I am extremely sentimental and my family means everything to me so when I found Lisa Leonard Designs I fell in love. Lisa Leonard is a unique jewelry designer and most of her pieces can be personalized for whatever emotion, feeling or message you want to convey including the names of your family members. Her jewelry symbolizes something and has meaning when you put it on. She has also created some other items. I got the pewter heart to give as a wedding gift-a one-of-a-kind gift with the names of the bride and groom (something they will always have and cherish.) Lisa also has key chains, baby spoons and mens jewelry items. You can read about her, her family and her inspiring story on her blog (but you might need a few tissues…just in case.) I finally got a piece of her jewelry from my family with all of our names on it-it’s Lisa’s necklace titled “Whoo loves you…”

I love to read and especially love when I find a book that has an impact on some aspect of my life. I have a “to read” stack of books that I have been working on when I have a moment and have been trying to dedicate some time every night to read. I just recently finished the book, “Ignore Everybody And 39 Other Keys to Creativity” by Hugh MacLeod. As I read I underline statements that have meaning to me (my husband does this…prior to meeting him I would have NEVER written in a book…well except my text books in college-I wrote all over those suckers so maybe this is a trait I have and just didn’t know it!) Anyways…back to the book. Here are a few of the portions of this book that I found interesting, therefore I underlined them:

“Your wee voice came back because your soul somehow depends on it.”

“It’s not doing it – when you know full well you had the opportunity – that hurts far more than any failure.”

“Nobody but you and God know why you were put on this earth, and even then…”

“Anyone can be an idealist. Anyone can be a cynic. The hard part lies somewhere in the middle – that is, being human.”

“There is no silver bullet. There is only the love God gave you.”

“A Picasso always looks like Picasso painted it. Hemingway always sounds like Hemingway.

A Beethoven symphony always sounds like a Beethoven symphony.

Part of being a master is learning how to sing in nobody else’s voice but your own.”

“Wanting to change the world is not a noble calling, it’s a primal calling.”

This book has had an impact on my life. It has reminded me why I am on this journey called photography.

My wee voice did come back…and my soul depends on it.

There are several members of our family that have served our country including my father, my grandfather, my husband’s father and grandfather along with numerous uncles and cousins and many friends. On this Memorial Day I want to pay special tribute to the only two people I personally know that have served tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan: my cousin Paul Cook and my friend Marcus Johnson. My cousin Paul spent time in Iraq and Marcus did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I have heard several of Marcus’s accounts of his time in both countries and am so very grateful that both him and my cousin are safely home. As I pay tribute to both Paul and Marcus and thank them I also remember those that lost their lives while serving their country-those men and women that I did not personally know, but someone knew and loved.

My very first Saturday Review happens to fall on my birthday. I have had some fun birthday’s as an adult, like when we went to New York a few years ago, but nothing beats your childhood birthdays with friends, streamers, homemade cakes, matching plates and napkins and the excitement and anticipation that leads up to it. So for my very first Saturday Review I decided to take a trip down birthday memory lane and do a little review of my childhood birthdays. It’s funny how our birthday celebrations change as we get older (at least mine did.) From big parties with all the neighborhood friends to parties with your college friends to small get togethers with a few close friends and family to a simple dinner out with your family, which is where I am in my life. As I think back to my birthday parties as a kid, I don’t know about you, but the cake was always a big deal to me. I can remember a cake my Mom made build around a Barbie doll (my Mom took cake decorating classes at one point in her life and we reaped the rewards for a few years!) I think back to my childhood birthdays and have great memories and it was important to give that to my son so his birthdays were always planned well in advance (I actually thought of party planning at one point!) We will celebrate my birthday as a family at Benihanas this year. It’s one of our favorite restaurants, especially for special occasions. I am looking forward to celebrating my birthday without a theme or matching plates and napkins…just a simple dinner with my wonderful husband and son.

So my birthday review today will come in the form of a few childhood pictures from birthday celebrations. I could not find any earlier pictures than 4-years old so I will have to talk to my Mom about that. Here is what I have to share (feel free to have a few laughs, I know I did!)