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Books

The Dry Grass of Autumn by Anna Jean Mayhew

This book is what I described as The Help meets the Secret Life of Bees. This is set in the 50’s and the main character has a dysfunctional family but has a good relationship w/the families negro maid and the book just goes through racism, even within the family and there’s a tragedy as well. It was a good read, but the ending for me just sort of left me w the feeling of what was the point of reading this.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

This is another biographical book set in the early 40’s in America/Ireland of a little boy and his life growing up w/ an alcoholic father who would rather drink than bring home money for his family to eat or live properly. It was a good book. Someone somewhere, don’t remember, was all hyped about this book but even tho it was a good read, I didn’t see the big hype about it. And it might be because I loved Glass Castle so much, so maybe since the stories were basically the same it wasn’t fresh for me. I’d like to know other peoples opinions of this book.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

This one is a big hit with me. It starts out w/ 2 teenage girls but the story goes through to adulthood and their friendship that lasts through all the crap the people bring to their lives. It does have a few swear words and has some moral issues but I loved it so so much. This is a must read.

The Davis Family History

This is a book my dad started after my mom passed away. It basically chronicles his life, my moms life, a little of us as their children, people, stories, letters, drawings and pictures that he remembers and mean a lot to him. It’s for his posterity!!!  It was a lot of fun to read. So many memories are in this book and it’s kinda fun to have little pieces of yourself and your memories laid out in a book like this. It was fun and stressing for him to make (Its over 600pgs.) but was very very worth it.

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

This book is related to The Glass Castle book as it’s about the grandma from said book Lily Casey Smith. It was another great book by this author. I realy like her style of writing and I like how she describes these two books as “True Life Novels” since they are biographical but read like a novel. This book should really be read along w/the Glass Castle either before or after. I found it really interesting reading it after cause you could see the patterns starting the Glass Castle story.

Movies

there are too many movies this time…(Ive had a lot of time on my hands lately.)

So I’m doing a rating system……Must see, Loved it, Just Ok, or Booo!!

Easy A-TV

Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes

Loved it

Just go with it-redbox

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston

Just ok

Chronicles of Narnia Voyage of the Dawn Treader-redbox

Must see

True grit-redbox

Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon

Loved it

Butterfly effect-netflix dvd

Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart

Just ok

Iron man 2-netflix

Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow

Loved it

 Wings of the dove-netflix

Helena Bonham Carter, Elizabeth McGovern, Michael Gambon

Just ok

Molly-tv

Elizabeth Shue, Aaron Eckhart,

Just ok

Battle LA-redbox

Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez

Boooo

 I am number 4-redbox

Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant

Loved it

Notting hill-netflix

Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts

Loved it and must see

Lucky 7-tv

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Patrick Dempsey

Must see

Benny and joon-netflix

Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn, Julianne Moore

Must see

Wild target redbox

Emily Blunt, Bill Nighy, Rupert Grint , Rupert Everett

Loved it

Forget paris –tv

Debra Winger, Billy Crystal

Booo

The bumblebee flies away-tv

Elijah Wood

boooo

The invasion-tv

Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig

Just ok

Scorched

Alicia Silverstone, Woody Harrelson

Must see-netflix

My 1^st wedding-netflix

Rachael Leigh Cook, Kenny Doughty

boooo

Americas Sweethearts-netflix

Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack

Just ok

 My girlfriends boyfriend-netflix

Alyssa Milano

Boooo- didn’t even finish it

The scarlet tunic-netflix

Jean-Marc Barr, Emma Fielding,

Boooo

The best of times-netflix

Robin Williams and Kurt Russell

Just ok

Secretariat- Netflix

Diane Lane, John Malkovich

Must see- I ddnt think I was going to like this one and only watched it out of boredom but it was really really good.

 TV

Americas got talent season3

So this show started back up a few weeks ago. Now they’re down to the final 48 and so far they’ve kept who I wanted to see on the show so I’m happy so far. We’ll see cause the last 2 seasons I watched did not go the way I wanted it.

So far I like the pole dancing guy and Snap Boogie

Expedition Impossible-ABC

This is another reality show and also done w/Mark Burnett(survivor) and is A LOT like Amazing Race though I think they’re only in one spot not traveling all over. I only watched it once cause I didn’t like it. They had the team that all they did was fight and scream at each other which gets old and then they focused on this one team that I ddnt find very interesting, I wanted to see more of the other teams. I was going to try it again the next week and forgot to tape it and now another show is on at the same time which is more important.

Love in the wild-CBS

This is another reality show and its premise is 10 girls and 10 guys are out in the jungle and they can choose a partner each week and try to find love. At the big ceremony at the end of the show, they choose their next partners and the one girl and one guy that haven’t been chosen, go home. It’s actually been good so far.

Melissa and Joey- ABC Family

This show has been on for awhile but I’ve never watched it til I wanted to watch the series of State of Georgia and its on before that one. It’s a single aunt taking care of 2 kids while their mom is in jail and she hires a boy nanny for the kids. I’ve watched this one twice (at the time of this writing) and am not impressed at all. There’s too much talk about sex and unmarried pregnancy and all in front of the kids and it has bad acting and I don’t like it. Wont watch this anymore.

State of Georgia- ABC Family

This show is new for the summer and it has Raven Symone who hasn’t done anything since Disney, but now she’s all grown up and this show is trying to prove that. It’s been ok. There’s only been 2 shows at the time of this writing and while its not GREAT…it’s been ok to watch.

Switched at birth-ABC Family

This is a new show for the summer and it’s really good. It’s about 2 teenage girls that find out they were switched at birth (hence the title) and the families kind of mesh together so that both sides can get to know one another. One of the girls is deaf which adds to the drama. It’s been really good so far….even Dylan likes it.

Big brother 13

BIG BROTHER is back!!!! Anyone that knows me well, knows this my all time favorite summer show. This season’s theme is Dynamic Duo’s and they brought back 3 past couples. Jeff and Jordan,(yay) Evel Dick and Danielle(yay)  and Rachel and Brenden(UGH)! BB also paired up the other houseguests so everyone plays as a team. Only the voting is separate. I’m really excited to start my BB Summer.

Music

Christina Perri

I heard a song on my drive to work one day. I don’t ever turn on the radio on my way TO work, sometimes on my way home, so I like to think that I was inspired to turn my radio just to hear this song. I had to google the song just by using a line from the lyrics and up popped “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri. So I youtubed it and found the video. She has another song called Arms and both of these songs are on her debut album Lovestrong. She has a great voice and just love both songs I’ve heard.

WAY OVERDUE UPDATES!!!

BOOKS

Crescendo by Becca Fitzgerald
This is the sequel to Hush Hush which I read a few months ago. It was ok. I kinda skipped through some parts to get through it. There will be a 3rd book and of course I'll read that too.

 The Twilight Saga: the official guide by Stephanie Meyer
 I have been waiting for this book for 2yrs and FINALLY it's here. It was way better than I expected. It went through each character of the Twilight series, told little stories to explain some parts of the books. I loved it so much. Had some great art in it as well.This is art done by fans....

 It also has a Stephanie Meyer interview by Shannon Hale (they're friends) which was great. The Book was awesome and alot of fun to read!!!

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
This book was good til the end. It was one of those books that when you finish you kind of wonder what and why!!

 A Secret Kept by Tatiana De Rosnay
This is by the author that wrote Sarah's Key. It was really good and interesting while I was reading this but the problem was that the secret was not was I was expecting and it was really disappointing so I wouldnt recommend it.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
Can I just say that Shannon Hale has become my new favorite author!
So, Enna Burning is the 2nd in the Books of Bayern Series. Goose Girl was the 1st which I read a few months ago. This book was really really good. Great story and great characters. It's a must read.

River Secrets by Shannon Hale
This is the 3rd in the Books of Bayern Series and is about another character from the other 2. It was another great and fun read w/ a great story and other characters.

Forest Born by Shannon Hale
This is the 4th in the Books of Bayern Series and other great one. This one has a new main character but everyone else is in it as well. Another great story and at the end I was hoping this wouldnt be the last of this series. Please, please, please...we need more Shannon!!!!

The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen
This was recommended by my niece and was a very good book. Its set in the Austen Era as I call this time frame and was interesting w/the whole medicine, pharmacy "debate" and there were several men in this girls life and I couldnt figure out who I wanted her to end up til the end so that was fun. It was a pretty good read.

Entwined by Heather Dixon
This was a great book!!!! Couldnt stop reading it and finished it in less than a day. It has great characters and the storyline is a young girl w/11 sisters in an enchanted castle and it was awesome!! this is Heather's 1st book and reading up on her, it sounds like she's LDS too!

Love amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews
This is written by a christian author and its actually her 1st book. It is based on the bible stories of Job and Dinah and kind of meshes those stories into an interesting story. The book was given to me by my friend Michele and I really enjoyed it. So much so that as soon as I finished I ordered it off of ebay. hahaha

Everlasting by Angie Frazier
This was another good book which deals w/ a girl and magical stone and a love!  Its a good story and could possibly lead to another.








MOVIES

Unstoppable-redbox
Denzel Washington and Chris Pine in a movie about a train that goes out of control and causes major havoc and together they bring it down. It was pretty good. Should be seen at least once.

The Switch-redbox
Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman in a story of invitro gone wrong. It was ok and had a good ending but kind of predictable. It reminded me another movie Jennifer did called the object of my affection.

The Tourist-redbox
Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. This was a great movie. I kind of figured out the end a little less than half way through but it was a great movie and fun to watch. Plus its DePp....come on!!!

127 hours-redbox
James Franco....dylan brought this home and I wasnt too sure about it but he told me the director was the slumdog millionaire guy so we watched and oh my gosh. I never thought 94 minutes of someone stuck in a cave would be interesting but it was an awesome movie and it was the type of movie that you just cant stop thinking about. I loved it!!!!

Tron 2: Legacy-redbox
Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund
I was a big fan of the first Tron all those years ago so I was worried about this one but it was actually pretty good. I liked the storyline and the acting was good. I think this accents the first one pretty good.

War of the World-TV
Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto
1st saw this movie at the theater when it came out in 2005. Liked it...have seen a few times since then and it's still good. I like to watch this one.

Nothing but the Truth- TV
Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon
This had a storyline of a woman that basically gives up her life to keep a secret. It had a great ending.

The Romantics-netflix
Katie Holmes, Anna Paquin, Josh Duhamel, Elijah Wood
This was a disappointment.

 Water for Elephants-theater
Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, Hal Holbrook
Anyone who knows me knows how much I loved the book and so I was soooo excited for the movie and it exceded my expectations. Stayed pretty close to the book, some changes of course but the acting was great and the visual effects were great

and lets see......Robert was amazing. Love how you can watch him in another movie and not think of edward. He was gorgeous in this movie. Cant wait for the dvd!!!

Rabbithole- netflix
Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhardt
This was kind of a snoozer. A married couple loses a child and this is just the story of how they try to keep their marriage together. It had stupid scenes like him getting stoned in a car w/ someone he barely knows and that bothered me. It was an ok movie. I wouldnt watch it again.

Salt-TV
Angelina Jolie, Leiv Schreiber
Dont remember much about this one but I remember I liked it. It held my interest at the time so thats a plus. I'd probably watch it again, maybe so I can remember more of it.

Green Hornet -dvd
Seth Rogan, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz
This was a great movie. We actually bought it and I watched it several times that weekend. It was funny and had great visual effects and a good story. It should be seen.
Side note: Waltz has become my new favorite actor now!!!

Everything is Illuminated- TV
Elijah Wood
I've seen this before on DVD a few years ago and loved it then and it was good a 2nd time around. I love the storyline:
A young Jewish American man endeavors to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II in a Ukrainian village, that was ultimately razed by the Nazis, with the help of an eccentric local.
I think its a must see.

Super 8 -theater
 WOW......loved this one soooo much. Great acting, Spielberg type feel to it and great storyline. Made me laugh, made jump, made bite my nails in anticipation. All the kids in the film did such an amazing job. You should really see this movie. Cant wait for DVD!!!

Xmen: First Class -theater
James Mcavoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender
Well, this one I'm torn. I ddnt really like it while I was watching it and after discussions about it w/ dylan and my niece.....I have to see it again before I make my final decision. It was just different from all the others and I thought the mutants were rip offs of the other ones and kinda stupid. But I dont have a final say to this until I see it again. SORRY!!!!

 Anywhere But Here- netflix
Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon
This was a pretty good movie with a good storyline. I dont like Susan very much but she did ok in this movie. Its a good parent/child movie.

Jane Eyre -netflix
William Hurt,Charlotte Gainsboug, Anna Paquin, Joan Plowright
 Love these movies....this was the 1st of the eyre movies that I ever saw and it's my favorite. Course I still need to see the 2011 version.




TV

 Upstairs, Downstairs
this was on PBS Masterpiece Theater and is based on an older 1971 movie. It was in 3 parts and was really interesting. It was alot of fun to watch.

 Wings -netflix
Another one of those tv series w/ 6 seasons. I only got through 3. It got kind of boring and Helen's constant screech of Joe's name got on my nerves. Dont know if I'll finish it.

Shark Tank
this is back on for another season and I love it. Some of the ideas people come w/ are amazing and I wish I could put money into their businesses.


 


MUSIC
 So this part is all about the FOO FIGHTERS. The most Awesome band EVER!!!!
I've been in love w/ Dave Grohl and this band since about 1995 and it continues to grow!!!
So first up is the dvd they made about the band in the early days and how they became who they are today!!!!

 Back and Forth- documentary 04/08/11
We watched this on VH1 and it was amazing. 90 minutes of Dave Grohl...Hello!!!  but it was a very interesting story and I loved every minute of it. It was even shown in Theaters nationwide, except for in Ephrata of course!!!!





2ndly was the release of their new Album 04/12/11

 Wasting Light- CD
Again.....another awesome album from the FOO.
Loved it!!!!!







3rd is that they were on :

Saturday Night Live- tv 04/09/11

The foo were the guest host on SNL. They played twice, both of the songs off the new album of course and then Dave made an appearance on one of the sketches. I knew he would do that.


4th was the most amazing of all.

 SASQUATCH -05/27/11
Foo Fighters Headlined Sasquatch at the gorge in George, WA. It was pretty amazing and the details will be on my other blog cause there is soooo much share about this night. I will say that it was the best thing I've done for myself in a very very long time!!!!!
yay  FOO!!!!

This is a pic of the cake that was made for sasquatch (it was its 10 yr birthday) that was made by Ace of Cakes. They werent there in person (boo) but it was fun to witness this!!!

bookclub May 2011

Bookclub this month really should have been back in April but Becky who chose the book realized that she wouldnt be here, so we skipped that month and had it in May. We met at Rebecca Lybberts house and discussed the book Cold Sassy Tree. My personal opinion: I really tried to like the book but found it boring and couldnt get past the speech, like "my cuddin's in thar hole umpt time." That just bothered me and unfortunately I had other books that I was dying to read so I went on to those. Now bookclub was really good tho. I got hear more about the book and the ones that read it did like it and they had a great discussion about it. Of course afterwards we had treats which I love to do at Rebecca's house cause it always reminds me of our Twilight pre show parties!!!
So, next months book is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls at Kelly Cobbs house!!
Spoiler....
.I've already read it and cant wait to talk about it!!!