Best and Worst

Time for another segment of Best & Worst. Best: My new phone charging station in the bathroom is finally up and running. It's really just a shelf and a soap dish, but it's perfect, thanks to my Jesse. Jesse woke up pain free this morning for the first time in years definitely a best. Got the white felt yesterday for the keepsake bag for our wedding album that Noelle is going to make for me. yay. I had a lot of fun dancing last night at Yankee Doodles rainbow night. Singing Karaoke (I Got you Babe) with Renee was a blast. The blank Apples to Apples cards arrived in the mail yesterday just in time for our next game night. WoooHooo! Dee shared some sentiments with me yesterday that really touched my heart. So so grateful for the reprieve from the heat wave. WoooHooo cool, cloudy and overcast is my kind of weather. My latest photo book has shipped and will arrive just in time for weekend sharing. Erika finally becoming my Frontierville neighbor even though she still thinks the game is stupid...sighs....so so excited. Our internet is back on track, we just need a booster now for the signal to our room. Lots of best this week. Worst: I ache from dancing last night at Yankee Doodles rainbow night. LOL So grateful for Advil. The karaoke ended before it was my turn to sing solo...sighs. Our shower still isn't fixed. It either burns us or freezes us, neither of which is pleasant, but now that Jesse is feeling better I am sure that will soon be rectified. Great to have a plumber in the house. Can't wait! Funniest: Noelle tricking me and Renee into singing (I Got You Babe) by telling each of us the other had agreed to, when in fact we hadn't said anything of the sort. She's such a little shit stirrer. LOL The look on Jesse's face when we were discussing them pulling the stint out of his winky. Priceless. What I learned: that a (redheaded slut) is a drink akin to cough syrup...lol that Julie Jones sings. That Renee can bust a move... that Vikki dances, and she is so so funny, someone should totally follow her around with a camera they would be rich! That groups of friends as depicted on the L Word can really exist, and that's pretty awesome. That Dee and I share a similar sense of logic and predilections.

Shutter Island movie review

Leo delivers like always, in this crafty psychological thriller that keeps you guessing till the very end. His portrayal of a man attempting to hold on to his sanity in the face of unspeakable horrors is both convincing and emotionally gripping. I think this movie shows us the lengths our minds will go to in order to protect us, even from ourselves. Definitely not a date movie. I am continually confounded that an actor this talented with so many amazing portrayals has failed to be recognized for his contributions to the industry. Absolutely one of those things that make you hmmmm? The thing that stops this from being a five, for me at least, is that it's a little hard to follow. This may not be fair of me, but I like a good guys win ending. Of course we all know life isn't always like that, but at the movies for my entertainment bucks all $20.00 of them as of late, I like the good guys to win. This movie leaves you feeling a bit helpless and knowing that you can't always know who or what the bad guys are, let alone slay them. So... on the Heart Chart Shutter Island gets 4 out of 5 hearts... ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Best and Worst

It's time for the weekly Best and Worst segment... Best: I took an online photography webinar this morning. Loved it. Lots of helpful tips. Our eldest son Jesse's pain seems to have subsided since having his kidney stones removed. Yay. Got to see my best friend for a bit this week. Yay, wish it could be more. Had a hilarious time playing Apples to Apples with our good friends Dee and Erika saturday night followed by a very yummy breakfast on Sunday morning. Got my eye brows waxed this a.m. and they look marvelous! winks. Lots of best this week. smiles. Worst: We had some light rain that ruined my yearly car wash... sighs. It's been very hot this week. Found out they are discontinuing my shade of hair color in favor of an un-natural looking replacement color. Euwww!!! Our internet connection is sketchy at best, and the modem is in danger of being dragged to the desert and having to interact with a sledge hammer! Repair is scheduled, so maybe the modem will just get replaced? What I learned: I learned the thirds rule of photography, and not to be afraid to get right in there to get the shot. smiles. That if you have a Hawaii drivers license you can get a third off your fancy hotel stays in Hawaii. That in the realm of special needs children the word average is not pc. That Sharky's has a club card that can get you free food after so many visits. That the size of your picture file determines how much you can manipulate it online. Learned a lot this week. smiles. Funniest: That my youngest son zoned in on and obsconded with my rainbow hat. I knew it was only a matter of time. LOL. Finally cut my vampire toenails. I was much too fascinated with the fact that they could be so long and with my fancy rainbow pedicure they looked almost like fingernails. LOL

Beloved Dreamy Mailbox

Okay so this isn't brand new this week, but since we are getting ready to decorate my perfect pearly white pedestal mailbox it is everpresent on my mind. smiles. I absolutely love it. I will post another pic after it is decorated. I love it so much that I wrote a poem about it and the craftsman who built it.

Special Delivery

Atop a pedestal perfect all pearly and white

Sits beloved dreamy mailbox much to my delight

My eldest son crafted it especially for me

So excited was I jumping up and down with glee

Now we shall paint it and apply elaborate trim

Swelling with pride at the creativity in him

He works with his hands constructing the gifts of his heart

His labor resulting in what many would call art.

7/15/2010

(For Jesse)

Best and Worst

Best: Yesterday I acquired the materials for my new secret mission...wooohahahaha very excited. Our eldest son is finally having his kidney stones removed. Yay. Also had a very fun adventure with the Campos this last weekend to Castle Park mini golf. Good friends, good times, it doesnt get any better than that. smiles. Lots of best this week.

Worst: Having to make a bathroom sign reminding our younger sons not to be pigs in the bathroom. An uneasyness looming in the air on the home front that I just can't put my finger on.

Funniest: Getting Erika to take a photo with me in that rainbow hat. roflmao Also Erika & Dee's faces when they witnessed my parking mojo in action. winks.

What I learned: That Noelle can be mockful, and Dee can be mockfuler. (new words) lol That shoes hanging from above are a signal to the participants of a drug deal that they are indeed in the right place to make their illegal transaction. wow. Who knew? That when a dog drags its ass across the carpet it needs to have its anal glands squeezed. EUWWWWWWW!!!!

Tombstone movie review

This movie rocks. The best western I have ever seen. It mixes humor, drama, suspense, and a little bit of mystery while keeping you riveted in it's moments. The writers did a fantastic job of giving the actors so many great and memorable lines. Val Kilmer as Doc Halliday was priceless, and Kurt Russel was the perfect choice to play Wyatt Earp. The whole cast was amazing. I have long been impressed by Sam Elliott. He always makes a good hero. In Tombstone we get to see a serious side of him in his character Virgil Earp. Bill Paxton did a great job as the wide-eyed innocent younger brother trying to live up to his older brother's reputations. Powers Boothe is a charismatic and infectious Curly Bill. He makes his character believable and reminds us that the west was indeed wild and dangerous. The make up and cinematrogophy transports and seduces you. I love a (the good guys win happy ending) and Tombstone delivers. So on the Heart Chart... Tombstone gets a whopping 5 out of 5 hearts. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Toy Story 3 movie review

This movie was fun for the whole family. Disney/Pixar does well with mixing adult humor and childrens fun. As a sequal it reacquaints us with characters we love and picks up right where Toy Story 2 left off with a little elapsed time. Barbie and Ken are added to the ensemble and fit right in. I liked the metaphor for life here. It bothers me a little that we can assign real emotions to inanimate objects. I guess we have to give our children enough credit to know it's all make believe. So on the Heart Chart... Toy Story 3 gets 3 out of 5 Hearts.

♥ ♥ ♥

Best and Worst

Well it's that time again... time for another segment of best and worst. Best: Seeing Twilight Eclipse and having a date day with my sweet Cheri, which included premiere movie seating and lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. (Awesome day) Also, a very fun 4th of July BBQ at the Campo's. (Good times) Worst: My see-food diet is coming to an end... sighs... will have to buckle down and get serious. What I learned: I learned that Hawaii has a serious roach problem, and that only a percentage of people who touch newspaper get ink on their hands. (of course I am in the percentage who gets ink on their hands...sighs.. good thing I don't read the paper. LOL Funniest: When Noelle & I were at Smart N Final and our eldest son was in the line next to us... Noelle walked up to him and said "Hey you are pretty cute... would you like to come home with us?" Of course he said yes, much to the horror of all the women in line behind him...ROFLMAO... too much fun. Okay... so that's my best and worst...hopefully you find it entertaining and will be moved to share yours?

Twilight Saga Eclipse movie review

Love, love, love this installment in the saga. The fight scenes leave you on the edge of your seat and the dialog between Bella, Edward, and Jacob is palpable and takes you into their moments. The kiss between Bella and Jacob was heart tugging. Also it was fun to see the wolf pack interact. I couldn't wait for this to come out and I wasn't disappointed at all. Love the set of the Cullen's house. Like the other movies this piece was visually stunning. Definitely a series to purchase on Blu-ray, which I will. (smiles) The third book really cuts to the heart of the matter, and more than the other films leaves you aching for the next installment. Can't wait..... sighs.... so on the Heart Chart...Eclipse scores a 4 out of 5 hearts. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Gothika movie review

I really feel this movie didn't get the accolades it deserved. I think it is one of the best psychological thrillers we've seen in while. Possibly the reason that it wasn't as successful as it could have been is because it was difficult to follow for some. In the end it forced it's viewers to confront a pretty horrific reality, that most would like to believe doesn't exist. There are sick twisted people that walk among us, and sometimes they hold positions of power and authority. Scary. The acting was superb. It was frightening and suspensful and the ending was indeed climactic. Robert Downey Jr. is always a treat, and Halle Berry's portrayal was most convincing. So on the Heart Chart... I give Gothika 5 hearts.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Twilight Saga New Moon movie review

The best thing about Twilight New Moon is the wolves. smiles. The CG of the wolves was amazing. Producers of New Moon visited Wolf Mountain Sanctuary to get their models for the wolves that they would create on screen. We do get to see a buffed out Taylor Lautner which was pretty exciting too. Out of the 4 books New Moon was the slowest and most uneventful which makes it more difficult to make into a movie in my opinion. I think the producers did a good job with the storyline they had to work with. The second book adds some new characters and cast members including Dakota Fanning who I thought was perfectly cast. We meet the Volturi in this installment and I feel the make-up artists did a wonderful job making them as creepy as the book intended. It is hard to ignore the not so subtle references between The Volturi, and Volturi City, and the The Catholic Church, and Vatican City. Even though I don't feel New Moon was as good as Twilight, being a fan, it was still worth it and so on the Heart Chart... I give it a 3 out of 5 hearts. ♥ ♥ ♥

Twilight movie review

This movie was visually stunning. The cinematography really set the stage for a tale mystical, eerie and magical. I have read the series and I own the movies. As a movie on its own without having read the books, I don't think it would have all the success that it has garnered, but it was definitely entertaining and intriquing. I have long loved vampire movies and though Twilight is not (The Lost Boys) or (Interview With A Vampire) status in terms of storyline and acting, it is still worth viewing. The best thing about the series, I think, is that it plants the seed that ordinary people can be extraordinary. I like that the Cullens hunt animals and not people, that they have a conscience despite who and what they are. Of course, I too like the romantic aspects. Vampires have long been romanticised and Twilight gives us some pretty hip and hot vampires. So on Heart Chart Twilight gets 4 out of 5 hearts.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The Karate Kid movie review

As far as remakes go I think this movie delivers. Jackie Chan does a good job of showing us his serious side, and Jadan Smith gives a standout performance filled with personality. You can definitely tell that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The film had a lot of nice visuals and I loved the take on the mind play versus the swan kick from the first movie. Overall well acted, and leaves the movie-goer with a feel good feeling at the end. On the Heart Chart this movie gets 4 out of 5 Hearts.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Julie & Julia movie review

We recently watched the movie Julie & Julia. I thought the movie was very cute. Meryl Streep did a fabulous job as always. There was lots of humor and I thought it was a nice look at Julia Childs. Today we watch Iron Chef America, and The Ace of Cakes. It was cool to see the beginning of cooking shows. It was hard not to be endeared by Amy Adams eventhough her character's obsession with Julia Childs seemed a little crazy to me. Over all though the best thing about this movie for me was that it gave me the idea to start this blog. So on the Heart Chart I will give it three out of five hearts. ♥ ♥ ♥

Wolf Mountain Sanctuary II

Here are the brochures for Wolf Mountain Sanctuary. Noelle and Wacipi above. I love this photo and so does she. I have decided to keep it on my blog. We learned the wolves don't like to be pet or patted, they like to be scratched. What an awesome adventure this was. Their email is www.WolfMountain.com and their phone number is (760) 248-7818.

Wolf Mountain Sanctuary

We recently took a drive out to Wolf Mountain Sanctuary. If you haven't been to see the wolves it is something worth doing. My personal favorite was Istas (pronounced Ish-ta). His name means medicine eyes, and touching and interacting with this wolf was amazing. I am including photos of our trip for you to enjoy. There were many special wolves at the sanctuary and they exist on donations. Above are Noelle and I with Istas. He weighs close to 200 pounds. Such a beautiful animal. These wolves were used to make the CG versions that took the silver screen in The Twilight Saga.

A Welcome Note & the 1st Best & Worst

Welcome friends. Where to start...? I am new to this whole blogging thing, but it sure looks fun. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. Something I plan to do weekly in my blog is called Best & Worst. I will post the best thing, and the worst thing, and the funniest thing, and the thing that I have learned for the week. This started as a family tradition at holiday dinners. We have carried it over to whenever our family gets the chance to sit down together at the same time to eat. (rare) LOL. I hope you will enjoy it and I encourage your participation. (smiles) So here goes... The Best thing that has happened to me this week is: I finally got my car washed. It's been over a year. LOL The Worst thing that has happened to me this week is: I was nearly broadsided by an elderly man intent on occupying my lane. Noelle says I should have let him hit me... it would have been his fault. Talk about getting one's blood pumping. sighs... The Funniest thing that has happened to me this week is: Taking the trash out in front of the house (with neighbors watching) attempting to do some last minute sorting of recycle-ables, pulling out a large wine bottle with a big maxi-pad stuck to the side of it. Talk about embarrasing...whew... and of course it wouldn't come off easily....omg...lol The Thing I have learned this week is: that only a certain percentage of people get freezer head when eating things that are too cold. LOL