Non-fiction books of 2010 (Just like Reality TV only so much better!)

I cannot let the year go by without giving you “the list.”


I will provide The Fiction List very soon! Oh, and I didn’t provide any links, sorry. I don’t have that kind of time. But I did put a link on the very last book, because it’s so easy to remember. You can thank me later.

May you have many happy hours of reading, dear friends.


Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv – This book made me want to keep my children outside all summer long, from dawn to dusk. It’s full of interesting statistics and arguments for how children and smarter and healthier when they get some dawg-gone fresh air.


Elements of Style by InStyle Magazine – Yeah, this was chewing gum for my brain, but I actually enjoyed it. I am fashion-challenged and always need ideas. I found it in my public library and it helped me get ready for wearing “teacher-clothes.”


Love and War by John and Stasi Eldredge – I would read anything these two wrote, even if it’s a grocery list. John and Stasi are famous for books like Wild at Heart and Captivating. This is their take on marriage. And yes, sometimes it’s war. Good read.


Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom – I do like Mitch. His search for faith and God are recorded in this book about his relationship with two men who are coming to the end of their lives. Short and sweet.


Mitten Strings for God – by Katrina Kenison - After reading The Gift of an Ordinary Day and falling so hard in love with it, I had to read this first book of hers. Mitten Strings is more for moms of young children, which I appreciated. She is so great at describing the life of a mom – all the beauty, mundane, and sheer lunacy that we deal with all the time. I love the encouragement to SLOW DOWN, MAMA. Don’t be in such a hurry for these kiddos to grow up. I don’t appreciate her tendency to dabble in new age theories and rhetoric, but the majority of the book is very rich and helpful.


Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh - I have read this little gem before and I try to read it every other year or so. Ladies, go get this book. Especially if have any sort of writer in you. Lindbergh writes this from a tiny cabin on a beach where she has escaped from her large family for a time of solitude and reflection. She writes about what a woman needs and how to find your voice in the midst of all the “hats” we wear.


The Essential 55 & The Excellent 11 by Ron Clark - These are the books I read to motivate me over the summer as I prepared to go back into the classroom. Highly encouraging! Homeschooling moms would especially enjoy The Excellent 11.


Kids, Parents, and Power Struggles by Mary Sheedy Kucinka (?) Not sure I spelled that last name right….this is the author of Raising the Highly Spirited Child – one of the best parenting books I think I’ve ever read. If you have an intense child, read this book. Buy this book. Highlight and mark it up.


Somewhere More Holy by Tony Woodlief - If there was one book I would give to a couple who just had a baby, this would be it. (hmmm, I guess I better get this out to my brother and his wife in the next few weeks!) Woodlief is a daddy who loves Jesus, loves his family, and writes with the precision of a brain surgeon. I have gushed about this book so much in the past, let’s just stop now.


Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke – I really enjoyed this gal’s column in Real Simple. I think her official title is “life-coach” for which I’m sure she gets paid the big bucks. But, the book was just so-so. I’m not a huge clutter-bug, but I enjoyed reading her thoughts on organization and life.


Permission to Speak Freely by Anne Jackson – Uh, hold onto your binders for this one. Jackson asked the question on her blog, “What’s the one thing you feel you can’t say in church?” The responses were so overwhelming, she wrote this book to address them. It’s powerful and honest and filled with several stories of her faith journey as well.



Bittersweet & Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist – Yup, love her. Bittersweet was my favorite.


Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman - I absolutely loved getting to know Mary Beth Chapman. She is so cool and funny. I was not prepared to laugh out loud while reading this book, but I seriously did. There some hilarious stories about underwear in this book. Just trust me.


The Pioneer Woman Cookbook by Ree Drummond – Well, I saved the best for last. I know I said Bittersweet was my favorite, but this is darn near close. Ree Drummond is my kind of woman and she makes real food, people, not that weird stuff they put in fancy magazines. Go get it, even if you don’t cook, or don’t have 4 kids, or hate cows. You will relish the photos, words, and maybe even fall in love with meatloaf again.

Picture that SHOULD'VE been on the cover of the annual Christmas card:

And the winner is....

DEBBIE RUSSELL!! 

Daniel and I put all the names in a bag, shook it up, and he drew your name!  Congratulations!

And a huge thanks to everyone who participated.  You should find this great book at your local Christian bookstore.  I will try to do more give-aways; that was more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Also, if you left a comment for the very first time or we have never met, could you leave me another comment telling me how you found my blog?  I'd love to "meet" those who stopped by for the give-away.  Or you can find me on Facebook and be my friend.  :)

Thanks again, everyone.

Favorite Non-fiction of the Year! (And you can get it for free, baby)

I can't wait to tell you about this one.

This is the kind of book you simply fall into and don't want to find your way out.  Shauna Niequist writes about life and faith and what it means to embrace the bittersweet moments. 

"When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate.  And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow."

Niequist writes like a great chef.  Every word choice feels like the perfect ingredient, savory or sweet.  She draws you in, making you feel so comfortable inside her little world as she explores what it means to accept the painful circumstances that God allows in our lives.  She shares openly about a particular year where she got pregnant, lost a job she dearly loved, had a baby, and wrote a book.  This same year, her husband lost his job in a painful way, and that led to a move and all the upheaval that creates.

"Change is not a function of life's cruelty but instead a function of God's graciousness."

" When your life is easy, a lot of the really crucial parts of the Christian doctrine and life are nice theories, but you don't really need them.  When, however, death of any kind is staring you in the face, all of a sudden rebirth and new life are very, very important to you."

I also love her sense of humor.  I mean, this is a girl I can relate to:

"I'm pretty certain that I could out-eat most women my size, should the opportunity ever present itself.  Sometimes I see tiny women on TV eating like 58 hot dogs, and I think to myself, Please, I could eat a hundred of those.  I did hold the record for most ice cream sandwiches at my summer camp:  eleven and a half."

You can visit Miss Shauna here and read about another great book she wrote called Cold Tangerines.

If you'd like a FREE copy of this book, leave a comment on this post with your email address and....the title of a favorite book of yours.....then I'll put the names in a bag, choose one randomly, and have it sent right to you.  Now, that's a great early Christmas, don't you think?  I think this is my first give-away!  Pretty exciting, I must say.

Deadline for posting a comment is noon on Friday, December 17th! 

BarlowGirl - Hallelujah (Light Has Come)

The harmonies, lyrics, and haunting melodies of this song....oh my..... it's definitely one of my new Christmas favorites.

Boy, Lemme Show Y'How to Make a Pizza!

 Making pizza is a time-honored tradition in the Reid family. Poppy's recipe came from his pizza-making days in Wyoming and the recipe is so top-secret, I could be flogged for even posting these pictures. 

Greg got his first crack at the Reid tradition over the Thanksgiving weekend, with his uncle.  Rolling dough is apparently much easier than it looks.

 Greg quickly let his uncle take over for awhile.

Uncle Dick gives him some tips on crimpin' the crust. 

 The finished product:  a cheese and EXTREME onion pizza.  Way to go, G-man!

And, now a photo taken by someone who is an artist with a camera.  I just had to add this most beautiful photo from my sister-in-law.  Takes my breath away.

Favorite Novel of the Year

And the envelope please!!

.....the winner of this year's coveted prize goes to.....

KEEPING THE HOUSE by ELLEN BAKER!!

Why, you might ask, would this book win - this sweet-looking book with a clothespin on the cover?  Here are a few reasons:

 - The story centers around a big, abandoned house in the center of a small Wisconsin town.  It jumps from 1918 to 1945-50, describing the women who lived there and the saga that surrounded their families.

- The author, Ellen Baker, was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.  She lived in northern Wisconsin for awhile and worked at J.W. Beecroft books in Superior - a beautiful little bookstore I used to adore until it went defunct. *Sigh*  She's a kindred spirit.

- It's 528 pages, y'all.  That's big and juicy enough to get you through the Christmas season.  And if you have a Kindle (Monica, Mom, I'm not jealous, not jealous at all....) it's going to be a lot easier to take it with you EVERYWHERE, which you will have to do once you read the first 2 pages.

The Buckeyes Come to Minnesota

I LOVED watching Hope finally warm up to Grandpa when my parents came to visit a few weeks ago. 

 My blessed Mama

 Big Red and Little Red

 Oh my sweet Papa

Opening stockings and gifts from Grandma and Grandpa - they sure don't mind some early Christmas!