Capture the Moment by Sarah Wilkerson

     I'd love to say I got a huge rush when I got this book, but no. My oldest daughter moved home after five years and decided to open my box herself. She grabbed MY camera and MY book and just made herself at home while I was still at work. And then sent me a text saying how much she loves the book. Yeah, thanks.


     As a beginning photographer, she took some really great photos with the book as her guide. She does have the best natural light in her bedroom.  She took lots of pictures of herself along with our two Boston Terriers.  

     She did say the picture examples with the camera info on them were a great help.


So, that's her review. My review is:


     I really love the way it's written for hands-on moms. The photograph examples are just beautiful and really give you the confidence to replicate them.


    "Turn off your flash- Avoid red-eye and unexpected bright glares by turning off your camera's automatic flash. This will greatly improve the quality of your images in most situations."  This is probably the best advice to give a beginner, along with TAKE THAT CAMERA OFF OF AUTOMATIC!! Don't be scared, yall.

     Overall, great book, outstanding pictures, and perfect pictures. The only thing I didn't like was that all or most of the photos were taken by a Nikon or Cannon. I have an Olympus, so I was looking for other Olympus photos.  Not that big of an issue!

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

A Letter to My Mom created by Lisa Erspamer

       This book was very sweet to read. I thought I would just love it since I'm a mom, but it really made me sad.  It seems all these folks who wrote letters to their mom have a fantastic relationship with their mothers. I don't have a great relationship with mine. It's not that we argue or anything, she is just very distant, much like her own relationship with my grandma. It's rather strange, and I hope I am not like that with my own children. I didn't even get a call on my birthday last week, but I did get a status shoutout on facebook....


     I loved the letters of sacrifice, the mom who left in the middle of the night when she found out her husband was touching one of her daughters. "I want to thank you for your bravery on that late fall day in 1977. When I was nine, you walked into my room and said, "We're leaving your stepfather. You have ten minutes to take anything you can carry and want to bring along."" That is sacrifice that I've never known.

   
     The stories of these strong, loving women inspire me to become a better mother so that my own daughters will remember me this way. Now I'm just gonna cry for a minute and send this book to my best friend in New Hampshire who lost her mom at xmas.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Big Gay Ice Cream by Bryan Petroff and Douglas Quint

     Where can I start with this book? The minute I opened the cover it was like a party was trying to escape. It's colorful, very organized and just so much fun.


     I couldn't wait to try a recipe, and since I only really like plain vanilla I knew it would be a challenge. I tried the Dulce de Leche. Good lord, I ate so much I had a stomach ache and then still couldn't stop.

     There are just so many surprises in this book, like what's between pages 80-81..., the testimonials are hysterical,  I have favorite books, but I am not sure I have a favorite ice cream book, until now.


     For Mother's day brunch, I'm making Bea Arthur Ice Cream. My mother in law is going to love it!!!  "Beloved Ms. Arthur: as you gaze down upon us from that lanai in the sky with a stiff drink in your hand, we ask that you please forgive us for using your name and the descriptive term "chunky" in the same recipe. By no means are we making a reference to your figure. It's just that this ice cream flavor is based on your soft-serve namesake, and it's, well, chunky."  Hysterical!!!


PS, STAY GAY!

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."