Book: Larger Than Life

Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult

Book description: A researcher studying memory in elephants, Alice is fascinated by the bonds between mother and calf—the mother’s powerful protective instincts and her newborn’s unwavering loyalty. Living on a game reserve in Botswana, Alice is able to view the animals in their natural habitat—while following an important rule: She must only observe and never interfere. Then she finds an orphaned young elephant in the bush and cannot bear to leave the helpless baby behind. Thinking back on her own childhood, and on her shifting relationship with her mother, Alice risks her career to care for the calf. Yet what she comes to understand is the depth of a parent’s love.


What I thought:

*****

A very moving story that shows just how similar animals and people can be and how great the attachment between them can be. I'm glad this story will be continued in some way in a few months when Jodi's new book will be released, I look forward to see what else happens with Alice.

Book read September 9th 2014.

Minnie and Mickey Mouse Party Decorations

This year Chloe and Elliot had a joint birthday party for Chloe's third birthday and Elliot's first. Since we don't really know anyone with kids and Chloe doesn't have any of her own friends yet we figured we could get away with them having a party together before either of them wants their own themes and own friends at the party.

So we did a joint Mickey/Minnie mouse theme. Every time we saw any little thing while we were out shopping we got it - months in advance. But I'm glad because everything worked out so well together.

We had the party at Armando's parents house since it's a lot bigger than our place and most of Armando's friends live in that same neighborhood so it was easier for most people to go there.

Here's the decorations:

This is the little hanging decoration I put on the front door, I made it just out of cardboard and cotton string. It isn't perfect by any means but I was proud of it none the less. 

Two piñata's, one Minnie and one Mickey. I actually thought they were just going to be black not with faces but oh well. It took us ages to add all the sweets to them!

All the wall decorations. Red and black balloons dotted around the whole room. There was a Mickey helium balloon, we did buy a Minnie one too but sadly it hit a fan and popped the day before the party. I made the banners, the same as the hanging decoration on the front door - just with cardboard (the string for these one's was actually from when we bought Chloe some clothes at the disney store last year so it had little Mickey heads and writing on it). 

We used two table cloths. A white one underneath and a red one over the top that I'd added holes to so it was like Minnie's dress. We got all red, white and yellow plates/napkins/bowls. Most of the food was just bought and laid out but I did make fruit on a kebab stick which seemed to go down pretty well so I was happy about that. 

Last but not least was the cake. I designed it and got the bakery to make it. It took some explaining and they said the black part of the cake would have a very bitter taste but I think it tasted just like the rest of the cake when we ate it.

Well that's all the decorations from the birthday party. Simple looking but a lot of work went in to it all. I'm glad it all looked good together in the end and we got complimented on our creativity too which is always nice.

Day Trip

Tuesday 5th August 2014

We went out with a big group of friends first to a big park that sells pupusas (which is the national food here but I never understood the fascination). After eating a late breakfast we all walked around the park which is pretty big. We were looking for the maze that's in there but when we eventually found it we found out it was locked that day for some reason. After our walk around, some playing on the slides and some more snacks we left for our next destination. 

Right near the park a bit further up the hill there's cliffs which are called 'Puerta del Diablo' which in a English gets called Devils Gate. I've only been there once the whole time I've been here and that was before both of the kids were even born. Our walk up the mountains was a lot harder this time carrying the kids but it's worth it for all the lovely views.

We were all really hot and pretty tired after the trek up the hills so our last stop of the day was to get ice cream, both kids had a power nap in the car on the way there.

Book: The Other Half

The Other Half by Sarah Rayner

Book description: In the internationally bestselling author Sarah Rayner's The Other Half, Chloe, bright, hip and single, is a feature writer with ambitions to launch a magazine of her own. When she meets James, her potential new boss, she knows she shouldn't mix business with pleasure, but finds it impossible to resist...
Maggie appears to have it all. She's beautiful, a talented writer, and has a gorgeous husband. But something's not quite right: his job as a magazine publisher is keeping him in the city until late most evenings, and some nights he doesn't come home at all...
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair is a sharp, seductive take on modern love.
Who, if anyone, comes out unscathed?
In writing that is lively, sexy and sharp, the international bestselling author Sarah Rayner explores modern-day relationships and age-old moral dilemmas.

Picture and description taken from Goodreads.com


What I thought:

****

I liked this story. It's quite a difficult thing to get attached to a character then read along as they go on an emotional roller coaster. It was interesting to read about an affair from the prospective of the 'other woman' and it really makes you think about what you would do in the same situation from either side. I hated how indecisive James was and much as I liked Chloe I couldn't empathise with what she was doing. The end did have everyone put in their own places but it was still left a bit open.

Book read 17th July 2014.

My Tattoo's: Favourite Quote

Saturday 21st June 2014

I've been saying for a while that I've craved a new tattoo and I've also always loved this quote so it only goes that I went on Saturday to book it and since the artist had no appointments at the time I ended up getting the tattoo there and then. 

'The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return'
It's on my right forearm. I didn't really plan on getting it done this big but when the stencil was all drawn out I liked how it looked. It's quite a sensitive area but since it was only black lines it didn't take too long.

Las Hojas Beach

Sunday 8th June 2014

I've been wanting to go to the beach for a while but the weather has been rainy (which is odd for El Salvador). But on Sunday we finally got the chance to go and it was REALLY hot.We went to Las Hojas beach which we've never been to before. We spent most of our time in the pool because Chloe loves it.

We went onto the beach a bit too but Elliot didn't like the sand at all and Chloe didn't like it when the water moved over her legs.

We had a lovely meal with a view of the pool and beach while eating.

Both kids were exhausted by the time we got home (about 4pm) and had a nice long nap in the afternoon.

Book: The Lost Sisterhood

The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier

Book description: Oxford lecturer Diana Morgan is an expert on Greek mythology. Her obsession with the Amazons started in childhood when her eccentric grandmother claimed to be one herself—before vanishing without a trace. Diana’s colleagues shake their heads at her Amazon fixation. But then a mysterious, well-financed foundation makes Diana an offer she cannot refuse.
Traveling to North Africa, Diana teams up with Nick Barran, an enigmatic Middle Eastern guide, and begins deciphering an unusual inscription on the wall of a recently unearthed temple. There she discovers the name of the first Amazon queen, Myrina, who crossed the Mediterranean in a heroic attempt to liberate her kidnapped sisters from Greek pirates, only to become embroiled in the most famous conflict of the ancient world—the Trojan War. Taking their cue from the inscription, Diana and Nick set out to find the fabled treasure that Myrina and her Amazon sisters salvaged from the embattled city of Troy so long ago. Diana doesn’t know the nature of the treasure, but she does know that someone is shadowing her, and that Nick has a sinister agenda of his own. With danger lurking at every turn, and unsure of whom to trust, Diana finds herself on a daring and dangerous quest for truth that will forever change her world.
Sweeping from England to North Africa to Greece and the ruins of ancient Troy, and navigating between present and past, The Lost Sisterhood is a breathtaking, passionate adventure of two women on parallel journeys, separated by time, who must fight to keep the lives and legacy of the Amazons from being lost forever.

Picture and description taken from goodreads.com


What I thought:

***
Wow this book was long.. Or maybe it was just lots of information and hard to get my head around. The chapters with Myrina were more interesting to me but the modern day chapters with Diana where a bit hectic for my liking. If you like a book about a good treasure hunt this is for you but for me it was just too busy to keep up with. Plus I really didn't know anything about Amazon myths before, so although it was interesting to find out about it was hard to keep track of all the myths mentioned in the book.

Read June 1st 2014.