Movie Review Monday

Life as We Know It
The movie reviews haven't been very kind to this, but in general critics don't love romantic comedies so that shouldn't be to big of a surprise. The movie doesn't really fit the title, instead I prefer that Katherine Heigil baby movie. So in her baby movie, Katherine Heigel plays Holly the owner of a cute bakery. Josh Duhamel plays Messer a single bachelor who works on the tv coverage for the Atlata Falcons. Messer and Holly are step up on a disastrous date by mutual friends, but it gets even more disastrous when they're set up as guardians for their orphaned friends' daughter.

Just by that description I'm sure you all know the way it's going to end. And yes you're probably right, because it's completely predictable. But even so it's a cute movie. The baby (played by triplets, so I guess babies is better to use) is (are?) adorable, and make we think I could totally be ready to have a baby now. (Until common sense kicks in and I realize waiting another year or two would really be better.) And while some of the funniest parts of the movie are in the trailer there were still a few good bits they held out to use on the actual movie.

Overall it's a fun movie, that I would definitely be willing to see again. Although I think unless you've really been craving time in the theaters, this one could probably wait until it's out on dvd.

~Shoshanah

10-10-10

Happy 10/10/10 everyone! I've only been looking forward to this day practically forever. The reason being not only was it a fun day mathematically, but it's my 26th birthday! Originally we thought the boy was going to be working most of the day, so had thought about maybe doing breakfast. But yesterday we found out he had much of the morning off so a quick change of plans was in order.

To start off we went to go see a movie. (Review to come later this week. And yes, I realize it's been forever since I've posted a review, but only because it's been forever since I've seen a movie.)
After the movie we headed to Zea's Rotisserie Grill for lunch, which I believe is a Louisiana chain. I've heard great things about this place, but haven't had the chance to try it until today. One thing I knew I needed to try were their duck empanadas. The verdict?
They were good, but not as earth-shattering as I'd been told. I think the mayo on top (most of which I wiped off), and the fact they were a little too cheesy for my taste through me off. Don't get me wrong, they were still good enough for me to finish. But I think next time I'd been willing to try something else.
For our main courses the boy went with a beef with a mushroom and burgundy sauce paired with Zea's potatoes and red beans (above), while I went with a pesto crusted trout with sweet potatoes and dirty rice.
Well I really enjoyed the pesto crust, and think the high for both of us were the sides. And of course since it's a birthday I had to go with dessert.
Enter the cupcake trio, with carrot cake, chocolate cake and red velvet cake. I'm not normally a huge fan of carrot cake, but this one was really good. It was all cinnamon-y, and I want to say there were even chunks of apple inside. It was probably one of the best carrot cakes I've had, but still played second fiddle to the red velvet.

Then on the way home I decided we needed to stop at the pumpkin patch. As silly as it may sound, I'm really looking forward to the first Halloween at our new house when we actually have treak-or-treaters. And it we're going to have trick-or-treaters I definitely need a jack-o-lantern to show off.
As for the rest of the night, I'm planning on curling up on the couch with Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters. Overall I think it's been a pretty good way to celebrate 10-10-10 and of course enter into my 26th year!

~Shoshanah

Show Us Your... Kitchen & Dinning Room

I missed last week's dinning room post, so this week I'm posting a combined dinning room and kitchen door. In a way it makes sense we do have a combined dinning room and kitchen anyways. To start with this is the view when you walk in from the carport.
The table and chairs are actually from my parents' house from when I grew up. They used to be the same color until the boy wanted to stain the table. The goal would be to eventually stain the chairs to match. Here's the view from a slightly different angle. (This is looking in from the living room.)
This let's you see the view into to the backyard. You can also see my mini-office set-up and off to the left is the laundry. And here's the other half of the room, the official kitchen.
The curtains over the window were left by the prior owner. While the kind of match the blue walls (which I love!), I would eventually like to replace them. As you saw in the previous pictures, the left side of the kitchen counter could be used as some type of bar, but we would need bar stools to take full advantage. Off the the right of this view is the way to the bedrooms, but its always where the pantry is.
I just thought it would be fun to share some of the randomness and disorganization that's in the current pantry. The shelf at the bottom, as you might expect in a kitchen, are all different types of cookbooks.

If you're here from Kelly's Korner, thanks for stopping by! And if you're looking for more kitchen tours, but sure to head over to Kelly's Korner to check them out.

~Shoshanah

Shop Till You Drop

Mini Shopaholic by Sophia Kinsella
I was so excited when I heard they were coming out with a new book in the series. It's actually one of the few chick-lit series I've read more than once. So I couldn't wait to see what kind of mischief Becky Brandon nee Bloomwood gets herself into this time.

At first I was almost disappointed to see that Becky hadn't really changed. I get that if she learns completely from her mistakes there wouldn't really be a story. But I don't get how one person can make the same mistake over and over without learning. And yet as I read through the book I realized that while it was the same Becky she had still matured. She did quite herself into quite a few crises, but never to the extent of some of the other books, and that was nice too see.

I also thought Minnie, Becky's daughter was so cute and loved all of the scenes with her. And yet while the title makes it seem as if the entire book will be about Becky and Luke's daughter, I felt like more central to the plot line was Becky trying to throw Luke a surprise party.

Before I read the book I was a little scared thinking this might be the last shopaholic book. I just didn't see how after this she'd be able to come up with anything else. But with the last few pages Kinsella easily set up the next in the series. I'll try not to give anything away, but I can't wait to see what she does with the series.

Overall I think its a great edition to the shopaholic series. I don't know that it's my favorite, I think that's still Shopaholic and Baby, but I still love to read it again. And I can only hope she does decide to come out with a seventh book to this series.

~Shoshanah

Second Chance for Victory

While my family was visiting I took my parents to their first ever LSU football game in Tiger Stadium.
The game started off on a good note with our quarterback running for over 90 yards on the first play for a touchdown. But after that the game wasn't really that exciting.
Besides that first touchdown we just couldn't seem to score. We missed a field goal, had several intercepts, and a turnover. We were able to get down the field, but we were never able to score again except for one lone field goal.
It came down to 2 minutes left in the game and we were down 10-14. Our "back-up" quarterback (who most people think should be starting) was in the game trying to score a touchdown for the win. And each time it seemed like this would be it, he seemed to make just enough for a first down. With 10 seconds left we're within 2 yards of a touchdown.

Me & My MomBut even though the clock hasn't stopped the coach decides is the perfect time to put back in the "starting" quarterback and a few other players, and Tennessee does the same. Even though the quarterback isn't ready we snap the ball with 2 seconds left. Since the quarterback has no idea what happens the ball flies behind him and the game is over.

Marching Band's Halftime Tribute to the New Orleans SaintsExcept as we're leaving the stadium a roar goes over the crowd. Turns out the game isn't actually over. With the last minute substitution Tennessee has a penalty, and LSU gets to run the play over, without any type of time limit. This time LSU is able to finish, and on our second try we go on to win the game 16-14.
I can't say I've ever seen a game go down this way. And well a win is still a win, it was an ugly way of getting there. Here's hoping that next week's game at Florida somehow isn't nearly as ugly, and we can pull off a win!

~Shoshanah

The Escape

Escape by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer
In Escape Carolyn Jessop tells her story of leaving the FLDS community and her polygamous marriage. Not only is she able to leave, but she's also able to get all 8 of her children out before. I'm not sure what I find so fascinating. I think part of it's because it's such a different life I can hardly imagine what it would be like. It's almost like reading about a different time period, except this is actually happening now.

This isn't the first memoir like this I've read, I previously read Stolen Innocence, and it's interesting to note the difference between the two. To start with since Carolyn was born during a slightly less restrictive time she was actually able to attend college. Whereas Elissa from Stolen Innocence was barely able to finish high school. Then there's the age each was when the left. Carolyn was in her 30s when she escaped, compared to Elissa being only in her teens. I'm sure because of these difference Carolyn's book contained a lot more details about FDLS region itself. And also since Carolyn was not only married but gave birth to 8 children, in a way it seems that she went through move of a struggle during her time in FLDS.

I found it interesting that at the end of the book she allows her oldest daughter to rejoin the community after she turns 18. One would think that she would refuse to let her daughter go back to such a potentially harmful environment. But when you think of the fact that what she had been fighting for was freedom, it makes sense she'd also give her daughter the freedom to make her own decisions as well.

After finishing the book I was really curious to know what's happened to the family since the book was published. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that Carolyn actually published a sequel, Triumph: Life After the Cult--A Survivor's Lessons earlier the year. I'll definitely make a point to read that one as well, and would recommend this one to anyone whose every been at all curious to know just a little more about polygamy.

~Shoshanah

I'm Back!

I've returned from my unannounced blogging break. The reason I've been gone is because I've been spending time with my parents and grandmother who flew out to visit. I have a few posts in the weeks or hopefully days to come, but for now here's a small sampling of their visit.
The stories behind all these pictures and more to come!

~Shoshanah