Update/Review of Brave

Well, we made it home and had a lovely evening (excepting a certain puke incident that shall never be spoken of to protect the innocent :p)..... Girls went to Brave, Boys went to the new Spiderman.  Perhaps I can bribe...er, convince Doug to do a review of it some day.  But anyhoo... so, we skipped supper to be able to enjoy our large popcorn and coke, a very rare treat.  With free refills, we were stuffed.  (And, that is all I have to say about that.)  Mariam actually was her best ever in this movie, than any other movie in the theater she's been to...her behavior, her "stillness" LOL...she was really into the movie, thankfully. And it helped that we finally saw and used a booster seat they had for children...she loved that. (And somehow we got our potty time done before the movie started! woot woot!)  She got a little scared in a few parts, but nothing major.  Jillian loved the movie.  And it was pretty good.  I did cry a little teeny tiny bit.  I can't help myself,...I always can personalize it.   I mean, honestly, I wasn't impressed with the movie as much as I'd expected to be.  I don't fully know why, but I will say there were 2 main things I didn't like so much.  The first, I knew was coming: the whole "find your destiny, follow your fate" thing, but mainly in how it must always DEFY our parents or REBEL.  Yeh, I know...old common theme, yada yada....  it wasn't too bad, but if Mariam had been paying too close attention LOL She doesn't need any help rebelling against me, or learning to talk back to me etc :P  Anyway, but the second thing was the story got a little weird and a little witchy/conjuring-uppity (I just love making up words LOL)  I know, I know...a little fantasy never hurt anyone...Tolkien...yada yada.  Again, not too bad and I do love the Celtic culture, the strong women theme, the loving bond promoted........and I did cry thinking of my girls.  Wanting to "be there" for them and really "listen" to them, and let them be themselves.  Aside from that, I think it was well done.  I love 3D, but not sure it was totally necessary in this one.  Jillian says of course it was, but about the only thing in need of it was the growling bear I guess.  The little "minions" in one of the preview thingies actually had the BEST 3D thingie I'd ever seen LOL...blowing the little paper party thingie.  :P  It came right out at us! (Can't wait for the second Despicable Me, btw!!  2013 woohoo!)  So anyhoo, yeh...a good time was had by all, and then after the movie, we went to one of our fav places: the bookstore.  I think I've switched back to liking BAM more than B&N now after so many years....they have a lot more cheap junk available :P  I got a little something for each kid with the B2G1free deal on already marked down books.  My personal fav was the Children's Science Encyclopedia :P  Awesomeness.   So here are a few pics to enjoy (used my cool Instaframe and Instagram apps, like Cari talks about here ), and tomorrow it's swimming!  Last day of vacation, though, wahhhh!  Some "vacation" eh?  More about that in my 7 Quick Takes....

Brave

What Two Wild-Haired Princesses Taught Me About Parenting | The Dsh with Tsh
I am soooo glad I woke up this morning to this in my inbox.  The girls and I are going to see this tonight.  Now I am prepared for the boohooing I am going to do...especially as I think about J sitting next to me,  in her tshirt and jeans :)  ...her hair is no longer tangled, but there are no bows and pearls really.  Favorite color of blue,  loves playing basketball, and the sidewalk chalk and fort in the living room thing:  that's my girl. :)

Firecracker firecracker, boom boom boom!

So Happy 4th to everyone!  We celebrate our freedom in this great nation, as we celebrate it's birthday.    We were blessed with good food and good family time (ribs, watermelon and homemade ice cream were my favs :)  But it seems daily our freedoms are being taken away.  I will save that for another post though.  Just wanted to show you what I look, or at least FEEL like when my children are shooting firecrackers in the driveway with their father :P  LOL  

Basically, I grew up w/ NO FIRECRACKERS and NO EXPERIENCE holding or playing with FIRE! :P  Doug was PLAYING with M80s when he was a little boy, blowing up who knows what.  But, alas, once again, my kids had a grand ol' time, and they came out totally unscathed, and even Mariam was unafraid this year and held sparklers.  I'm glad they have fun...I'm glad Doug knows what he's doing...I just kinda wish I could bury my head in the sand until it's over :D   So, does your family play with fire...er, I mean pop firecrackers (fireworks, whatever you call them, ...)  

P.S.  The subject heading is another one of those things our family does, along w/ the singing...cute little phrases...over and over and over....sometimes because it's stuck in our head, sometimes because it's fun to annoy LOL  It's easy to get Mariam going "Firecracker, firecracker, boom-boom-boom!"  or "Crybaby, crybaby, suck your thumb, wash it down with bubble gum" LOL  Ask Jillian about that and how much she loves to hear Mariam say it 300 times. :) 

I can relate

how the size of your house has nothing to do with the size of your life » A Holy Experience
We've actually had several homes like this in the past lol. And I definitely let these kind of houses, among other things, hold me back from hospitality and friendship.  Will have to post about it another time, though...so tired after trip....

Favorite Things vol. 1

There's probably some better blogger out there w/ a better blog theme than this but same idea.  Anyhoo...first in a series of current favorite things I've experienced this week:

A Few of My Favorite Things...

(not like Oprah's list, fyi)

just 5 (or 6 in this case :p) things that you can think of or that happened THIS WEEK that are favorites...persons, places, things, etc :)

1. So many things about Mariam, but that she still runs to Mommy to comfort her boo-boo's or when she's scared.  She tries to be so independent already...4 going on 15 someone said this week :P  But she still likes to snuggle in bed w/ me, give me big wet kisses, put a band-aid on her boo-boo, etc :)  (she still really needs a nap each afternoon too! lol)


2. Learning to knit with my Sister-in-Law...well one of them...only got to see her briefly one afternoon on our trip, but she ever-so patiently explained knit and pearl stitches to me and I DID IT!  Woohoo.  Best way I learn is to DO.  And I did!  I'm ready to invest in some materials and a learner pattern, and try to start w/ Jillian....will post when I do.  No pics, wish I had thought of it...I did several rows of her new future prayer shawl she is making for herself w/ some pretty pink/white yarn.  I was gifted with one myself, when we lost Noah...and it is also one of my favorite things.....


3.  That prayer shawl was made for me and given to me by ladies we knew from Doug's first parish in El Paso...they made it together, praying for me, knowing I was very sick, had almost died, had lost Noah... means so much to me.  And I gave it to my mom to take in the hospital w/ her during surgery too.  I just got it back from her...she has her own from SIL and has gotten through the worst part of surgery and recovery, so time to give it back :)  


4. My laptop.  It was out of commission, as I waited for my new cord and battery.  I really like it...MUCH better than borrowing Doug's when I can or typing on my phone and using up over half of my 4G's LOL  Anyhoo...got my parts and it's back in business baby!  Woot!  Blog on!


5.  Good music, and Spotify.  I missed using it on my computer...It is just amazing to me that I can think of a tune or be in a certain mood and need a song, and do a little search and bam, there it is.  I think back to my very very very very skimpy record, then tape, then CD music collection....basically had to rely on the radio mix for whatever....so I missed out on a lot...just didn't ever get the chance much to buy or get music...my parents didn't spend much on frivolous things like that, and I didn't ever really have much money of my own...etc...But now....music of any kind is at my fingertips. :)  And I love so many different kinds.  Tonight, I went from hearing a song on tv by Regina Specktor, listening to it and a few of her other tunes, to Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jenson (don't ask lol) ....to Carly Simon (Best of, 1975 my birth year lol)....The Catholic Mass sung in Gregorian Chant :)  LOVE IT!!! :)  What a nifty invention...this whole internet/Facebook/Music and Picture Sharing, and so much more...may it be used more and more for GOOD rather than EVIL. 


and BONUS:
6.  HOME.  Ahhh, being home...especially after a long trip, far away and sleeping on a different bed and other various stressful or inconvenient things.  And when I say "home"...I mean wherever that is for us.  I'm not attached to one certain home/house/shelter.  Just "home" ...where we make our home...where my family and I can go to just "be."  Currently "home" is a rental home we love...but soon that will change.  Nothing big, don't worry, just a helpful change, indefinitely.  But...still, we can makfe a home wherever we are...because we are together, hubster, me and 3 amazing living kiddos.  





More to come, stay tuned.... What are some of  YOUR favorite things?

On the road again...

After killing another van (sigh)...we are now headed home again...in a rental....oh my...the diff a 2012 makes from a 2000 lol. We r soaking in the feel of a NEW car...cuz we know we won't get to experience it again anytime soon lol

What was it I was JUST saying????

Catholic Exchange Virtual 5K | Catholic Exchange

We are in ...we can do this!  Who else is in????  It seemed much scarier to me for some reason to train for a "real" one...commit to pay...etc.....but I feel like this is def something we can commit to.  I hope.  Gonna have to get to that track at the park and show the kids how far 3.1 miles is.....deep breaths...I think I can, I think I can....and lest you be deceived ...I am talking about walking it with my fam...hubs and the kiddos.  Now IF by then some of us feel ready to run it...that will be even better.  But I am not gonna add more pressure to this already public commitmetnt....yet.  :p. That is all.  :)