Happy New Year's Eve!

Hope you all have a nice New Year's Eve - don't do too much partying!! I will try to stay up to midnight!!! Have a nice time!

Christmas 2011

Here is our Christmas tree. Our packages are under the tree. I made christmas bags quite a few years ago with pretty satin ribbon ties and bells on the end of the ribbon - that is what I use to wrap my presents with. Hope you had a nice Christmas - ate too much but it was delicious!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours! Enjoy the holiday and have a safe trip if you are traveling this sunny Christmas day!

The Help-movie

We saw The Help - it was great - they did a great job of adapting the book into the movie - Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer did a great job as the maids and I am sure they will be up for awards. Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard (Richie Cunningham)'s daughter) was so good in the role of Hilly that you believed that she was evil. Everyone should definitely watch it. That too was a period piece - from the 60's, just seeing the clothes, cars, houses was great.

Water for Elephants

We saw the movie Water for Elephants - I had read the book and loved it so I was really looking forward to the movie- it was great - everything I expected and more - I thought Robert Pattinson did a great job as Jacob - Reese was good too. Hal Holbrook did an excellent job as an older Jacob - the colors, cinematography was beautiful. I would definitely recommend it.

Movie Night

We watched a couple of movies tonight - Letters to Juliet and Mamma Mia - both with Amanda Seyfried - if you haven't seen either movie I would definitely recommend them. Letters to Juliet was a great story and I loved the scenery. Mamma Mia just makes you want to get up and dance. Both movies were in great locales - Italy and Greek Islands. Makes you want to go there.

Black Friday

Were you one of the millions of people who shopped on Black Friday? Did you get up and get in line on Thanksgiving night to get in at midnight. I did not - there wasn't anything I wanted to do that and I didn't want to. I thought 5:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning was early enough for anybody to shop. I did, however, get up and took my Mom out to breakfast and then we hit a couple of stores around 9:00 a.m. Breakfast was relatively quiet and the stores weren't bad. We were home by 11:30 a.m. I did go out later in the day around 4:30 to Target and there were ton of shoppers - I figured they went home and took naps and then got up and went out for round 2. Did I get any great deals - no mostly stuff on sale.

Breaking Dawn Soundtrack " Turning Page - Sleeping At Last "

Yes I did go see this movie again on Tuesday-my best friend was in town visiting relatives for Thanksgiving - we went to dinner and then to see this. She had read the three books but never got to the fourth - she loved it. I am glad I went to see it again - you notice new things each time you see it. The music - soundtrack and score is so beautiful. This song is one of my favorites - she walked down the aisle to the instrumental part of it and also this was played during the honeymoon scenes. Give it a listen!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. Hope you all had a great turkey day!! We had a great day - good food (too much as usual), great pies (shout out to one of my favorite bakers, great conversation, etc. If anyone is going to Black Friday - good luck!!

Breaking Dawn, etc

Some other interesting tidbits - at the wedding, Stephanie Meyer (author of Twilight books), Wyck Godfrey (Producer of all four films) and Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter of all four movies) were in the congregation at the wedding - they are on the left hand side - also this was filmed on the last day of the filming after a six month shoot - it was freezing and was raining up until she walked down the isle. It was breathtaking.

Breaking Dawn

I finally saw Breaking Dawn yesterday with my favorite people. It was fantastic. I don't want to give too much away if you haven't seen the movie but I will tell you this you won't be disappointed. The wedding was beautiful - the dress was gorgeous - just a bit of trivia - Rob was the only person to see Kristen in the wedding dress - when she walked down the aisle that was the first time everyone there saw it - there was a collective gasp - The honeymoon was great too - from the house to the scenery - it was perfect - I am not going to tell you anything else until you have seen it yourself. If you do go - stay through the credits - there is a surprise for you - I tell you November 2012 can't come fast enough.

Breaking Dawn Part 1

Can you believe it but in 4 days, yes 4 days Breaking Dawn is here! I can't wait - I am definitely seeing it this weekend with my favorite people. I went to Twilight Tuesday when they showed Twilight- believe it or not I did not get into Twilight until after the first movie came out. I had never seen it on the big screen so I went with my sister-in-law and saw it - it was great. I just finished watching New Moon (that is my second favorite movie) Twilight being my first and later this week we will watch Eclipse - I also finished reading Breaking Dawn. So I am ready - let the film begin !!!

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween - today at work we had a halloween luncheon and we all dressed up as Toy Story characters. I went as an etch-a-sketch. Here are some pictures from our lunch - I made the graveyard, also our pumpkins.

Lord of the Rings - 10 year anniversary

Can you believe that it was 10 years ago that the first Lord of the Rings movie came out - I will say that this trilogy was one of the best movies ever made. I am really not one for fantasy but I loved these movies - we even got the videogame when it came out - we might just have a little filmfest this weekend and watch all the movies again. Here are the four hobbits recently.

Books, Books and More Books!

I have been reading a lot of books - I finished Stories I only tell my friends by Rob Lowe - that was a good read - if you grew up in the 70's and 80's you will love this book - his life is so interesting - he always wanted to be an actor ever since he was young - you should definitely read it.

I read Papertowns by John Green. When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q. (by Amazon). I loved this book - I couldn't put it down.

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsent - Rizzoli & Ives series - this was also good - I have enjoyed reading this series and also watching the television show.

Shem Creek - Dorothea Benton Frank - Linda Breland, a single mother tired of living hand-to-mouth in New Jersey, decides to move herself and her two teenage daughters to her distant hometown of Mount Pleasant, S.C., where her sister, Mimi, still lives. Linda's straight-shooting style impresses local restaurateur Brad Jackson, who hires her to manage his restaurant; hints of a future romance are about as subtle as a kitchen fire. (by Amazon). This also was a good read.

I am going to try to read Breaking Dawn before the movie comes out in November.

Fall Shows

Have you watched any of the new falls shows? I have - I like New Girl (anything with Zoey Deschanel in it I will watch) 2 Broke Girls, Pan Am, Happy Endings (reminds me of Friends), I did like the Playboy Club - I love period pieces but that has been canceled. I am loving Pan Am - the 60's, the clothes - everything!! Chuck returned tonight- I have been missing that show - this is the last season. Have you watched American Horror Story - looks too scary for me. Once upon a time and Grimm look good - Grimm might be too scary for me.

The Emmy's

Did you watch the Emmys last night? I did!! Did everyone you want to win - win? I am so glad that Melissa McCarthy one- I have loved her since the days of the Gilmour Girls and she was great in Bridesmaids. I also love Modern Family - I am glad they won too!! Juliana Marguiles also won - I love the Good Wife - her dress I could care less about - very spacey looking. I thought Sofia Vergara was the best dressed in my opinion - beautiful color, fit her like a glove and those earrings to die for!!

Breaking Dawn Trailer

Did you see the new Breaking Dawn Part 1 trailer? - It was great - I can't wait to see the movie - they put a little bit of everything into it to grab you. The wedding looked gorgeous along with the hot, hot and I do mean hot!!! honeymoon!!
I cannot wait 64 days for this movie - ugh! If you haven't seen it - watch it!!

Movies

We watched Thor last night and Something Borrowed tonight. Thor was good - a little comic book - Natalie Portman is in it.

Something Borrowed was your typical two best friends - one likes a guy and the other one gets the guy then the guy falls for the original girl - it was okay - I am glad I only spent a dollar on it.

Books, Books and More Books!

I have been reading a lot lately - here are some books that I have liked:

The Way Things Look to me - Roopa Farooki - Farooki's moving third novel (after Corner Shop) is told from the perspective of London-born siblings still coping with the death of their unmarried mother after five years. At 23, Asif Murphy has become the reluctant head of the family that includes brooding Lila, a year younger, and 19-year-old Yasmin, whose Asperger's requires Asif to enforce a strict schedule. Asif, however, shares Lila's complicated feelings for this girl who so monopolized their mother's affection and time, resulting in "a childhood of uneven treatment without the satisfaction of actual neglect." The two turn apoplectic after learning that Yasmin will be featured in a TV show about living with autism, but are both too busy to notice when their sister's perspective begins to change. Told in first-person sections, these chapters form the basis for Yasmin's show, point to Farooki's title, and reveal the book's somewhat faulty heart. Basing a novel around an autistic child is less than inspired, but Farooki rises above the cliché to deftly depict how family can encapsulate strife while also being a form of salvation. (Publisher's Weekly) - I enjoyed this book - it was very different having it done first person

Sing You Home - Jodi Picoult - When music therapist Zoe Baxter’s latest pregnancy ends in a stillbirth, her husband Max decides he can’t handle any more heartbreak and leaves her. As she picks up the pieces of her life, Zoe is surprised to find herself falling for a school counselor who happens to be a woman. While Zoe is finding happiness with Vanessa, Max falls off the wagon and is helped by a pastor from his brother’s evangelical church. Vanessa and Zoe wed in Massachusetts, and Vanessa offers to carry one of the fertilized embryos Zoe and Max stored. Excited by the prospect of being a mother, Zoe goes to Max to get him to release the embryos to her and is shocked when he instead sues her for custody of them, backed by his church. Told from the perspectives of all three major characters, Picoult’s gripping novel explores all sides of the hot-button issue. I read this because one of my favorite people is going to be a musical therapist. She also read this and didn't like it - It is very gut wrenching especially the beginning. I thought it was good.

Bookends & Jemima J by Jane Green - I just finished Jemima J - "Bored, fat and unhappy" Jemima Jones is a hack writer on a small London paper, whose weight precludes both promotion (which she richly deserves, because she's smart) and getting together with the man of her dreams: kind, modest and gorgeous reporter Ben Williams. The Web opens a new world to Jemima, and when she begins an online correspondence with L.A. gym owner Brad, identifying herself as JJ, her friend Geraldine encourages her to send Brad a doctored photo of what she would look like if she were thin. Jemima joins a gym, goes on a diet and even becomes a blonde, preparing to accept Brad's invitation to come to L.A. Lucky JJ: Brad turns out to be a hunk but JJ senses that something is wrong. Meanwhile, Ben has become a celebrity "presenter" on British TV, but while the whole country goes gaga over his looks, he too feels that something is missing. By the time several coincidences produce a dreams-come-true ending, readers are fond of plucky Jemima, but somewhat tired out by her adventures.

Bookends - A few friends meet at university: Simon, the chirpy gay character; Portia, the glamour girl; Josh, the adorable, unpretentious catch; and Cath, the overweight, insecure narrator. Portia strays from their crowd, but the other three remain friends into their 30s. Now successful Londoners, each faces a personal crisis: singleton Cath leaves a secure job to start a bookstore; Simon looks for love; Josh's marriage goes through growing pains. And then Portia, as intimidating and elegant as ever, wanders back into their lives--with surprising results.

All of these you should definitely read!!

Seventeen Magazine

Remember when you were in your teens and you used to get Seventeen Magazine!! I just loved that magazine - I also got Glamour and Mademoiselle. Well here are some famous actresses that graced the cover early on in their career - see how much they have changed!! And the most iconic model of them all - Twiggy! (I love her outfit)

Bossypants - Tina Fey

I just finished Bossypants by Tina Fey - it was really good. She is so funny. One particular chapter was about her honeymoon with her husband. Her husband is afraid of flying so they decided to take a cruise out of New York to Bermuda (I am glad I read this after our cruise). They had a good time until one evening they were at the 1000 person theater seeing a show when over the loudspeaker came Bravo, Bravo, Bravo - Main Engine Room. At that time there was someone dancing on the stage - that person left quite quickly. They were told to exit to their muster stations - she was happy that she paid attention to the lifeboat drill. They had to go to their lifeboats - she said it was right out of Titanic - the children and women were in the front of the boat. Come to find out there was a fire in the main engine room when a fuel pipe burst. The heat from that made all the fire alarms go off on the whole ship. They were allowed back to the lobby where people were sleeping and playing cards - she said it was something right out of Posiden Adventure. They were finally able to go back to their rooms and her husband noticed that they were turning the boat around back to Bermuda - she figured that they were going to fly everyone home so she ran to the doctor's office on the ship and got her husband some anti-anxiety pills. When they got back to Kings Wharf in Bermuda there were a lot of little kids waving their shirts at them - probably happy that they weren't dead.

When she got back and was talking to one of her friends who just happened to be a dancer on a cruise ship he said that four Bravos means you are dead. Also the entertainment staff - dancers and singers are the ones responsible for the lifeboats and they also have a gun in case anyone gets disruptive.

You have to read her book - it is very funny.