Post a picture of the book you are currently reading and tell us how you are enjoying the book so far. If you’re not reading one, show a picture of a book you would like to read and tell us why.

This is the book I just finished reading last night…

I actually started and finished it in one sitting. It was a page turner for sure, and it’s been a while since I have read anything by Mary Higgins Clark…which is probably another reason I couldn’t put it down. It turned out not to be one of her best novels she has written (was WAY to easy to predict most of it), but it there was one surprise at the end that I didn’t see coming.

We took his playpen for him to sleep in…and this week was the first time he’d had to sleep in it for more than a 1 hour nap. His naps and feeding schedules were also shifted a little every single day, which was just too much for the little guy. My parents want us to go with them to the beach in July, when he will be 10 months old, but I am seriously considering waiting until over he’s one year old before attempting any more trips.

We did have a good time while gone, and had a great Christmas as well. I got an Amazon Kindle from James, which I wasn’t able to use any during my trip. I couldn’t find the time to read anything during the few hours spent at the hotel each day. I also got a case and light for it so it will be well protected and I can read at night with it. I was able to start and finish Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks beore we left for Gatlinburg. I am currently reading Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead.

I cannot believe it’s already the end of 2010! The year went somewhat slow while I was pregnant, but as expected, it has flown since September. Since this will be Sawyer’s first New Year’s, we probably are not doing much other than lounging at home. Even though the little monkey will be in bed by the time the ball drops, we don’t feel right going and out and having a blast while leaving him with his Nana. So, we are thinking we may go out to eat and then come home for some movies and cuddling on the couch. Sounds like a great way to end the year to me!

There are 270 pages compiled into 6 chapters in Drop 5 lbs. There are a tons of yummy recipes found throughout its pages. I have only tried three of them, but they have provided James and I will much healthier alternatives to foods that we normally eat. There is also an introduction that discusses realizing just how much you eat. There is a short quiz to take to find out where you could improve your eating habits. It also talks about calorie intake, and adjustments that you can make in order to lose weight. The chapters of the book cover healthy cooking when eating in, good decision making when going to the grocery store, healthy choices when eating out, eating right on the job, proper exercise methods, and satisfying your sweet tooth without going overboard.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make subtle changes to their diet in order lose weight and/or eat healthy. Drop 5lbs is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I am glad that I was able to get this book just as my son was born, so that I can implement the suggestions at the right times. The book, though I think “guide” or “manual” would be a more appropriate word, mentions several strategies, tips, and methods for raising your child that I would never have considered. The foreign language section was especially interesting to me. I knew having the ability of speaking a second language is beneficial, but I didn’t know just how much!

The thing I liked most about this book is that Dr. Berman does not present the concepts in a “you need to do this or you are a horrible parent” format. Instead, she presents the tips as options. I especially like the way she not only provides you with techniques, but she also goes the extra mile to tell you why they are beneficial to your child’s development. Other books I have read haven’t elaborated as much as this one, which is nice because I like to know why I’m doing something rather than just the fact that I should be doing it.

All in all, I believe that SuperBaby by Dr. Jenn Berman is an excellent resource for parents, especially those that are expecting or have just had their first child. It could possibly even benefit those that are having their second or third child as well. The book can be purchased at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and would make a great baby shower gift!

Through an online gift swap a couple years ago, I received No One Cares What You Had For Lunch: 100 Ideas for your Blog by Margaret Mason. It is just as it sounds: a book of 100 blog writing prompts. While I had every intentions of going through the book and utilizing the prompts, it sat on my desk for a while before becoming a permanent fixture on my bookcase. I found it after reorganizing my entire house last month, and decided I needed to put it to use. It has some very interesting topics to write about in there, and it would definitely help to make my blog more interesting.

I figure there’s no time like the present to begin using the book’s ideas. The blogging project I’m participating offers a writing prompt each day, but I either cannot think of anything to say with that prompt, or I just want to write about something else. Hopefully this book will help me fill in those holes.