Cooper Chronicles: 2020

Friday, December 25, 2020

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, we played with presents, did lots of outdoors games, snacked on a charcuterie board, and ate very well. All the fun was just perfect!

Christmas Morning

Our Christmas morning was fun. We got to sleep in, have a nice breakfast, and then open presents. Part of me misses the boys being little, but another part likes just where we are now.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Christmas Eve

This Christmas Eve, we stuck to some traditions and adjusted others, but had a lovely family time together.

We baked and decorated cookies, did our secret Santa stocking exchange, and left out cookies for Santa. We opened new PJs from the elves, and ate at home.

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

12 Days of Christmas Pics

We have a tradition of staging photos of the daily 12 days of Christmas. Here they are, out of order.

What I've Read (Grown-up Books)

*2008* The Book of Mormon--(This one took all year!)) The Great Gatsby--F. Scott Fitzgerald The Street Lawyer--John Grisham Stop Whining, Start Living--Dr. Laura Schlessinger Two Little Girls in Blue--Mary Higgins Clark The Christmas Sweater--Glenn Beck The O'Reilly Factor--Bill O'Reilly Breaking Dawn--Stephenie Meyer Eclipse--Stephenie Meyer New Moon--Stephenie Meyer Twilight--Stephenie Meyer The Runaway Jury--John Grisham The Host-Stephenie Meyer Where Are You Now?-Mary Higgins Clark "A" is for Alibi-Sue Grafton If Democrats had any Brains, They'd be Republicans-Ann Coulter Doctrine & Covenants For One More Day-Mitch Albom Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments-Jeffrey R. Holland New Testament Weep No More, My Lady-Mary Higgins Clark Life Planning-Paul H. Dunn & Richard M. Eyre Return from Tomorrow-George G. Ritchie Let Freedom Ring-Sean Hannity Lighten Up!-Michelle Passoff Beyond Tuesday Morning-Karen Kingsbury One Tuesday Morning-Karen Kingsbury *2009* The Doctrine and Covenants--{This one took all year!} The Book of Mormon The King of Torts--John Grisham The Appeal--John Grisham The Broker--John Grisham The Associate--John Grisham The Brethren--John Grisham The Testament--John Grisham The Partner--John Grisham The Pelican Brief--John Grisham The Firm--John Grisham The Client--John Grisham The Chamber--John Grisham Silent Night--Mary Higgins Clark Moonlight Becomes You--Mary Higgins Clark Where are the Children?--Mary Higgins Clark Dashing Through the Snow--Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark Pretend You Don't See Her--Mary Higgins Clark On the Street Where you Live--Mary Higgins Clark I'll Be Seeing You--Mary Higgins Clark My Gal Sunday--Mary Higgins Clark I've Heard That Song Before--Mary Higgins Clark Daddy's Little Girl-- Mary Higgins Clark Let Me Call You Sweetheart--Mary Higgins Clark Mount Vernon Love Story--Mary Higgins Clark The Lottery Winner--Mary Higgins Clark Nighttime is My Time--Mary Higgins Clark You Belong to Me--Mary Higgins Clark Remember Me--Mary Higgins Clark Stillwatch--Mary Higgins Clark Change of Heart--Jodi Picoult Santa Cruise--Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark A Cry in the Night--Mary Higgins Clark He Sees You When You're Sleeping--Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark A Stranger is Watching--Mary Higgins Clark The Anastasia Syndrome & Other Stories--Mary Higgins Clark The Cradle Will Fall--Mary Higgins Clark The Christmas Thief--Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark All Around the Town--Mary Higgins Clark Loves Music, Loves to Dance--Mary Higgins Clark While My Pretty One Sleeps--Mary Higgins Clark To a Child Love is Spelled TIME--Mac Anderson & Lance Wubbles Deck the Halls--Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark All Through the Night--Mary Higgins Clark Just Take My Heart--Mary Higgins Clark Following Christ--Stephen E. Robinson Believing Christ--Stephen E. Robinson Before I Say Goodbye--Mary Higgins Clark No Place Like Home--Mary Higgins Clark The Summons--John Grisham Healing the Wounded Soul--Jack R. Christianson Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows--J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince--J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix--J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire--J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban--J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets--J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone--J.K. Rowling The Second Time Around--Mary Higgins Clark Way to Be!--Gordon B. Hinckley Angels & Demons--Dan Brown We'll Meet Again--Mary Higgins Clark Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation--Lynne Truss *2010* The Old Testament--{All Year} Contentment--Maria Covey Cole A Mother's Book of Secrets--Linda Eyre & Shawni Eyre Pothier The Doctrine & Covenants A Time to Embrace--Karen Kingsbury A Time to Dance--Karen Kingsbury Christmas Jars--Jason F. Wright The Last Juror--John Grisham A Time to Kill--John Grisham A Painted House--John Grisham Playing for Pizza--John Grisham A Day in the Life--Steve & Timee Cooper The Bleachers--John Grisham *2011* The New Testament---{All Year} The Help--Kathryn Stockett The Lost Symbol--Dan Brown Heaven is for Real--Todd Burpo A Miracle in the Making--Robert D. Auerback, M.D. The Work & the Glory vol. 9: All is Well--Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 8: So Great a Cause--Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 7: No Unhallowed Hand --Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 6: Praise to the Man--Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 5: A Season of Joy --Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 4: Thy Gold to Refine--Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 3: Truth Will Prevail--Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 2: Like a Fire is Burning--Gerald N. Lund The Work & the Glory vol. 1: A Pillar of Light--Gerald N. Lund The Doctrine and Covenants Broke--Glenn Beck *2012* Mockingjay--Suzanne Collins Catching Fire--Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games--Suzanne Collins *2013* Inferno--Dan Brown I'll Walk Alone--Mary Higgins Clark The Little Kingdom on the Hill--LJ Hudack As A Man Thinketh--James Allen The 5 Love Languages--Gary Chapman Peculiar in a Good Way--Mary Ellen Edmunds When Bad Things Happen to Good People--Harold S. Kushner What the Scriptures Teach Us about Adversity--S. Michael Wilcox Falling to Heaven--James Ferrell Chemo Companion--Jean E. Sprengel, MD *2014* The Borrowers--Mary Norton My Story--Elizabeth Smart What Would a Holy Woman Do?--Wendy L. Watson Stuart Little--E. B. White Charlotte's Web--E.B. White Sheep--Valerie Hobbs The Book of Mormon *2015* Winter Street--Elin Hilderbrand The Melody Lingers On--Mary Higgins Clark Had I Known--Joan Lunden The Storyteller--Jodi Piccult I've Got You Under My Skin--Mary Higgins Clark Son--Lois Lowry Messenger--Lois Lowry Gathering Blue--Lois Lowry The Giver--Lois Lowry The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work--John M. Gottman, PH.D., and Nan Silver The 5 Love Languages of Children--Gary Chapman, Ross Campbell God Wants a Powerful People--Sheri Dew Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone--JK Rowling The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest--Stieg Larsson The Girl Who Played with Fire--Stieg Larsson The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo--Stieg Larsson The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--a Love Story--Ree Drummond The Thornbirds--Colleen McCullough *2016* The Book of Mormon The Shadow of Your Smile--Mary Higgins Clark Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes--Eleanor Coerr Following Christ--Stephen E. Robinson *2017* Wonder--R.J. Palacio All Dressed in White--Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke The Melody Lingers On--Mary Higgins Clark As Time Goes By--Mary Higgins Clark Daddy's Gone A Hunting--Mary Higgins Clark I'll Walk Alone--Mary Higgins Clark Suffering and Surviving: Finding Sunshine in the Storm--Tom Baca, MELODEE COOPER, Rachel Gardner When Breath Becomes Air--Paul Kalanithi Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets--J.K. Rowling *2018* I've Got My Eyes on You--Mary Higgins Clark We'll Meet Again--Mary Higgins Clark Death on the Cape and Other Stories--Mary Higgins Clark Stillwatch--Mary Higgins Clark Inherit the Dead--Mary Higgins Clark Death Wears a Beauty Mask--Mary Higgins Clark Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban--J.K. Rowling Me--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke I've Got My Eyes on You--Mary Higgins Clark The Lost Years--Mary Higgins Clark The Magical Christmas Horse--Mary Higgins Clark All By Myself, Alone--Mary Higgins Clark Every Breath You Take--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke All Dressed in White--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke *2019* The Book of Mormon That's the Ticket, Voies in the Coal in, Milk Run, Stowaway--Mary Higgins Clark The Summons--John Grisham Death on the Cape & Other Stories---Mark Higgins Clark The Sleeping Beauty Killer--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke You Don't Own Me--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke I've Got My Eyes on You--Mary Higgins Clark The Lost Years--Mary Higgins Clark The Magical Christmas Horse--Mary Higgins Clark All By Myself, Alone--Mary Higgins Clark Every Breath You Take--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke All Dressed in White--Mary Higgins Clark + Alafair Burke *2020* New Testament A Wrinkle in Time-- Ribsy--Beverly Cleary *2021* Doctrine&Covenants *2022*