Technical Alterations

Movie Madness Monday is moving to a new home...Feature Film Friday. We feel this will boost our ratings and appeal more to our key demographic. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience and don't forget to tune in before your hot date to Target.

Happy Feet

Like Kim, I never thought I'd ever in a million years put a picture of my feet

out into cyber space for all to see. But I was just admiring my toes for

probably the thousandth time since my birthday pedicure and realized

how happy they make me. I love pretty toes!!! And I am learning how

much I love pedicures. Besides the obvious reason of how much fun they

are to get, I love it because even after you're done you have pretty toes

for a long time, because they seem to last forever. It doesn't matter what

mood I'm in, all I have to do is look down at my feet and I get happy.

Who says you can't buy happiness? I did for $25!

(p.s. My husband asked me if they gave me a discount for my "nub", i.e. pinky toe.)

Three Days of Celebration For Moi!

Ugh. What's more depressing than the day after your birthday? For me, not much. But to cheer myself up I'll relive the last three days. (It's long, but I have so much to tell about!)

My Mother's Day was awesome. Macy is at the age where she understands what it's about, and was so unbelievably excited. I seriously think she was more excited about this than her own birthday. Friday she brought home the present she had made for me at school, which was in a really pretty envelope. She put it on my nightstand and instructed me not to open it until Sunday, and then proceeded to ask me every five minutes how excited I was to open it. She said, "It's a secret, I can't tell you what it is, but it has my picture on it. And seeds." So much for the secret.

She also came up with the idea on her own to make me pancakes for breakfast. She talked to Bill in secret and told him her plan, saying she would come wake him up and let me sleep in and he would help her make them and then she would wake me up. She said a hundred times "You can't wake up til I wake you up." Not a problem. It was the sweetest thing. I can't believe my little girl is old enough to be planning this stuff! She said, "I'm not going to tell you what I'm making you for breakfast, and don't try to figure it out, but it starts with P-A and that's all I'm saying." What could it possibly be?

So I was woken up to a huge beautiful breakfast of pancakes with strawberries and whipping cream (which Payson kept referring to as "women cream") just like I always get at IHOP, and sausage. So awesome. Then I opened Macy's present. She could barely contain herself. I'm still not really sure what it's supposed to be, but it was sweet nonetheless. Then I opened my gift from Bill--Music and Lyrics, but you already know that.

Unfortunately, because I am a huge procrastinator I had to spend the rest of the morning preparing my music for primary, and at church we had the usual Mother's Day songs by the primary at the end of Sacrament Meeting. I was so nervous, I HATE going up in front of everyone, just me and all the kids, and I'm always so nervous they'll look like they don't know the words and everyone will be thinking what a crappy primary chorister I am. But it went well and I was sooooo glad when it was over. After church we went to my parents for our usual family dinner so I got a rockin' mom-cooked dinner and my very favorite rubarb crisp. Danyelle gave us all little bags of chocolates and my mom gave us all jewelry cleaners, since we are always using hers. It was so cool. And my mom seemed to enjoy my gift to her. It may seem lame, but it's something I do for her on a regular basis and she likes it. Because she gets so many handmade cards from us, she can't bear to throw them away but can't really store a million cards, so I cut off the sentiments (she keeps those) and back the card front with new cardstock so she can re-send the cards, since she doesn't make cards. I was pretty proud of the idea, it's very economical, I think. Plus, our hard work and supplies get more use!

So, my Mother's Day was awesome. Then, birthday. It began Monday evening when my friends totally surprised me on my doorstep to kidnap me and take me out. My gift from them was three packs of gum :) and a wad of cash in which I was instructed to spend right then and there. We pulled up in front of Craft Warehouse and went inside for a scrapbook shopping spree! It was so awesome, and such a clever, fun idea. I had a blast, although I have to admit it was a little intimidating going shopping with six people standing there watching and waiting. But still, a blast.

After that we went to Red Robin and I gorged myself on melted mozarella with a side of parmasian chicken and pasta. (Holy crap, I was in cheese heaven.) Those of us who could stayed and gabbed until the waiters made it clear we had overstayed our welcome (their peeking around the corner every five minutes was not too subtle.) Then they took me home. It was so awesome. That night as I went to bed I had to keep reminding myself my birthday was still to come, it felt like it had already happened!

The next morning I got to sleep in because my wonderful hubby took the day off to be with me on my special day! I woke up around 9:30 and excitedly checked the blogs for any birthday posts (thanks Danyelle, and Marilyn!) and then ate leftover pancakes with strawberries and "women" cream. Then I lounged around until I had to get in the shower and get ready for lunch with my mom and sisters at Nothing But Noodles. It was so fun and I was once again in pasta bliss with their Fettucini Alfredo. Theirs is to die for. While I was there, my family went birthday shopping for me, and when I got back they made me hide in my room til they were done wrapping. I came out and first read the sweetest cards in the world, one from my kids that Macy had colored absolutely adorably and the most perfect card from Bill. Then I opened three well-disguised packages that were all three different shapes and sizes but each one containing one of the remaining three seasons of Friends that I needed to complete my collection! I can't believe I finally have the entire series. Yippee for me! Then Bill pointed out an adorable tin box on the table wrapped in a beautiful green ribbon, a gift that Marilyn had dropped by while I was gone. Of course the card was beautiful, too. Inside were four CD's she had burned for me, labels and all. Michael Buble's new album (my first Michael CD!), the soundtrack to I Am Sam, a mix of some of Marilyn's favorite songs that she thought I might like, and a blank one for me to pick whatever songs I want and she'll make it for me! How awesome is that?! I was so stoked. I thought it was the coolest gift. Thanks Marilyn!!

Then Bill had the idea to go on a bike ride with the kids down by the river, but since both our bikes had flats, we walked while the kids rode. It was perfect, although by that point it was like 100 degrees outside and we were all dying. But still, perfect. Bill and I just walked hand-in-hand watching the kids on their bikes go up a ways, then circle back, then go up a ways again, etc.

When we got back we got ready and took the kids over to Danyelle's who was watching them while we went on my birthday date. We had decided not to go out to eat (I was all restauranted-out, which I never thought possible, and still full from lunch) but to just get dessert since I hadn't had any birthday dessert yet. We pulled up to Maggie Moos and Bill saw that nail place right by it and said, "We have plenty of time, do you want to get your pedicure?" (I had told him on the way there that I had wanted to get a pedicure on my birthday and completely forgot about it, not that I would have had any time for one). I was so pumped. So he went to the mall while I sat and relaxed in the vibrating chair and had my feet pampered, which were unbelievably sore from walking along the river in flimsy flip-flops. Forty mins. later I left with the cutest toes ever and we went to Maggie Moos for our ice cream. Then we went and saw Spider Man 3, which I won't go into right now. Unfortunately, my very favorite thing to do (go to the movies) gives me a headache every time I do it, so I left with a pounding head to go get the kids at Danyelle's where we were told Owen had thrown up while my kids were there. Happy Birthday to me.

Because my head hurt so bad and now I was freaking out a little, I came home and took some painkillers and went to bed. But, the crappy ending didn't take away from my wonderful, perfect birthday and I'm counting down 364 days til my next one!

28

Today is my birthday.

I am 28.

In 2 years I will be 30.

Wow.

Birthdays to me are like sitting in a movie theater, chewing gum and playing Dino Drop while taking a nap.

I love them.

More than Christmas.

I am like a kid still when it comes to my birthday.

I live for the surprises, the special treatment, the presents, the date night.

It is a whole day all about me and I love it.

Happy Birthday to me.

Music and Lyrics

What did I get for Mother's Day?

I was so excited. I saw this in the theater and loved it. Here's why: Hugh Grant. Every time I watch one of his movies I am always guaranteed actual laughs, not just the typical romantic comedy chuckles. I think he is so funny. He can deliver a one-liner like nobody else. And this movie was chalk-full of them. In fact, it seemed like every time he opened his mouth I laughed.

As for Drew Barrymore...well, I'm taking a chance here, as there is a good possibility she has been referred to as "America's Sweetheart", but, I am growing to like her. She used to drive me nuts with her "I'm banking on my cuteness with my crooked smile and valley girl voice" but her last several movies she's seemed to pull in the reigns a bit on the tooth-achey sweetness. Ironically enough, now I find her adorable.

In Music and Lyrics, she plays Sophie Fisher, a care-free hippie sort who has become the temporary plant water-er for Alex Fletcher (Hugh), a has-been 80's pop icon. The laughs start right at the beginning, with the music video to his band's (classically named "Pop"...see their poster on the wall behind Hugh and Drew in above picture) #1 hit. It's so true to the 80's big hair bands it's scary, and seeing Hugh Grant up there shaking his booty in skin-tight leather pants and a giant mullet is enough to get you locked in for the rest of the movie. Fast forward twenty years as Sophie waters Alex's plants for the first time and absentmindedly begins to sing to the song he is trying to write. Impressed with her ad-libbed lyrics and desperate for a hit song, he implores her to finish writing it with him. After much hesitation, she gives in and we all can guess where it goes from there.

The majority of laughs come from watching a man in his 40's who only knows the world of pop as it was in the 80's trying to make a come-back in the two thou's. There are several references to his age, with pulled muscles and an almost menopausal fan base, but the BIGGEST laugh in my opinion is when Alex is making a music video with a Britney-esque pop star. She's bumping and grinding all over with her back-up dancers and he's next to her doing the only dance he knows how, his hilarious "Pop" trademark move. I thought I was going to wet my pants laughing.

So, whether it be for laughs or a good old fashioned love story, I say go rent, no, buy this movie. "Hugh" won't regret it. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Three Cheers For Moms!

I got this e-mail forwarded to me and wanted to share it with you all...

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to

normal after having a baby

That somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother,

"normal" is history

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices

That somebody never came out the back door just in time
to see their child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's window

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct

That somebody never took a 3 year old shopping

Somebody said you can learn all you need to know about
raising a child in parenting books

That somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose

Somebody said the hardest part about being a mother is labor

That somebody never had to put their five year old on the bus for their first day of Kindergarten.

Somebody has no idea that being a mother is both the hardest and the most rewarding thing in the world. Kudos to whoever decided we should get a whole day to honor us!

Happy Mother's Day

Name That Movie

One of my very favorite games to play is "Movie Lines" where someone quotes a line from a movie and you have to guess which movie it's from. Needless to say, I rock at this game. My very favorite quote from a movie is the following:

"It's not brave if you're not scared."

Who knows what movie it's from?