Sunday, December 28, 2014

This years movies in review

There have been several movies I've enjoyed seeing this year. Some I have even enjoyed taking the time and money to see in theaters.

Some of my favorites were Maleficent, Dracula Untold, Planes: Fire and Rescue, Guardians of the Galaxy, Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and Big Hero 6 were just a few. Maleficent and Dracula were new versions to old stories. Much like Into the Woods, but that was a chaotic musical that is more of an acquired taste. I'm still trying to get in to see the new Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. I hear its a great one, though lags with the telling of the love story between the dwarf and the elf. I'm mainly interested in seeing Legolas....
Divergent was pretty good. I'm not sure exactly how I feel, but I did enjoy it as entertainment.

While the Game Stands Tall was a good one as well, even though it was a football movie. I'm not a sports fan, but the story of this dedicated coach was a really inspiring tale.

Future movies I am looking forward to or have an interest in seeing would include Ant-Man and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Ant-Man is another super hero movie. Since producers and writers are on a roll with those types, they are branching out from the widely known to add the heroes we don't often think about. Unless you're a nerd like me... Paul Rudd will be the star of this one coming out next summer on July 17th, 2015. Who among you plans to watch this one? How many of you actually know the story behind the Ant-Man?? I can see some of you looking it up right now....

"Based on the Marvel comic character first published in 1962, Marvel’s “Ant-Man” continues the lineage of epic big-screen adventures chronicled in Marvel’s “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Iron Man 3,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the upcoming Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Star Wars has always been a favorite of mine. Can you blame me? I'll admit that the 3 original movies were the better ones, but even the 3 latest had their good things. I'm skeptical about whether Disney will keep in line with the original story and make it worth watching. The teaser trailer looked more like a spoof than the real deal.


I still haven't seen Captain American: The Winter Soldier, The Wolverine, Mockingjay Part 1, How to Train Your Dragon 2 (though I bought it), The Maze Runner, 300: Rise of an Empire... So many on my list that will have to wait until they are Netflix or I catch them on sale because I worry about wasting money on a bad movie. What have you seen? What do you look forward to seeing?

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Into the Woods movie review

Into the Woods is a slightly chaotic musical that retells several classic fairy tales with a whimsical twist. Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Baker and his Wife, Jack and the Beanstalk and I want to say that even the witch, played by Meryl Streep, is from a special story.
Though I can't quite put my finger on it. Johnny Depp plays the devilishly clever Big Bad Wolf.
I have to admit, when I decided to see this pre screening, I was mainly interested in seeing the great Johnny Depp. He is my heart throb of course (can you blame me?). But sadly, his character doesn't last very long. And to think, he wasn't even vanquished by a hunter as the classic story would have you believe. Little Red Riding Hood is a bit of an annoying girl who cons bread and sweets from the Baker and his Wife. 
The Baker and his Wife live a simple life and long to have a child. For reasons unknown, they can't. Then one day, out of the blue, the witch next door pays them a visit and explains that they are cursed to never have children because the Bakers parents stole from her garden. She sets them out to fulfill a quest and retrieve special items for her. In return, she will regain her youth and beauty and thus recant the curse.  
Another story unfolds as we meet the lowly Cinderella who is slaving away for the cruel stepmother and her hideous daughters.
She has the gift of talking to birds and requesting their assistance. Let's face it, every Disney Princess has to have such a talent right? Even if it seems a little creepy... 
Rapunzel is the Bakers sister that has spent her life locked away in a tower, growing her hair out to be ridiculously long.
How did she get up there if there are no doors? Just saying... But a prince falls in love with her and will not rest until she is his bride.
He is the brother of Prince Charming who is in love with Cinderella because she keeps running away from him. But is she really what he wants? And does she really want to be a prized trophy princess? 
Then there's Jack. Poor boy is a simpleton with a single mother that can't provide.
He traded his cow for beans, climbed the beanstalk that grew from the beans, and stole from the Giants up in the clouds with the hopes of buying back his beloved cow. But what if he met the cunning Little Red Riding Hood? What if the beans came from the Baker and Wife? What happens when the witch needs the cow but it died? So many twists. Then the giant is killed, but he had a wife who now wants revenge. Who should pay the price of vengeance? 
The end brings a tie to each story. Every character gets to follow a path of their choosing. It was cleverly devised by the writers. There were definitely parts that could've been better. Again, I wasn't into it as much being that it was a musical. I was sad that the Wolf (Johnny Depp) still died and by the hands of a squeamish baker, no less. It was family friendly. It taught values of working together, especially when you're a married couple. Don't cheat on your spouse, you'll end up falling from a cliff right after while he rides off to find his happiness. Don't steal from bakers and listen to wolves, you'll end up waiting for that baker to cut you from a swollen belly. Better hope he's merciful. 
It's fun, with its comical moments. 

Merry Christmas? No thanks!

I'm not a fan of Christmas.
To me it's a huge hassle that usually compounds over the weeks before leading into a disaster on Christmas Day. Buying gifts, sending cards, oops I forgot the family photo, don't forget to cook all the things that no one wants to eat because it's tradition, what no tree?!, do we have to visit that part of the family?, and do I have to get dressed on the one day off from work?! 
I can't really remember a truly happy Christmas Day of relaxing and enjoying myself for at least the past 10-15 years. I pretty much just grin and bear it while hoping the clock will magically speed to the end of it all. Smiling while opening that gift you didn't want and thinking how it's going into the re-gifting pile when you get home. Just remember who gave it to you so you don't give it back! 
Trying to think of compliments to say about someone else's cooking even though you are trying not to eat very much of it and don't want to be dishonest or rude. 
I spend the whole year buying gifts that I can set aside for Christmas. I catch the sales, and pay attention to great deals. When you have 9 siblings, 2 parents, plus all your husbands family... And the occasional friend to buy for.... You learn not to wait until December to get everything. I don't even want to watch tv during the holidays. All you see are ads of 50-70%, but you know they are lies. Stores put prices up higher in the middle-end of the year then announce "sales" to make you think you are getting a bargain. Until they are clearance, I'm not really interested. A couple days after Christmas until the beginning of January or even February, is when the real deals can be found. That's when stores are purging their inventories and prepping for new products to be stocked. Then you also have to listen to your kids saying, "Mom, I want that!" to every toy they see. 
This year was no different. Maybe more miserable, but not different. I was awake about 1:25 this morning with a headache and unable to sleep. Since I didn't want to wake anyone else, I went to lay on the couch and play Hearthstone on the iPad for a couple rounds. Then I dozed off again and woke to a pounding migraine. So much for a restful day. Guess I should be glad that I got so much relaxation the night before. I quickly got to work wrapping the last of the gifts. I stuffed the stockings, made eggs, sausage and toast for breakfast, and began mixing up a batch of brownies for the in laws. We were supposed to go to their house for lunch. By this time, the children are awake. Ravenous little rug rats begging for food and trying to break into the neatly laid out gifts. 
Breakfast first! That's when my daughter throws up. A torrent of chunky liquid all over herself, her father (who freaks out and starts yelling), and the surrounding area. May I just say, I don't freak out. Ever. Panic only makes things worse. I give my husband a handful of paper towels and then gather up my baby girl to go upstairs and bathe. After that, it was a whirlwind of cleaning for me. Something just clicks and puts me on the warpath. First the kitchen, then the floors, the stairs, on upstairs to the bedrooms. My stress levels begin to rise as my husband tried to tell me to stop and rest or continuously ask why I was cleaning. Any other day of the year, he'd be telling me I don't do enough. That if I'm sitting after work, I'm being lazy. After all, when he was the working breadwinner he didn't need as much rest or sleep as I seem to. Also, being the stay at home parent is difficult and he needs me to take over on my days off. But not today? How is it different today than any other day? This is one of my pet peeves. Pick a stance and stay with it. Regardless of day, holidays, or plans. But I digress.
On to opening gifts and deciding what the plan of the day will be.
Since the kids are all sick, we have to stay home.
Can't say I'm too disappointed. I can stay home and get things done, or be bored out of my mind at the in laws. Which would you choose? 
Then I clean like crazy (which is what my husband thinks I am). I plug in the headphones to blast Skillet, AFI, Thrash80, and Sabaton among others. I know it won't help the head pains. It will, however, help to drown out the background noises and thoughts in my weary head. 
My husband complained about not getting gifts for each other. I opened one gift from my parents but he had nothing as he'd already opened his gift from them. My gift to him was telling I'm divorcing him next year. I delivered that last week. No need to gift wrap something after dropping that kind of news, right? 
My daughter again lost her stomach contents just before lunch. It looks to be a long day of cleaning and headaches. But I can't say I'm not happy. I'm not at work. I'm wearing comfy pants. I don't have to answer personal questions from family I don't see often. And I don't have to leave the comfortable, clean, organized chaos of my own home. 
So today, enjoy your Christmas celebrations. Whether you do so in religious ways, with family, or as I'm doing in some form that is uniquely your own - do so with pride and pleasure! Get ready for a new year. It's almost here! 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Solo Universal Fit tablet/eReader case review

 
Its time for another wonderful product review via Shoplet.com. Shoplet.com offers a wide variety of office supplies. This is for a Solo Universal Fit Tablet/eReader Case.
This comfortable case that protects your tablet, can be used on tablets ranging from 8.5 - 11 inches.
They are universal in their ability to cover several types of tablets.
I like that they have stretchable corner attachments to hold the tablet firmly in place.
I also like the textured outside and soft inside. I know it will be protected.
The clasp on the outside is magnetic.
  I only wish it had an opening so that the camera was usable while the case was on. It would also be better if it had the ability to be its own stand. As it is, my husband takes the case off to set it up on a stand when he wants to go hands-free.
Don't forget to check out the other things that Shoplet has to offer. They have promotional supplies to help you get your business name out there. Or perhaps you could use medical supplies. They now also offer office stationary. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Gatti's pizza review

As a part of the U.S. Family Guide bloggers, I was invited to write a review for our local Gatti's. Located at 2921 Pat Booker Road in Universal City, Gatti's offers a fun, family experience for all ages. 
We went at 4PM with the hopes that an early dinner on Saturday night wouldn't be so crowded. We were wrong. The parking lot was already pretty full. 
You can reserve rooms for parties and fun occasions. They also have multiple dining rooms. One of the dining rooms has a large TV where movies play to provide entertainment for the kids while you dine. We chose the Quiet Dining room, though my kids had a hard time keeping their voices down. 
Food choices are abundant.
They have various types of pasta and sauces to choose from, a salad bar, myriads of pizza flavors that are ever changing throughout the day, and a dessert set up.
Some of my personal favorites were the Italian type pasta and jalapeƱo pepperoni pizza. My oldest son devoured a plate of spaghetti right off the start. Normally I can't get him to be as enthusiastic when I make it at home... My younger son loved the macaroni and cheese. Apparently I don't make that right either since he had far more gusto for Gatti's than he has for mine. They have baked potatoes and even potato salad that was pretty good. 
From the drink choices, I really loved that there were 4 types of tea to choose from. I chose green tea, though you have regular sweet and unsweet as well as Nestea Raspberry to choose from. 
As with any buffet-providing restaurant, clean plates are never ending. You finish one, dump in a receptacle for such and grab a fresh one. 
There is a huge game room to play in.
Games are typically .25 or 50¢ each though some cost more, such as the bumper cars or (my favorite) Fruit Ninja
which are $1 or more.
You can either purchase a game card, or use cash to pay for the games.
There's a little something for everyone. One of our favorites was the Goal Rush.
You get a set amount of balls and you have to toss/roll them upward and into various point value "goals". We ended up playing it over a few times. 
There are plenty of ticket-rewarding games. Tickets can be used to redeem prizes.
The ticket machines were having issues counting and adding credit to the cards. So the lines were a bit long. But that's to be expected with such a high volume of people using them daily. 
It was a great experience for my family. My husband is even talking of making it a regular thing. And if you sign up for the Gatti's newsletter, you can receive emails letting you know what the latest deals are. And if you're tired of having turkey for your holiday meals, maybe you should consider taking the family out one night! 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Fellowes Callisto 125 Laminator review via Shoplet.com

Shoplet.com has graced me with another item to review for you guys! They sent me this Fellowes Laminating Machine.
There are certain things I want to last for a really long time. I have recipes that I could put in a sheet protector, but this makes a more worthwhile choice.
Sheet protectors only protect them so much. But lets say something falls over the top? It could go inside the open end. With a laminated page, there is no more worrying about that. Its enclosed and protected for as long as you need it to be.
The machine itself is much lighter than I thought it would be, judging from the outside of the box.
There is more than one size to choose from when laminating. Just line up your choice and adjust the edges. The laminator will continue from there. It takes several minutes to heat up, but it's quick to laminate. I felt like a kid in the candy shop. What do I laminate first?! 
I chose a couple of my favorite recipes that I use repeatedly. 
I also decided to laminate a single page instruction for a Lego build my kids enjoy using often. 
The last one they had fallen apart far too quickly. 
My husband has a particular list he uses quite frequently. It was getting tattered around he edges. So he decided to make a double sided copy and laminate the copy. No more worries about how long his list will last now. 
I like how easy it was to understand and follow the directions. It didn't take long to set up. There weren't any strong fumes. It doesn't get so hot as to ruin my table. The laminate was smooth and cooled within seconds. I was able to trim it slightly and punch holes without ruining the page. 
Overall, greatly enjoyed using this. It has a lot of potential for future projects. Also, don't forget that Shoplet.com has many other things to offer. They carry Office Supplies (that's a given) but now carry other products such as; Promotional Products for building your business, Medical supplies, and Office Stationary. Check them out, and let me know what you think!

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

A busy month ahead

So many things going on this month! I won't post about everything just yet. I still have a review to deliver to you all. But here some deals and savings I just needed to share.

I just ordered my wreath for the Wreathes Across America program. They will be laying wreathes next Saturday with the Mayport Sea Cadet group. My recognition name was one of the cadets, Jesse Carter. Lets remember our fallen during the holidays. They truly gave all.
The form to order yours is here. Time is running out.

Now in other news....
There's a Domino's Pizza deal you might be interested in. For those nights when you are too tired to cook, order online and get 50% off ALL pizzas at menu price until December 7th.  
Also, sign up for the alert of when the 50,000 gift card giveaway goes live! Values range from $100 - $2. Use this link: https://www.quikly.com/726-dominos/t/7Wb6JKQ-lnk to sign up. Adding friends can give you extra time towards getting in on the action sooner.
Get 50 bonus points for your Kelloggs Family Rewards account. ENJOY50KFRPOINTS.

Get 5 bonus points everday for your Disney account. The first code was yesterday, 25D1ST Get more details here: http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/articles/25Days?int_cmp=DMR|HERO|25Days
Texr 727272 daily to get movie offers from Redbox. Text NICE or SHOPPERS to get started. Valid until December 7th.
On December 12th, you can get a great deal on Krispy Kreme Donuts. Buy one dozen original donuts, get another dozen free! If you received the email newsletter, you should have gotten a coupon for it. If you haven't, you can get the coupon from their website.
And finally, get 10% off electronics at Target! Check your Cartwheel to add the offer today.