A Good Weekend For A Movie...

On a rainy , Fall evening is there much better than watching a movie?

And I realize that tis the scary movie season, but I am not a scary movie person.

At all.

  Let's just say I watched a single CSI episode about 5 years ago that still haunts me to this day.

I don't get it.

I could never watch it again.

So let's go slightly off the Freddy movie types.

If you are headed to a theater I saw a fabulous one last night.

RED.

This movie was SO good.

Let me just confess right now that I have a love of CIA movies, spy movies, and all shoot em up, kick tush movies in general

(when they have a point and aren't just bloody to be bloody).

So when my Honey and I had a rare date night, he suggested a movie.

I said no, we had one at home rented (and cheaper).

He said "but there is a CIA spy movie".

So of course, I quickly changed my mind.

The cast of this movie is amazing.

Helen Mirren shoots automatic weapons for cryin' out loud!

This was a refreshing mix of action and comedy.

Yes I said comedy.

It was hilarious.

Rated PG-13 for action violence and brief strong language.

And they said "for the love of Christ" a few times.

SO if you are off to a theater this weekend , go see RED.

You won't be disappointed.

If you are renting a movie this weekend,

Robin Hood was great.

It was a well done movie with great performances,

and was a different spin on the Robin Hood story,

kinda the 'prequal' to it.

My one exception to recommending it...

it has nothing on Robin Hood Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner

(which has been one my favorite movies since it first came out).

So if you can avoid the comparisons, rent it.

It does have lots of violence and blood.

I personally like a movie that shows a man being a man and protecting the weak though,

in other words,
sword fights are cool.

Rated PG-13.

Have a good and safe Halloween weekend! Save me your Twix.

God Bless,

Mandy

Patience-Teaching the Waiting Game and Why?

Patience is a virtue.

One that I really stink at.

WHY?

Why is patience so important?

Why should we teach our kids?

Because we want them to wait to have dessert after dinner?

Or to wait till their Birthday to open the gift?

Hmmm...

Kinda important, but not a spirit lesson,

or is it?

This is something seemingly small .

So parents let it slide, this patience teaching thing.

Why is this a bigger deal than dessert?

When we teach our kids patience, we give them LIFE SKILLS.

Crucial LIFE SKILLS.

 I leave our Mom's Shop stuff in plain view all week, and let them STRUGGLE with the wanting of the goodies, but not being able to have them yet.

Not because I'm mean (well, I can be).

But because it's BIGGER.

Often times I'll set a cup of juice on the table prior to putting dinner on the table.

WHY?

It's certainly not because I want to yell ask them a million times to not drink it.

It's certainly not because I like cleaning up spilled juice from sneaky fingers.

I don't LIKE to pick a fight with my kids.

But there are moments we need to set them up to make a choice.

To set 'em up in a safe environment to learn the lesson of patience.

You see, I don't REALLY care if they had some juice before their meal.

Let's fast foreword 5,10, 20 years.

I DO care if they WAIT to have sex until marriage.

But I DO care if they WAIT till money is in their bank account before they buy their groceries.

I DO care if they WAIT to buy something they really want by saving cash rather than getting now on a credit card.

I do care if they choose to WAIT till I pick them up from a party where there is drinking, when all their friends are leaving now, together.

There is a lot more to teaching our kids patience than meets the eye.

It's character building.

It teachers them that no matter how much they want it NOW,
they will be blessed when they choose to WAIT.

Now if only I could teach myself to wait till after lunch to eat that cupcake...

 Linking up with:

 

God Bless,

Mandy

100 Things About Me...

Okay, so I passed my one year blogging anniversary and still don't have this done!!

Almost there!

81.
One of my favorite smells is wet, hot pavement.
Seriously.
You think I'm weird, just remember next summer to smell it and you'll get it.


82.
I'm kind of an anti-perfectionist, perfectionist.
I fight against my perfectionistic tendencies to the point where I purposely make it imperfect.

Did that make any sense at all?

83.
I have a horrid short term memory.
I can ask you something and 2 hours later ask the exact same thing because I forgot I already asked or forgot your answer.

84.
I love trains, old planes, old cars.
Old modes of transportation are iconic to an era,
and since I like old things, well , there ya go.

85.
I am fascinated by all things Irish/Scottish.
If I had the attention span I would study the cultures more but my brain is on malfunction mode from children.

86.
I am an 'old soul'.
Even as a kid I would rather have had conversations with adults.
Even now almost all my friends are older than me.
I've always been mature for my age and very grounded.
I don't think there was one person who knew me well that was concerned when I chose to marry at 19.



87.
I am not good at self-motivation and procrastinate horribly.
This is a fancy way of saying I'm lazy.

88.
I don't write in paragraphs.


89.
I am very transparent.
I don't do fake.
I can't really hide my emotions, or pretend to like someone if I don't.
I'm not ever mean, everyone deserves kindness, I just can't be fakey.
And I'm not a good liar at all.

90.
I'm kind of anti -feminism.
I am old fashioned and proud of it.
Biblical standards are as true today as a thousand years ago.
And I pretty much see little grey in the world.
Somethings right or it's wrong.
It's good or it's bad.
It's black or it's white.
I have very little room for relativity in my head.
It's okay if you disagree:),
just filling you in on me!

91.
I think Jimmy Stewart was the greatest actor of all times.
And his personal life was just as genuine as his acting.
My other favs are:
Actors:
Bogart and Carey Grant , John Wayne and Charlton Heston from the old school,
Sean Connery, Robet Duvall, Gerard Butler, Tommy Lee Jones,
Steve Carrell, Anthony Hopkins, James Garner, Clint Eastwood, Collin Firth and Liam Neeson, Christian Bale, from 'our' time.

Actresses:
then:
Bergman, Katherine Hepburn, Debra Kerr , Maureen O'Hara, Jean Arthur .
now:
Reece Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Garner( I just like the Jennifers okay, I don't think they possess the talent as some others though), Sandra Bullock, Judy Dench,  Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane and Rachel McAdams.
 

That probably should have gone in it's own post but really, I'm reaching here at the final stretch for 100.

92.
I'm not a good sleeper.
I LOVE sleep,
 but I wake up at least once an hour.
I sleep lightly and miserably.

93.
I'm not passionate about coffee either way like most people.
Sometimes I drink it, sometimes I don't.
I love a good $4.00 coffee.
But at home?
Eh.
Not really crucial. If I make it, I usually put chocolate milk in it.
I could live with it or live without it.

94.
I am low maintenance.
My nails are short and ugly.
My hair is done in about 2 minutes, and a good day would be when I actually blow dry it (about once a month).
I like make up but,
the only girly thing I can't leave the house without is mascara.
And I hate lipstick.

95.
I think the best part of my day is when the bra comes off!


96.
I don't know if I ever wear matching socks.
And sometimes they're even my hubbys or sons.
And I can't stand to have 'closed in' feet in warm weather


97.
I really want to learn to sew.
On the sewing machine my Honey got me 2 Christmases ago.

98.
When I'm not 30 lbs overweight like I am now, I have tiny fingers.
My wedding band is as size 4.75

99.
I hate brown and black or brown and grey together.



100.
I am trying to live my life for Jesus, failing miserably, but He loves me anyway.

There you have it!! 100 things you probably would have been happy to never read about me!!

I hope you have a blessed day, Mandy

Multitude Mondays...

81.  rainy October mornings
82. fires in the wood stove
83.  cupcakes
84. baking  with the kids
85. organizer thingys
86. paint
87. pomegranates
88. leeks
89. spices
90. clouds
91. fall leaves
92. carving pumpkins
93. pens (NOT pencils!)
94. online bill pay
95. my hubby's consistency
96. class parties
97. pretty bedding
98. ruffles
99. puddle jumping
100. pumpkin patches
101. hand writing
102. baskets
103. sleepy kids
104. Tylenol
105. candles (my fav. is the Real Deals soy Hot Buns!)
106. scalloped paper
107. crayons
108. lace
109. health
110. prayer
111. rain boots
112. hay bales
  what are you thankful for this Fall morning?? You don't have to name a thousand, how about 3?
Tag-GO!

God Bless,
Mandy

100 Things About Me...

This is getting HARD!!!

okay, here we go:

61.
I have never seen Star Wars.  Apparently this is a big deal because people are SHOCKED when I say that.  It just doesn't seem appealing to me.

62.
I have a thing against female singers for some odd reason.  I can appreciate a good voice, but I'd much rather listen to a guy.  A man's voice just has an appeal that a women's doesn't.  And a lot of women sing in that whiny, half drugged sounding voice I can't stand.  I only like female singers who can use that power from their guts type singing. In my top 25 singers/bands there might be one girl in it all...

63.
I collect birdies.


64.
I believe in being good stewards of the world God gave us, and being wise in our responsibility of it.
But the 'green' movement makes me insane.

65.
I am passionate about conservative issues, and I'd love to be further involved in politics one day.
Helping in campaigns, or something similar.


66.
One of my favorite quotes:

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.


Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
 
 
67.
I think there is nothing quite like laughing till you have to pee.
I think the last time I did was when I was reading the newspaper mistakes and headlines online.
 
68.
Water is soothing to me.
As a kid I could spend hours in the pool.
I actually like washing dishes because I get to put my hands in warm water.
That's the main reason I could never move to the Midwest, I couldn't stand to be further from the ocean.
(we're about 2 hrs away)
Baths, rivers, dish water, the sea.
I simply relax in being around water.
 
69.
I think the fashion world has finally caught up to me.
I am LOVING the feminine style right now, the ruffles, florals, lace.
It's been my thing for a while, now I just fit in ;). If only I could work up the courage to put one of the  many flowers in my hair I've bought.
I feel silly when I do, but I love them on others!
 
70.
Fall and Spring are my favorite times of year.
 
71.
I go to bed each night with a heart so full of love for my kids and life that I feel like bursting,
and always wish I had been a better mom that day.
 
72.
Weddings kind of bug me.
I know that sounds crazy, me being a romantic and all.
But really...
they seem so...forced.
Like hours upon hours have gone into the planning and rehearsing, until everyone seems so stiff and like they are trying way to hard for it all to be perfect.
If I had to do it again it would just be one big party, people surrounding us as we said our simple vows and enjoying the moment rather than performing a 'show'.
It would be casual but beautiful.
Rustic but elegant.With focus on the marriage and not a wedding.
 
73.
no matter how hot I get, I have to sleep with a blanket on.
 
 
74.
not a pie or brownie or cake person.
cookies, cobblers and other treats absolutely.
 
75.
I've put my photography on hold till the kids are bigger.
It was the right choice for me.
They need my attention now, photography can wait.
 
76.
I've only been to a few places.
Oregon, California, Texas (but only for 2 days for my grandma's funeral, and once as a kid that I don't remember), and New Mexico and Arizona as a young kid ( I don't remember it).
and Mexico with the church youth group.
 
That will change one day.
I might try to talk my honey into a Washington trip in a year or two since it's not too far!
I'd love to see Seattle and the Olympic rain forest area.
 
77.
I have a really soft heart towards the homeless.
Even though I know they are mostly alcoholics or drug users.
They are still lost souls.
They make me feel blessed, and sad and help me to see the face of God all at once.
I say a prayer each time I see one, try to smile and look them in the eyes, though I rarely give them money.
They deserve respect and dignity.
They deserve to be treated as a human being and have someone look at them as a fellow man and not a dog.
I can disagree with how they choose to live, but give them grace at the same time.
 I would love to be involved in volunteer work with the homeless one day.
 
 
78.
I am notoriously early to everything.
 
79.
I LOVE old oak trees.
There is something solid, and sacred and beautiful about them.
 
80.
I am the oldest of 4 kids.
I'm a typical first born.
One of my sisters is only 16 months younger, my brother is 8 yrs younger and my little sis is 10 yrs younger.
I love them all, and I have a good relationship with each, but we are all totally different in interests and personalities.
I'm probably the most different.
 
 
 

 

 
God Bless,
Mandy