About Some Movies

Adrian and I have been to a few really interesting movies so far this year so I thought I'd do some reviews. We like to call movie watching our joint hobby and I think we're fairly accomplished at it.:)

The Woman in Black (PG13)
This is the perfect horror movie. It is a period movie. Nice. It is super scary and intense. Yay! Oh man all the wide shots with the woman in black in the background or barely sneaking into the shot. SCARY!  And it stars Daniel Radcliffe. Awesome! I kept wanting to yell out, "Your WAND Harry, use your WAND!". Adrian and I both read the book the movie is based on before we saw it (because if there's a book I try to read it first) so we knew it was a disturbing little tale, but wow the movie was 100 times scarier than the book. There is one 10 minute sequence when I thought I wasn't going to be able to take it any more - it was terrifying and intense - but I love the adrenaline rush of being scared so it was still fun. If you like being scared, go see this movie! There is hardly anytime to come up for air, it stays frightening the entire time! I've seen some reviews where the critics say it's not scary enough, but I say to those people you have nerves of steel.

The Artist (PG13)
I really really liked this movie. I thought it was fresh and creative. The story was great. It is about a silent film star's fall from stardom as talkies become popular. I loved all the little details like when he is looking at the tux in the window and he is remembering what it was like to be loved and respected. I thought the acting was amazing because the whole movie was moved along through body language and expression. (For the most part it is a silent black and white movie.) The ending was joyful and poignant. That being said, it was not Adrian's favorite movie. He thought it was slow. To him I say bah! It was great!

Chronicle (PG13)
We just saw this one on Friday and I was really impressed by it. I really like outside-the-box movies and this one really was outside the box. It is a "found footage" movie kind of like The Blair Witch Project, so it is very real feeling even though unbelievable stuff happens. My synopsis: a bullied and abused kid, Andrew (who happens to look exactly like a young, scrawnier, Leonardo DiCaprio), and his 2 friends receive some amazing powers from an extra-terrestrial experience. At first as they explore their new abilities it is light and humorous, but then things spin out of control as the darker side of their powers takes over. Andrew, especially, does some bad freaky stuff. I thought Andrew was a compelling and well developed character and his payback to those who hurt him is a bullied kid's wish fulfillment fantasy. It gets disturbing, but it is fascinating and the freshest take on a superhero movie I have ever seen. Okay, so there is one scene that is inappropriate, so I wouldn't say it is for everyone, and it gets violent, but it never felt like an R rated movie so I was okay with it. Overall I was super impressed with the movie. It was thought provoking and interesting.

I've also seen The Vow, Warhorse, and The Iron Lady. I thought Meryl Streep was amazing as Margaret Thatcher! Warhorse was beautiful to look at, but a bit self-important and slow. And The Vow was as good as I expected - not stellar, but an entertaining love story that was good for Valentine's day. I want to see This Means War, I love Tom Hardy, Gone, and I can't wait for The Hunger Games. Are you as excited as I am for March 23rd??

Our Valentine's

Valentine's Art 
I have to start off with my romantic Valentine's day art history image because I forgot to do it yesterday. I totally slacked off! This is The Kiss by Francesco Hayez. The date: 1859, medium: oil on canvass, and the style: Italian Romanticism - yes, that sounds like a test answer I would have written in a blue book many long years ago (it seems anyway) as an art history student. Isn't this painting beautiful and romantic and passionate?! I love it. Here's my little art schpeel on it. An interesting thing to note is that you can not actually make out the faces of either the man or the woman, so that the kiss is the emphasis. The woman is leaning back and the man leaning forward with his knee bent on the stair to support her. I'd say that is swoon-worthy. Then there is his general position, the sense of urgency to the kiss, and the dark figures lurking in the shadow of the doorway, leading you to believe he is leaving, in haste, and at any second something dangerous could happen to either one of them. It creates real drama and emotion. Is he an outlaw? Are they married? Has he been accused of a crime he hasn't committed and is running off before getting caught? Or is she married to or marrying someone else, but this is the man she really loves? You can make up any story for this lovely couple and put this kiss smack in the middle of it. I love it! And I love the satiny folds of her dress catching the light. It is a gorgeously rendered painting. Nice on ya Francesco Hayez! I think this is the perfect intriguing and passionate art image for Valentines day - or the day after Valentine's day. Next year I'll be better.

Valentine's Breakfast
Every year I love this tradition even more. We had a breakfast of caramel pull-apart rolls together before Sophie went to school and everyone opened their valentines and books from moi. I got Adrian 2 dystopian classics: A Brave New World and The Giver. He loves dystopian literature. 1984 is like his favorite book. I think it's a tiny bit insane, but I love him so I love his dystopian-loving-ness. Sophie got another book in the Gallagher Girls series, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy. Ben got a Goosebumps and Nina got a Tangled sticker book. I love giving books on Valentines day. It makes me feel warm and happy inside. The caramel pull-apart rolls do that too.:)

Valentine's Bento
I love making holiday lunches and my kids get a kick out of them. I packed them homemade poptarts (Sophie's and Ben's favorite), heart shaped cheeses, strawberries with a bento pick, and Valentine candies.

Valentine's Party
Adrian and I both got to go to Nina's kindergarten Valentine's party. Adrian had a dentist appointment in the morning and could squeeze in the party before going to it. We helped Nina pass her valentines out and watched as she made a little valentines craft. It was very cute and I think she was tickled that both her mom and dad were there.

Valentine's Date
Adrian and I went out to our favorite Japanese hibachi restaurant and oh man it was good. This is I think our 3rd Valentine's date to this particular eatery. (We go there for anniversaries and birthdays too! Any special occasion calls for hibachi.) The steak at this place almost melts in your mouth. SO good. And of course it was wonderful to spend the night out together, talking about our lives, a little bit about politics, and swooning over the amazing food. Perfect. When we got home we watched the Valentine's episode of 30 Rock - the IKEA part made me laugh so hard! It was a great night and the box of Godiva chocolates from my husband made it even better. I heart Valentine's day.

2011 Book List

These are the books I read in 2011 and my short little reviews to go along with them. I loved a lot of these books and a couple... well I'm just glad I got through them (or in some cases not so glad).

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - Oh how I love this book. It makes me happy in its sick and twisted way, remembering of course that "sad is happy for deep people" (that is one of my all time favorite quotes - it's from the "Blink" episode of Doctor Who). This time I reread it for a book club that I hosted.
2. Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist - This was definitely fluff, but fun. It is a romance between a maid and a rugged footman at the Biltmore Estate.
3. The Thin Woman by Dorothy Cannell - This was a fun murder mystery. I don't know if I loved all the fat jokes, but it was a fast, effortless read and the main character was very funny.
4. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond - I think this was the best fluff I read in 2011. I loved it. It is the real story of how one of my favorite food bloggers, Pioneer Woman, met and married her husband, aka Marlboro Man. It was hilarious, sweet, and romantic.
5. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - Lame. I'm sorry to say that, but yeah. It is a good book for a 12 year old  (it was really on about a 5th or 6th grade level) and though movie was kinda enjoyable, the book was poorly written and predictable.
6. O Pioneers by Willa Cather - I am going to seem like such a hater, because Willa Cather is a great author from all accounts, but I did not love this book. I wanted to, I really did, but it was so boring and I never seemed to connect with any of the characters. Then the ending was horrible. Horrible. I've heard My Antonia is amazing, so I think I need to read that one to feel better about Willa Cather. 
7. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan - This book really did change the way I think about food. It made me want to make everything possible from scratch and made me love butter even more than I already do. That chapter on margarine scared me! I really recommend this book.
8. The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker - Okay so this book may not be for everyone -there is some language and Elna can be a little crass- but it is hilarious. It is the memoir of a young LDS woman in New York City. Elna struggles with her testimony, the culture of the church, her weight, her family (oh her mother is funny), and living and dating in New York City. I think Elna's struggles are real and human and her voice as narrator is refreshing and honest. She makes some bad choices that are hard to read, but overall I really liked the book.
9. Elephant Run by Roland Smith - This book is a young adult fiction and takes place on a Japanese occupied elephant plantation in Burma during WWII. Interesting stuff. It was an enjoyable fast read and I think a great one for kids. Sophie read it after me and liked it too.
10. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - I read this one right before the movie came out because I always like to read the book first. The atmosphere of this book was great and I can see why it was a best seller. It was beautifully written and the main character, Jacob, was very sweet and sympathetic. It had some rough parts, don't go near the hooch tent, but that's what you get with contemporary fiction. And oh yeah, the movie was also great with Robert Pattinson playing Jacob.:)
11. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - I had never read this before and I loved it! An amazing classic. When I was reading it I convinced myself I liked it better than Pride and Prejudice, it was that good, but then with time lapsing I must admit I still think Mr. Darcy is the dreamiest so Pride and Prejudice is still my favorite Austen. I did gasp in shock during some of the worst Willoughby moments. He is awful!
12. The Message by Lance Richardson - I read this for a book club and it is the near death experience of Lance Richardson, who was a member of the church and has since writing this passed away. It was an interesting read, but for me a little uncomfortable when I thought he described things that may have been too-personal of spiritual experiences. It was an good book club discussion though.
13. The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright - Super fast, enjoyable, yet sappy read. I liked the idea of all these love letters, so sweet, but I thought the plot was lacking.
14. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyers - I can't help but be sucked back into this one from time to time. I heart Edward. 
15. Devil In the White City by Erik Larson - Great great book. Wow H.H. Holmes was one scary serial killer. I must admit the Worlds Fair parts, as fascinating and informative as they were, were a bit boring. Every Holmes part kept me reading though and I highly recommend it.
16. Twilight by Stephenie Meyers - Okay, so #14 just wasn't enough. I really do heart Edward.
17. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua - This book is so controversial and fascinating. Amy Chua's style of parenting is abusive, but some of her thoughts were intriguing. I think you have to read it to understand. Her Chinese parenting certainly gets results. Her kids are amazing musicians and very successful in school, but she was so mean to her children. And I didn't like her stance that all Western parenting is indulgent and ineffective.
18. These Is My Words by Nancy Turner - I had heard this was great and it was really good, but took me a while to get into. And I didn't like the ending, but unlike O Pioneers I did love the characters and the romance. Altogether a good book.
19. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - I read this on vacation and it was the perfect get-away type read.
20. Watermelon by Marian Keyes - I really liked this quirky little read. It is about a woman whose husband leaves her right after she gives birth to their daughter, horrible I know, and she decided to take herself and her new baby back home to her family in Dublin. It is a touching and funny book about learning to move on. And I liked being in Dublin.
21. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton - I liked this one. It was a generational story with romance and mystery. I did think it could have been tightened up a bit, the middle got a little boring, but all in all I really liked it. I plan on reading another Kate Morton soon.
22. And Then There Where None by Agatha Christie - I am such an Agatha Christie fan! This one is great. It was a complete mystery till the end for me, I could have never thought up the who-done-it part.
23. Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie - Loved this one! I loved having it be a Halloween themed murder mystery. Oh and the Masterpiece Mystery version of this on PBS was great!
24. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer - I'm too honest in my book lists. I should leave out the embarrassing ones... Please don't judge. And anyways I skip entire sections when I read this book so I really only read about 80 pages and then pretend the rest didn't actually happen. I like my version of Breaking Dawn with no monster baby. :)
25. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood - I can't believe I made it through this book. It was painful, bleak, and completely pointless. Nothing good happens. Everyone is miserable. The "love story" is awful. This book is on the New York Times Top 100 Best Books of All Time, which is mostly the reason I kept reading, that and because it was for a book club. I can sort of understand why critics like it - it is very artistically written, but wow it was rough.
26. The Spy Wore Red by Countess Aline Romanones - I read this for a book club and it was really good. It is the memoir of a female spy in Spain during WWII. I like Aline. She was a spunky and gutsy spy. I don't know if I completely believed everything in her story (I'm sure she embellished) but I liked it and it was a nice change of pace from your usual not-so-fun-to-read WWII stories. 
27. Pumpkin Roll by Josi S. Kilpack - Please don't judge me for this one either. It is a LDS murder mystery novel with a sort of Mormon Ms. Marples. Total fluff. But seriously after I read The Blind Assassin I needed some brain candy. I didn't even love this book, but it was mindless and enjoyable and sometimes that's what you need, like mental mouthwash.
28. Persuasion by Jane Austen - Oh what a beautiful book Persuasion is. I loved every moment reading this. From Anne's horrible father to her hypochondriac sister to the wonder that Captain Wentworth is. It was the most real feeling Austen novel I have ever read. Anne especially felt so real. It makes you wonder if it was somewhat autobiographical given what little we know of Jane Austen and her brief engagement. 
29. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling - I read this one to Ben and we both loved it, of course.
30. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier - Again. I just love this book. The atmosphere is amazing and I love being in that house, even though it's creepy. Mrs. Danvers is in my opinion one of the scariest characters ever. I'm talking scarier than Gage in Pet Cemetery. She makes your skin crawl. Ooh, she is bad. Great writing.
31. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley - Great book. I thought it was so romantic and I loved all of it. A few friends said it was boring, but I didn't think so. It kept my attention and I read it really quickly. Being on the Scottish coast with these characters was great while it lasted!
32. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - I finally gave in and read this. Adrian had been trying to get me to read it for years. I liked it. I didn't think I would, but I did. I was surprised by how much Orson Scott Card got right, I mean this thing was written in the 80's before the internet and he talked about "the nets". Really cool. And I loved Ender. How can you not? I'm excited for the movie to come out next year with the kid from Hugo playing Ender.
33. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith - Wonderful, beautifully written book. I loved Cassandra, the narrator. She was so witty and her narration was poignant and imaginative. All the characters were so complex and developed. I just loved it! Though, I wanted to kill Cassandra for not liking Stephen. Stephen is the sweetest character ever. Amazing book. You gotta read it.
34. The Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks - This was a great young adult fiction that Corinne recommend on her book blog. It was such an interesting story about a young girl with tuberculosis in a Sanatorium in Canada during WWII. It's a coming of age story and though it was a quick read you really got to know the characters and their struggles. I especially loved her relationship with her roommate, Signy. Sophie read it right after me, she like it too, and it was neat to discuss with her.

I read some great books that are sure to be long time favorites like I Capture the Castle, Ender's Game, Persuasion, The Winter Sea, and The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. I read some stinkers like I Am Number Four and The Blind Assassin. Thankfully I read a lot more good than bad. My best for 2011 has to go to... Persuasion. Anne Elliot is an amazing character and even in the midst of her person pain she was always truly good, giving service and comforting others. I want to be like Anne.

Of course I've already started my 2012 readings and have quite a number of books sitting on my to-be-read-soon shelf. I'm going to try to read another Susanna Kearsley book since I loved The Winter Sea and I really want to read Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. I hope they're good. I wish you wonderful reads in 2012!

Ben's Baptism

Ben had a very special day on Saturday, he was baptized, confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and received the Holy Ghost. That is a big and important day! We are so happy with the decision he made to be baptized. Even though he is only 8 years old I can honestly say he took the decision to be baptized very seriously. At his baptism he had many friends and his Grandma and Grandpa there to show their love and support for him. Thanks to everyone who came and also to those who couldn't be there, but sent cards and well wishes. Adrian baptized and confirmed Ben and Sophie gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. It was a wonderful experience and Ben says he felt good inside and warm even though the water was cold. :)

Sophie's Recital

Sophie's annual piano recital was this last weekend. She played Fur Elise by Beethoven and Prelude in C Major by Bach. She has been working on Fur Elise for quite a while and it was great to hear her play it so well. We are so proud of Sophie and the progress she has made. She plays beautifully. When Sophie was born both Adrian and I looked at her hands with her too-long-for-a-newborn fingers and said someday she would be a great pianist and we were right!:)

Merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Christmas Times in Pictures

We decked the halls and trimmed the tree.

 We had school Christmas parties. Fun!

Nina had a Ballet/Tap class Christmas party. 

The girls all went to a local production of The Nutcracker and it was great! We hope this becomes a girls tradition.

We made Christmas goody plates for our friends and neighbors.

Adrian and I went to West Side Story for our December 21st anniversary (it's not our real anniversary, but our first kiss anniversary - I know we are goobers for celebrating it every year :)). Adrian and I have officially been going steady for 15 years. West Side Story was fantastic!!

I hope that you are having fun Christmasy times with your family. Merry Christmas!!