The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

If someone asked me to describe this movie in one word I would know exactly what to say without hesitation: interesting. This movie was definitely interesting.

You know how Brad Pitt has been in hottie action movies like Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Fight Club? And then he's also been in those loooooong sloooooooow movies like A River Runs Through It and Meet Joe Black? (Oh, you don't remember Meet Joe Black? Get in line.) But you sit through the long, slow movies because it's Brad Pitt and they keep showing his face?

Well, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button falls somewhere in the middle of these. It's long, it's slow, and they keep showing Brad's face, but it's all old and wrinkly and he's nearly unrecognizable for most of the movie. However, you keep watching not because you know that at some point they have to show Brad's beautiful face in all its youthful glory, but because you're fascinated. At least I was. My husband...not so much.

You've probably heard the intriguing premise of the story: A man ages backwards. This in and of itself piqued my interest enough to see the movie. On top of that, the much-talked about CGI they used to digitally age Brad Pitt made me curious. (No pun intended.) What I wanted to see was how it was going to work--a woman gives birth to an old man? Hmmm....

The story is told in a flashback, present-day being set in New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina is starting to hit. (Which explains Brad's housing projects there the last few years.) The story flashes back to 1918, the night Benjamin is born. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that my questions were answered quickly: Benjamin is born a baby, with the health and characteristics of an old man. As he ages in years, he both grows like a normal person but becomes more youthful. Basically, you just have to see it to have any idea what I'm talking about.

The first half of the movie was slow. There were a lot of parts that dragged on and didn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the movie. It reminded me a lot of Forrest Gump, the story spanning his entire life, told in flashbacks, characters coming in and out at the snap of a finger and the main character seemingly doing more in one lifetime than most people could do in four. Even the two characters were very similar, with their blank expressions and southern drawls and completely naive outlook on life. I actually laughed when I discovered today that the two movies had the same screenwriter.

Things picked up when Cate Blanchett finally made her appearance and the love story kicked in.
Brad finally looked like Brad, and this was the only time, in my opinion, that he showed any kind of personality. After so long of seeing that face hidden under all those wrinkles and bald head, it was so refreshing to see his real face. I was still a little restless, though, as two hours came and went and there was no signs of stopping. But the movie truly came to life at the end, with the love story coming full circle and Benjamin nearing the end of his life, this time, as a perfect pink newborn with dementia.

Like I said...interesting. The coolest part was that during the whole movie, I thought to myself, "This seems like it could be an old novel, some old classic that I've never heard of." I couldn't believe it when the credits rolled and there, in huge letters, said "Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald." Am I the only one who had never heard of this?

Here are some of the things I liked and didn't like:

I liked the concept. It fascinated me. It was different from other movies, and I liked that.

I didn't like yet another movie that glorified adultery. (Note to Hollywood: If someone is married, it is not morally acceptable for them to sleep with someone else because that person is the love of their life. It doesn't put a one-night hold on their marriage license.)

I liked the aging CGI. It was amazing.

I did not like the "youthful CGI", i.e. lots of makeup and fuzzy lights. It made the characters look like they'd stepped out of an oil painting. Why was it easier for them to make Cate and Brad look 40 years older than ten years younger?

I liked the setting, in old New Orleans. I've always had a thing for New Orleans, and I loved that he was raised by a black woman who runs a nursing home.

I did not like the length, mainly because I can pinpoint the exact parts of the movie that could easily have been taken out and made the movie better for it.

My recommendation: Rent this. There's nothing you will miss seeing it on a small screen, and it's not worth the price of a movie ticket. It is worth the price of a movie rental, though, and definitely worth seeing once. Oh, except for you Nan, don't see this. Turns out they mean "button" literally. Lots and lots of buttons.

Aw Crap

I woke up this morning and instantly had this feeling of dread, and I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. As I lay there waking up, my mind cleared and suddenly the reason was painfully clear: It's that day. The day that comes every year for me. (Want proof? Click here and here.)

Today, for me, is what the actual day after Christmas was to most people. Horribly depressing. But the day after Christmas wasn't depressing for me, because my husband was still home and the vacation was still going.

But today, Monday, he is back at work after being home the last 4 and a half days. Christmas is over, and I'm trying to remember what I did throughout my day before making Christmas cards, going Christmas shopping, and wrapping Christmas presents. I honestly can't remember.

And, by some cruel twist of fate, all the snow is melting and...it's actually raining. I seriously feel like someone somewhere is laughing at me.

The last of the Christmas treats are gone or stale and today starts the beginning of discipline again, as far as my diet goes. How's that for depressing?

My kids are watching The Grinch and it couldn't be a more perfect choice for today. I feel exactly like the heartless green creature.

So, Happy Rainy Monday After Christmas to you all. Oh, and Shayla, this really was supposed to be a fantastic birthday post to you, but, well, apparently I'm not capable of cheer and niceness right now, so...Happy Birthday! That's about all I can do for you right now. :)

"Ohhhhhh fuuuuddddggggggge." -- Ralphie Parker, A Christmas Story

Let me just take a moment to pay tribute to my favorite holiday treat. I think I don't give it enough credit. In fact, every year I forget how much I love it until the holidays roll around and we are once again reacquainted.

I'm talking about fudge. Oh, dark angel, how you torment me so with your chocolaty goodness. Evil, so very evil. E-vil like the de-vil.

It is a serious weakness of mine. A few years back I overheard my mom say, "It's just really thick frosting, that's all it is." At the time I shook my head at her blasphemy, but the next time I ate it, I realized how very right she was. Which explains my love for it. I also have a deep love for frosting. I have been ridiculed and persecuted for my request for the corner piece of cake with the giant rose on it. I also might have woken up in the middle of the night once and eaten half a container of frosting with a spoon. I might have, no one knows for sure.

So when Christmas comes around and with it the thick, rich, creamy chunk of chocolate heaven, I rejoice. I hadn't had any fudge until I went to my mom's on Christmas day. She sent me home with a fair amount of fudge that may or may not be gone already. I wanted to cry when I realized there was no fudge for breakfast, when my husband made a miraculous discovery. Hidden inside a bag of candy from a friend was the most beautiful sight my eyes had ever beheld: A large square of tin foil, which, upon opening, revealed a perfect block of fudgy bliss. I might have had some a half hour ago at midnight. Or not. I guess we'll never know.

To The One I Love

We met inside a chat room
Eight short years ago
What each other looked like
We really didn't know

But something in that "jusa_guy"
made "blondegirl" fall in love
We always knew it had to be
some help from up above

Lots of people doubted
that it would ever work
8 years passed and 2 kids came
and we can only smirk

I never could have chosen
a better husband/friend
I can't believe I get to be
with this guy til the end
(and beyond)

He makes me laugh like no one else
and knows just what to say
When I cry about my issues
or have an awful day

Only Bill could sacrifice
his big day every year
by standing in the shadow
of One we hold so dear

But I'll always remember
that on this special day
you were also born, and so,
for that, I say "Hooray!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILL

The True Meaning of Christmas

So my week of no Twilight blogging is over. It was actually over yesterday, and I was all set to do an obnoxiously over-the-top Twilight blog, just because I could, but, well.....LIFE IS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness. I have never in my life felt so stressed out at Christmastime. To the point where I am crabby, irritable, borderline depressed...not exactly the picture of holiday cheer. My headache has reached a new level and is frequently making me so sick to my stomach that I am having to miss out on yuletide activities.

This is so wrong! This is NOT what Christmas is all about! (Warning: Stepping up on my soap box now) I have been thinking about this a lot lately. As I lay in my bed nursing my head and just wishing life would slow down, I have plenty of time to think, and I can't help but see the irony in all of this. Why do we have Christmas? To celebrate the birth of Christ, the most humble, non-elaborate, simple birth ever to take place. To celebrate the life of a man who devoted His life to serving others and serving God. He had no need for material things, nor any desire to have any. Why then, why-oh-why, is the central-most focus of this holiday PRESENTS. SHOPPING. BUYING.

I know why. I know it is to represent the gifts the Wise Men brought the Baby Jesus. I get that. But I think what once was someone's good idea of honoring His birth by offering a simple token to a loved one, has been blown completely out of proportion.

When I was a kid it was all about the presents. And Santa Clause. That's what made Christmas magic for me. I could easily lie and say it wasn't, but every kid knew that's what Christmas was all about, at least, that's all we cared about. Sure, we'd sit through the ritual of listening to the story from St. Luke be read every Christmas Eve, the whole time thinking, "that's a nice story, when can we go to bed so Santa can come?"

The worst part is that now, as an adult, not much has changed. Only the focus from "getting" to "giving" has changed. Instead of fantasizing about what lay wrapped under the tree for me, I am constantly running through a list in my mind of what I have bought, what still needs to be bought, what I need to wrap, who I am forgetting, etc. etc. etc. Even as I attend church functions focused on the true meaning of Christmas, and am pulled momentarily from the hustle and bustle and reminded why we are doing all this, I walk out the door thinking, "Okay, what's next on the list? What do I have do be doing?"

I think about what this holiday should be. It should mirror that first Christmas, in that lowly stable. The miracle that took place, the love that was felt despite the absence of pretty things. There was no man dressed in red and white who came and left packages tied in bows. There was no caroling, or treats, or ornament exchanges. There were no brightly lit trees, old musicals to watch, or even snow to go sledding in. And yet, despite our best efforts to make each Christmas bigger and better than the one before, we have yet to compete with the original one.

I think we have it all wrong. What are we teaching our kids about Christmas? Sure, it's the Season of Giving. That's all well and good, but that's not why we have Christmas. I want my kids to associate Christmas with Christ, not presents, or Santa. I want to be able to sit back and relax and remember why we celebrate this man. I want to sit down with my family each night and tell a different story of His life and talk about how we can emulate Him more. As it is now, I can barely squeeze in a thought about this as I'm wrapping and baking and shopping and decorating.

This poem sums up exactly how I feel:

The Stranger At Christmas time there was a man who looked so out of place, as people who rushed about him at a hurried sort of pace. He stared at all the Christmas lights, the tinsel everywhere, The shopping center, Santa Claus, with children gathered near. The Mall was packed with shoppers who were going to and fro, Some with smiles and some with frowns and some too tired to go. They rested on the benches or they hurried on their way, to fight the crowd for purchases to carry home that day. The music from a stereo was playing loud and clear of Santa Claus, and snow men, and a funny-nosed reindeer. He heard the people talk about the good times on the way, Of parties, fun, and food galore, and gifts exchanged that day. "I'd like to know what's going on," the man was heard to say, "There seems to be some sort of celebration on the way. "And would you tell me who this is, all dressed in red and white? And why are children asking him about a special night"? The answer came in disbelief, "I can't believe my ear! I can't believe you do not know that Christmas time is here, The time when Santa comes around with gifts for girls and boys, When they're asleep on Christmas, he leaves them books and toys". "The man you see in red and white is Santa Claus, so sly, The children love his joyful laugh and twinkle in his eye. "His gift-packed sleigh is pulled along by very small reindeer, As he flies quickly through the air, while darting here and there. "The children learn of Santa while they are still quite small. When Christmas comes, he is the most important one of all." The stranger hung his head in shame, he closed a nail-pierced hand. His body shook in disbelief; he did not understand. A shadow crossed his stricken face, his voice was low but clear, "After all these years, they still don't know." And Jesus shed a tear. - Author Unknown -

Photo Tag

I was tagged by Marilyn. This is the photo tag, where you post the 4th photo of your 4th folder in My Pictures. I swear, every time I do this tag it's a picture of Payson. I promise I take pictures of Macy, too, really I do.

This is Payson at his first t-ball game. Isn't he adorable with that tiny body and giant head?

I tag Kim, Brenda D., Brenda M., and Jodi

'Snow Wonder I'm Losing My Mind

On the one hand....

The world is covered in beautiful white snow and I love it.

On the other hand...

So is my carpet...and I'm not loving that so much.

On the one hand...

School delays have been giving me two extra hours of sleep all week.

On the other hand...

Payson and I have had a little too much quality time together with preschool being canceled.

On the one hand...

I don't have to worry about getting him out the door or picking him up or finishing his homework or taking snacks.

On the other hand...

Our XBox may break down from over-heating.

On the one hand...

My kids actually want to play outside. (This is unheard of.)


On the other hand...

Every five minutes my glorious solitude is interrupted with knocks on the sliding door (a sound that now makes my blood boil) accompanied by a child on the other side whining that so-and-so threw a snowball at them.

On the one hand...

I love having the excuse to stay indoors all day and be lazy and not go out into the cold.

On the other hand...

Those Christmas presents aren't buying themselves.

On the one hand...

Is a cute little mitten.

On the other hand...

Is a cute little mitten holding a snowball, and a little tongue licking away at it.

I guess that makes it all worth it.

It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas

I feel like the Christmas season came earlier this year. I am someone who will only celebrate each holiday as we are in it. I don't even THINK Christmas until after Thanksgiving is over. Even then I don't usually do much Christmas shopping until a week or so after that. I usually don't decorate until December 1st, because it's December. November is Thanksgiving, December is Christmas. But this year, I think I may have actually bought some Christmas presents before Thanksgiving, and we decorated our house top to bottom all Thanksgiving weekend (due to the fact that we were having our Christmas Bunco at my house the following Tuesday). But I love it, because Christmas lasts longer and it makes all that work of decorating so much more worth it.

Still, it wasn't until this past weekend that it really felt like Christmas time. Why?

*Saturday afternoon Macy and I saw The Nutcracker. We haven't a missed a year since she was three. I never intended for it to become a tradition; in fact, every year I swore I would not take her again after having her whine for snacks and wiggle around on my lap and ask when it would be over. But every year for some reason I'd take her again and now that she's older it's something I absolutely love. There's just something so magical about The Nutcracker. The music, the set, the big auditorium, the dancing, the costumes...I love it all. And now that my two little nieces are in it, it makes it that much more special. Now if Macy would just stop cracking up when the male ballerina comes out in nothing but tights...and you too, Amy.

*Saturday night we had our church Christmas party. It was...well-attended, to put it mildly. We were busting at the seems. But I love a big Christmas party, and it was so worth seeing our bishop's family up on the stage singing "The 12 Days of Christmas," props and all. And seeing Payson sit on Santa's lap and rattle off every single item on his list, in full concentration. (He was on Santa's lap a good two minutes longer than any other kid with their one humble request.)

*We finally got our CD player fixed in our new car. The old one was broken, so we swapped it out with the CD player from our old van. Now I can finally listen to my Christmas CD's and my iPod in my car. This is something that has seriously been missing this holiday season. It seems the only time I can enjoy my Christmas music is driving. At home, it doesn't mesh well with the XBox and kid shows.

*I've been working non-stop on my Christmas cards. If you don't get one this year it's because I seriously miscalculated (me + math = duh?) the supplies bought and only made half the amount as last year. Why don't I just make more, you say? Because I order my supplies, I say. And because I was ready to be done with these cards two weeks ago.

and, most importantly...

*My world is a winter wonderland. And I am loving it. Every morning I get to sleep in two extra hours (school's been delayed all week...things pretty much shut down here when it snows) and with my new 4WD SUV I'm not risking my life every time I drive in it. I love love LOVE the snow. I told my kids, "NOW we can have Christmas."

Can She Do It? YES SHE CAN!

Because I like a good challenge, I've decided to give myself a little one and declare this week "No Twilight Posts" week. Just to see if I can. So today started the first day of no Twilight posts, on both blogs. I won't even mention it. (Oh, this one doesn't count.) It will be hard, I admit, but that's where the fun lies, eh? And I'm not allowing comments because I don't want to hear anyone say how glad they are about this, because, well, I would cry. Well, not really, I'm not much of a crier. But I'm a good shoulder-slumperer and sad face-maker. You don't want that, right?

10 Surefire Ways To Ruin My Cinematic Experience

*This is in no way meant to be offensive. Just keeping it real. Come on, you know you've all been victims of the Obnoxious Moviegoer.

10. Leave your cell phone on during the movie. If it rings, answer it. For optimum effect, don't bother to whisper when you answer.

9. Bring your boyfriend/girlfriend, sit right in front of me, and make out.

8. Sit in my row, and repeatedly get up and squeeze your way out to the aisle, moving in front of me every time.

7. Talk to the theater people and make sure the copy of the movie I'm watching is defective. Give me a split screen for a while, or better yet, have the sound cut out during the climactic action scene.

6. Laugh at all the wrong parts. Especially the really intense, emotional parts. Laugh when it's an awkward moment on screen. Laugh at random times because a part in the movie made you think of something funny that happened that day. Clap at parts that you like. Make catcalls during love scenes. Clap at the end of the movie. Because, you know, they can hear you and stuff. Maybe if you clap long enough they'll come back out for an encore.

5. Talk to me throughout the movie. Especially at really intense, emotional parts. Better yet, crack a joke during those parts.

4. Bring your toddler. When they start to cry, wait SEVERAL minutes before taking them out of the theater, in case we can still hear some of the dialogue in the movie. Then take them out, kicking and screaming, but walk across the front of the theater as you do so, so we can all see.

3. Sit behind me and talk. Or sit anywhere in the theater and talk for that matter. It doesn't matter what it's about. Make comments about the movie, talk on your cell phone, or sit and chat it up with your friend about how obnoxious you are for destroying everyone else's movie...just talk. The whole time.

2. Sit behind me and kick my chair. Repeatedly. So often that you force me to turn around and give you my Evil Glare (you don't want to be on the other end of that). Then kick some more so that I have no choice but to turn around and ask you to stop, something I DESPISE having to do. Then...just keep kicking. Because I am a major wuss and will not have the guts to ask again. Instead, I will change seats, and continue throwing you the Evil Glare at regular intervals, but I will reserve my most fearsome Evil Glare for when the movie is over and the lights come on and you walk past me. Oh, yeah, that'll teach you.

1. Bring your child to a movie absolutely inappropriate for their age. If all of the above for some reason fail to work, this is a surefire way to ruin my movie. To guarantee a miserable time for me, bring said child to a scary movie, so that I can watch them shield their eyes and start to cry at all the scary parts and then I can imagine the months of horrifying nightmares ahead of them. And, by all means, take them to the really late show, the one where they'll still be there at midnight...and not at home in bed.

Believe me when I say that not a single person I have ever gone to the movies with has ever done any of these things, at least not with me. Except you Kim, you did kick my chair tonight. (Evil Glare) And, okay, Shayla, you were cracking up during the oh-so-serious Glitter scene, but, since the Glitter scene totally deserves to be laughed at, you are forgiven.

Feeding the Addiction

Have you been wanting to see Twilight for the first time?

Have you been wanting to see Twilight for the second time?

Have you been wanting to see Twilight for the third time?

Have you been wanting to see Twilight for the fourth time? (yes)

No matter how many times you have (or haven't) see it,
it couldn't possibly be enough.

So join me, your local Twilight addict,
tonight at

FAIRCHILD

at

9:40

for some messy-haired, sparkly-skinned, hairy-chested vampire goodness.
If you want to actually go WITH me, call me.

Come on, you know you want to.

Another Gem

I don't know what I love more, the actual Twilight or these spoofs. Hilarious.
P.S. This is for you, Brenda.

I Feel, Therefore I Am

I've been thinking about something.

Passion.

No, not that kind of passion, get your mind out of the gutter. I mean passion as in feeling passionately about something. I had already been thinking about this in regards to my never-ending blog posts about Twilight, when I came across a blog post (of someone I don't know) that really touched a nerve with me. The post was titled Public Obsessions and basically bashed people who are outspoken about their passions. It said, among other things, that these people throw the words LOVE and HATE around too much, and that they are somehow doing their loved ones a disservice by saying "I LOVE my family" and also "I LOVE Twilight." It said they rely on something like a book or a movie to define themselves.

Okay, I could go a little crazy right now, but I'm going to attempt to stay calm, cool and collected and discuss this in an adult manner.

I am an extremely passionate person. (If you read my blog regularly, this will come as no surprise to you.) I have always been this way. When I find something I LOVE, I LOOOOVVVE it. When something bugs me, it bugs the holy CRAP out of me. When something makes me mad (like that post) it infuriates me. And when something makes me sad or hurt, it nearly destroys me.

I used to worry, and sometimes still do, that I take it too far. To the point of obsession. I have also always had this tendency. My mom has always said, "It's a good thing you never tried drugs because you would have been in big trouble." Sad, but oh so true. I have a very addictive personality. When I was diagnosed with a mild form of OCD, I actually thought, "Well that explains a lot."

But now...I embrace this quality. I LOVE being passionate. I LOVE feeling strongly about things. It makes me feel alive. I have to take an anti-depressant every day of my life that quite possibly numbs me in many ways (I see signs that this is the case every day). So when I feel something, and I feel it strongly, you better believe I'm gonna take it and run with it.

When I found Twilight, I was shocked at how strongly I reacted to it. I still don't know exactly why, but I have my theories, the main one being that I have always been a die-hard romantic and this LOVE story appealed to me in a way no other had before. It just seemed to bring something alive in me. I LOVE the way it makes me feel. I LOVE the warm, happy feeling I get when I think about it.

Does this mean my testimony has suffered somehow? Does my LOVE for Twilight somehow take away my LOVE for my Heavenly Father or my religion? Or my family? Heeeeeeck no. Because that's how passionate I am. I have just that much LOVE to go around.

Does Twilight define me? Contrary to what many believe, no. I am a complex, multi-layered person. There are many, many parts to me. Twilight just so happens to appeal to the part of me that I feel exceptionally passionate about: LOVE. And romance. And those are parts of me, parts that define me. Along with tons of other parts that also define me. It makes me happy and so I think about it. I talk about it. I read about it. I blog about it. One day, guaranteed, it will fade away and I will be sad.

Is it okay for people to be passionate about things? Yes, it's okay. Is it okay for people to be excited about said things and blog about them and even get a license plate declaring their LOVE for said things? Yes, it's okay. Is it okay for people who aren't so passionate to be judgemental and holier-than-thou about people who are? No--NOT okay.

Note to those people: While you're still standing in line trying to decide which movie to see, we'll be blowing past you, heading into the theater, Twilight ticket in hand. How do you like them apples?

TheTwilight Before Christmas

My Grown Up Christmas List

My husband just walked past me and saw the pictures I was putting on my post and said that maybe I should try doing a post that doesn't have anything to do with Twilight. I scowled at him and insisted this post was NOT about Twilight. It is about stuff I want for Christmas. If something(s) I want happens to be Twilight related, well then, in the words of Pam: suck it.

So here's my Wish List this year:

this Cherry Blossom pendant

Jessica Sprague's Digital Scrapbooking Classes

Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion



This 8x10 photograph

these dishes



Twilight: The Score

and


a gift card to this store

What's on your Wish List?
(Oh, that just sounded way too much like a Walmart commercial.)

Obsess Much?

Me: Bill, can I go see Twilight?
Bill: Again? Seriously?
Me: Um, yeah.
Bill: Don't you think four times is a little excessive?
Me: Um, no. It's Twilight. (Shakes head in disbelief)
Bill: We really should be saving our money for Christmas presents.
Me: Whatever, a movie ticket is less than ten dollars. (Exactly one dollar less than ten dollars.)
Bill: I think you'll be okay if you miss a week of seeing it while it's in the theater.
Me: You don't know me at all! (Runs away crying)

Okay, the above conversation never really took place, but this is pretty much how I envision it going down if I ask to go see Twilight again. Because I don't feel like going to marriage counseling just yet (besides, the therapist would totally side with me), I'm going to have to make do with the next best thing: listening to the soundtrack while looking at my favorite movie stills online. Thank you thank you thank you Marilyn for my beloved Twilight soundtrack. I have listened to it over, and over, and over. I LOVE it. And last week I stumbled upon some new pictures from the movie, which was incredibly exciting since the same twenty pictures have been circulating the internet up until now.

So here are my favorite scenes/pictures and songs:

Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
(the baseball scene)


This is just a great picture. I'm pretty sure it's where
Edward says, "I tell you I can read people's minds, and
you think something's wrong with you..." Love that part.

Full Moon - The Black Ghosts
(the song that starts right after Edward catches the deer
at the beginning, when Bella is moving to Forks. One of
my favorites on the soundtrack.)

Another favorite scene, albeit a quick one. It's one of the
very few scenes where they're relaxed and happy and
just enjoying being together. And Edward looks hawt in
his 80's sunglasses.

Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park
(I can't remember what part of the movie this is on,
but I love this song, and I love Linkin Park)

I just really like this picture of them laughing.
I'm fairly certain it's not in the movie, I think it's
between takes. Because Bella is smiling.

Eyes On Fire - Blue Foundation

(LOVE this song. This is when Bella is trying
to figure out why Edward disappeared from school
after the first time they met.)

This really wasn't a favorite part of the movie,
I just love any shots of Oregon pretending to be
Washington.

I love this picture, a) because of the sign in it and
b) because the caption underneath it on the website where
I found it said that it's The Gorge. This is what they're
overlooking when they're up in the tree.

Yeah...ahem...favorite scene...moving on...


Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine
(You might be familiar with this song from here;
it is beautiful, but I must confess the main reason I love
it is because it plays during this scene:)


Bella's Lullaby - Carter Burwell
(My favorite song on the soundtrack, which goes with my
second favorite scene:)


Clair de Lune - APM Orchestra
(I've always loved this song, but now it is permanently ingrained
in my head as the song that Edward twirls Bella to.)



This isn't in the movie, I just had never seen it before
and really like it.


and....

along with the beauties above, I found these treasures:

They could have taken any still in the movie and Jasper
would have looked exactly like this:


The one time Edward is the opposite of sexy


Oh, the horror...my eyes...MY EYES!!!


and this one I had to save for last.
I still can't believe that of the 20 odd movie stills available
online, this somehow managed to be one of them.
The 2 seconds of the movie that still make me wake up
in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.


Do you see the elbow grabbing? The shoving of the arm into
the mouth? The eye popping? Why, oh WHY did they have
to desecrate the image of perfection in my head that is Edward?
Why.......................................why.............................?????

Okay, to end on a good note, here's a new one of Rob
I'd never seen before. Grrrr....

See Our Debut

Bet you didn't know we had moves like this.

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Wall of Lame

My cousin Michelle did this on her blog and I thought it would be so fun to do...until I read through the whole thing and saw how many things she had done and realized how LAME mine would be. It's embarrassing, really. But then I thought, well, maybe I'll do it just to show how lame I really am. So here goes:

Copy this list to your own blog and highlight those things you've done.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain (it was more like a large hill)

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (as if I'd fess up)

27. Run a marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (of the heart?)

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's The David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (with my brother...so romantic)

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie (one day...one day.)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check (seriously Michelle...NEVER?!)

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book (one day....one day.)
81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club (but joining was as far as it got)

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee (stepped on a dead one)

100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

See? What did I tell you? Lame. Feel free to copy this and do it on your blog. After my list you'll feel really good about yourself.

10 Things Revealed In Twilight The Movie That Were Never Revealed In The Book

1. Edward drove a hatchback. Oh no he di'n't! I can't tell you how disturbed I am by the car he drove in the movie. Edward would never drive a hatchback.



2. Forks is a racially diverse place. Funny how Stephenie led us to believe that Forks is made up two kinds of people: White and whiter. Who knew Tyler Crowley was black? Or Laurent?! I'm pretty sure "dreadlocks" don't appear anywhere in the text.


3. Bella has an affinity for flannel. (And bowling shirts?) Oh, I get it, because it's Northwest Washington, right? So obviously all the high-schoolers are rockin' oversized, plaid flannel shirts, Cobain-style. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Twilight producers, but grunge hasn't been cool since Smells Like Teen Spirit was topping the charts.



4. Vampires fly Superman-style. It was never mentioned that Edward soared from tree to tree--vertically, no less--or scaled trees with his hands and feet. Those close up shots of their faces as they're soaring through the air, Bella's hair flying, look exactly like Clark Kent and Lois Lane did (even the quality of the special effects, which, I'm sorry, should be better than a movie made in 1978). What's at the top of my Christmas Wish List? A nice, fat budget for New Moon. And no more vampires flying from tree to tree.



5. Jacob has fangs. Who knew? You'd think this would be something Stephenie would have felt compelled to share with us. A werewolf with fangs? Intriguing. Maybe Jacob is actually some new mythological creature--half vampire/half werewolf. So--just humor me here--once Renesmee is finally old enough to hook up with Jacob (which should be about any time now) and they procreate, their offspring would be, what? A half werewolf/half vampire/half human with the only real set of fangs? I smell sequel!



6. Bella's friends were cool. Interesting how Stephenie kept Jessica's humor a secret, (or the fact that she was entertaining in any way) never spoke of Angela's glasses or 92 lb. body, and failed to mention that Eric Yorkie was a "hip, attractive Gaysian." (Okay, I stole that line from another website.) Seriously, who knew Bella's friends were actually people we'd want to hang out with?


7. Edward has chest hair. It's funny, but in all 9,572 descriptions of Edwards cold, hard, glistening, marble-like, gleaming, muscular (jump in at any time) chest, I don't recall ever seeing the word hairy. It could very well have been there, though, slipped in among the myriad adjectives, and no one would ever have noticed. I just can't take Edward's "perfect" body seriously with fuzz poking out the top of his shirt. Now, I don't promote shaving or waxing of chest hair by any means, but I think in this case, where someone is portraying an immortal character with skin made of smooth stone and the sexiest chest known to man, maybe waxing should have been on the to-do list for Rob's hair and makeup. You know, right after "muss hair" and "apply lipstick liberally."



8. Bella wears makeup. Speaking of lipstick, I find it hilarious that in the books, neither Bella nor Edward wear a stitch of makeup, and yet in the movie, they both do. In Edward's case, he's wearing red lipstick like nobody's business, obviously to attain the whole vampire look. As for Bella, she's not just wearing "movie makeup" that all actors have to wear. No, her character is actually wearing lipstick, mascara, and eye shadow. I love this, because it's like they read in the book that Bella didn't wear makeup (according to Edward, she didn't "need to." Blech.) and thought, "yeah, right" (just like all the rest of us did) and decided to make her a normal teenage girl who wouldn't be caught dead leaving the house without makeup.



9. Forks High School students are health conscious. I dare you to find a scene in the movie where one of the teenagers is eating anything resembling junk food. Apparently in Forks you're not cool unless you're eating a salad, veggies, or a garden burger. Bella's a vegetarian? Was that supposed to be some kind of tongue-in-cheek comparison to the Cullen's eating habits? There wasn't a single shot of any kid eating a hot dog, hamburger, pizza, etc. Nope, it was salad, vegetables, and salad for these kids. And salad. They even have Rosalie munching on a carrot! What the heck?! Details, people, details.



10. Vampires love monkey references. Two quotes that didn't make it into the book, but sadly, made it into the movie: EDWARD: "You better hold on tight, spider monkey." ROSALIE: "My monkey man." Uh.....awkward. Weird. Not funny. What's with the monkeys? Here's one that didn't make it into the final cut: BELLA: "Edward, I want to be like you. Change me. Change me now." EDWARD: "Yeah, when monkeys fly out of my butt." Where was that one?!

Oh, and I just have to add that this is Edward's car, as chosen by Stephenie Meyer, taken right off her website:

Look at that--NO HATCHBACK!!