It's Been 6 Years

Today marks the 6th anniversary since my father's death. I have been looking through old pictures tonight, just to feel closer to him and relive some memories. I found the following passage that I wrote the year he died. I never published it, or shared it with anyone before now. It's a painful reminder of just how hard those days were, but I'm glad that I wrote it down. It reminds me that good things happened that year too! 

The day that I have been dreading for weeks is finally here.  This is the first Father’s Day since Pop passed away. I’ve tried to focus on my husband, making this day as special as I can for him, but it’s been hard not to let my mind wonder.  It’s Father’s Day and I don’t have a father to visit, call, or send a card to.  I’m only 29 years old, and already I’ve been denied that opportunity. It just doesn’t seem fair.

Yesterday was Logan’s last T-ball game of the season and the coach gave Aidan a jersey and let him take the last at bat. The look on his face was priceless, and all I could think was that my dad would have been so proud of him. He hit the ball on the first swing and they let him run all of the bases. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him smile so big. I wish my dad could have seen him. I wish he could have seen Logan play pitcher and hit the ball into the outfield. I wish that he could teach my boys all that he taught me about baseball when I was young.

There are so many things that I wish for, but more than anything I just wish that I had one more day with him. I would tell him how much his unconditional love and support has meant to me over the years. I would tell him that no matter what, he will always be my hero, and I hope that I made him proud. I would reminisce about the old days with all of the hockey games, the trips to New Hampshire, the pool parties and the boyfriends that were never good enough for me in his eyes. I would sit with him and look at pictures of Christmas with Naoelle, and all of the vacations that we took to Mexico together. I would even watch the old M.A.S.H. reruns that I so frequently protested about when I was at his house. I would do anything that made him happy, if only I could have the chance.

I guess that I am luckier than some. When Pop died I didn’t have any regrets. I always told him that I loved him when I spoke to him on the phone. We spoke frequently and for long periods of time. He was a great listener.  I had also just spent Christmas with him and the rest of my family. I was scheduled to work that Christmas Eve, and when I didn’t go into work that day, I lost my job. My boss asked me, “What’s four hours away from your family, in the grand scheme of things?”  Little did we all know that that would be my last Christmas Eve with my Father. Spending that time with him and my family was well worth losing that job.  Those were four hours that I would never be able to get back, and I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.  So I have no regrets about the time that I spent with him, or the things that I said or didn’t say. I loved him everyday of my life, and he loved me with all of his heart.  That is what I hang onto now that he’s gone; that and all of our memories. 

My Dad and I on my wedding day

Ringing in the New Year

I can't believe that my last post on this blog was 4/30/12. I wish I had a better reason for being MIA, but the  truth is I was still dealing with the death of my mother, and I was depressed. I was struggling to deal with the pressures of being a full time student, a mother and a wife, all while trying to handle my mother's estate and the sale of her house. I started to snap out of it when the house finally closed. Shortly thereafter we went to Disney World with one of my best friends and her family. It was a great trip and we made a lot of good memories! The following month my grandmother passed away and my friend also suffered a huge loss in her family. I am so thankful that we had each other, and we got through it! For the New Year I took a trip to London and Paris with my French sister that I've known for 20 years. What a great experience it was! I'll post more about both trips soon!

In the meantime, I have decided that I need to stop procrastinating and spend more quality time with my family. Those are my 2 resolutions. Yesterday was my first full day home from Europe and I started my new year with a bang! I was super productive and got a good start on my resolutions. I am full of hope for 2013 and really want to make it a great year!

So what about you? Did you make any new year's resolutions?

Movie Mondays: The Lucky One

Theatrical Release Poster

I read this book a few months ago and loved it! I decided to read it because I saw a preview at the theater. I couldn't stop thinking about Zac Efton and how yummy grown up he looked in that movie trailer. I tore through the book, hoping that it wouldn't let me down, and it didn't.

The movie came out April 20th, and I had hoped to see it opening day, but my oldest son had a soccer tournament 2.5 hours away, so there was no time to see a movie. By the time we got home I was exhausted, so the movie had to wait! I asked a few friends to see it with me that week, but we couldn't link our schedules, so I finally went to see it all by myself. I had waited long enough since reading the book, and I couldn't wait any longer!

The day that I saw this movie was the perfect kind of day. I had the day all to myself, with all 3 boys at school, and no work needing to be done (except housework, but that doesn't count on Wednesdays). I was able to meet a good friend for lunch at a new (to me) Asian bistro downtown and then had the rest of the day to do as I pleased! The timing worked out perfectly that there was a showing of The Lucky One starting 15 minutes after I got to the theater. I sat all the way at the top and didn't even get any soda or popcorn! I needed to have NO distractions for this movie! I did notice on my way in that the theater was filled with a wide variety of people. There were senior citizens and teenagers watching in mixed gender groups, there were women watching with other women, and there was a man (probably in his 60's) watching all by himself. I really was expecting to see mostly women in small groups, but I was pleasantly surprised. I am guessing the variety had something to do with the fact that the movie is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel by the same  name. Sparks has written 7 novels that have been made into movies including: Dear John, Message in a Bottle, Nights in Rodanthe, and The Notebook.

So anyway...back to the movie. If you haven't read the book, please see my review from What I Read Wednesdays: The Lucky One.  I loved that the movie was pretty true to the book. They had to leave out some scenes from the book (like the scene at the pond where Logan first sees Keith taking pictures of sunbathing co-eds, and Logan's visit with Victor) in order to keep the movie at a reasonable length, but overall, I thought they did a good job of keeping with the spirit of the book.

If you've read a book prior to seeing the movie, you already know how the story is going to end, and that can sometimes take the thrill out of the movie when you go to see it. That was definitely the case for me this time. The movie was still good, but I wasn't holding my breath to see how it would all turn out. Although, if I'm honest, I really just wanted to see if Zac Efron could pull off a leading role in a romantic movie. I still remember him in High School Musical, so I was skeptical. He still isn't a great actor, but he is getting better. He definitely brought out the cougar in me, that's for sure! There is a scene where Taylor Schilling's character rushes into his outdoor shower after deciding that her ex-husband didn't have all of the control, and they finally spend the night together. He definitely pulled that off well!

Aside from Zac, I thought Blythe Danner was an excellent choice to play the role of Nana. She was just perfect! I also liked Jay Ferguson as Keith. He was exactly like I pictured him when I was reading the book. I'm not sure that I loved Taylor Schilling as Beth, but I think that is just because she was mostly an unknown to me. She was good, but I wouldn't say great.

Overall, I was happy with the movie, and I would see it again. I think it would be a good date night movie, or a good movie to watch with your girlfriends. I enjoyed watching it by myself too!

Have you seen it yet? If so, what did you think? If not, are you planning to see it in the theater or wait for it to come out on DVD?

7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day With Your Kids

On April 22, 1970, over 20 million Americans participated in demonstrations and protests across the US to bring attention to environmental issues. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin founded the "national teach-in" about the environment, which became known as Earth Day. It was the start of the environmental movement in the United States and, subsequently, worldwide. The first Earth Day resulted in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and several key pieces of environmental legislation. Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated every year.  In 2009 the United Nations designated April 22 as International Mother Earth Day. More than a billion people across the globe participate in Earth Day activities each year.  

For more information about the history of Earth Day and 

the campaigns led by the Earth Day Network 

please visit www.earthday.org.

The theme for 2012's Earth Day is "A Billion Acts of Green."  You can visit http://act.earthday.org/ to pledge your act of green. As of the writing of this post, there were almost 1 billion pledges!!!

So how can you help/participate?  There are so many ways to make changes in your life that encourage greener living. The basic idea follows the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle concept. Get outside, spend time with your family learning about the environment and our impact on it, and make changes to minimize that impact.

Here are a few things you can do with your kids (or students) to celebrate earth day:

We planted a Flowering Red Plum Tree

1. Plant a tree in your yard. We did this in 2010 and it was so much fun! Trees filter harmful dust and pollutants from the air we breathe, improving our air quality. They also emit oxygen that we need to breathe, and provide food, protection and habitats for birds and animals. 

2. Go on a nature hike. Spending time outside with your kids is a great way to teach them to appreciate the environment, and the benefits that it provides. It is also a great opportunity to learn about the plant and animal life around you. The more your kids know about the environment, the more they should want to protect it!

3. Make crafts with items from you recycling bin. This is a great opportunity to repurpose items that you might otherwise throw away or recycle. You can turn a milk jug into a bird feeder, or try one of these other milk jug crafts. The internet is full of recycle craft ideas! 

4. Volunteer! Host an Earth Day event, or sign up to participate in one. You and your kids can help a non-profit plant some flowers, or pick up trash at a local park. It gets them involved and reminds them that we have to take care of our environment if we want to be able to continue to enjoy it. 

5. Cook a special Earth Day meal featuring local, organic produce. Buying from local farmers is a way to support your local economy and reduce your carbon footprint. 

6. Calculate your carbon footprint.  This is a great activity to do with older kids. It allows them to see what impact they are personally having, and how your family impacts the environment as a whole.

7. Make a list of changes your family can make to limit your carbon footprint. Be sure to include the small changes you can make to conserve energy, such as turning lights off, using less air conditioning, unplugging electronics not in use. Then move on to the bigger things like recycling, riding a bicycle or walking instead of driving, planting a garden, etc. This is an activity that you can involve the whole family in.  Be creative!

This is just a short list of simple ways that you can get your children involved in Earth Day. You can do most of these activities year round too! Do you have any Earth Day traditions? Why not start a new one?

Traveling to Anna Maria Island

We recently took a mini vacation to Florida. We stayed in Bradenton, about 7 miles from Anna Maria Island, at the house that I inherited from my mother when she died.  We took all 3 kids, my 18 year old cousin and her boyfriend. It was a full car, but we managed the 12 hour drive with little excitement.

The gang at Downtown Disney

Since traffic was backed up around Disney, we decided to stop at Downtown Disney to stretch our legs and get a bite to eat before the final 2 hours of our drive. It was insanely busy, but we enjoyed watching the street performers and walking through the gift shops and, of course, the giant Lego store.

Once in Bradenton we had to do some upkeep on the house my mother left to me and my brother, but we spent most of our free time at Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island. The weather was gorgeous and the water was warm enough to hang out in, unlike the beaches here in North Carolina. The kids built sand castles and kicked the soccer ball on the sand. It was so great!

Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island

If you've never been to Anna Maria Island, it is a small island (about 7 miles long) on the Gulf Coast of Florida, south of Tampa Bay. It's full of vacation rentals, restaurants and small tourist shops. The beach extends the entire western coast of the island. It is a beautiful sandy beach which is kept very clean. At Coquina Beach there is ample parking (except on Easter, which we found out the hard way), grills and picnic tables, life guards and public restrooms. It's a perfect place to spend the day with the family.

If you like to explore, you can rent scooters for an hour or more. We rent from Island Scooter Rentals on Gulf Dr. It's in a great spot and their rates are reasonable. My cousin and her boyfriend rented a scooter for half a day to check out the island. They had to show their driver's licenses and give a credit card for the refundable deposit, but they didn't need any parental permission since they're 18. They opted for helmets, but in Florida it's only required if you're under 16. After a brief training and several practice laps, they were off for 4 hours!

While they scooted, we ate ice cream at Joe's Eats and Sweets. They have a large variety of sundaes that they make with their homemade ice cream. It is a little bit pricey, but so worth it! They have great homemade waffle cones too!

One of my favorite things to do is watch the sunset on Anna Maria Island. Sometimes, as the sun sets below the horizon a flash of green light can be seen...or so I'm told. We held my mother's memorial at sunset on Coquina Beach and it was gorgeous. This may have been our last family trip to Bradenton, but it will always hold a special place in my heart!

Coquina Beach on Dwellable

Anna Maria on Dwellable

What I Read Wednesdays: Getting Attached

Have you ever gotten so attached to a character, a book, a series, that when you're done reading you can't pick up another book immediately because you aren't ready to let go? I first had that problem with The Twilight Series. When I finished Breaking Dawn I didn't read anything for a while. Then I read the other books by Stephenie Meyer and I was sated.  I read The Hunger Games even faster than the Twilight books, but I think that is mainly because they're half as long. To get over my attachment to that series I read Divergent, by Veronica Roth. It's a similar book but with better characters and less killing of teenagers. Now I'm hooked on The Fifty Shades Trilogy, in case you hadn't noticed! I haven't been able to read anything else since I started reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James.  I'm now almost done reading the entire series for the second time, and I think I've enjoyed it more the second time.

In the first book, you meet the characters and watch them fall in love. In the second book you watch their walls break down and they begin to understand each other and their love. In the third book you get to see their life together unfold. It's so captivating that I can't help but think about the books even after I'm finished reading them.

Last week I went to Florida and we saw a helicopter take off in Orlando, right next to the highway. Immediately I thought of Christian and Ana's first flight in Charlie Tango. Later we went to the beach, passing several large marinas on our way. I thought of Christian's boat, The Grace, and tried to pick out a boat that might be similar. I also notice the yachts off shore, imagining that one of them was the Fair Lady, the boat that Christian and Ana honeymooned on.  I neglected to share my thoughts with my husband because I'm pretty sure he already things I'm a little too obsessed with these books. I enjoyed keeping it to myself - almost like a fond memory that only I was privy to.

I have about 100 pages left of Fifty Shades Freed, and I have no idea what I'm going to read next. I have a ton of books on my nook just waiting to be read, but I'm not ready to let go!  Have you ever felt that way about a book?

What I Read Wednesday: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

After seeing all of the movie previews for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, I borrowed the ebook from a friend of mine. I didn't have any expectations when I started the book, so I can't say that I was disappointed, but I didn't love it. 


Brief Synopsis:
A young boy, Oskar Schell, loses his father in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, after which he finds a key in his father's belongings. He sets out to find the lock that the key goes to by visiting every person in the phone book with the last name black, in alphabetical order. Through a series of letters, a separate story unfolds about Oskar's Grandparents, which finally converges with the main story.

Overall Review: 
The overall story line is good, but the book was choppy and disjointed. I had a hard time keeping track of which character was narrating and found myself re-reading a lot. It was the telling of the two stories, and that fact that they were seemingly unrelated that made it confusing.

I didn't feel like the plot line built up to a good climax, and didn't love the ending. Overall, I would not recommend this book. I only finished it because I was hoping it would get better. Now that the movie is out on video, I might watch it, but it's not high on my list. I have to give this one a thumb's down.

Did you read this book? What did you think? Did you see the movie? I'm curious to know if others feel the same as I do about the book and if watching the movie might be better.  Please share!

Movie Monday: John Carter

I went to see this movie with my boys, mostly because there wasn't a lot to choose from. We had already seen The Lorax, and they're not quite old enough for the Hunger Games. I had seen the previews and wasn't exactly excited to see it, but I looked at a couple of viewer reviews (I never listen to the critics), and I was hopeful that we would all enjoy it. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised!

I'm not sure why this movie hasn't received more attention, especially since it is a Disney made film. The director/writer, Andrew Stanton, worked on Wall-E and Finding Nemo, but this was his first live-action film. The movie earned almost half of it's domestic box office revenue to date in its first weekend, earning just over $30 million and debuting at #2 . Foreign revenues for the film have almost tripled the domestic revenues. According to the LA Times, one of the biggest hurdles this movie faced was the executive turnover and marketing inexperience. Usually Disney movies are marketing to the nth degree, and you can't help but want to go see them. I don't think that the previews did this movie justice, and there was very little buzz about it before it debuted. My kids wanted to see it when they saw the previews, but they quickly forgot about it once we left the theater.

Brief Synopsis:
A civil war veteran, who has lost his wife and child and is wanted by the military, is transported to Barsoom (Mars) after picking up a  medallion in a cave.  He is taken prisoner by the native race, and is quickly thrust into the middle of a civil war between the cities of Helium and Zodanga. The Jeddak (King) of Zodanka proposes a cease-fire as long as the Princess of Helium agrees to marry him. John Carter helps the Princess escape and they set off to find a way for John Carter to get back to Earth. The Princess is recaptured after they find the weapon that the Jeddak has been using. John Carter saves the Princess from her impending marriage,  and they are about to live happily every ever after, until he is banished back to Earth by a shape-shifting Thern (White Martian).

The twist, that is unclear until the very end, is that while John Carter is on Barsoom, his body double is still on Earth in an inanimate (coma-like) state. After he returns to Earth, he fakes his own death to draw out the God-like Thern that was sent there to watch him. He is able to use the Thern's medallion to go back to Barsoom forever, leaving his nephew inherit his fortune and watch over his human body.

For a full plot summary, visit John Carter on Wikipedia.

Overall Review:
There is a lot of special effects in this movie, which are actually pretty cool. I loved the ships and the Ninth Ray weapon that the Therns have. The love story between John Carter and the Princess is predictable, but a welcome reprieve from the fighting and special effects. To me, this movie is Star Wars meets Avatar. While I'm not usually a big sci-fi fan, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, and the kids were engulfed the entire movie. Even my 3 year old, who had no idea what was going on, stayed quiet and glued to the screen. I hope that more people go see this movie. It is a good movie for the whole family. Two thumbs up!!!

Movie Monday: Possible Fifty Shades Movie?

There is no question that The Fifty Shades book trilogy written by E.L. James is a hot topic right now. It's being discussed on morning talk shows, entertainment shows, in car pool lines, on the soccer field sidelines, and countless other places! Recently, I wrote about the trilogy in What I Read Wednesday: Fifty Shades Trilogy. Later, I was interviewed by Right This Minute about my review of the series. The thing about these books is that the more you think about them, the more you talk about them, and the more you think about them.

There has been some speculation about whether or not this series will be made into a movie. People question how they could do it while continuing to appeal to the female viewers. According to The Hollywood Reporter,

A veteran producer who spoke to THR ... wonders if Fifty Shades can actually be made. "I’ve heard that women will read about pornography; men like to watch it," he notes, adding, "This sounds like an updated version of 9 1/2 Weeks."

While I have to agree that not all women are looking for pornography to watch on a Friday night, I think this movie can be made as a mainstream movie that appeals to both women and men. The sex scenes don't need to be explicit to get the point across. A lot of the passion and naughtiness can be conveyed without the closeups and money shots typical of porn movies.  I think men will still want to watch it because they'll want to know what their women have been obsessing over. I think it's a win-win. So what if it's an updated version of 9 1/2 weeks? That movie is always recommended to women as a way to spice up their sex lives. I'm okay with a newer version, as long as it's done right. There are plenty of movies out there right now about teen angst and young love. It's about time we have one that is for adults!

So let's talk about what one should expect from this movie. As anyone who has read the book(s) can attest, this story is not just about the sex. And when it is about the sex, it's not all about S&M. I think the movie should capitalize on the fact that while he is originally looking for a pure submissive, he learns very quickly that she doesn't have a submissive bone in her body, and he decides that he is okay with that (but that doesn't mean he is willing to give up control). He introduces her to a lifestyle that she would probably not have come across on her own, and she pulls him out of his world and into hers where he experiences many firsts with her, including introducing her to his family, sharing his bed with her, flying her in his helicopter, etc. The key is that they find a balance while falling in love, so he still gets some of what he needs, and so does she. It's hot and steamy, but it's still a love story.

There are a few things in the books that I really enjoyed that will be hard to convey on the big screen.  Christian and Ana have a playful banter, which is often portrayed through email in the books. It's not always what is written in the body of the emails that is important, but more often the subject and the email signature that make me laugh. Along with the playful banter, we also get to see the many sides of Ana's psyche in the books, which she calls her Inner Goddess and her subconscious. It's funny to see how the different sides of her mind react to certain situations compared to how she ultimately decides to act or react. If they can find a way to capture these things in the movie without being cheesy, I will be very happy!

One of the things many people are speculating about right now is who should play the parts of Ana and Christian in the movies. I haven't seen any suggestions that I whole-heartedly agree with yet, so I'm trying to come up with a few suggestions of my own. I think the most important thing for the actor portraying Christian to have is the eyes. I would like to see someone like Ian Somerhalder, who plays Damon on the Vampire Diaries,  play the part. He has a great body, extremely good looks and crazy eyes that can just as easily  melt you as terrorize you. The only problem is that he doesn't have copper hair, but I can get past that. Another option could be Jensen Ackles, who is currently playing Dean Winchester on Supernatural. He, at least, has almost the right color hair. I also think Chris Pine, who played opposite Reese Witherspoon in This Means War, might be a viable candidate.

As for the leading female role, I am torn. I know that Anastasia is only 21/22 in the books, but I'd like to see a slightly older actress playing her. This article suggest  Rooney Maura, and after seeing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I know that she could do the sex scenes, but I don't know that she could pull off the rest of the character (only because I haven't seen any more of her work). I would hate to see Kristen Stewart playing the role for many reasons, so she's definitely out. I've also seen people suggest Jennifer Lawrence, but Katniss (from The Hunger Games) cannot be Anastasia! That would just not work for me. I guess I don't really have a suggestion for the leading female role. Maybe it should be an unknown!

So what do you think? Would you like to see them make the books into a movie? Who would you cast?

ETA: The movie rights for the entire trilogy have been sold to Universal and Focus Entertainment for an estimated $5 million. The author retained the rights over final scripting and casting. I'm anxious to see who gets cast!

What I Read Wednesdays: Fifty Shades Trilogy

I first have to apologize for being almost completely absent for the past 6 days or so. I didn't write a single blog post, and barely posted to FB or Twitter. I blame in all on E.L. James' Fifty Shades Trilogy: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed. Once I started reading the first one, it was on! I stayed up until 4:00am most nights (mornings?) just to finish a book...and then start the next one. I neglected pretty much everything else to read these books, and it was so worth it!

If you haven't heard about these books because you live under a rock  from one of your girlfriends, or from Good Morning America, allow me let you in on the secret - it's being dubbed "mommy-porn" and it's awesome! What I love most is that the story isn't just about sex, although it is really hot. It's about relationships of all sorts, and the flaws that make us human. It's about overcoming your past (and your present), to have the future that you deserve.

So here is a brief synopsis:
A fairly plain 21 year old virgin, Anastasia Steele, is forced to interview an extremely gorgeous, and tremendously wealthy, young entrepreneur, Christian Grey, for the school newspaper because her roommate catches the flu and can't go. That one chance meeting turns out to the be the biggest game changer of her life. She soon realizes that he is scarred, and deeply flawed by his haunting past, but she can't resist him. He wants to possess her, and make her his submissive...until he falls for her.  He realizes that she will never be what he wants her to be, but she is everything that he needs her to be. He tries as hard as he can to pull her into his lifestyle, and she does her best to acquiesce. The heat and passion that ensues as they battle over where to draw the line is intense. They fight, they make up, they hurt one another, and they heal each other.

Although I have no doubt that these books will become equally as popular, they were not written for the young adult audience that The Twilight series and the Hunger Games Trilogy were, and I like it that way. While I am perfectly happy to read a story about teenage romance (because I was there, once) I can truly appreciate (and welcome) a well written, appropriately placed sex scene. These books are loaded with hot, steamy sexcapades, but the story isn't diminished by it -  it's enhanced by it. It's part of what makes this trilogy so captivating. If you're insulted by the f-word, however, I don't think these books are for you!

There is a lot of discussion about whether or not these books are fan fiction. Originally, before it was rewritten, this story was inspired by and based on the characters of Twilight. While you can definitely see some similarities between some of the characters, especially Bella and Edward vs. Ana and Christian, for me that is where the similarities end. There is no supernatural element to these books, unless you consider Christian Grey's supernatural good looks and heavenly body, and these are adult relationships with adult problems.  Personally, I don't care what inspired this story, I'm just glad it was written. Call it fan fiction, erotic fiction, erotica, or any other name of your choosing, it's a great trilogy to read, and then reread!

So have you read these books yet? What did you think?  Who would you like to see cast in the movie?

Movie Monday: The Lorax

Last week was Dr. Seuss's Birthday. I wanted to make some cute Cat in the Hat treats, or make something creative, but the week got away from me. There was no way that I was going to let the weekend get away from me without seeing The Lorax with my kids though!

When I was a kid my grandmother would read The Lorax and other Dr. Seuss favorites (Horton Hears a Who, Yertle the Turtle, etc.) to me every time I spent the night. I loved the way her voice changed with each character and how I could feel the vibrations in her chest as I lay my head on it. They are some of the fondest memories I have of my grandmother, and I will cherish them always. My grandmother is now in a nursing home with Alzheimer's so I recently asked my aunts and uncles what happened to her Dr. Seuss books. Unfortunately, they were stored in the basement of her home in Vermont, and they were ruined by mold. :(

Anyway, I have been looking so forward to this movie! I've been seeing previews for what seems like forever! My kids were really excited when I told them we were going, and as is typical for us, we also brought along one of their friends, and ran into a few more while we were there. The theater was packed and we couldn't all sit in the same row, but we had a good time anyway.

The movie takes place both in the past and in the present (something my 10 year old didn't really like). It starts off in a town called Thneedsville, where everything is fake and there is no grass, trees, plants or dirt anywhere. Clean air is bought and circulated with machines.  A teenage boy (voiced by Zac Efron) goes on a quest, outside the city walls, to find a tree for the girl he likes (voiced by Taylor Swift). That is where he meets the Once-ler, who tells him the story of how greed and excessive consumption ruined the place that was once beautiful and full of life.

Overall I thought it was a great movie! It was more musical than I thought it would be, and a lot of the funny one-liners were shown in the previews, but it wasn't too sing-song-y, and we still laughed a lot. All of the kids (ages 3, 8, 9 and 10) were glued to the screen the entire time. They didn't even complain in the middle when I thought the story was dragging a bit. The ending was great though, and it gave everyone something to consider about our environment and how we are treating it.

On the way home we discussed the movie in the car. Everyone liked it, and said that it was funny. We talked about whether or not the same thing could really happen here, and they all agreed that it could. I think my 3 year old son said it best though. He said,

"If you cut down all the trees, you won't have any happy!"

And that, my friends, is the moral of the story! I highly recommend seeing this movie with your kids and using it as a platform for a discussion about the environment and how trees provide us with the air we breathe!

Two thumbs up for this movie - one for entertainment value and one for a positive message! What did you think? Did you like the way they added to the book to make it into a movie?

I heart iHeartRadio

What's your favorite app for your smartphone? Facebook? Words with friends? Twitter? Mine is iHeartRadio!

I originally downloaded the app to listen to my favorite local radio station while my mother was sick and I was travelling back and forth to Florida every week. It was free and it worked great for that, but it wasn't until recently that I realized the joys of custom stations! iHeartRadio allows you to create a custom station based on an artist or a song. While you're listening you are able to give the song a thumbs up, or a thumbs down, to tell the program whether you want to hear more or less songs like the one playing. It's awesome! 

I listen to music mostly in the car and when I exercise. In both places I like upbeat, energetic music. So who do you go to for inspiration? How about Pitbull? Yeah, I know...not your typical mommy music,but I love his music and how it makes me want to move. I plug my iPhone into my mommy mobile and away I go!  I wonder what the people driving next to me think when they see me jamming at a stop light?

If you don't have a particular artist or song in mind, iHeartRadio also has Original stations, like Rockin' Workout Radio, or Love Songs Radio. I haven't used these much, but it's nice to know that they're there, if I want a bigger variety of songs. 

If you've never listened to iHeartRadio, I do have one caution for you. A lot, and I mean A LOT, of the songs on the regular radio are edited versions. Some songs you just know are radio versions, like anything by Eminem, but thanks to this app I now know that Enrique Iglesias isn't "loving" you at all, and Cee-lo Green doesn't want to "forget" you. You might be surprised by what some of your favorite singers originally recorded, but can't be played on the radio!  

So thank you, iHeartRadio, for giving us the uncensored truth!  I love that you keep me motivated to move and you allow me to give you feedback on what I like and don't like. I also love that my custom stations are available on my computer and my phone! I <3 iHeartRadio!

Do you have a favorite iHeartRadio station? Or do you prefer iTunes, where you have complete control?

BTW - I was not compensated or encouraged in any way to write this post. It was all me!

What I Read Wednesdays: The Lucky One

I used to write a separate blog about what I read, but it got to be too much to keep up with. Instead, I added a page to this blog for my reading list, but as I add to the list, I find myself wanting to tell you all about each book, whether good or bad! I wasn't sure how I wanted it to fit into my blog, so I took my queue's from other bloggers that I follow.

I recently started Movie Mondays here at Musings of a Cul-de-sac Mom. Nikki at Chef-in-Training has a feature called Tuesday Talent Show.  Mandy at Sugar Bee Crafts has a weekly blog feature called What I Wear Wednesdays. Pocket Full of Pink has Friday Frolics. I like the alliteration of the names of these features. I also like that it gives bloggers something to write about every week on a certain day. Unfortunately, no day of the week goes with reading, or books, or anything along those lines. So I decided to go with What I Read Wednesdays. It's not perfect, but it will work!

First up: The Lucky One by Nicolas Sparks,

I devoured the Hunger Games over the holidays like my kids tore into their presents on Christmas morning. The books consumed me, and I am now waiting not-so-patiently for the movie to come out next month.While I wait, I've decided to read other books that have been made into movies.

A few weeks ago I went to the theater to see One for the Money. One of the previews that they showed was for The Lucky One, based on Nicolas Sparks' book. The preview was sexy and alluring, and made me want to read the book. I came home from the movies and immediately downloaded the ebook onto my Nook. I read it in a day and a half. I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and had a hard time putting it down.

A little bit about the story:
A deployed soldier finds a picture of a beautiful woman that he carries with him everywhere. It becomes his good luck charm, winning him money at the poker table and saving his life when his fellow soldiers aren't so lucky. He decides that he has to meet her, so he travels on foot with his dog, all the way from Colorado to North Carolina. He starts working at her Grandmother's kennel and they form a bond. He also forms a bond with her son, who has a hard time connecting with his father.

Without giving the everything away, the ex-husband causes trouble and alienates the son. Their relationship is in jeopardy, but there is a catastrophe that brings them back together.

Overall, I loved the book, and would highly recommend it. It was fast moving and engaging. The characters were believable, and so were their struggles. The only downfall?  There was a lot of heat between the main characters, but no descriptive love scene. Judging by the trailer, the movie will make up for that oversight!

Have you read this book? Did you like it as much as I did? I'd love it if you would share your comments below!



Next up: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, and Divergence by Veronica Roth.

Movie Mondays - Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Welcome to the first edition of Movie Mondays! For some background on this new blog feature please see my initial Movie Mondays post. Please note that I do not profess to have great movie knowledge and will only be reviewing movies based on their entertainment value.

I went to the movies today with my husband, our three boys (ages 3, 8 and 10) and on of their friends (age 9), to see Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. It was the first movie that I watched with the intent of reviewing it afterward. It didn't really change the way I watched the movie, but I kind of wish I had brought a notebook or something to write a few reminders in. Ah well, live and learn!

Overview
Sean (Josh Hutcherson), the boy from Journey to the Center of the Earth, has moved to a new town with his mom and step father (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). He's less than thrilled with the move and his new family, and he's rebelling, until he gets a distress call from his grandfather. He can't break the code from his grandfather's message without the help of his step-father Hank. Together they break the code and figure out the coordinates of the island where his grandfather is. Hank convinces his wife to let him take Sean on a trip to find his grandfather, in the spirit of male bonding. The problem is that the island doesn't exist on any map, and they can only find one guy willing to bring them there, for a pretty penny! Fortunately for Sean, the captain has a beautiful daughter (Vanessa Hudgens from High School Musical Fame) who tags along.

The four passengers survive the stormiest section of the ocean, and find themselves stranded on the Mysterious Island without an exit strategy. They quickly make their way inland and realize that what should be small is large (ants and bees), and what should be large is small (elephants), as described in the book The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. They find Sean's grandfather (Michael Caine) and rely on his knowledge and skill to navigate the island and it's non-human inhabitants. Hank's Navy training proves invaluable, and the group is able to make their way to Captain Nemo's Nautilus before sinking with the island.

Review
Everyone in our party enjoyed this movie. My youngest son, who is 3, didn't get a lot of the humor, but he stayed attentive to the movie, which is more than I can say for a lot of movies. He wasn't even afraid of the scary giant iguana-like creature that chases and torments the characters.

The 4 other boys (including my husband) liked the slightly crude jokes and the light humor. Their favorite part of the movie was when the iguana-like creature was chasing them and Vanessa Hudgens' character said, "I hope he doesn't like Polynesian food!" and her father responds, "I hope he doesn't like food with poop in their pants!" It was fitting for the situation, and I laughed too, but it was especially funny to the boys.

There were a lot of cheesy one-liners in this movie, but overall I thought it was well done. It had a wholesome message and it was nice to see a film with the family that we didn't have to worry about violence, sex, foul language, etc. It wasn't had to look at the Rock either, even if we did have to explain 'pec popping' to our 8 year old.

Overall I'd give this movie 2 thumbs up for family fun!

What I Liked

• I love The Rock in family movies. He is believable, and has great comedic timing.  He's also easy on the eyes! 
• Josh Hutcherson is a boy-next-door looking actor who plays an awkward teen really well.
• The movie sparked conversations with the boys about the books that the plot line relied on: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island, both by Jules Verne. I think my 8 year old is going to read them first. If he likes them, his 10 year old brother probably will too. Anything that encourages reading of the classics is okay in my book!

Did you see this movie yet? Did you see it with kids? Did you like it? Tell me what you think in the comments section!

Movie Mondays

I watch a lot of movies - kids' movies, family movies, chick-flicks, action movies, sci-fi and fantasy movies...you get the point.  I love to watch movies in the theater and at home, but given the opportunity, I will always choose the theater.  There is something about sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers in front of a giant screen that is oddly appealing to me. I will even go to the movies by myself if there is no one available to go with me! As long as I have a large Diet Coke and snack, I'm happy!

One of the things that I do before I go to any movie is check the reviews. I don't typically care what the critics have said because they use a totally different set of criteria than I do to decide if a movie is worth seeing or not. I'm not looking for Oscar winning performances in every movie that I see. I don't necessarily care if there is a big name actor as the lead character (although it usually helps get me there), and I don't care if the movie will ever win an award. I only care that I will have a good time watching it. So I don't look to the critics, I look to other movie-goers!

Before any movie, I'll check the Fandango app on my phone to see what other reviewers have said. As long as it didn't bomb with other reviewers, I'll usually go see the movie to make my own decision about it. If I have any doubts, or if the movie has been out for a while, I will ask around to see if anyone I know has been to see said movie. If they have, and they give it a good review, I'll usually go see it. I have only been burned a few times by this method, most recently for The Muppets movie. I heard from several people that it was good, but my family and I didn't care for it.  In fact, I was ready to leave after the opening scene!

After I see a movie, I love to talk about it with the people that I saw it with, or other people who have seen it. Sometimes there isn't much to discuss beyond whether or not someone liked it, but usually there is a sequel or a book to compare it to, or you can compare an actor's performance to another movie that he/she has been in. I love a movie that makes me think beyond the scope of the film (if it's appropriate). I also love a movie that keeps me in suspense throughout the movie.

I figured that if I like to hear others' reviews about movies before I see them, and I like to discuss them afterward, there just might be a few other people out there who would enjoy the same thing! So I've decided to add a new feature to my blog - Movie Mondays! It gives me an excuse to go to the movies (or rent one) every week, in order to have something to write about (but shhhh...don't tell my hubby that's why I'm doing it).

The plan is to give you my  candid feedback unbridled opinion, along with feedback from those who went to the movie with me (my kids for a kids' movie,  my husband for a date night movie, my BFF for a chic flick, etc.). I'll also make some comparisons and maybe even a Cul-de-sac Mom rating. I hope I'll get some interaction in the comments section each week from those who have seen the same movie!

First up -  Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. I'll be posting tomorrow!

Lunch at Chili's - On Weight Watchers

Today is Valentine's Day, but I don't expect to have a fancy and/or romantic dinner with my husband. We have 3 kids and Valentine's Day is on a Tuesday. It's just not practical for us to go out alone. What is practical is a lunch date with our 3 year old son. So that's what we did. I met my husband at Chili's yesterday for our "date." I was craving the sweet and spicy chicken entree that I had the last time we went there.

I figured the sweet and spicy chicken was a pretty good option for Weight Watchers. It's grilled chicken with broccoli and rice...AND it's one of the "lighter" choices, which means under 750 calories and 25g of fat. I ordered and ate the whole thing before looking up the nutrition information. Thanks to my iPhone and the WW calculator I figured out that the meal I thought would be 10-12 points+ was actually 18 points. 18 points for grilled chicken, broccoli and rice?! Well...I guess there was a very sweet glaze, probably made with oil...and the rice has a ton of carbs...but the portions aren't huge, and the broccoli isn't drenched in butter, so I just thought it would healthier. Good thing I had cheese and a banana for breakfast because now I only have 7 points left for the rest of the day!

So at first I was really irritated that I didn't research the nutrition information before I went today. I hadn't expected my meal to cost me more than half of my points from my daily points bank. Then I had an idea. I decided to look up my favorite meal at Chili's, which I would have eaten if I hadn't been on Weight Watchers.  Had I eaten the Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich and french fries I would have used 37 points! That's 10 more than my daily allowance, and it doesn't include the extra ranch that I usually dip my sandwich into, and the honey mustard that I would dip my fries in.

So in retrospect, I guess the 18 point meal that I had wasn't all that bad! I wouldn't eat it every day, but it was worth it for a special Valentine's Day treat. Now if I can stay away from the sugar cookies that I'm making for my kids today, I'll be all set!

We're Going To Disney World Again!

We just booked our 5th trip as a family to Walt Disney World. I am so excited! This time we'll be going with a friend of mine (who I've known since 7th grade) and her family. Together we will be a party of 10, which makes us a "Grand Gathering" in Disney speak. We'll have 4 adults and the 6 kids will range in age from 2.5 to 14 - 5 boys, one girl (the oldest). We're staying at Port Orleans Riverside for 6 nights in mid-October. We bought the dining plan (as we always do) and saved 30% on our rooms. Because my husband is our unofficial Disney Planner, we will be booking our restaurant reservations exactly 190 days before we arrive - the earliest you can make reservations if you have purchased a vacation package (10 days before the general public). We plan to eat at some of our favorites like Chef Mickey's (the kids' favorite) and The Garden Grill (one of my favorites). We'll be there for my birthday again this year, and the plan is to go to Fulton's Crab House without the kids on my actual birthday. It will be our first time going there, and I have high expectations!  I know we won't be disappointed!

What do you like to do when you go to Disney? Do you stay on property? Do you have a timeshare? Do you visit other theme parks while you're in Florida or do you keep the focus on Disney?

I thought this would be a good time to look back at the first 4 Disney trips we took. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comment section! (WARNING: LOTS OF PICTURES AHEAD)

Our First Night in Disney World 2007

September 2007: The first time we went to Disney World the boys were 4 and 6 years old (the baby wasn't born yet). We stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort on property and loved our entire stay...minus the rain. We went during the last week of September and it rained. every.single.day. Fortunately, the rain was short lived each day, so we would just put on our rain ponchos and keep going! It was such a magical trip, especially for our 4 year old who still thought the characters were real!

The boys got to be guest conductors on the Disney World Railroad 

They participated in the Jr. Chef class at the Land Pavilion in Epcot

Our youngest was invited to join the Main St. band performance!

We got lots of autographs and met LOTS of characters

In addition to all of the magic that Disney normally has to offer, we experienced Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party for the first time, and it was a blast! We've made it part of our trip every time we've been in October since.

Our little Harry Potter

Remy (Ratatouille) wasn't ready to wake up from his nap yet!

All in all, the trip was more than we could have hoped for. We fell in love with Walt Disney World, and couldn't wait to go back!

December 2008/January 2009: Our second trip to Disney World was for the week of New Year's. We went with my husband's brother and his family, and we also brought my teenage cousin with us. The boys were 4 months, 5 and 7. Their cousins were 1, 5, 7, 15 and 16. We got there a day or two before New Year's Eve and we stayed a few days past New Year's Day. We stayed in the suites at the All Star Music Hotel - one of the value level resorts. It was so nice to have a separate bedroom and 2 full bathrooms! We also had a small kitchenette which came in handy to wash bottles and store food for the kids!

The parks were insanely crowded that week and we will probably never go that time of year again, but I am happy that we had the chance to see the fireworks on New Year's Eve over Cinderella's castle at least once.

The Hubby and our youngest son watching the fireworks 12-31-08

The best part of going to Disney for New Years was being able to see the parks all decorated for Christmas. They have special parades and every inch of the parks is Christmas-y! The Osborne Family of Lights is one of my favorite Christmas things in Disney World. It's at Hollywood Studios and they play loud Christmas music and have fake snow flying. It's great!

 The Osborne Family Street of Lights in Hollywood Studios

I also really enjoy Cinderella's castle all decked out in lights! The colors change and it is such a beautiful sight!

The castle draped in color changing lights

On New Year's Eve my cousin turned 15, and it was really cool to see her treated like a princess everywhere we went. She wore her birthday button everywhere, and got a lot of attention from cast members. Even Santa wished her Happy Birthday during the parade!

My cousin being "punished" at 50's Prime Time Diner for putting her elbows on the table.
We had so much fun! 

My 7 yr. old niece - the only little girl in our group- after getting the full treatment at the Bibbidi  Bobbidi Boutique

My cousin having a birthday meal at Cinderella's Castle

The oldest cousins 

Our youngest was kissed by Snow White :)

October 2010:  We went to Sea World in May 2010 and felt really weird going to Orlando without visiting Disney World. I ended up making our reservations for our 3rd trip to Disney on the way home from our long weekend at Sea World. We weren't even an hour outside of Orlando when I made the phone reservations on my cell phone! 

We went by ourselves this time, and the boys were 2, 7 and 9. It was the last time we would go when we wouldn't have to pay for our youngest, and our oldest would still be considered a child. We stayed at the All Star Sports Resort. We had such a good experience with our last value level hotel, we decided to try it again. We requested a "preferred" room so we were closer to the main building and the buses, and I'm glad we did. We were close to the pool and didn't have to walk far when we got back to the hotel at night (usually carrying a sleeping 2 year old).

Every day (morning and night) the boys had to play in the x's and o's outside our building

All 5 of us

Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party. Yes, my oldest went  as Harry Potter  again.
The youngest went as Mickey Mouse, but he didn't keep his ears on!

Our first time seeing Daisy in the park.
The baby was afraid of the characters the entire trip, but loved waving to them from afar.

He kept asking for "more candy" and they ALWAYS gave him more!

This was a great trip. We were a little disappointed that the youngest was afraid to meet the characters until the last day when we went to Ohana at the Polynesian Resort. We thought he was going to be more like his brother was at 4 years old. Since he wasn't, we decided to plan our next family trip for when he turns 4. That trip will be this October!

May 2011:  We were supposed to go to Paris for our 10 year anniversary, but it didn't pan out, so we decided to go to Disney without the kids! It was such a good idea, and we really enjoyed ourselves. We went during the Flower and Garden Expo, so there was so much to see around the parks, especially in Epcot. We were also there for the Pixar weekend, which would have been awesome for the boys to experience. I wrote about that trip in  2011 Year in Review: Our Anniversary.  Here are just a few of the pictures from that trip. Everything was so beautiful!!!

May 2011

So with all that we've done, and all that we have planned, I am super stoked about our next trip! It will be nice to have our friends there with us, and the baby will be 4 by the time we go, which will make it easier than last time! Maybe I'll tweet while I'm there this time...updates in real time! :)

Anybody else going to Disney World this year?