio since that is where the bulk of it was consumed.) One of my goals this year was to consume some amount of book every single day. I think I ended up forgetting to read or listen fewer than 10 times over the entire year. Since I've been running a lot less, I've needed to find other times to listen to books. 

My top 10% of books this year:

• Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
• Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
• The Last Slave Ship by Ben Raines
• Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
• Die With Zero by Bill Perkins

I always find it interesting to compare how my top 10% aligns with my overall total. This year I read a total of 18 non-fiction books and 45 fiction books, so about 28% of my total books were non-fiction. But among the six books in the top 10%, four of them are non-fiction!

January:

1. Light to the Hills by Bonnie Blaylock - Sweet story about the WPA project to deliver books to rural areas during the Depression.

2. The Joy of Sweat by Sarah Evers* - Who knew sweat was so interesting?

3. The Guest List by Lisa Foley* - Dark and disturbing, and I couldn't stop listening.

4. Other Words for Home by Jasmin Warga* - Loved this so much in so many ways.

5. Reputation by Sarah Vaughan* - Definitely has some tough topics, but man, this was a good one.

6. Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most by Cassie Holmes - This book had so many good things to think about when considering how to use your time in ways that actually bring about happiness.

7. Hello Molly! by Molly Shannon* -  I loved Molly's candor about hard topics, and I loved her optimism. I laughed out loud throughout this book and shed a few tears too.

February:

8. The Last Slave Ship by Ben Raines* - Everyone, go read this book right now. I cannot stop talking about it.

9. The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon - I think I prefer her historical fiction, but this one was pretty good.

10. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou - Man. What a dumpster-fire Theranos was, and nobody seemed to notice. Those who did were bullied into silence.

March:

11. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens* - I read this right after my freshman year of college (nearly 20 years ago!), and I really loved it. It definitely held up for me in this audio version.

12. Mom Life Versus the Everday Apocalypse by Megan Whitmer* - A fun little book about the adventures and hilarity of mom life.

13. Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center* - I was surprised by how much I liked this one.

14. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng* - I find her books engaging, but then I just feel frustrated by the characters.

April:

15. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald* - What a delightfully fun one to listen to on our road trip.

16. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery* - Always a delight. Even better to share it with my children, most of whom loved it.

17. Ten Thousand Tries by Amy Makechnie* - This was for book group, and I wasn't expecting much, but I really liked it. It was a hit with everyone in the group. I'll definitely recommend it to my children.

May:

18. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo* - There is just no need to read the unabridged version of this book. So much of this book is amazing, but then there is so much nothingness. Jean Valjean is amazing. Marius and Cosette's love story is ridiculous. (Marked as audio, but I also read some of it (maybe 20%) on Kindle.)

19. Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World by Lauren Fleshman* - So good. I want all my running friends to read it. And all parents.

20. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool* - This is a sweet and fun one. Read it once before, and read it again for book group.

21. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins* - A good book, written well, but it seemed a little like grief-porn.

22. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton* - Such a delightful listen. I listened to most of it while on a long run, and I'm sure some people thought I looked like a weirdo, smiling from ear to ear as I listened to some of Tom's stories.

23. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon - This was my least favorite of any I've read by Amy Harmon so far. I didn't love the romantic slant of this story based on a real person.

June:

24. White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg* - Intereting, but I didn't think she proved her points as a historian as well as others have.

25. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys* - The scene with Christian watching the video that Daniel's friends in America sent to him was so amazing. I have told countless people about that scene.

26. The Running Girls by Matt Brolly - A decent suspense/thriller.

27. The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John* - Our family loved listening to this one on our road trip.

28. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale* - Even the kids who didn't want to listen to a book about princesses were surprised by how good this was. It wasn't my first time reading it, so I knew that the title doesn't do the book justice.

29. Out of the Ashes by Kara Thoams - I really liked this suspense book, far more than I expected.

30. The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding by Lydia Kang* - Ugh. Should have quit this one early on, but I wanted to know what would happen. And then it was just so ridiculous.

July:

31. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson* - I read this several years ago, but there were many details I couldn't quite remember. It was fun to listen to it this time.

32. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson* - I called a few of the surprises at the ending, but not all of them.

33. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale* - It was fun to share this with the entire family on a road trip.

34. The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough* - Probably not my favorite of his, but it was interesting to learn about this time in history that I knew nothing about.

35. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir* - Such a delight. There were a few times when the science went on a little too long, but I loved this story so much.

36. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Muderers* by Jesse Q. Sutanto - What a fun one! I loved listening to this one. The characters were delightful, and I laughed out loud many times.

37. The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry* - Another huge winner for me. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I want to read more about this time period.

August:

38. The Davenports by Krystal Marquis* - I wanted to love this one, but I felt like it dragged on too long.

39. The Accomplice by Liza Lutz* - I really loved the back-and-forth in the timelines for this one. The characters didn't do a lot for me, though.

40. Through a Darkening Glassby R. S. Maxwell* - This was another one where I really wanted to love it, so I kept reading it, but ultimately I was disappointed.

41. Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward by Gemma Hartley* - I allowed myself to give up on this one. It felt like a big whine-fest with no offered solutions.

42. Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave* - I loved this book so much. The writing was beautiful, and loved the themes. I wanted to listen again as soon as I finished.

43. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney* - This one deserves all the hype.

44. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat - We chose this for book group, and I ended up buying a copy. I'll be happy to have it around for reference.

September:

45. The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth* - This was such a good one. I loved so much about it.

46. Animal Farm by George Orwell* - It was interesting to listen to this with my kids and explain all the underlying messages.

47. The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis* - Another good listen with the kiddos.

48. Little Bee by Chris Cleave* - Coming off Everyone Brave is Forgiven, which I loved with my whole heart, I thought I would like this one. I did not. At all. The main characters (besides Bee) are terrible. It was just so ugh.

49. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang - Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd love a graphic novel as much as I loved this one. It was so good.

50. The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter - I stayed up way too late too many nights in a row reading this one. It took some turns I did not expect.

October:

51. The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos* - The writing isn't stellar, but I appreciated the stories in this volume.

52. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson* - This is funny, but it's a bit long and ultimately felt like more of the same by the end.

53. Friends, Lovers, and the Terrible Big Thing by Matthew Perry* - I read this right before he died. It turns out, I like Chandler Bing far more than Matthew Perry. His addictions made his life hard, which also made this book hard to read. Another thing that made this book hard to read were the jumps in timelines and the repetitiveness.

54. Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke* - I chuckled throughout this modern-day Metamorphosis, but it's definitely not for everyone.

November:

55. Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Becky Kennedy* - If you follow Dr. Becky on Instagram, you'll learn what you need to know. This book has a lot of good content, but by the end, I was skipping to the relevant sections.

56. The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist* - This is a good, important topic, but it was really long. It's not a history book I'd readily recommend.

57. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume* - I do not get why this is such a classic. It felt really out of touch to me.

58. Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins* - I have not stopped talking about this book with anyone who will listen. It really challenged some of my thoughts on money and how I spend it.

59. False Witness by Karin Slaughter* - Really dark, but I couldn't stop listening.

60. Broadway Butterfly by Sara DiVello - Nothing at all happened in this book. Yet another Kindle FirstReads, where I hung on to the bitter end, expecting something to happen, but nothing did.

61. The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton* - Billed as a mix of Station Eleven and Where the Crawdads Sing, I expected to love this one. I agree with the description, but the plot fell flat for me, especially at the end. I wouldn't say nothing in happens in this book, but when big things happen, it was as if they were small blips. 

December:

62. Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter* - I'm to a point where everything from this author feels the same. Her books are highly engaging (if rather sweary and violent), but in the end they all blur together.

63. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus* - I get why this one has gotten a lot of hype. It was funny and tender and deals with important topics. I thought it wrapped up too quickly and cleanly in the end.

64. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin* - I get why this one was wildly popular, but it didn't do a ton for me.

2022 Books

This year's reading included 74 books, of which 15 were Kindle, and the rest were audio. I don't even know what a paper book feels like anymore, although I perpetually have a stack on my nightstand.

My top 10% were:

• Sprinting Through No Man's Land by Adin Dobkin
• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
• The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
• The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 
• They Said They Wanted Revolution by Neda Toloui-Semnani
• Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon
• One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Of this top 10%, four of them were read on Kindle - which may say something about how I retain things I've read with my eyeballs versus listened to with my ears. Or it may speak to the fact that I'm more invested in a book I've purchased (which is the case for a couple of them), or that I'm really good at picking which Amazon FirstReads books I'll like the best. (Except that previous years' iterations of this post indicate I'm not very good at picking my Amazon FirstReads books, so there is that.)

A few other things about 2022's reading. We listened to so many audiobooks on our massive road trip. My kids' growing appreciation for good books is getting fun. Also, in our first few years of marriage, I always gave Eric a hard time because I read several books he had recommended, but he rarely took my book recommendations. Over the last few years, especially as our distance running has ramped up, he has started heeding my recommendations more. It's fun to see where he lands.

January:

1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - A very interesting fantasy, but it was so slow. I don't think I'll get around to reading the others in the series.

2. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth* - An interesting read. Maybe considered a thriller? I know that I figured out the the truth well before the end of the book.

3. The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore* - Such an interesting story, but it literally could have been one third as long as it was. I wouldn't have touched it at all because I really hated this author's telling of another story in history, but we chose it for book group.

February:

4. Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore* - Possibly my favorite of the series. I just really enjoyed all the aspects of this book.

5. Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand* - I had never read this author before, and now I might take a dive into all of her books. This was just funny, poignant, and still pretty light.

6. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell* - I blew through this super fast, but I was disappointed in the ending. It seemed unbelievably unrealistic.

7. The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty - Not my favorite of hers, but I found it likeable. My book group was underwhelmed.

8. Persist by Elizabeth Warren* - Some interesting ideas here. I'm not sure if all of her plans would go exactly as she imagines, but at least she has some specific ideas.

9. Anxious People by Fredrick Backman* - So many laugh out loud moments on this one. I really enjoyed the characters.

10. The Unflinching Ash by Angela Armstrong - It's pretty special when you get to read a book written by a friend. Even more special if the book is legitimately good.

March:

11. Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan* - I couldn't stop listening to this one.

12. The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner* - Pretty good. No bones to pick with the history, but the overall plot was a bit outlandish.

13. Ban This Book! by Alan Gratz* - This was a fun one.

14. Sprinting Through No Man's Land by Adin Dobkin - If you didn't listen to me ramble on about the Tour de France while I read this book, then you sure missed out.

15. The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud* - Very enjoyable.

16. One by One by Ruth Ware* - Pretty forgettable.

April:

17. Savvy by Ingrid Law* - The boys and I really enjoyed this one and had lots of suggestions for prequels and sequels. Turns out, they already exist or are in the works.

18. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster* - The boys and I liked this one too.

19. Whatever After: Two Peas in a Pod by Sarah Mlynowski* - The whole family listend to this one, and we were surprised by how much we all liked it.

20. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah* - Loved it. Probably my favorite of hers that I've read.

21. The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland - I thought this was a fair assessment of DNA testing within the non-professional genealogy world. She did a good job discussing the pros, cons, and difficulties of genetic testing. Much of it wasn't "new" to me, but I appreciated an outsider's view of things.

22. The  Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud* - Very amusing.

23. Whatever After: Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski* - Not as fun as the first one we listened to.

24. Whatever After: Abby in Oz by Sarah Mlynowski* - Perfectly adequate.

May:

25. Going There by Katie Couric* - I really enjoyed this one. Some people thought it was too full of gossip, but I thought it was a good balance.

26. Tears of Amber by Sofia Sergovia - I really appreciated this historical fiction. It's about WWII, but it's from the viewpoint of people in East Prussia, which I was really not familiar with.

27. Whatever After: Dream On by Sarah Mlynowski* - Just more of the same from this series. It's a decent series that I don't mind for my kids, but it's not something I'd read on my own. The boys were also pretty tired of it by this point.

28. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo* - What a fun one!

29. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney* - I stand by my dislike of this book series.

30. Whatever After: If the Shoe Fits by Sarah Mlynowski* - I felt like this one was one of the better ones from a mom perspective.

31. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary* - I've said it before, and I still feel it: Where was Beverly Cleary in my childhood? How did I miss her altogether?

32. Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt* - Such a good one for our cross-country trip.

June:

33. The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White* - This book is positively delightful and hilarious and wonderful. I'm going to have to buy a copy.

34. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl* - We all loved this one too.

35. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar* - A family favorite.

36. Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar* - We loved this one too.

37. Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger by Louis Sachar* - And this one.

38. Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan* - Such a wonderful audiobook. My third listen, the boys' second, Eric's first.

39. The Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl* - Another fun one.

40. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare - I was surprised by how much I liked this one.

41. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate* - I'm a sucker for stories about adoption and lost families. I'm not sure how well this will age with the rise of DNA testing. I appreciated the history about the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Before DNA testing was ubiquitous, I worked with a client who believed her parent had been illegally adopted through this organization.

July:

42. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P. D. James* - This was a well-paced book to listen to while I get back into distance running.

43. The Skull Beneath the Skin by P. D. James* - I didn't like this one as well as the previous, but it was fine. I wasn't terribly sad to learn there were only two in the series. I'm sure I'll seek more by this author.

44. Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud* - A nice conclusion to this series.

45. As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark* - Meh.

46. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin - Loved it so much. I was surprised by how delightful it was.

47. Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - This was just such a delightful little book. I laughed a lot and may have even shed a tear or two.

48. Family Money by Chad Zunker - Meh. I got this free from Amazon. It didn't do a lot for me, but it was short enough that I went ahead and finished it.

49. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson* - I'm always surprised by how much I enjoy books written in verse.

50. Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor* - It was really nice to listen to a series that was only a duology instead of a trilogy. This was such a satisfactory ending.

51. Cover Her Face by P. D. James* - I can't even remember what this one was about, but I liked it well enough to continue the series.

August:

52. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins* - This one is a bit dark, but I appreciated how the character lines fit together.

53. The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan* - Delightful and sweet. I wish I had known more about Pablo Neruda before starting the book. Or even that the book was a historical fiction of his childhood.

54. A Mind to Murder by P. D. James* - It was hard to keep track of all these characters.

55. A Tiger Mom's Tale by Lynn Liao Butler* - This was really good contemporary fiction. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

56. Unnatural Causes by Dawn Eastman* - I came upon this one while looking up a P. D. James novel of the same title. It got me through some runs, but was nothing to write home about.

57. Unnatural Causes by P. D. James* - I was really intrigued by this one and was a bit surprised by the ending.

September:

58. Shroud for a Nightingale by P. D. James* - Maybe it's time for a break from this series. I'm having a hard time keeping track of all the characters.

59. They Said They Wanted Revolution by Neda Toloui-Semnani - A fascinating perspective of the Iranian revolution and some who participated in it. Written by the daughter of a couple of late revolutionists, relying on as many primary documents and family members and friends as would participate.

60. Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer - Fell a little flat for me.

61. Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon - Loved this one a lot.

62. The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones* - Heavy stuff. Some of the essays should be required reading.

63. Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - I just love her stuff. This new one was fantastic.

64. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng* - There's this underlying theme that you can only be truly happy if you thrust off the shackles of all societal constraints. I think that is complete nonsense.

October:

65. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline* - Despised.

66. Last Summer Boys by Bill Rivers - Thoroughly enjoyable.

67. Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor - This one does dueling time periods really well.

November:

68. Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaelee Doucleff* - Some interesting ideas here.

69. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann* - A little slow at first, but this is a crucial and overlooked part of our history. Eric nearly quit while listening, and I encouraged him to keep going.

70. The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor* - Didn't like this as well as the other one by her. The relationships were kind of weird and confusing, and I'm a person who handles weird and confusing relationships very well.

December:

71. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate* - This one made me want to work on genealogy projects focused on African-Americans. There are materials out there, and we need to prioritize their digitization and indexing!

72. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig* - How many ways are there to beat a dead horse?

73. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - Amazing exposition of relationships and how our personalities are defined by them. I couldn't stop listening to this one and couldn't wait to see how it unfolded.

74. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab* - Wasn't thrilled from the get-go, but I persisted. Then I regretted. So dark, so meaningless. I do not get the hype.

2021 Books

 I feel a little odd that I have gone this whole year without posting at all on this old blog. But I keep my book list running on it, saved as a draft, throughout the year. It's so easy to add to it all long year and then update it just before it posts. This blog's readers have no idea if my kids had birthdays this year (they did), or if we went on any vacations (we did), but at least you'll know how many books I read, when I read them, and what my top 10% of books were.

Total books: 77

Biggest book months: April, May and June, each with 11 books. Road trips, combined with good running weather make for a lot of reading for me.

Top 10% in no particular order (rounding up because I can do what I want on my blog):

• The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Crown and Suzanne Stabile
• Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit
• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
• Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• All Thirteen by Christina Soontornvat
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 
• Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
• The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes

January

1. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd* - Listened with the boys. It was fine. Not super memorable.

2. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende* - There was a lot I loved about this, and a lot that drove me bonkers.

3. Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer* - So heavy. I usually enjoy the unraveling of a family mystery.

4. Shadow Woman by Thomas Perry* - This series is getting kind of predictable, and I can't remember one book from the next. But they remain engaging, especially while running.

5. The Face-Changers by Thomas Perry* - I believe after this one I told Eric I might take a break from this series. But then I dove right into the next one.

February

6. Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix* - This one definitely had some plot holes that I didn't think of when I read it at about age 12. Nonetheless, I found it thoroughly enjoyable to listen to with my boys.

7. Blood Money by Thomas Perry* - The mafia families got involved in this one, and I had a hard time remembering which group was which. The end got a bit muddled for me.

8. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson - This book was so good. It took me a while to get through it, but it is a very good mix of a historical study blended with individual history.

9. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale - I liked this the first time I read it, and I enjoyed it again on this read-through.

March

10. Runner by Thomas Perry* - More of the same of his stuff.

11. Poison Flower by Thomas Perry* - See above. All the plots run together for me. I'm glad I'm nearly done with this series.

12. A String of Beads by Thomas Perry* - All wrapped up with this series (for now). If he adds more, I don't know that I need to read more.

13. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale* - I didn't love this audio version. It was read with a full cast, but it felt really forced to me. I'm glad I re-read this one because I remembered almost nothing from reading it a few years back.

14. The Self Driven Child by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson - So much good stuff in this book. I am eager to discuss it with my book group ladies.

April

15. Soul Full of Coal Dust by Chris Hamby* - Man, the coal industry is corrupt. Also lawyers are corrupt. When I hear people complain about the government tying the hands of the coal industry, I'll recommend this book to them.

16. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney* - We listened to this on a family road trip. It was great for the boys, but I wasn't crazy about it or some of the language in it.

17. Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar* - This fourth addition to the original trilogy did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it and chuckling at Mr. Sachar's excellent sense of humor.

18. The Likely Resolutions of  Oliver Clock by Jane Riley - This was a very enjoyable free book through the First Reads program.

19. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick* - Another audiobook on a road trip. Very enjoyable.

20. All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio* - Pretty good, but not amazing. The book involves two narratives, one during WWII, and one in 2009. I far preferred the one from WWII and found the amnesia trope tiresome.

21. How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana* - Good memoir. It wrapped up with a lot of loose ends, though, because it is so current.

22. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - I liked it. I liked the many meanings of the title.

23. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park* - I was amazed by how much I loved this one.

24. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney* - I am just not crazy about these books. Listened on a road trip and then had a discussion with my kids about what a bad example Greg is.

25. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park* - Yes, I liked this book so much that I kept it on my phone and listened to it twice in one month. My kids had a hard time following this one, but I loved it again.

May

26. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney* - Ugh, the relationships in this book are so bad. Greg is such a brat, and so is his older brother!

27. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck* - Now THIS was a book we all enjoyed. Good characters, hilarious story, good discussions about history.

28. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson* - I loved this book when my teacher read it to my class in fifth grade. My boys liked it, but they may have been a little young to fully appreciate it.

29. Prognosis: A Memoir of My Brain by Sarah Vallance - Why do I keep reading these terrible memoirs about self-absorbed people who think their lives are interesting, but who actually just make a series of terrible choices?

30. My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows* - I really enjoyed listening to this one. I laughed a lot.

31. The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator by Joakim Palmkvist - Interesting. There wasn't as much emphasis on the investigator as I expected there to be, and it was a little longer than it needed to be.

32. The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee* - Such an interesting story. A little long, but I appreciated the many plays on words in the advice columns.

33. The War on Normal People by Andrew Yang* - So depressing! I know the end was supposed to fill me with hope as Yang provides ideas on how to improve America's situation, but that is not how I felt. I think he's got some interesting ideas on paper. I don't see any of those ideas making it through Congress. I do support therapy for all married couples who need it!

34. River Secrets by Shannon Hale* - Probably my least favorite in the series. Pretty forgettable for me.

35. Without the Mask by Charlie Bird - Incredibly good. I'd be curious to see where Charlie is ten years from now. I worry that his position is untenable, based on other gay LDS people I know.

36. Uglies by Scott Westerfield* - I really liked this one, despite a terrible narrator. I found the characters interesting enough, and the basic premise of the plot is intriguing. The events at the end of the book set up a lot of excitement for the next book. I also found the main character, Tally, really relatable concerning her desires and her changing opinions.

June

37. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney* - It's amusing to listen to a book about road tripping while road tripping. Nevertheless, my opinion of the Wimpy Kid series is unchanged.

38. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell* - How did I miss this one as a kid? It was a bit slow for my kids, but I liked it.

49. The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner* - Such an interesting facet of American history. I was more familiar with Japanese internment camps. Reading about "Germans" who were re-repatriated was fascinating and heartbreaking. The post-war chapters dragged on a little too long, though.

40. The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Crown and Suzanne Stabile - If I haven't blabbered on to you about the enneagram yet, then you must not have chatted with me since I last read this book. Eric and Andrew had me read entire chapters to them on our long drive home from our road trip.

41. Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit* - Oh, how I loved this one! I read it as a child and liked it. But I understood so much more of the humor as an adult. I enjoyed listening with my kiddos.

42. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney* - Eric keeps downloading these books for road trips. I should really just put my headphones in and ignore them while my family enjoys them.

43. Pretties by Scott Westerfield* - I thought this was a decent sequel to the first. I was eager to read the last.

44. Specials by Scott Westerfield* - And then the finale really fizzled for me. What a bummer.

45. Ghost by Jason Reynolds* - This one was delightful, heart-warming, funny, and deep.

46. Your Perfect Year by Charlotte Lucas - Another free book from Amazon's First Reads. I thought it would be light and amusing. It was full of coincidences, but it definitely wasn't light. The banter between characters was not funny, but I suppose it might have been in the original German. It just didn't do a lot for me, and by the time I decided I just wasn't thrilled about it, I was 75% through and figured I'd stick it out.

47. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo - I just loved this one so much. When I read the author's note at the end, I realized it was based on some real events, and then I loved it even more.

July

48. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling* - Listened with my kids on a road trip, and then I was inspired to re-listen to the whole series.

49. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* by J. K. Rowling* - Restarted at the very beginning.

50. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling* - This one is just never a favorite of mine, but it has some elements that are important to the series as a whole.

51. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling* - I love this one and will always be a sucker for time travel books.

52. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling* - This one's toward the bottom of the books for me.

53. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - Loved it so much! Such good characters with tons of development.

54. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling* - So much teenage angst in this one. It's a little tiring, but Umbridge is the best antagonist.

55. Matilda by Roald Dahl* - Listened on a road trip with the kiddos. We had read it aloud before, and we had seen the play recently, so it was fun to listen to the book.

56. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - Again, I was totally caught up in these characters. I'm glad I've discovered this author.

August

57. Matilda by Roald Dahl* - Fun listen with the kids.

58. All Thirteen by Christina Soontornvat - This book was just so amazing and interesting. I was totally fascinated and couldn't stop talking about it to every single person.

59. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - I just really enjoy this author. This book took some twists I didn't expect, but I loved it.

60. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silva Morena-Garcia* - As I posted at the time of the Mt. Nebo Marathon, there was something very appropriate about reading this book, which ends with the young woman journeying through the underworld, while running a marathon for which I was inadequately prepared. This was a brand new realm of mythology for me, and I found it fascinating.

September

61. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough* - Hot dang, I liked this one way more than I expected. The Wright Brothers didn't just invent the airplane, they also mastered flying. McCullough really brings out that aspect of their genius and persistence.

62. White Like Her: My Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing by Gail Lukasic* - Such an interesting story, but this book was a little boring.

63. Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughn* - Great British novel about families, perceptions, mental health, and relationships. Really loved, and I wish she had more books.

64. All that's Bright and Gone by Eliza Nellums* - Eh, this one didn't do a ton for me. It ended a little weird.

October

65. Little White Lies by Phillippa East* - I liked the multiple perspectives in this narrative. It was definitely a riveting book.

66. Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughn* - This one is quite a bit darker than the other one I read by her, but I liked it. I loved the multiple narrators and how the story unfolded between past and present.

67. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling* - I told my oldest we'd listen to this one after he read the whole series, so we did. The ending sure lasts a long time.

68. The Parted Earth by Anjali Enjeti* - I loved learning about this aspect of history.

69. 1984 by George Orwell* - What a slog.

69. When You Read This by Mary Adkins* - Sweet but kind of forgettable.

70. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins* - Totally engaging version of Jane Eyre. I probably liked the ending better than the original.

71. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune* - Started this one and was really amused by the writing. Then my loan expired and I had to put it on hold before I could listen to the rest. By the time it came back up, I found it much less amusing. It just became rather tiresome for me.

November

72. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty* - I love all of her stuff. This one may be a favorite.

73. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover - Hated the first third or so, then I couldn't put it down. This deals with incredibly heavy topics (domestic violence, sexual assault), and there is a ton of swearing. But I felt like the author does such a good job of depicting why women stay in abusive relationships.

74. The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes* - This was a part of history I knew nothing about. Great read.

December

75. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett* - I had such mixed emotions about this book. It was read by Tom Hanks, which I didn't love. But, I was captivated by it from the start.

76. Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd* - A pretty meh suspense/thriller for me.

77. Graceling by Kristin Cashore* - Really enjoyed and couldn't wait to dive into the second one.

78. Fire by Kristin Cashore* - I liked it even better than Graceling.

2020 Books

With all the running I did this year, my number of audiobooks is probably higher than ever before. I sometimes listen to music while I run, but most often I start with a talk from General Conference, and then move to an audio book.

This year I read 64 books. Of those, ten were on Kindle, two were a mix of Kindle and audio, four were on paper, and 48 were audio. I need to spend less time on my phone in the evenings and more time with my Kindle or paper books. My best month was May, with 8 books. (This corresponds with the month I decided to run a marathon, but it does not correspond with the months with my highest mileage, June and July. Those months I read six books each.)

Of the books I read, this year, here are my top ten percent:

1. The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton and Laura Hardin. Stop everything you are doing right now and read this book. I read this for my book group, and it ended up being one of the best book group discussions I've ever head. Eric even joined in since he had also read the book at my insistence.
2. Lovely War by Julie Berry. I loved this way more than I thought I would.
3. Maybe You Should Talk to Somebody by Lori Gottleib. Everyone needs a therapist.
4. The Wildlands by Abby Geni. If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing, check out Abby Geni's books. I need her to write some more.
5. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. This author hasn't failed me yet.
6. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. This was my favorite book in 2019. It didn't fail me on the re-listen.

As an interesting note, three of the books in my top ten were for my local book group (#1, #3, and #5).

January
1. Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo* - This was a fun read. I thought it was a really cute story with surprising depth. I look forward to reading or listening with my kids.

2. The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton and Laura Hardin* - This was such an amazing and important read. Stop reading this blog post and go read that book.

3. The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough* - I loved considering American history in the view of Americans visiting and living in Paris. It made me want to visit Paris and study more art.

4. Unnatural by Angela Armstrong* - I really liked this one. I thought some of the downsides of the post-apocalyptic world were a bit heavy-handed, but I'm eager to find out where this series is going.

5. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel* - The idea of being a hermit living in the woods is romanticized a bit, but this man's story is so interesting.

February
6. The Broken Circle: A Memoir of Escaping Afghanistan by Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller - Such an interesting story of a refugee family trying to reunite after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Her wealthy family was different than so many refugees in that they had savings and personal friends and other connections to help them. Still, the difficulties and trials were real. (This was an Amazon FirstReads book.)

7. What It Is Like To Go To War by Karl Marlantes* - I first became interested in this book after seeing Ken Burns's documentary about the Vietnam War. The author of this book was interviewed extensively in the series. The end of the series included a list of authors and books, so I added this to my list. This book was hard to listen to, but I think it makes so many good points about what war should be, and what we need to do for our soldiers before, during, and after combat.

8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling* - Listened with the boys, and it was so fun to watch their reactions. Also, the Priori Incantatem chapter gets me every time.

March
9. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow* - This is a great history book, but I prefer David McCullough. It was good for me to get the facts on Alexander Hamilton because the musical rearranges some key events.

10. Supernova by Marissa Meyer* - A very fun conclusion to this series. Again, I am impressed that this series has so much depth considering it's kind of a silly topic (superhero wars). When we read the first one for book group, most hadn't read it because it's kind of long and hard to get a hold of. When I updated my status on GoodReads for this one, I saw that a few of my book group friends have also finished the trilogy, and now I want to talk to them about it!

11. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella - I read my first Sophie Kinsella book about a year ago and described it as a perfect beach read. This one I actually managed to start reading on a beach (and finished reading in a bath). It was entertaining, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I've Got Your Number. I definitely needed something lighthearted and distracting for this last week (quarantine, home school, earthquake, moody weather).

12. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy - It took me a bit to get into this one, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

April
13. A Warning by anonymous* - As one who despises President Trump, I don't think there was anything new or shocking here. There is a bit at the end about how important it is to have Trump ousted via election rather than congressional removal, and I thought that should have been at the beginning. I was tempted to bail in the book much earlier because it was just preaching to the choir for me.

14. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary* - I am just perpetually sad Beverly Cleary wasn't a part of my childhood, but I'm happy to share her with my children. We listened to this one on audio while doing a puzzle and while driving.

15. Lovely War by Julie Berry - Loved this book in so many ways. Delightful writing, great story. The end (the VERY end) surprised me. It was lovely.

16. Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist* - It's a series of essays, and it reads like one. A bit repetitive, but there was some beautiful stuff here.

17. An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage* - This book is like an anthropological look at food. It was so interesting.

May
18. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson* - Loved it the first time. Loved listening to it this time with Eric. It is hilarious. We listened to this while doing puzzles and going on evening walks together during quarantine.

19. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing* - Started on Kindle, then it expired, and I finished it on audio. It really is an amazing story. I probably could have used some visuals to better understand the ship, the layout of the land and the ice, etc.

20. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris* - Beautiful story. Even though the cover says it's based on a true story, I did not realize it until the notes at the end. I loved it and raced through the audio in a couple of days.

21. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill - This one was for book group, and I loved it! It was a bit tricky to follow sometimes, but I spent most of the book not knowing where it was going. I loved the idea of hope conquering sorrow.

22. Try and Make Me by Ray Levi and Bill O'Hanlon - I started this over two years ago. It's got some good stuff in it, but like a lot of parenting books it's a bit of a slog.

23. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls* - Listened to this one with the boys because Eric's parents wanted to show them the movie, but I thought they should read it first. I get why it's so popular. I'd love to read a text copy sometime.

24. The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience by Kirstin Downey* - Francis Perkins was such an incredible lady! I did get a bit bogged down in the political machinations in this book, but she is a pretty cool woman you've probably never heard of.

25. Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo* - Another sweet read by this great author.

June
26. Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary* - Listened this one mostly with all the kids, but then I finished it off with Trixie. The boys were bummed that they didn't get to hear the end of it.

27. The Endurance Handbook: How to Achieve Athletic Potential, Stay Healthy, and Get the Most Out of Your Body by Philip Maffetone - Way too long for the advice it gave. A mix of good, practical advice, and some kookier stuff that probably needs more evidence to support his claims.

28. The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson* - I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Bill Bryson is the best. Plus, this one resulted in me joking with Eric about castration a few times. Double win.

29. The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman by Margot Mifflin* - Such an interesting story. The author had a bit of an anti-religion agenda, but overall I thought she did a good job of sorting fact from fiction in the various records about this interesting woman and her time living with the Mojaves.

30. Never Look Back by Alison Gaylin* - I don't normally listen to suspense or mysteries, but I wanted something a little more lively than my typical history audiobooks to listen to during a really long run. I found myself being pulled into well after my run was done and will probably go on a suspense-genre spree now.

31. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - This one really dragged for me until about the last third. Then I loved it. I'm glad I hung in there.

July
32. His Perfect Wife by Natasha Bell* - Meh. I'd hardly classify it as a suspense or thriller. It was rather dull for that category. It has interesting themes, but it was pretty dark.

33. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson* - Not his best. Australia is amazing and dangerous.

34. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb - I loved this book. I loved all of it. I missed my book group's discussion about it, which makes me very sad. I want to talk about this book forever. Also, you probably should talk to someone. Therapy is the best!

35. What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon - I initially started this because I got it for free from Amazon. I didn't love it, so I put it down for a while, not even realizing that it was a pick for my book group later in the year. It took so long to get into, but I really loved the way it wrapped up.

36. Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry by Mary Higgins Clark* - Continuing on my suspense-while-running kick. I liked this one. Cleaner than most. A little easy to call, though.

37. The Guest House by Abbie Clark* - Really engaging, but laughably implausible.

August

38. The Wildlands by Abby Geni* - I loved everything about this book. The writing, the reader, the characters, the plot. It was just so beautifully done.

39. It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump by Stuart Stevens* - I agreed with most of what this guy says, but he didn't offer much in the way of solutions. It was definitely a book for people who like to stay in the echo chamber.

40. Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland by Jonathan M. Metzl* - This is a thoughtful, well-researched book. I would like to have read more about any conflicting data or studies. Surely they are out there. Ignoring them weakens his arguments.

41. The New Jim Crow* by Michelle Alexander - Such an important book and topic. It was pretty repetitive, though. I think, to be more appealing to a broader audience, this should be done as a podcast of about 3 hours.

42. Echo by Pam Munoz-Ryan* - Such a good audiobook. I listened with my boys, and they liked it. This was for my book group, and I'm hopeful my people like it as much as I did.

September

43. Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey* - This audio kept me interested and engaged during my marathon. I finished it a couple of days later. I knew who the bad person was pretty early on, but I didn't identify all of the big reveals.

44. The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor - I thoroughly enjoyed this one, even though it is a historical-fiction love story. I though it would be cheesy, and of course it was a bit, but I actually really liked it.

45. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson* - Not my favorite of his. Enjoyable, but not as enjoyable as others.

46. The Lightkeepers by Abby Geni* - This author only has three novels out, and two of them are top notch. The stories are so compelling, but they aren't frantic. This one reminded me a lot of Where the Crawdads Sing. The writing about nature is just beautiful.

47. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton - Just a beautiful, delightful, twisting read. I loved the history, the genealogy, and the mystery. I am looking forward to reading more by her.

48. The Split by Sharon Bolton* - Meh. It was fine. I may be getting a little tired of this genre.

October

49. A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh* - Loved the West Coast of New Zealand setting and the Kiwi narrator. The end was rather absurd and rushed.

50. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer - I'll be reading the second one just as soon as I can.

51. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens* - I begged Eric to listen to this one, and he did. Then I needed to listen again, and I loved it just as much as the first time, possibly more.

52. And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall* - There were so many aspects of this one that I liked, especially the characters and their back stories. The actual plot of the missing person being investigated fell very flat for me.

53. Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell* - I loved this book a few years ago and even put it in my top ten percent for 2014. I encouraged Eric to listen to it, and then I followed suit. This book is so dark and hard to read.

54. Revival by Stephen King* - This was my first Stephen King book. The writing was phenomenal. The story itself was great. The spook factor was non-existent. It just wasn't remotely scary to me.

55. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart - This one was for book group, and I liked it. I wasn't gung-ho for it, but it was fine.

November

56. Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card* - I read this one in 2013 and remembered it quite clearly. Still, I thought it would be a good one for a Halloween. I liked it a lot, even knowing what was going to happen. (Sometimes I can't remember what will happen, but this one was very memorable to me.)

57. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George* - I really enjoyed listening to this with my sons. They liked it a lot too.

58. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale* - I liked this one, but I didn't love it. It was fun discussing in my online book group.

59. Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healey* - Such a good story about a mother's relationship with her daughters. It was a bit long, but as a mom it really resonated with me.

60. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate* - I read this exactly one year ago, so the timing of listening to it with my boys this year was kind of funny. I enjoyed listening with them and with Eric. It was over the girls' heads.

61. The Burglar by Thomas Perry* - This was a good suspense book for running. It was a good amount of plot excitement and crime-sleuthing.

December

62. Death Benefits by Thomas Perry* - I've hit upon an author I seem to enjoy. I like that his books are more focused on crime solving (especially financial crimes).

63. Vanishing Act by Thomas Perry* - I like this author enough that I've started a series of his. I thought this one is good. I like the protagonist, although the ending fell a bit flat for me. Nonetheless, I'll dive right into the next one.

64. Dance for the Dead by Thomas Perry* - The second in the Jane Whitefield series. Crime/suspense novels are fun to run to.

*Denotes audiobooks.

2020 - In Review

Although I understand why many people are referring to 2020 as a dumpster fire, for my immediate family and me, it wasn't that terrible and actually offered many opportunities we might not have had otherwise. With that said, I recognize that we are incredibly blessed to have good health, good jobs, and good schools for our children. I fully understand that my year's success are just that: mine. Yours may be different, and that is okay. For many, this year was merely one of survival.

Highlights:

• One marathon, one half marathon. I joined a Facebook group for running mamas, and now I'm signed up for a trail Ragnar in May 2021!
• Felix learned to ride a bike.
• Trixie learned to ride a bike.
• Felicia is potty trained!
• Canoeing 88 miles on the Yellowstone River with lots of Eric's extended family.
• Connecting with my big sister, an old friend, and my niece on MarcoPolo.
• Joe Biden won.
• I won tickets for our family to go to Lagoon. We had so much fun!
• I made my own sourdough starter and can now make an adequate loaf of sourdough bread. I like this recipe.
• We got a Costco nearby. There are a handful of things there that I really love, especially the giant bag of spinach for my green smoothies.

Places in 2020:

• Cruise along the western coast of Mexico right before Covid-19 hit the rails. We even got a bonus day aboard the ship.
• Lots of camping, including a couple of nights in Fremont Indian State Park in a tipi, camping near Moab, and camping on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands.
• A trip to Seattle (and environs) to visit Eric's sister and her family. I am a bit in love with the San Juan Islands.
• Jackson Hole for Thanksgiving. (We defied the CDC.)

Birthdays/Traditions

Same traditions as usual, but this year we added Stockington Day the Monday before the first day of school. It was such a blast, and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Review of 2020 Goals:

• Run a sub-30 5K. DONE!
• Log 400 miles of running (outdoors and treadmill). DONE times 2.5. Yes, I ran over 1000 miles in 2020.
• Catch up on all the books I have downloaded to my Kindle. Ha! Not even close. The problem is that Amazon gives me a free book every month, and I joined a second book group this year!
• Read the Book of Mormon as a family. We gave up on this pretty early. Our little girls just cannot do it. I did read the whole thing, and I think Ike might finish before the new year.
• Start a social media hashtag called #forrealfriday where people take pictures and post about real-life stuff, not just the beautiful stuff. This hasn't caught on quite like I wanted, but we'll keep working on it.
• Crochet 20 beanies for a service project run by a family in our ward. I didn't do this one, but our ward did a service project for them, so I made five and put them with entire bundles for the project.
• Crochet 15 new snowflakes for my Christmas tree. I didn't count how many I did. It may have been 15? It may have been 10? I genuinely do not know.

2021 Goals:

• Run another marathon (or two, or three).
• Keep teaching my kids to cook. (Before the reinstatement of tighter lockdown (which, to be fair is hardly tight at all compared to other places), each of my kids helped me cook one night a week, and they got to have a friend over that night. It was working really well, and they were learning real skills besides just, getting food out for me.)
• Read daily with my kids. This should be a thing we do already, but we just don't. Sometimes we will check books out from the library, and I never even crack them open.
• Reinstate dates with our kids.

2020 focused a lot on myself, especially in regards to training. I am looking forward to being more mindful about the time I spend with my kids going into 2021.

Felix is Eight!

Felix turned 8 in early October. He was baptized later in the month, which was a special day for us. It happened to be right before our state again toughened up on gathering limits. We were able to have many family members present for his baptism, and then we wore masks at our home afterwards for a lunch.

Felix's big accomplishments in the last year have been:

• improving his reading
• learning to ride a bike
• beginning piano lessons
• learning more board games
• becoming a better hiker

He still loves to set up intricate and detailed battles with his army guys and often invites friends over to do so. Felix also enjoys playing outside with his friends in the field (usually football, but I believe other sports are in the mix), playing video games with his friends, and watching Studio C and Mark Rober. Lately he and his brother are also into Coyote Peterson. He also loves Legos and Minecraft.

Felix and Ike watch so much Studio C that they are often regale us with their own narrations of the the show's funniest sketches. I believe the Studio C cast is funnier. A few weeks ago we were telling the boys about the plot of It's A Wonderful Life when Felix informed us there is a sketch about that! (We showed them the real movie; they thought it was alright.) Then, last week Felix found me in the kitchen and started telling me about this hilarious sketch with a band singing a song called "Gary's Girl," which is a spoof of "Jesse's Girl." He was not as impressed with the actual song.

This year at Felix's annual checkup we learned he is smaller than usual. That visit has been followed up with visits with an endocrinologist, who refers to himself as Felix's "growth coach." Felix is such a fan of fruits and vegetables that it is hard to get fat on his bones! We have introduced many high-fat and high-protein items into his diet, but I still have to remind him daily to eat at least one "gain weight snack." He'd rather just eat a plain apple than have apple in a yummy dipping sauce. He still remains my least picky eater, which is lovely. He finally lost some teeth just before turning 8! This coincides with being a very late teether as a baby. (He got his first two teeth at 11 months and then nothing else until about 18 months, when he got six at once.)

For his birthday we went bowling at Fat Cats with just our family. It was a fun night out together.

I love Felix's logical and inquisitive nature. He likes to know how things work, and thinks practically. For the most part he does his household jobs quickly and efficiently so he can do the fun stuff sooner. We stared the year off with kid dates with the parents. Those fizzled somewhere along the way, but here's a photo from an early one with the two of us to the ropes course at the Museum of Natural Curiosity.

Due to Covid, our boys entered the world of babysitting much earlier than anyone would have guessed. The boys are quite good at caring for their sisters, even if their sisters are not great at being cared for. Felix loves to save his money and is so conscientious about spending it wisely. He scrimped and saved all spring and summer for a child-size kayak. They were constantly sold out. We looked at getting a used one and just couldn't luck out. Felix loved borrowing from friends when we were there with a huge group of people this summer. He was so patient to take his sister out over and over again. Luckily, we found a great deal on one on Black Friday, so he has one now! It was a big surprise for him on Christmas morning.

Last year was Felix's first year to play Junior Jazz basketball. His confidence far exceeded his skills. At one game when I was shouting at him to go down court (instead of trying to play full court press) he looked at me and yelled, "I KNOW HOW TO PLAY BASKETBALL!" All the parents got a good laugh from that (and also agreed with me, that, no, he does not know how to play basketball.) There were many times that he lobbed the ball in the general direction of the net, then turned around and started celebrating what he was sure was a goal. (It usually wasn't.) Despite these challenges, I signed him up for another round for 2021.

I sure do love my Felix. I am enjoying (mostly) working with him on the piano, and I love to hear him come up with creations all on his own. He has a great ear for music, and he'd rather learn to play by memory than reading music. (He is Eric's child in this regard.) He's been cooking with me more this year, which is also a great experience. I'm excited to see how he develops and grows over the next year, but I'm pretty sure he'll stay 8 forever.