Books to Read in 2013 - April Update

I'm not doing to well keeping the blog posts coming...sorry!  But, I have been keeping up with reading, so at least I'm making progress somewhere, right?  :-)

Here's my updated reading list!

1}  Don't Waste Your Life

2}  One Thousand Gifts

3}  The Duties of Parents 

4}  A Gospel Primer (currently reading this one as a devotional)

5}  Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples 

6}  This Momentary Marriage 

7}  Shopping for Time 

8}  Worldliness 

9}  Equipped to Love 

10}  Teach Them Diligently 

11}  Fit To Burst  (switched this parenting book that I borrowed from a friend for my previous #11 - this is my current read)

12}  Christian Living in the Home

13}  Real Marriage

14}  Trusting God

15} Organized Simplicity 

Books to Read in 2013 - March Update

Sooo...want to know how my reading is coming along?  I thought it would be good to post an updated list since I have read several of the books now.  It's kind of funny I seem to read in spurts.  I'll read a lot for one or two weeks, and then for a week or two I can't seem to get anywhere in my book.  But, I'm making good progress so I'm happy with that.

Here's my updated list!

1}  Don't Waste Your Life

2}  One Thousand Gifts

3}  The Duties of Parents 

4}  A Gospel Primer (currently reading this one as a devotional)

5}  Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples 

6}  This Momentary Marriage 

7}  Shopping for Time 

8}  Worldliness 

9}  Equipped to Love 

10}  Teach Them Diligently  (My sweet hubby got me this book, so I'm switching it with my previous #10)

11}  Family Practice 

12}  Christian Living in the Home

13}  Real Marriage (currently reading this one)

14}  Trusting God (still reading through this for our Small Group study)

15} Organized Simplicity 

Kale Pizza

I've been learning new ways to use kale, besides just putting it into green smoothies and lasagna.  This is one of our absolute favorites.  Amazing.  The picture doesn't do it justice, believe me.  Or don't.  Just go try it for yourself.  :-)


Kale Pizza

3 really large handfuls chopped kale (You can buy a bag of pre-chopped kale or chop it yourself)
3 cloves garlic (use more or less to taste)
olive oil
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
goat cheese (optional)

Make homemade pizza dough.  Yum!

Spread the dough out on a 9x13 pan.

{I actually like to use one recipe of dough to make 2 pizzas sometimes.  It makes a more thin and crispy crust.  I have done the Kale Pizza with the thick crust and the thin crust, and we liked the thin better.}

Spread olive oil all over the top of the dough.

Place the kale and garlic in a medium sized bowl (you need a bowl with a lid that fits it).  Drizzle a good amount of olive oil on the kale and garlic.

Put the lid on the bowl and shake until the kale and garlic are all coated with oil.

Dump it all on your pizza.  :-)

Sprinkle goat cheese, a little parmesan cheese, and then mozzarella cheese on top.

Pop it in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes.  I do 10 for thin crust, 15 for thick crust.

The kale will get a little crispy, and it's oh.my.goodness, soo good.

My husband said it was the best I'd ever made.

Books to Read in 2013

I've loved to read for as long as I can remember.  I definitely owe this to my parents, who instilled the love in me when I was young.  I always remember that they fed my appetite for reading too...we were at the library often, and in a bookstore even if I couldn't afford to buy a book, I would grab one and sit down and read as much of it as I could while we were there.  Books were popular gifts in my home growing up, and my siblings and I loved to spend our own money on books also.

Reading has been a fun shared interest for my hubby and I also, as he loves books just as much or more than me!  ;-)  He truly inspires me with his desire to learn and grow constantly.  So, now as a wife and mama, I continue to love to read, though my interests have shifted some over the years.  I used to read more fiction, biographies, and such, but now I lean a lot more towards non-fiction.  I love books that make me think and grow and learn new things.

So...this is my goal book list for 2013 (and maybe beyond if I don't finish them all this year).

1}  Don't Waste Your Life

2}  One Thousand Gifts (currently reading this one)

3}  The Duties of Parents

4}  A Gospel Primer

5}  Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples

6}  This Momentary Marriage

7}  Shopping for Time

8}  Worldliness

9}  Equipped to Love

10}  Now You're Speaking My Language

11}  Family Practice

12}  Christian Living in the Home

13}  Real Marriage

14}  Trusting God (reading through this for our Small Group study)

15} Organized Simplicity

I'd love to read more parenting books this year also, if I can get my hands on some through Paperback Swap.  If I do, I may alter this list to include them.  What are your favorites on parenting?

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I'm Back!

After a year's hiatus, here I am.  It has been a full year.  Filled with lots of parenting...the joys, the struggles, the snuggling, the commitment of time and energy, and realizing how fast my children are growing...it has been so good to focus on them.  Full of learning and growing in my marriage (oh what a blessing it is to me!).  Full of knowing God more (what could possibly be better?!), learning to trust Him more, seeking Him more.  Full of family, big decisions, hard times, new ministry opportunities, and relationships with friends.  Looking back, I can see so many bumps in the road...several difficult times, but most of all...I see God.  Through everything, always there, constant, sovereign, always good.  I can't be thankful enough.

I've truly missed blogging over the past year, but I know taking a break was the right thing for the time.  As I looked back over the past few years of my blog, it brought back so many memories for me.  It really made me miss having this "journal" to keep track of what goes on in life.  And to share.  I love that life isn't meant to be lived alone, but also to share.  To learn, to grow, to inspire and be inspired by others.  I really do appreciate all of you who have been my readers (and hopefully will come back!!).

I have so much to write about...what God is teaching me, photos, crafts, organizing, kids, healthy eating and living, stories of life's special moments, recipes, homeschooling, marriage, and all kinds of stuff in between.

So stick around!  I'll be posting very soon about the books on my list for 2013 and other new year's goals!