Movie Update : My Sister's Keeper

After being really disappointed to have missed My Sister's Keeper in theathers, I actually caught it before it was gone!

A few weeks ago I went to see the movie with my mom at the "dollar" theater. Ok, so it isn't a dollar, but it was only $3.00. A lot cheaper than $7.50 that's for sure! The movie was alright. I was very disappointed at the changes they made.

I guess this just goes to show that the books really are better than the movies. I'm not sure if I would've even like the movie with out reading the book first. No way to tell now. I ended up passing the book on to my mom so she could read it. Not sure when she will ever get a chance to read it considering she is a workaholic.

A One Day Read

After I finished reading It's About Your Husband I had to get something else to read to pass the time on the boat while my husband was fishing or while we were driving a couple hours. So I decided I would get another book, so we took a quick trip to Wal-Mart. I was looking for the book Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner but couldn't find it there so we checked Meijer, nothing there either. So I scanned the shelves for something else. I found the book My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which was turned into a major motion picture. I have not seen the movie yet, so I wanted to read the book first. I thought the movie wasn't coming out until late this month, but I just looked and it seems I've missed it.... bummer... now I have to wait for it to come out on DVD. Anyway, where is a synopsis of the book (and movie).


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.


I loved, loved, loved this book. I couldn't put it down. In fact, I read for about eight, yes, eight hours today just to finish it. Another amazing notch in my belt that has never been seen nor done by me; ever. I strongly suggest you read this book. I'll give you an update later on the movie and let you know if it does the book justice or not (I have a feeling that it wont).

It's About Your Husband. Yes. Yours!

Kidding. This post is NOT about your husband. But you thought it was about someone's husband didn't you? Just so you know -- this is not gossip about anyone. I just couldn't help myself with that title.

I was on vacation this past week and I guess I was bitten by the reading bug. I say that because I practically read two books this week, which is amazing.

I had purchased It's About Your Husband at my colleges book store for a dollar or so. Once again, like I have said before, I usually purchase books for the cover. I know, lame. But if I don't find the cover to be interesting then I usually don't even pick it up to read the back. Anyway, here is a picture of the book and a synopsis courtesy of Barnes and Noble. (I'm not good at summing up a book with out telling too much!)



WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE BIG APPLE BITES BACK?
San Fernando Valley native Iris Hedge left her husband and traded coasts for the job of a lifetime- only to lose it in a New York minute. Now unattached, unemployed, and broke, she dreads her loneliness and imminent credit card bills - until she's offered an exciting, new gig: spying on a possibly cheating, uptown husband named Steve.
Soon Iris is trading her business wardrobe for the stalker niche of sweatpants and dark eye wear, and navigating the hazards of urban surveillance - Central Park's fascist dog-walking rules, rejection from exclusive boutiques, and a series of unnatural hair colors. But as she steps into uncharted territory, she wonders if her life will ever go back to normal-and whether normal is anything she'll ever be happy with again.



The book was alright. It seemed slow at first but then picked up and the read was more interesting. However, it probably is not one I would read again. I liked it. Not loved it.

101 in 1001

My friend Angi is on her way to accomplish 101 things in 1001 days. She is in the process of making her list of 101 things. I don't want her to think that I'm copying her, but I thought it was a really good idea. I have things I want to do so now it's time to make a list and check it off!

It's pretty self explanatory so I'm not going to post what the website says about it, because honestly, I don't think anyone BUT Angi reads my blog! haha. But if you're interested in it, click here.

I have started a list and am about half way done. Not sure how much longer it will take me to complete the other half, considering I feel like I have no other ideas or goals. But we will see.

Certain Girls are Good in Bed

I'll admit that when it comes to reading, it isn't one of my favorite pastimes. And when it comes to finding a book to read, it's totally based on the cover! Haha. I'm horrible. But so far the cover thing has only turned out bad once.

A few times when I have ran to Kroger on my lunch break to get a frozen dinner, I have passed by the book isle. That is where I picked up "Good in Bed". I read the back of it quickly and thought I would give it a try. I bought it and began to read it.... and read it... and read it. I could barely put the thing down. I loved it. So when I finished "Good in Bed" I found out there was a continuation called "Certain Girls." So I HAD to have it. I bought it and just finished it as well.

Below you will find the over view for the books, courtesy of Barnes and Noble. =]

For twenty-eight years, things have been tripping along nicely for Cannie Shapiro. Sure, her mother has come charging out of the closet, and her father has long since dropped out of her world. But she loves her friends, her rat terrier, Nifkin, and her job as pop culture reporter for The Philadelphia Examiner. She's even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body.

But the day she opens up a national women's magazine and sees the words "Loving a Larger Woman" above her ex-boyfriend's byline, Cannie is plunged into misery...and the most amazing year of her life. From Philadelphia to Hollywood and back home again, she charts a new course for herself: mourning her losses, facing her past, and figuring out who she is and who she can become.

Readers fell in love with Cannie Shapiro, the smart, sharp-tongued, bighearted heroine of Good in Bed. Now Cannie's back. After her debut novel -- a fictionalized (and highly sexualized) version of her life -- became an overnight bestseller, she dropped out of the public eye and turned to writing science fiction under a pseudonym. She's happily married and has settled into a life that's wonderfully predictable.

As preparations for her daughter Joy's bat mitzvah begin, everything seems right in Cannie's world. Then Joy discovers the novel Cannie wrote years before and suddenly finds herself faced with what she thinks is the truth about her own conception -- the story her mother hid from her all her life. When Cannie's husband surprises her by saying he wants to have a baby, the family is forced to reconsider their history, their future, and what it means to be truly happy.

Kelsey's Baby Bedding

When my friend told me she was pregnant, I got this crazy idea. And then I proceeded to blurt it out in a question format to my friend, before really thinking what I might be getting myself into! I had asked her if she would like me to make the baby bed stuff- she said yes.

That happened in early October. We had attempted to meet several times so she could pick out the fabric, but it never seemed to work out. So instead she gave me this requirement, "make it girly." I was in a panic trying to figure out what colors to use, what type of pattern, etc. I was so afraid that she wasn't going to like it.

I delivered the baby quilt, hanging organizer, and bed skirt to her on Wednesday and assured her that the bumpers were on its way. She said she loved it, as did everyone else. Here are the finished pieces minus the bumpers and the bed skirt. The bumpers will just be solid brown. I didn't take a picture of the bed skirt yet either because there wasn't a good way to do it. The bed skirt is brown with pink polka dots. I think I'll take a picture once she gets it all in the room.

Back of quilt:

Front of quilt:

Hanging Organizer:

Nike+ Ipod is Awesome

I bought the Nike+ Ipod gadget sometime last week. I was pretty excited about it.

It all started because I wanted something that will help me track my miles. I looked at Dicks Sporting Goods, but all they had was a pedometer or a watch with GPS. The GPS was almost $200 and way out of my budget and the pedometer could've worked but would've been difficult to check while running. So I went to Best Buy to check and they just had the GPS watch as well.

I have heard about the Nike+ and own a pair of Nike+ shoes, but have never used it because I never had the need. Nike+ can track your mileage and can track your calories as well, which is pretty sweet. Some people will tell you that you have to have a pair of Nike+ shoes for it to work, but they're wrong! You just need to buy a little piece called a lacelid that holds the Nike+ Ipod chip to the top of your laces. The only thing the Nike+ shoes do is eliminate that piece as they make a spot for it in the sole of the shoe. With the lacelid it allows you to switch it to any shoe, which is amazing!

I used it for the first time this morning when I went for a short 2 miler and I really liked it. You can just run and the Ipod will tell you when you reach certain goals. And then it counts down the last few hundred meters. I will have to go home tonight and play with it on my computer to check out the calorie thing. I think it was a great $40 investment if you ask me!

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee!!!!

I am addicted.

Their coffee is delicious and isn't too expensive. My favorite so far is the iced coffee with skim milk and sugar free caramel syrup. I can't find the exact amount of calories that are in there, but I'm going to guess it is around 40 in a medium (which I typically get). I have to have flavor, black coffee just doesn't do it for me.

They have recently introduced a DDSmart menu. Those items are reduced in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar or sodium by at least 25% and/or contain ingredients that are nutritionally beneficial. You can check out that menu here.

Time Flys

My dad, sister, and mother
Andrea's Graduation - 2009

My sister graduated from DePauw University a little over a week ago!!! Yay! I am so proud of her, and I'm sure my mother is even more proud- considering she is the first (and the youngest) of her three kids to graduate college.

Yes, I am a loser. I have about a year of college under my belt and that's about it. I have continually changed what I think I want to do. After I graduated high school I thought I wanted to be an elementary teacher. So I set out to college to become one. When I got to IPFW, a local college where I live, I didn't know if I wanted to do that anymore. So my willingness to apply myself went away. I decided I would just work and save up money to go to college until I figured out what I wanted to do. Well, here I am. Five years after graduating high school and still have not received a degree in anything! Mostly because I have changed my mind from an elementary education major, to a business major, to a photography major, and am currently at a dental hygiene and assisting major- which stemmed from career aptitude test I took sometime in high school.

I have seriously considered the dental hygiene and assisting degrees, but would like to find that test again and retake it to see if I'm still a "match" to that- I just want to be sure! I guess I am ok with the fact that I haven't gone to college all these years- it would have been a lot of money to spend to keep changing my majors like that! I'm hoping to return to college no later than fall 2010.