Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

Love you. Have a great Birthday!!

Date Night?

If you are planning a little quality time with your hubs or significant other. I have a couple good movies that the hubs and I have rented recently.

This is fabulous. I simply loved it. Seriously, I looked at this movie and thought, "I bet this is one of those movies that is actually really good but is probably overlooked." And, I was right.  It was fabulous, and I loved it. I'd watch it again, if I still had it. I loved that it parallels her life, so you get some history, but obviously they put their own spin on her life/love affair etc with prince Albert. Emily blunt was amazing, and I am really starting to respect her more as an actress after this.  She really came into her own in this role.  And I fell in love with Prince Alberts character played by Rupert Friend.  His love and devotion to/for the queen was inspiring and adoring.  The conspiricies against her/her crown/her reign were incredibly fascinating.  You may not be impressed when you look at real pictures of Queen Victoria from your history books, but I def am a fan of Victoria after this, and it has inspired me to learn more about her reign and her impact on England.

I also saw this recently.

Who doesn't love Nicholas Sparks, be it novels or movies?  So, Miley Cyrus may not get an oscar nod for her acting performance in this movie.  I admit it was a little like watching Britney Spears in Crossroads.  But, who doesn't love Miley Cyrus? The girl is beautiful and talented.  And, her character and personality is refreshing even if it's not a stellar acting performance, Her love interest is quite a looker as well. I go back and forth on Greg Kinnear, but I liked him in this, as well as Travolta's wife.  I enjoyed it, def worth renting.  It was a great story,  A good summer movie.

Have a great weekend!  XOXO

PILLOW PETS.

Have you seen these pillow pets???  I'm sure you have.  Nik has had her eyes on one for quite sometime now. Wherever we went, if they carried them, she always managed to find them, and she would have to stop, run to them, start grabbing all of them and hugging them.

They have been out for awhile, and I have been putting off getting one for Nik (obviously because they are not a necessity).  I was trying to hold out till Christmas.  My mother stated that they took her to the mall, and she went CRAZY and threw a fit when they tried to drag her away from them at the mall.  Before the hubs and I went out of town this weekend, I decided to splurge and get the pumpkin one, so she could have it at Mimi's and Papa's. I let her pick, and she wanted the purple hippo, pictured above (I don't have a pic to show you till we get our internet up and running).

Nik just loves soft things. Blankets, big stuffed animals, pillows, anything. She drags them all over the house, and loves to go "plop" on them and lay her head down.  And she wants you to lay with her, so she'll pat the soft item and pull you or motion for you to come over to enjoy with her.  They are super soft, and you can velcro them up into more of a stuffed animal shape to carry with you.

You can view their website HERE!!!

Top Two Tuesday!! Top Two Characters!!

Top Two Tuesday is hosted by Taylor at The Undomestic Momma. You can see Tay's Top Two Picks and many other Mommas and Ladies HERE!!!

Today is Top two Favorite Characters that you would want to play. This was easy for me.  I LOVE movies, and I get so enthralled with the characters and story.  There are so many amazing movies/characters out there: powerful, dominant, strong, amazing woman characters, but I think the I happen to have chosen two that portray independant and strong, dominant characters, but they come to find out they are not as independant as they assume to be.

1.

I think you all know this is my Favorite Movie. I would love to play Tracy Lord. She is elegant, graceful, sophisticated, well educated, fashionable, beautiful, and witty.  And she has three men chasing after her in one night. The night before her wedding to boot! Who wouldn't want to play that character over and over, and over again! Katherine is such a style icon.  Before there was Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, there was Katherine Hepburn.  She paved the way for women to wear pants. She was one of the first women to start doing that and to make it fashionable and fabulous.  You have to love her for that.  She has a fascinating love story with Spencer Tracey. They fell in love in real life, and did many movies together, but he was a devout Catholic and married, and he could not get divorced. So, they were never able to be together.  She lived I believe almost 30 years in love with him, but was never actually able to be with him as his wife/lover.

2.

My second Favorite movie of all time is Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I used to watch this movie over and over again as a young adult. I fell in love with Audrey Hepburn and her character Holly Golightly.  Audrey is another style icon. That petite, casual boyish girly look that she's so famous for-leggings and flats.  But, she could dress it up too, and look absolutely fabulous. I love that she can go back and forth.  I iconized her as a young adult.  What's so amazing about her is that in her later years, up till her death she became a goodwill UNICEF ambassador for children in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.  She is the complete package.

If I had to pick a 3rd character, it would be

Reese Witherspoon's character, June Carter. I love this movie because it's based off history and their real story. I know that he struggled with a terrible drinking/pain pill addiction, but I just love their tender story.  I love how she supported him, helped him through,  and was his strength (and kick in the butt) when he needed it, but she also let him know that she wouldn't let him make a fool of her. I love their love story, but also that she respected his wife, and family, and did not seek to have a relationship with Johnny until hi marriage was over. I love the honesty and the passion, the complication of it, and the simplicity. I thought they were just fabulous together, and did an amazing job, and they both did their own singing, which I still am amazed by.  Such a wonderful love story in Country Music and America.  I love Reese, and how fabulous that she looks just as beautiful as a brunette as a blond!

and Happy Birthday Papa!!  Love you!!

2010 PGA Championship.

The hubs and I were able to attend the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straights in Kohler,Wisconsin this weekend.  We were invited to attend through my husband's business, and we attended the event with my hubs parents. It was a sponsored event and the sponsorscompletely spoiled us, and I felt like a queen!  When you are in a port-a-potty that's nicer than your actual bathroom at home, you know this is true, Ha!

It was a very long drive to get there, but with TV's these days in vehicles(and good company:), the time flys by. We stopped in Chicago on the way there to pick-up my mother-in-law, and were able to visit my sis-in-law who just moved to Chicago. I am so excited for her and this new opportunity. She just graduated college with a teaching degree and she is so absolutely fabulous and such a wonderful teacher, spirit and person, they snatched her up for an internship, and I couldn't be happier for her. She looks like she has lived there her whole life, and looks completely at ease.  She's going to have the time of her life. I'm so jealous!  I always wanted to move to Chicago after college.

The weather was absolutely fabulous!  It is the most beautiful golf course I have ever seen. My brothers and father are always talking about how beautiful this course is,  they love to play it!  They were so right!  I grew up in a family of golfers, my dad and brothers are avid golfers and golf fans. There is always golf on at our house, and the coversations is always centered around golf, golfers, scores, or golf courses. My father won the City Golf Title when he was younger, and my brother has been Club Champion at his country club 3 years in a row.  Christmas at our house can be better known as Golfmas. Ha.  So, I was very excited to attend this event. I attended the 2007 Golf Championship in Medinah with the hubs when he was still my fiance, but that course could not hold a candle to this one.

We had a fab tent with food and drinks to fit a wedding reception, and a sky box on the 16th hole with a view of Lake Michigan.  It was so beautiful! 

The two finalists.

                                                    Winner, Martin Kaymer
                                                          (Isn't he a doll?)

A pic of him and his lovee after the win, isn't that so sweet??  She's so adorable!!

I have a pic of us to post before the tournament when we get our internet working. They didn't allow cameras at the tournament.

Happy Monday!

Movie Wednesday.

Our internet has been down.  Too be honest, I don't know what the issue is. Only the hubs knows, and I imagine it won't be fixed until he gets around to fixing it, which may be never, ha!  So, if you hear from me, I am at work, which I'm not suppossed to do, shhhhhhh......So, I won't have any pics to share till it gets resolved, but we did watch three movies recently, that I enjoyed that I thought I'd share with ya'll. here's the first one, I share the others later this week.

I know many people are obsessed with Robert Pattinson from the Twilight Series. I was kinda iffy on that. I thought his character was a little whishy-washy, a tad helpless and kind of whiney.  (Calm down, Twilight fans, Don't get me wrong I LOVED the movies, I just didn't like how helpless they made Edward and Bella.  I have to reason that it has something to do with being a teenager and being in love, but I like strong characters. I have not seen Eclipse, so noone tell me about it).

But, I will tell you that this movie definently has me more enthralled with Robert. I was hesitant to rent this movie because of my hesitation with him, and also because it kind of seemed like he was just banking on his success of the Twilight series. To be honest, I thought it might be kind of sappy, and overly self-involved.  But, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. If you don't think that his character in the twilight series warrants an oscar nod, this def warrants something.  I think twice got a cheese factor in terms of his acting performance, but every other moment was surprisingly, well, for lack of better words, surprising. I definently have a higher opinion of him as an actor, and I throughoughly enjoyed the movie. 

The movie was well acted and a great cast.  I had not heard anything about this movie, and there was a surprise in the end for me. The end leads you towards something, but I had not expected this ending. I would highly suggest if you don't know anything about it, try to keep it that way before watching it, it's much better that way. My hubs was out of town the night I watched it, and I kept it for him to watch, and I wanted to tell him so bad, but I held my breath. And he was surprised to, and glad that I

didn't tell him bc he was surprised as well.

Emilie De Raven was delightfully refreshing as well, Chris Cooper, was great, I keep forgetting what a great actor he is, and Perce Brosnan, who I must say sometimes I am mixed on, was subtly wonderful in this role. I think he's getting better in his old age, or either he's picking characters with more depth.

Def a must see. Watch with your significant other if you can.

Maybe a date night in the middle of the week.

Top Two Tuesday!! Top Two Tips!!

Top Two Tuesday is hosted by Taylor at The Undomestic Momma. You can see Taylor's and many other Mommas/Ladies pics HERE!!!

1.

Yesterday I just blogged about Garage Sales, and that really is my #1 Money Savings tip.

I do also have another tip when shopping online, go here for coupon codes: http://slickdeals.net/. If they do not have any coupon codes there, you can google the vendor name + coupon codes and it will pull back any coupon forums for that vendor. Soemtimes they are expired, sometimes not.  Also, if you sign up for a vendor's newsletter/email updates before checking out, they will sometimes send you an email immediately with a coupon code that you can use towrds your purchse.  I emailed a company to ask them a question about a product the other day and they sent me a 10% off coupon code.

-Also, never shop hungry (or when you're pumpkin is hungry), I promise you, you buy so much more, and so much worse when you're hungry!

-Write a list so you don't forget things. It saves time, and if your local store cost more and you travel to a store to save money, you'll probably just make the short trip to get the item you forget and end up spending more.  It also helps your mind from wandering to other things you think you need.

-Clip coupons for items you NEED, or go to their manufacturer site for coupons or sign up for their email/newsletter to receive coupons.

2.

My second tip is a Time Saving Tip that has helped me: Set your watch 5-10 minutes ahead. I kept being 5-10 minutes to late after Nik was born. It seemed like no matter what I did, I was rarely ever EARLY/EXACTLY ON TIME to work. It bothered me, bc I HATE being late to work. But, I hate making Nik rush, and I HATE to feel rushed. That always puts me in a bad mood with the Hubs, is when he rushes me. Although most times lately, I am waiting on him!! Ha! 

As a mom, we are always taking care of two people, and that takes twice as long, and lets face it, the hubs don't know that you need to pack a spare outfit (and a cute one and that) or snacks, or cup, or suncreen, hat, or how many diapers and wipes you need.  They don't know which toy/book is her fav, or which blanket/stuffed animal she prefers to another.  What bow is required for which outfit, or which shoes.  Every time you step out the door, it's like you're packing for a weekend. Don't get me started on how long it ACTUALLY takes me to pack for a weekend! Ha!

So, now, I am always early, or at least on time to work. And you would think that I would mind-trick myself into knowing that I have that extra time, and allow myself that extra time, but I don't. I go by my watch only, and I either forget that I have that extra time, or I remember, but I pretend that it is the correct time, and live by it.

It has helped me to be on time for everything else too, besides work.

BONUS TIP!!

I also have another tip that I just started with the hubs this last Friday, and I will have to let you know how it goes, but so far, it has been very successful. I always played School when I was little, I had the gradebook, the Teacher books, the name plates, the stickers, the lesson plans, the alphabet signs, the reward box, the workbooks etc.  I always thought I'd grow up and be a Teacher. I love all that stuff! 

I was at Target the other day and in the $1 section, they had Chore Charts. I can't wait till Nik is old enough for a chore chart!  I decided that the hubs and I frequently disagree on who actually does what around the house as far as chores go. Usually, it's always just me who does everything!  But, there are times when the the hubs does things, and just as I always feel under appreciated as a wife/mother/maid, he sometimes feels like the things that he does go unappreciated-imagine that!  And, I don't want to discourage him from helping out, good Lord!, so I decided to buy a Chore chart. It is a small wipe board with a pen and colored stickers. We assigned a color sticker to each of us, and when he does something he gets a sticker, and vice versa. It has turned it into a challenge/game for him, and he is obsessed with winning! I haven't really decided what the prize will be for the winner for the week, but I imagine you could do many different possibilities! 

I love to egg him on by saying, "I just put a sticker up, you are in big trouble, because I am so gonna have more stickers than you!"  Now, he takes notice to what I did, and I take notice, and I think it makes each of us feel more appreciated.  You could make your own, print one off the internet, create your own rules, but it's definently working so far. He's never helped so much.  I just have to make sure he doesn't cheat, ha, ha!

BONUS, BONUS TIPS!

Life Saving tip:

-Also- I always keep a snack on hand in my purse/car for Nik bc you never know when you'll need it, it could help with a tiny tantrum, and it always helps to get Nik in her carseat when she doesn't want to go. Saves her from a tantrum, and saves my sanity. I also keep an extra outfit/diaper/wipes in the car at all times. I also keep an emergency kit/water/flashlight/blankets/umbrella in the car at all times.  Jumper cables are always a good thing too.

Beauty tip:

-And for a day when you can't wash your hair, powder added to your roots always makes your hair look less grimey and fresher/fluffier.  I also deep condition once a week, I think it helps tremendously for my style hair.