Books of 2013

I had a personal goal to read an average of 2 books per month.  I am happy to say I met my goal.  I read lots of AMAZING books.  I just love submerging myself in a good read.  Nothing relaxes you quite the same way reading can.  I love to get new book recommendations.  Here's what I currently have on my to-read list.  PLEASE share any books you love that are missing (all time favorites or more current reads)!

Long walk to freedom

The travelers gift

The hangmans daughter

And the mountains echoed 

Redeeming love
Matched
Mudbound
The lost wife
A secret kept

Pandemonium
The good daughters
Cutting for stone
Shanghai girls
The Buddha in the attic

In the garden of beasts

Brain on fire

Here are the books I read in 2013 rated (great/good/okay/bad) and with a little description:

Great
Unbroken - nonfiction written as a novel  about a world war 2 bombardier and his experience as a POW is Japan.  

Pope Joan-Every woman should read this inspiring story about a woman who educates herself and eventually becomes pope in the middle ages. Fiction but some historical truth as well
The Color Code- describes the four color personalities and how to use that information in your daily life, a book I plan to read every year 

The Dovekeepers-set in 70ad in Jerusalem. Story follows 4 women's lives, their horrific struggles, and reveals their darkest secrets 

The Night Circus-couldn't put this book down! A very creative story line but the GENIUS to me is how the story unfolds bit by bit 

Still Alice- a novel about a woman in her early fifties who gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Great insight into what it feels like to have the disease and how challenging it can be for loved ones. This book really moved me

The Shoemaker's Wife - a dramatic story about two Italian immigrants love story.  They had lots to overcome but seemed to endure by working hard and never giving up on being together. 

The Total Money Makeover - a Dave Ramsey book about how to get yourself in a better financial position.  It's about taking control so you can live how you want to in the future.  I'm excited about this and Chad and I plan to put his practices into place with the new year.

Good
Room- fiction story about a mom and her son who are locked in a storage shed for may years and how they come back to society. Interesting but a little depressing too
The Rent Collector-woman and her family who live at a dump in Cambodia. Great book about the importance of literature.
The Sugar Queen-story about a woman uncovering family secrets with a few developing love stories too
Little Bee - story about how an African refugee and British woman's life stories intersect, sad but I still liked it
Baby Proof - easy chick book about a couple that gets divorced because only the husband wants children
Insurgent-2nd book in the divergent series. 

Cleaning House-parenting book about teaching your kids to work and how to handle everyday adult tasks

The Princess Academy:palace of stone: Shannon Hale always writes fun, easy young adult reads. Perfect after a heavy read

Three Little Words-a woman's story about growing up in the foster care system

I've got your number- a great romantic comedy with a predictable ending :)

How to talk so kids will listen-a parenting book focusing on communication, some tools are better than others but definitely worth reading

Where We Belong-easy read about a birth mother and the daughter she gave up reuniting

The Kommandants Girl - a story about a Jewish woman who changes we identity and works for a nazi leader with a romance story too

The Language of Flowers-a story of a girl who grew up in the foster care system and how flowers and their meanings change her life, a great story about relationships of all kinds

Okay
The Host- sci-fi romance by author of Twilight series, too long for an easy read in my opinion but I did like the story line

Major Pettigrews Last Stand- a story about an Englishman and Pakistani woman's love story. I loved the last 100 pages but it took so long to get to the good part

Bad
The Paris Wife-SO SLOW! I kept reading thinking it would get better and it never did

When the Emperor was Divine- too factual and devoid of all emotion 

Keller-antics

There aren't too many but I wanted to document the last few before the end of the year.

Keller has taken to wearing a backpack almost all of the time (thanks Aunt Mandy for the cute monkey backpack).  He takes it in the car.  He sleeps with it.  He pretty much does everything with it!

Keller says "Merry Christmas" in arguably the MOST adorable voice.  It's absolutely precious and makes me smile every time.

Keller thinks Santa says, "Ha-ho!"  He says the same thing every time.  Never three ho's and always beginning with "ha."

Keller has an obsession with gallon size ziploc bags.  He fills them with whatever his current obsession is and takes them EVERYWHERE!  He looks like a homeless child but he doesn't like the bags/tins I buy for him. He likes the ziploc baggies.  End of story.

Vance-isms

Again there aren't a lot but I wanted to write these down before the new year.

Chad and me: What did the wise men bring to give to baby Jesus?
Vance: Gold, Frankenstein, and myrrh.
Close...so close

Vance loves finding our elf.  One morning he came and told me, "The elf is hiding in the activity." Otherwise known as the nativity :)

Everyday we open a tin as part of our Christmas countdown.  There is a piece of paper with one of Christ's attributes.  Vance reads them everyday.  This morning he said, "How are we supposed to be Ho nest?" I took me a second to realize "ho nest" was "honest."

Ever since Vance has been able to talk he has pronounced "Christmas" like "Kritmas."  This is the first year he has said it correctly and my heart broke a little at the realization that my baby is growing up.  I hope I never forget his sweet little voice wishing everyone a "Merry Kritmas!"

Art Projects

Photography

At the beginning of the year I had a goal to grow my photography business.  I worked with a web designer to get a website up (allisonwaldron.com) and business cards designed.  Through word of mouth and referrals I was able to have a steady flow of sessions all year and a BUSY holiday season.  I had a better year than I could've imagined!  

I feel so blessed to have my passion become a career.  I don't know if I will ever choose to do this full-time but I love doing it on the side.  It is so fulfilling and makes me so happy.  I love shooting a little bit of everything but if I had to choose a favorite I think children (2 to about 8 years old) and engagement sessions are my favorite.  I love the excitement/curiosity about life in a child's eye and the love emanating from an engaged couple.

For journaling purposes I wanted to post some of my favorites.  I always post the pictures of my little family so I won't include any of my kids (all of those are favorites :).  These are all of my clients.  For one reason or another I love the following pictures; maybe it's the lighting or the composition or the personality shining through.   The majority of my business is family photography so this isn't a great representation of the year but it seems like you get more personality when there is only 1-3 people in the picture.

I'm sure I missed a few but here are my favorites of 2013 in no particular order (sorry for the overload) -

   

  Okay so now that I'm done I realize that's close to 100 pictures.  Maybe I didn't do a great job at narrowing it done but since I take thousands of pictures in a year I'm going to say trimming the favorites down to 100 is still pretty good :)