Loving Life as Mommy & Wife: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

I'M HOOKED!

This photo site is amazing! If you're into editing photos and don't want to pay a thing check this site out! I'm finding all sorts of cool things I can do with my pictures...and it doesn't take many brain cells to figure it out! Here's one from Ian's recent first birthday party that I messed with...I'm pretty happy the way it came out...scratch that...I'm extremely happy with the way it turned out! Thanks again Kim for telling me about this site!

LOOK WHAT I LEARNED HOW TO DO!

Courtesy of my wonderful sister in law's teaching (and her ability to google to find out anything) I now know how to take a black and white photo and add a little color to it! Just what I need...a new hobby to waste time :)
Here's my first attempt at being a little creative with a pic...this is an old pic of Ian but it's one of my faves of him...

MY SISTER'S KEEPER

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

What it's about: (taken from Amazon.com) New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness.
Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

What I thought: I now officially love this author! This is the second book of Picoult's I have read and all I can say is wow! Both books I've read have definitely made me think. This book makes you explore the world of a teenager who you think is simply saying "what about me"...but in reality is just trying to carry out the wishes of someone else. And the end of the book...what a turn of events! Another must read on my list! I'm going to look for more books by this author...well as soon as I finish the stack of unread books next to me :)

Two favorite quotes from the book...
"I realize then that we never have children, we receive them. And sometimes it's not for quite as long as we would have expected or hoped. But it is still far better than never having had those children at all."

"When I first became a parent I used to lie in bed at night and imagine the most horrible succession of maladies: the bite of a jellyfish, the taste of a poisonous berry, the smile of a dangerous stranger, the dive into a shallow pool. There are so many ways a child can be harmed that it seems nearly impossible one person alone could succeed at keeping him safe. As my children got older, the hazards only changed: inhaling glue, playing with matches, small pink pills sold behind the bleachers of the middle school. You can stay up all night and still not count all the ways to lose the people you love."

ANOTHER BOOK REVIEW

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

What its about (taken from amazon.com): Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

What I thought: I read this book after being very hesitant about it...I don't do vampire stories...but, after much persuasion from my sister in law and hearing people rave about it I had to see what the hype was all about. I'm so glad I decided to take the plunge! This book was amazing! It was definitely not what I was expecting. I'm now hooked on this series...can't get to the next book fast enough. I don't want to give anything away so all I'm going to say is that this book is a must read...even if you don't do vampire stories!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Yep that's right...to us...my baby boy and I are celebrating our birthdays today! I can't believe that Ian is one year old! (I'm not telling how old I am, sorry) Where did this past year go? All I do know is that this little boy has blessed my life in so many ways and I love him more than words can describe. He has gone from sweet and precious little baby to a complete handful of a toddler in such a short amount of time. Ian is definitely the center of attention at our house and he knows it. I love watching him go thru each phase and milestone that children go thru...from the first time he smiled, the first time he sat up, the first time he crawled to now watching him run thru the house. Here's to another wonderful year for my beautiful little boy... "happy birthday guppie! mommy loves you with all my heart!"

Ian Blake one year ago...