I've rented 4 movies in the past week that I really liked and so I want to talk about them.

The Audrey Hepburn Story:  Jennifer Love Hewitt did a great job depicting this great actress.  I have to say that I found a lot of her back story depressing.  But, I was intrigued to learn that her role in the Anne Frank movie was very real.  She was in and around all of that when it was going on.  Once again, we see how important a father's role is in a child's life.  Especially for girls.  Her Dad was never there, yet she was always searching for him and asking him to be there.  The back story behind the Sabrina movie was also intriguing and upsetting.  I found it refreshing that one of her main goals in life was to be married and be a mother.  I liked it.

Always:  This movie has Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss in it.  And, weirdly enough, Audrey Hepburn.  It was coincidence that two movies I rented had her in it.  I have to say, I cried my eyes out.  I was a goner for the rest of the day.  I watched it in the morning.
Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss are a couple.  I honestly thought they were married, but it turns out, they are not.  Anyway, they are together and making future plans and then he dies.  And, the rest of the movie is how she won't get on with her life and he shows up to help her, but it turns out his motives are selfish and he has to be re-told what he is there to do.  There's another guy in the picture and it really complicates matters, and you to find yourself rooting for his success.
I thought it was going to be a comedic thing.  And, it was a funny movie.  I laughed a lot.  But, it really is heart-breaking and gut-wrenching.  I equate all this emotion with The Notebook, times 2.
If you need a good crybaby movie, get this one.

Mamma Mia:  Ok, I know this movie has been out a while and I'm such the ABBA fan.  Honestly, I read reviews and let it spoil it for me.  But, I couldn't shake it.  I kept putting it in my Netflix queue and taking it off and putting it back and next thing I know, it's in my mailbox.  So, I watched it.
This movie does not have the best storyline.  I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who truly wants to see it and hasn't... but it does not have a great storyline.  There are some redeeming qualities and there are somethings that turn out worse than you hoped.
I think it was a good thing I was watching it alone because I sang out loud with the songs.  I enjoyed the musical part of it (duh) and I knew how everything was going to turn out, so that kind of ruined the suspense.  Yet, I enjoyed watching it all unfold.
I love Meryl Streep.  Love her.
And, I have to say, I liked Pierce Brosnan's singing.
I was hoping beyond hope that we'd be hearing "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" at the wedding. (I don't know how many "I Do's" there are in that song.)  I was not disappointed.
I was surprised to find songs in there that I didn't know.  Hadn't heard.
I cried my eyes out when Meryl Streep sang "Slipping Through My Fingers".  That was a great scene.  Loved it.
The "Super Trouper" trio was awesome, too.
Overall, I liked the movie.  I could have done without a lot of things, but I still found myself liking it.

Julie & Julia:  LOVED IT.  I seriously wanted to see this movie in the theaters but I did not get the opportunity.
I knew the story of Julie.  I didn't read her blog, but I knew about it.
I did not know Julia Child was married.  I did not know they were so in love.  I was neat to see this depicted.  They were very romantic to be honest.  Not in-your-face with all the bedroom stuff, but I liked knowing she was married and that it was a good marriage.
Julie's story from the beginning had me feeling depressed and I knew it was going somewhere.  I loved how her husband devoured what she would cook.  He encouraged her and while things went awry for a bit, I was glad to see them patched and mended.
I loved the first line of script in the movie "This movie is based on two true stories".  How often do you get to see that?  And, I loved the last line which I will leave for you to read when you see the movie.  I laughed, though.  Hard.  At 12:30 in the morning.
I was thoroughly entertained the whole time and to be honest, how can you not be during a Nora Ephron film?
See if you can figure out who the voice of the mother is in the movie.  Sid and I figured it out, we thought, and turns out we were right.  I could give a clue... but I won't.
I'm going to have to have this one.
And, it was also a total coincidence that I got two Meryl Streep movies to watch.


I was telling Sid what I had done with the two Audrey Hepburn and then two Meryl Streep movies.
While I was telling him about Always and who was in it, I said, "Richard Dreyfuss... the guy in Mr. Holland's Opus and Bob Rumson (the opponent) in American President".
He says, "That was not the same guy!"
I said, "Yes-huh!"
And then, I knew both movies were sitting on my dresser and I was running to get them and I said, "I love this game!" and I showed him.
I said, "I like how you try to tell me you know more about the movies I've watched hundreds of times than I do."
Seriously, I do.  It is a challenge to have someone tell say you're wrong and you actually momentarily second guess yourself before realizing you could be an expert on the subject.  And, to honest, I could be.
I think he does it to get a rise out of me.  It works.
It keeps things interesting.

This is an old story and I'm not entire sure whether I've already blog-documented this.

We were telling Mom and Dad about the sibling interactions that take place in our home and we discovered that this one incurred quite the laugh.

Tucker will be playing down the hall in the girls room and he will come stomping down the hall and say, "Phoebe hit me back!"

Not "Phoebe hit me".  'Phoebe hit me BACK."

He tattles on himself.  He's essentially saying "I hit Phoebe first... and then she hit me... BACK."

Honestly, he hasn't said this in a while...  but, he used to say it a lot.  And, Abigail interchanges with Phoebe's name.

But, this is one of Tucker's classic phrases, and I needed to be sure it was documented.

DISCLAIMER:  The following blog post contains pictures of a violent nature.  Viewer discretion is advised.







I made bread one day and had shaped rolls for baking in this muffin stone. Tucker was helping me and lifted it off the counter.  He was not strong enough.  It fell to the floor.  We had to throw the homemade bread away.
I cried for 8 days.

Tucker will be in therapy until he is 13.
I may not ever be out of therapy.

Parents, please take the proper precautions to shield your children from this kind of tragedy.