Another Challenge: First In A Series

I've joined several challenges for 2008 so that I might make a dent in the books around here. The First In A Series Challenge caught my attention because I love a continuing story. Here are the books I've chosen for this challenge and a couple of them overlap with other challenges I'm participating in. However, I am trying to overlap as little as possible so that I can read more books!

1. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
2. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
3. The Time Travelers (The Gideon Trilogy) by Linda Buckley-Archer (I think my kids might enjoy this one!)
4. Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
5. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
6. Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs
7. An Assembly Such As This by Pamela Aidan
8. Letters From Pemberly by Jane Dawkins
9. Defiant Heart by Tracey Bateman
10. A Sister's Secret by Wanda Brunstetter
11. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron
12. The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlow

This was a hard list for me to gather! I'm not going to list alternates and hope that I don't run into a book that I absolutely do not enjoy reading :-0)

YAC 2008

1. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
2. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
3. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
4. The Ocean of Truth: The Story of Sir Isaac Newton by Joyce McPherson
5. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'Engle
7. Valiant for Truth: The Story of John Bunyan by Anne Arnott
8. The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
9. Prison Letters by Corrie ten Boom
10. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
11. Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson
12. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Alternates:

• The Diary of Anne Frank
• The Hobbitt by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

This challenge is being hosted by Thoughts of Joy.

 

2008 TBR Challenge

I can't think of a better challenge to join than the 2008 TBR Challenge. I started a few books in 2007 that just didn't engage me. I do want to get those books read so that I can weed out the ones that I don't want to keep. If you'd like to join this challenge, visit the TBR Challenge Blog for details. Also, I will be giving away a lot of the books on this list as I read them so keep your eyes peeled for that.

1. The Real Lincoln by Thomas Dilorenzo
2. Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot
3. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
4. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom *Completed 1-18-08*
5. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
6. Club Sandwich by Lisa Samson
7. A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist
8. The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers
9. Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury
10. Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (I started this one but got side tracked)
11. Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers
12. Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock

Alternates:

• Finding Ruth by Roxanne Henke
• After Anne by Roxanne Henke
• The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
• The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

"In Their Shoes" Reading Challenge 2008

I'm up for a good challenge and I need one so that I will sit down and read more. Many times I let the computer get in the way of my reading time and when I look up from it, it is time for bed! So, I'm going to be doing a couple of reading challenges and the first one is the "In Their Shoes" Reading Challenge. I have assigned a few books to our oldest for school that I need to read myself. The first book on the list is my own choice and the rest are books I need to read before handing them off to my daughter. I think they all fall under the biography/autobiography/memoir requirement. I've also listed a couple of alternates in case some on my list are quick reads.

1. Quiet Strength: A Memoir by Tony Dungy
2. The Book of Margery Kempe by Margery Kempe
3. Valiant for Truth: The Story of John Bunyan by Anne Arnott
4. Ocean of Truth: The Story of Sir Isaac Newton by Joyce McPherson
5. The Life of General Stonewall Jackson by Mrs M.L. Williamson
6. Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom ~ Completed 1-18-08

A few of these are books that I need to read before my oldest daughter reads them. Since a few of them may go quickly, I'm adding two alternates:

1. The River of Grace: The Story of John Calvin
2. Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife (I think this can be counted as a memoir of sorts)

Armchair Reading Challenge

I saw this over at Jenny's place and because she is my RL friend, I couldn't let her out do me! Just kidding Jenny! This challenge is being hosted by A Life In Books and you can find rules and details here.

Here are my choices for this challenge:

1. Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot. (Ecuador)
2. Silas Marner by George Eliot. (England)
3. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. (Lexington, KY)
4. The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett. (Habit, KY)
5. The Redemption of Sarah Cain by Beverly Lewis. (Lancaster County, PA)
6. Finding Ruth by Roxanne Henke. (Brewster, North Dakota)

I'm very excited about this challenge and the books I've listed. I have only been to one of these places (Lancaster County, PA) so it'll be exciting to read about the others. Also, two of these books are ones that I have received through blogging giveaways. The Patron Saint of Liars came to me via Jill who is having a monthly book giveaway called Jill's Book Bag. Finding Ruth came to me via Katrina over at Callapidder Days. Thanks also to Roxanne Henke, who is the author of Finding Ruth and who actually mailed it to me.

I hope you'll join the challenge because I know it'll be a ton of fun! It is a great motivator so what are you waiting for?!!! Get to work on your list and post it so everyone can see what you are going to be reading over the next few months!!!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

May Day Challenge

Jenna has motivated me to take the bull by the horns and go for it! I have been carrying around extra pounds since having my youngest daughter, who is now 8! I never had problems loosing weight until after having her. I developed a thyroid disorder while I was pregnant with her and that has made it difficult for me to lose the weight. My weakness is sugar. I have to have my sugar after a meal. I love my Pop Tarts too! I especially love Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop Tarts. I eat them for breakfast, a snack, or for dessert. I love them that much. They aren't good for me and I need to cut it out. With that said, I'm saying goodbye to the Pop Tarts for now, in hopes that changing my eating habits will change and I'll be a healthier person come September. I'm not ashamed to say that my current weight is 155 and my goal is to lose 20 pounds. That's a reasonable goal for me and I think I'll still look healthy. I'm not concerned with being skinny, just being lighter and healthier. I am also posting a before picture of myself because this will help motivate me. I have a tendency to give in to my cravings and if I have something to visually motivate me, I'll be more apt to stick to my guns.

My plan is to count calories and reduce them more each week. I also want to replace my bad sugar habits with healthier habits. I plan to find creative ways to eat fruit so that I don't get bored with it. I love fruit so I think I can do this. I also need some exercise to help my progress. So, I pledge to clean my old manual treadmill off this weekend and by Monday it will be useable. I will start out walking on it for ten minutes and I will add five minutes to that each time I feel like I've mastered my goal time. I will walk on the treadmill every day (except The Lord's Day) next week for ten minutes. I also need to improve my sleeping habits. I have a really hard time going to bed most nights. I need to do something relaxing each night so that I can train myself to "shut down." If anyone has suggestions for herbal teas or things of that nature that will help prepare me to "shut down" each night, I'd love to hear them.

In summary, my plan looks like this for next week:

1. Eat healthier and cut calories (I will determine how many calories I need to cut overall to reach a healthy meal total)
2. Walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes every day (except The Lord's Day)
3. Go to bed earlier so I can get more sleep

I'll need encouragement so be ready! LOL!

Thanks to Tales From The Scales for hosting this challenge!