everyday beautiful

Everyday Beautiful has moved!

Pardon the dust as we have moved! I am excited to have had the blog redesigned and re-organized! We have a lot of new suprises to be announced! Find Everyday Beautiful at...

http://www.everydaybeautifulblog.com 

Book club... Nineteen Minutes

I recently finished Jodi Picoult's 14th novel, Nineteen Minutes for my book club.  It was the first book I read by Jodi. This book begins with a high school shooting and then goes back in time to describe the lives of the kids involved.  It was shocking at times and sad all around.  But it really opened my eyes to see the heart of the shooter, described by his mom to be a sweet sensative kid, who had been bullied every day since kindergarden.  I felt so bad for this kid and also his mother who wondered what she did wrong.  Although this book touches a grim topic i give it two thumbs up and will probably read it again!

This month's book club pick-Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

This book about a book club was a great read.  It is about 5 friends who live in small town Minnesota on the same street.  They begin a book club that becomes their lifeline through 4 decades.  One of the characters Faith says it best:

"…when I finally got smart enough to go to a therapist, she asked me how I had held things together all these years. It didn’t take long to come up with an answer. ‘That’s easy. I belong to a book club.’"

They find each other in the 60's and the book follows their life's ups and downs as each woman tells her story.  They come to believe that there is nothing a glass of wine, yummy desserts, and a shoulder to cry on can't fix.  I loved following each different woman's story as they reminded me how different my group of friends are but that we all have something strong and good to offer to each other.  This book really made me appreciate the true value of the lifelong friends that I have.  Even though we don't live on the same cul-du-sac it made me thankful that the years to come will be filled with good friends.  I think I am going to buy a copy of this book to pass around among my girls. 

This Months book club pick...To Kill A Mockingbird

I am just finishing up this last months book club pick "To Kill a Mockingbird."  I have to be honest I was not excited to dive into this one.  I was in the mood to read something that was flying up the bestseller list!  I remember reading it in high school, but I didn't remember much about it.  The back of my copy says "voted best book of the century."  It truly is a classic.  I think this will stay on my list of books to read and re-read. 

 It tells the story of a young girl in the south wrestling with prejudice as her father defends a black man for a crime he did not commit.  It shows the fathers gentle parenting style and wisdom.  I love that the book reminded me of my childhood as my sister and I would adventure all over the neighborhood, visiting with the neighbors, young and old...people my parents knew and some they really didn't.  It also makes me sad that this is not something that is going to be an option for my children.  It's just not as safe of a world anymore. But I was thankful to be reminded, and will read this book again. 

This months book club pick is "Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons" by Lorna Landvik! Can't wait!  The big snow flakes are falling tonight and I think I will cuddle up on the couch with this one.

For other book reviews...

this months book club pick...

This was actually last months book club pick and i am just catching up!  Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is an excellent read.  It has such lovable characters, and beautiful prose.  A young boy narrates the story and you see his family's trials and joys through his eyes.  I love how he sees his father as a hero who does miracles!  I would highly recommend this one.  Pick it up!  It is a fast read!  Do you have any favorites i can suggest at our next meeting?  We are up for anything!

Baby books...so what do you think?

So I was out rummage sailing a few weekends ago and picked up this adorable set of books for like 50 cents.   Yippee what a find!  They are popup books with great vibrant colors.  I am slowly trying to build up our kids book collection!  Anyways... i started reading it and despite the beautiful colors and images they are just a tad morbid. Especially the "Oh my a fly!"   Part of me says that i heard this rhyme when i was young and it didn't scar me...as far as i know!  The other part of me says i don't want my little girl to be terrified of flies that might kill her!  We will keep it and read it!   But what age do you think this is appropriate for?  Here is a condensed version in case you haven't heard it...

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly. I wonder why she swallowed a fly? Perhaps she'll die. There was an old woman who swallowed a spider that wriggled and jiggled and squiggled inside her.  She swallowed the spider to catch the fly- I wonder why she swallowed that fly- Perhaps she'll die. ...(jump to the end)  There was an old woman who swallowed a bird.  How absurd to swallow a bird.  She swallowed the bird to catch the bat. She swallowed the bat to catch the spider that wiggled and jiggled and squiggled insider her.  She swallowed the spider to catch the fly- I wonder why she swallowed that fly.  Perhaps she'll die.  there was an old woman who swallowed a horse.  She died of course.