Saturday, May 31, 2008

Girls' Night Out (I'm not going to call it a GNO because it always makes me think "gyno")

I swore I was going to post about this sooner than today to give more notice,
but you know how life gets....

But if you can, COME JOIN US!!!

Tonight at Fairchild at 9:15

We will be watching a little bit of Cameron and a little bit of Ashton.




If you can think of anyone who might not read my blog who would want to come,
please tell them! All are invited! Bring a friend!
I know I always say this, but that's only because
I MEAN it!! THE MORE THE MERRIER!

I think it's time to stop, my exclamation point key is wearing out.
Seriously, hope to see you there.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Aaaalllllllrighty Then

I know I just did a hair post, but this was too good to not blog about. I kid you not, this was not a set up. This is how Bill's hair looked when he came home from work yesterday:







Remind you of anyone?





Tuesday, May 27, 2008

"The Swirl"

It's been called a tornado. It's been called a halo. It's been called Hurricane Katrina. But we fondly refer to it as

"The Swirl."
The swirl resides in the middle of Payson's forehead. When we buzz his head, you can't see it very much. But when his hair grows out...

We always know when it's time for a haircut, because everyone starts pointing it out, talking about it, putting their finger in it...luckily, Payson doesn't care. The weirdest thing for me is that Payson is the one known for it. What most people don't know is that both my kids have The Swirl. Obviously, Macy had it first, and was famous for her swirl as a baby. All the doctors and nurses commented on it in the hospital, and people would always comment on it when she was a baby.


And although Payson had it too, he didn't have enough hair to show it really.


As you can probably imagine, The Swirl made for some insanely crazy bangs on Macy. So when she was three we grew them out. Now her swirl is well hidden under that crazy mane on top of her head. She begs for bangs all the time. I tell her she can have them when she's 16. I figure by that time she'll be old enough to realize she can never have bangs, due to The Swirl. But poor Payson....he's cursed for life.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

THIS WEEK IN HOLLYWOOD: MOVIE EDITION

With all the buzz about new and upcoming movies, my head is swimming with thoughts and opinions about them all. I realized today it was a perfect post in the making. So here goes:



What Happens In Vegas
in theaters now

I can't wait to see this. I know it will be another cookie cutter romantic comedy, but at least it looks energetic and funny instead of limp and sappy. I'm sure it will border on obnoxious, but I'm not afraid to admit I don't care.




The Dark Knight
in theaters July 18th

This movie completely intrigues me. This new wave of Batman movies has left behind most of the corny humor that filled the old ones and taken on a darker, more intense tone. I love it. I can finally take them seriously. The latest installment, The Dark Knight, seems to live up to it's title, or at least the play on words. The few previews I've seen show The Joker, (infamously played by the late Heath Ledger, who was said to be so tormented by playing this character he stopped sleeping at night) not as a smiley-faced Jack Nicholson type, but a psychopathic freak show with a mutilated face. Basically the freakiest thing I've seen onscreen in a long time. The previews alone scare the crap out of me. I can't wait to see it.





Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

in theaters now

I have no idea why I am so excited to see this. Maybe it's because I have fond memories of watching the original trilogy as a family when I was young. Maybe it's because there's been so much hype about the return of Harrison Ford to the role he hasn't played in almost 20 years. I don't really know why, but I am, nonetheless. I was so pleased to see the previews looked as if they didn't stray very far from the classic format that made them so successful in the 80's. And hey, if the special effects seemed amazing back then, how great would they be now? And with the addition of Shia LeBeouf and Cate Blanchett, how can they go wrong? As long as there are no melting faces, it's sure to be a winner.




The Love Guru

in theaters June 20th


I'm already laughing just thinking about watching this. It's about time Mike Myers put something out where he wasn't wearing a cat costume or doing a voiceover for an ogre. Seriously, where did he disappear to after Austin Powers? Well, he's back, and that's all that matters. (How hilarious was he playing "Sitar Hero" on American Idol?)





Sex and the City
in theaters May 30th

How soon can I get in line to NOT see this?




Speed Racer

in theaters now

When I saw this preview I thought to myself, "That looks really weird. Even if the movie was good, I don't think I could stand watching 2 hours of that trippy, acid-laced set design." When I read the review in People, it said that not only was the movie not good--at all--but that she couldn't handle the psycho cartoon-esque set design. Hmm. Thanks, Leah. I can always count on you.




The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
in theaters now


This should be really good. The first one was excellent, and the special effects on the previews for Prince Caspian look amazing. The interesting part is that I will be going into this one having no clue what it's about. (I had read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe many, many times. Never could get past the first book, though.) I can't decide if this makes it more exciting for me, or less. I guess we'll find out.



Hancock
in theaters July 2nd


I am so undecided about this movie. I have a really hard time with movies that can't seem to make up their minds if they're a comedy or a serious action/adventure. I know a movie can be both, but there are some previews that try to show both sides, and that just kills it for me. In one scene he's tossing a beached whale back into the ocean, accidentally throwing it right into a boat, smashing it to pieces. Funny. In the next scene, he's Mr. Serious who has to decide if he's up for saving the world. Not funny. However, it stars Will Smith, which means I will be watching it.





The Happening

in theaters June 13th

Oh, M. Night, how you torment me so!! Why, oh why, would you go all "R" on me now?! We've had such a great run all these years, with The Sixth Sense, Signs, even The Village, which lost you many a fan but not this one. No, I stood by you and this is how you repay me? I guess now I'll never know what is happening, will I?




The Incredible Hulk
in theaters June 13th


I'm so confused. Didn't they just make this movie, back in 2003? What? Oh, that was just The Hulk? Oh, I see, it's completely different. Well, okay then, by all means, make your movie. I'm sure there's no way it's also about Bruce Banner, the man who turns into a giant green monster when he gets angry. What's that? Oh, it is? Oh, well, you can never have too many movies about the Incredible Hulk, right? I can't wait for 2013's release, The Green Incredible Hulk. Now that's one I'll be holding out for.




Twilight

in theaters Dec. 12th

Oops...how'd that get in there?

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Baby Mama

There's something that you should know about my love of movies: I love all types, kinds, genres. Although I favor the dramas, I LOVE me a good, no-commitment, cheap laughs comedy. And this one...


...takes the cake. I expected to laugh. I just didn't expect to laugh from the time it started til the credits rolled. (My movie-viewing companions can vouch for that. Oh, if you've never watched a funny movie with me, it's definitely something you need to witness before you die.) This movie was just plain funny. I should have known, being Tina Fey. She was the mastermind behind Mean Girls, which I loved. The previews for Baby Mama just made it look cute, not hilarious. So I went in expecting it to be a chuckle, not a side-splitting cackle. But cackle it was. (If fart humor and social stereotype jokes aren't your thing, you may disagree.)



Kate (Tina Fey) is a successful woman who desperately wants a baby but finds out she can't get pregnant. Weighing her options, she finally decides on surrogacy (using a sperm donor). Enter Angie (Amy Poehler), a financially-challenged, dim-witted girl from South Jersey who is, well, a bit further down the social ladder.


After Angie chooses Kate's baby to carry, the two immediately begin bumping heads with their different lifestyles. Soon Angie is living with Kate, (I don't think I'm giving too much away here, it was pretty clear from the previews.) and it's laugh after laugh watching them cohabit.


Tina Fey was likable as always as the straight-arrow, responsible adult learning to let loose a little. (See dance club scene.) Amy Poehler is adorable and hilarious as the fun, care-free wild child who is forced to learn to grow up. I loved watching her character unfold throughout the movie, unveiling a sweetness and innocence you can't help but fall in love with.




But of course the reason to see the movie is for the laughs. And they are a'plenty. All I want to do is quote my favorite parts, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it. Oh, what the heck, I have to put at least a few.


"You people and your space age cars." -
Angie


"I'm sorry I farted into your purse." -Angie



"He didn't ask me to be his wife, but he didn't ask me not to be his wife." -Angie
(Maybe my favorite right there.)

I can't wait to see this movie again! HILARIOUS!

Fair warning: Obviously being SNL-affiliated, the humor was crude at times and there was some language. But I was actually very pleasantly surprised that it was not as crude as I expected.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008


The Official Winner of my Birthday Quiz is......................................................




Marilyn!!


Marilyn remembered 9 of my movie reviews. Way to go Marilyn!
Just name the movie, the time, etc. and we are there!

Thanks again to all who played. It really made my birthday so fun.


Saturday, May 17, 2008

The Results Are In

*Editors Note: Please excuse the absolute heinous spacing of this post. Blogger and I are going to have words.





Well, the end of this week is bittersweet. Bitter because my birthday is over and I HATE it when my birthday is over. Sweet because the stomach bug is gone (knocking....no, pounding on wood) and I have the best birthday memories ever to sustain me for the next year til my next birthday. I truly have the best friends anyone could ever ask for.


So, I guess it's time for the big reveal. First I want to thank everyone who participated in my birthday quiz so much. It seriously was the best birthday present to me. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading your answers and maybe even more so, your fake names and trying to figure out who was who (before checking my email). My goal was to see how well everyone knew me, but I'm pretty sure I butchered that with my impossible questions. I went through and tallied up how many people got each question right, and threw out the ones that only 1-3 people got right, the ones I realized no one would have ever gotten unless they guessed. The interesting thing was, it didn't change who had originally scored the highest. So I guess I didn't need to worry about it after all! So, here are the winners. Yes, we have a three-way tie! (Well, 4 if you count Bill, who was Shavonda, but we're not going to. He better have known those answers!)












(in the order that they answered)












1. Anonymous 1st Commenter (my cousin Jen)





2. Boosie Bug (Marilyn)








    3. Big Momma (Kristen H.)







Yay to you all!!! You all tied with 6 correct answers (based on the original quiz, counting all the questions)! However, since a bucket of popcorn and a drink cost around $50 at the theater, I can only afford one winner. So, I am having a tie-breaker round.











I have temporarily deleted all of my movie reviews off of my blog, including my link list on the side. The person to name the most movies I've reviewed on my blog wins. However, if you put the answers in comments, it wouldn't make it very hard for the people following you to answer, would it? So, email me your answers. Remember, this is only for Jen, Marilyn, and Kristen, and you guys are on your honor to use your own memories! As soon as I have recieved all three answers, I'll post the winner. Woohoo, I am having too much fun with this.






So you wanna know the answers to my quiz questions? Here they are:











1. What is my favorite movie? D. I don't have a favorite movie It's the curse of being a movie critic, I guess.





2. What is my favorite carbonated beverage? D. All of the above First question I threw out. Apparently I only ever talk about Fresca.





3. What is my biggest pet peeve? B. Bad Drivers Second question I threw out. I guess it was pretty unfair of me to pick one when I have listed all of the answers as equal pet peeves before.





4. What is my preferred brand/flavor of gum? A. Extra Spearmint (green) Almost everyone got this right. Weird.





5. What is my favorite cereal? C. Honey Bunches of Oats Yeah, so I don't know what I was thinking on this one. I have never mentioned my favorite cereal, ever. Only my husband and Lisa L. got this right, and Lisa's was a lucky guess. Nice twy, Lisa, nice twy.





6. What is my favorite song? D. All of the above Oh, did the Britney Spears song throw you off? Nope, I was dead serious. Love. That. Song. (And I've even blogged about it before.)





7. What is my favorite color? B. Black Okay, so a few of the people who know me all too well came running at me with pitchforks and knives on this one. And they had every reason to. My favorite color is brown. What?! I know, I'm ridiculous. This is a classic example of how I overanalyze everything and it often leads to no good. I'll try and sum it up: So I went to put "brown" as my favorite color, and then stopped and thought, wait, I can't put brown, because back when I did my "Split Personalities" post (you know, the one with all the names, like my rockstar name and hippie name, etc.) I put "black" as my favorite color because I thought Black Whale sounded better than Brown Whale. (And black really is one of my favorite colors.) I didn't want to throw anyone off who may have remembered that, so I just put black as my favorite color. Not only did people totally call me on it, but it turns out, I did put Brown Whale after all. Seriously, I embarass myself. Often.




8. What is my favorite food? C. Fast If you didn't get this one right, lift up your right hand and hit yourself in the head with it.





9. What is my favorite pastime? A. Sleeping Another trickster. All of the choices are favorites of mine, but I thought everyone knew not much beats out sleep for me. Even going to the movies. I know, it's sad, but I love me some sleep.





10. If I were stranded on an island and could have only one item with me, what would it be? I couldn't choose one thing, so there really is no right answer. I really just wanted to see what everyone would come up with! I gave anyone a point for answering. I loved these answers, by the way!




And I'm sure you're all dying to know who was who, so here it is, in order of scores:




(Top four scorers listed above) Wishing I Was Still In My 20's (Tiffani) -5 D2theR2theM (Sara S.) -5 Lauren Conrad (Rachael) -5 LC Lover (Nicole) -5 Unmovie Queen (Heather B.) -4 Seriously?! (Shayla) -4 Anonymous 2nd commenter (???) -4 Lost My Marbles (Amy J. aka my sister) -3 Totally Guessing (Jessica T.) -3 Babybababoo (Jan) -3 Maxine Wayne (???) -3 Your Biggest Fan (Lindsay B.) -3 Crystal Chandalier (Lisa L.) -3 A Shot in the Dark (Brenda M.) -2 Coco Pop (Kim M.) -2 Mother of Monkeys (???) -2 Happy Day (???) -1



Those of you who still have not revealed your true identities to me, I'd love to know who you are! And again, thank you so much for playing, especially those who didn't think they'd ever win, I'm so glad you still played. Oh, and I have to give Honorable Mention to my two favorite answers to question #10: Heather's, about the lame Dharma Initiative movies, and Bill's for the the chapstick I could also chew on.



And because I don't think this post is yet long enough, I have to send you over to Jan's, in case you haven't seen it already. I was considering doing a This Week in Hollywood, but now I don't have to! Thanks Jan!

Friday, May 16, 2008

FOR. THE. LOVE.

I have seriously debated even blogging about this because I don't think anyone will believe me.
But, the truth cannot be denied. For my birthday I got..................................................

THE FLU.


Yup. Not kidding. Wish I was. Oh, how I wish I was. I got to enjoy one half of my fabulous, wonderful, extraordinary day and then the rest was spent nauseous, anxious, and unwilling to admit the inevitable. But the flu has a way of coming whether you want it to or not. And we all know how NOT I want it to come.

SERIOUSLY?!

Who gets the flu on their birthday? For any Average Joe it would suck, right? But me?! I have to say, I don't get it. And what else I don't get, is the fact that I seem to get the flu more than anybody I know. How fair is that? No one else seems to ever get it from their kids, or if they do, it's a fluke thing. Nope, I get it from my kids 9 times out of 10 when they get it. And that's not counting the times I get it on my own, when no one else has been sick.

You may be thinking that maybe I bring it on myself. Maybe my anxiety builds up so much I make myself sick. (Believe me, you would not be the first to think this.) But if you know me at all (I don't keep it much of a secret), you know that this is literally at the top of my list of things I am terrified (for lack of a much stronger word) of and will avoid it at all costs. So if I do it, it is because it is going to happen and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Besides, was I sitting around on my birthday freaking out that I was going to get sick? Um....no. If there was ever a day I worried less about getting sick, felt completely immune to getting sick, it was yesterday. WHO GETS SICK ON THEIR BIRTHDAY?! In the words of Jeff Probst, I was completely BLINDSIDED.

So there you have it, the awful truth. Birthday week has come to an end two days early, or at least temporarily postponed. What should have been a great day has been spent on my couch in utter misery. (Although I feel mostly better, the day after I get sick is almost worse for me. I am completely riddled with anxiety, just waiting for that awful feeling to come back.)

So, I am going to postpone announcing the winner of my Birthday Quiz. I have had some feedback from those closest to me saying some of the questions were completely unfair and impossible and deceiving (said in the nicest possible way, of course). Seeing as my own sister and husband got them wrong, I have to agree. So as I recuperate and figure out how to best attack this problem, I am avoiding the situation for now altogether. I think that's fair, don't you?

Oh yeah. Happy Birthday to me.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

29 Years Later...

Every year for my birthday I ask for the same thing, and every year I get it:
A warm, sunny, beautiful spring day on May 15th.
I have ALWAYS loved the day of the year my birthday fell on.
I loved the number (it just looks and sounds pretty),
I always loved that it was within a week from my mom's,
and I always, always loved that it was in Spring.
So thank you, Mother Nature, for giving this girl her birthday wish.

I wanted to do something fun for my birthday,
(well, fun for me at least.)
So I want to play a little game, or a quiz, rather,
to see how well you all know me.
Here's how you play:
Answer the questions in my comments, BUT you have to answer anonymously.
Here's why: I've played these games before and as soon as I see the
sister's answers or the best friend's, I give up, thinking, well, obviously they'll win.
I want everyone to play, so everyone will answer anonymously with a fake, fun name.
Then email me at movie_queen15@msn.com and tell me which fake name is you.
The person who gets the most answers correct wins.........................................


drum roll...........................................



A movie date with the Movie Queen!!
You pick the movie, you pick the day, the time, etc.,
I buy the tickets, popcorn, drinks, etc.

Ooh this is going to be so fun, I can't wait.
Good luck to you all!

1. What is my favorite movie?
A. Phantom of the Opera
B. Juno
C. Glitter
D. I don't have a favorite movie

2. What is my favorite carbonated beverage?
A. Black Cherry Fresca
B. Cherry Cascade Ice
C. Ruby Red Squirt
D. All of the above

3. What is my biggest pet peeve?
A. Word Verification
B. Bad Drivers
C. Bad Grammar/Spelling
D. Forwards that end with "send this to ten people within the next five minutes or..."

4. What is my preferred brand/flavor of gum?
A. Extra Spearmint (green)
B. Extra Polar Ice
C. Trident cinnamon
D. All of the above

5. What is my favorite cereal?
A. Life
B. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
C. Honey Bunches of Oats
D. All of the above

6. What is my favorite song?
A. Everytime (Britney Spears)
B. Now We Are Free (Enya)
C. Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)
D. All of the above

7. What is my favorite color?
A. Green
B. Black
C. Yellow
D. All of the above

8. What is my favorite food?
A. Italian
B. Mexican
C. Fast
D. All of the above

9. What is my favorite pastime?
A. Sleeping
B. Going to the movies
C. Reading
D. Scrapbooking

10. If I were stranded on an island and could have only one item with me, what would it be?
(This is not multiple choice. Give it your best shot!)

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Be Still My Heart

I just read my cousin's blog and my heart is still pounding. How have I not seen this yet???!!!
Twilight fans (or anyone interested in the Twilight movie) click here.
I'm going to go watch it again. Thanks Noelle!!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Never A Dull Moment

~Payson loves to play in Aunt Amy's bin full of beans. He knows the rule is to try and keep the beans in the bin as much as possible. One day after endless bliss playing in the beans, Aunt Amy entered the room to find more than a little beans scattered around her entire playroom. (Lucky for us Aunt Amy is pretty flexible with the "keep the beans in the bin" rule.) Looking around the room, Payson said, "I didn't know the beans would make such a mess."



Macy at the Children's Museum



~Driving home from school one day, we were stopped in the usual traffic jam to get out of school. We had come to a stop in front of a pasture in which stood a black and white spotted dog. Macy looked at it and said, "Wow, that's the tiniest cow I've ever seen."

~Last week Macy said, "I can't wait for Mother's Day. When's Father's Day?" I told her it was next month, in June, to which Payson asked, "When's Brother's Day?"



Payson at the "Kid's Homeseum"



~Payson, after giving a tiny little cough: *sigh* "I have allergies."

~On our camping trip, I chastised Payson for wandering too far, where I couldn't see him. He scowled and said, "I can't wait to be five." Suppressing a smile, I asked, "Why?" He scowled more and said, "Because I'm tired of being four all day."

Oh, Payson, I hope you stay four forever.

Monday, May 12, 2008

My Weekend in Review

Friday night: Flicks With Chicks was a huge success.
Kim and I had a blast watching 27 Dresses together.
The best part was trying to jump start my van in the dark at 11:30
after the movie was done. Who knew Kim was such a mechanical genius?


Saturday: Finally mowed the lawn and got some yard work done.
I loved every second of it, except for the splitting headache I had when I was done.
The nap I took while my family went Mother's Day shopping was the best taste
of what was to come the next day.

Sunday: Mother's Day. Once again, my sweet family went all out.
All weekend Macy and Bill were whispering plans for my Mother's Day breakfast.
Macy repeatedly told me all day Saturday that I could sleep in as long as I wanted
the next day, until breakfast was ready. True to their word, they were busy as bees
while I snoozed in the next room. Not only did they make me the most amazing breakfast,
but Bill had the kids both bathed by the time I woke up. Happy Mother's Day to me!!!
(Bill knows his wife, and documented everything for me so I could blog about it.)

The Helpers.
(I'm not sure why they have forced half-smiles
in every picture, they really did have a blast doing this.)


Ready to eat!


The Finished Product.
It was sooooo good and the best Mother's Day present I could ask for.


Sunday night: Went to my mom's for a scrum-diddly dinner and celebrated
the May birthdays. Early celebrations are always fun. Came home and watched
a little Survivor (haven't watched the finale yet though, don't know who won,
don't spoil it if you know) then went to bed at 10:30, exhausted to the core.
Woke up at 2:00 when Payson threw up. Uh...Happy Mother's Day to me??

Friday, May 9, 2008

Flicks With Chicks

It's that time of the month again!
No, not that time.
Movie time!


Flicks With Chicks is tonight
at Kim's.
We'll be viewing



Movie starts at 9:00, hanging out starts at 8:00
Bring a snack, bring a pillow, bring a friend.
All are welcome, all are invited!
The more the merrier!

For information on this movie, go here

Thursday, May 8, 2008

On My Mind...

I feel like a few weeks ago a cyclone came by and picked me up. I keep waiting for it to drop. Still waiting...
My mind is full and spinning, like the cyclone. Sometimes my heart is heavy, weighed down by an excess of thoughts. If I'm lucky, for a few hours I can be distracted and push them to the far reaches of my mind. But they always come back. Life has a way of doing that. Maybe if I write about them, list them one by one, the cyclone will finally drop me. Maybe in the Bahamas. So here's what's been on my mind...

~ Diet. I sense the need to eat healthy is greater than ever, and every day is a struggle to start new. But every day I do just a little bit better. I guess that's something.

~ Illness. Someone I know was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor and I know many more who suffer from the evils of cancer. After reading this blog tonight, I am inspired by those who make an effort to help in any way they can. I hope I can do the same.

~ Friendship. This topic occupies most corners of my mind. I try, over and over again, to understand the complexities of friendship, to no avail. Usually I just have to stop and resign myself to the fact that I can only do the best I can do with the friends that I have, and be truly grateful for the people that love me for who I am, no matter what I do.

~ Money. No more barrels, no more scraping, please.

~ Kids. I knew I was due. After so many months of things being too good to be true, it was only a matter of time before the screaming, whining, arguing, fighting, talking back and disobeying began. This too shall pass.

~ Schedules. I've never had one so full and I don't know how to deal with it. On the plus side, I have been forced to stop taking naps (no time for those) and somehow still manage to get through the day.

~ Standards. Every day I think I know where I've set them, only to wonder if they aren't high enough. I wish I could better understand the guidance in "living in the world but not of the world." Everyone has their own line that they've drawn. I guess I'm just always trying to figure out where mine is.

~ Blogs. I do it too much, and still can't keep up. More and more I let them affect me too much and it's those times I think that I'm done. Yet here I am, clicking away on my keyboard.

~ Sleep. No naps = me exhausted come 9:00. I'm going to bed.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

American Idol 2017?

Last Thursday night was the first grade play at Macy's school, A-Z Does It.
It's a play about the alphabet, and Macy was Letter O.
She had a couple of speaking lines and a little solo.
I may be biased, but I think she was pretty awesome.


Here's her solo:


Monday, May 5, 2008

A Shout Out To My Peeps

I was tagged by Brenda and Nicole. I have to explain that I don't have a bloggers list visible on my blog so as to avoid offending anyone whose blog I don't read! So the answers below are taken off of my Google Reader list, which is done in alphabetical order.


Here are the rules:


1. Answer questions from your blog list of friends and family.

2. If you don’t have 18 names on your list, just pick one for the last question.

3. Tag 3 other people.



When did you meet the 1st person on your list?

I honestly can't remember when I met Amy. It's funny, because I've known her forever, as far back as high school, maybe earlier. She graduated two years before me and was friends with my cousin. I also knew her just from being in the same stake growing up. After she graduated, I never saw her again until a few months ago she subbed at Bunco at my house and we "officially" met. It was kind of weird. Especially since she had been stalking my blog for months which she announced that night. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. We hang out all the time now and I love her to death.



What do you like about the 3rd person on your list?

I like that Brenda always tags me for these things, because I love doing them a little too much. I like that Brenda has always been so nice to me and fun to talk to, and I think she's go-geous. I like that she's an amazing scrapbooker and a fun blogger and although she's often quiet in the midst of noisy, talkative women, she'll often jump in and add something funny. Brenda is always someone I wish I could get to know better.



What do you like best about the 5th and 6th people on your list?

#5 is Debie. What I like best about Debie is that I don't know a single person who doesn't LOVE Debie, because she just has that personality that you can't help but love. She has that extremely rare quality of being real but sweet. How does she do that?!

#6 is Heather. What I like best about Heather is that she always makes you feel like you're one of her best friends. It doesn't matter how long it's been since she and I have talked last or seen each other, when I'm around her she makes me feel like a million bucks. When I first moved here, I didn't really know who she was but every time I walked by her she'd say, "Hi, Alicia!" And always used my name which made me feel so good, that she cared enough to remember my name. Thanks for that, Heather.



How long have you known the 9th person on your list?

I've known Kim for four years but it feels like a lifetime. I met her just before I moved here and instantly liked her. She was so friendly and easy to talk to and showed so much interest in our house we were building and the fact we'd be moving into her ward. Our friendship just grew and grew after we finally moved in and now we are closer than ever. I always know I can count on Kim for a spur-of-the-moment girls' night out or movie buddy, which, to me, is about the most important thing to look for in a friend. :)


What impresses you about the 11th and 12th people on your list?

#11- What impresses me the most about Kristi is that she does what I could never do (raising four kids under the age of seven) and does it seemingly without difficulty! I never hear her whine and complain about it, or break down, or scream at her kids. I think she was one of those people built to be a mom.

#12- What impresses me the most about Lindsay is that she truly strives to be the best mother and homemaker. There's always a goal Lindsay is working towards, whether it's preparedness and food storage, cooking dinner for her family every night, or bettering herself spiritually, Lindsay is always a huge example to me.


What is a memory of the 16th?

One of my favorite memories of Marilyn is when she, Danyelle and I drove to Yakima to visit another cousin. I sat in the back (what's up with that?) and she and Danyelle were in the front and we just talked and laughed and they tried, really hard, to get me to fall in love with Michael Buble. (It didn't work.) But I still had a blast.


Something nice about the 18th?

Okay, well, I'm sure you all needed a good laugh, so here it is: I'm number 18 on my Google Reader. Yes, you read that right. I put myself on my Google Reader for 2 reasons: One, to see how many people subscribe to my blog, and two, because then it's just one stop to both check my blog and read everyone else's. See, you laughed but now you're totally going to go put yourself on your Google Reader. (If you haven't already.) So, something nice about me is that you can call me at like, 11:00 at night and I won't care because I'll be up. For another hour. And my husband won't get annoyed, because he's up too. Probably later than me.


I am tagging Kim, Shayla and Noelle

Saturday, May 3, 2008

THIS WEEK IN HOLLYWOOD

Mariah Carey Weds Nick Cannon

For a look at Mariah's wedding dress, click here.




Countdown Til Jessica Alba's Baby Arrives


(A personal countdown for me, because frankly, I'm sick to death
of hearing about it.)




John Mayer's New Do


He announced on his blog that his new personal goal was to bring back
the 80's feathered hair do. “I want everyone who reads PEOPLE magazine to know how important this haircut is,” Mayer said. "It’s important because it draws people together. Feel it. Run your fingers through my hair, and tell me what it feels like. It feels like silk.”
Jen....seriously?



Pete Wentz


Aw, look at that. He's showing the world just how ready he is for the
responsibility of marriage and fatherhood.




Miley's Photo Scandal


Madonna defended Miley's controversial Vanity Fair photos, saying,
"Leave her alone. She's gonna be 16 soon and then 17 and then 18,
and then she might show her knees and then what's gonna happen?"


Friday, May 2, 2008

Split Personalities

I saw this done on Lindsay's blog and laughed so hard I just had to do it.

1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)

Sabrina Safari


2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Birthday Cake Fudge Stripe

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
A-Lep


4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

Brown Whale

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Kim Kirkland


6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Lepal

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
The Red Raspberry Limeade


8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Eugene Eldon


9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)

Lavender-Vanilla Chocolate

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )
Elizabeth Eugene

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Petrask Pittsburgh

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Christmas Gerber-Daisy

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Pineapple Jeansie

14. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Cereal Cherry


15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, weather element+ Tour")

The Movie Watching Tsunami Tour

Thursday, May 1, 2008

So Long Brooke...


Well, she's gone, and even though I have been less than impressed with her as of late, I was still sad to see her go. Maybe it was her emotional goodbye, I don't know. It was sad. Even I was starting to get really tired of the sweet, innocent, vulnerable "I'm just human" personality. That wounded puppy look she always gave whenever she was being judged or interviewed...I was fully expecting her to be voted off last night. But I was surprised how much I actually cared when it was her name read and she fell apart. But I'm over it.

The odd thing is, as much as I've been into this season, I'm just lukewarm about it now. Not because Brooke's gone, but because I think I just like the contestants more as a whole. There's not any one person I absolutely love that I'm rooting to win. I started noticing it once Carly left. She wasn't my favorite (she was Bill's) but once she was gone, it was like the show become less interesting. And now with Brooke gone, the remaining contestants seem all the more boring. Syesha, Jason, Archuletta....they all bore me. So I guess I'm rooting for David Cook. I really think he should win, but it's not like waiting to see if Kelly Clarkson was going to win.

On a related note, what is Paula on? We just watched both shows last night, so I just witnessed her bizarre mix-up about the songs. She told Entertainment Tonight she got confused by having to write down notes, which they've never done before, and that her comments on Jason's non-existent second song were actually notes she had written about David Cook's performance (that they left her feeling empty). Trying to rescue her, Simon asked, "Paula, who was your favorite?" to which she responded: Cook. Apparently she loves it when performances leave her feeling empty. And did you all catch her call Syesha "Brooke"? I hope they start doing random drug tests at A.I.

And one last thing I have to vent about: what is with the waving arms? Every show, every song, Bill and I just moan and cringe at those cheesy arms waving back and forth, not even to the beat or in sync with each other. If the song is fast? Doesn't slow them down, they just wave faster, looking absolutely ridiculous. It couldn't be more annoying unless they put their arms around each other and starting swaying. Actually, that might be better then the arm waving. Every time they show it I want to bust out with a rendition of "We Are the World."

So there's this girl's opinion of American Idol to date. Will I be tuning in next week to watch the chaos and see which average contestant will be going home next? You betcha.