I picked this book up at the library book sale for a dollar. I figured even if I ended up not liking it, it was only a dollar. What a good investment I made. This was a great book about a group of couples and their journeys to adopt a baby from China. The book also tells the stories of the families who have given up their babies to be adopted. I really liked how the author presented both sides of the story. She could have easily written the novel just from the viewpoint of the adoptive parents, but to see the other side of the story gave the reader an entirely different point of view.
Archive for February 2012
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book. Such a sweet story of a dog who, through multiple lives, finds his purpose in life. If you have ever loved a dog, then you will love this book. It may make you really start to pay attention and think about what might be running through your dog’s mind and this story may lessen your pain if you’ve ever lost a dog. So sweet, so touching and just an overall great story.
One thing I have noticed in the past two years is that the older Liam gets, the easier his birthday parties have gotten. His parties no longer need to be huge productions with an invitation sent out to everyone in his class. He is content to have a few of his closest friends over at our house to hang out, play video games, eat pizza and talk Pokemon.
Lots of gaming going on here. This was after the big Pokemon card swap that took at least an hour.
I love Liam’s friends. They are great kids, but more importantly, they are great friends to Liam.
The very important opening of the gifts.
It wouldn’t be a good party without a little Mario.
The best part of the party for me was sitting around the kitchen table with them listening to them talk. It’s so much fun to listen to what’s on their minds. Also, there had been much talk in our house as to what kind of cake Liam would have. It was decided that he wouldn’t have cake, but instead would have banana cream pie, chocolate cream pie and ice cream. After all of that, you know what those boys wanted to eat? Ice cream and Girl Scout cookies. Oh well, more pie for me. 🙂 (And thank you to the Girl Scout who dropped off the cookies in the middle of the party. She has no idea what a lifesaver she was.)
I think one of the single most important things we have done for our kids is give them the gift of faith. Just like with any gift, they may choose to use it all the time because it is just what they wanted. They may exchange if for another faith, not the one they were given, but one that is a better fit for them. They may decide at some point in their life to put their faith away for awhile. Just like a gift you may have received and it wasn’t what you needed at the time, but one day while you are cleaning out a closet, you discover it and realize it’s exactly what you need right now. Whatever they choose, I am so glad they have it so that whatever they decide to do with it, they have the faith they were given to make decisions and educated choices about what they decide to do when they are older and are out in the world making their own choices.
I have wanted to read this book for a long time. In short, it’s several stories in one that tie together a larger story. As a whole I liked this book. It’s basically about polygamy and the history of the Mormon church. What I didn’t like about it is that there is a lot of fact mixed in with the fiction and it could be rather difficult to sort the two out. I would definitely recommend it; it gets a little slow towards the end, but definitely very interesting, especially if you don’t know much about the beginnings of the Mormon church. It also happens to be a movie which I plan on watching sometime this week.
A little Valentine’s treat for the boys waiting for them at breakfast time.
Passing out his Star Wars and Harry Potter Valentine’s.
Enjoying some yummy Valentine treats
Liam had to make some quick changes to his box at the last minute when realized that Valentine cards would fit through the slit he had made, but Valentine candy would not.
Passing out his Harry Potter Valentine cards.
2nd grade party craft…it involved weaving…many adult hands were needed.
A little Valentine hidden picture with his buddies.
First of all, Liam had a fantastic birthday. Second, how in God’s name did my firstborn get to be ten years old??? It’s so cliche to say they grow up so fast, but it is SO true. I just want to hang onto this age. I was talking to another mom this weekend about middle school…this time next year we’ll be going to middle school meetings.
The next best thing to it being your own birthday is it being your brother’s birthday.
Two Lego sets, pumpkin spice pancake mix, Hugo Cabret, a Lego book, a story building game, a Superheroes info set and two gift cards…one to Barnes and Noble and the other to Game Stop.
Birthday snuggle
Birthday pie…takes after his momma on that one. 🙂
This was our book club book for January. I cannot believe I made it through this whole book. It was AWFUL! It was so poorly written it made me want to scratch my eyeballs out at times. That said, it did get some good reviews on Amazon. (It also got bad reviews, too.) The worst part is that since the library didn’t have it, I actually bought it. I let a friend of mine from book club borrow it and then it is going straight to the library book sale.
One of Liam’s favorite author’s was in town this evening so we went to go see him at his book signing. We got there about an hour early since we know from previous experience that lines tend to get long at these events. We showed up at 5:00 and the book signing started at 6:00. I asked the guy at customer service where the line was going to start. He said there wouldn’t be a line and that they would have the author at the front of the store and people could just come in and get their book signed and then go. Ummm….okay. So we hung out for the next 40 minutes and then went and got in line. There were about ten people ahead of us…no big deal.
This is Liam clutching his books to be signed while he waits in line. He had them laid out in front of the door the previous night so as to make sure they were not forgotten. I had them in the car with me all day today so that they would be there for tonight.
Obert Skye was so awesome. He talked to everyone who approached the table. I know these book signings take longer when the authors chat with every single person, but it’s so worth it.
Remember the guy who said there wouldn’t be a line? Do you see the end of this line? No, you don’t, because it goes ALL the way to the back of the store and wraps around. I am SO glad we got there early.
This book starts out with the bride and the groom on the story getting killed in a horrible accident within an hour of their wedding. Don’t worry, I am not giving away any of the plot…anyone who even takes a teeny tiny sneak peek at the cover knows that much of the story. This book is about what happens next. It is set in Maine and follows the lives of the bride and grooms’ families through the next four (I think it was four) summers. I think it did a pretty good job of depicting how families stumble through life after such a horrible tragedy. Some times a situation so awful brings people together and sometimes it tears them apart.
