I just want to apologize for the plethora of old posts that just filled up your Google Reader. Shayla is in the process of helping me transfer my posts from my movie blog to my new blog and this is how we have to do it. Hopefully soon all the technical difficulties will be over.

So, So Random

* I just want to clarify that my poster proclaiming my love for Stephenie is not as fruity as it looks. Okay, it's totally fruity, but there's a good reason behind it. I didn't just think, "Hey, I want the world to know I love Stephenie, where's a big banner I can put on my blog that shouts it out loud and clear?" This is a statement, a gesture, that I was asked, as a fan, by fans, to put on my blog in support of Stephenie during this time of crisis (scroll down for her statement) for her. They designed it, not me. I have never in my life said I "heart" anything, and I never will. But if Stephenie ever stumbles across my blog (maybe she'll google "best blog ever" or something and it will lead her here) and it puts a smile on her face, then my fruity banner is totally worth it.

* Do you hear that? Me neither. That's because it's silent. My house is silent. (Except for my dumb fridge that rattles 24/7) Preschool started today and I am in complete solitary bliss. Oh how I love to be alone. And this year I get three days a week of this. Does life get any better than that?

* One of these days I'll actually update my movie blog. However, at present I am spending all my spare time reading the BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE. I mean, portion of an unedited manuscript. Whatever. Either way I have died and gone to Edward heaven and I really think that I am nearing the point where he could not get any more perfect. Perfection has a stopping point, right? You can't just keep getting more and more perfect. Okay, I'm done, stop gagging.

* I am sooooo tired and so sick of being tired. I don't know what my problem is, other than the fact that I stay up till midnight or later to actually see my husband and then I get up at 7:00 am to get the kids ready for school and since Payson no longer takes naps and has decided I shouldn't either, taking a daily nap has become somewhat of a chore. Give. Me. Sleep.

* I am the worst friend in the world and I completely forgot that yesterday was Rachael's birthday, until about 5:00 in the afternoon. I wanted to give her a true bloggy shoutout and hopefully she'll forgive me. So here's what I love about Rachael:

- She always says "for whatever reason"
- If you stumble over a word or say something stupid, she won't let you get away with it, she'll totally call you out and laugh at you.
- She has weird eating issues, like not eating cake with ice cream cause it makes it soggy and not eating fried cheese sticks reheated.
- When she laughs really hard she starts to cry, and she thinks I'm funny
- She calls pop "soda", as if she hasn't lived in Washington her entire life
- She loves Tyler Perry movies...as if she's not white.
- She sort of yells "hello" when she answers the phone.
- She gets as absorbed in books (and completely obsessed with the lives of fictional characters) as I do
- She loves Lauren Conrad. I just had to put that in there.

And I was going to write out my favorite Rachael memory but I realized it wouldn't be funny to anyone who wasn't there, so I'm just going to say that it was when she asked me if I put up a certain picture for "motivation" and I completely misunderstood. We got a good laugh. Happy Birthday a day late Rach!

Like A Kid On Christmas Morning

The second day after "meeting" Bill online we decided to exchange email addresses. When Bill gave me his address, I had my first panic moment, wondering if he really was a psychotic killer or creepy nymphomaniac. His email address was crotchrocket@something.com. I freaked out and said something to him about being offended and he quickly clarified that a crotch rocket is a type of motorcycle (also known as a bullet bike), his favorite kind. I breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously I am clueless when it comes to motorcycles. I had never heard of a crotch rocket before.

But Bill wanted one, bad. He wanted any kind of motorcycle, really. He's talked about it the entire 8 years we've been married. I always told him he could get one, someday, but in my mind that day was always far off in the distance.

That day has come. Bill's little red POS breathed its last breath a few weeks ago and he's been driving my dad's shop loaner mini van ever since. The wheels in his head quickly began turning, and even I couldn't deny the logic of buying something much more gas efficient to get him to and from work (one job is across the river, the other past the railroad tracks) and school (a half hour drive one way at best). It really did seem like maybe it was time to make his wildest dreams come true. I mean, the guy is working two jobs and going to school. Maybe he deserves treating himself to a little something. Or a big something.

And so, after much searching on craigslist, Bill is the proud new owner of a black 1980 Kawasaki 750.


It's a far cry from his dream bike (it's not a crotch rocket) but he doesn't care. He is glowing, giddy, ecstatic. He drives it every chance he gets. The kids think it is the coolest thing on the planet and instantly started begging for a ride. So yesterday we bought a kid helmet and Bill took them both for rides around the neighborhood. I know, a lot of you mom's are dying right now that I let my kids ride on the back of a motorcycle, but apparently I'm not that mom that says "No way." I just gave Bill a lecture (three times) about being careful and told the kids (three times) to NEVER LET GO. They loved it. They won't stop talking about it.

(Payson kept talking about Daddy's coyote motorcycle.

We finally figured out he was trying to say Kawasaki.)

A little boy's dream come true. And Payson's, too.

First Day of 2nd Grade

I know I'm a day late, but better late than never, right? This picture is less than stellar, but I was already madly dashing out the door as it was when I remembered to take a picture. Macy had already covered up her adorable dress with her old, grungy jacket and I had no time to tell her to take it off. We were still late for her first day of school. Yay, Mom. That extra half-hour of sleep really didn't seem worth it anymore. As we pulled up to the school (just as the bell rang) I realized she had no idea how to find her classroom from outside. I told her to go through the inside, I knew she could find it that way. She later told me she beat all the kids into her classroom, they were still lined up outside. I asked her if her teacher asked why she came that way and she said no. We like to make good first impressions, the Lepperts.

But despite my shortcomings as a mother, Macy still managed to have a great first day. She knows a lot of kids in her class and even gets to sit next to one of her best friends, Kenzie. She loves her teacher and thinks she's hilarious. I am so grateful and relieved that the unknown teacher is turning out to be a winner.

Meanwhile, back at home, I was quickly reminded how much fun it is for Payson to be home without a playmate. Loads. Of. Fun. He was instantly laying on me, whining, asking when he got to go to school. I had a flash of brilliance and remembered it'd been a while since Grandma had had some quality one-on-one time with Payson. But then Aunt Amy intercepted and before he could say "dead brain cells" Payson was on her couch playing Lego Indiana Jones on the XBox with cousin Anderson who didn't start school till today. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven. So did I. I debated for a moment crawling back into bed but was proud of myself for deciding instead to vacuum and mop my disgusting kitchen floor, do my dishes, clean off my counter tops that were covered in bills and papers, and clean my messy family room. It felt so wonderful being so productive and having a semi-clean house, all with no kids.

Then I picked up Macy and Payson and came home and crashed. Days with this headache: 16 and counting. Today as I lay on my couch willing the pain to go away, I actually began dreaming (in the wishful kind of way, not the sleep kind of way) of a catscan. I think it may really be time. They're not that expensive, right?

This Week in Hollywood

Back by popular demand! (And by that I mean the 3 people who said they missed it.) I will not set myself up by saying I will do it every weekend, but I will do it once a week to stay true to the name. You'll just have to be surprised from week to week when it pops up.

Nicollette Sheridan And Michael Bolton End Their Engagement

Reportedly, Sheridan decided to end the engagement when
she realized she was going to marry Michael Bolton.

Amy Poehler Expecting

When asked if she was going to deliver naturally or
use pain medication, Poehler put her hands up in the air
and said, "Ooooooh, ooooooh."
(Sorry people who haven't seen Baby Mama, you won't get that)

Jennifer Garner

When Jennifer found she had nothing to wear for this event,
the actress didn't stress...she knew exactly what to do with
her grandmother's curtains.

Miley Cyrus

You may think she's flashing an innocent peace sign,
but actually Miley had just been asked how many
more years it would be before she went all Britney on us.

Mary Kate Olsen

Lost and Found called....
they have your pants.

Breaking Dawn Follow-Up

Again, SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT

(I know this looks really, really long but really it's just because my post section is ridiculously narrow. Okay, it's a little long.)


I've been wanting to do a follow-up Breaking Dawn review for a while now, and after reading some disturbing things tonight, I thought now was the perfect time. My Twilight cyber-pal, Lauren, has my absolute favorite Twilight blog and has become so popular that she was featured on the Twilight Lexicon website a few days ago (this is the #1 Twilight fan site, endorsed by Stephenie Meyer herself). I was so excited for her, until I heard today that she received horrible backlash from evil trolls online who decided that just dissing her love of Twilight wasn't enough, they needed to take things very, very personal. As a result, Lauren is seriously considering deleting her blog and I am brokenhearted. Don't do it, Lauren!! We love you!!

Anyway, in reading her comments from all the haters and even from her supporters (which were a-plenty), I got to thinking about my own review of the book. I wrote it pretty immediately after finishing it. I hadn't read anything online, and only talked to about 4 people about it. I sat down and wrote exactly what had been going through my mind as I read it. I don't take back anything that I said--those were my opinions as I read it, nothing will change that. But, I have read, heard and discussed things since then that have made me look at some things in a different light. So, if anybody cares at all, here is my follow-up review to Breaking Dawn.

Okay, so it seems that the biggest complaint that most people had about the story was the anticlimactic ending with the Volturi just walking away. Like I said before, I really didn't care. The Volturi to me has always been a subplot that I had to endure to get back to the Bella and Edward parts. So the whole ending scene for me was just hurry-up-and-get-over-already-so-I-can-see-how-this-ends. I didn't care at all that no one died, in fact I was glad no one did. One of my least favorite parts in Eclipse is the demise of Victoria. Being beheaded and ripped from limb to limb and set on fire. Um, no thank you. I am not, never have been, and never will be into violence and gore, and I was dreading any deaths that may have occurred in Breaking Dawn. I just didn't want to read about it. So, the Volturi walked away. Did we really want to sit and read about a bloodbath (or venombath I guess) in detail? Not me. I was bothered by the fact that Edward said something at the end to the effect of "they'll probably come back and pick us off one by one" but oh well, we won't have to read about it. This question was one that Stephenie answered at the concert, and hearing her response made me think, "Oh, okay." She said that she is not a violent person and knew that if a fight broke out, everyone would die. She didn't want to kill off all of her beloved characters, and we wouldn't have wanted her to. She's a happy-ending kind of girl and basically, this is how she wanted it. The bottom line is, she wrote the book, she can end it however the heck she wants. Makes sense to me.

My biggest complaint was the lack of things Edward. It still is, and I've heard a lot of people defend this or explain it by saying that it's told through Bella's point of view (so were the first 3 books, and there was plenty of Edward) and that she is so sick for most of it, then a new mom and a new vampire. (This is actually Stephenie's explanation for why there isn't more about Edward as a dad.) I get that. Yes, it makes sense that Edward is not in the foreground for all of this. That's not my complaint. I'm not saying I wish that Edward was telling us about the birth, or Bella's change or any of that. I'm saying I wish the story was taken in a completely different direction (like say, no Renesmee?) that would allow Edward to be a much more integral part of the story.

I was originally torn by the fact that a third of the book is told from Jacob's perspective. While I absolutely love Jacob and his humor, and it was so nice to get out of Bella's head for a while, it was really hard for me to have to read about such huge events that I'd been waiting forever for through Jacob's point of view. After hearing Stephenie point out how crappy the book would have been if that section had been written through Bella's point of view, I realized she was so right. How much could I have taken of Bella relaying being stuck on bed rest, cooing about her alien love child? Um, none. Someone pointed out it could have been told through Edward's point of view, not Jacob's, but that (and I can't believe I'm saying this) would have been just as painful to read. Chapter 1: I hate myself. Bella's dying and it's all my fault. Chapter 2: I am a monster, someone should really kill me. You get the drift. So really, I totally get...and appreciate...why she chose Jacob, someone who could not only lighten the mood through this depressing, serious time, but who could take us away from the scene for some of the time. She's a smart one, that Meyer chick.

Someone pointed out to me that in my last review I said "it didn't go the way I wanted it to go," but that I never actually said how I had wanted it to go. I thought about that long and hard, and I don't know if I have an answer. I can say how I thought it would go. I thought they would get married right away, have their "honeymoon" which of course would work fine, then I thought the Volturi would swoop in and demand that Bella be changed and in order to save her life, Edward would change her. I thought we'd get a small glimpse of Bella post-change (I sort of predicted she wouldn't be the typical blood-thirsty newborn, I think a lot of us did) and then it would end. I know, not very imaginative, very predictable, but definitely in line with the way the other books were written. I guess it's safe to say that's how I wanted it to go. However, I love that Stephenie mixed it up and threw in curve balls and totally shocked us all. I just can't say I love all the curve balls we were thrown.

The most important thing I wanted to say, especially after reading the comments I mentioned previously, is I feel there's one thing I didn't make clear. I am still a Twi-hard. I am still a Twilighter. I am still the Captain of Team Edward. Disliking a lot of the book doesn't change that. It doesn't change my opinion of Stephenie in any way. I completely look up to her and revere her. She is my inspiration to become a writer. There is no direction she could have taken this book that would have made everyone happy. Like I said, this is her world, that she created. How can any of us say what should and shouldn't happen in a world that only exists in her head? We can't. I can't. I always understood my opinion of the book was purely based on my personal, selfish reasons for loving them in the first place: Edward and his love for Bella. Sure I was upset that I didn't get what I wanted for the finale, but that doesn't mean I thought I was right and she was wrong. I knew full well I was just a little spoiled kid who didn't get what I wanted and I was throwing a fit. Stephenie could have made the characters decide to join the circus after Renesmee ran for President and I couldn't complain, because it's her prerogative.

So rock on, Sista Meyer, rock on.

Oh, and here are some other Twilight related things I wanted to link to. Here are the rest of the pictures of my Forks trip and concert, for anyone who hasn't seen them yet. And here is the coolest thing ever, an interview with Stephenie where she answers most of our Breaking Dawn questions! Check 'em out.

The Dark Knight

I read a review of this movie a few weeks back that spent the entire article raving about Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker, and then, at the very end of the article, said, "Oh, and Christian Bale was in it, too." This reviewer hit the nail on the head. For most of the movie (all the scenes without The Joker, to be exact) I sat, forehead scrunched up, eyebrows together, mind whirling, trying to follow the storyline. Finally, at the point that my head started throbbing, I gave up and waited for The Joker's scenes. The first half hour had me completely lost, feeling like a Kindergartner thrown into an advanced calculus class. I was so worried it was just my blondness coming through, but since then other people have assured me it wasn't just me. (Whew.)

But honestly, it didn't matter. No one will remember this movie for the politics, mafia, or bank heists. In fact, no one will probably remember this movie for the always-cool Batman gadgets, special effects, or action sequences. What people will be talking about for years to come is Heath Ledger as The Joker. I thought maybe I was expecting perfection, that I'd built up the performance I'd heard so much about too much in my head. I thought I might be disappointed. I wasn't. Not even a little. In fact, I was still blown away. The minute that distorted clown face appeared on the screen I went from confused and restless to completely engrossed. Never have I been so convinced that someone was psychopathic. It was disturbing, thrilling, chilling. I was so curious about The Joker's back story--what had happened in his past to make him become this insane killer? I thought, for one blissful moment, that we got a glimpse of that back story as he told how he got the disfiguring scars on his face. Then, twenty minutes later, he told a second, completely different story of how he got the scars, and I realized it was all part of the character: crazy. Although I do believe my interest in Mr. Ledger's performance is somewhat rooted in the fact that he recently passed on, I like to believe I would be just as fascinated if he were still alive. Because he was just. that. good.

Which is unfortunate for Mr. Bale, whom I adore. He is an amazing, amazing actor. He shone in Batman Begins, which I loved. He made the movie. He brought the saga back to life. He was rubber-suited perfection. And he still is, just...overshadowed. My only complaint about the masked man is that voice. Why is it that putting on the mask = talking like he eats lit cigarettes for every meal? It was unbearable to listen to (my husband literally clenched his fists every time he spoke), and almost ruined the character for me.

Maggie Gyllenhaal takes the place of Katie Holmes in the role of Rachel Dawes, Batman's main squeeze, and while there are some similarities in their facial features, the difference between the two actresses is like a kitten (Holmes) and a lioness in heat (Gyllenhaal). There are few things I hate more in movies than when a repeat character is played by a new actor. Oh, how I loathe this.

Aaron Eckhart plays Harvey Dent/Two-Face, and, although I won't deny the creepiness of the scarred half of his face, it resembled the guy from Raiders of the Lost Ark (you know, the one whose face melts off?) a little too much for my taste.

I honestly can't remember anything else about the movie, except for Heath, Heath and more Heath. Seriously, if he doesn't get an Oscar for this (it would only be the second time an actor received the honor post-mortem), there is no justice in this world.

Oh, and Christian Bale was in it, too.