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Sparkly Green Earrings

February 17, 2013 by Elizabeth

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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I can’t remember how I first stumbled across Melanie Shankle’s blog Big Mama, but I know it was years ago and I quickly became a fan of her down-home writing style. She blogs about everything from shopping and road trips to fashion styles to the joys and trials of raising her daughter, Caroline. Now she’s written a book about motherhood, and it has her characteristic take on life.

Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn isn’t a book of advice filled with how-to lists to ensure you’re giving your children all the author feels they need from life. It doesn’t have steps to follow and it isn’t full of smug stories about how the author only feeds her children broccoli and kale for snacks. Instead, this is a book cram-jammed with humor, life, and Mexican food–as in the pseudo-kind served by Taco Bell. It’s a look at motherhood in the trenches–catching throw-up in your hands, agonizing through hours of ballet and soccer practice, letting your child choose her own clothes for school, dealing with the carpool lane at the local school and the reality that not all teachers are stellar educators. As with most of us, Melanie had motherhood all figured out–before her child was born. But she’s discovered that even though the reality is messier and heart-breaking and even frightening, it is at the same time so much better than she could have imagined before Caroline arrived.

Sparkly Green Earrings is a memoir of a segment of Melanie’s life, from the time she and her husband Perry began to consider having a child to now, when Caroline is 8 years old and in elementary school and Melanie is in the throes of clothing debates, summertime road trips, and deciding when to get ears pierced. It’s an account of a difficult and complicated miscarriage, of toilet-training a toddler who has to be trained in order to advance at preschool, of the heartbreak of sending her off to kindergarten, of the joys of watching her daughter develop her own personality and way of looking at things.

Along the way, we see Melanie leaning on God during hard times, and looking to Scripture for comfort. We see tender moments, the high parts of motherhood. We learn why Melanie is called “Big Mama”–it’s from when Caroline was learning to use the potty like a Big Girl and decided “big” was the highest compliment, and began calling her mother “Big Mama.” (I love this story. It reminds me of when my oldest went through the stage we refer to as the “Inappropriate Compliment” stage. Oh those are some happy memories. I still blush when I think about it.) And we see Melanie’s fierce love for her daughter shining through. Sparkly Green Earrings offers a light-hearted take on mothering that is an enjoyable read, like swapping stories with your good friend over coffee.

I’m thrilled to announce one of you can win your own copy (U.S. shipping addresses only).  Use the Rafflecopter form to enter this giveaway. New to Rafflecopter? Watch this 45-second video on how to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a voracious reader with eclectic tastes who loves being part of the team at 5 Minutes for Books. She's lived in 7 countries and is currently in Oregon, where she spends most of her time with Iraqi refugees. She has 3 teens.

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41 Comments

  1. Angela E. says

    February 28, 2013 at 9:51 am

    Can’t wait to read this one.

    Reply
  2. MonaG says

    February 27, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    I’d keep it. I enjoy books/movies/TV about children.
    Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  3. Chelsea says

    February 25, 2013 at 10:00 pm

    I can’t wait to read this book! I’m trying to win a copy, otherwise I will probably have to wait for my birthday to come around. Thanks for the opportunity!

    Reply
  4. Lori D. says

    February 25, 2013 at 11:05 am

    I’ll read this one for myself.

    Reply
  5. Jackie McG says

    February 24, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    I want to read this book! Next up would definitely be my mom though.

    Reply
  6. Kristen says

    February 24, 2013 at 5:58 pm

    I would keep it or myself but would share with as many girlfriends as possible!

    Reply
  7. Marysa says

    February 24, 2013 at 5:04 pm

    I’d love to read this, and pass it on to a friend.
    Marysa {at} marysa {dot} com

    Reply
  8. Carly says

    February 24, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    I would read it first, then share with some ladies at church!

    Reply
  9. Tressa says

    February 24, 2013 at 4:18 pm

    Myself! Ha 🙂 But then I’d pass it around to as many friends as I could!

    Reply
  10. Mona Evanochko says

    February 21, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    Both my Daughters would have to share … like when they were little… and with me!
    The oldest has 2 daughters … 5 and 2 … and the youngest has on daughter on the way, SOON!

    Reply
  11. jessica says

    February 21, 2013 at 4:28 pm

    myself and then I would pass it along.

    Reply
  12. Jeanna says

    February 21, 2013 at 1:39 pm

    I would keep it for myself!

    Reply
  13. Darlene Ysaguirre says

    February 20, 2013 at 11:08 pm

    Me of course i always love a good read

    Reply
  14. Van says

    February 20, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    I’d pass on to my girlfriend to read.

    Reply
  15. April says

    February 20, 2013 at 10:11 am

    This would be a gift for myself! Then I would loan it to my MIL!!

    Reply
  16. Melissa Mc says

    February 19, 2013 at 4:41 pm

    This is one I would keep for myself…but hopefully keep it in a continuing loop loaning it out to other moms!!

    Reply
  17. Chuck says

    February 19, 2013 at 10:48 am

    My wife would enjoy this I’m sure.

    Reply
  18. Annee Clark says

    February 19, 2013 at 5:52 am

    I’d share it with ladies at church

    Reply
  19. Sarah says

    February 19, 2013 at 12:17 am

    I would probably keep it for myself, but I would share it with my friends after I was finished with it.

    Reply
  20. Jenny says

    February 18, 2013 at 10:55 pm

    I would read it and then pass it on to my mom.

    Reply
  21. rita says

    February 18, 2013 at 10:34 pm

    I love memoirs and so does my daughter-in-law!
    If i win we will pass it around.

    Reply
  22. maria says

    February 18, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    ME! (Okay, and then I have plenty of friends to share with 🙂 )

    Reply
  23. Kim S says

    February 18, 2013 at 6:45 pm

    I’ll read it first, then my friends at work, then my sister when I get to see her this summer.

    Reply
  24. Shari says

    February 18, 2013 at 5:43 pm

    First I’d give it to myself, and then I’d pass it on to my mom, and then to my sister-in-law! 🙂

    Reply
  25. coley r says

    February 18, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    id love to read it first then pass it along to a couple of my mommy friends

    Reply
  26. Sherrie says

    February 18, 2013 at 5:33 pm

    I’d keep it, because I’ve been seeing this all over the place. But, I know I would give it to my friend who has two lovely daughters since I don’t have any girls 🙂

    Reply
  27. Nicole says

    February 18, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    I would keep it!

    Reply
  28. Gay H. says

    February 18, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    I would keep it for myself! But after I read it, I’d share with my daughters.

    Reply
  29. laura p says

    February 18, 2013 at 1:54 pm

    I have heard all good things about this book! Cant wait to read it.

    Reply
  30. Holly F says

    February 18, 2013 at 12:45 pm

    I want to read it myself and would probably pass it on to a friend when I’m done

    Reply
  31. Karen says

    February 18, 2013 at 12:41 pm

    I would read it myself first, then give it to my friend Patty.

    Reply
  32. Amy Cottrell says

    February 18, 2013 at 12:36 pm

    I can’t wait to read her book!

    Reply
  33. Sarah at 32Flavors says

    February 18, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    Oh, I’d keep it. I love the Big Mama blog for many reasons, but one of which is that we both have a fourth grade girl. That’s a scary place to be.

    Reply
  34. Ruth Hill says

    February 18, 2013 at 11:11 am

    I would keep this book for me.

    Reply
  35. anne says

    February 18, 2013 at 10:46 am

    I would give it to my daughter-in-law who would enjoy it.

    Reply
  36. Liz V. says

    February 18, 2013 at 10:22 am

    My friend who copes marvelously with two and now has taken on the challenge of substitute teaching. In my view, her days will require a large reserve of humor.

    Reply
  37. Garrett says

    February 18, 2013 at 9:42 am

    I’d pass it on to a friend of mine at work

    Reply
  38. beth cole says

    February 17, 2013 at 11:39 pm

    I’d pass it on to my southern friend. We stick together in Northern California!

    Reply
  39. Leanne Hill says

    February 17, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    Im a bookworm so Id keep it for myself

    Reply
  40. chelsea says

    February 17, 2013 at 10:31 pm

    Id keep it, I need a good book 😉

    Reply
  41. Gretchen says

    February 17, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    I’d read this and pass it along to my mommy friends!

    Reply

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