A book or two...

Two books in two days...lets just say I am tired!  I was up reading until 2AM!  What can I say, when I get a hold of a good book, I can't put it down.  I read constantly until it is finished.  Even if it is a pager here or a page there, until I find the time to just sit and read.  I finally read the first two books of The Hunger Games, trilogy.  The local radio station, that I listen to in the mornings, was talking about this book a couple weeks ago.  The one girl, Jenn, was telling this other guy Jeff, how good this book was, and he had to read it on the plane.  They were all traveling to the Super Bowl.  Then I learned that they have also turned this book into a movie, that comes out at the end of March, I believe. 
I have a Kindle, and I was reading The Swiss Family Robinson ( I ended up ordering it for my son), but got sucked into the story, myself.  I read Robinson Crusoe, when I was younger, but not that one.  I realized while reading this book, that there is no where possible that these people got ship wrecked on.  The landed on this island, that had desert like conditions in one area, jungle in another and open plains in yet another.  Then they came across every single type of creature that lives on earth.  They had animals from South America, Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia.  Penguins, walruses, kangaroos, lions, elephants, monkeys, it just never ended.  As soon as they saw an animal, they killed it, and/or captured it.  I kept thinking, that PETA, probable doesn't really like this book.  Although, it was a good story, and obviously a classic, it was kind of silly now, they never ran out of bullets, lol.  I wonder back in the day, how many people really thought there was an island like that?
So back to the Hunger Games book.  After reading Swiss Family Robinson, I saw that I had the Hunger Games already down loaded on my Kindle, and I have no idea when I did that?  I must of did that quite a while ago, because I really haven't been reading much lately.  Then I remembered I had been hearing so much about it, and now I can just read it.  Let me just say.  If you haven't read it, and you are a reader like me, that once you start you can't stop, don't read it yet, unless you have time!  I was sucked in right at the beginning.  There was really no hope.  I finished in like a day, turne around and down loaded the second, as soon as I was done and had to finish it last night.  If I had a paper copy, I have a feeling I would of laid it down, but my Kindle was screaming at me, to just finish it.  I would look, and it wold say 50% read, and then 65%, and then I was at 88%, and thought I only have 12% to read!!  I can do it!!  I almost down loaded the third and final story, but have held up.  I need a break.  I need to pace myself, lol.  I did discover, that Kindle had a program, where you can down load books free, so I think I am going to sign up for that and not actually buy the third one.  The second one was only $7, but I think free sounds even better =).  The only down fall, is you only have it on your Kindle for 2 weeks.  Which isn't a problem if the book is good and I get sucked in. 
I have also been reading presidential biographies.  I started this project shortly after the 2008 elections.  Just going through the process of selecting a president, I realized I really don't know anything about any of our past presidents.  Only 44 Americans have had the privilege of being President.  The most powerful man in the world, according to some.  I just became interested in learning more about these men.  I figured, I would start with the first, and work my way up.  I have thus far, read 6, and working on the 7th.  Yeah, not a stellar start, but to my defence, biographies can be hard to read.  Not to mention, I have purposely found books that are long, because I figured they would contain the most information.  I am currently on Andrew Jackson.  I think I got through half of his book, before I had to take it back to the library (a month over due).  It has really been fascinating to learn about our founding fathers.  I know when I get done reading their stories, I am usually thinking, that people really have no idea what hard work is.  Our founders where amazing men, who worked very hard and sacrificed much, for the love of our country. 
Wow, this post got long.  Do you like to read?  Have you read the Hunger Games?  Did you like it? Do you like biographies? 
 
MJ

And normally on Fridays, I post a pic for the photo challenge, but I totally forgot this week.  Can't imagine why....

Casting a shadow

Yeah, today is my weekly photo challenge, at my3boysbarians.  She has a weekly photo challenge, and each week there is a new theme.  So this week it was shadows.  I always have these grand ideas of what I want my photo to look like, but thus far they haven't panned out.  Although I liked this one, because I was doing one thing, and the shadow looks like I am doing something else.  Not to mention my figure looks pretty good, ha!! 
The weather here, has been beautiful!!  So not typical for January, and I am so loving it!!  I admit I grew up in Ohio, and have seen my fair share of snow.  I loved making snow men, and forts, and sledding, and all that good fun stuff, you can do with snow.  But since I have lived in the south, for almost 15 years, I don't enjoy the cold, or snow.  I cringe when the temp starts reaching the 30s.  My point about the weather, is that yesterday, when I took this photo, the sun was shinning just right to cast shadows. 
I did look around and see if I could find any cool looking shadows (think grand idea), but nothing popped out at me.  So we headed to the driveway to look at our shadows (we, as in my daughter and I).  Anyway, this is what I ended up with.

I love that it looks like I am laying on my back watching the clouds. 

My daughter was having a good time watching her shadow, and this is one of my favorites.

She had a lot with her leg in the air, lol. 

Found this quote about shadows, and thought it fit just right.

"There is strong shadow where there is much light."
 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


MJ

Self Portrait, from a 4 year old

Self portraits.  That's this weeks theme over at my3boysbarian, and the weekly photo challenge, P52.  So far, I am enjoying these weekly challenges.  I am trying to think outside the box, and try some different things with my camera.  I was going to try using a timer to get a picture of myself, but my not so cool camera, apparently doesn't have one.  Or, one that I could locate without finding my manual.  I didn't really want to use my bathroom mirror (I would have to clean too much for that, ha). So I decided that you could all get an accurate picture of me, via my 4 year old daughter! 

I think I look pretty good!  Although, I am not positive, if I have a purple nose?  Or if I am eating a purple grape...  Don't you just love this age of drawing.  It totally cracks me up.  I am seriously thinking about framing this picture, I just love it so much.  My daughter is such a sweet girl. 

you know, I just realized this is a self portrait too, but it isn't one I took for the challenge.  This is my daughter and I, we are at Lego Land in Orlando.  Fun place, totally worth going to!!

I am in the process of looking for a PreK program, for her in the fall.  I confess I am having such a hard time.  She is my baby, and I just don't want to send her to school.  I know she will love it, and just grow and blossom into an even more beautiful little girl.  If I am honest, I think my fear is of what will I do with me?  What becomes of me, when she isn't home to care for all the time?  I will still be a mom, but maybe not needed as much?  My husband is like, look at all the free time you will have.  But I am not sure I want it.  I guess, I still have a little while to figure it out. 

MJ

I Dreamed a Dream

Today I am linking up to P52 challenge.  Where you take a picture every week for a year.  You also get a theme for the week.  This week was 'I Dreamed a Dream'.  I instantly knew the dream, but wasn't sure how to embrace that into a picture.  Mostly, because at the moment, I have fulfilled my dream, and couldn't get the obvious picture that I wanted.  My friend actually gave me the idea to take a picture of my socks, so that is what I did. 

Socks?  You wonder?  How do socks embrace a dream? 
Well let me start at the very beginning.  First, I love dreaming. I often have brilliant dreams, and many times I am sad that I have awoken.  So when I had this dream, it was unusual as many of my dreams are.  However, it would prove to be much different.  I dreamt that I was having a baby for another couple.  Mind, you at this time in my life, my middle son was only about 6 weeks old.  So I awoke from this dream, and thought it was strange, and then tried to forget about it.  Only to find that I just couldn't.  I just couldn't stop thinking about my dream.  After about two weeks, of trying to put this thought out of my head, it occurred to me that the Holy Spirit was telling me something.  So I started doing research about it, and discovered that surrogacy was something I could do.
I am proud to say, that I have lived my dream, not once but three times.  I took the step and made it happen.  My first match was with a great couple who reside in Italy.  They are great people. 
Since, they lived over seas, I tried to come up with some ways for them to be connected with the pregnancy.  I decided we needed lucky socks.  It took me a while to find them, but I settled on these socks.  I decided that the Chinese symbols meant luck!  So I bought a pair for her, and one for me.  The day of the transfer (which is when the RE put their embryos, into me), we both wore our panda socks.  I am not sure what it was that day, but it worked.  We were pregnant with their son.  We wore those socks, whenever we had something important going on.  She wore hers over seas, and I wore mine here.  It was really special.  After that journey, we worked together one more time, and they have a beautiful little girl (we wore the socks for that transfer too). 
I also helped another couple, just as special as my first couple were.  We attempted a transfer in August of 2010, and it didn't work.  I also didn't wear my panda socks.  So the next time we transferred, I wore my lucky panda socks, and it worked.  Their little girl was born at the end of September. 
I literally did dream a dream.  It was simply one of the most amazing things I have ever done.  I have thanked God so many times, for allowing me the opportunity to help others.  It was amazing. 

MJ

UGLY... No Beautiful

Ok, so I am linking up to the second photo challenge, of Project 52 Week.  Theme was 'Made With Love'.  Well, the obvious one to me, was my children.  They are perfect gifts from God, made from the love of my husband and I.  You can't get more 'Made With Love' then that.  However, I wanted to think a little outside the box. 
I have this gold shoe that my oldest son, Ian made for me, for Mother's Day one year.  I believe he was in PreK, so that makes it from 2006.  His PreK teacher told me to please send in an old shoe.  I happily obliged, and sent in an old white tennis shoe.  Come Mother's Day, there is a small brunch they provide to the mothers and we are presented with this old shoe, that they have transformed into a vase of sorts.  Not just any vase, but a gold one, and one that holds pretty pink silk flowers.  The thing is just ugly, no beautiful.  Every time I see it, I think to myself, just how ugly, no beautiful, it really is.  I have kept this ugly  no beautiful,  Mother's Day present, on the top of my dresser, for almost 6 years.  I don't have the heart to pack it up, because Ian made it for me, and he thought it was the most beautiful gift ever.  He made me that present with all the love a 5 year old can have.  So even though I think it is rather ugly no beautiful, it makes me smile every time I see it.  Someday, I will give it back to Ian with a lot of love.   
The Ugly- no Beautiful Shoe Vase!

My other picture, cause I wasn't sure which one to go with, is of these candle holders that my Aunt Tish made when she was a little girl.  She made them for my Grandma Peg, for Christmas I believe.  They represent her, my Uncle Jeff, and my dad (they were born in that order).  When my Grandma Peg passed away, they were given to me.  Because I also have two boys and a girl.  Ian, Lawson, and Adeline (in that order).  They are easily over 50 years old.  I know that these candle holders were made with love, and my grandmother loved them.   She took them out every Christmas, and put them on display.  I proudly have them on display in my living room, every day.  I even put them in order, two boys and then my girl.  They really even look like my kids now.  These really do mean a lot to me, because both my grandma and aunt have now passed away.  When I see them, I always get the opportunity to remember them.  I tried working with a different angle with this photo.

My kids, Lawson, Addy and Ian

 Ok, so those are my  'Made With Love' entries. 

MJ

1st Photo Challenge

Ok, I am trying this photo challenge over at 3boybarians.  I don't have a fancy camera.  It is just a plain old digital camera.  No bells or whistles.  I do have 10x zoom =)!  Anyway, I don't think my photos will compare to any of the photos in this challenge, but thought it would be fun none the less.  I admit I had a harder time trying to figure this challenge out, and then on top of all that. I ran out of time to actually get a picture.  So my obvious lack of an idea and rushed time, really didn't leave me with much.  Next week I shall do better!!  I am almost embarrassed to post this... 

My Resolution, well one of many, is getting healthy.  So I opted to take a picture of one of my favorite fruits, strawberries. I could eat them all the time! 


As for my for my resolution.  I think I am doing pretty good.  I don't really feel like I have lost any weight, and besides from the sore muscles from working out, not really feeling all that different.  However, I know I have to give it time.  As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day, so I can't think my body will get healthy in a week.  It did take me many many years to get this way! 
I do think that I need to keep better track of every thing that I am doing.  So I have a better idea, of what I am putting into my body.  For example, I would like to know just what exactly I am eating, how much water I am drinking, and how much exercise I am doing.  Then I will know which areas I can tweek.  Overall, I think my first week has gone by well. 

And I just had to post a picture of the creepy little Naked Mole Rats, that my daughter just loves.  We went to the zoo today.  Side note: I am in love with this super nice weather!!  So it was a perfect day to go to the zoo.  Anyway, here are the Naked Mole Rats!

Hope every one had a blessed week

MJ