Welcome to the 60's...

Why am I just NOW discovering how amazing and awesome this musical is??

I must have been living in a cave.

Love it!

♥

Here we go, Ladies and Gentlemen..

Here. We. Go.

I started full-time student teaching today. 

I will be working full time at the store AND full time student teaching for the next two weeks.

Insane. 

I will say though, that I love being in the classroom full time. 

Love it. 

It just reminds me that this is where I'm supposed to be. Even with all of the challenges I face in that school, it's where I'm supposed to be.

So, this past weekend was sort of Jamie and I's last hurrah, and it was great.

Saturday morning we got up and made pancakes, yum! And then we both went to work until midnight. 

When I got home, he said, "We should go out." 

To which i readily replied "Yeah!"

I don't think he expected that, but he followed through. 

So, we went to Claddagh's, Howl at the Moon, and then Steak and Shake.

It was so fun.

But, we didn't get home until 4 AM.

So, needless to say, we slept in on Sunday.

I was feeling a little under the weather, anyway. 

After I crawled out of bed and took some Tylenol, 

we took a bike ride!

We put on earmuffs, gloves, and coats, and rode around our edition and the edition across the street.  

It was great, but also reminded me of just how out of shape I am.

And that is REALLY out of shape.

Yikes.

Then, Sunday night, I watched one of our pre-streets, called "Get Low"

Pre-streets are movies that are at the store before they go on the shelves. 

It's a lovely little perk of working at Family Video.

"Get Low," however, was one of the best movies I've seen in a while. I love small, independent titles, and this was a great one. 

Seriously, it was absolutely wonderful. I was really, really impressed, and I would recommend it to all.

And, I'm really excited, because there were TWO previews of movies that I think look awesome!

I have also found a new musical love. 

Dum da da dum!

Florence + the Machine.

They are awesome.

I bought their CD "Lungs" and it is awesome. I just love her voice. 

This is the video from their most famous release "Dog Days are Over."

Just a warning, the video is VERY eccentric, so please don't let that turn you off of the song. 

Because it's awesome.

And there's some good news around here!

Minnie's ears are finally getting better!

The white little spots on the tips of her ears are where the sores were. They have scabbed over and healed, which makes me a really, really happy woman. 

She's pretty happy too, I can tell. 

Well, I'm off to do the last little bit of homework I have before biggest loser. 

♥

Thoughts

What's wrong with this picture??

Hahahaha, Emma.

She has apparently decided that it is okay for her to get in Minnie's crate.

I was cracking up.

Minnie didn't even seem to care.

They are so hilarious.

The kitties seem to be going over great, but no offers for homes yet.

I really hope I can help Emily find them some good families.

I'm going to the Penrod with my Husband in the morning.

I'm really excited.

We are thinking about taking Natalie with us.

I often read the blog of notes, I enjoy seeing other well-written blogs.

But...

These

would give me nightmares if I had them as a child.

They may still now.

However I love

This.

Absolutely Love.

Lastly,

I wish I could dance like this.

This dance is gorgeous and passionate,

and I love it.

♥

Olive Hoover is my hero...

Watching Little Miss Sunshine.

Oh. My. I love this movie.

Even though there are so many inappropriate things that i don't agree with in it.

There are so many awful things, yet in the end it is the very thing they dread that brings them together as a family in a totally unique way that defies societal expectations.

Amazing.

Crazy day.

Wow.

Closed last night, for the fourth night in a row, and didn't get home until 12:30 AM. Then stayed up and worked on one last homework assignment. Until 1 AM. Then, I crawled out of bed at 7AM, and left for school at 7:30 AM.

And while exhausted during class, my teacher has the kindness to tell us that she is postponing the assignment that I stayed up working on until next week. How nice of her.

So I got through the rest of the school day, and then the craziness started.

First off, I had to take Minnie to get her nails trimmed.

Speck's does it for $4 every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month.

But, I've never taken her without Jamie.

And she is Jamie's girl.

She did great up until the 4th paw,

and then she had an EPIC meltdown.

I. mean. EPIC.

It was awful. She was nipping at me and the grooming lady, and was thrashing all over the table.

So, i got her a bone, and a pup cup at Starbucks.

That was three hours ago, and this is where she has been since:

As you can tell by the fact that she refuses to look at me, she hates my guts.

I don't really know what to do about it.

I really missed Jamie during all of this.

She never acts this way with him.

The one positive is, she loves the bone. She won't leave it alone.

Then I went grocery shopping. I was exhausted and really didn't want to go, but had no choice, as we have nothing to eat.

Since Jamie and I are never home, we don't eat nearly as many fixed meals, so I don't have to buy nearly as much food.

So, I used the remainder of my budget to buy awesome healthy snacks.

I got fresh fruit and veggies, some awesome Cliff and Larabars, and some wonderful, amazing, not-so-healthy Hint-O-Mint Newman-O's.

And, they were on sale.

So great.

After I got home, a little girl who was probably 9 or 10 came to my door asking for donations for an event at her school she was participating in.

I couldn't say no.

I am defenseless against children.

So, I gave her $5 of my personal budget.

At first I was irritated, but really, I prefer giving it to a worthy cause than spending it on something that I don't really need.

Makes me feel good about helping her.

So, that leads back to where I am now.

Watching Little Miss Sunshine,

and eating Soy vanilla ice cream with crushed Newman-O's on it, and waiting on my long lost husband to get home.

Wonderful.

♥

"The perfect con is one where, in the end, everyone gets what they want."

So, I really want to see "Inception," as everyone loves it, and I have been told that it is the exact kind of movie that I love.

Working at a video store, I have seen many movies, and do have quite a passion for them.

My favorite kinds of movies are those with surprise endings.

Not movies with random endings that don't make sense,

but movies with well thought out, intelligent plots, that have you thinking one thing the entire movie, and then BAM! It all comes together to make sense in an entirely different way.

I love them.

So, in the spirit of things, I have compiled:

"My top 8 (because I had too many for 5, and couldn't think of 10) movies with awesome endings."

#8: "500 Days of Summer"

-Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

While this movie is #8 on this list for endings, it is in my top five movies of all time. It is a phenomenal story about love and life, and the end will both move and surprise you at the same time. It is the most true-to-life love story I've ever seen, with a little comedy and creative filming thrown in, and I recommend it to all.

#7: "Book of Eli"

-Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis

Definitely liked this movie. While I typically try to stay away from "end of the world movies" because they often depress me, this movie didn't. However, you must watch it all the way to the end, even if you don't like the beginning, because the end is mind-blowing.

#6: "Fight Club"

-Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham-Carter

While one of my husband's favorites, there is too much overall weirdness in this movie for me to say that I love it. People soap, chemical burns, support group touring, underground beatings, cult-like activities: some may say art, I say it's a little bizarro. However, as far is interesting, surprising endings, this one is far and above many others. However, once you know the ending, you will never watch the movie the same way again.

#5: "The Others"

-Nicole Kidman

Probably the best ghost movie I have ever seen. I don't typically enjoy stories about hauntings and ghosts, but the ending for this one has stuck with me for many years, and to this day I still think of it as one of the most jaw-dropping endings I've ever seen.

#4 "Shutter Island"

-Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley

I definitely want to watch this one again, as I have only seen it once. It is a controversial pick, I know, as everyone that i have talked to either loved it or hated it. However, i thought it was wonderfully done, and extremely creative. The ending not only surprises you, but leaves you with an air of curiosity. I will definitely have to watch it again.

#3: "The Illusionist"

-Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti

Another of my husbands favorites, and this one is wonderful. Definitely one of the most well-thought out plots I've ever seen, and an awesome tale of overcoming social expectations, and finding true love through adversity. The ending is so beautifully done, and wonderfully clever.

#2: "Lucky Number Slevin"

-Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freedman, Ben Kingsley

An awesome all-star cast, an intense tale of murder and revenge, and another "love through adversity" tie-in, this is number two because of the complex nature of the plot, and the way it is played out all the way to the end. I love this movie, because I am amazed every time I see it at the creativity of the plot.

#1: "The Brothers Bloom"

-Adrian Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz

Amazing movie. Amazing. I love Adrian Brody anyway, but he is awesome in this movie. A movie about life-long con artists, the ending of this movie makes perfect sense in so many ways, and yet you never see it coming. I also love the creativity of this film, through the timelessness of the sets and wardrobe, to the creative use of Steven's maps, and the wonderful work of the entire cast, I adore this movie. It is a must see in my book.

So there you have it.

My favorite ending movies.

Props to Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and Edward Norton for making the list twice.

Love.

♥

Clutter and Critters

Watching "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" for the first time.

It's good, but sad.

Spent the last few hours going through Rachel Ray magazines.

For some strange reason, Jamie got like 7 months worth free.

Found some awesome recipes.

I will be trying Tortellini Con Colore tonight.

Sounds great.

Just made lunch/dinner for Jamie and I.

Today was his first day of working 2:30-11.

It was weird.

But, I think I could get used to it.

I only have to cook once a day, because I can make us a big lunch, and then use the leftovers for both of us when we work, or make myself a small dinner when I don't.

I am excited though. I really think this is a good thing.

No more nights!

Been doing some major re-organizing in the spare bedrooms.

Because of this we have a ton of stuff to get rid off.

So, I put it all on craigslist today, and since I am off today, I am playing official secretary.

We have already had 4 calls about the bookshelf.

I am sick of it already.

But, I hope like crazy that it pays off, and all of this stuff can be out of our living room.

Clutter free is good.

Speaking of bookshelf, I bought a new one for the office, because i outgrew the other one (that we are now selling.)

When I bought it, Jamie was at work.

I loaded the 70 lb. box into the cart, into the car, and into the house by myself.

Then, I put it together myself, and voila!

I was so proud of myself.

and it looks great!

My new stove finally came today.

My momma is so awesome.

But, after they delivered it,

and we got it all hooked up,

we figured out that the center burner (the one that specifically sold me on this stove)

didn't work.

at all.

So, I called Lowes, and my options were:

Order another (wait another week and a half)

or call maintenance (wait another week.)

Lame.

But, at least we have it until they come out and fix it.

The first meal I cooked on it was Crispy Cracker chicken, Mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob.

It was great!

My furry critters have been hilarious today.

I laid out a towel for Minnie after her bath yesterday.

This is where I found them this morning.

They actually were civil with each other for 10 whole minutes.

Emma was quite the little entertainer this morning.

And, when I was cutting out recipes, she decided to sit on them.

She's so stinking cute.

I love her.

I had a lovely day with my family yesterday at the Mossman family picnic.

We went to McCormick's Creek State Park.

We hiked, and ate.

It was lovely.

Only two more work shifts until Chicago!!

Uggghh, I am so excited!

♥

It Came!!!!

I LOVE this show!!!! And our steal of the day the other day at work was the entire 35 episode first season on sale for only $11!!!!! and it finally came!!! I am SO pumped!!

It may be totally dorky, but i laugh hysterically every time i watch it. =)

And for someone who doesn't have any TV at all, it is glorious.

♥