September 8, 2009

The Gift of An Ordinary Day Review & Giveaway!!


The Gift Of An Ordinary Day : A Mother's Memoir
By: Katrina Kenison
Publisher: SpringBoard Press
Date: September 7, 2009
Format: Hardcover
Category: Biography &Autobiography
Pages: 320







My Rating: Photobucket

About the Book:

The Gift of an Ordinary Day is an intimate memoir of a family in transition-boys becoming teenagers, careers ending and new ones opening up, an attempt to find a deeper sense of place, and a slower pace, in a small New England town. It is a story of mid-life longings and discoveries, of lessons learned in the search for home and a new sense of purpose, and the bittersweet intensity of life with teenagers--holding on, letting go.

Poised on the threshold between family life as she's always known it and her older son's departure for college, Kenison is surprised to find that the times she treasures most are the ordinary, unremarkable moments of everyday life, the very moments that she once took for granted, or rushed right through without noticing at all.

The relationships, hopes, and dreams that Kenison illuminates will touch women's hearts, and her words will inspire mothers everywhere as they try to make peace with the inevitable changes in store.

My Thoughts:

If you're thirty (or above)and have children, I think this novel will speak volumes to you. Actually, anyone that has ever questioned the meaning of their own life and wondered "What if?" would love this novel. Alright, it's one that I would recommend to anyone.

This is a beautifully written novel with a lesson that speaks from the heart. It makes you think about your day to day actions and how it effects your family. Have you ever wondered what your family life would be without the complications of "life" in general getting in the way? You know ... the schedules, the appointments, the here and there and most of all the materialistic nature of most "trying to keep up with the Jones'? Life without the harshness, rumors and fast-pace?

Our main Character Katrina Kenison suddenly finds herself feeling just like that. Overcome with life and searching for a life not so cluttered. She decides to take her family back to her quiet childhood home in New Hampshire, far away from the busy Boston streets. It's there where they find life at a much slower pace, where she can savor the time she has with her children and find out exactly who she is.

As a mother, it is tough to separate ourselves from being just that, "someones mother" and "you as a person". As an example or to better explain this, my own personal reference would be am I "D's Mother" or "Amy". For most mother's it's hard to see the *I* in all of this. What we want for ourselves and not just for our children parents seem to naturally just do that. Once you're a mother, that's the position we take on for life. Usually pushing back what we want and/or need for what we consider to be best for the child. I know I'd give up anything so my child could have what he wants and most mothers I know, feel the same. Kenison does a wonderful job in explaining the importance of being there for your child but not smothering them, letting them blossom into the people that they want to be, show them good from bad and live each day with all you have.

I couldn't have loved this memoir any more. It's one of those life-changing books. I believe that as mother's we both look forward too and yet feel a sense of loss with each big milestone. I know you're probably thinking I'm crazy but I think of When my son started Kindergarten, I was so proud that he was starting school and going to make new friends but felt a sense of loss that I no longer had my "baby". Then his first full day of school where I couldn't believe how much he'd grown and how much he was learning but again was away from me all day. Then Junior high school, high school, and *gasp* girls. We all know that it's coming and that they are all meant to be nurtured, shown right from wrong and then let go to live their own lives, make themselves happy and be the people they want to be.

What's left of you when you've made your whole life the nurturer, the one that shows right from wrong, and then the one that watches them make their own lives from afar. You have to be YOU and not just your child's mother. It's important to their well-being as well as your own and Katrina really leads the way. And for that, I can't thank her enough for The Gift Of An Ordinary Day.

About the Author:

KATRINA KENISON has been the annual editor of The Best American Short Stories since 1990. Along with John Updike, she edited The Best American Short Stories of the Century, a New York Times bestseller. Also the coeditor of Mothers: Twenty Stories of Contemporary Motherhood, she has written essays that have appeared in such publications as Redbook and Ladies' Home Journal. Katrina Kenison lives outside of Boston with her husband and their two sons.

Visit Katrina's Site!

Read an Excerpt!



GIVEAWAY!!

FIVE Of My LUCKY Readers Will WIN A Copy Of The Gift Of An Ordinary Day!!
Courtesy of Anna and Hachette Book Group
Books will be coming directly from HBG - So, there are two rules
You MUST Reside in the U.S. or Canada ONLY
Also, You MUST Have a Street Address that You Can Give Me IF You Win
NO P.O. Boxes Please!

How Do you Win?

It's Simple!
You must follow me by hitting the FOLLOW button
that way I can see you and know you are one of my readers!

All Entries MUST be in By Midnight October 8th Winners Drawn on the 9th!

Extra Entries

You MUST be a FOLLOWER with GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT HERE ON THE BLOG
(It's the Button Over On The Right Side Of the Blog You Should See Your Picture)
I Recommend Following On Twitter -It's NOT Required But I do Contests
and Giveaways There Plus Major Announcements!


The Choice Is Yours!

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail
+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader
+3 If you TWEET About This Giveaway
+10 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (Leave @TwitterName)
+10 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (0r any others I'm having)
+15 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back


Try to Separate your entries one per post!

(+15 for each and every NEW follower you bring me)

They just have to mention it in their post!

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!
Thank you ALL for Stopping By!
Without you, your comments and input, this blog
wouldn't be able to continue to grow!

Questions/Concerns? Please do not hesitate to Contact ME!


KISSES ~ XXX

53 comments:

  1. What a great contest!
    I am a follower through google reader!

    dancealert at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Amy, first thank-you for your great giveaways and your great new blog

    I am a follower


    madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I follow you on twitter


    madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I subscribe by mail


    madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I follow you via google

    madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I tweeted your giveaway


    madeleine444[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm a 40 something mother of four and this sounds like a book I might relate to. Thanks for the contest.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is a great contest :D
    I am a follower
    -Liz

    liztapioka14[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  9. +10 I follow you on Twitter @LizLizLiz16
    -Liz

    liztapioka14[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I follow you through my google reader

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    ReplyDelete
  11. I follow on Twitter - sumrthyme


    mj.coward[at]gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Please count me in, I follow you!

    delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Google reader subscriber!

    delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I subscribe to your email. Do you consider that following? (I'm not a blogger.) May I still be entered in your giveaways?

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great Contest!!

    I am a follower



    tonyaharmati at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I follow you by google blogs

    tonyaharmati at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi there,
    This book sounds wonderful. (I'm a mom so I'm a sucker for stories like this!)

    +2 I'm a follower through Google Reader.

    Oh and I forgot to respond back at your kind words about my little one in a comment on one of my posts. He is a darling!

    Take care,
    Michelle (Red Headed Book Child)

    michwerm (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have spent most of my life living in the fast pace of southern California. Since my son was little I have dreamed of going some place that has a slower pace but never had the courage to actually do it. I would love to read this book about people who did it.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am an email subscriber

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm a follower (of course).

    I'm an email subscriber.

    winterset AT peoplepc.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. No need to enter me, princess! Just posted this on Win A Book.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am a follower of your draw and would love to be entered in your draw. Thank you.
    wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I subscribe via Google Reader.
    wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Amy, this is so AWESOME! We are excited to be a follower. We have linked the giveaway on Our Inspired Moments blog and we have posted your button on our blog. How exciting!! I hope I've done this right. :) Thanks Amy!

    Shannon & Linda

    ReplyDelete
  25. I am a new follower on google
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  26. I am an email subscriber
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am a follower!( through google friend connect)

    bekki1820cb@yahoo.com

    This looks like a really good book! Thanks for the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I subscribe via email using bekki1820cb@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. i subscribe via email using bekki1820cb@yahoo.com entry2

    ReplyDelete
  30. I think this sounds like a great book to read. Count me in, please! :0)

    I follow.

    Thanks!
    librarygrinch at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I subscribe by mail.

    Thanks! :0)
    librarygrinch at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I follow you!

    simplystacieblog@gmail.com

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  33. Email subscriber.

    simplystacieblog@gmail.com

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  34. Great contest! Please enter me. I'm a follower!!

    mlawson17 (at) hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hello, Princess Amy!

    I just signed up to follow you here and added you to my Google Reader (which I prefer). And, I'm following you on Twitter. So, you're going to be the most-followed princess on the block, at least when it comes to princesses I know. :)

    bookfoolery at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I am a follower
    copperllama at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  37. +2 I subscribe via email
    copperllama at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Sounds like a book I would enjoy reading. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  39. I am an email subscriber!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  40. Please enter me. Thanks for the chance. I follow on google friend connect.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hello! I follow on google reader.

    kristin.l.fitzgerald [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I also follow via email

    kristinfitzgerald [at] comcast.net

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  43. I am on your google friend connect

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  44. and last but not least, follow you on twitter

    Boston_irish1

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  45. follow on google friend connect (DG)

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  46. +2 subscriber
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  47. +10 deegee13 --twitter follower


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  48. +3 tweeted

    https://twitter.com/DeeGee13/status/4516564457

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  49. This book looks really good! Please enter me!

    squiggles87(at)aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  50. I think this looks fantastic.
    I am a follower

    ~Misty
    mbradenwf@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  51. +2 Google Reader
    ~Misty
    mbradenwf@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  52. +10 twitter follower @DarlingMisty

    ~Misty
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    ReplyDelete

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