Friday, April 30, 2010

1- Nolan's obsession with Word World continues.  
His newest thing. . .  trying to make more of things by adding an "S".  Observe:

Cows
 Ducks

2-  It's snowing in UT today. . .  for the second day in a row.

I don't think I need to clarify my feelings on this subject.

Also, I'm pretty sure the smoothie garden is going to need a restart. . .  I can't imagine that getting snowed on several times is going to be good for the berry plants.

3- Our summer just got pretty interesting. . .  Ben was cast in 110 In The Shade at the Hale Center Theater in Orem.  This is pretty huge for him for several reasons. . .  
A) his theater bug bites him pretty hard about once a year, and it's
TIME for him to do a show.  
B) A lot of very cool people and long time friends are in this cast.  
& C) Audra freaking McDonald is going to be in the show for the first 2 weeks.

How could he possibly pass up an opportunity like that?!

4- Tomorrow Nolan will officially be 2.5.  
Should there be some sort of celebration?  
I feel a little lame that I hadn't even considered it until this moment. . .

Monday, April 26, 2010

Movie Review Catch Up

It has been forever and a day since I did any movie reviews, so I am going to remedy that.  I have such a list growing in my phone that if I don't do it now, I'm going to forget how I felt about any of these films.  So here you go:

I was mildly interested in seeing this movie just for Jamie Foxx.  I really enjoy watching him do character roles, and this was no exception.  The script is not great. . .  but the story is definitely compelling and the acting is great all the way around.  I wouldn't say RUN to your Netflix queue, but it's definitely worth it if you need stuff to add to your list.  Especially if you enjoy either of the lead actors.


I kind of loved this movie.  I know it's trendy to say how great it is.  I'm sure it makes me a wannabe hipster. . .  but seriously. . .  this movie is GOOD.  It's gut wrenching and exhausting in the sense that we have ALL been in both of the main character's shoes.  It made me NOT miss dating, to say the least.  But in a quiet and introspective way.  Not in the usual flashy and obnoxious sort of way that movies usually do.  Watch this.  Seriously.  It's good.

(but be warned, it doesn't have a chick movie happy ending.  I'm not ruining anything.  They tell you that at the very beginning)

 I honestly don't know how I felt about this.  I can't say I really loved any of the "characters".  I can't say I believe for one second that this is an ACTUAL documentary.  But it's sweet and it's cute and it definitely embraces the "real person" thing in a big fat way.  And there are some really charming little stop motion animation sequences.


This movie is stupid.  Pretty much all around stupid.  It IS interesting to watch Jane Lynch play the straight character surrounded by a bunch of crazies. . .  but that's really all it has going for it.  Skip it.  I should have.  REALLY.


 I can't say I totally ENJOYED this movie.  I watched it on a night when I really just wanted to relax. . .  and it was SO the wrong choice for that.  It captures intensity and anticipation in a way that only horror films have before for me. . .  but without the same darkness and fear.  It's incredibly well made.  More impressive because the director was a woman. . .  and I was completely OK with it winning best picture this year.  It's not a big shoot 'em up movie, though there is some of that. . .  but it definitely gives you a new perspective.  THe best part. . .  it doesn't take sides.  No, SERIOUSLY, it doesn't.  I was amazed.  It tells the story without a slant, from several different perspectives. . .  and that is a FEAT.


ARGH!  What IS IT with big name stars doing TERRIBLE movies.  This won't be the only time I say this in this post, but the leads were good, and had good chemistry. . .  but the script was AWFUL.  There were these random silly stupid side characters that I HATED. . .  Yeah.  Just don't waste the time.  Even if you like Kirsten or Josh. 
There's too much to get past.



So. . .  I love watch a good Clive film.  And this one is good, though sad.   It's set in Australia and it's very quiet and interesting and it feels a little bit like real life. . .  totally worth watching. 


 NO NO NO NO NO!  With a cast like this, you'll understand my disappointment in this movie very well when I say:  Ashton Kutcher was by FAR the best part of this movie.  Seriously.  The outtakes during the credits were better than the movie.  The silly little moments where there were tongue in cheek references to other Gary Marshall movies, while TOTALLY out of place, were a little funny.  But the movie as a whole?  HORRIBLE.  I want my 2 hours back.  Seriously.

If you can't believe that Patrick Dempsey is a doctor, something is wrong.

 GORGEOUS.  A lot of people whined about the plot of the movie and how it wasn't true to the books.  And I'm sure, if I had read the books as a kid, I'd have the same issue.  But I didn't.  So I didn't care.  It was beautiful, and captivating, and I really enjoyed the Tim Burtonness of it.  But if you care about the story, I can't be blamed if you disagree.



Again I say, good leads, terrible script. . . Bad movie.  I wanted to like it.  But I couldn't.
HOW HARD IS IT TO WRITE A GOOD SCRIPT?!  & why waste the money to produce the bad ones?  I'm just saying.

 Genius.  And by far my favorite Quentin Tarantino move ever.  It's got some look away moments, but mostly it's not gory.  And the language is amazingly tame.  I really really liked it.  SO much more than I thought I would.

 I fell asleep for at least 5 minutes in the middle of this movie. . . but that doesn't mean it was bad. . .  It was actually a really interesting concept.  I didn't really CARE that much about any of the characters. . .  and maybe that's because they were really robots half the time.  I'm not sure.  But it's definitely interesting.  And your husband will probably like it.


Oh my goodness, I liked this movie.  I have decided to officially abandon the idea that all digitally animated movies that aren't Pixar are crap.  It's just not true.  First I LOVED Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and then THIS!  It's gorgeous.  The voices are great.  And the story is really compelling.  GO see it.  Or at LEAST add it to your Netflix queue.


Brilliantly written.  Brilliantly acted.  And, much to my surprise, I didn't EXPECT the way it turned out.  Not that I always know how things are going to end.  Hardly.  But I never knew, at any point in this film, where it was going next.  And that was kind of refreshing. 


And finally, the newest in the Masterpiece classics set of Jane Austen films.  I loved it.  LOVED it.  My only gripe, and it was a small one, was that I didn't feel like the age difference between Romola Garai and Johnny Lee Miller was all that obvious.  And it's kind of important.  But really, who cares?  Also, it was 4 hours long, spread over 3 weeks, and Ben watched ALL OF IT with me.  AND he liked it.  So that's saying something.  

Friday, April 16, 2010

Friday Randoms

1-Nolan inherited many of his eating likes and dislikes from his father.  Namely, his complete distaste for condiments of any kind. . .

But from me. . .  from me he got the love of popcorn:


Why wouldn't you want to eat it with a ladle, right?

2- We have a new client.  And I'm not going to say who she is before I ask her, but I have to say this. . .

She gets it.

It is so much fun to work one on one with a photographer that is truly wrapping her brain around what we're trying to do and is jumping in with both feet.  I am finding a ridiculous and slightly giddy joy in organizing and cleaning up the files on her computer. . .  I know.  THat's kind of sick. . .

But here's hoping she's the first of many.

(though, to be fair, Emily gets it.  She just lives too far away to take complete advantage)

3- I have been having a lot of fears creeping in lately about the end of the world. 

I know, I know. . .  I'm being overly dramatic.  I get that.

But all of these earthquakes.  All over the world?  And worse than that, one in my home state yesterday. . .

I have been hearing for 25 years that any time now UT was going to have "the big one".  Knowing the domino effect that's been happening lately, what are the odds that we WON'T?  And frankly, I'm not really ready.


Friday, April 09, 2010

Friday Randoms

1- Our friend Peter has been in town this week, visiting from England.  He was one of Ben's room mates back in the day, and both of us did plays with him many times during his years here.  It had been 5 years since his last visit, since before Ben and I started dating. . . 

Needless to say, things have changed a bit.

Nolan was his biggest fan, waking him up in the morning by saying "Peter?  Wake up?  Soccer?"  Peter was nice enough to teach him a thing or two about kicking the soccer ball while he was here. . .  and now it's all he wants to do.

Nolan loved Peter, but I made him take this picture first thing this morning after telling him Peter had to leave, so he was not thrilled.  As you can see.

2- I have not done well on my sugar consumption this week.  I blame the above mentioned Peter and his tendency to bring me British chocolate when he comes to visit.  It's just not fair.

I'll be back on the wagon soon.  After I eat a little more chocolate.

3- We're considering joining a CSA so that we can have fresh fruit and veggies this summer.  We just don't have a lot of space (or skill or patience, frankly) to grow a lot of the things we love in our shady back yard.  But part of our push for eating well is eating more fresh stuff, so we're thinking this may be the way to go.  But it's pricey up front, I'm not sure we'd USE everything, and I don't know if it actually saves us anything in the long run. . .

Anyone have any experience with these things?  Good idea?  Bad idea?  Too expensive?  Too many weird things we'll never eat?

And if it's a bad idea. . . any UT people know whether there are any good farmer's markets (n UT county) besides the somewhat disappointing one in Provo?

4- I need some new shoes for exercising.  I don't run. . .  it's too hard on my back.  But I like to walk, so I need a good pair of shoes for walking. Anyone have any suggestions?  The pair I have now are just SO tight.  Are they supposed to be tight?  Or have my feet just spread because of that whole pregnancy thing a while back and now tennis shoes will never fit well again?

I don't want to get too excited and assume that Spring is here.  I'm certain it's not. . .  but I do need to stop making excuses and just GET OUT THERE.

5- Is there really a safe date in UT to assume it's done snowing?  Based on this year, I think not. . .

Monday, April 05, 2010

Easter Egg Hunt

As is the yearly tradition, we had an Easter egg hunt at my grandparent's house in Ogden on Saturday.

Nolan was MUCH more on board with what to do with the treats this year. . .  

But what he really wanted to do?


Climb the ladder


And hit the pinata.

Happy Easter!

Friday, April 02, 2010

Bubbles

I should be posting something random today . . .  but instead, I will leave you with a few photos.  Last week, for one day, it was more than 50 degrees.  So we took Nolan outside for some bubble blowing.  He LOVES bubbles.  Especially the big ones daddy can blow for him.

A few of my favorites: