Soup is good food. Soup is great food if it's not 85 degrees outside. We had a brief cold snap last week and that made me want soup. That and the fact that I made a big pot of vegetable soup last Monday to share with a family that just had a new baby. I didn't really want to make soup for her, but everyone who had already signed up was making some sort of chicken dish: King Ranch Chicken, Chicken and Rice, Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Spaghetti, Baked Chicken, etc. I thought vegetable soup with some ground beef would make for a nice change. She said they really enjoyed it, and we enjoyed the little bit I saved for us. The boys wanted leftovers that night, so they tasted mine and decided they wanted it again soon. I decided Monday nights would be soup nights, and we started tonight. With vegetable soup. It was really good, and I'm glad we have some left over (even though it won't be enough for all of us to share). I just wish it were cold (or even a slight bit cool) outside. I think I want to make chicken and dumplings next Monday night. Maybe we'll have cooler weather then...

Speaking of food...
Jacob has been attending Cubbies for a month now. He really likes it and doesn't have any trouble learning his verses. Sometimes the words give him a little trouble, though. Last week's verse, from Luke 2:30, was "...my eyes have seen your salvation." Only Jacob came out with "...my eyes have seen your salivation." I'm going to start saying that to Billy when he comes into the kitchen before supper.

Monk Mania
If you ever pay attention to my reading list on the left, you'll notice that I recently finished a Monk mystery novel. It was great! I started reading it in the bookstore one day when I happened to find it while I was looking for my next letter in Sue Grafton's popular Kinsey Milhone series. I stood there in the middle of the mysteries, laughing out loud as I read about Monk's escapades. I didn't buy it then, but I didn't forget about it either. I occasionally check out the official Monk website and noticed that the third book in the series will be released soon. That made me want to go ahead and read the first one, so I went to my local Borders and bought it. It was a fast read, and a great one. Having watched enough of the series, I could easily picture all the main characters, especially Adrian Monk and all his mannerisms. I laughed out loud so many times while reading that book. Every time Caleb heard me laughing, he wouldn't rest until I told him what was so funny. Now I can't wait to get the second one: Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii. That's gotta be good!

I can laugh about Monk because I have a lot of quirks like him. He insists on even numbers; I like prime numbers. (When I'm adjusting the volume on the TV, I always put it to a prime number. That's not so good when I have to go from 23 - which is good - to 29 - which is a little too loud. I'm not such a stickler, though, that I won't stop at a different number if I really need to.) I also like my cabinets and pantry items arranged a certain way. If I find anything out of place, I immediately put it "where it belongs". Same thing goes with the dishwasher. I also like my laundry hung or folded a certain way. (Sometimes it's hard for me to leave the washcloths the way Jacob folds them. I usually leave them, but if I have to straighten them any, I make sure he's not around to see it. And I know I've mentioned my closet before...) I always start at the front of a magazine (or book) and go straight through to the end. No skipping around for me! Even if I get bored with an article or a chapter, I skim it before moving on to the next page. Oh, and books in a series must be read in order. There is a method to all my madness, though. It makes things simpler, to me. (Well, not the prime number thing.)

Then there are some things that I just leave in organized chaos. I think it's because I'm too apprehensive about getting in there to straighten it up. I find other things to do instead. Sometimes I really do forget, and when I remember, it's an inconvenient time. I've started working on that problem, though. I bought myself a Day Timer so I can organize my time each day (thus the name... Haha!). I've been using it for a week, and it's really helping me stay on top of things, especially my Pampered Chef business. I may actually get completely organized before I know it.

I've noticed some of these tendencies in Caleb, too. He gets it honest, as do I. My dad is a stickler for order and precision. Just ask him to wallpaper a room for you. (I read where Monk has a thing about wallpaper meeting up just right.) Daddy won't wear a plaid shirt if the stripes don't match up at the pockets and the buttoned edges. When I was living at home and would make him a sandwich, he would always tell me to be sure the edges of the bread matched up. I always thought that was silly, but now I do it all the time. :o)

So, are you willing to share some of your Monkish quirks?

Q: Where have I been?
A: Busy. Two weeks ago I was taking care of registration details for a SWIM Retreat that weekend. I was registering late-comers, making name tags (drama!), and putting together welcome/registration packets. I was too busy to update, but I did have to jump in when I found out Mandisa was unvoted off on American Idol. Last week I was busy doing all the things I don't get to do when I have the boys. (They were with Billy's parents.) I spent some time leisurely looking at things that interested me at Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and Rock Barrell. I shopped for clothes and books. I slept in until 6:30 most mornings, except for the first day after the retreat, where I slept until 7:45! I got my hair trimmed, then I colored it. I went to the library without once venturing into the children's section. I did glance, however, to see if any of my friends were there with their kids. None were. Billy took me out to eat at The Cheesecake Factory. That was divine! The Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake was really good - and rich. And while I'm a major peanut butter fan, I'd have to say Billy's choice of Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheesecake was even better. Before dessert, we shared a grilled cheese sandwich, fries, and one of the best salads I've ever had in my life: Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad. I was happily miserable when we left.

Q: from Josh: "Why isn't Kellie [Pickler] in your top 3 [of American Idol contestants]?
A: Because I don't like her. I liked her at first, during the auditions. I guess she sounded much better in the midst of all the worse voices. She had a good story, too. Now she's annoying, she has too much of a country twang, and her voice just isn't that great. I don't think she's as "naive" (read stupid in this case) as she appears to be, either.

Q: from Margaret Feinberg: "I wonder who will win this thing...any thoughts?"
A: Chris Daughtry. He is one of the few who have yet to be in the bottom 3 (and I hope I didn't just "jinx" that *wink*), he's got a great voice and a great stage presence, and he's got a great sound. I really don't think America will vote for another country idol (Kellie), but I may be wrong. Elliot Yamin has a good voice, but I don't see him as Idol material. Paris Bennett has a good voice, and I think she has a better chance than Elliot, but I still don't see her winning. Katharine McPhee is good, but she hasn't been doing so well lately. Taylor Hicks is fun, but I don't see him as Idol material, either. I still miss Mandisa!

Q: also from Josh: "How is The Da Vinci Code"?
A: Good in some ways, not so good in more ways. I'll write my thoughts on it soon, after I finish reading Breaking the Da Vinci Code and The Da Vinci Hoax.

Q: When will I get back to a regular posting schedule?
A: Hopefully this week. First I've got to get the boys - and myself - back into the routine of school, housework, etc. Hopefully it won't be too long, though.

The boys are going to the dentist today! I finally got around to making appointments for them. This will be Jacob's first visit and Caleb's second; his first was almost 3 years ago. I know that sounds horrible... First we didn't have any insurance for it. Then we had insurance, but I couldn't find a pediatric dentist who accepted it. Now we have put that money into a general medical fund so I don't have to worry about either.

Last year at their annual well check-ups, their pediatrician asked if they had seen a dentist, and I was embarrassed to admit they hadn't. Dr. Sonnen gave me a few recommendations for pediatric dentists, and I'm just now getting around to taking them. After I secured the dental appointments, I called to schedule their well check-ups, which will be next Tuesday. Now I just have to make sure Caleb doesn't have any constipation issues before then because I also didn't get around to taking him to the pediatric gastroenterologist last year. It wasn't urgent, and we were busy with lots of different things. By the time things slowed down, Caleb system was starting to get straightened out, so I figured it wasn't necessary. He's still doing pretty well, but I think I'll load him up on pear juice over the next several days just to be sure.

I had an underhanded reason for scheduling their doctor visits for next Tuesday morning. It's right during the scheduled off-week activity for our Bible study group. It's on the calendar to go to the park, which I would've readily gone to, but one of the ladies in the group wants to have an Easter egg hunt at her house that day. After the Valentine's Party debacle last month, I don't want to risk all that again (Caleb's tantrums, my embarrassment, and Jacob's heartbreak at having to leave early). If it was just a regular party, Caleb would most likely do okay, but with it being an Easter egg hunt, I just don't want to deal with what will happen if he doesn't find all the eggs he thinks he should find. It's just easier to have an egg hunt with just him and Jacob right now. Jacob doesn't care how many eggs he finds; he thinks the whole thing's fun. If it were just a handful of kids, it'd probably be okay, too. But with 25+ kids running around looking for eggs and fighting over who found what first, things would most likely get ugly. That's something I don't want to deal with right now.

On the Shelf
Our Sunday school lesson/discussion last week was about The Da Vinci Code and how Christians should be aware of what the book (and movie) purports and how to respond in a positive manner. Out of the 60 or so people in our class, only 6 had actually read the book; our teacher wasn't surprised. Apparently most of us fall into the same category: Christians offended by the book's ideas, but with no real understanding of why. We hear what other people say about the book and parrot their opinions instead of reading the book ourselves to know what it's really about and to form our own opinions. I'm convinced. I'm going to read the book for myself. I placed a hold on it through my local library and came out 8th in line to read it. There are so many copies available that it's already in transit for my pick-up and I'm currently number 7 on the list! I think there's been a big resurgence of interest in the book since the movie is set for release in a few months (May 19).

I also have a few more books on hold from the library. One was recommended by at DTS professor during WEC Week: The Bookseller of Kabul. It's also in transit for me to pick up. The other book on hold is about Curious George creators H. A. and Margret Rey - The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey. I'm number 2 on the waiting list, and it's not due back from the person ahead of me until mid-April. That'll give me time to get the other two read.

The SWIM advisor gave each of the board members copies of Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box. She said it's a good book, an easy read with lots of great information. We can read it at our leisure (as opposed to being a leadership development assignment for discussion), and we can count it as one of our books for our self-study program.

Speaking of self-study, I'm still reading my third book (of 16): What's so Amazing about Grace? It's a good book, but I'm just slow with it. Several people I've talked to have said it's not one you can just rush through. I agree: it's definitely a thinking book. However, I do need to do my thinking (and reading) a little faster than I have been.

My problem with "slow" reading is actually that I have too many other books on my "want-to-read" list and I end up putting the self-study books on the back burner. I'm going to have to prioritize my reading schedule somehow.

Idol Chatter
Here's my quick take on last night's American Idol:

Top 3: Chris Daughtry (who rocked again - no surprise), Mandisa (who sang an upbeat Christian song - as I had hoped), and Elliot Yamin (who finally stood out in the crowd - as I had hoped).

Middle: Taylor did a good job. Ace greatly improved from past weeks. Katharine McPhee didn't do as well as she usually does. Paris doesn't impress me much anymore.

Bottom 3: Kellie Pickler was the absolute worst last night. I'm ready for her to go, but I still think she's too much the "American Idol sweetheart" to be gone. Lisa Tucker isn't standing out like she did during the auditions and the earlier part of the competition. She may be the one to go this week, especially since she's shown up in the bottom 3 the last 2 weeks. Bucky Covington just doesn't belong in this competition, but he did better last night than he has the last few weeks. I sort of hope he sticks around a little bit longer.

Tonight will tell.

I'm really excited about going to workout this afternoon! Yesterday I stopped at Wal-Mart and bought me a can of racquetballs. Guess what I'm planning on doing today...? As soon as the boys are up and around and my noise won't wake them up prematurely, I'm going to make sure my gym bag is packed with the balls, my racket, my safety goggles, my glove, and my knee brace. And my water bottle. At least I'll have a few hours before I go so I can think of anything else I'll need...

The one part I'm dreading is trading my glasses for the safety goggles. Not only will I look stupid, but I'll feel stupid as well. Especially since I won't be able to see well while my eyes adjust. And who knows how many times I'll miss the ball altogether, not being able to see that well or judge distance... Yeah, it should make for some great fun for the people on the indoor track who can look right into the racquetball rooms as they make their laps. At least I'll be a point of interest (or ridicule) as they make their way around and around and around... I'll try really hard not to turn around and look out the plexiglass wall and see who's standing above me, pointing and laughing. At least I'll have fun looking like an idiot!

Idol Chatter
After Tuesday night's performances, I picked my bottom three: Kevin, Bucky, and Kellie. Last night, Lisa replaced Kellie in that line up. I'm so glad KermitKevin was the one to go. Bucky's not very good, but Kevin isn't good and was really getting annoying. I'm sure Bucky will be the one to go next week. He's out of his league with the other contestants.

As for my top picks from Tuesday night: Chris (as usual), Mandisa (as usual), and Paris. Elliot has a good voice, but he really needs to do something to stand out. Katharine has a great voice, and she did well, but it wasn't really memorable. Ace did better, but he's still not showing up as well as he did in the auditions. Taylor was fun, but he was just okay. I like him, though, and hope he'll turn it around next week. Lisa is good - and I've been really surprised that she's been in the bottom three for two weeks in a row. I wonder if she'll get a clue and stand out next week.

Next week's theme is 21st century music, so basically anything from the last 5 or so years. I predict Chris will rock, Bucky and Kellie will go country, and Ace will find something with some falsetto. If Kevin were still around, he'd probably do some Josh Groban. I want some surpises!

In the Mail
The book I won came in the mail Tuesday! Author Brad Geagley sent me an autographed copy of Year of the Hyenas, which I hope to begin reading soon. It's subtitled "A Novel of Murder in Ancient Egypt". History, mystery - sounds good to me! His second book in this series is Day of the False King; it's set in ancient Iraq. If I like the first one, you can bet I'll be reading the second one. I'll let you know if it's something you should read for yourself.

If you know anything about me, you know how crazy I am about books. I've almost always got my nose stuck in a good book or two (or three or four...). I read all kinds of books: biographies, romances, mysteries, historical fiction, various types of non-fiction, etc. There's no end!

My love of books started as a very young child. I could read when I was four, and I haven't stopped since. There were times when I took a hiatus, but that was usually because I was either burned out from required reading in college or busy with babies. Now that the boys are older, we're reading a lot together. Caleb shares my love of reading, and we've read several books together. For now, Jacob mostly likes looking at the pictures, but he occasionally wants to hear the story as well.

In my childhood reading, and in reading to the boys, I've come across several great books. Once again, Cindy has brought an interesting tidbit to my attention. This time, it's the top 150 best-selling children's books of all time. One list is of paperbacks; the other, hardbacks. Obviously, the lists have mixed age groups; some are definitely for older teens. I've copied the lists and bold-faced the ones I've read, either for myself or to the boys. What books from these lists have you read? Are there any I haven't read that you'd recommend?

150 Best-selling Children's Paperback Books
1. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974) - I read this one to Caleb a little over a year ago. It was our first chapter book.
2. The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton (1968) - I read this book my sophomore year. It's one of my favorites from high school.
3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume (1976)
4. Love You Forever, Robert Munsch; illustrated by Sheila McGraw (1986) - My cousin Yvonne sent me a copy of this book. It's truly wonderful! It was one of Caleb's favorite books for me to read to him.
5. Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls (1973) - Interestingly enough, I never read this until my 7th grade students did.
6. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell (1971) - I remember reading this, but I don't remember too much about it. Maybe I'll read it again.
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling (1999)
8. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume (1972) - I remember this book was very controversial, but I thought it was really good.
9. Shane, Jack Schaeffer (1972)
10. The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks (1982)
11. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
12. Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971) - I read all the Little House</i> books and loved most of them.</i>
13. Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
14. The Incredible Journey, Sheila Burnford (1984)
15. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1968)
16. Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes (1969)
17. Just Me and My Dad, Mercer Mayer (1977)
18. Go Ask Alice, Anonymous (1976)
19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. J. K. Rowling (2000)
20. Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Judy Blume (1976)
21. Blubber, Judy Blume (1976)
22. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare (1972) - I didn't read this until my library science course in college. It's a great one. A few of my 7th graders read it in conjunction with an American history project I had them do.
23. Superfudge, Judy Blume (1981)
24. Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson (1987)
25. Freckle Juice, Judy Blume (1978)
26. On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
27. That Was Then, This Is Now, S. E. Hinton (1972)
28. Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Louis Sachar (1985)
29. The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger (1951)
30. Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971) - This was my least favorite of the Little House books.
31. Just Go to Bed, Mercer Mayer (1993)
32. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak (1984) - A childhood favorite for me and for Caleb.
33. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977) - This was both Caleb's and Jacob's favorite bedtime story for a while. I read it so many times I had it memorized. We even had our own hand motions and sound effects!
34. The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
35. The Berenstain Bears' New Baby, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1974)
36. By the Shores of Silver Lake, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
37. Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
38. The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983) - Caleb loves Berenstain Bears' books! He's read several of them, but we missed one higher up on this list.
39. The Pigman, Paul Zindel (1978)
40. The Yearling, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1961)
41. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg (1973)
42. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad, Mercer Mayer (1982)
43. Just Grandma and Me, Mercer Mayer (1975)
44. Just for You, Mercer Mayer (1975)
45. Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan (1987) - This is another great one I didn't get around to reading until my library science class.
46. When the Legends Die, Hal Borland (1984)
47. Bunnicula, James Howe (1980)
48. James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Nancy Burkert (1988)
49. The Berenstain Bears Go to School, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1978)
50. The Night Before Christmas, Clement Hurd; illustrated by Douglas Gorsline (1975) - What a great classic! I wish I had it memorized.
51. These Happy Golden Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
52. All By Myself, Mercer Mayer (1983)
53. Stuart Little, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974) - We read this book a few months ago. I thought it had a depressing ending; I like the movie better.
54. The First Four Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
55. Hatchet, Gary Paulsen (1988)
56. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson (1979)
57. The Cay, Theodore Taylor (1970)
58. Kristy's Great Idea (Babysitters Club #1), Ann M. Martin (1986)
59. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985) - This is one of Caleb's favorites.
60. Then Again, Maybe I Won't, Judy Blume (1973)
61. I Was So Mad, Mercer Mayer (1983)
62. The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
63. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1994)
64. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
65. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (1988) - We read this book a month or two ago. The Johnny Depp movie is closer to the book than the Gene Wilder version - and better.
66. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
67. The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
68. Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George (1974)
69. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
70. The Berenstain Bears and the Truth, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
71. Gremlins, George Jipe (1984) OP
72. Stone Fox, John Gardner; illustrated by Marcia Sewall (1983) - This book sounds very familiar. I'm sure I read it, but I'll have to check...
73. I Just Forgot, Mercer Mayer (1988)
74. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1976) - Caleb and I both love this book!
75. How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell (1975)
76. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary (1980) - This was mine and Caleb's second chapter book. We both loved it.
77. When I Get Bigger, Mercer Mayer (1983)
78. The Berenstain Bears in the Dark, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
79. 500 Words to Grow On, Harry McNaught (1973)
80. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred Taylor (1984)
81. Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1987)
82. Number the Stars, Lois Lowry (1990)
83. The Trumpet of the Swan, E. B. White; illustrated by Edward Frascino (1973)
84. The Cricket in Times Square, George Selden; illustrated by Garth Williams (1970)
85. Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry (1956)
86. It's Not What You Expect, Norma Klein (1976) OP
87. Matilda, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Quentin Blake (1990)
88. The New Baby, Mercer Mayer (1983)
89. The Chocolate Touch, Patrick Catling (1984)
90. Corduroy, Don Freeman (1976) - Caleb loves all the Corduroy books.
91. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis (1970) - I read this for the second time ever last year. The first time was when I was about 8 or 9. I remember finding it in my grandmother's church library one day.
92. The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
93. The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
94. Sounder, William H. Armstrong (1972)
95. The Return of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1987)
96. The Kitten Book, Jan Pfloog (1968)
97. Dinosaurs, Peter Zallinger (1977)
98. Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays (1977)
99. The Truck Book, Harry McNaught (1978)
100. Barney's Hats (1993)
101. The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare (1984) - I remember reading this in my library science class, and I remember liking it, but I don't remember much else about it.
102. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Judy Blume (1978)
103. The Berenstain Bears: No Girls Allowed, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
104. Farm Animals, Phoebe Dunn (1984)
105. Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You, Richard Scarry (1973)
106. Rascal, Sterling North (1964)
107. Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls (Babysitters Club #2), Ann M. Martin (1986)
108. Just Me and My Mom, Mercer Mayer (1990)
109. Me Too! Mercer Mayer (1983)
110. A Wind in the Door, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
111. Iggie's House, Judy Blume (1976)
112. Meet Samantha, Susan Adler; illustrated by Dan Andreasen (1986)
113. Poems & Prayers for the Very Young, Martha Alexander (1973)
114. The Farm Book, Jan Pfloog (1964)
115. The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
116. Just Me and My Puppy, Mercer Mayer (1985)
117. Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1), R. L. Stine (1992)
118. The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier (1986)
119. Chocolate Fever, Robert K. Smith (1978)
120. Say Cheese and Die (Goosebumps #4), R. L. Stine (1992)
121. Meet Addy, Connie Porter; illustrated by Dahl Taylor and Melodye Rosales (1993)
122. Frog and Toad Are Friends, Arnold Lobel (1979)
123. The Alphabet Book, P. D. Eastman (1974)
124. The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1988)
125. Rumble Fish, S. E. Hinton (1976)
126. The Little Duck, Judy Dunn; photos by Phoebe Dunn (1976) - I think this is the one Melissa gave Caleb for his birthday a few years ago. It's really sweet.
127. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Madeleine L'Engle (1979)
128. The Secret of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1990)
129. Curious George, H. A. and Margret Rey (1973) - Caleb loves Curious George and Jacob is beginning to.
130. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams (1979) - Here's another one I didn't read until my library science class. I haven't read it to the boys yet.
131. Good Work, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish (1996) - I love Amelia Bedelia, but there are several I've missed.
132. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
133. The Zoo Book, Jan Pfloog (1967)
134. 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith (1976) OP
135. The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
136. The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
137. In & Out, Up & Down, Michael Smollin (1982)
138. Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1983)
139. The Berenstain Bears Go Out for the Team, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
140. The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
141. Amelia Bedelia and the Baby, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1982)
142. Just Shopping with Mom, Mercer Mayer (1989)
143. Richard Scarry's Find Your ABC's, Richard Scarry (1973)
144. Grover and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum, (1974) OP
145. The Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977) - This is a really sweet book - and good to try out on your own kids!
146. Sunshine, Norma Klein (1976) OP
147. Deenie, Judy Blume (1974)
148. The Berenstain Bears and Moving Day, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
149. Meet Kirsten, Janet Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef (1986)
150. Clifford the Big Red Dog, Norman Bridwell (1985) - Caleb loves Clifford books.

150 Best-Selling Children's Hardback Books
1. The Poky Little Puppy, Janette Sebring Lowrey (1942) - Caleb loves this book. I've read it to him several times.
2. The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter (1902)
3. Tootle, Gertrude Crampton (1945)
4. Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss (1960) - This is probably one of Caleb's favorite Dr. Suess books.
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J. K. Rowling (2000)
6. Pat the Bunny, Dorothy Kunhardt (1940) - This was one of the first board books Caleb got. He loved patting the furry little bunny on the front.
7. Saggy Baggy Elephant, Kathryn and Byron Jackson (1947) - I remember reading this one when I was really young. I think maybe it was one of my Little Golden Books.
8. Scuffy the Tugboat, Gertrude Crampton (1955) - I think this was another one of my Little Golden Books.
9. The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss (1957) - This one is good, but not one of my favorites.
10. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J. K. Rowling (1999)
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J. K. Rowling (1999)
12. Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein (1974) - This poetry collection is great, really fun to read. Some of his topics are a little off the wall, and some aren't quite appropriate for young children, but it's still a must-read.
13. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Dr. Seuss (1960) - Another favorite.
14. The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein (1964)
15. The Littlest Angel, Charles Tazewell (1946)
16. Hop on Pop, Dr. Seuss (1963) - This is probably my least favorite Dr. Seuss book, but it was the first one Caleb could read by himself. I don't remember how many times he read it to me. This book seems to go on endlessly...
17. Oh, the Places You'll Go!, Dr. Seuss (1990)
18. Dr. Seuss's ABC, Dr. Seuss (1960)
19. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling (1998)
20. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle (1969) - What a great story! I love Eric Carle's work - and this is one of my favorites. I came up with a cute craft idea to go along with this book. The boys love it, too. Jacob calls it "Caterpillar Hungry".
21. The Children's Bible (1965)
22. A Light in the Attic, Shel Silverstein (1981)
23. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, Beatrix Potter (1904)
24. Are You My Mother?, P. D. Eastman (1960) - I remember Mama reading this one to me long ago.
25. The Rainbow Fish, Marcus Pfister (1992) - I came up with a fun craft to do with this book, too.
26. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, Dr. Seuss (1958)
27. Richard Scarry's Best Word Book, Richard Scarry (1963)
28. Disney's the Lion King, adapted by Justine Korman (1994)
29. The Tale of Jemina Puddle-Duck, Beatrix Potter (1908)
30. The Little Engine That Could, Watty Piper (1930)
31. Fox in Socks, Dr. Seuss (1965)
32. Goodnight Moon (board book), Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1991) - This was on the paperback list, too.
33. The Real Mother Goose, Blanche F. Wright (1916) - If this is the black-and-white checked book, I remember it well. It was one of my childhood favorites.
34. Go, Dog Go!, P. D. Eastman (1961)
35. How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss (1964) - I read this to Caleb one year after he had watched the one that comes on TV every year. He loved it.
36. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, Beatrix Potter (1903)
37. The Tale of Tom Kitten, Beatrix Potter (1907)
38. Macmillan Dictionary for Children, edited by Judith Levy (1975)
39. Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne; illustrated by Ernest Shepard (1926)
40. My Book About Me (By Me, Myself), Dr. Seuss; illustrated by Roy McKie (1969) - Melissa and Lindsay had this book when they were little, and Lindsay got one for Caleb for Christmas. He's enjoyed filling it in, but he makes up things as he goes along...
41. Where's Waldo?, Martin Handford (1987)
42. Just Imagine (1992) OP
43. The Great Waldo Search, Martin Handford (1989)
44. The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg (1985) - This is an excellent book! I still haven't gotten around to watching the movie.
45. Find Waldo Now, Martin Handford (1989)
46. Cat's Cradle, Anne Akers Johnson; illustrated by Sarah Boore (1993)
47. The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary, P. D. Eastman (1964)
48. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1947) - How many times is this on the list?!
49. Walt Disney's Storyland, Walt Disney (1962)
50. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew #5), Carolyn Keene (1931)
51. Barney's Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes Vol. 1 (1993) OP
52. Falling Up, Shel Silverstein (1996)
53. The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew #1), Carolyn Keene (1930) - I remember reading several Nancy Drew books when I was little, but I don't remember which ones. I know this title sounds familiar.
54. Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever, Richard Scarry (1964)
55. The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys #1), Franklin Dixon (1927)
56. Guess How Much I Love You (board book), (1996) - This is a sweet story to read around Valentine's Day.
57. Barney's Farm Animals, (1993) OP
58. I Can Read with My Eyes Shut, Dr. Seuss (1978) - This is another of Caleb's favorite Dr. Seuss books
59. Baby Bop's Toys, (1993) OP
60. Put Me in the Zoo, Robert Lopshire (1960) - Caleb likes this story, but not as much as I still do!
61. The Touch Me Book, Pat and Eve Witte (1961)
62. I Am a Bunny, Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry (1963)
63. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak (1964) - I remember checking this out of the library when I was little.
64. Never Talk to Strangers, Irma Joyce (1967) OP
65. Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!, Dr. Seuss (1975)
66. Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever, Richard Scarry (1968)
67. When We Were Very Young, A. A. Milne; illustrated by Ernest Shepard (1924)
68. The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew #2), Carolyn Keene (1930)
69. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Laura Numeroff; illustrated by Felicia Bond (1985) - This is one of Caleb's (and Billy's!) all-time favorite children's books.
70. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943)
71. Barney's Magical Picnic, Stephen White (1993)
72. The House on the Cliff (Hardy Boys #2), Franklin Dixon (1927)
73. Richard's Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, Richard Scarry (1968) - Caleb read this one, but didn't like it as well as the ones with actual stories in them.
74. Guess How Much I Love You, Sam McBratney; illustrated by Anita Jeram (1995) - Haven't I come across this one already?
75. Animalia, Graeme Base (1987) - This is the best alphabet book I've ever seen. I came across it in my library science class and liked it so much, I bought a copy for myself.
76. The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew #3), Carolyn Keene (1930)
77. Kay Thompson's Eloise, Kay Thompson; illustrated by Hilary Knight (1955)
78. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1952) - I know I mentioned something about this on the paperback list.
79. Moo Baa La La La (board book), Sandra Boynton (1982)
80. Disney's 101 Dalmatians, adapted by Ronald Kidd (1991)
81. Barney's Color Surprise (1993) OP
82. Disney's Beauty and the Beast, adapted by Ronald Kidd (1991)
83. Scholastic Children's Dictionary (1996)
84. Eloise Wilkin's Mother Goose, Eloise Wilkin (1961)
85. Oh Say Can You Say?, Dr. Seuss (1979)
86. The Secret of the Old Mill (Hardy Boys #3), Franklin Dixon (1930)
87. Disney's The Little Mermaid, adapted by Ronald Kidd (1991)
88. Love Is a Special Way of Feeling, Joan Walsh Anglund (1960)
89. The Very Quiet Cricket, Eric Carle (1990) - This is a really fun book. If you get one from the library that doesn't have its batteries run down - or isn't torn up - you can hear the crickets chirping on the last page.
90. The Magic Locket, Elizabeth Koda-Callan (1988)
91. A Fly Went By, Mike McClintock; illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1958)
92. The Going to Bed Book, Sandra Boynton (1982)</b>
93. There's a Wocket in My Pocket!, Dr. Seuss (1974)
94. Big Bird's Color Game (1980)
95. Aladdin, adapted by Ronald Kidd (1992)
96. Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey (1941)
97. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial Storybook, William Kotzwinkle (1983)
98. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? (board book), Dr. Seuss (1996) - Caleb loved making all of Mr. Brown's sounds when he was really little. Jacob likes it, too, but not as much.
99. Dr. Seuss's ABC (board book), Dr. Seuss (1996) - Another duplicate.
100. The Mystery of Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew #4), Carolyn Keene (1930)
101. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?, Dr. Seuss (1970)
102. The Cheerios Play Book, Lee Wade (1998) - The boys love this book. Thankfully we have two different ones so they can use them at the same time, then swap.
103. Baby's First Words, Lars Wik (1985)
104. The Runaway Bunny (board book), Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1991)
105. Disney's The Lion King, adapted by Ronald Kidd (1994)
106. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Storybook Based on the Movie (1990) OP
107. Disney's Storybook Collection (1998) - I think we have this one.
108. The Missing Chums (Hardy Boys #4), Franklin Dixon (1930)
109. The Way Things Work, David Macaulay (1988) - I think I have this book in storage from my teaching days. I'll have to be sure to get it out for Caleb when he's a little older. It's right up his alley.
110. The Mitten, Jan Brett (1989)
111. Hunting for Hidden Gold (Hardy Boys #5), Franklin Dixon (1928)
112. The Eleventh Hour, Graeme Base (1989) - I liked Animalia so much I had to go ahead and get this book, too. It's a great mystery for older children. My students nearly wore this book out!
113. Thomas the Tank Engine's Noisy Trip, Rev. W. Awdry (1989)
114. Where's Spot?, Eric Hill (1980)
115. If You Give a Moose a Muffin, Laura Numeroff; illustrated by Felicia Bond (1991) - Fun book, but not as good as the original.
116. Baby Bop's Counting Book (1993) OP
117. Tawny Scrawny Lion, Kathryn Jackson (1952) - Another one of my Little Golden Books.
118. Barnyard Dance, Sandra Boynton (1993)
119. The Silver Slippers, Elizabeth Koda-Callan (1989)
120. Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day?, Richard Scarry (1968) - This is another one of Caleb's all-time favorite books. I don't know how many times we've read it.
121. Star Wars Episode I Cross Sections (1999)
122. House at Pooh Corner, A. A. Milne; illustrated by Ernest Shepard (1928)
123. On the Day You Were Born, Debra Frasier (1991)
124. Santa Mouse, Elfrieda Dewitt (1966) OP
125. Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Dr. Seuss (1958)
126. My First Bible in Pictures, Kenneth Taylor (1989)
127. Stellaluna, Janell Cannon (1993)
128. Love You Forever, Robert Munsch (1986) - This was on the paperback list.
129. The Sneetches and Other Stories, Dr. Seuss (1961)
130. Ten Apples Up On Top!, Theo. LeSieg; illustrated by Roy McKie (1961) - This has always been one of Caleb's favorite Dr. Seuss books.
131. Baby's ABC, Steve Shevett (1986)
132. The Very Busy Spider, Eric Carle (1985) - One of my least favorite Eric Carle books.
133. I Spy Christmas: A Book of Picture Riddles, Jean Marzollo; photos by Walter Wick (1992) - Caleb and I like to look at these books together.
134. My First Word Board Book (1997)
135. I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!, Dr. Seuss; illustrated by James Stevenson (1987)
136. Thomas and the Freight Train, Rev. W. Awdry (1991) - The boys are big fans of Thomas. We have several books, but not nearly all of them.
137. Arthur Goes to School, Marc Brown (1995)
138. Horton Hatches the Egg, Dr. Seuss (1940)
139. Happy Birthday to You!, Dr. Seuss (1959)
140. Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book, Dr. Seuss (1962)
141. Babies So Tall Board Book, Gyo Fujikawa (1963)
142. Big Bird's Mother Goose, photos by John Barrett (1984)
143. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, Jon Scieszka; illustrated by Lane Smith (1989)
144. It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, Marilyn Sadler; illustrated by Roger Bollen (1983)
145. The Jolly Postman, Janet and Allan Ahlberg (1986)
146. The Tall Book of Nursery Tales, Feodor Rojankovsky (1944) OP
147. The Napping House, Audrey Wood; illustrated by Don Wood (1984) - We checked this one out from the library a few years ago. It was really fun.
148. Curious George, H. A. and Margret Ray (1941) - I mentioned Curious George on the paperback list.
149. Baby's Animal Friend, Phoebe Dunn (1988)
150. Richard Scarry's Early Words, Richard Scarry (1976) OP

I can't believe Richard Scarry's Busy Busy World wasn't on the list! It was one of the stand-out favorites of my childhood. And Dr. Seuss' I Wish that I Had Duck Feet. Where was that one? I'm sure I'll come up with a few others that are missing. I wish they hadn't duplicated titles on the same list, board book or not. That edges out other books that should be on it. Oh, well. I know what I like. Maybe one day I'll make my own list.

I'm a member of the Dear Reader online book club. Each morning in my email box, I receive a short excerpt from a weekly featured book in each of the categories I'm interested in: Good News, Non-Fiction, Mysteries, and Pre-Publication. Some weeks the reads are better than others. Some weeks I delete the excerpts after reading Suzanne's daily column because the book just didn't catch my interest. Other times, I can't wait for the next day's portion. Sometimes I even like the book so much I'll check it out from the library. That's how I got hooked on Karen Kingsbury's "Redemption" series, which led into her new "First Born" series, which I'm also hooked on.

Another feature of the Dear Reader book club is Author Buzz. Each week, four different authors are featured. There are author bios and summaries of featured books and links to the authors' own websites or blogs. Many times the authors will have contests or giveaways for free books or other prizes.

This morning I decided to check out Author Buzz, and I'm really glad I did. I signed up to win books from three different authors. One of the giveaways was a contest for a signed copy of a book rather than just a drawing. In order to receive a book, the author wanted a letter explaining why you wanted to win the book. According to the information on Author Buzz, the first 10 people to do so would win. I figured I'd give it a shot, so I wrote my letter. Shortly after I emailed it, I got a response from Brad Geagley, author of Year of the Hyenas and Day of the False King. Apparently the information on the Author Buzz page was old because he told me the contest was actually closed - but he liked my letter so much he was going to send me a copy of Year of the Hyenas anyway! Hooray!

I can't wait to open that package with my new book, a mystery set in Ancient Egypt. Maybe I'll have found yet another mystery author to join the ranks of Agatha Christie, Mary Higgins Clark, and Sue Grafton.

Night
Yesterday I finished reading Night by Elie Wiesel, suggested reading from Oprah's Book Club. It wasn't the great work of literature that I thought it would be, but it was good. Maybe if I hadn't read it after Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place I would've liked it better. The Holocaust was certainly a horrible nightmare to have experienced, and it's good to know from first-hand survivors what those terrors were like. I guess I just liked Corrie ten Boom's spirit and outcome better. If you had to choose just one of these books, I would recommend The Hiding Place.

Jacob came bebopping into my bedroom, carrying some board books and exclaiming, "Good merning! I had a good night sweep!" - at 4:30 this morning! What's up with that? I still don't know. I just remember waking up shocked. Billy heard him about the same time I did and asked, "Is he up?" A second later, Jacob burst into the room with his "merning" greeting. I told him it was still night-night and he told me again that he had a good night "sweep". I got up and ushered him back to his room, and he started crying, "I want to play 'puter!" Then he told me he was scared. I took him into the living room and rocked him for about 5 minutes, then carried him back to his bed. He was still awake and told me again that he was scared. I told him everything was okay, that he needed to go back to sleep. I snuggled his Snoopy and Charlie Brown characters up close to him, gave him his hanky to hold, and tucked him under his warm, cozy afghan. "Go back to sleep," I told him, to which he whispered, "Okay." I didn't hear another peep out of him until he got up around 8:20. Unfortunately I never got back to sleep. Well, not until it was time for my alarm to go off...

Monster

I just finished reading Monster by Frank Peretti. Great book! I couldn't put it down. Well, the first day I read the first part of the first chapter and wondered if this was something I wanted to read. I debated whether it was something that was going to scare me or intrigue me. Obviously it was the latter, but I didn't find that out until I picked the book up again a few days later on Saturday afternoon. The book was in my hands just about all day Sunday, and I finished it about an hour ago. It was intense. It's sci-fi, sort-of. Not space or trekky sci-fi, but biology and DNA altering sci-fi. Part of what made it so great is that Peretti is a Christian author, so his work doesn't have all the sexual innuendo and the foul language that lots of books of this type have, even though it was pretty gruesome. Kind of like Robin Cook or Michael Crichton, only cleaned up. And there was reference to God by the characters throughout the book. I'm impressed. I think I'll try another one. I've been looking at The Oath, which looks similar to Monster, and The Visitation, which seems to resemble his earlier works of This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. Peretti has also collaborated with Ted Dekker on some novels, which look like they'd be more like a Tom Clancy read. I may check those out as well. Any suggestions?