Valentine's Day

Starring: everyone that is anyone

I was hoping for an American Love Actually. I thought that with Garry Marshall directing and a star-studded cast, it could happen. Not so much.
I always love movies that have several small plot lines that all mix together and there were some great moments and a few laughs but overall, I was disappointed. There was never much of a climax; all the stories just resolved themselves. The best part was the soundtrack, I did love the music throughout the movie.
Favorite characters: Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Jen Garner, Emma Roberts, and the adorable kid who played Edison.
Least favorites: Patrick Dempsey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Biel. They did a fine job, I just didn't like their roles.
If you still want to see it just because I would wait for the DVD release.
Enjoy your weekend!

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

This book was unexpected. I'd never heard of it or the author. I was at the library picking out books for Emery and this one caught my eye. It reminds me of the honing instinct of books I quoted on the Guernsey post.

In The Wednesday Wars we meet Holling Hoodhood; a funny boy who narrates his life during his seventh grade year. He's growing up near New York City during the Vietnam crisis. He has an older sister who frustrates his father because of her "flowerchild" mentality. All his father is concerned about is becoming the Chamber of Commerce Businessman for two years running. While reading the passages including Holling's father, I pictured a mix between the fathers from A Christmas Story and The Wonder Years. Holling's mother was not heard from much except to say she did all the "dutiful" jobs of a wife and secretly smoked when she thought the kids didn't know.

On Wednesdays when the Jewish students went to Hebrew school and the Catholic students went to Catechism, Holling, a Presbyterian, stayed at school with the dreaded Mrs. Baker. He was convinced she hated him but the reader quickly realizes that was only because she was a good teacher. She made Holling do things he didn't want to do like read Shakespeare. Each month of the school year she made him read one of Shakespeare's plays and then they would discuss it and he take tests and write reports.

Through Hollings eye's we get to read stories and events that vary between hilarity, horror, poignancy, and triumph. Whether or not books really have a honing device, I'm glad this one found me. Do yourself a favor and check it out!

Stay tuned next week for a tribute to Mo Willems as we ring in a new month!

Inventive

I've been following a certain blog recently and I had to share one of her recent posts. She's a stay-at-home mom like me except she's way more creative and talented than I am. Luckily, I can glean ideas from her and then share them with you! Thank you to my sisters-in-law for turning me onto this site! I truly appreciate this woman's ideas and creativity. She has great style and is willing to share tips on how to live stylishly on a modest budget.I cannot wait to try this out with Emery's clothes! Here's a teaser:

You can switch over to Disney's site now! Don't forget to check back in for part two!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

I first saw this book listed on many "must reads" from members of my online book club. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I am so glad I did! I love this book! I also love lists so let me make a list of my favorite things about this book:
1. All the literary references from Oscar Wilde to Jane Austen.
2. The format. The entire book is made of letters sent between the herione, Juliet to her best friend, her publisher and good friend, her suitor, and from a man who begins as a stranger but introduces her to a makeshift 'literary society' who ultimately become her best friends. It's fun to read each character's perspective and it makes the reading go by quickly.
3. The history. The book takes place in England and Guernsey in 1946, directly after WWII and Nazi Occupation.
4. The quick wit. This book is full of it and I love it!
5. The writing of this book made me feel like I truly knew these characters. I cared about them and feel like when I reread this book I'll be catching up with old friends.
6. I like that the author, Mary Ann Shaffer is a librarian and had never written a book before. That's great! I would love to do that someday. Not so I can get fame but so I can create a story and characters that people want to remember and know.

Here are some of my favorite lines from the book:

• That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you onto another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.
• Perhaps there is some secret sort of honing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.
• We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.
• He thinks that if one cares deeply about someone or something new, one throws a kind of energy out into the world, and "fruitfulness" is drawn in.

Where the Wild Things Are

I know a full-length movie just came out about this book but we haven't seen it yet. I read a lot of books growing up and I don't remember having a love for that one. I do remember watching the video at the library and I think the 'wild things' scared me a bit. We've been renting the Scholastic Collection movies from the library so I thought I'd give this one another chance. I was worried that it might scare Emery but as it turns out, she's braver than I was. Plus, this video has other Maurice Sendak books put to animation and Em loves it! Her favorite is "In the Night Kitchen" and I enjoy watching that but I will warn you there is a little nudity; obviously not profane but thought I'd let you know. My favorite part of this particular video is the medley of Sendak's books set to music. There's Pierre, One Was Johnny, and my favorite, Chicken Soup with Rice.

I can't recommend these videos more highly; not just this one but each in the collection. Go check them out!

Baby Names

I've got babies on the brain. In that case, I'm going to make a short list (I love a good list) of the names swimming around my head as of right now. If any of my subsequent babies come out not having any of these names, remember I change my mind. A lot.
Boys
Finley
Archer
Rowan
Myles
Asher
Cole
Carter
Girls
Cara
Amelia
Nora
Charlotte
Everly
Avery
Tess

Two of my favorite baby names sites are Nymbler and What a Lovely Name.
Have fun and enjoy your weekend!

Paper Heart

Starring Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, and Jake Johnson

Let me explain why I wanted to watch this movie. I love Michael Cera. I have to say that I'm a little bit disappointed in the movies he decides to be in (Year One and Youth in Revolt for example) but I still enjoy watching him. Yes, I know he's pretty type-casted now as the soft-spoken loser right now but give him a chance, I think he could be great. I love him as George Micheal in the cancelled series Arrested Development--oh does that show make me happy.

Enough of Mr. Cera though. On to Paper Heart.

It was confusing to me but I think I now have a handle on it. At first I thought it was going to be a love story between the main characters and in a way, it is. It's also a documentary about love in general though. Charlyne Yi doesn't believe in the Hollywood-made romances portrayed in movies so she's not sure she is capable of romance or love. She goes on a quest for the definition of love. She interviews bikers, a divorce lawyer and her husband a family courts judge, high school sweethearts, young couples as well as middle-aged and older. She also goes to Vegas and interviews a few 'little white chapel' officiates (including Elvis).Then she meets Michael Cera and by the end she still doesn't know exactly what love is but she wants to risk the hurt in order to find out.

A few scenes were really great and fun. I have to insert here that Jake Johnson who plays Charlyne's friend Nick (also the director of the documentary) is great to watch. I don't think I've seen him in anything else but there's something entertaining about watching him too; he was very likeable. I have to also say, a few of the scenes are painfully awkward. My favorite parts were the real stories told by interviewed couples and I liked the silly ending.

Overall I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars if I had to rate it. I'd like to give it more but the awkward scenes were too squirmy to ignore.