Ash & Alys Babes Blog
10 on 10: Favorite Reads June 10, 2013 13:57
Ashley and I love to read, you know, during that time in between taking care of the kids, keeping the house from falling apart, cooking dinner, working out, going to grad school, running our business etc., etc. We’re both self-professed bookworms, and each of use usually have a stack of 2-5 books on the night stand that we are reading all at the same time.
This month’s 10 on 10 is a list of our all-time favorite reads. And, since Ashley and I are both contributing to this list, the following is in no particular order (because I don’t know if we’d ever agree).
1. Makai Queen, Tara Fairfield
2. Till We Have Faces, CS Lewis
3. Eating Animals, Jonathan Sanfran Foer
4. Fall on Your Knees, Ann-Marie MacDonald
5. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, Christopher McDougall
6. The Awakening, Kate Chopin
7. Watership Down, Richard Adams
8. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
9. The Chronicles of Narnia (series), C.S. Lewis
10. The House at Pooh Corner, A.A. Milne
-Alyssa
Mom of the Month - Our Mom Tara Fairfield April 18, 2013 15:48
It seems that if two sisters run their own website, and have a blog that features a mom of the month, they better be sure to feature their own mom at some point. Alyssa and I agreed that for April, we’d choose our own mom for the monthly Mom of the Month column. So below you’ll find a short excerpt from each of us detailing just what we admire most about our own mom.
From me:
I owe my sense of determination and self worth to my mom. There were times during my childhood that were very trying emotionally, but through it all, my mom never failed to remind me that I was special and had a mark to make on the world. She instilled a deep sense of independence in me by allowing me to make mistakes and supporting my decisions, even if she disagreed with the path I was choosing.
She was a single mother for about half of my childhood (during which time she managed to raise three of us, worked full time and obtained her doctorate degree in psychology), and continually reminded me the importance of being independent. Of all the values my mom instilled in me – my faith in Christ, my belief that it’s ok to have my head in the clouds, my confidence, the importance of serving others – the most prominent was to ensure my own survival, independence and prosperity through education and work ethic.
She learned this lesson the hard way, and was determined to raise us kids to learn from her trials and tribulations. We did. My mom’s insistence on obtaining an education and following a sustainable career path fueled my personal ambitions and helped me keep my focus. When the time came for me to leave home and venture out to college, the transition was hard, but I was mentally ready to fend for myself. That level of autonomy is something I hope I can encourage in my own children when they are at the right age.
Our mom has just recently achieved yet another amazing feat. She wrote a novel, pitched it tirelessly and obtained a publisher for it. It launched, and is being bought and enjoyed by readers across the country – and internationally! I’m so proud of my mom, so happy for her that she has been able to chase this dream; and look to her as inspiration that really anything is possible with the right level of perseverance.
From Alyssa:
Ash and I love giving our mother a hard time, laughing at all of her funny quirks and dramatic moments. But, in all reality, she is one strong lady. As I am writing this, I am currently on a plane to go and meet our family in Hawaii. We are celebrating the release of her new book, Makai Queen, which is just another outcome of her determination and hard work.
I have a lot of gratitude and admiration for our mother. I was very young when our parents divorced, and as Ashley said, she raised the three of us kids by herself, worked full time, and completed her doctorates. She made a lot of sacrifices for us, as I like to say "manned up", and much of where I am and who I am today is owed to that. I am sure this is where my 'no excuse' mentality comes from.
One of the qualities of our mother that I am so thankful for is her unwavering support. I was never told I was not capable of doing something. Our mother always pushes us to go for our dreams and ensures us we are capable of achieving anything we put our minds to. She not only tells us this, she shows us this. I can always turn to her for support and encouragement.
She is amazing.
We are three very lucky children.
For more about her book, visit http://www.makaiqueen.com/. It’s a fantastic read, and we’re not just saying that because we’re biased.
-Ashley